Issue Position: Jobs

Issue Position

I have always fought for workers. I am proud that over 95% of labor organizations have endorsed my congressional campaign because of my record fighting for working families. We need people in Congress who will stand up for workers.

We have come a long way since the economic downturn in 2008 and we continue to see signs of economic growth. However, I know all too well families are still struggling and far too many Pennsylvanians are out of work. We need to get the economy working again for our middle class and creating good paying jobs right here in Philadelphia and Montgomery County.

When my father came to America as a 19-year old, he found work first as a warehouse worker for ACME Markets, and later as a maintenance custodian for SEPTA. My mother was a school crossing guard. These dependable jobs allowed my parents to give my brother and me opportunities they never had growing up. Thanks to my parents' hard work, a couple scholarships and many student loans, I went on to be the first person in my family to attend college. Unfortunately, with good paying jobs dwindling and tuitions rising, my story is becoming harder to replicate in America.

While there is no quick fix to fully restore our economy, we must work together to build an economy that works for the middle class, providing opportunities for the custodian and crossing guard who want their children to make it to college and for the small business owner with a dream and the drive to work hard and succeed.

When elected to Congress, I will fight to:

Raise the Minimum Wage- Hard work should be rewarded. Today an American can work full-time at a minimum wage job and still be under the poverty line. We can do better. If you work hard and play by the rules you should be able to have a wage you can live on.

Incentivize Innovation -- A thriving 21st century economy requires great ideas and innovation. We need incentives to make it easier for entrepreneurs to pursue their ideas and spur job growth.

Close Tax Loopholes -- A billionaire hedge fund manager should not pay a lower tax rate than a police officer or a nurse. Yet, under our unfair tax code, this is exactly what happens. We need to reform the tax code and end this unfair treatment of the middle class and workers.

Invest in Infrastructure and Transportation -- It is time to invest in America again. Our infrastructure is in decay and aging fast. In Washington I will fight to ensure that changes. We can make smart investments that create good construction jobs and also make sure we have the infrastructure needs to compete in the growing global economy.

End Misguided Incentives that Cost American Jobs -- We have the best workers in the world, but Americans compete on an unfair playing field that has resulted in jobs being shipped to China, India, and other countries around the world. We must end tax incentives that reward companies for shipping jobs overseas.

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