March 29, 2024

US Senator Candidate Responses

US Senators

 

Beryl Billiot:

No response received.

 

Charles Boustany:

No response received.

 

Foster Campbell:

 

  1. 1. 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?

Public transportation is vital to the community at large, but also to quality of life for persons with disabilities. One way to help local government address these needs is to ensure that they remain able to raise the revenues necessary to support their budgets and projects of local importance. I will support programs that increase federal match for investments in public transportation. Because I support local economies and the policies that grow them, I also support exploring the idea of incentivizing businesses and local government to invest in new and better systems of public transportation. Specifically, with input from partners in the disability rights community, I know we can forge ahead with solutions that are beneficial and affordable.

 

  1. 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?

As we have seen for the last eight years, all the dedicated funds in state government have been raided for another purpose. When state dollars disappear, it means lower federal matches and less investment. It’s going to be my job to bring our taxes home to reinvest in OUR people.

I am committed to working with the Louisiana Housing Corporation and industry experts, such as People First, to develop reasonable solutions to this problem.

 

  1. 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?

I believe that government best serves its people by creating opportunities for success and supporting institutions that afford opportunity. People with disabilities need and deserve our support as a community and I will commit to ensuring that happens. Whether its protecting safe and affordable housing, or reasonable means of transportation, I will focus on ensuring that disability services are part of a holistic approach to governing in a way that focuses on people.

I will have experienced, knowledgeable staff that your organization trusts and I will always have an open door to you in Louisiana and D.C. as we fight together for people living with disabilities.

 

  1. 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?

Waitlists are hurting our families. I will vote for and help to author and promote ANY policy that will decrease waitlist length and wait time for community based services. I am 100% committed. For me, it’s very simple: there is no wrong way to do the right thing.

 

‘Joseph’ Cao:

No response received.

 

Thomas P. Clements:

No response received.

 

Donald ‘Crawdaddy’ Crawford:

 

  1. 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.

I would support via legislation projects to increase transportation options for people with disabilities so long as spending for the transportation projects was shown to reduce other Federal government costs by the same or a greater amount elsewhere. For example, a transportation voucher utilized to help disabled people with chronic medical conditions travel to regular physician visits saves money on an overall basis by helping to decrease costlier emergency care.

 

  1. 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? 

To the degree that supporting programs encouraging home ownership for people with disabilities decreases overall Federal government spending, I would support those activities.  If there is no net cost savings benefit, then I would not support those programs. There are non-profits working to help those with disabilities live independently and affordably. Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI) is one such example.

 

  1. 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? 

My mother was disabled and one of my friends runs an assistive technology company. If I am elected to office, I would seek regular input from a disability advisory committee in order to keep myself aware of policies that impact people with disabilities.

 

  1. 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?

Federal government rules/regulations/requirements typically don’t keep pace with changes at the State/local level. With respect to LTSS, instead of the federal government mandating what states do with Medicaid monies, a better option may be to remove the requirement by Medicaid to provide institutional LTSS and let someone at the state level make those decisions according to the preferences of the local citizens with disabilities.

 

David Duke:

 

  1. 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, by authoring a bill to increase transportation options for people with disabilities, and supporting it through the legislative process.

 

  1. 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, by authoring and supporting legislation that will increase affordable housing accessibility for people with disabilities.

 

  1. 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 inviting people with disability to provide input on issues that concern them.

 

  1. 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, by promoting the appropriate legislation.

 

Derrick Edwards

No response received.

 

Caroline Fayard

No response received.

 

John Fleming

No response received.

 

Le Roy Gillam

No response received.

 

Troy Hebert

No response received.

 

John Kennedy

No response received.

 

Gary Landrieu

No response received.

 

William Robert ‘Bob’ Lang

No response received.

 

‘Rob’ Maness

No response received.

 

Kaitlin Marone

No response received.

 

Charles Marsala

No response received.

