Jim Bridenstine's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
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.
Representative Bridenstine resigned from his Congressional office on 4/23/2018 to become the Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Jim Bridenstine has refused to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2016 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.
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 2016.
- "I am committed to advancing pro-life legislation in the House of Representatives." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- Rated 100% by the National Right to Life Committee (votesmart.org)
- "Human life is sacred and begins at conception. Unborn children should be welcomed in life and protected by law." (www.jimbridenstine.com)
- Voted in favor of H.R.1105 "Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015" (votesmart.org)
- Do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? "No." (votesmart.org)
- "The personal and corporate income tax is a punitive tax on productive effort which discourages investment, innovation, risk-taking and job formation within the United States. The income tax code has become too complex for citizens to understand, and the annual time and expense required to comply with the income tax code has become intolerably burdensome." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
- "Private capital investment drives economic growth and job creation. Free markets weed out businesses the public is unwilling to support but money-losing, government-supported businesses can and do persist indefinitely. The federal government has nothing at risk when it 'invests' tax payer money." (votesmart.org)
- Rated 90% by Americans for Prosperity (votesmart.org)
- "This budget calls for deeper discretionary spending cuts and faster phase-in of various policies. Therein is the most significant message: The longer we wait to move in the right direction, the more severe the correction will have to be. The time to start the move toward a balanced budget is now." (votesmart.org)
- "These are the principles that will return America to economic greatness: [â¦] Low taxes." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "The personal and corporate income tax is a punitive tax on productive effort which discourages investment, innovation, risk-taking and job formation within the United States. The income tax code has become too complex for citizens to understand, and the annual time and expense required to comply with the income tax code has become intolerably burdensome." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "My position on education is driven by my strong feelings on the constitutionality of federal involvement in education, and I will support policies and legislation in Congress that return these decisions to state and local governments." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "[â¦] I am one of 62 co-sponsors on Congressman Jeff Duncan's House Resolution 476, which strongly supports 'the restoration and protection of State authority and flexibility in establishing and defining challenging student academic standards and assessments, and strongly denouncing the President's coercion of States into adopting the Common Core State Standards by conferring preferences in Federal grants and flexibility waivers.'" (votesmart.org)
- "I believe local communities and states should be empowered to aide in supporting public education, but nowhere in the Constitution will you find the federal government being given a role in the education of our children." (www.jimbridenstine.com)
- Voted in support of S1 "A Bill to Approve the Keystone XL Pipeline" (votesmart.org)
- "It's long past time for the Administration to approve construction of the Keystone Pipeline to move crude oil south from Canada into the U.S. and create high paying jobs." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "Wind, solar, nuclear, and geothermal energy are viable alternative sources of energy, and the free market has the capacity to advance these technologies." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "We should not shy away from alternative energy sources if they are viable and affordable. In fact, Oklahoma generates about 15 percent of its electricity from wind power. But an all of the above energy strategy should truly mean all of the above, including traditional energy sources, without any dictates or interference from the federal government." (votesmart.org)
- "I oppose Cap and Trade legislation which would tax fossil fuels, raise energy prices, and force consumers into alternative fuels prematurely." (www.jimbridenstine.com)
- "Since future carbon emissions from the developing world (including China & India) will far outweigh US emissions growth, even severely limiting U.S. use of fossil fuels would have very little impact on worldwide carbon emissions." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- Rated 93% by the National Rifles Association (votesmart.org)
- "Creating more laws to further infringe on our 2nd Amendment rights is not the answer, and I will continue to oppose any legislation that would attempt to do so." (www.jimbridenstine.com)
- "I strongly support our constitutionally recognized right to keep and bear arms. As a lifelong sportsman and proud gun owner, I know that the Second Amendment is not negotiable to the people of Oklahomaâs First District." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "We need to ultimately repeal Obamacare and replace it with a more competitive and economically rational system." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "I believe America has the worldâs finest doctors, hospitals, and medical innovations, but all that is in jeopardy because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. This is the most significant domestic policy issue of our time, and stopping it is one of my top priorities in Congress." (www.jimbridenstine.com)
