On the Issues

Jobs

Erin's highest priority is getting our economy back on track and creating an environment for businesses to create good-paying jobs to put still struggling Nevadans back to work. Congress can help small businesses succeed by getting out of the way; we need to cut red tape and excessive regulation, encourage banks to lend again and provide tax relief for small businesses. We need to encourage job growth here in Nevada – not China – by ending tax loopholes that encourage companies to go or expand overseas.

Deficit and Spending

Congress needs to take a lesson from Nevada families and live within its means. Erin will work to cut wasteful spending and take away Congress' credit card by enforcing pay-as-you-go rules. Our budget reflects our values: we can and must invest in our children, in infrastructure, and the ability of our seniors to retire with dignity while reducing the deficit. Erin will work to eliminate corporate tax loopholes, while protecting tax relief for the middle class.

Health Care

Health care costs continue to be too high for both patients and small businesses. The Affordable Care Act contains a lot of common sense solutions, such as protecting coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, lowering drug costs for seniors, and allowing young people to stay on their parents' insurance plan for a longer period. But the results of full implementation remain to be seen. Erin believes we still need to do more to contain costs. Erin with her husband are proud to have created Nevada's only completely free pediatric heath clinic.

Medicare and Social Security

Erin will not support any plan to privatize Social Security and Medicare. She believes we cannot fix our fiscal problems on the backs of our retirees. Congress needs to address the deficit and spending by eliminating corporate tax loopholes, cutting spending, cracking down on waste and fraud, and tightening our belts. It is not right to ask Americans who have paid into a system their entire lives to sacrifice before we tackle these issues seriously.

Immigration

Erin supports comprehensive immigration reform that is tough, fair, and practical. First, we need to increase border security and enforcement. She supports bringing people back into the immigration system legally through a path to citizenship for those without criminal records that includes a reasonable plan for paying back taxes and fines, securing education, and employment.

Energy

Nevada is the nation's leader in renewable energy. Erin will support policies that allow Nevada businesses to continue to be in the best possible position to research, innovate, and create thousands of good-paying, green energy jobs. Nevada's clean energy industry provides a strong, diverse source of economic growth that makes us less dependent on foreign oil.

Environment

Erin will fight to protect Nevada's tremendous natural beauty for generations to come, while balancing the opportunities that it provides for economic growth. Erin will oppose any attempt to ship nuclear waste through our communities to Yucca Mountain.

Education

As the mother of two young girls, ensuring every child access to a quality public education for our children is deeply personal to Erin. Erin will fight to make college affordable and accessible to all Nevada's students. She will also work to create partnerships between Nevada's higher education system and business to get connect local companies with the skilled employees they need. Erin will support fully funded pre-school and kindergarten ensuring every child from the earliest age has the best chance to succeed.

Guns

Erin will fight to ensure that responsible gun owners' right to bear arms for sport or protecting their family are upheld. She will support common sense laws that keep weapons out of the hands of criminals or the mentally disabled. (Add assault weapons ban?)

Veterans

As the daughter of a veteran, Erin understands the sacrifices that our veterans and their families make to preserve our way of life. Erin will always stand with veterans and fight against any attempt to strip the benefits they have earned. Erin also believes we need to invest in programs that help veterans returning from conflicts overseas to transition into the workforce.

Ethics

Too many Washington politicians forget where they came from. Erin will always fight for the people of Southern Nevada – not the corporate special interests. Erin will refuse any pay raises and will fight for a 5% pay cut for Members of Congress until the budget is balanced. Erin will work to end "business as usual" in Washington and instead pursue common-sense solutions that work for middle-class families.