HAWAII CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS 2014- WHERE THEY STAND…BY RUTH KING

Posted By Ruth King on April 16th, 2014

Not just for those who live in Hawaii. All Congressmen and Senators will vote on issues critical to all Americans…see the whole elections series at Family Security Matters…so far we have posted Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Texas(Primary over), California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and Hawaii and llinois….coming up next Idaho, Iowa, ….stay tuned…..rsk

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/hawaii-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand

To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).

Note: Late filing date and primary. We will update periodically if more candidates file.

U.S. Senate

Brian Schatz (D) Incumbent

http://brianschatz.com/ http://www.schatz.senate.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Brian_Schatz.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY Schatz Statement on Keystone Pipeline Environmental Report – Friday, January 31, 2014: Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power, issued the following statement regarding the State Department’s final supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone XL pipeline permit application:

“I am certain that encouraging the production of Canadian tar sands – some of the dirtiest oil in the world – is not in America’s national interest. As other agencies, Secretary Kerry, and ultimately President Obama review the environmental analysis, I would urge that they conclude that the environmental impacts of this pipeline are simply too high and reject the proposal. Climate change is the challenge of our generation and we need to be moving forward with policies to support clean energy, not backwards with dirty energy like the Keystone pipeline supports.”

HEALTHCARE ICYMI: Schatz Speaks on Senate Floor in Support of Affordable Care Act – Wednesday, September 18, 2013: Today, Senator Brian Schatz delivered a floor speech on the merits of the Affordable Care Act, its benefits in Hawai‘i, and the recklessness of some members of Congress who are holding the debt ceiling vote hostage over implementation of health care reform.

“I refuse to engage in the process of political and parliamentary gymnastics designed to score small, short-term wins at the expense of the American people and the economy,” said Senator Brian Schatz. “It has got to be pointed out that anyone who wants to grind the entire government to a halt over the implementation of this several years’ old law will cause harm to the economy, cause harm to their communities, because federal funding provides essential services and programs to constituents in every state, in every county, in every district. If improvements or changes need to be made, they can be done through the regular order- with hearings, serious discussions and bipartisan support.”

Colleen Hanabusa (D) Challenger

Is currently U.S. Representative in District 1 http://hanabusaforhawaii.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Colleen_Hanabusa.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE I support the Affordable Care Act, which expands the federal commitment to making sure all Americans have healthcare coverage. Already, Americans are enjoying benefits of the Act as it has closed the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage for those with very high drug costs, extended coverage of children on their parents’ plan up to age 27, and banned the denial of health insurance on the basis of pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Further, the budget blueprint passed by the Republican Majority would have changed Medicaid into a block grant program, requiring the federal government to pay a fixed share of a state’s Medicaid costs. States would be forced to contribute more of their own funds to the program, or cut back on benefits, payments and Medicaid eligibility in order to close the gap where funding falls short.

ENERGY Hanabusa Amendment to H.R. 1938 – North American-Made Security Act

Requires that a Presidential Permit approving the construction and operation of the Keystone XL pipeline will not be issued unless the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), certifies that the applicant has calculated a worst-case oil spill scenario for the proposed pipeline, and has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Secretary and the PHMSA that it possesses the capability and technology to respond immediately and effectively.

The amendment also included a provision that allows the Secretary, working with PHMSA, to waive this requirement if they determine that the applicant has already completed both the worst-case spill analysis and has shown it can respond effectively.

Cam Cavasso (R) Challenger

http://camcavasso.com/

I have proudly served as a captain in the United States Army. I have extensive experience in the financial business and as a farmer in Hawaii. I have served the families of our State of Hawaii as a State Representative for three terms.

In 2010, just two weeks before the election when I was running against Senator Daniel Inouye, our support surged erasing almost two-thirds of the lead off the entrenched incumbent Senator. The Rasmussen/ Public Opinion Strategies Poll showed me winning independent voters and showing stronger support among Republican voters than Inouye did among Democrats. Now I am running for the unexpired six year term left vacant by the passing of Senator Inouye.

It’s our time together for us to help bring our Hawaii and the United States of America forward to a time of prosperity and to family values and away from this time of financial and moral recession.

Many of our children are moving away to the mainland because they can not find well paying jobs. Housing, food, electricity and gas cost too much here. We can change this.

With your help I can bring in high-tech companies like they did in the Philippines, Israel, and India. All the local people prospered as they got great jobs. We can do this for your children and your grandchildren.

John Roco (R) Challenger

http://www.johnroco.com/

Brian Evans (D) Challenger

http://brian4senate.us/

Mazie Hirono (D) Next Election in 2018.

District 1

Colleen Hanabusa (D)

Is a candidate for US Senate in 2014 running against incumbent Brian Schatz

Vying for her seat:

Charles Djou (R) Challenger

Represented District 1 from 2010 to 2011

Former Congressman Charles Djou was the 2012 Republican nominee for the Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District seat. He received 90 percent of the vote in the August 2012 primary, but lost to Democratic incumbent Colleen Hanabusa in the general election. Djou received 44 percent of the vote while Hanabusa received 54 percent.

The last time Hanabusa and Djou challenged one another was in 2010. Djou beat Hanabusa for the Congressional District 1 seat in the May 2010 special election, but Hanabusa ejected Djou in the November 2010 general election.

http://www.djou.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Charles_Djou.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE I will consider any sensible idea for making healthcare work better in America. But any change to our healthcare system must address the spiraling costs and insure more Americans without limiting heath options or harming the doctor-patient relationship. For these reasons, I support market-based healthcare reforms that work. What is needed is tort reform. I have long supported a limit on non-economic damages for medical malpractice. Tort reform is long over due and I will fight for a $250,000 cap or three times economic damages for medical malpractice awards to help reduce the need for “defensive” medicine and bring down the cost of malpractice insurance. I also support allowing the sale of inter-state health insurance. Just two carriers provide over 90% of all health insurance in Hawai’i, which reduces competition. Finally, we need to rethink the way we tax health insurance. The current structure of health insurance in the U.S. is an anachronism dating back to WWII. Rather than have corporations as the sole providers of health insurance, we should instead allow for individual tax deduction of health insurance and make the health insurance market a more “normal” individual choice.

NATIONAL SECURITY As a combat veteran, I believe our uniformed men and women make up the most capable fighting force in the world and Hawai’i, given its location, has a unique and critical role in our national security. Our island chain is home to key military bases and stations, thousands of military personnel and various strategic operations. To cope with the diverse and challenging threats facing our nation, America must maintain its strong military and Hawai’i must retain its central role in military preparedness. Having served in Afghanistan with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Infantry Division, I would never want an American soldier in harm’s way unless absolutely necessary. However, I understand that, to ensure the safety of Americans at home, we must often combat terrorism where it is found, whether in Iran, the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions or in industrialized cities around the world. At home, I support a national plan to protect America’s infrastructure, and keep our communities safe.

Ikaika Anderson (D) Challenger

http://www.ikaikaforhawaii.com/

Stanley Chang (D) Challenger

http://stanleychang.com/

Will Espero (D) Challenger

http://www.esperoforcongress.com/ http://www.esperoforcongress.com/issues.html

Donna Mercado Kim (D) Challenger

http://www.donnamercadokim.com/

Joey Manahan (D) Challenger

http://www.joeymanahan.com/ http://www.joeymanahan.com/issues/

Hannah Miyamoto (D) Challenger

https://sites.google.com/site/hannahmiyamoto/