>> when you're not in the white house, my party doesn't have one thing to stand up to but i will share with you some things were i think i'm probably at odds with some embers of my party. i believe in the early 90's when congress passed mandatory minimum in the early 1990's, we swung too far. i believe that we need we need to revisit those. in particular for nonviolent offenders. and allow more discretion for judges and frankly more discretion for the states to make determinations in terms of what are the proper sentencing guidelines for these things. i think we went overboard in terms of federal sentencing minimum mandatory sentences. i'm someone who believes in redemption and reconciliation and i also believe that we need to look at the prospect of checking if you've served your time and you have paid your

price and in terms of time in prison, for certain crimes and for certain jobs, you know, i don't think you should be required to check the box as a felon which only increases recidivism. i think if people have paid their debt to society, society needs to welcome them back and make it easier to come back into society if, again, for certain crimes and for certain positions. >> i appreciate you asking that question because my opponent's whole campaign has been pretty much based on this bogus charge. the 97% charge. independent political analysts have called it both misleading and not reflective of my record. the national journal which did a review of all of the votes not just a subsection ranked me right in the sensible center ch in your questionnaire where have i stood up against my party? i support drilling off the coast of virginia. as long as we get a share of the royalties. i support that. i support the keystone

pipeline. as a matter of fact, i've even protested in -- been protested against in harrisburg because of that support. i stood up to the president repeatedly on his foreign policy choices both around isil but h also in terms of being strong against putin and started calling early in march for these kind of stronger oppositions to his activities in ukraine and around germany. it's that reason that virginians know my record. it's that reason why, again, in this campaign, i'm so proud to have the support of more republican legislators than when i ran the first time. without merit i don't think it would be the case. what it is, is the kind of political attack charge that comes from somebody who spends their career -- >> race is showing the poll is leaning democratic. watch the entire debate and dozens of others at any time on

our website c-span.org. tomorrow lawrence gonzaleston of georgetown university joins us to talk about the recent ebola outbreak and how to prevent future global emergencies. then steven cook discusses the role of turkey and the fight against isis and a look at the problem of domestic violence in america with the bureau of justice statistics and the national network to end domestic violence. plus we'll take your phone calls, facebook comments, and tweets. all on "washington journal" live tomorrow morning, 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. also tomorrow a memorial service for former press secretary james brady, who died in august. he was shot and permanently disabled as a result of the attempted assassination of president reagan in 1981. at the service remarks from vice president joe biden and journalists andrea mitchell and judy woodruff. we'll have live coverage tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. our campaign 2014 coverage

continues with the new jersey house debate in the third district race. republican thomas macarthur and democrat aimee bell gard debated in morristown. recent polls show the race is a tossup. their debate was an hour and 20 minutes. >> great to see you all tonight. on behalf of the league of women voters of burlington county, i welcome you to the candidates forum for new jersey's 3rd congressional district. i wish to thank you, the audience, and the candidates for participating this evening and the township public schools for generously donating space we are using for this event. my name is barbara kutcher, a member of the league of women voters of burlington county. i'm very pleased to be here with you. the league of women voters is a nonpartisan, political organization, whose purpose is to encourage informed and

active citizen participation in government. it does not support political parties or candidates. the league works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. elections and voting are core concerns for the league of women voters. year in and year out, leagues are committed to providing fact-based information about issues and the positions candidates take on those issues to help voters make educated decisions and participate in the electoral process. forums like this are a central component of the league's mission. as a service to the voters, princeton community tv is taping tonight's forum. the video will be available nline at princeton tv.org, lwz

uehrle cove.org, and lwvnj.org. it will be rebroadcast in its entirety by c-span, so please check the c-span website or your local tv provider for scheduling details. before we proceed, i will ask that you silence and put away all electronic devices. this includes cell phones, tablets, and cameras, with the exception of preapproved media. this is a courtesy to the candidates and in compliance with the league of women voters regulations that prohibit audio and videotaping by audience members. remember, we are being recorded for broadcast. any use of the league name or of footage from the debate in campaign materials, literature, or advertising of any kind including radio, internet, cable, or television has not

been authorized by the league of women voters. no recording other than that of princeton tv is permitted. we encourage you to visit me at the table in the lobby at the close of tonight's program. there you will find voter registration and vote by mail application forms in addition to league of women voters materials, take home a membership brochure to learn more about our organization and the work we do. in addition, you will find information about upcoming league of women voters candidate events. before i close, i'd like to remind everybody that there is no electioneering in the auditorium or on school property for that matter so if you're wearing a campaign button or t-shirt or you have a hat it needs to be put away at this time. it is now my pleasure to , roduce tonight's moderator syracousa.

>> in the interests of full disclosure i am a member of a lawrence township league. i live in the 12th congressional district and i will not be voting in this election. the general guidelines for the event which we've already reviewed with the candidates ahead of time. questions and responses remain pertinent to the office and to the issues. audience questions can be submitted in writing and should also be pertinent. league members will collect them as you proceed and pass them up to me. please, audience, maintain a respectful presence and hold your applause and verbal comments to the very end of the forum. interruptions from the floor are not permitted and if there are any problems you might be asked to exit the building. both candidates will be given four minutes for the opening remarks. there will be questions from our league of women voters panel and i'll cue the panel and the candidates in order. there will be six such questions. candidates will have two minutes to reply to each question. we'll then move on to audience

questions which again will also have two full minutes for each candidate to reply. should there be a specific question addressed specifically to one of our candidates they can have one minute to reply and an optional response from the other candidate. should there be rebuttal i will ask if you want rebuttal and each candidate gets one mint for that. what else do we have? at the conclusion the candidates will have two full minutes to make their remarks. i'm sure you can see them at the front. they'll give you a warning sign, yellow warning sign 15 seconds before your time is up for your two-minute, one-minute, or four-minute event. then the red stop sign means stop. try to conclude your sentence at that point. now we have our league of women panel, tony zimmer, ed gracely, and loretta lynch who will have some league developed questions. six such questions. i'll start them after the opening remarks. i just wanted to introduce them because tony is the president

and ed is the treasurer and secretary. and loretta is on the board. all right. we had a coin toss for opening remarks and will start with candidate belgard. please proceed. >> thank you very much. thanks to the league for hosting this event tonight and to everyone who came out to be part of this democratic process. it is a real pleasure to be here with you this evening. i'm aimee belgard. i grew up in south jersey and i currently live in edgewater park with my husband bill and my two young boys liam and tommy also known as double trouble. i came to this to running for congress probably a little bit different than most people. my background has been forged with community service and along the way my community service shifted a little bit after losing both of my parents to cancer much too early in life. i lost my mother, unfortunately, to breast cancer, and my father, who had been a vietnam veteran, and

