Mike DeCillis:
The U.S. government has previously challenged us to achieve breakthroughs in science and technology, most notably President Kennedy’s push to put someone on the moon by the end of the 1960’s. This investment of money, and full support of science by the government, resulted not only in scientific and technological advancements, but lay the foundation for using these advancements in the private sector, spurring new enterprise and economic growth.

Creating an environment of continued innovation depends on our investment in science and technology. It is therefore important that the government continue to lead the way in supporting science and technology research and development; that it supports hiring qualified teachers to teach STEM in public schools; and that we continue to demonstrate respect for science and scientists in the public arena by valuing scientific input when making decisions that affect us all.

Paul Tonko:
Our budgets should invest where we must and cut where we can. Recent cuts to research, development and innovation are alarming, and Congress must push back against aggressive action by the Trump White House to rob our nation’s brightest minds of the resources they need to keep us on the cutting edge of science and technology.

Mike DeCillis:
Climate change is an international economic, social, and security issue. Even the Pentagon views climate change as a threat to our national security, and we need to give it the full attention it deserves. When designing and implementing energy policy, we need to address the real, proven concerns about climate change, and move our nation to greener energy solutions including wind, water, and solar power solutions. Switching our energy grids to green energy solutions requires financial intervention to cover costs, and retrain workers. But this investment will result in a sustainable energy grid that will meet our needs, and protect our environment. We will always need energy, but where and how we get that energy will have an enormous impact on our environment, and we need to act accordingly.

Paul Tonko:
I agree with the Pentagon when they identify climate change as our top national security threat. In response, we must make energy efficiency our fuel of choice, think outside the barrel and move our energy consumption away from fossil fuels. When we invest in renewable and clean sources of energy, we reduce the threat of climate change, promote new and good paying jobs in the ‘green collar’ market, and hand over a healthier environment to the next generation of leaders.

In Congress, I lead a daily fight against climate deniers and an administration that is more interested in bending to the will of special interests than doing the work it takes to protect our air, water and environment. I am grateful for the opportunity to do this both as a Co-Chair of the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC) and the Ranking Member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on the Environment.

Mike DeCillis:
Our nation was attacked by foreign powers through cyber warfare in the last election cycle. The goals of these incursions are no different than the goals of actual physical combat-to change governments, move borders, and influence populations. Because the threat is real and proven, we need to be aggressive when providing defenses of our vulnerable government systems, and ensure state and local governments are meeting minimum standards for combating cyber attacks, and that private business protects our personal data.

But we can defend ourselves without losing personal privacy rights. Ours is a free society, and privacy and personal liberty is paramount. When designing systems that identify real threats, we should protect personal data, and prevent the sharing of private information. There will be no more warrantless searches of emails for national security reasons.

Paul Tonko:
Fighting cyber-attacks while protecting personal privacy is a delicate balance, but an achievable one that requires hard work. In Congress, I have cosponsored legislation that would end the indiscriminate collection of Americans’ data under the PATRIOT Act with narrow exceptions for direct connections to terrorism or links to foreign agents. I believe our nation works best when the government is transparent and we protect our fundamental right to privacy.

Mike DeCillis:
Mental health is barely addressed in the public square, and a stigma is often attached to those who seek treatment for mental illness. I have worked in both emergency medicine and law enforcement, and have seen the effects that the lack of good mental health resources has in our communities. Part of the solution to fix this problem is changing the perception that mental illness is somehow different from other kinds of illness. Education is key to help those who need treatment to find providers, and for the public to be more aware of the need for mental health treatment. I would therefore support mental health outreach programs, and to increase the numbers of mental health providers in schools and hospitals, so that we can triage more cases on the front lines of society and provide much-needed intervention, instead of finding problems after they become criminal issues. Mental health treatment should be included in all health plans, and not separated into different categories, as is often done depending on the insurer. We need to make access to care easy and affordable.

Paul Tonko:
When I served in the New York State Assembly, I introduced and helped pass into law, ‘Timothy’s Law’, which instituted parity in mental health coverage for New Yorkers. In Congress, I have identified mental health as a top priority of mine. I serve as the vice co-chair on the House Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus. I have served as the Democratic lead in mental health negotiations in both the 114th and 115th Congress. I believe we must work to reduce the stigma of seeking treatment for mental illness and stop equating violence with mental illness. Over the past few years, we have scored a handful of victories in place of a sweeping mental health reform law. That means we have more work to do to provide resources to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Mental Health Block Grant Program. This year, I introduced the Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act, which has received an endorsement from the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force. This critical bill will expand access to medication-assisted treatment for vulnerable populations such as pregnant and postpartum women by expanding the list of providers eligible to prescribe buprenorphine.

Mike DeCillis:
As a public school teacher, I teach STEM in my classroom, and recognize the importance of good, sequential STEM programs in school. We can ensure that students receive good STEM education by ensuring we hire, and retain qualified teachers; make sure states are implementing a sequential STEM program from kindergarten through high school that demonstrates vocational links to the material; and by providing funding for labs and equipment. We should also ensure that these programs are funded universally-that all school districts, regardless of location or socio-economic condition, meet minimum STEM standards, to give all public school students the access and opportunity to learn, and apply STEM principles.

Paul Tonko:
Our nation is behind in our goal to produce up to ten million STEM-educated professionals needed over the next decade. What’s worse is the gender gap that continues to exist in this area of our education system. As an engineer, I know how STEM can open up a host of opportunity for students. That’s why I have promoted STEM programs at home and across the country and worked with Senator Gillibrand to improve engineering education in schools with the Educating Tomorrow’s Engineers Act.