- Voted in favor of H.R.3762 "Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015" (votesmart.org)
- "The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 demonstrates that simply giving citizenship to illegal aliens will not slow or stop illegal immigration so long as the border is unsecured and guest workers are not tracked. In fact, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), the number of illegal aliens living in the United States has risen from about 3.2 million in 1986 to 11.1 million in 2011. Indeed, the mere discussion of this kind of "reform" only serves as a powerful incentive to accelerate illegal entries." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- Voted in favor for H.R. 3009 "Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act" (votesmart.org)
- "I cosponsored the Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Act to block federal funding to any state or local government that prevents immigration authorities from enforcing federal immigration laws." (www.facebook.com)
- Rated 0% by the Human Rights Campaign (votesmart.org)
- "My position is that the institution of marriage should be protected by law, and I would support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman." (bridenstine.house.gov)
- "I believe that marriage is intended to be between one man and one woman for life." (www.jimbridenstine.com)
- "Our military leadership on the ground needs the flexibility to effectively conduct operations without artificial timelines imposed by politicians far away from the fighting." (www.jimbridenstine.com)
- Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
- "[â¦] younger people should have the option of opting out of the social security system and assuming the risk of diverting social security taxes (up to 100%) into personal retirement accounts." (votesmart.org)
- Rated 7% by Alliance for Retired Americans (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? | ||
| All human life is sacred and begins at conception. Unborn children should be welcomed in life and protected by law. New technologies have made embryonic stem cell research unnecessary. Taxpayer money should never be used to subsidize abortion as is the case in ObamaCare. I support a human life amendment to the Constitution. | |||
| Yes | Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan? | ||
| No | Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan? | ||
| Afghanistan has historically been a haven for Islamic terrorists planning attacks on the U.S. and its allies. I support intelligence gathering and counter-terrorist operations as necessary to protect the national security of the United States. I do not support setting timetables for withdrawal from any conflict. Setting a deadline communicates to our enemies how long it will take to outlast us and essentially ensures defeat for the United States. | |||
Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,
| Yes | do you support reducing defense spending? | ||
| No | do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| Yes | do you support reducing Medicaid spending? | ||
| Yes | do you support reducing Medicare spending? | ||
| Yes | Is balancing the budget a legislative priority? | ||
| We must balance our national budget. Our debt is unsustainable, jeopardizing our ability to attract capital needed to expand our economy and create jobs. Politicians often get re-elected by making promises which can't be kept. However, retired people and those nearing retirement have counted upon these promises. Therefore, people 55 or older should be protected from benefit reductions. I support smart reductions in defense spending that don't jeopardize national security. | |||
| No | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| The First Amendment prohibits any infringement on free speech. People have the right to spend their own money as they wish to support political campaigns. Corporations and unions should be able to make direct and indirect contributions to campaigns. However, those contributions and the identities of the entities receiving them must be disclosed. No corporate or union funds derived from union dues or other payments compulsory as a condition of employment should be eligible as a source of direct or indirect campaign contributions. | |||
| Yes | Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
| When used appropriately, swift capital punishment deters violent crimes and saves lives. Capital punishment for certain heinous crimes is consistent with the high intrinsic value of human life. | |||
| No | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? | ||
| No | Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief? | ||
| Private capital investment drives economic growth and job creation. Free markets weed out businesses the public is unwilling to support but money-losing, government-supported businesses can and do persist indefinitely. The federal government has nothing at risk when it "invests" tax payer money. When offering subsidies, tax incentives and loan guarantees the government inappropriately chooses winners and losers. The Obama Administration's economic policies have inhibited recovery from the recession that began in 2007. I support extension of the 2010 tax relief and making the tax cuts permanent because high taxes inhibit economic growth and job creation. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? | ||
| I support funding of education at the local level where citizens are most aware of educational needs. The federal government should not be in the business of funding education or setting standards for the states to meet. Each state should oversee its own educational institutions. American citizens should not send money to Washington, DC to have it redistributed as the federal Department of Education deems appropriate. | |||
| Yes | Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? | ||
