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1.Why
are you
running
for office?
I’ve been recog-~
nized as one of the
‘ Representatives
most committed to
bringing people together, even work-
ing with people with whom I dis-
agree. But a lot of people in our area
are suffering now because Mitch Mc-
Connell and Trump, Republicans in
Congress believe that blocking prog—
ress [may help themwin elections.
Rather than focusing on political
games, I’m focused on helping folks
in our community. People in our area
are being squeezed by inflation. I’ve
voted to crack down on price gouging
by oil companies and lower gas pric-
es. I wrote legislation to boost manu—
facturing in America, which would re-
duce inflation. I’ve pushed to expand
Social Security to help seniors keep
up with rising prices. I voted to pro-
tect a woman’s right to choose. I voted
w to protect voting rights. Unfortunate-
ly, McConnell is blocking all of those
things from becoming law. No wonder
so many people are frustrated that
Washington DC isn’t doing enough to
help people in our Washington.
I’m running for Congress to stand
up for reform to reduce the role of
money in politics, ban representatives
from buying stocks, and stop repre-
sentatives from being paid if they
don’t do their jobs and pass a budget.
I’m running to get government
working again for people to clean
up Puget Sound, expand Social Secu-
rity, secure funding to lower the cost
of housing and reduce homelessness,
Kilmer
and to make sure police get the fund-
ing needed to keep our neighborhoods
safe. '
I’m running to be a champion for
folks who are struggling.
What are the
biggest challenges
facing Washington’s
6th Congressional
District?
' There are communities that contin-
ue to struggle economically. I grew up
in one of them. That’s why I worked
in economic development profession-
ally, and it’s why I ran for Congress. I
believe that folks should have a shot
to make it economically no matter
what zip code they live in.
My focus in Congress has been on
.. creating more economic opportunity
for more people in more places. It’s
why I’ve worked to invest in rural
broadband. It’s why I’ve fought to se-
cure federal funding for Mason Coun-
ty’s PUDs, so infrastructure invest-
ments can be made without the costs
being borne by local taxpayers. It’s
why I passed a bipartisan provision
to get more assistance to communities
that have had economic challenges so
they can create good jobs.
We’ve also seen challenges related
to housing affordability and homeless-
ness. As a member of the Appropria-
tions Committee, I’ve secured funding
for our region’s housing authorities to
build hundreds of additional housing
units that folks can afford. I’m lead
ing a bipartisan bill to remove regula-
tory barriers that prevent new home
see KILMER, page 36
Question from Elizabeth Kreiselmaier
Kreiselmaier: How do you justify voting for the so-called Infla-
tion Reduction Act when it will increase taxes on hard-working
washingtonians just when they are hurting the most, and when
even the Penn Wharton’s budget model reports that this Act will
have very little impact on inflation and evenproduce an increase
Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 Shelton-Mason County Journal — Page 9
GENERAL ELECTION -- ,6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
1. Why
are you
running
.: for office?
My candidacy
isn’t about me. It’s
about America and
Americans, Washington and Wash—
ingtonianswpeople like you and me
who live here, and love it here. Most
Kreiselmaier
of us Sense that America’s headed in
the wrong direction, so my top prior-
ity is to turn this ship around while a
we still can. My main concerns are
I the crushing. inflation and horrific
increases in crime that are stripping
us all of our economic security and
personal safety. Unlike my opponent,
I’m not a career politician and never
intended to be“ However, I happen to
have a servant’s heart for the coun-
try, the ferocious devotion of a mom,
and a particular skillset. The “why”
behind all of it for me is that I want
my son, and everybody else’s children
and grandchildren, to grow up into an
America that we’d recognize - the ~
one we know and love — that sup-
ports and protects the security, liber—
ty, and prosperity of all its citizens.
What are the ,
biggest challenges
facing Washington’s
6th Congressional
District?
Our District’s challenges are Amer-
ica’s challenges. Inflation is the high-
est it’s been in 40 years. We all feel
pain at the gas pump and the grocery
store. Crime and homelessness are '
surging. Public safety is threatened.
Businesses are suffering. Biden’s
administration,ywhich includes my
Democrat opponent Derek Kilmer,
isn’t solving the problems-it is the
Five questions with Derek Kilmer, Elizabeth Kreiselmaier
problem. Congress isn’t doing its job.
is a pivotal election; in fact I call
it an existential election, in that the
existence of our country as we know it
is on the line. I’m fighting for this Dis—
trict and for all Americans, to defend
what we all love: Strong Families,
Strong Communities, and a Strong
Country. That means: Rebuilding our
economy by lowering taxes and debt;
Eradicating homelessness; Restoring
public safety by supporting our police
and military; Protecting America’s
sovereignty and our workers’ liveli-
hoods; Preserving Constitutional free-
doms; and Reclaiming parental au-
thority over our children’s education.
