withbe get to zika we're at the outermost limits off our time. before we go i want you both to make a closing statement, and mr. garcia, go first, please. >> michael, look. i think from trump to mr. carballo, what people are tired of is these attacks. there's a record. we have recovered standing up for the community and making a difference for the people of south florida, whether it's hundreds of minimums to an everglades restoration or standing against the gun lobby, who mr. carballo is called a lap dog for the gun industry. our history is working with anymore of florida and with your support and god's favor we'll go back to washington so south

florida was a voice. >> this is the roll call, one of the two numbers published on capitol hill. these their members who have been embroiled in scandals for corruption, members indicted, convict. mr. gars -- garcia's pick picture is here. ski ask me do you come from that corrupt district and because campaigns have perpetrated some terrible crimes in our community, and it's a shame. and every day in washington i have worked with republicans and democrats to try to help this community, whether it's transportation, education, in the environment. i've been recognized bedder to early board for wanting to build consensus on the issues issues d that's what i think every voter in this community wants. there's a lot of passion united states there strong feelings, but i really think that everybody in our country wants

republicans and democrats to come together in a decent way in an honest way, and solve the major problems that face our country. that's why i'm running for re-election. >> gentlemen, thank you. i do feel come ped to within out your were never indicted or charged with any --ites cleared, which is why you consider a benghazi tied attack -- >> hold on. thank you very much. stay with us. we'll be back with the roundtable. >> tonight, we have throw debates, new york's 22nd 22nd congressal district and debate between republican claudia tenney, and democracy kim myers, running for the open central new york seat. at 9:00 p.m. the texas 23rd 23rd district, rematch with first-tell inincup people will

hurt, facing democrat pete gallego, the man he beat two years ago, and at 10:00. another first, item republican road blum. >> this weekend on american history tv, on c-span3. saturday night, at 8:00 oregon, history professor at dartmouth college outcome native american history from the colonial area through west wedder -- we were expansion. >> who presented themselves to us as allies and friends for the future,er clearly araneisms. they're occupying our lanz with -- lands with troops, which we were fighting against, and at the same time, by cutting off and withholding gifts, refusing to give gifts, limiting trade

with us, that is essentially a declaration of hostile intent. >> later, at 10:00, on "real america" we look back to 1966 campaign for california govern between pat brown and reagan. >> my experience has turned me inevitably toward the people to the answers to problems, just instinct stiffly eye find and believe and put my faith in private sector of the economy a belief in peoples' right and ability to run their own affairs. >> and every single solitary category of business indicia that tells whether or not california's key is good, is -- economy is good is proven we have done a good job. >> then sunday morning, at 10:00 eastern on road to white house rewind. >> next tuesday, all of you will go the polls and stand there in the polling place and make a decision. i think when you make that decision, it might be well if

you ask yourself, are you better off than you were four years ago? >> our proposals are very sound and very carefully considered, to stimulate jobs, to improve the industrial complex of this country, to create tools for american workers and at the same time would be antiinflationary in nature. >> the 1980 debade between jimmy carter and ronald reagan. and at 7:00. >> a realist would not have devoted his life to fighting slavery, and a realist would not have said this: which is that a dissolution of the union for the cause of slavery would be followed by a war between the two severed portions of the union. seems to me its result might be the -- calamitous and desolating as -- so glorious would be the final issue that as god shall judge me i dare not sigh it is not to be desired.

>> author of "john quince ad dam: militant spirit" an historian, and columnist, debate the question, was john quincey adams a realist, and they talk about the legacy of the sixth president. >> for our complete american history tv schedule, go to c-span.org. >> elect night on c-span. watch the results and be part of a national conversation about the outcome. be on location at the hillary clinton and donald trump election night headquarters, and watch victory and concession speeches in key senate house and governor's races, starting live at 8:00 p.m. eastern and throughout the following 24 hours. watch live on c-span, on demand at c-span.org, or listen to our live coverage using the free c-span radio app. >> melania trump today made her

first speech since the republican national convention this summer. speaking in pennsylvania the wife of donald trump said, if she becomes first lady, she'll advocate on behalf of women and children. >> good afternoon, pennsylvania. what an honor it is to be with you here today. i'm karen pence. thank you. and my husband, mike pence, is running for vice president. on the ticket with our next president of the united states, donald trump. i flew in this morning from iowa, where mike is campaigning

right now as we speak. and yesterday, we were campaigning in arizona, new mexico, and colorado. later today he will be in michigan, and then we will meet back up in pittsburgh tonight. it has been the greatest privilege of our lives for mike to be running and preparing to serve as the next vice president with president donald trump. so, for those of you who don't know much about me, i'm a school teacher, an artist, and an entrepreneur, and a mother of three wonderful children. including our daughter,

charlotte, who is here with me today. you know, it's been wonderful to serve indiana these last four years as the first lady of indiana, but mike and i are looking forward to serving the entire country in the next four years with donald and melania trump. but you know, on the campaign trail, one of the greatest blessings for us in this campaign has been getting to know donald and melania trump and their family, and seeing their heart for this country, and their passion to make it better. they are tireless. believe me. waking up every day, ready to take their message to the american people. and now, with just five days to

go before election day, we can see their efforts and hard work really paying off. and looking at all of you, i can tell that pennsylvania is ready to make history by helping to elect donald trump as the 45th 45th president of the united states. and when you do, melania trump will be our new first lady. she is amazing. let me tell you a little bit about her. melania is first and foremost a dedicated wife and mother them first time i met melania is when she and donald were deciding who to choose for the vice president, and we joined them for a weekend at their resort. we were having dinner, and melania looked at me and asked

about our three children. well, i told her with a wink, that we have raised three independent thinking children who don't always agree with their father on every issue. i told her we have a lot of great discussions around our din are table, believe me. but you know what? she looked at me with her warm smile, and she said, i like that. you're teaching them to think for themselves. i like that. and i knew right then that i was really going to like melania. i have so enjoyed getting to know melania during these last several months. as the spouse of the candidate, it isn't always easy to have your husband out on the campaign trail with a very grueling schedule or to face the barrage of attacks, but i can tell you

one thing about melania trump, she is strong. she also so strong, very accomplished, working her way up from the fashion and modeling industry and intimidating to america from slovenia her love for america is boundless, just like her husband's. she is going to be america's next great first lady. and i know that america will fall in love with her just as much as she loves the american people. ladies and gentlemen, it is my great privilege to introduce to you, the next first lady of the united states of america, melania trump.

>> thank you first lady of indiana, karen pence. thank you. that was very nice. thank you. we love you, too. from here in pennsylvania, it has been more than 500 days since my husband, donald trump, announced he would run for

president of the united states. i remember that day in june 2015 vividly. surrounded by our family and speaking to an audience of millions, donald promised to campaign on the behalf of those who feel the system is broken and does not work for them, those who just want a fair shake, and an opportunity for a better education, a better paying job, a better future. he plans to restore integrity to washington and respect for america abroad. this is not an ordinary campaign. it is a movement. a movement in which people still included, inspired, and

involved. i have seen it first hand. we are deeply grateful to the millions of americans who believe in my husband because they know he believes in you. he believes in america, and he will make fantastic president of these united states. i come here today to talk about my husband, donald, and his deep love and respect for this country, and all of its people. i have come here to talk about this man i have known for 18 years. and i have come here today to talk about our partnership, our family, and what i know for sure in my heart, about this man, who will make america great again.

i know exactly what that means. i grew up in a small town in slovenia, near a beautiful river and forest. flowing like the small country that back then was under communist rule, it was beautiful childhood. my parents were wonderful. of course, we always knew about the incredible place called america. america was the word for freedom and opportunity. america, if you could dream it, you could become it. when i was ten years old, we learned that a man named ronald reagan was elected president of the united states. we heard what he was saying and doing. president reagan's morning in america was not just something in the united states. it began to feel like morning

around the world. even in my small country. it was a true inspiration to me. later i lived in milan and paris, working hard as a fashion model. i worked with people from all over the world. fashion is a business of glamor but it is also hard work. there are ups and downs, high highs and ridicule and rejection, too. i loved my work. and as a young entrepreneur i wanted to follow my dreams to applies where -- a place where freedom and opportunity were in abundance. so, of course, i came here. living and working in america was a true blessing about i wanted something more. i wanted to be an american. after a ten-year process, which

included many visas, and a green card, in 2006 i studied for the test and become a u.s. citizen. it is the greatest privilege in the world. i'm an immigrant, and let me tell you, no one valued the freedom and opportunity of america more than me. both as an independent woman and as someone who immigrated to america. love for this country is something we immediately shared when i met donald. he loves this country, and he knows how to get things done. not just talk. he certainly knows how to shake things up, doesn't he?

he knows how to make real change. make america great again is not just some slogan. it is what has been in his heart since the day i met him. over the years of our marriage, i have watched my husband grow more and more concerned as he sees american workers suffer. i have watched him get frustrated as he sees parents travel to care for a children wore working outside the home. i have watched him as he sees over and over again policies that make our country less strong, less secure, and less safe. every time my husband learned of a factory closing, in ohio, or north carolina, or here in pennsylvania, i saw him get very upset. he could see what was happening. he saw the problem.

and he always talked about how he could fix them. my family is truly blessed. the most important thing we have in our family is health, and love, and loyalty. donald can build -- can build a very successful company. the privilege to go to work each day to do a job that he loves, alongside of his adult children, this is a great blessing for any parent. he had a great and fulfilling life. but donald knew he could not sit by anymore and watch what was happening in our country. and that is when this campaign, this movement, began. >> trump, trump, trump, trump, trump, trump

>> as donald traveled the country he has asked some simple be very important questions. what kind of country do we want? do we want a country that is safe, with secure borders? yes. do we want a country where every american gets a fair shot? yes. do we want a country that honors our constitution in yes. do we want a country that honors life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? do we want a country that respects women and provides them with equal opportunity? do we want a country where every child has access to a good education? do we want children to be safe and secure and dream big dreams?

do we want president who is beholding to no one but you, the american people. yes. do we want a president who is a -- will never give up? yes. then we want donald trump to be our president. >> trump, trump, trump, trump, trump >> people have asked me, is donald is the president, what kind of first lady will you be? it will be my honor and privilege to serve this country. i will be an advocate for women and for children. let me tell you a little bit

more about what that means to me. i'm a full-time mother to our son, baron, an incredible boy. as his father travels around the country, i'm with our son. we talk a little bit about policies and a lot about life, homework, and sports. barron has many privileges and advantages. we know hour fortunate we are, still, have the same conversations with my son that many of you have with your sons and daughters, and nieces and nephews. grandchildren and. i want my little boy to know that he is blessed to have been born in a country that values individual freedom and constitutional democracy. i want our children in this

country, and all around the world, who live a beautiful life, to be safe and secure, to dream freely of love and a family of their own some day. we need to teach our youth american values. kindness, honesty, respect, compassion, charity, understanding, cooperation. i do worry about all of our children. as we know, now certainly is the centerpiece of our life. it can be a useful to all for economics and communication. it can ease isolation that so many people feel in the modern world. technology has changed our universe. but like anything that is powerful, it can have a bad side. we have seen this already.

as adults, many of us are able to handle mean words, even life. children and teenagers can be fragile. they are hurt when they are made fun of. or made to feel less in looks or intelligence. this makes their life hard, and can force them to hide in and retreat. our culture has gotten too many and too rough. especially to children and teenagers. it is never okay when a 12-year-old girl or boy is mocked, bullied or attacked. it is terrible when that happens on the playground, and it is absolutely unacceptable when it's done by someone with know name hiding on the internet. we have to find a better way to

talk to each other, to disagree with each other, to respect each other. we must find better ways to honor and support the basic goodness of our children, especially in social media. it will be one of the main focuses of my work if i'm privileged enough to become your first lady. [applause] >> i will also work hard to improve everyday life for women. the women in america are incredible. they're strong, intelligent, generous, determined. with opportunities women will advance and aachieve. but some women have been left behind. i see that. we cannot call ourselves a fully developed or advanced nation

when 50% of our women live in poverty, when 16 million are without health insurance, when too many are choosing between basic needs like rent, food, and health care. this cannot be. we cannot afford to have more of the same. we must break with the failures of the past and embrace a future that is worthy of this great nation and her beautiful people. we must win on november 8th. and we must come together as americans. we must treat each other with respect and kindness, even when we disagree. i will be there to support my husband's efforts to help all americans when he is president. donald trump will make america fair.

he will make america safe. he will make america prosperous. he will make america proud. and, yes, this man i know so well, donald trump, with your help and god's grace, will make america great again. thank you. god bless you. and god bless this beautiful country. [cheering] ♪

>> election night on c-span. watch the results and be part of a national conversation about the outcome. be on location at the hillary clinton and donald trump election night headquarters and watch victory and concession speeches in key senate house and governor races starting live at 8:00 p.m. eastern and throughout the following 24 hours. watch live on c-span, on demand at c-span.org or use the free c-span radio app. >> now a debate between house candidates in new york's 22nd 22nd comal district. it's an open seat because of congressman richmond hannah's retirement. three candidates on the ballot.

democracy, kim myers, republican claudia tenney, and the 22nd 22nd districts the cities of utica and rome. this is accurate so i of the league of women voters of broome and tie -- tioga. >> the opioid epidemic, and presidential colic ticks some of the election issues we may discuss continue. good evening. this is new york 22, league of women voters debate. thank you to the live studio us aens for loin us us and who are watching and listening at home on kskg tv. tonight's debate is between upstate johns party candidate martin, democratic candidate kim

myers and republican candidate claw ya tenney. the election will decide which candidates will replace richard hannah, whose is retire. the rules for the debate were set by the league of women voters. each candidate will have two minutes for an opening statement. the candidates will then take turns answering question and will have two minutes to respond to each question. closing statements will be one minute each. as moderator i reserve the right to ask followup questions. we're taking questions from our live audience. our tv and radio audience may also submit questions through quitter. use the #ny22. you can also submit a question through wskg's facebook page. none our our candidates have viewed the questions ahead of time. if the candidate exceeds the time limit, a volunteer from the league of women voters will ring the bell. finally, wskg and league of

women voters are very committed to follow civil discourse and i ask the candidates to keep the debate civil and ask the audience tree serve all applause. before we started we drew straws to determine the nord which the candidates will make their opening statement. and miss tenney, you go first. >> thank you. i just wanted to say thank you to wsqg and the league of women voters for giving the voters an opportunity to hear from all the candidates at this special. really an hour to be here and like to commented my opponents for taking the time to run for this very difficult position. takes a lot of time from your family and friends and it's been a tough campaign. maybe not just on the candidates but also on the viewing audience on tv, those millions of dollars in commercials. i'm happy to be here as a native of new hartford, new york. live across the street from the house i grew up in.

