Denny Heck on Issues

Creating Jobs

• Getting Americans back to work is our nation’s top priority. While Congress can’t create jobs alone, it can sure help. Congress needs to invest in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and growing our budding clean energy sector. Congress also needs to make long-term investments that will increase technical and scientific training of our workforce so modern manufacturing jobs can stay in and return to America.

Making the Middle Class Strong Again

• America is strongest when America’s middle class is strong. Congress needs to do more to make sure that those in the middle class – and those trying to get into it – get a fair deal when they’re trying to make a living, raise a family and save for retirement. Congress needs to stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship American jobs overseas. Congress also needs to make sure that the special interests on Wall Street are no longer allowed to engage in the financial shenanigans that caused the recent economic crisis. Finally, Congress must work much harder to get the spiraling national deficit under control, but must not do so on the backs of working families and those hit hardest by the recent recession.

Supporting our Veterans

• Our veterans looked out for us while they were overseas – now it’s our turn to look out for them. While Washington State is lucky to have thousands of veterans in our state, the South Sound region is home to the highest per capita population of disabled veterans on the West Coast. Thousands more will soon join them as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan come to a close. Congress needs to ensure these heroes and their families get the medical and educational support they need to transition successfully back into civilian life.

Defending Medicare and Social Security

• In the past year we’ve seen a renewed effort by Republicans in Congress to dismantle Medicare and privatize Social Security. These vital programs have provided needed medical assistance for millions of American seniors and have lifted millions more out of poverty. Congress needs to come up with ways of fixing these programs that don’t involve stripping seniors of benefits or coverage.

Protecting Women’s Healthcare

• Last year Republicans in Congress nearly shut down the federal government over funding for mammogram screenings and birth control. Congress needs to understand that using funding for women’s healthcare as a bargaining chip is unacceptable. Women and their doctors are the ones who should be making their healthcare decisions – not their Congressman.