10 questions for the candidates running for U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois

Chicago Tribune - 9/29/2020

Illinois has 18 congressional districts, and each one features a contested race this year. Several include third-party candidates.

Congressional districts are determined by overall state population. Illinois, due to shrinking population, could lose a seat in the U.S. House, possibly two, following the completion of the U.S. Census.

To learn more about the candidates running for Congress, read their Tribune questionnaires here:

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Voters should elect me and not my opponents because I am honest and hardworking, and not a political dinosaur. I’m not part of the entrenched, corrupt political machine that has neglected Chicago and 1st District for generations. My main priority is to see positive change in our communities, to see jobs created, and to improve our schools and provide meaningful education. Only a candidate with energy, vision and a willingness to work hard for our people can achieve any of that.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Education, jobs, entrepreneurship and social healing.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I would want to bring our factories back from China and create thousands of manufacturing jobs in 1st District. This would have a direct knock-on effect by taking away the attraction of joining a street gang, and would improve our communities immensely. This would also take stress away from our neighborhoods and families by providing real income and long term careers.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support the Law and Order candidate, Donald J. Trump. We can’t afford for our neighborhoods to be looted. We can’t allow minority-owned businesses to be burned to the ground. Our children need to live in safe communities, and only Trump is standing against the mob.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Yes, of course. If these programs are responsibly managed and are part of a cohesive fiscal infrastructure, they’re not at risk.

However, they must be well managed and must remain outside of partisan wrangling.

What do you view as the government’s obligation, if any, to help American workers secure health insurance? Do you support the creation or continuation of a program, such as Medicare for All or Obamacare? Do you have a different idea? If you support a government-related insurance plan, how would you pay for it?

These questions also must be outside of partisan wrangling. Health care reform is important, and President Obama made a valiant effort to introduce a new system, but it wasn’t thought through completely. The government could act as a co-sponsor of health care plans and introduce a co-pay system that is linked to income. This would provide much needed assistance and would be less open to fraud and corruption if prudently implemented.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Loss of American factory jobs to China

Foreign and Domestic Terrorism

Human/Sex Trafficking

Threat number One can be partly eradicated by bringing our factories back from China and creating manufacturing jobs in our American cities. This would give us security over our very critical pharmaceuticals, and also our software and hardware production, some of which has been corrupted by malware.

COVID-19 has destroyed jobs. The economy needs to be rebuilt. What policy steps should Congress take (beyond stimulus money or bailouts) in the next year to create as many jobs and as much prosperity as possible?

Congress should make every effort to bring our factories back from China and create manufacturing jobs in our American cities.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I’m running as an Independent.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

Through sheer tenacity, I will be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

My vision has been consistent throughout my time in office. I remain committed to serving and being available to my constituents, both in Washington and at home. I work very hard as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and as a member of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce and the Subcommittee on Health to ensure that our work is representative of the country, as a whole, and that it represents the diversity of voices that make up my district. I am proud to say that, as a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I have encouraged my colleagues to embrace this outlook on the committees on which they serve. I further believe that it is my duty to maintain an open-door policy and remain available to my constituents.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Violence prevention;

Jobs; and

Increased access to educational opportunities.

While they may seem separate, all three of these issues are interconnected. A lack of educational opportunities leads to a lack of jobs, which is a key factor in the rise in violence. We must do what we can to stem the violence that exists today while we work to prevent it from increasing. That is why I was proud to host the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health at Kennedy–King College, where we discussed the epidemic of gun violence as a public health issue and possible solutions. Furthermore, I have introduced legislation to require a national registration system for firearms as well as to make gun trafficking -- which is responsible for so many of the illegal guns in Chicagoland -- a federal offense. I have also introduced legislation that will help retrain workers for new economy jobs by providing them the skills and education they need to succeed. Furthermore, I have introduced legislation to increase educational and employment opportunities in the healthcare industry by providing funding to attract, recruit, and retain students through scholarships, stipends, and mentorship programs for individuals from underrepresented groups. I remain committed to finding new and innovative ways to address these issues and whatever else my constituents may face. These problems, however, are not limited to Chicago or Illinois, but are prevalent across the country. While the solutions I have proposed would benefit Chicago, they would also benefit the nation as a whole.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Addressing Chicago’s ongoing gun violence epidemic is one of my most urgent priorities. Too many families across my district, and across Chicagoland, have suffered the grief of losing a loved one to gun violence. Even during the coronavirus pandemic, Chicago endured its most devastating month of gun violence in over 28 years. In light of these continued tragedies and my commitment to ending this cycle, I recently secured $1.5 million in additional funding for community-based violence prevention programs and will continue to fight for my legislation to make firearms trafficking a federal offense as well as legislation to create a national firearms registry.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Presidential candidate Joe Biden and Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris will bring the United States back to the level of democracy we’ve stood on to empower the lives of American citizens and to people who seek a better life. Their vision and experience will work towards healing the social, educational and economic divide the current White House administration has manifested for the last four years.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Many seniors depend on Social Security as their only source of income, therefore Social Security must be protected and enhanced to ensure its solvency. To protect Social Security, we must fight against privatization and lift the cap on Social Security contributions for the highest income levels without reducing benefits. Instead, we should expand benefits and increase cost-of-living adjustments. To protect Medicare, we must make the system more efficient. We can do this by lowering prescription drug costs, including by allowing Medicare to directly negotiate with drug manufacturers to reduce prices.

I remain committed to increasing access to affordable, quality, and comprehensive health care for everyone. That is why I have cosponsored legislation to implement Medicare for All since 2005 and, as a senior Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, have helped to advance legislation to enact and strengthen the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Further, I have introduced legislation that brings down the price of prescription drugs by increasing competition, as well as legislation that eliminates out-of-pocket costs for insulin and increases access to screenings for vulnerable populations. I was also proud to vote for the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which, for the first time, allows Medicare to negotiate reduced prescription drug prices, institutes a cap on out-of-pocket costs for seniors, and provides vision, dental, and hearing benefits for Medicare recipients.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

The three biggest threats to our national security are domestic terrorism, disinformation online, and our adversaries' ongoing global expansion. In terms of global expansion, China continues to saber-rattle in East Asia. It has done so through the erosion of democracy and institutions in Hong Kong, the public development of weapons systems intended to strike U.S. assets in the region, and the continued development of a military presence in key shipping lanes (which pose a direct threat to global commerce and, in turn, the U.S. economy). At the same time, Russia continues its ambitions unchecked. What started with the invasion and illegal annexation of territories in Georgia and Ukraine has developed into a situation where Russia is actively sowing division in the U.S., interfering in our elections, and, most recently, paying bounties in Afghanistan for attacks on U.S. forces and engaging in direct confrontation with our forces in Syria. One of the most important things we, as a country, can do is to not allow these bad actors to go unpunished. We must not coddle their leaders but, instead, hold them accountable. For example, instead of praising Vladimir Putin and calling him “very smart,” as President Trump has done, we must hold his feet to the fire and make it clear that his continued assault on American lives and on American democracy will not go unpunished.

Small businesses are the engine that drive our economy. We need to make sure that those businesses -- and their workers -- have the resources they need to make it through this crisis and ultimately recover once we are past this pandemic. We must ensure that our small businesses remain strong, so that our economy can rebuild and people have the ability to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. As such, I was pleased to vote for the CARES Act, which created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). I am fully committed to this program which -- while not perfect and not flawlessly implemented -- has provided the necessary resources for businesses to maintain their payroll, hire back employees who may have been laid off, and cover applicable overhead. I have voted for legislation like the HEROES Act, which would expand the PPP, particularly for minority- and women-owned businesses. I have also pushed for additional funding for this program and much-needed transparency on where this funding is going. Additionally, we must ensure access to capital. Black banks have long served low- and moderate-income neighborhoods by providing mortgages, opportunities to build credit, and welcoming places to deposit earnings, but they are now in danger of disappearing. I have introduced legislation to strengthen these critical institutions, which have buoyed their neighborhoods by boosting economic growth, promoting civic participation, and even reducing crime rates.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

While I am proud to serve as a Democrat, I will always do what I think is best for my district, our state, and the country. That is why I have not always voted with the party line on important issues. Last Congress, for example, I reached across the aisle and worked with my Republican colleagues to ensure access to treatment for those suffering from substance use disorder. Through this cooperation, I was able to secure access to treatment for a broader range of people than would have otherwise been impacted. Ultimately, this expansion also led many Democrats, myself included, to vote for the final bill. Earlier this Congress, House Democratic Leadership put forth a resolution condemning the racism and vitriol of Rep. Steve King. I was the only member of the House of Representatives, Democrat or Republican, that did not support this resolution. I made that choice because I felt that his statements and actions warranted a stronger response than a simple condemnation.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

The most significant accomplishment of my current term was securing passage of H.R. 35, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill, which would establish lynching as a federal crime, represents the first time in over 100 years that the U.S. House of Representatives voted on anti-lynching legislation. I was proud to see it pass with broad bipartisan support, 410–4, but have been dismayed at how it has been treated in the U.S. Senate

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

The voters should consider the past 27 year performance of the incumbent and measure the outcomes of what is and has been lacking in the leadership that they have entrusted to represent them on a Federal level. It is unfortunate, that the communities where Black people live in the district seem to have declined in a number of areas: loss of manufacturing companies, jobs, health facilities, schools, training and the list goes on and on. Yet, funding from the Federal government has been given to the district for improvements for infrastructures, educational and vocational programs, veterans needs, health facilities, including medical needs, etc. But the same communities seem to either remain stagnant or have and continue to decline to the determent of the constituents. The incumbent has become complacent and has lost touch with the people. That is why the voters should elect me, based on my record and involvement directly in the community as an active member on a park district board, as a past ward committeewoman, advocating for the rights and dignity of our veterans and wiliness to go into ALL the district communities including those residing in low income, mobile and temporary housing. These are areas where the greatest level of compassion and resources, yet they are the most neglected and written off as hopeless. These are just an example why the voters should elect me over my opponent. I offer them a New Choice and a Better Way. If after 27 years you failed to sponsor major legislation that directly impacts the communities but have left doubt instead, it is time to be replaced. I am hoping the constituents will see that the only sensible change for the District is to elect me as their congresswoman. I am willing to accept term limits so others may continued to build on the successes I established during my term of office.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

My highest priorities for Illinois and the nation are:

1) School choice. Allowing parents to choose where their child will go to receive a quality education. This includes private, faith-based and homeschooling. This would also allow the funds to follow the child instead of through the local government.

2) American First. Bringing back manufacturing, securing the southern border and supporting law and order. This would ensure that Americans receive the benefits due them as citizens and will create a pipeline for a stronger economy and quicker recovery, as more Americans become gainfully employed and confident in providing for their families.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

The one issue I would prioritize is Education. Parents deserve the right to determine the best educational options for their children without having to feel pressured by government overreach. Children learn in different ways and there is no one better advocate than the parents to continue to guide their child through their educational journey. The money that goes to public education is fraught with self-interests groups that are advocating for issues beyond the education of the student. This is something parents do not appreciate. Nor should their tax dollars be spent to fund the local government run schools which oftentimes waste it on issues other than educating students. I will help parents utilize their earned tax dollars in ways that give greater options and more direct involvement in their child’s education without it causing financial impact on the entire family such as when teachers go on strike bargaining for higher wages, etc. I would also advocate for a reasonable tuition for American citizens instead of the unfair current student loan system that hurts generations of students seeking higher education options, but face years of debt. This system is antiquated and needs to be replaced and/or eliminated entirely with one that works to build futures after graduation not to force one into financial decline and destitute.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Donald J. Trump asked the Black community five years ago, “What do you have to lose?” He said that in reference to taking a chance to vote for him as the 45th President of the United States of America. In doing so, he forced Black Americans to take a hard look at the current state of their lives, family, community and country. He forced us to echo the question: What DO we have to lose? When Blacks residing in urban areas run by a one party system, (Democrats) in many cases it was a hard but necessary question to consider. When we looked at the decline in jobs over the previous eight years prior to a President Trump administration, we had to be truthful about the situation, its causes and the facts. And many of us did face the reality that jobs, services, education and liberties declined and got worse under the previous administration. So we took the chance, we voted for the businessman, we saw the promises made, were kept and we saw record employment among Blacks and the unemployment rate decrease too. We saw regulations cut, roads being built, the economy bouncing back, and we knew then as we know now that Donald Trump cares and loves this country and it shows through his ACTIONS despite the propaganda, rhetoric and disinformation from those that only oppose him because of his personality or a loss of their candidate of choice. We understood that it would take a businessman that knows what it means to build not only a nation, but its people as well. Trump has done that, amid all the opposition, and we are confident that with those who took a change the first time to elect him, will do so again and he will be able to accomplish even more during his second term. I will proudly stand with him to assist him with keeping America great!

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I reserve my answer until further research is done.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

I reserve my answer until further research is done.

Congress must act in the manner they were elected for and that is to represent the will of the constituents that elected them to office. What we currently have are a select group of individuals that are more consumed with their own agendas instead of the good of the nation. Thus, they refuse to allow the president to do his job, and they are unwilling to assist him in doing so. Until congress realizes that they are standing in the path of progress by constantly rejecting anything this administration wants to do to put their country first, COVID will be just the first in many issues that will arise. COVID didn’t destroy jobs, the leaders in congress did by making this a political issue instead of banning together as a nation and facing the truth about its origins and providing swift protections so that the economy didn’t have to shut down. Congress must put aside partisan fighting and realize we are one nation, and start working toward and building it up together.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

N/A

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

N/A

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I have worked at every level of government from the state to federal levels and have been successful in representing my constituents. Since being sworn into Congress in 2013 – I have continued my tireless advocacy for gun violence prevention. Gun violence continues to be an issue that plagues our communities, especially on the South side of Chicago. I have also fought to end health disparities in communities of color. I have brought a national spotlight to the issue of maternal mortality in the black community through my work with my fellow members of the House and Senate. I have a proven track record of successes and a record of working in a bipartisan manner with my colleagues to ensure that we legislate not just for our constituents but for all Americans. I have also worked through outreach to inform my constituents, municipalities, and businesses programs, grants and other opportunities available to them to help them succeed. Our housing programs, grant workshops, small business events. My office has worked hard in the community to save thousands of dollars for my constituents.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

My highest priorities for Illinois and the Nation are to ensure that health disparities that exist in the American health care system are ended. Whether that be by ensuring equitable treatment regardless of race and ethnicity, or by ensuring that the poorest Americans have access to healthcare without going into debt or bankruptcy.

Second, I would like to finally pass strong gun violence legislation that would end straw purchases and illegal gun trafficking across state lines. Additionally, ensuring that gun violence can be studied as a public health issue by the CDC to assist in finding ways to prevent more American’s from dying as a result of gun violence.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I will prioritize decreasing health disparities in general but given the situation we find ourselves in a situation where COVID has really exposed health disparities, I am planning to ensure that all Americans have access to health care through either telehealth or in traditional facilities. Additionally, reducing the number of minorities who suffer and die from COVID-19 by enhanced data reporting and healthcare access. Finally, I would continue to work on legislation that would ensure a safe and trustworthy vaccine that will be available to everyone regardless of income or ethnicity.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support Joe Biden because I believe first and foremost, he can help bring this country back together. Right now, this country is divided and is hurting. I also feel he is the right person to deal with COVID and healthcare in general. He has a plan - I know because I sat on his health policy task force. He will also find innovative solutions to tackle issues such as gun violence, the environment and immigration. I also feel VP Biden will mend relationships internationally. He already has a good reputation internationally. The U.S. will be regarded as a leader again under his leadership. Finally, Joe Biden will pick judges that are more in line with my values and those of the majority of Americans.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I am very concerned about the future solvency of the Social Security and Medicare programs – I know we must work on solutions to shore up these programs for future generations. In the short term we must reverse the payroll tax holiday – those taxes pay directly for the Social Security and Medicare programs.The simplest solution with the biggest impact would be to raise taxes on the highest income earners for example those earners who have become billionaires during the pandemic must be required to pay their fair share.

Also, investing broadband and expanding telehealth is good for Medicare. Telehealth visits are less costly than in-person visits and will improve outcomes which creates a healthier and less costly elder population.

Yes, I believe the government should help American workers secure health insurance. I am a supporter of continuing and expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Many workers are not offered adequate health insurance or health insurance at all by their employers. It must be a priority for all Americans to have health insurance in order to close the gaping health disparities that have existed in the healthcare system for centuries. I would also like to see a public option added to offerings individuals can chose to enroll in.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

a) Foreign interference by Russia and China in our elections.

b) Nuclear Proliferation

c) Cyber Security

Foreign interference in our free and democratic elections is the biggest threat to our national security. Americans have always prided themselves on being a beacon of democracy for the rest of the world, but we cannot remain that example for others if we cannot keep our elections safe from interference by foreign governments. The implications of disrupted elections have long lasting and potentially irreversible repercussions that will put our lives and the lives of our fellow citizens in danger. We must ensure that our various intelligence agencies have the tools they need to keep our country safe. We need to call out the interference and make sure companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, Snapchat and others work with us on these issues.

The federal government should invest in job creation and employee retraining programs through public private partnerships with community colleges, vocational programs, and job training centers for apprenticeships and IT job training. We must also create opportunities for these programs and others to provide childcare for parents who are working or are trying to re-enter the workforce but have had schools close due to COVID-19. Finally, we must focus on passing infrastructure legislation to rebuild the aging infrastructure across America that we have relied on and will continue to rely on once we’ve gotten past the slump created by COVID-19. These infrastructure projects include roads, railways, bridges, and expanded broadband especially in rural communities as well as infrastructure around health care and education.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

During the 115th congress, I opposed, the then numbered, H.R.5788 STOP Act of 2018 because it broadly expanded penalties for drug offenses, concentrated power within the Department of Justice, punished people who lack criminal intent, and over criminalized certain behavior. Additionally, there was a last-minute amendment that changed the bill’s language and would have harmed the post office and benefited private shippers – I was one of only 52 members of Congress who opposed this bill.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

This congress my most significant accomplishments are: having my bill requiring data collection reporting COVID data including race and ethnicity information by the CDC included in the CARES legislation. As an avid champion for maternal health and reducing maternal mortality - I have also had my bill mandating Medicaid extension past 60 days for new mothers in the ACA expansion bill currently slated for a vote by the House of Representatives. Finally, I have also been working hard to address the health disparities in the African American community caused by systemic inequalities which have been made clear to us by the COVID-19 global pandemic – I have hosted numerous round tables with experts from across the healthcare spectrum to find ways to bring attentionand address these disparities that exist in our healthcare system.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I am not an entrenched politician. I am a regular person who stepped up to solve our district’s, and our nation’s, challenges that have been ignored for decades. While my opponent tries to take away your Constitutional Rights, I protect and defend your constitutional rights. While my opponent is still looking for solutions (“committed to finding solutions”), I have over 30 bills and solutions on my website. While my opponent supports de-funding our police, I support police / community initiatives to improve safety in our communities. While my opponent has voted in favor of late-term and post-birth abortion more than 5 times, I will protect life, while protecting the women facing unplanned pregnancies. While my opponent calls religion “voodoo” (Chicago Tribune, 4/14/13), I protect and defend religious liberty.

My Freedom Health Bill provides you with more choices, better care, and greatly reduced costs, while putting cold hard cash in your pocket each month (avg. $900 per month). My opponent supports healthcare that will destroy Medicare for our seniors, while my Freedom Health Bill will ensure it will be around for 100 more years. While my opponent wants to bring jobs that only pay $35K per year, I have plans and initiatives to bring jobs that pay upwards of $50K per year. While my opponent wants you to merely survive, I want you to thrive and prosper!

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Reforming our education system so every child succeeds, allowing for more flexibility for the modern family, and making sure there are NO cracks for our children to slip through. I support school choice and even curriculum choice within our public schools. See this link for details.

Reforming healthcare to reduce the financial burden, while ensuring there are NO cracks in our healthcare system, saving Medicare for our beloved seniors, and giving every American the freedom to go to ANY provider they want, while driving down the costs of healthcare. See this link for more details.

Bringing high paying, entry-level jobs back into the 2nd district, investment in mentorships (for youth, for entrepreneurs, for young couples), and expanding vocational training throughout the district.

Reforming criminal justice so the people coming out of prison will be better than they were when they entered prison, with a strong emphasis on rehabilitation. See this link for details.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I already have bills drafted and ready to be introduced into Congress on Day One. My priority will be to spend my time in Washington garnering the support of my colleagues to get these bills through the committees, passed in the House, through the Senate, and signed into law.

I will focus primarily on the four issues in the previous question (education, healthcare, jobs, and criminal justice reform) and the bills to support those plans. Although I will be fighting for all the bills I introduce, those four issues are my top priority. I cannot pick a “single” issue because there are too many critical issues in the 2nd district. These four are critically vital to the survival of the great people of the second district.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Record level funding for HBCUs and permanently funded HBCUs; lowest unemployment numbers (pre-COVID) in 50 years (Black, Hispanic, Women, Youth); “Right to Try” for terminally ill patients to try experimental treatments; VA Choice and VA Accountability; U.S. Embassy moved to Jerusalem after numerous presidents failed; USMCA; Opportunity Zones, which unleash the funds to invest in economically disadvantaged communities; The First Step Act, led to the release of many people from excessive sentences, especially minorities; Tax Cuts for the poor and middle classes; eliminated ACA individual mandate (it punished people for not being able to afford healthcare); and so much more lead me to support President Donald J. Trump. You may not like his rhetoric, but his policies and actions have earned my support. Biden and Harris have both been in politics for decades and have supported policies that led to the mass incarceration of minorities which I do NOT support.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

My Freedom Health Bill will save Medicare for at least 100 more years. Plus, it will lower the cost of the premium being deducted from Social Security checks, until no premiums are deducted. This will make Medicare free to our seniors, allowing them to keep more of their Social Security checks. It will also have Medicare operating with a surplus, which we can use to keep Social Security solvent. It also saves over $200 billion per year from Medicare, while improving benefits and care for our low-income individuals and families. This can also be used to keep Social Security solvent.

My Freedom Health Bill, solves all of the major problems we see in the health care industry. It lowers costs for everyone. Businesses would save 20% on their health care costs for their employees. The American worker would have an average $900 back in their pocket each month. It saves taxpayers over $200 billion per year. It separates health care from employment so you can make employment decisions independent of health care. It eliminates the discrimination of Medicaid recipients, while providing far better care. It saves Medicare for the next 100 years. It is streamlined so you do not have to keep changing health care plans. You can choose any provider, not from a pre-determined list of providers. Pre-existing conditions are covered and are no longer a life sentence. It drives down the cost of health care for everyone. You can use your health care dollars for anyone – adult children of all ages, parents, grandparents, friends, and even strangers.

My Freedom Health Bill takes the headache out of health care and simplifies it so everyone can understand their health care options.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

We have many national security threats. Three that I see as critical are our crumbling infrastructure, cybersecurity, and education. We need our infrastructure healthy and strong so when the need arises, resources can be mobilized and transported. Cybersecurity is critical because with sub-par cybersecurity, we as a nation and as individuals are left vulnerable from cyber- attacks from the other side of the world.

Education may seem like an odd one, but this year we have seen the explosion of domestic terrorist and anarchy in our streets. Rioting and looting have become the norm. This stems from the indoctrination of our youth to hate America. Our public education system is so bad that 2/3 of our high school students are not meeting the minimum expectations in English. Instead of preparing our children for a successful future career or success in college, we are just teaching them to hate and to destroy what others have built. We cannot improve America by tearing it down. My Educating For Success bill will bring that self-esteem and pride back by removing the reward/punishment scheme of the current education system. Instead it is focused on advancement once a student has mastered the material from the previous section and they advance at their own individual pace, in each subject. It also teaches our children how to think for themselves and use logic and reasoning skills to formulate answers and solutions. When we build our children up, they will become the builders of tomorrow.

We need to bring more manufacturing jobs back, especially into the 2nd Congressional District, which has been decimated in the past 30 years. With the passage of the Industrial Production of Hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill, the door is open for products made from hemp. Hemp can be made into 50,000 different products. Our farmers in the southern part of the district are excited about growing hemp because it is inexpensive to grow. We can utilize our existing, previously abandoned factories throughout the district to bring hemp manufacturers to the district and get our people back to work in high-paying, entry-level jobs.

I also plan to invest in mentorship programs for entrepreneurs to start their own businesses, so they be successful.

There are a lot of legitimate work-at-home companies for people who are unable to work outside the home. I have even worked for some of them.

My Educating For Success bill also provides for career and vocational training of our youth to prepare them for a career immediately after high school.

I will also be in constant contact with my counterparts in the Illinois General Assembly to ensure they are reducing tax rates so businesses will stop fleeing Illinois, especially Cook County, and start returning to Illinois.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

When it comes to immigrants who are here illegally, there is a split in my party. Some want to deport everyone here illegally. Some want to grant amnesty. I think both are extremist positions that will not solve the problem. We need immigration reform to streamline the process. There are many people who have been deported over a dozen times, which proves it is just wasting money because they keep coming back.

My Solving Immigration Together bill provides a pathway to citizenship. It allows for asylum and refugee statuses. It also provides a blueprint of what needs to be done to “right the wrong” done to American citizens (both natural born and naturalized) and our immigrants who are here legally. However, each part of this pathway is designed to prepare the individual to not just become a citizen, but to prepare them for success once they become citizens. I want them to fully understand their rights and responsibilities as a citizen, so no one can take advantage of them or violate their constitutional rights.

I am working on a caveat to add to my bill to seek justice for those who were extorted by coyotes and/or trafficked. We need to protect people who are being victimized.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I am a very outspoken woman. I have already been getting media attention and I will continue to put myself out there to make sure we are heard. When I say “we”, I mean the people of the second district because I will be their voice, their megaphone, in Washington. We want our nation’s problems solved. We are tired of the partisan bickering. It is time for someone with solutions to bring them to Washington and know how to push the right buttons to get heard and get those solutions through their respective committees and passed through both chambers and signed by the president. I will not be silenced, sidelined, or benched when it comes to fighting for the future of the second district and fighting for the incredible people of this nation!

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

My solutions for the 3rd Congressional District are mainstream, common-sense, bold, and aligned with the values of our community. When Dan Lipinski lost his Primary Election, we lost one of the most commonsense, bipartisan voices in Congress and replaced him with socialist Marie Newman. Marie Newman’s plans aren’t focused on the 3rd District, they are taken from the most extreme leftists in Washington. Her plans for healthcare, the environment, the economy, and every other issue are aligned with socialists Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez--they certainly don’t reflect the mainstream and commonsense values of our community. When I am elected to represent you in Congress, I will join the same caucus that mainstream Congressman Dan Lipinski was part of, “The Problem Solvers Caucus,” because I will be a Congressman that actually takes action and solves problems.

If I am honored to represent the district in Congress, I will bring mainstream, commonsense solutions to our nation’s capital that are aligned with the values of our 3rd District residents.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

When I go to cast my vote on legislation, my thought will be “does this make the lives of families and small businesses in our community better?” I will push forward legislation that lowers taxes, creates a better way of life for families and seniors, and improves the business climate of our district. I will ensure America stays energy independent while developing commonsense solutions to protect our environment. And I will address healthcare by improving services and lowering costs for all Americans.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I have proudly pledged to join the Problem Solvers Caucus, the same caucus that incumbent Dan Lipinski is a member of. By working with Democrats and Republicans we will be able to find solutions to the issues that are impacting American’s everyday lives.

There are many important issues my campaign has focused on, from providing much-needed tax relief to working people, improving our healthcare system by making improvements to the Affordable Care Act, to a realistic energy policy, but the most pressing issue in our nation today and the world is COVID-19 and the fallout from the pandemic.

Specifically, we need to address the hemorrhaging of millions of jobs, the closing and bankruptcies of countless employers, and the civil unrest in our nation’s cities. These are big jobs and the solutions for them will not come from one political party, they will need to be bipartisan. I am the only candidate that has pledged to work on a bipartisan basis and the only candidate with solutions that are grounded in the values of the people of the 3rd Congressional District. I support strong and continued action by the federal government to help our families and economy recover from the pandemic. I strongly support the CARES Act and Paycheck Protection Program, and I am currently on the CARES Act Committee with Will County. I am confident in the American spirit of ingenuity and believe that this is a temporary, though devastating, set back to our lives and our economy.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

President Trump successfully jump-started our economy and created millions of jobs, he is actively working to ensure American safety by securing the border, his foreign policy hasn’t landed the United States into new wars, he was successful at dismantling ISIS, and has provided much needed regulatory relief to American businesses while working to make our government more accountable. Finally, our economy was firing on all cylinders until we were hit with COVID-19 and I believe that with appropriate action President Trump will lead us to a V-shaped economic recovery.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

As part of the Problem Solvers Caucus' national strategic agenda, I believe we can work on a bipartisan basis to secure Medicare and social security for the next 75 years. This would be a process of uniting behind big goals and achieving them. This happened when President Clinton and Speaker Newt Gingrich worked to balance the budget in the 1990s and it worked in the 1980s when President Reagan and Speaker Tip O’Neill worked together to fix the tax code and Social Security.

Also, we must reform the cost of living adjustments to more accurately reflect the needs of senior citizens. Specifically, I have called for the use of the consumer price index for the elderly, CPI-E to be used moving forward and would sponsor legislation to ensure that change is made.

We must also work to fix obvious issues with Medicare which would save money and not reduce benefits. These would include a laundry list of action items including: Expanding bundled payments and promoting new payment models, reducing preventable readmissions and unnecessary complications, expanding drug rebates, adopting competitive bidding for Medicare Advantage, and limiting medical malpractice claims that are frivolous. Just these outlined changes would save taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars on an annual basis.

The American people deserve the best medical care in the world. Our healthcare system has many challenges, but can improve the system without tearing down our entire healthcare structure. Working people of the 3rd District should always be able to keep their employer-based and union-negotiated insurance. We can improve our current healthcare system with forward-thinking policies that lower costs and improve access while ensuring no one loses access to their doctors and all pre-existing conditions are covered.

