In the wake of a global pandemic, our fight for affordable, accessible health care is more important than ever. Coronavirus’ disproportionate impact on minority and poor communities reminds us that our current healthcare system does not serve all Americans. No one should ever have to decide between life-saving care or paying household bills, yet many North Carolinians face this choice every day.

I support creating a comprehensive public option for health insurance, ensuring that all people have affordable and equitable access to care. I am working to protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, expand access to care, and lower the cost of prescription drugs. Paying for the medicine and care you need should not be a partisan issue.

I have cosponsored several bills to improve our response to COVID-19 and guarantee affordable coverage for all Americans. The Ensuring Coverage in Public Health Emergencies Act would automatically create a special enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act when a public health emergency is declared. The Coronavirus Containment Corps Act would bolster our contact tracing efforts to help us starve COVID-19 out of our communities.

I also recognize that gun violence is a public health epidemic in the United States. I am a cosponsor of the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act, which would allocate funding to research on gun violence at the CDC