Deliver Results for Regular People Like Us

Housing: Increase Supply, Lower Costs, Build Real Wealth

Housing affordability is one of the major challenges facing families in NY-17. The problem is not complicated: we do not have enough homes, and the homes we do have are increasingly priced out of reach for working and middle-class families. Solving this requires expanding access to ownership and increasing supply, while protecting housing from speculative abuse.

Expand Access to Homeownership - Without Creating Lifelong Debt

As a veteran, I benefited from preferred mortgage programs that reduce or eliminate down payments. These programs work, and we should responsibly expand them to qualifying first-time buyers, especially young families, teachers, nurses, first responders, and skilled workers, so long as income and residency requirements are met.

What we should not do is push 50-year mortgages. Those products do not build wealth; they trap families in permanent interest payments and create generational debt instead of generational wealth. Homeownership should remain a pathway to stability and wealth, not a financial treadmill.

Increase Housing Supply - At Scale

Affordability will not improve unless we significantly increase the number of homes available. I would focus federal policy on:

• Targeted tax incentives and credits for builders who construct affordable and workforce housing

• Federal support for multi-family housing and apartment construction, particularly near transit and job centers

• Streamlining federal permitting and environmental reviews where appropriate to reduce unnecessary delays and costs

• Converting underused and abandoned commercial properties such as office parks, malls, and retail space, into mixed-income housing

Federal incentives should reward actual units built and occupied, not speculation or land banking.

Protect the Single-Family Housing Market

Large corporate investors buying up single-family homes have distorted local markets, driven up prices, and reduced opportunities for families trying to buy their first home. I support:

• Restrictions or graduated taxes on large institutional investors purchasing single-family homes

• Disclosure and transparency requirements so communities know who owns housing stock

• Incentives that prioritize owner-occupants over absentee investors

Homes should be places to live, not financial instruments for hedge funds.

Meet the Next Generation Where They Are

Today’s buyers face higher debt, higher prices, and fewer entry-level homes than any generation before them. Federal policy must reflect today’s reality by pairing responsible financing tools with real supply growth, not slogans or shortcuts.

Bottom line: We can lower housing costs, expand ownership, and build real wealth, but only if we stop relying on debt gimmicks and start fixing the supply problem while protecting families from speculative abuse. That’s the approach I will take in Congress.

Health Care Should Not Lead to Bankruptcy

No American should face financial ruin because they get sick. Yet today, too many families go directly from a devastating diagnosis to overwhelming medical debt. Fixing this requires strengthening coverage, lowering costs at their source, and protecting the programs millions rely on, while continuing to encourage medical innovation.

Strengthen and Restore the Affordable Care Act

Restoring full ACA support for qualifying Americans is the fastest and most effective way to stabilize coverage and reduce medical bankruptcies. This includes:

• Preserving and expanding ACA premium subsidies for middle- and working-class families

• Strengthening protections for pre-existing conditions

• Improving outreach and enrollment so eligible Americans receive coverage

A stable insurance market lowers uncompensated care costs, which ultimately reduces premiums for everyone.

Protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security

I oppose any cuts, caps, or block grants to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security. These programs are pillars of health and economic security, especially for seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Instead of weakening them, we should:

• Allow Medicare to fully negotiate drug prices across a broader range of medications

• Reduce administrative waste and overbilling through smarter oversight

• Expand access to preventive and primary care to reduce costly emergency interventions

Cutting care does not save money, it shifts costs onto families and hospitals.

Lower Costs by Addressing the Drivers of Health Care Spending

To make health care affordable, we must focus on what really drives costs:

• Prescription drugs: Expand federal drug price negotiation and promote faster approval of generics and biosimilars

• Hospital costs: Increase transparency in pricing and limit anti-competitive hospital consolidation

• Administrative overhead: Simplify billing and insurance processes that add cost without improving care

Lower costs should come from efficiency and competition, not from denying care.

Expand Access While Encouraging Innovation

We can expand access to health care without undermining medical progress. That means:

• Supporting public-private research partnerships that reduce early-stage risk while preserving innovation incentives

• Protecting intellectual property timelines while preventing price gouging on long-established drugs

• Investing in domestic manufacturing of critical medicines to improve supply stability and reduce costs

Innovation should benefit patients, not price them out of treatment.

Focus on Prevention and Community-Based Care

Better outcomes cost less. I support:

• Expanded access to preventive screenings and mental health care

• Increased support for community health centers and rural providers

• Integrating behavioral health into primary care settings

Preventive care reduces long-term costs and improves quality of life.

Honor Commitments to Veterans Through a VA System That Works

Veterans should not face delays, understaffing, or gaps in care after serving their country. I support: 

• Fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs, focused on staffing, modern equipment, and timely access to both physical and mental health services 

• Facilities that serve our region. Montrose VA Medical Center must have the capacity to deliver consistent, high-quality care close to home 

The VA system should work to prevent health issues from becoming lifelong disabilities, reduce long-term costs, and reflect a basic commitment to those who served.

