United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, 2018

Bob has dedicated his career to serving the people of Pennsylvania, and has the record to prove it

From legislation cracking down on terrorists’ financing to a law that makes it easier for small businesses to expand, Bob has a wide range of accomplishments for the people of Pennsylvania. He knows that too many families have been left behind, and is committed to bringing good jobs to Pennsylvania and to raising wages.

• Fighting for American Workers
• Standing Up For Small Businesses
• Protecting and Strengthening Health Care
• Taking Care of Our Seniors
• Protecting Families and Americans with Disabilities
• A Safe, Quality Education at Every Age
• Equality at School and in the Workplace
• Building a 21st Century Infrastructure
• Protecting Our Country, Our Communities and Those Who Serve Them
• Ensuring America’s Place in the Global Economy
• Supporting Rural Pennsylvanians
• Preserving Pennsylvania for the Next Generation

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Saving Taxpayer Money
As Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, Lou has saved taxpayers nearly $4 billion by implementing a policy to move federal agencies into smaller spaces, cutting waste, and forcing them to negotiate long-term leases. Lou has also supported a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to help get America’s fiscal house in order.

Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and First Responders
Lou successfully led the push to exempt volunteer firefighters and first responders from Obamacare’s Employer Mandate, which would have forced fire departments across Pennsylvania and the United States to close. For his efforts, Lou received the National Volunteer Fire Council’s “Legislator of the Year” Award.

Leading the Fight Against Illegal Immigration
Lou has held Congressional leadership accountable on illegal immigration. He led the fight in the House against President Obama’s unconstitutional executive amnesty; continually introduced and advocated for legislation to cut off all federal funding to sanctuary cities; introduced legislation to make overstaying a visa a criminal offense; and co-sponsored legislation to levy a two percent fee on wire transfers sent south of our border and use that revenue to pay for the southern border wall.

Finding Solutions to the Opioid Crisis
Pennsylvania is one of the states hit hardest by the opioid crisis, and Lou has made combating drug addiction and abuse one of his top priorities. Lou has repeatedly voted to support increased opioid overdose prevention and monitoring efforts, as well as efforts to stop the flow of drugs into our country. Lou was one of only 35 House members to serve on a conference committee with the Senate to negotiate comprehensive legislation addressing our nation’s heroin and opioid crisis. That bill, which was signed into law, included Lou’s legislation protecting babies born addicted to drugs.

Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
Lou introduced, and passed through the House, legislation requiring the federal government to verify a person’s eligibility for health care tax credits before the money goes out the door, a loophole that allowed $750 million in taxpayer-funded subsidies to go to more than 500,000 people who did not qualify for those benefits.

Standing up for Life
Lou is pro-life and believes that innocent life should be protected at every stage of development. Lou has a 100 percent voting record from the National Right to Life and has been endorsed for the United State Senate by CatholicVote.org, one of the nation’s largest grassroots pro-life, family values organizations. Lou has consistently co-sponsored and voted for legislation protecting the sanctity of life, including: the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, banning abortions after 20 weeks; the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, which denies funding to the nation’s largest abortion provider; the Life at Conception Act; and the Heartbeat Protection Act, among others. Lou supports the restoration of legal protection for innocent human life and opposes the efforts of some to increase or expand the protection or establishment of legal euthanasia, abortion, and human cloning.

Rescuing Vital After-School Programs
Lou was the only member of the House of Representatives, from either party, to receive the Congressional Voice for Children Award from the National Parent Teacher Association for his work in support of after-school programs, such as the successful SHINE (Schools and Homes in Education) program in Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties. Lou worked across the aisle with Democratic state Sen. John Yudichak to expand the SHINE after-school program to Luzerne County and rescued federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, which provides half of SHINE’s funding.

Supporting the 2nd Amendment
As a gun owner, Lou supports law-abiding Americans’ 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms. He continues to support common-sense measures to prevent criminals from obtaining firearms, while protecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners. He supported common-sense measures like the Fix NICS bill and President Trump’s action against bump stocks.

Championing Job Programs
A former small business owner in the road construction industry, Lou understands the need to train our workers with the skills necessary to fill in-demand, family-sustaining jobs. As a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Lou has helped to shape vital legislation providing support for career and technical education programs. Lou will continue to champion the trades as a way to bridge the skills gap in our workforce and provide a pathway forward for our nation in an increasingly globally competitive economy.

As a co-Chair of the Congressional Job Corps Caucus, Lou also protected funds for the Job Corps program from impending cuts. His persistence earned a commitment from Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta to defend the program and work with the caucus to improve and strengthen the program.

