Below is the full text of the presidential candidates' answers to six local questions posed by The Times of Northwest Indiana. Each side had one week to respond to the same questionnaire.

1) Heavy industries drive the economy of Northwest Indiana, but some local residents are concerned about levels of pollution the companies produce. Others fear ever-stricter pollution standards will force companies to move away from this region and indeed the United States. How would you work to balance the need for jobs and concerns about the environment?

Clinton: I believe that economic and environmental progress can -- and should -- go hand-in-hand. The Bush Administration has taken numerous steps to weaken environmental laws that protect our health, our air, and our water. As President, I would reverse those actions and restore our environmental laws. At the same time, I believe that we need to take steps to shore up our industrial and manufacturing base, and to help our domestic manufacturing industries compete and win in the industries of the future. I have outlined a comprehensive agenda to strengthen our environment, invest in alternative energy, promote green manufacturing, and create at least five million jobs here in the United States (www.hillaryclinton.com/poweringamericasfuture.pdf). I also believe we need to get tough on countries like China to ensure that as we move forward in strengthening our environmental laws, we are not putting American companies and workers at a competitive disadvantage.

Obama: I am a firm believer that we can strike a right balance between supporting industry and protecting the environment.' The Clean Air Act guarantees all Americans, even the most vulnerable among us, the right to breathe clean air.' During my time on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I helped stop President Bush's attempt to undermine the Clean Air Act, which would have increased industrial emissions of mercury and sulfur.' I also helped block attempts to roll back environmental regulations on oil refineries.' And I've been an outspoken proponent of funding for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005, a bipartisan initiative that could achieve major reductions in harmful emissions by helping states clean up diesel vehicles.' As president, I will restore the force of the Clean Air Act.' I will fight for continued reductions in smog and soot, and continue my leadership in combating toxins that contribute to air pollution.'

We can take these necessary steps and ensure that good jobs remain in Indiana." My comprehensive climate change initiative will not only stem the emission of greenhouse gases, but will also invest $150 billion over the next decade in developing clean energy technologies ' investments that will create 5 millions new American jobs.' For example, my plan will invest in technology that can be used to retrofit existing outdated power plants in Indiana and across the country.' And more good-paying jobs will be created in Indiana to complete these types of projects ' jobs that can't be outsourced to other countries.' That's good for the environment and Indiana workers.

2) More and more of the industries in Northwest Indiana, including steel mills, are being purchased by foreign-owned corporations. What is your opinion of this trend?

Clinton: Ensuring a strong domestic manufacturing base is critical to the U.S. economy, workers, and our national security. The steel industry is a vital component of that base, and I am committed to supporting policies that will help American steel companies compete on a level playing field so they can remain American-owned and -operated.

One of the biggest problems the American steel industry faces is unfair competition from other countries, particularly China. This President has been contemptuous of enforcing our trade laws and weak when it comes to standing up to China's currency manipulation. The Bush Administration has allowed China to become our banker, with China now holding a half-trillion dollars of our debt. As President, I will get tough on China and fully enforce our trade laws. I will enact legislation that will mandate retaliation if China continues to hurt our exporters by manipulating its currency. I will ensure that domestic industries -- including steel -- that are hurt by surges of Chinese imports get the relief they deserve. I will insist on strong labor and environmental provisions in all trade agreements so our workers are not caught in a race to the bottom.

I will also focus on maintaining a strong defense industrial base. We should not outsource the manufacturing capabilities essential to our national security. I have a plan that would require a comprehensive review of the defense industrial base, which we have not undertaken in 15 years, along with close reviews of foreign attempts to invest in industries related to national security, a steady commitment to 'Buy America' provisions, and a new inter-agency task force to combat industrial espionage that is leaching American technological advantage to other countries illegally.

Obama: The people of Indiana have been directly impacted by the changes in our economy " whether its the loss of steel jobs over the past few decades or the Magnequench plant moving to China. 'Northwest Indiana residents are still worried about whether they're going to lose their jobs and how they're going to make ends meet if that happens.' I refuse to stand idly by while workers watch their jobs get shipped overseas. We need a president who's working as hard for you as you're working for your families. And that's the kind of President I intend to be.

We can't keep passing unfair trade deals like NAFTA that put special interests over workers' interests.' I didn't just start criticizing unfair trade deals like NAFTA because I started running for office - I'm doing it because I've seen what happens to a community when the factory closes down and the jobs move overseas. I began my career as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, fighting joblessness and poverty in neighborhoods that were devastated when the local steel plant closed.