i raise mid son as a single mom, and i'm very proud to say he is now sending as an active duty marine and graduated from the u.s. naval academy. i'm an attorney. practice law. i also ran our family business, which was founds by my grandfather in 1946, in hamilton, new york. our business is still here today as a new york corporation. we pay new york taxes, all of our services, all of our goods, everything is here in new york. just really -- i ran for office and elected to in the new york state assembly and served from 2011 until now. the reason i ran was to help our small business community to reduce taxes, regulations, to stop some of the bad trade deals that have hurt our region, from the southern tier up to the utica area which has sent many of joshes overseas to china, mexico, and the caribbean. those are some of the owned ran for assembly to breck back some common sense, reduce taxes,

reduce regulations and deal with the issue of obamacare, which is definitely hurt our business, and to give our small business opportunity -- small business community and family farms an opportunity too thrive. 70% of the new jobs created in our country are created by new businesses. the ones that are here locally, the ones that we -- that stay in new york, we need too protect them and protect our family farms and that's the reason i'm running for congress. thank you. >> mr. babinek. >> thank you wskg, c-span, and our audience here this evening as well as the candidates. i'm the only one here at the table that actually has grown up in a working class family, as my dad worked in factories and he and my mom raised seven children up in little falls, just east of utica, and i had the good fortune after local schools and community college to travel around the world working for the

navy and at the conclusion of that ended up in the san francisco bay area, where my wife and i started a company 28 years ago. little did we know that even though it began as small business we were doing the right thing and helping many other small businesses with all of their headaches of being an employer and today that company serves more than 13,000 small businesses around the country, company called triad. in 1999 we moved back from silicon valley to my home tune of little falls so we could raise our children, and right alongside their grandparents and our extended family, because this is where our hearts are. we also, as i continue to run the company, and commuted from little falls to silicon valley issue spent ten years doing that and thinking a lot about why is it we lose so many of our next generation as the move away from upstate new york. so in 2010 i started a nonprofit called upstate venture connect

that addresses the very problem and the problem is that too many of the next generation that want to start companies that can create jobs don't do so here because they find it too -- lard to get connected to the right resources. we have made a huge difference in helping companies get started and grow jobses and now to take that to a level where i can influence policy and continue the journey of bring thing right people together is something i'm committed. to running as an independent candidate because i'm very frustrated with the bitter divide between our two parties, and i can have a tremendous impact at reducing the divide between the two parties to make a difference. >> ms. myer. >> thank you. i also want to tank wskg tv, our viewing audience, and the broome and league of women voters for having us here. my story is i was born and raid right here in broome county,

born -- grew up in binghamton, yucker, and live two blocks from here. my dad started a company with $300 he borrowed from his grandmother she had scored in a cookie jar. my siblings and i worked in that substance our whole life and did whatever we had to do to get the business going. this is what our family did. when my dad -- -- his health started to fail my siblings and i bought the business from my dad, when there was only two stores, and through hard work and everything on the line, our -- every dime we had in this world was put into the business and we true at that time dick's sporting goods, a nationwide chain of the largest spotting good stores in our country. couldn't be more proud of what our company has achieved. we employ thousands of people, right here in new york stay, and we have more jobs on the way. i also have been on the board of

education for 18 years, broome county legislator, graduated from courtland state with a degree in education. i'm been players to my husband, tim, for 36 years wimp have six children, the oldest is 35. the youngest is only eight. full disclosure, i'm not a medical marvel, the last two were adopted from children while they were very small. want to go to washington because i've been involved in my community my entire life. whether we have helped see people in our community through devastating flooderses or kinder on our world series little league baseball team. know jobs are important to our area and to our families and important to our community. i want to go to washington because i really don't care if it's a democratic idea or if it's a republican idea. if it's a good idea the miami expect to us get to the table and come up with solutions to bricks good paying quality jobs to our area that's what i hope to do. thank you so much.

>> our first question is about the upstate economy, and jobs. in order to spur the upstate economy we need gobioids but it's something that seems to have defied many efforts to change it. there have been programs like startup number, the excel you're jobs program, tax cuts and tax breaks. if you're elected what specifically will you do in congress to create jobs for the upstate region, mrs. myers, we'll start with you. >> thank you. well, it's true that we definitely need jobs in upstate new york and that seems to be the crux of the -- all the candidates, both on a local and national level. there's a number of way is feel that we need to create jobs in upstate new york, and some of them are all intertwined. we need a sound infrastructure. we need to improve our infrastructure. if we think that businesses are going to thrive here, they're going to come here, they need to make sure -- we need to mak sure

they have quality roads, bridges, access to broadband internet and make sure we have a work force that can take the jobs and do the jobs. i've spent a lot of time on this campaign going to a number of businesses we have here. there's a resounding theme that i hear from all of them. that we need to create the skill set in our work force for the jobs of the future, the jobs we have now, which are an advanced manufacturing, and we need to partner the public sector with the private second are sector to make sure we can all work together to create those jobs. there's a lot of really good things happening here. and a as far as small businesses, creating and sustaining those jobs, one thing i know we need is access to credit. with the debackle of the -- debacle of the big's banks haps have been tied too to regulations of banks and local credit unions who provide the

capital for small businesses. when i was growing up, as a kid, we talked about three things robbed the table as we were growing our small business. we also knew what was required four our business. the weather, which we talked about that because that affected our business. the new york giant because that was important to us, and the access to credit. we knew that we needed not only credit to survive but also to grow. and the conversation was, how much do we pay down on the note this month? so those are the thing is believe will bring good jobs to this area and help the jobs we do have grow. >> thank you. miss tenney. >> yes, there's a couple of things. first of all, as i've advocated i'm a small business owner. we have our family manufacturing facility. i'm the only one here that is running to their position who has not taken the corporate welfare or been involved in the pay-to-play schemes you're talking about with startup new york which is under

investigation by u.s. attorney and the excel you're -- excelsior practice which is being questioned. the secret is not giving out millions in taxpayer money, especially to poor years especially here in the broome york area, the two worst small metro areas in the nation as far as the economy. the broome area and the utica rome area and we need to stop doing the same thing and expecting a different result. we need to reduce taxes, reduce regulations and we need to stop the trade deals. this trade deals undermine the sovereigntive of our country and make it disfor us to compete. we need to bring manufacturing jobs back here. machines business is loafing proof you can survive without having corporate welfare. we have access to credit through banks. it's good to continue to expand on that. and one of the biggest problems and biggest issues facing not

only small businesses but our farm community, and our school district,s, is obamacare. it's caused a huge unfunded mandate on our small business community and the inability to keep up with the rates. i saw today there's a person online who said they're up 177% increase in the cost of their health care with something like a $5,000 deductible. that is unfair. that's something that is not affordable. we need to go back to a consumer driven model, allow our small business community to thrive, provide for employees and compete for employees in our local area. those are things i think that are glowing to be essential to bring us back away from the corruption, away from the pay to play schemes schemes schemes anm cronyism and allow new jobs to be create by our small business community. >> mr. babinec. >> jobs is really the top priority for voters in the area. i have seen that when i've been traveling on the campaign and i can tell you my experience as an

entrepreneur, specially starting a company in silicon valley, the approach our politics have used here doesn't work. the whole idea that we'll take our tax dollars and give it to big companies so they can open up some plant, politicians have been doing there is for like 30 years. it doesn't work, and they still keep doing it. government is not equipped to be picking the winners when it comes to private companies. i am in favor of lower taxes, and less regulation, which also has a dream influence on job generation but when i think about the newer industries and realizes that places like california, boston, new york city, places with he irtaxes and more regulation than we have right here, and at the same time they are job generating machines. why is that? many of our best and brightest move to those places to start companies. the lesson what i learned is what started upstate venture connect and the mission was to help address the very problem on

why our next generation leaves and that is connecting them with the right resources to help them start companies here instarch ofwaving goodbye to them. as congressman i will take that discussion the next. we, and -- the business community, and the funding sources. these are the things that we need in this area so that we could have our best people start coys here in the newer industries with tremendous job-generating potential and allow us to keep our families together. this is what i'm committed to as your congressman. >> mr. babinec i'd like to ask a followup. who do you think manufacturing job is will save the area's economy win the united states has really shifted more towards a service-based economy. >> remember, my answer for job generation is the newer industries. now, in manufacturing, which we

have a substantial amount in this district, there is a shift going on in manufacturing to what is called advanced manufacturing, where they have to quickly move their production lines, because the cycle time get so short and while trade policy will influence some of that, the fact is our environment here from a tax standpoint and energy cost standpoint and a regulatory standpoint does not make new york state ideal for manufacturing. we have to protected what we have and try to grow more but the real future is in the newer industries where the barriers to get started or lower than ever you. can start some of these companies with small amount of company and have a global reach because of the internet and that's where the next generation want to take their ideas and create candidate that create jobs. it's about use the resources we have right here so that we can be creating our own future. >> i want to give both candidates a chance to weigh in

on the followup. >> thank you. it's interesting he talks about new york and california. one thing that he doesn't talk about is our national debt is $19.7 trillion. new york state right now is in a debt crisis. the other state in the debt crisis is california. the two most dangerous debt situations in the nation. and they're riding on borrowed time with this incredible debt situation. even though they have high regulations and taxes, at some point we have to pay the piper nationally and both in those two states. the answer is reducing the personal income tax and giving small businesses who use many of the pass-through items to directly -- through their -- for their companies without going through a safe c corporation, using llcs, that's the way it's going now and i think we can have manufacturing jobs here. the problem we have in this nation is we have lost our middle class. the middle class is looking for jobs, regular jobs for regular

people who just want to work and want to contribute to society and the great american way. >> mrs. myers. >> thank you. as someone who has born and raised in a company who has created a lot of jobs in this area, you have to incentivize businesses to come here. a lot of what has been talked about here is about new york state but this is a federal position we are running for here, and on a federal level, whatout node to do to attract business is you need continue vest. you need continue vest in businesses. you need to provide businesses with a way to grow. a lot of the advance manufacturing i visited have a need for upgrating equipment, they need to invest in their own company and their own infrastructure, and that is a way that you can create jobs on a federal level. >> we'll come back to federal level in just a minute if want to remind our viewers that this is new york 22, debate co-forked by kskg public media and the

league of women voters. the audience is in the studio and watching and listening at home on wskg tv and wsxq radio. you're looking for information about the general election we urge to vue visit a special web site created witness the league of women voter. vote 411.org. with us today is upstates party candidate, martin babinec, democratic today kim myers and republican candidate claudia tenney. to ask a question tweet us at #nv to 22. the current congress is often efforts to lately as a do-nothing congress and seems very averse to cross party lines. so the question from an audience member is, if elected how will you behave on the job to work with other members of congress to get things done? and mr. babinec we start with

you. >> i'm delighted to answer this question because it's a big reason i'm running as a third-party candidate. i'm terribly frustrated by the unwillingness of our community political parties to cross party lines and get something done, and that's why we have gridlock in washington. some of that is do to the funding situation, as we know, the special interests political action committees are or pacs, have a lot to do with the money that candidates raise in order to run for office. this particular race, right here in upstate new york, is expected to exceed $12 million being invested for these three candidates. more than 7 million of that 12 million comes from the special interest pacs. now, i don't take a dollar of that. i'm the only candidate that that sworn if a taking any financing from a special interest pa and can as a result you have candidates all over the u.s. that become beholding to these

special interest funding and that's the reason they don't like to cross party lines. because it shuts off the money flow and if you think about it, our special interest funding never comes to the center where most voters'. special interest funding only comes to big issues on the left and on the right. most voters are just trying to get something done with see this gridlock in washington bas because of the unwillingness to cross party lines and because of the special interest funding and the control the party leadership husband we the voters come up short. actually have more power to bring these two parties closer together, because i will not be beholding to party leadership, not be beholding to special interest funding. i'm donating my salary to charity as my own commitment for public service. that was the intention of our founding fathers when the constitution was first set up, and that is the direction i think we need to go for our entire congress.

>> thank you. miss tenney. >> i guess with that donating your salary that means only millionaires can run for congress or people who don't need to work they can what is really important is i am a member of the state assembly where democrats outnumber republicans 107 to 43. a significant bill has never been passed by a republican without democratic cosponsorship since 1974. as a member of the stream extreme minority i have over 60 bills passes, all with democratic cosponsorship and made into law. hundreds of others cosponsored, hoping to get those passed, too. the problem in washington is we now have a president who is completely uncompromising. willing to sign executive orders, he claims he has a pen and a phone and that's how he is going operate. he refuses to work with the congress, actually for the first anytime many years, with a republicans in the majority, you now have a congress that actually passes balanced

budgets, something the senate didn't dee do when it was democratic, nor did the house when it was democratic. so when we talk about getting things done maybe it would be nice if the president would compromise, and let me talk about exclusion the two parties working togetherful today men of my friends sent me a copy of a flier they received that was paid for by pelosi pill -- nancy pelosi promoting martin babinec. my opponented are working together against me, the republican candidate, and nancy pelosi's pac, the house majority pac, is fueled by kim myers' brother who is big donor who has run dicks sporting goods and corrupt casino boss has given somewhere up to a million dollars. so when yaw talk about money and politics i'm the only one signature here that is not a multimillion area. each of my opponents is worth between 50 and $150 million. i've been outspent grossly and 90% of the ads are attack ads

against me, and i'm the one that doesn't have the money. so it's a true david versus goliath situation, and the fact they're now cluing to try to defeat this seat. >> mrs. myers. >> thank you very much. a lot of misinformation that that but i know people want to hear about the question at hand. first of all, the money in politics is an issue. to no doubt about that. my opponent claiming her pauper status she doesn't have any ads is fueled equally by the national republican campaign committee so, be that as it may there is too much money in politics how much you get things done in washington good n a bipartisan way is the question and you have someone like me who i have done this my whole life, whether on the school board where you have a set objective that you have to achieve. you have to have -- be behold

doing your taxpayers, private a solves and keep with the rules and legations. as a broome county -- i have never been partisan and look to see what is the best solution for anymore because that's what you're hired to do. when you run for office, and you're elected, people are depending on you, and as mr. before babinec said, our founding fathers, the goal was you were supposed to serve and go home in washington too many people are worried about keeping their jobs instead of doing their job. that's not what i'm going to be interested in. i'm interested in doing the right job for all the people in the 22nd district, as opposed to the congress we have now, who folds their arms, stomps their feet, moves to the corner and says i'm not budging on anything. that's not something that has ever been part of my personality or my goal in getting things done for people in my years of public service. i think the american people are fed up.

as i am. with bipartisan -- partisan politics. they expect people to go to washington and do their job, and if they don't, they won't get to keep their job. regardless of all the other resident rig going on. that's what your supposed to do in washington. that's what i will do. >> thank you. we'll move on to another question from our audience. this past year senator assumer and congressman chris gibson introduced the disability inti integration act which would provide people and seniors with disabilities with home and community based services as an alternative to institutionalization. will you support this bill if elected and if yes, why. if not, why. ms. tenney we start with you. >> i get to start them all. actually, chris gibson has indoorsed me in to this campaign and is a good friend and represents most of my assembly district to i'm honored to speak on his behalf. think this sounds like a great bill.

