In the last 50 years the costs of housing, healthcare, childcare, transportation, and higher education have all risen much faster than wages. Northern Wisconsin families just can’t keep up.

Families who earn more than the Federal Poverty Level or $32,500 but less than $100,000 - true working and middle class families - are falling behind because the traditional safety net doesn’t help them.  

If you feel like you’re working harder than ever but stuck in place financially, you are not alone. Saving for college, a vacation, or a dignified retirement can seem out of reach. Meanwhile, billionaires and the super wealthy are doing better than ever. Something has to change.   

Republicans and Democrats in Congress both share responsibility for 50 years of affordability failure. While Republicans have focused on tax cuts and Democrats have supported those traditional safety net programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP, both parties have allowed corporate America to reward shareholders with ever-increasing profits, paid for by working people.  

It’s time for Congress to reject the old corporate agenda and assure that working people can live a good life and support their families.

In Congress I will support:

• Restoring an expanded, refundable Child Tax Credit for families with children and incomes under $150,000.

• Increasing federal investment in child care subsidies to make childcare more affordable. 

• Strengthening and expanding the National Housing Trust Fund to provide resources for affordable housing. 

• Creating incentives for builders to increase the supply of affordable housing.  

• Restoring an antitrust agenda at the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice to prevent growth of corporate monopolies that stifle price competition. 

• Restoring the independence of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to enforce standards on predatory business behavior.    

• Assure that affordable health care is available for everyone (see Health Care). 

• Reforming our student loan programs to cap interest rates, achieve better educational outcomes, reduce borrower defaults, and save taxpayer dollars.