Civil and Human Rights
Our government is founded on the belief that individuals have a number of "inalienable rights" enshrined in the Constitution. I believe that the protection of those rights is a fundamental obligation for each member of Congress, and I take that duty very seriously. It is important that we work to end discrimination and human rights abuses wherever they occur.
In my work in the House of Representatives, where I was previously a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Vice Chair of the Human Rights Commission, I do my best to make sure a proper balance between security and liberty is maintained, and that government's reach into our private lives is kept to a minimum.
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I had an absolutely fabulous week back home in the 9th Congressional District! I love getting to be out and about in our community, whether I am visiting a school, touring a non-profit organization, or meeting with local elected officials.
Last week, Republicans on the House Budget Committee hosted a hearing centered around the idea of creating a so-called “fiscal commission.” The hearing made it crystal clear what their real goal is: decimate Social Security and Medicare behind closed doors. Over a decade ago, I served on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, better known as the Bowles-Simpson Commission.
I hope you all had a joyful Thanksgiving holiday! I know I enjoyed spending quality time with my family. It was great to be back in the 9th Congressional District for an extended period of time after 10 straight weeks of voting in Washington, D.C.
It has been 24 days since Hamas’ horrifying terrorist attack on Israel, in which more than 1,400 Israelis were killed and over 5,400 injured. Hamas also captured over 200 hostages, including several Americans.
I am sorry that I am not writing to you with better news, but Congress remains at a standstill. We are now only 10 days away from the September 30th deadline to pass our federal funding bills. House Republicans continue to make extreme demands and are still plotting a government shutdown unless they can inflict their radical agenda on the American people.
As a longtime consumer advocate, I have worked very closely with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is tasked with keeping the public safe from consumer products that pose an unreasonable risk of injury or death.
This past week, I had the immense privilege of traveling to Nairobi, Kenya on a bipartisan trip with 17 of my Congressional colleagues. Africa’s unprecedented population growth will impact geopolitics, global trade, migration, and almost every aspect of life. By 2050, 1 in 4 people on Earth will be African.