Hartzell Gray

Gray's career experience includes working as an activist, community organizer, and radio host.[1]

Hartzell Gray did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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Campaign websiteGray's campaign website stated the following:Ending Extreme Wealth HoardingIn the richest country in the history of the world, working families in our nation, and here in MO‑04, are still struggling. Stagnant wages, rising inflation and costs of rent, groceries, healthcare, and education have left too many behind. In the meantime billionaires and millionaires continue to receive massive, unfair tax breaks. The 2017 Republican tax cuts delivered tens of thousands to millions of dollars in savings to the wealthiest Missourians, while our neighbors work harder than ever just to make ends meet.We need an economy powered by the people, not profits. An economy and a government that puts the needs of working families first. We must fundamentally create a new system where wealth created on the backs of the working class can help make their lives better. Today, I am inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his visionary Freedom Budget, which called for progressive taxation and wealth redistribution to ensure that wealth serves human dignity, not the pockets of the already rich. This is the vision I fight for: an economy that invests in people, not billionaires.When I’m in Congress, I will:Support Senator Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren's tax plans to ensure that the ultra wealthy pay their fair share of taxes. I will champion progressive tax on extreme wealth and income, starting at $30 million topping out at a legal maximum of $1 billion per year. Income tax brackets for extreme wealth will be:Current rates up to $30 million remain in place.60% on income from $30 million to $100 million.75% on income from $100 million to $500 million.90% on income from $500 million to $999 million.100% on all income above $1 billion. No family or individual should earn more in a year than most families can in a lifetime, while working class people struggle to pay rent, groceries, healthcare, and tuition.Close Tax Loopholes for Millionaire and Billionaires:When I’m in Congress, I will work with my colleagues to close every billionaire loophole. I will support mandatory mark-to-market for households worth more than $100 million, ensuring unrealized gains on stocks, real estate, and private assets are counted as annual income.I will make sure no one can borrow against assets to dodge taxes and that carried interest is treated as ordinary income.I will count stock options and deferred compensation as income when they vest. I will ensure that personal use of corporate jets and luxury assets is taxed at fair market value. I will support a crackdown on fake charitable foundations used to avoid paying taxes.And I will make certain we impose a 40% exit tax on anyone worth $50 million or more who renounces their citizenship to avoid paying their fair share.Building a Fair Tax System That Centers Working FamiliesWhen I’m in Congress, I will work with my colleagues and support legislation to ensure that the IRS is fully funded and staffed. I will support creating a dedicated Millionaire/Billionaire Income Unit, one that is capable of auditing complex and difficult financial empires to ensure compliance. I will champion reinvesting in working families. The revenue and profit that is raised from these progressive measures will help fund affordable housing, tuition free colleges, universal healthcare, clean green jobs and infrastructures for MO-04. Building an Economy Where the Working Class and NOT the Wealthy Hold the PowerA progressive tax plan that centers the working class people and not the ultra wealthy will help redistribute the wealth and bring millions of dollars back into public investment. This money that belongs to the working class people, who build our economy, belongs to them and must be reinvested in their well-being. We must fundamentally build a new system in this country where people no longer have to hold more than one job to support their family. This people-powered tax plan is about more than revenue. It’s about protecting working families and stopping a system where billionaires buy political power to protect their wealth. Inspired by Dr. King’s Freedom Budget, I will fight for an economy where wealth serves the many, not the few, and where every Missourian has the opportunity to thrive.Healthcare You Can Count OnHealthcare is a fundamental human right and must be guaranteed for all. Yet too many families in Missouri’s 4th District live without coverage or struggle with inadequate insurance. High medical costs and unequal access to care force many to delay treatment, or avoid it altogether, often leading to preventable suffering and financial bankruptcy.As a member of Congress, I will fight to establish Universal Healthcare for every American. Work to expand Medicare to cover everyone.Eliminate private insurance middlemenCap the cost of insulin to $20 Reduce prescription drug prices by restoring government negotiationPrioritizing prevention and whole-person health care to reduce chronic illness.Work to ensure everyone has access to primary careWork to fund and strengthen community health centers, especially in rural and underserved areas.Hold pharmaceutical and insurance companies accountable for price gouging, a practice that puts life saving medication out of reach for working class Americans. I would ensure telehealth and mobile pharmacies are available in rural areas.I would work to put an end to predatory hospital billing practices that push families in my districts into bankruptcy. I would boost local economies by creating jobs in healthcare and related fields.As of 2025, the U.S. continues to spend nearly twice as much per person on healthcare compared