Respond to Candidate
Bill Keating (D)
45 Willard Street, 2nd Floor
Quincy, MA 02169
Visit Candidate's Website
(617) 479-2010
volunteer@BillKeating.org
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?
Respond to Candidate
Maryanne Lewis (I)
82 Broad Street
Weymouth, MA 02188
Visit Candidate's Website
(781) 320-0500
mlewis4congress@gmail.com
BIOGRAPHY
Maryanne resides in Scituate with her husband, Brian, and two sons Patrick and Matthew. She received her B.A. from Trinity College and J.D. from Catholic University Law School. Starting in 1995, Maryanne served four terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and currently runs her own independent political consulting firm.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 firmly believe that everyone should have the option to buy affordable health insurance. I am not content with the current National Health Reform legislation because I believe the legislation was not properly vetted by the American people. I believe the next Congress should revisit the legislation and allow a true national dialogue to take place. I believe we can reform health care and make it more affordable for all Americans.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?
As a state representative, I secured funding for the purchase of the Lowell Woods and the renovation of a community playground giving families a safe place to play and exercise. In Congress, I would continue to fight for safe, public recreational spaces for the residents of our district. I would also fight to give our schools sufficient funding to provide all K-12 students with adequate physical and health education resources in their schools.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 am in favor of legislation that makes federal budgeting decisions more transparent. As a parent and former legislator, I recognize that children are our most vulnerable constituency. They rely on adult advocates to lobby for their interests. I would expect that by creating a Children’s budget, we could provide parents and other concerned citizens with a straightforward way to gauge how the federal government is funding initiatives that directly affect 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?
I believe there are several factors that have led to the shortages including insurance cost for physicians and restrictive practices by insurance companies that deny physicians the right to use their professional judgment in the treatment of their patients, to name a few. As a former ADA, I believe we are in dire need of tort reform. I would support federal efforts to reform judgments against physicians.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?
I believe that we have failed working families from the very beginning. As a state representative, I sponsored the “drive-thru delivery” bill, which mandates a minimum hospital stay of 48 hours (96 hours for caesarean section births) for mothers and newborns. As the nation continues to think about a national health care model that makes sense, I would fight to include minimum hospital stays for mothers and their children.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 the spirit of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. As a former ADA, I understand adult detention centers are not appropriate places to house a child who has committed a status offense. I am in favor of separating children who have to be housed in adult facilities from the general adult population, though I caution against keeping children in substantially segregated units that do not allow them healthy socialization.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?
I believe our students have lost the freedom of choice in many of our schools. I would support legislation to expand charter schools, schools of choice and technical training schools. This would provide students and families with options when planning their child’s educational path. I would also support legislation that would require state and federal agencies to collaborate with school systems to develop a streamlined system of providing wrap-around services to students in need.
Respond to Candidate
Jeff Perry (R)
PO Box 1435
Sandwich, MA 02563
Visit Candidate's Website
(508) 888-3094
Jeff@JeffPerryforCongress.com
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?
Respond to Candidate
James Sheets (I)
10 Granite Street, 3rd Floor
Quincy, MA 02169
Visit Candidate's Website
(617) 479-8535
Info@VoteJimSheets.com