exposed to agent orange, i lost him to stomach cancer. but i'm one of those people that believes you take your life experiences and put them to good use for other people. so i became very involved with the american cancer society over the years. and held various roles with them. one that i was really proud of was as new jersey state lead ambassador where i would lead groups of volunteers down to washington or to trenton to meet with legislators and after years of doing that i decided that i was tired of asking other people to make the right decisions. i decided that i would step up and get more involved myself. so i first served locally in edgewater park and on our township committee and now as many of you know i currently serve as a burlington county free holder. i'm really proud of my service there. now here i am taking this leap to run for congress. you know, people ask me all the time, aimee, why are you doing this? congress is such a mess. and the reason is, because i'm tired of the status quo. washington is broken. we need to step up and fix it

if we're not okay with the status quo. that's exactly what i intend to do. it's time that washington puts our priorities back in order and here in the third district it's very clear that the middle class is struggling. it's squeezed. i've seen it as a free holder. i've seen it on the campaign trail. we need to work to boost our economy. to make things better for the middle class throughout burlington and ocean counties. you know, whether it's making sure that, or working so instead of shipping jobs or giving incentives to companies that ship jobs overseas or tax breaks to big oil companies, use that money right here in the third district so that we can make education more affordable, invest in infrastructure here in the third district. also we need to talk about the minimum wage for our hard workers here in the third district. and making sure that women are

paid equally for equal work. you know, right here in south jersey we have this great economic engine of the joint base, fort dix, mcguire lake hursth, the largest employer right here in south jersey, the second largest employer in the state. we need an advocate who will go to congress to step up and speak up for that base. as an honorary commander at the base and having grown up in south jersey i know just how important the base is here in south jersey. i will absolutely fight for the base. we also need a voice for veterans who have served. having seen what my father went through as a veteran, i know the struggle. as we've seen the systemic problems in the v.a. we need to make sure we have somebody that is speaking up for our vince not only in their care but -- veterans not only in their care but in education and good jobs. we need a voice for seniors throughout south jersey. somebody who is going to say, i'm not okay with taking away the hard earned benefits that our seniors have worked for like medicare and social

security. we need to do it not as democrats or republicans but as people who are willing to work as a whole for our community. that's what i've done as a volunteer. that's what i've done serving in edgewater and burlington county. that's what i'll do serving the third district. >> thank you. applause] >> i think i asked to hold the applause to the end. since you clapped for one clap for the other. after that no more. >> thank you. i want to thank the league of women voters for hosting this, and for all of you for being here and we'll talk about a lot of things over the next 90 minutes. a lot of issues. i want to introduce myself as a person first because on november 4th you are not just going to send a political party to washington but a real live person with experiences and

convictions, capabilities, opinions, and that's going to hape how they act. i was born in a middle class family, one of five kids. my mother and father were very different. mom was a liberal democrat and catholic. dad was a conservative republican and a protestant. we spent our nights talking about the two things you're not supposed to talk about. and i learned from my parents that you show respect for other people's views but that you also have the courage of your own convictions. that served me well when i got out of college. i went off to business. i fell in love with my first job. i was an insurance adjustor in new york city making $13,000 a year with my new bride. i stayed in the insurance for nearly three decades. toward the end of my career i had an opportunity to lead a company starting with a hundred odd people in one location and we grew it across the united states. we grew it by the thousands.

my greatest joy in that was seeing people build a better future for themselves and their families. i couldn't have done any of that without my bride now 32 years debby and i have been married. we've had our challenges along the way. our first child was born in 1985, severely handicapped. and it shaped us a lot in her life and in her death at 11 years of age she showed me the value and the potential of every person. we've also had the privilege of adopting two children. my son is 24 now. a youth pastor and married. and my youngest daughter isabella is right here. she's 17. my children have inspired me to want to make a difference in this world that they're going to inherit. you're going to hear tonight a different story about my life. you're going to hear my opponent i suspect parroting

talking points from her national handlers in washington, d.c. because aimee has and i believe she will continue to attack my career in business. that doesn't change that i created thousands of jobs and as a local elected official aimee taxed jobs. -- e going to hear that i aimee attack me for fair pay on women. that doesn't change that there's only one of us on this stage that has actually lived that out and given fair pay to women for decades. i will work with both parties in washington to make sure that we achieve equality. aimee has and will continue to attack me on women's health care. which is very hurtful and offensive to me because i lost both of my mothers, my birth mother and then the mother that raised me from cancer. i have two women sitting in the front row that i would give anything for.

and to suggest i don't care about women's health care is offensive to me. aimee has and will continue to attack me as not caring about you. i think she'd like to forget that for a decade my wife and i have run a family foundation and we have done many things like give away now thousands of wheelchairs in memory of our daughter, helped wounded warriors, helped sandy victims. our children are poised i'm afraid to inherit an america going in the wrong direction. i am running because it's enough of finger pointing. it's time to go to washington and solve problems. thank you. >> thank you. [ applause] >> all right. thank you. no more applause until the very end. okay? now we begin with our panel.

tony will ask a question. the first respond he ent will be candidate belgard. >> okay. please discuss your position on campaign finance regulation and reform including the issue of money in free speech in politics and what do you believe is the proper role of corporations when it comes to that and your position on super pac spending of unlimited amounts of undisclosed cash from big donors? >> well, thank you very much. i truly appreciate this question because i absolutely hink that we need to work to overturn citizens united. what we've seen has happened with campaign financing. i think we need our candidates to be working for the people and not working for large corporations that are funding hem. e can see just how expensive

campaigns have become. that is not what it's about. it is about representing the people and the interests of the people. we need to return our elections to that so in congress i will be very vocal and very outspoken to work on campaign finance reform. it's become very apparent in this race where my opponent has said in the "philadelphia inquirer" after spending millions of dollars against me that aimee belgard will never out spend him. he has plenty of resources. you know what? that's not what an election is about. it's about serving the people, working for the people, and that's what we need to return elections to. >> thank you. candidate macarthur? >> yes. it is a good question and i like weis have concerns about -- i likewise have concerns about unlimited funding of this sort. money can have a corrupting influence in a campaign. yet, against that is also the balance of free speech.

that's what the supreme court struggled with. i think the balance is not uite where it should be. yes i have invested in the campaign but i've seen the corrupting influence of outside money because my opponent has been bank rolled by handlers in washington, d.c. and they are spending millions of dollars in negative ads about my life and who i am and i've asked my opponent numerous times to disavow those ads two of which had to come off the air, unheard of for two ads, even one ad to come off the air, so false, so defamatory, and yet they're states away. they don't care about the people in burlington and ocean county. in a sense, my opponent is getting the advantage of other eople's smearing my good name. i k that is affecting me. i think some reform is necessary and i call again tonight for my opponent to disavow ads based on lies.

there is no place for that in a campaign. >> do you want a one-minute rebuttal? >> sure. >> one-minute rebuttal for each candidate >> if i may i just want to share a quick story i'm really proud of along the campaign trail. so in order to run and raise money we have quarters. my first quarter in the race ended on december 31st. i had a situation where a woman sent me an e-mail and she said to me, you know what, aimee? i believe in you. you've worked so hard in edgewater park and worked so hard as a freeholder and i know you represent our interest in congress. i only have $9 to get me to the end of this year. it was december 31st but i'm giving you all $9 for your campaign because that is how important this is to me. and it brought tears to my eyes. and that, to me, is who we need to represent. that's free speech. hat's the power of the dollar.