to other industrialized countries, and millions of working-class Americans remain uninsured or underinsured. As a result of this our health outcomes continue to fall behind, from life expectancy to infant mortality. This results in thousands of preventable deaths each year. Universal healthcare will protect families in MO-04 from medical bankruptcy, reduce stress that hinders daily productivity, and create healthier communities where people can thrive. I an fully committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to make healthcare a right for all, ensuring no one in our district or our nation has to choose between their health and financial security. Universal Health care is more than just healthcare — It’s about economic justice.Responding to the Climate EmergencyClimate change is an urgent crisis that threatens the economy, health, and the future of Missouri’s 4th Congressional district and our entire nation. Time and time again, we have witnessed that our district faces the impacts of extreme weather changes, flooding and pollution. Climate change harms public health and strains our resources. Members of Congress must work together and act immediately to transition into clean renewable energy. This leads to creating green jobs that revive our local economy and reduce carbon emissions. When I am in Congress I will support legislation to:Achieve 100% clean, renewable energy nationwide by 2035 End all fossil fuel subsidies and redirect funds toward sustainable infrastructure projects, and clean energy investments that benefit our communities.I will push for funding to modernize our energy grid.Expand public transit, and promote electric vehicle infrastructure, making clean transportation affordable and accessible.Support local workers through a “just transition” which is essential to ensuring that workers employed in fossil fuel industries have access to good-paying green jobs as our economy evolves.I will advocate for federal investments in climate resilience programs to prepare my constituents and local businesses for the realities of a changing environment, including emergency preparedness and flood control. Congress must empower and fully fund the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce clean water and air standards, protect environmental justice communities within our district that disproportionately carry the burden of pollutants and climate risks, and hold polluters accountable. Addressing the climate crisis requires that we as a country prioritize public health, economic justice and sustainability. Missouri’s 4th Congressional district can be one of the leading states in this green transition. I pledge to work tirelessly in Congress to bring the much needed policies, partnerships and resources home to ensure a safer, healthier, and more prosperous future for all of our district. Housing is a Human RightKansas City faces a critical shortage of affordable homes, with thousands of families paying more than half their income on rent or struggling with long waitlists for public housing. Residents of Missouri’s 4th Congressional district deserve affordable housing, and should not have to choose between paying their rent or putting food on the table, while developers and landlords continue to exploit them. Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortex introduced the Place to Proper Act which aimed to speed up affordable housing and development by streamlining permits and cutting red tape. Although the bill stalled in Congress, what remains important is that across this great nation, and especially in Missouri’s 4th Congressional district, we need more affordable housing. We must advocate and work to create homes for healthcare workers, teachers, and other essential workers in our community.As your Congressmember, I will:Strengthen the Low Income Housing Tax CreditBack the repeal of the Faircloth Amendment, allowing KC and other cities to expand public housing options for our vulnerable families.Fund the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund which means reliable resources will be allocated to building new affordable housing in our neighborhoods, from Downtown Kansas City to our rapidly growing suburbs.Support federal investment to modernize and repair public housing. Too many families in Missouri's 4th Congressional district live in old units with unsafe conditions. Advocate for funds and investments that create good-paying local jobs in maintenance and construction.Support initiatives like the Green New Deal for Public Housing to make homes carbon-neutral and energy-efficient, reducing emissions and lowering utility bills for families.Protect renters and homeowners in our communityWork to stabilize rent and prevent the displacement of working-class families in MO-04 neighborhoods.Advocate for tenant protections that guarantee legal counsel during evictions. This is an urgent need to level the playing field and prohibit wrongful evictions in Missouri and Kansas City, where eviction rates have disproportionately impacted Black and immigrant renters.Support bans on source-of-income discrimination, to ensure landlords do not refuse renters simply because they use federal assistance and housing vouchers. Expand housing access for low-income families across the district.I back extending tax relief and mortgage assistance programs to protect working and middle-class families from losing their homes.Divesting from the war machineThis campaign will not take corporate PAC money, a cent from real estate companies or developers, or funding from any foreign or domestic lobbying groups. We are a grassroots movement, funded by service workers, teachers, labor organizers, artists, and our neighbors. The people who make this city run are the same people powering this movement. We believe in people over profit, every time.We spend billions each year on endless war and weapons, while