Before her election to Congress, Kathy worked to expand access to early childhood education, college scholarships, workforce development, and assistance to those in need through nonprofit organizations including the United Way, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, the National Conference for Community and Justice, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Bennett College. She has also worked tirelessly on major projects to revitalize downtown Greensboro and spur economic development. Kathy was the first woman to chair the Board of the Jewish Federations of North America, one of the largest charitable, faith-based organizations in the world, which provides assistance to communities in need around the world.

As a member of the Education and Labor Committee, Kathy is a strong advocate for early childhood education and investments in school infrastructure and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Kathy is working to increase access to vocational and technical education and apprenticeship opportunities while making higher education more affordable. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kathy is leading legislation to improve access to mental health resources in schools.

As Vice Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee, Kathy is a vocal advocate for democracy and maintaining strong relationships with United States' allies, including Israel.

In addition to her leadership on the Education and Labor and Foreign Affairs Committees, Kathy is the Co-Chair of the House Bipartisan Taskforce for Combatting Antisemitism and a member of the New Democrat Coalition. Kathy is also recognized for her leadership to lower the cost of health care. Kathy is leading legislation to cap the out-of-pocket cost of prescription medications, expand access to maternal health care, and increase transparency in the pharmaceutical industry. Kathy fought to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month, which became law for seniors on Medicare in 2022. She has also been an outspoken supporter of expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to non-expansion states, and she's pleased that North Carolina looks poised to pass Medicaid expansion in 2023. During her first term in office, Kathy has brought more than $500 million home to the Triad through tax cuts for families with children, infrastructure investments, and funding for community projects that support public safety, curb learning loss, and improve community connectivity. Kathy and her team are also proud to have closed thousands of constituent cases and returned more than $2 million that was owed to constituents due to delayed IRS refunds and veterans' benefits.