Top Hawaii Congressional Candidates Speak on Inflation, Gas Prices, Healthcare and Gun Reform
by Edwin Quinabo
Typical of midterm elections – the political party that holds the presidency often loses control of Congress, or at least one of the two chambers. With the nation stuck in quicksand in record high inflation (despite higher employment numbers), some political experts predict this rule of thumb could play out in this 2022 midterm elections with the GOP regaining control of Congress, winning in swing states.
Hoping to defy the odds, Democrats are pointing to their victories (infrastructure, COVID-19 relief bills), avoiding their losses (Build Back Better) and appealing to popular legislation they support (gun reform, protecting voters rights, lowering the cost of prescription drugs) to squeak by and maintain their majorities at the Hill. Their other selling point is to place down the welcome mat for moderate Republicans who left the GOP – currently political nomads – saying that they have a new home under the Democratic Party tent.
The infusion to the Democratic party of both independent voters and moderate-GOP-turned Democrats is perhaps the biggest reason why moderate Democrats are having hope for victories over their progressive counterparts in the 2022 primary midterm. The past two midterm cycles saw the rise of progressive Democrats nationally and have resulted in the mushrooming of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) which is now the largest and most powerful Democratic Caucus in Congress. Progressives continue to target seats where the few but still powerful moderate minority Democratic bloc remains who has President Joe Biden (moderate) as their political godfather (not the highly unpopular moderate Sen. Joe Machin).
It’s the sign of the times in today’s political landscape that primary elections are far more competitive than it used to be just two decades or even a decade ago. Voters throughout the nation have already seen some of the most hard fought primary races this 2022 midterm election.
On the Republican side, the birth of Trumpism gave rise to a farther right of brand GOP-politics than even what former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former congresswoman Michele Bachmann have built in their Tea Party movement. Tight primaries have played out in 2022 between Trump-anointed and non-Trump anointed (but still Trump idealogues) candidates. Trump-backed candidates have been winning, but not all of the GOP primaries.
In Hawaii, the GOP’s chances of winning even one of the two Hawaii Congressional seats is slim. The local GOP continues to nosedive and any hopes of a renaissance died with former Gov. Linda Lingle’s retirement from politics. Their last viable hope for retaking a Hawaii congressional seat was in moderate Republican Charles Djou who, even if he had run and won in 2022, would have been completely alienated with the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Kevin McCarthy as poster politicians for the new far-right GOP.
Technically speaking Hawaii elected its first “Progressive” Democrat congressmember last election in former state senator Kai Kahale who is running this year for governor. But in reality, Hawaii has had a very long tradition of progressive congressmembers beginning with the late Patsy Mink. She and her progressive-minded successors just had another label back then, called liberal – which policy-wise is near synonymous to progressive, but that earlier label had been dropped for the forward-sounding, smarter PR terminology used today.
Hawaii’s Primary Election is on Saturday, August 13, 2022. Voters will receive their voting packets by July 26, and completed ballots must be received by voters county’s Election Division by election day, 7 p.m.
For our cover story this issue we feature four of the top candidates for Hawaii’s Congressional Districts 1 and 2. In District 1 we feature incumbent Ed Case and Sergio Alcubilla; in District 2 Jill Tokuda and Patrick Pihana Branco. There are other candidates for each race but the HFC editorial board narrowed the list to the top (and most relevant to our Filipino community) candidates, who were asked questions we prepared on some of the popular issues at Congress – inflation and fuel cost, gun reform, healthcare, Medicare (and a topic of their choice).
We know there are many other major issues being tackled at the federal level (addressed in our lead editorial on page 2), but due to space, again, we had to narrow the topics to those we believe are most pressing at the moment and to give the candidates adequate space to address these issues.
We have two sections to this cover story: first on the candidates background, second a Q&A. The candidates comments have been edited for space and clarity.
CANDIDATES BACKGROUND
Ed Case, Congressional District 1
Case is the incumbent Congressmember for Hawaii’s District 1. He was born and raised in Hilo, the fourth generation of his family in Hawai’i. He attended public and private schools on Hawai’i Island through high school and college in Massachusetts, then worked in Washington, D.C. for U.S. Congressman/Senator Spark Matsunaga for three years before graduating from law school in California.
“I came home, and for the next twenty years practiced law in Honolulu and also served eight years in the Hawai’i State House of Representatives in many positions, including Majority Leader,” Case said.
