Rashida Tlaib

Tlaib was born in Detroit, Michigan. Tlaib graduated from Southwestern High School in 1994. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Wayne State University in 1998 and a law degree from Western Michigan University Thomas Cooley Law School in 2004. Tlaib's career experience included working as an attorney with nonprofit legal advocacy groups and as a staffer for former state representative Steve Tobocman.[2][3]

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Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased June 29, 2020

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am the eldest of 14, born and raised in the city of Detroit. I am the child of immigrants and grew up in a union home. My whole life has been dedicated to taken care of others. I've worked in the non-profit space speaking and taking action for vulnerable population and communities. I served in the Michigan Legislature for six years, serving in Democratic Leadership. I am currently the congressmember representing the 13th Congressional District and am running for re-election. I've opened four neighborhood service centers across the district where we've returned over $1 million in social service dollars and assistance back to residents. We've secured a Water is a Human Right Fund during COVID-19, which would deliver $1.5 billion to residents to keep their water on and provide low-income assistance. I wrote a bill that is now a law that will protect vulnerable seniors and retirees from fraud. We have pushed bold legislation on environmental, economic, and racial justice. We have led the fight to hold this President accountable for his unconstitutional actions and actions that continue to harm our communities.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We have elevated public service. We have opened four neighborhood service centers to provide direct service to constituents. My first term has been about making sure we help solve the immediate issues today while fighting for transformative legislation for decades to come.Residents of the 13th Congressional District sent a message that they want a representative to push for bold, transformative legislation. We've introduced the BOOST Act, a refundable tax credit that would instantly lift 45% of people out of poverty. We've introduced the Automatic Boost to Communities Act during the COVID-19 pandemic, which would provide monthly stipends to every person in this country to help them get through the challenges of this pandemic. We've also introduced bills on prohibiting medically-necessary debt from being placed on credit reports, to prohibit discriminatory non-driving factors from being used in rate setting for auto insurance companies, and much more.We've held folks in government and corporations accountable. From the Trump Administration to corporate polluters in our backyards, we've spoken truth to power. We've held two Congressional hearings right here in the district, one on home ownership and the other on environmental injustices. This is the leadership we need in the 13th.    Featured local question

Are you open to tax hikes or spending cuts to balance the budget?

Again, I believe everyone should pay their fair share. I support an additional tax on the rich of the rich and getting rid of tax loopholes that corporations take advantage of to avoid paying taxes.

Featured local question

Describe your political ideology.

My ideology is based in ridding this society of corporate greed and bigotry. These diseases continue to harm and kill our neighbors. Many are getting ahead due to the suffering of others. My ideology is about centering the most vulnerable so that everyone can thrive.

Featured local question

How should America address its health care issues?

We need universal health coverage that is equitable. We currently have system that is more of "sick care" and not health care. Big Phrama and insurance companies continue to have too much influence in our governance system and people continue to suffer.

Featured local question

How would you foster a more bipartisan, cooperative atmosphere in Congress?

I would ask members to walk into a room, not as a Republican or Democrat, but as a son, mom, daughter or whatever family role they play. I would ask that they function from that place so that their decisions would remain focused on the people they love, and on real change for the better. The system now is so tainted with special interest groups and others who aren't thinking about our residents, but how they can make more money.

Featured local question

The federal government took on huge deficit spending to address the COVID-19 crisis. How should we cover that deficit?

