This past week, Congressional candidates Ron DiNicola and Mike Kelly visited Penn State Behrend to speak with students and community members in the weeks leading up to election day. Candidate DiNicola visited the campus on Thursday, October 25, where he held an open Q&A session for students while Incumbent Kelly visited under the same conditions on Saturday, October 27, 2018.

 

According to his campaign website, Candidate Ron DiNicola is running for a seat in Congress in order to “make sure that the citizens of Western Pennsylvania have a real voice and a strong advocate in Washington, DC.”

 

When it comes to Incumbent Kelly, he ran for Congress for the first time back in 2009. He was sworn into office on January 5, 2011 as U.S. Representative of the Third Congressional District of Pennsylvania. According to the The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Kelly is a “no-nonsense, straight-talking Republican” and "a true man of the people."

 

There are many issues that both candidates base their platforms upon. When it comes to employment, DiNicola supports the idea of funding infrastructure which would lead to the rebuilding of roads, bridges, railroad systems, etc. which would, in turn, lead to more opportunities for jobs in the area. He aims to “fight to ensure the playing field is leveled to protect and grow manufacturing jobs in Western Pennsylvania.”

 

Along with this proposal, DiNicola would aim to fund both public education and on-the-job training with the hopes that every citizen be equipped with the skills necessary to obtain a job within the current economic system. DiNicola believes that, through advocating for this kind of skill training and education, families will be able to help flourish the economies and communities within their own Western Pennsylvania towns.

 

Kelly, according to his website, says that the United States is experiencing one of “the greatest economic downturns of our generation.” He wishes to foster an environment which allows for growth in order to “get Americans working again.” Kelly believes that enacting “pro-growth policies” will give small businesses and entrepreneurs the power to regain their confidence while removing roadblocks that stifle economic growth.

 

In order to stimulate this growth, Kelly says that he will continue to “support an agenda that addresses our economic challenges, fosters innovation and investment, and helps job creators without raising taxes on working families and small business owners.”

 

When asked about potential proposals regarding healthcare, DiNicola feels that it is extremely important to find a way to build a system that provides “affordable, quality access to medical care that people can buy into, that’s available to them at an affordable price.” He says that we are able to find solutions to this problem if there is support on all sides. DiNicola finds that, in order to bring down the cost of pharmaceuticals, it is crucial that the cost of health insurance also be lowered. He believes that spearheading these issues, which are constituents of a greater issue, are essential for citizens, for small businesses, and for overall global competitiveness.

 

Kelly presumes that The Affordable Care Act “has proved to be unaffordable for millions of Americans, including thousands in Western Pennsylvania.” From forced premiums to rising deductibles, he believes that these facts cause the standards of both medical care and innovation to plummet.

 

When it comes to the state of our education system, DiNicola believes that it is necessary that more funding be made available for post-secondary educational opportunities. He believes that by getting the federal government to recognize this importance, there would be more “educational opportunities across the board -- not just in colleges and universities -- but also those that are going to get workers the tools that they need.”

 

As a former school board member, Kelly says that “spending massive amounts of money on education does not always lead to positive results.” By ensuring that local communities have access to sufficient funding, the likelihood of addressing the community needs would be that much higher. Kelly says that by making sure that higher education options reach beyond the traditional college setting, i.e. technical schooling, the general workforce would be more well equipped “with the skills we need to compete and succeed in today's global economy.”

 

Along with education, environmental protection and the debate over clean energy are issues that also raise debate on both sides of the coin. DiNicola is a firm believer in protecting the environment. In his Q&A, addressing the necessity of environmental protection, he said: “I believe that the environment, in this district, is a very important part of our economic future. My own economic plan of development requires a strong understanding and attention to the environmental needs of a region.”

 

For Kelly, when it comes to economic growth in terms of the environment, he believes that keeping the coal industry alive and well within the American economic structure is something that is necessary for Americans in the workforce. He says that the “war on coal is a war on American jobs, families, and communities. In Pennsylvania alone, coal is responsible for 40,000 jobs and 40 percent of our electric power.” He claims that the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, “ is a cruel attack on the needs of so many people -- especially in Western Pennsylvania -- who depend on coal's benefits every day.”

 

On top of all of these important issues, the opioid epidemic is one that is becoming increasingly more well-known. DiNicola and Kelly both feel very strongly about this issue that affects many families in the United States.

 

DiNicola wants to “invest federal resources to increase access to drug treatment and to expand education and prevention programs across America.” He also sees fit that the drug companies that have fueled this issue be held accountable.

 

Kelly says that the opioid epidemic is a national crisis which is “devastating families and communities in Western Pennsylvania and all over our country.” He says that he has witnessed its impact personally. He feels that this problem has helped unify Congress in the way that both parties have been able to come together to fight this problem. To Kelly, the support of the Patients and Communities Act “is the most far-reaching congressional action against a single drug crisis in American history.”

 

Election day is this upcoming Tuesday, November 6, 2018. For those seeking to find their designated polling place, visit PA Voter Services online for more information.