Lori Trahan, Boston Globe

Over the course of nearly a year on the campaign trail, I heard voters time and again express deep-seated frustration and cynicism with the way Washington works. What was holding up common-sense gun safety measures? Why do prescription drugs cost so much? Why are working families struggling to pay the mortgage, put their kids through school, and save for retirement? The American people rightly view Washington as perpetuating a rigged system that tilts for special interests over families. It’s not surprising that voters’ approval of Congress stands at an abysmal 21 percent. It’s also not surprising that public trust in government remains at an all-time low, at a historic 18 percent. Before the 116th Congress can tackle the many problems facing working families, we need to fix our system and restore faith in democracy.

As part of the largest Democratic freshman class elected to the House since
Watergate, this Congress — and particularly my freshmen colleagues — have a
mandate to fix problems in our political system, to unrig our democracy, to
unmoor the entrenched special interests in Washington, and to usher in a new
standard of ethics and integrity that ensures that public servants serve the public,
not line their own pockets.

My first act as a member of Congress will be to cosponsor H.R. 1, a
comprehensive package of reforms to our system of government. I hope and
expect that the House of Representatives will move quickly to pass this important
legislation.

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You can read the full article by Lori Trahan here.