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Since President Trump took office in 2017, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has hung in the balance. First introduced in 2012 by President Obama, the program gives undocumented residents who were brought to the U.S. unlawfully as children temporary immigration relief and the ability to lawfully work. But Trump vowed to end the program, and the legal protections it affords recipients, resulting in years of back-and-forth legal battles.

On June 18, in a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration from ending the program, citing a lack of justification for the action, while not taking into account how it would affect the nearly 700,000 DACA recipients across the country. The news came as a sigh of relief for many, including the 14,640 Colorado DACA beneficiaries.

Still, the program is threatened as the decision leaves room for the administration to bring forward more concrete rationale for its actions and as a Texas lawsuit challenging Obamas authority to institute the program in the first place is still making its way through the courts.

Below, Boulder County DACA recipients, and their parents, respond to the Supreme Court decision and what it means for their future.

Resilience has been my way of life, advocacy for socialjustice and equalopportunityis my calling; not just to defend my own rights but those of all humans. This is why I took therole as Operations Manager with Philanthropiece Foundation in 2018. I wanted to bring to Philanthropiecemy unique perspective as an immigrant, a woman of color, an activist and an artist; to help Philanthropiece continue its work in co-creating resilient communities with their programs in Chajul, Guatemala, Baja California Sur, Mexico and Boulder County.

My family came to the U.S. in the winter of 1982, which is the year I was born. We crossed the River Grand mid-winter in search of a better life. They held the 6-month-old baby high above their shoulders as if holding her in offering to the skies above as a prayer for their future. My family tells a story of how the newborn babys life was at risk because she got sick with pneumonia after crossing the frozen river. This for me is proof that I was born a warrior. Life challenged my strength from the very beginning even as an infant and I didnt die, I passed the test of resilience; this test has marked my path. My family has always had strong ties to both the U.S. many are born or naturalized U.S. citizens and Mexico. The broken immigration system of this country has left me with an undocumented status that creates unjust barriers for me (as it has for the millions of childern growing-up in the U.S. undocumented) to build a meaningful, fulfilling life. However, I was born a warrior and I have overcome countless adversities.

I embody the identity of most U.S. citizens by loving and serving my community, seeking to educate myself, advance in my profession and share my talents. Thanks to DACA, I am a business owner, a cultural broker, a homeowner and have raised two U.S.-born citizens on my own as a single mom. However, what we saw last Thursday is the grim reality of the DACA program: it hangs by a thread. And it will continue to hang by a thread until Congress passes the Dream and Promise Act. SCOTUSs decision allowed for a moments breath. The DACA program can still be eliminated by this president or any other subsequent president. The lives of DACA recipients have always been at the mercy of political campaigns, as have immigrants as a whole, we are politicians scapegoats, they literally play with our lives during their campaigns. There is no telling when they will try to end the program again; this is why now, more than ever, we need the Dream and Promise Act to be introduced into the Senate (it has been waiting a year after passing the House of Representatives), written into law and a subsequent immigration reform!

The SCOTUS decision to rule in favor of DACA means that we are temporarily protected in two-year increments once more. The fear I have felt for the last four years is slowly leaving my body, but its not enough to make it go away. As long as Trump remains in office, I will continue to fear for my community because we are not safe as long as someone is threatening our humanity.

The bright side is that with DACA safe, for now, we can fight for permanent protection. We need permanent protection and more people need access. There are still thousands of us not protected, like my parents. There are still children in cages.

This is a win, but its not the end of our fight.

La decisin de SCOTUS a favor de DACA significa que estamos protegidos temporalmente en incrementos de dos aos una vez ms. El miedo que he sentido durante los ltimos cuatro aos est abandonando mi cuerpo lentamente, pero no es suficiente para que desaparezca. Mientras Trump permanezca el presidente de los E.E.U.U., seguir temiendo por mi comunidad porque nadie esta seguro mientras alguien amenaza nuestra humanidad.

El lado positivo es que con DACA seguro, por ahora, podemos luchar por proteccin permanente. Necesitamos proteccin permanente y ms personas necesitan acceso. Todava hay miles de nosotros sin proteccion, como mis padres. Todava hay nias/os en jaulas.

