Connecticut

Q1: While the U.S. has made improvements in the number of children who have health insurance, many children remain uninsured. In addition, federal funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) will expire unless the program is reauthorized by March 2009. What priority do you place on SCHIP reauthorization? What can be done, if anything, to increase the number of children who have access to health insurance?

I place a high priority on reauthorizing and expanding SCHIP. I voted twice to override President Bush's veto of legislation to expand the number of children served, and voted three other times in favor of expanding the program in the House. Connecticut's program, which allows children up to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit ($61,600 for a family of four), is a good model for expansion, on which the reauthorization was based.

Q2: While the federal government has supported many initiatives to improve health care quality, these efforts often focus on adults and Medicare recipients. What steps, if any, would you support to enhance the quality of children's health care?

I support expanding and improving programs at the Food and Drug Administration that ensure the safety of pharmaceuticals and medical products for children. A major problem for children is that many drugs are not tested exclusively on children, and their impacts can be significantly different than their impacts on adults.

Q3: Senator Menendez introduced S. 3277, the "Children's Budget Act," which would add a requirement to future federal budgets to list the different sources of federal funding for children's programs, thereby illustrating how the federal government prioritizes and allocates resources affecting children. What importance, if any, do you place on creating a Children's Budget and why?

I think there is merit in this legislation to give a complete picture of how much spending is directed to children and am willing to support it if it reaches the House floor.

Q4: Health care reform may be a big topic for Congressional debate in 2009. What initiatives, if any, would you proactively support? How do you see children's healthcare fitting into this larger debate?

With Congressman Langevin (D-RI), I introduced the American Health Benefits Program Act, which uses the federal employees program as model to provide all universal coverage.  Individuals will choose from countless private plans, including HSAs and pay 28 percent of the cost with lower costs for low-income individuals. Plans will be portable and pre-existing conditions won't be an issue. Employers participating will pay an adjustable payroll tax based on number of employees and their average income.

Q5: According to the United States Department of Education, between 2001 and 2010 two million students who are otherwise qualified to go to college will not attend because they cannot afford the tuition costs. What measures, if any, do you feel should be taken to make higher education more affordable to students?

In an increasingly global marketplace, ensuring access to quality education must be one of our nation's top priorities. I supported lowering student loan interest rates to 3.4 percent, increasing Pell grants and creating new grants for college aid to encourage more students in math, science and medicine, where our country is projected to have shortages. I also strongly support paying for student loans for students who agree to go into fields where we have shortages.

Q6: Today, many American families are comprised of either a working single parent or two working parents who need to use child care services in order to work - which can be a significant financial burden for those trying to make ends meet. What, if anything, can be done to make it easier for working families to obtain child care assistance?

We must increase funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant to help low-income families afford child care services while they are working. I also cosponsored the the Quality Child Care for America Act, which helps eligible child care providers by improving the compensation or benefits of the providers or enabling the providers to receive additional education or training.

Q7: Every year, over one million American students fail to graduate from high school. What policy ideas are most important to you in working to increase graduation rates and strengthen America's public schools?

We must provide children world-class education to compete successfully in the global marketplace by putting greater focus on Early and Head Start, increasing federal assistance for math and science, and funding innovative programs at all levels. I support NCLB's goals of flexibility for school districts in exchange for demanding measurable results in public education, but the law must be fully funded, give more flexibility for special education and ESL students and allow alternate year testing.

Q8: Obesity has emerged as a public health crisis, nationally and in Connecticut. Over the past quarter century, the percentage of American children who fit the definition of "obese" has shot up dramatically, tripling for those aged 12 to 19 and nearly tripling for those aged 6 to 11. What can be done, if anything, to help families and communities address this issue?

I am the lead Republican cosponsor with Congresswoman Woolsey (D-CA) of the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act, which updates the definition of foods of minimal nutritional value for the federal school lunch program. We must help our kids eat healthier, and a big part of it is what they get at school. I also support requiring physical education at school so that all children are active during the day.

Q1: While the U.S. has made improvements in the number of children who have health insurance, many children remain uninsured. In addition, federal funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) will expire unless the program is reauthorized by March 2009. What priority do you place on SCHIP reauthorization? What can be done, if anything, to increase the number of children who have access to health insurance?

