Tulsi Gabbard is currently the Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District and the first Hindu member of Congress. She co-founded an environmental education program, Healthy Hawaii Coalition, and served in the National Guard. Her political career began at the age of 21, when she was the youngest woman to be elected to state legislature.
Previous Work Around Poverty and Opportunity
- Original co-sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which intends to ensure women receive equal pay for equal work.
- Was a strong supporter of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.
- In 2013, voted no on maintaining work requirements for welfare recipients.
On the Issues
Jobs: In Hawaii, wants to protect and diversify the economy in order to encourage growth in the job market.
Affordable Housing: Advocated for more affordable housing units in Hawaii through public and private projects, and worked to discourage housing and land speculation.
Health Care/Insurance: Supports Medicare for All but does not want to eliminate private insurance.
Education: In favor of eliminating tuition at four-year public colleges and universities, and advocates for free community college tuition for all.
Criminal Justice: Considers criminal justice reform a priority. Wants to reduce recidivism rates, and supports policies that emphasize rehabilitation over incarceration. Opposes privatizing prisons, and strongly supports the legalization of marijuana.
Minimum Wage: Participated in the introduction of Raise the Wage, which seeks to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2024.
Safety Net: Opposes budget cuts to Medicare and Social Security.
Children/Families: Demonstrated support for paid family and medical leave by joining a coalition of lawmakers. Opposes work requirements for welfare recipients.
Taxes/Tax Credits: Supports increasing the income tax.
News Articles
“What Does Tulsi Gabbard Believe?” (New Yorker: 11/6/19)
“Tulsi Gabbard, the Controversial, Long-Shot Democratic 2020 Candidate, Explained” (Vox: 1/17/19)
“Tulsi Gabbard: Everything You Need to Know About the 2020 Candidate” (Axios: 3/10/19)