Dear Friend,
As we start the 114th Congress, I’m eager to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass smart, bipartisan policy that will help grow our economy and support good-paying jobs. While there has been some economic relief, there is still much more work Congress should do to ensure that a strong, growing middle-class can thrive.
I am committed to protecting working families and fighting to expand opportunities for everyone. Congress needs to start working on legislation to help middle-class families, make college more affordable, ensure equal pay for equal work, provide paid sick leave, and pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Unfortunately, the start of this Congress has not been about making progress on any of these issues. Instead, House leaders are playing politics by forcing votes on legislation that would tear apart families and jeopardize women’s access to healthcare. I’ll continue to urge House leaders to take up more practical, bipartisan measures, including reforming our broken immigration system. Please see below for more detail on the first couple weeks of this session.
As always, my office is here to serve you. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on Twitter or liking my Facebook page. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, such as the IRS or the VA, or if you are having problems with your Social Security or Medicare, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085.
Sincerely,
Suzan
Strengthening the Economy through Comprehensive Immigration Reform
My guest to the State of the Union address was Juan Macedo, a high school honor student and dedicated volunteer to his community. Juan was brought to the United States as a young child. Mount Vernon has been Juan’s home most of his life – it’s where his family and friends are and where he’s attended school. When he was in D.C., he kept saying he needed to finish his homework before he’d feel comfortable spending time seeing the sights. He’s a regular teenager in so many ways, but because of his immigration status, he worries about being stopped and detained by Border Patrol agents.
Fortunately, Juan has been granted temporary relief thanks to the President’s recent executive action, known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA isn’t a permanent fix – it’s only a temporary patch. What’s needed is simple: Congress must fix our broken immigration system by passing comprehensive reform that secures the borders, increases the number of visas for skilled workers, and provides an earned pathway to citizenship for the millions of immigrants currently within the United States. Congress needs to pass reform so that kids like Juan may continue their education and build a better future for themselves and our communities. Comprehensive immigration reform like H.R. 15 (the bill I helped introduce last Congress) will help reduce our deficit and build a thriving economy that works for everyone, and I’ll keep pushing until it’s done.
Protecting Women’s Health Options
This past Thursday, the House voted on another attack on women’s healthcare options (H.R. 7). That’s why I spoke in strong opposition to it on the House floor.
It’s also why I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 448), which was reintroduced in the House of Representatives last week. This important legislation would make it unlawful to place unnecessary and burdensome restrictions on women’s access to reproductive health services. I am committed to protecting the rights of women across the country. Congress should focus on expanding access to childcare, providing paid sick leave, and ensuring equal pay for equal work – not putting politicians between a woman and her doctor.
