Candidate Q&A: If she wins Senate seat, Alsobrooks would protect women's health, support assault rifle ban

CANDIDATE SURVEY

Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks recently completed The Bowie Sun candidate questionnaire, in which she defended her record on public safety and vowed to fight to get guns off the streets if elected to the Senate.

Alsobrooks, a Democrat, is vying for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D). Her Republican opponent is former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. 

Both she and Hogan have said that they plan to vote yes on a November ballot question to include reproductive rights to the state constitution. But Alsobrooks emphasized in her survey response that the party that "controls the Senate controls the agenda."

Her full responses to the questionnaire are further below, but here's a quick summary:

Reproductive freedom: "On day one, I will co-sponsor the Women’s Health Protection Act to ensure women’s rights are protected. We’ve already seen what Republicans have done to trample women’s rights, and so much more. We must preserve our Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate to ensure we have the opportunity to codify Roe v. Wade and pass the Women’s Health Protection Act."

Diversity policies: "In the Senate, I will work to ensure that MAGA Republicans cannot erase our voices from textbooks and that our government agencies are reflective of the people they serve. My mere presence in the Senate would go far to accomplishing these aims - I would be just the third black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, a body that for far too long has not had our voices at the table."

Public Safety: Alsobrooks said under her tenure public safety budget increased and, if elected to the Senate, she vowed to support bans on ghost guns and assault rifles.

Other issues: Read on for Alsobrooks' views on crime reduction, affordable housing, education, climate change and the conflict in Gaza.

CRIME

Retail crime and theft continue to persist in the city at a time when Bowie, like the rest of the nation, is facing police shortages. How could you as a senator tackle the rise in crime in places like Bowie that have not experienced high crime until recent years? Also, is there anything you could do as a senator to address staffing shortages in our public safety agencies?

Alsobrooks: Every Marylander deserves to feel safe in their home and in their community. As Prince George’s County State’s Attorney, I was responsible for getting violent and repeat offenders off of our streets and holding them accountable and was able to cut violent crime by 50%. I created programs to decrease truancy and provide second chances to those who deserved them. As Prince George’s County Executive, we’ve increased the public safety budget and added funding to recruit and train additional law enforcement officers. In the Senate, I will fight to get guns off the street, including banning ghost guns and assault rifles, and keep them out of the hands of individuals who should not have them.

We must also recognize that crime is often born out of a lack of hope and opportunity, so as a Senator, I will work to ensure that every Marylander has access to a quality job that allows them to support themselves and their families on that one job alone. We must address the issues our families face, like affordable housing access, and the cost of prescription drugs. I’ll be one of the few Senators in Washington who has the real, on the ground experience of implementing programs that lowered crime and made communities safer.

HOUSING COSTS

Housing costs are on the rise in Bowie and across Maryland. As a senator, would affordable homes and rent be a top legislative priority for you? Do you think some of the current pending legislation in Congress to provide tax credits would make a big difference in lowering housing costs here?

Alsobrooks: Housing affordability is a key concern for Marylanders. I have been deeply committed to making critical investments to preserve, protect and expand affordable housing opportunities for residents of Prince George’s County. We directly preserved and created over 5,000 affordable housing units since 2020. We launched the Right of First Refusal Program and created the Right of First Refusal Loan Preservation Fund, immediately committing $25 million to preserve affordable housing. We’ve broken ground on 6 new affordable housing projects in Clinton, Glenarden, Fairmount Heights, College Park, Hyattsville and Glenn Dale and opened 3 new affordable housing projects in Suitland, Upper Marlboro, and Clinton.

I will seek to continue this work by ensuring that we’re providing the resources local jurisdictions need to continue to make investments in affordable housing, like the ones that we’ve made in Prince George’s County. Every Marylander deserves access to affordable housing. With a Democratic majority in the Senate, the Biden-Harris Administration has been able to provide new funding to support housing for seniors, unlock affordable housing tax credits for those impacted by disasters, and promote fairer, more transparent rental markets. I will work to build upon this progress in the Senate.

BUSINESS

Like many Prince Georgians, Bowie residents have long sought quality retail options, healthier eating options and more amenities on par with those in neighboring counties. Are you hearing similar sentiments from county voters, and do you have a plan to address this need for more quality retail and restaurants in the county where you grew up?

Alsobrooks: I am a lifelong Prince Georgian and understand well the concern about not having access to the amenities and restaurants that we need and deserve. It’s why I have been laser focused as County Executive on investing in Prince George’s County's economic growth, bringing amenities to communities that had been left behind for years. We have worked to redevelop New Carrollton, and secured the first ever federal RAISE grant funding in Prince George’s County history to build new trails. I also led the fight to move the FBI headquarters to Maryland and I am so proud they will be coming to Greenbelt. I have seen the economic benefit of these kinds of investments first-hand as each project brings new jobs, new businesses, and pride in our communities.

In the Senate, I will be a strong advocate for continuing these critical investments into our future economy to ensure businesses have the infrastructure and tools they need to compete regionally for economic investments with companies around the globe. I will fight to ensure we invest in every neighborhood and every community.

ENVIRONMENT

Bowie is the new headquarters for EV charging company Blink and has an active group of volunteers serving on the city's Environmental Advisory Committee, which prepared Bowie's Climate Action Plan. The plan recognizes that global warming has led to increased heat waves, drought and storms. Do you believe climate change is real, and what type of measures would you support in the Senate to mitigate the effects of flooding and record heat in communities like Bowie?