Marie Newman has adopted the most extreme approach to healthcare, by using Bernie Sanders ‘Medicare for all’ plan that even many Democrats have rejected. It isn’t just radical polity, it is dangerous and dishonest. The $32 trillion of new spending proposed in ‘Medicare for all’ would result in massive tax hikes for every single American taxpayer, not just the wealthy. The plan would limit access to doctors, stop people from being able to see their current physician, increase doctor and hospital wait times, and overload our emergency rooms. We can do better. Republicans and Democrats must come together in Washington and bring forward a comprehensive solution that keeps the best parts of the Affordable Care Act, like protections for pre-existing coverage, while driving down healthcare costs. Americans should be free to choose affordable insurance plans from anywhere in the country that meet the needs of their families. We must have increased insurance company competition which will lead to significant cost savings for 3rd District families.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

1) Russian attempts to undermine American Democracy

2) Domestic Extremism

3) Production of medication, PPE, and other healthcare supplies

We’ve now had a bright light shown upon the fact that the United States is much too dependent on manufacturers in China and other nations for specific types of products. It is a direct threat to our national security to have a vast majority of our over the counter and prescription drugs, as well as medical equipment produced overseas.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had numerous constituents talk to me directly about this concern. No matter who is president, I will work in a bipartisan fashion to create legislation that requires more staple mediations, PPE and medical supplies to be made in the United States. I would do this by creating incentives for companies who manufacturer these much needed good here in our country. In the 3rd district, we have the capacity, the workforce, and the transportation systems to be a leader in the production of these goods.

We certainly can’t use Marie Newman’s socialist policies to restore our economy. Her plans for healthcare and energy would likely more than double taxes on every single American taxpayer. We should be cutting payroll taxes and incentivizing companies to bring back their companies from overseas to create good-paying American jobs.

That said, nothing will rebuild our economy faster than a national vaccination program for COVID-19. Once the vaccine or vaccines are available for COVID-19, we need to invest in a nationwide education campaign to encourage everyone to get vaccinated. When people being to feel safe again, I know that we’ll thrive again.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

We must have a better energy policy that considers our environment. In Will County, I am proud to be a Republican that is respected for protecting our environment. My comprehensive energy plan is meant to reduce our reliance on foreign oil, protect our environment, and unleash American innovation.

Our energy policy must take an aggressive and forward-looking approach. We must use all our nation’s resources and fully take advantage of our American ingenuity. Our policy must be comprehensive, knowing that we will not be completely changing from a fossil fuel-based economy overnight, but forward-thinking, knowing that we must move to more sustainable, renewable energy sources. No American energy plan is complete without the use of natural gas, solar, wind, and nuclear power. We can fully balance being energy independent, protecting our environment, and growing our economy to create jobs for American workers.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

The decision in this campaign is not between an incumbent and a challenger, but their still will be a great deal of difference between the way Marie Newman is in Congress and the way I will be. In addition to my mainstream approach vs Marie Newman’s extreme approach, I have an extensive public record as an elected official who has brought forward mainstream, commonsense solutions to move our community forward. As a Member of the Will County Board since 2012, I’ve run up a record of accomplishments. During my tenure as Finance Chairman, we reduced tax rates 4 years in a row while improving services. We found waste in government and we cut it. We also reduced overtime in various county departments, saving taxpayers millions of dollars annually. While I worked to keep Will County fiscally on track, I oversaw the “Building Will County Financial Plan” to move our county forward. The plan included a new Public Safety Facility, a new 911 Center, a new County Court House, and a new county health center. We accomplished all this without a tax increase. That’s the type of leadership I will bring to Washington if you elect me the next Congressperson for the 3rd District.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Our country is struggling, Illinois is struggling, and our community here in Illinois' Third District is struggling. This pandemic, and the tragic lack of any coordinated national response, has left millions of Americans out of work, millions without access to healthcare, and has brought our economy to its lowest point since the Great Depression. My goal has always been to work with my community to address deep economic inequities that are growing larger and faster than ever, and to build an economy that works for all of us. Now, that goal is more important than it ever has been. I am committed to working with colleagues in Congress to fast-track immediate relief for the millions of families across this country who are struggling to keep food on the table and shelters over their heads. As we work to get that done, the next step will be to fight for a stimulus package that will create good paying American jobs in our district and give local small businesses the flexibility and leeway they need to compete, because it’s Main Street, not Wall Street, that will pull our economy out of this crisis. While my opponent seems more interested in defending President Trump on social media, I have a plan to address our struggling economy and am ready to go on day one.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

First and foremost we need continued and more robust relief for workers and working families. I will immediately work with my peers to fight for extended unemployment relief, an extended paycheck protection program, more Small Business Administration loans for the struggling small businesses in our District, and relief for renters and homeowners. Second, we need to address our broken healthcare system. COVID-19 has demonstrated that a system where a majority of Americans rely on their employer for health insurance is uniquely vulnerable to the effects of a global pandemic, and equally unsustainable and inefficient under normal conditions. I will be a fierce advocate for universal healthcare because I believe it is a moral and economic imperative. Universal healthcare will provide necessary relief to small business owners and over 156 million Americans who are reliant on their employer for health coverage. And as we rebuild, we must work to build an economy that works for all of us by addressing economic inequities. We need to ensure corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share, we need to make education more affordable to everyone, regardless of where you live, we need to fight climate change by investing in a green economy and creating good paying American jobs.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I would prioritize the crumbling infrastructure in Illinois' Third District and the need for substantial investments in infrastructure improvements, in public transportation, and in the creation of a green economy to create jobs and opportunities for small businesses here in our community. My goal is to work with leaders at every level of government in the Third to identify major problems and priority projects, as well as opportunities to embrace new green and renewable technologies and initiatives.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

We desperately need a change of leadership in the White House, and I believe that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will lead our country out of the disaster that President Trump and his administration have created. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have real plans for putting the pieces back together, for raising wages, creating good paying jobs, protecting and expanding access to healthcare, and building an economy that works for all of us.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I support H.R.860, the Social Security 2100 Act, which would guarantee Social Security benefits for all, increase benefits for those receiving Social Security today, extend benefits to low-wage workers, protect Social Security for the remainder of the 21st century, and Include a tax cut for middle-income seniors and Social Security beneficiaries who are required to pay federal income tax on their benefits. Additionally, we must do all we can to prevent privatization of Social Security. Much like insurance companies today, privatizing Social Security will allow for more exemptions and seniors' already-fixed incomes to stagnate and income inequality to grow. We can’t risk placing Social Security in the hands of private investors; doing so jeopardizes seniors' life earnings. I would also support legislation to lower the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 60.

I believe that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. Period. As COVID-19 has demonstrated, our current healthcare system is fragile, inefficient, and incapable of providing quality care to those who need it most. The Affordable Care act has made life easier for people and has brought insurance to over 20,000 people in my district. I would support any legislation meant to strengthen the program, but ultimately I believe that Medicare for All will give hard working families in my district the most security and peace of mind moving forward. Adopting Medicare for All will remove costs like doctor visits, ambulance trips, blood tests, and completely cover vision, dental, and prescription drugs as well. These costs are paid for by ensuring everyone in the country pays their taxes, raising taxes on the ultra-wealthy, and appropriating federal funds to ensure the process is administered smoothly.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

The rise of right wing extremism

Climate change

China

The spread of right wing extremism across this country, often fueled and stoked by President Trump, is terrifying and something that we need to address. Similarly, the growing threat of China’s authoritarian rule and market dominance is an issue that our current President has failed to adequately address. That said, I believe that the single greatest threat to our national security is climate change. 2020 is on track to be the hottest year ever recorded, fires are raging across the west, and warming and rising seas are making hurricane season more devastating and damaging. If we don’t curb global carbon emissions in the immediate future, we stand a very good chance of leaving this world uninhabitable for our children and grandchildren. I believe that fighting climate change and growing our economy are not mutually exclusive, and that we can save our planet while creating good paying American jobs. We do this by investing in the creation of a green energy economy, infrastructure improvements and transportation innovation.

Beyond stimulus, there are two immediate steps that should be taken to rebuild our economy. First, we need to address the obstacles faced by small businesses. Here in the Third District, small businesses make up roughly 80% of our overall economy. We need to shift the tax burden from these small business owners to the largest corporations in our country who are paying virtually nothing. Next, we need to revise Dodd-Frank to give small business owners access to the capital they need to grow. The second step that we need to immediately take is to stop the attack on organized labor. I will fight to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, to advance card check legislation, and to repeal section 14(b) of Taft Hartley which has allowed 28 states to pass right to work laws.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

As stated above, I am an avid proponent of small business and believe that the Democratic party should place a stronger emphasis on creating an environment where small businesses and entrepreneurs can thrive.

I have also worked across the aisle on everything from gun violence and education to social issues and healthcare. In working in the marketing industry and as an advocate for issues at both the local and national level, I have learned how to balance a drive for what I know is right and what I believe in with coordination and cooperation with stakeholders and colleagues.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I will represent the interests of the Third District however I can. And that means working as hard as I can in my first term to support existing legislation, packaged and ready to go, that will benefit workers and working families here in our community. To make an immediate and measurable difference, we have identified a portfolio of existing legislation to support and help pass through the House. In addition to helping party leadership achieve those goals, I have identified a handful of unique priorities that my office will pursue in tandem.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I have lived in the 4th District almost my entire life, raised my family there, led a non-profit organization and represented my community in elective office -- I live in my district and my opponent does not. Unlike my opponent who supports Donald Trump and his policies that perpetuate the generational disinvestment in Black and Latino communities, I have fought to advance policies that would strengthen and protect working families, immigrants, and communities of color my whole life.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

We must enact significant immigration reform which must include a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and DACA-eligible individuals, the decriminalization of immigration, and the restoration and protection of civil liberties and for refugees seeking asylum.

We must get a handle on COVID-19 which includes robust testing and contact tracing capacity, and a far more coordinated response and relief effort to the health and economic crisis that the virus has posed. This includes rent and mortgage relief, moratoriums, and extended unemployment benefits at the full $600 per week level. This also means we must significantly ramp up the availability and production of PPE and worker protections. Individual economic relief in the form of stimulus checks is also key for so many families in my district.

Finally, we must tackle the scourge of racial inequity that pervades our economy and society. This includes criminal justice reform and education reform to close the achievement gap and give all students a fairer playing field. It also means disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline to the criminal justice system. We must tackle the racial gaps we see in health outcomes and invest in more wealth building strategies in communities of color. In Illinois specifically, these investments can play a major role in reducing gang activity and the violence that plagues Chicago.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I am hopeful and optimistic that 2020 will bring about a significant shift in political power in Congress -- specifically the Senate and the White House. Assuming my own re-election, I would among other priorities, place an emphasis on building the necessary coalitions, political will, and political pressure to advance real immigration reform. For years, a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers (or DACA-eligible young people) has been the sole focus for many in the Democratic Party. While a legislative pathway to citizenship is critical, much more must be done. Congress must eliminate 5 and 10 year bars that have a profound effect on undocumented individuals and their families. Additionally, we must take key steps to repeal 1325 and 1326 to effectively decriminalize the act of immigration and return the adjudicative process to the civil code and away from the criminal code. Immigrants and refugees who arrive in the US are seeking a better life -- we should treat them with dignity and compassion, not as criminals.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Our nation cannot afford to re-elect Donald Trump and instead needs the steady, experienced leadership of Vice President Joe Biden to steer America out of dire straits. We are facing the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression, unprecedented electoral interference from foreign adversaries, a deadly global pandemic with over 190k Americans already dead, and a crisis of national leadership and corruption under President Donald Trump. Unlike Donald Trump, Vice President Biden understands, and more importantly -- cares -- about the suffering and fear that working people face in these pressing times. With experience from the 2008 crisis, and with Senator Harris at his side, a Biden-Harris Administration offers us hope, leadership, and a chance to build back better than before. This includes tackling the coronavirus with policies informed by science and addressing inequities in our society through smart, robust investments in communities long overlooked.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Yes, but ensuring the solvency of Social Security and Medicare starts by understanding that they are earned benefits and that cutting or reducing earned benefits for those who have already paid their part, is not an option.

In order to achieve future solvency, we must first reverse the 2017 GOP tax cuts, which place an extreme burden on our federal budget, cut back on run-away military expenditures and procurement, and make sure we prevent President Trump from circuitously cutting these programs by Executive Order.

I also support a Medicare for All system, which would take the success and affordability of the Medicare system and apply its benefits, and risk-pool sharing with all Americans. Doing so will further protect the solvency of the program.

I support a Medicare for All system because I believe health care is a human right and a key responsibility of any government to provide.

In the United States, insurance companies are profiteering off the backs of working people while leaving more than 20 million Americans uninsured. Many more remain underinsured.

Additionally, the Coronavirus pandemic has shown that tying workers' health care to their employment undermines the health of the entire society. The US is one of the only advanced economies without universal health care coverage. Our people would be healthier and our economy would be stronger with universal coverage like Medicare for All.

By cutting out the middle-man, insurance companies, and reversing the 2017 GOP tax scam, government-provided healthcare is more than feasible.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Coronavirus and misinformation about the spread of COVID-19

Electoral Interference from foreign adversaries like Russia and China

Climate Change

Climate change is anthropogenic (man-made) and poses an existential threat to humankind. According to the Pentagon in a 2019 report, climate change poses a significant national security threat. Additionally, we know that climate change poses an immediate threat to communities of color and working class communities already facing the impacts of global climate change and environmental injustice.

Low-income communities face significant health consequences from dirty air and water. They also lack the resources to recover from the increasing extreme weather events like the flooding throughout the Midwest, the fires in the West, and the devastating storms that battered Puerto Rico.

The U.S. must lead the world in addressing climate change. We must implement plans to be carbon neutral and be leaders in the green economy to restart a manufacturing base and lead in green technology innovation and production.

As a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I am well aware that the transport sector is now the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. That is why I created the Future of Transportation Caucus, whose mission is to push for equity, access, and sustainability in transportation policy. Our caucus was instrumental in fighting for innovative reforms in the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2) including the unprecedented inclusion of a greenhouse gas emission performance metric to be used in constructing new roads.

First, the government must give working families and small businesses the assistance they need.

That involves the following:

Issue stimulus checks on a recurring basis for families who continue to struggle to make ends meet during the pandemic. Immigrants and children of undocumented parents should be elgibile for stimulus checks.

Cancel rent for workers who have lost their jobs, or provide at least $100B in rental assistance, as well as extend eviction moratoriums at the federal level.

Provide additional relief to small businesses, including restaurants and mom and pop shops, especially minority and women-owned businesses. Prioritize help for small businesses to keep employees paid and keep operations afloat through the end of the shutdowns.

Extend unemployment insurance at the full $600 a week. Anything less will hurt families and send harmful ripple effects throughout the economy.

In order to support economic recovery, the government must effectively manage the spread of COVID-19. We should advocate mask-wearing, support workers' ability to isolate after being exposed, massively increase testing capacity and reduce testing result wait-times.

All of these initiatives were included in the HEROES Act passed by House Democrats on May 15. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s and the Senate Republicans could help the economy and families now by passing the HEROES Act.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Throughout my first term in Congress, I have consistently voted against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) despite a Democratic Majority in the House which has written some of the most progressive iterations of the legislation in years.

Despite efforts to reduce military spending, and increase military accountability, I cannot support a federal budget that prioritizes military spending, including a bloated Overseas Contingency Operations budget, over the aggregate of all domestic discretionary programs including funding for programs like Head Start, the Legal Services Corporation, or affordable housing programs.

Before we spend billions abroad, we must provide our constituents with the basic services they deserve and are entitled to, including quality and affordable education, healthcare, and housing.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

As an incumbent I am proud to have written and included over 14 provisions in the House-passed H.R. 2, Moving Forward Act. Through the creation and advocacy of the Future of Transportation Caucus, I was able to advance transformative as well as practical reforms to our nation’s transportation policies. These transformative reforms include: The establishment of an Office of Transit-Supportive Communities within the Department of Transportation (DOT). This is an office that will promote the planning and implementation of equitable transit-oriented development projects. The creation of a new ‘access’ performance metric that will help prioritize transit, bike, and pedestrian mobility while more accurately accounting vehicle traffic.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Our country is at a crossroads and we need bold, new leadership to fix the problems affecting our communities. Entranched politicians have passed harmful legislation that make it difficult for families in our district to prosper. We need bold policies to bring back jobs into our district, affordable health care, and true educational opportunities for every student.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Bringing back jobs, making health care affodable, and promoting real educatinal opportunties are the highest priorities I will focus on as a congressman.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Passing pro-growth, pro-job policies, reducing red-tape, and allowing businesses to prosper will be priority. Providing job opportunties will allow us to fix crime and poverty and other issues affecting our communities.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Every presidential administration is under tremendous pressure from the voters to make good on promises of economic prosperity. Unfortunately, their efforts, hastened by the next election, are all too often incomplete, misdirected, and corrupted by the influence of special interests. President Trump has done everything in his power to rid the system from corruption and special interests.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

We need to acknowledge that previous generations made promises to future generations that will cause significant socioeconomic disruption if not upheld. But we also need to understand that in order for these programs to remain solvent, significant changes must be made. We will ensure the solvency of Medicare through measures to significantly reduce health care costs. We also need to understand that when Social Security was enacted, the average life expectancy at birth was 65 years. Today, it is 78.5 years. Congress and voters need to acknowledge that it is only fair to the younger generations – who are trying to save and raise their own families while supporting retirees – to gradually adjust the retirement age upwards until it again matches the average life expectancy in the US. However, those who choose to take an early retirement at 65 should be able to do so with reduced payments and with no penalties if they choose to pursue work to supplement their social security check.

We need to recognize that in order for quality health care to be affordable, the balance of Supply & Demand must be restored.

We have to expand the supply of health care professionals by ending regulatory bottlenecks & implementing innovative apprenticeship programs. Reduce the demand for services by offering every American access to no frills insurance plans, streamlining prescription refills, requiring copay for Medicare & Medicaid, and eliminating redundant distribution channels. Update the tax code to facilitate individual policies. Ensure that persons w/ pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage while economic balance is restored to the system.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

China, Iran, and North Korea are major security threats to the United States.

Due to the status of the dollar as the world reserve currency, the US has been running a consistent trade deficit for decades. But the deficit for manufactured goods began to skyrocket after China was admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. In the 1960s, manufacturing made up 25% of U.S. gross domestic product. It’s barely 11% today, and more than five million well paying manufacturing jobs have been lost since 2000.

We need to reshore critical manufacturing industries and confront China.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

When Gov. Rauner signed HB-40 I was critical about his decision to sign the legistation.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

Entrenched elected officials have destroyed our communities because of lousy policies and I will ensure that Main Street Americans have a voice in the legislative process.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Are you fed up with rioters burning your city down, politicians destroying your ability to work, the fear of criminal activity and the shock of businesses closing permanently? If you are ready for a change, this is your best opportunity for freedom.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Restructuring of Illinois and Chicago from the inside. Ineffective fiscal policy has destroyed our state and it is time for a complete overhaul.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Restructuring Illinois

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

This isn’t about a person, it is about our freedom. Do you want a job? Do you want to be able to travel freely? Do you want to be able to earn unlimited income? Do you want your children to be able to attend school and fulfill their dreams? If safety, freedom and dreams are your passion then there is only one choice.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Anchor baby assistance would cease. The support of these children drains billions each year from social security.

Health insurance isn’t the issue, the medical institution is the problem. Wide sweeping reform of how the core medical systems operate is what needs to be addressed. I have interviewed numerous doctors in several states and their stories are all the same. The system that controls them is broken, corrupt and ineffective. Insurance has nothing to do with the problem.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Drug cartels - more strict border control will eliminate some of the flow of drugs into our country. Politicians that fail to have a mindset to work for the good of all the people regardless of the party. That is the single most significant national security threat we have. A house divided will fall.

Cyber Security - the thought of a compromised electrical grid, massive banking shut downs, personal data stolen, all are cyber crimes but have a devastating consequence on our nation and could be our reality without intentional intervention on our part.

Stop shutting down the economy for pandemics in every state

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I am for a womans right to choose

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

It is time for a fresh voice representing the people and not the lobbyists. I will be relentless to promote the true voice of the citizens of Illinois. I will not be silenced!

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Illinois' 5th district deserves a representative in congress who will stand up against corruption, not enable it, fight to expand healthcare, not strip it from those who need it most, work to combat the dangers of climate change, not deny that they exist, and work tirelessly to ensure our city and region has the funding necessary to maintain and improve our infrastructure and standard of living. While in Congress, I’ve helped bring billions of federal dollars back to the Chicagoland area for CTA modernization, new Metra trains, rebuilt roads and bridges, and to combat disruptive aircraft noise around O’Hare International Airport. As Vice-Chair of the House Appropriations Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) subcommittee, I am well positioned to continue to ensure that key Chicago construction projects like the Red Line Extension, the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project, and McCook flood abatement reservoirs continue without delay. In addition, as Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government appropriations subcommittee, I’ve worked tirelessly to support community based financial institutions, ensure our elections remain secure and free of interference, and against unconscionable cuts to the Postal Service. Finally, as a Member of the House Intelligence Committee, I was a key member of the investigation into President Trump’s efforts to pressure a foreign leader to attack Vice President Biden for his own political gain and if elected, I will continue to lead the effort to keep our Intelligence Community independent and protect those that work so hard to keep us safe.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

I believe that our highest priority as a nation must be to eradicate the coronavirus pandemic as quickly and effectively as possible. This pandemic, which has put tens of millions out of work, infected more than 6 million Americans, and continues to kill nearly a thousand people a day, has exacerbated existing social problems such as income inequality, the affordable housing crisis, and the financial challenges of towns, cities, and states across America. We must institute a national testing strategy to catch and contain the virus and engage in common sense steps to stop its spread, like wearing masks. Our elected leaders must take charge and lead by example during this difficult and unprecedented challenge. Ignoring the virus while it kills hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, friends, and family is simply not acceptable. Neither is stretching the pandemic out so that it interferes with school, work, and the normal functioning of our lives. To get Chicago back to normal, we need to make decisions based on science, not politics.

As we rebuild our economy from the shock of the coronavirus shutdowns, it is imperative that we prioritize reconstructing the economy we want, not just the economy we had. That means confronting the challenge of climate change and ensuring that we build sustainably for long-term, resilient, low-carbon growth. It also means emphasizing investment in our crumbling national and local infrastructure.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

The Trump Presidency has laid bare the vulnerabilities in our democratic system and the potential for those with bad intentions and no respect for political norms to do great harm. It is imperative that we significantly strengthen our democratic institutions so that we never see a repeat of the wanton disregard for law and the general welfare that we have experienced the last four years. In practice, this means instituting a robust, legally independent and self-sufficient government ethics enforcement system so that a president cannot simply dismiss Inspectors General he disagrees with. It means an emphasis on transparency, an effort I have been leading as founder and Chair of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, and it means significant democratic reforms such as campaign finance reform to keep dark money out of politics, an end to partisan gerrymandering, and expanded voting rights to ensure that all Americans have a voice in government and political leaders are held to account when they act irresponsibly or illegally. So many issues are important to the American people, from climate change to health care to national security to economic recovery and reform, but we can’t make progress on any of them if our system of government is hopelessly gridlocked and vulnerable to abuse. Many of these problems predated Donald Trump, but he and his congressional enablers have ensured that this is a problem we can no longer ignore.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

This election, only one candidate has the ability and proven record to unify a fractured nation and get us back on track - Joe Biden. We need a president who listens to all Americans and seeks to unify, rather than divide. That means deescalating racial tensions in American cities, instead of stoking them. It means making decisions based on science and fact. And it means restoring integrity to the White House. I know Joe can accomplish that task because of his exemplary service as Vice President for Barack Obama. But just as important as his record is Joe Biden’s vision for America. He has strong proposals to respond to the pandemic, rebuild our infrastructure and invest in clean energy. Most importantly, he recognizes the need to restore American leadership abroad and reverse Trump’s isolationist policies. Joe knows Americans are safer and more prosperous when we engage international institutions and lead by exporting our values.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Medicare and Social Security are bedrock federal programs that must be fortified and protected. In order to remain solvent and assure future generations access to these programs, we must be willing to modernize and reform them. We also must look to the entirety of our federal budget and prioritize where and for what purpose we spend taxpayer dollars.

While we must be willing to reform parts of Medicare and Social Security to ensure their continued existence and solvency, we must do so in responsible ways. If we want to get serious about reforming our entitlements, we could begin by replacing our fee-for-service model with a value-based payment model in an effort to reduce Medicare spending. In the United States, consumer-driven and patient centered care is reshaping the healthcare landscape, empowering patients to make informed medical and financial decisions while simultaneously supporting providers. A value-based model would reimburse doctors and hospitals based on outcomes, as opposed to predetermined rates, helping to incentivize innovation and reduce overtreatment. Medicare Advantage has provided models for more coordination of care, which can help drive down costs. Congress also has the ability to slightly raise the Medicare payroll tax, which would further extend Medicare’s trust fund as the number of beneficiaries continues to grow and those individuals live longer.

Since coming to Congress, I have also steadfastly supported measures to improve our Social Security system. Last Congress, I was a proud cosponsor of the Strengthening Social Security Act, which would increase benefits and ensure that COLA calculations better reflect the cost of living for seniors, while at the same time improving the financial condition of the Social Security Trust Fund by phasing out the cap on income taxed for Social Security. Also, this Congress I am a proud cosponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act, which would increase benefits for current and future Social Security recipients, cut taxes for seniors by eliminating a tax on their benefits, and ensure that the system remains solvent for the rest of the century.

Medicare and Social Security have been providing quality healthcare and retirement security to America’s seniors, disabled and low-income populations for generations. When considering reforms to these programs, it’s important to recall a time when seniors had no way to pay for doctor visits and were making tough choices between food and medicine. Medicare and Social Security have been directly responsible for increasing the quality and length of life for millions of Americans. These programs serve the most vulnerable among us and are earned benefits. The dignity and certainty they provide cannot and should not be strictly limited to the wealthy.

I strongly support the goal of universal healthcare coverage for all Americans. Nearly a decade of relentless attacks on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could not stop the American people from rejecting Republican efforts to repeal the law. I was proud to vote for the ACA as one of my earliest votes in the House and I was equally proud to oppose numerous repeal efforts that Republicans led in past congresses.

The ACA was incredibly important and significantly expanded coverage. We are much closer to the goal of universal healthcare because of the ACA. Furthermore, the law has demonstrated that the government can play an effective role in healthcare. The U.S. has the most innovative and groundbreaking healthcare system in the world--we are largely responsible for most major medical breakthroughs and our medical schools are the global gold standard. Chicago in particular is a major beneficiary of this system as home to world class academic medical centers. Investment in the research and development pipeline has paid dividends time and time again.

Yet despite these achievements, until passage of the ACA, the U.S. struggled to bring down the uninsurance rate. Now, as a result of the law, 25 million more Americans have coverage and the uninsured rate is at a historic low. In the face of the Trump administration’s relentless efforts to overturn the law and starve the ACA of its necessary resources, we continue to see record numbers of new beneficiaries signing up for coverage. This fact speaks directly to the demand made by the American people and the understanding, regardless of politics, that healthcare is a right not a privilege. Additionally, healthcare costs have significantly slowed and more people are getting preventative services like cancer screenings, birth control, and primary care earlier. The ACA was built on the concept that prevention can save lives and save money at the same time. In order for those gains to be felt across the entire country, Americans need to be insured. It is past time to finally move beyond the empty rhetoric of “repeal and replace” and support solutions that can further increase coverage.

I believe the Democratic party must continue to be aspirational in our goals for the healthcare system, but we must also be pragmatic about what we can achieve in a divided government right now. The need for healthcare is urgent and cannot be compromised by making the perfect the enemy of the good. That’s why I’ve cosponsored bills like the CHOICE Act, which would add a publicly-operated health insurance option to individual markets, the Medicare Buy-In and Market Stabilization Act, which will give the almost 60 million Americans ages 50-64 the option to purchase Medicare, and Medicare-X Choice Act, which would build on the existing Medicare framework to establish a public option for individuals and small businesses. All three of these proposals empower individuals with low-cost, government-run alternatives, which introduces new competition to the health insurance market and helps to drive down premiums. Most importantly, they get the U.S. closer to universal healthcare.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

We are unfortunately in no way lacking in national security threats. Broadly speaking, I see the 3 most pressing threats we face falling into these categories: cyber warfare and crime, a global undermining of democracies and the sustained, evolving threat of transnational terrorism. However, this does not minimize the very specific geopolitical threats we face from adversaries and competitors like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

As a Member of the Intelligence Committee, I spend a significant amount of time being briefed on the many threats we face, and increasingly about the expansive and growing cyberwarfare space. Like the Internet itself, the national security challenges in cyberspace are seemingly limitless. State actors, terrorist organizations and international criminal elements have all moved online. The anonymous and nebulous nature of cyberwarfare too often make these threats difficult or impossible to identify and combat. Furthermore, as we learned firsthand in 2016, the weaponization of social media and the amplification of our legitimate societal divisions make us especially vulnerable to radicalized elements moving offline and into the real world. The rising threat of violence from alt-right groups, the growing influence of conspiracy theories and the continued online radicalization of “homegrown” terrorists continues to subsist.

Hackers target our energy grids, our water purifying plants, our intellectual property, our banking and financial systems on a near daily basis. Governments and businesses alike must defend themselves against these attacks. We must continue to elevate cyberwarfare within DOD Cyber Command, and across the Intelligence Community, but we also must continuously update our national cybersecurity strategy and speak with one, clear voice.

The COVID-19 public health crisis has created an economic crisis, and while we have seen some improvement in the unemployment numbers as businesses begin to slowly reopen, we are still far away from a healthy and prospering economy. The federal government needs to do more than inject money into industries and provide stimulus, but this federal assistance is a crucial part of the economic recovery. Many businesses across all sectors of the economy are still suffering through no fault of their own. I fully support continuing assistance to support small businesses, provide additional unemployment benefits, and help individuals make ends meet.

