This election cycle, KREM, our sister station in Spokane, wants to ask the candidates questions that matter to you, the viewers.
So last week KREM reporter Rob Harris collected your questions on Facebook Live and Twitter, and sat down with candidates.
Wednesday was a question and answer session with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
Q: So let’s dive right in. We got quite a few responses in, and many of them were focused on sort of the topic of the month which is gun control, school safety, and the NRA. So I guess my first question is what was your reaction to the march for our lives and the march for our rights that we saw?
A: I thought it was really encouraging to see the young people that are getting involved, making their voices heard. That’s always positive. You want to hear from all different people. I’m proud that the House—and we just got signed into law—the Stop School Violence Act. And this was really a result of listening. The Stop School Violence Act really goes to the importance of providing more support for resource officers, for mental health. To a certain degree I continue to hear that the schools need more support. That the kids are coming with more stress, and that some of this is a heart issue not a just a legislative issue. We also just passed and the president just signed the NICS Fix law, which is going at the federal database. And we’ve seen in a number of these shooting examples where the people involved in the shooting should not have guns. Either there as domestic violence history, there was mental health concern, the FBI had dropped the ball. We have too many people that are slipping through the cracks and getting guns when they should not.
Q: And so do you see these measures in addition to possible gun control legislation from here, or instead of?
A: I think these are measures that are really going at making a difference and going to really help address the problem. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and I’m not about taking guns away from law abiding citizens. I think we really need to look at what is happening, and come up with solutions that are really going to help prevent further kinds of shootings that we’ve seen.
Q: Our next question comes from Marcia on Facebook, and she actually sent us a video so rather than hear me say it I’ll let you hear her ask it: “I have struggled with an eating disorder, and I ended up getting free treatment because I participated in research two years ago. But I know there’s a lot of people who are struggling who don’t have that option, so what would she do to ensure that insurance companies will cover eating disorder treatment so that people aren’t dying from an illness that can be easily treated if they can get treatment.
A: Great question. First, we just passed the right to try, which is important legislation for a variety of people that might have rare diseases or conditions or challenges, so that was good news. I’ve also been a strong proponent of the protections for those with pre-existing conditions. As we move forward with healthcare reform, and making sure we’re address what’s really raising the cost of premiums, which I continue to hear from individuals and businesses, the concern about raising premiums—I believe that we must ensure those with pre-existing conditions are protected as we move forward.
Q: A question from Twitter: Solar Acres Farm writes “Where do you stand on the farm bill? Much talk about rebuilding infrastructure, however isn’t where we get or food much more important infrastructure? Universal healthcare will allow more young people to be farmers, we need them, us old farmers are a dying breed.”
A: Well, the farm bill is important. Agriculture is our number one industry in Eastern Washington. We have a safe, secure food supply as Americans, and we need to make sure that we’re continuing to support our farmers. I have invited the chairman of the house agriculture committee to come to Eastern Washington as well as the Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. I’ve talked to them, but. I want them to meet with the farmers directly and hear some of the unique challenges that we face. In the House, I am working with the chairman and we hope to get the farm bill out of the House even by August so this is top of mind as we head back after Easter break. And for me, the priorities will be research, it will be market access program as well as crop insurance which is an important safety net. Trade is on the forefront of farmer’s minds right now. And I heard directly the panic from our farmers over the trade policies, the across the board tariffs and what they’re going to mean potentially for markets. We export 90% of our wheat here in Eastern Washington so having access to those markets is so important and it takes years if not decades to develop those markets. So being a champion for those farmers is going to be something that I continue to do.
Q: Nikki on Twitter: “What do you plan to do to help the sandwich generation? Those of us saving for our kids’ college while struggling to pay our own student loan debt, paying daycare and elder care for parents?”
A: Some of the best news relates to our economy right now, and that you see record low unemployment, you’re seeing record high small business startups, consumer confidence, workforce participation rate. That means more opportunities, more jobs, more money in people’s pockets because of tax reform. On average its $2,200 for an average family of four in Eastern Washington, and that means more money where they can save for retirement, help cover and save for the cost of college tuition. I just finished paying off my college loans. I recognize how expensive college tuition is, and we need to make sure we’re giving every student who wants to go to college the opportunity to do so.
Q: Chris on Facebook wants to know your position on immigration and DACA. So we’ve seen I think in interviews bipartisan support for some of these principles like protection for dreamers, some form or border security, and yet when it comes time to vote it seems like there’s a quagmire. So what would you say to that?
A: My biggest disappointment in the budget deal was the fact that we did not get a DACA fix as a part of that deal. It’s overdue. Congress was supposed to get this done by March 5th. I’m working right now actively with my colleagues on legislation on what I believe would be a way to both insure that we have the border security that the administration is calling for, as well as the DACA fix. And I think a three-year fix makes sense, that we would get three years of border security and three-year DACA fix and give those DACA kids the certainty that I hear is forefront on their minds. Kids that are in colleges and universities right here in Eastern Washington that don’t know what their future is, and we need to give them some certainty.
Full video:
Tuesday we showed you what Democratic candidate Lisa Brown had to say to our viewers.
Thursday Republican candidate Jered Gavin Bonneau will share his views.