Issues – Kari Lerner for Congress

January 6th and Democracy

I support the Constitution of the United States of America, and the institutions that have served this nation well for nearly 250 years.

Byron Donalds was present at the rally that instigated the insurrection of January 6th, 2021 [1.], voted against certifying the 2020 election [2.], and has refused to commit to certifying any future election results that do not go his way [3.] .

My opponent holds beliefs that pose a clear danger to the survival of our nation and the basic principle of the peaceful transfer of power. He must be stopped.

[1.] Was Byron Donalds chillin’ with insurrectionists before the Capitol riots? (floridapolitics.com) February 10, 2021, Jacob Ogles.
[2.] The Republicans who voted to overturn the election (reuters.com) February 4, 2021, Chris Canipe and Jason Lange.
[3.] Will You Accept the Election Results? Republicans Dodge the Question. – The New York Times (nytimes.com) May 11, 2024, Michael C. Bender and Nick Conrasaniti.

Healthcare Access

No government can be allowed to dictate to any person what choices they can make about their own bodies.

I trust individuals and their healthcare providers to make decisions about their bodies and their lives. My opponent, Byron Donalds is a cosponsor of the National Life at Conception Act, which aims to dictate to women what healthcare choices they may access. At the same time, Byron Donalds has received a grade of “F” from the Children’s Defense Fund for voting against all legislation that protected women, children and families while I cosponsored landmark legislation in NH that protected children and passed by one of the highest bipartisan votes of that session. I can work across the aisle.

I trust women to make decisions about their own healthcare, reproductive or general. Adults consult with their physicians, clergy, and family members to make healthcare directives about their treatments every day, reproductive healthcare must be no different.

My opponent, Byron Donalds, was a cosponsor on the original Life at Conception Act. The proposed legislation would not only make abortion illegal under all circumstances across the nation, it would also prohibit many forms of safe and effective birth control, including the Morning After Pill. This leaves women defenseless in cases of illness, rape, or incest, and would prohibit the use of Invitro Fertilization (IVF).

Make no mistake, I will fight with every available resource to get politicians and judges out of the examining room. We must ensure that all Americans nationwide can make intimate decisions about their healthcare.

[1.]Miscarriage Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment (webmd.com) Medically reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD on December 28, 2023. Written by Stephanie Langmaid.

Social Security & Medicare

I pledge to make protecting Social Security and Medicare a top priority, ensuring seniors that they do not need to live in fear for their financial future and may age with dignity.

I know that Social Security is critical to most seniors and Medicare impacts ALL seniors. I will defend and strengthen the programs, my opponent Byron Donalds wants to gut these promises made to Americans.

The Republican Study Committee released their proposed budget in which they gut Social Security, proposing $1.5 Trillion in cuts to the program, increasing the age to 69 and cutting disability benefits. [1.] My opponent, Byron Donalds, makes claims that Social Security is insolvent, yet supports tax cuts for the most extremely wealthy Americans.

For millions of Americans, Social Security is the only income they will have as they age to a point where they can no longer earn a living wage. Previous generations had access to pensions from their jobs as a vehicle to save for old age. With the introduction of employer matched 401K programs, pensions have all but disappeared as an option for most Americans. [2.] As we learned in the various market busts, your 401K is dependent on an inflationary stock market and when the market tanks, so does your retirement – including the principal.

Even if your primary source of income during retirement is not Social Security, nearly ALL seniors rely on Medicare. Insurance companies consider seniors a much higher risk for healthcare needs. Without Medicare, the cost of healthcare would skyrocket for all seniors, with many becoming uninsurable.

Social Security and Medicare provide much-needed safety nets for everyday Americans to age with dignity, a promise that we cannot allow the radical extremists to break.

[1.] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/21/fact-sheet-80-of-house-republicans-release-plan-targeting-medicare-social-security-and-the-affordable-care-act-raising-costs-and-cutting-taxes-for-the-wealthy/
[2.] The Demise of the Defined-Benefit Plan and What Replaced It (investopedia.com) February 27, 2024, James McWhinney.

Family Values?

Don’t listen to what someone says, watch what they do.

