Policy Positions
Climate(11)
Supports rapid expansion of clean and renewable energy, including securing funding for clean energy manufacturers and battery storage.
"Secured nearly $400 million as part of a clean energy financing program loan for EOS, a clean battery storage manufacturer employing thousands of workers in PA-12. Their $500 million Project AMAZE, will create over 1000 clean energy and union construction jobs."
Supports transitioning to 100% clean and renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions through the Green New Deal framework.
"In Congress, I've fought tirelessly for a Green New Deal to transition to a 100% clean and renewable energy economy and create thousands of good-paying, union jobs in Western Pennsylvania."
Supports strong environmental regulations and environmental justice legislation to protect frontline communities from pollution.
"Cosponsored the Environmental Justice For All Act - comprehensive legislation rooted in the moral principle that all people have the right to pure air, clean water, and an environment that enriches life."
Opposes fracking and fossil fuel expansion, supporting legislation to ban new fossil fuel power plants and crude oil and natural gas exports.
"This includes ending fracking, which poses a disproportionate threat to communities like ours... Cosponsored the Future Generations Protection Act - to ban greenhouse gas emissions from all new power plants, stop hydraulic fracking and ban crude oil and natural gas exports."
Supports a Green New Deal to transition to a 100% clean and renewable energy economy.
"In Congress I will fight for a Green New Deal to transition to a 100% clean and renewable energy economy."
Founded a Congressional Environmental Justice Caucus and restored EPA grants for community-led pollution cleanup.
"Founded the First-Ever Congressional People's Environmental Justice Caucus"
Supports clean energy manufacturing investments, having secured over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing in Pennsylvania.
"over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania's infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fuel clean manufacturing, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs."
Secured over $500 million to support clean energy manufacturing in Pennsylvania, promoting domestic clean energy production.
"over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania"
Supports environmental justice and legislation to clean air and water.
"cosponsored 226 bills to address local issues ranging from cleaning our air and water...environmental justice"
Supports environmental justice and cleaner air and water initiatives.
"cosponsored 226 bills to address local issues ranging from cleaning our air and water to protecting abortion, combating gun violence, and fighting for voting rights, environmental justice, and Social Security."
Supports transitioning to a clean energy economy and reducing pollution, including bringing green jobs to the region.
"$398.6M to Bring 1,000 New Green, Good Paying Jobs to the Mon Valley"
Criminal Justice(5)
Opposes mass incarceration, viewing it as a barrier to community safety and social mobility that perpetuates cycles of harm.
"Mass incarceration and police brutality perpetuate this cycle of harm and prevent us building stronger families and communities in this Western Pennsylvania. The existing criminal and juvenile justice systems are among the biggest barriers to community safety, social justice and upward mobility."
Supports police accountability and reform, opposing police brutality and supporting community-based public safety alternatives.
"Co-led the People's Response Act to create a public safety agency within the Department of Human Health and Services to emphasize an inclusive, holistic, and health-centered approach to public safety."
Opposes mass incarceration, calling it antithetical to building stronger families and communities, and advocates for shifting investment away from punitive systems.
"Mass incarceration is the antithesis of building stronger families and communities. It's time for a shift from investing in ineffective, punitive systems to investing in our future."
Supports diversion programs for individuals with substance use disorders rather than incarceration.
"Secured $963,000 for the City of Pittsburgh Criminal Justice Diversion Program to provide people with substance use disorder and mental and behavioral health challenges with person-centered social services and intense case management to keep our communities safer."
Supports replacing punishment-focused responses with community safety investments and mental health first responders.
"Introduced the People's Response Act to Replace Punishment with Care by Investing in Community Safety and Mental-Health First Responders"
Economy(11)
Supports raising the federal minimum wage to $17 by 2028 through the Raise the Wage Act.
"I co-sponsored the Raise the Wage Act to raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2028 for nearly 28 million Americans."
Strongly supports workers' right to unionize and collectively bargain, and supports the PRO Act to strengthen union organizing rights.
"I'm fighting to pass the PRO Act - because I believe that every worker deserves a union and it's time for our laws to protect unions and strengthen workers' rights to organize."
Supports a wealth tax on the top 0.5% wealthiest individuals to reverse wealth transfers from working families.
"I co-sponsored the For the 99.5 Percent Act to finally pass a wealth tax and reverse the continuous wealth transfers from working families to the top half of 1% wealthiest people in this country."
Supports taxing extreme wealth and raising taxes on corporations, co-sponsoring legislation to pass a wealth tax.
"I co-led the introduction of the Oppose Limitless Inequality Growth and Reverse Community Harm (OLIGARCH) Act to tax extreme wealth, reduce inequality, and combat the threat to democracy posted by aristocracy."
Supports domestic manufacturing investment, particularly through clean energy transitions that create union manufacturing jobs.
"Transitioning American society to 100% clean and renewable energy will create millions of good-paying union jobs. We have a moral obligation to make that transition to save our planet and ensure that all fossil fuel workers are fully equipped with the skills and training necessary to thrive in a green energy economy."
Supports centering working people in economic policies, union jobs, and introduced legislation for hazard pay and stronger protections for healthcare workers.
"It's time we center working people in our economic policies."
Secured federal investments to keep clean energy manufacturing in Pennsylvania and support workforce development.
"over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania. These investments will...fuel clean manufacturing, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs"
Supports workers' rights and union jobs, including championing workers' rights in the state legislature and securing federal investments to create union jobs.
"she brought home millions for community revitalization and championed workers rights, environmental and racial justice"
Advocates for workers' rights and union jobs, including securing federal investments that create union jobs.
"championed workers rights...create thousands of good paying union jobs"
Organized roundtables to support small businesses and manufacturing financing resources in Pennsylvania.
"Organized a Small Business Roundtable to Discuss Financing Resources for Small Businesses Manufacturing Here in PA"
Supports domestic manufacturing by helping small manufacturers build green technologies and securing federal investment for manufacturing jobs.
"$10M to Help Small Manufacturers Build the Green Technologies They Need"
Education(12)
Opposes book bans and restrictions on teaching Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ history, supporting the Fight Book Bans Act.
"Co-sponsored the Fight Book Bans Act to end right-wing efforts to control what students read."
Supports equitable K-12 public school funding through a fair funding formula that does not disadvantage children based on zip code.
"That means a fair funding formula that guarantees that children will not be punished for growing up in the 'wrong' zip code – and it means raising teachers' pay so that our educators have what they need to provide every child with a quality public education."
Supports making public colleges, universities, and vocational programs tuition-free.
"Public colleges and universities and vocational programs should be tuition-free and ALL existing student loan debt should be canceled - period."
Supports canceling all existing student loan debt.
"Public colleges and universities and vocational programs should be tuition-free and ALL existing student loan debt should be canceled - period."
Supports raising teacher pay, including cosponsoring the RAISE Act to give teachers up to $15,000 in refundable tax credits.
"Cosponsored the RAISE Act to increase teachers pay teachers by giving them up to $15,000 in refundable tax credits."
Supports increasing teacher pay as part of education investment efforts.
"increasing teacher pay"
Supports increasing teacher pay, working with Governor Shapiro on this initiative.
"Lee has partnered with Gov. Shapiro on no-cost breakfast for students, increasing teacher pay, and the first-in-the-nation workforce training program to invest $400 million in training and creation of 10,000 new jobs."
Partnered with the governor on no-cost breakfast for students, increasing teacher pay, and improving access to STEM education.
"Partnered with Gov. Josh Shapiro on No-Cost Breakfast for Students, Increasing Teacher Pay, Improving Access to STEM Education and Developing our Workforce"
Supports increasing teacher pay as part of education investments.
"Partnered with Gov. Josh Shapiro on No-Cost Breakfast for Students, Increasing Teacher Pay, Improving Access to STEM Education and Developing our Workforce"
Supports no-cost breakfast for students in partnership with Governor Shapiro.
"Lee has partnered with Gov. Shapiro on no-cost breakfast for students, increasing teacher pay, and the first-in-the-nation workforce training program to invest $400 million in training and creation of 10,000 new jobs."
Partnered on no-cost breakfast programs for students and increased school funding initiatives.
"Lee has partnered with Gov. Shapiro on no-cost breakfast for students"
No explicit position on charter schools or vouchers stated on the page; focus is on public school investment.
"Every child deserves access to a first-rate, free public education - regardless of their zip code or socioeconomic background."
Guns(5)
Supports expanding background checks by increasing the waiting period from 3 to a minimum of 10 business days.
"Co-sponsored the Enhanced Background Check Act to increase the amount of time, from 3 business days to a minimum of 10 business days, that a federal firearms licensee must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person."
Supports banning assault weapons, having co-sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023.
"Co-sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023."
Supports combating gun violence through legislative efforts.
"cosponsored 226 bills to address local issues ranging from cleaning our air and water to protecting abortion, combating gun violence, and fighting for voting rights, environmental justice, and Social Security."
Supports combating gun violence through legislative action.
"combating gun violence"
No explicit position on Second Amendment rights stated on the page.
