Raul Grijalva

The current campaign finance system has failed the American people, plain and simple. As a result of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Citizens United vs FEC, an already powerful class of wealthy contributors and corporations were granted even greater influence on elections and public policy. This corrupt system leaves Americans locked out of a process too expensive for them to participate in. The end result is a country in which special interests have taken control over our democracy. As a member of Congress, I have fought to restore the sanctity of our democracy by giving the power back to the American people, where it belongs.

The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision was an unprecedented interpretation of the Constitution that has many severe consequences for our democracy as we know it. This decision granted corporations access to dump enormous amounts of secret money into “Super PACs” in exchange for political favors. In short, corporations are buying politicians and waving campaign contribution checks to get what they want.

The Citizens United decision undermined our democracy by granting extensive constitutional protections to corporations. I believe that the best way to maintain the integrity of our political system and ensure that every American’s voice is heard in November is to fully overturn Citizens United with an amendment to the Constitution.

Until we gain enough support for such an amendment, we must take pragmatic steps to limit the ability of special interest groups to affect election outcomes. That’s why I support restoring the individual’s voice during election season, encouraging participation in the political process, and diminishing the impact of super PAC and dark money.

I support strengthening the voice of everyday American voters by providing a $25 My Voice Tax Credit for campaign contributions. and making individuals just as powerful as big donors by establishing the Freedom From Influence Fund to match contributions from everyday Americans at a ratio of six-to-one. This gives candidates the incentive to seek out small donors instead of begging for the contributions of powerful special interests. And, protecting every American’s voice from being drowned out by wealthy and well-connected donors by providing citizen-funded candidates with additional publicly matched funds within 60 days of an election.

In my opinion, our democracy works best when all Americans, regardless of income, are able to voice their opinions by voting. That means one person, one vote; not a class of people using their wealth to have a disproportionate effect on elections. It means a political system that requires the participation of all Americans, not one where politicians speak behind closed-doors, begging for the contributions of the wealthy in exchange for political favors. Change is still possible but we have to act as quickly as we can. With your help, we can stand up to corporations and the billionaire class by telling them that our democracy is not for sale.

The way a lot of people talk about the economy, you’d think creating jobs is just a short-term political issue. You and I know better. Creating good jobs that build our intellectual and economic potential is how we make Arizona a better place to live and ensure a better future for our children. Instead of low-wage jobs with few benefits, I’m working every day in Congress to create the Arizona economy that invests in working families and strengthens our future.

I support a $15 an hour federal minimum wage. I find it appalling that in the richest nation on Earth, full-time workers struggle to make ends meet and provide their families with basic necessities. I am proud to once again be an original co-sponsor of the Raise the Wage Act, which would increase the federal minimum wage for regular employees over a 5-year period and eliminate the separate minimum wage requirements for tipped, newly hired, and disabled employees. After a specified period, these employees shall be paid the same minimum wage as regular employees.

I’ve spent years actively supporting solar power projects that create thousands of construction jobs and dozens of management and engineering positions. Projects like the Agua Caliente plant — which has already generated tens of millions of dollars in local tax revenue and created hundreds of locally hired construction positions — are key to Arizona’s economic success and help remove our dependence on foreign energy sources.

I support equal pay for equal work and fair treatment in the workplace, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or cultural background. I was proud when Cronkite News highlighted the fact that women hold 3 of the top 4 leadership positions in my office. Our economy thrives when employers hire fairly and pay workers what they earn.

I don’t believe business and government should compete with each other for public support. When we have the right policies that build for the future, invest in workers, and ensure corporate accountability, government and business can both work in the public interest. That’s the future economy I’m working for, and that’s why I’m running to represent you.

Laying the foundations for a more prosperous America starts with ensuring that all of our children – regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, immigration status, primary language, or cognitive ability – are able to get a world class education.

Instead of stepping back and hoping our kids get a good education, I believe Congress should step up, and increase access to high-quality schools. From pre-k to college, I’m proud to serve as a senior member of the Education and Labor Committee and take a leading role in Congress in pushing for more funding and a higher quality of education at all levels.

I voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan which was signed into law and is the largest ever one-time federal investment in K-12 education. This bill also provided urgently needed funds to child care centers devastated by the pandemic.

I understand the need to make sure our English language learners have the structure they need to succeed so I have introduced the FLUEnT Act which establishes a grant program to improve the literacy and English skills of English language learners. Additionally, I introduced the Success in the Middle Act to make sure middle schools, which are often overlooked, get the funding they need to help students during crucial years of intellectual development.

I also voted in favor of the Build Back Better Act which would provide free, universal preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds and increase the value of Pell Grants, and I am urging the Senate to stop blocking these proposals so families can get the support they need.

I have repeatedly supported actions to make college more accessible and affordable. Faced with outrageous tuition and high interest rates on student loans, many promising students are forced to enter the workforce much earlier than they would like to. In order to ensure that these students get the education they want and deserve, we need to increase access to debt-free higher education and forgive student loans.

If Congress makes education a priority and gives it the resources it deserves, we all come out ahead. Schools should be at the top, not the bottom, of our list of things to fund and improve. We cannot allow our schools to be vouchirized so that individuals can profit off them at the expense of quality education.

I’m running for re-election because I know a lack of education is much more expensive than a good education, and I want to make sure Congress turns a corner in how it funds America’s schools.

As Chair of the Natural Resources Committee, I am advancing the most aggressive climate agenda ever pushed in Congress. My Environmental Justice for All Act will give historically marginalized communities the tools needed to fight back against environmental racism. Under my leadership, the Great American Outdoors Act, one of the most significant investments in environmental conservation in a generation, became law. I helped pass the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act, which included my Grand Canyon Protection Act to ban uranium mining near the national park. I introduced the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act to leverage the ocean’s potential in the fight against climate change.

Environmental Justice For All Act

For too long, low-income communities, tribal and indigenous communities, and communities of color have been shut out of the decision-making process and left without the tools to fight back when big corporations set up shop in their back yards.

My landmark Environmental Justice for All Act would enable frontline environmental justice communities to hold polluters accountable in court for projects that use federal funds and engage in environmental discrimination.

This legislation is rooted in the moral principle that all people have the right to pure air, clean water, and an environment that enriches life. It is informed by the belief that federal policy can and should seek to achieve environmental justice, health equity, and climate justice for all underserved communities.

Among other provisions, the Environmental Justice For All Act:

Strengthens environmental compliance and pollution standards by requiring the consideration of cumulative environmental impacts in permitting decisions under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. The bill ensures that permits will not be issued if projects are unable to show a reasonable certainty of no harm to human health after consideration of cumulative impacts. Currently, there is no federal limit on cumulative impact pollution for environmental justice communities that are already overburdened by industrial pollution.

Provides new enforcement tools to counter environmental discrimination by strengthening the Civil Rights Act to allow citizens and communities to legally challenge prohibited discrimination in court, overturning the Alexander v. Sandoval ruling; and

Promotes more equitable access to environmental amenities, including through technical application assistance for federal grants, and dedicated environmental justice community grants to support research, education, outreach, development, and implementation of projects to improve environmental conditions in environmental justice communities.

The Great American Outdoors Act

The Great American Outdoors Act is one of Congress’ most significant investments in environmental conservation in a generation. This legislation is truly an investment in our children, our environment, and our quality of life. With climate change advancing around the country, this couldn’t come at a better time.

The legislation fully funds the successful and popular Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually, well above its yearly average funding level, and creates the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, which will provide funding to the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Education to fix buildings, trails, roads and other public infrastructure in need of repair for the next five years.

I have championed both the permanent authorization of and full funding for LWCF for many years and introduced the Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act in 2018 to achieve both goals. The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act marks the culmination of years of effort by a large network of colleagues and advocates to achieve LWCF’s full promise.

The Grand Canyon Protection Act and The Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act

The Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act, which included my Grand Canyon Protection Act was passed by the House of Representatives in February of 2021. Protecting our environment is not a matter of choice or political preference and that’s why the Senate must act to pass this legislation into law.

