Robert Garcia

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Every young adult should be able to attend a tuition-free college or a skilled trade program. Every undocumented kid and their family should have the ability to earn their citizenship. Every worker should have the opportunity to pursue a meaningful career. Every American should have healthcare and a roof over their head.

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There’s no getting around it – America has big, persistent and structural problems that Congress must address: Generational cycles of poverty and the consolidation of wealth and legal power into the hands of a powerful few must end. A minority of extremists with near-complete control of the Republican Party are attacking elections and our democracy. Systemic racism is steeped in our institutions.

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Defend our Democracy: The most important issue facing Congress today is to defend our democracy against attacks from the extreme far-right. I strongly supported Prop 50 in California to redraw our Congressional maps in the face of Trump demanding Republican states eliminate Democratic seats across the country. We need to use all the tools available to us to fight back against Donald Trump’s undemocratic agenda.

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Create New Jobs While Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels: I strongly support the Green New Deal. During my time as mayor, Long Beach worked locally to invest in green jobs and lower emissions drastically, ahead of state standards. In Congress, I am leading the Green New Deal on Transportation to electrify and modernize our public transportation fleets across the country. I have also signed the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge.

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Real Opportunity for Everyone – Not Just the Wealthy: In 2016, I proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, ahead of our state. During the pandemic, Long Beach also became the first city in California to provide an extra $4 an hour of Hero Pay to grocery workers. We faced fierce resistance from big corporations and stood our ground, winning relief for frontline workers. That’s why I fight for a nationwide $15 minimum wage, reform overtime rules, public banks, expand paid family leave, and boost programs that help working families like the earned income tax credit.

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Strengthening the Social Safety Net: In 2021 we also passed a guaranteed income pilot program, providing 500 single parents living in poverty and struggling to meet basic needs with $500 a month. In Congress, I introduced a bill to establish a guaranteed income pilot program for foster youths who recently aged out of the system. Every parent should be able to afford child care, and I believe every parent should be able to send their kids to a quality pre-k provider. I fight for universal child care and pre-k in Congress, and have been a staunch opponent of Trump’s cuts to the department of education and his targeting food assistance programs for families and children.

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Defending Immigrant Families & Fighting for More Paths to Citizenship. In Congress, I am fighting hard to expand pathways to citizenship for undocumented residents and fight to end legal discrimination against undocumented residents.

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Medicare for All: I believe the best approach to fixing our healthcare system is passing Medicare for All. I am a longtime supporter of Medicare for All and serve as the co-chair of Mayors 4 Medicare. I pushed for the City of Long Beach to be on the record supporting Medicare for All. Healthcare is a human right and your coverage shouldn’t depend on your employment.

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Ending the Gun Violence Epidemic: Congress must take action to save lives with responsible gun safety legislation. That’s why I have introduced the AMMO Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren to require background checks for ammunition purchases and limit the amount of ammo that can be purchased. I will work to implement universal background checks and a ban on AR-15 assault weapons. We must also raise the national age requirement to own a firearm to 21 and create a strong national licensing program. Communities and schools must also receive federal support for expanded mental health programs and violence diversion programs.

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Cancel Student Debt & Make College Cost Free: In Long Beach, we launched the Long Beach College Promise giving thousands of students two years of free tuition at Long Beach Community College. In Congress, I am fighting to cancel student debt across America and for no-cost college for all our students.

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Housing is a Human Right: We must expand affordable and accessible housing across the United States and work to build quality public housing. We need to ensure that people who are unhoused have access to shelter, services, and permanent supportive housing. Congress has an opportunity to fund significant housing development across American cities, especially along public transit and urban job centers.

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Preparing for Future Pandemics and Emergencies: Long Beach was hailed as a national model by President Biden during the covid pandemic. We were the first city in California to vaccinate 99% of seniors and our teachers. I made sure we focused on the science and led efforts to ensure low income communities had access to tests and vaccines. But the world should not have been in this position in the first place. America must be the world’s leader in pandemic prevention and biosafety and biosecurity planning. We need more funding for pandemic prevention, preparation and response — as well as strong regulations to ensure research is done safely. Dangerous pathogen research – especially dual use research – must be properly regulated in order to ensure technological advances don’t become weapons for nefarious actors.

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Make it Easier to Form a Union: Throughout our history, union jobs have been escalators to the middle-class. I’ll fight for changes that level the playing field between employees and employers and make it easier to join and form a union. I’ve always supported the rights of workers to organize and I am fighting to adopt the Pro Act in Congress.

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Getting Money out of Politics: I strongly believe in ending Citizens United, and support a full lobbying ban for former Members of Congress to end the revolving door between public office and corporate interests.