However, this immediate relief is just part of the picture - we need additional long term investment to create consistent and sustainable growth. A robust infrastructure package would do just that by creating a multitude of jobs. An ambitious infrastructure bill means more than just fixing the potholes on our roads, it would spur growth in our country. House Democrats have already demonstrated that this is a priority for the party. We passed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure package this year, the Moving Forward Act, which would get people back to work, address America’s ongoing housing crisis, and ensure resilient, low-carbon infrastructure. I hope to see an administration that prioritizes this type of investment so we can enact legislation into law, to make this plan a reality. I believe this type of expenditure would elicit bipartisan support in Congress because every district, no matter Republican or Democrat, would benefit from infrastructure repairs and improvements and the jobs it would create. I look forward to working on a bicameral bipartisan basis to build back our economy better than it was prior to the pandemic.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I am a proud Democrat and support the principles held by my party but I also recognize that to truly get anything done in Congress requires working across the aisle. That’s why I’m disappointed President Trump has failed to find any substantive issues where he could meet Democrats in the middle and enact a bipartisan policy solution. If he had made that effort, I would have been more inclined than many of my colleagues to work with him. It is important to look past party affiliation and ultimately do what we believe is in the best interest of our constituents and the country. This is a philosophy that I have held since my time as a Cook County Commissioner. I wasn’t afraid to be the Democrat leading the reform fight in Cook County for ten years. It was as difficult a personal, political, and governmental role that I have ever played. It’s a role I was proud to take on.

One of the most important votes I took in Congress was in support of a long-term bipartisan budget plan introduced by Republican Steve LaTourette and Democrat Jim Cooper and modeled after the Simples-Bowles Commission deficit reduction plan. The plan was big, balanced, and bipartisan, three principles I believe are necessary for any deficit plan to be successful. Unfortunately, only 38 members in Congress had the courage to vote for the bill which was opposed by the leadership of both parties. In addition, I was one of the few Democrats to support giving then-President Obama the authority to negotiate progressive, 21st century trade agreements. This was the same authority we gave to almost every president for the last 80 years prior and I felt that it was prudent to give the same authority to a president that I believed would fight for quality trade agreements. I continued to show my support for sensible trade policies when it came time to modernize our trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. I cast my vote in favor of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) because it was significantly improved from what this administration had initially proposed, and due to the wins the Democrats secured it actually protected consumers and instituted labor rights practices.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

Safe and fair elections are the foundation of any democratic system. Voters must have faith that the electoral process will accurately reflect the will of the people. Ensuring we have a safe and secure election system has been a priority of mine in Congress. Unfortunately this critical system has come under attack. The U.S. intelligence community confirmed that Russia targeted state election systems, including Illinois, in the lead-up to the 2016 elections. But the interference didn’t end then, elections security experts have advised us that the vulnerabilities continue to persist across the country, and U.S. intelligence officials warn that Moscow and other foreign actors are currently employing similar attacks in the 2020 election. This is why it is so important our state and local election officials have the funds they need so they can invest in resources and equipment to combat these attacks. For the past several years, I’ve sounded the alarm that our election infrastructure is outdated, low-tech, and nowhere near where it needs to be to prevent future intrusions. That’s why I was proud to use my position as Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), to secure robust grant funding to help states protect, fortify, and update election systems from cyber-hacking. In addition to the annual funds I have secured, I was able to include $400 million specifically for election security grants in the CARES Act for the upcoming election which faces a unique challenge of being conducted during a pandemic. This supplemental funding will help fill the gaps and assist in covering additional unanticipated costs. Moving forward, I will continue to lead on this issue and fight for election security funding for states to prevent foreign and domestic attempts to disrupt and influence our democratic process.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I support and promote Medicare For All, Student Debt Forgiveness, Getting Money Out of Politics, UBI for all citizens, End of All the Wars US is involved in, Free Education Preschool to Graduate School-Training Programs Included, Job Gaurantee for anyone who wants to work, Enhanced Social Security so that it is more like a real pension, Green New Deal, De-militarizing the Police, Creation of a Just Foreign Policy, Creation of a Just Immigration Policy, Monetary Reform so the US has a Sovereign Money. My opponents do not support these policies.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Create a stable, just economy through medicare for all, ubi for all Americans, ending student debt, creating free education, establishing a monetary commission to create a truly sovereign money for the country and a just distribution to Illinois and Illinois localities.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Medicare for All as that would eliminate the desperation people have around health care. Health Care should not be connected to employment. It is a basic human right. Elimination of private health insurance and the ACA.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Howie Hawkins has developed, promoted, and supported a Green New Deal for over 10 years. He has a program to end the use of fossil fuels, address the US' crumbling infrastructure, create good paying jobs by investing in transportation, infrastructure, education, and health. Create a national $20 minimum wage. These programs would lift the economy of the lower 99% of people. He also supports a monetary commission to evaluate and move to the creation of sovereign money, issued by the US Treasury and issued without debt. He has a program to pay off the debt through the same creation of real US money. He wants to end the 7 wars the US is presently in. These wars are not covered in the main stream media. These are policies that would create hope in the general population. Hope is urgently needed at a time when 10% of American adults have contemplated suicide in the past year.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

As we know the government has been borrowing from Social Security. It is solvent. I would make illegal any future raiding of social security. I have already mentioned Medicare for all that at around $36 billion would be cheaper than the over 40 billion that the present system costs. Overarching both of these issues and other issues of funding is the fact that the US does not have control of it’s own money supply. It is a private money supply. There is need of monetary reform and bring back the issuance of money under the Treasury Department.

A lot of this has already been covered. It is a basic task of government to provide for the common welfare. Health care is of the common welfare. It should be paid for by the government and if fact would be cheaper than paying private insurance companies. Obamacare is a failure and was designed to be a failure in paying for health care. It was designed to give welfare money to private insurance companies. How do we pay? How did we pay for $3 trillion recently given to major banks and large corporations? The question never came up. When money is needed for banks or corporations or war, money is not an issue. It is an issue only when the government is trying to provide for the common welfare of the people. With the establishment of sovereign money, money without debt, there will be no question about where we get the money because we will be the creators of the money.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

One national security threat are tensions that development between the US and other countries due to American interference in other countries' national affairs. Solution: eliminate US meddling in other countries' affairs. Another threat to the US comes from overt intervention and warring in countries. The US is in seven wars at present and those wars are not covered in the main stream media. Solution: withdraw from all those places. Final threat comes from the policy of giving US industry to other countries. US now depends on other countries for its supply chain, creating a poverty in the US. Bring jobs back. Nuclear war threat is another. Solution: nuclear arms reduction and elimination treaties.

Establish a $3000 a month Universal Basic Income for every American citizen. Eliminate all means tested welfare programs. Establish medicare for all and the elimination of all student debt. Establish a Green New Deal. During Covid assume the expenses of small and medium size businesses so when the crisis ends they are financially sound. We found $3+ trillion for the big banks and business without even a debate. We can do it.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I am with the Green Party and ascribe to their platform.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Being a member of Congress requires knowing where your talents are and having the intellectual curiosity and humility to ask for expertise on the rest. It also requires being honest with the voters about where your moral and ethical redlines lie. Whether as a scientist, CEO or member of Congress, that has always been my approach.

Since I’ve taken office, I’ve been an open book when it comes to my beliefs and my values. I’ve held over 40 town halls. I’ve prioritized the issues closest to me; combating climate change, securing affordable, high-quality health care for anyone who needs it, and transforming our economy.

My opponent has no stated policy positions on her website for voters to evaluate. She said she would give Donald Trump an "A" grade t0 arguably the most incurious person to ever hold the office of President. We don’t need rubber stamps. We need public officials who are clear and transparent with their values.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Facing the reality of our climate crisis means implementing solutions that address both the urgency and complexity of the situation we’re in. Action on climate change isn’t something that can wait, and it will be my top priority in the next Congress.

We must provide universal, high-quality health care that is affordable for all Americans. The COVID-19 pandemic shows that access to health care is more important than ever. We need a system that does not force people without health insurance to defer preventative check-ups and then end up overloading our emergency medical system when they are faced with more acute care needs. We can and must do better.

Everybody in the 6th District wants a strong economy with good jobs that enable us to provide for our families. I believe that all Americans should have access to economic opportunity no matter their zip code. That’s why I voted for the Moving Forward Act to make transformative investments in America’s infrastructure and create millions of jobs while taking bold action to combat the crisis.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

My legislative priority when coming into office was climate change, and that remains my primary goal. It was my honor to be selected by Speaker Pelosi to serve on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, to represent the United States at the COP-25 Climate Conference in Madrid Spain and to play an integral role in the creation of our 500+ page report, mapping the legislative route to ensuring we pass a habitable planet onto our children. Vox called this plan “the most detailed and well-thought-out plan for addressing climate change that has ever been a part of US politics -- an extraordinary synthesis of expertise from social and scientific fields, written by people deeply familiar with government, the levers of power, and existing policy.”

In the next Congress, we have to put that plan into action. We have passed comprehensive energy bills in 1978, 1992 and 2005. We are overdue for a new bill, and I hope to lead the effort to make our recommendations the centerpiece of that policy.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Our country is currently suffering through a pandemic that, at the time of this writing, sees 1,000 Americans die every day. Our economy is suffering from levels of unemployment we haven’t seen in a century. In short, our country is hurting. We need a president who can speak with genuine empathy to all Americans while addressing these problems. We need a president who will make it clear that there are basic standards of decency and competence that we demand of all public officials. Joe Biden is that man.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Ensuring that Social Security and Medicare continue to provide economic security for American families requires working on both the cost and revenue side of the ledger, but absolutely cannot include any cuts in services provided.

On the revenue side, both programs suffer from the fact that they are progressive policies funded by regressive taxes. The cap on FICA contributions at $137,700 of income means that the wealthier you are, the less you contribute as a percent of income. Taking off that cap would substantially solve near-term challenges, and I was proud to co-sponsor H.R. 860 which would start that process.

On the revenue side, we have huge opportunities to lower the cost of health care in this country which would in turn drastically cut the cost of Medicare. We spend approximately $10,000 per person per year on health care, yet have vastly worse health outcomes than countries like Switzerland and Germany spend $7,000 or less. Getting to those levels would free up ~$1 trillion/year in healthcare expense, a significant portion of which would accrue to Medicare. That means defending and expanding the ACA. We must also remove the rules that currently prohibit Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies; the CBO has estimated that this would save $456 billion from 2020-2029 if implemented.

Every country with universal healthcare spends less per capita than the United States does and has better health outcomes as measured by Mortality Amenable to Healthcare. This isn’t surprising; an ounce of prevention still costs less than a pound of cure, but that prevention depends on consistent access to the healthcare system. As such, we have both a moral obligation and an economic incentive to ensure that no one’s access to healthcare is constrained by their individual ability to pay.

That said, I do not believe that there should be a single, government provider of healthcare for the same reason I don’t think there should be a single government provider of education. Just as private, parochial and home schools keep our public school system disciplined, competition among providers in our healthcare system will work, as long as we maintain sufficient regulation to prevent that competition from impacting price at the consumer level. To that end, I support the ACA with a full public option, along with expansions of Medicare and Medicaid to ensure that no one is left out. Ideally, I would like to see the adoption of a system such as Switzerland has where all citizens have access to the same menu of choices rather than the current US model where the menu varies by age, wealth, employer, union status, veteran status and state.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

The rise of global authoritarianism in the wake of Donald Trump’s pull back from NATO, Paris, the JCPOA and other post-WWII treaties and alliances.

The rise in domestic terrorism and white nationalism within the United States.

The global spread of online misinformation.

These three issues are intimately linked. In the executive branch, we are overdue for US leadership and should initiate discussions to update the Geneva convention to address cyber warfare. There are international consequences for countries that violate another country’s territorial sovereignty, but no explicit consequences for those who would steal our information.

In the legislative branch, we need to remove the fiction that social media companies are simply “platform” companies with no responsibility for the content that their users see. After all, their business model is predicated on their use of algorithms to boost specific content. I questioned Mark Zuckerberg on this issue in October 2019 and have subsequently led a letter to demand that those companies remove disinformation relating to COVID-19 from their websites. I believe we will need to pass legislation that holds these companies more explicitly liable for promoting disinformation.

The first and most important way to rebuild the economy is to put the COVID-19 public health crisis behind us. As long as people cannot go outside in crowded public spaces without fearing for their health, we will not restore the economy.

Since the pandemic, unemployment has surged, GDP has fallen by 33% on an annualized basis and the economic pain has been disproportionately borne by those who were least able to participate in the prior expansion. Had we let scientists and public health officials lead a nationally-coordinated response, we would now be recovering. Our failure to do so now risks more lasting economic dislocation as temporary furloughs morph into structural unemployment, and as temporary business slowdowns morph into Chapter 7 bankruptcies.

The scope of what Congress should do once we emerge from this pandemic depends substantially on how quickly we get the public health crisis under control. If we remain on the current course we run the very real risk that the Depression-level downturns in our economy will require New Deal-level recovery programs. In that case, we should leverage historically low US borrowing costs to invest in large scale, economically-accretive federal infrastructure programs, with a focus on building the low cost, low carbon green infrastructure of the future, providing coast-to-coast broadband and working to ameliorate the structural inequities that made this downturn more painful than it needed to be.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I have never voted for a bill that did not align with my values. The degree to which those values align with a particular political party is a happy coincidence, but we cheapen the public understanding of elected office when we presume that people in positions of leadership simply follow the will of their party.

But more than that, it implies that there is no room for diversity of opinions within a political party. I prioritized climate change but do not support the Green New Deal. I prioritized universal health care but do not support Medicare for All. Those positions are at odds with some members of the Democratic party but are consistent within a party that prioritizes science and vigorous debate.

At a separate level, when leadership of the Democratic party pushed through a bill on a voice vote that would have reduced competition among tax preparation firms, I voiced my complaints to leadership and the media and quietly led the effort to get this language removed before it was finalized in the bill signed by the President.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I am most proud of the report put together by the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis that Vox called ‘the most detailed and well-thought-out plan for addressing climate change that has ever been a part of US politics.’" I was not just a participant on the committee, but played an extensive role in the writing and editing of nearly every section of that report. This report is the road map to deal with the greatest existential threat to our species. I look forward to working with my colleagues next term to turn this roadmap into law in the 117th Congress.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

As a state legislator, I fought to reform systems failing both those served by government and those funding government. I stood up against tax hikes, unbalanced budgets and job-killing regulations. When elected, I promised to be a lobbyist for the taxpayers. I kept that promise.

My opponent has been a lobbyist for his own interests. In office less than a year, he complained that his $174,000 annual salary was “peanuts,” and backed Congressional pay raises. Rather than reform the system, Sean Casten works the system. He pushed for special deals that would benefit his own company. He would raise taxes on 90% of Americans.

My opponent has stated that “Bipartisanship is overrated.” By contrast, as a state legislator, I worked with Democrats on issues like health care access, protecting condo owners and reforming higher education contracts.

Sean Casten refused to stand up to the corruption in his own party or to disavow radical ideas, like Defund the Police. I opposed both parties when they passed unbalanced budgets and tax hikes. I never wavered from standing up to the special interests. And I called out corruption in both parties - from crony political appointments to the ComEd / Exelon bailouts to advancing comprehensive college board reform in the wake of the College of DuPage board scandal. And as an Army Veteran, a legislator and - now - Military Mom, I have dedicated my life to defending the lives, liberty and property of those I represent. I will do the same in Congress.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

The highest priority is to restore the rule of law throughout the nation and Illinois. The first responsibility for government is to secure the peace and the constitutional rights of her people. There cannot be job and business growth without law and order restored.

The last few months have been unsettling for Americans as we have watched as lawlessness spread across the nation. Looters and rioters destroyed property, illegally occupied and controlled public grounds, upended livelihoods, and unnerved many who no longer feel safe in their own communities. In Illinois, lawlessness extends from our most powerful politicians, their special interest friends, and the lobbyists who grease the skids between the two, to the streets of Chicago overrun with murder, looting and criminal damage to property, to the suburbs where armed home invasions and carjacking have happened.

The country and this state have been through corruption scandals at the highest levels. Admittance to spying on Americans for no reason by the Obama intelligence community to, in Illinois, investigation after indictment after guilty plea for bribery and more, voters have no confidence in their elected leaders. Businesses have no confidence that there is a level playing field. Taxpayers have no confidence that taxes are used responsibly.

Once we apply the rule of law equally to all and restore respect for our public institutions, including police, our priorities must be on a growing economy built on education and job training programs that give opportunities to all.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Six months ago this answer would have been different. Job number 1 is to restore a vibrant economy with full employment as we had in January 2020.

The COVID 19 crisis and the civil unrest that has resulted in damaging entire sectors of our economy. While recent job numbers indicate that our massive economy is resilient enough to recover somewhat despite a government mandated shutdown, it is only because many small businesses have received financial support from the American taxpayer and many individuals are receiving plussed up unemployment benefits, relief from eviction, and other community support. Turn off the federal and state spigot of support and the economy will go in a tailspin.

Americans did what elected officials at all levels asked them to do. They stayed home, wore masks, and made ZOOM a behemoth in the online meeting space. Our healthcare systems, manufacturers, and scientific community figured out new tests, better treatments, and ramped up protective equipment and medical devices.

Now it is time to get back to work and back to school.

The American taxpayer can no longer shoulder the burden of the economic shutdown. Federal legislation should be passed for liability waivers for businesses and schools as it relates to opening up and contracting of the COVID 19 virus. Additional federal financial support should be tied to states allowing businesses and schools to operate normally with appropriate, but not oppressive safety measures.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support the President’s re-election. I’ve seen most politicians run for office on promises, 5-point plans and reform agendas that gain the support of hopeful voters, only to betray those voters and abandon their campaign promises and plans once elected. Love him or hate him, Trump never forgot who put him in office. He cut regulations that allowed the economy to flourish and job numbers to rise, rebuilt our military, and nominated conservatives to the Supreme Court. That said, I have never been accused of playing “Follow the Leader” (ask Bruce Rauner). I have disagreements with him on issues such as enacting unbalanced budgets and large spending bills. I’ve been primarily a policy-focused legislator, and have a record of working across the aisle to get good legislation passed. I focus on principles and policy, and will work with anyone - regardless of personality - to improve the lives of those I represent.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I have already suggested reforming social security. Public sector workers in the state of Illinois get full control of their own retirement without having to participate in social security through the SURS self-managed plan, but such plans are denied to the rest of it. The SURS self-managed plan has a TWENTY-year track record of success. Participants put away 15% of income into the plan (8% employee, 7% employer). These plans are portable, secure (they own them), and allow the employee to retire when they have met their goals.

Social security recipients on the other hand put away 12.4% of income only to receive on average a 1% return after working until late 60\u2032s to get the maximum benefit. New employees should be put into a SURS-style plan, current employees should be given the option to move contributions to a self-managed plan, and others (probably wealthier individuals) should be given the option to buy out their net benefit at a much lesser amount. The buyout percentage should be low enough to compensate for adverse selection issues.

Medicare is a more difficult fix as it is a program nearly everyone cannot wait to get on from the very rich to the average worker. In fact, retirement decisions are often made around medicare eligibility rules. I have no specific recommendation on changing the program, but I am open to a conversation that involves more competition for patients and more transparency for taxpayers.

I do not support a government-related insurance plan, Medicare-for-All or Obamacare. And neither do the Democrats – at least not for themselves or their special friends. Democrat politicians and their union buddies don’t have Obamacare plans. Why should the American people?

To be honest, significant parts of Obamacare are no longer in place. Gone are the individual mandate, Cadillac health plan tax, medical device tax, and strict requirements pertaining to the expansion of Medicaid. Over 30 states have filed 1332 waivers to design their own solutions.

The solution for the American worker is to provide them with a robust insurance marketplace that lets them choose the plan that is right for them in coverage, cost, and network. Americans expect to control their own decisions over the most important aspects of their lives. If politicians would allow reforms which include price transparency, expanded Health Savings Accounts, returning to the state’s control of their Medicaid programs, and eventually equalizing the tax advantages of employer sponsored coverage and individual coverage, we will be well on our way to getting people the coverage they need and can afford.

Nearly 25 years ago (long before Obamacare) multiple Federal laws mandated coverage for preexisting conditions both for those with employer sponsored health insurance and those who buy their own individual policies. Those laws empowered states to design their own health insurance options which were more efficient, cost less and provided better access to care for those with preexisting conditions than Obamacare does today.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

The Chinese Communist Party poses the biggest threat to our nation and the world. The Chinese have taken aggressive actions in the South China Seas, in Hong Kong, with their minority populations, and most recently on the border with India. Their Belt and Road program, industrial espionage, spying in the halls of academia in the United States, and unfair trade practices threaten all aspects of our life and relationships with other countries.

American leaders should begin with the following:

Demand a full investigation into the origins and spread of the COVID 19 virus, repayment for costs related to the crisis, and no-notice international inspections of their biological research laboratories.

Work with our Allies to remove China from the World Trade Organization if they continue to disrespect trade laws, the tenets of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, human rights of their people, and international water boundaries.

Continue to support Taiwan independence.

Provide asylum for Hong Kongers under political persecution.

Increase military patrols of the South China Seas.

A second security threat is a nuclear-armed Iran. Iran, supported by Russia, is a threat to regional peace currently and with a nuclear weapon would be a threat globally.

Third, domestically speaking, the resiliency and lack of redundancy in our infrastructure which includes our power grid, telecommunications and internet security, and the security of other physical structures such as roads, bridges, pipelines, and water systems poses a threat if they were to come under a wide-scale terrorist attack.

We need to pass legislation that gives liability protection to businesses and schools and links federal funding (which needs to be targeted, temporary, and audited) to states. I support the following specific measures to get us on track:

A payroll tax holiday which would immediately help both employers and employees. Providing this tax relief is not new in economic crises.

Putting job training in the hands of employers by providing tax credits for training. It is more efficient to support the training this way rather than through multiple other entities.

I have been a skeptic of these in the past, however, the latest opportunity zone programs run by the federal government seem to be working. If the audits show success, it is a program that should be expanded.

Encourage manufacturing, especially in pharmaceuticals and critical medical supplies to relocate to the United States.

Keep our energy independence intact. It was a preposterous thought just ten years ago that we would be a net exporter of energy. Energy is the master resource and cheap, reliable, efficient power has been the greatest factor in lifting people out of poverty and giving them a greater quality of life. At the same time, the US has led all industrial nations in the greatest reduction in CO2 emissions.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I served as a state legislator for six years. In that time I stood up to my own party on a myriad of issues.

The biggest challenge we have in Illinois is that, instead of being an opportunity to advance a policy agenda rooted in first principles, winning elections is just a means to distribute jobs, contracts, and other prizes to friends and political allies - for both parties.

I stood up for the people I represented, rather than falling in with the government’s ruling class. I spoke out against Speaker Madigan’s culture of cronyism and abuse, which has culminated in a massive federal investigation.

I also stood up to my own party. In 2017, nearly one-third of House Republicans - including caucus leaders - voted for the largest structural income-tax increase in history. I spoke out against the tax increase. Most of the House Republican Caucus voted for a bailout of Exelon on the backs of rate-payers. I spoke out against the bailout.

I am one of only a few who were willing to tackle structural or entitlement reforms - I advanced meaningful pension reform, property tax reform, education reform and Right to Work legislation.

In 2014, Illinoisans elected Bruce Rauner on the promise of an “Illinois Turnaround.” In the end, Rauner betrayed every promise he made. I gave up a “safe” seat in the Illinois House to primary Bruce Rauner in 2018.

I stood up when it was important to stand up - not when it was popular to stand up.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

While I am not an incumbent, I am also no rookie. I have served as a state legislator. As a member of the super-minority, I realize quickly that I wouldn’t have a lot of control over what legislation came to the floor each day. So, I made sure that I talked about what was going on in state government as often as possible. I consistently communicated to those I served to keep them in the loop on the legislation, arguments that were being made, and the implications of success or defeat.I shared with them what I was reading and my thoughts on different policy ideas. I worked across the aisle whenever possible to get legislation that directly impacted my constituents passed, including my reform bills and the audit passed in the wake of the College of DuPage spending scandal. I called for ethics reform in the state capitol before it was popularized by the #MeToo movement. I stood with victims of harassment and abuse in the state capitol to advance a victims' rights bill. And the legislation I initiated to ensure that insurance companies and health care providers provided adequate coverage when either one wanted to end their contract in the middle of a premium year was passed with the help of one of the most liberal members of the Democrat caucus.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I am the only candidate in this 6th Congressional District election who will consistently stand for constitutionally limited government and both economic and personal freedoms. Republicans used to at least talk a good game of small government, but they don’t even do that anymore, with the blowout spending that has occurred in the Trump Administration. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has long advocated building a bigger and bigger government that is now topped off (for now--more is sure to follow) with stimulus bills that are blowing the accumulated national debt through the roof. I will work to reduce government spending, and I specifically call for the elimination of the Federal Departments of Education and Housing & Urban Development. All corporate welfare should be ended. All farm subsidies should be ended. That won’t solve all of this nation’s fiscal problems, but in three sentences, it’s a pretty good start. I also think the Hall-Rabushka Flat Tax should be substituted for the current tax code. I will work diligently to end runaway deficits before a debt crisis occurs. The late economist Rudiger Dornbusch once said that financial crises take longer to develop than you expect, but once they finally happen they occur faster than you would think. We certainly experienced that 12 years ago. The last weekend of September 2008 looked a whole lot different than the first weekend.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

I want the governments of the State of Illinois and the United States to get their profligate spending habits under control. Illinois must address its pension crisis, but there is little a Congressperson can directly do about that. I would also like to see Illinois and the US move to a multiparty democracy. It is simply unnatural to try to cram everyone into one of two big political tents. The world is too complicated, with too many issues to consider. I am completely dissatisfied with both the Democratic and Republican parties, and their presidential candidates this (come to think of it, every) year. Even though so many people feel the same way, the two older parties are propped up by our Single Member Plurality (single member legislative districts, person with the most votes wins) election system, sometimes also called “First Past the Post.” We should use Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for single winner elections. Voters rank candidates in order of preference and no longer feel boxed into voting for the lesser of two evils. Legislatures don’t have to have single winner elections. It would be far better to have multimember districts, with several candidates from each party, and the winning candidates elected through RCV. No more “Vote for me, because I’m not the other candidate.” I support the Fair Representation Act in Congress, which would mandate multimember congressional districts in states with more than one member, and single winner RCV elsewhere. See online how both types of RCV work.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

The sooner that entitlement reform is addressed, the easier it will be. And, it will be very difficult, at best. That should be the top priority of the upcoming 117th Congress, and I address my proposed solutions in Question #5.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support and will vote for the Libertarian Party presidential ticket of Jo Jorgensen for President and Jeremy “Spike” Cohen for Vice President. I admit that one reason that I will vote for them is that they are not Trump/Pence or Biden/Harris. But, the main reason that I will vote for them is that they stand foursquare against the ever expanding government that is constantly served up by the R’s & D’s. Unless we change course soon, we risk a future federal debt crisis that would seriously harm the US and world economies. Also, if the LP presidential ticket (or our US Senate candidate, Danny Malouf) earn 5% or more of the vote in Illinois, the Libertarian Party will obtain ballot access for its statewide slate of candidates in 2022. We would not have to do a 25,000 valid signatures (about 40,000 signatures total) petition drive in three months then.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

With respect to Social Security, I support the Cato Institute’s “6.2% Plan,” which would allow people under the age of 55 to opt out of the Social Security system. They would be able to direct their employee portion of the FICA tax into private, inheritable investment accounts, receive a tradable bond based on their past FICA taxes paid, but waive their future Social Security benefits. This would address perhaps the main weakness of Social Security, which is rarely addressed, which is that there are no personal property rights in Social Security. Congress can change Social Security benefits at any time. The employer portion of the FICA tax will continue, so as to finance the payments of people still in the Social Security system. Those people who choose to remain in the Social Security system will get benefits from what is available to be paid.

I agree with the Cato Institute that, for Medicare, Congress should “allow seniors to opt out of Medicare without losing Social Security benefits” and "take all the money [currently spent] on Medicare and give it directly to enrollees as cash, as with Social Security, adjusting individual enrollees' “Medicare checks” so that lower income and sicker enrollees receive larger checks, and should allow workers to save their Medicare payroll taxes in personal, inheritable accounts that will gradually replace Medicare transfers."

I think there is nothing more important than good health. Health care is a service, and a very important one, at that. But, I am generally not in favor of positive rights, and, therefore, I do not think that health care is a right. People don’t have the right to the sweat of other people, even if it is for a good cause. It then follows that government should not have the obligation to secure health insurance, nor to provide health care. I absolutely do not support Medicare for All, and there should be a repeal of Obamacare. We need a vibrant and dynamic health care system, and it is difficult for me to see how more government control gets us there. We need to move away from the system of getting health insurance through one’s employer. That is an anachronism from World War II, when benefits could be offered instead of pay raises. We need to end existing tax preferences for health care and encourage the development of large health savings accounts, combined with catastrophic coverage health insurance, to return the role of insurance in health care to something more rational. On the supply side, there should be deregulation of the health care marketplace. Insurance should be able to be sold across state lines. Medical professionals licensed in one state should be able to practice in another. To speed up drug approval, FDA authority should be restricted to regulating the safety of drugs, not safety and efficacy.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Fortunately, the United States, with oceans on each side, and friendly nations to the north and south, does not have major security threats. However, three national security threats would be North Korea, non-state terrorists and the national debt. The last has been identified as a national security threat by James Mattis (Former Secretary of Defense), Admiral Mike Mullen (Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) and others. I have already addressed what I would do about the Federal debt, so I will address North Korea. The US has about 28,500 troops in South Korea, who might be a tripwire to conflict. South Korea is not of strategic importance to the US, has twice as many people as North Korea, and an economy at least 40 times the size of North Korea. South Korea can deter a conventional attack from North Korea without US assistance. The presence of US troops and the saber rattling done at times by Donald Trump are completely unproductive, and possibly counterproductive, in keeping the peace. The US needs to face up to the fact that the North Korean regime is not going to denuclearize. We cannot risk getting drawn into a war with North Korea when it will sometime soon likely have nuclear weapons that could strike the continental US. The US should draw down the number of its troops to zero as quickly as possible and engage in diplomacy with North Korea, with the goal of eventual reunification of the two Koreas.

