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Brian Davis seeks seat in House from 1st District Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Brian Davis is a candidate for the U.S. House 1st Congressional District
Brian Davis
Party: Republican
Age: 50
Occupation: Physician, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic
Town you live in: Rochester
Family: Wife, Lori. Four children.
Education: University of Illinois, bachelor's degree. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, master's degree and doctorate. University of Illinois College of Medicine, medical degree.
Work experience: Licensing and design of nuclear power plants and radioactive waste management, Sargent and Lundy Engineers; test preparation instructor; clinical rotations at Cook County and Veteran's Administration hospitals in Chicago; intern at Evanston Hospital/Northwestern University; speciality training in radiation oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Political offices held: Olmsted County Republican Party treasurer
Web site: www.briandavisforcongress.com/Home.aspx
Dr. Brian Davis has reduced his hours in the office to campaign for the 1st District Congressional seat.
Davis, a Mayo Clinic physician, was elected the Olmsted County Republican Party treasurer in winter 2007.
He announced his campaign to unseat first term incumbent Tim Walz and later participated in the National Republican Congressional Committee candidate school. He won the 1st District Republican endorsement and fended off a primary challenge from State Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna.
He is a leader of the American Brachytherapy Society, a 1,200 member medical organization, and his Web site says he is co-director of the prostate cancer program at Mayo Clinic.
The majority of his practice is treating and counseling cancer patients.
In his speech to the 1st District Convention, Davis said, "I would like to be the representative of this district that will vote with discipline and that will lead Republicans back to our fiscal conservative roots and to a majority in the House of Representatives. I believe that we should make the Bush tax cuts permanent and I believe that we need to eliminate the 'death' tax, sometimes called the estate tax. It's time to stop the government from this practice which often prevents handing down a small business or family farm to the next generation."
"When it comes to issues of trade, taxes and energy cost, I know that my views are more in line with the needs of agriculture and agriculture-related industries than those of Mr. Walz," Davis said in an interview with Agri News.
Davis was critical of the farm bill, saying less than 16 percent of the total farm bill is devoted to supporting farmers.
"I support the farm bill in terms of the commodity support that it provides," Davis said.
There's a lot of extra spending in the bill that is simply pork-barrel type projects, he said. One example is tax breaks for the thoroughbred horse racing industry valued at an estimated $126 million over 10 years and another is a Forest Conservation Bonding provision to provide $250 million for land conservation programs, crafted seemingly specifically to benefit western Montana.
"I think we also need to scrutinize the nutrition programs more closely to make sure those who truly need it are receiving the support," he said.
When it comes to paying for repairing and upgrading our nation's roads and bridges, Davis cited the transportation bill that he said included more than $2 billion for bike trails.
"I enjoy riding bike trails," he said, "but I'm not sure that's the best use of money that should go to road repair and upgrade.
Instead, Davis said, that money could be better spent to upgrade highways 14 and 60 in the 1st District.
It makes little sense to put money into light-rail transit in the Twin Cities when it is not economically sustainable, he said.
The gas tax should go to bridge and road projects, Davis said. Transportation is important for the economic health of the district and the safety of citizens in southern Minnesota.
Davis said he believes a win-win situation will be negotiated for the transport of relatively clean coal to market on the DM&E Railroad.
The railroad, now owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway, has long pursued a plan to transport coal from Wyoming's Powder River Basin to eastern markets.
"We need more rail transit in the United States and particularly for agricultural products," Davis said. "It is hoped that the Canadian Pacific works with communities all along the line as it crosses the 1st District to satisfy community needs."
Rochester and Mayo Clinic have been vocally opposed to the plan and Davis said those concerns are justifiable. He's concerned, too, about the safety of transporting hazardous materials immediately adjacent to one of the nation's finest medical institutions.
One option being investigated by a firm hired by the city is a southern bypass of Rochester. That may offer an opportunity to establish a multi-modal transportation hub near the Rochester International Airport and Interstate 90, Davis said. That hub would offer air, truck and rail access at one location.
Health care
"I think what we need in our health care system is more competition rather than less," Davis said.
He said there needs to be more information available to consumers so they can get an idea of what a hospital or health care institution charges and comparison shop for elective procedures.
"I find it ironic that farmers pay more for health insurance," he said, "when they lead some of the healthiest lifestyles."
"We also have a problem with malpractice and medical liability insurance," Davis said. "It's really out of control in this country."
In this country, 250 million lawsuits are filed every year, he said.
Health insurance deductibility and portability in health insurance are needed, along with more uniformity in health insurance requirements across the 50 states. Now, there are 50 different insurance markets in the United States. If insurance companies could compete across state lines, consumers would have more choices, Davis said.
Renewable energy
Davis said that he strongly supports the ethanol blender's tax credit. This is a federal tax credit of 51 cents for every gallon of pure ethanol blended into gasoline.
Workers, community members, families and investors are relying on the government to keep its promise on the blending credit, he said. The government occasionally has a role to play in helping an industry, such as the ethanol industry, get started.
Anything done to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil is beneficial.
"As a Minnesotan, I'm proud that we are among the nation's leaders in ethanol and wind power."
Animal rights
In California, there is a proposition on the ballot this fall to ban the use of gestation stalls for swine. Davis said he would have to investigate the issue further, but he is doubtful that such a ban is necessary.
"When it comes to issues that are important to the agriculture community, I believe that I have voiced the views that garner the most support from farmers," Davis said.
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