QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS : Congress: 21st District

Questionnaires were distributed to candidates this month. Answers have been edited to fit the available space.

Mideast Crisis

Q. Do you generally support President Bush’s handling of the Mideast crisis precipitated by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait? Briefly explain any differences you have with Bush’s actions.

Gallegly: Yes.

Freiman: Yes. President Bush has hinted at linking settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian situation with the settlement of the Persian Gulf crisis. I am opposed to any such linkage. I would also like to see Saudi Arabia pick up more of the bill.

Ultimate Goal

Q. Should the ultimate goal of the United States be to force Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait? Or should it be to remove Saddam Hussein from power or at least greatly reduce his military capacity, either through war or negotiations? Gallegly: I support the President’s call for Iraq’s unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. Ultimately, as long as Hussein remains a threat to world peace and stability, efforts should be made to see to it that he doesn’t remain in power.

Freiman: Hussein is a threat to the entire region. Were it not for Israel, he would be threatening the region with the use of nuclear weapons. In conjunction with the United Nations, we must either try to remove him from power or make sure he is not capable of developing nuclear weapons.

Weapons Sale

Q. Do you support the Bush Administration’s proposal to sell billions of dollars of additional weapons, including F-15 fighters, TOW missiles and Apache helicopters, to Saudi Arabia?

Gallegly: I am closely studying this proposal. I recognize that the Saudis have legitimate security considerations, but at the same time, I believe we must be selective in arms sales to Arab nations.

Freiman: No. We should just provide, either by sale or lease, Saudi Arabia with the weapons that are absolutely essential to them in this current crisis. We must remember that Saudi Arabia maintains a state of belligerency toward Israel, our staunchest ally in the region.

B-2 Bomber Production

Q. Do you favor continued production of the B-2 Stealth bomber beyond the 15 already in production?

Gallegly: Yes.

Freiman: No. With our deficit problems, the B-2 must be adequately tested before increasing production.

Deficit Reduction

Q. President Bush and congressional leaders recently agreed to a compromise package of tax increases and spending cuts designed to reduce the federal budget deficit by $40 billion this fiscal year and $500 billion over the next five years. This deal, if it gains final congressional approval, would increase taxes on gasoline, cigarettes and alcohol; raise Medicare premiums; impose a new tax on luxury goods, and reduce itemized deductions that can be taken by taxpayers with incomes over $100,000. Do you support his plan? If no, why not? What specific actions would you support to cut the federal budget deficit?

Gallegly: No. I voted against the budget resolution because it was the largest peacetime tax increase in U.S. history and because the elderly bore too great a burden. I support the “4% solution” limiting government spending increases to 4% a year with no new taxes.

Freiman: No. It’s unfair to lower-, middle- and upper-middle income taxpayers, as well as senior citizens. I would restore progressivity to the tax code so that the richest 1% pay their fair share of taxes.

Campaign Spending

Q. Do you support efforts to restrict campaign spending and reduce the amount of contributions that can be made by special interest groups?

Gallegly: Yes. I support reducing the amount that political action committees can give, and I also support requiring candidates to raise at least half of their funds from individuals living within their districts.

Freiman: Yes. However, the Supreme Court has stated that spending limits in congressional races are unconstitutional unless tied to public financing.

Campaign Financing

Q. Do you support full or partial taxpayer financing of political campaigns?

Gallegly: No.

Freiman: Yes.

Capital Punishment

Q. Do you support capital punishment? If so, do you think it should be imposed on those convicted of importing or selling drugs?

Gallegly: Yes. Yes for drug kin-pins.

Freiman: Yes. No on drugs offenses. Abortion

Q. Do you support a woman’s unrestricted right to an abortion within the first three months of pregnancy?

Gallegly: The Supreme Court, for 1973, essentially legalized abortion at any time during a pregnancy. I oppose the scope of that decision, and I will continue to oppose measures that would encourage or facilitate abortion through federal funding.

Freiman: Yes.

Abortion Funding

Q. Do you support federal funding of abortions for women who cannot afford them?

Gallegly: No.

Freiman: Yes.

Unpaid Leave

Q. President Bush in July vetoed legislation that would have required businesses employing at least 50 people to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for childbirth, adoption or serious illness to employees or immediate family members. Do you favor this or similar legislation?

Gallegly: No. While well-intentioned, this issue should best be resolved through the employer-employee bargaining process. It would cost thousands of jobs by forcing many small firms out of business.

Freiman: No. A woman should not be forced to choose between terminating her pregnancy and keeping her job. Similarly, a woman or a man should not have to choose between taking care of an ill child, spouse or parent or adopting a child and losing his or her job.

Oil Exploration

Q. Do you think the present Mideast crisis justifies opening up additional parts of the California coastline to oil exploration?

Gallegly: No. At this time, I do not believe the Persian Gulf situation warrants opening up the California coast to more oil drilling.

Freiman: No. We have adequate supplies. Instead of using this crisis as an excuse to drill in environmentally sensitive areas, we should realize that it’s time to develop a sound energy policy incorporating conservation and development of alternative sources of energy.

