Issues

As a member of the the House Armed Services Committee, where I am proud to serve as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities and as a member of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, I believe a strong national defense is critically important both to protect our citizens from harm and to preserve the liberties we cherish. Our brave men and women in uniform are the backbone of our armed forces, and I have consistently worked in Congress to provide them with the necessary resources to continue their record of excellent service. I have also fought to promote responsible national security policies that will keep our country safe and protect the rights we enjoy as Americans.

As a former member of the House Budget Committee, I am keenly aware that we cannot keep borrowing our way to a better future. We must continue to take decisive action to reduce our federal deficit. However, I also believe there is a role for government in making investments to create growth and ensure economic security. We are still feeling the lingering effects of the Great Recession, and Rhode Islanders are looking for a government that lives within its means while investing in its people. I pledge to continue to work towards both of those goals.

Our most vulnerable citizens are disproportionately affected by job cuts, higher food prices, turmoil in the housing market and other economic challenges that can have a devastating impact. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that our country’s poverty rate in 2019 was 10.5 percent. That same year, our child poverty rate was 14.4 percent. We must raise the living standards of America’s working families so that all children have the same opportunities to thrive.

Approximately 61 million Americans – one in four adults – live with a disability. The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the subsequent Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. LC, and the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act made the United States an international leader in disability rights by recognizing that people of all abilities deserve to live, learn, and work in their communities. However, thirty years after the passage of the ADA, we must continue to tear down barriers to inclusion and work towards true community living.

Our public education system is one of the foundations of our democracy. Investing in our children’s education not only has long-term benefits for our economy, but it also delivers on our nation’s promise that all individuals have an equal opportunity to succeed. I am deeply committed to improving our nation’s schools so that all children, regardless of the neighborhood in which they grow up, have the chance to achieve their full potential. It is imperative that we invest in education to promote new employment and ensure that students can adapt to the jobs that will grow our 21st century economy.

Russian cyber operations during the 2016 Presidential elections revealed vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure, and I believe it is of the utmost importance that the federal government take steps to assist states and municipalities in securing voting systems before 2018. I was encouraged that the Department of Homeland Security designated our election systems as “critical infrastructure” and is taking steps to increase awareness of the threat. I am also a member of the Congressional Task Force on Election Security, which is investigating additional measures Congress can take to protect against future meddling.

I have worked diligently in Congress to promote comprehensive policies promoting sound environmental stewardship, along with programs to enhance our energy security, ensure all Rhode Islanders have access to affordable power, and encourage energy conservation. I believe we must harness Americans’ ingenuity and creativity to make the United States a world leader in renewable energy technology and move our nation toward energy independence.