issues
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Immigration / Border Security
The United States has seen an unprecedented and deliberate surge from the day this administration stepped into office and opened the borders through executive fiat. As a border state, Texans are particularly paying the price in light of the lack of controls for the safety and welfare of our citizens during this border crisis and a worldwide pandemic. As a result, our resources are overwhelmed and to date, there has been no visit from the Biden/Harris administration to the hardest hit sectors in South Texas.
Our sovereignty is sacred and law and order are paramount! To question this, we are instantly called racist, xenophobes, and the like. They say we must show dignity and respect. Meanwhile, they are trapped in cages THEY built in 2014, inches apart from each other, sleeping on cold floors and taking CBP off the frontline and all during a pandemic. There is NO dignity and respect in forcing individuals to endure a treacherous 1,000 – 2,000 mile trek and deal with these living conditions inches apart from one another, on cold floors, and at 1500% over capacity at one point.
As your congressman, I am going back to securing our borders. Giving our men and women on the frontlines the tools to do their job. This will also include working with our neighbors to the South to make living conditions more favorable in their country. And finally, FINISHING the wall.
As a fourth-generation Texan raised in McAllen Texas, and son of two hard-working migrant workers, I have personally observed the dangers and harm caused by unsecured borders and liberal immigration policies. Importantly, this issue affects ALL Texans and citizens of the United States, not just those back home in the Rio Grande Valley.
Return to Energy Independence
Texas has long been a world leader in the energy sector including technology, process improvement/efficiency, and in recent years, production from the largest reserves on the globe. This has resulted in renewed opportunities and growth in our communities, as well as the creation of some of the best paying jobs our middle class has seen. This trickle effect is fueling growth in our economy and making us energy independent. No longer do we have to depend on countries that feed dictatorships and terrorist organizations. Since February of 2021, the rapid decline in this sector began. Fuel prices have increased $1.25 – $1.50 per gallon (more in some areas) and now this administration is asking OPEC to increase their production. This means we are going back to buying foreign oil from some not so friendly countries. This is in effect a tax on the middle class that touches almost all consumer goods or any transportation median that moves these goods.
A study by Texans for Natural Gas stated, “The United States is now producing more oil and natural gas than any country in the world, and American oil and natural gas production volumes are at record highs” and “The United States is poised to export more energy than it imports for the first time since the 1950s; during the past decade the U.S. energy trade deficit fell by $363 billion, while the non-energy trade deficit rose by $343 billion.”
Texas accounts for 40% of oil and 25% of the natural gas output in the US, with our state commerce comprising the 9th largest economy in the world. It is imperative to maintain energy independence and not fall behind as the current abomination of a Presidential Administration continues to erase all our hard earned gains. Cyberattacks to our critical pipeline infrastructure should never happen, much less to the extent we are now seeing. As your Congressman, I will call for immediate investigations into this and many similar matters.
Defend the Second Amendment
A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. The Second Amendment is included in our Constitution so that the government could not overrule the citizens. It is to serve against government encroachments against the will of ‘We the People’. This amendment was developed because of what our founding fathers saw occur in other parts of the world where unrestricted rule immune from consequence always led to tyranny. “Not on my watch.”
As a Life Member of the NRA, I will hold this right in the hands of the people. No matter how many laws you pass, criminals will not obey them. Why leave law abiding citizens vulnerable and unarmed. This tactic of control does not make sense for people that have this Constitutional right to protect themselves and love ones around them. I know I would not hesitate to protect any defenseless person around me at any given time. I will not deviate, I will not falter, and I will never give up on this right to bear arms.
voter integrity
This issue is simply about allowing ALL Americans to be confident in the election process. Voter ID should be just as standard as getting on a plane, cashing a check or the litany of other verification processes that allows you not to be defrauded by anyone else. It is in fact, your identity. There should not be a single citizen opposed to the integrity of our vote and the transparency of the systems and processes. The structure is fragmented and there is a need for reform. Free and fair elections should include poll watchers of all parties, extended hour voting without all night, unattended locations with multiple opportunities for fraud or lack of oversight, and one vote for every legal, registered voter as the law requires. The states are moving in this direction to ensure that every vote counts and that every vote is fair and legal. This is not a Right or Left issue; this is about fairness and confidence in our voting system for all Americans. As your congressman, I do not want to over legislate or create a law for every little issue. This process should reside in the hands of the state and should remain fair, safe, and secure elections for all US Citizens.