In 2002 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii’s Second District (the whole state except for Honolulu) and served on Capitol Hill until 2007. He returned to practicing law in Honolulu for seven years and worked in the visitor industry in Waikiki with Outrigger Hotels for another five years. In 2018 he was re-elected to the U.S. House from Hawaii’s First District (Honolulu) and in 2020 was re-elected.
“I am serving my second term on the powerful House Appropriations Committee which is responsible for directing all federal discretionary funding and I focus much of my time and effort there to be sure Hawai’i is taken care of. I also focus on the Asia-Pacific where so much of our Hawaii’s heritage and our country’s future lie.”
Case married his high school classmate, Audrey (Nakamura). They have four children, two beautiful granddaughters, 3 ½ years and seven months, who he says, “don’t know or care that Papa is a Congressman.”
Sergio Alcubilla, Congressional District 1
Case will be defending his seat against a newbie to politics but someone who has wide-sectoral support in Sergio Alcubilla, a non-profit, public interest attorney and labor leader. He’s already received key endorsements from the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association and International Longshore & Warehouse Union International (ILWU), and from prominent community leaders like Dr. Amy Agbayani and former chair of the Hawai’i Democratic Party Tim Vandeveer.
Alcubilla was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. at 7 years old after his father, a military officer, was assassinated in February 1986. He said his mother was pregnant with his youngest brother at the time and working in the U.S. as a nurse. “As a single mother, she would raise six children on her own despite the challenges,” he said.
Alcubilla served as an attorney and the Director of External Relations at the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, a non-profit, public interest law firm where he focused on improving access to justice for the most vulnerable in our community.
He currently is on the executive board for the Hawaii Workers Center, a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of low-wage workers. He served on various committees of the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission and as a board director for the Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association and the Filipino Young Leaders Program.
Alcubilla graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in political science and economics, obtained a master’s degree in religious education from the Unification Theological Seminary, and completed his law degree at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is married to Hiromi and they have two young children, Aina and Sergio IV (both attend public school).
Patrick Pihana Branco, Congressional District 2
State Rep. Patrick Pihana Branco who represents Oahu’s District 50 (Kailua and Kaneohe Bay) was elected in November 2020. Prior to the State House where he served as a member of the powerful Finance Committee, he was a diplomat with the U.S. Foreign Service and did tours to several countries including Colombia and Pakistan. Branco graduated from Kamehameha Schools, Hawai’i Pacific University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Jill Tokuda, Congressional District 2
Jill Tokuda is a former State senator who served in the State Senate for 12 years (from 2006-2018). While there she was a part of leadership and rose to chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee where she was responsible for balancing the state’s $14 billion budget.
She said during her legislative career, she focused on putting families first (which happens to be the theme of her campaign), including establishing an office to provide access to preschool; funding the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to provide free in-state tuition to qualified community college students; and supporting the Hawaiʻi Keiki Program to provide access to nursing services in Hawaii’s public schools.In the private sector she had her own consulting practice. Over the last two years, she worked with the State to track billions in pandemic relief funding to Hawaii.
Jill is the External Affairs Director for the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center, and serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Hawai’i Budget and Policy Center. She said she is a proud public school graduate. She received her BA in International Relations and a minor in Japanese Studies from George Washington University. She is married to Kyle Michibata and they have two sons.
Q&A SECTION
Ed Case, Congressional District 1.
HFC: Would you support a fuel price gouging bill? Or how would you deal with the current high gasoline prices?
Case: I fully support H.R. 7688 and voted for it when it passed the full U.S. House. But this is only part of the solution to unacceptably high gas prices that are hurting us all. The main driver is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and our resulting ban on Russian oil imports. We had to impose that ban, as we can’t both support Ukraine and import Russian oil. But that restricts supply just as demand is returning with our COVID recovery. So we have to increase supply to keep up with demand and reduce the price pressures. Nationally, I’ve supported doing that in various ways including President Biden’s releasing oil from our domestic reserves. For Hawai’i, which was importing Russian oil, I have called on the President to waive the Jones Act so we can keep accessing international shipping at lower prices to deliver oil from the continental U.S. to Hawai’i.
HFC: Some economists say inflation is caused by high concentration of industries (monopolies) that do not encourage an environment with healthy competition. Do you support tougher antitrust bills to encourage competition? Or if you disagree with this theory, how would you improve the nation’s inflation situation?
