Alex Khalil | 2022 Candidate Questionnaire

    Question 1: What prior experiences, skills and expertise would you bring as a US Senator?

    I serve on Jenkintown Borough Council – this is my second term, I’m an attorney, a worker (IT Quality specialist), the daughter of immigrants who were small business owners, I was a small business owner. I have been an activist since 2007 helping candidates from President Obama, Joe Sestak, Kathy Muth and Bernie Sanders.

    Question 2: What is your plan to win the election? Please speak to fundraising and field operations.

    I have a strong field operation around the state and am expanding it. I am making calls and working with a fundraising organization.

    Question 3: What endorsements have you received, or are you seeking?

    Currently none but I am seeking endorsements from the 2nd Ward and Neighborhood Networks

    Question 4: What would be your three highest priorities in the Senate?

    Bringing back Manufacturing to PA, Medicare for All which would include lowering prescription drugs, Rebuilding and funding Public Schools and Job Training.

    Question 5: Should the filibuster be abolished or modified?

    Abolished.

    Question 6: What policies do you support to make healthcare, including long term care, more affordable and accessible?

    Alex is running to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has quality healthcare as a human right which is why she supports Medicare for All. Healthcare as a human right includes affordable prescription drugs and ending the price gouging of Americans on drug prices by banning drug companies from charging more for a drug than they charge in Canada, Europe, and Japan, mental health care, wheelchairs, hearing aids, dental care, and glasses.

    Establish an COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Emergency task force that will work to ensure that the COVID vaccine distribution is fair, comprehensive, cohesive and expansive. The Task force should include looking at past vaccine distribution successes such as the distribution of the polio and small pox vaccines. Community venues such as all local school buildings, college and university stadiums, grocery stores, pharmacies and houses of worship should be included. People should not have to travel long distances and endure long wait times to get vaccinated.

    Alex supports women’s reproductive and abortion rights without interference from the government. Alex will zealously fight to increase funding for pre and post natal care to end the distrubingly high infant mortality rate in the United States and in Pennsylvania and the high rate of Black maternal mortality rate. Since 1990, the United States is the only developed country where infant mortality rates have increased.

    For example:

    • In Pittsburgh, Black and White women have among the highest fetal mortality rates of any city in the United States.  (https://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/redtail/images/7109_Pittsburgh’s_Inequality_Across_Gender_and_Rac e_09_18_19.pdf)  The Black maternal mortality rate in Pittsburgh is higher than the Black maternal mortality in 97 percent of similar cities. Philadelphia’s maternal mortality rate is higher than the national average.
    • Regardless of race, Pittsburgh has more babies born with congenital anomalies than 80% of comparable cities.
    • Alex will work across the aisle for further NIH childhood cancer research funding which is currently around 4%.
    • Alex believes that Healthcare is a Human Right and that right includes: paid family and medical leave and ending the epidemic of homelessness.
    • Alex believes that Mental Health Care is a Human Right and the disturbingly high overdose rates and suicides in the US and Pennsylvania requires focus at all levels of government. Drug addiction is a disease – not a crime.
    • Alex supports the legalization of Marijuana and requiring that gross profits be used for:
      • Economic development in communities most impacted by “war on drugs”,
      • Mental health and addiction counseling
      • Pain Management research and non-drug related treatment such as physical therapy and acupuncture.
    • Alex supports providing standardized pathways across the US for ex-Military medics to transfer their skills to the civilian sector.
    • Alex strongly supports the Right to Health COVID Pandemic Response legislation and coordinating Federal and State resources to form a PA Pandemic Response team.

    Question 7: How will you address the climate crisis as a US Senator?