Bottom line: Health care policy should protect families from bankruptcy, preserve essential programs, lower costs through smarter policy, and ensure continued medical innovation. We can build a system that is affordable, accessible, and sustainable, without forcing Americans to choose between their health and their financial future.

Meeting Future Energy Needs Will Help Our Climate and Protect Our Environment

Clean, renewable energy is the future, and the United States must lead. Energy policy is not just about climate; it is about economic strength, national security, and lowering costs for families. We are in a global competition for clean-energy leadership, and if we do not act, other nations will.

Build the Energy Infrastructure We Need

One of the biggest barriers to clean energy today is not technology, it is infrastructure. We must:

• Speed up construction of modern transmission lines to connect renewable energy projects to the grid

• Streamline federal and state permitting while maintaining strong environmental standards

• Invest in grid modernization, including energy storage and resilience, to reduce outages and improve reliability

A stronger grid allows new power to come online faster, increases competition, and lowers long-term energy costs for consumers.

Expand Renewable Energy and Storage

I support a balanced, all-of-the-above clean energy strategy that includes:

• Solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal power

• Investment in energy storage technologies to ensure reliability

• Support for community-scale renewable projects that benefit local economies

Expanding renewables reduces emissions, stabilizes energy prices, and creates high-quality domestic jobs.

Lower Energy Costs for Families and Businesses

Clean energy must deliver real savings. To do that, we should:

• Extend and target clean-energy tax incentives that lower upfront costs for households and small businesses

• Encourage competition in energy markets to prevent price manipulation

• Reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets that drive price spikes

Lower long-term energy costs mean more predictable household budgets and a stronger economy.

Protect Local Communities and the Environment

Environmental protection must be enforced, not waived for convenience. I support:

• Holding large corporations accountable for environmental damage, including long-standing pollution of the Hudson River

• Fully funding cleanup and remediation efforts so communities are not left with the consequences of corporate negligence

• Ensuring local voices are included in energy development decisions

Economic growth cannot come at the expense of public health or irreplaceable natural resources.

Compete - and Win - in the Global Clean-Energy Economy

Clean energy leadership means:

• Investing in American manufacturing of renewable technologies

• Strengthening workforce training programs for energy-sector jobs

• Reducing reliance on foreign energy supply chains

Leading the clean-energy economy strengthens national security and keeps innovation and jobs here at home.

Bottom line: Meeting our future energy needs requires building modern infrastructure, expanding renewable energy, protecting our environment, and lowering costs for families. Clean energy is not just an environmental necessity, it is an economic and national security imperative, and we must lead with urgency, responsibility, and accountability.

Education and Apprenticeships that Lead to Good-Paying Jobs

Education should be a pathway to opportunity, not a lifetime of debt. To compete in a rapidly changing economy shaped by automation and AI, we must modernize how we prepare students and workers for good-paying careers. That means expanding access to higher education and trade schools, strengthening apprenticeships, and aligning education with real workforce needs.

Expand Access to Affordable Higher Education

We need to ensure that cost is not a barrier to opportunity. I support:

• Increased federal support for community colleges and public universities to lower tuition and fees

• Expanded need-based grants and targeted loan forgiveness for graduates entering high-demand fields

• Clear, career-focused pathways that help students understand the return on investment of their education

Education should open doors, not trap families in unmanageable debt.

Strengthen Trade Schools, BOCES, and Career & Technical Education

Not every successful career requires a four-year degree, and our policies should reflect that reality. I will:

• Fully fund BOCES and Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs

• Invest in modern equipment and facilities that reflect today’s workforce needs

• Ensure trade credentials are portable, respected, and recognized across industries

These programs provide direct pathways to skilled, well-paid jobs and deserve the same respect and support as traditional academic tracks.

Build Apprenticeships through Business Partnerships

We should look to successful international models, such as Germany, where education and industry work together. I support:

• Incentives for businesses to partner with trade schools and community colleges

• Paid apprenticeship programs that combine classroom learning with on-the-job training

• Tax credits and federal matching funds for companies that hire and train apprentices

Apprenticeships allow people to earn while they learn and enter the workforce without crushing debt.

Prepare Workers for Automation and AI

The economy is changing, and our workforce must be ready. I will focus on:

• Expanding reskilling and upskilling programs for mid-career workers

• Supporting training in high-growth fields such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, healthcare, and technology

• Ensuring lifelong learning opportunities are accessible to workers at every stage of their careers

Preparing for AI and automation means investing in people—not fearing innovation.