Case: I fully support our antitrust laws which aim to prevent the development and expansion of unfair monopolies that obstruct fair competition and impose unfair prices and limitations on access to the goods and services we all need. Our antitrust laws, which were created almost a century ago, have not kept up with modern business in our country nor with a much more global economy in which other countries don’t have our same laws and don’t compete fairly, so I support major updates to our laws. But this alone will not bring inflation under control; there are many other actions we must pursue all at the same time. On critical one is to loosen up supply chains for critical goods and services, especially those imported from other countries. Another is to be very careful with further massive federal spending which causes inflation.
HFC: While Hawaii has one of the toughest gun restrictions in the nation, what federal restrictions on guns do you support?
Case: Our worsening epidemic of gun violence is a national tragedy. The statistics are condemning enough, like the highest rate of firearm ownership in the world and the highest number of deaths by firearm of any developed nation. But it is the terrible loss of innocent lives including our children to sick people carrying easily-obtained assault weapons with high capacity magazines designed only to kill large numbers in a very short period of time that is the worst of all. I support the right of responsible citizens to own and use firearms for hunting, recreation and other uses. But, as courts have always ruled, reasonable conditions can be placed on that right to protect public safety. In Congress I have co-introduced and voted for many of the same conditions we have followed for decades in Hawai’i, which has among the lowest rates of gun violence and death in our country.
HFC: Do you support expanding Obamacare? Would you support Medicare for All (single-payer system)?
Case: I fully support the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which extended affordable quality health care to tens of millions of Americans in need. There remain unacceptable gaps, and I have worked to expand and fix ACA and improve other programs like Medicare and Medicaid. There are various proposals called “Medicare for All” and the details matter greatly. But if it means replacing our current system of health care delivered through insurers like HMSA and Kaiser, plus the ACA, plus Medicare and Medicaid, plus the VA health care system for our veterans and their ‘ohana, I haven’t supported those versions because I believe that overall we are better fixing what’s wrong with our current systems than throwing them out. I have, though, supported a more limited Medicare public option, meaning that if you think that’s best for you then you can join up before the current age.
HFC: Specifically on Medicare (not related to a single-payer system), how can we keep costs down on our current Medicare program? Do you support a bill lowering the cost of prescription drugs?
Case: I fully support a range of initiatives to curb the unacceptable and destructive increases in the costs of health care. One of the main drivers is prescription drugs, and I have co-introduced and voted for virtually every initiative to reduce these costs which hit us all but especially our seniors so hard. These include our Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which would give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices (which incredibly it does not now have), and our Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions and Making Health Care More Affordable Act, which would give consumers the option of purchasing health care insurance for less than 10% of their income, especially important to low, moderate and middle-income consumers. And in my Appropriations Committee, I have fully supported funding of government agency watchdogs over abuses in our health care system especially waste and fraud in Medicare which drives up premiums.
HFC: Other top Federal issue. Besides those above, what is your top concern that you would like to tackle in Congress?
Case: This is an impossible question as it asks me to choose one single “top concern” among many and that is not reflective of our country or Hawai’i or my district nor how I do my job. But my one responsibility that affects all of these concerns and has the broadest impact is my work on our House Appropriations Committee and our responsibility to oversee and fund all federal departments and programs. There my goals are always to fairly and responsibly fund the federal programs that target the needs of our country and Hawai’i and each of us, from national defense and environmental protection to education, health care, our social safety net and much more. This was critically important to our Hawai’i especially in assisting us to work through the COVID-19 crisis during which our federal government provided trillions of dollars in emergency assistance including over $20 billion to Hawai’i.
HFC: Which label do you more closely align yourself with – moderate or progressive. If you prefer not to label yourself this way, please explain why? Clearly the voting general public understand these terms well by now and it would be helpful.
Case: I understand the desire to reduce an elected official or candidate down to a simple one-word label. But I reject it, just as I believe most folks would reject all of their many views and beliefs being summed up in a single label which may be wrong as to some of those. In my almost 20 years in elected office, I’ve made thousands of decisions on thousands of issues, and among them are what some might label “liberal,” “moderate,” and “conservative” positions and everything in between. For example, I believe in a strong national defense and a strong social safety net; what does that make me? If you really need some label to sum me up, the one that I’m most comfortable with is “mainstream,” meaning that I believe I share and fairly represent the views of most folks most of the time.
HFC: Why should Hawaii’s Filipino community vote for you?
