Stonewall DFL 2010 Screening Questions

US Congress

Candidates Name:

Office you are seeking:

1. If someone else is endorsed by the DFL Party for this office, will you run against them in the Primary? (Yes/No)

2. If endorsed by Stonewall DFL, how will you display that endorsement in campaign materials?

3. If an LGBT issue comes up that is completely new to you, how do you gather information about it?

4. Are you in favor of equal marriage rights for LGBT couples? How would you use your office to achieve this?

5. What are your views on the US military “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy?

6. LGBT people of color are often victims of multiple layers of discrimination. How would you use your office to identify and address these problems?

7. While public awareness of Lesbians and Gays has increased in the last 20 years, there remain some unique and misunderstood issues faced by Bisexual and Transgender communities. Do you support health care coverage for gender identity surgery? Do you see other issues specific to these communities, and how you would use your elected office to address them?

8. Alcoholism, crystal methamphetamine and other chemical abuse is a public health problem in the LGBT community, which correlates to increased rates of HIV transmission. If elected, how would you use your office to address these problems?

9. What policies do you support to provide equity for LGBT citizens with respect to both public and private health care benefits and imputed tax implications?

10. AIDS continues to be a serious problem in the LGBT community; in fact, death tolls are rising again as people reach the end of the available drug cocktails. What would you do about the continuing problem of AIDS and the decreasing tempo of AIDS drug research?

11. A recent study of urban homeless youth found that in some metropolitan areas over 40% identify as LGBT. A key finding of this study was that homeless LGBT youth are more vulnerable to sexual abuse, substance abuse and mental health struggles. What root causes of this complex issue can you identify and how would you use your office to address these problems?

12. Do you support Department of Education requirements for age-appropriate education?  Do you support programs for LGBT youth in schools, and funding only proven effective sex education programs?

13. What would you do, if elected, to ensure that Lesbian and Bisexual women have access to a diversity of reproductive health options including birth control, in-vitro fertilization, and abortion?

14. LGBT families are damaged by several federal rules.  Immigration rules prevent LGBT couples from obtaining citizenship for a foreign partner.  Adoption by LGBT couples is difficult in many states (and completely prohibited in some). Divorced or separated LGBT couples often face barriers to custody of their children.  IRS estate tax rules impose significant penalties on the survivor of a LGBT couple, and they are denied Social Security benefits of their deceased spouse. What do you think should be done about these anti-family federal regulations?

15. LGBT Federal employees are shortchanged compared to other employees, in that their partners cannot get benefit coverage. What benefits do you think should be available to domestic partners of LGBT federal employees?

16. When buying goods & services, the Federal Government offers incentives to minority-owned businesses. LGBT-owned businesses are not accepted as minorities for this. What, in your opinion, should be done about this?

17. What have you done in your past legislative experience to advance or delay pro-LGBT legislation and why? Are there any cases where you would vote differently today?