By Amy McGrath We are truly at a turning point in our nation's history. Peaceful protesters in every state and across the world are standing together to fight against the systemic racism and unequal treatment in the criminal justice system that has plagued our country for its entire history. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored inequities in our economic, health care and education systems that underlie the racial injustice in America. I believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and I will not let this moment pass without working on the structural inequities that are pervasive in this country. I've spent the last year traveling the state talking to Kentuckians (recently those talks have been virtual) about their priorities, their frustrations, their ideals. I am running for Senate so I can be the voice of all Kentuckians in Washington. During a recent tele-town hall I held for Northern Kentuckians, I asked listeners what issues they are concerned about right now. In other words, what is keeping them up at night? One of the most common responses was access to quality, affordable health care. I wasn't surprised to hear this, because it was a major issue I heard about from Kentuckians as I traveled the state before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. And the pandemic has only exacerbated those concerns and made the shortcomings of our health care system even more clear. That's why common-sense, achievable fixes to our health care system that will bring down costs and expand access will be one of my first priorities in the Senate. The Affordable Care Act is far from perfect, but through Kynect and expanded Medicaid, it enabled more than 400,000 Kentuckians to get affordable health insurance for the first time. I am committed to working for a bipartisan plan to fix the ACA's problems, while maintaining current essential health benefits, preventing insurers from charging higher premiums based on factors such as health status or pre-existing conditions, and without imposing annual or lifetime coverage caps. We can bring down prices on premiums further by providing access to a public option, giving everyone the choice to buy a government insurance plan, much like I buy for my family as a military retiree. Premiums would be lower because the goal would not be to make a profit. It would also drive down costs of private insurance plans by forcing them to compete with Uncle Sam. We can't fix our health care system without addressing prescription drug prices. There are six bipartisan bills on Mitch McConnell's desk to reduce prescription prices, including legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower costs, and he won't even let them be considered on the Senate floor. Meanwhile, the average Kentuckian spends over $2,000 annually on prescription medications -- the second-highest in the nation. One of the first things I will do when I get into office is fight for legislation to lower prescription drug costs. The health of Kentuckians goes hand-in-hand with our economic security. That's why I am committed to bringing good-paying jobs to the state and making sure our small businesses have what they need to thrive. No one should have to work multiple jobs to support a family, and no one should have to leave the state to meet their career goals. The first step is to prioritize federal investments in repairing our infrastructure--roads, bridges, and water systems--much of which is in disrepair or in serious need of updates. The Brent Spence Bridge, America's "#1 infrastructure emergency," was a problem when I was a kid! It is a major thoroughfare for our national economy, and it deserves federal funding. Besides the need for investments into Kentucky's 20th-century infrastructure, we also need to invest in 21st-century infrastructure such as broadband and cell phone coverage. The COVID-19 pandemic has put more pressure on our meager broadband infrastructure and further exposed its weak points in our state. Modern communications infrastructure is the roads, bridges and dams of this century. It is central to the way we educate our children and do business. If we don't have it, we will fall further behind, and we will not attract the quality jobs of the future. But growing our economy doesn't just mean attracting business from out of state. It also means supporting our local businesses with concrete policy that allows them to compete and thrive. We need new federal grants for small business development in our communities, and we need to reward entrepreneurs by making our tax system fairer to our small businesses. Our small farmers and ranchers in particular are struggling as fewer -- yet much larger -- commercial farms eat up their business. Federal policy tends to write off small-scale farms as unproductive. But in the long-term, this devastates rural communities and the Kentuckians who live there. In the most recent Farm Bill, the top 10% of farmers got 70% of the subsidies. It was so bad that Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is a farmer himself, was against it. If you're wondering why the bill prioritized the interests of corporate agriculture over Kentucky's farmers, all you need to know is that McConnell is the top recipient of campaign cash from big farm lobbyists and agribusiness--to the tune of $3.8 million. We need to re-examine Farm Bill programs designed to form a "safety net" for farmers, like subsidies, credit programs and crop insurance policies, and make sure they are working for small, family farms, not just the largest operations. We also must ensure our workforce is prepared for the jobs of the future by investing in the basics again--education and training--so that financial stability is back within the grasp of all Kentuckians. In 2019, Forbes ranked Kentucky 47th for its labor supply. Kentucky's labor problem starts early: only 50% of Kentucky kids arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed in school. This has far-reaching effects, well into high school, college and career. Mending the education-to-workforce pipeline starts with high-quality early education programs and a well-funded public education system. We need to coordinate education and training with the business community and other organizations that know what the job market requires so we can ensure we are giving students the tools they need to succeed. In order to thrive, we must make sure our workforce is not only well-trained, but also healthy, which is why we need to be honest about what it will take to tackle the opioid epidemic. That includes investment in research, prevention, treatment and recovery. This is an issue that affects every aspect of our communities--our economy, our health care systems, our public safety and especially our families. When I visited the Children's Home of Northern Kentucky, they told me they are helping children as young 5 years old who want to commit suicide because they don't know how to manage their parents on drugs. That is unacceptable. Look, I've spent my whole career serving my country as a Marine, and now I'm ready to serve my state in the Senate. I believe Kentucky needs a new generation of leaders, specifically those who understand and will fight for the needs of every Kentuckian, regardless of background. I grew up in Northern Kentucky, and now I live in Georgetown with my husband and three kids--and I want to make sure the voices in these communities, and communities across the commonwealth, are heard in the Senate.

By Amy McGrath The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our daily lives and devastated families and communities across our commonwealth. Businesses are struggling, our schools have closed, we are seeing record numbers of unemployment claims, our front line workers are at risk. It has also revealed significant holes in our public health systems and underscored the need for a new generation of leaders who will prioritize the safety and well-being of Kentuckians above party politics and corporate profits. Sen. Mitch McConnell is taking a victory lap for the public health emergency funding in the coronavirus relief package; however, by most measures, it's too little, too late. Public health programs that research, prevent, and track infectious diseases nationally and globally have been underfunded at every level for far too long. Let's not forget he has voted time and time again -- over decades -- to cut funding to these very programs. And he's failed to properly replenish the Strategic National Stockpile with basic supplies like masks for almost a decade. Let's also not forget that McConnell led the charge -- unsuccessfully -- to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without replacement legislation, which would have devastated so many Kentuckians' access to health care. Imagine trying to tackle a global pandemic with millions more Americans without health care coverage. While attempting to dismantle our health care system, McConnell tried to eliminate the CDC's Prevention and Public Health Fund, which was designed to mitigate and respond to public health challenges, such as a potential infectious-disease outbreak. About two-thirds of the fund went to state and community partners and programs -- including those in Kentucky. There will be a time for further reflection on how we -- one of the richest nations on earth with the world's top public health experts -- have arguably the worst trajectory of coronavirus infections and now lead the world in COVID-19 cases while drastically lagging behind other countries in testing. Breaking news & moreSign up for one of our many newsletters to be the first to know when big news breaksSIGN UPBut right now, we still have much more to do to mitigate the damage of this pandemic. The federal government needs to immediately reopen the country's ACA health care exchange enrollment option. During a pandemic, people should not have the added worry and financial stress that comes from being uninsured -- or worse, avoid getting care altogether because they fear they won't be able to foot the bill. It is unfathomable that McConnell and his allies continue to limit access to health insurance at this critical time just because it remains his political goal to undermine the ACA. And now, new analysis shows that private insurance premiums may rise by as much as 40 percent next year because of the cost of treating and testing coronavirus patients. Congress must act to prevent those increases and should lower the Medicare age to 60 so that our most vulnerable Americans are covered as we battle this pandemic. The federal government should fully fund all COVID-19 testing and treatment for the duration of this crisis as well as the cost of personal protective equipment to get our front line workers equipment they desperately need. Front line personnel who are routinely exposed to coronavirus in the course of their work should receive hazard pay, just like our military members serving on the front lines. When a vaccine is developed, every American must be guaranteed access, regardless of ability to pay. It is the morally and economically responsible thing to do. Rather than including provisions to control the costs of vaccines and treatments being developed in response to this outbreak, McConnell notoriously held up coronavirus funding in order to make sure Big Pharma would still be able to gouge prices. That is exactly the wrong thing to do in the face of the biggest public health threat this country has faced in generations. In times of national crisis, we must stand united and work together for the health and security of everyone -- that is what this country is all about. Throughout this difficult time, I've seen Kentuckians step up to help neighbors in need; our essential workers brave the front lines, often at great personal sacrifice; and our small businesses innovate to keep their doors open while supporting their communities. Through these every day acts of care -- small and immense-- we will come out the other side this strong, together.