 

MV ‘Vinny’ Mendoza:

 

  1. 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 believe that we need a High Speed Train that connects Baton Rouge to the New Orleans International Airport, to the Super Dome, to all major shopping malls, to the Universities and places along the way. That would be phase 1. In Phase II, we would connect the Northshore and Southshore. In Phase III, we would connect East to West and North to South. This project will cost approximately $12 Billion dollars, and I am committed to obtaining $6 Billion of this money from Federal and Private Investors from Japan to make this project a reality. This endeavor will include employment opportunities and wheelchair accessibility to disabled Americans.\

 

  1. 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. First, we need to become a self sufficient nation that creates thousands of permanent jobs, which I addressed in question number one. Secondly, we need to improve the construction material supplies that we are using now. Most wood used for construction gets rotted due to humidity, and when it is exposed to water during floods. For this reason, I recommend we begin using concrete slab foundations made with Hempcrete and steel tube piers at least 8 ft high for the 2nd level, so that people will no longer need to be concerned about damages due to floods. Further, they will have covered parking available for use on the ground level. This way, people can to park their vehicles and even grow fruits and vegetables. In these urban farm homes, owners would live on the second level. These unique homes will have a hydraulic elevator for people with disabilities.

 

  1. 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? 

When elected, I will create a forum that includes independent voters with disabilities. This forum will be comprised of democrats and republicans. These people will be the liaison between my office and the national, state and local organizations which manage the assistance programs with people with disabilities. This will enable me to make truly educated decisions when recommending new programs or improving existing programs.

 

  1. 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?

My primary goal is to dedicate 80% of my time in the Senate to obtaining federal funding for self-sustainable permanent jobs that create revenue within our state to pay for the $2 billion dollar debt that Bobby Jindal left for the poor and middle class. We can then use the new revenues for education and healthcare of our senior citizens, and people with disabilities. My goal is to ensure that each and every penny is spent on medical attention that is not covered by Medicare and/or Medicaid, including prescription drugs that they need.

You now have the chance to use your voting power to hand pick the next President of the United States. Please pray first, and then balance what each candidate, their spouse ad family members have done for America for the last 40 years. Give 1 point to each endeavor for each year and then pick the one that has done the most for America.

Regarding your vote for a Senator, do it the same way.

Why vote for Vinny Mendoza, a retired career member of the United States Air Force? Vinny served for 20 years, his two sons Oggy and Michael, son in law Noslan and his nieces, nephews and their spouses (a total of 12 of them) have served more than 200 years of Total Military Active Duty Service to the United States Armed Forces. Many of them have been in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars on multiple occasions, and one of them is now a disabled veteran after 5 tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Vinny has experience with world issues, American issues, and Louisiana issues and Vinny knows what it really means to Serve with Duty, Honor and Country before Self!

MV “Vinny” Mendoza

Candidate U. S. Senate #19

www.vinnnymendoza.com

www.facebook.com/VinnyMendoza4USSenateLouisiana

Abhay Patel

No response received.

 

Joshua Pellerin

No response received.

 

Gregory Taylor

No response received.

 

Arden Wells

No response received.

 

Peter Williams:

 

  1. 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) The first step in developing support would be to establish a national awareness campaign highlighting the different barriers, and increasing need for major legislative reform in the Americans with Disabilities Act provisions concerning equal transportation rights.

 

  1. 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) As your next senator, I will vigorously engage with (HUD) to create innovative fair housing availability in urban areas, and USDA rural development agency in rural areas to increase housing inventory for people with disabilities.

 

  1. 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? 

I’m running to be the voice for the voiceless.  On this, I will create an office call the Department of Disability Outreach within my statewide staff organizational structure. This office primary duties will be to advocate, investigate discrimination and ADA claims, mediate solutions, and policy making. Under my watch, al families will be treated equally and fairly.

 

  1. 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 support choice for LTSS settings by the citizens with disabilities. This also can be improved by combining our housing programs for people with disabilities, with (HCBS) in centralized locations that will prescribed individual choices of home settings based in disabilities. These homes can be singles, doubles, on up, and can maximize fund usage, increase housing stock for people with disabilities, and decrease the length of time on waiting list for services.

THANK YOU. #24