Issues

Education

Higher Pay for our Teachers

Education is the cornerstone of democracy. Providing quality education is one of the government’s most important obligations to the people. If our children are to receive a quality education, we must increase teacher’s pay. Kim proposes to use the federal tax code to create a permanent $20,000 refundable Teachers Tax Credit.

Kim also wants to change the Teacher Forgiveness Program. The Teacher Forgiveness Program is unattainable and ineffective. You must currently have no outstanding balances on Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans to be eligible. You must work full-time and complete five academic years in a row. Kim's approach will alter the current program by having the Department of Education pay the teacher's student loans for the next five years, after which the remaining balance will be forgiven.

Student Loans

Student loan debt in America is over $1.6 trillion and exceeds accumulated car loans and even credit card debt. Kim proposes:

  • Increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 23% to pay off all student loans
  • Tax incentive of $50,000 for those who already paid off their student loans
  • Eliminate student loan interest rate.
Reform the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Our college students face an increase in financial insecurity, especially since the pandemic. For these students, unexpected events like loss of income or disruption in child care arrangements can derail their path to graduation.

Due to the pandemic, Congress enacted temporary reforms to provide flexible emergency support to low-income students. The FSEOG program provided grant aid directly to institutions that distributed these funds to students on campus. The grants ranged from $100 to $4,000, prioritizing low-income students. Kim proposes making the FSEOG permanent and allows institutions to use a portion of their funds for micro-grant programs.

Healthcare

Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA)

Kim opposes repealing the Affordable Care Act. She supports Joe Biden’s plan by giving Americans a choice to purchase a public health insurance option. She also supports expanding coverage to low-income Americans by offering premium-free access to states where they have refused to take up the Medicaid expansion.

Fixing the rising cost of prescription drugs:

Historical increases in prescription drug prices are contributing to unsustainable health care costs in the United States. While individual politicians sponsor bills to lower drug costs through competition, they are not addressing the root cause of why Americans pay the exorbitant price of drugs. To lower prescription drug costs Kim proposes:

  • Allow US Department of Health and Human Services to directly negotiate prices with drug producers and suppliers.
  • Enforce “Pay-for-delay” (drug makers sidestep competition by offering patent settlements that pay generic companies not to bring lower cost drugs to the market. This practice effectively blocks all other generic drug competition for a growing number of branded drugs).
  • Legislation requiring full disclosure of information from insurance plans about the average net prices paid for prescription drugs, including patient cost-sharing among plans and price increases. Private insurers and benefit managers reach their deals with drug companies, and the public is left in the dark when it comes to the details of those deals. Americans should have full transparency.
  • Stop Evergreening. Evergreening is drug makers adding on new patents to prolong a drug’s exclusivity even when the additions aren’t fundamentally new, non-obvious, and useful as the law requires. By fixing the abuse in the patent system, we will be able to control drug costs.

Social Justice

Our country is regarded as a global pioneer in socioeconomic rights, but we still have a long way to go before social injustice is eradicated.

Women's Rights

Kim wants to be a part of making decisions that affect our culture so that our daughters do not have to fight the battles she did. Working in a male-dominated industry required Kim to outperform her male counterparts to be acknowledged. Kim supports:

  • The passage of a federal Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution as follows: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States of any state on account of sex.""
  • A woman's' right to choose in accordance with the principles of Roe v. Wade. Kim believes no matter your personal feelings or beliefs about abortion, it is not our place to decide what a woman can or can’t do with her body.
  • Comprehensive, medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education for students.
LGBTQ

On June 26, 2015, we celebrated the Supreme Court's landmark civil rights case ruling regarding same-sex marriage. In 2021 the LGBTQ community is still fighting for equality. In several states, Republican governors pushed anti-transgender legislation requiring children to compete in school sports according to their sex at birth. This year (2021) is slated to become the worst year for the LGBTQ community. State legislatures are poised to enact several anti-LGBTQ measures into law. Kim supports:

  • Passing the Equality Act
  • Increasing federal funding levels for HIV/AIDS services and research.
  • Safe Schools Improvement Act. Kim believes every student deserves to have a safe space in an environment conducive to learning. Students will not flourish in an environment in which they fear.
Voting Rights

Kim believes in a free and fair election. Together we can create a political system which is based on the principles of one person - one vote. Unfortunately, Republicans have shown their hand and unleashed a tsunami of voter restriction laws. They have doubled down on the lie that they won the presidential election and laid the groundwork to suppress their opponent's votes in the future. Their argument is they want fair elections. But since there is zero evidence that elections weren't fair, this excuse has nothing to do with securing our elections and everything to do with regaining and retaining their power. Kim supports:

