Irene’s career has been dedicated to shaping the government to be more responsive to and reflective of the people. She’s running for Congress because this moment demands real generational change and fresh ideas in DC.
Our democracy is being ripped up before our eyes and our leaders seem either unable or unwilling to fight back. We must do everything we can to stop Elon and Trump from dismantling the judiciary, and I support every effort to impeach the President. We must restore public trust in our government by:
- Re-establishing the separation of powers so that the people’s will is heard throughout all branches of our government
- Reinstating and protecting the federal workers who uphold and serve our country.
- Banning members of Congress from trading stocks and establishing term limits for leaders, especially Supreme Court justices. We must reform a broken system to ensure that elected officials are accountable to their communities, not lobbyists, corporations, billionaires, or their egos
- Dismantling the Electoral College, which undercuts the principle of one American, one vote
- Ending gerrymandering
The U.S. must lead with diplomacy, not war. Our role in the Middle East should reflect our values: human rights, accountability, and shared security. Our tax dollars should build peace, not fuel war. In Congress I will:
- Demand an immediate ceasefire and return of the hostages
- Stop endless wars by opposing unauthorized military action and supporting reforms to reclaim Congress’s war powers.
- Prioritize diplomacy and humanitarian relief through a two-state solution with safety and dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis that provides unrestricted humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank
- Stand with communities at home to reject Islamophobia, combat antisemitism, and end the scapegoating of immigrant communities
Our community is one of the most diverse and desirable places in the country to live, and we need to keep investing in what makes it great, by:
- Lowering housing costs through increasing the number of affordable housing units near transit hubs and investigating private equity’s corruptive role in keeping the price of housing high for their own benefit.
- Soliciting community input around development, including opposing unpopular projects like the Tysons Casino initiative.
- Increasing federal funding for our schools to make sure our kids don’t have to learn in trailers, and have the high-quality education they deserve.
- Expanding public transportation projects, including bus, Metro, regional rail, and last-mile service transport options, that increase the quality of our lives.
Our country was founded on the promise of freedom from oppression, and we must uphold that legacy. Democrats must do more to protect our freedoms, and we cannot continue with our traditional playbook. We need to chart a new path that stands strongly and unequivocally for our values. I will not back down from those attacking our freedoms and will:
- Fight with every fiber of my being to make sure that reproductive freedom returns to every American and access to abortion remains safe and legal.
- Stand with our LGBTQIA+ neighbors to lead the lives they choose to without bullying or condemnation.
- Defend our right to education against an administration that is trying to dismantle the Department of Education, ban books, and dictate curriculum.
Our government has a responsibility to keep our communities safe, and it is currently failing. Masked agents are abducting our neighbors in the night. The for-profit prison industrial complex is making billions of dollars without increasing safety. The NRA blocks the most basic gun reforms from passing as our kids sit defenseless in the crosshairs. Our inaction on the climate crisis threatens our collective future while costing Americans billions of dollars per year. We must stand up to protect our community by:
- Stopping ICE deportations and demanding due process and justice for our community.
- Increasing community-based policing, mental health support, and criminal justice reform to lower crime rates at lower costs and not allow profiteering in the name of “justice”
- Getting dangerous guns out of our community by banning assault weapons, holding gun companies accountable for their role in the facilitation of crimes, and whatever it takes to stop our kids from dying.
- Protecting our disabled neighbors by expanding access to government resources and home and community care-based services.
