Charlene Nijmeh

Environment / Energy I am committed to making our community the most enjoyable and livable place in America -- and I fight for the federal funds that will make your life better. I will also fight to curb the poorly planned sprawl that continues to threaten our open spaces and natural environments. Immigration Our immigration system doesn't work. It's broken, backwards, and irrational -- and it's causing havoc on our borders. We need to make it easier for people to migrate here lawfully, safely, and transparently. That requires comprehensive immigration reform that makes the American dream a possibility for all. Healthcare The mental health crisis that is taking place on our streets is undeniable. America can do better in providing troubled individuals the help that they need to redirect the trajectory of their lives. Access to better support services is just the beginning. These challenges demand values education programs and anti-addiction curriculum in our schools. Infrastructure / Transportation It's time to build the mass transit system that we need to accommodate Silicon Valley's next generation of economic growth. It will require an expansive deployment of new light rail and an extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system to San Jose and Silicon Valley. I will fight for federal funds to begin building the infrastructure that will evolve our region into a more livable reality for working people. Housing To address the San Francisco Bay Area's uniquely large population of unhoused people, our congressional delegation must work together to fight for federal funds that provide for the transitional housing, drug treatment facilities, and work programs that are needed to get people off the streets and onto a long-term path of personal growth and independent living. Legislation We will require paywalls to access pornography so that minors can't have easy and free access to it. We will demand that tech companies do more to prevent human trafficking and use artificial intelligence to identify sex trafficking in our midst. For too long, Silicon Valley has turned a blind eye to the sex trade that is enabled with their platforms and technologies. Housing The Department of Housing and Urban Development must reinvent its approach to housing and urban development -- and that will take legislation that reshapes our national housing policy. I will call for new legislation: the Housing Access and Affordability Act of 2025 -- which will make it easier for affordable housing developers and non-profit organizations to access federal financing to construct new units on underutilized urban land. Environment / Energy Robust innovation is the pathway towards a truly diverse renewable energy mix that is affordable to ratepayers and void of the environmental impacts that impose unseen costs on the next generation.