BG Independent News posed a series of written questions to legislative candidates. Below are the answers submitted by candidates running for Congress, Nick Rubando and the incumbent Bob Latta.
Congressman Bob Latta represents Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District and is currently serving his seventh term in the United States House of Representatives. He is the Republican Leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Bob is a lifelong resident of Northwest Ohio. He and his wife, Marcia, live in Bowling Green and have two daughters, Elizabeth and Maria.
Nick Rubando grew up in Holland, Ohio, a working-class town outside of Toledo. Politics became personal for Nick after he witnessed his mother’s struggle to afford insurance after she developed a pre-existing condition. Nick began his political career while studying journalism at Indiana University.
During the ‘08 Obama Campaign, he worked as a student volunteer. Nick moved back to Ohio and immersed himself in local politics. He learned that corporate dark money had bought our representatives, leading to pollution in Lake Erie, inaction on the opioid crisis, and renewed attacks on the middle class. That’s when he decided to run.
What further pandemic recovery measures still need to be taken?
LATTA: The Paycheck Protection Program has helped so many small businesses in Northwest Ohio keep their head above water and keep employees on the payroll. I was happy to support this important program. We need to extend the PPP program until the end of the year and ensure all of that money is utilized. I’m signing onto a discharge petition that would do just that.
In addition, we need to support Operation Warp Speed and all of the fantastic work being done to develop a vaccine. We want to get things back to normal as soon as possible.
RUBANDO: We need to ensure that we are investing in the economic recovery of Ohioans. Not enough has been done to provide adequate resources for the millions of unemployed Americans, and the small businesses that are struggling through this time. We need to reinstate federal unemployment benefits, provide assistance for struggling state and local governments, offer
housing assistance funds to help pay rents and mortgages, and ensure health insurance premium payments for laid off workers.
Should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, should control of abortion be left to the states?
LATTA: Yes. I also believe that the House needs to pass the discharge petition to ensure that born-alive survivors of abortion are protected.
RUBANDO: Under no circumstances should the US Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade. The vast majority of Americans agree with this position and by keeping abortion legal, people are able to receive support throughout the process from medical professionals. Roe v. Wade is a constitutionally protected right, and much like the 2nd Amendment, constitutional rights should not be decided state by state.
What steps should be taken to address climate change?
LATTA: Protecting the environment and growing our economy do not have to be mutually exclusive ideas. In fact, we’ve seen how advancements in technology alone can reduce pollution. For instance, emissions have fallen by more than 20% on a per capita basis since 2005 – the largest decrease in the world – thanks to advancements in hydraulic fracturing and the emergence of American-produced natural gas.
Smart nuclear technology presents an opportunity to produce clean, reliable, energy, and it’s why I’ve been a leader in that space in Congress. I recently introduced legislation to ensure that we have a Strategic Uranium Reserve to support nuclear energy production in the U.S.
RUBANDO: Climate change is real and The United States must transition to a carbon-free, 100% renewable energy system to ensure that we are leading the charge for environmental justice. By investing in alternative energy and reestablishing stream protection laws we will protect Lake Erie, create high-paying green jobs, and help protect the planet for generations to come.
Should ACA be completely overturned? If so, what if anything, should take its place?
LATTA: The ACA has not lived up to many of its promises, and it’s been devastating for many of my constituents who lost health care coverage or have limited options in the individual marketplace. In Congress, I’ve long-advocated for patient-centered health care that increases choice for Ohio families, lowers costs, and improves quality. Any changes to the health care system should ensure that those with pre-existing conditions are not prohibited from accessing affordable coverage.
I’ve worked in Congress on policies to increase choice and address the rising cost of health care. I’ve been a leader on expanding telehealth access, which would address both cost and access issues in the long-term. It’s essential that Americans have broadband access to utilize telehealth and that providers are reimbursed for providing this care.
I support legislation that would reduce drug prices without harming innovation by capping out-of-pocket costs under Medicare Part D, increasing transparency, and stopping drug manufacturers from gaming the generic drug system.
RUBANDO: This pandemic has made it abundantly clear that our nation is only as strong as the health and well being of our most vulnerable citizens. The Affordable Care Act improved the lives of my family and millions of Americans, but we can’t stop there. A single payer, universal healthcare system will ensure that we are investing in preventative care without having the burden of skyrocketing co-pays, premiums, and deductibles. It is time we join almost every other developed nation in the world, and value patients over profits.
How should we address immigration? Should Dreamers be allowed to become citizens? Should construction of the wall on the southern border be continued?
LATTA: Our current immigration system is broken. In order to truly address our immigration problems, we need to have an accurate view of who is coming into our country. That means first, securing our border. Without a secure border, any other changes to the immigration system don’t work. We also need an improved visa tracking system, so that we know who is overstaying their visas, and we can address it. We also need to have e-verify in place for businesses to ensure that jobs are going to citizens and legal residents of the United States.
With those changes in place, we can ensure that we have a legal immigration system in place that works. America is the greatest country in the world, and it’s not surprising that people from all over want to come here. Unfortunately, the current system rewards lawbreakers while making it difficult for those that want to come here legally.
RUBANDO: We need to establish a clear pathway to citizenship. We must protect the rights of families to remain together and invest in our immigration court system. The construction of the wall on the southern border should be halted, and the money stolen for this project should be returned to the defense department. Having a wall at our border is an ineffective way to curb illegal imigration, and we should instead focus on treating all people with dignity and respect.
The federal deficit is increasing, as is national debt. How should this be addressed? Please specify what programs should be cut or have reduced spending and/or what taxes should be raised.
LATTA: I’ll continue to raise the alarm on the national debt and the looming crisis our country faces. At $26 trillion and counting, we’re rapidly approaching the day when our interest payments eat up a significant portion of our revenue – threatening important programs that people rely on like Social Security and Medicare.
We desperately need a Balanced Budget Amendment that ensures we don’t spend more than we take in. I’ve supported, introduced, and voted for one in Congress.
There’s a lot of waste and abuse that we can eliminate. There are giant bureaucracies in Washington that can be slimmed down. Nearly every Federal agency should be looked at for savings
RUBANDO: Our campaign is focused on our district’s economic recovery by advocating for the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank. This legislation would create 25 million jobs without increasing our National debt or creating new taxes. In addition to this, we would reverse the Trump era tax cuts. These cuts have ballooned our national debt while only benefiting huge corporations and allowing people like Donald Trump to only pay $750 in Federal income taxes.
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