We approached the candidates for U.S. Representative for District 2 and asked them some questions. Below are responses from Republican incumbent Jackie Walorski and Democratic candidate Joe Bock. Libertarian candidate Jeff Petermann ended his run and dropped out of the Libertarian Party after the July 15 deadline to have his name removed from the Nov. 4 ballot.

If elected, what steps would you take to ensure America’s veterans receive the care they need and deserve from the VA, and what would you do to decrease the number of homeless and unemployed veterans in the country?

Walorski: “Our service members never hesitated to answer the call of duty to defend our nation and fight for this great country and we owe them a debt of gratitude. As a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, we heard from veterans who requested doctor appointments and were placed on long waiting lists, which resulted in many VA facilities falsifying and covering up wait times and veterans died as a result.”

“This issue isn’t a partisan issue or a political issue — it’s America’s issue. I was grateful to be named to the House and Senate VA Conference Committee, where we worked to draft legislation passed in both the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed into law in July. When that legislation became law, I said it was the first step toward reforming the VA and protecting veterans who depend on the VA for support.”

“On Monday, the VA began to use that law to take action. They fired four executives who were suspected of wrongdoing, something impossible to do before. While this is a great step forward, there is much more work to be done. I co-sponsored legislation that would extend a number of important veteran’s service programs to vets in rural areas, homeless vets, vets with mental illnesses, all in an effort to improve their quality of life.”

“This bill would give more funding to VSO’s to drive those vets to their doctor’s appointment; fund programs to help our homeless veterans get back on their feet; fund job training, counseling and placement services for those vets so they can find a good paying job. In the coming weeks and months, we must continue to stand together to ensure additional improvements are made to the VA. I will keep fighting for our vets to ensure they have every opportunity to have the best quality of life; we owe them that and so much more.”

Bock: “I will insist we provide the health care veterans need without long lines and in ways that are more convenient. If a VA hospital or clinic is not able to provide the help veterans need, they should be able to go to other hospitals or clinics, with the VA paying the bill proportionate to what the services would have cost at a VA facility.

“Our veterans need greater support when returning home from war. It is our moral obligation to make sure they receive the care they need. Many veterans need improved mental health care. There is evidence hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be effective in addressing post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, and yet this treatment has not been approved by the VA. It should be. We have an epidemic of suicides on our hands — 22 veterans a day. What a tragedy!”

“I will work to create tax credits for businesses that hire veterans.”

Many voters don’t trust Congress due to the intense polarization between the parties. How would you go about returning Congress to a respectable institution where both parties work together through compromise and civility?

Walorski: “Since I can remember, I have always been passionate about helping folks in need or lending my support to important causes that can truly make a difference. When I was elected to Congress, I made a promise to represent your interests in Washington, and fight for Hoosiers.”

“When I was growing up in South Bend, I saw my parents do this everyday while they ran their small appliance repair store. My dad was an Air Force veteran and South Bend firefighter, he taught me about the value of public service. Since then, I have dedicated my career to helping others. After I married my husband, we moved to Romania and founded an agency to help get medical supplies to impoverished children. I learned a lot while living overseas and helped many children get access to care that would’ve been almost impossible.”

“My mission to help others continued in Indiana when I had the chance to serve Hoosiers in the state legislature. So, in an effort to fulfill my commitment to Hoosiers, I’ve continued this trend of helping others in Congress where I’ve worked across party lines to get things done. I wrote a bipartisan law to combat military sexual assault, supported the violence against women’s act, kept propane costs low and protected our nation’s veterans.”

“My mission in life is to help others and I’ve been grateful for the opportunity voters have given me to serve on their behalf and I’ll continue to work with Congress, regardless of party or politics, to fight for my constituents. If we want to continue to encourage prosperity and create opportunities for ourselves and our grandchildren to succeed, we can’t afford leaders who ask hesitantly, speak thoughtlessly or act unwisely. I can honestly say there is no greater honor than serving on your behalf in Congress.”

Bock: “I share this frustration; that is the main reason I am running for Congress.”

“We need three main things to get our government working effectively again. First, we need campaign finance reform. Second, we need term limits. And, third, we need to insist both major political parties discontinue gerrymandering, a practice that allows one political party to draw legislative district lines, resulting in ‘safe seats’ which, by definition, compromises the accountability needed in a democracy.”

