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0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff8d390000Race: U.S SenateParty: RepublicanPolitical Experience: 2010-2012 - U.S Senate from Massachusetts2004-2010 – Massachusetts State Senate1998-2004 – Massachusetts House of RepresentativesPersonal: Married; lives in RyeEducation: Bachelor’s, Tufts University; J.D., Boston College Law SchoolCampaign WebsiteIssuesBrown says one of the main reasons he is seeking the seat held by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is the need to repeal the Affordable Care Act and encourage states to craft their own legislative solutions.A supporter of “Romneycare,” the Massachusetts health care program that includes many of the same components of the ACA, Brown voted to repeal so-called Obamacare in 2010. Yet he acknowledges that benefits offered by the ACA, such as requiring coverage for pre-existing conditions, are important enough to be part of a New Hampshire plan.“We need to repeal Obamacare and we need to put in place something that works for us…. There’s no reason why we can’t do it and also respecting our rights and freedoms and also doing it more competitively.”In late July, Brown began running television ads blaming Shaheen and President Obama for the “immigration crisis on our hands.” He criticized Shaheen for supporting immigration reforms that include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already living in the U.S., which Brown characterizes as “amnesty.”Brown told NHPR’s Brady Carlson that the U.S. needs to “secure our border once and for all.” But he supports allowing foreign students with visas to obtain green cards instead of automatically returning to their country of origin, and he says some workers ought to be allowed to remain in the U.S. if there is a need.“I look at it in different pillars. The first pillar is if we have kids who are here from out of country and they’re going to school, they should get a diploma and the ability to stay here and live and work if they want. That’s a no brainer.If we have people who need seasonal help because we have a service industry in our state, tourism, etc., and there’s needs to be filled, we should allow that to happen…. If you’re looking at executives and other engineers, doctors, etc., and there’s a need and we can’t fill that need in order to keep our businesses vibrant and in our state, we should allow that to happen, no problem.”Brown supports an "all of the above" energy plan that includes federal tax subsidies to encourage the development of solar, geothermal and nuclear energy technologies. A one-time supporter of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade program for New England states, Brown now opposes cap and trade or a "national energy tax," saying it would increase costs to consumers.

Brown Takes Aim At Health Law As Dems Fire Back

www.scottbrown.com

On the first stop of what Scott Brown's campaign is calling his "Obamacare isn't Working Tour," the candidate worked hard to hit his message.

When the President of  Next Step Bionics and Prothestics told Scott Brown insurance premiums for his company are expected to increase by 30 percent, Brown was quick with a diagnosis.

"A major part of it because of Obamacare...And that’s something that Senator Shaheen was a deciding vote on and we’ve got to try to fix it."

But Brown’s supplied few specifics on how he’d do that, save for arguing it should be handled by states.

He cited Massachusetts health law passed under Mitt Romney as an example.

Of course that law, like Obamacare, hinges on requiring all people to buy insurance.

Brown didn’t answer directly when asked if he thinks all people in NH should have to buy insurance, but did say if voters here send him back to Washington he’d look build local consensus for a policy tailored to local needs.

"I would obviously work with the legislature and the governor’s office to make sure that they got the plan they wanted. To have one plan have the federal government tell you this is how you are going to do and have no flexibility, no nothing, is wrong."

The State Democratic Party, meanwhile,  derided Brown’s criticisms of Obamacare as “phony attacks” and said they were at odds with his backing of Massachusetts' health law.

Josh has worked at NHPR since 2000.
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