Priorities

Drain The Swamp

Washington, D.C. wastes far too much money on programs that either don’t work, have outlived their usefulness, or should never have existed in the first place. Members of Congress love to create programs, but they don’t spend much time checking to see if taxpayers are getting their money’s worth.  I pride myself on being a taxpayer watchdog and supporting efforts to make the federal government more efficient, effective, and accountable.

Among others, I strongly support the following policies to drain the swamp:

CUTTING TAXES: I oppose tax increases, and I fight with everything I’ve got to cut your taxes.  Politicians in Washington, D.C. far too often forget that the dollars they are spending are not theirs: they belong to you.  That means every dollar less the federal government spends is a dollar more that stays in your pocket where it belongs.

TERM LIMITS: I support term limits for politicians and have co-sponsored legislation implementing a cap of three terms for members of the House of Representatives and two terms for members of the Senate.

BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT: Every year families and small businesses across the country are forced to set and live by a budget. 46 states are required to have balanced budgets, but the federal government has no such requirement.  As a result, Congress regularly passes budgets that never balance, put us into even more debt and mortgage our children’s future.  I support and have voted in favor of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to fix this problem, and I’ll keep fighting to get it across the finish line!  

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS: One of the best ways we can prevent fraud and abuse in the federal government is to strengthen whistleblower protections.  Specifically, I’ve helped pass legislation to strengthen protections for whistleblowers at the Department of Veterans Affairs where far too often veteran’s receive care that is not up to par with the sacrifice they gave for our nation.

Sadly, the policies proposed by Democrats in Washington, D.C. seem designed to achieve the exact opposite: more power for them, their special interest allies and their political operatives.  Recently, they’ve sought to manipulate the federal election system to funnel taxpayer dollars into their own campaigns, turn Washington, D.C. into a state, raise taxes, spend trillions of dollars we don’t have and force their radical social agenda on all of us.  I strongly oppose their embrace of socialist policies, and I’ll do everything in my power to stop it from happening!

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Defending Life

As a father of four beautiful children, I’m a strong supporter of the right to life. I believe we must defend life at every stage and protect the most vulnerable members of our society. After serving in the Army for more than 12 years, I know what it means to protect life and see life lost.  Our priority should always be to protect the innocent.

That’s why during my time in Congress I have supported legislation to protect the unborn, prohibit taxpayer funding for abortion and increase protections for infants born alive after a failed abortion procedure.  I will keep fighting to protect all lives!

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Safer And Stronger Communities

I see my mission in Congress the same way I saw it in the military: keeping Americans safe.  That’s why I’ve made community safety, health and strength top priorities during my time in Congress.  That means equipping our local law enforcement with the support they need to fight crime, prevent terrorism, reduce violence, stop domestic violence, prevent opioid overdose and much more.  I strongly oppose radical efforts to defund the police. 

I’ve also voted to increase funding for school security, secured more than $6 billion to combat the opioid epidemic, supported commonsense legislation to reduce gun violence, passed several new laws to prevent sex trafficking, and increased support for survivors of domestic violence and other sexual abuse.  When a veteran in our community came to me after she was raped by her instructor in the military, I was honored to help advance her case to the Supreme Court where she finally received the justice she was owed!

In addition to improving community safety, strong communities rely on having excellent educational opportunities available to all.  I believe Washington, D.C. should not be mandating curriculum for states.  Instead, each state should be a laboratory for innovation so states compete with each other for the best results.  School choice is a very important issue for me, and I will continue advocating for dollars to follow students so parents can decide which school is best for their children.

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Protecting The Second Amendment

I have carried a rifle and a pistol for most of my adult life and fired both in defense of every American and myself. The right to defend ourselves is God-given. It is not a right provided to us by our federal government, but rather, the right to keep and bear arms is a right the federal government is sworn to protect. 

That’s why during my time in Congress I’ve helped pass legislation to protect the 2nd Amendment rights of concealed carry permit holders, and I have opposed efforts by Nancy Pelosi and her allies to erode the 2nd Amendment by giving unelected bureaucrats more control over firearm laws in the United States. 

As your representative in Congress, I will continue to uphold the oath I took to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, and I will fight to protect our Second Amendment from all attempts to erode it.

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Supporting our Ally Israel

As a strong supporter of the state of Israel, it was a great honor to volunteer alongside the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) following my service in the Army.  The United States and Israel share common values like freedom and respect for human dignity, which is why we make natural and strong allies. 

As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I have worked to oppose the dangerous BDS movement, support Israel’s efforts to counter instability in the Middle East and prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.  Specifically, I introduced and passed legislation to combat radical Islamic terrorism, cut off U.S. aid funds being used to reward anti-Israel terrorists, increase U.S. – Israel joint missile defense activities and more.  I also strongly opposed the Iran Nuclear Deal and supported President Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement. 

Moving forward, I will do everything within my power to stop the Biden Administration from undermining progress in the Middle East, and I will continue fighting to support our ally Israel!

