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Congressman talks about fatal shootings, Roe v. Wade, inflation, southern border during News-Press interview DAVE MASON/NEWS-PRESSU.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal
Editor’s note: This is part of a series about candidates in advance of Tuesday’s primary.
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal’s “red flag” legislation is scheduled to go before the House next week, following the fatal shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and in Tulsa, Okla.
The Santa Barbara Democrat’s Extreme Risk Order Protection Act would create a grant program to encourage states to adopt red flag laws and support the 19 states that have already adopted them. Red flag laws allow for the temporary removal of firearms from someone who may pose a danger to others or themselves and can prevent them from purchasing a firearm.
Rep. Carbajal talked about gun control, Roe v. Wade, inflation (including gasoline prices) and the security of the southern border during a News-Press interview this week in advance of Tuesday’s primary.
Rep. Carbajal is running against Republican candidate Brad Allen of Summerland and two independent candidates from Santa Barbara: Michele Weslander Quaid and Jeff Frankenfield, both of whom would caucus with Republicans if elected. Stories about all three have appeared in the News-Press as part of its series on candidates in the primary.
During this week’s News-Press interview, gun control was in the news and on the mind of Rep. Carbajal.
The congressman said his red flag bill has bipartisan support. And he noted it provides funding so states can enact and maintain red flag laws, while allowing them flexibility with their legislation.
“My bill does not say, ‘You will do it that way,’” Rep. Carbajal said.
Red flag laws can make a difference, the congressman noted. He referred to May 23, 2014, when Elliot Rodger shot and killed six people and injured 14 people in Isla Vista, then killed himself.
“Here on the Central Coast, we can look further than Isla Vista, where we had a situation where a red flag bill could have impacted the outcome of that tragedy,” he said.
Rep. Carbajal added that he has witnessed tragedy in his own life. “When I was a child, my older sister took her life with my father’s revolver.”
The congressman said he’s optimistic that his red flag bill will pass in both the House and the Senate, where it needs 60 votes.
Rep. Carbajal said no single law by itself can prevent gun violence, but noted laws collectively can decrease the number of shootings.
He added preventing gun violence also involves improving mental health programs. “Absolutely. It’s not an ‘either/or’ thing. It’s a combination of things that we need to do. We need to beef up funding for mental health programs for our schools, our country, our society in general. We need a multi-faceted approach.”
The congressman also called for reinstituting a federal ban against the sale of assault weapons. Salvador Ramos used an AR-15 when he shot and killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas.
“I served in the U.S. Marine Corps,” Rep. Carbajal said. “I shot and dealt with assault weapons. Certainly those weapons do not belong on our streets. They’re weapons for war, not for hunting. Certainly we need to ban those assault rifles in our society.”
The congressman discussed another issue, the expected overturning of Roe v. Wade. A decision is likely to be announced this month by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rep. Carbajal voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act, which codified the abortion rights of Roe v. Wade and was passed in the House. It fell short of the 60 votes it needed in the Senate.
The congressman expressed concern about going back to pre-Roe v. Wade times and unsafe abortions.
“This is a violation of women’s rights and women’s health,” Rep. Carbajal said overturning Roe v. Wade. “It is unfathomable that we would go back into the dark ages for women.
“I will do everything possible to make sure women’s rights and access to health care and abortion is the law of land,” he asid.
The News-Press asked Rep. Carbajal about the belief by pro-life forces that abortion laws should be left to the states. He said he believes civil rights are something that should be overseen by the federal government.
“There are certain things that are federal issues where the Constitution requires the federal government to take action, and certainly the rights of women is one of those,” he said.
On the day of the News-Press interview with the congressman, gas prices remained in the news. They’ve continued to break records nationally, and California is the one state where the average price now exceeds $6 a gallon.
Americans are also faced with increased prices for food, health care, child care and housing, and inflation is at a 40-year high.
Rep. Carbajal said inflation resulted because of supply disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the U.S. needs to make sure its ports are operating 24/7.
One issue on many voters’ minds is the American border with Mexico and what critics have said is a lack of security to prevent human trafficking, drug smuggling and other criminal activity. People have also expressed concern about illegal immigration.
“First thing we need to do is make sure the United States is working with Latin American countries to make sure there are investments being made, so people are not wanting to come to the United States in such significant numbers,” Rep. Carbajal said.
The congressman also called for more U.S. personnel at the border and for comprehensive immigration reform. He said the immigration system “has been broken for decades.”
Rep. Carbajal was elected to Congress in 2016 and is seeking his fourth term in the House. Before that, he served on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.
email: dmason@newspress.com
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