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Sam Johnson'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.

Sam Johnson 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.

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 2016.

  • "As an ardent pro-life Member of Congress, I stand firm in the fundamental belief that life begins at conception." (votesmart.org)
  • "We cannot allow this most fundamental value to erode. Human life begins at conception and should end in natural death." (votesmart.org)
  • " With a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee, I stand firm in the fundamental belief that life begins at conception." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • " If given the chance, Democrats in Washington want to raise your taxes. I will continue to fight to stop that. Americans are struggling under this President’s so-called "economic recovery," and the last thing our nation can handle are additional tax hikes." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "Instead of hitting up taxpayers for even more taxes, Washington needs to go after these billions of dollars. We must take action now to protect these precious taxpayer dollars." (votesmart.org)
  • Signed a pledge stating "I, Sam Johnson, pledge to the taxpayers of the 3rd district of the state of Texas and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates." (www.atr.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "As a fiscal conservative I'm proud to support this Republican budget that, unlike the President's proposal, will continue to cut federal spending and balance the budget – without raising taxes." (votesmart.org)
  • "Mr. Speaker, contrary to what Obama likes to say in his speeches, too many Americans are still struggling. The last thing this country needs is more taxes, more spending, and more debt." (votesmart.org)
  • "Not only have I voted for balanced budgets and tough but necessary spending cuts, I've stood up against the Administration's wasteful spending agenda." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "Instead of hitting up taxpayers for even more taxes, Washington needs to go after these billions of dollars. We must take action now to protect these precious taxpayer dollars." (votesmart.org)
  • "The President insists on higher taxes on small businesses and hard-working families as the answer to getting our fiscal house in order. This is outrageous." (votesmart.org)
  • "I am an adamant believer in parental control over education. The Constitution does not give the federal government authority to dictate over our schools." (votesmart.org)
  • " As a strong supporter of the Keystone Pipeline, I believe we should not limit the range and scope of our energy exploration or innovation." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "It's been over six years since the Keystone application was first submitted, and it's long past time for President Obama to approve this pro-jobs bill. Not only would its construction support approximately 42,100 much-needed jobs, but the State Department's latest and final environmental review (Jan. 31, 2014) reported it would pose little environmental risk." (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S. 1 "A Bill to Approve the Keystone Pipeline" (votesmart.org)
  • "An "all of the above" energy policy that encourages the development of all of the American resources we have available – coal, natural gas, nuclear, renewables, wind, solar and fossil fuels - will help ensure that energy costs remain affordable." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "I support an 'all of the above' plan. We need more energy at a lower cost on almost every front. We need to try it all and we need to try it now. U.S. oil and natural gas should be a part of our energy plans, and we must take steps to develop these resources in addition to alternatives such as nuclear, solar, wind, and geothermal power." (votesmart.org)
  • "I support the No More Excuses Energy Act that will reduce the price of gasoline by:1) Expanding U.S. refinery capacity2) Unlocking America's energy resources3) Promoting the use of clean, alternative energy." (votesmart.org)
  • "[…] I voted against the 'Cap and Trade' national energy tax bill, H.R. 2454. This legislation, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, would raise energy prices, kill over 2 million American jobs each year, and create countless new federal mandates." (votesmart.org)
  • "Later today it is expected that the House will vote on the Waxman-Markey climate change bill, H.R.2454, that would create a national energy tax; Johnson does not support the measure." (votesmart.org)
  • Signed a letter stating "[...]We do not believe EPA should be setting a precedent to supersede a successful state program that has reduced emissions and improved the air quality. Given Texas' strong record of success […] we urge EPA to reconsider the permitting action taken on May 25, 2010, and to refrain from any further actions to take over other operating permits in Texas." (votesmart.org)
  • "The Second Amendment grants law-abiding Americans the right to keep and bear arms and I have constantly supported the Second Amendment throughout my time in office." (votesmart.org)
  • "With an A rating from that National Rifle Association, I am a firm believer in our Right to Bear Arms and strongly believe that it is our responsibility to guard this personal freedom." (votesmart.org)
  • " With an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association, I am a firm believer in our Right to Bear Arms. I also strongly believe it is our responsibility to guard this personal freedom." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "Americans need health care solutions that actually work for them. As millions of Americans are discovering Obamacare is the wrong answer and it always has been." (votesmart.org)
  • "I have crusaded against Obamacare from the beginning, and have voted to repeal and defund Obamacare almost too many times to count (3 times for a full repeal and hacking away at it 40 times)." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 596 "Repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care At and Health Care-Relate Provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010" (votesmart.org)
  • "I also oppose rewarding illegal immigrants who have broken American laws by offering blanket amnesty and believe we should make English the official language of this nation." (votesmart.org)
  • "I will not support granting instant American citizenship to illegal immigrants -- sometimes called "amnesty." This is an affront to all of the folks who have followed the rules and waited in line to become citizens of America legally. The concept of blanket amnesty is an outrage." (votesmart.org)
  • "The border must be secured once and for all. Simply put, we need more boots on the ground to stop the flow of illegal immigrants. While we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws. That means NO AMNESTY." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "These terrorists feed on fear. We must not stand down and we cannot send mixed messages with our efforts. We must use every tool and weapon in our arsenal with the goal to win." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "We must win the war against terrorism, wherever it takes us. Thankfully, the troop Surge in Iraq produced dramatically positive results and our men and women are returning home. Hopefully, by sending more troops to Afghanistan we can quell the Taliban and Al Qaeda once and for all." (votesmart.org)
  • "We need to stop talking about exit strategies and troop withdrawal and focus on giving our troops the resources they want, need, and deserve. Let's eliminate the rules and fight to win." (votesmart.org)
  • " Failure to bolster Social Security now will not only shortchange Americans who are currently receiving Social Security, but younger generations as well. We MUST AND WE WILL fairly and responsibly fix Social Security now." (samjohnsonforcongress.com)
  • "Social Security's disability program is projected to be unable to pay full benefits in 2016. Earlier this year the House passed a measure offered by Johnson as part of its rules package. The measure would encourage Congress to work to fix Social Security by preventing Congress from raiding the retirement program to bail out the disability program." (votesmart.org)
  • "Unfortunately, the President and Democrats support raiding the Social Security retirement program to bail out the disability program. This is worse than kicking the can down the road – it will actually make the retirement program worse off, and it does nothing to fix the disability program." (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.
The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

