Politics & Government

Congressional Candidates Battle Over Health Care and Benefits

John Arvanites, Rodney Frelinghuysen address issues for residents of the newly redrawn 11th Congressional District.

The candidates for the 11th Congressional District went head to head on health care reform, veterans’ benefits, and equal pay for women at an hourlong debate at William Paterson University Wednesday.

Nine-term Republican Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen has represented the district since 1995. He is a member of the House of Representatives' Appropriations Committee.

John Arvanites, the son of Greek immigrants, is the former mayor of Roseland, said the newly configured district needs change, the Daily Record reported. He is a certified public accountant.

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“I will not be a career congressperson,” Arvanites said. “I believe in getting there, coming up with solutions, and moving on.”

The Democrat said that he does not consider himself a liberal but someone who cooperates with others to get things done, NJ.com reported.

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Frelinghuysen said that while he does not identify with the Tea Party he said he was respectful of the way it encourages people to closely examine how the government spends money.

Flooding

Speaking of flooding in the Passaic River Basin, Frelinghuysen said that solutions to the problem must be “bipartisan,” NorthJersey.com reported.

Arvanites backs the proposed tunnel that would take floodwater out of the basin and into Newark Bay.

“I will not be a career congressperson,” Arvanites said. “I believe in getting there, coming up with solutions, and moving on.”

Health Care

Arvanities said he supports Obamacare, citing the Affordable Acre Act, which allows children to remain on their parents’ insurance plan longer, NJ.com reported.

Frelinghuysen said he supports some aspects of the legislation but said, “I don’t think we need a Washington-imposed solution,” and that it puts too much of a burden on small businesses.

Arvanities criticized his opponents’ voting record on veterans’ benefits and for voting down legislation regarding equalizing pay for women in the workplace.

Social Security is a “special pact between those of us who pay into it and the return and support that comes out of it on the other end,” NJ.com quoted Frelinghuysen saying.

He said that Congress should look at whether new United States residents should be allowed to quality for the program since they haven’t paid into it yet.

Arvanites also pushed for reform, but said the idea of increasing the retirement age or capping contributions should be considered.

War

Both candidates agreed that Americans are tired of war.

“I’m happy we’re out of Iraq. I’ll be happy when we’re out of Afghanistan, but we need to make sure as we depart we leave some sort of a structure,” dailyrecord.com reported.

Arvanites said Congress funded those two wars with money it did not have and that Frelinghuysen supported them.


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