5th district candidates answer questions on gas prices, energy

VIRGIL GOODE (Republican)

Q.What is the first, best thing a Congress member can do about high gas prices?

Congress should focus on weaning the United States from foreign fossil fuels. We cannot allow foreign countries to control our fuel supply. In my opinion, the United States should be drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Outer Continental Shelf. We should also be focusing on alternative fuel sources. I am supportive of bio-fuels made from switch grass, miscanthus or hybrid poplar trees. I had the opportunity to drive an electric and a fuel-cell vehicle. I would like to see the cost of these types of vehicles come down and fuel sources more readily available so that more citizens can take advantage of those technologies. I voted for tax incentives for persons who purchase hybrid vehicles.

Q.If the United States had an energy policy, what are the first three issues it should address?

Energy policies of the United States should focus on cutting the cost of gasoline and diesel fuel. First, the United States should focus on drilling in ANWR, in the Outer Continental Shelf and across our country. Second, the United States should develop alternative energy sources. I am pleased to have sponsored legislation that has brought millions to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Southern Virginia for a project that includes deriving bio-fuel from switch grass, miscanthus and hybrid poplars. The results of this program could significantly enhance agriculture and forest products throughout the Fifth District of Virginia. Third, we must support tax credits for solar, wind and other renewable energy sources.

Q.What can, or should, Congress do about illegal immigration?

Illegal immigration must stop. Our borders must be secure. I have supported and cosponsored legislation to stop illegal aliens, terrorists, drug smugglers and other criminals from coming across our southern border. We need to utilize troops, fences, and other measures to stop the invasion from Mexico. I was the first to sponsor legislation providing for a fence along the southern border. Although fence legislation has now passed, we must continue the fight for funding and the continual construction of the fence. Illegal immigration costs the United States billions every year through increased health care costs, social service utilizations, emergency room fees, and in other areas. I am against allowing illegal immigrants having services meant for Americans. Amnesty encourages more illegal entry into America.

Q. How should the U.S. deal with the expected growth in demand for electric power?

A.The United States needs to work with existing electric and utility companies and cooperatives to ensure that they continue to have the ability to cover our electric energy needs. They should be encouraged to utilize renewable energy sources but they shouldn’t be places at a competitive disadvantage by forcing unreasonable and unattainable government standards upon them that would greatly increase electric bills of citizens across America. We must continue our efforts to make coal usage cleaner and to allow more hydropower and nuclear power when it can be done safely and compatible with the environment.

Q. Do you see an expanding role for nuclear power plants, and if so, what risks should be guarded against?

A.I do see an expanding role for nuclear power in the United States. We must address the disposal of nuclear waste issues. I believe such can be done and that any safety concerns can be addressed. Nuclear power can be cheaper and would be part of the solution to our dependence on foreign fuel.

Q.What can, or should, Congress do about the kind of investment practices that led to the current housing crisis?

A.Congress needs to rethink encouraging persons who have little chance of repaying loans for homes to get them. Those who made false statements and encouraged persons who likely could not repay these loans should be investigated and pursued.

Q.What, if anything, needs to be done about Social Security?

A. I want Social Security preserved and protected for our seniors and disabled. We need legislation that I have supported to place Social Security funds in a lock-box. An immediate concern for Social Security should be the proposed Social Security Totalization Agreement between the United States and Mexico. Those who truly want to protect the Social Security Trust Fund need to exclaim a resounding “no” to the proposed Totalization Agreement with Mexico. Estimates vary, but the Totalization Agreement with Mexico will cost the Social Security Trust Fund billions, not millions. My resolution blocking this agreement needs to be adopted.

Q. What changes should be made in the U.S. health care system, and does Congress have the ability and political will to make them?

