Herald Roundtable 2024

Laura Gillen prioritizes reproductive rights

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Laura Gillen, the Democratic candidate in New York’s 4th Congressional District, is running on a platform focused on tackling the rising cost of living on Long Island, reproductive rights and immigration reform.

“It’s really expensive to live here, and people want relief,” Gillen said during a Herald Roundtable on Oct. 7, adding that this concern came up in nearly every conversation she has had with voters in the district.

She is particularly critical of her opponent, U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito for not restoring the state and local tax deduction on income taxes, which was capped during the Trump administration. “My opponent said he was going to restore our SALT deduction. He’s been in the majority for almost two years and has completely failed to do that,” Gillen said, emphasizing that reinstating the deduction, a key issue for many homeowners in Nassau County, would be a top priority if she were elected.

Reproductive rights are also central to Gillen’s campaign, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 decision, ending nearly 50 years of constitutional protection for abortion rights. Gillen stresses the need to protect access to reproductive health care, including abortion, in vitro fertilization and contraception.

“Protecting a woman’s right to choose, protecting the right to access IVF and the right to contraception are things we never thought we’d even have to talk about before the Dobbs decision,” she said. Gillen also pointed to the broader implications of the decision, noting that Republicans are continuing to push for federal restrictions on reproductive rights.

Health care, particularly for mental health, is another key focus of Gillen’s campaign. She noted that the country is facing a growing mental health crisis, which affects people of all ages. “It’s affecting our young people, our seniors, our veterans and our law enforcement officers,” she said.

Gillen advocates increasing resources to make mental health services more accessible, reducing the long wait times many patients face. “Families shouldn’t have to wait weeks to get an appointment for a loved one in crisis,” she said, calling for improvements in insurance coverage for mental health care and for expanding access to care.

Immigration reform is a pressing issue, Gillen said, criticizing Congress for its inaction on the border crisis. She said she is committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border while facilitating citizenship for immigrants. “We’ve seen nothing get done to secure our border, to stop the flow of fentanyl, or to create a pathway for citizenship for people who want to come here legally,” she said. Her proposal includes deploying more border agents, using advanced technology like anti-tunneling systems, and improving the asylum process, which she described as “completely broken” due to the long delays in adjudicating claims.

Gillen has also taken a strong stance on national security, particularly in regard to Israel and the increase of antisemitism in this country. “We’ve seen an incredible rise of antisemitism, even before Oct. 7,” she said, referring to last October’s attacks on Israel by Hamas.

Her bipartisan approach to solving these issues grew out of her experience as the first Democratic Hempstead town supervisor in over 100 years. Despite facing a Republican-controlled Town Board, Gillen managed to implement sweeping reforms, including ethics legislation, cutting taxes and modernizing the town’s infrastructure.

“I got things done, and that’s what I plan to do in Congress,” Gillen said. “People want problem-solvers in Congress … We need to get things done and reduce the partisanship that’s holding us back.”