Our District, as well as our country,
deserves nothing less.
3. If elected, what
are your day 1 goals '
in Congress?
Day one goal: Fire Nancy Pelosi
and vote in a new Speaker of the
House! And then hit the ground run-
ning on the most crucial issuesfacing
our country with solutions and bills
as outlined in the Republican Com-
mitment to America https://www.
republicanleader.gov/commitment/ as
well as the platform priorities and
draft bills outlined on my own Eliza-
beth for Congress website at www.
CleanUpTheHouse.com. The fact ‘ of
the matter is that the majority of
Americans (upwards of 75%) believe
that we are headed in the wrong di-
rection under Biden, Kilmer, and the
Democrats’ leadership. We need to
change course, and QUICKLY, to ad-
dress the pressing issues of inflation,
crime, educational failures, and the "
erosion of Constitutional freedoms.
We also need to stem the-tide of cor-
ruption in DC. and hold our elected
officials accountable for malfeasance.
It’s time to Clean Up The House in
DC. and you can help me do that
at www.CleanUpTheHouse.com.
see KREISELMAIER, page 36
in inflation for the first few years? ,
Kilmer: My opponent is not telling the truth about the Inflation Re:
duction Act. Former US. Treasury Department secretaries frOm Demo-
cratic and Republican administrations put out a statement that income
taxes will not increase for middle~class Americans. Rather, the new law
which will reduce the deficit asks the very largest, most profitable cor-
porations to pay a minimum corporate income tax. The folks I represent
think that’s a good and fair deal. And the fact that it makes good on the
president’s commitment not to raise taxes on families making less than
$400,000 a year is a good thing. ‘
But,” beyond that, let’s look at what the passage of the Inflation Re-
duction Act means for the falks 'I represent. It means lower health
care
premiums‘for thousands and thousandsof people. It means that Seniors-u
will have their out-of-pocket drug costs capped at $2,000 per year.
That’s
a big deal When a lot of seniors are paying over $10,000 for medications:
It means that seniors with diabetes will see their insulin costs capped at
‘
$35 per month. , g . _'
It means our region will see the creation of good jobs tied to combat-
ting the climate crisis. Talk to folks in the trades or, for example, folks
who install HVAC systems; they are thrilled about What this will mean
for them and for jobs. And because these investments willreduce our
dependence on fossil fuels, it will mean that folks Will see gas prices and
energy prices go down over time. ‘ ‘ ‘ ~ r 7 ‘ '
Listen politicians likemy’ opponent will say a lot to to
anelecé"* I
tion when they are far behind. But don’t take myword for-git. In fact,
126
leading economists —- including seVen Nobel'Prize winners,three
former \
chairs of the Council of Economic Advisers, two former Treasury Secret
tariesF— say the new law “will fight inflation and lower costs for
American
families while setting the stage for strong, stable, andbroadly-shared
long—term economic growth.”
I am committed to doing all I can to lower prices for the folks I repre-
sent. It’s why I voted to crack down on oil companies that are price
goug-
ing. It’s why I voted to strengthen American manufacturing - because
when we make stuff in America, we aren’t dependent on other countries
and won’t have the supply chain problems we faced during the pandemic.
And it’s why I’ll keep pushing to help people make ends meet.
Questionfrom Derek Kilmer
Kilmer: As part of the Inflation Reduction Act recently passed
by Democrats in Congress, the federal government is empow- ‘
‘ cred under Medicare to negotiate lower prices from drug compa-
nies. Do you support this policy?
Kreiselmaier: N o, I don’t support the ‘so-called Inflation Reduction
Act
, recently passed by Democrats, including its provisions that supposedly
‘:emp0wer Medicare to negotiate, lower prices from drug companies. Why
not? Because while it has ‘a catchy title and its promises sound, good in
the abstract, it’s entirely wrongeheaded and counterproductive in terms
of its likely results.
With respect to its regulatory provisions to introduce price controls,
. for example, it will produce the exact opposite of its intended effect,
be-
‘ causeit will actually cause the priCes of drugs to increase, not
decrease.
Price controls only serve to weaken the incentives forinnovation? so they
ironically cause the prices of drugs toincre‘ase, causing patients and
em—
“Vployer-sponsored health plans to pay more for their drugs. Marketplace
competition is what drives prices down, and thelnflation Reduction ACt
discOurages the competitive process, which will result in higher,'not
low-
er, drug prices. . , ” .
Moreover, the so-called’Inflation Reduction Act will raise taxes on any-
;oneimaking more than $30,000/year at a time when their wages are being
eaten away by the inflation we are all suffering under, and which this Act
does nothing to effectively address.
Editor’s note: Due to the lengthof
candidate answers and in an attempt
to provide equal space on this page,
responses are continued on Page 36
‘19
Editor’s note: Candidate answers are being run in full, without editing.