Beto O'Rourke

Other, 2017

"It's really no wonder that only 33% of Americans approve of this tax plan. Even fewer (21%) say they think they will be better off if it becomes law. The majority is right; they won't be. For all of these reasons and too many more, I voted no on this tax bill. If we're going to rewrite the tax code, if we're going to shuffle the economic structure of our country, let's do it in a way that lifts up middle class families in Texas. Today's bill does the opposite."

Other, 2017

"I would have voted against the American Health Care Act (AHCA) today. This bill seeks to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with a system of tax credits and Medicaid block grants and would ensure that:

• "81,000 fewer El Pasoans would have healthcare
• "2.5 million fewer Texans would have healthcare
• "24 million fewer Americans would have healthcare
• "Americans would see premium increases of 15-20% in 2018 and 2019
• "Millions of veterans not enrolled in the VA would lose healthcare
• "Fewer resources would be available to combat the opioid crisis
• "There would be no requirement for mental health parity
• "Women's reproductive health would be defunded"

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018

"A federal judge put the brakes on Trump's efforts to end #DACA. Dreamers (more than 200,000 in TX) should have a permanent solution that ends the uncertainty they face on a daily basis and allows them to fully contribute to our communities. Let's get it done by passing the DREAM Act."

Other, 2017

O'Rourke voted against the American Health Care Act (AHCA) in part because it would revise the essential health benefits in the Affordable Care Act/"Obamacare."

"The most notable changes to this version of the bill are two amendments. First, the McArthur Amendment, which allows states to determine the minimum coverage in the health care plans they offer. Currently, the ACA requires insurers to cover a host of essential health benefits like hospital stays, mental health, and maternity care. This amendment will allow insurers to consider health status when setting prices. This will directly impact patients with pre-existing conditions and older Americans who will be charged more for coverage."

Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2018

"We need universal background checks in this country. No more loopholes. Common sense, supported by most Americans, and will save lives in our communities."

Other, 2017

"Today the House passed H.R. 36. The bill would impose a nationwide ban on abortion at 20 weeks even in the event that a pregnancy could pose serious harm to a woman's health. I voted against this bill because I believe it would endanger the lives and health of women in Texas-a state that already struggles to provide access to reproductive health care for women and has the highest rate of maternal deaths in the developed world. The legislation is also a clear attempt to erode the landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade, which established a woman's constitutional protection to a safe and legal abortion. More Americans than ever before, 69%, now oppose overturning Roe v. Wade."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2015

"The Defund Planned Parenthood Act (H.R. 3134) would prohibit Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving federal funding for one year. Defunding Planned Parenthood is unwise as it would also reduce the availability of important preventative health services such as cancer screenings, routine physical exams, and diabetes and cholesterol counseling, especially for low-income families that depend on Planned Parenthood for those services. Should investigations reveal that Planned Parenthood did something unethical or illegal, I will support Congress revisiting the subject of funding Planned Parenthood."

Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2018

"It's time to end the war on drugs. That starts by ending the federal prohibition on marijuana."

Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2018

When asked on Twitter, "Will you fight for Medicare for all and a $15 minimum wage?" O'Rourke answered, "YES"

Other, 2019

While O'Rourke supports reducing carbon emissions and taking other action to address climate change, he does not take a hard line against the fossil fuel industry. For example, in 2015 he voted to lift a ban on crude oil exports. O'Rourke also accepted campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry after taking the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge.

Other, 2015

"I voted against this bill because ... H.R. 2028 reduces funding for renewable energy initiatives in the United States by more than $266 million while increasing funding for nuclear weapons programs by more than $500 million and fossil fuel research and development to $600 million. This emphasis on nuclear and fossil fuel research is the wrong direction for our future energy needs and puts at risk federal funds that universities like UTEP can use to research alternative energy sources."

Other, 2018

"Tariffs are bad for Texas. They're bad for Texas farmers and growers, producers, manufacturers and exporters. They're also bad for a state that buys more aluminum and steel I believe than any other state in the Union. So our cost for construction, our cost for pipelines, our cost for civic projects, for building has gone through the roof. We were just in Abilene, Texas, and learned that - I think it's a new convention center - the cost for that convention center had gone up 20 percent as their costs for lumber, steel and aluminum have gone up 20 percent. So, I think there is a way to meet the challenge of China manipulating their currency, China dumping steel and aluminum - which they shouldn't be doing. And I'm grateful that the president is trying to stand up against them. But the president's also entered this country into a trade war without going into that war with any allies. We've estranged Canada. We've estranged the European Union. We've estranged our trading partners who could have been our allies against China, and we're trying to go it alone. No state's economy is going to be hit harder than Texas, so we need to help this president and help the country to do the right thing."

