5 Questions For Congress Candidates Rep. Chris Smith & Josh Welle

RUMSON, NJ — This November, Democrats across the country hope to unseat Republicans from congressional seats they've held seemingly forever, perhaps riding a wave of anti-Trump backlash and fervor.

Can that happen in Monmouth and Ocean counties? Josh Welle certainly hopes so. He's the upstart young Democrat, not to mention Afghanistan war vet, hoping to beat Republican Congressman Chris Smith at the polls on Nov. 6. Smith has represented New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District since 1981, and he says the reason he keeps getting re-elected is because voters are happy with the job he's done.

Welle says it's time for a change.

Patch asked both men the following five questions about Trump, issues like abortion and a border wall, and the American political landscape: (See answers from the 4th district's third-party candidate here. Felicia Stoler, the registered Republican running as an independent.)

What are the top three issues facing America/New Jersey right now and do you intend to fight them in Washington?

Welle: Job Creation. Too many businesses and residents are leaving Central New Jersey because of the rising cost of living, high taxes, and the number of hurdles to running a business. As a former small-business owner, I understand the challenges involved in running a company and I’ll bring that knowledge to Washington. New Jersey need more jobs and higher wages. We must educate tomorrow's workforce to be competitive in the infrastructure, the green, and the digital economy. This means more STEM education in schools and investing in teachers. This means investing in union workers and the trades. This means incentivizing people to be educated and work in New Jersey, preventing a brain drain from our communities. And finally, we must prepare a future where people must be able to professionally reinvent themselves at 30, 40, 50, and 60 years old so that they can adapt to changing demands.

Healthcare affordability: Protecting families from losing healthcare coverage is essential. Keeping people healthy so that they can be a productive member of society is an investment in our economy. I believe in universal healthcare. I believe that every American has the right to see a doctor when they are sick without having to worry about bankruptcy. The Affordable Care Act was far from perfect, but I believe we need leaders in the Congress who will fix what is wrong, instead of, like Rep. Chris, voting to strip millions of people of affordable care. I will find common ground with other legislators to make sure people with pre-existing conditions are covered, that we improve the quality of care, decrease premiums and out of pocket costs, and reduce the prices of prescription drugs.

Safety for all: America leads the world in gun violence and I will take sensible action to address it. As an Annapolis graduate and Afghanistan veteran, I know the importance of safety when it comes to weapons of war. I will protect the Second Amendment and the rights of responsible gun owners but also keep children safe in schools and on the streets. I support universal background checks to close loopholes that put guns in the hands of criminals. I support a ban of assault weapons, high capacity magazines, and bump stock-like accessories to keep weapons of war off our streets.

Chris Smith has held this seat for a long time and many say it would be impossible to unseat him. Why do you think he's been able to retain power for so long, and do you think 2018 is the year he could be unseated?

Welle: I was raised in Monmouth County, I’m a veteran, and was a business owner. Independents, Republicans, and Democrats will vote for me and my message of “country over party.” For nearly 38 years of elected office, Rep. Chris Smith has been funded by corporations and lobbyists who are calling the shots. That is why I do not accept corporate PAC contributions to my campaign because I want to be accountable to the
people of Central Jersey, not mega-donors and special interests. It is time for change in Washington
because Congress is broken and career politicians like Smith are part of the problem. The people of Central
Jersey want new leadership that represents their current concerns and needs in 2018. Smith lives in
Virginia (Editor's note: Smith has owned a home in Hamilton Twp. for years. He votes and is registered to drive in New Jersey. Smith has said that, like many Congresspeople, he also maintains a home in Virginia so he can be near D.C. for legislative duties.) does not breathe our air, or drive our streets, and is out of touch. It has been 25 years since Chris Smith held a public forum to listen to the concerns of the people he claims to represent. That is why I have committed to a minimum of 6 public town halls and challenged Chris Smith to 3 open debates.

What are your thoughts on President Trump and the many Americans, including some of your constituents, who support him?
Welle: President Trump was elected because people wanted something different. Since then, the President
has squandered the opportunity to make America safer and stronger. We need a new generation of
leaders in Washington. We need change that is positive, optimistic, and aspirational. This administration has created division, increased partisanship, and failed to create a functioning government that Americans can believe in. We are more polarized than ever in America and we deserve leaders with character to right the ship.