>> a rebuttal? >> no. i'll take that as the answer no aimee belgard does not wish to disavow the lies coming out of washington, d.c. i'll take that as a no. >> okay. we'll move on to a question and the order will be candidate macarthur. verage hi. what should the federal government's priorities be in setting a sound and energy policy for the u.s.? >> okay. >> please include a discussion of your position with regard to fossil fuels, renewable energy sources, and protection of the environment. >> okay. >> all important things to balance. for me, it starts with america needing to be energy independent. we are, today, dependent on countries that are sometimes adversarial to us and sometimes undependable -- independable. and we need to make sure that we exploit every resource that's at our disposal. that includes for me an all of

the above approach. nuclear, other renewables, fossil fuels, i believe that we should be looking to build natural gas facilities. we should do things like the xcel pipeline. right here in new jersey we have opportunities. in ocean county we have a nuclear power plant coming off line. we should be looking for an opportunity to put another type of power generation facility there. it's critical that america stand on its own. we have tremendous resources in natural gas, in oil, we should be looking at all of that. i'm also very excited about wind because it's clean. i think with proper research and investment it can become more efficient. i would want to explore offshore wind as a possibility. >> thank you. candidate belgard? >> thank you. so i think this is a very

important topic right here in the third district especially when we've seen some of the impacts of climate change, especially along our coast line with hurricane sandy. and i think the first goal would be to remove ourselves from our reliance on foreign oil. you know, we have an amazingly innovative country here and if we could instead of investing in companies and giving tax breaks to companies that are big oil companies, let's invest that money in innovative solutions right here in the united states, like solar, like wind. geo thermal. other ideas that maybe haven't even fully been developed yet. we are an amazing country, innovative country, and we can do it. i think there is a very large distinction between myself and mr. macarthur in this regard. we know we've talked about, we've learned through this combain that -- campaign that he is invested in foreign oil

companies, state owned oil companies by russia and china. the russian company is a company that has been sanctioned recently by the united states and by the european union for their involvement in removing the gas tower power from the ukraine. i think that is a real conflict here. i also think when i hear things like we need to exploit every resource at our disposal, that gives me a reason for great concern of oil exploration off of the coast of the beautiful jersey shoreline and that's something that this district certainly does not want. so again, it's about looking to alternatives, investing in alternatives, which not only makes for a cleaner environment but also boosts our economy right here at home in the third district. >> thank you. >> i would like to respond. just to one piece of that. i've heard the suggestion about oil subsidies a number of times from ms. belgard.

i'm not sure this is more than a political talking point for this reason. the bulk of these subsidies, the largest of them is for the strategic oil reserve. are we not going to fund that? of course we have to fund it. the second goes to farmers. the second largest subsidy. doesn't go to oil companies. it goes to farmers because they don't drive their equipment on the roads. and much of the petroleum taxes go to transportation. so they got a subsidy. are we going to cancel that? the third largest subsidy goes for people that can't afford heating oil in the middle of winter. so it's easy to say, and those three alone are about $4 billion of subsidies. it's easy to say, let's just cut this and let's just cut that. but there are real consequences and i don't think you've really thought that through very well. >> thank you. candidate belgard, do you want to respond?

>> sure. it seems to me it is pretty easy for oil subsidies when you've invested in oil companies and when you profit when oil companies profit. >> thank you. our next question is from loretta lynch and the first respondent will be candidate belgard. >> good evening. how should the federal government ensure that all americans have health insurance and that all women have access to reproductive health services? please is discuss your position with regard to health care access in general and the inclusion of reproductive services in all benefits packages in particular. >> thank you. so as a long-time advocate with the american cancer society, i have been working for affordable, accessible health care for all americans for a very long time. and i know that there's been recent talk obviously, recent -- with the affordable care act. and i'll just touch on that

briefly because i want to get to the rest of the question. you know, i can tell you that i've seen first hand problems with the affordable care act. even in my own life. and i talked to small business owners who are worried that if the affordable care act is going to be too much of a burden on them. but i think there are ways to fix it and make it better for all americans. rather than thwarting the purpose let's actually make it better so we have more access. i think we do that by containing costs, making sure we're reducing fraud. making sure that there's transparency in the process. i think that if patients who are the ultimate consumers actually understood what their money was going toward, whether they're paying $3 for a band-aid at one facility or $30 for a band-aid at another, this would help the prices come down. i think those are issues we need to work on. right now, congress isn't even discussing it. that's where we are, where we are at a standstill and where we have a problem.

we need to come together to fix it. i think, you know, i've seen first hand, people who have actually benefited from the affordable care act. i have a volunteer with the american cancer society who for the first time in ten years has coverage now that she didn't before because of her preexisting condition of cancer. and i think when we're turning back the clock on things like health care, and turning back the clock on things like women's health care, these are absolute issues. we need a voice for women in congress. need a voice for people who have health care issues in congress. that's exactly what i'll be. >> thank you. candidate macarthur? >> i don't believe fixing obama care is about discovering the cost of band-aids. i think that much of that is just platitudes. obama care is and was a bad idea. it's a government takeover of one of the largest industries

in the united states and it will result, it's already resulting in higher costs, reductions in care, massive reductions in choice, and it was a mistake. and you don't fix a mistake by the band-aid approach, which is what i just heard. what we need is free market reforms, things like allowing insurance to be sold across state lines to allow real competition and bring costs down. we need small employers to be able to pull so they get the benefit of larger group discounts. we need tort reform, real, significant tort reform, so that medicine can be practiced differently in the united states. those are the things that will result in more choice, better quality of care, lower costs. and lastly, i think we need safety net. we have to have a safety net for people at the state level i believe. i mentioned my daughter briefly before who died at age 11.

