NC-04: Valerie Foushee (D)

REPLACING:

David Price (D)[i]

WORK HISTORY:

North Carolina State Senate (State Senator, District 23); North Carolina House of Representatives (State Representative, District 50); Chapel Hill Police Department (Administrator); Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (Bus Monitor / Driver); Research & Evaluation Associates (Bookkeeper); Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina (Not Specified)[ii]

EDUCATION:

Diploma, Chapel Hill High School; BA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill[iii]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Civil Rights; Criminal Justice Reform; Voting Rights & Gerrymandering; Climate Change Solutions; Public Health; Equity in Education; Economy; Childcare; Pandemic Preparedness[iv]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

As a state senator, Foushee sponsored legislation removing barriers for women seeking to obtain an abortion. She believes Congress should codify Roe v. Wade into law and cosponsored state legislation to codify Roe in North Carolina State law.[v] [vi] She is endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund.[vii] [viii]

ECONOMY, JOBS & TAXES:

Foushee believes wealthy and out-of-state corporations have benefited from Republican tax cuts. She argues targeted tax relief should be enacted, including restoring North Carolina’s Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers and making the Child Tax Credit permanent.[ix] As a state senator, Foushee supported legislation to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and pledges to support similar policies if elected to Congress. She supports unions and commits to working to expand worker rights.[x]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Foushee supports Medicare for All “because she believes that everyone should be able to see a doctor when they are sick.” As a state senator, she cosponsored legislation to expand Medicaid access in North Carolina and pledges to continue such work if elected to Congress. Foushee also commits to strengthening the Affordable Care Act and promoting policies that would require pharmaceutical companies to negotiate drug prices with the federal government.[xi]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

Foushee believes immigrants’ rights are human rights and supports creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. She is also in favor of reducing funding for ICE detention facilities and enforcement.[xii] She celebrated the Supreme Court’s 2020 decision to block President Trump from ending DACA.[xiii]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

Foushee supports a “comprehensive reform of the criminal justice system,” including the decriminalization of marijuana use and possession by adults and ending cash bail. She has sponsored legislation in the state senate that emphasizes the importance of law enforcement while also promoting accountability.[xiv] She commits to supporting the George Floyd Justice Policing Act in Congress but does not support defunding the police.[xv] [xvi]

GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS & ELECTION SECURITY:

Foushee commits to supporting the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act in Congress.[xvii] On the one-year anniversary of the attack on the US Capitol, Foushee condemned the “vile attempted to overturn the results” of the election and those “who still believe the ‘big lie.’”[xviii]

EDUCATION:

Foushee is in favor of cancelling existing student debt and expanding programs that keep loan payments affordable and income-based. As a member of Congress, she will advocate for financial assistance to states to ensure that all students can get a debt-free education at all public universities and colleges.[xix] She will also advocate for universal pre-K.[xx]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

Foushee believes “climate change is the biggest challenge facing our nation and the planet.”[xxi] She supports increased environmental regulations, funding for the EPA, and increased investments into green transit. Foushee also believes the US must reduce its energy dependence on coal and oil and prioritize sustainable alternatives like solar and wind energy. Passing the Green New Deal will be one of her top priorities in Congress.[xxii]

GUN SAFETY:

Foushee advocates for common-sense gun reform, including banning assault rifles and the eradication of ghost guns.[xxiii] She supports red flag laws and universal background checks.[xxiv] [xxv]