And it's because of this longstanding commitment to working families that I will not sign any trade agreement as President that does not have protections for our environment and protections for American workers. And I'll pass the Patriot Employer Act that I've been fighting for ever since I ran for the Senate so we can end tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those breaks to companies that create good jobs with decent wages here in America. '

While we have to acknowledge that some of the jobs we've seen go overseas are not coming back, there is more we can do to create new jobs here at home.' We can invest in American jobs by investing in America, and rebuilding our roads and bridges. I've proposed a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank that will invest $60 billion over ten years. This will multiply into almost half a trillion dollars of additional infrastructure spending and generate nearly two million new jobs ' many of them in the construction industry that's been hard hit by the housing crisis we're facing. Additionally, we can do more to create the green jobs that are jobs of the future. My energy plan will put $150 billion over ten years into establishing a green energy sector that will create up to 5 million new jobs over the next two decades ' jobs right here in Indiana that pay well and can't be outsourced. And we'll provide funding to help manufacturers convert to green technology and help workers learn the skills they need for these jobs.

3) Northwest Indiana has been suggested as the location for a "third Chicago airport" to relieve the chronic congestion of Midway and O'Hare airports. Would you consider locating the third airport in Indiana? Why or why not?'

Clinton: The Bush Administration has completely failed to address the growing congestion in our nation's airspace. Bush's FAA has relied on untested proposals and ignored the public in developing solutions. The airspace in New York City-metro area, like the airspace in the Chicago-metro area, is one of the most congested areas in the country. Disruption and delays in these air spaces ripple throughout the country. As Senator, I secured an investigation from the DOT's Inspector General to examine the near-misses of aircraft in the New York City area. I secured legislation that has been signed into law that would require the Secretary of Transportation to report to Congress about how the FAA intends to reduce congestion and flight delays in the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia airspace by this summer. I also helped to secure legislation that has been signed into to law that would mandate the Government Accountability Office to examine the effectiveness of a variety of approaches used nationwide to reduce flight delays.

As President, I will not ignore our nation's growing congestion problem. I will work aggressively with states and the public to reduce congestion while keeping air fares affordable. And I will work with stakeholders and the public to ensure that siting decisions, like where to locate a third Chicago airport, take into account the environmental concerns and the economic prosperity of the region.

Obama: As the population of the Chicago metropolitan area and northwest Indiana continues to grow, we will need infrastructure investments in all modes of transportation to mitigate congestion and encourage economic development.' One area where improvement is greatly needed is air travel, so I support the efforts of the City of Gary to enhance the role of its airport in the region.' It's important to determine why airlines have committed to serve this airport in the past, but have been unsuccessful in their efforts.' As a U.S. Senator, I have been a strong proponent of encouraging airlines to serve regional airports, and as president, I will continue this support.' The decision of whether and where to build a new regional airport is a complicated one and requires an examination of many factors, including the capacity at existing airports, anticipated population growth, the availability of access roads, and the runway configurations of existing airports.' I am committed to working with state and local officials on the best solution to airport congestion in the region."

4) The city of Gary saw homicides rise to a ten-year high last year, as this city of about 95,000 posted an average of one killing every five days. What would you as President do to help alleviate such a criminal trend?

Clinton: It is a sad day in America when the President can find hundreds of billions of dollars to police another country's civil war, but cuts funding for police officers right here at home. We deserve better. Our local communities shouldn't be tackling this problem alone. The federal government has to live up to its responsibility to help restore order in our communities, pave the way for economic development and new jobs, and help our families feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. I am proud to be the first candidate left in this race to outline a detailed, ambitious plan to address the problem of crime in America's communities.

We'll start by setting a bold goal: as President, I intend to focus on cities with high homicide rates ' and we will cut those rates in half. I will direct the Deputy Attorney General to form partnerships with cities like Gary and I will provide the tools and resources to help achieve this goal. That means restoring the COPS program and adding 100,000 new community police officers to police forces across the country. It means providing these officers with the latest research on innovative crime-fighting tools and arming them with the latest technologies to target high crime areas. And it means providing new gang reduction and drug market elimination grants to help cities create partnerships to keep young people out of gangs and get drugs off our streets. We'll send a clear signal to gang members and drug dealers that their own communities reject violence; that violence and drug trafficking will be met with clear and certain consequences; and that alternatives are available to those who want them. We'll also fund a new anti-gun trafficking initiative. We'll fully repeal the law that limits ATF's ability to share gun trace information with the public and local law enforcement, and we'll direct ATF to work with local law enforcement agencies across America to help them track and trace illegal guns.

Finally, I will put $1 billion a year into helping cities and states reduce recidivism ' and reduce the size of the prison population ' by improving our criminal justice system and funding innovative reentry programs that help ex-offenders become productive citizens rather than violent repeat offenders.

Obama: The heartbreaking violence in Gary mirrors what we've seen in so many of our cities ' one that I've seen in my own hometown of Chicago and that cities across the country have experienced in recent years.' Some say we should focus on tougher law enforcement, others that we should focus on prevention ' I believe we need both.' Studies have shown success in certain Chicago neighborhoods and places across the country with prevention initiatives where the police work with former gang members, youth organizations, churches, and trusted community members to call for truces, stop shootings, and prevent retaliations. These programs work, and we should do more to bring them to scale across the country.'

We also need to strengthen law enforcement.' It is an outrage that the Bush Administration has decimated the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program each year since taking office, removing police officers from the streets at the very moment they're needed most.' That's why I've co-sponsored legislation to fund the COPS program and equip our police officers with better technology to investigate and prevent crime.