in her lifetime we had over a million dollars worlingt of -- worth of medical bills. that was two decades ago she died. i would have been bankrupt. i don't believe anybody should face health care crises like that alone. i just don't believe that those sorts of safety nets should be at the federal level because it's too big. the scale is too big. there's lack of accountability. there's lack of competition. i believe those sorts of safety nets can be done at the state level and that's what i would advocate. >> rebuttal? >> thank you. >> one minute >> so i have seen first hand the people who have had to make the decisions of putting food on the table or going for their next chemotherapy treatment. i've seen these people now have the coverage that they need so that they have the security for themselves and for their families. i've seen, and i've talked to college parents who now feel that they have the security of knowing that their college age

students have coverage while they're away at school. and i think that we cannot turn the clock back on that. exactly hearing is what is wrong in congress right now where it's black or white, keep it or repeal it, but don't work to fix it. i think that is exactly what's wrong. there is another solution here. we need to work together to fix this. we need to work together to make sure that women continue to get the contraceptive care they need, despite what washington is doing. these are not decisions that are to be made by employers or by bureaucrats down in washington. mplingt thank you. another response? >> yes. i just want to mention two other things. with regard to women's health and contraceptive care, these are important. i want to make it clear as a ceo i made sure that we provided both. all through my tenure at york. i also want to say i am very pleased to have gotten the

endorsement of multiple unions. many of them are here tonight. unions have been terribly discriminated against in obama care. the government has picked winners and losers and obama care includes $900 billion worth of subsidies over ten years for the major commercial health insurers. the union health plans aren't eligible. and they're being frozen out of that market by government picking winners and losers. it's a mistake. >> thank you. our next question is from tony zimmer and the order will be candidate macarthur first. >> okay. what policy should the federal government pursue to improve our nation's economy? please discuss the federal government's responsibility for addressing growing economic disparity across lines, economic income groups, and also include an increase in the minimum wage, including an increase in the minimum wage. >> okay.

thank you. i believe this question touches on the most important element of this campaign. and that's the economy. the economy is the bed robak, foundation of so much else that we'll talk about and have talked about tonight. and the basic building block of the economy is jobs. this government is pursuing policies right now that are killing job creation. we have 8 million people as of a few weeks ago that have dropped out of the search for a job in despair. we have 7 million people stuck in part-time jobs and we have millions still unemployed completely. and there are things, there's no silver bullet unfortunately but there are concrete, immediate things that this government can do to improve and foster job creation. a few weeks ago i issued a jobs report, pretty comprehensive. it's on my website. i called for action across

various industries like infrastructure investment as an example or things that can be done in health care or important things at the joint base to ensure continued and growing employment there. there are things the government can do in every industry that would help with job creation. just one quick example in infrastructure. a dedicated, stable source of funding is essential if we're going to have a highway trust fund that can create infrastructure projects and put people to work like the union members i just mentioned that have endorsed me. we must pursue those policies. and i believe that is what will lift up and create opportunity for people that are really struggling today. >> thank you. candidate belgard? >> thank you. i think there are a menu of ways we should bolster our economy. first, i think that small businesses are really a back bone to our economy. we should look to increase the access that small businesses have to capital so that we can

yep courage small businesses -- encourage small businesses not only to start up but move orward and grow. i think we need to reduce the tax burden on small businesses, give them a double tax credit for their startup costs. also make sure that small business loans are accessible and available to them. i would agree that i think we need to make sure we're investing in infrastructure, which is so critical here in the united states. with regard to the joint base, this is an absolute economic engine here in south jersey with 40,000 jobs right on the base and an additional 60,000 indirect jobs related to the base. i'm very familiar with this having grown up in south jersey and having served as an honorary commander there. we absolutely need an advocate for the base in washington. it's something that i've advocated for as a burlington county freeholder and i will

continue to advocate for in washington, d.c. as far as the minimum wage, we -- there is no doubt that we need to increase the minimum wage. with regard to women alone, two-thirds of people on minimum wage are women. these are people who are trying to make ends meet and put meals on the table for their families. so by increasing the minimum wage, we can bolster the economy for women and for their families. and with regard to women, we, again, need to make sure that women are being paid fairly, that they are being paid equally to their male counterparts. >> do you want to respond? >> i do want to respond. on the helping small business, it is essential. small business is the mainstay of employment in this country. and as somebody who has had the privilege of creating thousands of jobs i have some understanding of the decisions i made as a ceo based on tax

policy and regulatory policy. my opponent was a local elected official in edgewater park. she voted for a resolution to put a jobs tax. speaks tonight about wanting to help small businesses grow, but she voted for a tax on small business. i've never heard of anything like that at the local level. on top of a hundred fees on the middle class that she voted for, she voted to tax certain businesses every time they hired a new employee. i don't understand how that helped small business. >> would you like to respond? >> i'll just mention my husband is a small business owner in edgewater park. so i've seen how small businesses are struggling to make ends meet. again, i think we need to make sure we are working for small businesses so they can continue to grow and so we can encourage

the start up of small businesses. as i outlined, some of the ideas with regard to access to capital, reduction of fees on small businesses. these are all ways that we can help small businesses right here in the third district row. >> i have to interrupt with just a small housekeeping note. someone left a pouch and a handbag on a bench outside the building. if that's yours, it's there. let me know. all right. ed grazely will ask a question and the order will be candidate belgard first. >> please discuss your ideas for overhauling u.s. immigration policy. in your response, please address the issue of undocumented youth seeking access to higher education in the u.s. and the current influx of minors from central america. >> so i think that we've seen obviously recently especially in the news the problems that

we're having with immigration in this country, immigration issues in this country especially with minors. but we've also seen it here in the third district. as i mentioned just a moment ago my husband is a small business owner and he -- i've seen it in my own life when he has lost jobs because of companies able to outbid him because they were using illegal workers. you know, as i talked to people throughout the district i hear similar stories. it is absolutely something that needs to be addressed. addressed by making sure we have secure borders. i am not for amnesty. i am for a tough but fair pass to citizenship which would include making sure that those who are in line are at the front of the line. making sure that folks who are criminals are sent home. making sure that folks who want a path to citizenship are paying their back taxes. i also think an important thing

to look at is here in the third district where we have a large veteran population, where we have veteran immigrants who want to pass the citizen -- want a path to citizenship put them at the front of the line as well which is a unique position here for the third district. these are all different elements that can be weaved into this problem. but the problem right now is that we've got legislators who aren't even willing to talk about it. aren't even willing to come to the table and negotiate. and that's what's broken. so we need to get our legislators talking about these problems so that we can work to resolve the immigration problem. >> thank you. candidate macarthur? >> we have a major immigration problem. new jersey has the fifth highest population of undocumented, illegal immigrants in the country. it's hard to believe we're not a border state. but we do. i have laid out my position for many, many months now on immigration.