We should ensure that everyone, especially corporations and wealthy individuals are paying their fair share in taxes. Billionaires made more than $400 billion during this pandemic. There is something wrong with that picture where everyday folks are struggling, and wealthy people are making money off of that.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Environmental, economic, and racial justice. We must end the assault on vulnerable and everyday families in the district. Folks just want the opportunity to thrive and yet, corporations, wealthy individuals, and folks rooted in bigotry continue to stifle and harm our communities. My work has been about pushing back and creating opportunities for our constituents.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My sity (grandmother), Shama. She was the strongest woman I knew. She taught me the importance of being fearless and not settling. She taught me that someone saying no to my aspirations was not acceptable and to keep pushing.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou - So many of our communities have been dismissed, harmed, and destroyed by forces outside of their control. My political philosophy is about uplifting those folks, ensuring that their voices are being hard, and fighting for transformative policies to help people thrive.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Transparency, honesty, and integrity. I will never stop fighting for what my constituents and neighbors need.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I spoke truth even when folks didn't want to hear it or do anything about it. And I hope that by the end of service in life, that a part of my legacy was decreasing the poverty rate by 90%.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember when 9/11 happened. I was in my 20s. I worked at ACCESS, a local social service organization. When the attacks were shown on television, we all screamed and cried. Immediately after, our phones began to be flooded with anti-Muslim rhetoric. This impacted me so much and it showed me how much work we have to do in this country to push back against the othering and dehumanization of folks. Instead of others looking at ways to come together during this dark time in our country, bigotry and hate continued to show its ugly face.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was an executive assistant for a nonprofit director for 2 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Writings by James and Grace Lee Boggs. Their work provides a powerful insight into the fight for civil rights, racial justice, and labor rights here in Detroit and across the country.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would be a Planeteer from Captain Planet and the Planeteers. It's amazing that we see this coming to life currently with young folks leading the fight on environmental justice.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Rise Up - Andra Day

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

To be heard and seen the same way most of my colleagues are.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I favor the independent redistricting commission that we have currently in Michigan and look forward to fairer representation for communities across the state.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

We are the people's house. We are becoming more and more a reflection of the people we serve.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think it is important for representatives to have previous experiences in the communities they wish to serve. By this, I mean folks who have been in community with the most vulnerable. I've worked as an attorney for worker's rights, immigration, civil rights, and economic justice.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

The fact that we haven't truly addressed the economic inequity in our country. It has led to so many broken systems and injustices, many of which are rooted in structural racism.

We must make the decision as a country that we will center the most vulnerable and marginalized. We continue to center wealthy individuals, corporations, and profit. We have so many crises happening across the country because of misplaced priorities.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

I am currently a member of the House Oversight and Reform & House Financial Services. I joined the House Financial Services committee because we have a housing crisis in our district and this country. Housing is a human right and for too many, adequate and affordable shelter is not available, we must change this. We also must address the discriminatory practices in auto insurance.

I joined House Oversight because this administration must be held accountable. Too many people are being harmed and we must be a check on the executive branch.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

I do believe the terms for representative should be longer. Many representatives spend the first year of their term getting acclimated and for the second, a lot of focus has to be spent on re-election.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe elections are natural term limits. We should address campaign finance laws and get money out of politics. Term limits allow lobbyists to have more influence in our governance system.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I currently serve as the Vice Chair for the House Oversight Subcommittee on Environment, but I would like to explore additional leadership opportunities. These opportunities include becoming the Appropriations Committee Chair. For too long, many have voted to overwhelmingly prioritize war spending and corporate greed, over the needs of everyday people.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I have admired Congresswoman Barbara Lee. Even when she was completely alone in her fight to end funding of endless wars, she kept her chin up, kept fighting, and proudly stood with her values.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

There was an elderly couple I met that told me about their struggles. They told me that they had to use snow from outside to flush their toilets. This was a heartbreaking reality of how we disregard water being a human right. Too many of our residents are going without access to clean, affordable water. This should not be happening anywhere, especially in the United States.

Tlaib's campaign website stated the following:

Economic Justice makes us healthier, safer, and makes our community fairer for everyone

Securing a $15 minimum wage: I’ll fight for a $15 minimum wage that gives our workers the ability to provide for their families. I don’t just want to create jobs, I want to create living wage jobs.

Standing up for Unions: I’ll protect our unions, the organizations that built our middle class and are on the front lines of the fight against the Republicans and their billionaire friends.

Preventing Cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid: The Republicans are eager to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to pay for their tax cuts for the rich, and we can’t let them get away with it.

