Date : July 31, 2013 Candidate: Katherine Clark Party: Democratic Web Site: katherineclarkforcongress.com Email: katherine@katherineclarkforcongress.com Phone Number (cell) 781.720.8340 (home) 781.662.4063 (campaign) 617.553.4952 Campaign Manager: Brooke Scannell Phone: 617.922.0094 Please return your completed questionnaire by July 31, 2013. We only accept questionnaires via email. Please email the completed version to deborah@progressivemass.com by the due date above. Please feel free to be in touch if you have any questions by email or calling (917-922-7947). Please feel free to use extra pages to explain your answers. About You and Your Candidacy Why are you running for the 5 th Congressional seat? I am running for Congress because extremist Republicans continue to try to turn back the clock on women s rights instead of taking action on issues that would help Massachusetts families, like creating jobs, investing in education, keeping our promises to seniors and veterans, addressing climate change, and stopping the epidemic of gun violence in this country. What in your background particularly prepares you to serve in this capacity? I have a broad range of leadership experience both as an elected official and as an attorney that has prepared me well for Congress. I am a state senator and have chaired the committees on Public Service, Revenue and Judiciary. I also served on the tax expenditure commission and am on the foreclosure commission. I served six years, including multiple terms as Chairwoman, on the Melrose School Committee and three years in the House of Representatives. I have served as Chief of the Policy and Government Division of the MA Attorney General s Office, General Counsel for MA Office of Child Care Services, and as staff attorney to the Colorado District Attorneys Council. These positions have given me a background in a broad range of work including early education, consumer rights, foreclosure prevention, criminal justice and environmental issues. If elected, what would be your top three priorities? My top three priorities in Congress would be fighting for pay equity for women including raising the minimum wage, providing universal pre- school, and increasing research dollars in Massachusetts to develop the innovation economy and help develop alternative energy sources and cures for chronic diseases. What kind of campaign are you running?
I m reaching out to voters in all of the Fifth Congressional District s 24 cities and towns to unite voters at the grassroots level. I have invested in field staff and have a large volunteer force that will be conducting a person to person campaign. Progressive Massachusetts maintains a scorecard. Please feel free to explain any non- Progressive votes you have taken that were reflected on this scorecard. All of the votes that are considered non- progressive on the scorecard are in areas where I determined the positive aspects outweighed the negatives. For example, I voted for the three strikes bill for the same reason Governor Patrick supported it: it was the first time the legislature had made significant progress on changing mandatory sentencing for drug offenses and other non- violent crimes. I voted to send the bottle bill to study only after brokering an agreement that it would be added to the budget through a different amendment, which it was. One exception is the transparency vote. I have verified my vote with the Clerk s office because I strongly agree that committee votes should be online and I have sponsored amendments to the rules to accomplish this. This vote was either recorded incorrectly or was made in error. The Issues Progressive Massachusetts is interested in your personal philosophy and approach to each of the following issues. We are requiring candidates to respond to the first question in each section. The second question in each section is optional, and only requires a response when it applies to you, and if you have something of substance to share. Progressive Mass understands that not everyone has contributed on every subject. Current elected officials should only indicate leadership roles they have taken on an issue not just voting record. Job Growth and the Economy Please share your personal values and principles on job growth and the economy. What ideas do you have for improving the economy and economic security for all people? How do we grow the number of good paying jobs in the Commonwealth and across the nation? I believe that to create jobs and improve the economy in Massachusetts and across the country, we need to increase the minimum wage and make investments in education and infrastructure. Nationally, the minimum wage stands at $7.25 per hour, and $8 here in Massachusetts. We have all heard the argument that corporations cannot afford to raise the minimum wage, yet corporate profits are at an all- time high. Because women are especially concentrated in low- wage jobs, failure to raise the minimum wage increases the pay gap between men and women. If we want to improve our economy and economic security, we need an educated and skilled work force. The research clearly shows that providing high-quality early education programs to our youngest learners so that they re reading at grade level by third grade makes them more likely to graduate high school, move on to college, and have higher wages. We also need to equip our workforce with access to targeted education and job training for high-tech manufacturing and other skilled jobs. I also worked with other progressive leaders in the House and Senate to secure $800 million to invest in fixing the state s transportation system, that will both create jobs and improve regional economic development and economic growth statewide. Please indicate what work you have personally done to advance your principles on this issue (legislation, community work, published writings, etc.) 2
