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Andrea Zopp: Candidate Profile

U.S. Senate (Democrat)

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: ChicagoWebsite: www.andreazoppforsenate.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: U.S. Senate Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Andrea lives in Morgan Park with her husband Bill. They are the proud parents of Alyssa, Kelsey, and Will and the proud owners of three cats and three dogs.Occupation: Candidate did not respond.Education: Harvard University, Cambridge MassachusettsB.A. Cum Laude in History Science, 1978J.D. 1981Civic involvement: Leadership Positions at Urban Partnership BankAndrew Corporation Navy PierChicago Board of EducationBlack Ensemble TheaterLeadership Greater ChicagoHarvard Club of ChicagoNational Urban LeagueChicago Area ProjectCook County Hospital and Health Systems BoardMetropolis Strategies The Economic ClubThe Chicago NetworkArt Institute of Chicago Harvard Alumni Association Governor's Commission: Death Penalty Review Panel: Review Chicago Building Code EnforcementBlue Ribbon Commission: Review CPS Selection Practices Task Force: Review Cemetery Regulation American College of Trial LawyersAmerican Bar FoundationABA CBAThe Chicago Inn of Court Corporate Counsel Women of ColorBlack Women Lawyers AssociationElected offices held: Cook County State's Attorney's OfficeFirst Assistant State's Attorney of Cook County 11/1992 â#8364;#8220; 11/1996Chief, Narcotics Prosecution Bureau4/1991 â#8364;#8220; 11/1992United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois Deputy Chief, Criminal Litigation Division 3/1988 â#8364;#8220; 10/1990Deputy Chief, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force 8/1986 â#8364;#8220; 3/1988Assistant United States Attorney 8/1983 â#8364;#8220; 8/1986Questions Answers How will you work to make Congress more productive and effective? What actions are needed to produce a healthy federal budget? Specifically, what changes do you advocate regarding how revenue is produced or what our spending priorities are? In particular, what effect does current policy have on your district and what changes, if any, are needed?We need leadership that is grounded in experience, has a demonstrated commitment to taking on the tough issues, and has a track record of success. I will bring to Washington not only a commitment to take on the difficult challenges and a track record of results but also a perspective from my experiences from working in the community where I saw people striving to climb out of poverty and into the middle class to provide for their families. We need leadership that is able to not only work together to identify avenues for revenue generation, such as immigration reform, increased tax enforcement, and repatriating overseas corporate profits, but also to ensure that the revenue generation benefits communities and is not gained by increasing their burdens. Additionally, our spending priorities should focus on domestic programs and not defense and overseas expenditures.On current tax policy: It must address the fact that too many working families in Illinois are still struggling to make ends meet. I would support making key provisions of the EITC and CTC permanent and expanding the EITC to childless workers. The reforms first enacted in 2009 and subsequently extended are due to expire at the end of 2017. Failure to do so would push some 16 million people in working families with modest incomes -- including 8 million children -- deeper into poverty. In Illinois alone, 904,000 children in 445,000 Illinois families could lose some or all of their working family tax credits.What immigration policies do you support? Where, if at all, do you see room for compromise to produce an effective policy on immigration? How will these policies have an impact in your district?Fixing our broken immigration system will ultimately boost our economy and help all workers. I support pathways to citizenship, which would provide a substantial contribution to Social Security - an estimated $606.4 billion over the next 36 years. It is well-established that reform legislation that permits pathways to citizenship would have a substantial impact on reducing the federal budget. The CBO found that recent bipartisan immigration reform would have reduced the federal budget by $135 billion in the first decade and by an additional $685 billion in the second decade. I would also support: â#8364;cent;strengthening security and infrastructure along our borders and ports of entry, â#8364;cent;increased penalties for traffickers, which includes transnational criminal organizations,â#8364;cent;increased ICE audits of employers, â#8364;cent;combating identity fraud and theft, â#8364;cent;expanding and fine-tuning the E-Verify system, â#8364;cent;increasing efforts to keep families together by raising caps for family-sponsored entry,â#8364;cent;treating same-sex families as families by giving US citizens and lawful permanent residents the ability to seek a visa on the basis of a permanent relationship with a same sex partner,â#8364;cent;eliminating limitations that prevent victims of crime and abuse from applying for asylum,â#8364;cent;regulatory changes that allow LPR workers to change jobs easier,â#8364;cent;create a 'start-up VISA' for foreign entrepreneurs,â#8364;cent;support programs such as DACA and DAPA,â#8364;cent;support legislation similar to DREAM ActWhat should be the top priorities in Congress related to the Affordable Care Act? If you want changes, what specifically do you recommend? If you want the act entirely eliminated, please address these questions: Is that politically feasible? If it proves infeasible, where do you see the potential for compromise? If it is eliminated, what would you replace it with, if anything?I would oppose attempts to repeal, dilute, or defund the ACA, such as block grants. I would work towards full implementation of the ACA, such as expansion of Medicaid in all 50 states, and would address health disparities. Within health disparities, I would support:â#8364;cent;expanding research on disparities in health, such as those proposed for diabetesâ#8364;cent;increasing dissemination of evidence-based health literacy practicesâ#8364;cent;expanding upon programs like the Ryan White Program, which provides services to those who do not have sufficient resources to cope with HIVFor specific improvements to the ACA, mental healthcare access must be protected and improved, and I would support: â#8364;cent;ensuring that everyone has access to mental healthcare by addressing healthcare disparities and maintaining current laws under the ACA that provide access to mental healthcare (mental and behavioral health cannot be a pre-existing condition and there are no lifetime/yearly dollar limits)â#8364;cent;ensuring that state Medicaid plans cover mental health appropriately and as required by lawâ#8364;cent;providing federal funding for schools to provide mental health services for trauma, conflict resolution programs, and other violence prevention strategiesWhat military or diplomatic roles should the United States play to promote peace and stability in the Mideast? Under what circumstances, should we have military forces actively operating?We must be supportive of local efforts to expand democracy for people, and for women, ethnic and religious minorities in particular. While Iraq and Syria have been the focal points of concern and debate over the past decade our concern must be with democracy and justice in all nations of the region. Diplomacy, negotiation, and support for the refugee/humanitarian crisis is the best pathway to security within the Mideast. The rejectionist approach suggested by some, particularly with no viable alternative, is a reckless one - all too reminiscent of the overly aggressive attitudes that mired our nation in war for over a decade.Please list any elected office you have ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?None.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Too often the stepping-stones of critical support from effective government are kicked out from under people, because our leaders cannot come together. I am committed to fighting for stronger communities, better schools, and safer streets, by increasing opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs striving to recover from the Great Recession. I will continue to fight to keep our neighborhoods safe by taking on illegal guns, and improving police/community relationships. I will work to create opportunity for our working families, stand up for civil rights, and ensure that every child has the chance to succeed in the 21st century.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby. She took on the tough and difficult challenge of prosecuting police officers' in the killing of Freddie Gray.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Care for others. There is always someone less fortunate than you.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Learn to be fluent in one or more languages in addition to English.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History, because you cannot move forward unless you know where you have been.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Always strive to do your best, especially when circumstances make it difficult.