ANGELA CLODFELTER
Assistant News Editor
Tom White is not only an alum from Creighton Law School, but he is also the congressional candidate from Nebraska’s 2nd District who will be running against Lee Terry in next year’s election.
White is also an advocate of reforming health care policies. Legislative Bill 551 is an example of what White has done to aid college students in terms of health care.
The bill allows parents to continue insuring their children as they complete their studies or as they struggle in the real world.
“Tom White was instrumental in getting a state health policy reform passed last year to allow students to stay on parent’s insurance longer, so that they could stay covered even while going to school part time,” said Susan Crawford, an associate professor of political science and international relations.
“I think this bill sounds amazing. I can see where it would really help kids our age who are in school. Paying for rent, food and gas is hard enough,” Ryan Sparks, Arts & Sciences junior said.
“As I talk with families across the metro area, I hear over and over again that Nebraskans want an independent voice standing up for them in Congress,” White said. “That’s why I’m running.”
White said he believes he is a voice for the middle-class. He has worked with Democrats and Republicans alike, working with tax relief, job creation, government efficiency and transparency and state aid for metro area schools.
By fighting for more state aid for metro area schools, White received the Nebraska State Education Association’s early commitment of support.
In their endorsement, they cited Sen. White’s “wealth of knowledge and an ability and willingness to work across party lines to find solutions to the problems facing our nation.”
White believes in standing up for the taxpayers and only supports balanced budgets. White said he does not feel that tax increases are a good solution because they hurt middle class families.
In the beginning of 2009, White introduced and passed the Taxpayer Transparency Act, which requires a nonpolitical Web site to display and track all state spending.
“I think that being able to see what our state spends money on is necessary and benefits us. I really like that we are now able to see where all of the money goes,” Lia Catania, an Arts & Sciences junior said.
White currently represents the Omaha neighborhoods of Benson and Dundee in the Nebraska state legislature. He graduated from Regis University in 1979 and then from Creighton School of Law in 1983.
White is the main front runner against Lee Terry in the 2010 election.