In the State Senate, I co- sponsored legislation to create regional skills academies that would train workers to get middle skills and fill 120,000 open jobs. It s time to pass that bill so that we can find good, paying jobs for Massachusetts residents. We also know that reaching out to children at their earliest ages can pay dividends down the road. The law I passed to get students in Massachusetts reading at grade level by third grade will make those students more likely to have productive careers later in life. I was also part of a small group of senators that demanded that the funding for transportation be increased over the proposal that came from the House, and resulted in $300 million additional funds being added to public transportation. What is your position on NAFTA and other Trade Agreements? I support efforts to improve our economy and find new markets for American products. But we ve learned from NAFTA, which resulted not only in the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs for Americans, but falling wages in Mexico. As a strong advocate for growing the middle class, I do not support free trade agreements that will lead to American workers losing their jobs. I would carefully analyze and consider any free trade agreements that came before Congress, but I will not support a free trade agreement unless the agreement guarantees fair, humane treatment and protection of workers in other countries and maintains stringent environmental protections. Specifically: Do you support government investment in infrastructure including the creation of the Infrastructure Bank? Do you support ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas and rewards for those who create living wage jobs here at home? Do you support simplifying the regulatory requirements for small businesses? Do you support increasing the minimum wage at the national level and indexing it to inflation? Do you support allowing working people to bargain for better benefits, wages and working conditions by eliminating some of the barriers that employers use to discourage workers from forming a union? Do you support direct government investment or tax breaks for industries America can excel in (for example clean energy) while establishing sunset provisions and clawbacks to protect the taxpayer from corporate welfare? Education and Workforce Development 3
Please share your personal values and principles regarding education and workforce training. Express your thoughts about the value education and workforce development play in improving our economy, and what measures we should be taking on this issue. Include your perspective on charter schools, school vouchers, standardized testing and federal programs like Child Left Behind and Race to the Top I believe that equal access to quality education is the civil rights issue of our time. As a mother of three boys in public schools and a former Melrose School Committee member, I believe education has the power to open doors and create opportunities for children of all backgrounds. That s why we need strong support for our local schools and high standards for both our students and our teachers. I support targeted investments in early childhood education to get our students on a path to success early in life, as studies show that students reading at grade level by third grade are graduating from high school, going to college and successfully participating in a 21st century high skill economy at higher rates than students who do not hit that key benchmark. While charter schools can be a successful part of a public education system, if we are going to use state money to sponsor charter schools we need to provide thorough oversight of these non- traditional schools so that these schools are inclusive of all students. I believe both Child Left Behind and Race to the Top have overemphasized standardized tests. I did not support the education bill passed in the legislature in 2009 because it circumvented collective bargaining. I believe the best way to close the achievement gap is to offer accessible, affordable child care and early education, fully fund special education and offer a comprehensive curriculum that is not driven solely by standardized tests and that includes the arts and health programs. What would you do to address continuing racial and economic achievement gaps? I believe that equal access to quality education is the civil rights issue of this generation. I share the view of both President Barack Obama and Gov. Deval Patrick that closing achievement gaps starts early, and we need to invest heavily in early childhood education. The 2012 law I passed, An Act Relative to Third Grade Reading Proficiency, sets high standards for students in Massachusetts by creating ways to get every child reading by third grade. I also support increasing the minimum wage and have worked on issues of pay equity and defining comparable work here in Massachusetts. In addition, we need to restore the cuts to early education, Head Start, and special education programs that are being cut due to sequestration. Where do you stand on funding for higher education like Pell Grants and the Federal Student Loan Program? The research clearly demonstrates that young people who obtain college degrees have higher incomes and better job prospects for the rest of their lives. But college needs to be more affordable for families and our students, with rates on Pell Grants and other student loans kept to a minimum. I want all three of my sons to go to college. But like any mother, I want to see college tuition prices and student loan rates that don t sink our families and leave our children debt- ridden for years to come. There is no excuse for Congress failing to act as student loan rates doubled for millions of young Americans earlier this year. Revenue and Spending Currently, Congress is gridlocked over spending and revenue and, if elected, you will be asked to make difficult choices about these issues. Cuts have already had a devastating affect on families and communities while Republicans are insisting that taxes raised in December are the only revenue increases they will consider. We expect that all members of the Massachusetts delegation will have to continue to fight to 4