this only thing dihaven't not seen the details but it's sounds like part of this should be a state function. we just spent an awful lot of the state budget in the last couple of years on providing alternative care for seniors but i like the idea of having them in a lee restrict stiff dot, something that to the olmstead decision talked about so sounds to me like -- full disclosure i haven't read the bill but anything we can do to have seniors, people with disabilities and those, have fulfilling a life as possible, that's something that is actually in the state constitution, that mandates that we provide for people with special needs and our seniors and to provide state money toward that. whether or not this is a federal issue or proper expenditure i don't know the details of the bill but if it enhances programs and provides protection to them, i support it. again, i don't really know that much about the bill. thank you. >> thank you. mr. babinec. >> this an area that is

important for me in part because i have five sisters and a brother and the youngest sister has down syndrome, and this is something that really affects a family and makes you appreciate the importance of what happens when someone has a severe disability like that. in new york state, we actually do a pretty good job. there's no question about it. where we have gone faster down the path towards home and community services than many other states and i'm absolutely in favor of it. final not familiar with the specific bill you're considering are referring to but conceptually definitely on the past. have had a lock to do with our own community resource center, and can certainly substantiate they stand behind this idea of helping our people with disabilities, stay in smaller communities instead of large institutions and lead fulfilling lives. so i'm fully onboard with that. my caution would be to watch out for unfunded mandates because whenever you have a situation

where you might have high standards and great intentions, but don't back it up with what is the right stream that is going to support it, we can find ourselves in trouble. right now, even what happens with medicaid funding, as certain issues come up where there are requirements to be delivered in homes, have to be fulfilled, but then the funding streams don't match up. it actually cuts into quality of service. ... >>

>> and as my father-in-law of first guard to fail the in home services were invaluable they were so happy of what they brought to our family to be able to be integrated and part of the family and involved with their grandchildren. the grandchildren came to visit them some of them actually lived with them. it's amazing. that is what everybody would want for their parents and loved ones and quite frankly it also saves money if you could have people stay in their home to provide access and support that they need to stay in their home why would we not do that as a society to value our elderly and disabled to help them have an increased quality of life? i am all for this the devil is in the details i will be

very interested to support and look at this bill as to how we can prevent quality of life for both the elderly and disabled. >> moderator: moving on to the subject of social security for all candidates. by 2034 security will have a shortfall if congress does nothing in means most of us will only have 77 percent of what we are owed if elected but will you do to help fix social security? myers: the one thing that i know it is important in this campaign is to make sure our seniors and citizens know that they have paid into social security will not be pulled out from underneath them we need to maintain and protect social security and medicare. when i was growing up in one

thing my father always told us there is no such word as can figure it out and work at it one of the ways that we can save social security is by raising the cap the annual cap that is paid into it will help with social security. i know for a fact of the 30% better on social security that is 90 percent of their income. if you start reducing those services to take that away then think about the impact that will have not only the quality of life but the ability to be independent there is that ability to survive social security is something near and dear to our heart we must absolutely get to the table and raising the cap could be a simple first start. babinec: is an earned benefit not a tax if they

put the money nb should get back what we put in and then some. we all know freaky doing what we are doing now it is a situation where the next generation will not have the benefit and at the same time and those that are approaching are counting on it. and to look at what adjustments can be made so remains financially viable for the next-generation and those that we have any situation where the health extends the life span and people are retiring and later years. in raising the age limit for the next generation weather if this is the cap that is another item to look at it are different levers to be considered in order for any

of those changes to take place it would require a lot of negotiation between congress and the senate. right now we have to much partisan divide, the reason we cannot make those necessary changes and they can just keeps getting kicked down the road we as voters have to stand up and object the only way we can start making the changes that we need those that our ready to cross party lines otherwise it is the next generation that we are really short changing time very concerned $800 billion

from medicare and social security to fund obamacare. another 150 billion took away from our seniors to put that into obamacare which is imploding before our eyes even democrats are starting to peel away to realize we have to have another solution we need to look for other ways to cut and preserve social security for middle-class people like me just like my parents and my family it is important to

note i have been accused of all these votes but i have a 96 percent attendance record . is it is hard for me to bust through those millions being spent because honestly i don't have the resources that my opponents have to spend on ads. so i'm happy to have this opportunity in a public forum and to tell people i will not touch social security or medicare for our seniors. thank you. >> moderator: one of the questions that has come through to whether as mr. babinec mentioned unfounded mandate -- unfunded mandates how do feel a lot common core standards in the unfunded mandates?

babinec: i am not supportive of common core. i agree to have those standards to revaluate to know where the students stack up conceptually that is a good idea and how it has been implemented hurting the local school districts there is a lot of diversity in terms of demographics, demographics, in, levels, ge ographic dispersion and then you have a situation where different schools are held to a different standard if it makes it harder to be effective in the classroom so i am not a supporter of common core as implemented from a federal perspective there is way too much intervention from the federal government through the common core program. i and unfavorable local school districts having the complete authority to make those decisions to hold

teachers accountable and equipping with those resources they need to get the job done. with high standards and then not providing the resources to make it happen we end up getting high property taxes i have spend a supporter of the plan that recognizes that the way education is implemented under common core is detrimental to our local counties where this is a huge expense that can be better controlled by doing away with the unfunded mandates when required by state or federal government looking to make sure there is spending to support it. tenney: this is a big issue in the state the common core was developed by national no

child left behind to put the money in front of the states and then incorporate the standards for the one size fits all packages a tremendous disaster it isn't just the implementation but the overreach of the federal government to impose itself on local school districts to impose profiteering and data mining common core in is something to the principles of our constitution where we revere individual rights to recognize each student is unique and also our students and teachers are in a classroom that will provide critical thinking skills. not just using testing to use it against uh teacher in evaluations. i think testing is good for students but it should be a

tool for teachers not to evaluate to take the pay away or to hurt students because we know in the school districts with many, from troubled homes and they cannot meet some of those standards. that is i i have always opposed can include -- common core i would definitely hiv-2 bring back the professionalism that they deserve to account for the school district's any more than any other entity and adding queenie to leave that to the local taxpayers and the volunteer school boards in understand the problems and how we educate our children. >> for of the league of

women voters. on election night if you want to follow the returns we have created a special website and we will have the results. tonight's guests are mr. babinec, and ms. myers and ms. tenney. where the questions coming from twitter. >> parted before interrupting you. >> i firmly believe that all problems can be solved for education. the key to a happy life is the threshold of quality public-school education. the dirty word of common core air needs to be understood. it was implemented and

abroad about from the state governors and their education advisers who were noticing a students were not graduating with the skill set to be ready for jobs and careers. they got together to decide there should be a higher standard those are always a good thing. i believe that and i believe throughout the united states we need a common set of skills sets. third grade should be the same as the skills that. then you graduate from fourth grade you should have the same skill set around the country we are a mobile society the problem with common core comes from the region's reform agenda the implementation and the lack of funding that comes along with it. and the unfunded mandates whether at the state or federal level are hurting

education for years. the unfunded mandates for special education has never been fully funded to be implemented we need to have vice standards but definitely have local control and minimal standard test across the country that should remain at the state level based on the test scores it is unconscionable. >> you cannot solve education unless you solve poverty for the teachers to be evaluated on the student who is hungry, has not slept , living in poverty, you will not get the quality education and the results that we need in this country. >> moderator: ps so many questions coming in. london theater questions coming in from twitter, speaking of health

care and living longer read social security will you support a public auction for health care? >> probably universally across the country people understand and they feel that access to quality affordable health care should be available to every single person in this country and that has not happened whether under the affordable health care act, the health care programs in the past that is why i believe what everyone to call it 20 to get to the table to figure out health care and then to be access for that quality affordable health care we have the technology we have some of the best doctor some of the best results medically that not everyone is able to access that. we need to come to the table

to figure out how we will provide that. affordable health care is perfect? absolutely not with clearly unintended consequences. are there good things? certainly. for example, students can stay on their parents' health care program until they are 26 until they figure out where they will go after college the idea of a new cap for someone with a chronic disease is a good thing. as well as many others. one of the consequences it is i don't believe the affordable health care act took into account the health care the public school teachers have is a good plan but now qualifies as a cadillac tax. we all know public schools to not have the additional funds to pay a couple of million dollars because they supply good health care for the teachers. we need to get to the table

to figure this out maybe i am the turn of optimist but i was believe there is a solution with the right ideas in the right attitude that is the goal that want to achieve. >> looking at the public option we all know that when we are consumers the way we get the best price with the quality that we want we do that by a choice than the very definition is to eliminate choice to rely totally on the government for your health care. it is then a good system we know that rationing ochres and you end up having costs that can go up and importantly the choices to be eliminated and i am much more in favor of going in

the direction of increasing choice by reducing the amount of government intervention in the health care system. we already have too much it is a problem so i am in favor of more competition competition, not less that is how we get the choice that we want we can do a better job from a government standpoint and those that our available crossing state lines and as consumers rather have that choice to pick issues what makes sense only from a cost standpoint and to do that with the information that could be a little more transparent and that be helpful with the public option is not the solution. tenney: and a radically we

do have a public auction isn't that what obamacare was to provide? if we talk about the veterans affairs is the example it at the state of vermont to realize and then they pulled away. as we indicated before we have to go to a consumer driven model and what we have done with obamacare has created huge corporate giants better health care companies running the system coordinating with bureaucrats we need to reacquaint the patience with the doctors to talk about health care not is having insurance if you do have insurance to pay the exorbitant amount and then had a very big deductible at

hurt small businesses in the health care exchanges in new york done by executive order passed on the assembly the governor postponed negative put them through the are imploding and to institute a program immediately obamacare it is devastating to our communities. we do need to cover people with pre-existing conditions but we can't allow competition to force the insurance companies to compete for that to allow those risk pools to continue for that health care is one of the most difficult obstacles and the unfunded mandate we have to go to partial self insurance in case we have an employee with a catastrophic illness the allotted the small business community will back obamacare complete the start from scratch to focus on

excellent health care to allow professionals to run the system. >> moderator: getting towards the end of the program the answers are one minute each. this is about income inequality. reducing cap between the rich and the port in this country is a problem? if not, why or if so but also howdy address it? tenney: yes i do think it is a problem. we have lost our middle-class retaken the jobs to throw them away to send them to china. china or mexico you name it with the countries that the payment and the wages of $5,000 per year. and makes it very difficult for a business community to compete also the become dependent on public

assistance, job -- there's no job opportunities available. we have a culture they want to work but they cannot find it job because they think it has to be the lead to. some people just want to go to work but unfortunately some much of the taxpayer money goes to helping the corporate giants to perpetuate the domination of society it is funny we have a war on poverty and now is worse than it was in the past. myers: there is the inequality and i agreed that we are losing our middle-class with there's always a solution i feel we go from one ditch to the other that it is very rare that someone would graduate high-school then go for

years to school and get a professional job and now it seems that is what you must do to be successful what we have seen in the 22nd is we have a lot of good middle-class paying jobs that our unfilled because we're not comparing the skills with the jobs with advanced manufacturing. that is what we need to do. also by understanding we need the next generation of plumbers or electricians with good middle-class jobs and invest in that trading so the job that we do have we have not shifted every single manufacturing job to china there are many in the 22nd district mr. babinec.

>> income inequality is an issue and we have seen the rising in upstate new york is a concern for many one of the reasons we're losing a population so it is recognizing there are places around the u.s. that our job generating machines to peel back the zero layers with the industry's the ever-growing oftentimes are these industries. and the studies have shown the smaller firms with the new industries create a product service sold to a normal cold market but generate five jobs for everyone that maybe with these companies that is what my job is focused on that is

what i have been working upstate that is what i am bringing to congress and i'm committed to create more those jobs in the district. >> it is time for closing statements a reminder we drew straws each candidate has one minute and we will start with mr. babinec. babinec: things for inviting us here to the studio and also for hosting. and on many levels this 2016 election cycle is the ugliest we have ever seen. the two parties are the furthest apart and has created gridlock not to enough is getting done. we talk about how to many politicians are afraid to cross party lines, special interest funding and these

are the things that would cause me to run as the independent candidate i am not be holden to any party leadership for taking any special interest funding and cannot be bought and i am committed to making a change to creating more jobs so our families can stay together to address the income inequality we have touched on. emile the third party candidate running for congress and the country that has said i am competitive and can win the race progressed ask your vote to make history. myers: i have enjoyed being here and certainly a unique election year. i note that i have the right attitude and the right temperament and that i show up and work with whoever comes to race solution for

what we need in washington i will continue to do that i was born and raised here and i have been blessed more then those people that i have known most people cheating american dream of there is one thing to retreat -- achieve that. that my dad always told us never forget where you came from. this is where i came from this is where i live. i would be proud to serve in the united states congress to represent the people of the 22nd district and ask for your vote. tenney: and the voters have a clear choice someone who stood up to a correction like me but we have to do what our country needs to revitalize our economy cut regulation stop the bad trade deals. get rid of obamacare with a

system that works for all. security is one of the most important things to sickert our borders we don't need to be the world's policemen but take care of the nation to be a leader to restore culture a culture of corruption whether corporate welfare with term limits politicians pay and suisse said she was reinvested in the community by police a mitt if your company is worth $6 million of annual revenue 350 million of net benefit new let the people have their $31 million back with the taxpayers of the work without taking the corporate welfare. that is what make a true commitment to this community. please vote for me november november 8.

>> that wraps up new york 22 thanks to our candidates democratic candidate ms. myers a republican candidate ms. tenney an independent candidate mr. babinec also to the studio audience and those watching at home. for more information find out other races visit the league of women voters special election in website. on election night followed the results. the polls opened tuesday 6:00 in the morning and remain open through 9:00 p.m.. we urge you to participate. for ws cagy news have a good night. [applause]

weighs in on expandinweizen on e

class in his book the upside of any quality how good intentions undermine the middle class interviewed by the harvard university economics professor. >> two points different that is small in comparison to the other things that are amplified in the payoff. the 23rd congressional district in west texas is the state's largest, stretching from san antonio to el paso. incumbent republican will hurd competed with pete gallego posted by ksat 12 news.

>> welcome to this special. today it is one of the hotly contested races in the country. congressional district house 23. will hurd is the incumbent and pete gallego is the challenger. running from the outskirts of san antonio down to the border and all the way to the outskirts of el paso. if few years ago it was separated by less than 2500 votes between the two men that you were about to meet. first the incumbent will hurd and congressman peter gallego. when we talk about the margin, 23, 2400 votes you are going to get the first question here. what separates you from well hurd?