Defending Israel and the Jewish Community
Lou is a staunch and vocal defender of Israel and the Jewish community. Lou has fought for American victims of terror attacks by the Palestinian Authority; led efforts to fund Homeland Security grants for non-profit organizations; authorized legislation making synagogues and churches are eligible for disaster assistance funding; and urged the Department of Homeland Security to investigate bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers.

Lou also supported bills to condemn terrorist attacks and hostility toward Israel; punish Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas; prohibit U.S. taxpayer assistance to the Palestinian Authority until they stop rewarding terrorists and their families when they kill Israelis and Americans; and, provide U.S. foreign assistance to Israel, particularly the annual security assistance funding, including support for Iron Dome and David's Sling.

Lou remains an outspoken opponent of the disastrous Iran Deal, which gave Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, access to $100 billion dollars, paved the way for Iran to eventually achieve nuclear weapons capability, and puts the existence of Israel at risk.

Promoting Fair Trade for American Workers
Lou has consistently fought to ensure that American products are sold around the world in a competitive market, with a level playing field that protects American jobs. Lou opposed the flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership and praised President Trump’s decision to pull out of it. Lou also successfully fought to include protections for American workers as part of the Trade Promotion Authority Act, which allows the United States to compete with countries like China to sell our products around the world. Lou made sure that the final agreement prevented foreign workers from taking American jobs, took strong action to stop currency manipulation, and ensured that America would go after countries that cheat. For his leadership to strengthen laws against Chinese dumping of steel and to ensure laws against unfair trade are strictly enforced, Lou was named a “2015 Congressional Steel Champion” by the American Iron and Steel Institute.

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Abortion
I am pro-life and believe that the issue of abortion should not be decided at the federal level as it is now, but instead left to the states to decide.

Historically, most criminal matters (including murder) have been decided at the state level, and abortion should be no different. No federal mandate can adequately gauge the interests of 330 million people.

The principles of liberty and pursuit of happiness are useless without first protecting life. In order to reduce abortion, the easiest initial solution is to incentivize private businesses, schools, and charities to increase sex education and access to birth control. Even in states where abortion remains, it ought to be safe, legal, and most importantly, rare.

The biggest driver of abortion is overwhelmingly poverty. To this end, the abortion issue is entangled with economic outcomes, particularly in impoverished urban areas. If abortion is to become rare or obsolete, we must first work toward establishing economic opportunity zones for those who are too often overlooked by our current economic system, including those of color. This would include reform of regulations and taxes levied on small businesses which prevent employers from taking on new hires. Americans overwhelmingly want to contribute to our economy, and we should give them that opportunity.

Another important issue linked to abortion is the freedom of religion. Many religious beliefs speak against abortion, and as a central tenet of American liberty, no person should be forced to finance abortions with their tax dollars. Those who wish to peacefully protest in front of abortion clinics should be afforded that opportunity, as proscribed in the First Amendment.

As your United States Senator, I will vote for judges who will overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey so that the issue of abortion can return to the state level. I will also vote to defund Planned Parenthood so that no one is required to send their money to an institution that performs a procedure which they find morally objectionable.

Immigration
No matter the era, our greatness has come from those who have risked it all to enter the United States and create an American Dream for themselves and their families.

The current immigration system is completely broken. Over 11 million immigrants live in the shadows, undocumented and afraid of what their futures might hold. Rather than castigating or demonizing these would-be Americans, we ought to welcome them into our communities and allow them to live peacefully among us, just as we have done in prior generations.

Contrary to what some may believe, immigrants (including those who are undocumented) commit less crime than those who are native-born. They also take less in government benefits than they pay into the system. In addition to the positive effect these immigrants have on the prices of services and goods, American citizens benefit greatly from increased levels of immigration.

The easiest way to solve the problem of illegal immigration is simple: make it easier to immigrate legally. A century ago, many of our ancestors came to Ellis Island with little but hopes and dreams. Following a criminal background check and disease check, they were allowed in with few questions asked. Today, those who wish to immigrate face a labyrinth of bureaucracy which stands in their way. In a best-case scenario, these immigrants can come into the country in five years. In other cases, it can be more than a decade. It’s time for us to return to the system of free immigration which our great-grandparents enjoyed.

As your United States Senator, I will fight for immigration reform which allows entry to those who wish to contribute to our economy and help their families. I will present a plan which expands immigration visas and green cards while simplifying the current system so that anyone who yearns for the American Dream can attain it.