protect our safety net and be willing to fight for new revenue opportunities in the national debate. Please answer the following: What is your view of the deficit and debt debate? It s time to stop cutting the federal budget on the backs of the most vulnerable when the richest Americans continue to enjoy low tax rates and corporate loopholes to avoid paying their fair share. The U.S. government also continues to provide billions in oil and fossil fuel subsidies despite the fact that the companies benefiting from those subsidies are taking in record profits. In Washington, I will passionately defend Medicare and Social Security while actively working for tax equity and reducing the defense budget. What principles would you apply to any further discussion of both individual and corporate tax reform? Specifically: The most important principle in tax reform is creating a tax system that is fair and grows the middle class. Our economy will succeed growing from the middle out, not the top down. Any tax policies need to reflect that goal, and our tax system should benefit and strengthen our middle class and create upward mobility. Corporate tax reform must follow the principle of having corporations like the richest Americans pay their share of taxes rather than finding ways to stash profits elsewhere. We also need corporate tax reform that creates incentives for businesses to keep manufacturing jobs inside our borders. The U.S. needs to have an economy that produces, not just consumes. We need to stop the flow of both taxable profits and jobs overseas. Do you favor increasing taxes further on the wealthiest Americans? Do you support the Buffett rule? Do you support eliminating subsidies to oil companies? Do you support eliminating loopholes, such as the ones that allow companies like GE to avoid paying taxes? Will you cosponsor any effort to reduce the federal military budget 25% and use the savings for jobs, housing, education, healthcare, and aid to the states? Would you co- sponsor HR 505 The Balancing Act which was co- sponsored by Ed Markey? 5
Health Care Over 83 million Americans are either uninsured or underinsured. That means that one out of every two adults is one catastrophic injury or illness away from bankruptcy. At the same time, health care costs in the US are the highest in the world while are health outcomes lag other countries significantly. Do you support protecting and fully implementing the Affordable Care Act? Do you favor a public option and will you work to get one enacted? How would you work to reduce the cost of our medical system while increasing its efficacy? Housing I will work hard in Congress to ensure that a public option becomes available as we move forward with health care reform. In addition, we need to continue to move away from fee for service models to contain costs and develop a prevention- oriented system. I support electronic records to increase the efficacy of our system and video doctor visits to increase follow up and more frequent consultations. This model has also been successful in helping victims of sexual assault and can be effective in underserved communities. In the last ten years, while the need for affordable housing has increased, funds for affordable housing have been seriously reduced. In addition, millions of American families still face foreclosure, despite recent improvements in the housing market while banks continue to limit lending and Please share your personal values and principles regarding affordable housing. How would you ensure that there is enough housing of all types for those who need it and that it is close to job opportunities? How would you address the continuing foreclosure problem? A safe place to live is the best way to provide stability to families. I strongly support the state s affordable housing laws and believe we need to dramatically increase the mix of housing built close to public transportation. I am part of a regional effort involving many communities in the CD- 5 to determine how to provide housing in a comprehensive way as part of the economic development of metro Boston. This would pull together the resources of communities that have different types of housing to address the housing needs of the region affordable single families, multi- family, and apartment buildings. I continue to support mandatory mediation in foreclosure cases, increased judicial review and the ability of tenants in foreclosed buildings to remain as rent paying tenants of the bank. Please indicate what work you have personally done to advance your principles on this issue (legislation, community work, published writings, etc.) I began my legal career working with the Chicago Housing Authority on many different issues involving promoting tenant managed housing, balancing public safety with 4 th amendment rights of residents, and ensuring that housing stock that was taken offline was replaced. I currently sit on the state s Foreclosure Impact Task Force, and have taken an active role in sponsoring legislation and amendments that increases the role of judiciary review in foreclosure cases. I also was the lead sponsor of the legislation that created the task 6
