Q&A with Steve House, candidate for U.S. House, 6th District

Party: Republican 

Residence: Brighton

Campaign website: www.HouseForColorado.com

What makes you the best choice for this office?

My life has been devoted to public service and my community. I believe strongly that my 36 years in health care, my education in engineering and my deep love for Colorado and the United States will make me both a knowledgeable and practical moderate representative for my neighbors in CD6. 

If you're elected, what single issue will be at the top of your agenda?

Passing affordable, quality health care for every American: health care that will cover preexisting conditions, that lowers costs and increases coverage, and is transparent in pricing. My goal is to make Americans healthier at a much, much lower cost.   

If you're elected, what must you accomplish in order for you to consider your term a success?

First and foremost, I must be accountable to the residents of my district. To be a success as their representative, I must represent them and be transparent about the process. I will hold at least one large — open to the public — event each month in district. Second, I will be 100% successful my first term when I stand next to the president as a new, better health care law is signed into law. 

What role should Congress play in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic that you feel it has not fulfilled so far? 

Congress needs to get very targeted in support for those suffering due to the economic shutdown. Restaurants were hard-hit, and for those that can be restarted or stay in business, another round of (Paycheck Protection Program loans) is needed, and employees laid off (from) restaurants, event planning and travel should be considered for special support … (Black business owners were widely impacted) during COVID and in many of those cases (it was) due to a lack of capital funding. An effort should be made to restart those businesses where possible because the experience of the owners is critical to future economic development.  

After intense wildfires on the West Coast and in Colorado, what action should Congress take to mitigate the danger of future wildfires?

Jon E. Keeley and Alexandra D. Syphard published a comprehensive study of California wildfires and their causes. They concluded that fuel-dominated fires replaced wind-dominated fires in the in the past 50 years. Prior, fires burned biomass every 10-20 years. The United States Forest Service has put fires out, allowing biomass to grow by 50%, which enables larger, more destructive fires. (We need a) forest-management strategy to eliminate biomass buildup in clean-up operations, controlled burns or both. We should create a national firefighting resource center equipped with 35-40 747 super tankers … to provide water to fire areas anywhere in the U.S.