Esta es una victoria, pero no es el final de nuestra pelea.

The SCOTUS decision meant to me some type of relief and not just for me but for my parents as well. For a long period of time, DACA recipients lived a life of uncertainty after the Trump administration decided to cancel DACA. After the SCOTUS decision was made, I started to cry, and right away I called my mom, then we both started crying because we knew that at least my brothers and I still had a chance to stay in this country. But the fight doesnt stop here. My older brother didnt qualify for DACA, my parents are still undocumented that means that our work is not done. We need every undocumented American protected from deportation.

Igrew up in Boulder. The SCOTUS DACA decision means a lot to me. If I didnt have DACA I might not have been able to go to college. Because I did have DACA I was able to pursue my degree and be the first person in my family to go to and graduate college. It means I can continue to work to support myself and my family. DACA has opened up more possibilities for me. It has also allowed me to be less fearful of my situation. Having that said, there is definitely more that needs to be done. This is a temporary solution for anyone in my situation and, as we have seen, could potentially get taken away at any point. And if it had been taken away, where would that leave us DACA recipients after exposing ourselves as undocumented?

We live in Lafayette in Boulder County, and weve lived in Colorado for about 12 years. The decision to continue DACA was surprising, full of joy and lots of emotions; because we have a son who recently turned 15 and hes qualified for this program, we recognize that this opens doors for many young people like my son in these circumstances.The fact that he has a social security number, a work permit and not only that, but also the opportunity to visit his country of birth and visit his grandmother, his aunts and uncles, cousins, etc. Now hell also get to know his country, its culture, its food, and his roots, hes excited to be a part of this program and fulfill his dreams, go to college to study aerospace engineering, although hes still deciding what he wants to do, this is one step forward for him, because though he knows he is not American by birth, he feels American, this is his country, he doesnt know any home greater than this one.

Nosotros vivimos en Lafayette en el condado de Boulder, tenemos alrededor de 12 aos viviendo en Colorado.La decisin a favor de que el programa DACA continuar fue asombroso, de mucha alegria y emocion; porque tenemos un hijo que apenas cumpli 15 aos y el califica para este programa, reconocemos que esto les abre puertas a jvenes como mi hijo en su circunstancias.El hecho de que el cuente con un nmero de seguro social, un permiso de trabajo, y no solo eso, la oportunidad de viajar a su pas natal y ver a su abuela, sus tias, tos, primos, etc. Ahora va a conocer tambin su pas, la cultura, la comida, sus races, l esta muy emocionado de poder ser parte de ese programa y cumplir sus sueos, poder ir a la universidad para estudiar ingeniera espacial, aun sigue decidiendo eso, pero es un paso ms para l, pues aun sabiendo q no es americano de nacimiento el se siente americano, este es su pas, no conoce otro hogar ms que este.

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A win, but not the end of the fight - Boulder Weekly

Calling Texas an important battleground that he thinks he can win in November, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden spoke to the virtual Texas state Democratic Convention in a recorded speech on Saturday.

The former vice president started his speech addressing the coronavirus pandemic and the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, then spent a significant portion of his remarks addressing Latino Democrats.

He brought up the imminent Supreme Court decision on President Trumps ending of the DACA program, which allows relief from deportation to some young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

Let me tell you something, as President, I will protect Dreamers and their families, he said. On day one I will introduce immigration reform, making sure we protect Obamacare, rebuild our economy, and ways to bring everybody along.

He called President Trumps agenda anti-Latino and anti-immigrant, citing the presidents efforts to reduce health care benefits, build a wall on the Mexican border, and reduce border crossings by separating children from their parents.

Latinos make up about 40% of the Texas population.

Democrats have long waited for demographic change to turn statewide Texas campaigns into real contests. The state has 38 electoral votes. A Democratic presidential candidate has not won in Texas since 1976. President Trump won the state by 9 points in 2016.

A recent Quinnipiac poll showed Biden trailing President Trump by one percentage point in the state.

