The number one reason I am running for Congress is because I have heard time and again that voters in the 5th District and all across America have lost trust in Congress. They want integrity restored to Washington, and they realize that starts in their own district.

As a physician, I took the Hippocratic Oath because of the integrity it instills in my position. If my patients lost faith in me, I would be an ineffective doctor. Similarly, as a member of the military, I understand the necessity of holding the trust of the American public so that we can effectively continue to protect our freedoms. The same principles should apply for a United States Congressman.

I will carry these values to Congress with me because communication between the public and their elected representatives can only exist as long as they can trust in the integrity of those representatives.

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As an emergency physician, I see people from all different backgrounds come through the emergency room every day. Some are young adults and some senior citizens; some single mothers and some close-knit families; some employed with benefits and some unemployed altogether.

Far too many of the people I see, however, are uninsured. Not only does this prevent some of them from receiving the medical care they need, but it also results in urban hospitals moving to the suburbs where more patients are insured, and in medical costs that are paid for by collectively by taxpayers through programs such as Medicaid.

There are a few things we can do to help alleviate the burden of rising medical costs for the average Hoosier and American family.

First, we can make it easier for small businesses to offer insurance to their employees by allowing them to pool resources with other small business owners to start a group insurance plan. As small businesses employ a large number of working families, and frequently can’t afford to offer insurance benefits to employees, this would go a long way towards getting healthcare coverage for many uninsured Hoosiers.

Second, we could encourage those who don’t have the option of obtaining insurance through work to obtain it on their own by expanding the deductibility of healthcare costs and insurance premiums on federal income tax returns. Families who are currently uninsured would be more likely to purchase health insurance coverage if there were a tax break tied to it.

Finally, medical costs would be reduced if we had true reform of medical liability. I have seen good doctors driven from their practice because of frivolous lawsuits. Even if such a lawsuit is thrown out of court, it still contributes to the rise in medical costs. By tightening restrictions on medical liability lawsuits, healthcare would become much more affordable.

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As a 25-year veteran of the military, this is an issue that is very important to me. It became even more important in the summer of 2006, when I was deployed to Germany as a flight surgeon for the Air Force and flew missions into Iraq and Afghanistan to help wounded troops.

We must remain firmly resolved to protect our country at home, and to support our troops abroad. Arbitrary timelines for withdrawal from the Middle East make politics more important than the safety and security of the American people, and sends the wrong message both to our troops and the enemy.

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America has a proud tradition of honoring and supporting our brave men and women who have fought to protect our freedom. As a currently serving member of the military myself, I have the utmost respect for my fellow soldiers, both active and retired.

As military technology advances, we are thankfully seeing a higher percentage of troops return home from combat missions. America must be prepared to care for those returning home from the battlefield, including expanded and improved medical care facilities, therapy and rehabilitation centers, and increased benefits.

As I experienced many times while treating soldiers in the Middle East in 2006, explosive blasts that used to result in death may now only result in brain concussions. These concussions, however, require extensive long-term care and may result in permanent disability. We cannot be caught off-guard by these injuries, and must do everything we can to ensure these soldiers are taken care of.

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The tax structure in America today is a confusing and antiquated system. As such, I believe we need to revamp the current tax code to make it easier to understand and fairer for American families. There are numerous ideas out there for how to best approach this situation, and I think Congress needs to have an honest and open debate about the matter.

While a complete overhaul will take time, there are many things Congress can do in the meantime to help reduce the tax burden on individuals and families. First, we can extend tax cuts currently on the books. I believe that Hoosiers know better than those in Washington how to spend, save and invest their own money. Second, we can increase tax credits and deductions for various living and childcare expenses necessary to raise a family. Finally, we can permanently repeal the Death Tax, a tax that often causes family farms and small businesses to split up or go out of business.

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Hardworking families in Indiana and all across America live on a budget because it’s the fiscally sensible thing to do. We teach our children to be responsible with money, sometimes giving them an allowance so that they can learn firsthand how to spend and save like an adult. So then why does the federal government not operate this way?

If Congress can’t control spending and reform their reporting and budgetary procedures, we are going to leave our children with a mountain of unfunded liabilities. At the same time, those who are currently working are paying into a Social Security system that may not be there when they retire. Those that are about to retire will soon be and are likely to soon see an increase in the need for prescription drugs may find that Medicare can no longer cover the costs.

We must drastically alter the way the federal government spends our money, whether that’s through a presidential line-item veto to help eliminate waste, eliminating earmarks and requiring all funding requests be voted on, or obligating Congress to report unfunded long-term liabilities like Social Security and Medicare when reporting the national debt.

In Congress, I will promote and fight for legislation that decreases the availability of abortions on demand. I will also support judicial nominees who understand that Roe v. Wade overstepped the jurisdictional boundaries of the federal government, and will use my position to promote other, more preferable options, such as adoption.

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As a physician, I am bound by the Hippocratic Oath to protect all life. I believe that all life, from conception to natural death, is sacred. Those two principles form the basis of my pro-life beliefs.

In the ER, I often see young, pregnant girls and must counsel them on whether to have an abortion. While the final choice isn't mine, I make sure they understand the medical risks and effects (especially long-term) of abortion and makes sure they are aware of various alternatives, such as adoption.

In Congress, I will promote and fight for legislation that decreases the availability of abortions on demand. I will also support judicial nominees who understand that Roe v. Wade overstepped the jurisdictional boundaries of the federal government, and will use my position to promote other, more preferable options, such as adoption.

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The United States Constitution guarantees that every citizen shall be granted the right to keep and bear arms. That’s a right I firmly believe every honest citizen should never lose, whether they own their firearms for hunting, sportsmanship or protection.

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One of the greatest problems facing current and future generations of America is our dependence on foreign oil for energy. With petroleum-based fuel prices rapidly rising, I firmly believe that we can benefit our own economy at home—especially in Indiana—by exploring and funding research for other fuel sources, whether it is clean-coal technology, corn-based ethanol, or soy-based diesel fuel.

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No proposal for dealing with illegal immigrants that are already here can begin without first addressing the issue of securing our borders. We will never get a firm handle on the problem until we can cut off the flow of immigrants currently coming into this country illegally.

Second, before we can deal with the estimated 12 to 14 million immigrants that are here illegally, we must first figure out who they are and where they are. I propose setting up registration centers where they will pay a fine and register for temporary worker status so that we can document how many there are and ensure that they are paying payroll taxes like those of us here legally. There should be no guarantee of citizenship for these people, and we should not begin to discuss a pathway to citizenship until we can determine the actual number and location of these illegal immigrants.

Finally, we must enforce the laws currently on the books, and crack down on employers and local governments that are not complying with current federal laws. At the same time, we must make sure that employers and local governments have the tools and training necessary to carry out the enforcement of these laws.

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