Democrat

Candidate Name: Albert R. Wynn

Place of Residence: Mitchellville

Date of Birth: Sept. 10, 1951

Place of Birth: Philadelphia

Current Occupation: Congressman, Fourth Congressional District

Education: University of Pittsburgh, BS 1973 (Political Science); Howard University, attended 1973-1974 (Public Administration); Georgetown University, JD 1977

Community associations, involvement: Various community cleanup campaigns, scout programs, youth organizations, and mentoring.

Professional associations: Maryland Bar Association, Congressional Black Caucus

Family: Wife, Gaines Clore Wynn; daughters, Gabrielle 12, and Meredith 24.

Campaign Office Address and Telephone: PO BOX 5323, Capitol Heights, MD 20791, 240-305-6386

Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

What are your top three priorities for the next two years if elected?

My top three priorities are:

*Education – In a global economy, our children will compete for high paying jobs with children overseas. We must fully funding No Child Left Behind and dramatically increase the federal investment in math, sciences, technology, languages, art and music in schools.

*Energy Security – Providing tax credits for the hybrid cars and flexible fuel vehicles. As co chair of the House Hydrogen Caucus, I will support reducing our dependence on foreign oil and moving toward a hydrogen economy.

*Jobs — Creating economic opportunity by increasing the minimum wage, supporting small business jobs that cannot be outsourced, and helping businesses provide health insurance to their employees.

How would you rate the performance of the House of Representatives: excellent, good, fair or poor? Why?

Under Republican leadership, the House has performed poorly. This House has failed to address major problems facing America such as the health insurance crisis, raising the minimum wage, and providing a comprehensive immigration policy. Meanwhile they have driven up the deficit with massive income tax cuts for the rich, failed to pass ‘‘pay as you go” measures — which I supported — to impose fiscal discipline. The House passed an ill-conceived Medicare prescription drug — which I opposed — but refused to give government the authority to negotiate prices with drug companies — which I supported. Finally the Republican led House refused to ask the president for a plan for ending the war in Iraq.

Do you have a timeline on when the U.S. should pull out of Iraq?

We need a plan for an orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. I believe that the Iraqi’s have had a sufficient time and support for training their security force. We should withdraw 30,000-40,000 troops by this fall, thereby giving the Iraqis an incentive to take responsibility for their own security. This should be followed by a phased withdrawal through the end of 2007. Additionally, I support a proposed plan to immediately pull U.S. troops back from major Iraqi cities to less hostile areas outside the cities. Similarly, this plan would force the Iraqis to secure their cities and make U.S. soldiers less vulnerable to attack.

How should the government pay for the War on Terror?

I would roll back the Bush tax cuts that benefit the top one percent, or those earning $1 million a year, to pay for the War on Terror. According to estimates, rolling back the tax cuts would save the federal government over $100 billion annually, enough to pay for major elements of the ‘War on Terror.’

Would you make any changes to the way the Department of Homeland Security is run?

At the Department of Homeland Security, there is a serious question about the quality of its personnel. It is tough to evaluate the effectiveness of the department’s structure if it has inadequate personnel (i.e. former FEMA director Michael Brown). It is also possible that the bureaucracy at the department is too cumbersome to perform. Therefore, the Congress must first look to make sure that personnel changes are made to improve performance. If these steps are taken and problems remain, then Congress should look to make structural changes to the agency.

What should be done to save social security?

Despite the President’s efforts to create panic about the social security issue, the program is stable. According to the Congressional Budget Office, without any changes, Social Security can provide full benefits until 2052, and then 80% of the benefits thereafter.

While a social security crisis is not imminent, we should consider the following solutions to strengthen the program. They include: raising the retirement age, increasing the limit for payroll taxes, increasing incentives for personal retirement and savings accounts, such as 401(k) and general savings accounts, and repealing the Bush tax cuts for individuals earning more than $300,000 per year.

The President’s risky plan, to privatize social security would cuts benefits by more than 40% and actually accelerate the date of insolvency to 2041. His plan would make the program less secure. It would also add $1.4 trillion to the national debt over 10 years and nearly $5 trillion over 20 years. Lastly, the program would leave seniors vulnerable to downturns in the stock market similar to stock market crash of the late 1990s.

What should be done to save Medicare?

