PRESS RELEASE
ROBIN KELLY UNVEILS ‘PEOPLE OVER PROFITS’ PLATFORM OF BOLD PROGRESSIVE REFORMS TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY
ROBIN KELLY UNVEILS ‘PEOPLE OVER PROFITS’ PLATFORM OF BOLD PROGRESSIVE REFORMS TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY
Chicago, Ill. - Rep. Robin Kelly, Democratic candidate for US Senate, today announced a series of progressive policy proposals aimed at tackling the growing affordability crisis impacting families and communities in Illinois and across the country.
The ‘People Over Profits’ plan is the most comprehensive and progressive economic policy platform introduced to date in the race for the United States Senate, and builds on Kelly’s decades of work standing up to corporate interests and political machines to deliver meaningful change.
“Illinois families have never had to do more with less, and instead of focusing on solutions that will make life easier and more affordable for Americans, Donald Trump and his MAGA GOP allies in Washington are playing dictator and threatening to invade American cities,” Kelly said.
“We need more voices in the United States Senate focused on what truly matters: the kitchen table issues keeping Americans up at night. The fight for affordability is the fight for dignity - in health care, housing, child care, and everyday life. We need leaders with the courage to be bold and truly fight for workers and families across Illinois and our country - that begins with finally making the wealthy and well-connected pay their fair share.”
Kelly’s “People Over Profits” platform includes proposals to:
Tax billionaires: Kelly has been a leading voice on equitable tax policy, including imposing a minimum tax on individual taxpayers whose net worth for the taxable year exceeds $100 million.
Raise Wages for Workers: Kelly supports raising the minimum wage to at least $17 per hour by 2030, giving roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise.
Cap Child Care Costs: Child care costs are exorbitant and limit what most families can reasonably provide for their children. In Illinois, infant care costs more each year than in-state tuition for a four-year public college. Kelly will lead the fight to pass the Child Care for Working Families Act so the average family will pay less than $15 a day for child care.
Provide Medicare for All: As a member of the Medicare for All Caucus, Kelly has been a leading voice on healthcare initiatives and supports the Medicare for All Act that will expand Medicare dental and vision benefits. She also proposes to expand Obamacare to middle-class families currently not eligible for it and increasing subsidies/tax credits to lower healthcare costs.
Strengthen Social Security: Social Security is a vital lifeline for so many, especially older residents. Kelly is committed to preserving and strengthening Social Security benefits not just for current retirees, but for generations to come. Robin understands that we can do that by asking the wealthy to pay their fair share. Robin has joined the fight for the Social Security 2100 Act to lift the cap on Social Security taxes and make the fund solvent until 2100.
Provide Housing People Can Afford: There is a housing-price crisis impacting communities across America, from our biggest cities to the small towns at the core of rural life. Kelly supports banning rent gouging, capping annual rent hikes, and making a major federal investment in affordable housing. Kelly opposes large corporate landlords buying up affordable housing and pricing out families from single-family residential homes.
Lower Energy Costs: As a Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Kelly shapes legislation affecting clean air, climate change, safe drinking water, renewable energy, and hazardous waste. She supported the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provided $1.7 billion over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state, $4 billion to improve access to public transportation, $27 million to prepare our infrastructure against natural disasters, and $149 million to support the expansion of electric vehicle charging networks.
More information on Kelly’s U.S. Senate campaign, her platform and priorities can be found here.