>> there is a complete difference in how we approach the issue. for me it is important people that live there are independent by nature. they don't go to one political party or another. they do the right thing for the right reason and i wanted to be a voice for the people so i voted for the democrats and i think that is the difference between the two of us because as an example he votes with the party even though it is something that impacts us here within three months of arriving and privatizes the system that is not in-lin in line with that independence minded spirit.

it is a different approach. i'd like ti like to do the righr the right reason. i lead by example because kids learn and watch. frankly that is a huge difference between the two of us. >> thanks for hosting us and ksat for streaming as well. we are seeing the turnout all across the state. a lot of men and women lay down their life to protect that and it's good that they are spun off with the victory earlier this week. >> went to john marshall high school and i served my country for nine and a half years as an undercover officer. one of the differences is my background experience when it

comes to national security. there is no one that has this background and would be able to leverage it. the other issue that separates us is we have a record of accomplishments. he got absolutely nothing accomplished. i got ten bills off the house floor. in bipartisan effort can't get anything signed by the president unless it is bipartisan, and that is in 22 months. when he was in congress he got zero bills off the house floor. we've been able to do things like fix problems and produce more lifts for the united states of america but if it rained more than an inch it was like toys in a bathtub. my opponent would say that he put language in the appropriations bill to identify the problem, but we were the

ones that fixed it. and this is the kind of can-do attitude i bring to congress and i'm not a career politician. i was in the private sector helping businesses grow and i helped the cybersecurity company from scratch. when you look at cyber city usa understanding these issues, san antonio was also a military independent you have the air force base. the difference between my opponent and i come he wants to talk about medicare and nancy pelosi and the democrats and my opponent peter gallego voted to prop up obamacare.

that's money that goes to the programs my dad is 83, my mom is 72. they are in the best health of their lives because of medicare advantage. >> i'm glad you mentioned simulcasting on ksat and we are getting facebook questions as well so i will add those to the question i already have. you talked about partisanship. so let's get to the elephant in the room and talk a little bit about the presidential candidates for each party. you have been attacked by the super packs tidying you to donald trump. how do you answer those charges? >> i never endorsed them.

they never had a national security plan or could prove the respected minorities and women i would hol hold of that hold up t but i wouldn't be supporting him. there's only one candidate in the race for donald trump and hillary clinton. my opponent is lock step and decided that since day number one and i'm willing to stand up with the folks of my party to do what is right for the district. i am an independent voice. >> are you worried what donald trump could be for your candidacy? >> no, because this race is about a contrast between me and my opponent. i don't believe in coat tails. i've worked to develop an independent relationship with the spokes. they know who i am, what i've been able to accomplish, and they've seen a level of service they haven't gotten in a decade. i've done over 400.

it takes ten and a half hours to drive from one corner of the district to another. i've crisscrossed it dozens of times. i've answered mail and phone calls and we have delivered service from the constituency and that's what they appreciate. the reality is i don't care if you voted for me or not if you are in a city that has been flooded, guess what i'm goin i'o i'm going to help you get those things. being critical of him not distancing himself. >> there is a point here and here and that's my immediate reaction.

mr. trump has been out there spewing hatred against latinos and veterans. you never heard today there is an editorial in the local newspapers here he indicated one of the things was the national security plan. and certainly when the tape came out, they followed the rest and he wasn't even the first one, there was a whole bunch of chumps ofthatjumped off the tray he would have continued saying absolutely nothing. that isn't leadership, that is followership and that's not what the district needs. for the people at home i can tell that he has gone washington when he claims to have on the basis of the parliamentary

procedure because the truth is if you ask him if he won't tell you. if you ask them in west texas was the first and we did she won't tell you i was a do-nothing congressman. if you ask whose son was having trouble with his immigration paperwork and we hope to fix it for the first time in years she was able to bring her family together she won't tell you that i was a do-nothing congressman. it's the difference i'm able to make in the community not by any washington standard. frankly, the shoes that he's raised, i as a member of the armed services put the necessary language into the reports and different things so that they

would be taken care of. in the final analysis the wheels of government move differently and he got to cut the ribbon as he gets to claim credit. but if he's standing tall, it's because he was standing on my shoulders on the work i did. >> i would like to respond to that. one of the most frustrating things about washington, d.c. and career politicians, they used a lot ousea lot of words ay action done. if i were so partisan i wouldn't have received the endorsement of the news and the el paso newspaper. no one would confuse those organizations and so again, there is a record and i love how career politicians want to talk about who gets to pick the picture and who was there for the groundbreaking but not actually getting things done.

that's why the country is frustrated and why 70% think the country is on the wrong track because we have people that want to talk a good game but haven't delivered that come. >> speaking on the trump effect, and mr. gallego, he hasn't endorsed trump as a matter of fact when the tape came out he said you should step out of the race. what more should he have done in your opinion? >> he had a choice of 17 presidential candidates and he couldn't make up its mind. he didn't make the choice and then mr. trump becomes the nominee and still doesn't make a choice and it's amazing to me that he fancies himself an expert on national security.

well, the only person under the constitution that has ultimate responsibility boat commander ih commander-in-chief and the state foreign-policy is the president othe presidentof the united sta. if he's the national security expert, he i, he is not willingo tell people whether or not he trusts donald trump to push the button, mr. trump who said he wants to give nuclear weapons to saudi arabia, korea and these other places and he won't even venture forth with an opinion? finally, at the very end, he finally says that he is opposed.

when mr. trump said i don't respect them, you didn't hear him stand up for all of the comments for my son to watch and this is the first period i don't even like my son to watch the news at this point because i'm afraid of what he's going to hear. but the conversation about who was born in the united states,, and indiana whose parents were democrats, the american dream, and he says he's not qualified to sit on a case that he's a party and and that is the phrase he used. >> this is one reason pete got fired two years ago. he doesn't understand how this country operates.

we have a role in foreign policy and national security. the only reason he keeps talking about donald trump is the distraction from the fact that he got absolute way nothing accomplished when he was in washington, d.c.. let's talk about his idea. how is he going to stand up against vladimir putin the democratic campaign committee is suspended over $3 million an attack on them is an attack on all of us. what is he going to do to deal with north korea. these are some of the issues people want to talk about border security and other criminal

organizations operating in mexico. all he wants to do is have a distraction and talk about something else. >> did you wait to speak out? >> i've never endorsed him and i'm not going to. >> we talked about the elephant and donkey in the room and i joked with both of you before we started and we did with pete on the left of me and you can fight for the middle. let's talk about hillary clinton and nancy pelosi. they are calling you repeat the gallego fairly or not, painting you as a liberal. in the first statement we heard tonight, you are trying to not use that label. you are independent is what i heard you say earlier.

how do you issue the charges? >> nothing written is nice things said about me. but if you look at what happened i have about a 75% scoring so three out of every four times i voted on issues that were good for west texas and they voted to reopen the government for a while but i thought they were right. you can tell that 96 or 97% republican voting record.

if you agree with somebody 96 or 97% of the time that and you are just following along and there are issues closing the train that runs through san antonio and alpine and el paso closing that down and got issues with the park putting forward operating bases for border security all of those issues are not in-line in the 23rd distri district. how do you answer that is he correct in the 90% figure? >> the republican party is in power and when we look at the bills passed, it all has a

bipartisan sponsorship, one that i am proud of. one of the original cosponsors is the number two guy in the democratic house. working together a week before the recess to come down for the election. if they are on the house floor working together to get things done and that is to test about whether you are partisan or not. he likes to talk up his bipartisanship. where from his time in office does this talk about how great it was working with him why couldn't he move any bills through to congress.

so this is the problem with career politicians that they are looking at the wrong metrics and how you bring change and impact to the district. let's use another match -- metric. he built this party and follows the leader and that's all that he does. the frustration for those of us in the district is that we don't feel we have a voice in the camp of freedom caucus in dc.

the voting record is further to the right and this is a district that is 50/50. you'd think the person that represents us that's not what wt what we get. we get a far to the right voting record that's not in-line in the district and you can tell he doesn't answer the question if he doesn't like it and there you go. >> i don't think that he agreed with it. you know who's going to decide, about 12 days the voters of the district will decide who's proven they represent the district better and i feel pretty good about that. >> let's hear from some of the districts. a lot of questions for both of

you are simple. trump was a popular one and another is the veterans. a lot of attacks back and forth between both of you veterans attacking each one of you. how did you answer those charges that you can't veterans benefits, is that true and what would you do for the veterans that are in your district? >> we passed one of the largest appropriation bills in the history of the va to part with. i'm proud of that. when i was in the cia, i served alongside the men and women and i know the sacrifices they make and their families make and that's why i'm working hard on this to work on the choice

program. so if it is more than 40 miles into so many of our constituents and the district they can go on and use a local healthcare provider. we are even doing things where we have a pilot program going on the way or if you have to do some simple like get your blood drawn or do a basic test you can do with locally and not have to do a six or seven or eight day trip. i have someone on my staff that was a purple heart recipient to make sure we provide the right care so the reality is that it is 2016 and a veteran shouldn't have to call their congressman or woman to get to access benefits they need the problem

is they have to. the philosophy is simple if you have a problem come talk to us. we have to figure out how to do it on a macro fix. >> a lot of people have attacked you for basically doing nothing when the crisis hit into veterans were not being served at all in some of the hospitals. >> when he talks about his reality i think that he lives in an alternate reality. if you look at the congressional debate, congressionaldebate, i . i am the guy from west texas that had to go, for someone to go from alpine to san antonio is over 300 miles, to go to big spring it's about the same and el paso is 200 miles.

the first thing i did is follow the bill that became a pilot program to help veterans. the idea that if you were more than 40 miles away, i pushed for that because it helps us build our local healthcare system so that if you were in the hospital and alpine or whatever, you could go there locally and do those kind of things because it helps stabilize health care which is a huge issue. if you talk to veterans, i spent the other day people are frustrated because they call mr. hurd . office and they don't get resold. that was different for me. i hired a staff that not only included veterans that included social workers, so we could do everything we could to help

those veterans get not only the health care they need, but the health care they deserve. >> let's go through some of these charges. there is a lot of money going into this race. the second most expensive house race in texas. did you cut student loans, congressman are you in favor of building a wall, that is another one that's out there. >> the student loan thing, we are working with the department of education to expand the pell grant program because right now you can only use it in the fall and spring but there is a lot of nontraditional students that need access and we are working to do that. i ai'm working on making sure yu can use them for dual credit in high school and that means when

you were getting your credit that is one way we are going to significantly drive down the cost of going to the universities was cool. so education is an important issue. we have income equality and education the quality and this is near and dear to my heart. since 2013 i've been talking about how building a wall from sea to shining sea is the least effective way to do border security. i know a little something about this because in my previous life, i chased terrorists all around the world. the reality is we need to be focusing on the 19 criminal organizations operating around mexico and we should be doing more working with our mexican partners to focus on those entities that are there. we need intelligence led border security. the other thing, we have to talk about international trade

because trade is the lifeblood for this part of texas. mexico is texas number one trading partner. these communities along the border are not just communities. it's one community separated by the international boundary. trade is the lifeblood of these communities and we need to increase trade. my opponent does not. right here in san antonio texas we should be talking about being partners i and energy with mexio because this is a great opportunity for us to be selling to eastern europe and all places so these are some of the issues i've been talking about since i've been running. >> so you are in favor of nafta. stark opposition to donald trump calling it one of the worst deals he's seen in his life. >> you don't agree with that? sputnik i don't.

>> are you in favor of nafta >> it certainly helped a lot of -- the first time but let me go back for a second if i may about the two questions you asked. it was interesting there was an article who asked the constituent to explain to him because he voted to block the funding of nine times. but it's interesting to me that we have the same issue again. my dad used to say you can talk to me about what's important but show me how you spend your money because that will tell me what's really important to you. if you look at the budget

proposal mr. hurd voted for, it cut pell grants and that's the budget he voted for. it was $1.9 billion below what the va said they needed just to do their jobs, and that is exactly what he wants. we want. i would like for the va to be able to do their jobs. if you just listen to hurd, he talks about the wall from sea to shining sea. we don't have any territory on the pacific ocean and we don't have any territory on the atlantic ocean. we are talking about the 23rd district and he said in his own words, a wall was appropriate under certain circumstances. it was a tool. then he said it's appropriate in highly populated areas. those are his words, not mine. when he talks about that, but is a highly populated area, because

for some of us my hometown is 6,000 people. they are like a highly populated area. does that mean he wants to finish the wall because we are not talking about florida and california. so, he himself talks about the 23rd district and that's not something he talks about. again, you can tell he's gone washington because he's leaving himself room to maneuver. >> argue in favoare you in favor wall in district 30? >> it is a border wall that should be used in certain places and left up to the folks to decide. they try to have a one-size-fits-all solution all across the border.

you have to let the folks on the ground adjust the procedures as they see fit so in certain places it does make sense and in others it doesn't. you have to go and make those decisions. >> in other words, you're not against the law let's talk about some of the charges that are against you. the biggest one we already talked about you being anti-veteran and you said that isn't true. how about you are the washington insider and a lobbyist and i've seen the revolving door commercials. >> is an independent group that

found that to be false. but i will tell you where i spent my time. i taught at my hometown and trendy university, it was a phenomenal experience and it really completely renewed my faith in america and the people that are coming up. they were brilliant and did all their work and was a great experience. i taught a freshman level -- i talked to cover a third edition and a freshman level government class so for the first time i had people in my class who didn't want to be there because it was a requirement and frankly

a lot of the kids thought i was teaching a lot and it was good to be an interesting time so it was one the single best experiences because we were teaching about what he should be doinwe should bedoing and how t. it's really rejuvenated me. >> he says he's not a lobbyist. >> he's gotten a six-figure contract. he's worked for other cities as well and in the minutes of several city council meetings it talks about how he's going to help us get this bill passed. he had been seen in the halls of the capitol during th the sessin so if that isn't lobbying i don't know what is and the

question is he said at times he hasn't filed. the question is why he hasn't he becaushasn't hebecause if he's r the peace and legislation i don't know what else to call it. >> i want to talk about accomplishments now. what are you most proud of in washington, d.c.? >> i appreciate the question and we have several so i'm glad i have more than one to pick from. at the reality ithe reality is s pretty awesome. this was a department of homeland security to change how the border patrol was getting paid and they would receive $702,000 less per pay period.

we were able to work to get it passed in the house and senate and we made sure the men and women protecting us had their pay. one other thing that was important here and in san antonio the federal courthouse working side-by-side with democrats to get that done and the mission reach, such an important part of our landscape here making sure the county was getting reimbursed and they had been waiting for almost a deca decade. we thought that process where they are now getting reimbursed again in a bipartisan manner with some of the congressmen and women. so, those are some of the things that i am proud of and the reality a lot of times people don't see this but when you are able to help that person that needs help battling the

bureaucracy that's awesome. a woman called her office, 76-years-old, she lost her husband a year before and was supposed to continue getting veterans benefits. those are the victories we have every day and providing that level of service is amazing and that's why i hope i get honored in being reelected. >> when you were in congress but for somwere some of your proudet accomplishments? >> i loved working for constituents. we drove back over $53 million the federal government owed to the va and people that were having difficulties. for me the single most fun part

of the job was dc. my efforts were to help people at home and now as i walk door to door i'd meet those people again and they say yes, you helped me do that. my office door had a sign that said this office belongs to the people of the 23rd district, and i genuinely believe that to be true. i will also tell you in terms of the legislative accomplishment, i am proud of my work to make the va better. it has to get better. you ran a story very recently about how the veterans were still standing in line outside the va in the heat and i know he doesn't talk about that but i want to do those kind of things to help make a difference for people. if i get the opportunity to serve again i will tell you about the two things i want to work on first thing.

they talk about the caregivers act and the idea that post september 11, a family caregiver can be paid for giving care to someone who's been wounded in the service for the country. but before 9/11, that doesn't happen so for those vietnam vets out there, i want to help them. the other issue for me that is a huge deal, cheryl langford who was in that commercial that was someone who has endorsed me and supports me, she showed up and was invited to a town hall meeting and ended up in a commercial like some of the other city employees from san antonio but she will talk to you about recently that congress gave tax exemptions to olympic medal winners and it's not that i have objections but do you know they won't giv get the same exemptions to the tax so that if you are the spouse of a person that lost their life in the line

of duty they have to pay taxes on that attention. over half of the congress sign onto that legislation. they talked to him about signing on to this bill. for me, those two things and frankly working on the tax system because when a billionaire like donald trump says he hasn't paid taxes in 18 years, there is a problem with that system. those are the kind of things i want to work on. >> i want to talk about some of the facebook questions we've been getting. matz wants to know why you continue to support obamacare with skyrocketing premiums. we saw them go up the other day. >> obamacare isn't a perfect system.