How you would describe the current political climate in our country right now? And if you view in a negative light, what steps would you take towards improvement?
Welle: I find the political climate optimistic. No matter their party affiliation, people believe America is at a
crossroads and our democracy is under threat: freedom of the press, equal rights, and the rule of law. Thus,
people are taking action. Voters can feel the hyper-partisanship and want safe schools, a better climate, and
college affordability. Others are activated towards civic duty and more people are running for council,
school board, and public office than ever. Congress is failing and has not acted for years on important
issues like gun violence prevention, affordable healthcare, education reform, and people are ready for
change.

On some of the issues: Would you describe yourself as pro-life or pro-choice and can you elaborate?
Welle: I’m pro-choice because women should be free to choose their life’s path and the federal government should protect that individual right. I’m committed to protecting women’s access to reproductive health resources. I support funding Planned Parenthood so that it can continue to provide the care to women that they need.

What are your thoughts on Trump's proposed border wall? Do you think it's necessary and would you vote to fund it?

We need a strong border, but building a wall would be ineffective and waste taxpayer dollars. I visited the border in July and I spoke with border patrol officials, immigration lawyers, local activists, and people who are facing inhumane practices. We need policies that address systemic problems like drug-trafficking, trade policy, labor migration and security. Fixing these problems requires new leadership, new ideas, and a willingness to find common-ground with other Washington legislators.

How do you think Trump has handled himself on an international stage, in terms of dealing with Putin, Iran and North Korea?

President Trump’s foreign policy weakens America’s leadership in the world. Specifically, the President sides with the President Putin and admonishes FBI and CIA advisors. The president disavows NATO allies and creates instability in the Middle East without a clear plan for progress. And finally, President Trump gives North Korea unnecessary legitimacy on the world stage when they violate international human rights. As a veteran, with deployments to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, we need leaders in Congress and the White House that have real foreign policy experience.

Congressman Smith was asked the same five questions by Patch, but submitted his response in essay format. Read below:

Committed to Helping People By Chris Smith

As your congressman, I have poured myself into the job, working for NJ’s top priorities — tax relief for NJ citizens, a better economy, expanded job opportunities; protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; ensuring public safety and safe schools; combating the opioid epidemic, promoting a strong military and world class healthcare and benefits for our veterans, environmental protection, accessible and affordable quality healthcare, and better transportation. I hope to continue working for you on these key issues and more.

Hard work and experience are of significant value when you are grappling with the partisanship and gridlock that has marked the halls of Congress in recent years. It is experience and know how that help me forge ahead and get results.

In Congress, I rank 2nd among all 435 Members of the House of Representatives in the number of laws authored.

I sweat the details and work across the aisle to shepherd good legislative ideas through to becoming law—in order to help the people of our state. The Lugar Center named me in the top 5% of most bipartisan lawmakers in its recent non-partisan study conducted with Georgetown University.

I don’t just vote, I lead. With regard to health care, I am the co-chair of several congressional working groups on issues such as Alzheimer’s disease, Autism, Lyme disease, Heart and Stroke, Pro-Life, combatting anti-Semitism and human trafficking.

In NJ, Lyme disease is endemic, and I have new legislation that will create a national policy to prevent, detect and treat Lyme disease. In Washington I will continue to fight for those suffering from Lyme.

With regard to Alzheimer’s, I helped lead the effort in the House for passage of legislation that created a national strategy to help patients and family caregivers struggling with Alzheimer’s. As a result, funding for research at the NIH has increased by almost 300%—to $1.8 billion this year. This is a major increase, but we have to keep at it until we find a cure.

I am the author of three major laws to address autism — including the Autism CARES Act. One in 34 New Jersey children has autism. I am proud of the work I have done leading the way for federal investment in treatment, education and best practices to help children with autism. I am the author of a new initiative for those with autism who are “aging out” of traditional school-based support and will need assistance with employment, housing, healthcare and independent living. Much has been accomplished but much more needs to be done.

As the author of the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act (in 2005 and 2014) I am encouraged that it is already helping to cure a large number of diseases and that it holds even greater promise for the future.

