Kyrsten believes any person working the same job should receive equal compensation, regardless of gender, and she says it is wrong for politicians to use women’s health to score political points. She is fighting to provide better education, job training, and STEM opportunities to young women and girls, and to help middle class families get ahead by making child-care more affordable and protecting women’s access to health care. 

Kyrsten works every day so that Arizona families have access to the tools they need to be physically safe and financially secure. 

Equal Pay for Equal Work

In Arizona, women working full time are paid 84 cents for every dollar men are paid. Although the wage gap has narrowed in the half century since Congress declared women are entitled to equal pay for equal work, gender discrimination remains a serious problem in the workplace. Today, women make up almost half of the American workforce, and an increasing number of women are the primary wage earners for their families. Kyrsten is committed to working with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to even the playing field for women in the workforce and strengthen Arizona families.

Parental Leave

Kyrsten introduced a bipartisan bill to help Arizona middle-class families prepare and save for parenthood. The Working Parents Flexibility Act allows an individual and his/her employer to contribute pre-tax income to a Parental Leave Savings Account, similar to a health savings account. Earnings on the account are not taxed and can be withdrawn tax-free during the first year after a child is born.  

Helping Families Save

The rising cost of care for children and aging parents leaves too many Arizona families struggling to get by. This is why Kyrsten introduced bipartisan legislation to expand child and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for American families. The average annual cost of full-time child care in Arizona ranges from $6,000 - $9,000. The Child and Dependent Care FSA Enhancement Act increases the amount of pre-tax dollars families can put into child and dependent care FSAs from $5,000 to $7,500 and indexes the amount to inflation to keep up with rising costs of care. This bipartisan legislation helps Arizonans pay for quality, affordable care and provides economic security for Arizona families.

Protecting Women’s Health

Kyrsten has been, and continues to be, a strong supporter of women’s health care. She believes a woman’s personal health care decisions should only involve her family and her doctor. Women and their families should be able to make these decisions free from government interference. She has voted against a number of partisan bills that would make it harder for women to make their own choices about their health. Congress should craft commonsense policies that increase the affordability, access, and quality of medical care in our country. Kyrsten will continue working with members of both parties to find common ground and improve healthcare for hardworking Arizona families.