Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Jamaal Bowman for US Congress NY-16
Candidate Name: Jamaal Bowman
Office Seeking Election for: US Congress NY-16
Website: https://www.bowmanforcongress.com/
With the possibility of Donald J. Trump winning (stealing) the next Presidential election and ending democracy and civil rights in the United States, it is more important than ever that we elect progressive, dynamic leaders to the United States Congress.
1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments why should we believe you would be a dynamic, progressive leader who would stand up for Civil Rights and Democracy?
I’ve been fighting for civil rights and democracy my entire career, from the public middle school I founded in the Bronx to the last three years in Congress. These fights are personal to me. I grew up in public housing in New York City, saw the community around me ravaged by over-policing, underinvestment, and environmental racism. As an educator and principal, I saw the same cycles repeat themselves over and over again. I ran for Congress because the root of these problems are oppressive systems, and we need a federal government with the courage to take on big problems.
2. What is your involvement in the LGBTQ Civil Rights movement? What candidates have you or are you supporting who are openly LGBTQ? What legislation have you/do you support to further LGBTQ rights? Do you /will you have an LGBTQ liaison in your office? What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer or professional basis?
I am a strong ally of the LGBTQ civil rights movement. I've consistently used my platform in Congress to speak about trans rights in press conferences and in committee hearings. Here’s one example. Beyond that, I'm also a member of the Congressional Equality Caucus, working with my fellow caucus members on bills essential to the LGBTQ movement. I've endorsed many LGBTQ candidates; a few examples are Becca Balint and Tammy Baldwin in Congress, and here in New York, Jabari Brisport. I'm proud to have co-sponsored a large amount of bills centering protections for LGBTQ people. And finally I’m active in my district with organizations of and for the LGBTQ community, and helping them get federal funding. From shelters for trans youth to advocacy groups like The LOFT in White Plains, I've been a consistent ally in Congress.
3. What demonstrations, rallies, and protests have you participated in support of LGBTQ issues, African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American Civil Rights, pro-choice legislation, criminal justice issues, and Resist Trump?
I have led and participated in rallies and protests for years – including as a sitting member of Congress.
4. Do you support reparations to compensate African Americans for the history of slavery, Jim Crow, and systemic racism in this country?
Yes. I am the author of the reparations resolution in the House.
5. What are your concrete proposals to address current systemic racism in terms of employment, housing, voting rights, and the criminal justice system in the U.S.?
I’ve worked in Congress to advance a number of transformational policies to address systemic racism. This includes my authorship of the Green New Deal for Public Schools and co-sponsorship of the Green New Deal for Public Housing, as well as authorship of over 50 other bills, resolutions and amendments on racial and economic justice.
6. Will you advocate for elder parole where incarcerated individuals aged 55 and older who have serviced in excess of 15 years obtain parole hearings?
Yes.
7. Will you advocate for legislation that ensures that individuals get considered for release from prison based upon who they are currently not exclusively based on the nature of their crime?
Yes.
8. Have you participated, and will you participate in demonstrations and protests in relation to the issues of clemency and parole?
I have and will continue to.
9. Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals? Yes.
10.Have you and will you visit incarcerated constituents to learn of their conditions? I have and will continue to.
11.What are your proposals to have prisons focus more on rehabilitation and less on punishment? I believe that our criminal justice system as a whole must focus on rehabilitation, and have supported efforts to move federal resources to meet that goal. I’ve also advocated in
New York for similar changes to our criminal justice system.
12.Do you support ending the cruel punishment of solitary confinement?
Yes.
13.What are your proposals to facilitate individuals who have recently entered the
U.S. to be able to live decently with employment and housing?
I believe that our immigration system must treat everyone with dignity. I recently co-signed a letter to President Biden to speed up work permits to recent immigrants, advice which the administration has now followed. I also fundamentally believe in a path to citizenship, including the DREAM Act.
14.What proposals do you advocate to combat the cruel and inhumane immigration policies that the Trump Administration commenced and which, to some degree, are still in effect?
We must have a human border and visa policy. We must decriminalize immigration, end the detention of those seeking asylum and relief at our border, and eliminate all for-profit detention centers. We must repeal the 10-year ban that blocks immigrants who have been deported from returning to their families in the United States. We must also support a Marshall Plan for Central America that helps confront the root economic, political, and environmental roots of increased migration.
15.Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work?
Yes.
16.Do you oppose legislation that promotes the Nordic model?
