Congressional candidates

Congressional survey responses

Access Press and the Minnesota Disability Law Center contacted Minnesota’s Congressional candidates to determine their positions on issues important to the disability community. Responses received prior to the September issue deadline are listed below. If you would like to know more about candidates, all have contact information listed on the Minnesota Secretary of State web site, at www.sos.mn.us. Candidates are arranged alphabetically by last name. Incumbents are starred, if one is in a race. Questionnaire responses received after Access Press went to press will be posted on the newspaper web site, www.accesspress.org Candidates were asked the following questions:

1) What you will work on if you are elected that will help improve the lives of people with disabilities?

2) So far, what has been your experience with the disability community?

3) Many feel the recent passage of the ADA Amendments Act will prove to be beneficial for the disability community. What are your thoughts on this?

4) How do you intend to improve the employment rate of people with disabilities?

5) What is your plan to improve federal programs and funding in order to help people with disabilities to get quality healthcare and supports they need to live as independently as possible?

6) What’s your take on the proposed Community Choice Act?

U.S. SENATE James Niemackl

Constitution Party

1) My focus would be to increase the availability for employment and volunteer work for people with all types of disabilities. We are all looking for meaning and purpose in our lives and we often find that through work, whether that is a paid job or volunteering to work for a shared purpose.

2) My experience is that those who are disabled have the same desire for living life as those who are not disabled. Each person’s disability has caused them to adapt accordingly to their situation with the desire to accomplish the same tasks as those who are not disabled, but in a different way. I admire the ingenuity and determination that I often see among people who must conquer tasks that the rest of us take for granted.

3) The act was a good example of Congress clarifying the law so that the courts rule according to the intention of the law rather than redefining legislation as they see fit. By defining the intent Congress re-established individual rights that had been worn away by court rulings.

4) The key to finding jobs for those who are disabled is in organization. Organizing a network of caring people within organizations can serve to identify the strengths and limitations of each person to best match them with a job opening that they not only can do, but will enjoy. To strengthen this effort, we must rebuild our economy and the opportunity that is available.

5) Our healthcare system has become so expensive and such a burden that many people are excluded from benefits that they need to live a normal and healthy life. Much of this is due to excessive control of the industry by government. The constraints should be loosened to allow more flexibility to everyone, including those who are disabled. By reducing government restrictions and allowing direct access to healthcare services, we can reduce the cost and eventually eliminate the need for health insurance altogether. To combat raising costs and massive government debt, I would work to organize local and state governments with private organizations to establish a network of assistance and resources that the disabled community can benefit from immediately. The organizations are in place, but we have to bring them together for a common purpose. That purpose would be to improve the quality of life for those who are disabled.

6) The idea behind the act is very good. Rather than keeping our disabled family members in high-priced nursing homes and institutions, we should take steps to shift to a more versatile system and promote family living arrangements. To do this money would have to be shifted to provide the assistance needed for people with disabilities to enjoy more freedom without simply adding more to the nation’s

economic burden. With a coordinated effort by government officials, private organizations, and the disabled community we can create more opportunity for a better life.

Ole’ Savior, DFL Party

1) More funding programs and better health care for everyone to improve their lives.

2) I have been involved with Hennepin County programs for the last five years already.

3) I am in favor of all amendments that help the disabled.

4) Many companies need to increase the work force in disability.

5) Many programs at state and federal level are being cut and my goal will be to restore all previous funding and also increase the programs in a fair manner to help the disabled in employment areas and raise the standard of living, health care and other needs they have.

6) No answer

Charles Aldrich

Libertarian Party Kurt Michael Anderson

Independence Party Dean Barkley

Independence Party Norm Coleman

Republican Party* Bill Dahn, Independence Party Alve Erickson, DFL Party Priscilla Lord Faris, DFL Party Rob Fitzgerald, DFL Party Al Franken, DFL Party Richard “Dick” Franson

DFL Party Bob Larson, DFL Party Jack Shepard

Republican Party Darryl Stanton

Independence Party Jack Uldrich

Independence Party Stephen Williams

Independence Party Doug Williams

Independence Party

U.S. House DISTRICT 1 Brian J. Davis

Republican Party Dick Day

Republican Party

Questionnaire - cont. on p. 7

Gregory Mikkelson

Independence Party Tim Walz, DFL Party*

DISTRICT 2 John Kline, Republican Party* Steve Sarvi, DFL Party

DISTRICT 3 (Incumbent Jim Ramstad chose to not seek re-election.)

David Dillon Independence Party 1) Employment. There is a tremendous opportunity to both provide more employment prospects for people with disabilities and an opportunity to help our economy be more competitive and successful by taping into skills, abilities and energy of those with disabilities.

2) As a CEO, entrepreneur and family business owner we have found people with disabilities to be some of our strongest contributors.

3) This may well be true despite the fact that it may not have gone far enough and it is clear certain items (such as a provision for the importation of helper monkeys for quadriplegics) were missed altogether.

4) Today employers worry needlessly about health care cost liabilities with employees with disabilities. Health care reform that allows employers, particularly small employers to buy into the same cost risk pools of large employers and government employees will remove this impediment for employment for citizens with disabilities.