schools go underfunded and hospitals close. I’ll fight for a foreign policy rooted in diplomacy, accountability, and peace — not regime change or blank checks for authoritarian governments.As your Congressman I will:Reject corporate PAC money from both foreign and domestic lobbying groups, including crypto.I vow to work to overturn Citizens United and end the influence of dark money in buying members of Congress.Build a just foreign policy by working with Progressive members of Congress to support and introduce legislation that prioritizes peace and human rights.I will fight tirelessly to dismantle the U.S. military-industrial complex and end endless wars. From Palestine to Yemen, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Sudan, from Cuba to my own backyard in Missouri’s 4th, no parent or child should live in fear of bombs, sanctions, or starvation.We must end apartheid, the genocide, and the occupation of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and we must stop all funding to Israel. Those funds should be reinvested in our own communities.For far too long, our tax dollars have fueled wars overseas, and the U.S. has provided blank checks to governments in violation of the Leahy Law. It’s time to end all global wars, care for our veterans, feed our own hungry, and become a nation that leads with diplomacy and moral clarity.Guaranteed Jobs And Union ProtectionIn Missouri’s 4th District and across the country, working people are standing up against oligarchs, billionaires and greedy corporations by organizing warehouses, striking at hospitals, and demanding safe conditions on railroads and farms. It’s time Congress matched their bravery and courage. As your Congressman, I will:Raise the wage to $25 an hour and eliminate the sub-minimum wage.Fully support the PRO Act to strengthen union protectionsAdvance legislation to ban exploitative non-compete clausesFight for nationwide paid sick and family leave.Work to reverse the damage of anti-labor laws like Taft-HartleyEnsure that no one is published or retaliated against for organizing their workspace, and no corporation blocks workers from knowing and asserting their rights.Work to ensure access to free legal support in retaliation cases, protect the right to strike by banning permanent replacement workers, and hold employers accountable for union-busting tactics.Will push to expand federal funding for Worker Resource Centers, community-based hubs that provide legal aid, safety enforcement, and organizing support.As your representative I support:A federal jobs guarantee, ensuring everyone has access to meaningful work at a living wage with full benefits. By standing shoulder to shoulder with labor and taking on corporate greed and capitalism.Together we will build an economy rooted in union power, and justice, from the small shops in KC to Capitol Hill.Reparations Now!As ethnic supremacy resurges in America, challenging the painful legacy of slavery, Jim Crow, and systemic racism is not only obligatory — it is the moral foundation of a just society.As your Congressmember, I will:Champion legislation to formally acknowledge the historical and ongoing harms inflicted on Black Americans through centuries of slavery, segregation, and discriminatory policies. Fight to secure robust funding, aiming for at least $14 trillion spread over 20 years, to be invested in education, affordable housing, healthcare, economic development, and programs that expand generational wealth within Black communities. Work with my colleagues in Congress to establish a National Reparations Commission (NRC) that begins working to close the racial wealth gap and invest in communities that have been systematically denied opportunity.The NRC, appointed by Congress and composed primarily of Black descendants of enslaved people, Black scholars and leaders will be tasked with designing and overseeing the fair distribution of reparations funds. This commission’s work would be an important step in addressing not only the economic, but also the social and psychological legacies of slavery.Reparations represent more than financial compensation, they are a formal recognition of America’s historic debt and a commitment to healing and reconciliation. While we cannot erase the past, Congress has the power to take meaningful, restorative steps that transform lives and communities. As an activist I am fully committed to working with my colleagues to pass comprehensive reparations legislation and begin the long overdue process of justice and repair.Protecting Women's rights & Economic SecurityWomen in Missouri’s 4th District, like those across the nation, face ongoing challenges around economic equity, health, safety, and opportunity. Women in our community often balance caregiving responsibilities while aiming to close the systemic wage gap, earning roughly 83 cents for every dollar earned by men, a disparity that impact their families and well-being.As your representative in Congress, I will:Prioritize advancing policies that support women’s economic security and safety. This includes advocating for federal laws that ensure pay equity, strengthen protections against pregnancy discrimination, and expand access to paid family and medical leave, helping women care for their families without sacrificing financial stability.I will fight to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law, guaranteeing the constitutional right to abortion access regardless of state restrictions. Will work to repeal the Hyde Amendment, which currently blocks federal funding for abortion services for low-income women on Medicaid, ensuring equitable access to reproductive healthcare for all women in our district.Will work to ensure full funding and reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which provides crucial resources for shelters, legal assistance, and support services that many survivors in our district depend