Bernadette believes Social Security and Medicare are promises to be kept. That is the least that those who have worked and contributed deserve. She will oppose indiscriminate cuts and work aggressively to find real solutions to the programs' financial health, starting with fair and common sense changes – like requiring high earners to pay the same payroll tax rate as working families, capping Medicare prescription costs and promoting preventative care. Bernadette believes Medicare needs to play a bigger role in American's health.

Bernadette supports the fight to end predatory lease-purchase programs in the trucking industry, which trap small-business truckers into unfair debt and deny them the freedom of true ownership. The OOIDA estimates that these agreements fail more than 90% of the time, leaving hardworking drivers financially devastated. She has a large list of issues and initiatives to bring to Washington and is working with local and national trucking organizations to formalize that list.

Bernadette knows a strong and effective public education system is the foundation for opportunity and self-reliance and the best hope for American leadership in the world. She will work to focus tax dollars on improving public K -12 schools, community and state colleges and ensure there is ample investment in vocational and technical programs. She will provide targeted relief to borrowers misled by predatory educational institutions, make student borrowing fair and manageable and create incentives for those working to enter high-demand fields like teaching, nursing, and public safety.

Ensuring all Americans have affordable access to timely, high quality healthcare is a top priority for Bernadette. In Congress, she will fight to protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, expand healthcare access in underserved and rural areas, and demand cost transparency in billing so that patients know exactly what they're paying for. She believes there are brilliant solutions to make America a health care leader, we just need to find them and create legislation to make them happen.

Bernadette believes that maintaining our roads, bridges, and water systems is not merely a matter of convenience; it is a matter of safety, economic strength and national pride. She will protect infrastructure funding, eliminate needless delays to accelerate projects, prioritize local contractors and ensure that investments in broadband and clean energy create American jobs, rather than sending work overseas. She believes the American people deserve an infrastructure worthy of the 21st Century.

Bernadette believes healthcare decisions should be made by women in consultation with their doctors, not politicians. In Congress, she will protect access to contraception and emergency care, expand paid parental leave and make quality childcare more affordable for working families. She will also continue to ensure women enjoy the same opportunities in the workplace as similarly qualified men. No ceilings. No barriers. No BS.

Bernadette believes elected officials should answer to the people, not to a lifetime in power. In Congress, she'll fight to enact term limits for members of Congress, to stop career politicians from putting party and profit over the public good, restore accountability and ensure fresh ideas and new leadership in Washington. Bernadette has signed the USTL pledge. It is notable that Abe Hamadeh pledged to support term limits and then refused to cosponsor the bill that will do that.

Our next generations face a multitude of challenges. Student debt, job insecurity, the sky-rocketing price of first-time homes. Bernadette also understands the mental-health challenges of young people, who struggle to make good decisions in the overwhelming digital environment of social media, artificial intelligence and targeted misdirection. She will work with others on Capitol Hill to find solutions and get legislation done to ensure the American Dream is again within reach of young people.

Bernadette's father served in Vietnam. She understands the sacrifices veterans make for our country and believes America must honor its commitments to ALL Veterans. We have a lot of folks on both sides of the aisle looking to protect Vets and their families. Unfortunately, we have too many who are willing to put Veteran benefits' funding at risk by driving up national debt and giving the richest Americans tax breaks they don't need. When Bernadette goes to Congress her early priorities are to fully fund the VA and hold it accountable for every dollar spent. She will work to reduce VA intake time, improve and expand mental health services and preserve community-care options. She will also work hard to find permanent and effective solutions for funding to improve the VA's offerings.

Unions have been America's lifeline for worker's rights, fair pay, good and reasonable benefits, job security, safety, fairness and equality. Bernadette fervently supports unions and will work hard to roll back Trump administration efforts to weaken them. Bottom line... America would not be what it is without Unions.