Matt Kilboy is seeking election to the United States House of Representatives.
Why are you running for office, and what previous experience makes you the most qualified candidate for the position?
I’m a retired Naval Officer, a registered nurse, a small business owner, and a seasoned government employee who has worked for both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. My experience working for the federal government in legislative affairs has provided me with unique insights into how legislation is prepared and adopted, and how to leverage government resources to be an effective leader. It’s also taught me the importance of compromise, and that it is essential to reach across the aisle to get things done. As a nurse, I also understand the importance of listening to people and putting their needs first.
I’m running for Congress because I believe Ohioans deserve better. I’ve spent my life serving my community, and my country, and hope to continue to do so in the United States House of Representatives. I’m running to bring diversity to a body of mostly cis-gendered, heterosexual men who are far too often wealthy attorneys or businessmen, who don’t understand the struggles everyday Ohioans face. I want to be an advocate for every Ohioan and will fight like hell to elevate their voices in Congress.
If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in this position?
When elected, my primary focus will be listening to my constituents to ensure their needs are being met, and to ensure that they understand that Congress can truly be representative of them. Over the last ten years, Republicans representing Ohio in Congress have given lip-service at best to voters, and they deserve better.
I will work to ensure every one of my constituents has an opportunity to be heard and informed - by regularly holding standing office hours in each County, by holding online listening sessions, by hosting regular town halls, and by being available both here and in Washington for people to meet with me directly.
I want to push the edge of the envelope as a Congressman by bringing unprecedented transparency and access to my office. My constituents should have ready access to how I spend my budget, how I cast my vote on every piece of legislation, the text of that legislation and its impact, and the remarks I make on the house floor. All of this can be made available online, so Ohioans can see where I stand on every issue, and have an opportunity to share their view with me.
What are three policy initiatives you plan to focus on?
My top three priorities when elected are 1) Healthcare, 2) Education, and 3) Infrastructure/Public Services.
We need to revolutionize how we provide healthcare in this country while ensuring that Americans have equitable access to doctors and affordable medications. Ohioans should never have to choose between putting food on the table, and receiving the healthcare they need.
We need to re-prioritize how we approach post secondary education. We need to bolster and invest in vocational education programs that train our skilled workforce and lead to good paying jobs, and promote community college as an alternative to a four year degree. We also need to ensure students who attend community colleges and state universities have as close to zero debt as possible when they walk across that stage to get their diploma. To do this we must re-evaluate how we fund those institutions and tuition, and eliminate predatory lending practices.
Finally, we need to recognize our crumbling infrastructure as the crisis that it is, and begin building upon existing infrastructure. Repairing and expanding infrastructure is more than fixing bridges and roads - we need to move away from relying solely on thousands of miles of costly roads and move toward investing in public transit like high-speed rail, while also expanding existing public transportation into underserved areas. We also need to start treating high speed internet and cell phone service as part of our infrastructure. In an age driven by information online, every American should have access to affordable high speed internet, regardless of their zip code.
Young people are leaving Ohio following graduation at an alarming ratio. Several factors contribute to this, including lower wages, a lack of good paying jobs, and college affordability. What can be done to support young Ohioans to keep them, and their talent, in our state?
Raising the federal minimum wage is an obvious first step in making it more affordable for young people to stay in Ohio. The next step is developing pipelines from highschool to vocational programs and/or state funded colleges, and then implementing programs that ensure that when students receive their certifications and diplomas, they have next to no student loan debt.
We also have to invest in attracting new businesses to Northeast Ohio. We can help accomplish this by providing incentives at the federal level, but we also have to ensure that businesses want to be here. So we have to invest in building back our local communities, in repairing and improving our infrastructure, and in finding ways to ensure that housing is affordable.
Finally, we must develop programs that help connect young people to opportunities and resources that already exist, and keep them informed when new opportunities arise. If we incentivize young people to stay in Ohio, and provide them with the resources and tools necessary to thrive, they’re more likely to want to build a life here.
Will you support nondiscrimination policies that protect individuals regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, veterans status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression? If so, how?
Yes. Being a gay veteran, this topic is incredibly important to me. Who you love, or how you identify, should never impact where you can find a job, if you can own a home, or if you can have access to the same public services as everyone else. We must expand federal law to include individuals and groups that are still heavily discriminated against, and ensure that those protections are equitable.
I will support and co-sponsor legislation that adds protections for individuals regardless of the sexual orientation or gender identity, legislation that bans the barbaric practice of conversation therapy in minors, and legislation that expands the availability of accurate Federal IDs for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary Americans.
What will you do to address our broken immigration system?
Many pieces of our immigration system are broken, but there are several things we can do right now to begin to repair it. We need to reform how asylum cases are adjudicated in the United States, removing bureaucratic burdens and red tape, while adding staff to increase the efficiency of this process.