Case: I have shared your values: service to our community; advancement for the next generations; hard work and perseverance; belief in America. I have treasured our Hawaii’s diversity and sought to assure all of us a full role in our present and future. Throughout my service in Congress I have represented more Fil-Ams than any other Congressional district in our country. I have pursued specific Fil-Am initiatives like our Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act. I was truly honored to receive the United Filipino Council of Hawaii’s Progress Award in Ating Kaibigan. I believe I have proven an effective representative of Fil-Ams everywhere in Congress.
Sergio Alcubilla, Congressional District 1.
HFC: Would you support a fuel price gouging bill? Or how would you deal with the current high gasoline prices?
Alcubilla: Yes, I would support a fuel price gouging bill as many Americans continue to pay high prices at the pump while oil companies are making record profits. At a recent congressional hearing, six oil companies admitted that they made over $75 billion in profits in the past year, while still receiving over $30 billion in government subsidies. Oil companies are working in their own self-interests while the true impact is felt by those of us with less room in our monthly budgets.Further, as a way to combat the market forces of supply and demand that often gives an excuse for oil companies to continue to raise prices, I propose that we subsidize public transportation instead. Fares on all public transportation should be suspended to encourage more people to leave their cars behind. It’s better for the environment, better for our wallets, and will drive down the demand for oil.
HFC: Some economists say inflation is caused by high concentration of industries (monopolies) that do not encourage an environment with healthy competition. Do you support tougher antitrust bills to encourage competition? Or if you disagree with this theory, how would you improve the nation’s inflation situation?
Alcubilla: While I understand there are many competing economic theories as to what is driving inflation, I do believe that big corporations are using the excuse of inflation to simply drive prices even higher to further increase profits. While economists point to different economic factors, the constant that remains is the increase in profits that many companies enjoyed these last few years.
To combat inflation, I would take a more comprehensive approach and look at the larger economic picture, both at the macro and micro levels, to see if there are other factors artificially driving prices higher. Second, I would continue to invest in our supply chain infrastructure, making sure that we can produce and move goods to market with efficiency and pass these savings to consumers. Finally, I would support efforts to keep costs for average Americans low by asking large corporations and the wealthiest to pay their fair share.
HFC: While Hawaii has one of the toughest gun restrictions in the nation, what federal restrictions on guns do you support?
Alcubilla: One of my biggest fears as a parent is dropping off my children at school and hearing of another mass shooting at an elementary school. As someone that has been directly impacted by gun violence, I believe we need to do more to make sure our children are not paying the price for our constitutional right to bear arms. The recent mass shootings around the country from Texas to New York should never happen again.
I support the “Protecting Our Kids Act” passed by the House this month that would raise the minimum age to purchase a semiautomatic rifle from 18 to 21 years old, ban large-capacity magazines, and provide incentives for the safe storage of firearms. Eventually, I would like to see the use of technology in developing “smart” guns, which can be fired only by registered users along with regular licensing and insurance requirements.
HFC: Do you support expanding Obamacare? Would you support Medicare for All (single-payer system)?
Alcubilla: Yes, as someone who has health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act, I believe it’s time we reimagine healthcare in this country. We spend more on healthcare per capita than any other country in the world, and yet more than one out of ten Americans have no health insurance at all. During the pandemic, many in Hawai‘i lost their health insurance along with their jobs, which shows the insecurity this system of employer sponsored health insurance really is.
We are the only high-income country in the world that is failing to provide this basic service to our people. In Congress, I will join the fight to pass the Medicare For All Act to guarantee health care for all people. For Hawai‘i, this means lifting the burden of expensive medical bills, a primary cause of bankruptcy for many on fixed income and will result in significant savings to the state.
HFC: Specifically on Medicare (not related to a single-payer system), how can we keep costs down on our current Medicare program? Do you support a bill lowering the cost of prescription drugs?
Alcubilla: Yes, I would support the provisions in the Build Back Better Act that President Biden pushed for in lowering the cost of prescription drugs. With my mother currently on Medicare, I understand the impact of being on a fixed income and having to worry about paying for medication and other medical expenses out of pocket. We pay two to three times as much as people in other countries for prescription drugs, and one in four Americans who take prescription drugs can barely afford their medications.
Under the Build Back Better agenda, Medicare would have been able to negotiate drug prices directly, it would establish a firm cap that those on Medicare would have to pay out-of-pocket for medication each year, and it would have pushed other reforms in lowering or eliminating the cost of certain prescription drugs such as insulin and other vaccines.
