Candidate for
US Representative; Pennsylvania Congressional District; District 8; Democratic Party

My political philosophy is about moving away from the do-nothing politics of Congressman Fitzpatrick, and towards an agenda that gets people back to work, helps struggling middle class families, and strengthen our communities.

I'm running for Congress because I'm tired of nothing getting done in Washington. We have a Congress--and a Congressman--content to move from one crisis to the next, kicking the can a little further down the road each time. I was born and raised in Bucks County, and I gave up my career in drug discovery and breast cancer research because my family business was in trouble and I needed to step in to right the ship. That experience taught me the importance of balancing short-term sacrifice with long-term gain and growth, and that's what we're missing in Washington today. There's no vision. Nobody is looking toward the future, and that scares me. I'm running for Congress because I believe we deserve better--and we can do better.

As a scientist, I believe in taking an evidenced-based approach to policymaking. In other words, I believe we should pursue policies that work. Social Security works. I've seen how it helps my own mother stay in her home.

My background in science has also led me to the conclusion that, while fracking may be fine in some parts of Pennsylvania, it should never be allowed in the Delaware River Basin. The Delaware is one of Pennsylvania's most vital resources, providing drinking water to over 15 million people and playing a vital role for industry and irrigation in Pennsylvania's important farming regions. Moreover, the Delaware River basin is prone to severe floods, so chemical storage near the source of so much drinking water is a serious hazard. That's why I'm proud to be the only candidate in this race who has called for a permanent ban on fracking in the Delaware River Basin.

Congressman Fitzpatrick likes to talk about his support of small business and "job creators"--but I am a job creator and I am small business owner, and I can tell you that Mike Fitzpatrick's support of the government shutdown and disastrous Ryan Budget is not good for small business or middle class families. I am the only one in this race who has worked in the private sector, managed a budget, met a budget, shopped for health insurance or had to make a decision about how to chart a path for future growth. It is time to stop talking about creating new jobs, and start taking action.

When I left my job as a chemist at Wyeth to save my family's business, I could have laid employees off or tried to cut my way to prosperity. But I knew that was the wrong way to grow. Instead, I cut my own pay in half and protected every employee's job. I believe that protecting those jobs--as so many other businesses in our district did--helped our economy start to get back on track, which is why it infuriates me when our Congressman does nothing when companies like Lockheed-Martin and Teva Pharmaceuticals shut their doors.

I have proposed a three-part plan to put middle class families back on the path to prosperity, and to ensure that the Eighth District continues to lead the 21st Century Economy:

First, we need to pass an infrastructure bill that puts people back to work now. I personally find it insulting that Mike Fitzpatrick has voted over 50 times to repeal mandatory mammogram coverage for women, but hasn't once proposed a bill to fix crumbling bridges or modernize our power grid.

Investment in our future prosperity means investing in education. We need to ensure the next generation has the knowledge and skills they will need to compete for the jobs of the future.

And we need an Apollo program for clean energy technologies. We all know that we cannot continue to rely on the dirty fuels of the past, but we're letting other countries lead the way to finding the energy sources of the future. When John Kennedy announced his intention to put a man on the moon within 10 years, we did it in eight. And we created literally hundreds of thousands of jobs--and dozens of new industries in the process. We've never outsourced innovation in America, and we shouldn't start now.

We also need to take care of today's workers. For me, that means making the minimum wage a living wage. Nobody should work 40 hours a week and live in poverty. It means making sure women receive equal pay for equal work, and that we not only preserve, but strengthen Social Security.

On every policy that protects middle class families and rebuilds the path to prosperity, Mike Fitzpatrick has been wrong. He has voted to privatize Social Security, to replace Medicare with a voucher program, and against raising the minimum wage. He has even voted to make it harder to go to college. Those aren't my priorities. Those aren't my values.

Mike Fitzpatrick doesn't want to face me in November because I know the 8th District--and its people--just as well as he does--maybe even better, because I'm not afraid to sit in a room with 8th District voters and have a real conversation about how the votes he takes in Washington affect real people back at home.

Mike Fitzpatrick doesn't want to face me because he knows I'll be a strong voice for women's rights and because I will hold him to his record. I will call him out for his votes to redefine rape, to privatize Social Security and to shut down the Federal Government.

Elections are about contrasts. As a scientist, a small business owner, and a woman, I know that when I stand toe to toe with Mike Fitzpatrick this fall, I present a stark contrast with Mike Fitzpatrick, and with his brand of do-nothing Washington politics.