Isaiah on the Issues
“The American people deserve more than a recital of problems.” — Congresswoman Barbara Jordan
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Throughout our history, Texas’ historic 18th district has been home to some of America’s most prolific legislators. From Barbara Jordan, to Mickey Leland, to Craig Washington, to Sheila Jackson Lee, representing our district in Congress has become synonymous with getting results — Isaiah looks to continue that tradition.
Healthcare is unaffordable, and Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the country. Meanwhile, Greg Abbott turned down Medicaid funding to expand access to lower income Texans and premiums continue to rise . This is unacceptable. Nobody should have to make the choice between paying their bills and getting the medical care they need.
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Isaiah will work to lower the cost of healthcare by advocating for universal, affordable healthcare with a guaranteed public option to drive down costs. He will work to restore and increase funding for community health clinics, health centers, and hospitals in our area. We made a good start lowering the price of insulin for seniors and forcing drug companies to negotiate with Medicare, but we must reduce the cost of drugs for everyone.
We need to invest in the future of our economy and our workforce. That starts with expanding access to workforce development and education opportunities by expanding job training programs, eliminating tuition for trade schools and community colleges, and making public colleges free for families earning under $120,000 per year.
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While we make those investments, Isaiah will make sure to take an active role in our community by working with local professionals to host job fairs and connect employers with those seeking employment opportunities.
Democracy is only guaranteed if we fight for it. Sadly, Texas is a leader in the fight against democracy.
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People across the nation have watched Greg Abbott pass laws to limit polling stations, create new challenges for mail in ballots, and give power to the state to overturn local elections. He has especially targeted Houston. America has watched Ted Cruz posture in Washington about honoring the constitution while participating in election denialism and down-playing the seriousness of the January 6th insurrection. Now, we’ve watched the state take over and replace Houston Independent School District’s democratically elected school board.
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This issue is personal to Isaiah. In 2020, Harris County saw a surge in voter participation but no accommodation for younger voters. Isaiah saw this firsthand, when as President of #FortheStudents Isaiah helped turn the University of Houston’s football stadium into a polling location on campus.
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Soon after, Houstonians were punished when Greg Abbott called a special session specifically to outlaw 24 hour voting and drive-thru polling locations, the practices that made civic engagement in Harris County thrive.
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Isaiah's fighting back with the same vigor as those who have come long before and will be relentless in the fight to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
This is a nation of immigrants, and we need to reform our immigration system to stay true to our founding principles. Immigrants must be treated with dignity and compassion. Isaiah will fight for a pathway to citizenship for America’s undocumented immigrants, including DREAMers, as well as additional funding for immigration courts to speed up wait times for asylum seekers.
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Isaiah will also bring community members to the table to better understand the challenges of mixed-status households to strengthen our citizenship and green card processes.
We must protect workers' right to collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions. In Congress, Isaiah will support the PRO Act to strengthen unions and counteract Texas’ anti-union right-to-work laws.
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The federal minimum wage has not increased since 2009. It remains $7.25, just as it is in Texas, which is not enough to live on and worth even less in the face of high inflation. We must pass a bill through Congress raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour – and ensure that it continues to increase along with inflation as our economy grows so no worker is waiting another 14 years before they get a raise.
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Workers have a right to a workplace that is flexible and gives workers the ability to balance their work and family needs. We must institute paid family, medical and sick leave for all workers. Everyone should have access to affordable childcare so they can make the right choice for their family.
Climate change is a crisis and Hurricane Harvey demonstrated its devastating effects on our community. Isaiah will build on President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which is making historic investments in renewable energy and cutting emissions — but there is more to be done. We need an all of the above approach that includes carbon capture, energy efficient buildings, investments in public transit and electric vehicles. We need to bring more young people to the table, giving them a stake in the conversations that directly impact their future– and create a comprehensive plan built on an intergenerational understanding of the climate crisis and the way it interacts with job creation and the workforce.
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We do not have to choose between a healthy planet or a healthy economy– we can secure both by expanding investments to create good paying green energy jobs right here in the energy capital of the world, making Texas the beacon of innovation we know it to be.
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Isaiah is also committed to environmental justice. We must lead in uplifting those most directly affected by pollution and toxins that are disproportionately found in low income and communities of color. Cancer clusters are a man made issue, and it's time we clean them up and hold the companies that polluted our communities responsible.
