Archive of Campaign Promises

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Mike Honda (D)

US House of Representatives, District 15

These statements are shown exactly as they appeared at http://www.mikehonda.com in November 2000

Mike Honda on Education "As a former teacher and principal, Mike Honda has seen first-hand the problems teachers face when trying to work in overcrowded classrooms. More often than not, the learning process breaks down and students get left behind. Honda has been a consistent champion of class size reduction efforts in the California Assembly and worked to pass legislation reducing class sizes. As a Member of Congress, Honda will support legislation to fund hiring 100,000 new teachers in grades one through three to reduce the student/teacher ratio to 18 to 1." Mike Honda on the Environment "In the Assembly, we counted on Mike to protect our environment, and he delivered. Mike Honda is the only candidate for Congress to earn a 100% rating every year from the CA League of Conservation Voters. In the Assembly, Mike successfully fought for nearly $15 million in funding for the Nature Conservancy and expansion of Henry Coe Park. He has worked to protect children from lead poisoning, and as a County Supervisor, Mike Honda created the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, which has since acquired over 15,000 acres for open space preservation. He also brought environmentalists and property owners together to develop a nationally recognized Master Trail Plan. In addition, Mike played a lead role in the effort to extend Cal Train to the southern portion of Santa Clara County. In Congress, Mike Honda will continue to support public transportation and federal funding for transportation projects. He will also work to reduce long commute times by supporting programs designed to locate jobs closer to housing. Bad air quality affects everyone, especially children. In the Assembly, Mike has supported legislation designed to protect children from air pollutants. Honda also recognizes the link between public transportation and improved air quality, which is why he will fight for more federal dollars for BART and light rail extensions. Honda supports the use of zero/low emission vehicles, and will continue to push for the development of these technologies. Mike is committed to curbing greenhouse pollution and will fight for significantly increasing CAFE. Americans also need clean water, which is why Mike Honda supports health-based standards for the Clean Water Act, as well as 'right-to-know' legislation so that Americans can be informed about toxins in their water. Urban sprawl leads to traffic congestion, loss of open space, higher local tax rates and declining urban centers. Mike Honda supports urban renewal and open space legislation that will offer tax deductions for cleaning up brownfields and donating land for conservation. As a former 9 year Planning Commissioner, Mike knows the need for careful and thoughtful planning, and supports protection of agricultural areas. Mike Honda wants to phase out taxpayer-subsidized commercial logging in our National Forests. He also supports protection of natural habitats and threatened species through strict enforcement of water quality standards and clean-up of toxic 'hot spots' in bays and estuaries. Honda believes that natural habitats should be protected, and that polluters should be punished for damages to these habitats." Mike Honda on Transportation "In Congress, Mike Honda will continue to support public transportation and federal funding for transportation projects. He will also work to reduce long commute times by supporting programs designed to locate jobs closer to housing. From the San Jose Planning Commission to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to the State Assembly, Mike Honda has produced consistent results on transportation issues that affect Silicon Valley residents. As a Supervisor, he led the campaign to bring Caltrain to southern Santa Clara County, to double the number of trains on the San Jose-Gilroy line, and to extend light rail service to Almaden, Tasman Corridor, East Side/Capitol Corridor, and West Valley. As an Assemblymember, Mike Honda is authoring legislation (AB 2365) to ensure timely and efficient implementation of Santa Clara County's Measure B on transportation improvement, which he supported along with Measure A. As a member of the Revenue and Taxation Committee, he supported a bill (AB 1706) to eliminate the double tax on gasoline. EXTENDING RAIL SERVICE TO SILICON VALLEY: With our economy booming and Silicon Valley home prices continuing to rise, more and more people face long commutes every day. Mike Honda wants to relieve the pressure on our highways and reduce traffic congestion by continuing to expand Caltrain and Light Rail service in Santa Clara County, and by bringing BART to San Jose. As a member of Congress, he will push for increased federal funding to support these crucial local projects. SUPPORTING ZERO AND LOW EMISSION VEHICLES: California has long led the country in the effort to reduce automobile emissions, but there is much more to be done. Mike Honda supports raising pollution standards so that new automobiles have to be more efficient and run cleaner. As a member of Congress, he will continue to push for tax credits and other governmental support for research and development of alternative fuel sources and zero-emission or ultra low-emission vehicles. Assemblymember Honda showed his support of such technologies when he voted to allow low and zero emission vehicles to use California's carpool lanes (AB 71). LOCATING HOUSING CLOSER TO PUBLIC TRANSIT AND TO JOBS: Urban sprawl moves housing away from jobs and public transit, resulting in long commutes and traffic congestion. As a member of Congress, Mike Honda will support the Better America Bonds bill (HR 2446), which will let state, local and tribal governments raise money to combat sprawl. He is the only candidate who supported an amendment to the California Constitution (SCA 3) that would have given California communities increased power to raise money to fund transportation projects. Mike Honda supports putting housing closer to jobs and transit, and he supports efforts to find regional solutions to regional transportation problems."

This page first published April 6, 2001 -- last updated April 6, 2001