It's also irresponsible to let deadly weapons fall into dangerous hands in the first place ' we need to stop the illegal trafficking and purchase of guns.' I greatly respect the constitutional right of Americans to bear arms.' But I also believe that we can respect the Second Amendment and traditions of lawful gun-owners and promote public safety.' We need to make the Assault Weapon ban permanent, close the gun show loophole, and tighten our background checks by improving the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. We also need to repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which is making it more difficult for law enforcement to share information and fight crime. I refuse to accept that we have to put gun rights at risk to put an end to gun violence. I believe that if we act responsibly, we can both protect our traditions and save our children.'

In the end, we have to recognize the root causes of this problem and the reality that government alone is not the answer. We have to do more in our own lives and communities to help stop this violence. We need to support families, particularly fathers, who are struggling but trying to do the right thing; who are trying to turn off the TVs and read more to their children.' We need to provide quality education programs to all of our kids, and invest in after-school programs and affordable child care so that there's an alternative between 3 and 5 p.m. to hanging out on the street.' And we need to have in place a serious anti-poverty program.

5) Northwest Indiana is the primary gateway to Chicago from the East Coast for truckers and commuters, yet the region has only one major east-west interstate. Would you favor extension of Interstate 355 in Illinois to "wrap around Chicago," linking to Interstate 65 in Indiana as a traffic reliever and pledge federal support for such a project? Why or why not?

Clinton: We badly need to update and upgrade our road and highway system. Right now, we're trying to run today's economy on yesterday's infrastructure ' and we're jeopardizing tomorrow's prosperity. The hours we spend sitting in traffic cost as much as $170 billion a year in wasted time, fuel, productivity, as well as damage to our environment. It's like trying to run a company today with typewriters, mimeograph machines, or rotary phones. If you're lucky, you might break even ' but you sure don't expect to break much of a profit.

I've announced a comprehensive plan to rebuild America's infrastructure, repair and upgrade our roads, ensure the safety of American travelers, and to put at least 3 million people to work in good-paying infrastructure jobs.

My plan ensures that the federal government will be a partner with Northwest Indiana and that Northwest Indiana will get the resources it needs to accommodate the truckers and commuters who keep the regional economy ' and help keep our nation's economy ' running. That would include the sorts of improvements described in the question.

The first thing I'll do is invest $10 billion over 10 years in an 'Emergency Repair Fund' to begin addressing the extensive backlog of immediate needs. Where traffic and congestion are crippling local economies and stunting economic growth, we will make swift investments to expand and upgrade our highways. I will also establish a National Infrastructure Bank ' a federally-backed independent bank that will evaluate and finance large infrastructure projects by subsidies, loan guarantees, and bonds backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

Obama: There is no question that infrastructure investments are needed in northwest Indiana and south Cook County to address truck access.' If the forecasts are correct, the capacity improvements on the Borman/Kingery will be short lived.' I-80 is approaching capacity to the west and the Indiana tollway will be absorbing its capacity in the next few years.' I know that the Indiana Department of Transportation is the lead on the proposed Illiana expressway that would connect I-57 to I-65, and I will be interested reviewing the conclusions of its study that is currently ongoing to ensure the project meets the needed projected capacity, regional development, and environmental concerns.' The challenge is funding this type of project, which would be difficult using conventional state and federal funding.'

In general, this issue is directly tied to our lack of investment in our national transportation.' I strongly support far greater federal investments in our nation's infrastructure for projects of this type, which have both national and regional significance. I've proposed a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank that will invest $60 billion over ten years. This invest will also generate nearly two million new jobs - many of them in the construction industry that's been hard hit by the housing crisis we're facing.

6) Some government and business leaders in Northwest Indiana want to expand this region's one rail line connection to Chicago's commuter rail system to encourage economic development. Thousands of Illinois residents are moving to Northwest Indiana and could benefit from expanded commuter service. The state has pledged millions, but added funding will be needed. Would you support this project? How?

Clinton: I will be a stronger supporter of commuter rail, and when I am President the federal government will make serious investments in these projects. I will increase federal investment in intercity passenger rail by $1 billion over five years in order to help finance capital projects.

In the 21st Century, intercity passenger rail should be a viewed as a critical component of the nation's transportation system. It is an environmentally efficient alternative to highway driving and short flights; it relieves congestion on roads and airports; it reduces the emission of automotive pollutants; and it stimulates economic growth by linking metropolitan areas. States have been left to pursue intercity rail projects with only modest federal support. I believe that greater federal involvement is needed to maximize the potential of this mode of transportation.

Obama: Yes, I would.' In addition to supporting the necessary investments to modernize the infrastructure of the South Shore, I also support a similar model that we pursued in Illinois, where increased financial support for existing Amtrak trains in the region can add capacity to accommodate communities, as we did with the Hiawatha line for commuters from Chicago to Milwaukee.