Issues

Kathleen is running for the Virginia House of Delegates in the 34th District. Click here to learn more about our District.

Education for the 21st Century Economy:

Virginia must continue to be a destination for families looking to raise their children in a community with world class public schools and Universities. Funding for education is being threatened to pay for a short term fix to our transportation problem. We must take measures to ensure that our public schools remain competitive in a changing 21st century economy. 

I will make sure our schools have the funding, staff, and commitment to excellence we demand as a community.  Now is the time to invest in our future.  We must ensure that our Community Colleges are partnering with local business to ensure that the education our children receive will lead to jobs. Our Universities are among the best in country. In order to ensure that they remain among the best we need to support them financially. Our education system is not something we can take for granted, but something we work to make better every day.

Protecting Women’s Rights:

I support women’s rights because they are human rights. I support issues important to ensuring women’s equality: equal pay, workplace flexibility, and the right to make the important choices about their own bodies and access to prescriptive medications. We must realize that women’s issues are about so much more than just health care, rather they are economic issues. Limiting women’s rights and access to health care will not only hurt women, but will also hurt our state economically.  Women are the backbone of our families and our communities.  I will protect their rights and oppose any who attack them.

Transportation:

Northern Virginia has a transportation problem.  The current legislature plans to fix this problem, by creating an education problem.  The Republican plan to use education funds as a band-aid for transportation is bad policy and bad economics.  Infrastructure and education are both key investments that fuel future economic growth and prosperity. We want real transportation solutions and not just sleight of hand  -  because and you know that we cannot keep borrowing against our future and calling it a surplus.  We cannot pretend to solve a billion dollar problem with a five million dollar band-aid. We know the difference between fact and fiction. I will fight for a permanent funding source for transportation in the budget and end the game of pitting our children’s future against the infrastructure we desperately need.

Protecting the Virginia Voter:

Our last election proved that we need to work harder to make voting easier.  Five hour long lines, broken voting machines, vague ID laws, and loss of absentee ballots are just some of the problems our voters encountered in 2012.  Additionally the Republican party in Richmond is eager to gerrymander much of the state to give themselves a permanent hold on the State House and mute the voice of our voters.  I will fight to improve the process of our elections so that the voice of our people is heard.

Protecting our Children:

In the wake of recent tragedy it is now clear that our laws concerning the regulation of firearms must change.  I support President Obama’s initiative to make our streets, schools, and homes safer through common sense gun regulation. The gun show loophole, which allows people to purchase firearms with no background check, must be closed. We must institute universal background checks for all firearm sales.  I will work with local groups, sportsmen, police, and concerned citizens to find reasonable regulations for our state’s firearms.