Leslie L. Byrne (D)
Office Sought: U.S. House, District 11 (D)
Age: 63
Residence: Barcroft.
Education: Some coursework, University of Utah.
Occupation: Former small business owner.
Web site:http://www.lesliebyrne.org
E-mail address: leslie@lesliebyrne.org
Offices and positions held: Member, Virginia Senate, 2000-2004; member, U.S. House of Representatives, 1993-1995; member, Virginia House of Delegates, 1986-1992; past president, Fairfax Area League of Women Voters; past chairwoman, Fairfax County Commission on Fair Campaign Practices; member, Parent Teacher Association.
What is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?
The 11th District faces a myriad of challenges: A recession looming, a health care system in disarray, educational opportunities being priced out of reach and an ever-widening gap between the wealthiest and everyone else. None of these can be addressed until we stop the war in Iraq. As long as we are pouring money into the war effort, we can’t even fulfill the commitments we have to our own citizens. I am a signatory of the Responsible Plan to End the War along with many other candidates who feel that this is the most important issue in every jurisdiction.
Why should voters elect you?
I have a twenty year career of standing up for the people I represent and taking on the hard fights that no one else would touch. When other Democrats hid behind the White House in 2003, I opposed the war publicly. When others gave up their principles and voted for NAFTA, I voted no. When developers wanted no links between transportation and development, I fought to control growth. I have never been a party to the pay-to-play mentality of other politicians. When I return to Congress, northern Virginians will have a representative who will truly represent them.
By summer 2011, it is predicted, Northern Virginia could be facing blackouts due to its growing demand for energy. Should Congress intervene now to prevent that possibility, and if so, what is the most important single step it could take?
Yes. I believe new technologies are the long term answer, but we must use the efficient tools we have available now. As a nation and as individuals, we must look for ways to conserve, so that longer term solutions can work for us. I have also proposed the creation of a research agency like DARPA to put together a comprehensive, long-term energy strategy. DARPA’s research helped create the Internet and many of our key defense technologies. It provides a model to deal with this complicated challenge.
What impact does immigration have on your district?
Immigrants have enriched our community, providing talented workers at all levels. My children’s lives and mine have been enhanced by the diversity of cultures we have come to know. That said, the federal government has failed to protect our borders or enforce current immigration laws. Vindictive actions by some local governments have only served to worsen the problem, rather than provide a solution. In Congress, I will work to pass legislation to secure the border, crackdown on employers and require the undocumented to pay a fine, learn English, and get in line behind those who came here legally.
What steps, if any, should the federal government take to address funding issues for transportation projects?
While the war limits our funding options, we need to spend more effectively. In the Virginia legislature, I pushed for the requirement that all road projects must be value-engineered. That regulation has saved over a billion dollars in road construction costs. We must move forward with mass transit. While in Congress, I got the first federal funds appropriated for Dulles rail. We need to build that extension with a tunnel and an open bidding process. When I return to Congress, my seniority will allow me to reclaim my seat on the Transportation Committee so that I can deliver for Virginia.
-- The Washington Post | Submit a correction request.