Biden used his speech to Texas Democrats as an opportunity to repeat his mantra that the very soul of this nation is at stake in the election. It was also at the center of remarks he made in response to the death of Floyd and the Trump administrations use of law enforcement and National Guard troops to forcibly remove peaceful protesters ahead of a photo-op for the president near the White House.

The stakes in this election have never been higher for our country. We have to work harder than ever, harder than ever, Biden said Saturday. We need to stand up as a nation, stand with the black community, of all communities of color. Come together as one America to deliver justice for all Americans.

Earlier in the day, the Texas Republican Party tweeted that President Trump has delivered massive tax cuts, protected our energy independence, and fought for our #2A rights a reference to the Second Amendment. Biden, they said, may think he has TX in his pocket but this is #TrumpCountry.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, veteran Democratic political consultant Paul Begala said Biden is perfectly suited to go up against Trump.

When we replace a president, we want the remedy, not the replica, said Begala. And Joe is the remedy for Trump. I consider him to be the most potent anti-toxin Ive ever seen.

Democrats in Texas opted for a virtual convention to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. The state GOP is still planning an in-person convention July 16 to 18 in Houston.

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Biden To Texas Dems: 'I Think We Have A Real Chance To Turn The State Blue' - KERA News

Changing laws and policies alone wont change who we are unless we address the underlying problems with those laws, writes Giovagnoli. (Saundi Wilson / Flickr)

For over twenty years I have dedicated my life to immigration reform, preaching the value of a welcoming society. Ive tried to make America a better place by working for legislation and policies that would expand who could become a citizen, open America to refugees and asylum-seekers, and protect immigrants in the workplace.

Ive tried to live by it, tooknowing full well that I come up short in fully understanding the challenges people of color face in the United States. Ive clung very hard to the belief that if we could just get our laws and policies right, we could achieve a more just and humane world.

I still believe those things are necessary, but the murder of George Floyd and the massive outpouring of protest, rage and sorrow that have followed this senseless killing has stopped me in my tracks.

How can I believe that fixing the immigration laws will make things better when there are police officers who kill black men and women without fear of punishment, and a president who permits peaceful protesters to be tear gassed and shot with plastic bullets just so he can have a photo opportunity?

I am humbled by both the words and actions that people of color, especially black Americans, have shared in these last few days, revealing the pain and fear that they live with every day in this country.

Here atMs., our team is continuing to report throughthis global health crisisdoing what we can to keep you informed andup-to-date on some of the most underreported issues of thispandemic.Weask that you consider supporting our work to bring you substantive, uniquereportingwe cant do it without you. Support our independent reporting and truth-telling for as little as $5 per month.

I realize now, more than ever, that we must fight for a better world, in all the ways we can, with our eyes open to the legacy of racism and hatred that permeates our institutions. For me, that means acknowledging that changing laws and policies alone wont change who we are unless we address the underlying problems with those laws.

Our fight for reform must include a recognition that change may unseat some privileges and may force us into new and more equal relationships. The welcoming movement has always stressed the need to meet people where they are, with the idea that change comes through knowing one another.

But change also comes from knowing yourself. Welcoming is not only about opening our arms to others; it is about opening ourselves to scrutiny and introspection, to plumb those dangerous hidden places in our hearts that ask the very scary question: Am I, could I, be a racist?

I tend to be a gentle person. I dont like throwing epithets at others. I truly believe in creating the space to sit down and talk with one another. Most of the time, I think that people who oppose immigration reform have a host of reasons that can be addressed systematically and logically.

But there is a visceral and frankly, racist, element to many of the arguments that have impeded reform. Acknowledging what lurks in the shadows is the beginning of change, even though it can be uncomfortable and painful.

Those of us who make up white America need to take respectful and contrite steps towards understanding the racist history and subtext of so many issues that we never have to think about.

The focus right now, of course, is fear of the police, but systemic racism is everywhere. For instance, the immigration laws themselves have historically privileged white Europeansand even as the notion of white changed to include my grandparents and great grandparents, Italians and Irishit continued to exclude so many others.