it'll sound familiar to you. tough but fair. returning criminals to their country of origin. payment of back taxes. if you go to my website, you'll find that. if you go to miss belgard's website you won't find the word immigration as of yesterday. the word is not even on o her website. she just gave you my position from my website. which i think is kind of interesting. , lso believe this president when he changed policies, issued a homing signal to central america that has brought on the crisis we're experiencing right now. we must address border security first and foremost. that has to be the starting point for anything, any policy. i would also like to ask ms. belgard how she feels about in-state tuition. i didn't hear her mention that. i would be interested if she is willing to answer how she feels about granting in-state tuition

to children here illegally. >> would you like rebuttal? there is no necessity to answer questions from the other candidate. >> fine. thank you. >> we'll now proceed to our last question from loretta lynch and the order is candidate macarthur first. >> please detail the gun safety measures you would support. please discuss in general your thoughts on the need for greater gun safety in the u.s. >> okay. my starting point is that i believe americans have a second amendment right to defend themselves, their family, their property without relying on the state. and that's the starting point for me. i do believe that we need to work with law enforcement and with mental health advocates to make sure that guns don't end up in the hands of criminals and those that are mentally unstable. w jersey has along the -- --

among the most stringent gun control laws in the country today and i believe enforcing existing laws, not adding new ones, is a better approach. > thank you. candidate belgard? >> i fully appreciate and understand the second amendment. my husband owns guns. as a mother i feel it is about gun safety. while i understand that there are sportsmen who use guns and folks want to protect their mes with guns, i think we, i would agree, we need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and out of the hands of folks with mental health issues. i think there are ways we can look to further address this. making sure that when we're keeping hands out of -- guns out of the hands of criminals we're also keeping them out of the hands of those convicted of domestic violence issues. i think we need to make sure

we're closing loopholes at gun shows. we need to make sure that we are -- we have background checks. and again, this is an issue that needs further addressing as we've seen some of the tragedies that have happened recently across our nation. even most recently the incident out in arizona with the young girl from new jersey, 9 years old, who kills her gun instructor with an oozie. this 9-year-old girl is never going to be able to return to the life she once had. that is an absolute tragedy. again, it is about gun safety. we have g sure measures in place to keep guns safe. >> any further remarks? >> no thanks. >> all right. panel, you are free to descend. >> thank you. >> thanks. >> okay.

these questions i'm going to ask next are from the audience. i don't have to get the name first to ask. the first question will begin with candidate belgard. it's on social security. do you believe changes need to be made to social security to make it more secure and solvent in the future? >> i think the social security is a promise that we've made to our senior generations. these are earned benefits. i am not in favor of changing or privatizing social security. think there are ways we can work to foster social security going forward. again, going back to bolstering the economy. when you look at minimum wage for example just raising the minimum wage could add $4.3 billion to social security by 2016. equal pay for women could decrease the shortfall in social security by one-third.

so there are a multitude of different options of ways that we can increase social security going forward rather than changing it. i'm not in favor of pushing the goal post down the field and changing the age for social renegging on our promss. we are a smart nation. we need to talk about ways of keeping our promss to our older generations. >> candidate macarthur? >> thank you. social security is a promise that must be kept and particularly for those that are nearing or in retirement. people have built their whole lives around this. it must be preserved for them. the first and foremost fix for this is to improve the economy. it is to create jobs. social security was set up as a system where today's generation of workers supports today's generation of retirees. and the problem is, because we

have a baby boomer generation moving into retirement and we have so many people out of work or stuck in part-time jobs, social security is under tremendous stress. so first and foremost, we've got to get the economy working again with jobs. f that's not enough, then we can look at people my daughter's age that are just entering the work force and see if there are amendments and changes that might make sense. but my hope would be, most of the stress would be removed by getting america working again. >> thank you. the next question will begin with candidate macarthur. and the question is on fracking. where do you stand on fracking? and particularly the transport of fracking waste through new jersey? >> we don't do fracking in new jersey because we don't have the shale deposits here to do it. in generally think fracking is

something that should be explored. it's a way to extract more natural gas and we should be doing that safely. with regard to the transport of chemicals, from one state to another, i believe that's an issue for those states. new jersey does permit waste coming from pennsylvania into new jersey today and those are decisions that people closest to the voter are making -- not local but state elected officials. that's where it should be made. >> thank you. candidate belgard? >> well, i have concerns about fracking given that we don't even know the processes used and the chemicals used in the fracking process. so i think it's something that needs to be more transparent. i also think that there are other alternatives that are safer and cleaner that can be explored. i mentioned a couple earlier -- solar, wind, geo thermal options that -- and i would

agree we don't have the marseilles shale here in new jersey and i believe our legislature has even banned fracking in new jersey, but our neighbors to the west, obviously it is an issue and it is an issue of concern for people worried about their health and welfare. i think as i mentioned, i think more transparency is needed in the processes. and i think we need to look at different alternatives. >> okay. this question begins with candidate belgard. it's on the postal service. do you feel there's a need for the federal government to further stabilize the financial position of our postal service? >> well, i think that the postal service is a bedrock. it's like a -- an american institution. it's not like one. it is an american institution. and i think that we need to make sure that our postal service remains solvent moving forward especially here in the third district where we have such a large population of

seniors that are relying on getting their mail six days a week whether it's for their medications or, you know, even to make sure that they're seeing a postal person on a daily basis who they kind of end up checking in on them. so, you know, it's, again, an american bedrock here in the united states that we need to continue to maintain for the delivery of so much to our homes. >> candidate macarthur? >> i'm happy to report that freeholder belgard and i agree on an issue this evening. >> that wasn't two minutes, but okay. all right. next question will begin with candidate macarthur. do you believe that the law, the way it's worded, should recognize marriage equality for all couples? how do you stand on marriage equality? >> well, i believe people should be treated equally under the law. but i also believe marriage is between one man and one woman.

and the challenge is to reconcile those two to make sure people are treated equally under the law but i don't believe the definition of marriage should be changed. >> candidate belgard? >> i absolutely believe in marriage equality. i think this is a civil rights issue. i've spoken about it even as a burlington county freeholder when my colleague joann schwartz and i put forth a esolution to send to the governor after his original veto of marriage equality legislation here in the united states. you know what? i don't think that it's for our legislators to decide who can love each other and who can be each other's hospital bedsides as they're dying. these are, again, true civil rights issues. i think people should be able to love each other and be married if they want to.