We also need to invest in the countries which are seeing mass amounts of their citizens fleeing. Individuals seeking asylum aren’t leaving their homes because they want to - they are being forced out because of unsafe living conditions and authoritarian leaders. They are coming to the United States to seek a better future for themselves and their families. Deliberate and intentional foreign policy can work toward improving conditions in these countries over time, lessening the number of individuals seeking asylum.
Finally, we need to enact a permanent solution to protect Dreamers in this country. DACA was under threat by the previous administration, and could face similar threats in the future. We can do this by adopting the American Dream And Promise Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, individuals with temporary protected status and deferred enforced departure holders.
Do you support reasonable regulations on firearms in the United States? Please explain in detail.
Yes. Sensible gun regulations can be appealing to all Americans when presented in the right way. We don’t think twice about requiring drivers to pass a test before getting their license, or requiring military personnel to undergo significant training before being handed a lethal weapon. It is not unreasonable for Americans who want to own a gun to undergo similar steps.
I would support regulations that require comprehensive background checks and training on the proper handling and storing of a firearm before purchase. I would also support requirements for further training and licensing to carry a firearm in public as well as red flag laws.
I would oppose legislation that allows teachers to bring guns into our classrooms.
Affordability of health care is one of the most pressing issues facing Ohioans. The quality of care received by patients also remains inequitable, with significant differences in services provided and treatment outcomes by race, income, and geography. What will you do to improve health care access and outcomes for Ohioans?
The United States spends exponentially more than any other developed country on healthcare, yet we have mediocre health outcomes at best.
We must introduce a single-payer option that ensures every person in this country has affordable, equitable access to a primary care doctor, dentist, and eye doctor. Preventive services like mammograms and colonoscopies, and medications like birth control should be covered with no out of pocket costs.
We have to develop programs that entice doctors and nurses to work in some of our most underserved parts of the country. We also must work to eliminate profiteering by healthcare companies, insurers and pharmaceutical companies.
Reproductive Health & Education
Please respond "YES" or "NO" to the following questions/statements regarding reproductive health and education:
Do you believe that all individuals should have the right to access safe, legal, confidential and affordable abortion and reproductive health care services?
Yes
Do you oppose attempts to undermine Roe v. Wade through legislation that creates separate legal rights for fetuses distinct from those of a pregnant individual?
Yes
Do you support policies to expand access to contraception, such as requiring insurance companies to cover all federally approved contraceptive methods?
Yes
Do you support comprehensive (age appropriate), medically accurate sex education in schools that is inclusive of resources surrounding contraception, sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), HIV/AIDS, consent and LGBTQ+ identities?
Yes
How do you plan to restore justice to the millions of Americans victimized by a failed war on drugs?
We can never truly restore justice to the millions of Americans victimized by the failed war on drugs, but we can work toward fixing the broken system that exists today.
We need to reform the regulations and federal law that have sent hundreds of thousands of Americans to prison for nonviolent, petty drug offenses. We then need to apply those changes retroactively, so that we can ensure that folks who were unjustly incarcerated go home where they deserve to be.
Finally, we can deschedule cannabis at the federal level, treating it in a manner similar to alcohol. This would allow for new tax revenue at the state and federal levels, allowing for raw cannabis to be considered an agricultural commodity, for the increased research and implementation of medicinal cannabis, and for a level playing field for cannabis based businesses.
Climate & Clean Energy
Please respond "YES" or "NO" to the following questions/statements regarding climate and clean energy:
Do you recognize the existence of climate change?
Yes
Do you believe the government has a responsibility to respond to climate change?
Yes
Do you support our government incentivizing the adoption of clean/renewable energy sources over the use of fossil fuels?
Yes
What would you do to support rural communities in Ohio?
Folks who live in rural communities are the foundation of America, but are far too often an afterthought. From crumbling or nonexistent infractrue, to a lack of access to public services and resources, rural Americans are being left behind, and they deserve better.
When elected, a top priority of mine will be eliminating food and healthcare deserts in Northeast Ohio, and investing in the expansion of rural infrastructure.
In my hometown, the only stores that we have are two “Dollar Stores”. These places offer a limited selection of food that lacks nutritional value. If we need medical care, we have to drive 30 minutes to get to a community hospital or primary care doctor. For some folks that’s entirely impossible, so people go hungry, or without essential medical care.
Today, when cities like Akron and Cleveland have access to 5G cellular signal, we struggle to get a bar of service, and have a single option for high-speed internet that is overpriced.
We must do better for our rural communities. When elected I would support legislation that replaces our crumbling infrastructure, ensures everyone has access to clean and safe drinking water, invests in expanded public transportation servicing rural residents, and increases access to high speed internet and cellular coverage.
Do you commit to using a union bug on all print materials?
Yes