Yes.
17.What concrete proposals do you support to lift up women after four years of Trump being President?
I have voted, and will always vote for, equal pay, equal rights, and abortion rights. Among many other bills, I was an original cosponsor of and voted for H.R. 12, the Women’s Health Protection Act. I also led a letter urging the Biden administration to prioritize ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
18. Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Please elaborate.
I support Medicare for All. Healthcare is a human right, and it is embarrassing that in the richest country in history we have people dying from lack of care and going bankrupt from medical bills.
19.What have you done to facilitate reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services?
Reproductive health care is essential healthcare. Every person should have access to the healthcare they need, and that includes access to abortion. We need to expand access to reproductive healthcare and ensure everyone has safe, legal, and affordable access to abortions, family planning, and birth control. As reproductive rights continue to be under attack it continues to be clear the need for legislation like Medicare for All that would cover reproductive services, including abortion.
20.Will you refuse contributions from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry, from police and correction communities?
Yes.
21.Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives or corporations complicit in the Trump anti-American agenda?
Yes.
22.How do you propose that we address the current surge of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism?
We are at our strongest when we build bridges and form alliances across lines of difference. I’ve built coalitions across our diverse district to address the threat of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and white nationalism before it’s too late. That means ensuring anti-racist curriculum in our schools to create a flourishing multiracial, multiethnic, and multifaith democracy. It also means ensuring the Department of Justice takes seriously the growing threat of antisemitism, Islamophobia, hate crimes, and white supremacist extremism in this country.
Jewish institutions are too frequent targets of antisemitism and hate. When violence erupted in the Middle East, I took the House floor and put forth a resolution that declared the value of both Palestinian and Israeli lives, urged an immediate cease-fire and encouraged diplomatic efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
23.Did you or would you have voted for the censure of U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib?
I would never vote to censure my sister Rashida.
24.Do you support an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East?
Yes. I was one of the first members of Congress to call for a ceasefire.
25.Should we condition further aid to Israel? What conditions should we stress that Israel abides by?
We should place the same conditions on aid to Israel that we place on all other countries. Our aid cannot be used to violate human rights, and if a country is violating human rights, we stop sending aid. We simply need to start applying the same rules and same laws.
26.Will you refuse funds from Trump-supporting AIPAC?
Yes. AIPAC is threatening to spend tens of millions of dollars to defeat me in this primary.
27.If you are in Congress, are you a member of the “Squad”? If not, why not? If you are running to be a new member of Congress, will you apply to join the “Squad”? If not, why not?
Yes. I am proud to work every day with my sisters Alexandria, Ayanna, Cori, Ilhan, Rashida and Summer.
28.What are your concrete proposals to prevent Trump and his cult from taking over this country and ending democracy?
I was in Congress on January 6th when Trump instigated an insurrection against our country. Him and his followers have no respect for democracy or human rights. My most concrete proposal to prevent them from taking over is to win the 2024 election!
29.How can we combat the movement in this country to ban books, prevent colleges from discussing issues and demonizing intelligence as “woke”?
I’ve spoken out regularly against book bans and other attacks on education from the far right. These are unconstitutional, and I will fight for Congress to protect the free speech rights of every American.
30.As Christopher Columbus caused the death/slavery of thousands, should we replace the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle, and if so, what should replace it? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose?
Columbus was responsible for ethnic cleansing and slavery on a massive scale. I don’t know what should replace this statue, but it is a conversation we need to have.
31.As Edward I Koch caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people with AIDS and was blatantly racist, do you support removing his name from the former Queensboro Bridge? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose?
I support removing his name from the bridge.
32.What is your opinion of Eric Adams as New York City Mayor? Are you involved in finding someone else to run for Mayor of New York City?
I have serious concerns about the direction of city government under the current mayor, from the return of unconstitutional stop and frisk policies to the defunding of preschool programs. While I uplift Black leaders and Black leadership whenever possible, New York City deserves better than a repeat of failed Giuliani-era policies.
33.How can we mandate that every community do its share to have affordable housing and care for the recently arrived people?
We have a responsibility as a country to care for people seeking asylum. This is both a legal and a moral obligation. This requires resources and collaboration between every level of government. I support any policy which allows us to care for people who have recently arrived, allowing them to integrate into communities and benefitting both their families and the families of those already living there.
34.Do you support allowing legal Immigrants to vote in local elections?
Yes.