Those vestiges of the past mean even the system I am fighting to protect and improve is littered with disregard for people of color. Even as I embrace the history of America as a nation of immigrants, I must look at the dark side, too, and refuse to settle for either tweaking laws or not linking immigration reform to broader issues of equality and justice.

President Trump has capitalized on the dark side of immigration law, often seizing on those dark elements of law, taking them out of context, to create a host of illegal schemes for blocking the entry of refugees, of Muslims and of people of color generally. His administration has seized on the pandemic to leverage public health laws to shut the border to asylum seekers and others, even turning unaccompanied children away at the border, contrary to the law.

These are sinister acts and they are racist. They are so blatantly racist, however, that it is easy, perhaps, to utter those words without realizing that they have meaning beyond the accusation. Trump gets away with racism in part because people like me dont want to risk offending and alienating others by using the words that describe our system.

To make reforms a reality, we must stare unflinchingly at ourselves, whoever we are, wherever we are, whatever we say we stand for and ask: Does my work acknowledge the pain and suffering that is at the root of most of our immigration system? How can I reconcile the concept that politics is the art of compromise, with the clear message that there can be no more implicit compromise where black lives are at stake?

I dont have the answers, but I pledge to keep fighting racism in all its forms. For me, that work will still take place largely in the immigration context, largely through trying to improve our laws and support those who defend and advocate for immigrants.

But now, every day, as I think about my work, I will ask myself not only how must the law change, but how must I change to make the world better. I will keep listening to those people who experience racism firsthand, and I will keep challenging myself and my colleagues to dig deeper to understand, lift up and stand aside for the rising tide of voices who can help us make the America we want it to be. I still believe we can.

The coronavirus pandemic and the response by federal, state and local authorities is fast-moving.During this time,Ms. is keeping a focus on aspects of the crisisespecially as it impacts women and their familiesoften not reported by mainstream media.If you found this article helpful,please consider supporting our independent reporting and truth-telling for as little as $5 per month.

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How Racism Impedes Reformand the Need to Address it Head-On - Ms. Magazine

Racist incidents in Ireland almost doubled last year compared to 2018, according to a study by the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

The Immigrant Council released its 2019 Impact Report on June 4, which documented 46 racist incidents last year, up from 25 in 2018.

The council's report, which documented all the services that the group provided in 2019, found that half of all racist incidents in Ireland took place in the workplace or on public transport.

There were six instances of racism in public or private services, and the council reported that there were four incidents of racism in the street.

The council also reported two racist incidents at places of leisure and two examples of racism on social media.

Brian Killoran, CEO of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said that the report highlighted the flaws in the Irish State's response to immigration.

He said that Ireland needed a holistic plan for immigration and racism while launching the Impact Report on Thursday.

"We lack in Ireland a strategic plan for migration, including comprehensive immigration reform and access to justice for migrants. We need coordinated responses to racism like a national action plan," he said at a press conference Thursday.

The Immigrant Council of Ireland also released a number of key figures from 2019 in its impact report.

Launching today: #ImpactReport2019

Over 5,000 helpline calls answered 27 trafficking victims supported 1,000 selfies donated to Transport Against Racism campaign 382 consultations with children & YP 5 immigration-related High Court caseshttps://t.co/vnCOyhXfn3 pic.twitter.com/9oV84wirPb

Read more:Irish Americans need to do more to tackle racism

The organization responded to more than 5,000 calls about issues like citizenship, family reunification, EU Treaty Rights, and employment permits, and also helped 27 women who were trafficked to Ireland for the purposes of sexual exploitation, enforced criminality, or domestic servitude.

The majority of women were just girls when they were first trafficked, with 23 of the 27 women trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The council provided legal aid and support for trafficked women to assist in their integration into Irish life.

The group also ran a Migrant-Councillor internship program last year, with three members running in local elections last May 2019.

However, the group said that just nine candidates with a migrant background were elected during May's local elections out of a total of 949 seats.

Killoran said that more needed to be done to increase immigrant participation and representation in Irish politics.

"The Immigrant Council will continue to work at every level to support increased migrant political participation, but its clear a lot more effort is needed by the State and political parties to tap into the massive talent pool within migrant communities," he said.

