Candidate for United States Congress: Gary Ackerman
Topic 1: Gary Ackerman’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?
In 2009, I proudly voted for the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of
2009 to add 4 million children who are already eligible for, but not yet enrolled, in SCHIP. In
New York State alone, the law provided essential funding to reach tens of thousands more
children in modest-income families who earn too much for Medicaid to get coverage through
Child Health Plus. This year, I voted for the Affordable Care Act, which will make health
coverage available to 2.6 million uninsured New Yorkers, including children. Most importantly,
sick children will no longer be denied coverage by health-insurance companies because they have
a pre-existing condition.
Topic 2: Gary Ackerman’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?
I am a strong supporter of federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment grants, which provided
more than $1.5 million to New York State in Fiscal Year 2009 for preventing and responding to
child abuse and neglect. In a nation with resources such as ours, there is no excuse for any
neglected or abused child to slip through the cracks. I support increased funding to help states
improve child protective services and equip local police and teachers with the training they need
to be able to prevent, detect, and intervene in cases of abuse or neglect.
Topic 3: Gary Ackerman’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 former New York City public school teacher, I know firsthand the importance of providing
working parents access to safe and affordable care for their school-aged children. The statistics
don’t lie. Children who are in a supervised environment after school are much less likely to
become involved with drugs, alcohol, or crime. I am a strong supporter of the 21st Century
Community Learning Centers program, which supports community after-school programs with
the funding they require to provide a safe learning environment. I have also cosponsored federal
legislation to improve child care and development services, strengthen the 21st Century
Community Learning Centers programs, and expand juvenile crime prevention programs.
Topic 4: Gary Ackerman’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?
As a grandfather and a former school teacher, I am concerned that quality and affordable early
education is still out of the reach of many American children. Preschool should not be an
exclusive club, but rather an opportunity for all children to get a head start. I was proud to
support H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act, which drastically expanded access to earlyeducation programs, improved the quality of teachers and classrooms, and strengthened the focus
on preparing our children for school. I was also proud to support the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, which built on these priorities by making strategic investments to improve
both the Head Start and Early Head Start programs. I also supported the Student Aid and Fiscal
Responsibility Act, H.R. 3221, which provided increased funding to early-education programs
and increased their availability so more children can receive the education they deserve.
Topic 5: Gary Ackerman’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?
Times are tough middle-class families on Long Island struggling to pay their bills and put food on
their tables. For the thousands of Long Islanders who have lost their jobs, relief has not arrived
nearly fast or strong enough. The federal government should continue to assist those individuals
who remain unemployed while our economy continues to recover. I strongly believe that the
emergency unemployment-insurance extensions provided by the federal government in the
Recovery Act and subsequent legislation must not only be sustained, but extended to keep
children out of poverty. Moving forward, I will continue to support initiatives such as the
Workforce Development Act that funds essential U.S. Department of Labor programs to train
dislocated workers and help families become and remain economically self-sufficient.