Other, 2019

"The fact that people want to see this country work again, come together, I don't know that impeachment and those proceedings in the House and Senate is going to answer those questions for people. We can solve this once and for all in November 2020."

Other, 2015

"[T]he Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is the primary source of funding for our highway and transit programs. It itself is funded through a federal gas tax, which has not been raised since 1993. As Americans spend less on gas and drive more efficient cars the gas tax and HTF are not keeping up with the resource demands of our transportation infrastructure. Although not included as a solution in this highway bill, it is clear to me that we should index the gas tax to inflation to raise the necessary resources."

Other, 2017

"At the first debate with Reyes, O'Rourke criticized Reyes for not offering concrete ways to cut the federal budget, and then turned to Social Security. 'We need to look at things like means testing,' he said. 'We need to look at a later age at which my kids are gonna retire.' In general, O'Rourke promised to reform bloated, dumb government, and criticized Reyes for his waste of taxpayer dollars."

Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2018

"We do not need an $18 billion wall separating us from our southern neighbor and one of our greatest allies, a country we are not at war with, a county with whom we depend for 1 million jobs in Texas alone. All at a time of record safety and security."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"We can give every American and every business the choice to enroll in Medicare without eliminating plans that many Americans like for their families because they work for their families. This means every one of us is able to afford our prescriptions, see a doctor, take our children to a therapist. No one priced out. No one denied care. No one left behind. The goal of universal, guaranteed high-quality health care must be achieved as quickly and as surely as possible."

Other, 2017

"Tensions between the United States and North Korea have continued to escalate due to North Korea's continued development of nuclear weapons as well as missile technology that could deliver those warheads to the United States. Should North Korea successfully develop this capability, the U.S. would face an unacceptable threat. The U.S. and partner nations have attempted to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear aspirations for decades through adding sanctions, removing sanctions, trade, and diplomacy, but none have so far been successful.

"That is why today I voted for the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act (H.R. 1644). This bipartisan bill expands existing sanctions against the North Korean government by extending sanctions against individuals and companies who buy coal, iron, textiles, fishing rights, military-use fuel, or certain agricultural products from North Korea. These items represent some of North Korea's only means to obtain the funds necessary to fund their government and weapons programs. Thus this legislation could apply pressure to disrupt the timeline for North Korea's weapons development. The legislation also prevents organizations who provide financial services to North Korea from doing business in the United States."

Other, 2017

"At the first debate with Reyes, O'Rourke criticized Reyes for not offering concrete ways to cut the federal budget, and then turned to Social Security. 'We need to look at things like means testing,' he said. 'We need to look at a later age at which my kids are gonna retire.' In general, O'Rourke promised to reform bloated, dumb government, and criticized Reyes for his waste of taxpayer dollars."

Other, 2018

"Our country is under attack by a hostile power. The intelligence community agrees, the vast majority of my colleagues - on both sides of the aisle - agree. Russia has interfered in our elections and is attempting to do so again. ... Thankfully there is also some bipartisan support to take action now. Support that we must build upon by listening to and working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. For example, both Republicans and Democrats have demanded increased sanctions on Russia. In other words, if the President won't stand up for us against Russia, Congress can."

Other, 2017

"[If] you agree to come back and serve your community in an in-demand, under-served area, we should wipe your debt clean or not allow you to accrue it to begin with. Second, if we're going to subsidize federal student loans and federal grants, then when should have a commitment from institutions of higher learning that they're going to curb the inflation for tuition, room and board.

"Third, I'd love to continue the proposal made by our previous president, Barack Obama, that at a minimum, your first two years at any state institution - community college, University of Texas, A&M, Tech, taxpayer-supported institutions - should be free for the student at a minimum. That investment, maybe a little upfront, is paid back many times over in the productivity, earning potential and the taxes paid by those who are able to afford an education. I think those are three great ideas to start with. I'm open to others. We can certainly do better by our students."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018

"Although the Iran Deal is not perfection, it is a critical international effort to ensure Iran doesn't acquire nuclear weapons. The United States of America should not be giving up on diplomacy."

Other, 2017

"Today, President Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change-one of his worst executive actions to date. In 2015, the U.S. agreed to modestly curb greenhouse gas emissions and provide funding to help developing countries adopt renewable energy at a faster rate. The U.S. pulling out of the agreement signals to the rest of the world that we don't intend to reach our emissions targets and that we will not be making those contributions."