KATIE PORTER: re: answering your questions!

 

A few weeks back my team asked what questions you have for me—I have a few minutes between campaign stops today, so I wanted to answer a few:

From Wendy in McCloud, CA: Why is mental health treated like something invisible instead of a medical problem?

Big Insurance companies don’t want to pay for mental healthcare. Back in 2020, I introduced the Mental Health Parity Compliance Act to strengthen enforcement of the federal law that requires insurance companies to cover mental health the same way they cover other types of care. Just last month, I joined President Biden in the White House as he announced new steps to implement my law to finally force insurance companies to treat mental health care like physical care. This is an oversight and enforcement issue, and I’ll always stand up to Big Insurance companies when they try to cheat patients who desperately need care.

From Gerald in Nampa, ID: How can we get money out of Congress?

First and foremost, we have to overturn Citizens United, the Supreme Court case that has allowed money to flood our political system. But that’s not going to happen in the immediate term, so right now leading by example is important. I’ve made the choice to be one of fewer than a dozen House Members to reject both corporate PAC and federal lobbyist money. I also started an organization called Truth to Power, funded by grassroots donors, to help elect other Democrats who reject corporate PAC money. We also need big structural change which will come through legislation. I helped pass legislation through the House that would have cracked down on dark money in politics, but unfortunately it failed in the Senate. I agree that the insane amount of money in our political system is a huge problem, and rooting out corruption is one of my top priorities.

From Randall in Palo Alto, CA: How exactly, (and give examples please), can you be more effective in the Senate than you are currently in the House?

Great question. Senators sit on twice as many committees as House members, so I’d be able to work on more issues and have *double* the hearings where I can get answers from CEOs or government officials. Senators are 1/100, rather than 1/435, so I’d have more influence to push for policies that don’t get talked about enough in the Senate, like paid family leave, lowering the cost of child care, and addressing the skyrocketing cost of housing.

Thanks, everyone, for all the questions! We got more than 500 of them, and I truly wish I could chat with all of you.

Thanks for being on Team Porter.

Katie

P.S. The only way I’ll win this race is with grassroots support. Can you chip in $10 today?

 

Katie is running for the U.S. Senate because Californians deserve a warrior fighting for them in Washington. Our campaign is people-powered, we don’t take a dime from corporate PACs, federal lobbyists, or executives from Big Oil or Big Pharma. Donate ›››

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