the goal is every family should speak to their certain things about obamacare that i think are important to keep. mr. hurd what have you throw the whole thing away, but if you throw the whole thing away -- by the way, he has nothing to replace it with. but if you throw it away coming you go back to an older system where you have things called pre-existing conditions and by that everyone watching knows someone who's had cancer or diabetes or something else. they couldn't get health insurance because they had a pre-existing condition. pre-existing conditions are now against the law. if you were a female, premiums were high gear and sometimes refused coverage because theoretically the law said you could discriminate against women. you cannot do that anymore. you charge men and women the same amount. for me as a parent, it's important as my kid gets older i can keep them on the health insurance until he's 26-years-old.

those are examples of things i would like to keep. there are some things i would like to change about that. for example, to expand the tax credit so he can put more people in the system to have right now a small business defined as less than 25 employees. let's make it 50 and put more people in so we drive the cost down. there's things we can do to make it better but i wouldn't throw the whole thing away because then you go back to pre-existing conditions and women paying more for health care and sending your kid to college without health insurance. >> what do you do about the premium? >> you would have to tell people the polls show most are eligible for federal subsidies and help pay for their insurance is the firsso firstof all we would makt we would inform people that they have other options and you would

drive down the cost of healthcare. one of the things for me important to do, you can go next door and buy your prescription drugs so much cheaper than the u.s. and the government provides a lot of drugs but can't get the discount that a wal-mart or costco can because there was a law that was passed that says the government can't ask for the best deal. that's crazy. those are the kind of things we need to work on so they can get a discount and you can lower the cost of healthcare so you can make a difference. the other thing is if you raise the minimum wage and people are making more, that's also important because you have to put more money out there and help people learn wages. >> would you say about the skyrocketing premiums and argue in favor of getting rid of obamacare? >> absolutely in favor of getting rid of obamacare and the reality is this is one of those areas where there's great

contrast between me and my opponent. this is one of the reasons he got fired two years ago. every opportunity he had when he was in congress, he voted to ensure the largest tax increase on the american people stayed at the wall of the land. when i was in office i voted to get rid of it. this plan includes some of the things people are using now like pre-existing conditions and letting kids stay on their parents insurance until they are 25, but the way you get at the premium issue is driving competition to have federal subsidies isn't going to make the problem better it's going to make it worse so that's why you have to have the real competition to make sure the families are the ones making the decisions not bureaucrats in washington, d.c. because it's your viewers that know best how to deal with their healthcare and the other thing we need to

do is make sure we are not taking money out of medicare to prop up the obamacare. again, something my opponent continues to support and making sure medicare is there for the seniors is important and another thing we dealt with its community health clinics. there are dozens of health clinics throughout the 23rd district that serves hundreds of thousands of people. their budgets were going to get cut by 76%. the stop that from happening. bipartisan legislation got signed into law and i was honored to be recognized and got an award for being a champion for them. the only member in texas republican or democrat that got the award because this is an important issue for our families and kids.

>> where you stand i think it depends on where you sit. this idea that you give people their own opportunities depends on what that means. i like making my own choices. but my mom is 88 and relies on medicare and when you turn it into that voucher system you get my mom a voucher, an 88-year-old woman and tell her to find her own healthcare and tell her to figure out where she can get her best deal. as a practical matter it may sound like great rhetoric and create stuff that i'm not interested in the rhetoric. i'm interested in how it works on the ground, the practical aspects of what you're doing. i come as a member of congress, voted to improve the system

every opportunity that i had. the idea that you would repeal it, here's the issue. the republicans probably 60 or 70 times voted to repeal the obamacare and even he would agree that for repealing obamacare it has to pass the house and senate and be signed by the president. remind you what is the president's last name plaques is he going to sign a bill that repeals his signature legacy no. so can we at least fix it in the meantime come in the meantime this obstruction in washington that people despise companies part of that. let's fix things and move forward. that was my attitude and voting record and frankly, that is

something i'm very proud of. >> i want to get to another question, this one is he wants to know how you feel about not letting a sitting president appoint a new justice to the supreme court, specifically talking about president obama. >> in congress and in the house of representatives, we have no say in that effort. that's something the senate confirms and the president gets to nominate. that's an issue that they will have to deal with and it's important that we have a functioning government in all branches. >> if i was in the senate i would have. it's hard to make decisions on

philosophical issues when you are not in that place. i don't know all the background of what was going on at the time, but i think he is not the kind of person i would like to see on the supreme court. >> it's somebody else's problem and responsibility. they have the single largest republican majority in the u.s. house since herbert hoover was president. they also controlled the u.s. senate. you would think as one party they would talk to each other and work together. when mr. hurd says probably not, he's right because all he does is follow the leader. if the majority leader says jump, he would ask how high. that's what is wrong with washington.

there's too much partisanship. i don't think anybody to just forget about democrats and republicans. we teach our kids about right and wrong. so who cares what the leader is doing if they are wrong. you stand up for the right thing and say i want to make my government work again and i think it's wrong that we block the constitutional power perpetually now they are talking about if secretary clinton becomes president they will block it forever. how horrible is that in this democratic system that has worked for over 200 years for te president gets to nominate a cabinet, gets to nominate federal judges, justices of the supreme court and to say i'm unhappy because i didn't win and i'm not going to cooperate with you at all, that's the kind of obstruction that people are tired of and that is what he

gave you. >> a politician talks about everything else other than what is job is come he hasn't talked about why he couldn't get anything accomplished when he was in washington, d.c.. he hasn't talked about national security issues people around the district are talking about. he wants to talk about distraction that has nothing to do with the job of being the representative in the 23rd district of texas, and part of that is because he is a career politician and he doesn't know and that's why he was fired two years ago. >> what is the biggest issue facing district 23 in your opinion? >> nationa >> national security. people are concerned that whether they can walk into a mall or grocery store and get blown up by a terrorist. they are concerned about a porous border and that they are worried about the future security of their children. they are worried that isis is

inspiring kids even if they are 7,000 miles away. when i was checking out al qaeda they would write a letter and put it on someone's doorstep. isis is leveraging social media to inspire people all around the world and we are not doing enough to counter that. one of the debate the debates in congress this year was with a democrat on the homeland security committee. the department of homeland security isn't using the public testimonials of folks that went to fight with isis in their propaganda. we would try to pass a bill that dhs uses. why were the democrats fighting against using that which is an important tool to counter the messaging and keep the country

safe. >> what do you think is the biggest issue facing district 23? >> its economic security because people are worried about their continued ability to put food on the table. people are worried about the continued ability to get their kids through college. this american dream that we have all been part of, you know, right now this is the first generation of texans and americans who will leave the country and state worse off than our fathers and grandfathers and mothers and grandmothers who left it to us. what a horrible legacy that is. for me, it's important to help small business because throughout the 23rd district that's what you have, mom and pop stores. for 80 years i grew up as everyone knows waiting on tables. i didn't cook because my dad actually wanted people to come back to the restaurant.

but those are the kind of things people are worried about and those are the kind of things we have to work on. when a janitor at a school i visited the other day, when he tells me that he pays more than he can afford in taxes and donald trump doesn't how do you respond to that? that says horrible things about where the congress is because it's the congress that does not. i like this question so much from one of the presidential debates that i want to ask you in what has been a heated campaign, and i will start with you, mr. gallego, tell me something you admire or like about congressman hurd. >> he doesn't remember when we first met i would be willing to bet money. i was a member of the leadership

in the legislature and we made a trip to amm shortly after they'd had a horrible tragedy and mr. hurd was the leader of the student body at that time, and he handled it with grace and dignity, and i came away with that despite the fact that my blog is red and orange for so long, i came away with a really good feeling about the things that were going on at amm and how they were handling it. >> there is no question pete is a great dad. you look at his son and he really is turning into a fine young man and can attribute that to his mother as well. [laughter]

dot pete is definitely a good father. >> we have time for closing statements here. >> i grew up in the 23rd district, and i think it has the most wonderful people of the most incredible history, phenomenal historic sites, the devils river, big band, all of which for me it's important to preserve that for our kids to make sure we have an opportunity to expand our options. i was one of the biggest proponents for solar power and wind power because it helped generate jobs especially where we go through the abs and flows of the oil and gas and energy. in the effort to help people educate their kids and help

bring education closer to home. when i started, there wasn't a university or equal pass. those things have changed. my parents started the credit union with some others. i sort of example, i sold the public service and for me it was hoping people in their everyday lives. that's important to me and what i focus on and how i know ultimately that triumphs over a lot of the bigger special interests.

>> a couple weeks ago a mother talked to us, fourth grade class president and fifth-grade. it's great when you get feedba feedback. if you have any guidance for me? you could hear his mind spendi spending. you know why i got reelected, because i was nice to people. it's great advice and that is the mentality that i've tried to take in this district. i'm going to help you regardless whether you voted for me or not. i've had the honor. when i was in the back alleys into dangerous places the second time it was in this job.

just getting started, not going to quit in the 23rd district in texas is going to be an honor to go back to washington, d.c. to fight on behalf of. >> thank you very much for joining us. ..

>> >> but est. complicated

issue it is not black or white but it is so multifaceted would want to talk about in this piece is so complicated and i cannot talk all about it. >> i thought it would be nice so and even before i started shooting. this is my dad's pharmacy i talk to the colleagues and co-workers. >> the lot the internet research and to look at the statistics of those developmental disabilities to see really what was going on. >> most of the information i got off the internet was

websites that is how i knew the information that was getting was legitimate tell us what is the most urgent issue for the new president and congress to address n2017 open to all the school and high-school students grades six through 12 with $100,000 awarded of cash prizes. they can work alone or any group of three to produce a fiber seven minute documentary on the issues. also for opposing opinion the $100,000 of cash prizes awarded in shared between 150 students and 53 teachers the grand prize is $5,000 going to the student or team with the best overall entry that deadline is chief yuri 20th 2017 so mark your calendars to help spread the word to the student filmmakers.

go to our website for more information. >> >> welcome to the debate both the trying to represent northeast iowa in the first congressional district this area covers bottles of cedar rapids and did you. the moderators are from the gazette. we would like to extend our

thanks to. college for hosting the debate in their auditorium and the campus here in iraq is. now for the format questions will come from us the moderators as well as the audience members. they have submitted questions and those in view following online have also submitted questions each candidate will answer each question they will have nine seconds to answer each question. they do have additional 90 seconds for the follow-up question if needed. not getting the standard statements they will start by answering questions that they will actually get to zero minutes to answer the initial introductory question at the end of the debate will have the opportunity to respond to opposing questions. asking for audience members please do not interrupt and show respect to the candidates and those

watching at home for refraining order carrying or booming and please silence yourself phones. have an opportunity to applied at the beginning and at the end and here it is as we welcome the two candidates of the iowa congressional district representative rod blum and ms. monica vernon. [applause] [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] t6. >> we have inflicted:ahead

of the debate the first question will go to ms. monica vernon. >> moderator: with less then two weeks to go before election day is hard to believe there might be voters who don't know you or your platform so explain to us what has happened in your life to be a candidate for the first district race by work experience and family life and community service. vernon: thank you i am delighted to be here. i am ms. monica vernon running for u.s. congress i have always been a working mom raising three daughters while built a small business of a market research business in cedar rapids. to help lot of businesses take their product to market i learned aikido use my research to help others away

started to do work for colleges and hospitals and united way and right here in this community if found women and children were bottled up in housing and then living in a car and then put into a homeless shelters just for single men with disastrous results. at united way went in a different direction but i could not sleep that night so i gathered together other women we raised a lot of money and designed a shelter just for when and children to help them get out of the homelessness and that contract with their lives. i started to work on affordable housing with those women needing better jobs, many went into apprenticeships programs and

see them get on their way. just-in-time for the big flood. it was during that fled with 300 public facilities and you can see the good and the bad and the ugly with the state and federal government coming back from disasters like that. and then somebody has to go upstream so i began to help people get a better economy working for all people here in northeast iowa. >> moderator: talk about your biography and how you came to where you are now and what led you to run for congress in what led you to washington? blum: thanks to kcrg for

televising the debate and also to:college campus. born and raised in dubuque iowa. [chanting] representative rod blum years. my parents had tenth grade education so i have tumbled beginnings to of the floors in the of house had to airforce when my father came back from world war two he drove a truck then worked at the dubuque packing company they were never jealous of people that had money. we would drive up and down and grandview avenue on sundays with grass and flowers and a nice house is my parents never say what stake money from those people or they have the unfair advantage they would only say, rodney, if you work hard and get a good education you might be able to live there some day as well.

i never forgot those words and i went on to college to get a degree in finance as a dental students went to the university of dubuque to set off to work and my version of the american dream. that is what this is all about i lived the american dream it employed 325 people and if we have more people in washington d.c. that would be a smaller and more efficient and more effective government. i am running because i think the american dream is getting to be a distant memory and more and more people believe it will be there for their children and if we lose that for a better tomorrow i think we're losing what makes us uniquely american with the greatest country in the face of a planet.

>> moderator: the responses to these questions will last 90 seconds. first to ms. monica vernon. cedar rapids is ready to stop the cedar river from flooding but the $625 million plan has not yet seen federal dollars. the state is providing $50 million per year through sales tax program that never appropriated negative many the property values are too low compared to other projects that the army corps of engineers. what is the of plan, if any to address the hope in cedar rapids and actually representative rod blum will answer first. blum: i will try to make this simple.

the flood wall project was authorized by congress in 2014 the before i arrived that is different than that of many to be spent. with the army corps of engineers also president obama office of management budget also known as omb. and it meets the requirements of every dollar spent on the flood wall has to protect $1 of real-estate it like and want to do with. but it does not meet the requirements to tell us exactly what those are but it is somewhere in n the range of $2 of real estate value. but they will never meet that requirement because the real-estate value will never be that high.

so we have to compete effectively with cincinnati ohio you will never get built. we cannot earmarking in congress we cannot control the office of management and budget of recant work the amendment into the bill when we come back after the break we will go to conference with the difference is reconciled in the amendment and the senators have the senate version that says don't forget cedar rapids. they get a priority. vernon: and many communities up and down the state need flood protection. we absolutely need that. but i hope that this effort get set but with those other hard-working people it looks like a lot of finger-pointing. day army corps they point to

someone else. with the omb it sounds a lot of gobbledygook. what we need is someone to go to congress not just writing few letters but actually go to meet with people and gather people together to continue to talk about it. i call that squawking. get out there to talk about what has to be done. so here is the problem. down in one sentence that bill, at that law of the rule of values lane and more than people. that is what it is in there is not a town in our district to be treated fairly by that law because

it changes or they have to get the members of congress together to show why there is an exception in my need to be taking care of. i don't buy it recant control a lot by who we vote for we can control a lot by who we work with how we talk to the media about this. this is what is wrong in america. >> moderator:. >> moderator: these adjusting the i would delegation has not done everything it could? vernon: we have known about this since water two months after the flood. pride after words the cedar rapids leaders needed the flood protection system. 1 mile on each side of the river.

what is a local match what is the state match and a federal match to have to have the plan so we start right at it the army corps came to us at table and what should this look like? we have a plan in record time so that sent a message that he had to do this. so all along the city has been in touch with the army corps honor regular basis. he knew when we got the state match and what the price was everything is in place. so we need people well over one year that we have had

that in place. hopes i get right as something you don't wait until the last minute. and especially when other people's lives and jobs. >> moderator: representative rod blum, is she right? or what did your view? blum: first of all, it happened and 2008 the project was authorized 2014. it took you six years and the representatives to be authorized by the federal government that isn't exactly overnight. and then to have breakfast together at least once a month end those that work with well representing cedar

rapids over apportionment. in then to talk about the flood project. and then to introduce the companions. and then my bill passed and my amendment passed and once again we cannot hear mark. and then with the omb to focus that if i go back in january if i am reelected one of the first things we will do is remind them this was approved by the senate and house twice in please in still to bifurcate a budget. in someplace like cedar rapids will never fall.

