US Representative – 1st Congressional District
Eliot Barron:
No response received.
Lee Ann Dugas:
No response received.
Danil Ezekiel Faust:
- 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 support both existing and new projects to increase mobility choices for people with disabilities. My adoptive father, Robert Faust, was a dwarf. Because of his size and the problems he had, with his hips especially, made movement difficult for my father, especially in his later years. Even when driving his own vehicle it had to have special features installed to make sure he could drive it because if it’s diminished size. I think options like contracts with Uber and Tesla with the ride sharing programs they are developing could help ease this burden if integrated with existing Federal programs.
- 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. Individuals with disabilities often require more medical attention than those without and unfortunately, housing located near large medical facilities tend to be in higher demand and thus more expensive. There needs to be ways to mitigate these costs, especially since the medical costs are burdensome to this population segment already.
- 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?
Unfortunately, my father passed a little more than 2 years ago, but what he did for me and my Mother will live within me forever. So my answer to this is simple. I would do the same thing for others as I would have for him, the most I can. I would make sure to speak to people directly affected by the issue that lay at the heart of any legislation that passes my desk and do what I and they feel is best.
- 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 am very much of the opinion that a one payer healthcare system is the most effective way to provide and serve communities. Larger medical centers and expanded access to care are of the utmost concern. A healthy America is a productive America. The expansions required for those with disabilities to nothing to diminish the benefits that are now there for all to freely benefit from.
Howard Kearney:
No response received.
Steve Scalise:
No response received.
Joseph ‘Joe’ Swider:
No response received.
Chuemai Yang:
No response received.