Byron Donalds has a long record of voting against women and families, receiving a grade of “F” from the Children’s Defense Fund. [1.]

voted against H.R.1 the For the People Act of 2021.
voted against H.R.5984 the IDEA Full Funding Act.
voted against H.R.7989 the Protecting Infants from Formula Shortages Act of 2022.
voted against H.R.5080 the Secure Background Checks Act of 2021.
voted against H.R.4464 the Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act.
voted against H.R.4837 the Honoring Family-Friendly Workplaces Act.
voted against H.R.128 the RAISE Act of 2021.
voted against H.R.131 the Kalief’s Law.
voted against H.R.137 the Mental Health Access and Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2021.
voted against H.R.1603 the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021.
voted against H.R.1620 the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021.
voted against H.R.1808 the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022.
voted against H.R.2377 the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2021.
voted against H.R.3617 the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act.
voted against H.R.5129 the Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2022.
voted against H.R.5305 the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act.
voted against H.R.5746 the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.
voted against H.R.6531 the Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022.
voted against H.R.6878 the Pregnant Women in Custody Act.
voted against H.R.7309 the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.
voted against H.R.7780 the Mental Health Matters Act.
voted against H.R.7790 the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022.
voted against H.R.7910 the Protecting Our Kids Act.
voted against H.R.8326 the Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act.
voted against H.R.8404 the Respect for Marriage Act.
voted against H.R.8542 the Mental Health Justice Act of 2022.

When I served as a New Hampshire State Representative, I co-sponsored a bill protecting children that passed with one of the highest bipartisan votes of that session.

[1.] Rep. Byron Donalds | Legislative Report Card (cdfactioncouncil.org)

Immigration

It is essential that the US borders be effectively and humanely secured. The situation at the Southern border is in crisis, and it’s up to Congress to provide the resources to adequately manage the security there. Refusing to provide adequate funding for the necessary steps needed to secure the border has contributed greatly to the chaos. Congress controls the purse strings.

As your Representative to Congress, I am committed to working to secure the Southern border by providing the following resources:

Staff and judges to properly process those individuals who legally present themselves to authorities for asylum, ensuring that those who do not qualify are quickly turned away rather than detained or released to await processing.
Provide clear benchmarks for closing the border when inundated beyond capacity.
Increase the number of Border Agents and electronic surveillance capacity.
Work internationally to foster economic development and political stability in the regions that most migrants leave.
Revisit the bipartisan bill hammered out over months in the Senate.

Southwest Florida's Environmental Water Crisis

Currently, Florida faces a dire environmental crisis that demands our action. Nearly 1,000,000 acres of our estuaries and 9,000 miles of our rivers and streams are contaminated with fecal bacteria. 80% of our 1,000 springs are polluted with nitrogen.

This pollution threatens our health and the biodiversity that thrives in healthy waters. [1]

I have been vocal about critical issues such as the need for federal resources to protect navigable waters, funding for disaster recovery as well as building resilience into our infrastructure to bring down insurance premium costs, and addressing the affordable housing crisis. My opponent, Byron Donalds has voted against every budget presented and has denied the realities of climate science – costing us millions.

Here in SWFL, over 20% of all our economy is tied directly to clean navigable waters. [2]
No one wants to spend their money to visit the beach if they can’t go in the water. If we do not act now, they will go elsewhere and it will take years to get them back.

This is why I support the Right to Clean Water initiative to get an amendment to the Florida Constitution declaring clean water a basic right onto the 2026 ballot.

This April, I visited Washington, D.C. and attended sub-committee hearings on budget requests for both the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

During these hearings, legislators from both parties advocated for critical environmental protection projects for their districts. And our congressman — Byron Donalds — was nowhere to be seen!

Federal grant money is available for various projects to help Southwest Florida clean up our vital waters. As your congresswoman, I will fight for our economic livelihood — our waters.

This is my hometown and I am done watching carpetbagging-vice-president-wannabes like Byron Donalds use us to build his political career on the backs of SWFL voters.

[1] Joseph Bonasia, Florida Right to Clean Water 5/9/2024
[2] Greene Economics LLC, Impacts of Water Quality on the SWFL Economy, 12/20/2023

LGBTQ+ Issues

I stand as a firm ally to our individuals in the LGBTQ+ community.

All are created equal, entitled to equal protection and benefits under the law. The pursuit of happiness enshrined in our Bill of Rights begins with the right to love whomever you choose, openly, and without fear of government retaliation. Children especially are under attack. We must not allow the progress that has been so hard-won to be lost.

My opponent Byron Donalds is no friend to the LGBTQ+ community. In 2020 alone he cosponsored 4 bills hostile to the LGBTQ+ community,

“…the bills would ban gender-affirming health care for transgender children, repeal municipal and county ordinances protecting LGBTQ workers, and legalize so-called gay conversion therapy in places that had banned the medically debunked practice.” [1.]

[1.] Florida Republicans submit 4 anti-gay bills on last day to file (nbcnews.com) 1/20/2020, Tim Fitzsimons