Prior to his virtual Hamilton College town hall on Oct. 5, NY-22 Representative Anthony Brindisi sat down over Zoom with
The Spectator
in a virtual interview covering his platform, COVID-19, his achievements to date, and his optimism for the future, among other topics.
What aspects of your platform do you think should appeal most to college students?
I would say that college students and young people in general, like many of us, are often disillusioned with politics and think the system is broken. And a big part of my platform is fixing that broken system. That means working to get things done and trying to do things like getting big money out of politics and our elections, ending the revolving door between lobbyists and Congress, and expanding voting rights across the country. I believe if we have a more inclusive system with less money, we’ll see better results.
There’s been a lot of political tension lately, and especially among young, college-aged voters, there is a notion that working across the aisle is becoming more and more unfeasible. What is your perspective on this and how do you navigate that?
I think that a lot gets made out of political bickering by the national media, and they do a real good job of playing Democrats and Republicans against each other and trying to point out the differences and the controversy. But what I have found in my time in Washington is that there are many members there who may have vastly different political views than I do, but we’re able to work together on particular issues — for example, veteran suicide. You can find members who have common interests and listen to them and compromise a bit to get what you need done.
So much has changed in between the last election cycle and now. How have your platform and goals evolved in light of all this upheaval?
A lot has changed because of coronavirus. I would say right now the priority needs to be getting relief to working families, hospitals, schools, college students, essential workers, and small businesses. The pandemic has really up-ended a lot of the conversation in Congress, and we need to all be willing to work together and think outside the box for solutions that work for our communities. But there is some commonality between it all and that is working together and working to unite instead of divide.
What do you think are the biggest issues facing your district?
I would say access to quality, reliable broadband was a top issue before, and now given the pandemic it’s even more important than ever. Whether it’s distanced learning or telemedicine or working from home, good internet is now a necessity to function in our economy. That’s why I’ve worked to pass historic investment in rural broadband and investment in broadband in underserved areas, and I’m working to hold big service providers accountable if they aren’t delivering the speeds they promise. I would say that additionally, the pandemic has highlighted the need to increase access to affordable, quality healthcare. Getting sick shouldn’t mean you go broke. That’s why I’m working to improve the Affordable Care Act, not get rid of protections for people with pre-existing conditions. And if my opponent had her way, people with pre-existing conditions like asthma or diabetes or even COVID-19 could be charged more by insurers.
How has COVID-19 impacted your ability to interact with your constituents?
Well, I’d love to be on campus conducting this interview in person and doing another in-person town hall meeting with Hamilton students like we did in the last campaign. We’re still doing that virtually. But given the pandemic, we have switched to mostly virtual events, including at campuses across the district. I’m still communicating and listening to students, like at [Monday’s] town hall. And I’m holding more town hall meetings at campuses across the district in the coming weeks.
Why should students vote in NY-22?
That’s a great question. I get that question a lot from students in NY-22. I would say that there’s too much at stake in this election to stay home. And if you care about any issue, any policy, or the community that you live in, there’s a reason to vote. From climate change to women’s rights to campaign finance reform to healthcare policy to education and student loans, there’s a lot that’s on the ballot this November. And students who have come to NY-22 have made this their home for at least the next four years. And they should have a say in who their representative is while they’re here.
What are your views on the Black Lives Matter movement and systemic racism in America?
It should not be a hard statement for someone to say Black Lives Matter. The horrific murder of George Floyd sparked a much-needed conversation in our country on police reform and racial injustice. What happened to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and too many other Black Americans is far too common. I think we can all acknowledge law enforcement is a dangerous profession and although most police officers honor their oath to protect and serve their communities, we cannot continue to ignore the abuse of power and discrimination against people of color by those that do not.
So I think it’s critical that we ensure our local law enforcement officers have training and resources so they can safely protect our communities. I don’t think that can be done by defunding the police, but I did support George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which I think was an important first step to improve police training, to ensure accountability and transparency, and to work to create a more just world for future generations. We need to improve the system and we need the Senate to come back to the negotiating table.
What is your perspective on colleges opening this semester?
I think that’s a decision that needs to be made by the governor, by medical experts, by local officials and school administrators, with input from students and professors alike. You need to have good information to make good decisions, and campuses and local officials should be listening to public health experts and making decisions based on science.
What are you most proud of from your time in Congress so far?
I think I’m probably most proud of having four bills signed into law by the President. That’s something I’m very proud of, especially in divided government. It’s not easy to get bills signed into law but I’ve been able to build bipartisan coalitions to do just that. And these are bills that will make improvements in our community. For example, we passed legislation to require veteran health centers to have a suicide prevention coordinator. The VA will be required to offer a mental health crisis line via text. The U.S. government will now have to purchase American-made flatware, which will create good-paying jobs in our district.
So the legislation I’ve worked on does have an impact here in the district, and I’m proud to have used my time in Congress to get things done. I joke around that I’m not the freshman representative that has the biggest Twitter following, but I’m definitely at the top of the list in delivering bills to the President’s desk for a signature. And that’s what people are gonna judge me on back home, by how effective I am.
How do you go about building bipartisan coalitions and negotiating with people with whom you might disagree?
Do more listening and less talking. The bills that I have worked on that have been signed into law have all had a Republican co-sponsor. Many times the co-sponsor and I may disagree on a number of issues, but we find common ground when it comes to an issue like veteran suicide. And I wouldn’t be able to know that unless I sit down with that member of Congress and actually listen to them. So to me, that’s the basis for compromise and that’s a quality that every representative should have: to be a good listener to their constituents, to their fellow members of Congress, and to the public at large.
What is your biggest fear for your constituents if Claudia Tenney gets elected in this congressional race?
I think my biggest fear is people in this district losing access to quality affordable healthcare. I take great offense to her vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act because now in this district, almost 97% of people are covered by health insurance. And almost one in two people in this district have a pre-existing condition. So her taking $170,000 from the health insurance industry and then voting to cut protections for people with pre-existing conditions, or to allow insurance companies to limit coverage for things like maternity care, ER visits, I take offense to that. We should be looking for ways to make healthcare affordable and accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it.
From a government perspective, what notes of optimism do you have? Is there anything you’ve seen in your time in Congress that makes you optimistic for the future?
Well, talking to students like you gives me great optimism for the future. For every big problem we face, I know we can work together to find a solution. One of the things that I’ve seen despite a lot of the chaos over the last few years is that more young people are getting involved in politics on both sides of the aisle. And we will see more innovative solutions and less Washington thinking when more young people get involved. I think public service is a noble calling, and many people may shy away from it for various reasons, but we need good people to go into politics. And when I see the young people coming out to have a say in their democracy, that should make us all very optimistic.