Read more: Justice now! Fearful times for a mixed-race Irish family in New York

Excerpt from:
Reports of racist incidents in Ireland doubled in 2019, according to study - IrishCentral

Where 6th District Republican candidates stand on the issues

Georgias 6th Congressional District will be one of the most closely watched U.S. House races in the country.

The metro Atlanta district has seen two close elections in the past three years. Republican Karen Handel won a 2017 special election over Jon Ossoff. Then Democrat Lucy McBath won the office the following year.

Handel and three other Republicans are running to try to unseat McBath,

More 6th District headlines

Karen Handel

Roswell

Republican

Bio

Handel has been involved in Georgia politics for the better part of the last two decades as Fulton County Commission chairwoman and secretary of state. She won a 2017 special election for the 6th District but lost the seat in 2018.

Blake Harbin

Milton

Republican

Bio

Harbin owns a mortgage company. He focuses on his personal story of becoming an executive at a young agen, losing his job in the finanacial crisis and suffering an accident that left him in a wheelchair and his battle back.

Joe Profit

Marietta

Republican

Bio

Profit is an author, restaurant owner and former first-round draft pick for the NFLs Atlanta Falcons. He ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson in the 4th District two years ago.

Paulette Smith

Kennesaw

Republican

Bio

A singer and business owner, Smith has worked on campaigns for Donald Trump and Brian Kemp.

1. Do you support dismantling the Affordable Care Act? If so, what would you replace it with?

Handel: Steve and I had affordable private insurance, but like so many, we were forced onto the ACA exchange. Our premiums jumped from $350 a month to nearly $1,200 a month with a $10,000 individual deductible. Access and affordability remain serious problems despite ACA. I will again take the lead on legislation to protect those with pre-existing conditions from getting dropped or priced out of insurance. Additionally, I will work to expand private insurance options; decouple insurance from employers and employees, so individuals can take their plans with them wherever they go; allow insurance premiums to be paid out of (health savings accounts); realign the reimbursement system to facilitate adoption and fairness of telemedicine, concierge medicine and at-home care; and expand access and affordability by building upon the network of community health centers. What I will not support is Lucy McBaths plan for government-run health care that makes private insurance illegal.

Harbin: Yes, we need to dismantle the ACA. The name in and of itself is problematic since high-quality health care became the opposite of affordable for most individuals and small companies as soon as it went into existence. Ive experienced this firsthand as a small-business owner seeking to find the best coverage for my employees both before and after the ACA was enacted. The best component of the ACA - guaranteeing the right to health care for those with pre-existing conditions - should absolutely remain intact and mandatory for any ACA replacement program. Components of the act that benefit insurance companies ahead of people should be struck out in the name of affordability to the end user. I believe in free-market health insurance, but I dont believe that profits should drive decisions that impact peoples lives. Congress needs to strike balance in establishing parameters to limit costs without stifling the market.

Profit:As a broad overview, the Affordable Care Act did not make health care affordable and interfered with the doctor-patient relationship.Private insurers can provide the widest range of options, and my health care committee has formulated the basis for legislation that will bring about lower-cost, high-quality health care. My plan is to make insurance affordable and make health care available. It will include coverage for pre-existing conditions and will enable children to stay on their parents policy until 26 years of age. Beyond that, our legislation proposal will drive down the cost of prescription drugs and bring more competitiveness to the health insurance market.This question is far too complex to adequately answer in 150 words or less. More details will be posted on my website, http://www.joeprofitforcongress.com, in the near future.

Smith: Yes, I support dismantling the Affordable Care Act. I would replace it with the Preventative Care Act, which gives medical doctors the latitude of documenting key findings while implementing more nutritional knowledge for healing, and giving people the option to go to holistic doctors to address pure solutions to the minerals lacking in the body, like vitamin D, C, A and potassium, and what steps we as people can take to better our health without synthetic drugs which produce side effects. I support the president's goals for the health care of our country, rather than managed care. Obamacare was forced on the people without regard to access or affordability.

