US Representative – 3rd Congressional District
Scott A. Angelle:
No response received.
Bryan Barrilleaux:
- The lack of reliable and accessible transportation is a major barrier for people with disabilities to access employment opportunities, attend medical appointments, and fully participate in their communities.
Will you support traditional and innovative projects to increase transportation options for people with disabilities in both urban and rural areas?
If yes, please explain how you will support traditional and innovative projects.
Mobility is an essential factor for citizens to be actively engaged in employment, commerce and social activity. It is also a critical factor for citizens to fully participate in political activities and practice good citizenship that is so vital to the success of our government for all citizens. Mobility and transportation can be an impediment to full participation for people with disabilities. Government has an obligation, that I will insist on, to make provisions for the needs of citizens with disability when planning and funding infrastructure and transportation projects.
To support this, I will seek the advice and guidance of experts and advocacy organizations, as well as meeting with citizens. I will work with colleagues in congress to achieve the best possible outcome for citizens with disabilities, and I will fight the corruption in Washington that prevents our government from most effectively serving all citizens. The corruption occurs as campaign donations are used as bribes. They are legal, but unethical bribes that buy access to power and influence. Our corrupt government does not serve citizens with disability, or any citizen well. To fix our corrupt government, I will accept no campaign contributions and I will spend no money on a campaign (not my money or anyone else’s) so that when I serve, I will serve with no conflict of interest and no distraction from my duty. In this way, I will be best able to represent the interests of citizens with disability and all citizens in the 3rd district. When we, in the 3rd district elect a candidate in this way, good people in other districts will appreciate what we have accomplished and will do the same in their own districts. Soon we will have a Congress made up of citizens who go to Washington to serve, not ambitious career politicians. Then we will have better representation for people with disabilities as well as all citizens. Then we will have better government in support of better transportation for persons with disability and better government for all.
- The supply of accessible and affordable housing is not sufficient to meet the needs of people with disabilities, causing them to wait months or years to live independently and move out of institutions.
Will you support programs that increase the availability of affordable and accessible housing and programs that encourage home ownership for people with disabilities?
If yes, how will support these programs?
Yes, I will support policy that encourages home ownership for persons with disabilities as well as all citizens who desire home ownership. Access and availability for citizens with disabilities will be expanded by transportation and mobility issues addressed above. Other policy should encourage persons with disabilities and all citizens to function as consumers to get the best quality, prices and access in a housing market. The high demand, described in the introduction to this questions, will best be met by a free market where decisions are made by the consumer and not a government bureaucracy. Government should not try to provide or operate housing, but rather should make conditions favorable for everyone to participate in home ownership if they choose.
Policy regarding access and affordable housing will be done better by our government if bribery of our representatives, by campaign donation, is stopped. I will be in the best position to accomplish policy regarding access and affordable housing because I will accept no campaign donations and I will spend no money on a campaign. I will have no conflict of interest from campaign money bribes and no distraction from my duty caused by fund raising activity. I will best be able to serve the interest of all the people of the 3rd District.
- People with disabilities are affected by many issues. There are many ways to learn about issues affecting people with disabilities, for example: through personal or family experience, meetings with citizens with disabilities or disability leaders, having a disability advisor on your staff, seeking input and advice from a disability advisory committee.
If elected, how will you involve the disability community when making policies that impact people with disabilities?
First, the disability community needs to be consulted regarding what they think is the best approach. I will seek their assistance in cultivating the necessary communication. An advisory committee and/or an advisor on the state would be good approaches.
Second, I will not be bribed with campaign donations from lobbyist who would seek to unfairly influence policy affecting the disability community. Because I accept no campaign donations and spend no money on a campaign, I will serve with no conflict of interest.
- The availability of long- term services and supports (LTSS) and where they will be provided pose serious concerns for many people with disabilities and their families. LTSS, funded by Medicaid, can be provided in institutions or in the community. Throughout the years, the demand for home and community based services (HCBS) has steadily increased and the demand for institutional LTSS has steadily decreased. Despite this trend, states are still required by Medicaid to provide institutional LTSS while LTSS in community settings is optional. As the result of this requirement, many states, including Louisiana, have extremely long waiting lists for HCBS.
