Angie Paccione

Here's What I Will Stand Up For:

Nearly five years after September 11, we remain dangerously unprotected at home. Our ports, borders, and airports remain vulnerable. Osama bin Laden is still launching sophisticated plots that threaten thousands of lives, and the threat of nuclear proliferation grows. We need to stop neglecting homeland security, finally start securing airplane cargo, renew our commitment to defeating Al Qaeda, and work to keep dangerous materials out of the hands of terrorists. I will make sure our government works harder to protect our national security.

Education is my passion. I’ve been a teacher for 20 years, I’ve fought for education in the Colorado legislature, and I will fight hard for education in the U.S. Congress. It is time to fully fund our children’s education, from kindergarten through college. No Child Left Behind is now a hollow sound bite and just another unfunded mandate. In addition, restoring federal funding to special education will free up local money for Colorado classrooms. At the college level, we must renew our commitment to federal loan programs so that Colorado's economy can thrive with an educated workforce.

Our dependence on foreign oil has severely compromised our national security. I believe America's enterprising spirit can meet this challenge by investing in alternative and renewable energy resources. In the Colorado legislature, I helped increase our security by passing bills that stimulated the alternative energy sectors including wind, ethanol, and biofuels industries. Here in Colorado we have the human talent and the natural resources to lead America towards energy independence.

The culture of corruption in Congress must be stopped. A number of elected officials have been convicted or are under investigation for felonies. Supported by a steady stream of special-interest money, Congressional leaders have blocked attempts to restore ethics. In the Colorado legislature, I co-sponsored bipartisan ethics reforms that held politicians accountable. In Congress, we need principled leaders with strong convictions who will stand up to the powerful politicians and special interests.

Hanging over the head of every newborn child in America is a birth tax of more than $28,000 thanks to the reckless borrow-and-spend policies of powerful politicians in Washington. The current federal debt is nearly $9 trillion. It is morally wrong to be passing this debt to future generations of Americans. I believe the federal government should be fiscally responsible. In Colorado’s legislature, I helped balance Colorado’s budget four years in a row. In Congress, I’ll help balance America’s budget.

In the Colorado legislature, I helped pass the strongest illegal immigration laws in the country. I’m against amnesty of any kind. We must enforce our illegal immigration laws, hold employers accountable who hire illegal workers, and secure our borders. The 9/11 Commission recommended a comprehensive border and port security plan that we can no longer afford to ignore.

I believe America has a moral obligation to fulfill its promises to the people who risk their lives defending us. In the state legislature I passed bills that support our troops and military families with policies that help with their healthcare, education, insurance, and family relocation. I fully support funding our veterans’ healthcare, ending the widow's tax, and extending TRICARE to the National Guard and Reserve.

Secure water supplies are critical for Colorado’s rural and urban communities. In Colorado’s legislature, I’ve co-sponsored legislation to ensure that our state policies protect Colorado water, and protect Colorado agriculture. We must make sure that Colorado's water rights laws are respected at the local, state, and federal level.

I support the Second Amendment. In the Colorado legislature I voted to protect the privacy of gun owners. I support the gun laws we have on the books.

Farmers are a critical part of Colorado's economy. In the Colorado legislature, I helped pass numerous bills that preserve Colorado’s agricultural heritage and strengthen rural economies. I am a staunch supporter of the New Homestead Act currently in the U.S. Senate. We must continue to revitalize Colorado’s agricultural economy so it works for family farmers and Colorado citizens, and not just for special interests and multinational corporations.

Right now in America, more than 45 million citizens, including 770,000 Coloradans, cannot afford health insurance. We don't need an economy where millions of Americans are uninsured or are one emergency-room visit away from personal bankruptcy. Every American should have access to affordable, quality healthcare. In Colorado’s legislature, I co-sponsored several bills to reduce drug prices and make healthcare more available and affordable.

Conserving our natural resources enriches our lives and our economy. In the Colorado legislature, I've supported numerous bills that protect Colorado's landscapes for ranching, farming, hunting, and fishing. I oppose selling off our public lands, and I support funding for the management of public lands for sustainable uses in Colorado. I also strongly support wilderness designation for Rocky Mountain National Park.

I oppose the radical attempts to privatize Social Security. Younger generations need to be confident that the promise of Social Security will be there for them. Past generations have kept their promise, now we need to keep ours.