Herman B. White
District running for: U.S. Illinois 11th Congressional District
Political party: Republican
Occupation: Particle Physicist
Education:
A.B., Earlham College
M.S., Michigan State University
Ph.D., Florida State University
Campaign website:www.HermanWhiteForCongress.com
Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board questionnaire responses
Legislative priorities:
Q) What are your three top national legislative priorities for the country?
A) 1) Balance the Federal Budget; reduce the debt.
2) Improve the healthcare laws.
3) Improve education.
Q) What are the three most important issues in your district on which you believe the federal government needs to act?
A) 1) Improve the economy to stimulate access to better jobs.
2) Provide better health care and particularly the delivery of health care.
3) Support students in higher education
Q) What is your biggest fundamental difference with your opponent(s)?
A) Service to the community and citizens of the 11th congressional district
Transparency:
Q) Will you pledge to make public: a) your campaign schedule; b) your fundraiser schedule and the names of all fundraiser hosts; c) if elected, your daily schedule of meetings? If not, why not?
A) Most information is already available.
Q) Please list all relatives on public or campaign payrolls and their jobs on those payrolls.
A) None
National security:
Q) What are the most important actions Congress can take to reduce the threat of ISIS abroad and at home?
A) 1) Strong policy on boarder security
2) Promote international coalitions
3) Strengthen public safety
Q) What bans, if any, do you support on Muslim admissions to the United States? Please explain your position.
A) There should be no religious test for admission to the U.S.A. Our Constitution provides all the guidance on this subject.
Q) Specifically, how would you have, or how did you, vote on the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015 and its efforts to make it harder for Syrian and Iraqi refugees to enter the U.S.? Please explain your position.
A) Top level approval would slow the process for refugees entering the country. I would vote to support the Act. Security would be increased.
Q) Do you support a Syrian no-fly zone or the U.S. enforcement of Syrian humanitarian safe zones? Why or why not?
A) Yes. This would reduce the scope of the war.
Q) Regarding the House Benghazi Select Committee, should its investigation remain open-ended, or should the panel be given a deadline to complete its work? Please explain.
A) The investigation should be as fast as possible and continue until resolution is reached.
Q) What measures, if any, do you support to give U.S. authorities access to encrypted or “dark web” communications about potential terrorist pots? Please explain.
A) As with access to many private areas, obtain a warrant. This is already part of our system.
Q) Do you support transferring the detention of terrorism suspects from Guantanamo Bay to the United States? Why or why not?
A) No. We can study them better in an isolated situation. Higher security can be maintained in Guantanamo Bay.
Gun violence:
Q) What is the single most important action Congress can take to reduce U.S. gun violence?
A) Improve background checks.
Q) Do you support or oppose the “Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act?” Please explain your position.
A) I support securing firearms from terrorists and criminals.
Climate change:
Q) Do you believe there is scientific evidence of climate change, and is it caused by human activity? What is your position on the Paris climate change agreement?
A) There is evidence of climate change and more study is required to determine the scope of the cause and the period of the change.
Economy:
Q) What changes, if any, to the U.S. tax code to you support and why?
A) Adjust the tax code to allow corporations to return their profits from foreign business to the U.S.A. with better defined (and lower) tax liability. This helps to reinvest in the U.S.A.
Q) What are the most important actions Congress can take to ensure the solvency of Social Security?
A) Make time order adjustments in the age for claiming Social Security benefits.
Q) Do you support a “risk fee” on big banks? Why or why not?
A) No, the banks have the ability to pass fees on to the customers, and the risk remains.
Health care:
Q) Should Obamacare be overturned, left intact, or changed — if so, how?
A) Changed. Maintain support for citizens who did not have healthcare, and eliminate the requirement that insurance policies must be maintained outside of the Federal Government.
Q) Do you favor stripping federal funds from Planned Parenthood? Why or why not?
A) Yes. The federal funds could be replace by private donations, and the controversy over using federal funds would be eliminated.
Immigration:
Q) President Obama used his executive powers to prevent the deportation of “DREAMers” — youths who came to the U.S. illegally as children with their parents. Would you support legislation to prevent DREAMer deportations? Do you support putting DREAMers on a path to citizenship?
A) We should not contribute to breaking up a family. The children should have the opportunity to become citizens in the same way as other immigrants.
Education:
Q) What congressional reforms do you favor to address America’s student loan crisis?
A) Student cost for college should be a combination of sources, not just loans. Tax benefits should be increased for families that save for college education.