Promoting Homeownership: I will take on the Wall Street banks that discriminate against our families and defraud us, and provide a pathway to homeownership so more of our families can have their own piece of the American Dream.

Ending Corporate Welfare: We must stop tax giveaways to rich corporations and developers while our schools are crumbling and people are losing their homes.

Equal Pay for Equal Work: Women deserve equal pay for equal work, and I’ll fight to end wage discrimination and close the pay gap.

Debt-Free College and Vocational Training: The cost of higher education is a major barrier for many people, and we must make public colleges, universities, and trade schools tuition free for working families.

Overturning Citizens United and Restoring the Voting Rights Act: Big money has hijacked our politics and we must overturn Citizens United to ensure all of our voices are heard. We must also restore the Voting Rights Act and fight back against voter suppression that targets minorities and tries to silence us.

Medicare-for-All will ensure everyone has access to the healthcare they need

I’ll fight for Medicare-for-All that guarantees health care as a right, not a privilege. No person should have to skip doctors appointments or prescription refills because they can’t afford it, and I’ll get to work in Washington protecting the Affordable Care Act from the Republicans but also working to cover the gaps it still leaves, until everyone is covered.

We’re the only major nation on Earth that does not guarantee healthcare for its residents, and because of it millions of people in this country still do not have access to the health services they need.

Environmental Protection to keep our families safe and healthy

Here in Southeast Michigan we’ve got a lot of big polluters getting away with poisoning our community. They think because we’re not the richest communities, and because of the color of our skin, that they can get away with it. But I’m raising my family in this community and I’m not going to let them poison our air and pollute our water and dump waste on our soil.

I’ll fight to undo the terrible cuts the Trump Administration has made to the EPA’s budget and hold polluters accountable, not give them a license to poison us. I don’t tolerate bullies, and I’m not going to let them poison my kids or yours.

Protecting Public Schools and increasing access to higher education to uplift our communities

Funding Public Schools and Holding Charters Accountable: Our public schools need more resources, not more standardized testing and attacks on teachers. I'll work hard to increase funding for public schools and to ensure charter schools are regulated and held accountable. Charter schools cannot be allowed to take money away from public schools while failing our kids.

Debt-Free College and Vocational Training: The cost of higher education is a major barrier for many people, and we must make public colleges, universities, and trade schools tuition free for working families. We must expand access to vocational training that builds skills and prepares people for careers.

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—Rashida Tlaib's campaign website (2018)[18]

Civil Rights Act changes

On July 11, Tlaib announced that she would seek changes to the federal Civil Rights Act if elected. These changes included making it easier for plaintiffs to sue using disparate impact claims, changing Title IX (which she said “create[s] incentives” for officials to ignore gender discrimination), and decreasing corporations' ability to use mandatory arbitration. She said the disparate impact changes could allow lawsuits related to a number of issues that affect poor communities of color, including redlining for bank loans and insurance coverage, the use of credit scores to determine loan qualifications, and low-quality infrastructure in schools. Tlaib said she developed her proposal after listening to the problems that community members most frequently discussed.[19]

Tlaib's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[20]

Scrap Metal

Excerpt: "I am determined to stop the destruction of our neighborhoods, and my legislation on scrap metal will significantly reduce the market for stolen scrap metal."

Community Court

Excerpt: "I fought hard to obtain funding to establish the state’s first Community Court program to combat crimes like prostitution, auto theft, and property destruction in our neighborhoods."

Fraud Protection

Excerpt: " Michigan is ranked in the top 10 for mortgage fraud, and for far too long we did not update our criminal code to take aggressive action against those who victimize homeowners and seniors."

Environmental Justice

Excerpt: "Environmental justice has been Rashida’s top priority, and she has recently championed a bill that requires school districts to perform an environmental assessment before acquiring land to build or expand a school building to protect the health and well-being of kids, as well as our natural resources."

Consumer Protection

Excerpt: "Rashida works to ensure that there are tough consumer protection laws in place to act as a safeguard for our loved ones."