If passed into law, this package would designate almost 1.5 million acres of public land as wilderness, add 1,200 miles of rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and withdraw over 1 million acres from new mining claims. In total, the amount of land protected under the Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act would be almost 3 million acres.

The Grand Canyon Protection Act would permanently withdraw more than 1 million acres of federal land north and south of Grand Canyon National Park from eligibility for any future mining claims and leaves valid existing claims intact. Of all the places on Earth to protect from mining pollution, the Grand Canyon should be the least controversial. Protecting the Grand Canyon region is an environmental justice issue, an economic issue, and a moral issue all at the same time, and I’m proud to bring this coalition together to resolve it in the public interest once and for all.

Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act

Federal policy has neglected our oceans for far too long, especially with whole ecosystems already disappearing to climate change. Ocean health is human health, which is why this bill is based on real public input rather than polluter demands or special interest favors. Every day we wait to update our ocean laws for the modern world is a day we’ll look back on with regret.

The Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act would modernize federal ocean management policy to account for climate change. The bill limits climate impacts on marine habitats, promotes carbon sinks in federal waters, advances Arctic conservation efforts with climate change in mind, modernizes fishing fleet fuel regulations, and takes other steps to align ocean policies with modern environmental and economic reality.

The Extinction Prevention Act of 2021

In 2021, I introduced the Extinction Prevention Act, a comprehensive bill that will provide much-needed resources to protect some of the most imperiled wildlife species in the United States.

This bill requires the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for the conservation of butterflies and moths in North America; plant species in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands; freshwater mussels in the United States; and bony fish found in desert ecosystems in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Among other things, the bill establishes the North America Butterfly Conservation Fund, the Pacific Islands Plant Conservation Fund, the Freshwater Mussels Conservation Fund, and the Southwest Desert Fish Conservation Fund. In selecting projects for assistance, the Interior must prioritize projects that conserve threatened and endangered species.

Since the tragedy at Uvalde, the mass gun violence epidemic has continued to proliferate across the country with individuals using assault weapons legally purchased to kill people at hospitals, parades, and festivals. These tragedies are preventable, and we can help stop them by reducing the availability of the high-powered, semiautomatic guns that have made mass murders a horrific commonplace in our society.

Gun Violence Prevention and Mental Healthcare Expansion

I voted to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act legislation that will protect America’s children, make our schools safer, and reduce the threat of gun violence across our country. This legislation is one of the most significant steps Congress has taken to reduce gun violence in decades, giving our law enforcement and prosecutors new tools to prosecute gun traffickers.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act expands background checks for individuals under the age of 21 purchasing firearms and prevents individuals who have been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years.

It provides $11 billion for mental health services, including increased funding for the Medicaid Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic program, increased funding for school-based mental health programs, investments in pediatric mental healthcare services, and provides $2 billion for community-based violence prevention initiatives.

Also, it provides $750 million for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, also referred to as red-flag laws, that would allow authorities to confiscate firearms from individuals who have been determined by a court to be a significant danger to themselves or others. The grants could also be used to support mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts, and extreme risk protection orders.

Assault Weapons Ban

Eight of the ten deadliest mass shootings in recent American history have involved an assault weapon that would have been banned for purchase under the previous assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004, including mass shootings. That’s why I strongly support reinstating the Assault Weapons Ban.

Researchers estimate that if we still had a federal Assault Weapons Ban, we would see 70 percent fewer mass shooting deaths. In 6 out of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in recent American history (Orlando, Sutherland Springs, Las Vegas, Parkland, El Paso, Uvalde), the gunmen were able to legally purchase the assault weapons from a licensed dealer – in some cases weeks—before the shooting.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a new level stress to our health care system and worsened existing inequities. Decades of unequal treatment have meant that lower income and communities of color have suffered disproportionately through the pandemic.

I voted for the Affordable Care Act to expand health coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans. I successfully fought for regulations that prohibit insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and charging higher rates for women and seniors. I was proud to lead the effort to ensure that improvements and increased funding for the Indian Health Service would survive House Republican attempts to overturn the Affordable Care Act. I voted in favor of ending surprise medical bills and supported the American Rescue Plan to expand premium tax credits to make insurance more affordable. But more must be done to make a health care system that works for everyone in our country – not just the wealthy.

