Rep. Bill Foster 11th Congressional District: Candidate Questionnaire

NAPERVILLE, IL — Incumbent Rep. Bill Foster (D, IL-11) is defending his seat in Illinois' 11th Congressional District against Catalina Lauf in the 2022 general election on Nov. 8. Below are Rep. Foster's responses to Patch's candidate survey.

Name

Bill Foster

Campaign website

https://billfoster.com

City or town of residence

Naperville

Office sought

U.S House

District, if applicable

11th Congressional District

Party affiliation

Democratic

Education

PhD in Physics (Harvard) B.A. Physics (University of Wisconsin)

Occupation

Particle Physicist (24 years)
Co-Founder, President, and Board Member, Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.(1975-2007)
Member of Congress (12 years)

Family

Aesook (Wife)
Billy and Christine (Children)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Age

67

Previous public office, appointive or elective

U.S. Representative for the 14th District of Illinois (2008-2011)
U.S. Representative for the 11th District of Illinois (2013-present)

Why are you seeking this office?

After a successful career in both business and science, I found that the question of how I could best serve my fellow citizens became very important to me. Answering that question is why I decided to leave my job at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and run for office, and it keeps me motivated to serve in public office.

As the only PhD Physicist in Congress, I bring with me a wealth of experience gained from a career that required prioritizing research and scientific evidence to draw conclusions and make recommendations -- something we need much more of in Washington.

The American people are facing a lot of challenges right now: from inflation to student debt to protecting our climate for future generations. To tackle these issues, we need serious leaders who lead with science and a deep understanding of the policies that are debated in Washington. I’m proud of how I’ve approached my responsibilities to my constituents and how I’ve always fought to make sure science is prioritized in Congress.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only person running in this race that has experience as both a scientist and a businessman who launched and grew a successful high-tech manufacturing business.

My Republican challengers represent a party that has embraced its most extreme elements and is out of step with the traditional values that we share as Americans.

We have a lot of pressing challenges that require real solutions and elected officials willing to put partisanship aside to reach common ground.

On issues from reproductive health care and gun violence, to tackling climate change and building an economy that requires the richest Americans and corporations to pay their fair share in taxes, my Republican opponents are out of step with the people who call IL-11 communities home.

How would you characterize the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol?

January 6, 2021 was a coordinated attempt to overturn a free and fair election and inhibit a the
peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. Simply put, it was an attempted
coup spurred on by Donald Trump, who was clearly informed by his advisors of the fact
that he had lost the election, but chose not to accept the lawful results of the election, and instead, he spent weeks spreading the Big Lie of a “stolen election,” and encouraging his
followers to take unconstitutional actions to overturn the election.

As the Republican leader of the Senate Mitch McConnell said following the Jan 6 attacks: “There’s no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. No question about it.”

I am proud of the work of the bipartisan Select Committee that is investigating the facts of that
day and I encourage every voter to educate themselves about the truth and hold any candidate
asking for their vote accountable for trying to gloss over the violence and hatred of that day.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

The American people are facing a lot of challenges right now: from inflation to student debt to unaffordable health care to a changing climate. To tackle these issues, we need serious leaders who follow the science. As the only PhD physicist in Congress, I’ve always fought to make sure science and evidence-based policymaking are prioritized in Congress.

If I am re-elected, my focus will continue to be not just on alleviating the problems Illinoisans are facing today, but also setting up our country for success for generations to come. As a subcommittee chair of the Science, Space, and Technology committee and chair of the Congressional Research and Development Caucus, I’ve led my colleagues in making substantial investments in our country’s science and technology research infrastructure. These new discoveries and innovations will prove critical as we build an economy that works for everyone.

But we must also make sure we have people who are well-trained to contribute and thrive in this shifting job market. That means making investments in education so that every American who wants to can afford to get their college degree which is why I’ve been proud to support legislation that doubles the value of the Pell grant, incentivizes states to invest is lowering in-state tuition costs, and expands opportunities for high school students to dual enroll in their local community colleges.

To support this growing technical workforce, Congress must also tackle comprehensive immigration reform so people of all skills seeking a better life in our country can find it. I’ve sponsored legislation to allow international STEM students to stay in the country after graduation, letting us retain the talent we just poured resources into training.

Additionally, it’s my priority to ensure Illinois gets its fair share of federal investment. For far too long, the formulas that dictate federal spending have favored small, low population states. As the chair of the Congressional Payer State Caucus, I’ve led my fellow Members from larger states in demanding these formulas become more equitable. I won’t stop fighting for all Americans to be treated fairly, regardless of where they live.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a businessman and the only PhD Physicist in Congress, I’ve fought to make sure science and evidence-based policymaking are prioritized in Congress.

