Mike Quigley: Candidate Profile

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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.quigleyforcongress.comOffice sought: 5th District U.S. Representative Age: 55Family: Wife Barbara and two daughters, Alyson and Meghan.Occupation: CongressmanEducation: Roosevelt University, B.A.: University of Chicago, M.P.P.: Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D.Civic involvement: Sierra Club memberElected offices held: Prior to being elected to Congress, I served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 1998 until 2009.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is that?Job creation continues to be my first priority. While the nation's economy is getting better each day, too many Americans still cannot find jobs that pay enough to provide for their family. By investing in infrastructure and encouraging small business growth, we can create jobs and provide the sustainable economic recovery this country needs.What differentiates you most from your opponents in the race?While I am a proud life-long Democrat, I know the importance of reaching across the aisle to find common ground and workable compromises. My opponent has shown a political rigidness that would only add to the partisan gridlock in DC and further stall efforts to pass meaningful legislation.Do you support moving ahead with the Affordable Care Act? Why or why not? Which parts of the law, if any, would you change?The Affordable Care Act has created important consumer protections and expanded access to insurance for millions of Americans. We are already seeing its success here in Illinois, and we must work together in Congress to improve the law and build on the foundation that the ACA has built.What specifically would you do to end gridlock and partisan infighting in the U.S. House and promote cooperative problem-solving?Bipartisanship is about building relationships. I meet once a week with the Bipartisan Working Group, a group of Members that get together for breakfast to work on jobs legislation. I am also a member of No Labels, a bipartisan group that is working to solve large, meaningful problems. During the shutdown, no group was more active than No Labels.What should the U.S. House do, and what specifically will you do, to avoid another government shutdown?As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, one of my main responsibilities is to provide the funds for the government to function. Thankfully, the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Agreement set a path for next year, but the remaining work is up to the Appropriations Committee, and we will do everything possible to keep the government running in 2014.Do you favor measures included in Senate Bill 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013? Specifically, which segments do you support, if any, and which segments do you oppose, if any? Are there other proposals related to immigration that you support or oppose?I support comprehensive immigration reform because it's not only the right thing to do for our families and our security, but it's also the right thing to do for our economy. The Senate's bill strikes the right balance and includes my bill, HR 490, which updates our visa travel protocol to increase international tourism, create jobs, and drive tourist dollars into our economy.On what issues would you break with your party, or have you broken with your party, and why?Many people on both sides of the aisle talk about solving our long-term fiscal issues. However, in 2011, we all had a chance to vote on a real solution, the Cooper-LaTourrette budget which was modeled after the proposals of the Simpson-Bowles Commission. When it came down to it, I was one of only 38 House members that voted on this long-term compromise solution.Should federal spending cuts known as the sequester be continued in their current form? Why or why not? Where specifically would you cut the federal budget, if any? What areas, if any, would you exempt from cuts?The recently passed Bipartisan Budget Agreement addressed sequestration for the next two fiscal years. Past 2015, sequestration remains in place for the rest of the decade, and we need a solution for the future. Across the board cuts are not a smart way to reduce spending levels. We need to focus on infrastructure, research, and education investments while making cuts to our bloated defense budget.How would you vote on cutting Social Security and/or Medicare?I would reject simply cutting benefits for seniors and beneficiaries. However, without any changes, the Social Security Trust Fund will be depleted in 2033. Medicare costs continue to rise. There are a number of ways to fix Medicare and bolster Social Security, but simply cutting benefits is not the solution. We need comprehensive solutions.Finally, is there anything we haven't asked about that you feel we should know?This is the Cubs' year.