Every dollar counts here in IL‑17. From Rockford’s west side to the farmlands outside Peoria, working families are stretched thinner than ever. Grocery prices have jumped faster here than the national average, and winter heating bills bite down hard. Yet wages have barely moved since 2019, forcing too many of our neighbors to choose between food, childcare, and medical care. Nearly 18% of our district lives below the poverty line, and more than one in four renters spends over 30% of their income on rent. These aren’t abstract statistics, they’re single moms skipping meals, seniors rationing medication, and young parents juggling multiple jobs just to get by. Our economy should serve everyone who helps build it, not just those at the top. We must attack the root causes of rising costs, put more money back in people’s pockets, and build an economy where no one is left behind.

Here’s what I’ll fight for: 

• Raise the federal minimum wage to $20 an hour, indexed to inflation. Full-time work should guarantee real economic security in 2025 and beyond. A $20 minimum wage reflects the true cost of living and would deliver long-overdue relief to the retail workers, servers, caregivers, and so many others who keep our communities running. No one who works hard should be forced to live in poverty.

• Crack down on corporate price gouging and monopolies in essential industries. Enough is enough. No more letting giant corporations gouge us at the grocery store, at the gas pump, or on our utility bills while CEOs line their pockets. It’s time to enforce antitrust laws aggressively: break up corporate concentration in groceries, energy, and other sectors, and pass a windfall profits tax on companies that are squeezing consumers. I will push the FTC and DOJ to put real teeth into going after big corporations that jack up prices on everyday necessities. 

• Tax relief and assistance for working families. I’ll fight to expand programs that make life affordable: universal free school meals so no child goes hungry at school, increased SNAP nutrition benefits for families in need, and a federal child care subsidy that caps childcare costs at no more than 7% of a family’s income. No parent should have to quit their job because childcare costs more than their paycheck. 

• Invest in communities too often left behind. That means bringing reliable, affordable broadband internet to every corner of IL-17 from small towns to farming communities because internet access is a necessity for education, business, and daily life. It also means strengthening both digital and physical infrastructure so that rural and suburban communities can thrive in the modern economy. 

• Guarantee paid family and medical leave for all. No one should have to risk their job or paycheck to care for a newborn baby, recover from surgery, or look after an ailing parent. I support guaranteeing at least six months of paid family and medical leave so workers can take the time they need without sacrificing their livelihood. Family comes first, and our policies must reflect that.