EDUCATION

As a first-generation college student who worked her way from Johnson County Community College to Cornell Law School, I know how valuable good education is for the success of our children.

Every student should have access to quality public education, regardless of their ZIP Code, ability, or special needs. I support implementing a holistic approach to education, focusing on access to quality public options from pre-K through secondary higher education and promoting strong, skills-based training programs.  

I’m committed to making higher education more affordable, so our kids aren’t graduating with crushing debt. I’m working to implement policies that encourage and facilitate the opportunity for higher education. That’s why I signed onto legislation to lower the cost of student loans and protect students from bad actors. We must also expose students to careers in trades and technical areas – skills that are vitally important to a robust economy. 

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

I agree with the overwhelming majority of scientists who recognize that climate change is real, and that we must take action now to protect our planet for future generations. According to the Weather Channel, the Kansas City-area is the fifth most vulnerable U.S. city to the dangers of climate change. We need innovative solutions to combat this crisis, grow our economy, and leave behind a healthier world for our children.

That’s why I voted for the Climate Action Now Act, a first step to confront the climate crisis and protect our planet by keeping us in the Paris Agreement and laying the groundwork for further climate action. It’s essential that our country honors its commitment to work with the rest of the world to cut carbon pollution and address this global crisis together.

I’m also a strong proponent of policies that encourage and increase the speed at which we shift to a system based on renewable energy. Kansas is uniquely poised to capitalize on wind energy, as our region has some of the highest wind production potential in the world. That’s why I’m working to create greater investment in Kansas’ wind-production infrastructure. We know that investing in durable, resilient infrastructure is an effective way to combat the effects of climate change, and I’m exploring that topic as a new member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  

HEALTH CARE

Everyone should have access to quality, affordable health care, but right now too many Kansans can’t get the care they need or are faced with skyrocketing costs. No one should ever have to worry about affording a lifesaving treatment or going bankrupt because they or someone they love gets cancer or diabetes. 

That’s why I’m dedicated to finding ways to lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs, strengthen and expand the ACA, protect those with pre-existing conditions, and improve quality of care. 

• Protecting people with pre-existing conditions: I voted to rollback junk insurance plans that charge higher premiums for folks with pre-existing conditions, like asthma and diabetes. 


• Lowering the Cost of Health Care and Prescription Drug Costs: I voted for bipartisan legislation to lower premiums and reverse political attacks on our health care system that are hurting patients. I supported legislation to hold drug companies accountable and bring more generic drugs to market to lower costs, which passed the House.  


• Preventing Surprise Medical Bills: Health care is expensive enough as it is, and surprise medical bills only add to the burden for Kansas families. I introduced legislation to help prevent surprise medical billing due to out-of-date insurance directories. It requires insurance companies to provide updated and accurate information to patients and in-network physicians on a regular basis, so folks are aware of what their costs will be. 

• Improving and Strengthening the Affordable Care Act: On my first day in office, I joined my House colleagues to throw the full legal weight of the U.S. House of Representatives against the Trump Administration’s lawsuit, which attempts to not only strike down protections for people with pre-existing conditions, but to eliminate every single protection and benefit provided by the Affordable Care Act. 


• Ensuring Health Care and Coverage includes Mental Health: I supported legislation to expand funding for mental health services and suicide awareness and prevention training for students. I also supported legislation to equip law enforcement with the training needed to respond to mental and behavioral health crises.  

JOBS, ECONOMY & SMALL BUSINESSES

Entrepreneurship is baked into the DNA of the Kansas Third District, and I consistently highlight our business community through my work on the Small Business Committee. I'm working to ensure our small businesses have the tools they need to take care of their employees, grow their companies, and contribute to our economy.   

I’m also pushing forward fiscally responsible solutions that support American workers and keep taxes and spending under control.  