I’ve represented the 11th Congressional District in Congress since 2013, and I represented the old Illinois 14th District from 2008-2010. In my time in Congress, I’ve served as a member of the House Financial Services Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee - both committees on which I currently serve. I also serve as a member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, and most recently I was named as a member of the Conference Committee for the America COMPETES Act.

Before public office, I had a successful career in both science and business.
I worked at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory as a high energy particle physicist for 24 years. At Fermilab, I led teams charged with designing and building the giant particle accelerators that are crucial to the scientific research that happens there each and every day. I was also a part of the team that discovered the Top Quark - the heaviest known form of matter.

I am the only PhD physicist in Congress, and I bring with me a wealth of experience gained from a career that required prioritizing research and scientific evidence to draw conclusions and make recommendations -- something we need much more of in Washington.

Before my scientific career, I launched a successful high-tech manufacturing business with my younger brother - a theater lighting business we started in our parents’ basement with a $500 loan. We grew that business into the top manufacturer and supplier of theater lighting equipment in the U.S., creating over 1,000 good paying jobs right here in the Midwest.

My career in business provides me with invaluable perspective as I work in Washington on legislation to help support entrepreneurs and small businesses owners in Illinois and across the country. Small businesses make up the backbone of our local economies and I have firsthand experience dealing with the day-to-day- challenges that small businesses owners confront.

What was your first paying job, and what did you learn from it?

When I was a teenager, I mowed the grass around our neighborhood for $1.50/hour, and spent a lot of that time daydreaming about how to invent a robotic lawnmower that mowed by itself.

I also delivered the Milwaukee Journal on my bike to around an 10-block area, but I am not sure that I learned much from that except that there had to be a more efficient method
of delivering the news.On my first serious job, I worked my way through college partly by doing computer programming, machining and electronic design at the Physics Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

That’s where I gained much of the knowledge I needed for my little brother and I to start our business when I was 19.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My father, who was also a scientist who left science to entered public service, asked me to begin thinking about a question that I believe is important for everyone to
wrestle with, and that is “What fraction of your life should you spend in service to others.” I
believe pursuing an answer to that question is great advice for anyone looking for ways to make
our communities and our country better.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I pride myself on being accessible to my constituents. Every week, me and my staff take dozens of meetings with constituents, issue area experts, and stakeholders, and receive and respond to hundreds or thousands of emails and phone calls.

This year, I’ve even started holding virtual office hours every few weeks, where anyone from our community can sign up for a slot to speak with me about an issue their family is facing. But it’s not just listening -- I take action on what constituents bring to my attention. In 2021 alone, my office helped resolve almost 650 constituent cases, held nearly 400 meetings, and hosted 30 community events on a range of issues important to people in Illinois.I’m also proud to have delivered nearly $20 million dollars for important community projects in the 11th District as part of the recently passed federal spending bill.

That ranks in the top 10 percent of all districts, and that money will go to some very worthwhile projects, including job training and apprenticeship programs, addressing homelessness, and supporting safe housing for LGBTQ+ youth in our area.

I’ve signed on to countless bills based on my constituents’ advocacy and have written bills, like the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Inclusion Act, aimed at correcting problems that people in Illinois have brought to my attention. I’ve also passed legislation, like the Better Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Act, that will benefit the people I serve, both through direct investment in places like Argonne National Lab, and the long-term benefits of developing next-generation, grid-level energy storage that will help ensure our grandchildren can thrive on this planet. I encourage all of my constituents to reach out to my office when they encounter a problem, for anything from getting their Social Security check to advocating for a higher minimum wage.

Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade? And do you support the Illinois Reproductive Health Act?

The Supreme Court’s misguided decision to overturn Roe v. Wade represents the culmination of a decades-long effort by right-wing politicians to roll back reproductive freedom for women. It is critical that Congress pass federal legislation to immediately restore the rights that the Supreme Court took away, and protect additional rights like access to contraception and the right to marry who you choose. I proudly voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify reproductive rights, including the right to choose an abortion. I’ve also voted for legislation in the House to codify the right to access contraception. I will always vote to protect reproductive rights for all Americans.

Do you think the 2020 presidential election results are fair and legitimate? Why or why not?

Yes, the 2020 presidential election results were fair and legitimate. Donald Trump had multiple opportunities to provide evidence in court of the claims he was making, and each time the courts ruled that there was no evidence of voter fraud. Trump spent his final weeks in office casting doubt because he couldn’t accept that he lost fair and square.