HFC: Other top Federal issue. Besides those above, what is your top concern that you would like to tackle in Congress?
Alcubilla: I will continue to champion many of the provisions in the Build Back Better Act that failed to pass in Congress because those provisions directly invested in our most valuable resource – our people.
In Hawaii, we struggle with issues in affordability from the lack of affordable housing to finding adequate child care to the point that many young families and seniors are leaving Hawaii for the continent. I will continue to champion paid parental leave, affordable child care, and universal preschool. While other elected officials may argue that we can’t afford to invest in our children, we can’t afford paid parental leave, or we can’t afford expanding social security, I would argue that we can’t afford not to.
I support comprehensive tax reform to improve our tax system, making sure that the rich and large corporations pay their fair share in taxes while we provide relief to our working families.
HFC: Which label do you more closely align yourself with – moderate or progressive. If you prefer not to label yourself this way, please explain why? Clearly the voting general public understand these terms well by now and it would be helpful.
Alcubilla: I look through the lenses of our own Filipino national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal and his fight for progressive reform in the Philippines. I look at the fight of our labor unions here in Hawaii in organizing Filipino workers to fight for better wages, better working conditions, and respect. These reforms would not have been possible without the courage of those willing to “disrupt” the political, economic, and social systems of those in power.
I believe in a progressive agenda because it puts people first, it calls for change when the status quo is no longer good enough and only seeks to benefit the few. As an immigrant to this country, I believe in a progressive agenda because we should continue to make progress towards the vision of what this country can and should be, to be a “city upon a hill” and a “beacon of hope” for the world.
HFC: Why should Hawaii’s Filipino community vote for you?
Alcubilla: With over four million Filipino-Americans in this country and nearly 25% of Hawaii’s population, it’s time we have a seat at the table where many of the decisions impacting our community are made. From the boardroom to the halls of Congress, representation matters.
I ask the Filipino community for its support not simply because I am a Filipino immigrant but because I am the better, well-qualified candidate, with the work and personal experience to represent all of Hawaii in Congress. As a public interest attorney and a non-profit leader, I am for the people because I am from the people.
Patrick Pihana Branco, Congressional District 2
HFC: Would you support a fuel price gouging bill? Or how would you deal with the current high gasoline prices?
Branco: I would support a fuel price gouging bill as high gas prices have a disproportionate effect on working class families and represent an existential threat to many families’ way of life. I am willing to work with anybody on any serious proposal designed to help lower gas prices in the immediate future. I also believe that we need to make the necessary investment in alternative energy sources to be able to avert future fuel crises. I support the boosting of federal subsidies for electric vehicles to make the purchase of such cars accessible for the average working family, and for the necessary funding to bring abundant charging stations across the country.
HFC: Some economists say inflation is caused by high concentration of industries (monopolies) that do not encourage an environment with healthy competition. Do you support tougher antitrust bills to encourage competition? Or if you disagree with this theory, how would you improve the nation’s inflation situation?
Branco: I am always in support of antitrust legislation designed to increase competition. However, there is not one single cause to inflation, and I believe in a multifaceted approach that will bring costs down for consumers. We are still seeing a k-shaped economic recovery as our nation emerges from the COVID pandemic, and we need to ensure that barriers to reentry for working families, such as the higher costs of childcare and transportation, are lowered to allow parents to reenter the workforce.
HFC: While Hawaii has one of the toughest gun restrictions in the nation, what federal restrictions on guns do you support?
Branco: I do not believe that weapons of war belong on our streets, and would support a federal assault weapons ban. I support enacting a nationwide “red flag law” which would deny the sale of guns to—and allow for the temporary removal of guns from—people who pose a risk to themselves or others. I believe that we need enhanced universal background checks that will close the dangerous “Charleston Loophole” in background checks. I also believe that gun violence is a public health emergency, and would support funding to allow the CDC to be able to study the gun violence epidemic.
HFC: Do you support expanding Obamacare? Would you support Medicare for All (single-payer system)?
Branco: Yes, I support Medicare for All, which will ensure every resident of Hawaiʻi has high-quality healthcare coverage. Proper access is also a critical problem for Hawaiʻi’s rural communities. Throughout the Neighbor Islands, residents are faced with a physician shortage that often forces them to wait months for an appointment, travel hundreds of miles to seek care, and then pay for healthcare expenses that have more than doubled over the last 20 years. In Congress, I will work to secure the resources needed to attract and retain physicians in our rural communities.