on.Work to ensure we have a Universal Healthcare system that does not discriminate against women based on their economic status and their color.Push for postpartum care funding to support mothers facing serious health challenges after childbirth.Invest in affordable childcare and early education, including expanding programs like Head Start, so women can balance work and family with dignity.Work to strengthen Social Security benefits to address the gender gap, recognizing the economic value of caregiving work that women disproportionately perform.Work to implement gun safety measures that prevent domestic abusers from accessing firearms are essential to protect women’s lives in our community.Ratify the ERA.By championing these policies in Congress, I aim to create an environment where women in MO-04 can thrive economically, live free from violence, and have the support needed to lead healthy, secure lives.Protecting LGBTQIA+ RightsEvery resident of Missouri’s 4th Congressional district and our nation deserves to live free from discrimination and fear regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation. Even though marriage equality is the law in all 50 states, too many of our siblings and members of the LGBTQIA+ continue to face discrimination in employment, public services, housing and most importantly, healthcare due to their lack of federal protection.As your representative in Congress, I will:Champion the passage of the Equality Act to update federal civil rights laws and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and federally funded programs.Protect LGBTQIA+ rights by making sure there is equal access to jobs, housing, healthcare, and public spaces—so no one is denied service or dignity simply because of who they chose to love.Address discrimination and ongoing violence and against our transgender communities, particularly transgender women of color.Support allocating federal funds for community safety programs, hate crime investigations, and expanded mental health services.Ensure safety for LGBTQIA+ youth in schools across the country and advance inclusive education policies so that our students can fully thrive. Address and tackle LGBTQIA+ homelessness by advocating for targeted resources to fully support this vulnerable population.As a nation, we must lead with compassion and empathy and continue fighting for full equality under the law, so the promises of justice and liberty extend to our most vulnerable communities and every resident of MO-04, no matter who they love or how they identify.Safe & Humane Immigration System For allKansas City is home to vibrant immigrant communities who enrich our culture, our economy, and make our neighborhoods stronger. But the shadow of the Trump-era immigration agenda, rooted in supremacy, family separation, travel bans, and unchecked deportations is ever-present. As your representative, I will:Work in Congress to repeal discriminatory laws and fund a more humane, efficient immigration system. That means simplifying the naturalization process, backing legislation to create a clear path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants without serious criminal records, and expanding civil service protections for immigration judges to shield them from political pressure. I will champion codifying and expand protections like DACA and ensure due process and legal representation for immigrants navigating our courts.I will uphold the legal right to seek asylum and resist efforts to criminalize migration. That includes introducing or supporting legislation to increase funding for asylum officers, reduce case backlogs, and improve conditions and oversight within processing centers. Phase out private immigration detentionAbolish ICE and hold CBP accountable for rights violationsStrengthen protections for the most vulnerable — including children, LGBTQ+ individuals, and survivors of domestic violence. We need laws that treat asylum seekers as human beings, not political targets. Will fight to restore humanitarian parole programs that reunite families and allow immigrants fleeing crises to find safety and dignity here in the U.S.I will champion legislation that addresses root causes of migration, including ending harmful sanctions in Latin America and expanding U.S. investment in sustainable development, education, and disaster response.I will also work with my colleagues in Congress to repeal the Patriot ActProtect immigrant communities from invasive surveillanceEnsure border funding prioritizes modern ports of entry, not walls or militarization.Migration is often the result of failed U.S. foreign policies, economic exploitation, and climate crisis, not simply border insecurity. In MO-04, we know that real safety comes from community investment, not fear-based politics. Our laws must reflect that managing migration requires smart diplomacy, empathy, true compassion and justice.Standing up for Missouri's veterans rightsOur veterans in Missouri’s 4th District deserve the highest level of respect, care and support after their selfless service. Many in my district face challenges such as homelessness, mental health struggles, and difficulty accessing benefits and services. I am fully committed to ensuring that veterans get the care they have earned. As your representative in Congress, I will:Champion increasing funding for veteran mental health programs and push for improved coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense to ensure veterans do not fall through the cracks during their transition to civilian life. Support legislation that mandates seamless sharing of electronic health records and improved outreach so all veterans in MO-04 know and can access the benefits available to them.Work to secure more federal resources for affordable housing programs specifically targeted at veterans and fund comprehensive research into the root causes of veteran