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0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff8f680000Coverage of the 2016 races in New Hampshire, from the White House to the State House.

2016 Conversations with the Candidates: Democratic Congressional Candidate Carol Shea-Porter

Allegra Boverman; NHPR

Our Conversations with the Candidates series continues with First District Democratic Candidate Carol Shea-Porter, who is looking to regain her seat in 2016. We'll talk with Shea-Porter about health insurance, the economy, and national security.

Highlights from today's conversation:

Is there a fix for rising insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act?

Shea-Porter: First, there should have been a public option in the marketplace from the beginning.

We have to have some competition to help these insurance companies feel motivated to keep those costs down.

Shea-Porter supports Hillary Clinton's plan to allow middle-aged Americans to buy into Medicare. She also advocates for rooting out fraud, waste, and inefficiencies in government. 

Question from audience member Angi, from Holderness: If elected, what steps would you take through prevention and education to manage the opioid crisis?

Shea-Porter: Doctors need to take a bigger role informing patients of the highly addictive nature of prescription narcotics.  She also advocates for early education and says it is important for peers to know warning signs.

You know the saying we have for homeland security: "See something, say something." I think we need to have the same thing where if we recognize that there's risk to people, we're acting on it.

Does Shea-Porter support Hillary Clinton's plan to make public college free for students whose families are below a certain income by raising taxes on the very wealthy?

Yes, we do need to make it possible. Now, [Hillary Clinton] did still say that the students need to work, and I think that's important. Nothing should be handed [out] for free. [Students] have to have some skin in the game.

Shea-Porter said the federal cost of providing free college could also be offset by eliminating oil company subsidies.

Let's ask ourselves how every other country [that is considered a world leader] is able to [provide affordable public education], and we are not able to assist our young people.

Do you support the repeal of the Hyde Amendment? The amendment limits the use of federal funds for abortion, except in the cases of rape or incest, or when the health of the mother is at risk. 

Right now, I am under great concern here that women aren't even going to have the access that they've had [currently] to birth control and to abortion at all.

Shea-Porter says the Hyde Amendment is an issue to deal with down the road, after measures are taken to protect women from losing access to reproductive care at the state level. 

How do you feel about the carbon tax and other measures to manage climate change?

Would I support a climate tax? Yes, I would.

Shea-Porter says a multi-pronged effort is best for protecting the environment: reduce carbon, provide subsidies for companies investing in renewable energy, and conservation. 

This event is made possible by New England College and GoffWilson. 

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