Infrastructure keeps America going. Over the five years in my district we have seen the I-10 deteriorate. This is unacceptable. This corridor provides a route for trade that comes from the coast, across and through the entire United States. While our district is just a small part of this highway, driving through even our area you will see constant holes, erosion, and big rigs changing lanes to avoid potentially disastrous roadways. While I do know in the last month or so some improvements have been made this is one example where I aim to push hard for infrastructure. We shouldn't be waiting until deterioration to maintain our economic life source. The same goes for water systems, rail, and especially the electrical grid. One senior reached out to me this month regarding her $500 electric bill. The usage in her home is basic, air-conditioning, cooking, laundry once a week and their home focus is conservation. Her home is just outside of the poverty line and she doesn't receive any subsidy. Our utility companies are making a fortune, yet we face blackouts, brown outs, and skyrocketing prices with no improvement to the grid. This must change, especially if the electric industry is receiving Federal subsidy, and/or tax breaks. I am for incentivizing projects to encourage swift moves by energy conglomerates to update their system and reduce costs to consumers. I am also for encouraged energy competition in all forms. This will reduce costs for consumers.

Healthcare should be affordable. It seems the more legislation and laws we pass, the more beefed up our system gets and the more outrageous costs become. In 2009, the "Affordable" Care Act was passed. Unfortunately, the focus was on everyone having insurance, not necessarily affordable care. Premiums skyrocketed, copays and deductibles became unreachable and for even the insured, health care started becoming unaffordable and a struggle for many in the United States. I would like to see more free market solutions, free up doctors to do their work to treat patients. Unfortunately big interests, big lobby and big medicine and pharmaceutical has pushed our system to an unaffordable state. Campaign reform is needed as many congress members currently get big dollar donations from these special interest groups and then legislate in the favor or interest of not the people, but in the interest of the big donors. This is not o.k.

We need to do things differently to see different results. Repealing the McCarran Furguson Act is one way to see transparency and get consumers the insight they need to get the care they want and need. This idea has been put forth before, even though it has bipartisan support the repeal is put forth with other legislation and always gets held up. I believe it is time to put this forth, stand alone. Allowing for competition and across state lines care is another way we will see a drop-in cost. As always, I am open to hearing constituent views on health reform and the needs of the community.

Strong borders, strong messaging to foreign nations is essential to decreasing human trafficking and easing human suffering around our northern and southern border. Legal immigration has been an issue to manipulate Americans and divide our people for at least a decade. This needs to stop. We have many issues which need resolved. We need strong reform to encourage legal immigration in a way that enhances our nation while keeping us secure. I am in support of biometric systems to help streamline cross border business. Billions of dollars are produced by cross border workers annually, both north and southern border regions. I support our local businesses and workers who legally attain work in the United States and streamlining processes is essential.