“One other way we can move forward with civility is to reinstate the fairness doctrine for communications. This was repealed decades ago by the Federal Communication Commission. It requires a more balanced treatment of issues. Many television and radio programs are one-sided. They are filled with misinformation that is not challenged. This is at the root of much of the incivility in our political system.”

With Indiana’s definition of marriage deemed unconstitutional by a federal judge, what is your stance on same-sex marriage, and what do you plan to do regarding legislation on same-sex marriage? [Note: this question was submitted prior to the Supreme Court action on Monday]

Walorski: “My voting record has been clear on supporting marriage between one man and women. While I don’t agree with the decision by the Supreme Court, I believe the state of Indiana must abide by the law like every other state.”

Bock: “I see this as a Church-State issue. Constitutionally, every person should be treated fairly under the equal protection clause. The State should therefore allow these marriages. Churches, however, must maintain the right to designate what is considered a marriage in the eyes of their faith community.”

Protected by the Second Amendment, all US citizens are permitted to own firearms. However, there is a lot of talk on gun control. What is your stance on gun control, and how do you plan to reform weapon laws without infringing on constitutional rights?

Walorski: “As a supporter of the Second Amendment, when I served in the Indiana legislature, I coauthored Indiana’s lifetime concealed carry permit legislation. Because I also believe that people have the right to protect themselves inside and outside of their home, I cosponsored Indiana’s ‘Castle Doctrine’ bill to protect the right of citizens to act in self-defense in the face of a violent attack—whether it occurs in the home, in a car or on the streets.”

“It’s critical that lawmakers continue to protect the right to bear arms for responsible Americans. Congress should pursue a step-by-step bipartisan approach to improve relevant issues, particularly better access to mental health care, instead of forcing gun restrictions. Enactment of future legislation must strike a balance to protect the rights of responsible Americans, keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and those who intend to cause harm to others. As the wife of a school teacher, the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary truly hits home for our family.”

“Moving forward, I will work together with law enforcement and school officials to identify a better approach to ensure our children and communities are safe from further acts of senseless violence. I am hopeful that we can agree on common sense solutions to reduce violence and make our communities safer for American families.”

BOCK: “We need to plug the loopholes that allow people to buy guns without background checks. Nobody wants criminals to have guns.”

“We also need to focus more substantially on early warning and early response. It is not unusual for people to “advertise” fantasies of mass killings, often using social media.  We need the public to be on the lookout for such early warning signs. Law enforcement personnel need to be trained for taking quick action when signs are there.”

“We instituted a SchoolTipLine in the South Bend School Corporation as a means of getting information from students on early warning relative to potential violence (in addition to being alerted to bullying and possible suicide).”

Though the purpose of Common Core Curriculum is laudable, in practice it has proven ineffective. What are you going to do to make sure students are receiving top educations?

Walorski: “As the wife of a schoolteacher, I believe that states and local school corporations should have the flexibility to develop creative policies for Hoosier students – not unworkable federal regulations like Common Core standards. Our small business owners, community leaders, and risk-takers wake up each morning and work hard to support their families and community.”

“For our communities to succeed, they must be equipped with a strong and growing economy. It’s no secret that a better educated workforce is more likely to create success for their employer. Last month, I toured the district in recognition of the thousands of children attending high school or college who will need job-ready skills in the next few years to prepare them to compete in the global workforce.  Over the course of the tour, I visited workforce training facilities and schools with outstanding programs in various subject areas – all to learn more about what northern Indiana is doing to ensure Hoosier children have the opportunities to become a highly skilled worker able to compete in a global economy.”

“After visiting with students and educators, I saw firsthand the remarkable things we are doing to prepare our future workforce. Northern Indiana has a wealth of opportunities for future generations to learn skills they’re going to need later in life to be successful in our workforce.  Rest assured, I will continue to find out what else I can do to help our employers, local schools and workforce training facilities, and make certain we’re providing every opportunity for future generations to succeed.”

Bock: “We need to listen to our educators, and implement the findings of education research.  It is unhelpful to have politicians, most of whom have no education credentials, passing laws on the basis of anecdotal evidence and ideology.  Many teachers are now teaching to a test, putting us back to the days when rote memorization was the main form of education.”

