U.S. Representative, 1st Congressional District

League of Women Voters^®
of New Orleans

U.S. Representative, 1st Congressional District

"Bobby" Jindal - Winner

NAME: Bobby Jindal
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PUBLICATION:
Address: PO Box 8628, Metairie, LA 70011
Phone: 504-274-0080
FAX: 504-274-0085
Email: info@bobbyjindal.com
Website: http://www.bobbyjindal.com
PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican
PROFESSION: Congressman
PRESENT EMPLOYER/POSITION: Congress
HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION (include graduation date):
-Graduate Degree from Oxford University as Rhodes Scholar with an MLitt in Politics
APPLICABLE TRAINING::
-Appointed by President George W. Bush as Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Served as health policy adviser to the Bush Administration.
-President of the University of Louisiana System
During his tenure, universities raised graduation and retention rates, and increased private donations and the number of endowed chair positions.
-Executive Director, National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare (Breaux-Thomas Commission)
Recommended ways to strengthen the $210 billion health care program that serves 40 million older and disabled Americans.
-Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
Responsible for rescuing Louisiana's Medicaid program from bankruptcy by turning a $400 million deficit into three years of surpluses totaling $220 million in part by cracking down on fraud and abuse.
As spending was reduced by $1 billion, Louisiana moved to 3rd best nationally in health care screenings for children, increased childhood immunizations to nearly 90 percent, and offered new and expanded services for elderly and disabled persons.
-Consultant for McKinsey & Company
Advised CEOs/Senior Management of Fortune 50 companies.

1. What should be federal government do, if anything, to ensure that every American has health coverage?
Today more than 46 million Americans are either without health care or participate in a basic system that provides only marginal coverage. Louisiana, in particular, is home to a sizable population of our nation's uninsured public. In 2004, 20 percent of Louisiana's population lacked health insurance, ranking Louisiana 48th in the nation. I am committed to making sure that all of Louisiana's families have access to affordable, high quality health care, and I will continue to work hard so that this goal can be realized. I am proud to be one of the original co-sponsors of the Health Coverage for the Uninsured Act, which seeks to provide tax incentives for both individuals and businesses to purchase health insurance, making health care more affordable for low-income families and employees of small businesses. My experience as Louisiana's Secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, Executive Director for the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, and Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services provided me with a unique perspective on ways to make high quality health care more affordable and accessible. During my tenure as Secretary, we rescued Louisiana's Medicaid program from bankruptcy. Health care quality and accessibility increased, childhood immunizations increased to nearly 90 percent, Louisiana ranked third best nationally in health care screenings for children, and new and expanded services for elderly and disabled persons were offered. I will continue to work until every Louisiana has access to high quality affordable health care.
2. Is it appropriate for any interests other than the taxpayers to pay for Congressional travel?
This year in Congress, I voted for the 527 Reform Act of 2006, which states that it will "Prohibit Members, officers or employees of the House from accepting a gift of travel (including any transportation, lodging, and meals during such travel) from any private source unless the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Committee) pre-certifies in writing that such travel complies with House rules and standards of conduct." Nobody takes the responsibility for maintaining the highest ethical standards more seriously than I do. There can be no place in the halls of Congress for even the appearance of impropriety. I am committed to conducting myself in the most ethical manner possible, preferring to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. "Ethics" and "good government" are more than mere buzzwords or an abstract concept to me + they have been a way-of-life during my tenure in public service. For example, as Secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), I startled many long-time observers of Louisiana politics (as well as the Board of Ethics) by requesting an advisory opinion concerning the receipt of wedding gifts from family members and friends who happened to be members of the medical profession. Ultimately, my wife and I declined to accept gifts from guests employed in the health care community in Louisiana - including some who had known us for our entire lives. In my view, such choices - rather than being the exception to the norm - should be expected of those who have the privilege of serving the citizens of our great country.
3. Is the U.S. Congress appropriately fulfilling its constitutional role to check the power of the executive branch? Is the judiciary performing its appropriate role as the third branch of government? Our nation was founded on the principle of three separate but equal branches of government, and I am committed to ensuring that no one branch disregards its responsibilities. I believe we must continue to protect the fundamental freedom that our founding fathers outlined in the Constitution, most notably this system of checks and balances. It is my belief that all three branches ought to utilize a strict interpretation of our Constitution, whether it is in writing new laws, rendering verdicts in court decisions, or utilizing executive powers.

4. How can civil liberties be preserved while giving our government necessary tools to fight terrorism? It is absolutely imperative that we protect our nation from terrorism, but at the same time we must continue to value and protect the individual rights of citizens of our country. I am passionate about defending the civil liberties guaranteed to us. I believe that we must avidly work to protect our civil liberties through each law that is passed. Our nation was founded on the principles of freedom, and that is the way it should remain. I believe that our government should not be spying on lawful citizens, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure this does not happen.

5. Do you favor closing the MRGO? When?
Yes. I have long been an advocate for closing MRGO, which can serve as a hurricane highway and which has never realized it economic potential, long before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and I will continue to work for its closure.

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