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America First

I became a bomb technician because I wanted to save lives and serve a cause greater than myself. I nearly gave my own life for that — I lost both my legs and a finger when a roadside bomb detonated beneath me — and have known more heroes than I can count who died defending others.

I remember the day I was injured — September 19, 2010 — very clearly. What I remember most, though, isn’t the bomb detonating. Instead, it’s hearing my fellow soldiers yelling “EOD is hit, EOD is hit.” In that moment, they didn’t care where I came from, how much money I had or what my political views were. They rushed to my side because we were all fighting for something bigger than ourselves: our country.

I remember them every day that I have the honor to serve in Congress, and it’s because of them and for them that I fight endlessly for America First policies.   

As a Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I know we must work to combat aggression from Iran, North Korea, Russia and other adversaries who work to undermine global security.  I strongly opposed the Iran Nuclear Deal and commend President Trump for withdrawing from it.  That’s why I’ve voted to institute new sanctions on Iran, as well as North Korea and Russia.  Moreover, Russia’s attempts to sow discord in the American electoral process must not be tolerated and must be met with a strong response to protect the foundation of our democracy.

I also believe, however, that America’s endless wars must be brought to an end.  Congress has a responsibility to take back the Constitutional authority to declare war and define what our specific objectives are overseas.  We should not be writing a blank check of American taxpayer dollars and sending it overseas.  Our government’s foremost responsibility must always be to our own citizens.

Likewise, we all know our immigration system, illegal and legal, is broken.  For far too long, politicians in Washington haven’t had the will to fix it. For starters, we must secure the border and prevent visa overstays.  We must also reform our legal immigration system to end arbitrary policies that continue to hurt our economy so we can be welcoming to those who want to be in the United States and follow our laws.  The time is long overdue for Congress to lead on this issue by fixing the crisis on the border and strengthening the rule of law.

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Tax Cuts And Jobs

We must fight for working families by expanding opportunities and creating an economic environment that allows for job growth!  

First and foremost, that means cutting taxes so every American can keep more of the money they worked hard to earn.  Far too often politicians in D.C. forget that the dollars they spend are not theirs.  Every dollar spent by the federal government belongs to the American people, and I will keep fighting to return these dollars to where they came from.  That’s why I fought hard to successfully pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which included cutting taxes, increasing the standard deduction and doubling the child tax credit.  I also helped eliminate Obamacare’s costly individual mandate tax.  These tax cuts stimulated the economy and led to more investment. Now, we must continue working to close special interest loopholes and lobbyist-driven deductions while making the individual tax cuts permanent!

The explosive growth of government regulations during the Obama Administration also hurt both economic growth and job creation, and the Biden Administration is repeating these mistakes.  Making life work for families in our community starts with reducing government interference in every-day life, reducing government-imposed costs and increasing individual liberty. 

To that end, our current spending is unsustainable, which is why I’ve voted against irresponsible spending packages and why I believe we must pass a Balanced Budget Amendment.  Every year families and small businesses across the country are forced to set and live by a budget. 46 states are required to have balanced budgets, but the federal government has no such requirement.  As a result, Congress regularly passes budgets that never balance, put us into even more debt and mortgage our children’s future.  I support and have voted in favor of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to fix this problem, and I’ll keep fighting to get it across the finish line! 

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Improving Care for Veterans

Every veteran who the VA serves must be treated as the most important veteran to ever be served. Anything less is unacceptable because every veteran who has sworn the oath, worn the uniform and offered to give the last beat of their heart cannot be taken for granted. 

As someone who gets my own care through the VA I know that there are many passionate men and women who dedicate their lives to serving veterans.  I also know, unfortunately, that oftentimes veterans do not receive the quality of care that they have earned.  That’s why I support giving veterans the flexibility to choose anytime, anywhere medical care, and I also opened the first-ever office inside a VA facility to provide on-the-spot support to veterans in our community.  

I am also particularly proud of a law that I wrote to protect benefits like nursing home care for veterans.  These benefits were at risk of expiring, but thanks to bipartisan legislation that I wrote and passed, veterans will continue to have access to these services.  During my time in Congress, we’ve also helped pass legislation to increase access to GI bill benefits, protect whistleblowers at the VA and expand healthcare choice. 

The bottom line is that veterans gave every American their best and deserve the best care our nation has to offer in return.  I will continue fighting to make that a reality!

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Ensuring Care for Seniors

I will always protect Social Security and Medicare, ensuring our government keeps the promises it has made to current retirees and those planning to retire.  I absolutely do not support cutting benefits for current retirees or anybody nearing retirement.  In order to accomplish difficult objectives in times of crisis, I know that we must work together. So, I will continue to be a leading voice for addressing the critical solvency issue of Social Security and Medicare in a bipartisan way that protects care for seniors.

In order to accomplish these goals, I’ve helped pass legislation to strengthen Medicare and voted to protect social security beneficiaries.  We also passed a new law to crack down on fraud that disproportionately targets seniors, and as a member of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, I have helped pass legislation to increase support for Alzheimer’s patients. 