“Findings of our education research are being implemented by other countries while, in our country, our political dysfunction is hurting our schools.  Our research is excellent.  Our implementation is being negatively impacted by politics. Therefore, our results are mediocre.”

The Affordable Care Act and other healthcare issues have become hot topics. What do you plan to do to reform healthcare laws and ensure all US citizens are able to obtain affordable healthcare?

Walorski: “According to the Congressional Budget Office, the health care law will cost almost $2 trillion and reduce employment by 2.5 million jobs by 2024, mostly among low-wage workers. The Affordable Care Act has proven to be unaffordable for taxpayers and struggling families. In addition, it cuts Medicare Advantage, a program that gives seniors access to high-quality healthcare by $156 million.”

“I recently visited an orthopedic instrument manufacturing company in Mishawaka. Because of the law, this company is being hit with a new medical device tax. The owner of the company told me how the tax will make life-saving medical devices more expensive, and how it will hurt the company’s ability to grow and create jobs. Patients need more control, not less, because they, along with their doctors, are the only ones who can really say what works for them.”

“We need to reform our health care system, but ObamaCare has been forced upon the American people, it has been poorly implemented, and has not met its promises. Already, millions have lost their health insurance, cannot see their own doctors, and are paying more while getting less. The American people deserve a health care system that works. We need health care solutions that focus on patients and doctors, not bureaucrats and red tape. I believe that individuals understand their health care needs better than government bureaucrats and that we need to inject actual competition into the system.”

Bock: “The Affordable Care Act should never have been passed in such a high-pressure, rushed fashion. The problems with the initial rollout were inexcusable—someone should have been fired for gross incompetence.”

“People throughout northern Indiana are positive about three provisions.  First, they are relieved that people with pre-existing conditions can now get insurance coverage. Second, young people and parents are happy that children under 26 can stay on their parents’ policies. And, third, the “donut hole” has been closed. That is, Medicare will assist in pharmaceutical purchases in all cost ranges, not just the low and the very high costs. I would not be in favor of repealing these three provisions.”

“We need to find additional ways to reduce costs. With the ACA, if people go on the exchange and buy an inexpensive policy, they will get hit with a high deductible, which is not affordable to many of them.”

“We also need to look for other ways in which people get healthcare. I question whether putting the burden on an employer is the best approach.”

Nobody seems to like paying taxes, especially high-earners and corporations. What do you plan to do to reform tax laws, eliminate corporate loopholes and put more spending money in the pockets of the middle class? What is your fiscal policy? How do you plan to balance budgets?

Walorski: “The American people deserve a responsible, balanced budget and Hoosiers know a balanced budget creates jobs. When I served in the Indiana legislature, our team was able to turn a budget deficit into a surplus. Unfortunately, President Obama and Democrat budget plans never balance—ever.”

“We need more of that Hoosier commonsense in Washington, where you don’t spend more than you have.  I supported a legislation that achieves the common-sense goal of a balanced budget in ten years that will foster a healthier economy and help create jobs. That plan passed the House and now awaits action from the Senate, where they went four years without passing a budget.”

“By tackling the debt, this will help grow our economy today and ensure the next generation inherits a stronger, more prosperous America. While Democrats continue to spend at will, we need common-sense solutions to get the country back on track. We need a budget that will foster a healthier economy and help create jobs and target wasteful spending and reform the drivers of the debt.”

Bock: “We absolutely must eliminate government waste.  We must have fiscal discipline. We need to make cuts.”

“I am not in favor of cutting across the board. Instead, we need to identify what is not working, what could be done more inexpensively, or what is not in the best interests of our citizens.”

“I am in favor of negotiating prices for pharmaceuticals for Medicare. It would save an estimated $156 billion over ten years. I am also in favor of eliminating tobacco subsidies that are costing American taxpayers $33 billion annually. Moreover, we should cut oil subsidies which cost American taxpayers $4 billion a year.”

“I’ll work to cut wasteful spending in our federal budget while keeping our country’s credit rating in good standing. Dangerous stunts in Washington like the government shutdown and threatening to not pay our bills hurt our credit rating and impacted the pocketbook of every Hoosier.”

“Whether it’s allowing the federal government to negotiate drug prices under Medicare or eliminating the tax deduction for corporate jets, I’ll work with anyone – Republicans and Democrats – who has a good idea to cut spending.”