COVID-19 hasn’t destroyed nearly as many jobs as government’s reaction to it. First, Congress should not stand in the way of states' reopenings and should start weaning the nation off of “stimulus” packages. Some of these have been counterproductive, as they have made unemployment benefits more lucrative than working, in some instances. It should then replace the nation’s current individual and corporate income tax system with the Hall-Rabushka Flat Tax, which would do away with all deductions and credits, and apply one tax rate over a generous exemption based on family size. It would also do away with taxation of investment returns, including capital gains, which would help stimulate investment in the economy. Some austerity is needed in Federal government spending. Congress should look to the book Austerity: When It Works and When It Doesn’t, by Alesina, Favero & Giavazzi (2019). From that book’s description on amazon.com: “Looking at thousands of fiscal measures adopted by sixteen advanced economies since the late 1970s, Austerity assesses the relative effectiveness of tax increases and spending cuts at reducing debt. It shows that spending cuts have much smaller costs in terms of output losses than tax increases. Spending cuts can sometimes be associated with output gains in the case of expansionary austerity and are much more successful than tax increases at reducing the growth of debt.” Congress needs to at least greatly decrease the rate of growth of the debt (and hopefully actually reduce the debt). It should look to this book for guidance.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I have sometimes differed with my party on Second Amendment issues. Somewhere between banning butter knives and allowing private ownership of weapons of mass destruction, lines have to be drawn somewhere. The goal of such policy should be to maximize negative rights (the right to live, to be free, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from violence, freedom from slavery and property rights) in our society. I think there should be some restrictions. For instance, I don’t think convicted violent criminals should be able to legally possess firearms. But, as well intentioned as many laws are, they can be difficult and costly to enforce. These are difficult matters on which to pass judgement. Nonetheless, if it could be shown that a restriction would very likely enhance negative rights in our nation, I would be for it. Indeed, I think that would be the correct libertarian answer.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I am cognizant that, as a minor party candidate, I am a longshot to win this election. But, if I were elected, with the retirement of Justin Amash, I would likely be the only Libertarian Party member of the US House of Representatives. I would not caucus with either the Republicans or the Democrats, and I would be beholden to neither. I would be in the position to work with Democrats on some issues and Republicans on others, and to criticize either side. I would be seen as a unique Congressperson, and, hopefully, the media would be interested in that. Within the institution of Congress, I would try to meet one-on-one with as many fellow House members as possible to learn how to best work with them and influence legislation in a libertarian direction.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I have a lifetime record and commitment to progressive and grass-roots politics and policy. I have fought for, advocated for, and consistently voted for: peace; voting, privacy, democratic rights and curtailing the influence of money in elections; full social, economic and political equality for African Americans, Latinx Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans; full social, economic and political gender equality; disability rights; public education, health care and retirement with dignity as a right; labor rights including the right to organize and bargain collectively; ensuring the rights of the undocumented including a path to citizenship; protection of the environment and a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure; criminal justice and prison reform, the abolition of the death penalty and second chance and voting rights for ex-offenders; fair, equitable and progressive taxes; a rational policy of gun control and the banning of weapons of war for civilian ownership.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Addressing the complex of crises confronting our nation: pandemic and simultaneous attacks on our health care system and science itself; depression era economic hardship facing much of the nation; multi-prong attacks on our democracy from the highest office in the land; corruption at the highest level of our government; extreme exacerbation of economic, social, technological inequality over the past three years. All of this overlaid and intertwined with systemic racism and chauvinism which continues to resist all attempts at justice and the ever growing threats posed by global climate change.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Addressing systemic racism and ensuring that we seek solutions which are woven into the addressing our economic and climatic challenges.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

The Biden and Harris vision seeks solutions which unify our nation, which ensure that no one is left behind, which recognize that the individual and the family thrives when our society as a whole is thriving and that society as a whole thrives when no one is left behind and each individual, each family is thriving.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Yes. I am a proud original cosponsor of HR 860, the Social Security 2100 Act, which will improve and protect Social Security as far into the future as we can see. The bill modifies how both wages and benefits are taxed and how benefits are calculated in a progressive manner.

I support efforts to strengthen and expand Obamacare and to move to Medicare for All, everybody in, nobody out. Medicare for All would be paid for by a progressive tax which result in a cost to the overwhelming share of our population paying less for health care than they currently spend on premiums, co-pays and other out of pocket costs.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Global climate change, foreign interference in our elections, the rise in authoritarianism. Addressing global climate change will require a significant restructuring or our economy, especially the energy sector and sectors heavily interrelated to the energy sector -- in other words, a Green New Deal.

Recovery from the COVID-19 recession will require replacing jobs which are likely not to return with jobs offering a livable wage by investing in a sustained and sustainable restructuring our economy with investment a broad array of infrastructure.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Medicare for All.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I have been able to work across the isle with my ranking member on a number of issues of common concern writing and passing legislation while maintaining my vision of where and how some of the most glaring injustices in our nation should be addressed in a progressive manner.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Voters should vote for me because our district has endured years of not having a clear legislative agenda, missed Congressional votes, mismanagement of public funds, as well as inefficient and ineffective forms of communication that has negatively impacted constituent services. Our current member of Congress has been in office for 24 years. That is 12 full terms of not meeting and exceeding the needs of constituents in our district. My vision for the district is to first set a clear agenda that is focused on legislation that is driven by the voices of our constituents. As that agenda is set, I will set up an infrastructure within our offices that will provide a first class experience for all. Enhancing how the Congressional office communicates through modernization, increasing our case worker presence, properly managing every penny of our annual budget of $1.4 million dollars, and hosting quarterly meetings with the Congressman to give constituents the opportunity to interact directly with their member of Congress.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

I have a few priorities that I think are of high importance for Illinois and the nation. However, if I were to focus on one for both populations it would be education. Across the district we see a major discrepancy between schools in low income communities versus schools in affluent communities. As we know, an exceptional education plays a significant role in determining these key factors that lead to a prosperous life: generational wealth, holistic health, and safer communities. Black and Brown students make up the majority of the population of students who are receiving an unacceptable level of education within my district. Whereas, a healthy number of White students are receiving an exceptional education within my district. According to Politico, there is a $26 billion difference in funding between schools with non-white students versus white students nationwide. We must level this imbalance out. ALL students deserve to receive an exceptional education and receive the best opportunities to lead a productive and prosperous life.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

A single issue I would prioritize in the coming term if elected as Congressman of the Illinois 7th Congressional District would be police reform. I would strongly support and work to get the Justice and Policing Act of 2020 {H.R. 7120} passed into law. This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. Misuse of power by some police officers has created a divide among various communities, mainly communities populated by Black and Brown individuals. It is my duty to ensure that ALL individuals who have encounters with law enforcement have proper and appropriate experiences with them. In addition, police officers have too much on their plate. They are juggling an array of responsibilities, many of which can be reallocated to experienced professionals. I am a firm believer that juggling too many responsibilities becomes hard to manage and the chances of operating at an efficient and effective level decreases tremendously.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

My quick pitch for the presidential candidacy would be for the candidate that is looking to bring the country together during this time of crisis by listening to the scientist in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the candidate who will listen and implement real social justice reform as we attack the inequities within the fabric of our country. Finally, a candidate that will work in a bipartisanship that will serve in the best interest of this country. Out of the candidates running, I believe that Joe Biden meets this criteria.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I am willing to take up true reform to Social Security and Medicare for future solvency. Unfortunately, with the partisan gridlock in play this issue has taken a downturn over the last 30 or so years. In regards to reforms, we will need to look at our financial status and make balanced budgets our focus. In other words, if we had a balanced budget amendment, it would force us to make tough decisions on what’s imperative in the moment. Making tough decisions never gets easier. However, by us borrowing against the future, we set future generations behind.

I believe the government’s obligation is to make health insurance available to all citizens. I will strengthen the Affordable Care Act, without personal mandate, to ensure healthcare access for all. This provides our constituents the opportunity to not have to choose between a medical procedure and feeding their families. In addition, I will assist in leveling out the costs of prescription drugs and common surgical procedures. A person should not have to take on significant levels of debt in order to be healthy and sustain their life in this country. Finally, I will continue to support and promote the covering of individuals with preexisting health conditions by insurance companies.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Three national security threats: North Korea, China, Russia Russia wants to see Western democracy destroyed. We see this in various forms of attacks mainly through social media propaganda campaigns. We deal with this threat by listening to our Intelligence Agencies who are providing us with proper intel and put in place proper sanctions to mitigate and eliminate these threats to national security.

The policy steps I believe Congress should take, excluding stimulus monies or bailouts, is seen in streamlining the process through the Small Business Administration. Streamlining this process will get funding in the hands of small business owners. This will enable small business owners to get the necessary capital they need to hire, expand and sustain their businesses in our communities. The bureaucratic red tape has hurt small businesses causing many to close their doors forever. We must do better in this area and that comes from supporting these small businesses in all areas.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

The sheer fact that I am running as an Independent speaks volumes. I am running a grassroots campaign and from the day I began this journey have vowed to not take any money from Political Action Committees or Major Corporations. I can proudly say that the vow I took still stands strong to this day and will remain that way.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

As a newcomer, I will come into this role with new and fresh energy that this district is in dire need of. Setting a clear agenda on legislation that is driven by the voices of our constituents will be the focus. In addition, setting up an infrastructure within our offices will provide constituents with a consistent first-class experience with every encounter. Enhancing communications through modernization, increasing our case worker presence, and appropriately managing our annual budget of $1.4 million dollars will provide constituents a true view of how public offices should operate. Finally, I will be a visible presence in my district by hosting quarterly meetings with the Congressman to give constituents the opportunity to interact directly with me as their member of Congress.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

The pursuit of higher education brought my parents to America as they decided that this country was the best place in the world to fulfill their dreams. Like many legal immigrants, their path was sometimes difficult. But thanks to the generosity of the American people, our family carved out a middle-class life. With the benefit of a first-class public education, I was able to attend college and then law school. And four years ago, my neighbors in the west and northwest Chicago suburbs gave me the tremendous honor of representing them in the U.S. House of Representatives.

I have worked my hardest to ensure other Americans have the same opportunities as my family to achieve the American Dream. I co-authored successful legislation to expand federal support for career and technical education, so 13 million Americans each year who choose not to pursue a four-year college education have the same chance to obtain a good-paying job with a future. I have fought off repeated attempts in Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health care coverage for millions of Americans previously without it. And I have defended Social Security and Medicare as sacred promises to the American people, so our seniors can live out their golden years in security and dignity.

If afforded another term in Congress, I will work to build on my record of standing up for our nation’s middle-class families – and all those aspiring to make it to the middle class.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

The best social program I know of is a J-O-B. I have focused in Congress on increasing opportunities for more Americans to find and hold a good job with benefits to build a secure, middle-class life. Those efforts have been challenged by the coronavirus pandemic. Until we meet the coronavirus challenge, millions of Americans will remain unemployed, and our economy will continue to suffer.

As Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, I have fought to ensure the federal government takes appropriate action with taxpayer dollars to help produce treatments and therapies to defeat the coronavirus. Three examples illustrate our subcommittee’s work. First, my congressional investigation led the FDA to reverse course and remove millions of faulty coronavirus antibody tests off the market. Second, we exposed an atrocious ventilator deal brokered by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro costing American taxpayers more than a half-billion dollars in wasteful spending. Our efforts resulted in the Trump Administration cancelling this deeply flawed ventilator procurement contract, saving American taxpayers $400 million. Finally, we are pressing the Trump Administration to ensure that any future COVID-19 vaccine undergoes an established outside review process by medical experts free from political interference. To overcome COVID-19, we must ensure that an eventual vaccine is both safe and effective to convince a sufficient number of Americans to get vaccinated.

To restore confidence in our economy and put millions of Americans back to work, ending the coronavirus must be our top priority.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Finding a safe and effective vaccine for the coronavirus – and making sure that enough Americans get vaccinated – is the most important thing we can do to restore our economy and put millions of our fellow citizens back to work. In order for this to happen, the American people must have confidence that any such vaccine is safe and effective. This means following all the rules and procedures that have governed the production of effective vaccines in the past.

Unfortunately, the actions of the Trump Administration may be undermining the confidence that such procedures are being followed in producing a COVID-19 vaccine. By naming the program Operation Warp Speed and promising that a vaccine will be produced in time for the November 3rd election, President Trump is putting politics ahead of science and medicine. (Confidence in his administration’s efforts also suffers from the President’s past support of questionable treatments such as injecting bleach and taking hydroxychloroquine.)

The best way to ensure that any vaccine meets the necessary standards for safety and effectiveness is to subject it to review by the long-established panel of experts known as the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). As Chairman of a House Oversight subcommittee with jurisdiction over consumer products and health care including vaccines, I have introduced legislation mandating that any potential COVID-19 vaccine be subject to review by VRBPAC. To beat COVID-19, there cannot be shortcuts where safety and efficacy are concerned.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

From the coronavirus pandemic to its economic impact and the racial inequities – particularly around police shootings – that have roiled our nation, President Trump has proved himself incapable of providing the leadership we need. His divisive brand of “us-versus-them” politics, and his lack of moral and ethical standards, threaten our democracy. Joe Biden has demonstrated the leadership we need to confront our greatest challenges. As Vice President for eight years, he led the Obama Administration’s successful fight to restore our economy after the Great Recession. He also was involved in Obama’s successful efforts to rein in both the Zika and Ebola pandemics. Most important, Joe Biden has the personal integrity, compassion and respect for democratic principles and institutions that will enable him to constructively address our deep divisions and lead us into the future. He and Kamala Harris will unite Americans to successfully tackle our common challenges.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I believe that Social Security and Medicare are sacred promises that we have made to our workers and senior citizens. Those programs must be protected and preserved. That’s why I oppose President Trump’s short-sighted Executive Order to allow the deferral of payments into those programs through the end of this year. Not only is this proposal an administrative nightmare for employers, but it potentially will divert billions of dollars in payroll taxes that support the solvency of those trust funds.

To protect Social Security and extend its solvency far into the future, I support raising the current cap on income subject to the payroll tax. This will mean additional contributions into the Trust Fund from the high earners who are most able to afford it. It would also help address the growing economic inequality in our nation that threatens the future of a democracy that depends on a strong middle class.

The greatest source of stress on Medicare is the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. The best immediate step we can take to address this growing challenge is to repeal the law that prohibits Medicare from negotiating the cost of prescription drugs with pharmaceutical companies. The Veterans Administration has for years negotiated the price of the prescription drugs it supplies to our veterans. A similar approach to the drugs provided under Medicare would save billions of dollars and extend the program’s solvency.

I believe strongly in universal access to health care, as is provided by nearly every other democratic country in the developed world. The real question is how best to achieve that goal. I strongly support the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and have voted repeatedly against attempts to repeal it without any realistic alternative. Obamacare has provided access to affordable health care coverage for 20 million Americans and their families who formerly were without it. It has brought us much closer to our goal of providing health care coverage for all.

I believe that the best way to achieve universal coverage is to build on Obamacare, which left in place the ability of millions of workers to obtain health coverage through their employer. For those satisfied with such plans, I would support leaving them in place. For those who are out of work or whose employers don’t provide coverage, I would expand Obamacare by providing a so-called “public option” through the insurance exchanges. And by offering more competition for private insurance plans, such an option might actually serve to bring health coverage prices down across-the-board.

The best way to pay for such a plan would be to modify President Trump’s 2017 tax bill whose benefits went overwhelmingly to big corporations and the wealthiest Americans, so that some of the benefits that went to those entities can go toward stabilizing and enhancing our health care system.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Russian interference in U.S. elections, which threatens the 2020 elections and our faith in democracy.

The growing impact of climate change, which is increasing the impact of natural disasters across the U.S. while destabilizing the world and contributing to the refugee crisis.

Iran’s resumption of a nuclear weapons program after President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the international agreement negotiated by the Obama administration to oversee and restrict that program.

As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I have seen up close how Russia interfered in the 2016 elections (as detailed in the Mueller Report), and I know Russia has continued its efforts to do the same in the 2020 elections. Unfortunately, rather than working with Congress to identify and stop those Russian attacks, President Trump and his administration have continued to withhold information and punish or replace intelligence professionals who are tracking and reporting this Russian meddling. Their most recent action was to end in-person intelligence briefings for members of Congress, in which these Russian actions could be fully explored, and strategies adopted to block them.

I will continue to fight in Congress against the politicization of our intelligence agencies by a president from either party. I will defend our intelligence professionals from retribution for telling the truth about foreign efforts to disrupt our elections. In my experience on the Intelligence Committee, these career public servants are patriots and truth tellers. They must be encouraged to protect our national interest without political interference of any kind.

One of the very few issues on which both parties in Congress agree is the need to invest in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure – the roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, airports and public transit on which our economy depends. Despite President Trump’s repeated endorsement of such a program, no such plan has been pursued.

Particularly now, as millions are unemployed and our crumbling infrastructure lags much of the industrialized world, a major investment in its rebuilding could create millions of good-paying jobs. More importantly, better roads, bridges and transit systems will strengthen our ability to compete in the future. As the Member of Congress who represents the runways (but not the terminals) at O’Hare International Airport, I have worked to promote completion of a western access highway to the airport. This project, alone, will create tens of thousands of new jobs in the greater Chicago area – whether or not airplane travel returns to its former levels.

As a condition of federal investment, such an infrastructure program must incorporate a number of provisions. These should include environmental practices to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, such as creating special lanes and close-in parking spaces that encourage electric vehicles. We also must make sure that our hard-hit small business sector participates fully – setting aside a fixed percentage of contracts or subcontracts for smaller firms.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I believe strongly that serving in public office is a privilege and that elected officials must adhere to the highest ethical standards. Unfortunately, our state has a long tradition of public corruption, including a string of recent indictments of elected officials – most of them involving Democrats.

As a young attorney, I was proud to serve as a special assistant attorney general to Lisa Madigan as she established a public integrity unit within that office. Unfortunately, business was good, especially during the Blagojevich years. I quickly learned that unethical behavior was not limited to members of either party, and that strong ethics laws and aggressive oversight is the best defense.

During this term in Congress, members from both parties were alleged to have used inside knowledge to benefit themselves personally through stock trades. Concerned about how such appearances undermine the public’s confidence in its elected representatives, I introduced legislation called the Ban Conflicted Trading Act to ban the trading of individual stocks by members of Congress and requiring their holdings be placed in diversified mutual funds, exchange-traded funds or blind trusts. This legislation may not be popular in Congress or my party, but it is what the public wants in order to ensure that lawmakers not take action to benefit themselves personally at the expense of the public.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I have the privilege of serving as Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. In this capacity, I have responsibility for congressional oversight of certain aspects of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has played a leading and sometimes controversial role in the battle against COVID-19. One area of great concern to me was the rapid spread of so-called “antibody tests,” which provide users with evidence of whether they have antibodies to COVID-19. We quickly learned that many of these tests were unreliable or even bogus. Particularly egregious were those marketed as “at-home tests.” Incredibly, the FDA was failing to regulate this growing market. In fact, they let companies self-validate the effectiveness of their own tests! Many Americans using these tests were obtaining “false positives,” suggesting they had antibodies to COVID-19 when they really did not. This provided the illusion that they were immune to re-infection, even though there is not yet a scientific consensus regarding the extent to which antibodies confer immunity from COVID-19. We demanded that the FDA end its “Wild West” approach to the antibody-testing market. The FDA quickly removed dozens of suspect tests and ended the lunacy of self-regulation. These actions presumably have protected millions of Americans from utilizing suspect tests and, as a result of false findings, engaging in reckless or dangerous exposure to COVID-19. Our subcommittee will continue its aggressive oversight of the FDA’s actions, so the agency responsible for protecting the health of all Americans does its job.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

My opponent is sold out to billionaire-special-interests. He votes in favor of the Military-Industrial Complex, big pharma, and big agriculture. He voted against withdrawing troops from Syria, and is mostly silent as wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and everywhere else drag on, costing priceless lives and billions of dollars... typical politician. He votes for a farm bill which subsidizes unhealthy food that is making America so unhealthy that most of us suffer at least 1 preventable disease. Now he is trying to ban vaping, which will only boost tobacco profits.

I Am An Average Person, outraged at the lack of real representation of the people. I think that the Libertarian Party most represents common-sense values agreeable to most Americans: Freedom, Liberty, and Justice for all; Widespread Peace and Prosperity, voluntary organization. That is what Ron Paul would have represented, if given a fair shot in 2012, but the Republicans did him real dirty. Ron Paul is also a lifetime member of the Libertarian Party, and was even a Libertarian Presidential Candidate in 1988. Despite being an effective, established national party, practically active in all 50 states, the Libertarian candidates for POTUS are almost always excluded from the most high-profile national debates, and their names are not mentioned even 1% of the time on TV. TV is nationally regulated, but the Commission On Presidential Debates is actually a private organization which normally excludes the Libertarian Candidates from the National Stage by setting variable and arbitrary “criteria for candidate participation.”

Help us.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

To elect leaders who are truly interested in serving constituents, as opposed to smiling speakers who really vote to serve their rich donors.

I would also like to help make America healthy again by reforming agricultural policy which overwhelmingly favors and financially subsidizes the largest, most profitable agribusiness corporations. Its over 900 billion or some odd dollars in annual subsidies is both fascism and socialism, and an obvious example of bad government. Seriously, we spend BILLIONS ever year, to subsidize WHITE SUGAR, which is DOCUMENTED to GREATLY INHIBIT our bodies' systemic immune functions! THIS IS COVID. Over 90% of Americans dying to COVID already have one other prior illness, disease, or condition. Remember “PREVENTABLE” PRIOR DISEASES, sponsored by your tax dollars. Republicans and Democrats hardly talk about Ag policy. They hardly fight over it either. Raja et al vote for it.

I would like to really bring soldiers home. It’s a shame that some Military Industrial Contractors make record profits while we face unprecedented financial debt and calamity. It’s bad that the mainstream rarely vocalizes that “defense” spending is the largest budgetary item, and it’s mostly spent offensively. It’s silly that Democrats impeached Trump, but didn’t mention the unconstitutional acts of war on 7April2017. I’d like if we spoke more about things like the Afghan Papers, Pentagon Papers, 28pages.org, and the mutual Saudi friends of questionable elites like Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.

I would like to help make mainstream American news real again.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Flip the Farm Bill to Make America Healthy Again

Over 80% of the Farm Bill’s subsidies are given to multi-million dollar Agriculture corporations. This money would be better invested in health food. I have spoken to Representative Mike Bost about diversification of those farm subsidies, to stimulate more growth in health foods, instead of mostly sugar and corn, which is largely made into corn syrup. He could not make me any promises, but I would work towards this in Washington.

Imagine if we spent hundreds of billions of dollars to boost farmers' markets and small, natural producers, as opposed to the large corporations. A decentralized, local-based food supply will also be more resilient against future pandemics. People have proven: they want fresh, local food. We just need to stop pushing sugar, and other strange chemicals onto the population via national food/farm policy. With a healthier population, there will be less need to shut down the economy again, because most people will beat the virus on their own.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Interesting question! Well, one candidate has very recently added trillions of dollars to the debt, while increasing the national deficit, and selling out to Saudi Arabia. Another current candidate for POTUS served in the previous administration, which also added trillions of dollars to the debt, while increasing the national deficit, and selling out to Saudi Arabia. This candidate’s administration also began new military conflicts in Yemen, Libya, and Syria. He even saw American tax-dollars used to arm Al-Qaeda terrorists in Syria, and probably Yemen too. Actually, on the subject of arming foreign terrorists, both Democrats and Republicans can be quite “sleepy.” This is why I support JO JORGENSEN: She vocalizes true solutions for America’s root issues. Both the Rs and Ds are proven to continue wars, reckless spending, and signing bills into law which promote toxic foods. Jo Jorgensen will not continue those, so I will give her a chance.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Only-250-words-is-not-sufficient-to-explain-these-2-complex-issues.

Social security is convoluted. Many retirees receive horrible return on their investment, and it is unAmerican to force people into a certain retirement account.

I would guarantee benefits to everyone who has paid into the system, while also offering anyone a full cash refund. Funding will be no problem under MMT and QE.

The greatest threat to retirees is pervasive and continuous inflation. Even at the Fed’s target 2-3%, the dollar loses half its value every 27-35 years. Worrisome is that new inflation calculations do not weigh the actual prices of goods. POTUS and the Fed tout low inflation, but the prices of many supermarket items increase. Why? How? Does anyone know? I am not an economics expert, but I have studied enough to see that many things in Washington do not add up.

Medicare and healthcare regulation do not add up.

I have spoken to doctors who say that they spend more money and resources on government compliance than they do on anything else. Government regulation and interference have only increased in our lifetimes, while prices (and un-affordability) have also increased #correlation. I suggest that we GREATLY deregulate private healthcare and insurance, while allowing government options to act as a standard. This, plus Making America Healthy Again would greatly lower prices, and then the public option could function properly too, and we could even offer medicare for all who want it to compete with private insurance.

When the foreign wars end, funding these programs becomes much more doable.

The fundamental issue is not whether or not the government offers a public option. The issue is a combination of (a) governmental over-regulation of healthcare and (b) domestic food policy that so promotes unhealth. These greatly drive up the prices of everything. Mathematically, the issue may be described as hindering supply of a service (over-regulation), while increasing demand for the service (unhealthy-farm-policy). We must change these two factors for any other plan to be successful.

The worst part of recent healthcare was the ACA outlawing so many previous policies that were liked by the people. My own family LOST its health insurance plan, and we were previously very happy with it. This is MOST UNACCEPTABLE from a government that claims to be American. A public option should not interfere with the privacy and freedom of individual citizens.

No, the government is not “obligated” to provide services. Its obligation is to protect the freedom of individuals to voluntarily associate, whether that be in public or private.

That said, I like having a Public option. If anyone is offered Medicare, then everyone should be offered it. I just do not believe in forcing people to participate. For funding it, there will be difficulty for as long as the underlying issues continue: over-regulation and national food policy that is so unhealthy. Once we fix these roots, the rest is easy.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Threat 1: Unhealthy Population Most Americans suffer 1 form of preventable disease. Chronic conditions, disorders across the body, some new and mysterious, have greatly increased since the government began nationalizing the food supply decades ago. Corona viruses are nothing new, and the flu evolves every year. A new annual vaccine will not fix America’s problem with unhealth. However, since we are what we eat, we need only change our eating habits, and in a few short years, everything from healthcare, to pandemic response can change. Of course, change is made more difficult when your own income is being taken from you by the government to spend on sugar, corn syrup, and meats that are full of unnatural hormones, antibiotics, dyes, preservatives, etc. This security threat is exemplified by COVID19. Most Americans live with a compromised immune system, and it is almost always because of diet, largely processed sugar. If we had a very healthy population, like Norway or Sweden, then we would not have had to shut down our economy. It may sound too simple, but it really may not be.

Threat 2: Never-Ending War The many wars over-extend our military, such that we would be unprepared to defend American soil. Remember why Rome fell? If we were not spending so much on war, then appropriating big funds for pandemic response would be possible.

Threat 3: Our Own Government Face reality, politicians are so sold out to big, special interests, that they will print new dollars to subsidize them and pad their profits. They may inflate our currency into oblivion. They might hide Saudi secrets, denying Americans justice. The government could even consider something really wicked, like Operation Northwoods. Just search the internet for “Operation Northwoods” to realize the potential threat from our own government.

Need I repeat: Making America Healthy Again?

End the lock-downs. Sweden and Norway never shut down. Open the economy, and let people take care of themselves, provide for their loved ones. End prohibitions on healthcare, and industry, while protecting property rights, and the economy will explode.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

My party is all about independence, and individuality. The only mandatory “issue” is “voluntaryism,” which is freedom of association, not coercing people to participate in something that they do not believe in. This is fundamental for human freedom. I support that. I do not believe in prohibiting people from freely associating together, or spending their money however they want. Much government regulation prohibits people from buying many things, or collaborating with others to produce certain types of milk or enroll in certain types of insurance. I am certainly independent of the establishment, but most any American could find themselves within the Libertarian Party. It is really hard for me to disagree with the Libertarian Party.

That said, there is plenty of disagreement within the Libertarian Party. Some Libertarians are pro-choice; some are pro-life (like me). Some are pro-borders; others believe in easy borders. I believe in common-sense borders. Anyway, I am straying from the topic. Suffice it to say: unless you are a fascist or socialist, then it is hard to disagree Libertarian principles.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I will not be a “backbencher” in the same way that I may win this election: Taking the issues straight to the people. I have already met thousands of people, and waved signs for many thousands more. My website is clearly pictured everywhere I go, and I am explaining to people who I plan to fix the greatest issues we face: A chronically ill society fed by government-sponsored junk food; Never-ending wars fed by bad intelligence and dishonest leaders; And the lack of real representation of the people and their interests in Washington, which is the heart of all these issues. All legislation up for vote will be posted online for constituents' to comment and vote themselves, and I will explain all of my votes. I will also reveal to people and the willing media how the votes are being effected by big money, and point out when and where it is happening, as well as who are those Representatives voting mostly in favor of their big-moneyed donors. To me, a “backbencher” is one of those who sits in the back, voting quietly as his party bosses instruct. As a Libertarian, my vote will be ordered by my conscious understanding of the written Constitution of the United States, and the individual people represented therein.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

My opponent leans more to the left, where I am more moderate.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Stimulate business, healthcare, and public safety.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Economic development that will bring about equal opertunity.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

The current POTUS because he is focused on economic development, and judicial reform, which is the way the nation will prosper and move forward.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

We have to look at Social Security and Medicare in detail as we do with any other existing program. We need to keep what works and to remove what does not work.