5) The two most important initiatives are the reform mentioned in number four above and passing the Community Choice Act

6) I strongly support the Community Choice Act. Like mental health parity, it is a matter both of fairness and good economics.

Erik Paulsen Republican Party 1) I pledge to maintain the same strong commitment that was demonstrated by my friend and mentor, Rep. Jim Ramstad, to tearing down the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from living with dignity and independence. He has served with distinction as the co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus in Congress, and I pledge to be an active member of that important caucus and work in a bipartisan way to expand opportunities for people with disabilities.

2) As a legislative aide to Congressman Ramstad, I helped staff his own Disability Advisory Committee, where I learned firsthand about the many major issues facing people with disabilities. I now work as a business analyst at Target Corporation, which has a long history of actively hiring people with disabilities through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program. This program has proven to be an important tool to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

And as a member of the Minnesota Legislature, I worked hard for policies to help people with disabilities, and I pledge to do the same if elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Also, I volunteer for The Learning Exchange, an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities.

3) I agree. I was appalled by the recent court decisions that had significantly eroded the important protections contained in the historic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and I was pleased the ADA Amendments Act passed the U.S. House. Among other things, the bill clarifies that those people with disabilities who use adaptive technology to cope with their disability will still receive the full protections of the ADA.

4) I strongly believe we need to make the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) permanent. I am pleased this important incentive was recently extended, but now Congress needs to take the next step and make it permanent.

We must also ensure that people with disabilities are fully informed about the opportunities to work without losing health benefits that are afforded by the Ticket to Work Act. Eliminating disincentives to work for people with disabilities is a matter of justice and basic civil rights.

I strongly believe we must maintain the protections of the ADA in the workplace and other areas.

I also believe we need to fully fund Vocational Rehabilitation programs, which are an important tool to give people with disabilities a meaningful opportunity to work.

5) I share the bipartisan opposition to the misguided Targeted Case Management regulations promulgated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would have decimated programs that help people with disabilities transition to independent living. I am pleased a one year moratorium was passed to block these regulations, and I will certainly continue to oppose them. 6) I strongly agree with Senator Harkin that individuals should be able to choose the setting in which they live. People want real choices. It is a good idea to allow funding to follow the person, to not favor one setting over another, and to remove program disincentives that lower the number of choices available to individuals with disabilities.

Ashwin Madia, DFL Party Steev Ramsdell,

Independence Party

DISTRICT 4

Betty McCollum DFL Party*

1) I will continue to work with the disability community to fight discrimination and remove barriers. We need to ensure that all Americans have full access to our communities and the opportunity to live independently.

Medicare and Medicaid are critical safety net programs that must be preserved. Access to health care for many allows independence, the opportunity to work, and the critical care that one needs for a dignified, productive life. I voted against administration proposals to cut this critical funding and will continue to work to ensure these important programs exist for future generations. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will also continue to work to provide the funding necessary to eliminate the Social Security Disability backlog.

I have been a strong advocate of special education and have introduced H.R. 1896, the Achieving our IDEA Act, to provide full funding of Washington’s commitment to special education. Congress must finally make it a priority to live up to the promise that all children deserve a free and appropriate education. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I have been proud to support legislation that rejects cuts proposed by the administration and provides increases for special education. I will continue to fight for adequate funding to ensure that all children have access to a quality education.

Voting is the right and responsibility of every citizen and polling places must be accessible. If re-elected, I will continue to fight to ensure that all Americans can exercise their right to participate in our democracy.

2) Congress plays an important role in issues that directly impact persons with disabilities. I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with many Minnesotans who share my goal of improved access to health care, education, and full participation in our government. The disability community has been an effective partner in passing important legislation such as the ADA Amendments Act. In addition, at home I have the opportunity to work directly with residents of the 4th District on casework involving Social Security and Medicare benefits.

On a personal level, I grew up with a father with a severe hearing disability. Like the majority of our families, I have many friends and relatives who face daily challenges with their disability.

3) I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3195, the ADA Amendments Act, which passed the House by a vote of 402-17 on June 25, 2008. This legislation restores the intent of the ADA and clarifies that the ADA provides broad coverage to protect anyone who faces discrimination because of a disability. The ADA Amendments Act restores the promise of this important civil rights law.

4) I will continue to fight to increase funding for IDEA to ensure a quality education for all students and to improve access to higher education. The Higher Education Opportunity Act is an important step in reducing barriers for students with disabilities. This legislation provides assistance to faculty and staff and improves access to college course materials. It also creates a system for gathering information about technical assistance so that we can continue to make improvements at higher education institutions across the country.

In addition, I will continue to work to ensure funding for critical job training and vocational rehabilitation programs. To remain competitive, we need to make sure that all our citizens have access to training for high-demand jobs and that we have the services in place to support work and selfsufficiency.

5) I believe health care should be a right for all Americans. We must invest in healthcare coverage to improve the health of all Americans. Access to health care for many allows independence, the opportunity to work, and the critical care that one needs for a dignified, productive life.

An important part of improving health care is to ensure that Medicare and Medicaid continue to provide adequate coverage for recipients and reimbursements for providers. This means we must fund Medicare and Medicaid adequately and make the changes necessary to provide quality care. I am a cosponsor of the Direct SupQuestionnaire - cont. on p. 11

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