Make the Hudson Valley a Hub for Innovation

With the right investment, the Hudson Valley can be a national leader in innovation. That requires:

• Connecting schools, businesses, and research institutions

• Supporting entrepreneurship and workforce pipelines tied to local industries

• Keeping talented graduates in the region by creating real job opportunities

The next great American innovations can come from right here, if we give students and workers the tools they need to succeed.

Bottom line: Education policy must be practical, affordable, and connected to real careers. By investing in universities, trade schools, apprenticeships, and workforce training, we can create opportunity, strengthen our economy, and ensure that hard work leads to good-paying jobs in the Hudson Valley and beyond.

Fix Our Broken Immigration System

America’s immigration system is broken, and has been for decades. We need a serious, comprehensive solution that restores order at the border, upholds the rule of law, and reflects our values as a nation of immigrants. Strong borders and legal pathways are not competing goals, they are inseparable.

Secure the Border and Enforce the Law

Border security is essential to national security and public confidence. I support:

• Modern border management using technology, personnel, and infrastructure, not chaos or cruelty

• Faster processing to quickly distinguish between asylum seekers, legitimate migrants, and bad actors

• Targeted enforcement focused on human traffickers, drug smugglers, and violent criminals, not families seeking work or safety

Security works best when the system is functional and orderly, not overwhelmed.

Modernize the Asylum System

The asylum system is slow, outdated, and easily exploited, which hurts both migrants and communities. We must:

• Dramatically increase the number of asylum officers and immigration judges to reduce backlogs

• Set clear, consistent standards so claims are reviewed quickly and fairly

• Provide legal orientation and case management to ensure people show up for hearings and comply with the law

A fair system depends on speed, clarity, and accountability.

Expand Legal Pathways for Work and Family

When legal immigration doesn’t match economic reality, illegal immigration fills the gap. I support:

• Expanding and modernizing work visa programs tied to real labor needs in agriculture, healthcare, construction, and service industries

• Streamlining family reunification to reduce years-long backlogs

• Creating flexible, market-responsive visa caps that adjust with the economy

Legal pathways reduce chaos at the border and strengthen our economy.

An Earned Path to Citizenship

For long-term undocumented residents who contribute to our communities, we need a realistic solution. I support:

• An earned path to legal status and eventual citizenship for those who have lived here for years, paid taxes, and passed background checks

• Clear requirements and accountability, this is not amnesty

• Protections for Dreamers and mixed-status families

This brings millions out of the shadows and into the legal economy.

Reject Mass Deportations and Political Stunts

Mass roundups and mass deportations are costly, ineffective, and harmful. They:

• Tear families apart and traumatize communities

• Worsen worker shortages and drive up prices for housing, food, and healthcare

• Distract from real enforcement priorities

We can enforce the law without abandoning our values or common sense.

Immigration as an Economic Strategy

Immigration should strengthen America. I will push policies that:

• Align immigration with workforce needs

• Protect workers from exploitation so wages are not undercut

• Support local governments and schools that manage population growth

When immigration is legal, orderly, and fair, it benefits everyone.

Bottom line: We need an immigration system that is tough, fair, and functional; one that secures the border, enforces the law, expands legal pathways, and treats people with dignity. Politics and slogans have failed us. Serious reform is the only way forward.

End Harmful Tariffs and Support Small Business Owners

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but they are being squeezed from every direction. One of the biggest drivers of increased costs is tariffs. While often framed as tough trade policy, tariffs function as a hidden tax on American consumers and small business owners.

Roll Back Broad, Unfocused Tariffs

Tariffs raise prices on everyday goods like coffee, cars, and household products, but they also raise the cost of inputs small businesses rely on to operate. I support:

• Rolling back blanket tariffs that raise costs without delivering real national security or economic benefits

• Conducting regular, transparent reviews of tariffs to assess their impact on consumers, inflation, and small businesses

• Targeting trade enforcement narrowly and strategically, rather than using tariffs as a blunt political tool

Trade policy should help American workers and businesses compete, not punish them.

Lower Costs for Builders and Homebuyers

Tariffs on lumber, steel, aluminum, and manufactured components drive up the cost of housing. That hurts everyone. I will work to:

• Remove tariffs on construction materials that contribute directly to higher housing prices

• Coordinate trade and housing policy so we are not undermining affordability with our own regulations

• Support domestic manufacturing through incentives and investment, not price hikes that stall construction

If we want to build more homes, we have to stop making them artificially expensive.

Strengthen Small Businesses at Home

Ending harmful tariffs must be paired with policies that help small businesses grow. I support:

• Expanding access to low-interest capital through community banks and credit unions

• Increasing the Section 179 expensing limit so small businesses can invest in equipment and technology

• Simplifying the tax code and reducing compliance burdens that fall hardest on small firms

• Prioritizing small businesses in federal procurement and supply chains

Small businesses don’t need special treatment, they need a fair shot.

