Mikie Sherrill

Jobs and Economy
New Jersey has always been a hotbed of innovation. We have more scientists and engineers per square mile than anywhere else in the United States. We’ve gotten here with hard work and smart investments in our community, and we’re poised to lead in the years to come. But reaching our potential will require renewed dedication and forward-thinking ideas, because the truth is that our recovery from the recession has not kept pace with the rest of the country. We are losing middle-class jobs, and wages are not keeping up with our high cost of living.

In order to create more good-paying jobs and maintain the quality of life we have worked so hard for, Congress needs to start working for us. The health of our economy cannot be a partisan issue. Working across party lines, we need to:

Build on our economic strengths. We are leaders in healthcare, biotechnology, and medical research, with the most talented workforce in the world. We need to leverage our highly-educated workforce to attract the next generation of technology and clean energy jobs to New Jersey. We already have a strong foundation with 600 solar jobs in our community, as well as state of the art medical facilities like Morristown Memorial Hospital – let’s build on it.

Pass a tax plan that supports the middle class. That’s the only way we will be able to provide meaningful tax relief for New Jersey’s middle-class families. We only receive 74 cents back for every $1 we send to Washington in federal taxes – less than any other state. We already do more than our fair share. The federal tax bill targets us even further, with NJ affected worse than any other state in the nation. Congress must work on real tax relief to help the people of New Jersey, and I will fight to bring back our full deduction for state and local taxes.

Promote fiscal responsibility. Congress’ tax plan added $1.9 trillion dollars to our deficit. This massive increase in debt has the potential to drag on our economy and places a heavy burden on our children. And our representatives in Congress openly talk about using the massive deficit they’ve created to slash Social Security and Medicare. We need our leaders in Congress to come together to pass fiscally responsible policies that grow the economy without growing our debt.

Rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. For more than two decades, we’ve waited for the construction of a new rail tunnel to New York. The Northeast produces 20 percent of our nation’s GDP, and moving this project forward will help our national economy by creating jobs, attracting businesses, and making our workers more productive by cutting commuting times. Economically sabotaging our economy is bad for New Jersey and bad for the country. The federal government must honor its agreement and commit to funding its share of the Gateway project.

Control the Cost of Healthcare. We need to stabilize the healthcare marketplace and work to keep costs down on prescription drugs to help our families keep more money in their pockets. Congress had more than seven years to come up with a plan to make sure cost-sharing reductions were funded. Instead of proposing solutions to fix the system, they are working to sabotage the healthcare marketplace to score political points.

Invest in education and job training. A good job comes from a good education, and good schools attract new businesses. I want to work with parents and our local schools to invest in science, technology, engineering, math, and civics. I want to help our great universities like Montclair State, Fairleigh Dickinson, and Drew University, and the community colleges in Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties partner with local employers to provide a direct path to high-skill jobs for recent graduates so we don’t lose our talent to other states. For those who do not plan to go to college, we should provide apprenticeships and job training opportunities that lead directly to a job. Finally, we need to do much more to make college affordable to everyone who has the talent and work ethic to thrive.

The education cuts pushed by Congress either mean less funding for our local schools or increases in property taxes. Both hurt our economy, our students, and the ability of our children to compete for good jobs in the future.

Healthcare
I believe deeply that every American should have access to quality and affordable healthcare.

Leadership in Congress wanted to take our country backwards, pushing to repeal the Affordable Care Act in favor of a bill that took away coverage and increases costs for almost everyone. Under their plan, an “age tax” on Americans over 50 would have allowed insurance companies to charge them premiums that are five times higher than what others pay for health coverage.

The plan also eliminated protections for the 300,000 people in our district with pre-existing conditions. When reviewing the repeal bill, the American Medical Association concluded that “Americans with pre-existing conditions will be stuck in second-class health care coverage – if they are able to obtain coverage at all.”

In all, Congress’ repeal plan would have resulted in more than 469,000 New Jerseyans losing their coverage, including 27,000 in our district.

We can do more to bring down costs and make sure all Americans have access to affordable healthcare coverage.

First, we need to stabilize the healthcare marketplace. Congress had more than seven years to come up with a plan to make sure cost-sharing reductions were funded. Instead of proposing solutions to fix the system, they are working to sabotage the healthcare marketplace to score political points.