>> any further response? >> well, yes. i do want to make clear when i speak about equal under law, some of that you just alluded to. for example, visitation rights in hospital and certain legal rights. things that were granted in new jersey under other institutions , granted that. and those elements i think are important. >> any more? okay. next question begin with candidate belgard. the question has two parts. one part you've already both addressed, social security, so i'll ask the second part. would you or would you not recommend making changes to our medicare system? candidate belgard? >> thank you. i don't recommend making any substantive changes to our medicare system. again, i think that this is another promise that has been made to folks we've seen through the current budget that was passed by the house this year. dramatic changes to medicare.

you know, i think it's -- there are tweaks that can be made to make sure that medicare remains solvent. for example some of the prescription drug negotiations that happen with medicaid, let's look at using those for medicare. to make it more solvent and more affordable. but i'm certainly not in favor of reducing or in any way changing our medicare benefits to our seniors. again, a promise that has been made and that must be kept. >> thank you. candidate macarthur? >> i'm concerned about changes that have been made. first the $700 million that obama care took out of medicare to support obama care concerns me and will affect the quality of care to seniors over time. i also have been as i've tried, as i prepared a jobs plan which i mentioned earlier, i went industry by industry and when it came to health care which is one of the largest employers in

the region, i visited six hospitals. i went to the health institutes of new jersey, burlington county medical society, a host of others, and i was asking, what is the affordable care act and the medicare changes doing to you? i discovered our hospitals in particular are being hammered by medicare changes. i'll just mention, too, one is the readmission rule. if you go to the hospital and you're released if you go back for any reason within a certain you don't get paid for the hospital. somebody can be in for an illness, a week later break their leg and when they're readmitted the hospital doesn't get paid. there are also what are called rack audits and these are audit ompanies that are allowed to reclaim moneys hospitals have been paid under medicare and

they don't have to prove their case. they simply say you've been over paid by x. they get to take it as an offset on what medicare owes the hospital, and then the hospital has to fight to get it back. the hospitals win nearly 80% of the time but it takes years to tibet -- to get that money. i'm greatly concerned about the stress that is placing on hospitals. under obama care as well the deductibles sore high that hospitals be -- are so high that the hospitals are being saddled with bad debt from >> i would agree that there are as you mentioned, issues that do need to be addressed. and unfortunately, we have a now that refuses to do that. bring's -- and we need to folks together so that we can address these issues without benefits to our havers who not only

received this promise but who need them in their older years life. so i think we need to bring folks to the table, not just the legislators, but as you mentioned, the folks from the the medicaltems and professions, so that we can fix these issues so that we're seniors arethat our getting the utmost care and the effectiveient and ways. >> do you want to expand for a couple of minutes? question, since you mentioned it, i'll segue into begin with candidate macarthur, are you bothered by abysmal public approval rating for cock congress and who think this is so and what do you think we can do to change it? bothered.should be the president's approval rating is terrible. congress's is even worse. one of the primary reasons

is running for this office, that congress is at a total impasse. people are stuck in their camps, unwilling to work together. and i believe the answer is for people who can work together to be in congress. that's the bedrock of building a business. that is how we grow, by thousands of people. we have to work together. we had to work sometimes with we might want to acquire that were our competition in the marketplace. one of the things i'm most proud of in this campaign, is endorsements from business groups like the u.s. chamber of commerce, the national federation of independent business. and at the same time, getting endorsements from labor unions like the carpenters, the laborers, the operating engineers and others, because they often don't get along, and yet they agree that i'm somebody help them create jobs and do the things that are important to them. to havesolutely have congressmen and women that have

ability to work with other people. >> thank you. candidate campbell? >> thank you. is an absolute mess. that's exactly why i am running. the skills that i've learned over the years, whether as a volunteer with the american to my skills in negotiating as an attorney, to skills that i've gained freeburlington county holder, where i've worked across the aisle with my republican colleagues. perfectly willing to agree with my republican colleagues when they have a good idea. say, when i was running for freeholder, that one my favorite quotes is that of benjamin franklin, that if thinking alike, nobody is thinking. i truly believe, sometimes you diverging views together and come up with something even better. and that's a great thing. congress has lost sight of that.

they're so set in their ways, folkslling to listen to on the other side of the aisle. and even think about the fact have a goodght idea. i'm willing to do that. and done it as a freeholder i'll do it in congress and i'll do it in representing the struggling middle class here in the 3rd district, our veterans, our seniors. the hard-working people of the 3rd district. >> response? >> yes. i would like to respond. i think the proof is in the the expression goes. and in order to work with other tople in congress, you have be willing sometimes to stand up to your own party. or bought.e bossed you have to be willing to stand up for what you believe in. have have to go back -- i to go back to ads, two of which air becausef the they were so defamatory and dishonest. and ms. belgard -- i said this before. campaigns are very interesting.

they put candidates under and then they put you under a microscope. and under that pressure and aimeethat microscope, belgard could not disavow the ads that her handlers in up on the had put air, even after they had to take them down. she still wouldn't say dishonesty had no place in the campaign. i don't know how you work in do itss if you can't even in a campaign. >> one-minute response? >> thank you. that you, mr. macarthur, have brought up to disavow your party, because i think that is important. as i've said throughout this continue to i thetain, i am not about labels. it's not about being a democrat or a republican. it's about working for the people. and that's what i've exhibited, was in edgewater park, where i voted against my wasy, because i thought it the right thing to do, or as a burlington county freeholder,

when i vote with the opposite party, because i think it's the right thing to do. more of.s what we need it's about collaboration and that is what i absolutely pride myself on. >> thank you. the next question, we'll begin campbell.date it's about taxes. there has been a lot of news corporationsn adjusting themselves in legal positions by going overseas so can avoid paying taxes in america. how do you stand on this practice? think we've seen it most recently with the potential king.ing burger i know the president has spoken out with regard to tax inversion. i think it's unfortunate that burger king has brought light to this, but it's needsing that absolutely to be addressed. you know, again, i've talked i don't like to see us incentivizing companies shipping jobs overseas. but i also don't want to see us

losing companies like burger others from the united states and losing the benefits of having those companies here in the united states. so while it's unfortunate that it's been brought to light, i'm brought to the table so that we can work to keep companies right here and incentivize them to stay right here in the united states. >> thank you. macarthur? >> inversions are a problem. companies that want to be instead of in america. the problem is our tax code. tax code disincentivizes or incentivizes sometimes the wrong behave. that's what we have to look at. our tax code needs to be ampler, flatter and lower as starting point. i also want to talk for a moment earnings.ign i've mentioned how important infrastructure investment was creation.or job the question is, how do we pay for that? how do we pay for it? companies with foreign operations, as we sit here

tonight, have trillions of sitting overseas. they don't bring it back, because it will be taxed a second time if they do. and so it sits over there, and i know from my business experience, it frequently gets invested in foreign infrastructure. money could do a world of good. it could create tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of jobs if it was brought back home. is maybe $4 trillion is sitting overseas. $1 trillion of it came back? trillion economy, what if at trillion was back in the united states? experience, capital is what creates job. investment is what creates jobs. to make our tax code sensible. wes common sense to me that have to adjust the tax code that's driving u.s. companies to the kinds of things they're doing today.