Mike DeCillis:
Flint, Michigan has only recently had the lead levels in their water register below federal guidelines, and was without access to clean drinking water for years. This is a stain on our national psyche, and we should remain focused on fixing this nationwide. Water is essential and necessary, and the causes of poor access are many-but the solutions require us to talk about it, and take actual action. We need to fund state and local infrastructure projects, which would address not only problems with clean water access, but would stimulate the economy. These projects could also address the need for access of clean water in remote areas of the country. Another important role the government plays is keeping the narrative of important infrastructure needs on the front burner-to make sure we’re talking about our needs as a nation, and what’s really important in our daily lives. Conservation and education also plays an important role in making sure that we protect the clean, fresh water we have. In addition, preserving and protecting our freshwater resources is paramount. It is also the responsibility of the government to fully fund the EPA, so that it may continue its mission to protect our environment, including our water sources, and provide factual information to the public about managing environmental risks.

Paul Tonko:
Every life and every job depends on water. Yet for decades our federal government has allowed funding for our water systems to drip away. Now many of these aging systems have fallen into disrepair and many are reaching their breaking point, costing local taxpayers significantly more to fix than the systems would be to maintain. That’s why I have introduced the AQUA Act, to rapidly increase the funding available to state and local governments to take on these critical infrastructure projects. Understanding the Republican House Majority balks at ambitious but responsible funding – no matter how urgent and serious the problem – I have worked across the aisle to achieve small victories that gradually get us closer to the goal of bringing our pipes and water systems into the 21st Century.

Mike DeCillis:
The food we eat should be safe to consume, available at a cost Americans can afford, and produced in a manner that is sustainable and just. We should ensure that the head of the USDA is qualified, and recognizes the need to advance sustainable farming practices that meet domestic consumer needs, including increasing locally grown, organic food. Resources would also need to be guided towards developing the new and thorough Agricultural Resource Management Survey, so that we have good data on American farming practices, policies, current programs, and economic health of American farms. We can’t do anything without good, reliable information from which sustainable farming practices can be determined.

Paul Tonko:
I grew up seeing the hard work, pride and dedication that goes into running a successful family farm. I know firsthand how critical our nation’s agriculture is to our economy, food security, and the American way of life. Almost four years ago, we passed a new Farm Bill, but Congress must do more to educate farmers on the programs available to them that provide the tools needed for expansion and continued success.

In response to continued natural disasters, the federal government must act quickly and effectively to help family farms that feel the devastating impacts of extreme weather events without playing politics. In the long run, we must do more to combat climate change, which creates events that can completely devastate these critical rural businesses.

Mike DeCillis:
America has always sought to go father and further into space, not just for its own sake, but because we as a species have always sought to understand the world around us-we’re really curious. We should continue to provide grants to observatories, and make sure we are educating scientists to fill positions in both public and private space exploration. We should also fund NASA to develop new rockets, and to develop plans that take us further in our understanding of our solar system, and beyond-including a manned mission to Mars. It has been proven that the technologies developed for use in space has real-world applications that benefit all of us. And I believe that we are better as a people when we know more about our world, and our origins.

Paul Tonko:
Cuts to NASA and agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) do nothing to make our nation safer or more successful – and actually end up costing us money in the end. Programs like these observe weather patterns that cause exponentially more devastating damage when they’re not predicted or prepared for. Further, our space exploration programs are more than flying a shuttle to the moon. They are responsible for the most important inventions, scientific findings, and innovative events in American and human history.

Mike DeCillis:
There are a lot of steps that we as Americans can take regarding regulation of fishing, and pollution in our coastal water regions. But we also need to work with international partners to combat many of these problems. We need to address overfishing, and frame the debate to demonstrate the real damage overfishing poses to our economy, as well as our environment when implementing new policies to protect fish species. Getting America back into the Paris Climate Accord is also good start, as cooperation is necessary to fight ocean pollution, and to protect our reefs. In addition, introducing steps that protect our oceans into trade agreements can also be beneficial to lessening the damage created by movement of commercial goods.

Paul Tonko:
In Congress, I have worked to prevent offshore drilling, combat climate change and develop renewable energies. These policies block further pollution of our oceans, contribute to the health of sea life, and reduce the degree of horrifying realities like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. I will continue my work to this end and with SEEC to promote our food sources and ocean life like the Great Barrier Reef.

Mike DeCillis:
Fostering an environment of respect for science begins with education, and with removing the idea that scientific results are somehow partisan if they don’t fit a political narrative. America has always been a leader in scientific innovation, and exploration. I am an educator, and as such I both study, and teach science and scientific methodology. I believe in science, and believe good scientific data to be useful in making decisions. It is up to us to elect members of the House and Senate who believe in science and scientific principles, and who can defer to scientists in different fields without disregarding scientific facts-something that is done selectively at present. Scientists, and the scientific data they produce should be protected.

Paul Tonko:
The continued denial of climate change and other science-backed findings by those in charge of policy that affects the lives of arguably everyone on the planet is alarming to say the least. That’s why introduced the Scientific Integrity Act this Congress. The bill would establish a standard for scientific integrity policies across the federal government, empowering science watchdogs at each relevant agency to maintain a firewall between scientific findings and political or special interest meddling.

Mike DeCillis:
The midterm elections this year have far-reaching consequences in almost every area of our lives. And whether we move forward as a nation who values and respects science rests on electing candidates who support science and scientists; who value expert opinions based on scientific data; and who act upon the recommendations of those who dedicate their lives to better understanding our world. If elected, I will do everything in my power to ensure we not just validate and value science, but apply its conclusions to determine substance abuse and mental health policy in my district; to address the coastal erosion in Staten Island and Brooklyn; to ensure we have funding for STEM programs in our public schools; and to protect our residents from cyber attacks while preserving their personal privacy rights. These issues apply not only to my district, NY-11 covering Staten Island and South Brooklyn, but can and should be applied through national legislative efforts.