Bowen Plans to Build on Bold Leadership in Congress

Congressional candidate and current California Secretary of State Debra Bowen's roots in the area date back almost 30 years, when she first moved to Venice while working as a lawyer in downtown L.A.

After getting her political start with Neighborhood Watch and environmental group Heal the Bay, Bowen was elected to represent the 53rd State Assembly District, doing so from 1992 to 1998. She then represented the 28th State Senate District from 1998 to 2006.

Those districts roughly overlap the 36th Congressional District that includes Hermosa Beach, stretching from Venice to San Pedro.

Bowen, a Democrat, has garnered support for her congressional bid from a wide spectrum of local groups, including the California League of Conservation Voters and the Torrance Police Officers Association, as well as local politicos such as State Assemblywoman Betsy Butler; Patty Bellasalma, president of the California National Organization for Women; Venice Neighborhood Council President Linda Lucks; and Venice Stakeholders Association President Mark Ryavec.

"I want to be part of a movement to set this country in a direction that lives up to the social contract that we made with programs like Social Security and Medicare, that really are under attack right now, and to create a vibrant economy here again, so we don't have so many people wondering if their kids are going to have the kind of opportunities they had," Bowen told Patch.

Bowen was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2008 for ordering an independent review of California's balloting technology that exposed "troubling flaws." The award, one of the highest given to public servants, honored Bowen's "bold leadership and her steadfast resolve to protect the integrity of the vote."

For Bowen, tackling those practical issues is one of the most important roles of a representative. "Oversight is really important," she told Patch, "making sure that programs are being run effectively and that they are meeting the needs they are intended to meet."

Her commitment to oversight goes both ways: In 1995, Bowen was the first California legislator to voluntarily put her campaign finance reports online.

Bowen is a self-described "geek." At a recent get-out-the-vote event, she told two young supporters that she was the first elected official in California with an official email address (which she fought for in 1993), and that if she hadn't gotten her law degree, she would have gone into computer engineering.

"If people want somebody who is going to do as they are told, I am not the right person, but I know what my values are," Bowen said.

"In her time in the California Assembly and Senate, she was widely recognized as a leader on environmental issues," Al Sattler of the Palos Verdes-South Bay Regional Group of the Sierra Club wrote in an email. "The Sierra Club has endorsed Debra Bowen every time she has run for public office since 1992." 

Bowen will be termed out of her job as secretary of state in 2014. If she gains the congressional seat, a special election will not be held for her replacement. The governor would work with the state Senate and Assembly to appoint a new secretary.

Here is how the candidate responded to a Patch questionnaire about issues facing the district and the nation:

Hermosa Beach Patch: What do you think is the biggest issue facing our district?

Debra Bowen: It’s no secret what the top issue on most Americans’ minds is: jobs. While the economy is showing signs of improvement, unemployment is still too high. Many families in the 36th District, and across the country, are still wondering when they’re going to reap the benefits of our national economic recovery.

My solution is to make sure that the federal government focuses on the right priorities to spur job growth, so families and businesses can thrive. Government must foster an economic environment where people with new ideas can start a successful business of their own, and where existing businesses can expand and hire new workers with confidence. 

Throughout my career in public service, I’ve consistently made job creation a top priority. In fact, one of my top priorities as California secretary of state has been implementing modern information technology practices so that businesses can spend more time creating jobs and less time filling out government paperwork. 

As a legislator, I was proud to be an author of AB 32, the groundbreaking Global Warming Solutions Act. This legislation will create a cap on greenhouse gas emissions that will spur the creation of thousands of clean-energy jobs. 

I was also an author of the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2002, which made sorely needed infrastructure investments in California’s education system and created jobs statewide.  

Patch: What do you think is the biggest challenge to our nation’s economy and what do you think the federal government should do to facilitate economic recovery?

Bowen: While there are plenty of news reports about an economic recovery, these are still challenging times. The bottom line is that unemployment remains in double digits, businesses are struggling to stay open, and many families in the 36th Congressional District need help. 

Congress can’t solve the jobs crisis on its own, but it can craft policies that help the economy grow and create incentives for employers to innovate and hire new workers. I’m running for Congress because I want to use my experience from the past 19 years to help get California's economy moving again.

Patch: How will you specifically encourage job growth in Southern California?

Bowen: Typical politicians will tell you that they will create jobs in Congress in order to get elected…but Congress doesn’t create jobs. Congress crafts the policies that can spur job growth and industry investment. As a forward-thinking leader who has always sought innovative solutions to the problems people face, I strongly believe our top priority needs to be helping people get back to work so that more families can achieve the American Dream. My plan for creating jobs focuses on six core solutions:

• Invest in jobs of the future
• Support small businesses
• Invest in higher education
• Expand vocational training
• Pass clean-energy legislation
• Make sure government is protecting your pocketbook

All of these are areas where the federal government can take a leading role in promoting innovation, investment, and expansion so small businesses can thrive and create new jobs.

Patch: Standard and Poor’s recently predicted the U.S. credit rating would be downgraded if the federal government could not work together to balance the budget. What budget items do you think should be cut, and what needs to have continued or even increased funding?

Bowen: The larger question here is what types of services we need or expect government to provide for us in the 36th Congressional District and across this state and the nation as a whole, and what people are willing to pay for them.

