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
Rep. Edward J. Markey from Malden, MA represents the 7th Congressional District of Massachusetts, where he has authored or helped shape every major environmental, energy and high tech policy over the last three decades. He is outspoken leader for consumer rights, economic growth and affordable, quality healthcare for all Americans.
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 have worked to ensure that Massachusetts safety net hospitals receive federal funding to continue to provide primary care, mental health and in-patient hospital services to hundreds of thousands of the state’s low-income residents, many of whom are uninsured. I also support elements of the health reform law that make health insurance more affordable, including caps on out-of-pocket costs so you don’t go bankrupt because you got sick.
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?
I am concerned about the alarming rates of obesity in our nation’s youth. Accordingly, I urged food manufacturers to restrict their advertising of unhealthy foods to children by joining the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. I have secured commitments from 13 major food companies including Kellogg, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Kraft, General Mills and Burger King. I will continue to work to keep our nation’s children healthy and reduce the occurrence of childhood obesity.
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 always say that while children account for a fraction of our country’s population, they are 100 percent of our future. I support providing more detail on how our government allocates resources for our children. Such information can help inform policymaking and highlight instances where more funding should be devoted to programs that benefit children.
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?
The health reform bill that I supported and President Obama signed into law contains policies aimed at addressing physician shortages. Specifically, reforms include: $1.5 billion in mandatory spending for the National Health Service Corps to get more primary care providers to health shortage areas, one of the most effective ways to reduce the current deficit in the number of these professionals, and grant programs for primary care training.
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?
Nearly 12 million of the 18.5 million children under age five in our country attend some type of regular child care or early education. Not only is it essential that we ensure that these child care services meet high standards for the care of these children, but also that they are affordable. I support increasing federal support for programs like Head Start and other high-quality 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?
Reauthorization of the JJDPA is important. The reauthorization makes several changes to the original bill, including keeping kids out of adult jails and prisons; requiring states to reduce racial and ethnic disparities; creating incentives for the use of programs that research has shown to work best; and refocusing attention on prevention programs to keep children from ever entering the juvenile or criminal justice systems. These are important changes that I support.
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?
The policies that are most important to me to implement and work towards addressing are: (1) a sound and careful reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act—this is the overarching vehicle that will help address various issues; (2) teacher quality improvement—there is no substitute for a great teacher—they make all the difference; (3) a good school turn- around strategy—schools that are underperforming need assistance.
