The fight for women’s equality has defined America. While we have made great strides, we have far to go. Women continue to face gender-based discrimination and violence. We continue to be underrepresented in critical areas, including in in-demand industries that can lead to better prosperity for ourselves and our families, and elected and appointed office. Kathy will continue the fight for women’s equality in Virginia – all of Virginia prospers when women are treated equally, when women thrive economically, and when women are free from violence.

Kathy will oppose any attempt by politicians to interfere in a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body. She will fight against any proposed legislation that would impose medically unnecessary restrictions on reproductive health care providers or limit the ability of a woman to make the best decision for her health with her doctor.

Kathy is proud to have been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV), NARAL Pro-Choice Virignia, EMILY’s List, and Virginia’s List during the 2017 Election.

2018 LEGISLATION

HB 1062: Eliminate Statute of Limitations for Prosecution of Misdemeanor Sexual Offenses

HB 1462: Virginia Human Rights Act; Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training in the Workplace

Kathy has spent her entire career working for all Americans to have the skills, training, and credentials to reach their full career potential. During her 12 years of service at the U.S. Department of Labor, she helped shape national workforce development policy and programs. Now, Kathy brings that expertise to the House of Delegates to ensure that Virginia is globally competitive and that our region attracts good jobs. She will always fight for workforce and education programs that build strong talent pipelines, and for worker’s rights as critical to economic growth and social mobility.

One of Kathy’s proudest accomplishments during her time at the U.S. Department of Labor was her work on the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, bipartisan legislation that helped expand employment services for transitioning service members and veterans. As Delegate, Kathy takes leadership in building partnerships with professional licensing boards, employers, industry associations, community colleges and others to make sure veterans are able to translate their intensive, world-class training and work experience to the civilian workforce. She will work to ensure that Virginia fulfills its obligation to our servicemembers and their families, and that our veterans have the tools and opportunities they need to succeed.

Kathy is proud to have been endorsed by a wide range of business and labor organizations during the 2017 Election, including:

The 42nd House District is home to Mason Neck State Park, one of our region’s greatest natural treasures. We must take action to not only protect Virginia’s natural heritage, but protect the future of our planet. Climate change is an existential threat, and requires urgent action. If our president refuses to address it, it is up to states to lead the way.

We need to focus on growing our clean energy industries in Virginia. We can be a global leader and innovator on solar, wind, and other renewable sources of energy, but it requires leadership at the state level.

At the U.S. Department of Labor, Kathy helped jumpstart the bio-energy industry in Montana. She helped bring together growers, economic development agencies, workforce development leaders, tribal governments, educational institutions, and other partners to put communities on a pathway to prosperity while producing renewable fuel sources. Kathy takes this experience and expertise to Richmond, and never stops fighting for Virginia’s clean energy future.

Kathy is proud to have been endorsed by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters (VALCV) and the Sierra Club during the 2017 Election.

2018 LEGISLATION

HB 1059: Water Quality Spill Notification

HB 1060: Lifting the 1% Solar Program Energy Cap

HB 1253: Authorize Municipalities to Participate in Net Energy Metering

When Kathy was a baby, her family was welcomed here as refugees. She understands that those who seek the promise of opportunity, hope, and freedom in America help make that promise stronger.

Many of the issues facing immigrants and refugees today are issues Kathy faced growing up in the Vietnamese diaspora. That experience has informed her entire career. She has worked with immigrant communities across the country, from teaching ESL classes to detained asylum seekers in Newark, to encouraging entrepreneurship in Detroit’s Latino community, to running after-school programs for immigrant children in San Jose. In her most recent role at the National Immigration Forum, she advocated for policies that would help immigrants reach their full career potential.

Kathy supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship and values family-based immigration while meeting our nation’s economic needs. In Virginia, she also works to expand citizenship preparation classes, opposes efforts to shift federal immigration enforcement responsibilities to state and local authorities, and continues to defend Virginia’s in-state tuition for DACA recipients.

2018 LEGISLATION

HB 1061: Updating the Code for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Rehabilitative Manufacture and Service Industries

HB 1329: Religious Identity Protection Act

HB 1461: Create an Office of Immigrant Assistance

Our veterans and active duty service members have stood up in defense of our nation and our most fundamental values, and Kathy can be counted to stand up for them. Her brother David is a Combat Engineer Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, and completed two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Kathy and her family are tremendously proud of his service to our country, and it makes supporting veterans and military spouses a personal issue for her.

One of Kathy’s proudest accomplishments during her time at the U.S. Department of Labor was her work on the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, bipartisan legislation that helped expand employment services for transitioning service members and veterans. As Delegate, Kathy leads in building partnerships with professional licensing boards, employers, industry associations, community colleges and others to make sure veterans are able to translate their intensive, world-class training and work experience to the civilian workforce.

Kathy knows that military spouses also make sacrifices for their families, including giving up their own schooling and earning potential when they are relocated. Kathy was responsible for coordinating policies designed to help military spouses keep their credentials as they moved across the country, so that they could continue to maintain and grow their careers and provide for their families. In the House of Delegates, Kathy continues to advocate on behalf of military spouses and families.

Virginia has taken some important steps towards expanding access to quality health care services for veterans. Under Governor McAuliffe, Virginia became the first state to develop provider agreements between community health centers and the federal Veterans Administration (VA) through the Veterans Choice Program, which will allow veterans to have more quality health care options closer to home. Virginia is also building two new veterans care centers, including in nearby Fauquier County. In the House of Delegates, Kathy is committed to continuing to make progress on expanding access to quality health care for veterans across the Commonwealth.

Kathy is proud to have been endorsed by Iraq war veteran Congressman Seth Moulton, and New Politics, a bipartisan organization that supports national service alumni and military veterans running for public office during the 2017 Election.