Health insurance needs to be available through the workplace just as it is now, given it helps businesses attract workers and supports economic development. Obamacare is the existing law. We need to continue to look at it in detail, analyze it, keep what works, and have the conviction to throw out what does not.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

There are three national security threat categories to the U.S.: Physical, Virtual, and Influence. Physical threats by both domestic and or foreign actors are the most consequential because if acted upon, they can result in bodily harm or loss of life. We need to direct all available resources toward neutralizing those known threats. Action in this regard must be swift and firm, reasonable, and appropriate. Securing the safety of our people who are facing physical threats must be prioritized over all other concerns.

Let people get back to work and stimulate business that will encourage economic growth. Do whatever you can to help business. Congress’s job is to survey the damage and respond appropriately to make business whole again, which will lead to more rehiring and new economic opportunities.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I am an independent thinker who is self-confident. I do not get worked up or bogged down by conflicts and criticism. I am very much aware of my strengths and have no doubts about my abilities to make the right decision. When in Congress I will evaluate every bill, vote my conscience, and with the desires of the people of my district.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

The term backbencher does not apply to American politics, especially given I speak my mind on all matters concerning my constituents.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

If this were a “normal” time in American history, I would tell voters to choose me and not my opponent because I’m the only one in this race that will defend a woman’s right to choose; stand up and fight climate change with urgency; work to keep dangerous weapons of war off our streets; and fight to make health care affordable and accessible to all. My opponent does not stand for any of these policies. But these are not normal times. The Republicans in the House of Representatives have become a rubber stamp for the corrupt, anti-immigrant and authoritarian brutality of the Trump Administration. Were my GOP opponent elected to Congress, he would either join this foul GOP chorus, or, at best, be an ineffective voice in a cowardly Republican minority party that will likely endorse an even more emboldened and authoritarian Trump, should he be reelected.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Right now, getting the COVID-19 crisis under control is the primary responsibly of the federal government. We currently have 50 states with 50 different plans to rid ourselves of this deadly virus. I am in constant touch with our Governor and all the elected officials in my district, and believe that they are all doing the best they can. There must be a national strategy to end this crisis, and there must be a Congress in place that will help President Biden implement the authorities and appropriations necessary to make American healthy again. Until COVID is under control, we will continue to suffer the devastating economic and personal consequences of this pandemic. Americans must be able to return safely to work. Our children need to be out of the house and safely back in school. Our healthcare system must be reformed to deal with future national disasters as well as the day-to-day health needs of our population.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Both well before and during the pandemic, I have focused on the cost of prescription drugs. 58 million adults in 2019 reported having difficulty paying for their medications. During the virus crisis, I have repeatedly pressed our health care officials from the CDC, NIH, HHS and up to the President to assure Americans that therapeutics and vaccines would be affordable to all. I have been completely unsuccessful. Over and over I have been told that, since we must rely heavily on the pharmaceutical corporations to invest, that we can’t require “affordable pricing”. I have introduced bipartisan legislation, the Metri Act (HR2296), which would require drug companies to justify an increase an cost of over 10% and require them to publicly disclose their actual costs, including all their expenditures on Research and Development, (not including any taxpayer funding), all marketing and advertising expenditures, net profits on the drugs, executive compensation and more. HR7296, another bi-partisan bill I have introduced, protects patients from being price gouged on COVID 19 drugs that are developed with any taxpayer dollars by prohibiting pharmaceutical monopolies on these drugs. This bill required government to mandate reasonable and affordable pricing, ensures transparency and prevents excessive pricing for already existing COVID 19 drugs. 9 in 10 adults are concerned that Pharma will use the pandemic as an excuse to raise prices. Finally, I support requiring drug corporations to negotiate drug prices, a proposal supported by Joe Biden and pass by the House last year in the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

This is the election of our lifetimes – we are fighting for the soul of our nation. This lawless, divisive, autocratic administration must end. Electing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is an imperative if we are to save lives, save livelihoods, and save the life of our democracy. If they lose, I fear we may be too late to address the climate crisis or income inequality or the racism and bigotry deliberately stoked by Donald Trump. Joe Biden genuinely cares about our country and has genuine compassion for everyday people. He is one of the most experienced political leaders ever to run for President. We saw Joe Biden demonstration his ability to bring people together in the coalition he assembled to pass the most progressive Democratic platform in history. Joe Biden will build an economy that works for everyone, not just the 1%, and will expand health care rather than work to take it away, as Trump done. We have the opportunity with Joe Biden to escape the maliciousness of Donald Trump and usher in one of the most progressive periods in American history.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Social Security and Medicare are the two most beloved programs in the United states. I am fully prepared to assure that they not only are solvent, but are also able to expand the benefits to meet the needs of today’s older Americans and people with disabilities. Currently, Trump is trying to bleed Social Security by cutting the payroll tax – a dangerous and unacceptable attack.

Clearly, when the Tribune says “real reform”, I assume you mean, am I willing to cut these foundational programs. The answer is NEVER, but, as the richest country in the world, I know we can protect and enhance both Socials Security and Medicare, and assure their existence for generations to come. How? First, we can raise the cap on income subject to the Social Security tax. How unfair is it that the richest Americans are done contributing Social Security by coffee break time on January 1st, when hard working Americans contribute with every pay check? The average Social Security Check was $1,503 per month in January of 2020. We need to increase the basic benefit and make sure that women, for example, who typically have less income and shorter work history are taken into consideration. I would recommend that we undo the 2 trillion tax cut, 83% went to the top 1% and put that money into programs like SS and Medicare.

I regularly hear from constituents who tell me how much they are looking forward to their 65th birthday, why, because they can get unattended health needs addressed. It is a lifesaver. We can significantly reduce the cost of Medicare by negotiating for lower drug prices.

As Americans we pay twice as much as any other country for health care. Shame on us. I am a co-sponsor of every health care reform bill from Medicare for All, Medicare for America (check it out) as well as starting with a public option. I look forward to protecting our precious programs and making sure there are secure for generations.

I came to Congress to fight to make sure that every person in our country has access to affordable, quality and comprehensive health care. It is the federal government’s responsibility to achieve this goal. For this reason, I am a founding member of the Medicare for All Caucus in the House, as well as an original cosponsor of the Medicare for All Act. It’s time we join the rest of the world in guaranteeing universal coverage. And it’s time Republicans stop trying to destroy Medicare and, instead, join us in making sure that we provide Medicare for All. I believe health care is a human right, and I will fight to the to make sure that every person is able to get the medical care they deserve.

Because we need bold ideas to transform our health care system and reach the goal of universal coverage in the United States, I have also introduced Medicare for America. I am working with my colleagues to improve health equity and access this Congress, and Medicare for America is a proposal that gets us there. Medicare for America achieves that goal by including coverage for all reproductive health care, allowing for transparency and negotiation on prescription drug costs, improving long-term services and supports for seniors and Americans living with disabilities, and strengthening our health care workforce. Most importantly, Medicare for America provides universal coverage, covering each and every American.

Under Medicare for America, in addition to guaranteeing universal coverage, employers who offer their employees Gold Level coverage can continue to offer those plans, or they can choose to pay into the Medicare for America Trust fund. Individuals and families will have no out-of-pocket costs for preventive and chronic disease services--including pediatric, maternity, and emergency services--long-term services and supports, and prescription drugs--generic or brand name. Medicare for America also lifts the current prohibition on Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drug prices--a ban that has kept drug prices artificially high and increased healthcare costs for millions of Americans. Medicare for America is paid for by premiums funded by individuals and by 8% payroll tax paid by large employers that do not provide qualified coverage.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Three national security threats I will identify here are unchecked climate change; Russian interference in our democracy; and instability in the “Northern Triangle” of Central America. Climate change is real, it is an existential threat to our nation and planet, and it is happening at an alarming rate. When I served on the House Intelligence Committee, the committee listed Climate Change as a National Security Threat. The United States is responsible for more than a quarter of global carbon dioxide emissions since 1850, so we have a significant responsibility to help address global climate change. According to the National Climate Assessment, the average global temperature could rise by 3 degrees Celsius by 2100 because of increased greenhouse gas emissions. In recent decades, this has been evident by extreme weather, devastating wildfires, and increased hurricanes and flooding. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has been moving in the opposite direction. President Trump has moved to pull the U.S. out of the landmark Paris Climate Agreement and undo the Clean Power Plan adopted by Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama. The Trump Administration is even refusing to acknowledge the proven and scientific effects of climate change in official documents. As a member of the Environment subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I am fighting to maintain environmental protections and expand investments in clean energy. That is why I joined my colleagues in cosponsoring H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which passed the House on May 2. H.R. 9 takes the first steps in protecting our planet by keeping the United States in the Paris Climate Agreement, demands real action from the Trump Administration on climate change, and lays the foundation for further, effective action by Congress. I am also happy to be one of the members of Congress that is helping develop the “CLEAN Future Act”. This bill which builds upon the Green New Deal declares a national goal for the U.S. to achieve a 100% clean economy by no later than 2050. It addresses issues of accountability, transportation, power, and other aspects that are crucial to combatting the climate crisis. While the bill is currently a draft, I am excited to move it forward and pass it into law under a Democratic administration. This Congress, I have introduced or supported several other bills to address climate change and fight against efforts to reduce environmental protections. These include the Safe Hydration is an American Right in Energy Development (SHARED) Act which would better protect water sources against pollution caused by hydraulic fracturing. Such steps are essential if we want to protect our communities, promote public health, and reduce the safety risks of climate change. I am also a proud cosponsor of H.R. 5221, the “100% Clean Economy Act,” which sets the goal of having zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050, and H.Res. 109, the “Green New Deal.” America must take meaningful action before it’s too late. Recent scientific reports have outlined the urgency of mitigating the damage of climate change. Congress must act to preserve and protect the planet for our children and grandchildren, and for their children and grandchildren. We cannot afford to be on the wrong side of history. I will continue to support meaningful actions to address climate change and fight against efforts to reduce environmental protections.

COVID-19 has destroyed too many jobs. It has also shattered families, exposed the flaws in our healthcare system, and diminished the United States' leadership role in the world. Remember, the world watched as the President suggested we all drink bleach and shine ultra-violet light through our bodies. Our economy, and our credibility, must be rebuilt, and it must start now. Our phones ring throughout the day with constituents who have lost their jobs and don’t have the money to make ends meet or keep their homes. Their jobs may not be there when the economy recovers. Unemployment insurance, personal stimulus monies, and small business support cannot be neglected. Donald Trump’s lack of leadership, knowledge, science-driven policy has paralyzed the United States' ability to reverse the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot “re-open” our economy until the public health situation is under control, and our kids are back in school, no matter how much wishful thinking we possess. How can it be that we are 4% of the global population, yet we have 25% of the world’s COVID-19 cases and casualties? We are approximately 6 months into this tragedy and we may soon experience a 2nd wave. President Trump does not have this under control. The upcoming election cannot come soon enough. We need Joe Biden in the White House to act immediately to bring science into the conversation (not conspiracy theories and lies) and coordinate our nation’s governors, mayors, local officials, business leaders, tribal leaders, religious leaders, science and technology leaders, and others, to implement a national strategy to tackle this virus aggressively once and for all. I want to return to the U.S. Congress because the House of Representatives will play a key role in developing and launching the necessary programs to compliment President Biden’s efforts. This includes establishing a strong contact-tracing and reporting regime; assuring that our medical solutions are science based, and that a safe vaccine comes to the market as soon as possible; making certain our front line healthcare workers have all the necessary PPE to assure their safety; cautiously work to reopen our economy and our schools in safe ways; and protect the most vulnerable amongst us – particularly our nation’s seniors. All of this must be achieved before we can expect to re-grow a robust American economy capable of creating jobs and putting America back to work. Among the legislation that needs to pass is HR 2, the Moving Forward Act which creates a comprehensive infrastructure program that includes among many other things surface transportation program, mass transit, rail, rebuilding rural grant program, and investments in many other sectors. As a labor union member myself, I will support the legislation that facilitates workers joining and creating unions and makes union busting harder to accomplish. Union workers across the board earn significantly more that nonunion workers in the same jobs. If we are to rebuild the middle class, we need to empower labor unions to collectively bargain and to protect their members.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I was one of the few Democrats to oppose legislation this year to reauthorize our intelligence community activities, the Intelligence Reauthorization Act. I believe this legislation did not go far enough to protect the privacy of American citizens who are inappropriately or accidentally swept up in intelligence community surveillance.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

During this term of Congress, I was selected by the Speaker of the House to co-lead an 8-Member North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Working Group, tasked with negotiating with the White House to improve President Trump’s “NAFTA 2.0”, or USMCA, trade agreement before it received a vote in Congress. What we achieved in those challenging negotiations resulted in a NAFTA that is far, far better than the original. It’s also far better than the deeply flawed trade deal President Trump handed to begin with. For example, the Trump Administration tried to tuck in huge gifts to Big Pharma that would have raised medicine prices throughout the hemisphere. From Day 1 of our negotiations, I insisted that the biologics exclusivity provision be removed. Today it’s gone. We also removed protections for secondary patents that would have increased drug prices in the U.S and revised unfair provisions to ensure generic competition and to improve access to affordable medicines for people across North America. The agreement we negotiated is not perfect - no compromise ever is. For example, the agreement still includes a gift to Big Tech that provides a liability shield for all content on internet platforms called Section 230. We cannot allow Section 230 in future trade agreements. Still, the changes we were able to make greatly improved this significant trade agreement to the benefit of workers, consumers, and future trade agreements.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Performance, not politics, has been the hallmark of my life and career. Congressman Schneider is well-meaning and a thorough gentleman. However, his performance for IL-10 is just unacceptable. Over his four attempts, he has raised and spent almost $20m to get elected. In his six years in office, his singular achievement has been – nothing. None of his sponsored bills passed, which likely places him in the bottom decile of his House peers who have collectively passed 624 laws, as shown on Congress.gov. I would fire myself if those were my results.

Although I am a first-time candidate, I feel confident that I can and will do much better. In every facet of my life and career, I have adapted and achieved, regardless of circumstances or situations. Raised in a working-class neighborhood by a single mom who escaped violent domestic abuse, I transformed my life through education and self-financed my way through Berkeley, Columbia, and Wharton. I then became a top performer at some of the most prestigious Wall Street and Silicon Valley firms, including UBS, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Bloomberg, IBM.

If elected, I will bring the same vigor and ethos to the job. Given that my campaign is grassroots and self-funded, I am also unencumbered by party politics and free to focus on constructive, sustainable, and impactful legislation. My legislative priorities of jobs, education, taxes, and safety are precisely what I believe my hiring managers, the district’s voters, need - which I am committed to delivering.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Jobs, education, taxes, and safety (JETS). There are enormous opportunities to reimagine the power of the federal purse to impact these priorities positively.

Jobs: Incent new economy job creation in depressed parts of the country through tax breaks for local, national, and global companies. More urgently, create the conditions to convince the many F500 companies in the district to stay rather than leave.

Education: A good education for children is a core tenet that cuts across socioeconomic lines. Given my own journey and passion, there are genuine opportunities to repurpose existing federal funds to generate better outcomes for students and teachers across the district and country. Taxes: We need a philosophical mind shift - to create new tax payors rather than tax the existing payors more. This would almost instantly address the exodus from the state, and the compounding effects of property value declines and tax increases. Reinstating SALT deductions, punishing poorly run states on behalf of their citizens, and providing federal incentives to attract new, green economy jobs globally are a few examples.

Safety: Instead of impractical legislative band-aids, I would explore federal funding for public safety programs. Instead of police, Glencoe, IL has public safety officers cross-trained to provide police, fire, and EMT services. This not only improves utilization and saves costs, but also engenders goodwill and results in better outcomes. Citizens know that the same officer who may arrest them if they cause trouble will save them if they are in trouble.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Absent the pandemic, I would choose Education. This is a passion borne out of my own life experiences in its transformational power, regardless of one’s circumstances.

However, with the pandemic and the extreme political polarization in the country, efforts to help heal and rebuild the country take precedence. This includes continued, direct short-term financial help and retraining and retooling the workforce for an accelerating digital economy. I would name it the Pandemic Relief for Families and Businesses Act or PREFAB.

Specifically, this would include income support through the pandemic for those whose jobs were lost or furloughed, mortgage support for landlords to avoid evictions, funding to launch new businesses, and make capital investments to retool for or retrain employees to embrace the digital economy.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I consider my vote to be sacred and secret, and I will make my decision on Nov 3, based on what I believe would best help the country. As of today, here is where I stand: President Trump’s disruption of the status quo and economic policy successes are undeniable. However, his use of stereotypes and rhetoric are untenable. Vice President Biden’s respect for norms and ability to build coalitions are undeniable. However, he has to demonstrate his will and ability to resist far-left socialist tendencies and influences. President Trump aligns with my platform for the district (jobs, education, taxes and safety) while Vice President Biden aligns with my desire to help heal the country.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Yes. My mother retired from the Social Security Administration after a 25 year career. She was hired as a GS 3 out of high school and retired a manager as a GS 12. Defensively, the federal government should stop raiding Social Security and filling it with IOU’s to finance its operating expenditures. Given the program’s current state, though, we need to make aggressive moves to ensure its solvency. Our physical and financial circumstances have materially changed since the program was introduced in 1935. With a longer life expectancy and better quality of life, perhaps the retirement age should be increased to 70. Other actions could include increasing legal immigration and privatizing a portion of the program and leverage the compounding effects of a rising stock market.

The entire Medicare program needs to be revisited, tweaked, and fortified to ensure its solvency. In this case, the approach perhaps needs to be more market-driven and less regulatory. The size, complexity, fraud, and waste in Medicare appear to be natural areas to address, along with some programs and encouragement for personal responsibility. Lastly, perhaps merging Social Security and Medicare could result in economies of scale, administrative uniformity and make medical care almost free for senior citizens.

For a country as wealthy as ours, healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. However, given the extreme (and arguably, unnecessary) complexity of the issue, we will have to take an incremental approach to a sustainable solution.

The guiding principles need to include personal choice, personal responsibility, risk sharing, cost transparency, comprehensive coverage, and universal access. The government would be a provider of last resort for catastrophic events. The best way to do so is to preserve the Affordable Care Act’s positives but continuously improve upon it and provide a free-market option to allow citizens to buy insurance they feel they need.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

I firmly believe that countries and governments across the world have realized that economic opportunities for its citizens are the only sustainable path to survival, regardless of the form of government. In this light, other than posturing for political advantage, there is little to gain from destructive wars. With these assumptions in mind, I feel the three principal national security threats we face are

Biological – whether naturally occurring or an accident of experimentation. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the devastation caused by a biological agent, which was further exacerbated by an inconsistent national and international response. We need to learn from this event, cooperate with other countries, and build up our defenses to better address such events in the future.

Cyber Security – this is manifested in many ways, including election interference, commercial espionage, and infrastructure sabotage. We need to invest heavily to build up our defensive and offensive cyber capabilities to ensure that a suitable, proportionate, and effective response if and when attacked.

Climate Change – is human-made, urgent, and an existential threat to the planet. The devastation this can cause globally to our way of life, if left unaddressed while imperceptible in the short term, will be deadly and irreversible, leading to physical, food, and economic insecurity. We need a commercial, not a regulatory fix to fix this threat sustainably.

These are unprecedented times that require unprecedented actions. The government’s legislative and executive branches have stepped up and need to continue to do more to get the country through these times. However, to accelerate the recovery, we have to figure out a way to grow our way out of this problem. Examples include:

Leverage the crisis to eliminate unnecessary regulations and red tape, speed up the approvals process, further reduce or eliminate taxes, and expand loans and funding programs to start new businesses.

Provide one-time tax relief to corporations to repatriate foreign profits back to the US if they re-invest 50% of these funds in creating new economy US jobs.

Leverage technology to eliminate the colossal waste in government spending and entitlement programs, reduce and simplify tax rates, reinstate state and local tax exemptions, provide forgivable loans to start new businesses.

Encourage global companies to relocate jobs to the district and country through tax breaks and tariff relief.

These are just ideas. I realize it takes a lot to get these through the legislative process – but we need to continuously and proactively generate more such ideas and ultimately execute on the ideas.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I identify as an authentic “purple” Republican - socially moderate and fiscally responsible. My principles are rooted in my core beliefs, which were honed when I was a young political staffer in the early 1990s:

Personal responsibility

Freedom of choice

Free enterprise

Smaller government

The rule of law

Opportunity for all

Performance, transparency, and accountability

My views on climate change, LGBTQ rights, choice (pro-choice till 20 weeks, pro-life thereafter, with exceptions for life-threatening conditions) are examples where my positions differ from that of the party platform. However, these views are consistent with our district and the Republican representation in Congress we have had here for a majority of the last 40 years.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

The ability to adapt and achieve regardless of circumstances has been the hallmark of my personal and professional life. You can see this in my public resume on Linkedin.com. My whole life I have been the underdog, chartering waters that no one before me in my family has ever done. I figured out how to get to the top across education, work, nonprofit, and sports – from 1st generation college and grad student with 2 Ivy League degrees, to one of the youngest female congressional campaign managers, to top of my class in the hyper competitive industries of Wall Street and Silicon Valley Technology, to President of a School Board, to player of the year within 6 months of learning tennis and becoming a nationally ranked USTA tennis player within 4 years of picking up the sport @ the age of 40. I wake up every day with an intensity to perform and exceed expectations. Unlike Congressman Schneider, who ranks in the bottom decile of his House peers, I will fire myself if I cannot deliver any meaningful legislation for voters after raising and spending $20,000,000 to get elected over four cycles. If history is a predictor of future performance, as you can see in my resume, I do not foresee me being a backbencher - it is just not my DNA.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

We are dealing with concurrent unprecedented crises and need serious leadership that can steadfastly navigate challenges.

I have focused on the needs of Illinois' 10th District. I’ve held hundreds of town halls and outreach meetings, visited local businesses and hosted job fairs, health care fairs and other informational programs. Even with the pandemic, I continue to connect through Zoom and Facebook Live events. I’m working hard to hear the concerns and priorities of my neighbors and fellow leaders in our communities, and they know they can count on me to fight for them.

I helped pass the CARES Act and, with my team, did all we could to help our small businesses get the forgivable PPP loans to get through this crisis. I was pleased that we were able to protect 92,000 jobs in my district.

More than just PPP, I have helped provide assistance for health care workers and hospitals, nursing homes, teachers, firefighters, and other frontline heroes. And I continue to fight to restore the SALT deduction in full something that will save families in this district thousands of dollars in taxes.

I know the values, priorities and interests of our district. I’ve proven willing to stand up to the Trump Administration when they are wrong, while at the same time showing independence by working with both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our problems. And I’m asking Illinois voters to send me back for two more years to keep up that fight.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Before we can do anything else, we must beat back the virus to restore our nation to health and renew our economy to get people back to work.

My primary goal as a Member of Congress has always been to ensure our economy is growing in a way that helps all Americans, not just those at the top. When our economic trajectory is positive, solving the myriad challenges we face becomes more achievable, from providing access to quality affordable health care to all Americans and protecting Social Security and Medicare to finally passing comprehensive immigration reform and addressing global climate change.

Second, we must deal with the existential threat of climate change. I helped introduce legislation that will get the U.S. to net-zero emissions by 2050, and will continue to work at every step to address climate change.

On a personal level, gun violence is an extremely important topic to me. I was named after a great uncle who was killed by a gunman. When first taking office in 2013, I met some of the parents of children murdered in Newtown. In 2018, I’ve met student survivors of Parkland. I have personally taken on the NRA in Congress, challenging their non-profit status, and fighting to have the organization dissolved. There are commonsense solutions supported by the vast majority of Americans that would save lives, and I will continue to push my colleagues to find the political courage necessary to pass gun safety legislation.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

We can’t move our nation forward until we effectively beat back the virus. In the meantime, we need to put the economy in the best position to fully recover and once again grow. We need to help our nation-- American working families, small businesses, health care providers, state and local governments--navigate this period until we get either therapeutics or a cure. The HEROES Act the House passed in May had the solution to defeating the virus and safely reopening our economy. In a new pandemic relief bill, I am fighting for a second round of $1200 direct checks to individuals, expanded assistance for small businesses, more money for testing and contact tracing, and extended unemployment benefits to keep Illinois families above water. We also need significant funding for state and local governments to support schools, frontline medical professionals and first responders -- many of which have been brought to the brink by this crisis.

That said, the single issue we must address now and for the foreseeable future is dealing with climate change. In the coming term, we must return the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement and restore our vital role in leading the global effort to arrest global warming. We must bring a whole of government approach, including building green infrastructure, setting a course for rapid transition from fossil fuels, and investing in innovative technologies to capture greenhouse gases.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Our nation is at a crossroads and needs an experienced leader who will immediately restore America’s standing in the world, fight for working families, and bring our country together. That leader is Joe Biden. I was the first in Illinois’s Congressional delegation to endorse Vice President Biden. I think he, more than anyone else, represents the values of the Tenth Congressional District. He would listen to the scientists to get the pandemic under control so that we can safely reopen our economy and get our children back in schools. Internationally, Donald Trump has turned his back on America’s most trusted allies, chipped away at America’s reputation on the world stage, and fueled global crises. Joe will step into the Oval Office on day one with the credibility to immediately begin repairing and rebuilding international alliances -- setting our nation on a path to again be a trusted and respected leader.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Both Medicare and Social Security are promises to our seniors that, after years of paying into these programs, they deserve the dignity of a secure retirement and affordable health care.

The first thing we must do to protect these programs is to stop undermining our nation’s fiscal position. Unfortunately, the Republican tax bill passed does just that by adding an additional $1.9 trillion to our debt load over the next decade and accelerating the date of insolvency for both programs. And President Trump’s efforts to eliminate the payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare is a further assault on our seniors.

Comprehensive immigration reform is also a way to improve the health of these programs. The CBO estimated the 2013 Senate bill would have helped grow the economy and reduce our deficits. Allowing more immigrants who are in the United States to work legally and pay taxes would thereby help extend the life of Social Security and Medicare and is a step in the right direction.

I do believe we can create incentives for Americans who want to work longer to choose to do so and adjust their benefits accordingly. Such approaches can create the “win-win” scenarios that benefit everyone without raising the retirement age.

A decade after passing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so many of the problems that the law was designed to address stubbornly persist. We must recognize that rising premiums, higher deductibles, unpredictable bills, narrow networks, and lack of affordable options are all problems people still face every day. All these issues have been exacerbated by the chaos and uncertainty created by Republican attempts to dismantle, defund and defeat the ACA -- in Congress and in the courts -- all without any plan to replace it.

Health care is, and must be treated as, a right for all, not a privilege for the fortunate few. Simply tinkering around the edges of the ACA is not sufficient to achieve this goal.

One important step would be creating a “public option” -- a government-sponsored health insurance plan that competes in the marketplace with private insurance. A new public plan would promote competition to drive down overall costs and return the focus more appropriately on patients and their needs. It would offer an essential alternative for the nearly 1 in 5 Americans, including my constituents living in Lake County, who get their insurance through exchanges with only one insurance provider. That is why I am proud to cosponsor Jan Schakowsky’s CHOICE Act that would establish a public health insurance option.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

I believe the United States faces three existential security threats: global climate change, uncontainable pandemic, and nuclear war. With respect to nuclear arms, it is imperative for Congress to continue to work, with the President and the international community, to thwart proliferation. That is why I support the nuclear test ban, believe we should be renewing and improving nuclear treaties, and actively doing everything necessary to prevent new states, like Iran or Saudi Arabia, or non-state actors from ever acquiring nuclear weapons.

With respect to Iran in particular, I believe that President Trump’s abrupt withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA), without a clear strategy or capacity to replace it, has allowed Iran to dangerously progress closer to building a nuclear weapon. While I don’t believe we should simply return to the flawed JCPOA, it is critical that the new administration directly engage Iran and, with support from our allies and the international community, chart a path that will successfully block any path for Iran to ever obtain a nuclear weapon.

Whether you consider it stimulus or not, one of the best ways to create jobs and prosperity, immediately and sustainably, is to invest in infrastructure. Even before the pandemic, the United States faced an infrastructure crisis. By restoring, rebuilding and reimagining our national infrastructure, we can create well-paying jobs today while we lay the foundation to drive an economic boom for generations to come.

Second, we need to invest in our children’s education, developing new and creative ways to, as quickly as possible, make up the lost time students have suffered during the pandemic. From pre-K to graduate education, America’s young risk falling behind in their ability to compete in a global economy. But, like the “Greatest Generation” that rose up from the Great Depression to literally save the world, then returned home from war to launch what became the “American Century,” I believe today’s youth, with wise educational investment, can launch a new, post-Covid renaissance.

Finally, beyond stimulus and bailouts, one of the best ways to create jobs and bring prosperity to Illinois families would be by eliminating the double taxation our residents suffer because of the 2017 TCJA. I’m focused on restoring the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction that was taken away by the Republican tax plan as a punitive measure directed at blue states like Illinois. On the Ways & Means Committee, I helped craft the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act, which restored the deduction and passed the House in December.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I stood up to the Obama Administration to oppose the Iran Deal. I felt that it gave Iran sanctions relief without bringing sufficient pressure to end its nuclear programs or curb its nuclear ambitions. Significantly, I took this position while in the midst of a difficult party primary race. I believed then, as I do now, that it is more important to stand up for your principles than to be popular.

More broadly, little can get done if we don’t address the hyperpartisanship in our governing and find ways to bridge the gap to find common ground and sustainable solutions to our challenges. I have made fostering bipartisanship a top priority because I believe the challenges our country faces require solutions independent of party fealty. As the recent disastrous tax reform effort demonstrates, legislation crafted in a partisan vacuum is not crafted to last or to benefit all Americans.

Promoting bipartisanship and tackling problems together is why I helped create the Problem Solvers Caucus-- to find common ground on issues including health care, immigration, and infrastructure. It’s why I am active with the aptly named Bipartisan Working Group. It is why 75% of my votes are with at least one Republican joining me.

