Frank McNeill

Candidate for Congress, District 8, Democrat

1. Please tell the public a little about yourself – your background, education, and relevant experience.

I am a lifelong resident of our 8th Congressional District. I graduated from Pinecrest High School, where my mom served as our School Librarian, and from Appalachian State with a degree in Business Administration/Economics. I am the President of a 3rd generation family business serving Moore and Hoke counties since 1928.

I served 10 years on my hometown Aberdeen Town Board, and two terms as Mayor of Aberdeen. Subsequently, I was elected to our Moore County School Board.

My professional commitments include service as past-President of the North Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association, past-President of our PURE Board, leading more than 300 independent business owners across NC. In both jobs I worked with state and federal elected officials on regulatory and environmental legislation.

My civic and community service include immediate past-District Chairmen of the Boy Scouts of America, past-Director of the Sand Hills Chamber of Commerce, and current President of the Aberdeen Lyons Club.

2. Why are you running for the United States House of Representatives?

I believe Congress is broken. Too much dark money influences the basic functioning of Congress. Members are talking past one another, grandstanding on issues that divide the American people, and truly abdicating their Constitutional oath to govern. Governing demands compromise. It’s the foundation of our political system.

3. If elected/re-elected, what are some of the goals you hope to accomplish?

I will work with every member of Congress - Democrat or Republican - who wants to help Americans succeed. I will work hard and honorably to represent the families and communities of our 8th District.

I will fight for affordable healthcare, especially to protect coverage for pre-existing conditions and dramatically lower costs for prescription drugs. I will vote to ensure decent healthcare coverage for all Americans, regardless of their ability to pay.

I will work hard to expand Broadband Internet across the rural communities of our 8th District. That alone will help our small businesses compete for customers and assist our students gain access to 21st Century education tools, so they can become better prepared for the technology economy.

And I will vote to sharply limit the powerfully negative impact of unlimited dark money our election campaigns at every level of American politics.

4. Please briefly describe your stance on some current issues that you consider important or relevant to North Carolina and Hoke County residents.

Affordable healthcare, including coverage for pre-existing conditions and dramatically lower costs for prescription drugs. Expanding Broadband Internet access. Improving Veterans’ Benefits for our vets and their families.

5. How will you support job creation and wage growth?

I’ll work to expand Broadband Internet to help our small businesses and public school students grow and learn. That, in turn, will help attract new businesses looking for affordable places to grow and find a well trained workforce to hire.

Develop tax incentives and public/private partnerships to expand opportunities for 21st Century job grow in alternative energy production, especially Solar Power production and the manufacture of solar power components - a field in which NC is already a national leader.

6. Are there any federally funded programs that you particularly support or oppose, and if so, why?

I support protecting Medicare and Social Security from massive Republican-led cuts. I support changing federal Medicare regulations - with a single vote in Congress - to allow Medicare to negotiate with private drug companies to lower prescription drug prices, which is now prohibited under the Republican-led Congress.

7. What efforts would you propose or support to improve our nation’s schools, including school safety?

School safety is priority #1! We must rethink our federal gun safety laws. We must accept Universal Background Checks - No Exceptions! I would consider supporting a law giving local law enforcement and mental health professionals the ability to remove weapons from the possession of an individual who had demonstrated to the satisfaction of a Judge the intent to do harm to others.

There is no mystery to why our public schools are less able to properly educate our students. Massive cuts to state and federal funding is seriously disrupting our ability to provide adequate educational technology.

8. What are the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs, and what would you do to help address them?

The crisis is so big that this is too short an answer to make an adequate list. Our borders are insecure. Our federal safety regulations - from Air Traffic Safety to securing our national Power Grid - a deeply behind in vital technological upgrades. We need massive investment to rebuild our roads, highways and bridges right here in NC. That is a job-creation panacea.

9. If elected/re-elected, what improvements would you like to help make possible in District 8?

I have addressed that question in my answers to #5, #7 and #8.

10. If elected/re-elected, how will you foster connections and communication with District 8 residents?

Unlike the incumbent, I will hold frequent, regular and well publicized Town Halls and Q&A sessions, in-person and over the Internet, all across every one of the seven counties in my district. I have absolutely no other political aspirations than proudly serving the people of our 8th Congressional District.

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