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Cliff Bentz's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Republican for U.S. House (OR) - District 2

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Cliff Bentz has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2024 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2024.

  • Voted in favor of HR 26: "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "I would vote to reverse Roe v. Wade were I on the Supreme Court. If I am elected to fill Congressman Greg Walden’s Second Congressional District seat, I will continue to be an advocate for the unborn and I will continue the fight for our most vulnerable in Washington DC." (cliffbentz.com)
  • Rated 100% by National Right to Life Committee (None)
  • "I am a right to life candidate. By "right to life" I mean that I believe that life begins at conception and that life should be protected until death by natural causes occurs. The only exception to the prohibition against abortion that I support is when the life of the mother is at risk." (cliffbentz.com)
  • Rated 0% by National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (None)
  • Rated 3% by Alliance for Retired Americans
  • "In the middle of a crippling recession that is hitting you where it hurts the most, the Democrats' grand plan is to RAISE taxes on you. They just can't help themselves." (x.com)
  • "I will work in Congress – just as I did in the state senate – to strengthen our economy by directing investments toward rural Oregon, reducing regulations, lowering taxes and supporting President Trump’s policies that make our economy even stronger. I was one of the eleven Republican Senators that walked out of the senate to deny the Democrats a quorum so that the Gross Receipts Tax might be stopped. We were unsuccessful in stopping that tax, but we did call out the incredible damage it could do in an economic downturn. And now we are in that downturn. That tax makes it even more difficult for small business to survive." (cliffbentz.com)
  • Rated 82% by FreedomWorks (None)
  • "In the middle of a crippling recession that is hitting you where it hurts the most, the Democrats' grand plan is to RAISE taxes on you. They just can't help themselves." (x.com)
  • "I will work in Congress – just as I did in the state senate – to strengthen our economy by directing investments toward rural Oregon, reducing regulations, lowering taxes and supporting President Trump’s policies that make our economy even stronger. I was one of the eleven Republican Senators that walked out of the senate to deny the Democrats a quorum so that the Gross Receipts Tax might be stopped. We were unsuccessful in stopping that tax, but we did call out the incredible damage it could do in an economic downturn. And now we are in that downturn. That tax makes it even more difficult for small business to survive." (cliffbentz.com)
  • Rated 82% by FreedomWorks (None)
  • Rated 11% by Common Cause (None)
  • Voted against HR 1: "For the People Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "As of August 31st, 234 police officers had been shot in 2022. Defunding and demonizing the police has dangerous consequences." (x.com)
  • Voted against HR 1280 "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4365: "Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • "I voted for passage of the National Defense Authorization Act last night. This bill gives our military the resources they need to defend American freedom and democracy." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2670: "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7900: "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 5376: "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "Joe Biden has sent us down a path that has led us to the inevitable: soaring inflation. We MUST put an end to reckless and unnecessary spending." (x.com)
  • "Today I voted no on massive spending, an increase in taxes, and the hiring of an additional 87,000 IRS agents. Amid 40-year high inflation, Democrats are pushing a semantically loaded, partisan bill that will do everything EXCEPT reduce inflation." (x.com)
  • "We are now $31 TRILLION in debt. It's completely unconscionable. Tired of wasteful and excessive government spending? Republicans have a plan in place to fight it." (x.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "Today I voted no on massive spending, an increase in taxes, and the hiring of an additional 87,000 IRS agents. Amid 40-year high inflation, Democrats are pushing a semantically loaded, partisan bill that will do everything EXCEPT reduce inflation." (x.com)
  • "Joe Biden has sent us down a path that has led us to the inevitable: soaring inflation. We MUST put an end to reckless and unnecessary spending." (x.com)
  • Voted against HR 5376: "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by National Education Association (None)
  • "I put myself through college by working all sorts of different jobs. Let me be really clear: cancelling student loans is insulting and a slap in the face to those of us who paid back our debt." (x.com)
  • "Cancelling student debt is insulting and a slap in the face to those of us who paid back our student loans." (x.com)
  • Rated 11% by Common Cause (None)
  • Voted against HR 4: "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 5746: "Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by League of Conservation Voters (None)
  • "Biden promised a green job for displaced energy workers but has yet to deliver and now these once productive folks are on unemployment and dependent on the government." (x.com)
  • "The Dem $3.5 trillion bill props up the Green New Deal w/ $630 billion at expense of US businesses, farms, & families through higher costs & prices. The bill would create a Citizens Climate Corps & Climate Youth Patrol by funneling tax dollars to out-of-work climate activists." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1: "Lower Energy Costs Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by American Energy Alliance (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 21: "Strategic Production Response Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 1446: "Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by Gun Owners of America (None)