In fighting the Coronavirus, the Problem Solvers Caucus has become one of the few places in Congress where you can find bipartisan agreement. The 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats recently came together to endorse my COVID PREPARE Act to prepare for a potential resurgence of this virus.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

This term, I am proud that I and my team have helped recover $3.03 million for constituents, and deliver more than $100,000,000 in federal grants to the district this term. I am proud that we have assisted more than 2,500 constituents resolve issues related to the Federal government. I am proud of the 46 bills we have introduced and the fact that most have been introduced with bipartisan support. I am proud of the 13 bills that have passed the House, and three that were used to craft the CARES Act, which is now law. I am proud of my legislation included in the CARES Act to mitigate shortages in the medical device supply chain, support small businesses, and assist women-owned businesses. But, if I had to identify one single accomplishment it would have to be the creation of the bipartisan Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Task Force. In the midst of the hyperpartisanship stymieing so much progress, we were able to bring together some of the most liberal Democrats and most conservative Republicans into a productive, cohesive working group to take on a carcinogen threatening our constituents across the country.We have done real work as a task force: we hosted meetings with Administrator Wheeler, submitted comprehensive technical feedback on EtO-related regulations, and secured EtO-related language in the EPA funding legislation. And we did it as a bipartisan coalition, a model I hope to repeat and expand upon in the next Congress.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I am a scientist and businessman - a combination we need more of in Congress to deal with the challenges we are facing today and the numerous technological and economic developments our country will face in the coming decades. The government should be leading the way forward with combating climate change and preparing for major economic shifts as automation and AI continue to take over large portions of the economy. As someone who created a small business and led it from early struggles to success, I understand what it takes for small businesses to succeed in our country. My background will allow me to continue being at the forefront of these discussions.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

I believe that healthcare is a human right and that we should continue moving towards universal coverage. One of my proudest votes in Congress was for the Affordable Care Act in 2010. I support and have voted for a robust public option because he believes it is vital to provide people with a high-quality, low-cost coverage option that competes with private insurance plans. I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 2085, the Consumer Health Options and Insurance Competition Enhancement (CHOICE) Act, to add a public option to the Affordable Care Act’s individual marketplaces.

I remain committed to strengthening the ACA and ensuring that live-saving health care is available and affordable for everyone. Specifically, this should include continuing the ACA’s Medicaid expansion by further expanding coverage and eliminating means-testing, a gradual reduction of the age of eligibility for Medicare, and reducing out-of-pocket costs by cost-reducing measures such as H.R. 3 which would, among other things, empower the Secretary of HHS to negotiate drug prices.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

An issue I will prioritize in the coming term is to continue fighting for infrastructure funding in my district. Illinois loses $40 billion each year to other states because we pay far more in federal dollars than we get back in federal spending. Infrastructure spending is a major driver of this problem. I have introduced legislation that would change the formula for the allocation of highway funding to reflect a state’s population rather than merely carrying forward antiquated allocations, so that Illinois gets its fair share. We need to repair our roads and bridges that people use every day to get to work and school. We also need to widen I-80, a major thoroughfare for transnational shipping. This issue has become more important as Will County has developed into the largest inland port in the country.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support Joe Biden because he believes in science and is ready to listen to the experts when making decisions. He has the knowledge and experience to get this country back on track. And Joe Biden possesses a fundamental moral integrity that is obvious to everyone who knows him. My only major gripe about Joe is that in 2013 he hired away my Chief of Staff!

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I do not support any cuts to Social Security benefits. Like Medicare, we owe it to the individuals who worked their entire lives and paid into the system to make good on our promises. There is no easy fix for the rapidly rising cost of health care coupled with longer life expectancy and a stagnation of wages that have led to so many Americans being unprepared for retirement.

However, there are a few common sense things Congress can do to improve the solvency of Social Security and Medicare. For Social Security, we can raise or eliminate the cap on income subject to the payroll tax, so highly paid individuals will also pay into the system based on their full income. For Medicare, we can invest more into research for diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, two of the most expensive diseases to our health care system. If an inexpensive cure for either one of these can be found, it will largely solve the long term solvency problems of Medicare. We can also promote the use of technology to support elderly remaining in their homes – and out of expensive care facilities – as long as possible.

Health care is a basic human right and universal coverage should be our goal. I continue to work in Congress to lower costs and improve the quality of health care in America. I support strengthening and enhancing the ACA, including the creation of a public option to provide people with a high-quality, low-cost alternative to for-profit insurance plans. I also support expanding Medicaid and lowering the Medicare eligibility age.

This year, I was the lead sponsor of an amendment that would allow HHS to integrate a unique patient identifier into electronic health record systems - a change that would save thousands of lives each year by preventing medical errors and save billions of dollars in health care costs. This policy would also prevent “doctor shopping” for opioids, since patients would be unable to go to multiple doctors to seek out additional opioid prescriptions. This offers a huge step forward in combating the prevalence of opioid addiction. My amendment successfully passed the House with a bipartisan vote last summer, and passed unanimously in the House last month

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

The proliferation of nuclear weapons and materials remains one of the greatest threats to global security. Congress must act on the extension of the New Start Treaty and continue to support the indispensable work being done at our national laboratories and international institutions. That is why I’ve offered legislation that would bring attention to the essential role of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Another crucial thing that America can do is to continue to reduce the worldwide use of highly enriched “weapons grade” Uranium for uses in which low-enriched “non weapons grade” Uranium will suffice. This was supported by a letter signed by more than 30 Nobel Prize winners. In Congress I have personally been very active in promoting legislation and research to reduce the use of High Enriched Uranium in Space-Based reactors and in naval propulsion reactors.

Finally, it is past time to address the threat to our national security caused by the systematic dismantling and devaluing of our scientific infrastructure. We cannot compete with near-peer adversaries such as China when they are out-investing us in science and engineering. We have seen with the current pandemic that decades of under-investing in our public health infrastructure has left us vulnerable to both naturally occurring pandemics like COVID-19 as well as any future biological attacks.

The only way to fully reopen the economy is to get the COVID-19 pandemic under control which means listening to public health experts. The damage will not stop if we continue to do half-measures. Once we have reliable treatments and/or vaccines, Congress will need to ensure a rapid distribution of vaccines and treatments, free from political interference. Congress will also need to provide additional money for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and should enact legislation like the RESTAURANTS Act which would provide grants to restaurants to cover things like payroll and rent.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I voted against Trade Promotion Authority, the fast-track authority requested by President Obama for his signature trade agenda item, TPP. Fast-track authority is intended to express Congress’s views on what the President should be negotiating. I believe the negotiating objectives contained in the fast-track were too weak on currency manipulation.

The President and the Secretary of the Treasury argued that restrictions on currency manipulation would have prevented the Federal Reserve from using the monetary policy tools that helped stimulate the economy and begin our housing recovery. I disagree. I pressed the Chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, in the House Financial Services Committee and asked experts who helped write the International Monetary Fund’s definition of currency manipulation, who agreed with me.

I could not support watered down negotiating objectives and voted against President Obama’s requested authority.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

Throughout my time in Congress I have seen several examples of bipartisanship and cooperation both between the chambers of Congress and between the legislative and executive branches of our government - they just don’t make the nightly news. Even in this divided Congress, I was able to work with Republican Mike Kelly from Pennsylvania to pass an amendment last summer - with a bipartisan vote - that repealed a longstanding ban on unique patient identifiers. If we are successful in getting it acted on by the Senate and passed into law, it could open the door to a more efficient systems to match patients to their data, which would save tens of thousands of American lives and save billions of dollars of health care costs.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

The incumbent has not made the sanctity of human life a priority.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Protecting human life and moving towards more self-reliance and limited government.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I would work to end abortion and protect human life by eliminating tax-payer funded abortions, reject funding for Planned Parenthood, and make pro-life policies a priority at the federal level.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

President Trump has aggressively fought for the sanctity of human life, a free market, and limited government. Under the President’s administration unemployment rates have plummeted and wages have grown faster due to his regulation cuts. He has helped rebuild our military, called on Congress to lower health costs, and developed national energy options. He has appointed 180+ Constitutional judges, defended the 2nd Amendment, and supported states that have wanted to return to lawfulness and depart from lawlessness. President Trump’s policies are healthy for America--I see no reason why we would consider another option for President as none of the Democratic Presidential contenders have even promised anything close to what he has already accomplished.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

We cannot expand on benefits. We must restrict, or at least maintain benefits, but not expand. Social Security was designed to be an anti-poverty assistance for individuals later in life; we must return to those economical roots.

The government should get out of the health care business. Attractive health care programs have been developed, and can continue to be developed and fostered, solely between employers and employees. The government need not involve itself in order for the public to have better and more attractive health care options.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Cybersecurity, Homeland Security, and Border Security. With respect to Border Security we must continue to build and enforce border walls, support federal law enforcement that enforces illegal immigration, and discourage sanctuary policies in cities and counties.

Pre or post COVID, the formula for either rebuilding or creating a healthy economy is the same: lower taxes, reduce regulations, and seek ways in which we can incentivize businesses.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Any step, that either party has made, towards enlarging government is a departure from my views on what will help us return to a thriving society.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

This newcomer will continue to advance what he believes to be a conservative view and conservative policy in a clear, rationale, and attractive fashion.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

My roots run deep in Southern Illinois; I understand our values and live them every day. I went to Washington to help grow American jobs, make our companies more competitive, cut taxes, eliminate the overregulation that was crushing our farmers and manufacturers, and improve the quality of care for our veterans. When the Granite City steel plant idled, I went to work to bring hundreds of steel jobs back on line. When our coal miners needed their pensions and healthcare benefits saved, I helped lead a bipartisan coalition in Congress to get it done. And when COVID-19 struck, I voted for emergency funding for vaccine research, more testing, PPE for frontline workers, and economic relief for working families and small businesses. Together, we’ve achieved real results for real people but there is a lot more work to do for Southern Illinois and this nation.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Americans face great uncertainty today. I believe the greatest priority for most Illinoisans is defeating the health and economic threats posed by COVID-19. That’s why I have supported emergency relief to ensure our doctors, nurses and first responders are protected; that Americans have greater access to coronavirus testing; and that families out of work and businesses closing their doors due to the shutdown have a financial lifeline. Additionally, we must come together and address the racial division in America and the resulting mistrust and violence that has stemmed from it. Americans deserve to know that any cases of injustice will be investigated fully and dealt with swiftly. But they also know that the vast majority of police officers are honorable public servants and that violence and looting in our streets is an unacceptable response. These are big challenges, and we must put partisanship aside to solve them.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Jobs. We must continue to work to grow American jobs, make our companies more competitive in the global marketplace, keep taxes low, keep the heavy hand of D.C. overregulation off of our job creators, invest in innovation, and support public education and job training programs that grow the next generation. I am also confident that the dedicated effort to find a COVID-19 vaccine will bear fruit and, with that restored certainty and safety, help jumpstart our economic growth.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I am proud to support President Trump’s re-election. Under the president’s leadership, we saw opportunities expanded for so many Americans, with 7.3 million jobs created, a 50 year record low unemployment rate, and a stock market at all-time highs. Minority unemployment was at historic lows. We negotiated a new USMCA trade deal. The successful results could also be seen in Southern Illinois, where the president’s trade policies helped bring back 800 steel jobs to Granite City. COVID-19 may have stalled much of the economic good news, but we are already seeing signs of recovery faster than most experts predicted.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

As far as I’m concerned, Medicare and Social Security are promises made that must be promises kept. I do not support any changes for those at or near retirement age. I thought it was wrong when President Obama cut $700 billion from Medicare to fund Obamacare, and I think it would be wrong now. That being said, we must take steps to ensure these treasured programs are solvent for our children and grandchildren and both parties need to come together to find solutions to a problem that’s only going to get bigger and tougher to address.

We must work to make health insurance more accessible and affordable for all Americans. However, I do not believe a government-run, D.C. bureaucrat-crafted system is the best way to do that. We should be looking at solutions that include opening up competition across state lines to lower costs, health savings accounts, and more tele-medicine, while continuing to ensure that patients with preexisting conditions receive coverage.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

China, Iran, and growing unrest in destabilized regions of the world, including the MIddle East and Pacific Rim, I believe President Trump’s instincts have been to lead with diplomacy, but if that were to fail, be prepared to defend America’s national security and economic interests. On a variety of issues, from restoring our military might, to trade, to Israel and Middle East security, to forging new global relationships, we’ve made progress and must continue to project a strong and resolute America committed to peace.

The solutions are going to be dictated by the scope of the problem. We don’t know when a vaccine will reach the public or how the economic recovery will look a year from now. We need to continue investing in our companies and small businesses, ensure working families have the means to get back on their feet, and consider how best to ensure health and public safety short of a wide-scale shutdown that could put the economy and millions of more jobs at risk.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I am a pro-labor Republican, the grandson of a United Mine Workers representative and a former professional firefighter. I have often broken with the majority of my party to support prevailing wages, project labor agreements, and collective bargaining rights. I am proud to have consistently received the endorsements of labor organizations representing a broad scope of working men and women, including firefighters, police, teachers, mine workers, and building trades.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

As a Marine, I take my leadership role on the House Veterans Affairs Committee seriously. I previously introduced bills that are now law to streamline the appeals process for veterans to receive their disability benefits faster and to provide veterans a cost-of-living adjustment. This term, I introduced bills to ensure VA centers have suicide prevention coordinators on site, improve access to home loans for veterans and their families, and strengthen the life insurance program for surviving spouses and children.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Voters should elect me (Ray Lenzi) because I am standing for people’s real interests regarding healthcare, climate and economic and racial justice. My opponent (Mike Bost), my contrast is beholden to mega-donors and dark money super-PACs. He has voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to cut Medicare and Medicaid while also voting for tax cuts for the super rich.

We stand on an agenda for “We the People” that we call Forward not Backward. We know that climate change and global warming are real and demand urgent action to accelerate renewable energy. Mike Bost stands for backward movement on all of the major issues. We must act boldly to solve our problems and create a better future.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Our Campaign’s highest priorities are 1) healthcare, 2) jobs and income inequality, 3) renewable energy and global warming, 4) infrastructure, 5) women’s rights, and 6) electoral reform.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

One issue I would prioritize is the transition from coal to renewable energy, especially for the coal productive counties of southern Illinois. I propose a 50% federal tax credit for displaced coal miners for their next job, effectively guaranteeing their former income for the balance of their working lives.

In combination with the 50%/50% employment tax credit, I also propose increasing the 26% federal tax credit for renewable energy to a 50% tax credit to accelerate the move to renewable energy. This would, in effect, allow the former coal producing counties to become manufacturing and power production centers for renewable energy.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support Joe Biden for President because a) he is right on the issues and b) he is an honest and effective leader in contrast to our current lying, corrupt, and incompetent President Donald Trump. Joe Biden stands for expanding and improving healthcare, addressing climate change, and increasing the federal minimum wage to $15/hour. Donald Trump is in court trying to kill the Affordable Care Act, stands for tax breaks for the rich, and calls global warming a hoax. Simply put- Biden is right on the issues and Trump is wrong. Joe Biden is also an honorable man while Trump is the man of 20,000 lies and financial corruption. Trump has failed catastrophically on leadership during the coronavirus crisis, which has resulted in nearly 200,000 deaths, a national health and economic tragedy. By contrast, Biden is a competent national leader and administrator.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Our proposal would rest on financing comprehensive Social Security and Medicare Reform with fair taxes on the upper income and big businesses. Social Security should be supported by taxing higher incomes at the same rate as lower income individuals. This support is vital to our retirement system. Similarly an expanded Medicare system should be supported by broadening the tax base.

Health Insurance should be regarded as a human right. Consequently, we favor a universal national health insurance program, expanding from the current ACA to what I call “Medicare for All Plus”; a program with universal access, covering all costs. This would be financed by a combination of income, payroll, and business taxes based on income.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Three national security threats are: 1) Pandemics, 2) Global Warming, and 3) Terrorist Groups, both Domestic and Foreign.

With regard to pandemics we should create a robust public healthcare system built in conjunction with the universal health system previously described. We should resuscitate the Pandemic Task Force, disbanded by the Trump Administration and create a robust public healthcare system with national leadership in everything from planning to PPE to testing and contact tracing. Clear policies on masking and social distancing should be central to this effort.

We propose a national jobs program. With elements of a major infrastructure bill combined with “Renewable Energy/Green New Deal” type program. This would major fiscal and tax incentives for renewable energy including solar and wind manufacturing tax credits and direct federal spending. Youth employment programs like the New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Work Progress Administration (WPA) employing youth and the unemployed in tree planting, park cleanup, and infrastructure highway and transportation projects would be included. We have not had a major infrastructure bill since 1990. The federal government must lead the way in stimulating employment and income to get us out of this Depression.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Our answers show an independence of thought from the Democratic Party in two ways: 1) I propose unique solutions to problems based on my own economic development experience; for example, as I have used tax credits to build the largest low and moderate income assisted living corporation in the southern half of Illinois and favor using tax credits, a policy often favored by many Republicans.

Secondly, I also propose more aggressive and progressive policies on healthcare and climate change than generally favored by the mainstream Democratic Party.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

As a newcomer, I am not concerned about being a backbencher. The main point is the support the most aggressive policies to address the four fold crises now facing American society: 1) the global warming crises, 2) the pandemic crises, 3) the economic collapse and depression, and 4) the racial justice crises. At this point in national and human history the main thing is to advance bold solutions and initiatives to meet the severe challenges of the times. We are in unprecedented territory and we must think bigger and bolder with solutions tailored to the nation, the world, and our local communities and region.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I am a daughter of the 13th district. My roots in this community go back generations. The people here are my friends and neighbors and I am running for Congress to fight for us. I know firsthand what health care access means for the families across our 14 counties and I will fight tirelessly for access to quality, affordable health care. I will work to bring good-paying union jobs that build our local economies -- and that people can raise their families on -- back to our communities. I will work to support our schools and teachers and make sure they have the resources they need to educate our children. I will vote against any cuts to Social Security and Medicare because these are earned benefits and must be protected.

I am proud to once again receive the endorsement of End Citizens United, an organization dedicated to getting dark money out of politics. The corrosive effects of corporate PAC and special interest money are clear when our representative votes against protecting people with pre-existing conditions and against lowering the cost of prescription drugs while taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from pharmaceutical and insurance corporate PACs. I am refusing to take any corporate PAC money, in this campaign or when I am elected to Congress, because I refuse to be beholden to Big Pharma, insurance or any corporation for that matter.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Whether it’s access to quality, affordable health insurance or the rising cost of prescription drugs, people need help and we must protect access to health care, now more than ever. In Congress, I will work to stabilize the Affordable Care Act and protect the Patient Bill of Rights. I will support a Public Option that can compete with private insurers, starting with rural communities and small businesses, while making sure our hospitals can maintain the quality of their care as well as work to pass into law the Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019, which will allow Medicare to directly negotiate lower prescription drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies.

I will protect Social Security and Medicare benefits for the millions of Americans who depend on them. I am proud to be endorsed by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, which is committed to defending these earned benefits from any cuts. I stand with them and middle-class families across the district and the country in making sure we strengthen these programs while ensuring their long-term solvency.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

In 2009, when my son Jack was 12, he lay in the pediatric intensive care unit in critical condition. Jack had developed a rare, life-threatening illness from a tick bite. We were sitting in a hospital where our previously healthy son was in a medically induced coma with a ventilator breathing for him, fighting for his life. After 24 days, Jack started on the long road to recovery. I am so grateful for the medical team that saved his life, for the community that rallied behind us, and for the insurance coverage that helped us avoid bankruptcy.

Protecting and expanding access to quality, affordable health care is personal. We must protect and expand access to quality, affordable health insurance as well as lower the costs of prescription drugs. In Congress, I will work to stabilize the Affordable Care Act and protect the Patient Bill of Rights. I will support a Public Option that can compete with private insurers, starting with rural communities and small businesses, while working with hospitals to ensure they maintain the quality of their care. I will work to pass into law the Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019, which will allow Medicare to directly negotiate lower prescription drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies. These are key steps we can take now which will have a substantial and positive impact on people’s lives.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

America needs leaders who will fight for everyone to have access to quality, affordable health care. I believe Vice President Biden’s commitment to strengthening and building upon the protections of the Affordable Care Act is the best way forward and I look forward to working with his administration to lower the cost of prescription drugs and premiums and protect those with pre-existing conditions. We need a President who will look out for America’s working families so we can rebuild our country with an economy built from the center-out instead of the top-down. That is what I’ll fight for in Congress and it’s why I am proud to be voting for Vice President Biden and Senator Kamala Harris and look forward to working with them to bring our country together.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I believe we must strengthen Social Security and Medicare through common sense solutions, which will help ensure these programs remain solvent without cutting benefits. I believe we should raise the cap on Social Security taxes. I also strongly support the recently passed and bipartisan Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019, which would allow Medicare to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies. This would lower prescription drug prices while also saving an estimated $345 billion over a 10-year-period, according to the CBO.

I also continue to support the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), which offers providers and suppliers an opportunity to create a new type of health care entity, an Accountable Care Organization (ACO). An ACO agrees to be held accountable for the quality, cost, and experience of care of an assigned Medicare fee-for-service beneficiary population. ACOs align provider and payer incentives to focus on value instead of volume, with the goal of keeping patients healthy and costs manageable. While it takes an initial investment from an ACO to create the infrastructure to comply with the MSSP (depending on the ACO’s chosen track,) overall, it demonstrates that over time, they improve the quality of care while also saving money.

I believe every person should be able to visit a doctor regularly, get medical help when they’re sick, and afford their medications without needing to choose whether they can put food on the table. I will work to stabilize the Affordable Care Act so no one loses coverage and protect Essential Health Benefits. We can incentivize more states to join Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations to bring down costs and expand eligibility. I will also work to introduce a Public Optiona Public Option that can compete with private insurers, starting with rural communities and small businesses, while working with hospitals to ensure they maintain the quality of their care.

Instead of working for us, we have a representative who has voted 11 times to repeal the ACA. He has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from pharmaceutical and insurance corporate PACs while voting against lowering prescription drug costs and against protecting people with pre-existing conditions. These votes stand in direct conflict with the expressed needs of Central Illinois families. I refuse to accept corporate PAC money, now or when I’m in Congress, because I want my neighbors across the district to rest assured I’m going to Washington to represent them, not corporations or special interests, but people.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

The United States faces many threats to our national security. These include threats from domestic sources like white supremacist terror groups, which have been rated as the number one threat in multiple Department of Homeland Security assessments, as well as military threats from unstable foreign countries like North Korea with its stockpile of nuclear as well as chemical and biological weapons. One of the most insidious and direct threats to our nation, however, comes from Russia and its ongoing efforts to subvert our electoral process and undermine faith in our democracy.

Last year the House passed the SHIELD Act to help safeguard our elections from foreign interference by requiring campaigns to report any efforts by foreign actors to influence the election. It would also improve transparency for online ads and close other loopholes that foreign actors have attempted to exploit in the past. I also believe we can help instill confidence in our electoral process with other important legislation passed by the House like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would protect against voter suppression, as well as the For the People Act to get dark money out of politics. We must support states in securing their election systems by ensuring they have the resources they need and develop a national strategy to protect our democratic institutions. It is of the utmost importance that our representatives come together to support efforts to protect the security and integrity of elections in the United States.

I hear from people across Central Illinois who are still dealing with the ongoing effects of COVID-19. Many people are unable to return to work right now and Congress must extend unemployment benefits for the millions of Americans who still need help. It is astounding that the Senate would recess without an extension of these benefits and our elected representatives in Washington need to act immediately.

Meanwhile many of our local businesses also need help to stay afloat. The Paycheck Protection Program helped some, but access to these loans proved uneven and many businesses, especially minority-owned small businesses, were unable to access needed funds. We need additional funding for programs like PPP as well as turning some of the previous loans into grants for businesses who haven’t rebounded. These programs, however, must ensure fair and equal access to available funds as well as provide strong oversight to ensure the fraud and waste we are now discovering does not take place again.

I also strongly support passage of a comprehensive infrastructure plan to bring good paying, union jobs to Central Illinois and fix our roads, bridges, waterways, rural broadband and electrical grids as well as strengthen our local economies. I support creating incentives to keep people and jobs in Illinois. This will allow for economic growth from the center out, not top-down.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I proudly spent 7 \u00bd years of my professional life dedicated to preserving the legacy of the most celebrated Republican in American history, President Abraham Lincoln. Working for the Foundation to support the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum was an incredible honor and firmly rooted in me the critical importance of prioritizing our United States over party politics.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I am proud that my professional life is diverse and allows me to bring a well-rounded perspective to Congress. My work as a middle-school teacher; as the first Director of Alumni Affairs for the University of Illinois-Springfield; going into business for myself as a writer and editor then learning graphic and web design to increase marketability; working for Senator Dick Durbin; my work with non-profit organizations; and raising three children have all challenged me and each forced me to stretch and grow in different ways. I think Congress needs more people like me who can bring that diversity in experience to Washington. My mission is to help my neighbors across Central Illinois and keep them at the center of all votes that are cast on their behalf.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I have lived in this district my entire life. Unlike my opponent, I pay real estate taxes here so I understand what a burden they have become in Illinois. I’m proud to call the 14th District my home. I am a parent and a grandparent. Also unlike my opponent, I have extensive experience in the private sector, and I have a proven track record of job creation. In addition, I have served 7 years in the Illinois Senate and currently serve as the Minority Whip. I know how to work across the aisle to get things done.

My opponent is one of the most partisan legislators in Congress. She does not seem interested in working with Republicans on much of anything and has voted with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time this year.

I will be a leader for the whole district - Democrats and Republicans. I will work with Democrats just as I did with the legislation to increase the speed limit on Interstate Highways from 65 mph to 70 mph.

Finally, residents of the 14th District know exactly who I am and where I stand. My opponent told the City Club of Chicago that it was probably in her best interest not to talk about presidential candidates in the Democrat party. She recognizes that the 14th Congressional District is not anywhere near as radical as so many in her party (Underwood included) seem to be. Underwood cannot be honest with her constituents about her positions on the issues because she knows they are not in line with the majority of people in the 14th. I can and will be honest with the people of this district because that kind of honesty and integrity is what voters need and deserve.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

The issues I hear about the most on the campaign trail are crime, taxes, healthcare, and jobs.

One of the reasons I am running for Congress is the fact that I do not want Illinois to become the example for the rest of the nation. Illinois is an example of the tremendous damage out-of-control spending and high taxes can do. We have thousands of people leaving Illinois each year because of the high taxes and outrageous spending. Illinois should serve as a reminder that sound fiscal policies and fair – not punitive – taxation is the best way to improve our economy.

People want access to affordable, quality healthcare. There are free market solutions that will enable us to achieve these goals. We can lower costs, increase access all while protecting pre-existing conditions. Allowing more competition, increasing price transparency, and allowing portability of healthcare coverage are just some of the ways we can improve healthcare.

When it comes to jobs, I have been a job creator for decades. I have built and run three successful businesses. I have an MBA from the University of Chicago. I understand economics and I have created thousands of jobs in the last 10 years.

Finally, while we have all witnessed some horrific mistakes by a few police officers, such mistakes do not mean we should “defund the police”. I believe we all have the right to protest wrongs that we see. I have done so myself. That should not be a political issue. But when we see people destroying businesses, rioting and looting to protest wrongs, that is absolutely unacceptable. I have asked Lauren Underwood to condemn the rioting and looting that has taken place in Chicago and numerous other cities. Her response has been shocking. In front of another Editorial Board she said, “With respect to rioting and looting, you know, I think we have seen many instances of beautiful protests this summer.” That attitude and disregard for other people and their property should disqualify her from serving in Congress.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

In light of the shutdown of our economy, one of the most important concerns for the country right now is to get our economy going again. We had a robust economy with record low unemployment going into the pandemic and now we are facing the harsh reality that many of our businesses may not be coming back.We need leaders in Congress who understand what it takes to create jobs and can help craft policies that will lead to job growth. I have extensive experience as a small business owner in creating jobs. I have received the NFIB endorsement because I have a 100 percent voting record on the issues small business owners care about. Democrats love to talk about spending money on one government program after another, but if more Americans had good paying jobs and more discretionary income – we could solve a lot of problems without creating yet another government program that takes money out of the economy.

Some specific economic proposals are:

Create a public/private partnership between manufacturers and community colleges (grants etc.) to teach pharmaceutical manufacturing and begin moving pharmaceutical production back to the United States

Reduce regulatory hurdles to encourage investment in start-up companies and more domestic manufacturing

Make the Trump tax cuts permanent

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

While I frequently don’t like his tone and his tweets, I support President Donald Trump because he cares deeply about this country and he strives to put the people of this great nation first. His policies have helped manufacturing in this country rebound and prior to the shutdown of our economy his policies created an unprecedented period of prosperity in our nation. President Trump has done more than just talk about border security. He has provided the leadership we need on immigration. He also has made significant strides in brokering peace in the Middle East. The peace agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel and now also between Israel and Bahrain is a huge step toward future world peace. Many past presidents have tried to accomplish what Donald Trump has done. There is no question Donald Trump deserves a second term.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

There really are only three solutions to solve our social security deficit. One is to increase the retirement age. The second is to raise social security tax rates. The third is to increase the base that is taxed. We may need some combination of all three but the most realistic might be to consider an increase in the normal retirement age. When social security started, the life expectancy was about 63 so payments were not expected to be made for very long. A significant increase in life expectancy to about 80 (which is wonderful) is making those payments unsustainable without increasing revenue to the system. We must protect our social security system while also increasing incentives for individual retirement savings like 401k plans to supplement social security payments and to provide more flexibility for people considering retirement.

Some Medicare reforms Congress should consider are:

Reduce taxpayer subsidies for wealthy Medicare recipients to relieve cost pressure on taxpayers and slightly reduce the Part B and D premium costs for middle-income beneficiaries. Congress should apply reduced subsidies to the top 10 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, which would save an estimated $438.4 billion between 2020 and 2029.

Harmonize Medicare’s and Social Security’s ages of eligibility. Social Security’s age of eligibility is 67, and Medicare’s is 65. Congress should raise Medicare’s eligibility age by two months per year over 10 years to bring it in line with Social Security’s eligibility age. We could also allow people to join earlier on a voluntary basis by paying a market rate.

