Steven A. Horsford

Name

Steven A. Horsford

Occupation

Member of Congress

Political Office

Fourth Congressional District of Nevada

Political Affiliation

Democrat

How would you describe yourself to voters?

I was born and raised in the Fourth Congressional District and got into public service to give back to my community. I began my career at the Culinary Training Academy in Las Vegas, the state's largest career program, where I helped train and place thousands of Nevadans in good-paying jobs in the hospitality and other in-demand industries. I later founded my own job-training company.

I then ran for and won a seat in the Nevada State Senate and served as Majority Leader, before my election to Congress.

I'm a strong advocate for expanding affordable healthcare, lowering prescription costs, creating economic opportunity for all, and funding and implementing job training programs that will help get Nevadans the skills they need to succeed in life and at work.

What do you see as the top issues in this campaign?

I believe that the top issues in my campaign reflect the concerns of Nevadans, specifically those of economic opportunity, education and health care.

What are the three greatest challenges facing Nevada, and how would you address them in Washington?

The challenges we face all relate to the issues outlined above. In Congress, I have pushed for economic initiatives to expand job training and apprenticeship programs, to fund our K-12 schools so they remain open and provide real-world supports to students, parents and teachers, and delivered financial aid to more than 100,000 Nevada small businesses to keep their doors open and their workers on the job.

I helped make sure that students could safely return to the classroom by securing more than $1 billion in funding for Nevada's K-12 schools in the midst of COVID recovery. I am working to ensure accountability so every dollar is used as intended - to provide after-school tutoring, summer school, and additional mental health and educational resources in our schools and communities to help every child succeed, support parents, and pay our teachers and education professionals the wages they are worth. And I'm working to make apprenticeships, trade schools, and colleges more accessible to all students and to address the rising amount of student debt by canceling at least $15,000 of college debt.

For families, I helped pass an expanded Child Tax Credit that put, on average, $440 in the pockets of 97 percent of families in my district. I believe that we need to extend the program, especially with current rising costs.

On health care, I have introduced legislation to cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries and provide dental insurance to cover preventative care, routine treatments, and dentures if needed. I have also championed legislation to close the coverage gap and make healthcare more affordable for parents who work part-time or are in job training.

Inflation has reached its highest levels in more than 40 years. What should Congress do to address the rising costs of living?

Last year, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan, part of which was to increase funding for affordable housing. Governor Sisolak just launched the Home Means Nevada program with the money. We will be able to increase the number of units available in our affordable housing supply, preserve and update current units, and provide a path forward for first-time homeowners. The program aims to reduce the cost of living and provide an affordable home for individuals and families. But I do believe that we need to do more in stabilizing rent prices to help keep people in their homes.

On the issue of homelessness, I voted for almost $40 million in HUD Emergency Solutions Grants through COVID relief packages for our state and our counties to assist individuals experiencing homelessness and help them get re-housed, but to also prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless.

In terms of everyday costs, oil and gas companies have also raked in record profits, at a time when Nevadans are dealing with the impact of high gas prices. I have proposed the SAVE Act in Congress, which would provide a $300 per month tax credit to those with a personal vehicle who make below $200,000 per year.

Would you vote to support/oppose a federal law that guarantees women across the country the right to an abortion?

I support this. Along with my Democratic colleagues, I introduced and voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade.