Kyrsten Sinema

Kyrsten often says that traveling the state and talking to Arizonans is her favorite part of her job. She got plenty of that this week, seeing old friends and meeting many, many new ones across Arizona. This week in the state was an especially busy one. Here are some of the highlights.

Kyrsten Visited a VA Clinic and Hit the Road in Southern Arizona

Kyrsten heard from medical providers at the VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Casa Grande on how a bill Kyrsten co-sponsored — the VA MISSION Act — will improve care for veterans. She also attended Meet and Greets in Pima, Pinal, and Cochise counties, where she heard from everyday Arizonans and spoke about her campaign to get things done for our state.

Kyrsten Pushed for Action on the Opioid Crisis 

Kyrsten joined the governor and Arizona’s Congressional delegation to push for action on the opioid crisis and making sure our border is secure. Kyrsten has been a longtime advocate for addressing the opioid crisis, and has stood up to efforts to cut AHCCCS, an important tool in combating the opioid epidemic. Just last week, a bill co-introduced by Kyrsten to help Arizona seniors fight addiction and cut down on over-prescribing  passed a key legislative committee.

Kyrsten Visited Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Fort Huachuca 

Kyrsten met with commanders and servicemembers at Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, to hear from servicemembers about the long-term challenges and goals of their operations. In her conversations, Kyrsten affirmed her commitment to making sure these men and women are fully equipped with the necessary tools to keep Arizonans safe at home and abroad.

Kyrsten Met Arizona Firefighters in Tucson 

Kyrsten was in her hometown of Tucson to meet with firefighters from across the state. She thanked these brave men and women for keeping us safe during wildfire season and discussed her recent work to cut red tape and ensure the Supertanker, a firefighting aircraft based in Marana, can deploy to support first responders this summer. She also shared how she worked across party lines to help establish an innovative method to better track and research cancer risks for firefighters.

Kyrsten is building a statewide campaign to win this race for U.S. Senate. Are you with us? Join the team here.

— Team Sinema

See more photos from Kyrsten’s week below:

We’re on the ballot!

This week, Kyrsten filed more than 10,000 petition signatures to officially get on the ballot for U.S. Senate.

Kyrsten launched this campaign to fight for our shared Arizona values and make sure everyone gets his or her shot at the American Dream. She was joined at the filing by Arizonans who embody what this campaign is all about: fighting for our Arizona values and standing up for everyday families.

“Why I’m Standing with Kyrsten”

Arizonans shared personal stories of why they are standing with Kyrsten in her campaign for Senate.

“Kyrsten never backs down from a fight, and I’m proud to stand alongside her in her campaign for Senate. Kyrsten gets things done for veterans and will give Arizonans an independent voice in the Senate.”

— David Lucier, Advocate for Veterans 

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“Kyrsten has spent years fighting for survivors of abuse and trafficking and she will bring those same values and commitment to her work in the U.S. Senate. From her first job as a rape crisis counselor at a domestic violence shelter, to her work as a social worker in Arizona schools, to her fight to increase penalties on traffickers, Kyrsten has always been a fierce advocate for women and kids across Arizona.”

— Christina Martinez, Advocate Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

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“Kyrsten knows Dreamers are vital to communities across Arizona. I’m thankful for her leadership and her tireless commitment to securing a solution for Dreamers. In the Senate, Kyrsten will be a voice for every Arizonan.”

— Alvaro, Arizona student, Dreamer

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“Since her years as a social worker in Arizona schools, Kyrsten has always been a voice for Arizona women and families. Kyrsten is a tireless leader, and women and families across Arizona can count on her to get things done in the U.S. Senate.”

— Jodi Liggett, Women’s Health Advocate

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“We can always count on Kyrsten to fight for Arizona seniors. Kyrsten will defend Medicare and Social Security, which we’ve all earned through a lifetime of hard work. Seniors across Arizona are proud to stand with Kyrsten, just like she always stands with us.”

— Vic Peterson, Advocate for Veterans, Seniors

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“I’m honored to be with my sister, Kyrsten, as she gets her name on the ballot for the U.S. Senate. Kyrsten has spent her career making sure everyone gets their shot at the American Dream, and I’m especially thankful for all the work she does for veterans.”

— Paul Sheldon, Tucson Law Enforcement Officer

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“I appreciate Kyrsten’s support of Arizona’s independent businesses. She knows how many jobs we create, and how important we are to Arizona’s economy. For years now, I have watched her support local shops, and I know that she will continue to support Arizona and be a voice for Arizona’s small businesses in the United States Senate.”

— Bill Sandweg, Phoenix Small Business Owner

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“I am so proud of Kyrsten and thankful for her work to show every child what it looks like to be a leader and to give back to your community.”

— Krista Pacion, Local Parent

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Kyrsten is running for Senate to cut through the chaos in Washington and get things done for everyday people. We’re building a statewide campaign to win.

Join our team here.

SEE MORE: Check out our full Twitter thread of the filing!

This week a bill cosponsored by Kyrsten to improve care at the VA passed the House. The VA MISSION Act helps make sure Arizona veterans have access to high-quality care by making the VA’s community care programs more efficient and effective.

In Arizona, many veterans don’t live near a VA facility or can’t get timely access to needed services directly through the VA. This plan would help the VA provide better community-based care to veterans facing long distances or excessive delays.

Read more about Kyrsten’s commitment to supporting our veterans and fixing the VA here.

This week Kyrsten took action to help increase access to high-speed internet across Arizona.

Every community deserves the opportunities that high-speed internet can unlock, yet right now nearly 900,000 Arizonans have limited or no access to broadband.

That’s why Kyrsten joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make long-term investments in rural broadband.

High-speed internet can help communities attract investment, deliver high-quality health care, and offer a great education to every kid.

Kyrsten is working to get things done for Arizonans in every part of our state. Learn more about her priorities here.

From the Washington Post:

President Trump’s former top health official on Tuesday said the Republican tax law would raise the cost of health insurance for some Americans because it repealed a core provision of the Affordable Care Act.

Tom Price, Trump’s first secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said people buying insurance on government-run marketplaces will face higher prices because the tax law repealed the ACA’s individual mandate. The mandate had forced most Americans to have health coverage or face a financial penalty.

“There are many, and I’m one of them, who believes that that actually will harm the pool in the exchange market, because you’ll likely have individuals who are younger and healthier not participating in that market, and consequently that drives up the cost for other folks within that market,” Price said at the World Health Care Conference in Washington.

Price’s comments are in line with predictions from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which in November projected 13 million fewer Americans would have health insurance by 2027 as a result of the elimination of the individual mandate. The CBO also said average premiums in the exchanges would increase by about 10 percent in most years over the next decade, compared with a scenario in which the mandate had been left in place.

“Those effects would occur mainly because healthier people would be less likely to obtain insurance and because, especially in the nongroup market, the resulting increases in premiums would cause more people to not purchase insurance,” the CBO said at the time.

Read the full article here.