Do you support requiring states to provide LTSS in settings that reflect the preferences of its citizens with disabilities?
If yes, how would you implement this policy?
Absolutely! As I understand the Olmstead decision, the Supreme court already found that unjustifiable institutionalization violated the Americans With Disabilities Act. The higher demand for home and community based services should be appealing to states because it is more economical. I would also favor policy that would encourage greater development of technology that would enable more opportunity for self care and independent living.
As we consider how best to serve the long term services needs of citizens with disabilities, we should exercise caution to be sure that lobbyists and donors to political campaigns do not unfairly influence decisions for their own profit by the exploitation of the disabled and the expense of the taxpayers. We can protect the disabled from this corruption that robs them of resources by electing only candidates for public office who do not accept any campaign donations and who do not spend any money on a campaign. I am just such a candidate and if elected, I will be in the best position to represent the interests of the disabled as well as the people of the 3rd district. We will achieve the best possible outcome for the disabled and the most economical outcome for all taxpayers. It only requires the good citizenship to support and vote for candidates who don’t take the money.
‘Greg’ Ellison:
No response received.
Brett Geymann:
No response received.
Jacob ‘Dorian Phibian’ Hebert:
No response received.
Clay Higgins:
No response received.
Guy McLendon:
No response received.
Larry Rader:
No response received.
‘Gus’ Rantz:
No response received.
Grover Joseph Rees:
No response received.
Kenny P. Scelfo Sr.:
No response received.
Herman L. Vidrine:
- The lack of reliable and accessible transportation is a major barrier for people with disabilities to access employment opportunities, attend medical appointments, and fully participate in their communities.
Will you support traditional and innovative projects to increase transportation options for people with disabilities in both urban and rural areas?
If yes, please explain how you will support traditional and innovative projects.
Yes. I will either introduce or support legislation appropriating existing funds to encourage and require urban and rural communities to provide suitable transportation to the disabled so they can have their transportation needs met.
- The supply of accessible and affordable housing is not sufficient to meet the needs of people with disabilities, causing them to wait months or years to live independently and move out of institutions.
Will you support programs that increase the availability of affordable and accessible housing and programs that encourage home ownership for people with disabilities?
If yes, how will support these programs?
Yes. I will seek a greater allocation of funds to provide more public housing with features and facilities to accommodate those who want to rent and also to provide more suitable privately owned Section 8 housing.
I will push to provide 100% loans, government insured at a reasonable rate of interest to accommodate the disabled who prefer to own their homes properly equipped for the disabled. I will push programs requiring landlords to alter suitable housing to ensure they can accommodate the disabled and require them to rent to the disabled who offer to rent.
- People with disabilities are affected by many issues. There are many ways to learn about issues affecting people with disabilities, for example: through personal or family experience, meetings with citizens with disabilities or disability leaders, having a disability advisor on your staff, seeking input and advice from a disability advisory committee.
If elected, how will you involve the disability community when making policies that impact people with disabilities?
By invitation, I will meet and get input from citizens with disabilities and then meet with disability leaders and disability advisory committees as they present proposed solutions to the problems to be put into policy, once the best course is determined.
- The availability of long- term services and supports (LTSS) and where they will be provided pose serious concerns for many people with disabilities and their families. LTSS, funded by Medicaid, can be provided in institutions or in the community. Throughout the years, the demand for home and community based services (HCBS) has steadily increased and the demand for institutional LTSS has steadily decreased. Despite this trend, states are still required by Medicaid to provide institutional LTSS while LTSS in community settings is optional. As the result of this requirement, many states, including Louisiana, have extremely long waiting lists for HCBS.
Do you support requiring states to provide LTSS in settings that reflect the preferences of its citizens with disabilities?
If yes, how would you implement this policy?
Yes, I realize that community based solutions are preferred by disabled people so I will gather information and statistics. Then, I will introduce or support legislation to require states to sufficiently increase their accommodations to suit the preferences of its citizens with disabilities.