A.I support increased funding for research aimed at combating and curing illnesses such as diabetes, lupus, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS, MS and heart disease. I support continued federal funding for community health centers in rural areas. These centers serve primarily the uninsured and underinsured. Patients are charged on a sliding scale based on their ability to pay. I also support refundable tax credits to assist persons in purchasing health insurance. I am also the chief sponsor of legislation that will create a national catastrophic health care fund for those that are uninsured. Citizens would have the option of contributing a portion of their tax refund to this fund.

Q. How can, or should, the earmark system be changed? (With earmarks being defined as funding for specific projects that Congress members insert into spending bills.)

A.I have voted to eliminate all earmarks in spending bills. I voted for Rep. David Obey’s amendment to strip all earmarks from the 2008 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education funding bill. I was a cosponsor of the earmark moratorium legislation in the House. I do not believe earmarks should be ended in one or just a few districts. There should be a moratorium across the board in all districts at the same time. In my opinion, all federal spending should be reduced. Congress should pass the Balanced Budget Amendment and work to balance the budget each year. The National Taxpayers Union recognized me as the lowest spender member of Congress because I spent only half of my member’s allowance.

Q.What else would you like to do or change if you’re re-elected, and how would you do it?

A.Adopt my platform as follows:
-Save our economy — reduce fuel costs by drilling here and now and utilizing alternatives.
-Save America and secure our borders.
-Save Social Security.
-Save America’s health care system with reform, not socialized medicine.
-Save marriage between one man and one woman.
-Save our Second Amendment rights.

TOM PERRIELLO, Democrat

Q.What’s the first, best thing a Congress member can do about high gas prices?

The first step is to leave partisan stunts, campaign contributors and pandering at the door. We need to drill, crack down on speculators, shift subsidies from Big Oil to alternatives, reduce demand through fuel efficiency and conservation, and strengthen the dollar. Anything less than everything sells out America.
Your fuel bill would be half of what it is now if Virgil Goode and the gang in Washington had done their job for the last decade. Goode ranks 13th of 435 representatives in personal holdings in oil stocks, and has taken over $100,000 from Big Oil and energy companies. He has supported billions in handouts to oil companies and opposed fuel efficiency requirements to ramp up the gas mileage of my pickup truck. That’s the real record.

Q.If the United States had an energy policy, what are the first three issues it should address?

Like winning the race to the moon, America must commit to energy independence in a generation. Our leaders should have made this commitment Sept. 12, 2001. Seven years and zero progress later, the urgency remains.
Three steps are:
(1) Reward companies and consumers who invest in energy efficiency in their factories, automobiles, and homes; (2) Shift subsidies from Big Oil to alternative energies; and (3) Support interim measures such as increased drilling and tax rebates to families to survive winter heating bills.
Comprehensive reform will never happen with Rep. Goode pursuing the same Big Oil agenda in Congress that Bush/Cheney pursued in the White House. It is time for leaders in Washington who care less about company profits than about us consumers.

Q.What can, or should, Congress do about illegal immigration?

Illegal immigration drives down wages of American workers, punishes business owners who play by the rules and undermines the rule of law. As long as the supply of jobs is here, illegal immigrants will keep coming here. We must crack down on employers who break the law.
Rep. Goode has made headlines for his remarks on immigration but never for producing results. He voted on multiple occasions to curb the penalties on powerful corporations that hire illegal immigrants. He has a pattern of sponsoring tough bills that have no chance of passing; he could not even get his proposal out of committee when his party was in power. I care more about solving this crisis than scoring political points with a speech.

Q. How should the U.S. deal with the expected growth in demand for electric power?

A. Electricity is a critical part of our path to energy independence, and the utter lack of leadership from Bush, Goode and the gang in Washington have landed us in this mess.
The technology already exists for power companies and consumers to save money by sharing in the production from bio-fuels, wind and solar. Many of our farmers are ready today to start selling power back to the grid, but political corruption blocks decentralized power production. Our farmers can be freedom fighters in the struggle for energy independence, but Goode and others insist on supporting the status quo.
America needs to modernize the grid with more efficient distribution. Retrofitting the grid, diversifying supply and increasing efficiency will lower costs and wild fluctuations.

