U.S. Sen. Angus King is running for re-election against two challengers. Maine Calling Host Jennifer Rooks asked him what he believes needs to be done about the partisan divide in the United States.
This is an excerpt of “Maine Calling” from Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. To listen to Sen. King’s full appearance, click here.
King: Well, a lot. And I think it starts with listening, and if you'd asked me that question three weeks ago I would have said we're making some real progress. We passed some important legislation, a huge opioids bill, 99-1. We've done more on the budget on time since 1988, bipartisan work. A lot of work is going on. We've got a parks bill that's bipartisan, a lot of really important things. The Kavanaugh hearings, unfortunately, sort of, slowed that down. But to me it's all about relationships. It's about getting to know your colleagues, and understanding that nobody has a monopoly on the truth, no party has all the answers, and it involves listening, understanding and, also, finding ways where we can agree. You don't always get what you want, like the Rolling Stones said, but if you try sometimes you get what you need.
Rooks: What's the biggest issue facing the constituents of your district, which is the state of Maine? How do you address it?
King: Opioids has to be near the top of the list. It's the greatest public health crisis in Maine in my lifetime. A person a day is dying of an overdose, while we're talking here today for a half hour, two people are going to die nationwide. It's a huge problem. How do we address it? There's no simple solution to this problem, we're not going to be able to arrest our way out of it. Law enforcement is part of it for sure. Cutting off the supply coming into the country is part of it. But I believe that treatment and prevention are really where we need to invest, because treatment works, Jennifer. I know people throughout Maine who are in recovery, successful, long term recovery, contributing citizens paying taxes and starting families. I mean, that's where we have to put the emphasis right now. It's just tragic when people have no place to go when they're ready to get help.
Rooks: Should access to affordable health care be a national priority, and, if so, what should Congress do to ensure it?
King: Well it absolutely should. And the Affordable Care Act was was a good start, and, unfortunately, just at the time when it was really starting to work that the current administration, for reasons that escape me, are essentially undermining it. So we've got to keep working in that direction. But I think we need to be talking about more fundamental reforms. The big debate, Jennifer, in the last 10 or 15 years is about who pays: whether it's Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, private insurance. The problem is we're paying too much, whoever's paying, and we've got to get at that. But I want to go back to the beginning, healthcare has got to be a fundamental human right. You know the the the Declaration of Independence, our most basic document, what's that key phrase? Life. Life, liberty and happiness. Life comes first. If you don't have health care, none of the other rights are as meaningful.
Rooks: I've been asking the other candidates what committee they would like to serve on. You already serve on some committees. Why don't you talk about the work you've done on committees, and is that the direction you want to continue if re-elected?
King: I think I would continue because the committees that I'm on are important to Maine. First is armed services. Bath Ironworks, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and you'd be amazed at the number of small companies throughout Maine that are part of defending this country. And Maine has had a senator on the Armed Services Committee continuously since Margaret Chase Smith in the early 50s. I think there was a gap in the 70s, but nonstop since that time. And that's a very important committee. I'm also on the Intelligence Committee. When you put those two things together that's all about keeping the country safe. I'm also on the Budget Committee, and we've got a lot of work to do, needless to say, and that's one that I want to stay engaged in. We're also, I'm also on Energy and Natural Resources. That controls the national parks, and I've worked my way up the line, I'm now the ranking member of the National Parks Subcommittee which means I have a lot to say about what goes on at Acadia, the new - protecting the new monument, and energy issues, which are very crucial to Maine and the rest of New England.
This interview has been edited for clarity.