• Supporting Small Businesses: I introduced two bills to support military veteran and female entrepreneurs, both of which passed the House with broad bipartisan support. The SERV Act helps veteran business owners succeed by examining the barriers they face, including lack of access to credit, and by increasing promotion of small business programs available to veterans. The Women’s Business Centers Improvement Act increases funding for Women Business Centers, which offer a full range of critical counseling and technical training services for small businesses primarily owned by women.    â€‹

• Fiscal Responsibility: I led my colleagues in pushing Congressional leaders to follow fiscally responsible pay-as-you-go budget rules that require spending increases to be matched with spending cuts or revenue increases. I’m working to bring the federal budget deficit under control so future generations aren’t saddled with deficits and debt.  â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹

• Protecting American Workers: Anyone who works hard and does everything right should be able to earn a decent living. I’ve voted to raise the federal minimum wage, which hasn’t been increased in nearly a decade, and fought to ensure Equal Pay for Equal Work.  I also voted to shore up worker pensions, repeal the Cadillac tax on health care plans, and protect the right to organize.  â€‹

• ​​​​Bringing jobs to the Kansas City-Region: I joined the Kansas and Missouri Delegation to successfully advocate for the Kansas City-area to be selected as the new headquarters for the USDA’s major research facilities. 

MAKING GOVERNMENT WORK FOR KANSANS

Kansans deserve a government that works for them. When I was elected to Congress, I made a commitment to help clean up Washington and make sure our government actually serves the people. That’s why my priority is to be accessible to every person and every corner of our district.
 

• Bringing Kansas Voices to Washington: We’ve opened offices in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties and regularly hold public events to listen and connect people with help. And as of December 2020, we’ve replied to more than 100,000 constituents who have contacted us on everything from health care to education.
   
• Cleaning Up Washington: The first bill I supported was the For the People Act, a sweeping package of reforms that will put the American people back in charge of our democracy by ending the dominance of big money in politics, expanding and protecting the right to vote, and strengthening ethics laws for members of Congress.


• Protecting and Expanding the Right to Vote: I introduced legislation that would allow people to petition the Department of Justice to investigate voting complaints, helping to ensure that eligible voters are able to seek justice if they have been denied from the ballot box.


• Working for Kansas, not party: Kansans are pragmatic and expect their leaders to work together whenever possible to deliver results. That's why as of November 2020, more than 70% of the bills I’ve supported are bipartisan.

TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

As Vice Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’m working in a bipartisan way to bring much needed economic development to our roadways, airports, railways, local water infrastructure, and more. 

The committee has jurisdiction over areas that touch every aspect of our lives - especially in the Kansas City Metro area with its strategic position as one of our nation’s major transportation and shipping hubs. 

• Focusing on Kansas: I’ve made it a priority to advocate for our local needs, bringing the Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to our district to see Kansas projects in person.  


• Rebuilding for the next generation: I’ve voted to pass key funding to invest more than $70 billion in green, modern, job-creating infrastructure through the appropriations process. That supports projects to improve and upgrade our roads and bridges, mass transit, and airports.  


• Safety and oversight: I served as Vice-Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee, which has taken a lead role on investigating the cause of two international Boeing 737 MAX crashes. We’ve held several hearings on this issue and will keep pushing to ensure we have the safest airspace in the world. 

VETERANS & ARMED FORCES

My mother served in the U.S. Army for twenty years, and I learned so much about service, sacrifice, and dedication to country through her. After all that our service members and veterans have done for us, we must have their backs. They deserve nothing less than the quality health care, services, and access to jobs that they’ve earned. 

My office helps military and veteran constituents with casework and acts as a facilitator between  federal, state, and local agencies. We also have a member on our team from the Wounded Warrior Program, which helps create employment opportunities in Congress for veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound while serving in the military. For more information on how we can assist our veterans, please contact my office. 

In Congress, I've worked to help veterans transition their skills from service to business through my bill, the SERV Act. This bipartisan legislation helps veteran entrepreneurs succeed by examining the barriers they face, including lack of access to credit, and by increasing promotion of small business programs available to veterans. In addition, I voted to pass legislation that addresses the veteran suicide crisis, as well as veterans experiencing homelessness. I also voted for the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act so more Vietnam War veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange can get the crucial benefits they need.