The laws I have written include landmark bipartisan laws to combat human trafficking, fight terrorism, assist the homeless, boost veterans’ health care and education benefits — I’ve authored 14 laws to assist our veterans including the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act — provide billions for autism research and services, help return abducted American children, turn bone marrow and cord blood stem cells into lifesaving miracles, and much more.

The U.S. is finally sensitized to the sex and labor trafficking which turns victims, mostly women and girls, into commodities for sale in New Jersey — and everywhere. I’ve authored four major laws to combat human trafficking including the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act. My law also reauthorized — for five years — the Violence Against Women Act. This groundbreaking work cannot be abandoned.

On several occasions, I’ve turned lessons learned from constituent case work into new federal laws. Two of the most known are the International Megan’s Law—to protect children from pedophiles who look to travel to exploit children and The Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act— to help bring home US children who have been abducted overseas. Each law is making a significant difference, but children are still being exploited and we can do more.

Problem solving — constituent casework — is one of the greatest joys of my job. Here at home, my staff and I have tangibly assisted tens of thousands of constituents solve individual problems they were having with federal, state and local agencies. We’ve had incredible success over the years because of our commitment to listening and firmly understanding the issues at hand, and then bringing a depth of knowledge and experience to bear to find solutions. Others agree. Congressional Quarterly (CQ) has noted: “Smith also runs one of the most effective constituent service operations in the House, and many of his initiatives grow out of casework.”

Thoughts on the border wall? In 2006, conservatives and liberals united and I, joined by Senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer voted in favor of the Secure Fence Act of 2006 — a bipartisan law designed to build the wall and where that might not be feasible, employ other means to prevent unlawful border entry. Specifically, the Act directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to take appropriate action within 18 months of enactment to achieve operational control over U.S. international land and maritime borders including physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful border entry. To a large extent, that didn’t happen, however, I remain committed to the goal of the original Secure Fence Act of 2006 and support a real and secure border.

Public funding of abortion? Forty years ago, Congress enacted the Hyde Amendment — a law that must be renewed by Congress every year to prohibit federal Medicaid funds from being used to subsidize abortion except in the cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. The Hyde Amendment is at serious risk of not being renewed despite compelling evidence found in more than 20 peer-reviewed studies that show that more than two million people are alive today because of the Hyde Amendment. Two million people who would have been aborted instead survived because taxpayer funds were unavailable to effectuate their demise by abortion.

Today, first baby pictures aren’t at birth — but ultrasound imaging photos that show the amazing miracle of the developing child in the womb. The American public has made it clear that they do not want tax dollars funding abortion.

Urgent need: a return of respect and civility. Who can argue that we face an unprecedented number of seemingly insurmountable problems both domestic and international that require wise leadership and sustained problem solving by Congress, the President — and everyone of good will.

Perhaps as in no previous time, however, we live in the age of the perpetual campaign where truth and the common good too often take a back seat to political expediency and personal gain. Enabled by distortion, hyperbole, surface appeal argument and the irresponsibility of some on social media, the public is increasingly ill served and resolving tough issues has become more elusive.

While disagreements are inevitable, when we disagree and have fundamental differences, I believe that it is our duty to advance our point of view with the utmost civility and respect — and always take the high road which has become for some so-called activists, the road less traveled.

More recently, activists in my congressional district have taken dissent in an entirely different and dangerous direction — shouting obscenities at my staff including a 17-year-old high school female intern, making threats that have been reported to the police — and even “praying that I get cancer and die."

And then there’s the dirty tricks. Fake twitter and Facebook accounts have been created in my name, deceiving many. It took a letter from the General Counsel of the House of Representatives to compel at least some “modifications” in their deceptive practices.

Dissent and criticism comes with the job. In Congress, I debate the issues and thrive on the give and take and I respect those on the other side of an issue or on the other side of the political aisle. Far too often activists present themselves to the media as mere benign opponents who just want to talk. Their hate-filled posts on social media and elsewhere suggest otherwise.

The incivility and attacks by some are designed to degrade, demonize and distort. Ultimately it will backfire —Americans cherish respect.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve New Jersey's 4th congressional district and I am dedicated to working hard every day to continue to earn your support.

The election is Nov. 6. Who do you want to represent you in Congress? See this map here to find out if live in New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Related: Felicia Stoler, 3rd-Party Candidate In 4th District Race Talks To Patch