Debbie Wasserman Schultz has dedicated her public life to serving South Floridians and standing up for justice, equality, and opportunity wherever and whenever it is threatened. As Florida’s first Jewish Congresswoman, she has earned the respect of her colleagues for working tirelessly on behalf of seniors, children, and families for nearly three decades.
First sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2005, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate where she originally displayed her philosophy that there is “no task too small, and no goal too big.”
Everyone should have a fair chance at living the American dream if they work hard and play by the rules. I’m fighting to ensure that our economy works for all Americans. One of my top priorities is creating jobs for the American people and an economy that's built to last. From creating clean energy jobs to helping small businesses expand and thrive right here in America, we can strengthen our economy and ensure Americans have access to jobs that pay living wages and afford a strong quality of life.
The national wealth gap is rising, and it is particularly pronounced for people of color. The income gap between the top 1 percent and bottom 99 percent of wage earners in Florida is one of the worst divides in the nation. There is also a persistent gender pay gap that threatens women’s economic security – on average, women are paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to a man, and this disparity is even greater for women of color. The federal minimum wage has not increased since 2009, and it certainly has not kept pace with inflation. This creates economic uncertainty for many hardworking Americans, even when the economy appears to be booming.
Implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 created a vital and significant foundation for the future of a stronger economy. From assistance to homeowners, to investment in infrastructure, to easing credit for small businesses, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act helped put our economy back on track.
But our economy is only as strong as its impact on Americans across the financial spectrum. I have cosponsored legislation to raise the federal minimum wage and tipped minimum wage to 15 dollars by 2020. And I’m fighting against President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts of 2017, which doled out enormous, permanent tax cuts for corporations and billionaires with meager, temporary tax cuts for American families. This bill has already increased our national deficit and saddled our national debt, and the consequences will become worse when the individual tax cuts expire.
We need a fair taxation system that supports a growing economy, small business creation, and American families – while ensuring our federal government has adequate funding to support services and infrastructure that make our country work.