We need to increase price transparency of healthcare services. Consumers have no idea what the actual cost of their healthcare is. We also need to encourage more competition in the open market. Another way to lower costs would be to allow healthcare plans to follow the individual rather than tie these plans to employment. Portability of healthcare costs could help substantially lower costs.

I believe Medicaid for All eliminates choice, would be too expensive and is an unworkable, unrealistic solution. We need to focus on solutions that are realistic and solutions that would actually get results. The cost of Medicare for All would be about $32.6 trillion over 10 years. This is not realistic. Giving the government total control over our healthcare system (Medicare for All) is not a good idea. Whether we repeal and replace ObamaCare or just make necessary improvements is not the issue. The issue is how we make healthcare more available and affordable for all is the issue. That must come from more open, competitive markets and more transparency. There are elements such as providing care for pre-existing conditions that we must keep, but we need to look at ways to reduce the cost of healthcare rather than merely shifting the cost of healthcare to the taxpayers.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Iran

China

North Korea

The Chinese government is the biggest threat to the security of our nation. The communist government in China is trying to rival the United States' status as the world’s only superpower. Additionally, China continues to engage in outrageous human rights violations.

China misled the world about what they knew about the coronavirus. We must hold them accountable. We need to investigate China’s handling of the coronavirus and the spread of the disease worldwide. We also need to bring manufacturing of drugs and medical equipment back to the United States. We need to continue to negotiate trade deals that help our workers and grow our economy but also prevent the human rights violations we are seeing in Hong Kong and in China itself. If we don’t take a stand against these human rights violations – no one else will.

First, we need to make the Trump tax cuts permanent. Under the President’s leadership, companies are expanding and creating jobs thanks to the President’s tax cuts. We need to make these tax cuts permanent. We also need to keep rolling back regulations on businesses to spur more economic growth. President’s Trump’s efforts in reducing business regulations has been a significant catalyst in encouraging investment into the US economy. Reversing these policies would be a bad idea. Biden wants to increase taxes on 80% of Americans. Presumably Underwood would agree. I think that is a very bad idea at this point in a recovery from the global pandemic. Finally, we need to invest in infrastructure. I think this should be a bipartisan effort. The Democrats, in their hatred for the President, have stood in the way of any meaningful progress on an infrastructure plan. It is time to put these partisan differences aside and work for the good of the country.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

One of the areas I have shown independence is on the issue of mail in ballots. On the floor of the Illinois Senate, I argued for including mail-in ballot applications with the mailing of the Constitutional Amendment information. My proposal would have saved taxpayers millions of dollars in postage costs and made the applications available to all registered voters instead of just those who voted in the heavier Democrat turnout elections. I have been a strong advocate for mail in ballots. During the primary, my campaign had an aggressive mail-in ballot effort. We sent out numerous press releases encouraging voters to vote by mail. I firmly believe that vote by mail is a safe and effective way for people to vote in the 14th Congressional District. I might have a little more concern in Cook County.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I plan to be a budget hawk as a member of Congress. We need to get government spending under control. The debt we are creating is generational theft and it is wrong. I believe we need to return to a true budget process. No more continuing resolutions that get rammed through at the last minute and are negotiated in secret. The recent CR was more than 2,300 pages. No one read it. No one truly knows what is in it. The current budget process needs to change. Specifically, we need to: Substantially reduce discretionary spending; Reduce entitlement spending through structural market-based reforms; Enact a federal Balanced Budget Amendment; Give the President the ability to use the line item to veto appropriations bills like most governors can do in the states. I have signed the balanced budget amendment pledge and I will be a strong advocate for getting our spending under control as a member of Congress. I will also propose term limits for members of Congress, though I know that will be a very tough challenge. But someone has to lead the way and I will.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I’m a registered nurse and public health expert. I’ve found that my experience in health care has been vital to my work to lower health care costs and lead our community through the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe public policy should be driven by science and data, not political ideology.

More broadly, when I was elected to Congress in 2018, I promised to my community that I would be the most accessible, transparent, and accountable Congresswoman Illinois' 14th District has ever seen. I held 15 town halls with my constituents in 2019, and another dozen this year.

I see my job in Congress as bringing the voices and values of northern Illinois to Washington. My office set up nine constituent advisory councils, on issues from education to small business to veterans services, to ensure that I’m doing just that. Due to my collaborative approach, I’ve been able to make real progress for our community in Congress, amidst the partisanship in Washington. President Trump has signed three pieces of my legislation into law, including the Lower Insulin Costs Now Act, to make lower-cost, generic insulin available more quickly for families who have been forced to ration insulin due to recent price spikes. My opponent, however, is stuck on the politics of the past. We don’t need another out of touch, self-serving politician in Congress. We certainly don’t need another representative who will seek to take away our hard-fought health care protections and restrict women’s reproductive health care.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

My immediate priority is keeping our community safe. We must implement a national COVID-19 strategy to provide testing, tracing and treatment, limit community spread and support a robust economic recovery. I’ve been pleased to vote for several large scale COVID relief packages over the last several months, including the CARES Act, which established the Paycheck Protection Program that saved tens of thousands of jobs in our community. The House approved our most recent relief package, The Heroes Act, on May 15. I’m deeply disappointed that the Senate has failed to come to the negotiating table to get this much-needed relief out to our families and small businesses.

Second, COVID-19 has only underscored how desperately we need high-quality, affordable health care for our families. Insurance premiums and health care costs remain too high for many of our families. I passed the Health Care Affordability Act and the Lower Drug Costs Now Act through the House to lower health care premiums and prescription drug costs.

My third priority is cleaning up Washington. The overt corruption of the Trump Administration has degraded public trust in our government. One of the first pieces of legislation I supported as a member of Congress reduces the role of money in politics, strengthens ethics rules to make sure that politicians actually serve the public interest, and makes it easier, not harder to vote. I am committed to restoring voting rights and pursuing a strong anti-corruption agenda to ensure every federal official serves the public, not themselves.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

The single issue I hear about most often from my constituents is the high cost of health care. In the 14th District, we have families who are spending 25 percent of their income on monthly health care premiums. That’s why I wrote the Health Care Affordability Act. That legislation would ensure no family spends more than 8.5 percent of their income in premium costs for health insurance plans purchased through the marketplace. That legislation passed the House on a bipartisan vote at the end of June.

It’s not just premiums that are too expensive, it’s prescription drug costs and co-pays. In addition to passing the Lower Insulin Costs Now Act into law, I’ve introduced a five-point plan to lower prescription drug costs -- each concept in my plan has bipartisan support. Additionally, I introduced legislation to require insurance plans to cover common medications, devices, and screenings used to treat common chronic illnesses without charging a co-pay, coinsurance, or deductible-related fee. To address the high cost of doctor visits, I introduced legislation that requires insurers to cover three primary care doctor visits and three mental health or substance use disorder treatment visits per year.

Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is in court trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and the protections the law provides -- during a global pandemic. If that lawsuit is successful, 20 million Americans could lose their health insurance. I passed legislation through the House to ensure that no taxpayer dollars will support that lawsuit.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Vice President Joe Biden is the experienced, empathetic leader we need in the White House to right our course as a nation and restore American leadership in the world. Americans can trust Joe Biden to stand up for our interests at home and overseas, craft public policy based on science, and honor our veterans. He will bring Americans together, not divide us. I know that we can trust Joe Biden to protect our nation from the serious national security threats we face. Joe Biden is an honest, decent man who will have my friend, Sen. Kamala Harris, governing by his side. Their leadership will be rooted in the American values we all hold dear, and will provide a needed change from the chaos of the Trump Administration.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Social Security is the most important source of retirement income for four out of five seniors, and I will not allow us to go back to the days when our seniors faced poverty instead of the dignified retirement they earned.

One of my priorities in Congress is empowering families with the tools they need to save for a secure retirement. I helped pass the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) through the House to help protect military survivors and families from paying thousands in taxes on their survivor benefits. Additionally, while I continue fighting for paycheck fairness for women, I introduced the Women’s Retirement Protection Act to give women the tools they need to save for a dignified retirement. Not only do women face a profound pay gap throughout their lifetimes, they tend to live longer than men. It’s vital that we ensure women are prepared to retire with dignity.

To ensure the solvency of these vital earned benefits, we must reject President Trump’s proposal to do away with the payroll tax that funds our Social Security program. For the past two years, the Trump administration has consistently proposed deep cuts to Medicare and Social Security. The President’s 2020 budget, for example, included a $1.5 trillion cut to Medicare. I have aggressively fought back against these egregious budget proposals.

My opponent, meanwhile, supports raising the retirement age to 72 and has encouraged seniors to gamble their hard-earned savings on the stock market.

As a registered nurse and public health expert, I believe that health care is a human right. I helped implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a career civil servant at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- I know exactly what works and what needs to be improved. In Congress, I’ve focused on protecting coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, lowering the cost of prescription drugs and increasing access to quality, affordable health care -- including mental health, maternal health, and reproductive health care. My opponent, meanwhile, is on the record in support of banning a woman’s right to choose, outlawing abortion even in cases of rape, and making it more difficult for women to access contraception.

The truth about our health care system is that Americans spend more per capita on health care services than citizens of any other developed country, and we get less for our money due to prescription drug costs and sky-high corporate profits.

In order to ensure high-quality, affordable health care coverage for the American people, we need to protect the ACA from the Trump Administration’s attacks. The Administration is currently seeking to invalidate health care protections for people with pre-existing conditions -- that’s 300,000 members of our community. I support improving the ACA by adding a public option. Further, I believe we need to lower the Medicare eligibility age to ensure more Americans receive the care they deserve.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

As Vice Chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I’m committed to keeping our communities safe. Major threats I see are the ongoing attacks on our elections, the rising threat of domestic terrorism, and climate change. Our Illinois State Board of Elections was targeted by Russian hackers in 2016. They stole the personal information of 76,000 Illinois voters, including Illinoisans' names, addresses, partial Social Security numbers, dates of birth and driver’s license numbers. Russia needs to face consequences for this action, and I’m appalled that President Trump has taken no action to secure our elections from further interference. This year, we are facing election interference not only from Russia, but China and Iran. Experts say we need $4 billion in investments to secure our elections across the 50 states -- Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has only agreed to provide 10% of that funding. I’m proud that our state and local leaders have taken action where the Trump Administration has failed. In Illinois, we’ve put in place the Cyber Navigator Program to improve our state’s cybersecurity ahead of the 2020 elections. One of the first pieces of legislation the House passed after I was sworn into Congress requires the Department of Homeland Security to maintain election systems as critical infrastructure and calls for regular testing of voting systems. I’m deeply disappointed that the Senate has refused to take action on this vital initiative to protect our elections. In a democracy, election security is national security.

In order to recover from this crisis, we need to support working families and invest in our communities. But, first, we must get control of this deadly virus with an aggressive national strategy that includes robust COVID testing, contact tracing, and free treatment for COVID patients as we work to develop a vaccine. The truth is that our economy won’t be able to recover from this crisis until we get control of the virus. Second, as we work to limit the spread of the virus, we must provide the resources our families, essential workers and small business owners need to weather this crisis. We cannot allow our small businesses to shutter -- and their employees to lose their paychecks -- during this crisis. Third, it’s time to put people back to work by investing in America. Even before COVID-19, both parties agreed that our communities are in desperate need of infrastructure upgrades and the good-paying jobs that come with those investments. Here in the 14th District, we need federal resources to upgrade our transit systems, repair and modernize our water and sewer systems, provide broadband internet access for all of our families, and put our country on a path toward a clean energy future by investing in our energy infrastructure.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Our farmers are facing an extremely difficult economic environment between the trade war, extraordinarily tough weather conditions, and the coronavirus pandemic.

After our farmers' ability to export their products was inhibited by the trade war, they were promised Market Facilitation Payments to ease their financial burden. I want to be clear: our farmers didn’t ask for this aid, they want to sell their crops on the free market. But after I learned that members of my party were considering blocking those payments, I stepped in to ensure our farmers received the aid they were promised.

Farmers throughout the 14th know they have a champion in me, and I was grateful to receive the endorsement of the Illinois Agricultural Association’s ACTIVATOR PAC. During this challenging economic time, our farmers know that I will deliver for them, whether it’s securing temporary emergency shipments of propane, ensuring the USDA is providing the accurate information farmers depend on, standing up for our biofuels producers, or making certain our farmers receive the federal support they were promised.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

Since I was sworn into office, President Trump has signed three pieces of my legislation into law. The first was the Lower Insulin Costs Now Act, which makes generic insulin available on the marketplace sooner. Next, I passed bipartisan legislation to fund an electronic health record system to prevent children from dying of preventable illnesses while in federal custody on the U.S. - Mexico border. This March, President Trump signed a piece of legislation I wrote to examine our reliance on a foreign-based medical supply chain, which threatens our national security during a pandemic. As the youngest Black woman ever elected to Congress, I’ve also been able to confront an issue that’s personal to me: maternal mortality. In Illinois, women who look like me are six times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than white women. I co-founded the Black Maternal Health Caucus with my colleague, Dr. Alma Adams of North Carolina, to end these health disparities and save mom’s lives. My focus, of course, is always on the 14th District. During my first term in Congress, I have voted to support federal programs that brought over $1 billion dollars to our communities to fund small business loans, cutting edge science at FermiLab, and other grants and federal contracts that support good jobs and services in our community. I’m really proud of the way my team has been able to deliver for our community, and I plan to continue identifying opportunities for bipartisan progress during my second term.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

I’m running for Congress to help local families and ensure they can pursue their version of the American dream. Families deserve a servant-leader who will advocate for them in Washington and focus on solutions.

I’m campaigning to be a voice for the Illinoisans who have been ignored by the D.C. elite, and I want to assure them I will always put their priorities first. The voters I talk to are desperate for economic opportunity. They want freedom to live out their values and build their communities.

By expanding economic opportunity, we can empower families while protecting and respecting our freedoms and family values. I will fight for policies that drive job creation, promote productive small businesses, and empower our local farmers.

As a mother, a grandma, a local farmer, and a small business owner, I understand the challenges our families face. Organizations like the Illinois Farm Bureau, National Rifle Association (NRA), National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), and Illinois Right to Life, have endorsed me in this race because they recognize I’ve lived my life standing up for our rights and values. I am committed to supporting and defending them for our district.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Creating economic opportunity is my highest priority. Illinois 15 is my home and where my husband Chris and I have built our lives, raised our family, deepened our faith, and grown our farm.

Until we have a vibrant and growing local economy, families and businesses will continue to flee our region. We need to encourage business growth and creation so that local families can find good-paying jobs and investments flow to our region and, ultimately, our nation.

As part of this, I am focused on putting America first and developing the 15th district by promoting existing businesses and agriculture, supporting regulatory reform and tax policies that empower businesses, workers, and families. I will champion policies that help bring manufacturing jobs back home to help rebuild our communities and workforce.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

I will focus on creating a better economic climate that brings opportunities to our district by supporting small businesses, agriculture, and working to bring manufacturing jobs and more economic opportunities.

I will support our agricultural community, regulatory reforms, better trade agreements, and policies that make it easier for individuals and businesses to thrive in Illinois. We also need to incentivize businesses and jobs to come back to the US.

I see a hopeful future for Southern Illinois and America. America should be the economic engine of the world, and Illinois should be the engine of America. We have incredibly hardworking and entrepreneurial men and women. Our education systems are some of the best in the world. We have a strong manufacturing base that combines top-end technical skills with generational talent. Our farmers feed families the world over.

For these reasons and more, America and our district are positioned to create a vibrant, booming future. But we need elected leaders and policies to match our remarkable families and businesses' values, culture, and interests.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support President Trump because he has put Americans first. He has: Stood up for life and has fought for energy independence; Worked to secure our borders and restore the rule of law; Appointed two supreme court justices and nearly 200 federal judges; Increased transparency in health care to lower costs of prescriptions and healthcare for Americans; Negotiated better trade deals that prioritize Americans interests by getting rid of NAFTA and moving to the USMCA, which will helps farmers and American workers; Worked to bring manufacturing jobs home to provide high-paying jobs for Americans; Created an economy before the reaction to COVID, that had historically low unemployment rates for pretty much every demographic. As a reformer and an outsider, I support much of what the President has accomplished. I look forward to working with President Trump to continue restoring hope and opportunity for many forgotten Americans.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Individuals at or near retirement age paid into Social Security their entire lives based on a promise from our government, and we must honor that promise. However, we must be realistic with our insolvency if we do nothing for the future.

We need to pursue fair policies to retirees and workers while also protecting the next generation from crippling debts. I will look for input and ideas from throughout our district as we look for better long-term solutions. I also plan to explore some other ideas, such as:

Increasing Social Security’s retirement age to reflect individuals' longer life spans.

Using the chained consumer price index (CPI) for Social Security’s benefit calculations to provide a better adjustment for inflation.

Reducing the payroll tax to give workers more choice in deciding how to spend or save their earnings.

I do not support “Medicare for All” or Obamacare. I believe the government should help create an environment where American workers have choices and health insurance options. Too often, it seems that health insurance policy is driven by the interests of insurers, drug producers, and other industries.

Our first responsibility is to the patients and families seeking care. We must take a patient-centered approach where healthcare decisions are made between a patient and their doctor, not by D.C. bureaucrats.

I believe competition, innovation, and expanded market choices will improve quality and lower costs for all Americans. Additionally, we should empower families with greater control and say in their healthcare by expanding health savings accounts.

I also believe families deserve the peace of mind that comes with expanded transparency in costs and services. Transparency and competitive bidding will allow them to make informed decisions about their insurance.

Specific to my district, local families rely on the care provided by small and rural hospitals, so we must ensure they have the resources needed to care for our neighbors.

I am open to all options that are respectful of our working families, taxpayers, current retirees, our most vulnerable, and future generations to have the freedom to choose the best health care for them and their families.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

National Debt

Energy Independence

China

The national debt is our number one national security risk. We are over $26 trillion in debt, and spending hasn’t slowed down regardless of the party in power. That’s because of how the Washington establishment operates.

I would:

Work to bring manufacturing jobs home to improve the economy and broaden the tax base

Continue to promote energy independence

Work with President Trump and others to reduce spending and balance the budget

Incentivize government offices and employees to identify and eliminate waste

Audit all federal government programs to identify and eliminate waste

First and foremost, we need to take care of our current small businesses, farmers, and other job creators who have invested in our communities to help get people back to work. Then, we need to bring manufacturing back home--especially the manufacturing of our PPE and essential medications. We can improve the economy, especially here in the 15th district, by bringing high-paying manufacturing jobs back.

Here are some other thoughts:

Invest in technical schools and educational opportunities to help promote and grow our well-trained workforce

Jumpstart the economy by cutting taxes, removing unneeded regulations, and rolling back unnecessary government spending

Find innovative ways to reduce spending and make government more efficient

Make it easier to work from home, start new businesses, and support creative technologies

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Government spending.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

The last few years have shown us that voters are hungry for authentic voices and new ideas. I am passionate about our district and ready to fight for our residents in Washington. I will bring a unique perspective and a fresh voice on our nation’s central issues, and I will use that voice every day to advocate for our district and America’s interests. And I’ll never give up on the power of prayer :)

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Voters should elect me because I am the only candidate who is prepared to advocate for funding for education, healthcare, and economic development. I want to protect the people of the 15th district by making sure that we are not left out of allocated funds for broadband, medical treatments, social services, employment, or infrastructure. I will advocate for mobile medical units, recruiting employment opportunities into our district, allowing our farmers to have an open market, and funding our municipalities to transition to renewable energy. Most importantly, I understand the gravity and responsibility of leadership during crisis and trauma, and I am prepared to serve this district. I work with people with opposing ideologies daily, and I promise to continue to do the work necessary to move our district forward. I will always do what is best for the people of this district above any allegiance to party or administration. My opponent has promised to be a voice for this administration and Washington. We have had enough people tell us what Washington or a party wants; I promise to take our voices to Washington and tell them what the 15th district wants and deserves. I promise to do good work. My conduct and character are consistent, and I would bet on me in any instance. I am asking the people of our district to bet on me too.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

This pandemic has confirmed that our three highest priorities are Healthcare, Education, and Economic Development.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

If I have to choose, I will prioritize education. As a mom and Board member, I see firsthand the struggles that students, parents, and school districts are facing. School districts have been given the tasks of providing the most equitable, comprehensive, and excellent education possible, while receiving little to no direction, support, or funding from the federal government. Under the current circumstances we still have students, families, and districts without the necessary infrastructure, technology, and supportive services to have in-person instruction. What we give to prepare our public school system in this pandemic will also prepare for innovative instruction in the future. We need to increase teacher pay, invest into broadband, technology, and additional staff support. We need to expand our partnerships between community colleges and high schools. We need to invest into our apprenticeship programs. We need to reduce the exorbitant student loan debt. We need to make sure that a quality education is accessible to everyone who wants it.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and the full democratic ticket.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Absolutely. I have long held that we have a generation of Americans who were promised that if they invested into this system and trusted our government, they would receive certain assurances upon retirement. We simply cannot fail them during this time. I am committed to working with all members of Congress to support the Social Security 2100 Act which would restore solvency to these programs.

I fully support the Affordable Care Act and protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions. Nearly 35,000 people in the 15th district rely on the healthcare coverage provided to have access to medical care. If there is a better mechanism presented that will provided health coverage to all Americans without connecting it to employment, I would support it. I also propose that we allocate federal funds into mobile medical units. This would be beneficial for rural communities, and other communities that are impacted by significant poverty and transportation challenges. We know that these units are possible by way of mobile dental units and mobile mammogram units. In fact, we currently see mobile COVID-19 testing units. This means that if we commit to providing services to our communities, we can get it done.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Three threats to our national security are: Cybersecurity, Economic security, and International Diplomacy. Given our dependency on our cyber resources for education, elections, employment, healthcare, and currently familial connections – we absolutely need to strengthen our cybersecurity.

This pandemic has caused significant damage. A stimulus package will not return what students, families, small businesses, and communities lost. We need to have proactive policies in place for treatment of this virus, ongoing studies and preparation for potential health crisis, a structure to protect small businesses and provide unemployment benefits and payroll protection to self-employed Americans. We need to increase the minimum wage for the essential workers who selflessly kept this country moving during very difficult times.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I will have to consider my personal life and given the partisan divide over firearm ownership, I am extremely forthcoming about owning a firearm, while also advocating for responsible legislation that supports fun safety.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

As a freshman member of the 117th Congress I promise to continue being a strong, authentic and unbeholden advocate. I will continue to be comfortable doing what I believe is the best decision, even when it is not what is popular.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

This district is my home -- the people here are my friends, family, and neighbors, and I am deeply committed to serving their interests. We need help and our current representation isn’t cutting it. My policies are part of a bold, practical agenda to address the long-standing and growing concerns of the people of IL-16. These policies include lowering prescription drug costs, protecting social security, taking action to address the climate crisis, investing in infrastructure, expanding health care coverage, protecting rural hospitals, and creating equal access to high-quality affordable education and childcare.

My opponent has been in Congress for ten years. Even with a majority in both chambers and a Republican President, he failed to pass any meaningful legislation that brought jobs home to the struggling families of IL-16. He’s voted against healthcare nearly 60 times, despite the fact that there are roughly 40,000 uninsured people in our district, and offers no replacement to the ACA he so desperately wants to repeal. He has proven himself to be one of the most anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ members of the House, going so far as to vote to prohibit abortions for rape victims. A year ago, he said, “Everyone has the right to be a white supremacist.”

He votes with the Trump agenda 93% of the time and makes his loyalty to his corporate donors his priority. The people of IL-16 deserve someone who will fight for their interests. Adam Kinzinger has proven time and again that he will not. I will.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Infrastructure is key to job creation and to bringing our roads, bridges, and waterways up-to-date. It’s also key to supporting the development of clean energy and increasing broadband internet access. IL-16 is home to 5 counties in which 65% of people don’t have access to broadband internet. This is problematic under normal circumstances and has become dire during the course of the pandemic as people are working from home, children are distance learning, and patients are receiving healthcare via telehealth. We must invest at minimum $1T in infrastructure, creating millions of jobs and addressing these critical concerns.

This country’s healthcare crisis has been exacerbated by the pandemic -- more than 5M people have lost their insurance as a direct result of becoming unemployed due to coronavirus. In IL-16 alone, at least 40,000 people are uninsured; by 2025, an additional 26,400 people are expected to lose their coverage because of the individual mandate repeal, which my opponent supported. Tens of millions of people in this country skip critical tests, forego regular exams, or miss doses of life-saving medication because they can’t afford it. The rising costs of prescription drugs is a near-universal concern. We need to empower Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs and expand access to Medicare and Medicaid. In the immediate term, this means loosening requirements for these programs and incentivizing health systems to accept government insurance.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Campaign finance reform.

I evaluate all of my policy positions against a set of values. Chief among them is: does this give a greater share of power to the people? Big money in politics has so significantly corrupted the integrity of our democracy, it is almost unrecognizable as such and unfortunately operates in a way that takes power out of the hands of people and puts it in the hands of a political elite. That’s not democracy - it’s corruption. It’s telling that our current Representative takes 95% of his donations from wealthy conservative donors and corporate PACs -- we’ve designed a campaign finance system that encourages the development of war chests by our politicians, only to see that money spent on mailers we don’t want and TV ads we’d rather not see. Our campaign has taken $0 from corporate PACs -- we are funded by real, working people.

Comprehensive campaign finance reform is the single most critical way we can restore power to the people and recommit to our democratic ideals. We do this by banning Super PACs, increasing transparency and accountability for PACs and committees (shining a light on so-called ‘dark money’), and implementing a system of publicly-financed elections.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Joe Biden wasn’t my first choice. I was a skeptic. But over the course of the several months since it became clear he would be the Democratic nominee and thus the alternative to President Trump, Biden has earned not just my tacit support but my sincere enthusiasm. Under a Biden presidency, we will see a restoration of civility, of security. Biden has proven himself to be willing to listen, to hear the concerns of his constituents, and to respond to our needs with modifications to his positions. I don’t value stubbornness, I value democracy, and I value a leader who is willing to evolve. The crises we have faced these last months -- the pandemic, the violence, the racism, the economic volatility -- require the deft management of someone with experience, compassion, and grace. Biden has all three.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Social Security and Medicare both need investments. These critical programs should be priorities and I’m committed to their solvency. Social Security is a straightforward solution: right now, there is a cap on payments into Social Security. People making above $137,000 pay a lower percentage of their income into the program. Remove the cap and the program is fully funded for decades with no additional interventions needed. I support lifting the cap on Social Security entirely.

I vehemently oppose the President’s payroll tax cuts, which is a thinly-veiled effort to defund Social Security as quickly as possible, with some research indicating the program would be bankrupt by 2023 if those cuts were made permanent.

Medicare merits investment, as well, but there are also ample opportunities to cut spending for the program. Reducing spending will mean cutting administrative costs, lowering reimbursement rates for overpaid specialties, and empowering Medicare to stem the growth of healthcare costs more broadly. As Medicare grows (more people participate in the program), so, too, does its market share and thus its influence. Private insurers, in an effort to compete, will be forced to provide higher-quality services and/or lower prices -- both victories for the consumer and the healthcare marketplace. As costs for healthcare come down and Medicare expands, revenues will increase; additional investments into the program via a wealth tax and closing loopholes in our corporate tax structure.

The role of the government is to provide for the greater good; accessing healthcare is a right, not a privilege we should only make available to the wealthy. I support the protection of people with preexisting conditions and the expansion of government insurance (Medicare/Medicaid) to insure more, not fewer, individuals and families. We know that these programs operate relatively efficiently, effectively, and to the great satisfaction of many people who benefit from their existence. Under the current mixed system, with no additional consumer protections, healthcare costs will continue to skyrocket, leaving too many working families destitute. I have no interest in dismantling the ACA, which has provided protections for tens of thousands of people in my district alone, but I recognize we still have work to do and the opportunity to do that work lies in the expansion of existing programs. There is a significant role for reducing costs, primarily in overall healthcare costs and administrative expenses, and a greater role for increasing funding for health insurance via appropriations and taxation of the wealthy and corporations. As long as we have a for-profit healthcare system, we will see people treated like customers, not patients, and positive health outcomes will continue to be secondary to profits.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Russian interference in our election.

The trade war with China.

The rise of nationalism all across the globe

My dad, a Gulf War Veteran, was in the Army for 25 years. I grew up understanding that the United States had a unique opportunity and responsibility to be a global leader. That means we set an example for competent, compassionate leadership. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has sent up smoke signals to other global superpowers that nationalism is not only acceptable but encouraged. We’ve seen nationalism motivate threats of the Israeli occupation of Palestine; Brexit; the vile policies of administrations in Turkey, Poland, Hungary, and elsewhere.

This nationalism is short-sighted and promotes isolationism. This hurts our economy certainly, but by encouraging nationalism amongst our enemies and allies alike, we are sowing division all across the globe and this division, left unaddressed, is likely to fester into conflict long-term. When Trump’s reign is over, we need to take immediate action to restore relationships: trade agreements that stimulate economies, including our own, all across the globe and encourage free, fair trade; the re-entering of the US into critical pacts and treaties (Paris Climate Accord, WHO, a recommitment to the ideals of the United Nations); and a dedicated demonstration of rational, measured loyalty to our allies.