I am a strong proponent of improving and expanding our Medicare system. I am a cosponsor of the Medicare for All Act. Additionally, I support lowering prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, just as the VA does. I will continue to fight for more funds for health research and VA so our veterans can receive the tailored care they deserve.

Our system was ill-prepared to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, we must make and sustain structural changes to address the ongoing health threat and better prepare for future ones. This includes bolstering local health authorities, addressing severe workforce shortages, improving emergency response capabilities and addressing pervasive health misinformation.

Medicare and Social Security

One in six Arizonans receive Social Security, which by law is prohibited from contributing to the deficit. Nearly one million Arizonans rely on Medicare, which provides high quality and often more economically efficient care than private insurance. I oppose Republican schemes that end the Medicare guarantee by turning it into a voucher system. I support the Progressive Caucus People’s Budget plan, which protects Medicare, strengthens Social Security and reduces the deficit.

Our borders have become a convenient tool for Republicans who want to keep our immigration system broken for political gain. The louder the American people call for comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, the harder the GOP opposes it by describing any attempt to fix our employment, labor and naturalization laws as “amnesty.” We need to take the issue seriously rather than reducing it to a heated slogan and letting the problem get worse.

I support a comprehensive immigration reform package with features favored by a clear majority of Americans:

Requiring immigrants to obtain legal status and pay taxes by filing with the government, submitting to a background check and participating in a new employer verification system.

Making sure that undocumented immigrants who have no criminal history have a way of obtaining legal status in an efficient and just manner.

Ensuring that border agencies have the resources they need to stop criminal gangs and smugglers, especially at ports of entry.

Reducing the severe visa backlog and removing the caps for highly skilled workers and family members of permanent residents.

I was extremely disappointed by the non-decision outcome in the Supreme Court case Texas v. United States that resulted in the blocking of President Obama’s implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program and his expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The two programs combined would have allowed more than 4 million undocumented persons to apply for deferred action and be temporarily exempt from deportation. Many of these people have been separated from their family members and simply want to live under one roof as a family. Instead of tearing families apart, we should be making it easier for them to work, go to school and contribute to society without fear of deportation.

It is important to constantly remind ourselves that we are a nation of immigrants. Our diversity makes us the unique, prosperous country we are today. Since I was elected to Congress, I have been proud to fight for the millions of people who feel just as American as you and I do in our hearts but are still stuck in the shadows. I will continue to fight for sensible immigration reform that will allow these people to seek the same American dream our ancestors once sought for us.

Despite the recent progress we have made to eliminate discriminatory laws and promote an environment of acceptance, the LGBTQI+ community continues to face deeply rooted institutional and social discrimination throughout America. The fact remains that there are still far too many laws that systemically oppress our LGBTQI+ family, friends, and neighbors.

Not only are these laws harmful to American business and our reputation as a country, but they are morally bankrupt. We all must stand up in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community against the bigotry they too often face.

As a member of the Congressional LGBTQI+ Equality Caucus and the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force, I’m worked vigorously to guarantee that every American, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, is treated equally under the law.

The LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act

With the bipartisan House passage of the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, which I proudly introduced, Congress took necessary action to close the data gap that for too long has neglected to count our LGBTQI+ community. Full equality and sound policy can only be achieved when we count all members of our community.

The LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act would require federal surveys to include data collection on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics, on a voluntary basis. Agencies would be required to identify and employ appropriate methods to include questions on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics.

Lawmakers and agencies are one step closer to finally having comprehensive data to craft better policies to remedy and address the disparities faced by LGBTQI+ individuals — particularly people of color — to ensure their needs are met. I applaud the leadership of Chair Maloney who helped shepherd this legislation, my colleagues for voting to pass the bill, and the overwhelming support of outside groups that advocate for the rights of LGBTQI+ people.

