Here's where Cape & Island congressional candidates stand on immigration reform, abortion, healthcare

U.S. Rep. William "Bill" Keating, a Democrat from Bourne, will face Republican challenger Jesse Brown, of Plymouth, this November, as the congressman tries for a seventh term representing the Cape and Islands in Congress.

The 9th District includes 46 municipalities that stretch from Norwell to New Bedford and encompasses  Cape Cod and the Islands.

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Elected for two-year terms, representatives serve within the U.S. House of Representatives that  creates federal laws. They typically introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees.

The general election is Nov. 8.

The Cape Cod Times asked both candidates about their stance on immigration, abortion and healthcare .

Lack of immigration reform effect on Cape & Islands

Brown pointed to the opioid crisis when asked how the lack of immigration reform has hurt Cape Cod and the Islands. Opioid deaths have  risen 9% in Massachusetts, he said.

"It allows the drugs to flow over that southwest border where the majority of the Fentanyl and heroin comes from," he said.

Brown called himself a strong supporter of securing the southern border, saying "they're undermanned" and need more funding to provide more personnel patrolling the border.

A broken immigration system leaves Cape and Islands' restaurants, hotels and other businesses without adequate staffing, Keating said, noting hospitality is the region's leading industry.

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“We need workers. Everywhere I’ve gone in our region, it’s always in the top-three topics of discussion: ‘We don’t have workers,’” he said. “We had to fight tooth and nail — it shouldn’t be a partisan issue, but it has been — with H2B and J1 workers, making sure they are there for the season.”

The House passed a bill that would create a path to permanent status for DACA recipients and other undocumented immigrants, such as young people who came to the U.S. as children after 2007, Keating said, but the Senate has yet to act on it.

“On both sides, there are people who will not be satisfied, but we can forge common sense changes that improve the system and allow for a quicker legal immigration system to work and make sure at the border we’re processing people faster, dealing with issues and making sure it’s more secure. We can do these things together,” Keating said.

Abortion and overturning of Roe v. Wade

As a congressman, Keating said he voted in support of a bill protecting abortion rights in July, but noted the Senate did not move to act on the bill. The move followed the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in late June.

The watershed Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade and erased a reproductive right the high court established nearly five decades ago.

"People believe that those choices have to remain with a woman and her doctor," Keating said.

He also pointed to Justice Clarence Thomas' concurring opinion, which said the Supreme Court "should reconsider" past rulings  that codified rights to contraception, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage.

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"This is something where not only is the government in the doctor's office — they're in the bedroom, too, with this decision," Keating said.

Brown said the overturning of Roe v. Wade brought the power back to the states and "it's completed."

"I mean, that's in a completely different branch of government that I'm going to be in. What I've always said is Keating, my opponent, has been in that office long enough," Brown said. "There was always a chance that the Supreme Court could have overturned it and maybe he should have been working on that, so we wouldn't be in this situation."

Brown said he would not back a federal ban on abortion.

"One of my platforms is bringing the power back to the states," Brown said. "There's a lot of things that we need to bring power back to the states and power back to the people, not at the federal level."

Healthcare costs

Keating touted his support of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will allow for competitive pricing into Medicare and caps out-of-pocket expenses for individuals in Medicare to $2,000 a year.

“These were budget busters for families and individuals – highest inflationary factor in healthcare,” Keating said.

Brown said he would like to see all Americans gain from the Veteran Administration’s ability to negotiate lower prices for drugs.

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"We need to do that at a level that everybody in America can benefit from," Brown said.

He said he did not support the Inflation Reduction Act, saying his opposition stems from additional funding for the Internal Revenue Service.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Congressional race: Brown, Keating on immigration, abortion, healthcare