ONE on ONE: Rep. Janelle Bynum stops by KTVZ Studios to address major issues impacting Central Oregonians

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Democratic Congresswoman Janelle Bynum was in Central Oregon today attending day 2 of the Democratic Party of Oregon Summit. 

She stopped by KTVZ studios to address major issues affecting Central Oregonians including the government shutdown, healthcare, and education.

KTVZ’S Spencer Sacks asked Rep Bynum about the Government shutdown.

Sacks asked, “We're now over two weeks into the government shutdown, and it still seems like we're nowhere closer today than we were two weeks ago. What is your take on it now that we're, you know, day 17?”

Rep. Bynum responded, “Well, Republicans are in control and Democrats are stepping up, showing up to say, hey, we're here to work. What I think is really important is that we have the conversation about what is important to Americans and the thing that they keep saying in these 20 town halls. My health care is important to me. I need to make sure that I can get there, that I have a doctor that can see me and will take my insurance. 

Sacks expanded on healthcare by asking Rep. Bynum, “Do you think [the affordable care act] needs to be overhauled?”

Rep. Bynum responded, “Well, I'm a person that believes in innovation. I believe in always challenging the status quo. What is important for us to remember is that health care has to be affordable and accessible.”(...) “ But when we have young people like we did before, the Affordable Care Act who could not or chose not to access health care because it was too expensive. That's what we're going to go back to. I don't think that that's okay.”

Sacks followed up by asking “How can we fix health care, though, as we progress? Because, you know, everyone talks about health care being like Social Security as the third rail of politics. So how do we get rid of that notion and actually see work done on it?”

Rep. Bynum said, “Well, I think it's a matter of making sure that it is accessible to everyone, that people feel comfortable going in a preventative state rather than going on the tail end like we were seeing before. People in emergency rooms. That is going to tax the system. We know that we're all going to pay and we're all going to pay if your coworkers are coming to work sick. So we need a system that invests in people. I think it is a human right, and we need to make sure that we have the next generation of health care providers in the queue ready to go. And that's also something that I've, I heard here yesterday when I was having conversations.”

Sacks asked about the new report on education saying that only 35% of student in Oregon are literate in academic proficiency.

Rep. Bynum responded, “Well, as an engineer, I know that, math and science and reading, are just non-negotiables when you're talking about having an economy that works for everyone. So it is vitally important that we prepare our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. How do we fix education? Number one, where the head goes, the body goes to the top of the state. Those of us who are elected, those are my colleagues in the legislature, my former colleagues in the legislature.”

Rep. Bynum continued, “We have to say that Oregon's children are the number one priority in this state, and everything has to go from there. If we do not say that, if we do not declare that, then the status quo will continue. The second thing is, we have to make sure that kids in middle school have an idea of what they want to be and what they can be, and that means having businesses in place that they can visit, that they can understand. Like, how do I become a carpenter? How do I become an engineer? How do I become a teacher? We have to foster that curiosity. I think that's where we're falling short.“