Issue Position: Civil Liberties, Equality, and Social Justice

Issue Position

Choice
Montanans are rugged individualists.

I will represent a Montana that respects every person's private decisions about forming intimate relationships and building secure and healthy families.

I will fight to ensure that every Montanan has the resources to make these basic health care decisions responsibly: from sex education to birth control to prenatal care to the option of abortion.

Equality
This is a priority issue to many in House District 94, specifically because equality for all families in Montana is no longer a partisan issue in the State.

The protections currently denied to same sex couples in Montana include: hospital visitation, Social Security benefits, immigration, health insurance, estate taxes, family leave, nursing homes, home protection and pensions. This is abominable.

History bends not only toward fairness and equality, but also toward common sense.

Marriage strengthens couples and families, who in turn help strengthen their communities, one at a time-- leading ultimately to a stronger, more robust nation. We will reach a time in this country when we value and protect all families equally and I will fight tirelessly, across the aisle to assure that all Montanans share the equal rights and justice they are entitled.

Women's Rights
Women have made great strides in the fight for equality, but gender bias continues to create great barriers for many, especially poor women, women of color, and immigrant women.

Ongoing struggles include ensuring equal economic and educational opportunities, ending gender-based violence, and addressing the harms to women and girls in the criminal justice system. I will work to systematically end sex discrimination and ensure that all women and girls in Montana are able to lead lives of dignity.

Affordable Housing.
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."
-- Franklin Delanor Roosevelt, 1937

All Montanans, of any age and income level and in every part of the State, should have the opportunity to live in safe, decent and affordable housing.

Negative stereotypes surrounding affordable housing have persisted for years and have never been countered forcefully or consistently. Polls show a majority of Americans support affordable housing programs, but they have not made their voices heard. In recent decades, home prices and rental rates have increased faster than income in Missoula, increasing the need for affordable housing.

I am committed to providing safe, healthy affordable housing using sustainable methods to those in need. Affordable housing is a high priority concern for me and its time we take action at the legislative level.

I am a proud supporter of HomeWORD, the North Missoula Community Development Corporation, and Mayor John Engen's Affordable Housing Committee.

Health Care for All.
A moral society cares about the health care of its people and an astounding 20% of Montanans are without health care insurance. Health care is a basic human need, just like housing and food. We've made significant strides in helping to cover employees of small businesses and children living at or near the poverty level, but we can't stop until all Montanans have access to affordable health care.

Montana's part-time legislators have access to the state's health insurance plan and they are only in session every two years.

I am proud supporter and/or member of Montana Women Vote, Montana Human Rights Network, ACLU of Montana, United Way of Missoula County, YWCA of Missoula County, Blue Mountain Clinic, Planned Parenthood of Montana, and Forward Montana.

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