Issues
Advocate for Women
Sylvia has been an advocate for women since her student days fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment. A strong legislative record supporting abortion access, quality health care for women, educational opportunity for all girls, and promoting women in leadership backs up a lifelong commitment to women and girls.
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Congresswoman Garcia worked with Representative Mary Gonzalez in the Texas Legislature to pass the bill that makes revenge porn a crime. And on countless occasions when it seemed hopeless to stop anti-woman and anti-abortion legislation, Congresswoman Garcia was still a strong voice, not just a good vote, against the GOP’s extreme agenda.
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Supporter of Equality
Sylvia is a strong and steady voice for equal rights in the halls of power. Congresswoman Garcia’s record on human and civil rights has been recognized by many organizations over the course of her career. In 2017, she was honored by the Houston GLBT Political Caucus and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund among others. Her fight on behalf of trans Texans is second to none among Democratic senators, including introducing legislation that would make gender marker changes a predictable and clear civil process versus the current system that is uncertain, expensive and requires a lawyer and court proceedings.
Fighter for Transparency and Accountability
Taxes and government spending can be complicated. Sylvia Garcia prides herself on helping the general public understand how their tax dollars are spent since she was Houston City Controller. She’s worked across the aisle on stronger oversight and accountability for local taxing entities. And she’s not afraid to get down into the details of complicated budgets to see if her constituents benefit or just a lucky few friends of those in power. She held strong and voted against the last budget passed by the Texas Senate because it did little to help public education or access to healthcare for people. Instead, it put additional pressure on local governments. The Houston Chronicle said of the vote, “Sylvia Garcia voted against raising your property taxes. Every other Texas senator voted to hike 'em.”
Immigration Policy with a Heart
Congresswoman Garcia doesn’t advocate on behalf of new Americans just because it’s politically convenient. She fights for fair immigration policy rooted in deeply held moral beliefs. And it shows. Sylvia was such an effective champion against the extreme right-wing attempt to license detention centers as state childcare facilities that her floor speech on these so-called baby jails made international news. She has fought the discriminatory and racial profiling SB 4 law since the very beginning. Her work on the floor was recognized in uniquely effective way – in the federal court decision that ruled the sanctuary cities law was discriminatory.
An Equal Opportunity Economy
Good paying jobs and quality education are the pillars of Sylvia’s economic philosophy. Good paying jobs create security and opportunity today. Quality education for our children creates opportunity and security for tomorrow. Her broad support among union leaders reflects her staunch record for working families.
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The Trump tax plan is an epic failure for the people of CD 29. We need real tax relief for working Americans that makes it easier for people to make ends meet, not a boondoggle for the president’s buddies and the super elite. Ending tax breaks for teachers who buy supplies for children but giving billionaires a tax cut is unconscionable.
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Social Security benefits are the bedrock of retirement income paid into by working Americans their entire lives. We must protect and expand benefits so that every senior is able to retire with dignity and keep up with the rising costs of living.
Expanding Access to Affordable Healthcare
Health insurance is essential to a productive, healthy society. I’ve fought my entire career to ensure that Texans who go without insurance have a place to go when they are sick, because when they do not, they frequently end up in emergency rooms. Emergency rooms are where care is the costliest, and where people go when they are the sickest. I’ve worked as a County Commissioner to expand local community clinics and as a State Senator appealing to state leaders to expand Medicaid in our State. Now, I’m ready to take that fight to Washington, and I will work tirelessly at the federal level as I did at the state and local level to ensure all Texans have access to quality healthcare. I will fight for Medicare for All.