Fair Trade, Not Trade Wars

I believe in fair trade that protects American workers while keeping prices down. That means:

• Enforcing labor and environmental standards through trade agreements

• Using targeted sanctions and trade remedies against bad actors, not across-the-board tariffs

• Working with allies to counter unfair trade practices instead of acting alone

Trade wars raise prices and create uncertainty. Cooperation and strategy deliver results.

Bottom line: Tariffs should be used carefully and strategically, not as a political weapon. By rolling back harmful tariffs and focusing on smart trade enforcement, we can lower prices, support small businesses, and make housing and everyday goods more affordable for American families.

A National Security Strategy that Keeps America Safe, Strong, and Respected

America’s security depends on strong alliances, resilient supply chains, and the smart use of American power. National security is not just about military strength, it is about diplomacy, economic resilience, technology leadership, and honoring our commitments. I support a strategy that protects the American people while strengthening the international system that has kept us safe and prosperous for decades.

Strengthen Alliances and Restore American Leadership

Our alliances are force multipliers, not burdens. NATO and our partners make the United States safer by deterring aggression before it reaches our shores. I will:

• Reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to NATO and Article 5

• Ensure allies meet their defense commitments through diplomacy and coordination, not public threats

• Expand joint training, intelligence sharing, and interoperability with allied forces

• Use sustained diplomacy to prevent conflicts, not just react to them

When America leads with credibility, our allies step up, and our adversaries think twice.

Support Ukraine and Defend the Rules-Based Order

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a direct challenge to international law and global stability. Supporting Ukraine is about preventing wider war and defending the principle that borders cannot be changed by force. I support:

• Continued military, intelligence, and economic assistance to Ukraine, paired with strict oversight and accountability

• Long-term security assistance that helps Ukraine defend itself and negotiate from a position of strength

• Coordinated sanctions enforcement with allies to reduce Russia’s ability to fund its war

• A clear diplomatic strategy to end the conflict on terms that protect Ukraine’s sovereignty

Failing to stop aggression in Europe only increases the risk of larger, more costly conflicts later.

Compete with China Without Sleepwalking into Conflict

China is America’s most serious long-term strategic competitor. We must compete where necessary, cooperate where possible, and confront where required - without reckless escalation. I will work to:

• Invest in American innovation, manufacturing, and workforce development to outcompete China economically

• Protect critical technologies - AI, semiconductors, quantum computing - through export controls and research security

• Strengthen partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, including with Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India

• Maintain open lines of communication to prevent miscalculation and conflict

Competition with China should be strategic, disciplined, and focused on American strength, not driven by rhetoric.

U.S. Leadership in the Middle East (or, Israel and Middle East Security)

The United States has both a moral and strategic responsibility to support Israel, one of our closest allies and the only democracy in the Middle East. I support:

• Continuing the U.S.–Israel Memorandum of Understanding to ensure sustained military assistance and deep security cooperation, so Israel has the resources it needs to defend its citizens against evolving regional threats.

• Long-term goal of a two-state solution, negotiated directly by the parties and informed by the progress of the Abraham Accords, that guarantees Israel’s security while offering Palestinians a viable path toward peace, dignity, and self-determination.

A secure Israel and a stable Middle East are essential to U.S. national security.

Secure Supply Chains and Critical Infrastructure

National security depends on resilient supply chains and secure infrastructure. The pandemic exposed dangerous vulnerabilities. I support:

• Reducing reliance on adversarial nations for critical goods like pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and rare earth minerals

• Incentivizing domestic manufacturing and trusted allied production through targeted tax credits and procurement policies

• Protecting ports, energy systems, telecommunications, and transportation networks from cyber and physical threats

• Strengthening public-private partnerships to safeguard critical infrastructure

Economic security is national security.

Invest in Technology, Cybersecurity, and the Workforce

Modern threats require modern tools. I will push for:

• Increased investment in cybersecurity to protect government, businesses, and critical systems

• Clear national standards for data protection and infrastructure resilience

• Expanded STEM education, apprenticeships, and defense-industrial workforce development

• Faster adoption of emerging technologies within the Department of Defense

We cannot deter 21st-century threats with 20th-century systems.

Use American Power Responsibly and Lawfully

Strength matters, but so do restraint, oversight, and the rule of law. I will:

• Reassert Congress’s constitutional role in decisions about the use of military force

• Demand clear objectives, exit strategies, and accountability for any overseas deployment

• Care for service members, veterans, and military families before, during, and after service

American power is strongest when it is used wisely, lawfully, and with the support of the people.

Bottom line: A strong America leads by building alliances, investing at home, defending democracy abroad, and competing from a position of confidence, not fear. By strengthening our partnerships, securing our supply chains, and modernizing our defenses, we can keep the United States safe, secure, and prosperous in a dangerous world.