  • For The People Act that will address voter access, election integrity, and election security
  • John Lewis Voting Rights Act that will restore and strengthen parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Combating Homelessness

Homelessness was on the rise before the pandemic. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in 2019, 568,000 people experience homelessness. In 2020, those figures rose, and legislators (both state and federal) introduced dozens of laws in an attempt to avert an eviction crisis. According to a Census Bureau survey, the problem is far from finished; 14 million persons are still behind on their rental payments. Kim supports Biden's plan to:

  • Invest $213 billion to produce, preserve, and retrofit more than two million affordable andd sustainable places to live.
  • Build and rehabilitate more than 500,000 homes for low-and middle-income homebuyers.
Public Safety

Kim holds the highest regard for our men and women in blue. The job is both physically and psychologically taxing. But we cannot dismiss the racial injustices that people of color endure at the hands of law enforcement. Like many African American families, Kim's mother gave her "the talk," A family tradition passed down through generations. Kim hopes that when her children have children, that tradition will come to an end. Kim is an advocate for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The bill addresses a wide range of policing policies and challenges, including law enforcement accountability.

  • Creates a national registry to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct.
  • Authorizes the Department of Justice to issue subpoenas in investigations of police departments for a pattern or practice of discrimination.
  • Establishes a framework to prohibit racial profiling at the federal, state, and local levels.

Environment

Our economy needs help recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. We also need to quickly create millions of clean energy jobs in order to tackle the climate crisis. Combined, we have the opportunity to create good-paying jobs and put people to work building our clean energy future. Our actionable plan will get us on the right track towards building the green economy that we urgently need: one with investments in clean energy, federal clean standards and climate justice for all.

Invest in a Clean Energy Economy

In order to jumpstart the economy, accelerate job creation, and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, when elected Kim will:

  • Fund sustainable infrastructure and conservation projects like carbon-free public transit, clean water systems, green affordable housing, and ecosystem restoration for public lands, forests and oceans.
  • Dramatically expand investments in government led clean tech research and development to re-establish the U.S. as a global climate innovation leader.
Prioritize Environmental & Economic Justice

In congress Kim will prioritize investment and policy solutions that support low-income communities and frontline communities that bear the brunt of pollution and climate change, and that have been left behind in our economy. And we must hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the damage they’ve caused to our communities.

  • She will hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the damage they’ve caused to our health and communities by putting an end to the nearly $20 billion in federal subsidies they enjoy each year, and ending all new fossil fuel leases on public lands.
  • Support rural economies while adapting to climate change by funding agricultural conservation programs, clean electrification, and expanding broadband
  • Direct 40% of all climate investments into disadvantaged communities to confront the environmental harms that hit front-line communities first and worst.
Implement Federal Clean Energy Standards

In order to drive sustained emissions reductions, we must set bold and aggressive sector specific clean energy standards.

  • Enact a bold national 100% Clean Electricity Standard requiring utilities to achieve 100% carbon-neutral electricity by 2030, and all-clean, renewable and zero-emission energy in power generation by 2035.
  • Support the use of existing federal authorities to ensure that by 2030 all new vehicles sold in the U.S. are zero-emission vehicles (ZEF).
  • Establish a national Energy Efficiency Resource Standard to improve efficiency in energy use in existing buildings. And use strong consumer incentives, utility requirements, and direct public investments in an ambitious new Rebuild America energy retrofit program.

Veterans

As a disabled veteran, Kim used the VA system after departing the military. Due to excessive wait periods, she became frustrated when scheduling an appointment. The VA has improved, but more needs to be done to guarantee that our veterans receive the excellent care they deserve.
Kim opposes the privatization of the VA and will strive to guarantee that the government keeps its end of the agreement. In recent years, the VA has created a program that allows Veterans to seek treatment from private medical providers. Kim understands that not all treatment can be performed at the VA; her greatest fear is the chiseling away VA's primary purpose. Kim will advocate in Congress to fund additional VA centers in rural areas that will bring the treatment our Veterans require closer to home and create jobs in the community.