jobs / Economy
Progressive policies have always stifled small businesses and hard-working Americans election cycle after election cycle when the left take control. The US saw tremendous growth from a flat economy being fueled by economic policies that worked for small businesses and the people. Why do we need a jobs bill when prior to the pandemic we had the lowest unemployment without using taxpayer’s money? America First policies proved to the nation that by putting our nation front and center, the US prospered with a robust and thriving economy. We saw our economy fuel job growth and set record lows of unemployment for Latinos, African Americans, Asians, and Women. We also saw some of the highest labor participation rates which meant that jobs were being created and workers were needed in many sectors. A proven policy that created jobs and benefited our constituents. A policy that needs to be reinstated and get America back to pre-pandemic form. This can be done again and I will be a part of the solution, not the problem.
We are seeing record inflation in our current administration and it is hitting the middle class hard. The progressive left always comes in as the party that works for the blue-collar worker but in actuality, they tax them in the form of inflation, regulation, corporate tax rates, etc. All factors trickle down and hit the everyday hardworking American in the pocketbook. These policies are supposedly meant for the rich but end up hurting our most vulnerable working-class families.
veterans
Texas does more for Veterans than just about any other State in the Union. I am so proud of that but we can always do more. The persisting Global War of Terror, now entering into its second decade, has produced more combat Veterans into the civilian fold than any previous war since World War II.
Today we have a growing Veteran community made up of lifelong Texans and those who chose to come to our great State versus returning to their State of origin. This lets us know that our State is attracting many of the great men and women who selflessly served and sacrificed to defend and protect our freedoms.
A reimbursed college education through the Hazelwood Act, the Legacy Act, and even the Hazelwood Act for Spouse/Child for the Veteran or his/her family is a fantastic offering, unmatched by any other State. But it is only extended to designated post 9/11 Veterans and their families. Many Veterans are not eligible for these services.
Our Texas Veterans Commission serves to assist Texas Veterans in their service applications for benefits through the Veterans Administration but rare is the Veteran we find who has actually used the TVC in their quest for assistance. This can and should be improved. Texas offers nine homes to Veterans in need but we could easily provide more. Much more.
Our Texas Veterans Land Board provides a unique opportunity and advantage but is it being optimized to its best potential? Many additionally State sponsored perks, such as Hunting and Fishing licensing and Drivers Licenses, are restricted to a certain level of “disability” (50-60% and greater) before the Veteran becomes “eligible.” Is this the right thing to do? Shouldn’t all who serve receive such low cost benefits such as this? According to the VA, as of 2017, there are only 1,584,844 Veterans residing in Texas that has a current registered population of 29,183,290 citizens (0.05%) of our State’s population. I believe that we can do far better than this.
And concerning the VA, not all who serve return home “disabled.” This is especially true during peace time service periods. This is a huge can of worms that needs to be addressed through our VA legislation. This disability rating program has created far more issues than it has resolved and our research into this matter has a very long list of Veterans with tragic stories in their agonizing quest to receive just coverage and benefits whereby some others receive substantial benefits with no such true disabilities but they knew how to “work the system.” In my opinion, the entire system is problematic from conception and should be wholly revamped.
CRIME / Human Trafficking
The disgusting and abysmal black-market human trafficking trade needs to be disintegrated into oblivion forever. Those who support and assist the Human Trafficking Industry, whether it be for sex, drugs, servitude, illegal weapons, et al, need to feel the extreme and heavy hand of justice to the fullest extent our laws will allow. Under Pres. Trump’s term, we witnessed a significant increase in arrests and convictions of human traffickers into the hundreds of thousands. Funds (well purposed, in my opinion) were allocated to organizations dedicated to combatting this travesty the current administration is ignoring. Organizations like Operation Underground Railroad (Tim Ballard) and Vets for Child Rescue (Craig “Sawman” Sawyer) are doing God’s work to save all those affected. As your Congressman, I will tirelessly work to support all organizations helping fight against the human trafficking industry, and ensure they are allocated necessary funding and resources.