| Offshore oil and gas exploration and production can contribute significantly to U.S. energy production. The Obama Administration currently bars drilling in most offshore areas, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and the east and west coasts. Offshore oil operations have been conducted safely around the world for decades. Even though accidents sometimes occur, as in any human activity, they are isolated and most are minor in scope. | |||
| No | Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change? | ||
| No | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| The Earth's climate has always varied substantially as demonstrated by pre-industrial human records and natural evidence. There is no doubt that human activity can change local conditions, but on a global scale natural processes including variations in solar output and ocean currents control climatic conditions. There is no credible scientific evidence that greenhouse gas atmospheric concentrations, including carbon dioxide, affect global climate. I oppose regulating greenhouse gases. Doing so will significantly increase energy prices and keep more people in poverty. | |||
| No | Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? | ||
| The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says ". . . the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." There should be no restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns for lawful purposes. | |||
| Yes | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
| No | Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act? | ||
| I would replace ObamaCare with a more competitive and cost efficient system. Mandating purchase of health insurance is an unconstitutional infringement on individual rights. The so-called Affordable Care Act will replace health care decisions made by patients and their doctors with decisions made by the federal government. Healthcare reform should: -Allow families and businesses to buy insurance across state lines. -End frivolous lawsuits that result in defensive medicine and exorbitant malpractice insurance premiums. -Enhance Health Savings Accounts. -Ensure that people with pre-existing conditions can purchase health insurance. -Provide incentives for healthier lifestyles. | |||
| Yes | Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| No | Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police? | ||
| The laws of the United States must be enforced unless they are changed by legislative process. We must secure the borders of the United States so that illegal movement of persons, narcotics, slaves and weapons across the border is stopped. | |||
| No | Do you support same-sex marriage? | ||
| I believe that a man should marry a woman and that a woman should marry a man. The institution of marriage is sacred and should be protected by law. I would support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Men and women were intentionally designed very differently and each is important in the raising of children. | |||
| Yes | Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? | ||
| Yes | Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon? | ||
| Terrorists should have no safe havens where they may organize and prepare for attacks against the United States, its armed forces and American citizens living or traveling abroad. U.S. military commanders need rules of engagement that allow them to immediately and appropriately respond to threats. Iranian nuclear weapons would further destabilize the Middle East and pose a threat to the entire world. The U.S. and its allies should use military force as needed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability for its own use or for equipping terrorists. | |||
| Yes | Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? | ||
| The Social Security system is on an unsustainable financial trajectory. Funds people have paid into the Social Security "trust fund" have be raided to support government spending and replaced by IOUs. For people 55 and older the current social security system should be preserved and deliver the benefits people were promised and planned to receive. However, younger people should have the option of opting out of the social security system and assuming the risk of diverting social security taxes (up to 100%) into personal retirement accounts. | |||
SpendingIndicate what federal spending levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.
| Eliminate | a) Agriculture | ||
| Eliminate | b) Arts | ||
| Slightly Decrease | c) Defense | ||
| Eliminate | d) Education | ||
| Eliminate | e) Environment | ||
| Slightly Decrease | f) Homeland Security | ||
| Slightly Decrease | g) International aid | ||
| Slightly Decrease | h) Medical Research | ||
| Slightly Decrease | i) Scientific Research | ||
| Slightly Increase | j) Space exploration | ||
| Eliminate | k) United Nations | ||
| Greatly Decrease | l) Welfare | ||
| m) Other or expanded categories | |||
| Eliminate | a) Capital gains taxes | ||
| Eliminate | b) Corporate taxes | ||
| Eliminate | c) Excise taxes (alcohol) | ||
| Eliminate | d) Excise taxes (cigarettes) | ||
| Eliminate | e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel) | ||
| Eliminate | f) Income taxes (low-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | g) Income taxes (middle-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | h) Income taxes (high-income families) | ||
| Eliminate | i) Inheritance taxes | ||
| Eliminate | j) Payroll taxes | ||
| I support the fair tax. | |||
| My first priority is to balance the federal budget and stop creating money to "fund" out of control spending. I favor amending the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced budget and limit federal expenditures and the national debt to fixed percentages of the GDP. My second priority is limiting the terms of U.S. Congressmen and Senators. Term limits will encourage federal lawmakers to make decisions in the best interest of the nation rather than on the basis of what's best for their re-election. |
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