Valerie on the issue
Priorities
Democracy
Foushee says that Donald Trump is the biggest threat to democracy our nation has ever faced. He’s taking away rights, weaponizing the government against his enemies, lining his own pockets, and no one is holding him accountable. In Congress, Foushee has signed on to nine amicus briefs challenging Trump’s policies in court, supported impeachment legislation, exposed his illegal access to confidential data, and boycotted his joint address to Congress. She will continue to fight to hold Trump responsible and do everything in her power to stop Trump’s attack on our democracy.
ICE
Foushee believes Trump’s immigration policy is cruel, immoral, and a profound abuse of power. As a state senator, she voted to ensure that local law enforcement agencies had the discretion to decide if they work with ICE, something many of our North Carolina Sheriffs decided against. In Congress, she is working to limit ICE’s authority and mandate, ban ICE agents from wearing masks, require that they wear body cameras, and crack down on agents who abuse their power or violate people’s rights. Foushee also introduced Articles of Impeachment against Secretary Kristi Noem and voted against the DHS funding bill that included funding for ICE.
Healthcare
Foushee considers healthcare a universal right. She is working to stop Republicans’ assault on our healthcare system. In the State Senate, she expanded Medicaid in North Carolina and in Congress, she is fighting to defend it from Republican cuts. She strongly supports extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies to ensure that millions of Americans are able to maintain their healthcare. Foushee is also a fierce advocate for Medicare for All and is working to stop pharmaceutical companies from price-gouging on lifesaving medications.
Reproductive Freedoms
Foushee will always protect reproductive rights. As a state senator, she sponsored legislation to remove barriers to abortion access in North Carolina. In Congress, she is working to pass legislation to codify Roe so state legislatures are no longer able to pass restrictive and archaic abortion laws and legislation to protect access to contraceptives.
Affordability
The price of groceries, housing, utilities, and property taxes have gotten out of control and Foushee is working hard to lower everyday costs. In Congress, she is standing up to Trump’s tariffs and taking on corporate price gouging that drives up costs. She is pushing for legislation that would force developers to build housing people can actually afford and stop hedge fund speculators from buying up housing in our area that increases prices. She has brought home millions of dollars to the district for affordable housing projects.
She is a strong supporter of unions and union workers and is working to pass legislation that will require large federal projects like projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to use unionized labor.
Taxes
Foushee supports a progressive tax system that provides relief for middle and low-income families while increasing taxes on large corporations and high-income earners. Through this system we can lower costs for working families, increase economic opportunity, and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share.
She supports raising the corporate tax rate, increasing capital gains and buyback taxes, closing the carried interest loophole, and instituting a “billionaire” 25% minimum tax rate on households who have a net worth over $100 million. She is working to expand the Child Tax Credit and make it fully refundable for low-income households, broaden the Earned Income Tax Credit, restore the Affordable Care Act subsidies, and create more tax credits around affordable housing and childcare.
Education
Cuts to higher education have threatened the important ground breaking work of research institutions in the Triangle. Foushee is leading the charge to demand accountability and pass appropriation legislation to restore funding levels. She is in favor of cancelling existing student loan debt and working to pass legislation that would eliminate the costs of tuition at community colleges for all students, and at all four-year public schools for students whose household income is under $125,000 annually.
Environment
Foushee is a strong supporter of the Green New Deal and believes that we need to make bold steps to tackle climate change and transition to a clean energy economy. She has advocated for increased investments in green transit including utilizing low and no-emissions buses, passenger rail, and electric vehicles. In December 2023, she secured a $1 billion grant from the Department of Transportation for the Raleigh-to-Richmond intercity passenger rail route through the bipartisan infrastructure package.
Retirement Security
Foushee believes that Social Security and Medicare are promises we made to seniors who worked hard their whole lives. Now Trump is attacking them to give tax breaks to his billionaire buddies. She will never let Trump and Republicans cut seniors’ benefits. She’s passed laws to guarantee that people who paid into the system get what they earned.
Racial Justice
Foushee first ran for public office because she saw Black students’ needs were being ignored in our public schools. In Congress, she is tackling systematic racism by advocating to end cash bail, to abolish private prisons, and to decriminalize marijuana. She is also working to ensure everyone has unfettered access to the ballot box by advancing legislation that establishes national standards to protect the right to vote.
