I love campaigning, but in the back of my mind there's always the fear that I'll catch the flu and need antibiotics. Getting sick is always a pain — but I’m also running for Congress, and I have no health insurance.

Here’s why: the federal government doesn’t let candidates spend our campaign funds on health insurance. Since many candidates quit their jobs to campaign full-time (myself included), the Federal Election Commission assumes we can pay for health care out of pocket — using savings or trust funds to pay thousands in insurance premiums.

But I was raised by working-class Bangladeshi immigrants who lived paycheck to paycheck. I’m 30 years old, have nearly $30,000 in student loans, and my savings are dwindling down to zero. So for the first time in history, I’m asking the federal government to let me spend campaign funds on health care — because working women need health care to run for office.

For decades, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has dictated that candidates can only spend campaign funds on campaign expenses like office space and staff wages, lawn signs and TV ads. The implicit assumption? The FEC thinks candidates can afford to pony up thousands of dollars for health insurance premiums for more than a year — taking on a massive new expense while we’re also losing our income from work. It’s no surprise then that many of the folks who decide to run for office are incredibly wealthy: They can easily absorb at least $440 a month in health insurance premiums. But I’m already using up my meager savings just to afford my apartment and low-cost meals until Election Day. Shelling out hundreds of dollars a month for health insurance would mean no cash for rent or ramen.

Working-class women are already asked to make massive sacrifices to run for office — and we face an uphill battle every day on the campaign trail. We give up jobs with crucial benefits like 401ks and health insurance to take on an unpaid job campaigning. We face skepticism, doubt, and not-so-subtle sexism when we express political ambition. And a campaign’s early viability is judged based on fundraising numbers — far easier to accumulate for a wealthy candidate with a vast network of high-dollar donors or the money to self-fund. With the deck already stacked against us, we’re then told that health care is not an appropriate campaign expense. It’s no surprise so few working-class candidates run in the first place.

I’ve had enough. Until we have Medicare for All, working-class people must be allowed to spend campaign funds on health care. I shouldn’t have to live in fear of massive medical debt from injury or illness on the campaign trail. And if the FEC allows working-class candidates to pay for health insurance while we campaign, this ruling won’t just keep us safe on the trail — it will allow far more working people to run for office. In 2018, when Congressional candidate Liuba Grechen Shirley won an FEC ruling to spend federal campaign funds on child care, she inspired nine women and men who were running for federal office to use the ruling in their favor during the last election cycle.

Our country is in desperate need of elected officials who actually represent our communities. Nearly 40% of U.S. Congress members are millionaires — and it shows in the tax cuts for the wealthy coming out of Washington. The data is clear: Congress responds more to the preferences of the wealthy than working people. If we want to pass a Green New Deal, end student debt, and provide Medicare for All, then we need a chorus of working-class voices in Congress to fight for transformative change.

I shouldn’t have to worry about catching the flu while I knock on doors or that getting into a car accident could lead to thousands of dollars in medical debt. It’s time for the FEC to remove a crucial barrier that stops working women from running for office and let us spend campaign funds on health care. We all know transformative change is led by working people — but we can’t change Washington if we can’t afford to get there.

Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Running for Office With Student Loans Is Practically Impossible

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