Kat Abughazaleh

Education

Tax dollars should be reserved for public education. Conservatives like to tout "school choice" over public schools, but ignore the myriad problems associated with taxpayer-funded charter schools like their propensity for fraud and mismanagement, history of discrimination, and diversion of tax dollars from the public school system. If we want to improve our education system, we need to actually invest in it, not siphon tax dollars from the schools that already exist in our communities. Learn more

Every child deserves that type of investment in their future, regardless of their family's financial future. By establishing universal pre-K nationwide, we can ensure a better future for the next generation and give parents one less thing to worry about. Learn more

Environment / Energy

The climate crisis is an existential threat and the Trump administration's subservience to Big Oil will only accelerate the planet's warming. We need urgent action which is why I endorse the Green New Deal, including the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps to create millions of good-paying jobs that will ensure a speedy and sustainable transition to renewable energy across the board. Learn more

Foreign Policy

Additionally, the United States must recognize the State of Palestine. It is not enough to end this war: We must help rebuild Gaza and create a place at the table for Palestinian people. Peace in the region is impossible when a population is subjected to statelessness, restriction of rights and movement, and systematic dehumanization. By recognizing Palestinian statehood, both Israelis and Palestinians can more effectively navigate negotiations for a lasting peace that protects all people in the region. Learn more

Putin’s war in Ukraine presents one of the most brazen instances of an illegal and immoral invasion of one country by another since World War II. The United States must exert significant diplomatic pressure on Russia and its allies to end the war and recognize full Ukrainian sovereignty over its rightful territory, including Crimea which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Hopefully this will be accomplished before I enter Congress but if the war persists, I will support additional humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine. Learn more

As with regard to Taiwan, the United States must continue to support Taiwan in the face of increasing Chinese aggression and attempts to undermine Taiwan’s internationally recognized status as a state of its own. Learn more

Government Reform

I fully support a national conversation about implementing term limits for Members of Congress and I pledge to serve no more than five terms in the House of Representatives if I'm elected. Learn more

Supreme Court Justices are partying with billionaires and openly taking bribes as they rule in ways that hurt millions of Americans. We need a binding code of ethics for the Supreme Court and all federal judges and we need Congress to rigorously enforce it. To depoliticize the Supreme Court, we must also require a two-thirds Senate majority to confirm Justices, expand the Court to 15 seats, and implement 18-year term limits for Supreme Court Justices with appointments spread out evenly and fairly between presidential terms. Learn more

Guns

That’s why we must implement a federal assault weapons ban modeled after Illinois' assault weapons ban, enact comprehensive universal background checks, require waiting periods, institute mandatory gun safety training, close gun show and ghost gun loopholes, and prioritize victims of gun violence above all else. Learn more

Healthcare

A system where your tax dollars pay for the healthcare that you want and need. No more deductibles, no more “that’s not covered under your plan,” no more “out of network providers,” and no more insurance agents trying to get you the least possible care for the most possible money. Just you and your doctor in the room. Nowhere in the world do these systems cost more than what you’re paying now for your deductibles, copays, and the cost of leaving important health issues unattended, so it won’t cost more in the United States either. With single-payer, you can expect a significantly smaller percentage of your income to go to your healthcare, with better outcomes, and more care. Learn more

Housing

Here in the Ninth District, we also suffer from an affordable housing shortage. Our district includes both the northeastern neighborhoods of Chicago, like Rogers Park and Uptown, and stretches as far northwest as Crystal Lake. It includes both urban and suburban housing, from single-family homes to high-rise apartments. There is a large unhoused population, which is severely harmed each year by glacial temperatures along Lake Michigan in the winter, and despite the best efforts of the state and city, that population grows each year. The average monthly rent for a one bedroom apartment in our district (within Chicago proper) is 1,462, a nearly 7% increase over last year’s average. Learn more

Immigration

I vehemently oppose Donald Trump's insistence on vilifying immigrants and criminalizing their very existence. Immigration is not just about the economy, it's about basic human rights and dignity. All people deserve to be able to come to a country where they are free from persecution and strife and we must create a country that reflects that ideal. I want to be as clear as humanly possible: NO mass deportations, NO internment camps for immigrants, and NO backtracking on the best part of the American Experiment. Learn more

Instead, I'll continue to speak out against authoritarians. I will take the fight to them, whether it's the House floor or on the streets where ICE is attacking us. And I will do everything in my power to make sure constituents know they are not alone. Whether it's regular updates online or in-person town halls, I promise you will not be left out in the cold. Learn more

Taxes / Budget

Billionaires cannot be allowed to use their wealth to consolidate control of information networks to further enrich themselves and convert their immense wealth into political power. These power grabs aren’t just about billionaires maximizing their own power, it’s also about actively disenfranchising people without the same financial resources. Learn more

Congress must pass legislation implementing a 2% wealth tax on net worths over 50,000,000. Additionally, Congress should pass legislation to tax all income over 1,000,000 at the same rate, whether that income is earned, unearned, or another form of taxable income. Learn more

I am unflinching in my opposition to tax cuts for the rich and powerful that enable them to grow both their wealth and influence at an exponential rate, threatening our democracy and economic stability. Learn more