League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Hamilton, Butler County, OH November 2, 2004 Election
	Steve Chabot Answers Questions Candidate for United States Representative; District 1

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. What are your qualifications for office?

I was born and raised in our community and have worked hard on behalf of our citizens. As a husband, father and former teacher, I know what its like to raise a family and build a better future for our children.

I have served in the U.S. House of Representatives for almost ten years. During that time I have been an active member of the Judiciary Committee, the International Relations Committee and the Small Business Committee.

I have worked to lower the tax burden on middle-class Americans, reduce wasteful spending and balance the federal budget, improve our national defense and protect Social Security and Medicare.

I have also authored and helped pass of legislation related to education, drug interdiction and a ban partial-birth abortion.

In addition, I have extensive experience at the local level + serving on Cincinnati City Council and the Hamilton County Commission.

2. How would you implement your top priority?

Despite recent economic improvement, many families are still hurting and we must push policies that will spur economic growth and job creation. I have helped enact tax relief legislation that cuts income taxes for all Americans, reduces the marriage tax penalty and increases the child tax credit. We must also eliminate wasteful federal spending, balance the budget and pay down the national debt. In addition, rising health care costs create a tremendous burden. I have supported the establishment of tax credits and tax deductions that would make insurance more affordable.

To combat terrorism at home and abroad, we must continue to strengthen our national security. This means improving our military capabilities and providing our troops with the equipment and resources they need. We must also further improve homeland security.

To strengthen retirement security we must protect and improve Social Security and Medicare for current and future generations.

3. What do you see as the two most pressing issues you would address if elected? What plans do you have relative to those issues?

We must continue to improve the economy and create jobs. To accomplish these goals, I will continue to push policies that lower taxes on middle-class Americans, reduce the federal budget deficit and limit unnecessary federal regulation and bureaucracy. Rising healthcare costs are also a drain on the economy and are a burden on hard-working families. To make high-quality healthcare more affordable, I support making health insurance premiums tax deductible and enacting healthcare tax credits.

Securing our nation from terrorist attacks should remain a top priority for our nation. We must ensure that we have the resources to combat terrorism at home and abroad. I have participated in several hearings related to the 9-11 Commission + including one I led as Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee. I believe we must thoroughly review the recommendations and move quickly to enact those that will make our country safer.

4. How would you address the federal deficit?

Over the last several years, Citizens Against Government Waste has consistently named me the top waste fighter in Congress. This demonstrates my commitment to reducing excessive federal spending and balancing the budget.

While renewed economic growth will bring additional revenues to the government, this is not enough. Congress must be more responsible with the taxpayers money. I have successfully pushed proposals that cut wasteful spending. For example, a bipartisan majority in the House recently voted for my amendment to eliminate millions of dollars in taxpayer subsides to the timber industry for logging in one of our national forests. To effectively eliminate the budget deficit, however, we will need to target additional corporate welfare programs and limit waste and abuse throughout the federal government.

5. What should be the federal government’s role with respect to health care?

The federal government should implement policies that make high-quality health care more affordable to all our citizens.

6. What plans do you have to promote a more balanced transportation system?

I have supported giving states and local communities greater control over transportation dollars. States and local governments better understand their transportation needs and can more effectively address citizens concerns. This will allow local communities to determine the balance between various transportation systems.

I have also pushed efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. This is critical to meeting the future transportation needs of the Unites States.

U.S. Senate: Total words in answer to the question may not exceed 100 words. The word limit must be observeds. Words over the limit will be cut off in published information.