Expanding Access to Health Care
I know from personal experience that our ability to access health care can change, and often save, our lives. I have been uninsured and chosen to not receive medical care after a dangerous car accident because the visit to the emergency department would have been too expensive. I struggled to pay for my mom’s treatment as she battled stage four cancer in the final years of her life.
Every American must have the right to visit a doctor when they need medical care, regardless of the size of their bank account. In Congress, I co-sponsored Medicare for All legislation and I am committed to the promise of universal, quality health care coverage. I will continue fighting to ensure people can access medical services from prenatal to mental health care. We must make sure health care is a right, not a privilege, for all the people.
Building Equitable Access to Education
All of us should have equitable access to high-quality education, no matter our ZIP code or bank account. For me, this is a value that is deeply ingrained. My Great Aunt Autherine Lucy paved the way for accessible education in this country as the first Black woman to attend the University of Alabama. I have also seen firsthand, as a former public school teacher, how integral education is to opening doors to opportunity. In Washington, I will always fight for the resources that our students and teachers need to succeed.
Higher Education & Student Debt Relief
44.7 million Americans and counting remain burdened by student loan debt well after graduation–including me. Student debt creates a barrier to purchasing a home, starting a family, and creating the very life promised on the other side of a college education.
As I advocate for student debt cancellation for federal borrowers, I’m also fighting for policies to bring immediate relief to especially debt-burdened borrowers. This includes leading the Student Loan Credit Score Rehabilitation Act, which would ensure all negative credit reporting related to a previously defaulted student loan is removed from a borrower’s credit history once the borrower has completed student loan rehabilitation.