The fight against human trafficking must not ever cease or relax until this sinister and heinous market is completely defeated and destroyed. If elected, I intend to be a strong and powerful voice for the women, children and all who are affected by this circuit. As a father with a natural instinct to protect not only my children but all children, I will be unrelenting in my efforts to ensure our laws swiftly place these evil criminals front and center into our prisons and penitentiaries. I will even take steps to further Tim and Craig’s organizations by developing a specialized task force to combat this industry until this atrocity is annihilated!
healthcare / vaccine mandates
The practice of medicine, and its embodiment in the clinical encounter between a patient and a physician, is fundamentally a moral activity that arises from the imperative to care for patients and to alleviate suffering. The relationship between a patient and a physician is based on trust, which gives rise to physicians’ ethical responsibility to place patients’ welfare above the physician’s own self-interest or obligations to others, to use sound medical judgment on patients’ behalf, and to advocate for their patients’ welfare.
Having said that, I believe in freedom of choice for individuals. That choice should solely lie in the hands of your physician and their patient. The government should not mandate or force anyone to take a one size fits all shot. Nor should nonelected bureaucratic agencies dictate what we should do as citizens when we all know our doctor-patient relationship is the best answer for the individual’s healthcare needs, even during a pandemic.
I will strive to exhaust all congressional efforts to prohibit exorbitant bills resulting from patients’ accidentally or unknowingly receiving services from out-of-network physicians. To also help push to have the following placed into proper legislation once we repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aka Obamacare: Access to Affordable Life-Saving Medications, Increasing Drug Importation to Lower Prices for American Patients, Lowering Prices for Patients by Eliminating Kickbacks to Middlemen, Lowering Drug Prices, Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Healthcare to Put Patients First, Protecting and Improving Medicare for Our Nation’s Seniors and many more sound Patient First initiatives.
trade policy
Trade policy has long been a debate that is only driven by the narrative from the Left no matter how unpractical, illogical, or harmful the idea of fairness and balance to all trade deals are to our workers and businesses. The simple idea is that when we put the interest of our people and companies first, apply fairness to all involved and protect our intellectual property. Until we have fair access to other markets and countries as we allow for here in the United States, our country needs to be more assertive in our stance and impose the same rules, regulations, and tariffs they impose on us. This is a two-way street and that balance has to take hold with a spine and enforce fairness while importing or exporting goods around the world.
education
Our founders want every citizen to read and write. The early days of any type of education included God at a minimum from a moral standpoint. Educating our citizens was vital in understanding why we formed and about our nation. Now, the progressive Leftists are indoctrinating our children on how bad America really is rather than the good this country has provided for our people and for the world. Are we perfect? No. But we are still the greatest country that has ever been formed. The regurgitation of “oppression” and “equity” and other key words are thrown around as if we lived in a communist country or still living in slavery. We have a 1st Amendment that allows us to speak freely, we have a free-market capital economy and we are a free society. This perverted socialist/communist dogma will destroy the very fabric of this great country if we do not take back the reigns of reason. Our children need to be proud and understand why we live in one of the greatest civilizations ever created.
History based on original sources needs to be taught on our founding, understanding/learning the Constitution. Race to the top, No Child Left Behind, Common Core and now Critical Race Theory, the 1619 Project are the new fads that progressives are trying to seep into our educational systems. These programs/projects will NOT be a part of our curriculum or be implemented in any form. Hate and divisive teaching will not and should not be taught. Critical thought and classical education should be a vital part of the growth of our children.
Halting this slow drip needs to happen immediately and parents have to be involved every step of the way. We need the help from State and local education positions to remain what was the original intent. Critical Thought not critical race theory, education choice for all not social justice or equity at the cost of the vast majority of the population and finally, common sense not common core.