Alsobrooks: Urgent action is needed to address the climate crisis and protect the environment. I will be a vocal advocate to expand tax credits for clean energy and ensure that all U.S. Government purchases, from buildings to vehicles, align with emission goals. As County Executive, I issued an Executive Order for Prince George's County, setting ambitious targets to reduce the 2005 emission levels by half before 2030 and net zero by 2045. I believe the U.S. should adopt a similar timeline. In Prince George's County, I initiated investments in electric vehicles and sustainable building design to move towards a greener future. Additionally, I implemented a county-wide composting program to reduce and reuse organic waste.

I strongly support President Biden's efforts to address climate change, including the measures passed in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. These pieces of legislation prioritize investments in clean energy, which will simultaneously create jobs and protect the planet, and aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If elected to the Senate, I will work towards the U.S. actively participating in and fulfilling its obligations to international efforts in combating climate change. I am honored to be endorsed by Senator Van Hollen and will proudly co-sponsor his Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act, which seeks to ensure that the largest contributors of fossil fuel emissions take responsibility by paying their fair share in mitigating the effects of climate change.

I am also proud to be supported by the League of Conservation Voters Political Action Committee, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Chesapeake Climate Action Fund, and Clean Energy for America.

EDUCATION

Are you concerned about the local costs associated with the Blueprint education reforms? Please briefly elaborate on any concerns about the Blueprint costs and what could you do as a senator to alleviate such costs?

Alsobrooks: I believe the education of our children is critical to the future of our state and nation, and our investments in education reflect the value we place on our children. It’s why I have funded public education in the county at the highest levels in history.

Every single child should have access to a quality education regardless of their zip code, and in the Senate, I will fight to expand Title I funding so that we do not see disparities in our educational system. A child’s zip code should not determine the quality of their education. Our educators know that I will fight for quality education at the highest level, which is why I am proud to have earned the endorsement of the Maryland State Education Association and the National Education Association.

As County Executive I spearheaded the construction of 10 new schools in Prince George's County, accomplishing this feat with the help of a public-private partnership, a "P3" model that can deliver schools 10 years faster and at a cost of 15-20% less without the need to raise new taxes. I also allocated $15 million to construct a career and technical education, or CTE hub at Crossland High School in Temple Hills, to prepare students to work in various employment industries including automotive, barbering and cosmetology, and electrical.

DIVERSITY POLICIES

The city of Bowie is culturally diverse and the city's Diversity Committee has advised the City Council on issues such as hiring practices, contracting and hate crimes policy. The area is also home to historically Black Bowie State University. Should campus and workplace diversity programs be eliminated or restricted as some Republican lawmakers have attempted to do in other states?

Alsobrooks: Diversity programs should not be eliminated, as this Supreme Court and Republicans in Congress have unfortunately tried to do. Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion has so often been at the heart of my approach to public service. I believe that our policy prescriptions are lacking when all of our viewpoints are not taken into account. I have been tireless at the County level to ensure that our government was reflective of the people, creating a Pathways to Government program to ensure we hire seniors, those with developmental disabilities and returning citizens. My administration has also hired experts to advise on incorporating diverse viewpoints into our decision-making process and established resource groups for our employees to ensure we are building a government that reflects the community it serves. 

In the Senate, I will work to ensure that MAGA Republicans cannot erase our voices from textbooks and that our government agencies are reflective of the people they serve. My mere presence in the Senate would go far to accomplishing these aims - I would be just the third black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, a body that for far too long has not had our voices at the table.

CONFLICT IN GAZA

An estimated 200 Bowie High School students recently engaged in a walkout calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Do you support a long-term ceasefire in Israel and Palestine? Do you think some of the campus activism on this issue and police handling of these protests has gone too far? Please briefly explain your position.

Alsobrooks: What happened on October 7th was a gutting tragedy. 10 months have passed and we mustn't lose sight of that fact. We must eliminate the threat of Hamas. We need to release the hostages and get to an immediate ceasefire. I am also deeply concerned about the ever growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza — innocent lives lost, aid workers killed, increasing famine. Prime Minister Netanyahu must do everything in his power to address this humanitarian crisis and increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and he must do so with haste and urgency.

College campuses have long played a role in fostering cross cultural discussion, providing an important vehicle for the expression of First Amendment rights. Students have a right to peacefully and lawfully protest, but hate speech can never be tolerated.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Maryland voters will have the opportunity to vote on a ballot question in November that asks if the right to reproductive freedom should be added to the state constitution. Do you plan to vote yes or no on that ballot question? Please briefly explain why you plan to vote for or against this ballot question and if your faith will factor into your decision?

Alsobrooks: I will vote yes to enshrine reproductive rights into Maryland’s Constitution. I believe that it is every woman’s right to make her own decisions about abortion care and reproductive rights.

This is why the 51st vote in the U.S. Senate is so critical, because whoever controls the Senate controls the agenda. On day one, I will co-sponsor the Women’s Health Protection Act to ensure women’s rights are protected. We’ve already seen what Republicans have done to trample women’s rights, and so much more. We must preserve our Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate to ensure we have the opportunity to codify Roe v. Wade and pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. I will also vote to appoint Supreme Court Justices that respect American freedoms, including the right to choose, and the rule of law.

Editor's note: In addition to Alsobrooks and Hogan, two other candidates are currently vying for the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland: Libertarian Mike Scott of Bowie and independent Emmanuel Osuchukwu of Baltimore. Candidate questionnaires are lightly edited for style.

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