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?
Dental: Tooth decay is the single most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting nearly 6 in 10 American children. Yet many children and families, particularly those served by Medicaid and CHIP, are unable to access appropriate oral health care. What measures, if any, should be taken to make dental care more accessible?
Poverty: Over 18% of all children live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level. What, if anything, would you do to reduce poverty among children?
Child Care: Child care enables many parents to enter the workforce and maintain employment, yet paying for child care services is becoming increasingly difficult for some as costs continue to rise and many Americans are negatively affected by the recession. What measures should be taken to help families afford child care services, if any, and why?
Child Hunger: Hunger is a growing problem in New Hampshire. One in every five households with children in our state did not have enough food in 2009 and food stamp use is greater than it's ever been before. Where children lack access to healthy food there are often high rates of dietary-related health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Also, nutritionally deficient diets can harm children's mental health, educational achievement and social interactions. What measures would you take to help end child hunger in NH?
BIOGRAPHY
Carol Shea-Porter holds the distinction of being the first woman elected to a federal office in New Hampshire. She was first elected Congresswoman in the first district in 2006. Carol Shea-Porter serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the Education and Labor Committee and the Natural Resources Committee in Washington...
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?
I support the creation of a public option in our health care system to compete alongside private insurance for customers. Additional competition would bring the cost of health premiums down. Our health care system also needs to shift towards a quality-based, rather than a quantity-based system. Providers, as many are today, are paid more based on the number of tests they run. They should be incentivized to focus on the quality outcome.
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?
Part of the answer starts at home. But our schools can play a role here, too, by educating our children about food choices and healthy eating habits so that they are empowered to choose the healthier foods when they are on their own. I actually cosponsored legislation (the Healthy Food Choices for Kids Act) that would allow school districts to coordinate nutrition education with the foods they serve in their cafeterias.
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 will continue to support budget priorities that invest in our children’s health and their future.
Dental: Tooth decay is the single most common chronic disease of childhood, affecting nearly 6 in 10 American children. Yet many children and families, particularly those served by Medicaid and CHIP, are unable to access appropriate oral health care. What measures, if any, should be taken to make dental care more accessible?
The health care reform package I supported improves dental care for children. This package guarantees that dental coverage be included in any minimum benefits package for people under the age of twenty-one. It authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for alternative dental health care providers to increase access to dental health care services in underserved communities. This reform package also increases federal support to help states expand their Medicaid programs.
Poverty: Over 18% of all children live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level. What, if anything, would you do to reduce poverty among children?
We must create well-paying middle class jobs in America. That is why I want to end tax breaks for companies shipping jobs overseas, and I support strong fair trade policy. Job creation and investment in job training programs is the key to reducing poverty for families and children. We need to start making things in America again.
Child Care: Child care enables many parents to enter the workforce and maintain employment, yet paying for child care services is becoming increasingly difficult for some as costs continue to rise and many Americans are negatively affected by the recession. What measures should be taken to help families afford child care services, if any, and why?
Access to affordable child care is critical for many parents as they balance work and family. I support increased investments in Head Start and other childcare programs. The Recovery Act provided $2 billion in funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and $2.1 billion for Head Start, to be split as $1 billion for Head Start and $1.1 billion for Early Head Start.
Child Hunger: Hunger is a growing problem in New Hampshire. One in every five households with children in our state did not have enough food in 2009 and food stamp use is greater than it's ever been before. Where children lack access to healthy food there are often high rates of dietary-related health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Also, nutritionally deficient diets can harm children's mental health, educational achievement and social interactions. What measures would you take to help end child hunger in NH?
I’m proud to have supported the Recovery Act, which provided additional SNAP (food stamp) benefits. I also believe in greater funding for food banks. I helped secure $1.9 million for the New Hampshire Food Bank. Our school nutrition and summer food programs are also critical investments that we need to build upon. We know that a hungry child is going to be more concerned with finding their next meal, rather than learning their multiplication tables.
