Office and district sought: US House of Representatives, Colorado 2nd Congressional District
Name: Mark E. Udall
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: www.markudall.org
E-mail: markudall@qwest.net
Age: 56
Last degree earned: BA in American Civilization, William College, 1972.
Occupation: Member of Congress
Hobbies: Mountain climbing, rock climbing, cross country skiing, kayaking, golf, mountain biking.
Family: Wife, Margaret “Maggie” Fox; son, Jed; daughter, Tess.
How long have you lived in Colorado? Where did you live before? I’ve lived my entire adult life in Colorado, 34 years. I was born and raised in Tucson.
Last book read: “Fiasco,” by Thomas Ricks
Civil Involvement: Rotary Club; Berger Foundation Board; Tenth Mountain Division HVT Association Board; Advisory Board of the Mile-Hi Council of Girl Scouts; Colorado House of Representatives.
Why are you running? I am running for Congress to bridge ideological divides, bring people together and forge solutions to the real problems we face in America, hopefully with integrity and respect for others, even those with whom I disagree. I believe we all have a responsibility to participate and make our democracy work.
What are the top three challenges facing Colorado or the institution you seek to represent?
1. On national defense, we must be strong and smart securing the homeland and fighting terrorism, which may include using military power in some cases, but also law enforcement and restoring respect for American diplomacy.
2. Americans are feeling the pinch at the gas pump, and we need an energy plan that really reduces gas prices, increases fuel efficiency and invests in renewable energy like solar, wind, biomass, for energy security and job creation in America.
3. The federal government should address the over 700,000 Coloradans who have no health insurance and skyrocketing costs by passing legislation to help small business owners afford health insurance for their employees and providing health care coverage for every child in America.
What steps, if any, do you think the federal government needs to take to address illegal immigration? We should pass H.R. 98, that prevents identity fraud and strengthens employer sanctions. As the 9/11 Commission recommended, we are also long-overdue for a stronger border security program, with increased immigration enforcement personnel, stronger surveillance, tougher entry-and-exit procedures and the use of better technologies to enhance our border security. In addition to border security and better law enforcement, we also need legislation that clarifies the status of existing illegal immigrants, most of whom are hard-working and otherwise law-abiding people.
Do you support the continued involvement of troops in Iraq? Although I opposed the invasion of Iraq and continue to view the war as a strategic mistake, I do not support an immediate withdrawal of troops. Establishing an arbitrary timetable advantages Iran and could backfire badly on our security interests in the region. But I also believe we must push for 2006 to be a year of significant political transition in Iraq. We cannot have an open-ended mission that bleeds our country and over-stretches our Army. I support a phased withdrawal plan.