Free Trade
Free trade is a fundamental centerpiece of an economy which brings the best goods and services to consumers.

Tariffs are nothing but another way of levying taxes on those who can least afford them. When other countries decide to trade their goods at cheaper rates, there is no losing involved. The middle-class benefits immensely, as they can buy items they may not have been able to before. Those in the U.S. which cannot compete can relocate their resources so as to be more efficient, and all sides benefit.

Every country is in different stages of economic development, and specializes in different areas. By allowing for each nation to pick different facets, the world economy efficiently allocates its resources in a way which best utilizes the talents of everyone.

The most immediately noticeable benefit of trade throughout history is that it is the surest guarantee for peace. Simply put, when countries see the benefit in exchanging goods, they almost quickly realize the folly of engaging in armed combat against one another. By reaching and trading with as many nations as possible, the United States breaks out of the failed policy of isolationism which too often leads to war.

As your United States Senator, I will vote against any tariffs or protectionist schemes, all of which only harm average Americans at the expense of wealthy elites. I will vote for any programs which expand trade among nations. When it comes to trade agreements, I will engage in vetting of the proposals to ensure that they are indeed promoting free trade and not a corrupt cronyist scheme.

Foreign Policy
American foreign policy should prioritize national defense without needlessly meddling in other countries’ affairs.

Every year, the United States government uses the valor and heroism of thousands of young Americans to send them to engage in missions without American interests in mind. Many return home without limbs or other body parts. Far too many more lose their lives in wars without any clear goals. Perhaps most tragic of all is those who return to their communities with the invisible injury of PTSD, which can plague them for the rest of their lives. After their sacrifice, the government offers the lowest and poorest quality care at the VA, where many have died waiting for medical attention.

Though not nearly as important as the human toll, the economic toll of foreign adventurism has made its mark. The U.S. currently spends more on the military than the next eight world countries combined. If this were being used responsibly to defend our citizens, perhaps it could be considered reasonable. However, as with nearly all government programs, the military budget is riddled with waste and bureaucracy.

Further, the proliferation of the American military has led to an unnecessary presence around the world, with the U.S. holding an absurd 800 military bases in 70 countries. Too often, this continuous presence creates resentment among those in the nations where the U.S. is stationed, giving a propaganda tool to radical groups. This is of particular concern in the many nations where the U.S. government has toppled secular dictators, leaving a power vacuum. These troops should not be put in harm’s way any longer. Absent a significant, important national security reason, these military bases should be closed and these American heroes should be allowed to come home to their families.

As your United States Senator, I will make sure that any declarations of war are voted on by the Congress, as proscribed in the Constitution. I will also ensure that any military missions which continue forward are given a clear, articulable mission and exit strategy before they begin. I will vote against any effort to restart or expand the military draft and will vote to reform the VA system and give our veterans the quality healthcare they deserve.

Economy and Jobs
Americans work hard for their paychecks, and the federal government has no right to take their hard-earned money to pay for frivolous and needless projects.

The current federal tax code is thousands of pages of bureaucracy laced with loopholes for the biggest corporations. While the wealthiest have the resources to hire attorneys and accountants to find every advantage possible, everyday Americans struggle. The code is so complicated that not many citizens can ever be truly confident that they have correctly completed their tax returns. We must simplify this system so that Americans can more easily complete their taxes. This includes eliminating the IRS, abolishing the federal income tax, and transitioning into a consumption tax which is fair and treats all Americans equally.

A less visible tax is the one which is levied through inflation. Since the founding of the Federal Reserve in 1913, the U.S. dollar has lost 96% of its value. Through its influx of paper money which has no real value, the Fed has stolen money from the pockets of the poorest in our country so that elites can receive more government spending. This action by the Fed has also contributed immensely to ever-growing disparities of wealth between the rich and poor, and directly led to the Housing Crisis in 2008 with its arbitrary setting of interest rates.

Even with cuts in taxes, nothing will change if we do not address the issue of out-of-control spending. This begins with baseline budgeting, meaning that instead of the Washington status quo of simply cutting the rates of increase, our government must first freeze spending and then begin reductions from that point. Billions are wasted every year due to the inadequacies of government, and this has led to a $21 trillion deficit which we will be handing to our children.

As your United States Senator, I will bring fiscal restraint to Washington, D.C. It is immoral and irresponsible to shackle future generations with ever-growing debt. I will introduce legislation to drastically simplify our tax code and will also sponsor the “Audit the Fed” bill which has previously been introduced to the Senate floor. I will also most importantly vote to cut wasteful spending, and will not take any programs off the table when it comes to debt reduction.

