Hard work should pay off. That’s why I support:

• Raising the federal minimum wage for the first time in nearly 30 years.

• Closing the “salary loophole” that cheats workers of overtime.

• Eliminating taxes on tips, especially in industries that had mostly cash-based tips just a few years ago.

Local economies do well when ideas meet opportunity. As your representative, I will:

• Help our local entrepreneurs, including our veterans, apply for federally-backed small business loans to turn an idea into reality and support . 

• Support projects to improve our infrastructure, including rail and internet connectivity and port logistics.

• Fight to protect and expand the Opportunity Zone and Community Block Development Grant programs that encourage investment in our small towns.

• Advocate for fast, common sense permitting rules for bonafide clean energy projects so more of the money we spend on utilities stays here. 

• Uplift our community colleges, regional public universities, and other community partners in creating, staffing, and improving innovation hubs and pre-apprenticeship programs that help people launch meaningful careers without taking on the cost of a four-year degree.

I will be a strong voice in making sure that wherever you live in southeast NC, you have local public schools that provide young people with a strong start. As your representative, I will:

• Protect the programs and funds that support our students with disabilities that are currently administered by the US Department of Education.

• Protect funds for Head Start, the Preschool Development Grant, Title I, and Career & Technical Education. 

• Advocate for capital improvement funds to help our schools, especially in critical repairs & renovations, which are often more cost-effective than building an entirely new building, including improving storm and flood resilience and air quality, a cost-effective way to help kids be healthier throughout the school year. 

• Restore funding to the National Center for Educational Statistics, an office that was created over 150 years ago, and the Institute of Educational Sciences, a nonpartisan agency, so we can know how our schools are performing and identify and share ideas and approaches that help all students succeed. 

• Support programs that help our young people develop their talents and passions, including fine arts, advanced mathematics and science, history and literature, and career skills so they can see how education provides a foundation for a fulfilling life. 

As a note: The federal government does not have a direct voice in picking a school’s curriculum.

High doctors’ bills, the inability to see a provider when we need to, and losing a loved one because of a cure that could have been developed or given but wasn’t are unacceptable and avoidable situations. As your representative, I will:

• Protect Medicare and Medicaid and fight to keep health insurance premiums affordable and coverage meaningful. 

• Advocate for federal funds to study and address the recent increase in maternal and infant mortality in North Carolina. 

• Support efforts to lower prescription drug costs and improve patient awareness of copay assistance programs. 

• Rollback cuts to cancer research and other vital programs at the National Institutes for Health and National Science Foundation. 

No party or politician has a monopoly on good ideas.

A “my way or the highway” attitude leaves our communities, and our country, further behind. Whether it’s making sure everyone can have a secure and dignified retirement, our community’s vital role in our national defense, cleaning up PFAS pollution, helping our farmers develop a new crop for export, or any other issue, I promise to keep listening, leading, and uniting. As your representative, I will:

• Hold a town hall in every county in our district every year. 

• Be an independent voice for our district and our communities, regardless of what the national parties are saying or what talking points they distribute. 

• Have my office devote significant time to helping you navigate federal agencies and programs. We work for you, whether you vote for me or not. 

• Advocate for reforms to reduce corruption and make Congress work better, including full work-weeks at the Capitol and back home, the option for virtual (but public) committee meetings, and disclosure by members of the government of meetings with corporate lobbyists.