It is a moral outrage that more than 300,000 people in Connecticut have no healthcare coverage - including 46,000 children. In Congress, I will aggressively pursue health care reform that covers all Americans and reduces costs in the system. SCHIP is a critical component of that effort and I will fight to renew its funding. We must also work to reach the millions of children who are eligible for SCHIP but aren't currently enrolled.

Q2: While the federal government has supported many initiatives to improve health care quality, these efforts often focus on adults and Medicare recipients. What steps, if any, would you support to enhance the quality of children's health care?

Renewing SCHIP offers us a critical opportunity to add new measures that will increase healthcare quality for our kids. The federal government should provide genuine leadership in this effort and disseminate best practices for increasing children's healthcare quality to the states. In particular, I strongly support initiatives to increase access and enrollment, promote the use of health information technology, measure provider performance, and promote a family-centered approach to children's healthcare.

Q3: Senator Menendez introduced S. 3277, the "Children's Budget Act," which would add a requirement to future federal budgets to list the different sources of federal funding for children's programs, thereby illustrating how the federal government prioritizes and allocates resources affecting children. What importance, if any, do you place on creating a Children's Budget and why?

Requiring a "Children's Budget" is a great idea that I will gladly support in Congress. The "Children's Budget" would add vital transparency and accountability to our spending decisions. If more Americans knew that funding for children's programs was declining, they would not stand for it. And those who would cut funding for children's health and basic needs should have to explain themselves to the American people, who know how critical these programs are.

Q4: Health care reform may be a big topic for Congressional debate in 2009. What initiatives, if any, would you proactively support? How do you see children's healthcare fitting into this larger debate?

Children's healthcare is a crucial piece of the larger puzzle of healthcare reform. In Congress, I will fight to make sure that every American has access to a family doctor and costs are reduced in our healthcare system. First, we must create a basic coverage plan offered to everyone, with subsidies for those who can't afford it otherwise. Second, we must shift away from disease-care and emphasize prevention and healthy living, while leveraging technology to...

Q5: According to the United States Department of Education, between 2001 and 2010 two million students who are otherwise qualified to go to college will not attend because they cannot afford the tuition costs. What measures, if any, do you feel should be taken to make higher education more affordable to students?

A college diploma is a critical first step to achieving the American Dream. To ensure that every young person has the chance to go to college, I am proposing a Higher Education Tax Credit equal to 50% of a student's first $10,000 in college costs - $5,000 per student for most families. This benefit will be available for all four years of college, and it will be open to families with annual incomes up to $250,000.

Q6: Today, many American families are comprised of either a working single parent or two working parents who need to use child care services in order to work - which can be a significant financial burden for those trying to make ends meet. What, if anything, can be done to make it easier for working families to obtain child care assistance?

I strongly support increasing the tax benefits that help families afford childcare. Childcare costs many families as much as groceries, and more than college tuition at a state university. But the current childcare tax credit is capped at $1,200, and a middle-class family must spend $6,000 to be eligible for this full benefit. I support increasing the maximum credit to more than $2,000, and expanding eligibility for families spending less than $6,000 per year.

Q7: Every year, over one million American students fail to graduate from high school. What policy ideas are most important to you in working to increase graduation rates and strengthen America's public schools?

Every child deserves the same great public education that I had. I have proposed a detailed education policy, which I hope you'll read at www.himesforcongress.com/education. My plan focuses on reforming No Child Left Behind, expanding early childhood education, recruiting great teachers, and investing in best practices. For example, I want to help schools implement technology-driven "early warning systems" that identify likely future dropouts by 9th grade, enabling school leaders to intervene before it's too late.

Q8: Obesity has emerged as a public health crisis, nationally and in Connecticut. Over the past quarter century, the percentage of American children who fit the definition of "obese" has shot up dramatically, tripling for those aged 12 to 19 and nearly tripling for those aged 6 to 11. What can be done, if anything, to help families and communities address this issue?

I believe that we need a comprehensive new strategy at the federal level to combat childhood obesity. In Congress, I will support matching funding for state and local anti-obesity programs, and I will call on the Secretary of Health and Human Services to set ambitious nationwide obesity reduction targets. I will also work to prioritize nutritional counseling and other healthy-living programs in our healthcare system, which will both improve our welfare and reduce healthcare costs.