Bill Foster: 2024 candidate for U.S. House 11th District representative
Bio
Party: Democrat
Office Sought: U.S. House 11th District
City: Naperville
Age: 69
Occupation: Scientist and businessman
Previous offices held: U.S. Representative, 14th District of Illinois (2008-11) U.S. Representative, 11th District of Illinois (2013-current)
What must be done to achieve a consistent national policy on immigration, not just in terms of what such a policy should be but also in terms of getting a policy through the Senate?
Our immigration system is broken and Congress needs to pass comprehensive immigration reform. We had an opportunity to do this back in 2013, but then-Speaker John Boehner refused to allow a vote on a bipartisan bill that passed the Senate and would have passed in the House if brought up.
That 2013 bill provided tens of billions of dollars for border security, a strict but fair pathway to citizenship for longtime undocumented residents who were able to pay a modest fine, pay back-taxes, and pass a criminal-background check; and going forward it provided workable adjustments to immigration quotas and strong enforcement of E-Verify and to ensure that we to return to a just and humane immigration system based on the rule of law.
It’s been disheartening to see far-right Republicans, including Donald Trump, call for Congress to do nothing because they’d rather score political points. I hope that serious Republicans will reject this cynicism and work with Democrats to finally get this done.
Do you believe the nation's election system and those of the individual states are secure and fair? If not, what must be done to improve them?
The biggest threat to our democracy is the loss of faith in free and fair elections — people must be able to exercise their right to vote and know that their vote will be counted and that the outcome of the election will be respected.
For that to happen, we need politicians who reject false accusations of election fraud unless they are able to point to verifiable evidence that substantial fraud took place.
I am proud that while states across the country are trying to make it harder to vote, Illinois is leading by example — passing measures to protect voting rights and make it easier for citizens to cast their vote. This includes same day voter registration, early voting, and mail-in voting.
I was proud to vote for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act which would restore protections of the Voting Rights Act and strengthen the ability for the federal government to intervene in instances of voter discrimination or disenfranchisement.
What responsibilities does the United States have toward achieving peace in the Middle East? Do you support a two-state solution?
I support Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas terrorism and to make sure Hamas can never again inflict the barbaric violence on innocent Israeli civilians that we witnessed on Oct. 7. Hamas must immediately release every innocent hostage in their custody.
While I support Israel in its self-defense, I have expressed deep concerns with how Prime Minister Netanyahu has conducted the war in Gaza. The mounting and unnecessary civilian death toll and worsening humanitarian crisis are unacceptable. They are not in accord with American principles or interests; nor do they make Israel safer. Maintaining the current strategy also jeopardizes efforts to permanently dismantle Hamas and secure the release of all hostages.
I urge President Biden to continue using America's leverage to urge the Israeli government to pursue a long-term peace founded upon a sustainable two-state solution that respects international law and the interests of both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
Do you think the United States is providing adequate support for Ukraine? Should the U.S. support Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO?
The United States has a moral obligation to assist Ukraine in its self-defense against Putin’s unjust invasion.
This is especially true as Ukraine agreed to turn over their nuclear weapons in the 1990s in return for a guarantee that their territorial sovereignty would be defended by the international community.
If we don’t adhere to that agreement, it would set a dangerous precedent in our efforts to reduce the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Furthermore, allowing Putin to illegally annex Ukraine will endanger our allies in Eastern Europe and will lead to further confrontation. America and our allies in NATO should continue to support Ukraine as it defends its democracy.
How do you perceive the financial health of Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid? To the degree you may see problems with these programs, what should be done about them?
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are essential earned benefits that every American deserves.
Attempts to cut these benefits not only weaken our economy, but, more importantly, would adversely affect the lives of all those who rely on them. As a member of Congress, I am working to strengthen these benefits and will vigorously oppose any attempts to cut them.
I am a proud cosponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act which would maintain the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund far into the future.
I was proud to support the Inflation Reduction Act which allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices and I will continue to support broadening the scope to include more and more drugs. Not only would this lower the prices everyday Americans are paying for their medications, but it would save the government $322 billion over the next decade.
As our population ages, keeping these costs fair will be more and more important to both the government’s and everyday Americans’ budgets.
How do you assess the state of the national economy? What should be done to make it stronger or more stable?
When inflation was at its peak I supported policies like the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act which would shore up the supply chain issues that were causing goods to become so expensive and historic legislation to negotiate drug prices and cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors at $2,000/year.
Despite falling inflation, many families are still feeling the pain from rapidly rising costs over the past few years. To address this, we need to raise workers’ wages to help low- and middle-income families afford essentials. I support the PRO Act, which will ensure every worker has the right to form a union, and the Raise the Wage Act, to gradually raise the minimum wage and eliminate the lower minimum wages for tipped workers and people with disabilities.
I also support policies to restore the Child Tax Credit expansion, lower child care costs, expand SNAP benefits, build more affordable housing, bring down the cost of college, and strengthen the ACA to make health care more affordable.
What personal qualifications do you bring that would make you an effective congressional representative in dealing with the issues the country will face in the next two years?
I am the only Ph.D. physicist in Congress, and I bring with me a wealth of experience gained from a career that required prioritizing research and scientific evidence to draw conclusions and make recommendations — something we need much more of in Washington.
The American people are facing many challenges right now: from a right-wing assault on reproductive freedom, to gun violence, to the challenges posed by advances in AI and the need to better protect our climate for future generations.
To tackle these issues, we need leaders who lead with science and a deep understanding of the policies that are debated in Washington. I’m proud of how I’ve approached my responsibilities to my constituents and how I’ve always fought to make sure science is prioritized in Congress.