HFC: Specifically on Medicare (not related to a single-payer system), how can we keep costs down on our current Medicare program? Do you support a bill lowering the cost of prescription drugs?
Branco: Medicare must be allowed to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs with drug manufacturers. The US Government Accountability Office found that the VA, which unlike Medicare can negotiate the cost of prescription drugs, paid an average of 54% less per unit than Medicare, even after taking into account rebates and discounts. Allowing drug manufacturers, who are seeing record profits, the ability to legally gouge the United States’ single largest healthcare provider is unacceptable.
HFC: Other top Federal issue. Besides those above, what is your top concern that you would like to tackle in Congress?
Branco: The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the dire need to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy and to reduce our dependence on the continent for our food supply. Agriculture is already Hawaiʻi’s third-largest industry, and Hawaiʻi’s 2nd District is responsible for 94% of Hawaiʻi’s agricultural sales. I will work to bring federal funding and grants from USDA to ensure that Hawaiʻi’s agricultural sector is protected from invasive species and diseases. I will also ensure that funding for Hawaiʻi’s specialty crops, livestock, and fishing industries are boosted in the next Farm Bill.
HFC: Which label do you more closely align yourself with – moderate or progressive. If you prefer not to label yourself this way, please explain why? Clearly the voting general public understand these terms well by now and it would be helpful.
Branco: I am a progressive who likes to get things done. I believe that in order to deliver results for the people of Hawai’i, our elected officials need to have a sense of pragmatism that will allow us to make positive change within the system of government that we have.
HFC: Why should Hawaii’s Filipino community vote for you?
Branco: I am proud to say that if elected I will be the first member of Congress from Hawai’i with Filipino ancestry. I have dedicated my life to serving Hawai’i and our country. Today in Hawai’i, there are too many people who are forced to move to the continent because they can’t get by. The rent is too high, the good-paying jobs are too few, and residents of our state are increasingly hopeless that they will ever be able to build a good life here in Hawai’i. This is unacceptable to me. I pledge that I will dedicate myself to staying in this seat for as long as the good people of Hawai’i will have me, and put my heart and soul into building the seniority and the relationships necessary to bring back opportunity to Hawai’i. To ensure our keiki are able to see a future in our state, and that our kupuna are taken care of and able to retire with dignity.
Jill Tokuda, Congressional District 2
HFC: Would you support a fuel price gouging bill? Or how would you deal with the current high gasoline prices?
Tokuda: Yes, I would support the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act. Hawaii’s gas prices are averaging over $5.50/gallon. Families, especially in rural communities, are suffering from the dramatic increase in inflation and fuel prices – some having to make the choice of earning a living to support their family and being able to afford gas to get to work.
I would support innovative approaches to easing the burden on our taxpayers, such as the Federal Gas Tax Suspension and Windfall Profits Tax Act, which would provide a gas tax suspension through the end of 2023, providing immediate relief at the pump. To keep oil companies from further increasing their prices, the measure would also impose a new 50% tax on income that is excess of the reasonably inflated average profit. This windfall profits tax would be used to fund highway and mass transit projects while the gas tax is suspended.
HFC: Some economists say inflation is caused by high concentration of industries (monopolies) that do not encourage an environment with healthy competition. Do you support tougher antitrust bills to encourage competition? Or if you disagree with this theory, how would you improve the nation’s inflation situation?
Tokuda: I would support tougher antitrust legislation to encourage competition, as well as preventing anti-competitive mergers and breaking up monopolies and oligopolies that inhibit competition, depress wages, and stifle innovation. According to a study done by UHERO, the average additional cost of inflation is $3,506, and anti-competitive mergers would only add to these increasing costs in everyday expenses like transportation, food, and household expenses.
In addition to stopping anti-competitive mergers and consolidations that raise prices and hurt workers, we need to make sure the Federal Trade Commission & Department of Justice have the support and ability to reject these deals early on. The Prohibiting Anti-competitive Mergers Act, introduced by members in both houses of Congress, would accomplish this, and I would strongly support such efforts to keep costs down now and going forward.
HFC: While Hawaii has one of the toughest gun restrictions in the nation, what federal restrictions on guns do you support?