  • Rated 92% by National Rifle Association (None)
  • Voted against HR 8: "Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "I strongly oppose government run healthcare. Estimates show that the democrat’s proposal of a single payer healthcare system would cost over $30 trillion. I believe Obamacare should be replaced with solutions that focus on free market principles to help drive down the skyrocketing cost of healthcare. I will support efforts in Congress to promote healthcare reforms that lower premiums and overall healthcare costs, improve quality care, protect the doctor patient relationship, increase much needed transparency and create more choices for consumers of healthcare." (cliffbentz.com)
  • Voted against HB 2005: "Requires 12 Weeks of Paid Medical Leave" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 6833: "The Affordable Insulin Now Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5378: "Lower Costs, More Transparency Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2: "Secure the Border Act of 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • "I will join President Trump in stopping illegal immigration by improving border security and by building/completing the wall. Of course, we need to address and reform immigration. But any conversation about immigration must start by addressing how we are going to stop those that are coming into the country illegally." (cliffbentz.com)
  • Rated 89% by NumbersUSA (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5525: "Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 6: "American Dream and Promise Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "I will join President Trump in stopping illegal immigration by improving border security and by building/completing the wall. Of course, we need to address and reform immigration. But any conversation about immigration must start by addressing how we are going to stop those that are coming into the country illegally." (cliffbentz.com)
  • Rated 89% by NumbersUSA (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1603: "Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6968: "Suspending Energy Imports from Russia Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 340: "Hamas International Financing Prevention Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6126: "Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7108: "Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 3522: "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5692: "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7691: "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes." (votesmart.org)
  • "Just finished 1st mtg of GOP Task Force on Big Tech Censorship and Data. Discussed big tech responsibility, power, data. Look forward to working w/ GOP colleagues to advocate for meaningful transparency & accountability, consistency, competition, and the welfare of consumers." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7521: "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" (votesmart.org)
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
Pro-life Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
No In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
Unknown Position Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
I fully support honoring the commitments made to previous generations regarding Social Security and Medicare. I will work hard in Congress to find solutions to the future solvency of Social Security and Medicare that preserve these programs while at the same time not burdening our kids and grandkids with debt that they will not be able to pay back.
No Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Unknown Position Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
Yes Do you support increasing defense spending?
No Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
No Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
No Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
No Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
No Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
Yes Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
No Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
I would support paid medical leave in this COVID crisis if there is government funding for such leave. If not I would oppose it. Any replacement of the Affordable Care Act must include protection of those with pre-existing conditions, be less expensive, and make greater use of competition in the provison of health care.
Yes Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
Yes Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
We need to improve our H2A visa program.
Yes Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
Yes Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
I believe military action of any sort should be the last resort and would always like to see less military intervention anywhere in the world. But I do believe we have to leave our President, the Congress and our military leaders a full range of options for the safety and security of our nation. I would not want arbitrarily limit those options without all the facts and circumstances of the decision that has to be made.
Yes Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
but we must do a better job protecting American producers (cattle, onions, timber, for example) from damage from imports.
The top priority now is to help keep our people safe from this virus and the keep the economy working. I support President Trump in his effort to invest in infrastructure like roads, bridges, broadband, water and other things that are vital to Congressional District 2. Reduce the smoke and fire that is threatening our communities. This means working to get back into the woods to manage the shocking amount of wood and fuel that is growing up around towns and cities in CD2. Find the funding for new water storage projects.

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