    I support the Green New Deal and will fight for:

    • Consent of Native American Tribes – Tribal Monitors and Council of Energy Resource Monitors must be included on all mining and energy projects including pipelines. Stop the confiscation of Native American lands by mining and energy companies. Remediate uranium mines on Native American lands and upgrade the infrastructure so that all Native Americans have access to pure water and sanitation systems. (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/high-uranium-levels-seen-in-navajo-women-decades-after-cold-war- era-mining-by-u-s-on-their-reservation/)
    • Supporting Regenerative Farming which provides carbon capture and prevents runoff that can harm waterways. Alex supports providing farmers with tax credits and carbon payments for switching to Regenerative Farming techniques. https://www.alleghenyfront.org/climate-change-threatens-pa-s-farmers-healthy-soil-may-be-the-key/
      High Speed Rail funding for Pennsylvania and replacing the current public transportation buses and public vehicles with Hydrogen powered and electric powered vehicles.
    • Provide more regulation and oversight on all mining to ensure protection of waterways from runoff and contamination Abandoned Mine Reclamation – In PA there are over $15 billion worth of reclamation yet to be completed. At the current rate of reclamation, it has been projected that 105 years would be required to get the job done.
    • Convert old coal mines to geothermal systems currently utilized in the Netherlands (https://inhabitat.com/heerlen-minewaterproject/#:~:text=Recently%20the%20town%20of%20Heerlen%20in%20the%20Netherlands,takes%20advantage%20of%20flooded%20underground%20mine% 20shafts%20)
    • Convert old coal power plants to battery storage facilities currently underway in Germany. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-10/germany-s-coal-plants-may-escape-the-junky ard-as-big-batteries)
    • Remediating our Superfund sites – there are 91 Superfund sites in PA. Introduce and support Extended producer responsibility legislation which is currently implemented in many countries including Germany (home of Mercedes and Porsche), and the Netherlands (home of Royal Dutch Shell) – E.P.R. compels manufacturers, not consumers, to pay for the end-waste their products produce.
    • Replace incinerators in Chester and others in Pennsylvania with modern Waste-to-energy Systems that includes district heating currently implemented in Sweden and Denmark. (https://designyoutrust.com/2020/01/a-very-modern-waste-to-energy-power-plant-in-copenhagen-that-doubles-as-an-urban-ski-slope/). Provide residents who live near Waste-to-energy Systems royalties from the gross profits of these facilities and substantial reductions in their heating and electric bills.
    • Create a permanent American Income Fund, like the one created in Alaska, funded by ALL energy resources and the non-taxed tech industry (Andrew Yang’s idea). (https://heavy.com/news/2019/06/alaskas-permanent-income/). Pennsylvania, most states and the Federal government squandered the wealth it received from our energy resources.
    • Support the bipartisan PFAS Action Act. The act would require the EPA to limit two types of PFAS discharges in drinking water and emissions, place a five-year moratorium on new PFAS production and authorize hundreds of millions of dollars for clean-up. (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/feb/03/pfas-forever-chemicals-what-are-they)
      Provide funding to replace lead pipes, asbestos and lead paint.
    • Ensure all Pennsylvanians have access to clean drinking water and that our waterways, watersheds and wetlands. Pennsylvania is in the top 5 for poor water quality.
    • Stop pipeline construction near fresh water and all water ways, schools, homes, and parks.
    • Alex vehemently opposes the privatization of our water and sewer systems and treating water as a commodity.
    • Require Methane capping for gas and oil wells and provide federal tax credits for idle technology on all gas and diesel vehicles. https://www.government-fleet.com/155753/do-anti-idling-technologies-work http://greendallas.net/air-quality/city-air-quality/reduce-idling/anti-idling-technology/
    • Alex wants to update the Federal tax code to provide to homeowners Federal tax credits up to $10,000 to repair/replace their outdated sewer laterals.
    • Alex wants to ensure workers’ rights and safety, human rights, pure water, clean air, and recreational use of our lands and the modernizing of Pennsylvania’ and American infrastructure including sewers, bus and rail system, roads, and power grids.

    Question 8: What policies do you support to protect voting rights and fair and transparent elections?