We must embrace love and reject hate. Love is not a choice and nobody, especially not the government, should tell anyone who they can or cannot spend their life with. Isaiah firmly, and unapologetically stands with the LGBTQ+ community – and will proudly support the Equality Act.
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Furthermore, we must also ensure that we address the issues most directly facing LGBTQ+ youth– specifically the disparities in homelessness, anxiety, and depression rates. If we do not act to uplift them, empower them, and connect them to the resources they need– we will be failing to protect them from the far right actors who weaponize their identities to instill fear and sew division.
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The hatred and politicization of LGBTQ+ individuals, especially the transgender community, from extremists is abhorrent– and Isaiah will stand against it. LGBTQ+ lives matter, and we cannot allow people to project any forms of hatred onto individuals, their families, or their children.
Texas has led the way in assaulting reproductive freedom and enacting laws that do not just outlaw abortion but endanger women’s lives and create criminals out of healthcare professionals. We must pass a national law guaranteeing a woman’s right to choose. Just codifying Roe v. Wade is not sufficient, we need to further and guarantee the right to contraception and invest in reproductive healthcare services.
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Isaiah will join the Black Maternal Health caucus to address the disparities and discrimination against black women and black children face in the birth and postpartum process.
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Our nation needs to do more to stand with sexual assault survivors. In Congress, Isaiah will build upon the work he did at the University of Houston to get resources to law enforcement to test rape kits and funding available to institutions of higher learning to support survivors. In addition, Isaiah will work to increase funding available to local governments to boost crime labs and slash testing waiting periods.
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There has never been an in-depth, congressional study on the devastating impact of sexual assault on college campuses. Isaiah will introduce legislation to create a congressional commission to study trends and bring institutions together to share best practices to combat it.
When gun violence is the #1 killer of children in America, it is our new normal, and it will continue to be our new normal until we take action to address it.
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A member of “generation lockdown,” Isaiah grew up in an era of mass shooting drills in a state that leads the nation in mass shooting deaths. Isaiah believes we must be unapologetic in our approach. He committed to banning the sale of assault-style weapons, strengthening red flag laws, and supporting universal background checks to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people. Isaiah will work in conjunction with Houston Police and federal agencies like the ATF to address the proliferation of stolen firearms to root out potential crimes before they even happen.
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Isaiah believes in the phrase “we can do justice and public safety at the same time.” In Congress, he will relentlessly work to pass the full George Floyd Justice and Policing Act to create misconduct databases while also supporting increased funding for mental health programs for officers.
Our nation needs to form strong alliances with other countries in order to maintain global peace and economic prosperity. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlighting the growing threat of fascism and anti-democratic sentiments, it is of the utmost importance that we uphold our commitments to protecting democracy abroad and at home.
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We must ensure America’s support for Israel’s security as our legitimate democratic ally remains ironclad.
It is imperative that we address mental health as well– particularly among young Americans where anxiety & depression is an apparent issue. Isaiah will sponsor legislation to invest in mental health services for college & high school students to give them a chance to overcome mental barriers and thrive– not just survive.
Public education is under attack -- crumbling infrastructure of our school buildings, banning books, cuts to critical programs that open learning to all children and attacks on teachers define our state’s education policy. In Houston, the HISD’s school board was removed and replaced by Governor Abbott– taking the power away from school board members who were elected by our community. Texas Republicans have made it clear that banning books and arming teachers is a priority– but raising teachers' wages is not.
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In Congress, Isaiah will work to rebuild our public schools– by funding universal free lunch programs, protecting & expanding access for children with learning disabilities, investing in universal pre-K and kindergarten, and empowering teachers unions to negotiate better wages.
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He will push for workforce development opportunities for highschoolers who seek to go into the workforce directly after graduation by increasing access to professional certifications.
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Isaiah will build upon the work done by the Biden Administration to provide student loan forgiveness. He will work to eradicate the systemic flaws that allowed for this crisis to financially burden so many Americans as they enter adulthood– by banning predatory lending practices, preventing the next generation of college graduates from facing the same issues.
For too long, young Americans have been left out of the rooms in which their futures are being decided. In addition to being the youngest member of Congress, Isaiah will also empower young people to have a hand in shaping the country for years to come.
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As a Congressman, Isaiah will create a youth advisory council to ensure that the voices of high schoolers and college students in our district are heard; Isaiah will vote for a Youth Bill of Rights protecting young Americans’ fundamental rights; and Isaiah will support funding for an Office of Young Americans that will work to engage young people in the federal government.