Hello, my name is Shelly Skolnick -- and I am seeking to be your Representative in Congress.

As a political moderate, I will work with both conservatives and liberals to end gridlock in Congress to solve our nation’s problems.

My campaign theme is "Make Congress Work Again".

My highest priority is for the federal government to live within its means.

I seek to end the 500 billion dollar deficits by setting a goal of a balanced budget in 4 years.

My balanced budget plan is guided by the principles of (a) tax fairly, (b) spend wisely and (c) strong Congressional oversight.

I offer new solutions to old challenges:

Improve Social Security by (a) removing the income cap on the withholding tax, and (b) increasing the maximum age from 70 to 75 for the annual 8% increase in monthly benefit.

Also, add a variable life insurance policy equal to 50% of the age 62 monthly benefit for every month from age 62 to when a person retires. The life insurance policy would decrease by the amount of benefits received after retirement.

Reform health insurance by expanding Medicare Part A (hospital care) to all U.S. citizens over a 4 year transition. The cost to be paid by a new value added tax that everyone would pay.

MAKE collage affordable by tuition grants up to $10,000 per year by converting PELL grants to SHELL grants for students who are volunteer first responders (fire fighter, EMS, police) or aides and tutors in public schools.

Improve veteran’s health care by also offering Medicare to veterans so they can go to VA and non-VA facilities and providers.

Increase Federal minimum wage to $10 per hour for workers with a high school degree. But exempt employers with less than 10 workers or less than $500,000 annual revenue.

These are some of my "new solutions."

With your support, I look forward to fighting for these – and other -- new solutions in the next Congress.

Thank you for listening.