Kamala Harris has served as a senator from California since 2017. Prior to her election, she served as California’s attorney general and as a district attorney from San Francisco.  

Previous Work Around Poverty and Opportunity

• As a district attorney, she created a team to focus on crime that mostly impacts the poor.

• As attorney general, she introduced legislation to create a California Homeowner’s Bill of Rights.

On the Issues

Jobs: Opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, saying it failed to adequately protect workers. Has been an active critic of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

Affordable Housing: Introduced the Rent Relief Act (RRA), which would provide a “refundable tax credit” for those making less than $100,000 a year and spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent.

Health Care/Insurance: Has voiced support for the Medicare for All bill proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Has previously suggested ending private insurance entirely but later tempered her stance.

Education: Supports free tuition at public colleges and universes and has also indicated support for a national pre-K program.

Criminal Justice: Has received some criticism from criminal justice reform advocates for her record as attorney general and district attorney. Has stressed her accomplishments in instituting implicit bias training and body cameras for police.

Minimum Wage: Supports raising federal minimum wage to $15.

Safety Net: Supports expanding Social Security benefits by $1,300 annually for those making less than $16,000 a year. Has pushed for expanding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through the SNAP for KIDS Act.

Children/Families: Has indicated support for federal legislation to mandate paid family and sick leave.

Taxes/Tax Credits: Her LIFT Act functions almost like a universal basic income but only for workers. It would provide up to $3,000 a year to single Americans and $5,000 a year to couples, with benefits that phase out further up the income scale.

News Articles

“What does Kamala Harris believe? Where the candidate stands on 9 issues” (PBS: 1/21/2019)

“Kamala Harris’s Disappointing Economics” (Bloomberg Opinion: 1/22/2019)

“Sen. Kamala Harris’s 2020 policy agenda: $3 trillion tax plan, tax credits for renters, bail reform, Medicare for all” (The Washington Post: 1/21/2019)

“Kamala Harris has been criticized for her criminal justice record. She’s just begun to offer a response.” (Vox: 1/21/2019)