Susan Lee: Why You Should Vote For Me

Susan LeeWe asked local candidates in contested primary elections to write a sub-750 word essay describing why residents should vote for them on June 24.

Next up is Susan Lee, who is running in the District 16 state Senate Democratic primary. Below is Lee’s unedited response:

Since being elected as a Delegate to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002, I have had the honor and privilege of representing and serving the citizens of District 16 and authoring and passing significant laws that have improved the quality of life for all individuals in Montgomery County and Maryland. Building on my track record of leadership, hard work, integrity, and getting real results, I can do even more in the Senate.

As a Deputy Majority Whip, Montgomery County House Delegation Vice Chair, and Family Law Subcommittee Chair, I have helped pass laws to support prudent fiscal measures, maintain Maryland’s Triple A bond rating, increase education and school construction funding, expand Pre-K, keep college affordable, protect our environment, advance renewal energy sources, biotechnology, cyber, IT and emerging technologies, increase health care access, support public safety, funding to repair aging roads and infrastructures and increase mass transit, and increase the minimum wage to boost the economy and create jobs.

Serving two terms as President of the Women’s Legislative Caucus, I led efforts to pass an aggressive agenda of laws to fight domestic violence, sexual assault, child and elder abuse, and human trafficking; economically empower women, children and families; reduce health care disparities; and restore funding for rape crisis centers statewide. I also introduced and passed Maryland’s first Telemedicine law to allow physicians to be reimbursed for vital health care services delivered via Telemedicine, which has a track record of saving lives, increasing health care access and early diagnosis, improving outcomes and reducing costs and disparities.

I co-sponsored and helped passed the Civil Marriage Protection Act, Fairness for All Marylanders Act, and Maryland Dream Act. As co-chair of the Commission on Cyber Security, Innovation, Excellence and the Identity Theft Task Force, I have been a leader in authoring landmark laws to protect our citizens against cyber attacks that could paralyze the operations of our government, economy, infrastructures and first responders; and laws to protect against identity theft, including those to fight the recent upswing in health care information identity fraud and crimes committed online and on social media.

As a House Judiciary Committee Member, I helped pass milestone, sensible gun safety laws to increase public safety, save lives and avoid gun violence tragedies. I authored and led efforts to pass a new “home invasion law” to effectively deter and fight the statewide surge in vicious, violent home invasions by perpetrators targeting seniors, women, and families. I have served as co-chair of the Nanobiotechnology Task Force and helped pass laws to advance and assist biotech, IT, cyber, and emerging technologies innovators commercialize and create life saving treatments and innovations, revenues, and jobs to support a knowledge based economy and enable Maryland to globally compete and sustain our future.

I am very in tuned with and understand the important issues and challenges before my district, county and state having grown up in Montgomery County and been a proud product of its public schools, namely Leland Jr. High School, Herbert Hoover Jr. High School, and Winston Churchill High School. I am also a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and University of San Francisco School of Law. I am a civil rights attorney and have served as a member of the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board, Jewish Foundation for Group Homes Board, Montgomery County Gang Task Force, and Progressive Maryland Board and co-chair of the NAACP Multicultural Community Partnership.

For my run for state Senate, I am honored to have earned the endorsements of my District 16 Senator Brian Frosh, all the senators in the Montgomery County Delegation, other elected officials, top community leaders, the Gazette, Montgomery County Education Association (Teachers); Maryland State Education Association; Sierra Club; Maryland League of Conservation Voters; Clean Water Action Maryland; NARAL Pro Choice Maryland; Montgomery County NOW; Emily’s List; Equality Maryland; Progressive Maryland; Brickyard Coalition;  MD/DC AFL-CIO; SEIU Local 500; UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO; Fraternal Order of Police, Montgomery County; Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association; Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association Local 1664; CASA In Action; Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees Association; African American Democratic Club of Montgomery County; Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats; and Hispanic Democratic Club of Montgomery County.

I am running on my track record of leadership, hard work, integrity, and getting results and ask for your support which will enable me to continue my work and achieve even more in the Senate for you, your family and the citizens of District 16, Montgomery County and Maryland.

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