Issues
Economy
Several years after our country was thrust into the worst economic crisis in generation, the outlook in Washington State and many areas throughout the United States is gradually improving. Congress responded to the crisis with multiple initiatives to prevent a much deeper economic disaster, but we are not out of the woods yet. There is still much work to do to create good jobs, lower the employment rate, and create the conditions that encourage Washington State businesses to grow.
For too long, the United States has underinvested in our infrastructure and transportation system. A safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system is the backbone of the entire economy. Yet many of our roads and bridges have fallen into a state of disrepair and we have not put sufficient resources behind modernizing our transportation system and infrastructure to be more sustainable.
In 2011, the problem of gun violence hit especially close to home for me when my good friend and colleague, then-Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, was shot and nearly killed when meeting with her constituents. Six other people died because of that senseless act of violence. The continued increase in mass shootings and gun violence reinforces our country’s need to enact sensible gun violence prevention policies.