War on Drugs
Since its inception, the War on Drugs has empowered hundreds of dangerous cartels, divided thousands of families, and wasted billions in taxpayer dollars.

When our friends and family face the painful struggle of addiction, government cannot solve that problem with more prisons, police, and punishment. Instead, we should shift our focus to solutions which incorporate compassion, community, and care.

Over the last 40 years, the United States has spent over $1 trillion in taxpayer dollars, only to see the federal prison population increase by nearly 800%. Nearly half of current federal prisoners are serving their sentences for drug offenses. The U.S. leads the world in incarceration rates, topping the draconian regimes of China and Russia combined.

In addition, the War on Drugs does not treat Americans equally. In spite of the fact that they use drugs at nearly the exact same rate, black Americans are six times more likely than white Americans to be imprisoned for drug crimes. Unquantifiable is the deterioration of trust between communities of color and police as governments have militarized and armed those in blue to fight a full-scale war on our own streets.

As your United States Senator, I will fight for a system which addresses addiction as the medical problem it is, rather than a criminal issue. I will end the federal prohibition on marijuana and work to create a system like in Portugal or Switzerland, where drug use is not romanticized, but those with substance issues are given requisite care and empathy in their battles to overcome addiction. Both those countries saw a sharp turn against addiction issues with their reforms, and I believe we can see the same.

The Democrats and Republicans always attempt to justify why they need to intervene in your life. They think they know what’s best for you. As your Senator, I will fight to defend your individual liberty. The government does not own you or your body — you do. The disastrous War on Drugs is a shining example of the pain and suffering that is caused when the government sticks their nose where it doesn’t belong.

On March 12, 2017, Dale held a town hall meeting to mark the beginning of a grassroots bill drafted by the people most affected by the War on Drugs. The “Addiction Is Not A Crime” bill was born on that day in celebration of Dale’s cousin Dan’s birthday. Dan died of an overdose in 2015.

Education
Decisions on education are perhaps the most important issues which any family must face.

The current system has completely failed students, teachers, and parents all across the country. The Department of Education has taken all of the power in deciding policies in schooling and put it into the hands of bureaucrats in Washington, rather than where it belongs: at our homes and in our local communities.

Across all federal departments, spending on K-12 education has risen to over $80 billion annually, and our nation spends more than nearly any other in this worthy endeavor. But what have we got to show for it? Despite imposing costly and difficult rules on state education programs, the Department of Education supplies only about 11 cents of every dollar each state spends on education.

Meanwhile, testing results have not improved, and students have felt the consequences. Families without the luxury to move their homes or pay for private education are trapped and forced to finance failing schools which provide sub-par services. This is prevalent nowhere more than in the poorest communities and in communities of color, where families long for the opportunity to send their children to schools where they can build better futures.

I propose that we return these important decisions to the people. It begins with abolishing the Department of Education and making education a decision which is made with a full selection of options at our disposal. Whether through private, parochial, public, charter, or home schooling, every child is unique and deserving of individualized education which works for them.

Rather than spending billions preparing students for new standardized tests which provide no real value, let’s create a market where different schools compete to innovate and revolutionize teaching methods.

As your United States Senator, I will propose legislation to grant to families the right for their tax dollars to attach to their children and have this funding follow these students to whichever school districts they find to be the best. There is no one-size-fits-all policy in schooling, and families have the right to find those programs which harness their children’s strengths and improve upon their weaknesses.

Health Care
Health care policy touches the lives of nearly every American, and for that reason, it must be treated as a priority.

The current system is broken, and has been for some time. The Affordable Care Act (better known as ObamaCare) hasn’t done much to help, and Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on any sort of solution. Even before ObamaCare, government intervention in the market immensely drove up prices, with only about 13 cents of each dollar spent on health care coming from the actual consumers. These subsidies, while seemingly beneficial, provide no incentive for providers to lower their prices, leading to out-of-control costs as insurance companies and government reap the rewards.

Also present in the health care market is protectionism and corruption produced by the FDA. By preventing new drugs and competitors from moving into the market, the status quo of higher prices and fewer options remains. It takes an average of 14 years and $1.4 billion for any potentially lifesaving medicine or treatment to navigate its way through the bureaucracy of the FDA. The FDA’s approval should be made advisory rather than compulsory.

