Jobs & The Economy
I believe that Western New York’s best days are ahead. But we need a representative in Congress who will fight to bring good-paying jobs back to our region and build trade agreements that move from free trade to fair trade, putting workers ahead of multinational corporations. We need a representative who will put our interests – the interests of working families – before special interests.
As an environmental lawyer, I have represented clients that have brought new development and jobs to Western New York. As your Congresswoman, I will work with local business and community leaders to identify goals and implement programs for the region that will promote financial security and stability. I want to position Western New York at the forefront of the alternative energy industry, creating stable, good-paying green collar jobs for working men and women in the region. In Washington, I will be a steadfast advocate for American workers, fighting for policies that prevent jobs from being shipped overseas to the lowest bidder.
Our leaders in Washington have turned a deaf ear to the real concerns of working families in New York. With so much at stake in this election, I promise to bring your voices to the national conversation, to help strengthen the middle class and to create greater economic opportunity for all working people in the 26th District. Specifically I will:
- Support clean, renewable energy industries that will bring good-paying green collar jobs to the 26th District. An increased investment in clean renewable energy industries can bring as many as 50,000 new jobs to New York State alone, with Erie County seeing the largest benefit. I will work with businesses, unions, environmentalists and other concerned citizens to grow these industries in Western New York. You can read more about my priorities here.
- Support policies that actually provide a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. Too many working families have seen their real wages decline in the last thirty years. During the Bush Administration, wage growth has stalled leaving working families financially insecure and unable to plan for the future. I will support policies that provide families with a living wage, reliable healthcare and retirement security.
- Fight efforts to send American jobs overseas. I will work to ensure that all U.S. trade policies include environmental and labor protections and provide an even playing field for American workers and their families and include U.S. environmental standards, worker safety standards, and product safety standards.
- Support a plan to provide every family with access to affordable, quality healthcare. Because an important part of economic security is health security, I believe that affordable healthcare should be available to everyone, and workers should be able to take their coverage with them when they change jobs or are laid off. As a mother who is now caring for an aging parent, I know that there is more we can do to make healthcare available to every American without bankrupting families or making them choose between caring for aging parents or sending their children to college. Read more about my health care priorities here.
- Support policies that strengthen our public education system to make sure every child is prepared for the jobs of the 21st century. I will support greater investment in the public education system from pre-school though university and I believe our local universities and colleges can become economic engines that spur job creation and keep our kids from moving away to find work. Read more about my education views here.
