David Ocampo Grajales's Platform

The Bill of Rights was written to create guardrails that would prevent the federal government from encroaching on individual liberties. But, the world has changed in the last two hundred years and those original rights are no longer enough to secure the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That’s why in his message to Congress on January 11, 1944, FDR outlined what he called a second Bill of Rights.
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David believes that the vision President Roosevelt outlined nearly 80 years ago is just as urgently needed today as it was then. It’s time we expanded on the definition of freedom and enacted legislation to guarantee that in the richest country on earth, everyday people have the right to live the life they want.

The skyrocketing cost of housing has put home ownership out of reach for millions of people. In our cities, thousands have to worry about finding a place to sleep while new luxury high-rise buildings go up every year with half the units unoccupied. All the while, rent continues to increase every year, and families are forced out of their homes by developers and landlords who care more about profits than people.
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These challenges in housing have wide-reaching effects. In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, individuals without housing are at significantly higher-risk.
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Most Americans are one unexpected expense away from homelessness. This is an emergency that requires significant action.

As the son of immigrants, David doesn’t believe in closing the door behind him. We need to recognize that whether documented or undocumented, this country would not run without the work of millions of immigrants.. Regardless of documentation status, they deserve the same protections and rights afforded to all who choose to live in our country.

The science is clear, climate change is an existential threat. For six straight years, our planet set a record for the hottest year in history. 
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We need urgent action that is proportional to the threat.  Although this is an emergency, it is also an opportunity to revitalize our economy and infrastructure in a way that is sustainable. This will require a whole-of-nation approach, but in the process, we can create thousands of good-paying union jobs, lower the cost of energy, and ensure a habitable planet for future generations.

Hudson County has the largest LGBTQ+ community in New Jersey and David is committed to supporting them at every step.
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Given the recent news about Roe, it's more important than ever that we codify fundamental rights. These include marriage-equality as well as the right to self-identify and prohibiting all discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation
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Being an ally also means tackling the everyday injustices that disproportionately impact the LGBTQ+ community. These include higher rates of youth homelessness, job discrimination, incarceration, sexual violence, and substance abuse.

Unions empower the workers who make our economy function. David is a strong support of unions and in Congress he'll fight tirelessly to secure the right of every worker to collectively bargain. From his experience working in the environmental compliance and safety industry, David understands that unionized workers are more likely to assert their rights and report violations. He's also seen the inverse, where non-unionized workplaces are happy to pay a fine if it costs less than taking safety measures.

Other than passing federal legislation, David believes that unions are our best hope for ensuring that all workers receive a living wage, good benefits, and safe conditions. Our campaign is leading by example: our banking is union, our printing is union, and our mailing is union.

The coronavirus pandemic briefly overshadowed the gun violence pandemic that has been plaguing our communities and tearing apart families for years. In 2020, gun violence became the leading cause of death in the United States for children and adolescents. In 2022, we've averaged approximately one new mass shooting per day with that number expected to rise as we enter the summer. However, it's not just mass shootings. Gun violence has been disproportionately damaging low-income and communities of color.

David is committed to taking a strong stance against gun violence and is proud to have earned the Gun Sense Candidate Distinction from Moms Demand Action.