Unlike many politicians that promise voters they can have it all, I won’t do that. It is not possible to reduce taxes, increase services, and not have debt. No family household can do it and certainly no government can do it. I will be honest with residents and I will do what is best for the people of the district.

It is very clear that while the Bush-era tax cuts may have provided benefits to a few, those benefits have not been enjoyed by society at large—i.e., middle class families.

The bottom line is that services are down and the national debt is up, meaning more of us are getting less from our government and our children are going to wind up paying more for it.

Governing is about making choices and if I have to choose between either investing in our education system, or providing tax cuts to people who make more in a month than many people make all year, it’s not a difficult choice to make.

Patch: Where do you stand on No Child Left Behind? What would you do to improve the state of education in this country and in California?

Bowen: I understand that teachers are the key to an educated workforce and thereby a strong nation. I support legislation to make teachers jobs easier not harder by reducing class size, renovating school facilities, providing high quality early childhood education and fully funding No Child Left Behind. I will be a vocal advocate for reforming NCLB to end the one size fits all approach to education reform.

As a state legislator, I supported investing in K-12 classrooms—building new ones, upgrading old ones and making them all safer—to help relieve overcrowding. I also successfully worked to pass legislation to reinvest in our public university and community college campuses. This investment continues to help train nurses, firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other essential professionally trained workers.

Patch: Where do you stand on federal environmental policy? The Supreme Court is now considering the merit of a nuisance lawsuit against electric companies over their greenhouse gas emissions. Do you think the courts should get involved in climate change policy or is this a role better suited for Congress?

Bowen: Generally speaking, California’s environmental policies are more protective of our air, water, land and wildlife. As a result, I believe at the federal level, those policies should more closely mirror the policies California has already adopted. Policy development— environmental or any type of policy—should always be done by the legislative and executive branches of our government, not by the judicial branch.

Having said that however, we do live in a democracy and it is perfectly appropriate for people to challenge policies they don’t agree with or don’t believe are constitutionally permitted to challenge those polices in court. That is why it is critically important that when enacting policy and passing new laws, Congress be as clear about its intent as possible.

That clarity will not just benefit those who must comply with the law, it will also reduce the chances that laws will be successfully challenged in courts and limit the ability of the courts to set environmental or other policies that run contrary to policies adopted by Congress.

Patch: Federal energy regulators have approved the test phase of a wave farm off the coast of San Onofre. Do you approve of that project, specifically, and what are your thoughts on the development of wave energy in Southern California, generally?

Bowen: Given the history of similar proposals in the past, I am skeptical that such a project can succeed. However, given the tremendous power of the ocean, it’s a question worth asking and I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the study when it concludes in three years.

Patch: Do you think that the nuclear energy plants in California need additional safety regulation? Do you think we should move away from nuclear energy? What would you say to people who are worried that what happened in Japan will happen here?

Bowen: California has two nuclear power plants, and there is no question that something like what happened in Japan could happen here.  Throughout my career, I’ve worked to stop the expansion of nuclear power plants in California and ensure the true costs of nuclear energy are made clear. In 2001, I led the effort to defeat SJR 13 (McClintock), which sought to permit the construction of new nuclear plants in California.

In 2006, I supported AB 1632 (Blakeslee), which required the California Energy Commission to study the impact a seismic event would have on the state’s two nuclear power plants and how it, among other things, would disrupt the energy supply in this state and effect the economy. Supported by the environmental community and fiercely opposed by Southern California Edison, the bill was eventually signed into law.

Based on that report and other research that has been conducted, it is clear the people of California would benefit if more stringent safety standards were adopted.

Patch: As a member of Congress, which health care legislation would you support or oppose?

Bowen: I supported the president’s health insurance plan that was enacted last year. There are numerous proposals in Congress to expand, refine and undo those policies, each of which I look forward to reviewing if I am elected to represent the people of the 36th Congressional District. Suffice it to say that because I supported the president’s initial plan, I would not be supportive of efforts to undo those policies.

Patch: Do you think same-sex marriage should be legalized? Do you think it is a federal or state issue? Why?

Bowen: I have been a supporter of equality for LGBT Americans including same-sex marriage for decades. I believe all Americans should be treated equally under the law. I opposed Prop. 22 in the year 2000, and Prop 8 in 2008. I believe we should repeal DOMA.

Patch: What is your position on America’s involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya?

Bowen: My position is that we should bring our troops home from these conflicts as quickly and safely as possible. 

Patch: Do you intend to continue Jane Harman's endeavors to ease traffic congestion in the district? If so, how?

Bowen: I am supportive of easing traffic congestion on the Westside and in the L.A. Basin as a wholTo do that, I will work with local and regional transportation officials, as well as officials in Washington, to determine what the best approaches are to take.

I supported Proposition 1A in 2006,which protects transportation funding for traffic congestion relief projects, safety improvements, and local streets and roads. Fixing and upgrading our roads and highways eases traffic congestion, creates hundreds of construction jobs across California and strengthens our state's infrastructure.

Editor's Note: This is one of a series of profiles of candidates running for the 36th Congressional District seat. Come back to Patch for more profiles and campaign coverage. 

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