Q.Do you see an expanding role for nuclear power plants, and if so what risks should be guarded against?

A. I have challenged many in my party to reconsider the role of nuclear power, because I believe we can move beyond the ideology and fears of the past and look concretely at the facts. Nuclear power is the only carbon-neutral power source that can be taken to market at scale today, starting with the expansion of existing facilities. There are serious public health and security risks with nuclear power. But rather than dismissing this option or pretending there are no problems and then dumping them on our weakest citizens, we have to face these risks squarely and honestly and make clear, open choices. This should be some part of the solution.

Q.What can, or should, Congress do about the kind of investment practices that led to the current housing crisis?

A.The current housing crisis is a devastating result of our broken Washington politics. Both parties knew about this problem for years and did nothing, and if the same people go back there, they will do it again. The definition of insanity is to keep trying the same failed idea and expect a different result.
We need sensible regulation to prevent abuse and ensure smart saving and investment.
The first investment practice Congress must stop is the funding of government programs with implicit guarantees for unregulated private companies. I strongly support programs that encourage home ownership, but programs must be paid for, not outsourced with a wink to Wall Street. Second, we must crack down on predatory lending.

Q.What, if anything, needs to be done about Social Security?

A.Social Security is one of the most successful government programs in history and should be protected from efforts to privatize it or reduce benefits. We must ensure its solvency and not allow the massive debt incurred under this Administration to damage the program.
However, concerns about sustaining Medicare are very real, based primarily on the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs and healthcare. This is another example of how working families pay the price for Washington corruption. Congressman Goode took over $150,000 from the health and pharmaceutical industry and voted against allowing the government to negotiate for cheaper drug prices for Medicare. As a result, our seniors pay 50 percent more for their drugs than the VA.

Q.What changes should be made in the U.S. health care system, and does Congress have the ability and political will to make them?

A.Whether Congress has the political will depend on electing new leaders like myself who have refused to take money from corporate lobbyists. In our first forum together, Rep. Goode said there was nothing seriously wrong with our health care system. But the 47 million Americans without healthcare disagree, as do the 200 million of us who pay too much only to learn that our HMO has some excuse for denying care. Healthcare is a very real crisis for the middle class and for the competitiveness of our businesses.
Solutions include reducing costs, holding HMOs accountable to basic standards of decency and contract, negotiating cheaper drug prices, and promoting longterm doctor-patient partnerships. In addition, Americans need to do their part by leading healthier lives.

Q.  How can, or should, the earmark system be changed? (With earmarks being defined as funding for specific projects that Congress members insert into spending bills.)

A.The founders of this nation knew that if the government weren’t accountable to the people it would become corrupt. Earmarks must be 100 percent transparent. This culture is about more than just wasteful pet projects; it’s about lazy legislators who offer handouts instead of doing the tough work that will turn around our economy and provide relief to working families of Virginia.
We need Washington to work on real challenges, like energy independence, bringing back jobs, and making health care affordable. What defies logic is Rep. Goode voting for a bio-fuel earmark and then voting for the Big Oil subsidies that prevent that bio-fuel plant from being able to compete. People here don’t want a handout; they want a hand-up to good, family-wage jobs.

Q. What else would you like to do or change if you are re-elected, and how would you do it?

A. Washington is broken. The middle class falls further and further behind; all we see in Congress is lethargy and partisan bickering, and nothing gets done. I plan on fighting, and changing, a Washington attitude of convenience, pandering, and bickering. I have a seven-point plan for economic revival that focuses on support for small businesses, infrastructure, and workforce development. I pledge to work a double shift every day in Congress to bring good jobs back to Virginia. Under Rep. Goode’s watch, Southside has lost over 10,000 jobs, been crushed by gas prices and witnessed a disastrous national security policy that has left America less safe. I will take on Washington and fight for you.