Zach Womer

LOCK HAVEN — Newcomer Zach Womer is looking to unseat longtime incumbent-Republican US Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson during the upcoming General Election on Nov. 5.

The Express asked Womer 10 questions regarding various issues faced within Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District and the nation. His answers are below in their entirety.

The Express also reached out to Thompson with the same questions but received no response.

Q: What key policy areas will define your legislative agenda and how will you advocate for the interests of Pennsylvanians in Washington?

Womer: I think the largest problem that faces our country in Washington is corruption. There is a litany of examples of high bipartisan approval of certain programs that are never even brought to a vote due to the immense amount of influence peddled in D.C. Most notably, corruption legislation itself enjoys wide bipartisan approval. Measures like overriding the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which allows for unlimited corporate contributions to political campaigns. Such a measure is universally supported but politicians who are the recipients of such funds have no intention of rooting out said corruption. In order to advance an agenda that helps the working class, we must first root out the corruption that is so commonplace in D.C. Additionally, as our region is so reliant on manufacturing for jobs, I would be a strong advocate for improved trade policies that would force American companies to produce products and goods in the United States. Furthermore, I would also like to break up monopolistic trusts that exist in most industries in the United States. We have not seen a concerted effort at trust-busting since Theodore Roosevelt and we are due for some now.

Q: As a candidate for Congress, how do you plan to approach the certification of Pennsylvania’s electoral votes after the presidential election? Will you consider objections, and what factors will guide your decision?

Womer: Unless provided with reliable evidence of fraud I would certify the electoral results in Pennsylvania.

Q: How will you work to make healthcare more affordable and accessible across the country?

Womer: There are at least two major problems in healthcare that impact accessibility and affordability. In rural areas, our hospitals are dependent upon the Medicare Dependent Hospital Subsidy and the Low Volume Adjustment, both of these programs will expire on Oct 1, 2024. The 15th district contains three of these such hospitals and will be severely impacted by the failure to extend the programs. I would advocate to make both programs permanent. The other major issue is the failure of “non-profit” hospitals to act as non-profits. In an era where we have seen increased public investment in healthcare, hospital groups are closing more hospitals than ever. This has been seen all over the 15th district with full or partial closures in Lock Haven, Philipsburg, Saint Marys and on the border of the district in Sunbury. What needs to happen is that “non-profit” healthcare providers require greater scrutiny in their operations. When you have a non-profit like UPMC with 40 employees making over $1 million while laying off folks, shuttering rural hospitals and leasing $50 million private jets, it’s clear that UPMC is not upholding its obligations as a non-profit health system. If these organizations are to use our tax dollars and maintain their tax-free status, we must obligate them to provide care. Without doing so, these hospital networks can continue to use our public investments to make themselves richer while leaving many rural Americans without access to healthcare.

Q: How will you address mass shootings and gun violence?

Womer: If anyone had the perfect answer to this issue, it would be solved, as no one in this country wants these events to happen. It is my view that we have a serious youth mental health crisis, that most often presents itself in the incredibly high suicide rate for minors, but in extreme cases, manifests itself in a horrific act like a school shooting. It would be my prerogative to increase mental health resources for schools so that minors are given the help they need far before one of these events takes place.

Q: What is your stance on social programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and how do you plan to ensure their sustainability for future generations?

Womer: All three programs mentioned are some of the greatest anti-poverty programs passed in world history. The economic viability of said programs has been greatly hampered by tax cuts for the rich since the Reagan administration. The litany of tax cuts for the wealthy that we have seen since 1981 has resulted in these programs not being fully funded. We were told that tax cuts pay for themselves, but that has never been true. All economic analyses of previous tax cuts indicate significant losses in revenues. I believe we should raise taxes on those making more than $400,000 a year, as our current intake of revenue will not only leave these programs insolvent but continue to balloon our national debt. I will also fight any attempt to raise the retirement age as a remedy to these shortfalls.

Q: What is your stance on immigration reform, and how do you propose securing the U.S. borders?

Womer: Illegal immigration is a problem in our country. The only people who benefit from illegal immigration are businesses that seek to take advantage of these folks. Working-class Americans are hurt by illegal immigration as their wages are undercut, and immigrants themselves are taken advantage of as they are most often not availed of United States labor law. We obviously need to make investments in enhanced border security and we need increased funding for more judges to process asylum claims. Without doing so we will have an extensive backlog of folks claiming asylum waiting in processing centers costing our country even more money.

Q: How do you plan to balance national security concerns with humanitarian issues, especially in relation to ongoing conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza?

Womer: As a Methodist, it is my steadfast commitment to being opposed to conflict. My goal will always be to reduce conflict around the world. As it pertains to Russia and Ukraine we are seeing a protracted war that doesn’t seem to be coming to a resolution. I believe the best thing we can do is to try to push both nations to the bargaining table and reduce the human cost of the war as much as possible. As it pertains to Israel and Hamas, I believe it is in the United State’s best interest to bring the conflict to a conclusion via ceasefire. It is a difficult situation as both sides have disposed themselves to being unrelenting. However, a resolution has not been impossible in the past, and we should continue to work toward a resolution that will bring the war to an end.

Q: What is your position on reproductive rights and abortion?

Womer: I believe that restoring the provisions of Roe v. Wade would be the best policy to allow women the freedom to make decisions with their healthcare professionals. I don’t see the issue as one of personal morality but of legislative deference allowing people to make their own decisions.

Q: LGBTQ+ rights have become a major topic within the state and nation, within recent years. What is your stance on this and the legislation that has been considered at various levels of government?

Womer: In these arenas, I am much more of a libertarian. I believe people ought to be able to live their lives as they see fit. I find no justification for the government telling people how to live their lives.

Q: What reforms do you believe are necessary for the federal tax system?

Womer: I believe the rich need to pay their fair share. Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the United States, has continually said he doesn’t even bother taking advantage of the tax loopholes available to him because he already pays such a low rate compared to the rest of the world. He has said he has no problem sending the check in full. It is quite bothersome that there are many people in our country who have built wealth off of public dollars through government contracts but the wealth granted on those dollars is taxed at less than the rate of the average working-class American. It is easy to harken against raising taxes, even on the wealthy, but a regime of cowardice in taxation has led to an enormous federal deficit and vulnerability for some of our country’s most important programs. We must increase taxes on the rich if we hope to continue the prosperity we have come to expect out of the United States.