Medicare, the nation’s health insurance program for seniors and the disabled, has recently come under fire due to the ill-conceived Republican Prescription Drug Benefit, known as Part D, which I opposed. Unfortunately, Part D creates a complex series of hurdles that our seniors must overcome before they can receive comprehensive prescription drug assistance.

The basic benefit is confusing and costly, leaves significant gaps in coverage, and does not guaranteed coverage of all drugs

To now save Medicare, we must take a series of steps: We must eliminate the late enrollment penalty, create a uniform benefit for seniors, allow Medicare to negotiate directly with prescription drug manufactures to get a greater discount, create flexibility for seniors to change plans as their needs change throughout the year, and ensure that plans do not remove specified drugs from their lists without notifying seniors and providing them with viable options. I am a cosponsor of a number of bills that would provide these necessary fixes to the Medicare Prescription Drug Program.

What is your position on the death penalty?

The Department of Justice reported that 64% of those on death row had prior felony convictions and 8% had at least one previous homicide conviction.

While the death penalty is appropriate for homicides with aggravated circumstances (ie rape⁄murder), I am concerned that it is not being applied fairly. Thus, I have supported a moratorium until necessary changes to the procedure can be made. First, there must be a guarantee of a competent, experienced attorney. Second, there must be guaranteed access to DNA testing to prove innocence and, third, appeal periods should not be shortened. Finally, any evidence of innocence should be the basis for judicial review.

In addition, last year I supported the Advancing DNA through Technology Act, which has helped to reduce the DNA backlog to prevent any wrongful convictions of those convicted of capital punishment.

What is your position on abortion?

I support a women’s right to choose; however, my view is that abortion should be legal, safe and rare. I support increased funding for both international and domestic family planning programs and comprehensive sexuality education. Widespread use of birth control is a critical component of basic preventive health care for women and has been the driving force in reducing national rates of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections, and abortions.

Do you support same-sex marriages? Why?

I believe the religious institution of marriage should be between a man and a woman. However, I also believe that same-sex couples are entitled to the same legal rights regarding medical decisions and inheritance as a married couple. Therefore, I support civil unions.

I have opposed Republican led efforts to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages because the regulation of marriage has not and should continue to be left to the states under the concept of Federalism. The Constitution has never been a vehicle for issues involving marriage, i.e.: age requirements, licenses, divorce and polygamy. These issues have traditionally been the responsibility of the states, while issues of free speech, privacy and equal protection have been addressed in the Constitution.

Do you support the federal No Child Left Behind law? Why or Why not?

I support the concept of the No Child Left Behind Act to provide accountability and measures to evaluate students’ and schools’ performances. Too many schools fail their students without any consequences. Unfortunately, to date, the Administration and the Republican led Congress have underfunded the program nationwide by $55 billion since 2001. As a result, schools are being required to boost test scores without the necessary resources to do so. I support No Child Left Behind, as long as it is fully funded.

Therefore, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 363, the Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers Act, to guarantee full funding for both the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

I am also a cosponsor of H.R.224, the Comprehensive Learning Assessment for Students and Schools Act, which would modify the assessments under the No Child Left Behind act to be based on multiple tests rather than just one.

What state transportation projects are priorities for you and how should we pay for them?

Major state transportation projects should be a joint effort or should receive federal funding assistance. Funding transportation projects is one of my priorities and I have obtained money for the following projects:

*$1.5 billion for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

*$19.3 million for the Intercounty Connector.

*$260 million for the recently completed Blue Line extension to Largo Town Center.

*Obtained authorization for ‘‘The Corridor Cities Transitway,” to receive major federal planning, design and construction funding to relieve traffic congestion on I-270.

*Obtained authorization for the ‘‘The Purple Line,” connecting Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.

*$35 million for the Silver Spring Intermodal Transit Center, which will house MARC Commuter Rail, Metro, Amtrak, and local bus stations and commercial, retail, and residential space.

*$16 million for the MD 4 Suitland Parkway Interchange. This is part of a larger project designed to upgrade a very congested section of MD 4 to become a multi-lane freeway between MD 223 and I-95⁄I-495

Has Sarbanes-Oxley worked? Is there more the government can do to prevent corporate corruption?

I voted for Sarbanes-Oxley and I believe that it has worked to raise standards for accounting practices and inhibit corporate greed. I believe tough penalties and aggressive prosecution for violating existing laws will have a positive effect on deterring corporate corruption and greed.