Tokuda: Hawaii must take the lead in making gun prohibitions and restrictions universal for the rest of the country. I support increasing the age of gun ownership to 21; banning assault weapons and large capacity magazines; mandating criminal background checks on gun purchases and transfers; and requiring gun licensure.
Hawaii has enacted Red Flag Laws that allow family members, co-workers, and law enforcement to petition a court to remove guns from a person in crisis. Hawaii also has strong laws that prohibit possession of guns by those diagnosed with a qualifying mental health condition. While in the Senate, we mandated immediate surrender of a person’s firearms and ammunition and prohibited the possession, manufacturing, sale, transfer, and importation of bump fire stocks and multi-burst trigger activators, making it a Class C felony. Similar to legislation Hawaii and others recently enacted, nationally we must take on the issue of home-made “ghost guns.”
HFC: Do you support expanding Obamacare? Would you support Medicare for All (single-payer system)?
Tokuda:Yes, I would support expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and also support Medicare for All. Both provide benefits that serve as a safety net for our most vulnerable populations. Hawaii has long been a leader in access to healthcare and it is our responsibility to fight for this basic right for others across the country, while continually seeking to strengthen access in our own communities here at home. Expanding both of these programs would allow us to do this. Our kupuna should not have to choose between paying for health care or food and utilities. The ACA has provided health insurance to millions of Americans, keeping people healthy and out of emergency rooms. Medicare for All would ensure that everyone has access to quality healthcare, regardless of ability to pay.
HFC: Specifically on Medicare (not related to a single-payer system), how can we keep costs down on our current Medicare program? Do you support a bill lowering the cost of prescription drugs?
Tokuda: Yes, I would support legislation lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Medicare could enter into agreements with pharmaceutical companies for the bulk purchase of prescription drugs, thereby lowering costs. Furthermore, medical and in-home care providers need to be adequately reimbursed for their services. We must ensure that Medicare is preserved, as it provides a safety net for our elder community.
Especially during times of inflation, Hawaii families should not have to choose between paying for healthcare and prescription drugs, or putting food on the table. I strongly support efforts to improve Medicare benefits, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and strengthen the long-term solvency of Medicare.
When programs such as the Affordable Care Act and Medicare are being challenged by efforts to limit their reach and benefits, it’s vital that Hawaii has a strong voice representing the Second Congressional District to fight for the healthcare needs of Hawaii families.
HFC: Other top Federal issue. Besides those above, what is your top concern that you would like to tackle in Congress?
Tokuda: I will make it a priority to improve access to healthcare and mental health services for rural communities and neighbor islands.
COVID-19 highlighted the inequity of healthcare options in these communities, as they do not enjoy the same access to healthcare in urban Honolulu. In particular, the stress and burdens of living through years of COVID-19 highlighted the shortage of mental health services. We must urgently act to increase capacity at our rural hospitals and medical facilities, and to increase the number of doctors and healthcare providers serving these areas.
Access to care also includes transportation, because many areas in the Second Congressional District must drive a long distance or fly to a medical facility. We must look at solutions such as mobile health clinics and mechanisms to provide relief to families.This is not just a matter of fairness – it’s about saving lives for all residents living in Hawai‘i.
HFC: Which label do you more closely align yourself with – moderate or progressive. If you prefer not to label yourself this way, please explain why? Clearly the voting general public understand these terms well by now and it would be helpful.
Tokuda: The labels of “moderate” and “progressive” are relative to the bodies of people involved. In reviewing the congressional caucuses, I find myself most aligned with the Congressional Progressive Caucus which advocates for working Americans over corporate interests, advancing civil liberties, and fighting against economic and social inequality. I have recently been endorsed by Pono Hawaii Initiative, which promotes progressive policies and advocates for economic, social, and environmental justice.
Regardless of labels, the key to getting things done for Hawaii is collaboration, whether it be working with other members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation and joining forces by using our individual strengths to get Hawaii’s fair share of resources, or working with members from other states and across the aisle on common areas of interest.
HFC: Why should Hawaii’s Filipino community vote for you?
Tokuda: I am running to make sure our families feel safe in our neighborhoods, and our children can see a future for themselves here in Hawaii. Like many in our Filipino community, my family’s roots are in the plantations, and my values and priorities reflect our shared experience and fighting for what our working families and individuals need: access to workforce and senior housing; access to healthcare services; and education and workforce training opportunities. As a mom, I understand the hope and the struggle, and the sense of urgency we all feel to build a better future for our children.
