Bill Foster: 2026 candidate for the 11th Congressional District

Bio

Office sought: 11th Congressional District

Party: Democrat

City: Naperville

Age: 71

Previous offices held: Representative, Illinois' 14th Congressional District (2008-2011); Representative, Illinois' 11th Congressional District (2013 - present)

Q&A

What is your view on the role of tariffs in the American economy? Do you support the president’s policies on setting tariffs on goods from other countries?

Well-targeted tariffs can be an important policy tool to support American businesses, as well as push other countries to meet important labor and environmental standards in their manufacturing processes. However, the President’s reckless, haphazard imposition of tariffs on our allies has furthered neither of these goals, and instead made the United States an economic pariah across the world. These tariffs—which are paid by American consumers, not foreign businesses—have cost families over $1700 per year at a time when Americans are already struggling to make ends meet. (Source: https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/7cc03e65-d40a-465f-9e88-09dd53d3502f/jec-fact-sheet-on-cost-of-tariffs-for-families-update.pdf)

I have voted multiple times to end the President’s tariffs, as well as joined amicus briefs arguing the tariffs, many of which were imposed without the consent of Congress, are unconstitutional. I will keep fighting to repeal these costly tariffs, bring down expenses for American consumers, and show our allies we are a reliable partner.

What should Congress do to protect Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid? Will Congress act in time to prevent significant cuts in Social Security benefits?

The Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds are essential to ensuring that seniors, who worked hard their entire lives, are taken care of as they age—but these programs are struggling. I’m a strong supporter of the Social Security 2100 Act, which would ask the wealthy to pay into the trust funds at the same rate that everyone else does, shoring up the trust fund for generations to come. I’ve also voted for efforts such as authorizing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which will go a long way to not only lower costs for seniors, but also lower the program’s expenses and make it sustainable into the future. Last year, Republicans enacted the largest cuts to Medicaid in American history with their so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” When more people go uninsured, it raises rates for everyone—not just those who rely on Medicaid. Congress should certainly encourage more preventive medicine and address social determinants of health that drive up medical costs, but we cannot leave families behind without access to quality, affordable care.

How do you rate the state of health care in America? In particular, what are your views on the Affordable Care Act and the concept of Medicare for All?

Today in America, our health care system is great—if you’re rich. Far too many families are crushed by the expenses imposed on them by our health care system, being forced to choose between filling their lifesaving prescriptions and putting food on the table. To begin tackling this problem, I was proud to vote for the Affordable Care Act back in 2010, even though that vote cost me my reelection. The ACA was very successful in reducing how many Americans are uninsured and getting the worst junk insurance plans off the market, but we still have a long way to go. Especially with AI poised to cause massive job losses, we must move away from a health care system where someone’s ability to access care is tied to their employer. Additionally, we must continue to strengthen the ACA by restoring the enhanced premium tax credits that expired at the end of 2025. Finally, we must continue to build on the successes of the Inflation Reduction Act, which I voted for, by negotiating drug prices to bring costs down for all Americans.

How would you describe the working relationships in the U.S. House today? What can be done to promote more effective government in Congress, and what will you do personally to work toward this goal?

Relationships between Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. House are strained, but I’ve always been committed to bridging these divides to drive progress on the issues that matter most to our community. There are three different approaches that can be taken here. First, we can move forward on issues like funding scientific research that are popular with an overwhelming majority of both parties in Congress. Last year, in the face of funding cuts pushed by the Trump Administration, I successfully worked with my colleagues across the aisle to fight back against these extreme cuts, and even secured an increase in funding for things like our national laboratories. Second, we must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and pair moderate policies supporting Democratic priorities with those supporting Republican policies. Our recent passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which will help lower housing costs and build more homes, is a great example of this. Finally, we must push forward policies like the For the People Act that will limit the influence of special interests in Congress, which I believe will make it easier to reach bipartisan compromise.

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?

Americans’ faith in our elections is among the most crucial issues facing our democracy. Extensive studies have shown there is near-zero voter fraud from someone voting multiple times or on behalf of someone else. I believe that we should not put up barriers to voting in the name of preventing fraud that is exceedingly rare. That’s why I’ve been proud to fight back against Trump’s attempts to restrict mail-in voting and online voter registration, which would make it much more difficult for seniors, service members, and people with disabilities to vote. The bigger threats to our elections are the influence of dark money and foreign influence programs operating via social media. I’ve been proud to support bills like the For the People Act and the DISCLOSE Act to shine light onto the dark money donors, and I’ve supported a Constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and rein in campaign donations by special interests. These bills would also help limit foreign influence, as dark money groups often obscure illegal funding from foreign donors. We also must invest in our government’s ability to detect foreign disinformation campaigns so we can stop them before they spread.

If elected, what will you do to help make Congress more effective?

My background as a scientist at Fermilab and the founder of a high-tech manufacturing business give me an important perspective on how both sides of the aisle can come together to deal with the challenges facing our nation. I’ve been tracking the development of AI since I first programmed neural networks at Fermilab in the 1990s, and I understand what Congress should do to promote innovation and mitigate the risks posed by AI. Additionally, small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and I understand the challenges many of those business owners face, especially as their costs rise with inflation and they face increased global competition. From my science background, I also understand the key importance of federally funded R&D; we can only make bipartisan progress against challenges like climate change and cancer if the federal government helps develop the technologies to conquer them.