Assault Rifle Ban

Q. Do you favor extending President Bush’s ban on the import of semiautomatic assault rifles to the domestic production of such weapons?

Gallegly: No.

Freiman: Yes.

Waiting Period

Q. Do you favor a seven-day waiting period on the purchase of handguns to permit background checks on buyers’ criminal and mental health records?

Gallegly: Yes. It is a moot issue in California, which already has a 15-day waiting period.

Freiman: Yes.

Endowment Restrictions

Q. Should Congress impose any content restrictions on obscene or indecent materials in reauthorizing the National Endowment for the Arts?

Gallegly: Yes. The issue is not censorship, it’s how tax dollars are spent. I do not believe that tax dollars should be used to support obscene or indecent materials.

Freiman: No.

Arts Support

Q. Do you think the federal government should continue to support the arts through the NEA?

Gallegly: Yes. There is a limited federal role in the arts, but only so long as the process is cleaned up.

Freiman: Yes. The NEA provides support to nonprofit organizations and individuals in dance, design arts, folk arts, literature, media arts, museums, opera and musical theater and visual arts.

Civil Rights Legislation

Q. Do you support civil rights legislation passed last month by the House that would give women and blacks who are victims of sexual or racial harassment in the workplace the right to sue their employer in federal court?

Gallegly: No. There is no place for sexual or racial harassment, and I fully support criminal and civil statutes against such actions. This bill, however, mainly deals with discrimination issues. As the attorney general has indicated, it would force businesses and other organizations to impose de facto quotas in order to avoid being sued on discrimination charges.

Freiman: Yes. As I am opposed to any type of discrimination or harassment, I believe that employees must have the opportunity to bring an action in federal court against their employer.

Anti-Crime Legislation

Q. Do you support anti-crime legislation passed by the Senate in July that would re-establish the federal death penalty, limit Death-Row inmates’ appeals and relax the exclusionary rule that prohibits the use of illegally seized evidence in criminal trials?

Gallegly: Absolutely. I believe the death penalty is a deterrent, and more importantly, is a just sentence for particularly heinous criminals. I also believe that while society should take all reasonable steps to ensure that a capital sentence is justified, there are reasonable limits to the right to appeal.

Freiman: Yes. The biggest crime in America is the amount of crime in America and we should be as tough on criminals as they are on us.

Immigration Reform

Q. Do you support immigration reform that would increase the number of visas allowed for family members of those who are already in the United States as well as skilled workers?

Gallegly: No.

Freiman: Yes.

Reducing Drug Use

Q. Do you believe our present strategy of criminal prosecution, interdiction of supplies and imprisonment of users and dealers is significantly reducing the level of drug use in the United States? If no, what should be done?

Gallegly: Yes.

Freiman: No. We should continue to enforce our laws strictly, but we should also provide sufficient funding for drug education, treatment and prevention programs. The best way to cut supplies is to cut demand.

Drug Decriminalization

Q. Would you consider supporting the decriminalization of drug use?

Gallegly: Never.

Freiman No.

Limiting Terms

Q. Do you support limiting the number of terms members of Congress can serve? If yes, what should limits be for members of the House and Senate?

Gallegly: Because of the near impossibility of changing the makeup of Congress, I am reluctantly becoming convinced that some form of term limitation may be needed. I have not yet determined what those limits should be.

Freiman: No.

China Trade Status

Q. Should the United States revoke China’s most-favored-nation trading status until the president certifies that China has made specific human rights progress?

Gallegly: No. Because the ban on military sales and technical cooperation continues, I am supporting legislation to recertify China’s most-favored-nation status, but only for a limited period of time and tied to substantial future progress in human rights standards.

Freiman: Yes. Most-favored-nation trading status is a benefit to China. China must earn this by giving the people of China basic human rights.

Land Exchange

Q. Should the National Park Service exchange 59 acres in Ventura County for about 1,100 acres of the neighboring Jordan Ranch owned by entertainer Bob Hope, permitting park agencies to buy another 4,600 acres of Hope’s land in the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains for $10 million? Gallegly: Although this in many ways appears to be a positive exchange, I believe it is at this point a local land-use planning issue.

Freiman: No.

Income Tax Returns

Q. Are you willing to publicly release your income tax returns and those of your spouse prior to the November election?

Gallegly: No.

Freiman: Yes, provided the incumbent does.

Mandatory Ride-Sharing

Q. Do you favor mandatory ride-sharing as a way of meeting federal air pollution standards?

Gallegly: No. I fully support voluntary ride-sharing programs, along with other responsible programs to clean up the air in Southern California.

Freiman: No. However, I would encourage ride-sharing through the use of tax incentives.

CONTENDERS Elton Gallegly, 46, a Republican, was elected to Congress four years ago. A Realtor, he previously served as mayor of Simi Valley.

Richard D. Freiman, 42, a Democrat, is an attorney and writer who is making his first attempt for a congressional seat. He lives in Agoura.

Peggy Christensen, a Libertarian from Granada Hills, also is on the ballot. She failed to respond to The Times’ questionnaire.