force on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth and I currently sit on the task force addressing the specific needs of young homeless people. Safety Net In these tight fiscal times, there have been proposals to reduce federal programs such as Medicare, Social Security, and other forms of assistance for low- income families and individuals to help reduce the national deficit. How would you describe the situation with Social Security and what would you do, if necessary, to strengthen it for today s senior s future generations? I believe Social Security is a promise we have made to senior citizens who worked a lifetime and paid into the system. Cutting Social Security benefits, raising the retirement age, or ending the guaranteed benefits through privatization is unacceptable. We should be focused on helping seniors supplement Social Security to ensure a secure retirement, not cutting the modest benefit Social Security provides. It s also time to consider lifting the cap on wages that are subject to Social Security payroll taxes. Getting rid of the cap could raise billions of dollars to improve Social Security, with all of the new funds coming from those who can afford to contribute a little more. How would you describe the situation with Medicare and what would you do, if anything, to strengthen it for today s seniors and future generations? Medicare is an essential program, and the alternatives to it would leave seniors unable to pay for medical care. My parents live next door to me in Melrose and, as they age, they are trying to navigate a complex medical system. I also volunteered at Mystic Valley Elder Services as an insurance counselor for seniors, so I know firsthand how important it is to make sure our seniors have the medical benefits they need and deserve. I strongly oppose the extremist Republican plan to end Medicare as we know it and increase health care costs for seniors by thousands of dollars a year. We need to go after rising costs not go back on our promises. Here in Massachusetts, we have successfully expanded access to health care while also leading the country in tackling its rising costs. There s no reason why Congress can t do the same. The Sequester s deep cuts to the National Institutes of Health are an example of how we re condemning our future with short- sighted budget concerns. The Alzheimer s Association predicts that Medicare will spend $189 billion by 2015 on patients with Alzheimer s disease and other dementias. We should be funding research to find cures for these diseases, which will lead to dramatic savings for Medicare. In addition, a fairer tax code, where the very wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share will alleviate at least some of the budget concerns for programs like Medicare. What is your view of comments made by Mitt Romney and other Republicans about makers and takers or the 47% who are mouchers? I was disturbed, disappointed, and offended by a presidential candidate discarding and insulting half of the country. We need to value the contributions of all Americans and work to improve the lives of Americans of every race, religion, color and creed. My focus will be on addressing the disparity of wealth by fighting for pay equity, raising the minimum wage and increased educational opportunities. In Washington, I will fight for the rights of every American. ne of us know when job loss, natural disaster or catastrophic illness may cause us to need a public safety net. Choice and Civil Rights Do you support a woman s fundamental right to choose an abortion as set out in Roe v. Wade? 7
Do you oppose attempts to undermine this right, for example: requiring every woman seeking an abortion to delay and get state- scripted counseling first; barring abortion coverage in private health insurance; or banning Medicaid or other public funding for low- income women s abortion care? Do you oppose the Hyde Amendment that prohibits the use of federal money to be used for organizations undertaking abortion procedures, therefore limiting family planning options for low- income women? Do you support legalizing same- sex marriage? Would you oppose any constitutional amendment that would ban or impair marriage rights for same- sex couples? Do you support expanding the protections for transgender people nationally including public accommodation? Immigration Describe your general views on immigration reform and the elements of a bill you would like to see including border security, pathway to citizenship, H1- B Visas, guest worker program, farm exemptions and employment verification program/technology. America is a nation of immigrants, and America needs a 21st century immigration system. Our economy is stronger and our country is stronger when new immigrants are welcomed to America and become valued members of our communities. I support comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and makes legal immigration easier to navigate. Expanding the number of H1- B Visas will be a benefit to our businesses. Our economy has relied on guest workers and agricultural workers for decades, and immigration reform must include them. I also strongly support the Dream Act. If the immigration reform bill that has passed the Senate comes before the House, would you vote for it? Comments? I disagree with the exorbitant funding of unnecessary border security, but the bill is important to creating a path to citizenship while improving GDP and reducing the deficit. It s the fair thing to do, and it s also the best thing to do for our economy. If it doesn t come up for a vote, would you support passing The Dream Act? 8