>> changing topics one of the highly debated issues in this campaign is social security and government forecasters say it will be depleted between 20 and 2034. to eliminate the funding gap. and then to say which do you pervert mrs. vernon? vernon: i will say that social security less successful programs in the united states has ever instituted it has changed the way people live out their retirement years. it is a problem between our country in those who live in it. i feel very strongly so security and medicare. and how life has changed for

people and it is so important. we do need to make sure we preserve it. but i have absolutely dead against raising the retirement age at 70. i was around iowa and we are hard workers i think of people that were ironworkers , they throw sacks of grain, farmers, people who stand all day and retail. it is important that we not raise the retirement age. that is wrong. i do think there are deficiencies -- efficiencies and david needs to pay their fair share. i would do something with that cap to help us to get to solvency. my thought is the cap is now 118,000. but i would just not let it

go there. i would put it in later. >> moderator: tackling of problem and with the plan to change the cap. >> security and medicare are vitally important to the social safety net and we should do anything we can do to preserve them protect to make sure they're there for the next 50 years 70 years. this is also personal. my father died at 52 years old. and if we did not have social security or medicare so the last single-a-1 to do is to anything to harm those programs the reason i believe and if you even

mentioned the word security or dat is is the demagogue. that come across to push grandma's off the cliff in a wheelchair or on the retirement age. but that is a lie i have consistently said social security to be preserved and protected. and with republican ideas and it is the only way we will work in it will be a better bill. and then to raise the retirement age to people that our younger than 50 some removing the income cap has merit. >> moderator: your time is up. talk about raising the cap and also about means testing

so some people did not receive the same benefits. vernon: i am against means testing. i a do think with raising the cap i would give people some time to say to mendez 50,000 to accumulate to pay off the of mortgages to get ready for college and then perhaps open it up after that. i would like to say that my opponent talks about all these ideas how he wants to work with people, but congress and, you voted to cut social security, to voucher with medicare and raising the retirement age at 70. but then you don't come back to iowa either like it was a work around session.

you voted to do those things. with the move that would be very destructive. and against that promise we have made to people we are glad for that survivor benefit was there for you and your family. to cousins have benefited from an ad as well. win their father died a two year-old and a today year -- today all. there are stories you have to live it your vote. >> moderator: is it fair to somebody making up to $118,000 or 165,000 it don't pay on all of their income is it fair for low-wage to pay on all of the amount?

blum: i would like to address the vote that she is referring to is a budget vote me on the part of a budget that is binding is the top line number. a budget has thousands of pages and those are just ideas. they're not laws they are not binding it is just 3. $9 trillion topline. i voted for the republican study committee budget because that balanced we all agree we need a balanced budget and and then with eight and a half years. with topline spending nothing is binding. no different than obamacare. there is bound to be some good ideas. but they have a demagogue by your opponent. because they go through with

researchers in washington d.c. to find one little item so you want to push grandma over the cliff. that is the issue. and there is merit to bring back at certain income level i don't know what the right number is. we have to have the cbo scoring apropos also to remove means testing benefits but also republican ideas by letting more young people eldest presley is alive than social security will be there for them. >> moderator: your time is up. >> we are due for another farm bill. and some say we need the interim measure and widows into effect.

and that u.s. and member of congress. >> yes. that is important industry here in eastern iowa the first district. so with my a campaign that they have always said to things. the first is government regulations off the back of the epa and second we need more markets. we see that this year with a record harvest. as a result of that we don't have markets worldwide that is one of the reasons i believe in free trade and because the epa has not lived up to the old standard for ethanol.

we have kinsey manufacturing in my district. those of great paying jobs. we have john deere and t11 lang people off. we need to have regulations through free trade to other countries and also i would wish the federal government would live up to the law that was passed on the standards for ethanol. >> moderator: what could member of congress do to help agrobusiness quick. >> that is a very big part of our economy we're growing things in producing things. so here in cedar rapids.

but it has grown in the state and there are so many of other businesses that come from that such as john deere. so certainly we need to open up the markets for trade for farmers. i would say that needs to be fair trade. but i would also save the need to help the farmers with other crops and other things that corn can be made into. it can be used in some many different ways we have to be creative and that is what congress can do how ethanol came about and biofuels in needy to continue to transition into what else it

can be certainly we can feed the world and i am proud of that but so many other things are crops can be used for. now you can have a drinking cup. >> moderator: your time is up. what about expanding markets trans-pacific partnership in particular is that a good deal? will you vote for it? blum: what you refer to you is a multiple nation agreement of a very important area for trade in the united states. it is lengthy with that many countries involved but it would be scheduled for a vote. the donald it comes up early next week but i have said

paid don't think that ppp is good but i have not read it yet and those that have read word for word there is a consensus of opinion and with the farm prices the way they are we need more trade i would review that i don't have an opinion i am deferring to the experts. >> ru voting in favor? secretary clinton is against did the president of bomb is in favor. vernon: i am against that tpp we are such great growers and builders in makers we need markets absolutely but when we trade we need to make sure it is fair i know that my opponent has spoke for a long time

about being in favor of the nafta like a trade agreement and really these have been awful agreements for the state of iowa. we launched thousands of jobs to be sent overseas with every single community in this district would claim him 100 percent in favor of but this trade agreement is not fair trade that is not try want to be spent next of related to agriculture is water quality with the iowa department of national resources from 201-4754 waterways are being more polluted. begins counties upstream but it is not cheap farmers

would likely pick up the bill for any water quality changes what are your solutions and how do balance the support of the economic engine? >> clean water is the one thing that keeps people going we have to have clean water. farmers need water. it is very important so if it is us verses them or with a finger pointing situation and hunker down to get people to the table to get things done. and what i have worked very hard doing. if there is a problem you will appear sleeves to get

their opinions and ideas seriously we have a water quality program - - problem. then to have some responsibility. and then to look at cities. and i am really proud and then to be put into the cedar river the city of dubuque has done an amazing job with the work with their water quality and we can all work together. >> water quality issues have definitely come to the forefront. i never heard the words mentioned a lot almost dawn

no weekly basis the problems they have with lead in their water system. and it is a runoff for the most part it is by runoff by the farmers' fields we need to be more like said day and are and less like the epa. they coached to compliance in data dnr then they show up with a subpoena and lawsuits at the end of the bayonet. runoff this an issue with the conservation groups. bell help not only with runoff but also flooding. due to the way we construct the farmers and now they're

helping them to build grassy areas to hold water. and don't let it go down and freeze that is why we and up with letting senate bills are voluntary programs to improve water quality but based on the fact that the of iowa waterways are more polluted one can argue those volunteer measures are not enough. doing that state-by-state so it would be up to the epa to get a handle on improving water quality that is something to consider and what is the alternative quick. >> because all of the tributaries and up in the

mississippi river of the navigable waterways. to work with the states and uh dee -- dnr and the farmers as opposed to it is my way or the highway. event if they stay low then with the food supply. end with manufacturing to lay off people we have to be sensitive but we need to do that in a thoughtful way to make sure there is measurable improvement that is a great point to work with us iowa dnr who work with the farmers and that way it is a much better results than the suits in

washington d.c. the bureaucrats to to not report to anyone not elected by the citizens to say this is a new standard if you don't there is a lawsuit at the end of the bayonet and denied agree with that. and it all cannot be voluntary. >> i really believe i've been like to have that done here in iowa to hammer out solutions because whether it is on somebody's farm land is our responsibility. and doing market-research i have listened to the hopes and dreams of people of so many years to do a lot

studies we have redo a better job to be stewards of our resources? is that time after time if we make a mess we clean up by winds have never been in favor of shipping their garbage to illinois so let's get it taken care of. we are responsible so i would really like to have them sit down at the table to come up with a solution and readjust asking people to do that on their own. but i'd like to see farmers come up some rules and also cities to have more rules but of a bike is to work together.

if we can water is so important. >> moderator: your time is up. >> so what sort of immigration policy do you favor to stop illegal immigration for those who are here and now? what sort of a policy would reduce support? vernon: and my mom and dad or here in the second row coming from chica's of aucuba to work and farm in the area relatives came from germany and to seek a better life that is one of the greatest things about our country that we have come from so many different places on the other hand

members of congress, anyone who was elected to serve the people your number one thing with the people that you serve that is number one. so if you put them together i think it is important to have immigration reform. we need to make sure we have up-to-date rules and who we allow in side. but who can come in in the future? right now we have a lot of people here who have lived here for many years adding value but they are in the shadows and the need to bring america pet to the shadows have to have a way for people to earn their way to citizenship that when they earn more and pay taxes

into hopeless fair competition. >> moderator: same question. blum: first of all, of a like to back up. my opponent says she does not favor tepee p.m. with like to remind my opponent one of five jobs in iowa depends on exports so if you don't favor the trade bill and you're basically standing against 20 percent of the workforce in the state. and need to secure the southern borders for multiple reasons. and then to have accusations of 900 of isis in united states and to be smuggled and those types of people we have heard of to smuggle across most of the drugs

that our legal from 90% of the cocaine in the united states comes across the mexican border so the morris important is human trafficking. so they promise they will "bee movie" stars and then to be forced into prostitution with the current immigration system those that have overstayed the work visa. but we need to reform that to modernize it for employers. >> moderator: bush devotes for a stand-alone that would require employers regardless of immigration?

>> i would have to take al look at that. but to give people a chance. and for those who have set shown themselves to be law-abiding citizens to those whose children have grown up i would be willing to take a look at that. is and how we expend our economy. and we can think about trade at any cost but i am not for trade at any cost but fair trade and when we think about tpp, it is so

important the dollars made on a trade bill like that actually benefit the hard-working people of the northeast iowa district for i am here to tell you the tpp does not it is the very few at the very top of rehab the trade bill's we must reward the people the work is done. that is why i would continue to be against the trade bill's. >> moderator: your time is up. >> moderator: do those losses:negative log regards to immigration. >> i question. [laughter] we cannot get off of that but i do question she has read it corrects you have read every page?

but with my original answer on immigration we need to update the systems have no problem with people if we cannot find americans they work be said that they cannot overstate the reason they come here some of the welfare system that most of it is because of jobs we need to clamp down on the employer's. then the employer knowingly employees the consequences. and not in favor breaking up families as well. and then to get back of the line with immigration that is one of the ideas. the e-verify system needs to

be overhauled the entire system does but we are nation of immigrants and then 100,000% for a legal immigration. >> data know what you can have it to tpp on this one laugh laugh talk about health care in the state of iowa the average premium increase for those who have policies under the affordable care act or 25% some as much as 43% berger believe you are in favor of repeal and replace, so replace with what? and you are in control of congress the past two years why has there not been something specific put forward? blum: in control of congress technically. fifty-four senators but the

filibuster rule is a deuced by the senate leader harry reid minority leader it takes all those close to move legislation through. so if we talk about getting more things done in washington d.c. and then to pass that many bills but then they go to die in the senate. to solve the health care system we have great health care in this country we do need the plan so one single

bullet with those individual items to tackle those do have fha for patients across state lines hillary clinton wants the government negotiator big farm on drug prices. >> and your thoughts about the affordable care act? is that fine the way it is? vernon: i think the affordable care act means a lot of help but i did say that to begin with but today 20 million people do not have health care coverage have that. i don't want to go back to time for those who have the miracle who have health care

i don't want to go back two-time when it kept families and loved ones of health insurance coverage. cut '01 to go back to where time when being a woman is a pre-existing condition. there are some great things that have happened. and a lot more preventative measures and we need to work together. my grandfather i remember him talking about medicare. it was the knit '60s when it was passed it wasn't perfect with the bipartisan congress made it better that is why i

think they should have been doing instead of wasting energy to repeal and repeal and repeal. let's make it better. >> moderator: please hold your applause. >> moderator: representative rod blum was nobody listening and the other side? blum: i do agree with this central mcauley eggs it will not go anywhere. so let's not do with the 53rd time so i think we should have been working on so americans do not like obamacare with good reason it is supposed to be affordable care act. so the average family of

four would face $2,500 per year and now we find out their promise to feel like their physician you can keep it. [applause] i know of any better way to increase the quality to get competition to the private sector and we can be the finance deere to pay for health insurance or the handicapped or the disabled or the elderly. let's do that what government shouldn't do. >> moderator: your time is up. if you are elected was a list of proposals would lead

you take across the aisle to spruce the up quick. >> to be more affordable. vernon: by adding competition. there is probably no one in this room that does not agree with me competition in a marketplace with open competition. you will have prices lower. whether that means across state lines or a public option that has been talked about, this is a model that came from the republican party so everybody is sick of arguing everything. and we can improve it greatly and it is better for

all so many of these people having increased and iowa so it is still affordable for many people so does it need work and? heck yes but to go back to those bipartisan efforts in the '60s and let's do it again stopping appealing something and roll up the sleeves and work together. to solve the problem for the american people. barrett is an idea. >> moderator: please with hold your applies those candidates will precede a penalty of time for them so please respect the rules of the debate. next question on the topic of education, the federal education law to replace

with every student succeeds act no trout left behind was humble sides of the aisle. one issue that it did was it shined a light on those that often underperform their peers. low income households and without the light being shined what do you propose or what any other law should do to make sure they can easily get lost in the data don't get left behind? vernon: i think education is the greatest single investment we can make. but to get a child ready for the world there is nothing like get.

we would not have problems if every child had a great beginning. so with early childhood education a strong case through 12 system to make that stronger with be accessible and affordable training program college degree. we have three daughters. they have great preschool experience. i saw what that did for the. that every child if they have a jump-start to be much more successful. and then that is where you start to catch a range of abilities and disabilities.

it is so important to have the resources to work teachers in the classroom. but for what should happen. >> moderator: your time is up. >> this is a relatively short answer. laughter does not count doesn't? [laughter] >> education is a local and state issue and the government should not be involved at all. one size fits all mentality coming from washington d.c. has been there two years with the bureaucrats and the career politicians think they know how to educate a child in iowa they and cedar rapids or the school board i

could not disagree more. but i did vote for the most recent education bill that replaces no child left behind. . . along with a laundry list of the rules and regulations you have to meet i would say let's keep the dollar here in iowa. >> a few propose you proposed eg the department of education? >> absolutely.