homelessness, including PTSD and addiction.These investments will support community programs and local nonprofits in Kansas City that assist veterans in finding stable housing and employment.Support legislation providing free community college and student loan forgiveness for veterans, recognizing many joined the military to access educational opportunities. Expanding access to affordable education will empower our veterans to build fulfilling post-service careers here in Missouri.Prioritize funding for specialized healthcare and support services for veterans that address military sexual trauma and other gender-specific needs.Support efforts to strengthen the VA and oppose privatization, which risks reducing care quality. We must increase VA staffing to fill thousands of vacancies nationwide, ensuring veterans receive timely, compassionate care.Support legislation guaranteeing abortion access at VA facilities and on military bases to protect veterans’ reproductive rights.By championing these policies in Congress, I will ensure that veterans in Missouri’s 4th District receive the care, respect, and opportunities they have more than earned.Gun policy -- saving lives over NRA profitsIn Missouri’s 4th District, families are exhausted from living in the fear of losing their loved ones to gun violence. For many years, gun violence has been the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. This is a staggering reality that is deeply personal in our community.In 2025, our schools, parks, and neighborhoods have become scenes of unimaginable loss. Missouri’s dangerous and alarming lack of gun regulation from permitless carry to no background checks has put the most vulnerable at risk. Yet, some politicians still treat this as a Second Amendment debate, while families bury our children.Let’s be clear: this isn’t about constitutional rights, it’s about lobbyists and corporate profit. The gun lobby, led by the NRA, has used the Second Amendment as a smokescreen to protect the interests of gun manufacturers. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans across the country, and especially here in MO-04, support universal background checks, banning assault rifles, raising the gun purchasing age to 21, and funding community intervention programs. Our district deserves bold leadership that listens.As your Congressmember I will:Work to implement universal background checks, Work to close gun show and online loopholesWork to raise the minimum gun purchasing age to 21 across the board. We must have Extreme Risk Protection orders and Red Flag laws that empower families to act before a tragedy occurs. Ensure that guns come with mandatory safety locks, storage requirements, and insurance, just like cars. Work to ensure that there is a renewal of gun ownership and required coursework, and mental health screenings. Work to ensure there is funding and adequate investment in community violence intervention programs, school-based trauma services, mental health care, and local organizations already doing the work. In MO-04, we will work together to stand up against the gun lobby. It is time to lead with courage and compassion, because our children’s lives are worth fighting for.DATA Center Policy & Centering the Working ClassMissouri has become ground zero for the rapid expansion of data centers and one of the nation's newest data center hubs. As billion-dollar compounds are proposed by private investors and the oligarchy across our beautiful state, our rural communities, residents and farmers are being asked to pay the price by providing the land, water, and energy, and bearing the brunt of all of the various pollutions these centers bring, while receiving no long-term benefits in return. The fight against data centers cuts across party lines because it is ultimately a fight to protect our communities, our democracy, and our collective humanity.Data centers cost jobs in the long run. But more than that, they cost entire communities peace and security. They are temples to mass surveillance.And they only benefit the wealthy.If data centers are the flashpoint to bring Americans together, let’s lean into it.Our campaign supports the Bernie Sanders Senate Bill 4214, the AI Data Center Moratorium Act. This legislation is correctly and importantly positioned, with the rapid advent of data centers and AI technology, as giving democracy a chance to “catch up” and establish vital safeguards to protect the public. The bill will do a number of valuable things:Establishes a moratorium on further construction of certain size and intended AI use data centers until public safety frameworks can be established. Bans utility rate increases for the general public that are attributable to data center proximity.Demands prevailing wage for labor.Requires the Dept of Energy to collect and analyze all aspects of the impact of data centers on the environment, from energy and water use to environmental degradation impacts. Additionally demands transparency of data center ownership and investors, collected by the DoE.This legislation is strongly opposed by the Trump Administration, and voters should watch very closely how Democrats vote on this legislation, should it make it out of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Given the makeup of the committee, which includes ranking minority members Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), passage of this bill out of committee seems unlikely. However the bill provides an opportunity for the public to see clearly what the owners of data centers don’t want, which is oversight and any impacts to their profit margins. The public has spoken loudly about data centers all over the country, and in a way that cuts across party lines. The public wants a moratorium and strong regulations. They do not want these data centers in their neighborhoods, they do not want data centers consuming valuable resources, and t