>> any expansion? >> no. >> next question will begin with candidate macarthur. there are several questions on immigration. so we'll go over detailed questions on the policy of immigration. position on providing a pass to citizenship for children? raised here from a very young attending american schools. >> well, i do believe there should be a pass to citizenship. going to deport 11 are hereeople that illegally. we're not going to break up families. path.has to be a i think immigration policy has to start with strong borders. it has to start there. and then people that have not they pay crimes, if back taxes, if they learn create, then i think you a path for them. meanwhile, you create an ability for them to work. hear that all over this district, from farmers, from

manufacturers, from restaurant owners. they want people that are here to have an ability to work, they need that labor. to children and in-state tuition, ms. belgard want to answer that earlier, but i'll answer my own question. i don't believe that children illegally should get in-state tuition and i don't it, becausehould do for every child here illegally that goes to a state school with in-state tuition, there's another child here legally who can't go there, because colleges limbs of how many -- limits of how many students they'll in-statehe lower tuition. so every time we favor the child of someone here illegally, we're the child of somebody here legally. and i don't think it's right. i have compassion. genuinely have compassion for the so-called dreamers, but consequences. and their parents have them here

illegally. and one of the consequences is i think they should get the tuition as the citizens of the state. >> thank you. candidate belgard? >> thank you. so children are really the circumstances here. as a mother, it's heartbreaking the situation that some of these children are in. can't imagine i tearing families apart. some of these children don't country, because they came here at such a young age. to ao send them back country where they might not even know the language or the culture -- it's about keeping families together. that, i think we do through a path to citizenship, like was discussed before. making sure that we are protecting these children, who the innocent victims of the circumstances. >> any expansion?

question, we'll begin with candidate macarthur. it's a little different topic. on education. it's a general question. what policies should be enacted to see enactedke to ensure that all citizens -- i'm sorry. i'm reading the wrong question. discuss what you believe should be the role of the federal government in providing quality, public education for all children, through 12? can you give us specifics on that? >> so i am the product of public education. and both of my children are educated. they're in fourth and seventh now.s and i've seen firsthand, in my at school district, edgewater park, some of the difficulties schools are facing. my children at their elementary schools and middle schools lost their libraries in year.st so schools are facing a very

difficult position right now. know, schools are really more local in nature. think we need to make sure that we don't have cuts to like head start programs and things like that, that we've the budget that congress passed this year, to make sure schools are continuing to get resources that they need to be successful. when we talk about education, we also need to look at higher education. budgeteen, with the passed by congress this year, grants, whichell would absolutely stifle our students looking to go to education. higher i've talked about how i think we need to make sure that we're inesting in education here this country, again looking to reallocate funds, whether it's being giveny that's to big oil or money that's being

shipped overseas. again, invest that in education. education is the foundation for the united states to be able to stay a part of the global market and the global economy. hear ahe opportunity to story recently of a young man degree, didmedical everything he was, quote/unquote, supposed to do, got a great job in new york city, but he couldn't actually get a lease on an apartment so encumbered by terrible.and that's >> candidate macarthur? >> i'm also the product of education, as are my children. my youngest is a senior now in high school. and i see education primarily as a local and state function. that's where it needs to be shaped the most. i am concerned the most about

failing school districts. districts, in those parents and students have to have other options, charter schools and other things. no child should be trapped in a failing school district. teacher, tenure reform, very do me.l i think the federal government could play a supportive role but i don't think it should take education. with regard to higher education, there are things i think need to take place. and they could take place immediately. student loan rates are too high they can't be refinanced. and students are graduating with choking out their ability to make a living. there can be tax credits, should tax credits for higher education costs. the federal government should vocational in schools so that students can less debt, with the skills for the jobs that are available to them. graduating from

college sometimes with greater a job market that can't hire them. so i think vocational schools a key area where the federal government and state federalnts, but government should be investing. this is the foundation for our future economy, is having a well-educated workforce. >> any expansion? >> yes. i would also just mention, as the education and the overview,education the importance of county colleges. we have somengton, great gems and having been a county freeholder, i can speak firsthand to this. they serve not only as a jump-start to other college or university institutions, for burlington county where we've partnered with university, but also they're a resource for folks

whetherifficult times, folks have been laid off or are looking for a new career. they can come and learn new skills. so i think we need to look at federal government investing in these sorts of institutions, colleges. >> any expansion? the next question, we'll begin with candidate macarthur. it's more specifically on veterans. what kind of programs would you have congressor enact or work for in congress? >> well, what has happened to tragedy.ans is a the way they've been treated under the veterans a nationalion is scandal. and it's beginning to get fixed. a good deal more attention and work that needs to be done there. my jobs planeas in dealt specifically with veterans. and there's a number of things we can do. one, congress, i think shamefully, allowed the returning veterans' tax credit

to expire, and the wounded warriors' tax credit to expire. these gave incentives to andoyers to hire veterans make use of the skill set they had learned as veterans. essential.se are i also intend to be a supporter hatse helmets, hard programs. and there's many of them throughout the country. these help returning veterans move from military constructionthe trades. and i think these are wonderful deserve our full support. >> thank you. candidate campbell? >> thank you. so as i mentioned in my opening, a vietnam veteran, so this is an issue very close heart. having seen him struggle with after beinger exposed to agent orange. when i see the struggles of our manyans, especially so veterans here in the 3rd district that have had problems

v.a., i very early on in this campaign put together a veterans committee, some of whom in the back, who have helped to enlighten me even further on issues, because it is so important. these folks have put everything -- everything on the us. for and they deserve our care. see theknow, when we problems in washington, i think we need to make sure we are crease -- addressing them. one of the first things i would do in congress, talk about reaching across party lines, if still in office, i would reach out to him, because i know he's been so instrumental in working with the v.a. in philadelphia to try to rectify some of the problems. we also need to make sure we're fulfilling our promises to veterans, making have access to education after they have served and to good jobs. hats toion, to the hard helmets program, i know that a lot f to our veterans have -- a

of our veterans have partnered with the u.s. postal service and others. make sure that our veterans, who have put everything on the line for us, are able to not only get the they need but also good jobs that can help them continue on their tables after they've done everything for us. >> i just want to expand on one thing. firmlyt's something i support. that was recent action that allows veterans, if they have to travel more than 40 miles, or days for care 30 at a veterans facility, that they would be able to go to a of their choice or a facility of their choice. i think that's very important. i also don't understand why we don't have a veterans hospital here in this district. need one nearby the joint base. largest veterans population in the state, and we