At the heart of increased cost lies a very fundamental issue of third-party costs. Because health insurance is now used to pay for a large portion of health care costs, there is no incentive for suppliers to lower their prices. While prices have skyrocketed and quality has stagnated in recent decades, an exception is in Lasik eye surgery, which is not coincidentally not covered by health insurance. Because consumers and doctors must actually gauge the cost and worthiness of engaging in such a procedure, they have reason to provide a better and cheaper service.

As your United States Senator, I will reform our health care system so that it provides competition and quality for Americans. I will propose to change the tax treatment of employer-provided health insurance and expand Health Savings Accounts, so that insurance can become personal and portable, rather than provided at the whim of an employer. I will also promote for Americans the ability to purchase insurance across state lines so that companies cannot become cartels without competition. I would give seniors more options in Medicare by turning the program into vouchers supplied to each individual which they can then spend on private insurance. Lastly, I would allow the states more options in using their Medicaid funds through block grants, so that they can experiment to find the most effective ways to deliver care.

Second Amendment
The right to bear arms is one of the most important and fundamental rights in the U.S. Constitution, and its preservation is essential in promoting liberty.

Gun rights protect Americans against those who wish to do them harm. The impetus for the Second Amendment came during the Colonial era, when Americans wished to organize freely, but British soldiers soon declared their meeting “unlawful.” When the Americans again attempted to organize, and the British attempted to break up the meeting a second time, the Redcoats were surprised to find the colonists armed with muskets and instead retreated.

Gun control schemes in other countries too often depend upon violations of civil liberties and human rights. Whether it involves a supposed “gun buyback” or listing of those unfit to own guns, government must necessarily trample the rights of the lawful majority to enact their plans.

Every life lost due to gun violence is tragic. That does not justify suspending the rights of lawful gun owners. The issue of these outbursts, and particularly school shootings, ought to be centered around giving adequate treatment to those who are mentally ill, an overwhelming majority of whom do not engage in such heinous acts.

Giving mentally ill Americans attention does not mean stigmatizing this group by placing them on an arbitrary list or suspending their rights entirely. Instead, we ought to give these people the attention which they so often need, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of their peers.

As your United States Senator, I will protect the rights of gun owners. Each person is an individual and ought to be treated accordingly. With that in mind, we need to move toward solving the underlying root cause of the problem: mental health. Those who are crying out for help should receive the adequate resources before they do something which might harm themselves or others.

“I think the Constitution speaks for itself. Nowhere does it read, hunting, gun collection, or target shooting. It also doesn’t read magazines of a certain size, having to leave your gun at home, or a restriction of any kind. I would oppose any and all restrictions on the second amendment. ”

Career Politicians
For generations, we have watched two political parties hold our government hostage.

Despite the fact that nearly 80% of the country disapproves of the job Congress is doing, incumbents get re-elected 90% of the time. Democrats and Republicans gerrymander and maneuver to keep the status quo in place. Those in office care less about putting forward meaningful legislation and more about grandstanding and clinging to their positions of power.

Voters see it every election cycle. The in-party enters with grandiose predictions, claiming to enact its agenda and help all Americans. However, when push comes to shove, there is always an excuse. Like clockwork, when that party finally stretches the patience of its constituents past its limit, the opposing party promises that it will be different.

Of course, as the two teams point and blame one another for the state of politics, they agree on one thing: there are only two options. As is often the case, however, they are wrong again.

As your United States Senator, I will bring an independent and tempered voice to Washington. My allegiance will be not to any party boss, but rather to the people of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Constitution. I will vote with whichever Senators are working to advance liberty. As the first Libertarian Senator, I will be in a unique position to act as an intermediary between the parties and build coalitions which expand individual liberty.

Additionally, I pledge to serve only one term in the Senate, and will not accept a taxpayer-funded pension or healthcare. It is my hope that others will follow my example so that they may perform their jobs without worry about an endless number of future elections. After brief tenures in Washington, they can return to private life in their home states and again become valuable contributors to their communities. ^[47]

• Social Security
• Trade
• Voting Rights
• Harassment and Sexual Assault
• Free Press
• LGBTQ Rights
• Opioid Crisis
• Single Payer Health Care
• DACA
• Donations, Elections and Lobbying Reform
• Education
• The Truth About Cannabis
• Reproductive Rights – Morality and Ethics
• Firearms – Rights and Responsibilities
• Grass Roots Democracy and Self Governance
• Economic Justice Through Restructuring Our Economy
• Social Justice – Equal Rights For All
• Environmental Wisdom – Climate Action
• Peaceful Co-existence
• Immigration – Who We Are and Always Have Been

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