2. What should Congress do, if anything, to address concerns about climate change?

Handel: I have an obligation to future generations to protect our environment from clean air to clean water to green spaces and forests. We need workable solutions that fuel our economy (especially as we recover from the COVID crisis) while advancing environmental goals, such as reducing emissions. To advance sound environmental goals, we need to reduce regulations for renewable energy technologies and new nuclear power plants, foster energy trade to export proven U.S. technologies to help developing countries expand their sources of clean energy, explore tax credits for clean energy innovations, and encourage carbon capture and storage. Radical proposals like the Green New Deal will exacerbate our already severe economic challenges with massive new taxes, more regulations and trillions more in spending with goals that are completely unrealistic.

Harbin: I believe we should leave the world a better place than we found it. Congress should listen to its expert scientists and take an active stance in protecting our environment from the negative effects of climate change. The United States should continue to be a leader in minimizing vehicle emissions. Ive been to other countries that dont have the same standards we do in the United States and have nosebleeds for weeks upon my return. Im proud of the initiatives our Congress has taken to date that have drastically reduced our countrys carbon footprint. I believe that animals' habitats should be protected, and Im OK with the fact that sometimes industry might need to take a detour to protect the sanctity of nature and to continue to reduce our carbon footprint. Small sacrifices today in the name of sustainability can reap dividends in the future both environmentally and financially.

Profit:The United States has been a leader in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Meanwhile the nations that have signed the Paris climate agreement have largely missed their reduction targets. In my estimation, the Paris agreement was designed as a means of having United States taxpayers foot the bill for a feel good but ineffective program that gives two of the worlds largest polluters (China and India) a free pass.Additionally, in the 11 years following the signing of the Kyoto Protocols, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increased at approximately a 50% greater rate than in the 11 years prior to the protocols being signed. Further evidence that international programs havent worked.We dont need thinly veiled tax programs (cap and trade). Congress needs to encourage and verify that industry and individuals continue expanding the efforts that have made the United States a leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Smith: We have in America clean air, and we are willing to share with others how we are able to keep our air clean. Climate change is taking money out of the American pocket. What the president is doing now is working. No more spraying pesticides around our homes and spraying all kind of chemicals in the atmosphere.

3. Does Georgia have an illegal immigration problem and, if so, what should be done to fix it?

Handel: Every day massive amounts of drugs flow across our border -- flooding our communities and addicting our loved ones. Human traffickers and gang members take advantage of our porous border to advance violence and slavery. Visa holders skip out on our lax system and remain illegally in our country for years if not decades. In Congress, I helped to develop comprehensive immigration reform that included full funding for the wall, increased (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) funding, a plan to transition to a merit-based visa system, enhanced oversight of visas, a workable (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program) fix that kept my promise for no special path to citizenship, and ended extended family green cards. While the illegal crossings have decreased under President (Donald) Trump, this legislation represents the foundation of how we can and must move forward. We need a fair, efficient system that facilitates immigration to our great country and protects our national security.

Harbin: Yes, Georgia does have an illegal immigration problem. To remedy this, our borders need to be secured. But more importantly, Georgia has an illegal immigration problem because our immigration system as a whole is completely broken and needs to be overhauled.

Profit:Like every other state, Georgia has an illegal immigrant problem. The only way to fix it is to secure our borders and revise our immigration policies. Immigrants built our country and are the key to its greatness. However, policies during the past few decades have made the legal immigration process extremely difficult. During that same period of time, Congress has done little, if anything, to address illegal immigration.We need a sound immigration policy that establishes fair requirements for admission without requiring that applicants go through an absurdly long and convoluted process. Part of that policy should include provisions for barring criminals and people who seek to immigrate in order to do harm to our country.

Smith: Yes, Georgia has a lot of undocumented workers. We must push to get organizations who help illegal immigrants before they get to this country, to be mindful that when they get here, there is a strong possibility that without a green card, a work visa or citizenship, they will have to return back to their country until they apply for citizenship.

4.Are you in favor of additional criminal justice reforms that reduce the number of inmates in prisons and jails serving sentences for nonviolent offenses?

