I understand, witness, and recognize the sheer impact that our working class has on America. We are the backbone of society, yet we are barely rewarded. I am committed to economic justice that directly benefits hardworking Americans. By advocating for a higher minimum wage, expanding financial support for families, and enacting targeted tax cuts for the working class, I will work to build a system that gives back to our persistent Americans who enrich our communities. These initiatives are not just promises but practical steps toward a fairer economy where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and prosper:
Good governance should improve our lives, not make them harder. Hate and division will not pay our bills, feed us, clothe us, or provide shelter. It’s time to replace ineffective leadership at all levels with representatives who prioritize the well-being of all citizens. Let’s vote out bad leadership and end the cycle of division.
My vision is to see the people in South Carolina be healthier, wealthier and wiser, and that includes our workforce. I strongly believe in the power of workers to organize and advocate for themselves and have seen firsthand how unions have improved lives, like that of my brother. I will be a vote for worker rights, including a vote for the PRO Act, which would weaken “right-to-work” laws that exist in 27 states, including our own. This would allow the National Labor Relations Board to fine employers for labor law violations provide compensation to employees involved in such cases.
I plan to unite businesses, unions, and educational institutions to train a skilled workforce and would cosponsor bills like H.R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act, which makes critical improvements to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and will expand the skills development provided under the law, strengthen the relationship between employers and the workforce system, and put more Americans on the pathway to successful careers.
I would also cosponsor bills like S.2722, Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act of 2023, which directs the Department of Labor to award grants to expand training programs for workers who are, or are likely to become, dislocated workers as a result of automation.
Apprenticeships are near and dear to my heart. My Dad was a Licensed Master Barber and during his lifetime, he hired many young men and trained them as apprentices. Those apprentices went on to become professional license barbers, many of them starting successful shops of their own. He even made sure that all five of his children, including me, would get their barber licenses under him working as apprentices as well. I would prioritize funding union apprenticeships and co-sponsor any economic legislation to make sure that it is included. I would be willing to help fund union apprenticeship programs.
I will vote to pass S. 2488, the Raise the Wage Act of 2023, which would raise the federal minimum wage, in annual increments, to $17 per hour.
I will vote to pass the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act that would ensure that every worker, no matter the size of their employer or if they are self-employed or part-time, has access to paid leave for every serious medical event, every time it’s needed.
90% of Americans do not make $400,00.00 per year. We must stop letting the super wealthy 1% continue to skirt their responsibility by not paying taxes. Corporate media would have you believe that the people who do not pay taxes are poor hard-working immigrants, while all the time robbing you and your kids blind. We must demand that tax loopholes are closed and that giant corporations pay income taxes like me and you.
I will be a vote for tax reform legislation that makes wealthy corporations pay their fair share while cutting taxes for the middle-class and small business. I commit to be accountable to District 5. I commit to assure that the taxpayer’s funds distributed by the federal government will be used to build up both the lives of hard-working taxpayers and the infrastructure that we use daily in this state. We must build a better place for the people we live with, work with, play with, serve with and worship with so that we all come out as winners.
Paid for by Evangeline Hundley for Congress
© 2024