I am also particularly proud of a law that I wrote to protect benefits like nursing home care for veterans.  These benefits were at risk of expiring, but thanks to bipartisan legislation that I wrote and passed, veterans of retirement age will continue to have access to these services.  

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Making Healthcare More Affordable

There’s no doubt the rising cost of healthcare caused by Obamacare has burdened American families and created a massive increase in bureaucracy resulting in less choice.  Unfortunately, the far left’s plan to enact socialized medicine would drastically reduce the quality of care while skyrocketing taxes.  I am fighting to stop that from happening and instead implement a healthcare system founded on the idea that you should have the ultimate freedom to choose the plan that works best for your family.    

Specifically, we need healthcare in the United States that increases choice and enables Americans to choose the doctors and plans that fit their specific needs while still protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions and drastically lowering costs.  That’s why I voted in favor of the American Healthcare Act, which nonpartisan analysts agreed would have decreased individual market premiums.  I also helped successfully eliminate Obamacare’s individual mandate tax and extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program for 10 years.   

There’s no doubt we also need to eliminate red tape to speed up the development of life saving cures and drive down costs for prescription drugs.  To that end, I helped pass new legislation to lower prescription drug costs, secured more than $6 billion to combat the opioid epidemic, increased support for Alzheimer’s patients and funded new cancer research.  

Of course, no conversation about healthcare is complete without discussing critical needs for Medicare beneficiaries and veterans.  To learn more about my work on behalf of seniors click here and to learn more about my work on behalf of veterans click here.

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Fighting For Clean Water

Florida’s outdoor experience is the very cornerstone of the economy and quality of life for 20 million residents, supporting a $58 billion industry and 485,000 direct jobs.  There is no greater crisis facing our state than that of polluted waterways, eroding ecology and the destruction of public lands like the Everglades.  Environmental collapse in Florida leads immediately to economic collapse and devastating public health consequences.  The fight to prevent this from happening is an all-hands-on-deck five alarm fire because on the Treasure Coast and in the Palm Beaches, this impacts everyone: businesses forced to close, people getting sick, animals killed, and our environment destroyed.  

The root of the problem is that Florida’s waterways have been manipulated to benefit private profit.  The federal government built the Herbert Hoover Dike, dried out the Everglades Agricultural area and constructed a complicated series of man-made water infrastructure to provide water-supply to developed and agricultural areas.  As a result, the natural flow of water has been disrupted to the great detriment of the Everglades, Florida’s environment and public health—causing toxic discharges to the northern estuaries during the summer months while starving the Everglades and Florida Bay of fresh water during the winter.  While the development of South Florida has precluded ever going back to the true natural state, the goal of restoration is to send the water South in a way that as closely mimics the natural flow as possible to hydrate the Everglades and prevent harmful discharges.

That’s why I’ve fought tirelessly in Congress to speed up Everglades restoration.  I wrote the legislation that authorized the EAA Southern Storage Reservoir and helped secure a historic level of funding for Everglades restoration.  We’ve also secured hundreds of millions of dollars to combat harmful algal blooms and prevent toxic agricultural runoff.

In the interim, Florida is facing a very real and serious public health crisis.  Toxic algae can cause nausea, vomiting, liver disease, ALS, Alzheimer’s and even death. In the summer of 2018, algae at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam tested nearly 62 times more toxic than the level considered safe for human contact by the Environmental Protection Agency. As a result, experts are concerned that the fish caught on the lake may not be safe to eat.  Nonetheless, the Army Corps’ operational priorities do not currently consider impacts to human health. In fact, for years, their outdated operational priorities have resulted in communities throughout Florida being exposed to dangerously high levels of toxins when the Army Corps knowingly discharges toxic water from Lake Okeechobee.  

Operational change can make an immediate impact to stop this from happening.  As a result of legislation I wrote, the Army Corps is currently rewriting its regulation schedule that determines when discharges happen.  The fact is that operational changes cost nothing and have massive public health, environmental and economic benefits.  Sending more water south into the Everglades during the dry season allows Lake Okeechobee to naturally recess prior to the wet season, which in turn helps prevent toxic discharges by freeing up capacity in the Lake to hold water without discharges during hurricane season.  

Operational change and new infrastructure can address the impacts of many problems, but stronger efforts are also needed to address the root of the problems.  In Florida, agriculture is the dominant source of phosphorus and nitrogen within most impaired watersheds.  Industries and property owners should be held to clearly enforceable pollution standards and penalties.  Likewise, the State of Florida’s Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) and the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) must be strengthened.  The federal government can and should be a partner to supplement state efforts preventing pollution and holding polluters accountable.  That’s why I’ve helped introduce and pass legislation to increase funding for EPA grant programs that support these efforts. 

The bottom line is that nearly every facet of Florida’s waterways has been manipulated to benefit for-profit industries at the expense of everybody else.  The result has been an increase in pollution, added costs for taxpayers, a massive public health crisis and the destruction of the Everglades.  It is well past time to flip the script and reclaim Florida’s waterways for the people.

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