X a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
X g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
h) Other or expanded principles.

Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.1) Budget Priorities2) Defense Spending3) 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.Family Income TaxesOther TaxesDeductions/Credits

Maintain Status a) Agriculture
Maintain Status b) Arts
Slightly Increase c) Defense
Slightly Increase d) Education
Maintain Status e) Environment
Maintain Status f) FEMA
Slightly Increase g) Homeland security
Slightly Decrease h) International aid
Slightly Increase i) Law enforcement (Federal)
Slightly Increase j) Law enforcement (State)
Slightly Increase k) Medical research
Slightly Decrease l) National parks
Maintain Status m) Public health services
Slightly Increase n) Scientific research
Slightly Increase o) Space exploration programs
Slightly Increase p) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Eliminate q) United Nations
Slightly Decrease r) Welfare
s) Other or expanded categories
Slightly Increase a) Armed forces personnel training
Slightly Increase b) Intelligence operations
Slightly Increase c) Military hardware
Slightly Increase d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Slightly Increase e) National missile defense
Slightly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Slightly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Slightly Increase h) Research and development of new weapons
Slightly Increase i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Less than $12,000
Maintain Status b) $12,001-$40,000
Slightly Decrease c) $40,001-$100,000
Maintain Status d) $100,001-$180,000
Maintain Status e) $180,001-$350,000
Maintain Status f) $350,001 and above
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status b) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Status c) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Status d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gasoline taxes
Eliminate f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Charitable contribution deduction
Maintain Status b) Child tax credit
Maintain Status c) Earned income tax credit
Maintain Status d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status e) Mortgage deduction
Maintain Status f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
Yes 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
Yes 5) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
6) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

a) Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
b) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
c) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
d) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
e) Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
f) Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
g) Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
X h) Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
X i) Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
X j) Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
k) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

X a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
X f) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
X g) Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
h) Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

a) Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
X b) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
X c) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
X d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
e) Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
f) Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
g) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
h) Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
X i) Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
j) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
X k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
l) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market.
X b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
X c) Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
d) Increase the federal minimum wage.
e) Support the right of workers to unionize.
X f) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
g) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
h) Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
X c) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
d) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
e) Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
X f) Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
X g) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
X i) Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
j) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
k) Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
l) Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
m) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.

X a) Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
b) Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
Greatly Decrease c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
Greatly Decrease d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
e) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

a) Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
X b) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
c) Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
d) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X e) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
f) Support expanding child healthcare programs.
g) Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
h) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

X a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Support a temporary worker program.
X d) Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
h) Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
i) Other or expanded principles

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

X a) Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
X b) Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
X c) Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
X d) Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
No b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
Yes c) Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
d) Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
Yes e) Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
f) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
Yes h) Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
Yes k) Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
Yes l) Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
Yes m) Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
Yes n) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
No o) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
No p) Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
Yes q) Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
r) Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
Yes a) Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
Yes b) Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
Yes c) Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
Yes d) Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
e) Other or expanded principles
The Surge has produced dramatic results - for the good. Things have improved markedly in Iraq and our armed forces are making great strides. I'm hopeful that our servicemen and women will return home safely and soon - when the time is right. The number of American troops in Iraq is on the decline. The Iraqi army, with the Americans, recently began a new big drive against al-Qaeda insurgent groups in Diyala province. But this progress is delicate. The wave of change in Iraq must come from within and it must stem from its people and its leaders.
We need to do whatever it takes to squash al-Qaeda and the Taliban once and for all - in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This means working with both nations. We must bolster the burgeoning army in Afghanistan, the ANA, the Afghan National Army. It's been reported that about every week a fresh 650-men battalion finishes training and heads out on patrol. They're making great inroads in conjunction with America. My goal is to make them more self-sufficient in their quest to retake their country from terrorists roaming their lands.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

Yes a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
Yes b) Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Yes c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
Yes e) Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
No f) Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
Yes g) Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
Yes h) Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
i) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

No a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
Yes b) Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
Yes c) Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
No d) Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
No e) Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
No f) Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
No g) Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
I support federally funded research on embryonic stem cell lines that existed before 2001. I support the President's current policy but do not believe we should expand it in any way.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

X a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
b) Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
c) Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
X d) Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
e) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
f) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

X a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
X b) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
c) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
d) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
e) Other or expanded principles
Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.

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