>> i wouldn't do that. i think again back to education as one of the single greatest things we can do for any of our people is investing in education and i know early on in our marriage we decided lots of other things go by the wayside if wthat we were going to make e that our kids were educated and had those opportunities so they started looking at the opportunities other kids needed to have as well. so i think that it's so key. when i think of the federal government assistance and education i think of programs. one of the budgets that my opponent voted for didn't fully fund pell grants in a way that so many kids go to college i think it's so important that we have acceptable and affordable postsecondary after 12 grade education in this country, and we need to make sure that's

affordable. right now, we are charging enormous interest rates for those dollars, and our institutions have become very expensive and i think we have to find a way to be more accessib accessible, more affordable for all. we are losing ground on the world stage after you think about world war ii with the massive g.i. bill people into giving -- >> moderator: your time is up. >> blum: in recent years we have seen communities start raising their minimum wage at the time the federal minimum wage has the time or should we leave it to the states to set up whatever wage they want.

>> blum: that was a vote in the budget along with 5,000 other ideas, some of which i agree and some of which i don't but this is politics as usual. >> first of all i do think minimum wage should be a states issue. it's different than that in san francisco california for example. i read recently where governor branstad will entertain the idea of raising the wage and that is where the decision belongs. knox county by county because it's a little crazy we have 99 a friend and a mum wages but i think it should be done by the state and i think it's time the minimum wage gets raised in a reasonable amount so we don't have to have the discussion every year but we have to be mindful congressional budget offices have 500,000 mainly young people lose their jobs if we raise the minimum wage too

far. secondarily, the thing to think about is the majority of people working minimum wage or the youth and do not live in the low poverty households covered so if we want to get the golfers to the households, the earned income tax credit is a more effective way of doing it. >> moderator: should be raised, and raised to what? >> vernon: we have to get an economy that works for everyone and we have averages that come out of the nation's capital about where we are. coming back from the recession we had in 08 and 09 i do think that we need to raise the minimum wage but i wanted as a small-business owner -- i know how important it is to be able to plan for those increases. i erased my own minimum wage in my business to $10 an hour over ten years ago it was for our

interns and i didn't want their parents having to pay for apartments and everything else they were doing. i was getting a lot of work out of them. i think it's important that we do that. that's money moves right into our economy so that is important. it's important that we expand our economy here in iowa we have to find every way we can do that and that i think is one of them. i think another one is investing in infrastructure and education and research more and research and innovation. i think we have to get creative.

>> you are running as the democratic nominee. but i don't see you claim partisanship and news releases pointing out the partisanship of your opponent, so my question to you what does it mean to be a democrat? >> it's to want all people to succeed, to include everyone, to make sure people have equal opportunities and that there are several and equal rights and that we invest in education and in our community that we do need to balance our budget and take care of the deficit but i don't think we are going to cut our way to the deficit. it's a booming economy that

raises the deficit and i think you can go back through history and see that. i think we have to make investments. that's where i am. you can tell a lot by the presidential candidate that my opponent continues to support. he was disparaged nearly every ethnic group and religious group. he's been a sexual predator towards women. this matters to me as the mother of three daughters but also for those that have sons. so that fills it out better than ever before. he thinks he knows more about isis then the generals and thinks there should be more nuclear power. i don't. the list goes on and on but we don't have enough to do tonight. so those are just some of the things. sometimes i'm not sure which party because he's wiggling around so much.

it took 60 minutes for mr. trump . name to be mentioned. my follow-up has to do with how you differ on the presidential nominee so i would like you to take your minutes and i have to answer why are you a republican? >> blum: we should believe in the power of the individual. you look at the gop platform it's the same type of thing i believe in personal responsibility. we can't have liberty if it isn't underpinned by personal responsibility. take care of your self, your family and the children that you produce. i believe in constitutionally limited government as the republican party does and we need to get back to the

constitution. fiscal sanity would be nice. we need to balance our budget in the country and get serious about it. every progra program opposed by democrats sound good and they are all good but we can't afford a lot of it. we talk about the opponent being against one out of five jobs in the state. freed of smart trade and the republican party but also believes in the sanctity of life and i think the founders jeff had it correct when he said of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. because without life, you can't have liberty and without life and liberty, you cannot pursue happiness. >> when i had the opportunity i asked how she differed from president obama. one wants to know how you differ

from hillary clinton. >> i think about a woman that came out in the neighboring state and was a bright young woman who came out of a very fancy law school and went to work for women and children and families and as someone who's had a background as the first lady of state and the nation into someone who works across the aisle and worked tirelessly as our secretary of state. i look at the work she's done for women and children around the world. women's rights are humans rights in every iteration of that you can think of.

sometimes i think more in terms of using diplomacy for longer than perhaps she does. i know when we look at the world arena, we've got to be smart and we've got to be tough. i am a one of these people that's going to go and root out every stronghold and be done with them but i also know that i would spend extra time on diplomacy every moment i could. >> moderator: the leader of your ticket how did you differ on the substantive issues? >> blum: first of all, i don't agree with some of the things he has said he and his style. i think that we could all agree he is a crude new york city guy

and there is no place for that type of language much less when you are running for the highest office and most americans agree hillary clinton is a pathological liar so both of them have personality flaws. i would say some of the year he i.i disagree with donald trump s when he talks about a religious test if you're muslim you are not going to be allowed to come into the country at least in the short run. i don't agree there should be a religious test ever. however we should rely on the vetting of the background then they shouldn't be able to come into the country but it shouldn't be a religious test and i do not agree we should deport everyone here illegally and uprooting a lot of these people that are contributing. i would agree with that. i would disagree with that and also disagree with the sentiment

of what's go over there and take care of this and turned to sand into glass. i don't know if it was he that said that i disagree that it's t the way to execute this war however during washington, d.c. the career politicians and bureaucrats it's time for a change. >> moderator: business regulation both of you understand the local, state and federal level on the bottom line. you can also appreciate some regulations are there to protect people how to protect ideas. what specific regulations do you think should be eradicated if at the same time are there other ones that should be introduced to make it a more level playing field in the world of business and i will start with congressman blum. >> blum: i've started my own business and it isn't easy.

part of the reason is because of government. government is in the back pockets with excessive taxes and regulations. it's one of the things holding back iowa farmers. the u.s. actually try to repeal it and pass it in the house. he passed the senate and the president obama vetoes the bill. it has good intentions like a lot of things in washington, d.c.. going back to the water quality issue that would be the mississippi river and they've expanded that definition now that when it rains i had one tell me i'm a real estate developer tommy when it rains the water runs downhill. it goes into the mississippi river.

this hard land is now the jurisdiction of the epa and according to this new definition for 96% of iowa land could be in the jurisdiction of the federal government to overreach the hyperactive out of control fiduciary role in the department of labor giving financial advice is not going to work and so many of the rules and regulations end up hurting people they are supposed to help. >> i also found a small business and i agree that there is red tape and some of this just comes from our government not using new technology so you have to keep filling out things and make it more difficult for the small business owners. i've done research on why is it that we ranked so low in the nation on entrepreneurs here. it might be because there is red

tape. but we have stopped as a nation investing in research and investing in innovation as a government. but also oualso our private inss and companies are publicly traded companies and have stopped putting as much money into research and i think that this is a change in our whole financial system. you think about it we are builders here especially in this district. there is one welding something that's an invention or a woman a mile that way. but unless you can get your federal banking system changed around so that we are investing in our people again, investing in small business so the incentives are there in the system to do that and not just

to jack up stock prices. we are going to be in trouble, so that's what i think. >> moderator: is this hypocritical on your part to be attacking him for the same thing that your business data? >> vernon: there was a report that came out and i don't think the timeline is what you're talking about exactly. it is true that i have a smaller firm. but here is what happened to me. as a small business owner, and i'm sure there are many in here we experienced a downturn in 08 and 09. i gathered my people around the

table around the focus group table one first avenue and i said we don't have the research, and i want to keep everyone of you but i don't know if i can pay you in full price going forward would you be willing to take a cut in pay so that we can keep this going and i won't take any pay and i believe i have to go back but i believe that it's 75 for 8075 or 80% is what theyd god bless them. some of them couldn't do that and others left not all at that time. a. what happened is we back to the cocaine back because of them.

then i restored -- >> do they accuse her of supporting terrorism? >> she supports the nuclear agreement. i read a pag it page for page ad for word and it literally is a head scratcher. i thought the purpose of the agreement was to prevent them from getting a nuclear bomb and after reading the agreement they are going to get a nuclear bomb. it's probably the worst agreement i've seen in my two years in washington, d.c.. and i certainly hope the trade agreements are better. there's lots of reasons we have to get 25 day days of advance ne before inspections that there is no on-demand ends inspections. we did nothing to continue to

not allow them to develop ballistic missiles and other perfecting right now in testing to deliver a warhead we had an arms embargo that we have negotiated for years with russia. we finally got russia to agree that goes away with its new agreement and we see the unmarked planes just delivering the foreign currency to trade money. and i guess we can't be trusted knowing those things. >> moderator: the president put into place an order that changes rules in some states including iowa followed a lawsuit that goes into effect december 1.

your position on the topic and what would you as a member of congress to do if it does go into effect? >> blum: i've heard from hundreds of businesses that are talking about how this may put them out of business. we are talking about people's lives and employees. i've heard from the district of nonprofits. it's going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and they don't know where they are going to get the money. it's to qualify for overtime. cakennedy raised, sure, like the minimum wage and like so many other things they don't index things to inflation so we pass it and now all of a sudden the number in the purchasing power

is less than it was take but tan from 21,002 at 847,000; drastic. it's 125% increase and very, very difficult. should it be 130% raised, i don't think so. >> what would you do as a member to repeal it reversed the order. it's going to have a negative impact on the small businesses and nonprofits profoundly. >> the question came to us and that they would like to know is that too much or do you agree with the president's order on the new salary threshold that ties into overtime?

>> vernon: it's been a long time since that was raised and i would be willing to take a good long look at that. it is true that i support that and we knew that iran was close to a nuclear weapon. and having been in business myself for a long time having worked in the community for eight years coming back from the flood as a cedar rapids city council woman i know how hard it is to get agreements and get anybody to solve problems and get things done so i don't think that the agreement is perfect. but the number one thing that you are charged with when you go to congress is the safety and security of american lives and secondarily, our allies.

when i look at this agreement, it isn't perfect. that's what it's done is it's gotten inspectors in. there've been more communication back and forth. it slowed things down and i think the litmus test is after a year now have even safer, i think we have been. so you want to just stomp your feet and walk away is the agreement. i would have voted yes. >> moderator: the polls show most americans overwhelmingly support the measures that include standing background checks and purchases for convicted felons and people with mental health problems from banning people on the terrorist watch list or the no-fly list from buying guns at congress hasn't taken action on this divisive topic. what would be your position

>> vernon: it goes to the safety and security of keeping people safe and secure. i'm a supporter of the second amendment. we come from a state where we have many people who are out hunting although i don't keep close track of that. i have many friends that are hunters and safe users of their guns. in a community like this everyone deserves that safety and security so there are common measures we ought to do as a nation. i think that the universal background check is something that can be passed, and i also think that the no-fly makes a

lot of sense and i would work to see those changed. there was a group that did a sit in trying to make the point that bees are very common sense measures agreed upon by most people in the country. i didn't see the congressman in the group at this again but i certainly -- >> moderator: your time is up. what is your position on the topic? >> blum: i don't think that taking guns away is going to keep us any safer. the things you mentioned are already the law of.

if you fire a licensed dealer you have your name submitted to the system which is the background check system and you have to be approved. now the no-fly list, i know it's popular to say no fly, no buy, but isn't constitutional however the right to bear arms is and i think it's very chilling for the government is to say we've will take away your constitutional right if you are on a list. senator ted kennedy was on the no-fly list for example and people have to go through and they are still on it because they have to go through the federal bureaucracy. it's chilling to say we are going to take up a the constitutional righconstitutiont

until you can prove to us that you should have it. what if we did that with free speech or other constitutional rights. there is a difference. both of you touched briefly on infrastructure and hillary clinton is suggesting about twice that amount as members of congress what sort of the infrastructure bill would you support and specifically what would you like to see happen to the northeast iowa infrastructure. i'm not a huge investor in the infrastructure i think that we have seen firsthand here in cedar rapids after the flood when you fix the sewers that are broken and blasted open from the devastating flood and youth the streets on top of them, private

enterprise comes because they want to be any plac in a place t you've paid attention to. so what i would look at in the infrastructure is put people to work right away in building it but it also spruces up the pla place. i spent nine years on the chamber board recruiting businesses and looking at what it takes for the businesses to be successful. one of the top things they look at is the infrastructure so i would certainly look at the flood protection system. i would've guessed right on that and i know there are a number of

projects. >> moderator: your time is up. congressman blum. >> blum: being a businessman i understand and appreciate the difference between the investment and i think infrastructure spending by the government and investments it is an expense that occurred one time and the benefits are short-term. i would certainly expect it to be 22 -- 20 to 50 years. i see it as a economical issue. if we don't have great roads and bridges and live on the mississippi river the locks and dams over the 50 year useful life and they are now 80.

a lot of it is green and add related and with the reserves taking up a lot of the train cars, it is absolutely critical that we keep the system going. .. >> our final question for the evening, what you say to young college and high school students who all are told during the

selection time that their future is looking like the worst. how would you inspire them? >> their futures looking like the worst? i would be concerned. when i went to college, no it was a while ago we had multiple job offers when we're graduating because the economy was good. i think the biggest, there's college debt is an issue but specifically we didn't talk about it tonight and is number one issue people want to talk about is the economy. this economy is limping along a 1% growth this year. the economy of the last eight years has averaged about 8.6 to 8.7% per year. average is twice that. average post-world war ii is about 3.5 gdp growth.

young people here, we need to get the economy reignited again. it's not rocket science how we do it. we need to cut the highest corporate tax rate in the world by eliminated -- reduce regulations and uncertainty, reduce our deficit. balance our budget. we budget. we need to fully exploit american energy resources and we need corporate abuse reform. we could be going out for six percent. if we did that there be 12,000,000 more 12 million more americans working. the average family of four would have to another $500 per month in your paycheck. the reason you're going to college is that you want to feel the collet field that you're studying. we need to get the economy going again. >> our time is up. [applause] >> what i would say to them is. i believe in you.

i believe in your generation. i think anything is possible. this is the best country on the face of the of. we have wonderful people and i hope you will stay in northeast iowa with the rest of us. we have problems but we don't have any problem we can't solve. i would tell them the way you can deal thought is to get out and vote. get involved. you can determine your future. i think a smart man once said that people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. you will be successful as you make up your mind to be. we have a great country. take advantage of all that is there. most of all, in this election season vote. get get out and get to know the candidates. learn who you can and who will be accessible to you. find out who you trust. find out who is going to answer the phone. who is going to be there in their offices. who is going is going to be there for you. don't to vote for someone who will talk about reform as my

opponent has done repeatedly talked about reform. reforming congress, reforming this and that. yet, he made a promise to give back half of his paycheck and broke the promise upon election. when you break promises you destroy trust. i think it's important that we say that. the other part of that. >> thank you so much for joining us for this debate this evening. we are out of time. [applause] you can follow the election coverage on casey energy to be nine. >> tomorrow, live coverage of the presidential candidates as they make their less campaign appearances before tuesday's election. hillary clinton will hold a campaign rally in detroit at 5:15 p.m. eastern time.

at seven p.m., donald trump will be in hershey, pennsylvania. a libra to the white house coverage on c-span, see spend out or c-span.org, and the c-span radio app. >> election night on c-span. watch the results and be part of the national conversation about the outcome. the -- watch victory and concession speeches. watch live on c-span on demand at c-span.org or listen to our live coverage coverage using the free c-span radio app. as the nation elects a new president on tuesday, will america have its first foreign-born first lady since since louisa adams? or will we have a former president's first gentleman? gentleman? learn more about the influences presidential spouses from

c-span's first ladies, now available on paperback. it gives readers a look at the personal lives and impact of every first lady in american history. first ladies as first ladies is a companion to c-span's well-regarded biography series. if features interviews with the nations leading first ladies historians. it it offers brief biographies a 45 residential spouses. it is now available at your favorite bookseller and as an e-book. >> house candidates in new hampshire's first congressional district participated in a debate that covered topics including healthcare, term limits, gun rights, the rights, the environment, and the presidential race. a competent is of her reelection this hour-long debate was hosted by an h1 news.

