Candidate for United States Congress: Congressman Tim
Bishop
Topic 1: Tim Bishop’s thoughts on Healthcare
Background: 8 million children have no health insurance in the U.S., 67,000 of them live in
Nassau and Suffolk County and 397,000 in New York State. While the Health Care Reform Act
does require coverage for basic pediatric services, including oral health, 66% of children enrolled
in Medicaid in New York State do not receive dental care. New York State does not meet the
national goal for states in preventing tooth decay: 33% of third graders have untreated cavities.
Question: How do you propose to ensure that New York’s children grow up healthy and have
access to comprehensive health and dental care?
I support legislation that will greatly benefit children in New York State. The extension of the
highly successful State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) makes strides in increasing
access and affordability for families. This reauthorization of this program provides coverage for
267,000 uninsured children in New York who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in,
SCHIP and Medicaid.
The Affordable Healthcare Act, which I supported, will give Long Island families more choices,
better coverage and peace of mind in their health care decisions. Of the many improvements
afforded in the new law, multiple doctor visits for infants and annual visits for children until they
reach the age of 21 are among the most beneficial to growing children. Health insurance
companies will also no longer be able to deny coverage to children under the age of 19 who have
pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or cancer. Plans that offer dependent coverage
must continue to make that coverage available until the child turns 26 years of age. Plans are also
required to cover all oral services for pediatric patients as part of the essential care package.
Topic 2: Tim Bishop’s thoughts on Child Abuse & Neglect
Background: More than 3 million children nationwide were reported abused and neglected in
2008, 159,556 of them in New York State. New York’s Voluntary Home Visiting resources have
not been fully leveraged. This parent mentoring program is proven to help reduce child abuse and
neglect, and lessen the need for reliance on the state. Women enrolled in these programs save the
taxpayers $1,025 per year on average in food stamps, Medicaid and other government assistance.
Question: What are your plans to keep all children in New York safe from violence in their
homes, schools, and communities?
We must do all that we can to protect the lives and safety of children both in and out of the
classroom. While the New York Home Visiting Program is a state-run program, on the federal
level I support the reauthorization of the Family Violence Services Protection Act.
Reauthorization of this vital law will build upon existing services for families and victims of
domestic abuse by targeting services to our country’s neediest populations. I also support antibullying measures to protect students while at school.
Topic 3: Tim Bishop’s thoughts on After School
Programs/Care
Background: 779,281 (25%) of New York State’s children are responsible for taking care of
themselves after school. On school days, the hours from 3 to 6 pm are the peak hours for kids to
smoke, drink, and experiment with drugs; to become victims of crime; to be in car accidents; or to
commit crimes. Also, children and teens who begin self-care at young ages are at increased risk
of poor educational and behavioral outcomes.
Question: What is your position on how to keep children safe and supervised in the late
afternoon and early evening hours?
As a member of the House Education & Labor Committee, I am intimately involved in drafting
the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No
Child Left Behind. I will continue to work to ensure that the new law takes into consideration a
child’s entire day, not just time spent in the classroom. I believe children should have access to
after school programs that not only keep them safe but also enrich their education.
Topic 4: Tim Bishop’s thoughts on Pre-K Education
Background: 39% of three and four year-olds in Nassau and Suffolk counties are not enrolled in
a pre-kindergarten program. Research tells us that young children are eager learners; the
information they learn before primary school matters a great deal. Children who begin
kindergarten familiar with letters, numbers, and shapes are much more likely to grasp the
foundational math and reading concepts needed to become successful learners. Children denied
exposure to these basic skills begin school far behind their peers – and are likely to remain
behind.
Question: What is your position on early learning and care, including preparing children for
kindergarten?
Eighty-five percent of brain growth happens in the first five years of a child’s life. Yet the
percentage of public expenditures during these years is at its lowest. High quality early education
programs yield a high return on investment by increasing high school graduation and adult
employment, and decrease spending on special education services, juvenile crime and public
welfare. The highest rate of return is for very intensive high quality programs targeted to serve
low-income children. Recently, I supported the reauthorization of Head Start, an early learning
program for low-income children. The new law expands and strengthens the existing program by
improving teacher and classroom quality and promoting stronger accountability. I am also a
proud cosponsor of the Pre-K Act, which would greatly improve the quality of America’s early
education by providing grants to states for to develop or expand state-funded preschool programs.
Topic 5: Tim Bishop’s thoughts on Poverty
Background: 13 million of America’s children live in poverty, 850,000 of whom live in New
York State, with 41,000 in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Poverty places children at higher risk for
a wide range of problems including exposure to factors that may impair brain development, and
social and emotional development. These children are also at risk for poor school performance,
inadequate nutrition, increased health risks, behavior problems, and negative emotional well
being.
Question: What would you do to help families with children in New York become economically
self-sufficient and able to provide for their family’s needs?
I strongly support legislation that will strengthen the local economy and reinvigorate job growth.
Recently, I voted for H.R. 4213, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 to help
create and save more than a million American jobs, provide working families with tax cuts, and
close tax loopholes that reward companies for outsourcing American jobs. As our country begins
to recover from the deepest recession since the Great Depression, my number one priority is
keeping jobs in America and on Long Island and getting hard working, New Yorkers back in the
job market. My support for this legislation reinforces my commitment to closing tax loopholes
that encourage employers to ship jobs overseas.
In addition, H.R. 4213 assists those who have lost their job through no fault of their own by
extending unemployment benefits through November, 2010, as they seek job opportunities. This
critical measure also prevents the elimination of the Emergency Contingency Fund within the
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program by extending it through November
2010, so that states will continue receiving assistance without increasing expenditures.