Birthdate and place: January 15, 1948, Bethesda, Maryland Residence: Chevy Chase, Maryland Family: Single, no children. Education: J.D. from University of Maryland School of Law, 1973; B.A. in Government from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1970; High School diploma from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in 1966. Professional experience: Currently semi-retired attorney at law (not currently practicing); worked in California practicing law approximately 1974-1997, first for United Farm Workers, then for Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, then in sole practice. Community experience: Currently on the Board of the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Coalition; Currently a member of the Social Justice Council of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church; Long involved in the peace movement, including, most recently, Montgomery County Peace Action, and Montgomery County Coalition for Alternatives to War; the movement for universal health care. Key issues: End funding for the Iraq War and bring the troops home, NOW. No wider war with Iran and⁄or other nations. Preserve civil liberties. A safe and clean environment; address global climate change through development of alternative energy sources. Universal, single-payer health care (Medicare for All). Impeach President Bush, and Vice President Cheney. Web site: www.deborahvollmer.com E-mail address: dvollmer@bellatlantic.net Telephone: 301-652-5762 Link to state Board of Elections campaign finance database

Congress, Dist. 8

Deborah Vollmer (D)

End funding for the War in Iraq, and bring the troops home. Reverse the Bush Administration’s legal attack on civil liberties. Quality, affordable health care for all Americans (Medicare for All).

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

Poor. The people elected a Democratic Congress in large part in order to end the war and occupation of Iraq. Congress, including incumbent Chris Van Hollen, has failed to do this—and has failed miserably.

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

IMMEDIATELY. Our troops are occupying a sovereign country, and they are a target. Bring the troops home NOW!

Q. How should the government pay for the War on Terror and is it working?

I reject the terminology: ‘‘War on Terror.” Terror is an emotion. It makes no sense to speak of a ‘‘war on Terror.” Our nation will be more secure, if we focus on a plan of building strength through peace as set forth by Dennis Kucinich. We need to focus more on diplomacy, and on humanitarian aid; to build bridges through communication rather tearing down bridges between peoples by going to war. The military should be limited, with few if any exceptions, to the role of defending our borders. This approach would actually make paying for the so-called ‘‘War on Terror” a lot less expensive than it has been. Of course, funding the military, engaging in diplomacy, and extending humanitarian aid should be financed by the Federal government.

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

Many changes, to be sure.

Q. What should be done to reform Social Security, Medicare?

With regard to Social Security, I would raise the cap on income that is taxed, to provide more revenue to support the program. With regard to Medicare, I would expand this program to include everybody, as has been proposed by John Conyers and Dennis Kucinich — universal health care, for all.

Q. Should SCHIP be expanded? If yes, how would you pay for an expansion? If no, how would you ensure that people who need health and dental care get it?

In the short term, I would expand SCHIP to include more of the nation’s children. In the long term, I would implement a system of universal, single-payer, health care for all, as proposed by Dennis Kucinich, John Conyers, and others.

Q. What is your position on the death penalty?

I am opposed to the death penalty, for several reasons, both moral and practical.

Q. What is your position on abortion?

I don’t particularly like the idea of abortion — but I feel that this is a very personal decision that can only be made by the woman involved. I favor increased availability of sex education and contraception, which should cut down on the actual number of abortions. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.

Q. Do you support same-sex marriage?

Yes.

Q. Do you support the federal No Child Left Behind law?

No. As currently written, this law stresses test-taking, at the expense of actual learning, and takes the joy out of the process of education. It may have been implemented with the best of intentions, but it is just not working.

Q. What, if anything, should be done to assist homeowners at risk of losing their homes because of adjustable rate loans?

Federal assistance should be made available.

Q. Should slots be allowed in Prince George’s County? Should there be any form of gambling at National Harbor?

In general, I do not favor slots, because of the social costs of gambling addiction, and because this would be a very poor source of revenue. But I also believe in local control. I would recommend against slots, but this should really be a matter of local control.

Q. Who should bear the costs of the changes wrought by BRAC?

The Federal Government.

Q. What state transportation projects are a priority and how should we pay for them?

Improve and expand the Metro system. More emphasis on mass transit, but with an emphasis on preserving the environment and communities, and with attention to actual transportation needs. The Purple Line should not be built along the Georgetown Branch (Capital Crescent Trail), because to do so would spoil the nature of a popular hiker-biker trail, by requiring the removal of thousands of trees, and ruining what is essentially a linear park. Some thought should be given to the ‘‘Purple Line Loop” proposal instead; make the rail link a seamless part of the Metro system, with a terminus at Medical Center, rather than Bethesda Metro. This makes particular sense in view of BRAC, wherein Walter Reed will be moved and consolidated with Naval Medical Hospital. The lion’s share of the funding for this particular project should be born by the Federal Government.