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Editor’s note:ÌýFor Hawaii’s Nov. 5 General Election, Civil Beat asked candidates to answer some questions about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following came from Ed Case, Democratic candidate for U.S. House 1st District, which covers urban Oahu. His opponent is Republican Patrick Largey.

Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the General Election Ballot.

1. What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what would you do about it?

High costs pervade our lives and contribute to our many other challenges.

We must continue to reduce inflation through responsible monetary policy and avoiding its causes, mainly weak supply chains combined with large federal Covid spending.

We must boost domestic manufacturing and strengthen supply chains. Congress’ Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I supported, is reinvesting in core infrastructure to produce more goods and deliver them smoothly.

We must address specific high cost drivers. Congress’ Inflation Reduction Act, which I supported, is investing in the transition to renewable energy and lower electricity costs. The Jones Act, which results in a large unfair shipping surcharge on virtually all of our necessities, must be reformed, and prescription drug cost reductions passed by Congress must be implemented.

We must help those most affected by the high cost of living. This requires a strong social safety net and a progressive tax system, and specific assistance such as to renters and first-time homebuyers.

We must assure that net incomes keep up with cost increases. This requires fair cost-of-living adjustments for seniors and others on fixed incomes, and fair pay increases for workers.  

2. What can the U.S. Congress do to reduce gun violence?

Our ongoing epidemic of gun violence is a national tragedy and disgrace. In 2023 alone over 43,000 of our fellow citizens, including 18 in Hawaii, died by gun (not including suicide).

Reasonable, law-abiding citizens should be able to own and enjoy reasonable firearms. But that cannot extend to the wrong guns in the hands of the wrong people, endangering all.

For decades our own Hawaii has implemented a careful balancing of those interests, in line with most other countries where gun violence is a fraction of our own. The solutions are not unknown or complicated.

In Congress, I have fully supported national reforms modeled on those approaches, including keeping weapons of war, like military-style assault rifles and high-capacity ammunition clips, out of general circulation, and implementing universal background checks to identify those predisposed to violence.

To address the roots causes of gun violence and assist law enforcement in prevention, as a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, I have sought funding for key federal programs, such as $37.5 billion for the Department of Justice, $713 million for Violence Against Women Act grants and $50 million for Community Violence Intervention and Prevention in our current fiscal year. 

3. The polarization in Congress is worse than ever. Some say democracy itself is in trouble. How would you work to end the political polarization that divides both the Congress and the country?

The pull in Congress to division and polarization, to yelling and screaming and intolerance rather than constructive debate and problem-solving, is constant.

My first effort is to just say no to that destructive approach to governing. I have instead pursued a path that recognizes room in our political discourse for both strong ideological debate and disagreement and democratic decisions as well as for compromise and resolution on even the toughest issues.

I am vice chair of the House Problems Solvers Caucus, consisting of some 60 members of Congress, split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, that discuss and work toward common-sense solutions to key issues. We were instrumental to passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has already brought over $2 billion in federal reinvestment in Hawaii’s aging infrastructure, and have been at the center of other critical issues including avoiding default on our nation’s debt, keeping our government open in spending fights, foreign assistance and immigration.

I have also sought bipartisan partnerships and initiatives on specific issues where possible. This has not only broadened relationships over time, but also yielded specific results such as major bipartisan federal funding for Red Hill and Maui.

4. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, while currently financially sound, risk future funding concerns because of changing demographics. What would you propose to shore up the country’s major safety net programs?

These most critical programs are not currently financially sound.

The program trustees themselves state that all programs are on a shaky path under which, without action by Congress to shore them up over the next decade max, they will be forced to reduce benefits. 

That clearly must not happen, and the actions we must take are generally no different than to keep our own home or business budget sustainable. 

The options are all difficult, leading to a lot of yelling and screaming and demonizing of anyone who even talks about the problem much less solutions. To cut through, I have joined colleagues in bipartisan, bicameral (House-Senate) legislation to jumpstart a reasonable process toward identifying the best and fairest options.

Among specific potential solutions, I have supported the Social Security 2100 Act to increase the outdated salary cap on Social Security taxes and thus income into the system. I also supported the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce Medicare prescription drug costs, along with increased funding for medical research and preventive care, and, for Hawaii specifically, increased reimbursement rates for our local health care providers. 

5. Is the U.S. on the right path when it comes to mitigating climate change and growing renewable energy production? What specific things should Congress be considering?

We are generally on the right path, but we’re not moving anywhere near as quickly or broadly as the existential worldwide crisis of climate change demands.  

On the positive side, in the last few years Congress has passed generational investments in addressing this overarching crisis. Our Inflation Reduction Act provides billions of dollars in grant and loan programs and other investments for clean energy and climate action. These include tax credits to install solar panels, battery storage systems and energy efficiency home improvements that promote energy efficiency, as well as incentives for electric vehicle ownership and operation.  

Our $1.1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a comprehensive package of climate change initiatives, among them electric vehicle charging stations, mass transit and upgraded transmission lines. My House Appropriations Committee has increased federal funding into cutting-edge research, development and implementation of renewable energy. 

All of these initiatives must be fully supported, implemented and amplified. But the biggest single initiative remaining undone and which Congress must support is a set of binding international agreements on curbing carbon emissions, especially with our fellow major emitters like the People’s Republic of China. 

6. What is your view on the U.S. role in foreign policy? What can the U.S. do to build better relations with the Asia-Pacific region?

Our world faces a generational choice between democracy and authoritarianism, between one system that has avoided another world war, uplifted billions and addressed the severe challenges to humanity and a dark alternative where might makes right, freedom is subjugated and values are a hindrance.

We have led the first system for three generations now. It is not perfect and we have made mistakes. But it is far better for our country and world than the alternative the People’s Republic of China, Russia and their allies are pursuing, and without our continued leadership they may succeed.

The Indo-Pacific is the frontlines of this challenge, especially given the actions of the PRC. We cannot meet this challenge alone, but must strengthen existing and build new alliances and partnerships at every level, from defense to economic and social. We must also help others with their own challenges, from infrastructure to economic stability to climate change and more.

I focus on these goals especially through my Appropriations Committee, responsible for both defense and non-defense funding. I also co-founded in 2019 and co-chair our House Pacific Islands Caucus, which has worked successfully to boost our engagement with our own ohana throughout the Pacific.

7. Should the state renew the U.S. military’s leases on training grounds in Hawaii? Should there be new conditions on the leases and if so what?

Yes, subject to potential changes in specific lands and conditions.

Our Hawaii has been, is and will remain, critical to our national defense, and the active presence of our military here is a reality of our world. This is about not just our location at the epicenter of the generational geopolitical challenge of the People’s Republic of China and its Pacific allies like Russia and North Korea, but our obligation to our country.

The question whether existing leases should be renewed is too narrow. The real question is: Given our limited resources, what specific resources are critical to our national defense, what specific resources are critical to Hawaii’s needs and how do we use the lease renewal process to adjust our military’s overall presence and conditions of use to best accommodate both of our needs.

In addition to some renewed leases, this could result in land exchanges or transfers as well as state easements and other entitlements over federal leased or fee lands. Other specific conditions in a post-Red Hill world must clearly reduce environmental risks and require remediation, and could include enhanced federal defense assistance on high military impact needs such as education, housing and conservation.