2CSS202001HD_Candidate_Statement_Transcript
 
- Ron Kind: Hi, I'm Ron Kind. I've had the honor of representing the 3rd Congressional District of Western and North Central Wisconsin. It's a place where I was born and raised, where Tawni and I have raised our children. I know this district and I know the people in it, the challenges that we face, and opportunities that we have. And I think the district has gotten a chance to know me, the type of representative that I've been, a reasonable, pragmatic member, willing to reach across the aisle, work with anyone to find common ground, to get things done on behalf of the people of Wisconsin. I know you sent me to Washington to stand up and fight for you, not for powerful special interests, nor the political leadership of either party in Washington, and that's what I've been doing, but now we find ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic and as we battle this Coronavirus at home, we know our family and our faith will sustain us, but our family is our extended community and we know what we need to do to keep each other safe. We need to wash our hands a lot, we need to practice proper distancing, and please wear a facial covering. This isn't a red issue or a blue issue. It's a red, white, and blue issue. By working together, we can defeat this virus and emerge even stronger. But we're not there yet. Congress and the president needs to end the stalemate and pass another COVID relief package, I hear from my healthcare providers that they're running short of personal protection equipment, testing supplies, contact tracing. Our public health directors have been doing a terrific job, but under diminished resources. We're trying to get kids in the classroom again. Our schools are trying to keep them safe, along with teachers and staff. Too many small businesses and family farmers are still struggling and too many families are having a hard time paying their bills and getting the basic necessity, like food. Many of them are laid-off or furloughed. So, yes, we have to help buy some time until some of the best researchers in the world can develop a safe and effective vaccine that's worthy of the trust of the people in Wisconsin and throughout our country. And hopefully, we can do that in the coming days. And as we develop that vaccine, we're gonna be able to get our kids safely back in the classroom and open up our economy. And we have the ability to rebuild Wisconsin and America even stronger than before. We have an infrastructure investment that needs to repair our roads, our highways, our bridges, and included in that is an issue I've been hard at work in. Extending broadband access to all Americans. The digital divide is showcasing the economic and the educational inequities. We won't be able to remain a competitive and innovation nation in the 21st century without broadband access for everyone.  My Congressional District, the state of Wisconsin, is still one of the biggest agriculture-producing states in the nation. I've been a champion for our family farmers. They also need help. The virus certainly has been problematic, but over-surplus and a plummeting of commodity prices have forced too many of them out of business, and too many small businesses are still struggling, that we ought to be stepping up and providing assistance to right now. These things we can do by working together. The recession that we're in right now doesn't have to be as deep. It doesn't have to be as painful and it doesn't have to last as long, as long as we find a way to come together and buy time until we can keep everyone safe again in our country. We have a healthcare system that's still too expensive and leaving too many people behind. I've been a champion on healthcare reform. I will continue to fight to ensure that no insurance company will deny any healthcare coverage to anyone with a preexisting condition. There's no going back with this. And yet, many people are fighting to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the patient protections that exist in it. That's wrong. And I've also fought to preserve and protect Social Security and Medicare, so our parents, our grandparents can retire and grow old with dignity. And there's one other crisis that we face in our democracy. It's the political polarization and how hyper-partisan things have gotten. That's not healthy. We need the ability to come together, to be respectful to each other, listen, and find common ground. I'm proud that I've been rated the second most independent member of Congress and that the National Chamber of Commerce has given me the very first-ever national award for being the most bipartisan member of Congress. I think we need more of that in Washington and in Madison today. That's the type of representative I've been. That's the type of representative I pledge to be. And that's why I ask for your support on November 3rd. Thank you, and stay safe.