The single most significant measure we can take to stimulate the economy and create jobs is a $1.5T investment in infrastructure. This creates millions of jobs and puts people back to work on critical projects. In addition to infrastructure spending, however, we also need to invest in small businesses, empower organized labor, divorce healthcare from employment, and increase the federal minimum wage. Each of these initiatives happens in conjunction with the others; by supporting them all, we stimulate the economy from the bottom up. We’ve proven that trickle-down economics benefits only those at the top and leaves everyone else scrambling. Programs that provide mobility and economic freedom for working families stimulate the economy organically -- the wealthiest among us save and the middle class spends. Any infusion of resources into the disappearing middle class (nearly nonexistent since the pandemic) is money that will be reinvested right back into the economy.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I have long stood for support of nuclear energy. Though support for nuclear energy is now an official part of the Democratic Party’s platform, this move is brand-new, and defending not only the protection of our existing nuclear facilities, but the expansion of nuclear energy production, has occasionally put me at odds with others in my party, particularly with many of those who, like me, call themselves environmentalists. And I understand the trepidation. Disasters like Chernobyl and concerns about nuclear waste are very real. But we are now operating third-generation nuclear in facilities that have been outfitted with brand-new equipment, the safety standards for which are extraordinarily high. Nuclear waste is being stored safely in dry cask storage or geologic sites; my preference is for the reuse and recycling of nuclear waste. Nuclear energy is rife with misinformation, but nuclear energy is clean energy, and supporting nuclear energy is an investment in the sustainable future we should all be working towards.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

I have no interest in being a career politician. My interest is genuinely in serving the best interests of the people of IL-16. My commitment to doing so, for however long the people of this district are supportive of my leadership, gives me the freedom to act in their best interests. It has been far too long since the people of IL-16 had a champion, and I’m hellbent on getting to Congress and fighting for them to get the resources they deserve. I’ve been called a dog with a bone more times than I can count, and the people of this district can count on me to fight doggedly on their behalf. I’ll get noisy for them. Further, I’m patently uninterested in party line politics. If a colleague approaches me with a good idea, an idea that’s going to benefit the people of my community, I’m going to support it, regardless of whether that colleague has a D or an R next to their name. A good idea is a good idea, and I’m committed to turning good ideas for the people of IL-16 into tangible solutions for the problems faced by my neighbors.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

As we continue to face this unprecedented global pandemic, leadership is critical. Our community and our country need a tested leader, and that’s what I bring to IL-16. I have served the district during tough times and have worked hard in Congress to provide funding, protective equipment, and testing supplies to medical facilities and hospitals, and have fought for significant financial relief for small businesses and their employees.

When natural disasters have impacted our region, I’ve fought to get federal funds to help communities across the 16th district recover. From protecting my constituents right to accessible and reliable healthcare through the Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, to pushing back on Russian attempts to undermine our democracy, to standing up for human rights around the world, I will continue to be a strong advocate and dedicated voice for the people of Illinois in Congress.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

The single most important issue for both Illinois and the country right now is recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. I have heard from people across the 16th District who do not feel financially or physically safe right now. People need some reassurances and mere transparency about what is being done to help combat the coronavirus and where we are with a vaccine, and they need to have confidence in our ability to get our economy back on better footing.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

The coronavirus pandemic has clearly laid out the dangers and risks facing America with our essential supply chains operating outside of the United States.

Most people don’t feel financially secure at night because manufacturing, which is vital in the 16th District, has disappeared over the past few decades.

That’s why I’m working on legislation that would strengthen American manufacturing by moving many of the supply chains we have in China back to the United States.

It is unreasonable to believe that we can move all the manufacturing jobs back to the United States, but at the height of the pandemic, we had instances where China was threatening to withhold life-saving PPEs and other necessary medicine from the United States. These are the kind of jobs that will be needed during emergency situations, and it would be foolish to leave these vulnerabilities unaddressed. By bringing home manufacturing jobs that will protect the United States in the future, we will be able to provide peace of mind to families here in IL-16 and nationwide.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Throughout my time in Congress, I have consistently advocated for and voted in support of common-sense reforms to Social Security and Medicare programs. We made a promise to our nation’s seniors and it’s our responsibility to follow through on that promise.

At the same time, I believe it’s important that we ensure the programs are healthy and sustainable so that our children and grandchildren have access to these retirement benefits, as well. People my age and younger need to take a look at retirement and what that means as we adjust to the current environment. I am willing to work in a bipartisan basis to ensure Social Security and Medicare are solvent now and into the future.

People across the United States need affordable and quality healthcare for their families. Instead of pushing for a government takeover, we need to reform the current system to provide personalized care that returns the choice and control to the American people and their doctors.

Big government is not an efficient arbiter of healthcare, forcing that option will only create more confusion and increase costs. The American people deserve better.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Bad foreign actors and cybersecurity vulnerabilities: China, Russia, and Iran.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has quickly evolved from a developing nation to a competitor, and now as a hostile global actor – all of this change happened in a relatively short amount of time and it has taken us too long to address the threat China poses on America.

China is no longer just an economic competitor. China is building up a world class military to take on the United States. Beyond their conventional military buildup, the CCP is developing and fielding more advanced and dangerous nuclear weapons than ever before. As the United States and Russia worked to decrease their nuclear stockpiles, China is working to double theirs over the next few years.

Additionally, the world has opened their eyes to the inhumane treatment of human life in China. From the forced sterilization of minorities to their internment and forced labor, the United States must stand up to these appalling actions.

I will support efforts to work with our allies to push back on all facets of the problems we face with China. From securing our supply chains, to sanctioning human rights abuses in the Communist Party, to ensuring that the South China Seas is free for all nations to use, the United States must lead.

Congress needs to take a hard look at securing America’s supply chains through incentivizing manufacturers to relocate their businesses to the United States. By bringing back good paying and reliable work, we would not only help the economy and workforce recover, but would also be able to protect the United States from future emergencies. Regardless if they are man-made, like an act of war, or biological, or another pandemic, the United States cannot be reliant on other nations and their governments to protect our citizens. Leaving clear vulnerabilities in our supply chains would be a dereliction of duty and it’s something I’m committed to addressing.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

As a pragmatic conservative, I firmly believe in putting the interests of the country above politics. And I’m not afraid to call things as I see them.

In 2013, when then-President Obama was drumming up support for this Syrian War Resolution, I was with him on taking action against the barbaric Assad regime, even though I was the lone GOP member to do so.

In 2017, I called out the House Freedom Caucus – a faction of the Republican Party – for undermining the Republican agenda and killing the House effort to pass the American Health Care Act.

In recent years, I’ve called out the rhetoric used by the President that has been inflammatory and distracting. I’ve called on members in my party to denounce the conspiracy theorists and the QAnon network that spreads such dangerous stories.

At the end of the day, I need to be able to look in the mirror and recognize myself – so I can’t be afraid to take a stand on things like these, things that matter to the moral fiber of our nation.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

One of the accomplishments I am most proud of from the 116th Congress is the passage and enactment of the Fair AMP Act, which I introduced in June of 2019 and was signed into law three months later (September of 2019) by President Trump. This legislation took away the ability for pharmaceutical companies to utilize a loophole that made taxpayers liable for more of the cost of prescription drugs than they should have been. The fix will save over half a billion dollars each year, and the savings was used to fund and expand really important programs that ensure our healthcare infrastructure has the tools and resources necessary to keep the families in our communities healthy.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

One of my favorite sayings is that God gave two ears and one mouth and we should use those proportionately. Throughout my time in elected office, dating back to my time in the East Moline City Council, I have always endeavoured to listen to the people I am lucky enough to represent and then lift up their voices. Far too often the voices of hard working people from places like ours are not heard in Washington. Since my first day in office I have made being a voice for our area my highest priority, and I will never forget where I come from or who I represent.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

In Congress, it is my priority to fight to lower the costs of healthcare and prescription drugs, protect care for people with pre-existing conditions, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, fight for good paying jobs, stand up for our family farmers and ensure our government works for the people - and I will continue to do just that. I appreciate all those that support this fight and will continue to work to deliver real results for hardworking Illinois families.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Our nation’s infrastructure has been underfunded and deteriorating for far too long. In my next term I will work to finally pass a comprehensive infrastructure bill that will provide money to rebuild roads and bridges, expand rail access and bus routes, and create thousands of high-paying jobs right here in America. We can’t win the 21st Century with 20th Century infrastructure. The time to act is now.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

At a time of unprecedented division, our nation needs a leader who will unite us and deliver for Americans. Joe Biden is a decent man with a track record of delivering real results for working families. Whether it was his leadership introducing and passing the Violence Against Women Act in the Senate, his experience as Vice President expanding affordable health care access to more than 20 million Americans or his proven ability to build a winning coalition from South Carolina to Texas to Michigan, Joe Biden is the leader we need. I am proud to endorse him as our next President.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Nearly one in three senior citizens would live below the poverty line without the Social Security Benefits they worked for and earned. I will continue to aggressively push back on attempts to eliminate the payroll tax which funds Social Security and Medicare. The current administration’s attempt to suspend the payroll tax, and promise to eliminate the payroll tax if re-elected, is a promise to destroy Social Security.

Currently incomes are only taxed up to $132,900 to fund social security. Increasing that cap would provide a significant inflow of revenue to stabilize and fully fund the Social Security trust fund, while also ensuring that the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share.

Without the Affordable Care Act about 730,000 people right here in Illinois would lose their health coverage. I support the continued expansion and enhancement of the Affordable Care Act. This year I voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act which would lower health insurance premiums, reduce prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate prices, crack down on junk health insurance plans, and further expand protections for patients with pre-existing conditions.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Strong national security not only requires us to push back on traditional threats, but also requires that we stay ahead economically and cement the trust of our traditional allies and partners. First, we see foreign and domestic interference from international competitors, such as Russia. Second, losing the upper-hand economically, especially when facing unfair trade competition from countries like China, inherently threatens our national security infrastructure. Finally, I know the strengths of democracies across the globe have deteriorated in the last few years, and that a network of allies and partners with a shared vision for international leadership requires rebuilding.

Most immediately, the threat of competitors such as Russia comes front of mind. Domestically, Putin is attempting to sow discord and unrest, just as he did four years ago. Internationally, Putin has put out bounties for American lives. As a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I have fought every day to protect the strength of our voting systems, and to work towards a social media and cultural landscape that can weather the storm of Russian propaganda. I also have fought to protect the lives of American troops at home and abroad, and to support them once they return from the battlefield.

Short term stimulus packages are absolutely vital to ensure that the economic pain from COVID-19 is as limited as possible and make our recovery much more robust. Beyond stimulus packages, we need to support and expand the middle class to create prosperity that is more broad based and durable than we currently have. First, we need to make it easier for workers to organize and collectively bargain for better wages and benefits. We can do this by passing the Protecting the Right to Organize Act which would create a simple card check system to make forming and joining a union easier for workers. Second, we need to continue investing in educational programs that can train, and re-train, workers for the high skill jobs that are prevalent in a 21st Century economy. I was proud to co-sponsor the Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, which would invest in workforce training, expand existing programs, and develop best practices for training workers most likely to be impacted by automation. Finally, we need to make investments in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure to support our economy and create high paying jobs.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I represent a district that voted for Trump in 2016, and never let myself forget that. The reason for this is that my district looks a little different than your average one represented by a Democrat. I represent more than 9,600 family farms, and over 80 percent of the people that I represent live in towns of 5,000 people or less.

So, when it comes to issues on agriculture, in particular, I see myself as an independent advocate for the farmers that I represent. For example, at the request of the Illinois Farm Bureau, I have signed onto multiple letters that include topics such as: the USDA’s performance on the 2019 crop report; a request to delay the payment deadline for crop insurance premiums; and, criticisms of the U.S. EPA’s misuse of Small Refinery Exemptions. Farmers are also the reason I worked to move the needle forward on the eventual passing of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

This is the first session of Congress that I have been able to be a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and am proud of many of my accomplishments there, particularly the big wins for Northwest and Central Illinois. For example, I fought for the Peoria Ag Lab to be fully funded in Fiscal Year 2020 after initially it was slated for closure. I also held the National Guard Bureau Chief’s feet to the fire on his attempt to divert $1 billion of funding from National Guard Modernization. And I have fought to bring millions in resources to projects in the district including $52 million for mission readiness at the Army Sustainment Command at the Rock Island Arsenal. Finally, while maybe not the most significant accomplishment, I am extremely proud of the work we have done in building on protection for Gold Star families related to home and auto leases during the last two sessions. After our service members have sacrificed so much for our country, we must do everything in our power to support their families.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

The 17th Congressional District of Illinois is in need of proper representation. I share the same beliefs and values as the voters here. We need someone who will fight for economic growth and fair trade practices. Illinois proudly feeds the nation. The voters of the 17th District also need someone who will stand strong with agriculture. This district deserves a representative who will put their needs first.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Above all, Illinois, and our country, needs jobs. We have consistently seen jobs flee our state, and move to economic growth areas in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana. We need the government to remove burdensome regulations that prevent innovation. We need to pass trade practices and financial policies that allow and promote growth in our economy. The 17th Congressional District of Illinois deserves representation that will work closely with those at the Federal and State levels to provide our workers and employers with the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Fair-trade is an absolute necessity in the 17th District. While in Congress, I will work with leadership and the Administration to ensure that the United States has trade agreements that set the standard world-wide, and protect American jobs. It is important that we hold China, and our other trade partners, accountable when we enter new agreements with them. I would also support a federal overhaul of the nation’s infrastructure. This is crucial for farmers and American manufacturing to get their product to market.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

Our nation needs to re-elect Donald Trump. President Trump has worked with Congress to pass historic tax reforms. He has also work to develop a robust and dynamic economy. President Trump has also worked to rebuild our military, and moved toward more diplomatic relations in the Middle East. President Trump is the clear choice to get our country through the pandemic, and progress through an economic recovery.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

It is vitally important that we do not make changes to individuals' benefits if they are at or near retirement age. We must honor the promises made to our seniors. However, we must acknowledge that we will have tough choices to make when discussing long-term possibilities for these programs. We are living longer, and we should adjust policy to reflect that. In the military, in which I serve, changes have been made to the retirement benefits of those, including myself, who join the ranks. That way they can plan now for a different retirement system than those who came before them.

The cost of our healthcare system is far too high. This is one of the biggest issues facing out country. Obamacare didn’t solve this, and neither will Medicare for All. Obamacare prevented innovation, added burdensome regulations, and raised taxes. Protecting pre-existing conditions and allowing children to stay on their parents' insurance were benefits to Obamacare. I do believe that we should replace Obamacare with a health insurance market place that will continue to find new and innovated solutions to our nation’s health issues.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Three national security threats: China, Cyber-Security, Russia.

One explanation: China is our largest threat to national security. As our economy continues to grow, we see this become more evident. China is attempting to influence the decisions our society makes and step up its technological foothold. While in Congress, I will work toward returning our nation’s supply chains to America. Congress must protect intellectual property and fight for fair trade practices with China.

First, we must make sure we are returning to school and work safely. Small businesses have been hurt the most, and many, such as restaurants, no longer exist. Congress needs to make sure financial institutions are willing to re-invest in small businesses, creating jobs for the middle class and single-parent households who are struggling through the pandemic.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Being my first time running for office, this question is not applicable. However, as Congresswoman, I will always be aware of what’s important to the 17th Congressional District and try to act accordingly. There may be times however, where I need to act in the country’s best interest, even if the majority of my district might be opposed to going in that direction.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

From my time as a daughter of Christian missionaries along the U.S.-Mexico border, to college and law school, to being a business owner and an Army Captain, I’ve never been a backbencher. I work hard. I make sure people know who I am and how I can help. I will do that as a Congresswoman, working on behalf of the thousand of people in the 17th Congressional District whom I have gotten to know on many different levels. These are people who need Congress to help them, and over the past 8 years have lost their voice in Washington, D.C., to a Congresswoman who now holds her allegiance to Nancy Pelosi.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Since joining Congress in 2015, I have been strong conservative voice for the voters of central and west-central Illinois in the 18th District. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I supported free and fair-trade agreements, like the USMCA and the Phase One deal with China, that strengthen economic opportunities for Illinois farmers and small businesses. Expanding opportunities for Illinoisans through trade will help us climb out of the economic challenges COVID-19 presents us. On the Ways and Means Committee, I can be a voice for free and fair-trade for Illinois.

While we work to expand economic opportunities, we also must invest in the education of Americans to obtain high-skill jobs. One of the biggest concerns I hear from business owners is the lack of skilled individuals to fill openings. We can strengthen Illinois' workforce by investing in initiatives to expand resources for the community college system and bolster apprenticeship programs.

Lastly, Congress can only work when members on both sides of the aisle come together to find common ground on issues, as we did on USMCA. Americans are tired of the gridlock and bickering in Washington. I continue to seek opportunities to work across the aisle to strengthen the American dream for every Illinoisan.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

As our state and country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and our recovery, my number one priority for Illinois and our country is reinvigorating our economy. In Illinois, we were already on a negative economic trajectory brought on by terrible fiscal management in Springfield, high taxes, and pension mismanagement. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown us into an even deeper hole as a state. To get our economy working for every American, we need to deregulate our economy and incentivize innovation that will create jobs and economic opportunity.

This means rejecting the Pritzker-Madigan tax hike amendment this fall and incentivizing businesses and workers to stay in Illinois. We need sound tax policy that will spur innovation and give every Illinoisan a chance to live out the American dream. We should not be handing Springfield politicians more power to raise taxes on hardworking residents of our state. In Congress, we need to continue implementing pro-growth policies that build off tax reform and USMCA, especially if Springfield won’t act.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Trade is incredibly important to the economy in the 18th District. I look forward to working in Congress and with the Administration on securing additional free and fair-trade agreements that elevate standards and support workers. Specifically, I hope to build upon the progress already made with China and Japan and look forward to agreements with the UK, Brazil, India, and Kenya. In addition, I support federal investments in infrastructure to ensure that our farmers and manufacturers can safely and efficiently deliver their products to consumers around the world.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

President Donald Trump should be reelected to office. As we work to rebuild our economy from the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump is the clear choice to do that. In Congress, I worked with the President to pass historic tax reform that developed the most inclusive economy in our nation’s history, and we can do that again under his leadership. In addition, President Trump has rebuilt our military, led the decimation of ISIS, and stood up to Iran, paving the way for greater cooperation in the Middle East. We cannot return to a foreign policy agenda that doesn’t put Americans first and emboldens our enemies in the Middle East. If we want fewer taxes, less regulation, and less government intervention in our lives, the choice is clear and it’s President Donald Trump.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

I am proud to serve on the Ways and Means Committee in the House of Representatives which has jurisdiction over these issues. First and foremost, I do not support making changes to benefits for those individuals near or at retirement age. We made a promise to our seniors, and they deserve this peace of mind. That said, it is clear some difficult decisions will need to be made to ensure the long-term solvency of these programs so that future generations can continue to benefit. There is no silver bullet and all policy solutions should be on the table. Specifically, as individuals are living longer, we should look at policy options regarding raising the retirement age.

The greatest challenge to our healthcare system is the ever-growing cost of care. Unfortunately, Obamacare did little to fix this problem, and Medicare for All will not address these issues. Obamacare raised taxes, added regulations, hindered job creation, and reduced patient choice. Provisions of Obamacare, such as protecting pre-existing conditions and allowing children to stay on their parent’s insurance should be kept in place. I continue to support replacing Obamacare with a competitive health insurance marketplace that is patient-centered and incentivizes innovation.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

China, Russia, and cyber-security

As our economy continues to modernize, there is no greater threat than China to our national security. This year, I was named to the House Republican China Task Force to help shape our policy vision on China. The influence of China in targeting our civil society and efforts to gain a technological advantage on the United States is something the Congress must address head-on. To help combat this threat, we need to return American supply chains and innovation back home. That’s why I recently introduced the Bringing Back American Jobs Through Intellectual Property Repatriation Act, which will unlock the door for American companies to return to the United States.

State-mandated closures have crippled Illinois small businesses. Congress needs to incentivize a safe and quick return to work. That’s why I introduced the Clean Start: Back to Work bill, which will offer businesses a temporary tax credit to help offset the increased costs of cleaning and disinfecting their workspaces. The credit can be applied to the expense of existing custodial/janitorial staff or an external cleaning service company. The credit may also be used for or in combination with training staff and the purchase of necessary cleaning and disinfection products, tools, machinery, personal protective equipment, and other sanitary-related equipment.

Congress also, needs to make a significant investment in our nation’s infrastructure My district is a poster child of infrastructure made up of all modes of transportation – roads, airports, rail, lock and dams, bridges, and transit. I believe Congress must take a multi-faceted approach with support from local, state, and federal governments, along with private industry, to fix our nation’s infrastructure. Congress can help create good-paying jobs across the country to help us climb out of the hole COVID-19 has created by investing in infrastructure.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

Since joining Congress, I have been vocal about the need to control our exploding federal debt and recently joined Congressman Dan Lipinski to outline policies we should implement do so in the Chicago Tribune. Our debt crisis is not because Americans are taxed too little, it is because Washington spends too much. Federal spending is not just a Democrat problem, it is one that has been exacerbated by Republicans in Washington too. In Congress, I have consistently opposed budget bills that fail to reign in unnecessary spending or address the federal debt. If we don’t take serious steps to address this problem, the burden will be insurmountable for my kids and their generation.

I also vehemently opposed the commutation of the sentence of Rod Blagojevich by President Trump. Illinois is far too familiar with public corruption. Rod Blagojevich is a criminal who received an appropriate and fair sentence, which was at the low-end of the federal sentencing guidelines for the gravity of his public corruption. Blagojevich is the face of public corruption in our state and has a documented record of egregious crimes. As our state continues to grapple with political corruption, we shouldn’t let those who breached the public trust off the hook.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

This past Congress, as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I work tirelessly to get the USMCA passed. As I have stated, we cannot generate economic prosperity for residents of Illinois without free and fair-trade deals. In Congress, there are fewer and fewer Representatives that understand the needs of agri-business and rural communities that we have in the Midwest. As the Representative of the 10th largest corn and soybean producing district, I was proud to ensure that provisions were kept in place to strengthen the vital trade relationship Illinois farmers have with Mexico and Canada. Through this deal, Illinois small businesses and farmers will maintain important access to our two largest export partners and generate additional economic opportunity for our agriculture producers. I was proud to work with President Trump on this and join him as he signed this historic agreement.

Why should voters elect you and not your opponent(s)? Please limit this to policy and approach, not a biography recitation.

Every election cycle politicians campaign on platitudes and promises, and do nothing to address the real issues that the people in their districts are faced with every day. They align themselves to whatever administration, party platforms and social issues that will give them the best chance for re-election, without consideration of the specific needs of their constituents. I will move forward with meaningful public policy that provide real solutions and help to improve the lives and future success of all our citizens and communities.

In doing so, I do not accept campaign contributions from corporations, lobbyists, political parties or individuals who reside outside of the district, because I’m not interested in working for them, I want to represent and work for the people of the 18th Congressional district.

What are your highest priorities for Illinois and the nation?

Lack of access to quality health care in rural and low-income communities, especial comprehensive preventative care and affordable prescription coverage.

Drastically decreasing economic opportunities in rural and small-cities. A focus on a stock market price to declare economic stability of the working class is completely misguided. The focus needs to be on creating jobs with wages that increase domestic spending across a large number of people, in implementing policies that make it easier for small businesses to get started and for established businesses to grow. We need financial literacy and education for business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs and beginning in grade school. Similarly, but urgently, we need to address policies that are making the survival of small and family-owned farms nearly impossible. Policy must be crafted from the bottom up to allow small farms and small businesses the best environment for success, because that is where we are going to see meaningful economic growth. Any attempts to modify multi-lateral trade agreements need a multi-year domestic policy that helps effected individuals cope with volatile markets shifts as new policy is implemented.

A universal program addressing mental health in this country is absolutely necessary; mandatory for active military, recently-discharged veterans, police, fire and first responders; and widely available for groups identified for high-risk of PTSD. Outside of a health-based argument, the economic impact of making sure all possible individuals have the tools available to allow them to me productive in work and society far outweighs the costs of assuring proper mental health care.

Assuming your victory, choose a single issue you would prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

Community Investment Payment of Student Loans

The cost of education is skyrocketing, and is another issue to be addressed, but the jobs that are promised, that would make comfortably paying off student loans, do not exist. this has created a bottleneck on our economy where college-educated young people are choosing to forgo home ownership, marriage, starting or expanding a business or pursuing growth jobs in the private sector. It is great to encourage our citizens to pursue higher education, but we have to have policies that allow them the flexibility to repay their loans while still investing in their future and contributing to economic growth. Coupled with the already decreasing funds available for local social programs, which will only get worse with COVID-related economic decline, I would propose a program where by student lenders would be able to make a monthly “payment” through volunteer/pro-bono work for qualified non-for-profits and approved social programs. Numerous studies show that strictly financial investment, is not a meaningful method to solving numerous social inequities. However, knowledge provided by empowering and motivating individuals to participate can make a difference. This is different from other public service loan programs, because it would allow participating individuals to pursue careers in the private sector and use the money that would have gone towards monthly loan payments to savings and purchase that will stimulate economic growth, not to mention the societal benefits of the time investment in their communities.

I published an article with the Illinois State Bar Association about how this could work pertaining to the legal field, but could be utilized through rural and low-income areas in for almost any social program: tutoring, in-home elder care, mentoring for at-risk youth, child care for low-income individuals while they attend school or job-training, the possibilities and benefits are almost endless.

In 150 words or fewer, make a pitch for the presidential candidate you support.

I’m not running for president, and I believe I can work with any administration. Good public policy transcends political party.

Are you prepared to take up real reform to Social Security and Medicare to ensure their future solvency? What specific reforms would you be willing to support?

Absolutely. Social Security and Medicare are two of the greatest public policy accomplishes ever created. The benefits of these programs drastically outweigh the economic drag that would be created without them. Times change and the funding structure may need to be modified, but benefits and the effectiveness of the programs should not. There is not one simple solution, but a combination of measures, including incentives to create secure individual retirements, legitimizing individuals and industries that traditional work outside the tax system, “baby bonds” for individuals under certain criteria, and a focus on real economic growth will make these programs fully solvent. Denying these programs are worthwhile, and claiming they will go bankrupt without presenting policy solutions to address these issues is intellectually dishonest and failing at the basic level of what it means to be an elected official.

The Affordable Care Act made great strides in helping individuals gain health insurance security, but it doesn’t address the real issue. The for-profit healthcare system in this country is an embarrassment and perpetuating it is a failure of basic human decency. Anyone who says differently is either misinformed or lying, and if they are a politician, they have almost certainly taken large contributions from health insurance companies, and are doing an absolute disservice to the people they are supposed to represent. Economically, it causes individuals to often make a choice between going to see a doctor and whether they can afford the co-pay which means they are often treated further along in stages of illness that is more costly and deadlier - you can’t pay taxes and contribute to the economy when you are dead or medically incapable of working, often getting sick (even with insurance coverage) can cause individuals to have to file for bankruptcy and requires some to remain underemployed for fear of not having health insurance or losing coverage for family members with pre-existing conditions. Ethically, it continues to reduce the availability of quality healthcare in rural and low-income areas, and makes a decision if treating the most vulnerable of our citizens is worth the cost. I believe we need declare that health care is an absolute human right, and it is hypocritical for any politician to claim they are a person of faith but vote to support this utterly inadequate current system. We need to develop a long-term plan to create a universal heath care system that would replace for-profit health insurance for all individuals. Immediately, I believe we need to expand medicare to all who want it, and work to implement changes over time. I understand that a comprehensive health care plan is a benefit offered or collectively bargained for through certain employers, and that would be a decision between employers and employees, should they choose to continue that benefit. When we talk about costs, we are already paying for it, the issue is just a shift in funding, that would take the burden off of employers. We can not continue a system that forces people to have to make a choice of whether they can afford to seek medical attention.

Identify 3 national security threats to the United States. Choose one and explain your approach to dealing with that threat.

Lack of a continuing unified strategy and implementation of information gathering and sharing of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies, which needs more focus on cyber manipulation, both socially and through intents to interrupt infrastructure

Dissemination of mis-information and

Inequality, both real and its perception

Our domestic policies need to continue to address inequalities throughout different communities concerning criminal justice, representation in the legal system, access to quality health care, quality education, economic opportunity and food insecurity. These feelings that can develop in different communities leave individuals to feel as if they are not valued the same as others, or not welcome in our society. Feeling alienated from society, whether that racially, socio-economically, geographically, sexual orientation-based or otherwise, will drive individuals away from participation in society, and not only are we deprived of the unique gifts they have to offer, but it can cause a desperation that leads to addictions, homelessness and criminal behavior. Being left out of society provides no motivation for an individual to abide by social norms or ordinary law-abiding behavior, and can lead to extreme behavior. Expanding economic opportunities and readily-available mental health services play a crucial role in addressing some of these issues before they develop, but are a necessary part of solving current problems. Further, the continued prosperity of our nation is predicated on the public’s confidence in our systems - legal, governmental, educational, financial. That is why it is so important to protect their integrity and address all inadequacies, and even the perception of inadequacy. The more that opportunity is perceived and functions as a meritocracy, the stronger and more successful we will be as a nation. To accomplish this, we must be focused on making sure everyone has reasonable, achievable opportunities for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Policies designed to make it easier for businesses to startup, expand and operate. We must grow our way back, and that growth can be greatly stimulated by efficient government regulation and readily available training and information for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Efficient regulation, does not mean elimination of environmental and consumer protections. Further, the government and elected officials have failed in the past to anticipate the needs of certain types of workers and training for emerging business, instead relying on promises to recreate outdated industries and jobs that have diminishing value in the current and future economy. This approach is part of the reason why higher-tech factory and assembly jobs move overseas. Government must look forward and guide job training for the demands of the future economy, and stop trying to win elections through misguided, manipulative nostalgic promises.

When have you shown independence from your party on an issue of major import?

I don’t support policies based on political affiliation. I support public policy that offers real solutions to real problems, regardless of the perceived party motivation. As it pertains to gun rights legislation, I understand and recognize the intent and spirit of the 2nd amendment. I don’t want to take your AR-15, I don’t want to place undue burdens on gun-owners. I want the nation, especially National Rifle Association supporters, to come together in the participation of creating and implementing reasonable, practical regulations that help to end proliferation of firearms that result in senseless gun violence and death. That means closing purchase loopholes, expanded criminal background checks and the recognition that certain individuals, from their past behavior or otherwise, have forfeited their right to bear arms.

If you are an incumbent, tell us the most significant accomplishment of your current term. If you are a newcomer, tell us how you as a rookie would keep from being a backbencher.

My entire motivation for seeking this office is because I do not see solutions being presented to solve the problems that we face in central Illinois, and across working-class America. I am interested in being a proactive, bi-partisan policy maker, not in getting along or pleasing party leaders to get re-elected. I don’t believe any of that coincides with being a “backbencher”.

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