Handel: We must ensure that our communities are safe, and incarceration is the appropriate punishment for many crimes, especially violent crimes. However, for many nonviolent criminals, education, mental health, substance abuse and anger management programs, along with increased employment opportunities, cost less and reduce recidivism. In Congress, I joined with Congressman Doug Collins to help pass the First Step Act, which President Trump signed into law. The bill provides incarcerated federal inmates with the opportunity to earn a second chance at life through evidence-based recidivism-reduction plans. These individualized plans include training, education, substance abuse and mental health care, and faith-based initiatives. The legislation is an important step toward eradicating mass incarceration across the country. Next steps include getting our economy back on track as soon as possible to create job opportunities along with more investments in mental health and substance abuse prevention.

Harbin: Yes, we are a nation of laws but have more people incarcerated than any other country in the world. Why is that? We need to start looking at the root of the problems driving nonviolent crimes in order to prevent recidivism and positively impact our communities.

Profit:I am strongly in favor of additional criminal justice reform. We must be tough on crime, but incarceration is not always the most effective means of dealing with criminal activity. Many counties in Georgia have accountability courts, and they have been very effective at reducing recidivism. The ultimate goal of the judicial system should be to hold criminals accountable for their actions. Imprisonment should not be the only or the preferred means of holding nonviolent criminals accountable. However, that doesnt mean it should be eliminated, as it may be the only viable option for dealing with repeat offenders and career criminals.

Smith: Yes, I am! I believe there should be classes that they can take, as well as jobs, to have a cut-out destiny for success.

5.Should Congress do whatever it can to rebuild the economy no matter the long-term impact on the national debt?

Handel: To tackle the debt, we need a strong economy. Our only path toward balanced budgets includes pro-growth policies and less spending -- not tax hikes that will stifle job creation. For now, Congress must prioritize getting our economy back on its feet and helping Americans return to work. I have a proven record of balancing budgets during tough times by applying conservative principles. I erased a shortfall without raising taxes as Fulton Commission chairman and cut spending in the secretary of states office by nearly 20% during the Great Recession. In Congress, I was chosen to serve on a debt reduction task force because of this experience. President Trump spurred on the greatest economy in our nation's history. When the good times return -- and they will tough spending decisions will be required. I am the only candidate in this race who has a record of doing so.

Harbin: No, while Congress plays an incredibly important - if not the most important - role in rebuilding the economy, it should still operate with a financially moral compass when enacting legislation related to recovering from the effects of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Congress must propel the economy while ensuring stringent guidelines are in place to ensure funds used for their intended purposes -- like keeping the doors of small businesses open -- and not used for funding pet projects as the current Congress initially attempted to do all while delaying relief to Americans who needed it most. While it will take congressional action alongside the American spirit to really rebuild the economy, taxpayer dollars cannot be pledged in perpetuity or as blanket spending bills. Eventually, order will need to be restored in which economic stimulus fits in with the rest of the presidents budget.

Profit:At some point, we have to take the steps necessary to reduce our national debt. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic decimated our economy, spending was out of control. The federal government has a tremendous amount of waste and duplication that must be eliminated. We also must change our way of running government agencies. When President (Ronald) Reagan appointed me to the Federal Communications Commission and Small Business Advisory Committee, I spent a lot of time in Washington and I saw firsthand that, near the end of the fiscal year, agencies rush to spend every last dollar of their budget. They do that so they receive an even larger budget for the following year. Congress needs to control the budgets of government agencies and demand justification for implementation of expenditures. Under the current system, federal employees are squandering taxpayer dollars.

Smith: Congress cannot just do whatever. ... No! With the personnel who are in Congress now, we have to document a long-term strategy. The Congress, the Senate and the president should be coming up with the key framework to move the economy forward. The president should be able to sign an executive order to move the country forward without the special interests of Congress. Rebuilding the economy should be about "We the People," not the politicians!

hour1: 10:00 PM + 78 + 32 hour2: 11:00 PM + 77 + 32 hour3: 12:00 AM + 75 + 22

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Georgia 2020: Where 6th District Republican candidates stand on the issues - Atlanta Journal Constitution