Second, we need to make sure we protect the hard-won gains in our healthcare system. This includes protections for pre-existing conditions and the ten essential health benefits, as well as the ability of our children to stay on their parent’s insurance until they turn 26.

And finally, we need to roll up our sleeves and start fixing our healthcare system. Let’s allow Medicare to leverage its buying power to negotiate lower drug prices – it works for the VA and it will help bring down costs for our seniors. And instead of the age tax, let’s find a fiscally responsible way to allow certain individuals older than 55 the option of buying into Medicare.

It is time for Washington to stop playing politics with our healthcare.

Tax Relief
Here in New Jersey, I think we can all agree we pay a lot in taxes. But the real question is: what are we getting in return? Right now, the answer is not much. New Jersey sends $3,478 more per person to Washington in tax dollars than we get back in investment in our communities.

Instead of passing tax relief to help grow our economy and ease the tax burden on New Jersey’s middle-class families, Congress raised our taxes.

New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the country, and our residents depend on the ability to deduct our state and local taxes (SALT) from their federal tax burden. The average state and local tax deduction in our district is more than $20,000 dollars – twice the cap that Congress placed on the deduction with the tax bill. The cap on SALT amounts to a double taxation on the people of New Jersey who already send more and get less back from the federal government than any other state in the nation.

This tax bill also threatens our long-term economic growth and places an undue burden on our children by adding $1.9 trillion to our national deficit. And now, Congress wants to use the increase in the deficit they created to come after Social Security and Medicare.

Our tax system should treat people in New Jersey fairly. I am committed to real tax relief that that invests in growth, simplifies our tax code, ensures work is valued the same as wealth, maintains our revenues and protect our middle class. And mostly importantly, a tax bill that restores our full state and local tax deductions.

I will work to find a truly bipartisan tax plan that strengthens our middle class and ensures New Jersey and the 11th district get a fair return on our federal tax dollars.

Women's Rights
I am pro-choice. A woman’s health decisions should be between her and her doctor. The federal government should have no say on when, how, or with whom women decide to start or grow a family.

Congressional leaders see things differently. They are leading an all-out assault on women’s healthcare, working to restrict access to reproductive freedom. In New Jersey, we know first-hand the devastating impact of Governor Christie’s cuts to women’s health care. From 2009 to 2012 there was a 31 percent drop in clinical breast exams provided at Title X health centers. By 2015, rates of sexually transmitted infections increased 35 percent. We can’t allow Congress to jeopardize women’s health care.

In Congress, I will be a forceful voice against efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, restrict access to birth control, and efforts to limit a woman’s access to safe family planning services.

I strongly support equal pay for equal work. Women in New Jersey make on average 82 cents for every dollar that men make for doing the same job. That drops to 58 cents for African-American women and 43 cents for Latinx women. With so much on the line in Washington including the tax increases from the federal tax bill, equal pay is an issue of economic fairness for all our families.

Education
Access to quality education and support for our educators need to be top priorities, period. A good job comes from a good education, good employers are attracted to strong schools and a talented workforce, and every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.

New Jersey has the second best public school system in the country. Our towns are home to great universities and community colleges like Drew University, Montclair State University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Sussex County Community College, Passaic County Community College, and Essex County College. We proudly invest in our students and teachers.

But in Washington, Congress is supporting Betsy DeVos by voting to cut funding for teacher training and public schools by $2.4 billion. These cuts threaten the quality of our schools and our communities can’t afford to raise property taxes. As the parent of four public school students, I will work to protect funding for our public schools.

Although my kids are still a few years away from filling out their college applications, like so many families in New Jersey, I’m already worrying about tuition. We need to make college more affordable so that it is within reach of any young person who’s willing to work hard for it. Students should be able to borrow from the federal government at the same rate big banks do, and we should allow students to refinance their debt when interest rates go down. We also need to make it easier for students who want to complete their courses faster, so they can save on tuition and enter the workforce more quickly.

Finally, we need to do much more to support two-year and vocational programs that lead directly to a job upon graduation. This type of training can move people from low-skilled jobs that don’t offer a future to those jobs that move families into the middle class and provide a career.

Tackling Addiction and the Opioid Crisis
The growing opioid epidemic in New Jersey is one of the most serious public health crises facing our communities. This epidemic is destroying lives and devastating families and communities. In 2016, New Jersey lost 1,901 of our neighbors to the opioid epidemic. And since 2014, New Jersey’s death rate from opioid overdose has increased by 16.4 percent.