Combatting Suicide

Much progress has been made in the field of suicide prevention and mental health in recent years. The VA plan for transitioning soldiers targets service members in the post-9/11 generation who are at an increased risk of suicide to engage with them before the moment of crisis. These improvements are crucial in dealing with suicide issues. But more must be done. Kim's plan to improve access to quality mental health care includes:

  • To retain and attract quality psychologists, the VA should provide a competitive salary equal to the private sector and create a loan forgiveness program to pay off their student loans.
  • Allow veterans seeking immediate care access to Medicare so veterans can obtain specialized care when needed.
  • Invest in alternative therapies that show positive evidence outcomes for mental health injuries.
National Guard and the Reserves

Members of the National Guard and Reserve Component of the Armed Forces are an important part of our military. These vital members of our military must have access and support to mental health care. Kim plan will call for:

  • All National Guardsmen and Reservists have access to mental health care no matter how long they have served on active duty and regardless of deployments
  • Educational outreach to National Guardsmen and Reservists about mental health and suicide prevention services that are available to them.
  • Expand tel-health resources to extend to National Guardsmen and Reservists, including those never federally activated or called to active duty.
Modernizing the VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has faced long-standing challenges in modernizing its IT infrastructure. As more veterans are utilizing the VA for care, there has been an influx of new claims. This influx of new claims is not only causing delays but also a backlog. Kim will use her background in technology to help streamline antiquated processes and ensure the VA's new systems are implemented effectively and transparently, allowing it to serve a new generation of veterans better.

Other Important Policies

Kim supports:

  • Support the Rural Veterans Travel Enhancement Act that will expand on current initiative that provide transportation services to veterans living in rural areas and reimbursement for their travel to the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
  • Protect Goal Star spouses (Coast Guard) during future shutdowns. Currently Gold Star spouses receive their benefits from the Department of Defense and are protected from payment interruptions except for Coast Guard which receive their benefits from Homeland Security.
  • Expand the Military Lending Act to include National Guard, Reservist, veterans and survivors. The Military Lending Act (MLA) enacted in 2006 and implemented by the Department of Defense currently protects active duty members of the military, their spouses and their dependents from certain leading practices that could pose a threat to military readiness and affect service member retention.

Seniors

Everyone deserves quality health care and enough finances to keep a roof over their heads, buy medicine and food, and meet other basic needs. However, in today's America, that vision is out of reach for over half of older adults. Kim supports the Better Care Better Jobs Act that would invest billions in Medicaid Home and Community Based Services. The Better Care Better Jobs Act bill would:

  • Expand access to personal care services, which would reduce unmet HCBS needs for older adults from low-income households who don’t have available family support and reduce the likelihood of nursing facility entry
  • Increase fnancial eligibility limits, enabling 3.2 million additional people to access HCBS

Gun Reform

Gun violence has plagued the United States for far too long. 80% of Americans want common-sense gun control, yet new laws continue to undermine the people's will to keep guns out of the wrong hands. How is that freedom or democracy? This capitulation of the Second Amendment, which Kim believes is misinterpreted, means the rest of us have to live our lives in fear. Why is it so hard to understand we can be pro-Second Amendment while still supporting reasonable gun laws that can save lives? We can't continue to be at the will of the NRA and the lawmakers and judges beholden to them. Every single mass shooting, we call for common-sense gun control, yet we are still here. If anything, we are going in the wrong direction.

  • Ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons. Assault weapons like the AR-15 are weapons of war. While in the military, Kim was trained on the M-16, a weapon that was derived from the AR-15.
  • Background checks for everyone, especially private sales, to ensure potential gun owners aren’t on the National Database.
  • Police substations in schools. (Let police come, set up substations where they can sit and write reports while maintaining a constant presence in our schools
  • Mandatory gun safety classes for first-time buyers.
  • Retailers selling firearms to customers across state lines should adhere to the laws where the buyer resides.
  • Extend the three-day waiting period for law enforcement officers to perform background checks sufficiently.
  • Fund the CDC for research on gun violence

Foreign Policy

The U.S. must work with other countries as a global leader to create a more open, innovative, and prosperous world. Isolation is no longer viable in this new age of globalization. The future of U.S. influence depends on how willing it is to engage with other countries and regions. Below are Kimberly Walker’s position on foreign policy issues:

China

China has always been a bad actor, from stealing US trade secrets to undermining the sanctions placed on North Korea. The greatest threat coming from China is their advancement in artificial intelligence (AI). As a result, China's rapid advancement and investment in AI poses a significant threat to the US as their technology can disrupt many aspects of American life including manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. China is also investing in undeveloped countries by building bridges, hospitals, roads, railways, airports, and seaports. China’s goal is to expand trade and influence via infrastructure and investments in other countries.

Iran

Iran should never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, abandoning the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ruined America’s credibility. The US should rejoin the JCPOA.

North Korea

North Korea is a challenge. Kim Jong Un does not care about his citizens, and no matter what type of sanctions imposed on North Korea, they will never give up their nuclear weapons. In my option, there are only two options: war or allow North Korea to keep some of its nuclear weapons. Neither options are good but by going into an agreement with North Korea that entailed partial sanctions relief in exchange for some dismantling of its nuclear weapons, but not full denuclearization would be the better of two bad options.