By Amy McGrath Our Founding Fathers gave Congress the sole power to declare war in Article 1 of the Constitution. They made the president "commander in chief" in Article 2. That was no accident. After winning their independence over a monarch, the Founders were intent on making sure that no future American leader would ever have too much power -- especially on crucial matters of war and peace. Today, nearly 19 years after Congress passed the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force within days of the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, we are running on legislative fumes. In our system of divided powers and checks and balances, Congress must act to revise the AUMF, as well as the War Powers Act of 1973. Legislators continue to fail to fulfill their duty of operating as the only branch of our government with constitutional authority for war-making. While this month's House resolution was a small step in the right direction, it woefully lacked what is necessary. Meanwhile, the Republican-led Senate may follow suit with its own vote for an inadequate resolution. Our armed forces must have confidence in the mission As somebody who served in the military for 24 years, including a number of combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, having Congress step up to reauthorize the use of military force is personal to me, especially considering that we've been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan for nearly two decades. In a democracy like ours, there is nothing more important for our men and women in uniform than knowing that the country has their back in battle. And while no war is ever perfectly planned in advance, they must have the confidence that policymakers have fully assessed the dangers and downsides of any mission before asking our warriors to risk their lives to carry it out. The 2001 AUMF is all we have to legitimize military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and beyond. Because that law targeted the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks -- Sunni/Salafist extremists under the al-Qaida banner and their close associates -- it does not even attempt to speak to the current situation with Shiite-led Iran. It is imperative that we fix this. The American public has become more and more disconnected with the conflicts and places in which we are fighting. As someone who fought -- and lost friends -- in these wars, it is wrong to continue asking Americans to fight them if Congress (the direct representatives of the people) is not willing to even debate them and take an up-or-down vote. We all want to keep America safe, and we should maintain and equip a strong, capable military to do that. Additionally, we cannot tie the hands of this or any future commander in chief in a way that could leave the nation even temporarily defenseless. But that does not mean that this or any president gets a blank check. Keeping Congress accountable A new AUMF would have a fixed end date (five years for example), after which another new AUMF would be required. However, if Congress failed to replace it, the previous authorities could remain in effect temporarily so as not to leave the country defenseless in the event of the always present threat of Washington gridlock. We should also require the director of national intelligence to certify that any new extremist group has ideology and goals related to al-Qaida, or broader violent extremism/Salafism, before a president is permitted to strike it. That would prevent a president from using the AUMF for entirely different purposes than its original intent, while allowing flexibility if new terrorist groups splinter off from old ones or simply change their names to avoid being targeted. Additionally, we should add more checks and balances to any employment of nuclear weapons, except in the event of immediate peril to the nation when an enemy nuclear attack is imminent or underway. None of these reforms would substitute for Congress' other traditional oversight obligations. It is imperative that Congress get involved in the Iran debate -- demand more in-depth intelligence briefings, conduct hearings on potential developments, debate long-term Iran strategies publicly and be forced to cast tough votes -- which is why they were elected in the first place. Sadly, our Congress is no longer made up of revered leaders like Sens. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., Richard Lugar, R-Ind., or John McCain, R-Ariz. -- all heroes of mine who deeply understood their sacred constitutional responsibility to challenge all presidents, even of their own party, in service of the nation. Today, we get little more than an unacceptable rubber-stamping by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell when it comes to the actions of an impulsive administration without any clear plan or strategy. With the nation again potentially at the cusp of war, there is no more important debate than this one. America deserves leaders who take this responsibility seriously, regardless of political party and regardless of who sits in the Oval Office.