Candidate for
US Representative; Pennsylvania Congressional District; District 14; Democratic Party

My highest priority throughout my service in Congress has been promoting economic growth and the creation of jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania. With that in mind, I have worked hard to make the region a center for cutting edge research, high-tech industries, and advanced manufacturing + and to make certain that local workers have the skills they need for the jobs that will be in demand in the years to come.

I have been working with my colleagues in Congress to enact legislation that would speed up economic growth and job creation. I have supported legislation to extend unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. I have supported increasing the minimum wage so that someone who works full-time can live above the poverty level. I have supported increased federal investments that will pay off over the long run + from scientific and biomedical research to infrastructure like roads, transit, water and sewer systems to health care and education.

I believe that the richest, most powerful country in the world should be able to figure out how to guarantee all of its citizens have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. Without robust education, we will surely be lose our place in the world. That includes funding for day care centers, all the way through programs to help American's get their PhD's, and every thing in between. An educated workforce is a better workforce, and we have the tools to be the best. I have supported efforts to strengthen our education system, with programs aimed at helping young adults stay in school and find meaningful employment.

We just marked the four-year anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I was proud to support that bill. Many of its provisions have now been enacted. As of April, ten million more Americans have signed up for high-quality, affordable health coverage under the ACA. Millions more can no longer be discriminated against for pre-existing conditions, and old insurance industry abuses have been turned on their heads + so that now policy-holders' annual out-of-pocket expenses are capped instead of the amount of medical care private health insurance policies would pay for each year.

In addition, I have worked for years as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to reduce our dependence on oil imported from politically unstable parts of the world. I have worked successfully to increase federal research on more energy-efficient technology and greener, often renewable, sources of energy like wind, solar, and biomass.

In recent years, I have recognized the pressing need to address the global climate change produced by our widespread consumption of fossil fuels. Fortunately, a lot of the advanced energy technology that I have been working to develop will help us curb global warming as well.