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U.S. Rep. William "Bill" Keating, a Democrat from Bourne, will face Republican challenger Jesse Brown, of Plymouth, this November, as the congressman tries for a seventh term representing the Cape and Islands in Congress.

The 9th District includes 46 municipalities that stretch from Norwell to New Bedford and encompasses Cape Cod and the Islands.

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Elected for two-year terms, representatives serve within the U.S. House of Representatives that creates federal laws. They typically introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendmentsand serve on committees.

The general election is Nov. 8.

The Cape Cod Times asked both candidates about their stance onimmigration, abortionand healthcare.

Brown pointed to the opioid crisis when asked how the lack of immigration reform has hurt Cape Cod and the Islands. Opioid deaths have risen 9% in Massachusetts, he said.

"Itallows the drugs to flow over that southwest border where the majority of the Fentanyl and heroin comes from," he said.

Brown called himself a strong supporter of securing the southern border, saying "they're undermanned" and need more funding to provide more personnel patrolling the border.

A broken immigration system leaves Cape and Islands' restaurants, hotelsand other businesses without adequate staffing, Keating said, noting hospitality is the region's leading industry.

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We need workers. Everywhere Ive gone in our region, its always in the top-three topics of discussion: We dont have workers, he said. We had to fight tooth and nail it shouldnt be a partisan issue, but it has been with H2B and J1 workers, making sure they are there for the season.

The House passed a bill that would create a path to permanent status for DACA recipients and other undocumented immigrants, such as young people who came to the U.S. as children after 2007, Keating said, but the Senate has yet to act on it.

On both sides, there are people who will not be satisfied, but we can forge common sense changes that improve the system and allow for a quicker legal immigration system to work and make sure at the border were processing people faster, dealing with issues and making sure its more secure. We can do these things together, Keating said.

As a congressman, Keating said he voted in support of a bill protecting abortion rights in July, but noted the Senate did not move to act on the bill. The move followed the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in late June.

The watershed Dobbs v.Jackson Women's Health Organizationdecision overturned Roe v. Wade and eraseda reproductive right the high court established nearly five decades ago.

"People believe that those choices have to remain with a woman and her doctor," Keating said.

He also pointed to Justice Clarence Thomas' concurring opinion, which said the Supreme Court "should reconsider" past rulings that codified rights to contraception, same-sex relationshipsand same-sex marriage.

What to know: Candidates to represent Cape & Islands in Congress answer questions

"This is something where not only is the government in the doctor's office they're in the bedroom, too, with this decision," Keating said.

Brown said the overturning of Roe v. Wade brought the power back to the states and "it's completed."

"I mean, that's in a completely different branch of government that I'm going to be in. What I've always said is Keating, my opponent, has been in that office long enough," Brown said. "There was always a chance that the Supreme Court could have overturned it and maybe he should have been working on that, so we wouldn't be in this situation."

Brown said he would not back a federal ban on abortion.

"One of my platforms is bringing the power back to the states," Brown said. "There's a lot of things that we need to bring power back to the states and power back to the people, not at the federal level."

Keating touted his support of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will allow for competitive pricing into Medicare and caps out-of-pocket expenses for individuals in Medicare to $2,000 a year.

These were budget busters for families and individuals highest inflationary factor in healthcare, Keating said.

Brown said he would like to see all Americans gain from the Veteran Administrations ability to negotiate lower prices for drugs.

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"We need to do that at a level that everybody in America can benefit from," Brown said.

He said he did not support the Inflation Reduction Act, saying his opposition stems from additional funding for the Internal Revenue Service.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

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Congressional race: Brown, Keating on immigration, abortion, healthcare - Cape Cod Times