Summary

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Source: Open Secrets

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• Kean onAir Post
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Thomas Kean Jr.

Sue Altman

Issues

Thomas Kean Jr.

Source: Government Site

Economy

In Congress I am focused on creating more jobs and promoting economic opportunities for everyone across the 7th Congressional District. This includes promoting pro-growth policies to support small businesses, removing regulatory barriers to job creation, and returning our critical supply chain to full, functional operations. The government’s role must be to remove barriers to success, not generate them.

As I have throughout my work in public service on behalf of New Jersey families, I am focused on policies that create more jobs and put more money in the wallets of all New Jerseyans. Also, it is imperative that we get our nation’s fiscal house in order and work to address our debt and deficit – or else we will continue to push the problems of today onto our children. We can start by eliminating duplicative programs, living within our nation’s means, and cutting wasteful spending.

A strong economy is good for all in New Jersey. I am focused on policies that spur innovation, economic growth, create pro-small business environment, and create good-paying jobs. It is those small businesses and innovators that are guiding our nation’s economy, not Washington, and I promise to do everything in my power to support our job creators.

Education

Our education systems serve our children best when the federal footprint is reduced, local control is restored, and parents and local education leaders are empowered. As a parent, I understand how important it is for New Jerseyans to know that local teachers have the tools they need to help our children reach their full potential. I was proud to support H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which passed the House in March 2023 and is a win for every mother, father, and student in our country. It ensures parents have the right to know what’s being taught in schools and see reading materials; the right to be heard; the right to see school budgets and spending; the right to protect their child’s privacy, and the right to be notified about any violent activity at school.

I also understand and value the commitment our teachers make to our communities every day.  Their dedication to our students can’t be overlooked. The United States is home to the best educational opportunities in the world. Achieving and maintaining the highest academic standards is key to our national competitiveness and the success of every American. To better prepare our future workforce with the skills and knowledge to compete in a global economy, we must prioritize workforce development and continue to promote Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and math (STEM) programs. As I travel throughout the 7th Congressional District, businesses consistently tell me they are facing a severe talent shortage due to a lack of vocational education and technical training. It is our duty to prepare students for the demands of our current society and to provide unemployed Americans with an outlet to reintegrate into the changing workforce.

Energy and the Environment

The Seventh District of New Jersey is home to important natural resources that play key roles in our economy, recreation, and stewardship. From the Delaware River Basin to the Raritan Canal, the Seventh District is home to numerous natural wonders that provide opportunities to fishing and hiking. I am proud to have spent my public life fighting to protect our environment so that it can be enjoyed by our children and grandchildren.

I am committed to supporting energy policies that increase American-made energy, reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, reduce costs for New jersey residents, and conserve our natural resources. The Seventh District is home to a vast supply of energy ranging from wind, solar, hydro, and conventional sources, giving New Jersey a competitive advantage and making it a leader in new energy technologies.

America possesses a wealth of domestic energy sources, and yet hardworking Americans, New Jerseyans in particular, continue to struggle with unprecedented energy costs. High energy prices slow economic growth and increase inflation. That is why I support an “all-the-above” energy policy to boost domestic energy production so that Americans have affordable, reliable, diverse energy supply.

Health

I believe in a better health care future for all New Jerseyans. Our health care system must provide quality service and be affordable to every American and I remain determined to provide real solutions to the challenges facing families that include medical innovation, patient-centered care, increased access to care, enhance transparency, and affordable access. Families must have the ability to make medical decisions for themselves based on what best fits their needs, wants, and budget. Patients and providers should be in control of their own health care decisions.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of focusing on public health, and the need to fix our health care system. There are common sense initiatives in the health care space that both sides of the aisle can agree on, such as, providing insurance coverage to those with pre0existing conditions, allow younger people or dependents to stay on a parent or guardian’s plan, and eliminate lifetime caps for insurance coverage. We also need to expand telemedicine and ensure the reimbursement rate is the same as in-person services. It is also critical that our system is transparent with the health care and prescription drug market and must end surprise billing.

Additionally, any reform must include plans for lowering drug prices and increasing access to effective and innovative medical treatments. We can do that by brining manufacturing to our shores instead of relying on China and India for pharmaceuticals. New Jersey is the “medicine cabinet” of the world, creating and innovating new and effective medical treatments and devices. I will remain focused on common-sense solutions that work to promote medical innovation that is patient-centered and provides quality and affordable services to all Americans.

Veterans

Our country owes a debt of gratitude to our nation’s bravest individuals – those who have served and dedicated their lives in defense of freedom and liberty. We must remember the sacrifices of our veterans who have bravely served our nation, as well as their families, and I am committed to providing the best care possible for them.

As your Representative in Congress, I am proud to fight for our nation’s veterans because they deserve the highest quality medical care and an efficient delivery of benefits and services. I have been and will remain a steadfast supporter in cutting red tape and allowing our veterans better access to the health care and other services they need. We have a responsibility to protect those who protected us, and I will never stop making our nation’s heroes a priority.