>> tonight, the general election debates in the first congressional district, and are studio. >> i've spent almost last two years focusing on my job, represent people in the state of new hampshire. i think that has produced great results. >> and carol porter. >> we i'm anxious to get back to work. >> this time around, they have companies, independent bae-3. >> i'm i'm all about upsetting the race. >> are debate begins right now. >> good evening. it is debate night in new hampshire. we welcome the candidates and think them for coming to our studios and taking part in the important discussion of the issues that

matter most to you, the voters at home. >> the ground rules for the debate. the candidates will each be asked questions and have one minute to respond. at the end of the minute the candidates will hear an audio queue. >> your moderator's 32nd rebuttals will be allowed at the end of the debate the candidates will give one minute closing statements. earlier today there is a coin flip to determine which candidate would give their final closing statements first. here's the order. >> before we jump into the issue here some important campaign questions in the wild race. mr. o'connor, your wants your once running for the democratic nomination. you accuse carol porter of personal attacks any threat just sue her. all this before dropping your democratic bid. we have two questions. first do you think you have a real chance at winning the election or you tried to be a spoiler in the shea porter ginter showdown.

>> i know know you are not involved in last month's to try to houston from the ballot but you agree with that effort that mr. o'connor should not be on the ballot and should not be at this debate. let's begin with you former congressman. >> everybody can be on the ballot. anybody can run on the democratic side. you go to the secretary state the cost $60 and you sign up. up. that is how it works. when i first ran back in 2006i was not the chosen candidate but i worked hard and i talked to people about what my agenda was and convince them that i had the best vision for this country in representing new hampshire. this time i was not the choice for the national democrats but i did let it stop me. i brought my $50 down there, signed up and it spent two years walking around the district and talking to

people about what my vision was. so nobody got kicked off the ballot. $50 you you can be on the ballot, that's the law. >> are you a spoiler in this race mr. o'connor? >> absently. there's criteria to get into the debates and one is demonstrated in viability. i'm proud to be the first independent candidate to offer voters an alternative in the history of new hampshire politics. we have had a decade of be for an carol shea-porter and i am proud to represent a change. obviously i've decide not to litigate the new hampshire sued me twice and i cannot imagine that this would've been against congressman carol shea-porter mission. both times we won 4 - 1. it's not just $50 as a independent it's 1600 signatures and yet have to collect more than that because they toss out more. even even hollingsworth was candidate for governor here supported me voter for me both times.

>> you want to respond to that? >> he was not sued. that was not my issue. he's a lawyer, he notes he wasn't sued. it was a hearing. i think that's an important distinction. you know, distinction. you know, welcome. i think it will make it interesting. >> i look for to it. >> thank you both very much. >> and now question for they for frank guinta. >> you agreed to pay a fine and pay back your parents for their contribution to your campaign, but there new allegations the summer. during our primary debate last month your republican challenger set apart, the the fact of the matter is that frank and deb

broke the law. it's not minor, it's the largest scandal of a campaign-finance issue we've had. worst, he broke the trust of the voters. he lied. our simple question tonight is, should voters trust you? >> thank you for hosting this debate. i want to for hosting this debate. i want to thank them for inviting sean o'connor to this process as well as congresswomen frank bae-5. six years ago i apologize for mistake i made an 18 months ago this has been settled. i appreciate the fact that to be the nominee for the republican party and the work i've done on behalf of all the greatest status. focusing on my work as chairman of the task force of the hair when an opiate crisis where we were able to bring money in a very bipartisan way, working across the aisle to stop the tax that was impacting so many employers, nonprofit individuals and operations as well as colleges, universities and minutes appellees. that's what i think people want us to focus on. the public policy issues that will impact families, middle-class families in the state and in the country.

>> would you like to respond to that? shawn o'connor i hate to respond to that. you know your attorney dragged it out for years and you said that i was lying when you really had done that. your primary primary opponent this time said that when you're right you fight. but but you didn't. you settled. he said that when you settle it's because people don't want to get prosecuted. i think people know that, i don't want to linger on that. other that. other people can do very good work in washington d.c. >> congressman would you like to respond. >> the reality is this is a six euro complaint that was settled a year and half ago. unfortunately my opponent also has an empty seat complaint filed against her that as mr. o'connor who said in the last debate people said should be focused on the issues. one that carol shea-porter refused to attend.

i welcome that we should be focusing on public policy issues. that's what i'm happy to focus on and i hope we continue this evening on the policy issues that affect granite state and the rest of the country. >> your response. >> we looked at the one e-mail that we received ten it honestly was a mistake because what they said was please come in for an interview. but i know that we have five debates in three forms and i look forward to them. >> so i think what is interesting is that carol porter saying she's a woman of integrity. the truth of the matter is she has been dishonest with new hampshire voters for a decade. she has said and you can check it on the website that she has never taken money from d.c. lobbyists. that is not true. i will give you three examples. robert mcglocklin of mclaughlin and jarvis. he gave heard $200,000. his clients include hsbc,

foreign big bang. the alpine group represent shell oil and oil and blackstone and the empire consulting group that represent -- i think it's a bit hypocritical for congresswomen to imply that she obviously the voice of integrity. >> thank you. we will give give you the final word on the. >> when he tried to get astute story out of the union leader. he they contacted us and so we're taking money from lobbyists and we went back and look. out of the nine, seven of them were not lobbyists and two of them we returned one check right away and the other do not self identify. i think it's important sean that you admit that you took corporate tax money for a year and that you also have packed which you just closed in june. i don't really understand what you're saying this. but it's okay. >> if i may, if it comes down to pack money am happy to have that debate.

you took a check from smith & wesson which is quite shocking and kept her for a year. if you're going to debate who has returned checks quicker let's review the record. you can go to my website, and click on check the facts. you'll be be able to see the $1 million that she is taken from register lobbies. you'll be able see that both she and congressman ginter have taken more than $2 million in pack money. >> the final word please. >> i have to say that this is like a lot of other things that you have made up. we'll just leave it there. >> candidates thank you. we want to get to the crucial issues that are voters care about but i have to ask you one more question. campaign related. i think everybody can be honest and agree that this has been a very unique presidential election. we've had two candidates like never before. it's been very polarizing and it's fair to say that it has impacted down ballot races.

mike two questions, mr. ginter, do you believe that donald trump's claims that he has never sexually harassed women and do you think that hillary clinton has been honest with americans at all times? >> i should their frustration that granite stators and americans have with the choices at the top of the ticket. we now have a binary choice choice between mr. trump and secretary clinton. the concerns i've had an eye for them both, the concerns i have with hillary clinton are long list of concerns relative to how the middle class needs to try to get upward mobility and focus on economic growth. we have not had that under the obama clinton years. i'm concerned with the size and scope of government she

wants to create. something both my opponent's favor. carol shea porter has identified herself as a liberal in the race. up until recently he was in the democratic primary until essentially the way carol shea-porter treated him required him to want run as an independent. i admire him for that but those of the realities. i do hope that what people and up focusing on our issues that matter to families and that's family, healthcare, and jobs. >> just this morning on wjr and nh one, donald trump again to nine some of the allegations, do you believe him when he says he never sexually harassed or grabbed any of these women? >> i don't know facts of the case. we have to take the candidates that what they say. the reality is that in two weeks that voters will make a decision as to who they want to lead the nation. the current concerns i have with clinton are long. and both my opponents are likely

to support hillary clinton. we have a binary choice between secretary clinton and the challenges she has with mr. trump. >> as paul mentioned, it appears that american voters have an issue with trust when it comes to hillary clinton. a new poll out shows many americans do not necessarily trust her. do you think hillary clinton has always been honest with the american people in your opinion? >> i think clinton made a mistake with the emails. if i didn't think she was honest i would not have endorsed her. is very interested in the answer that we just heard from frank into because the reality is that frank hasn't spoken up at all, when we heard trump attack women he said nothing. when we heard trump attack war heroes he said nothing. when we. when we heard trump attack hispanics, he said nothing. you have not said anything, while while you set a couple of things recently. that is a man of great vision and leadership.

you find him refreshing. you better bracing him all along. this is not the time to back off. you should stay should stay right with him. he's your guy. >> would you like to respond? >> we have a binary choice between secretary clinton and mr. trump. i am very concerned about the path, the policy policy path that hillary clinton would take. and my two opponents would support the big government she wants. despite the fact that just this evening the president of the united states announced that obama care is not going to have a 25% increase and a 20% reduction in choice. this is exactly what she started five years ago because she was told to support it. >> we will get to health care in a moment, mr. o'connor i would

like you to way in, are you supporting either of the presidential candidates? >> i'm a true independent and i will work with whoever is elected by the people of the country. i want to want to make a couple of corrections. >> i'm the only person on the stage who has worked for a republican member of congress. and a democratic lieutenant governor. i've been able to bring people together across part party lines. i support public choice. i endorse bernie sanders because i believe he understood the problems with the two-party system. now that the emails have come come out it's become quite clear and he was right. i don't support nor do i endorse endorse all or many of his plans. i think what the voters want is not to hyper- partisan choices that they've had for the last decade. they want a new fresh choice that represents granite state value value. >> i think it's interesting because i listen to you for a year talking about how bernie

needed bernie kratz with him in congress to make a difference. so you absolutely did embrace them. you. you are right, your once a republican working on wall street and became a corporate democrat. then a bernie person and then you became an independent republican. it has been a rapid change. it's hard to keep up. i have to say is stunning to hear you say that you are not supporting bernie because you absolutely did. he didn't endorse you but you are definitely, any set fundraising letters out that you were the person and bernie needed the team in d.c. and that would be you. it was a rapid change. which are allowed to do. >> congressman the last word. >> i feel like i met a democratic primary debate. the reality is congresswoman has been running for the seasons 2006. and sean o'connor is in the general election because of

the fact that she and the leadership did not want him to participate in the democratic primary. i welcome him to the debate stage. i welcome the ideas that the reality is he's a self identified progressive who did support bernie sanders. i think my opponent is frustrated with that because she has to deal with the primary and the debt general election debate. >> thank you all very much. you brought this up a few minutes ago, the obama administration today confirming premiums will go up for those on health insurance exchanges on healthcare.gov. the federal market will drop from 232267. that's the loss of about 20%. the question is if you're in congress in january, what are you going to do to reverse these trends and let's start with carol. >> first we have to correct something frank said. the hill articles today said the premiums would go up under 5%, that's important. the other thing is about 75% of

the population will not pay premium higher than $75. they also need to know that if you are receiving subsidy it will never be more than 10% of your income. you also need to know what the aca has done, the affordable care act. support because we've heard frank talk about the opiate crisis. the reality is the money comes from the affordable care act and that money is been used not only to ensure 50,000 were people but providing providing treatment for up to 6000 people. it gives us the tools in the communities in new hampshire to get people into treatment because we have the affordable care act. it's not good just to say over again that you're just going to repeal it. without a plan behind it. i tell people you bought a brand-new car and you push it out of the dealership and

promised she would never do maintenance and that's what you've done. you have hoped it would work. it is working, we need to fix it and make it stronger. it's here to stay. >> i can only tell you what the president of the united stated set a few hours ago. he announced that the premiums will increase 25% and% and there will be a 28% reduction in insurance carriers participating in the exchanges. that's not good for new hampshire or the country. you have to really in dollars that has been borrowed and spent for this program and you promised that people would have greater access to care more affordability. neither is happening. in new hampshire just last summer a man announced rate increases of 42%. it's unfortunate because of the challenges they're having with obama care. the of reality is it's $300 per person per family for. that's 1200 a month. i don't think families think. i don't think families think that's affordable. i don't think so. we need a different approach which is why have not supported

a government run program. we need a patient patient centered approach that will create more competition, more choice, provide opportunities for hsa's. that's the better and after five years we should go in a different path. >> if you're in congress to try to repeal obama care? >> while we we have just witnesses the hyper- partisanship of congressman that's frustrated voters and that's why entered the race. there's a lot of buzzwords but not specifics. i'll give you two. we need a regional exchange. that includes maine, new hampshire, vermont and massachusetts. this will solve our a lot of our problems. increase competition because right now are too small of a state and that punishes us. i'm probably the only one on this stage that buys my insurance on the exchange. it will lower costs. the second thing is we should value young people who are completely portable coverage to

bind to medicare which allows us to simultaneously provide them affordable care for the country if they choose. it also maintain the solvency of medicare without raising taxes. those are specifics and independent ideas that you will not hear from either my purse and friends. >> thank you. >> that's a true progressive approach. that's a single payer system. we do not have after five years a solution to what was a vote of four or what they're trying to achieve which is lower rights and greater access. what what you have to do is have and get rid of the affordable care act which is a top-down approach. the regional approach is still a top-down approach from washington. it's not a patient centered approach. both of them are identical and not only their support for the affordable care act but the approach to a single-payer system. >> the final word. >> clearly neither one of them read the bill but i did.

the regional approach is in the affordable care. the reason they're not doing it is because were an older state and some other states are not as interested. connecticut for example, younger and healthier. they healthier. they don't want to do it. massachusetts is saturated so they don't have the incentive to do that. i also like to talk to frank a moment about how this insurance has worked. private insurance on the exchange and the other part of that is it's really brought insurance to most people in the country. if you talk to the hospital it's good to have it people with insurance come to er. >> thank you. much more to come tonight. more back after quick break. >> welcome back to our first

congressional district debate tonight at our mh one new studio. we continue tonight with an important issue in new hampshire. that is the drug crisis. congressman you work to secure money to help fight the heroine problem in new hampshire. more people are expected to die the shoe than last. is new hampshire allocating the money in the right places and is it being used correctly? >> i did something that most republicans don't often do. i asked ann ann custer to chair the commission with me. we have now over 90 members of congress equally divided amongst republicans and democrats focus on solving the problem. that's a good first step for washington d.c. we have 18 bill signed into law bipartisan lee.

we've started the funding in september, hundred 92,000,000 dollars a year for the next five years. that was the first step. we need first step. we need additional drug courts in the states, more recovery centers. we work work with our counterparts to provide that ability for those who have illness of addiction. >> more people are expected to die this year than last. what does that suggest you? >> it suggest that we still have an epidemic in the state new hampshire. 439 people passed last year of a drug-related overdose. this is not going to go away soon. we need to make sure that we focus all of our resources and effort on the illness of addiction, making sure that we have those resources get into, making sure that we have those resources getting to the individuals and we are starting that now. we also have to stop the supply. you're only interdicting three to 5% apparel inches it's coming across the border and getting