Respect for Marriage Act

I’m a co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. This bill would enshrine the constitutional right of marriage equality for same sex and interracial couples guaranteed by Obergefell and Loving, repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and provide additional legal protections for marriage equality.

This bill comes directly in response to comments by Justice Clarence Thomas following the appalling Dobbs decision that overturned Roe and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion. In his opinion, Justice Thomas wrote, “we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.” Those cases established the right to contraception, the right to a consensual partner of the same sex, and the right to same-sex marriage. The Senate must urgently pass marriage equality into law.

I believe that the best policies address the root causes of national and international conflicts rather than exploiting fear or offering a false sense of security. Unfortunately, Congressional Republicans have resorted to fear tactics and xenophobia to push hawkish policies and prevent immigrants from seeking refuge in our country.

Instead of promoting an environment of hatred and intolerance, our domestic and foreign policies should occupy the moral high ground and reflect the best of American values: acceptance of diversity, inclusiveness, and a commitment to civil rights.

Since I was elected to Congress, I have helped make sure that we exercise a high degree of caution before we enter into costly wars that risk the lives of our servicemen and women. In addition, I have worked to ensure that the United States remains a nation where the world’s most vulnerable people can find refuge and live in peace.

I have opposed efforts by Republicans to close our nation to refugees and asylum seekers with his shameful travel ban. In addition, I have supported legislation and resolutions that would limit the power of the president to wage war and would promote diplomatic solutions to international conflicts over military ones.

Seniors should not have to spend their retirement days in poverty. That’s why I am opposed to any attempts to cut or privatize Social Security. We need to strengthen it, not start hacking away at one of the fundamental agreements between our government and the American people. However, now that Republicans have increased the deficit with their GOP tax scam, they are now looking to make cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security to make up the difference. We must hold them accountable for their reckless tax plan and work tirelessly to ensure that they do not use it as a justification to make significant cuts to the programs that millions of older Americans rely on.

I support fully funding our Medicare and Medicaid obligations and ending the windfall elimination provision, which forces low-paid public employees outside the Social Security system, like educators, to lose a significant portion of their Social Security benefits. I have also co-sponsored legislation to end the windfall elimination provision and the government pension offset, which makes it more difficult for spouses of former government employees to enjoy full Social Security benefits.

In addition, we need to fight back against attempts to privatize Social Security that would put the fate of millions of Americans’ retirements in the hands of Wall Street, which has already proved that they cannot be trusted. Moreover, we must ensure that the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share into the system by removing the cap on taxable earnings.

The men and women who serve our country in the military shouldn’t be left to fend for themselves when they return home. Neither should their families. Veterans deserve every measure of our respect, our assistance, and our legal protection upon re-entering civilian life. If Congress doesn’t do everything it can to help them find good-paying jobs and reduce barriers to accessing their health care benefits, then something’s very wrong.

Access to timely and high-quality healthcare is one of the biggest issues facing our veterans. While Republicans deepen their ties to special interests that are seeking to privatize VA care – including the Koch brothers – I’m dedicated to making our current system better. 

In addition to healthcare reform, I’ve also supported educational benefits for veterans that allow our servicemen and women the opportunity to further their careers without falling prey to for-profit institutions that shamefully take advantage of them.

It’s not just about passing new laws. I’ve held meetings and workshops with unemployed veterans to talk about the economy as well as with veteran business owners to talk about special opportunities in Southern Arizona. At every one of these meetings, I’ve been encouraged and heartened to hear the stories of veterans who believe in America more strongly than ever and just want to know that their voices are being heard.

The Honoring our PACT Act

Our servicemembers defended this nation and fulfilled their oath to the Constitution, and we made a promise that we would take care of them when they came home.

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act recently overcame widely-condemned Republican obstruction and was signed into law by President Biden. This life-saving legislation recognizes exposure to toxins as a cost of war and extends hard-earned VA benefits to as many as 3.5 million American veterans who have been exposed to these dangerous substances, including toxic burn pits and Agent Orange.

I was proud to have been a co-sponsor of the Honoring our PACT Act and I have long supported legislative efforts to make presumption of service connections for diseases associated with exposure by veterans.