Immigration

America is a land of immigrants. Many of us have family who generations ago came here seeking the opportunity for a better life. But our current immigration system is broken. We are a nation of laws and a top priority needs to be the safety and security of America’s citizens. Border security is national security, and our approach to combating illegal immigration must be comprehensive and include permanently securing our border, enforcing the rule of law, and ensuring law enforcement has the resources they need to carry out their duties. We also need commonsense approaches to protect children who have been brought to our country illegally through no fault of their own. To achieve these goals, we must develop and debate immigration policy within Congress to ensure we give these issues the compassion and thoughtfulness they deserve.
Infrastructure

National Defense

I believe that our nation must maintain a strong and robust military, which is crucial for protecting the interests of our nation at home and abroad. I support providing our servicemembers with the key resources they need to be successful in their missions. In Congress I’m committed to leading the fight to provide the right capabilities to support our warfighters, deter our adversaries, and keep our troops safe.

New Jersey is home to several military installations and plays an integral role in keeping Americans safe. Sites like Picatinny Arsenal directly serve our nation’s warfighters and those who support them. In Congress I will  fight to support that legacy, and will always advocate for our men and women in uniform.

SALT Deduction

One of my most important priorities in Congress is to restore the full State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction. As a proud Vice-Chair of the SALT Caucus, I have cosponsored the SALT Deductibility Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to restore the full SALT Deduction. The SALT cap unfairly penalizes New Jerseyans, leaving a lasting effect on all who call our state home. Not being able to deduct state and local income taxes is double taxation.

Restoring the SALT Deduction will get more dollars back in the pockets of hard working, middle-class New Jersey families. Our state pays more than our fair share to the federal government, especially when compared to other states. New Jersey residents need and deserve this critical relief.

Sue Altman

Anti-Corruption

Sue has dedicated her career to rooting out political corruption in New Jersey in order to protect New Jersey’s taxpayers and our democracy – and she’s ready to take that work to Washington. Sue has pledged to never accept any donations from corporate PACs.

Women’s Rights and Abortion

With conservative extremists decimating reproductive rights, Sue will work to protect access to contraception, reproductive choice, and women’s health. As an advocate, Sue worked with grassroots groups to protect this right here in NJ.

Affordability

Everything is too expensive! From groceries to housing to insurance and fuel, families are seeing more and more of their hard earned paycheck drain away each month. Sue has a long record of working hard for everyday people and will fight in Congress to spur competition in our economy, restore the SALT deduction so New Jerseyans are not double-taxed, fight for a livable wage for all workers, and ensure that homes are bought by humans, not corporations. Our district and our state must be a place where families can thrive, young people can find homes, and seniors can retire.

Protecting New Jersey’s Natural Environment

Environmental change is an existential threat to our communities and wildlife. From farmers grappling with changing weather patterns to our towns experiencing costly and life-threatening flooding, it’s clear that we need bold action. Sue will address our environmental crises at multiple levels, as well as work with our communities to ensure they have the resources they need to address immediate threats to our towns. Sue also knows that our district includes some of the last remaining beautiful open space in New Jersey, and she’ll work in Congress to protect our rural communities and natural environment from short-sighted, environmentally unsustainable overdevelopment and warehouse sprawl.

Workers’ Rights & Unions

Over the last 50 years, the pay and benefits for workers has decreased. This was caused in part by systematic de-unionization and de-industrialization and the loss of buying power for everyday people while corporate and CEO pay soared. Sue supports the right of workers to organize and the PRO Act. She also recognizes the exportation of good paying jobs to low wage countries harms working families here, and benefits almost no one other than multinational corporations. Sue understands that if we are going to support working families, we need to bring manufacturing, unions, fair wages, and job security back to New Jersey.

Lower Taxes for Jersey Families

Sue has long advocated for the taxpayer in New Jersey – often against her own party. Whether it was fighting against New Jersey’s “corruption tax”, pushing accountability for a bipartisan corporate tax giveaway program in Camden that fleeced hard working New Jerseyans out of a billion dollars, or her commitment to repealing the unfair and punitive Trump-era SALT deduction cap, Sue will always fight for fair taxes and smart, efficient use of our taxpayer money.

Public Safety

As our Congresswoman, Sue will fight for common-sense gun reforms to keep our schools, places of worship, and communities safe. She’ll work to give law enforcement the tools they need to get weapons of war out of our communities. She will work to ensure those responsible for crimes of hate are held accountable, investments are made into upstream causes of crime, our local police are fully funded to keep our communities safe, and white collar and political corruption crimes are investigated by law enforcement, and that those professionals have the funds they need to hold the powerful accountable by the law.

Democracy

Extremists are attacking our democracy every day, from their support of the insurrection on January 6th to attempts to undermine voting rights across the country. As she did for years in Trenton, Sue will advocate for legislation at the federal level to make voting accessible to all who are eligible.

Medicare and Social Security

Right now, House Republicans are attempting to gut Medicare and Social Security. As our Congresswoman, Sue will always protect these critical programs and fight any attempts to make seniors foot the bill for tax cuts for megacorporations and the ultra-wealthy.

Public Education

As a former educator, the fight for our schools is personal for Sue – and that’s why she’s committed to fighting against book banning and for investing in our public schools and working to ensure that every child in America gets the kind of high-quality education that they deserve.

Youth Mental Health

Our kids are struggling – and Congress needs to help this generation of young people. From fighting for funding for services to decreasing the stigma around mental health issues, Sue will prioritize this crisis as your Congresswoman