have one of the largest in the country. one of the have largest military communities in country. we should have a v.a. facility here in this district. will create jobs building it. it will create jobs running it. and most importantly, it will our veterans. >> any response? would agree with recentarthur, that the passage by washington of legislation allowing for veterans to seek medical attention, if they're 40 miles away from a v.a. facility, is a step in the right direction. do have concerns that veterans might not get some of specialized care in facilities that are not v.a. facilities, because despite the problems at the v.a., the v.a. does have the ability to that there are specialized treatments, for

example, for ptsd victims and so i think it's a step in the right direction but it's a problem that we need to continue to work on and expand on, going forward, so that our veterans get the specialized need.hey >> this is a very specific question from the audience. we begin with candidate campbell. withu support -- we begin candidate belgard. >> i think i mentioned earlier, that would raise the minimum wage. i think this is an issue that is long overdue in this country. earlier, there are about two-thirds of the right nowminimum wage who are women. these are folks who are trying forut food on the table their families, get their kids out to school in the morning, trying to make a fair wage for families. and, you know, there are other

benefits to it. like i mentioned earlier, raising the minimum wage alone shortfall inthe social security by a third. but right now, we have a isn't even willing to address this issue. so absolutely. i think that raising the minimum wage has to be part of the discussion and part of the economic package moving forward this country. >> thank you. candidate macarthur? >> yes. i have a bit of a different view on the minimum wage. i believe it's best done at the state level. ave never understood how federal minimum wage can cover and suburban new jersey at the same time. and i think state minimum wage more responsive to constituencies. new jersey, for example, has a higher minimum wage than the federal and it's being raised again soon, by constitutional amendment.

i also want to see people move off of minimum wage. my jobs planus of is to get people into good jobs, notmanent starter jobs. if you get people the training get industries moving in the right directions taxugh, in some cases, incentives or regulatory relief or direct investment or fostering other policies, these are the kinds of things that will get people off of minimum building better futures for themselves and their families. you.ank more expansion? all right. quitelly don't have enough time to cover a whole 'nother question so we could our closing remarks. we did a coin toss. based on that, candidate belgard will begin her closing remarks first. >> well, thank you again to the league for hosting this this for everyone who came out and joined us, took time out

schedules to be part of the democrat process mr. macarthuror for joining in this with me. it's been a pleasure to be here this evening. i mentioned earlier, i am from south jersey. interest in going to congress is to serve the people of south jersey, the people that it's the with, whether hardworking middle class families, the farmers that we throughout our district, the folks along our district,here in this we've got a very diverse district here. this districtin need a voice, and just as i've years ofugh my experience, being a voice with society, forcancer my community and my neighbors, voice in burlington county, i'm looking to take it

voiceep further and be a for the people of south jersey. and the 3rd district. i mentioned, the hardworking whole class folks, women are without a voice right now, as we've seen most recently with the discussions about equal pay in this country. a voice for our veterans, as we've seen the systemic problems in the v.a. system. we need a voice for our seniors, who are worried that promises made to them, whether through social security or medicare are fulfilled.o be that's exactly what i intend to be and what i will be in congress, is a voice for the people of south jersey, who i have grown up with and who i much.o thank you. >> candidate macarthur? >> i also thank you for the opportunity. want to touch on two themes in closing. action.t is talk versus naming the constituency groups

the district isn't the same as the ability to serve them. i compare myself and ms. belgard, i think there's a number of comparisons. one is i created jobs, thousands of them. them inbelgard taxed her local town. fairlypaid men and women for decades. pointsse are now talking for aimee in 2014. about helping sandy victims in a couple of settings. something my wife and i did through our family foundation, localed funds through our church to families that were provided -- we partnered with the american red cross to help with that. and when that wasn't enough, we opened our own home and had a family living in our home for after sandy, talking

about -- i've heard aimee talk about the need to serve sandy victims. they don't just need talk. andle need real help service. i've issued a jobs plan. seen any plan from aimee to create jobs. and i don't think she has the to create them. and i've been open for many, many months. this is our first debate. june,d for debates in july, august, september, and october, finally sitting at a table together. i think my opponent has been hiding. the second theme is about to develop how relationships. i can see i'm out of time, but this.ust say i say what i mean and i mean what i say, and i haven't seen in this campaign on the other side. >> i have closing remarks but just give a round of applause to everyone, for our

candidates and for the audience. [applause] i do have closing remarks that c-span, so i want to make them. our thanks to everyone again. and i wanted you to urge your the the video of forum. it can be found at the league of website.ers also, check the c-span website for the broadcast times. continue to explore our candidate's positions by websites.heir each of us have the right and privilege to vote. to do that, you must be properly registered. deadline to register or update registration is october 14. download the voter

application. you can vote by mail if you're already registered by mail ballot. applications are available also at the league website and njelections.org or your county clerk's office. for more information, sites.re great mostof course, importantly, remember tow vote! november -- remember to vote 4!ember thank you. >> and in about an hour and a half, a debate in the illinois between patce, rauner.d bruce we'll have that courtesy of here live at 9:00 eastern on c-span. >> this weekend, friday night at

memorial on c-span, a service for president reagan's press secretary, james brady. night at 9:00, state colintary of powell talks about world affairs. robertevening, author timburg talks about how as a -- in vietnam, a land him.nearly killed at 10:00 on book author gawande on how he feels that medical doing more forbe the aging and dying. on free market capitalism and its impact on climate change. at 8:00, curator and director of the cia museum in virginia, tony highly explains

mission.m's and saturday at 8 p.m., the king howge's war of the 1740's, colonies establish themselves. president night, ford's congressional testimony on the nixon pardon. find our television schedule at c-span.org and let us know what the programsut you're watching. a tweet. or send us conversation.n "like" us on facebook. follow us on twitter. >> now to illinois for c-span's coverage of a debate in the illinois house race for the 17th congressional district. incumbent cheri bustos and her republican challenger, bobby face off in a rematch whichir 2012 campaign,

congresswoman bustos narrowly 19,000 votes. coming up, live coverage, right here on c-span. rematch!he big midwest >> it will be a very, very fiery campaign. >> i'll make a promise that we'll continue to fight for jobs. >> congresswoman cheri bustos the man she beat in 2012, former congressman, bobby schilling. >> it did allow for me to -- to step back. i call it my two-year break. >> we're ready to get going. i want to make things happen now. >> tonight they return to the same studio they were in two only debateor the in