TROY RASBAND

"America is a nation of immigrants". In order to continue forward and honor our history, we have to seriously reform our immigration system. This would mean expanding our immigration court system to hire additional judges, administrative staff, and construct improved, temporary living facilities.

Taking these steps would serve to cut down on processing times for immigrants who’ve taken the legal path for entering the US, and ensure they’re entering safe living conditions.

This is a pivotal moment in our history. As a nation and as proud Americans, we need to show that while even when we do something wrong, we also have the capacity to acknowledge those wrongs and the character to make it right. Growing up I always believed in the quote “If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence” and I’m going to bring those values into Congress.

Reproductive rights are a part of healthcare and should not be infringed upon. No woman should be denied life-saving surgeries for nonviable pregnancies. It is not the government's job to decide who is eligible, this is a matter that should remain strictly between the affected individual and their health care provider.

The overturning of Roe V. Wade was one of the worst decisions by "Roberts Court" and a stain on SCOTUS’s reputation. The overturning of this case has led to many dark outcomes for the women of our country and has shown us how necessary it is to codify reproductive rights into law.

When elected, I will doggedly pursue legislation that will cement abortion rights into law at the federal level, as it always should have been, and give my full support to any organization working in favor of this goal. It’s your body, your choice. Always.

When I was a child, I was diagnosed with a heart condition called myocarditis. It cut off the blood supply to the lower half of my body and left my family in medical debt that is still persistent to this day. No working-class family should have to decide between rent or food, and it’s time to stop pretending that our government can’t afford a better way.

We live in one of the richest countries on earth, yet we’re still burying American families in mountains of debt they may never recover from. There’s a more cost-effective and humane way to provide critical medical services and it’s by utilizing a program we already have, Medicare.

By increasing the tax on the top 1% in combination with introducing an unrealized gains tax, we can begin to adopt a Medicare-for-All system. This would alleviate the financial burden on families by transitioning away from high-cost, private plans and remove the administrative bloat that exists within our current healthcare system.

Through a slow-roll out system, based on age and need, we can responsibly start expanding Medicare coverage and begin transitioning people to a Medicare-for-All plan. Americans are among the hardest working people in the world, it’s time we have a healthcare system that matches our work ethic, it’s the system we deserve.

The right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights that this country was founded on and they belong to everyone. That includes the transgender community, with no exceptions in my heart.

When elected to office, I intend to push for legislation that actively cements your right to free expression and keeps the government from interfering with your bodily autonomy. Things like gender-affirming care, federal recognition of gender identity and acceptance into military service will be some of the new policy points I’m going to push forward.

It is imperative that we rally around our Transgender communities as they’re faced with constant attacks on their rights and endure threats to their lives, simply because they exist. We’re in this fight together and if given the chance, my support will extend well past policy making and lip-service; if a spotlight is needed, vocal support required or hands-on aid, I’ll be there.

I’m in favor of implementing well measured but impactful legislation that would transfer power back to the people, strengthen our democracy and get corporate money out of our government.

One thing us Americans can agree on, is that our government doesn’t work for the people it presides over but the corporations and billionaires that funnel hundreds of millions of dollars into our government and election system.

When elected, I would push for legislation such as introducing laws to limit SCOTUS terms to 12 years, repealing Citizens United and ending big money in our politics, and ending stock-trading for members of Congress. We can all agree something needs to change, let's start acting on it.

During my time in community college I found my love for education and the academic environment. The curiosity, intelligence, and drive of the peers I studied with were a huge influence on me, and pushed me to study harder. It’s with these memories in mind that I wish to help push education-orientated policy forward in Congress.

The path to fixing our education system starts by paying our most fundamental members of society, teachers, the wages that they deserve. If we can find the money in the budget to pay for wars overseas, we can find enough room to start paying our most essential members of society the wages they deserve.

When elected, my plan is to work with local and national leaders alike in education to start pushing back and tip the scale in their favor in the fight for a better future for our kids. Education is the foundation of a healthy democracy and it’s time to start treating it as such.