As a former federal prosecutor, I know first-hand the toll that addiction can take on our communities. That’s why we need to address this public health crisis in the most comprehensive way possible. Solutions won’t be easy, but there are some smart things we can do – like expanding access to drug treatment facilities, establishing a seven-day limit on initial opiate prescriptions, and lowering the cost of Narcan.

Ending the opioid epidemic and fighting the abuse of prescription drugs will require leaders from government, law enforcement, medicine, and our communities to work together to find solutions. In Congress, I will do everything I can to find meaningful solutions to this crisis.

National Security
As a former Navy pilot and federal prosecutor, I’ve spent my adult life fighting to keep our country safe. I am proud of the role our community plays in our national defense. I’ll always fight for Picatinny Arsenal and the 5,000 critical jobs it supports right here in Morris County.

As a Russian policy officer in the U.S. Navy, I worked to implement our nuclear treaty obligations and joint naval exercises with the Russian Federation. I have sat across the table from the Russians, and know that we need our government to take the threat they pose seriously. That means more funding for cybersecurity and election protection.

I also know first-hand that the most important tool in our national security toolbox is diplomacy. I support a fully-staffed State Department to carry out the hard, necessary work of strategic diplomacy. The cuts to the State Department prevent us from dealing with developing international crises, strengthening partnerships, or applying pressure to bad actors.

We must work hard to contain threats posed by North Korea and Iran. Iran’s despicable human rights record, ballistic missile program, and support for terrorist groups destabilize the Middle East and threaten the security of Israel. However, we cannot monitor Iran’s nuclear program or improve upon the nuclear agreement without a seat at the table. We should also engage in diplomacy with North Korea, but approach the situation with clear eyes. North Korea has broken promises to denuclearize in the past, and unless we extract real concessions, their nuclear program presents a threat. For that reason I support a robust military presence in the region and a comprehensive missile defense program to defend America, our allies, and our troops abroad.

Furthermore, we cannot let up on our fight against ISIS. We must remain vigilant in cutting off ISIS propaganda and recruitment over social media in the United States. And our state and local law enforcement agencies need better resources, training, and coordination to fight domestic terrorism. When it comes to meeting these challenges, we cannot go it alone. Our allies need to share in the funding of these priorities.

The only way the United States will be able to face these challenges is through strengthening our relationships with our traditional allies. This must include Israel. Our partnership with Israel is instrumental to global security and has helped pioneer incredible discoveries that have changed the face of technology, homeland security, medicine, clean energy, and agriculture. In Congress I will work to ensure that our long-standing relationship with Israel remains strong.

Preventing Gun Violence
As a former prosecutor, I’ve seen first-hand the devastating impact illegal guns are having in our communities. We need to do much more to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of violent criminals, domestic abusers, and terrorists. We can do this while protecting the Second Amendment and the rights of responsible gun owners.

I support universal criminal background checks to cover all firearm sales. We need to stop criminals and dangerously mentally ill people from buying firearms at gun shows, over the internet, or through classified ads.

While New Jersey has led the way with an assault weapons ban and large capacity magazine limits, it is still possible for a criminal to purchase these deadly weapons across state lines. For this reason, I support a federal assault weapons ban and limits on large capacity magazines. Weapons of war designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible do not belong on our streets. And Congress also needs to ban bump-stocks, which allow individuals to convert firearms into fully automatic weapons.

Finally, I support two common-sense measures to make our communities safer: suspected terrorists on the No-Fly list should not be allowed to purchase a firearm, and domestic abusers with temporary restraining orders filed against them must not be able to purchase a gun. In Congress, I will work to save lives and help find responsible solutions America’s gun violence crisis.

Social Security and Medicare
Social Security and Medicare are promises to the American people. They are guarantees of a dignified and secure retirement after a lifetime of hard work. Seniors have paid into these initiatives with every paycheck, and we must honor these earned benefits. In Congress, I will make sure that Social Security and Medicare are protected.

The tax hike bill not only added $1.9 trillion to the national deficit, but Congress has made it clear they plan to cut Social Security and Medicare to deal with this manufactured crisis.

I will oppose any budget that proposes cutting Social Security and Medicare to pay for the fiscally irresponsible tax plan and I’ll also oppose all efforts to privatize Social Security and Medicare. These plans would benefit insurance companies and investment firms while cutting benefits for New Jersey seniors.