    I support the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 and the Freedom to Vote Act.

    Question 9: What types of changes to tax policy do you believe are needed with regards to personal income tax, wealth tax, and estate tax, as well as corporate tax policy?

    Alex is running to create an economy that works for all Pennsylvanians and will fight for Pennsylvanian small businesses, and working class and middle class families. Alex supports:

    • $15/hr Minimum Wage
    • Federal Reserve policy focused on 1. economic development of communities throughout PA and the US, 2. Raise the standard of living for the working class and middle class, 3. full employment with living wages and benefits for the American people.
    • Worker’s rights and Worker’s safety
    • Mobile Pension Plans – Pension plans that attached to the employee and the plan is funded by different employers. This is in addition to 401ks.
    • Support small local businesses – especially during a pandemic. Throughout PA – small businesses are a main economic engine. A tax code that focuses on helping small businesses, working and middle class families. Alex opposes the Philadelphia soda tax which hurts Philadelphia small businesses. Philadelphia has fewer businesses per capita than other big East Coast cities. The City’s low business density significantly contributes to its high poverty rate — 24.5% in 2018 — the city doesn’t have companies that create jobs. Philadelphia has the lowest number of Black-owned businesses. Alex will work with Federal, State and local leaders to increase spending on programs for small and minority business development. In fiscal year 2021, Washington will spend $6.60 per capita on programs for small and minority business development, compared to $0.59 per capita in Philadelphia, $0.92 in New York, and $3.43 in Boston. (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/philly-has-fewer-businesses-per-c apita-than-other-big-east-coast-cities-report-says/ar-BB17Ydyn)
    • Paid Vacations and sick-time for all workers.
    • Support Medicare for All from an economics perspective as well – it is good for businesses – small, medium and large and encourages entrepreneurship.
    • Federal jobs program – Modernize American Infrastructure. Job Training to address the loss of jobs in the coal industry and as a result of automation – paid training to help with transition
    • Make in the US – PPEs. Classify more products as must made in US for National security. Fight outsourcing and close tax loopholes that encourage corporations to keep operations and money overseas. Automation built in the US, repaired in the US, programed in the US
    • Fund internet access throughout PA and the US – regardless of location and income. Support communities to build their own internet. (https://www.fastcompany.com/40540511/why-low-income-communities-are-bu ilding-their-own-internet-networks?position=12&campaign_date=01242021)
    • Support Public Banks and allow banking at the Post Office – FDIC insured, access to low interest rate credit for the disenfranchised and small businesses
    • Help contribute to the rebirth of Philadelphia’s textile industry which at one time employed 60,000 people.
    • Support and celebrate Pennsylvania’s Arts, Crafts and Artisans. The Arts generate $166.3 billion of economic activity; $3.4 billion in Pennsylvania; Support 4.6 million full-time equivalent jobs, more than 100,000 in Pennsylvania; Produce $27.5 billion in government revenue, $402 million in Pennsylvania; In rural communities like Tamaqua they provide internships and community revitalization. The Arts includes Yarn shops, Alpaca and Sheep Farms, Jewelers, Metal artisans, Cabinet Makers, Mural artists, Community Theatre, Horse farms (think violin bows and Horse shows) – just to name a few.

    Question 10: How do you plan to address housing access and affordability?

    Provide more funding to build affordable housing and for vouchers for affordable housing via HUD. Also provide more grant money to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to help communities either build or repair housing. Lower property taxes by providing more funding federally for schools and to provide carrot and stick approaches to states that do not provide sufficient funding for schools which causes higher property taxes and makes it difficult for the elderly and middle and working class families to afford housing.

    Find solutions at the Federal level that would encourage rental freezes. I am currently leading the effort to establish the Jenkintown Borough Human Relations Commission. The Jenkintown Borough Human Relations Commission will serve:Provide Mediation on Landlord Tenant situations. I would introduce legislation that would help fund this type of commission for communities throughout the country.