"In Congress, I've helped lead the fight to pass an assault weapons ban, expanded background checks, end protections for corporate gun manufacturers and bold gun-safety legislation to stop the mass shootings that have become all too common across schools, synagogues, churches, mosques, stores and cities across America."
Healthcare(7)
Strongly supports Medicare for All, including coverage of community-based long-term support services.
"we must not only pass Medicare for All, but ensure that it includes coverage of community-based long term support services as well as massive federal investments in home and community-based services (HCBS) to get hundreds of thousands of disabled people off waiting lists for home care and ensure they have access to the care they and their families need."
Introduced legislation to invest in mental health first responders as an alternative to punitive criminal justice responses.
"Introduced the People's Response Act to Replace Punishment with Care by Investing in Community Safety and Mental-Health First Responders"
Actively advocates for protecting Medicare and Medicaid and lowering healthcare costs for seniors.
"Advocated for Medicare and Medicaid with Seniors in Homewood, Lawrenceville, East Liberty, Plum, Jeannette, and McKeesport"
Supports investment in mental health services as part of community safety, including funding for mental and behavioral health programs.
"Secured $963,000 for the City of Pittsburgh Criminal Justice Diversion Program to be included in the FY2024 Appropriations bill (likely passing in February) to provide people with substance use disorder and mental and behavioral health challenges with person-centered social services and intense case management to keep our communities safer."
Supports constituent access to Medicare and Social Security benefits for seniors and disabled community members.
"helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and Social Security"
Supports constituent access to Medicare and Social Security benefits for seniors and the disabled community.
"helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and Social Security"
Lists reproductive health, rights, and justice as a core issue on the campaign website.
"Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice"
Immigration(8)
Supports restoring humanity in the asylum system by ending family separation and reversing roadblocks for asylum-seekers and refugees.
"We need to restore humanity in our immigration system by ending the separation of families and reversing roadblocks for asylum-seekers and refugees."
Supports a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and those with Temporary Protected Status.
"Millions of undocumented immigrants, from Dreamers to people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), deserve a pathway to citizenship because their home is here."
Supports creating pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, viewing the current system as xenophobic and punitive.
"Our immigration system is a broken web of xenophobic policies that seek to punish brown and Black people and treat them as political pawns instead of building pathways to citizenship."
Opposes current deportation and ICE enforcement practices, supporting legislation to reform detention and deportation proceedings.
"This bill would repeal mandatory detention, bar children and families from being detained, create a presumption of release for vulnerable populations, phase out immigration detention at private facilities and jails, and make other changes to U.S. immigration detention."
Opposes over-militarized border enforcement, arguing current border security approach is punitive and harmful.
"Right now, our immigration system is built like our broken criminal legal system - it is punitive, relies on private prisons for detention, has built up an over-militarized border, and has turned ICE into a violent policing agency. All of that must end for us to prioritize the people getting lost, abused, and deported by our current immigration system."
Conducted oversight of alleged ICE abuses at a detention center to protect immigrant neighbors.
"Visited Moshannon Valley Detention Center to Conduct Oversight of Alleged ICE Abuses and Protect Immigrant Neighbors"
Has provided constituent services to help families navigate the immigration system.
"helping folks secure housing and helping families navigate the immigration system"
Provided constituent services to help families navigate the immigration system.
"helping families navigate the immigration system"
Social Issues(8)
Strongly supports racial justice and equity across all policy areas, centering Black and brown communities in economic, environmental, and criminal justice policy.
"The Green New Deal allows us to center our frontline and marginalized communities facing the brunt of environmental racism. Communities with poisoned water, high rates of asthma, etc. Communities like ours."
Supports LGBTQ+ civil rights and opposes book bans targeting LGBTQ+ content in schools.
"These book bans and history bans are not only an attack on our freedoms, but they marginalize people who already face systemic discrimination in our society – including people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, religious minorities, and people with disabilities."
Cosponsored legislation to protect abortion access.
"cosponsored 226 bills to address local issues ranging from cleaning our air and water to protecting abortion"
Supports racial justice and equity, having championed it during her time in the state legislature.
"she brought home millions for community revitalization and championed workers rights, environmental and racial justice"
Championed racial justice throughout legislative career and community organizing.
"championed workers rights, environmental and racial justice"
Supports protecting abortion access, having co-sponsored bills to protect abortion rights.
"cosponsored 226 bills to address local issues ranging from cleaning our air and water to protecting abortion, combating gun violence, and fighting for voting rights, environmental justice, and Social Security."
Lists reproductive health, rights, and justice as a core campaign issue, signaling support for abortion access.
"Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice"
Supports environmental justice and economic equity initiatives targeting underserved and working-class communities.
"Founded the First-Ever Congressional People's Environmental Justice Caucus"