We can take meaningful steps in the near term to improve Medicare and lower costs. I support allowing Medicare to leverage its buying power to negotiate drug prices. As a veteran, I know this works for the VA, and can help bring down costs for our seniors. Congress should also examine how we can allow certain individuals older than 55 to buy into Medicare.

Veterans
I am proud to have served in the Navy with countless Americans who served with honor and distinction. Our service members deserve access to educational opportunities, employment, first-class healthcare and rehabilitation, and should not have to travel hours to reach a VA facility.

But Washington has come up short on its promises to care for our veterans, sometimes because Congress didn’t provide enough money, and sometimes because Congress did not provide enough oversight. Regardless, Washington must do better.

I won’t stand by and let folks in Washington fail our veterans or try and dismantle the VA. I will fight to fix the VA and make sure that the 400,000 veterans in New Jersey receive the best care possible. We need to commit to improvement of the care administered by the VA, including upgrading IT systems, expanding telehealth services, and improving healthcare access for our female veterans.

In Congress, I will make sure veterans in our community have top-notch constituent services to help navigate the federal benefit systems. This includes supporting the Morristown Outpatient Clinic and the Bloomfield Vet Center, as well as the East Orange and Lyons VA Campuses.

People Before Politics
In Congress, I will make sure the people of New Jersey come first. We need leaders who are ready to ensure the people they represent have a direct say on what happens in Washington. Here in New Jersey, we know first-hand what it’s like when power goes unchecked. Bridges are shut down, needed infrastructure projects are cancelled, taxes are raised, and the people who are hurt the most are ordinary citizens.

Reduce the influence of money in politics. In Congress, I’ll support campaign finance reform and measures that work to overturn Citizens United.

Support workers. Unions helped build our middle class, and I will stand against efforts to curb collective bargaining rights.

Address Gerrymandering. Partisan redistricting has drawn ruby red and bright blue districts. This prevents us from finding common sense proposals that the majority of Americans support.

Protect Voting Rights. Voting is the bedrock of our democracy, and we need to make it easier, not harder, for U.S. citizens to cast a ballot. Ways to do this would be to expand early voting, mail in ballots, or no-excuse absentee voting.

Defend Civil Rights. As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, I am committed to our Constitution. The freedoms outlined in the Constitution are essential for a healthy democracy. I oppose discrimination of all kinds, including based on sex, religion, race, disability, or sexual orientation.

New Leadership. New leadership starts at the top. It is time for fresh ideas to break the cycle of partisanship that has blocked Congress from passing legislation to move our country forward. I’m glad to see that Paul Ryan will not be running for re-election, and I will not be supporting Nancy Pelosi for leadership. It’s time for a new generation of leaders to guide Congress.

Accountability. In Congress, I’ll be committed to transparency and comporting to the highest ethical standards, and that’s why I will make my congressional schedule public and hold town hall meetings.

Environment
Climate change is real and addressing it shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It’s an economic and national security issue that affects all of us. With 130 miles of coastline, New Jersey will pay a terrible price if we don’t take meaningful action to end our reliance on foreign fuels and transition to a clean energy economy.

The residents of our community are strong supporters of the environment and it has long been an issue where we’ve come together in bipartisan agreement. From Superfund clean up to protecting the Great Swamp and Lake Hopatcong, our residents demand that our leaders be good stewards of our air, water, and land.

But instead of leading New Jersey forward, Congress is putting us further at risk – feeding us a false choice between creating jobs, fighting climate change, and keeping our air and water clean. They have rolled-back dozens of environmental protections that safeguard our drinking water, preserve our air quality, and keep our kids healthy.

Alternative energy sources like wind and solar can transform New Jersey’s energy sector, particularly in a state like New Jersey without a native fossil fuel industry. Here in New Jersey’s 11th District, we already have 600 solar jobs. In Congress I want to find partners to grow our clean energy economy and promote investment in innovation.

The East Coast has the best offshore wind conditions in the world, and the costs associated with developing offshore wind continue to drop. In fact, McKinsey reported last year that they expect a 68 percent drop in offshore wind costs by 2020. I join the entire New Jersey congressional delegation in its opposition to the unnecessary risk posed by offshore drilling.

In Congress, I will continue to uphold our community’s commitment to our planet and grow our clean energy economy.^[60]