In the absence of comprehensive reform the federal "Secure Communities" policy calls for local and state law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law, leading to the deportation of immigrants who have not be convicted of any crime. Would you oppose the implementation of "Secure Communities" in Massachusetts? Public Safety and Gun Control Please share your personal values and principles regarding pubic safety and gun control. How do you balance public safety with safeguards for those accused of crime. What is your view of the second amendment and issues of public safety? Every day in the United States, eight children are killed by guns. It s time to stand up to the NRA which blocks even the most basic, common sense gun safety legislation in Congress. I support reinstating the assault weapons ban, closing the gun show loophole, and implementing universal background checks on gun sales. Please indicate what work you have personally done to advance your principles on this issue (legislation, community work, published writings, etc.) Specifically: While I was in Colorado, the NRA tried to make it legal to carry a concealed weapon without approval from local police. I helped put together a coalition of law enforcement, district attorneys, victims of gun violence and others to successfully defeat the NRA. It s time to do the same in Congress. The tragedies in Newtown, Aurora, and Tucson have started a new and heartbreaking chapter in our ongoing effort in our society to rein in guns. In April, I convened a discussion on gun violence in Malden, bringing in John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence, and Dawn Tringas and Molly Malloy of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. I have also co- sponsored multiple gun safety bills currently before the state legislature. Do you oppose the indefinite detention provisions within the National Defense Reauthorization Bill? Do you support a federal prohibition on racial profiling by all law enforcement officials? Do you support a comprehensive plan to assist felons who want to reintegrate themselves into society that includes housing assistance, substance abuse treatment and job training? Do you oppose the death penalty? Do you support the expansion of the countries gun control laws including banning assault rifles, large capacity magazines and providing for universal background checks ( i.e. closing the so- called gun show loophole)? 9
Energy and Environment The President recently announced his own comprehensive Climate Action Plan. Which parts of the plan do you like? Which parts of the plan would you oppose? Which parts of the plan would you change and in what way? It s refreshing to see a U.S. President address one of our greatest challenges facing our generation, and state by state solutions can only take us so far. We need the federal government to act, but extremist Republicans in Washington continue to deny the facts and the science. It s time to get America running on clean energy like solar and wind power. Here in Massachusetts we have the technological expertise to power this transformation and to benefit from the jobs it will create. I support strong regulations on fossil fuel power plants and a carbon tax system that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels. It will also level the playing field and encourage more development of clean energy. I think that as part of comprehensive efforts to battle climate change, we have to acknowledge that in some parts of the country, many people work in the fossil fuel industries. We need to make sure programs are in place to retrain workers who may be displaced, and look at incentives to locate clean energy manufacturing companies in areas that used to rely on the fossil fuel industries for jobs. This is not only the right thing to do for workers, but may help gain the political support needed to pass a comprehensive climate action plan. As part of a comprehensive approach we also need to take a close look at whether some companies may try to relocate overseas rather than comply with our environmental regulations, and what policies would need to be put in place to erase the economic advantage for doing so, whether it be through trade agreements or tariffs. Specifically, would you support slowing global warming and pollution by: Increasing and stabilizing funding for public transit? Supporting significant increases in funding for clean renewable and alternative energy development? Opposing all new and/or additional uses and public subsidies for fossil fuels including coal and so- called clean coal? Opposing opening up our national parks and the surrounding areas to uranium or other rare- earth element mining. Do you support the Keystone Pipeline project? 10
Do you support fracking? Voting Rights Recently the Supreme Court found Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. What is your view of that decision and what would you do to address it? It s a disgrace that the U.S. Supreme Court would gut the Voting Rights Act of its most important section requiring states to get pre- clearance of new voting laws. I have watched with frustration as battles persist at state governments around the country to attack the rights of voters everywhere through measures like requiring IDs, restricting early voting, and purging voter rolls. It is clear that attempts to discourage voter turnout are on the rise across the country. I m hopeful that Congress recognizes the necessity behind creating a new map to restore the Voting Rights Act, as ensuring ballot access for every American is not a partisan issue. But with the House dominated by extremist Republicans, Congress taking action seems unlikely. Massachusetts has been a leader on so many progressive causes, from providing health care access to supporting gay marriage. It s time we take some progressive steps on making voter registration easier. One of the ways to do this is through online voter registration, which I strongly support. It s clear that the extremist complaints of voter fraud continue to be a smoke screen in efforts to restrict voter access to the least vulnerable in our society. Do you support the Voter Empowerment Act of 2013 (H.R. 12)? Do you oppose legislation to require voters to show government- issue photo IDs in order to vote? 11