BIOGRAPHY
The candidate's response will be posted as soon as it is received.
National Health Reform Implementation: In addition to expanding coverage through Medicaid, national health reform is expected to provide more than 17 million people with subsidies to purchase coverage through Exchanges. However, some people might still not be able to afford insurance. What measures, if any, would you support to help make health insurance affordable for families?
Childhood Obesity: More than one in six U.S children are obese, a rate that has tripled in the past 30 years. Childhood obesity is linked to a number of debilitating and expensive diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, several kinds of cancer, and other chronic conditions. What can be done, if anything, to help families and communities address this issue?
Children’s Budget: Representative Danny Davis and Senator Menendez have introduced the Children’s Budget Act (H.R. 3772/S. 3108), legislation that would require federal spending on children’s programs to be separately displayed and analyzed in the President’s budget, illustrating how the federal government allocates resources for children. What importance, if any, do you place on creating a Children’s Budget and why?
Physician Shortages: A number of studies haven show that physician shortages can lead to more limited access to health care and longer wait times for patients, and a recent study of children’s hospitals found that shortages in pediatric subspecialties are adversely affecting patient care. What do you think can be done, if anything, to address the problem of physician shortages in certain medical specialties?
Child Care: Child care is a critical support for many parents, yet paying for child care services is becoming increasingly difficult as costs continue to rise and many Americans are negatively impacted by the recession. What measures, if any, should be taken to help more working families afford child care services?
Juvenile Justice: In 2009, a Senate bill was introduced to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974. What importance, if any, do you place on reauthorizing this piece of legislation and why? What changes would you make to the JJDPA, if any?
Secondary Education: 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?
BIOGRAPHY
Currently serving his seventh term in Congress, Jim McGovern is the Vice Chairman of the House Rules Committee, which sets the terms for debate and amendments on most legislation, and a member of the House Budget Committee. Jim and his wife Lisa have two children, Patrick and Molly.
National Health Reform Implementation: In addition to expanding coverage through Medicaid, national health reform is expected to provide more than 17 million people with subsidies to purchase coverage through Exchanges. However, some people might still not be able to afford insurance. What measures, if any, would you support to help make health insurance affordable for families?
Health insurance must be affordable for all. It will take time for all changes from the new reforms to affect how we deliver care and see cost savings.
I support additional subsidies for small businesses, families and individuals. I also support keeping a watchful eye on health insurance companies across the nation to make sure they comply on issues like the ban on pre-existing conditions and keeping children on parents’ insurance until age 26.
Childhood Obesity: More than one in six U.S children are obese, a rate that has tripled in the past 30 years. Childhood obesity is linked to a number of debilitating and expensive diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, several kinds of cancer, and other chronic conditions. What can be done, if anything, to help families and communities address this issue?
Food is medicine. I am strong supporter of increasing access to nutritious food, especially to children. I have led the fight for a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, the program that feeds our children in school. I have also been a strong supporter of increasing access to nutritious foods by bringing farmers markets that accept WIC and SNAP to cities and areas that have less access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables.
Children’s Budget: Representative Danny Davis and Senator Menendez have introduced the Children’s Budget Act (H.R. 3772/S. 3108), legislation that would require federal spending on children’s programs to be separately displayed and analyzed in the President’s budget, illustrating how the federal government allocates resources for children. What importance, if any, do you place on creating a Children’s Budget and why?
I believe we need to increase our focus on children, how they fare in our country, and provide greater funding and resources that benefit children. That is why I am a cosponsor of Congressman Danny Davis’ Children’s Budget Act.
Physician Shortages: A number of studies haven show that physician shortages can lead to more limited access to health care and longer wait times for patients, and a recent study of children’s hospitals found that shortages in pediatric subspecialties are adversely affecting patient care. What do you think can be done, if anything, to address the problem of physician shortages in certain medical specialties?
I believe the federal healthcare reform made significant improvements in addressing physician shortages, especially primary care physicians. Although a magic wand cannot create more doctors, more can be done, e.g. finding a permanent fix to the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), a budgetary gimmick to try and control health care cost in 1997, would be a start. This formula only discourages medical students from going into less lucrative areas of medicine.
Child Care: Child care is a critical support for many parents, yet paying for child care services is becoming increasingly difficult as costs continue to rise and many Americans are negatively impacted by the recession. What measures, if any, should be taken to help more working families afford child care services?
Child care is becoming increasingly difficult to access and afford. That is why I am a strong supporter of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) providing a $2 billion increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). I am also a cosponsor of Rep. Allyson Schwartz’s (D-PA) bill, H.R. 5260, the Support Working Parents Act, to increase the child care tax credit.
Juvenile Justice: In 2009, a Senate bill was introduced to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974. What importance, if any, do you place on reauthorizing this piece of legislation and why? What changes would you make to the JJDPA, if any?
I support S. 678 because it focuses on prevention, not just punishment. I believe it’s important to build strong, active collaborations between police, the courts, and community-based organizations to identify kids in trouble before they commit a crime and to act swiftly, fairly and effectively with those who do. Staying in school is one of the best ways to prevent juvenile delinquency and I support a strong educational component as part of the JJDPA.
Secondary Education: 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?
Ensuring that our children have the support to finish high school is a high priority for me. I strongly support TRIO, Upward Bound, and GEAR UP programs that focus on preventing students from dropping out and give former drop-outs an opportunity to finish school. I helped initiate a community-wide education support program for Worcester Public School Hispanic students and families. I strongly support after-school, summer, special mentoring and providing students with workplace experience.
