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Ballotpedia, Ruth Torres

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Supports tax breaks for businesses that provide tuition reimbursement with increased wages upon program completion.

Supports allowing student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy.

Plans to address banking requirements to support homeownership.

Supports small and medium businesses and farms to ensure fair competition and reasonable regulations.

Supports removing the cap on Social Security taxes.

Supports economic policy that requires "big business and 1%" to pay their "fair share" and aims to reduce wage gaps.

Believes in addressing gender disparities in the workforce and leadership positions.

Supports budget and tax policies that aim to create and retain jobs in the U.S.

Supports responsible federal spending to promote economic growth, including helping District 5 communities access federal funds from the Infrastructure Bill for internet access.

Believes District 5 residents are adversely affected by high grocery prices, housing costs, insurance, and debt, while businesses profit and CEO pay exceeds front-line worker pay by over 324 times.

- Supports tax breaks for businesses that provide tuition reimbursement with increased wages upon program completion.
- Supports allowing student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy.
- Plans to address banking requirements to support homeownership.
- Supports small and medium businesses and farms to ensure fair competition and reasonable regulations.
- Supports removing the cap on Social Security taxes.
- Supports economic policy that requires "big business and 1%" to pay their "fair share" and aims to reduce wage gaps.
- Believes in addressing gender disparities in the workforce and leadership positions.
- Supports budget and tax policies that aim to create and retain jobs in the U.S.
- Supports responsible federal spending to promote economic growth, including helping District 5 communities access federal funds from the Infrastructure Bill for internet access.
- Believes District 5 residents are adversely affected by high grocery prices, housing costs, insurance, and debt, while businesses profit and CEO pay exceeds front-line worker pay by over 324 times.

Economy

Supports equal sentences for crack and powder cocaine, with automatic sentence reductions.

Supports the Second Chance Initiatives for mental health and substance abuse programs, juvenile prevention, and the Safer America Plan.

Supports the Smart Sentencing Adjustments Act, which reduces the three-strike penalty and allows judges to sentence below mandatory minimums.

Supports reviewing and strengthening accountability standards for prisons and jails.

Believes gun violence is a critical public safety issue, highlighting that "on average 200 people are shot and 118 people die every day in the US, with over 40,000 killed in 2023."

Plans to address crime by tackling poverty, improving education, and using restorative justice to reduce repeat offenses.

Supports gun control and wants to immediately eliminate the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

Supports equitable funding distribution for drug rehabilitation and recovery programs.

- Supports equal sentences for crack and powder cocaine, with automatic sentence reductions.
- Supports the Second Chance Initiatives for mental health and substance abuse programs, juvenile prevention, and the Safer America Plan.
- Supports the Smart Sentencing Adjustments Act, which reduces the three-strike penalty and allows judges to sentence below mandatory minimums.
- Supports reviewing and strengthening accountability standards for prisons and jails.
- Supports community police oversight.
- Believes gun violence is a critical public safety issue, highlighting that "on average 200 people are shot and 118 people die every day in the US, with over 40,000 killed in 2023."
- Plans to address crime by tackling poverty, improving education, and using restorative justice to reduce repeat offenses.
- Supports gun control and wants to immediately eliminate the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
- Supports equitable funding distribution for drug rehabilitation and recovery programs.

Public Safety

Believes abortion bans endanger women by forcing them to continue high-risk pregnancies.

Believes District 5 residents deserve affordable and accessible healthcare with more consumer controls and education.

Supports abortion and wants to "codify Roe v. Wade with limits" allowing abortion up to viability.

Supports access to abortion and wants to "codify Roe v. Wade with limits" allowing abortion up to viability.

Supports automatic enrollment and evaluations for veteran healthcare. Believes veterans eligible for Social Security or VA disability benefits should have no medical coverage costs.

Supports automatic enrollment and evaluations for veteran healthcare and believes veterans eligible for Social Security or VA disability benefits should have no medical coverage costs.

Supports affordable medical care during and after pregnancy.

Supports affordable access to birth control, domestic abuse resources, and mental health resources.

Believes in using mobile care units and the internet to improve healthcare access, supporting President Biden’s infrastructure bill to achieve this goal.

- Believes abortion bans endanger women by forcing them to continue high-risk pregnancies.
- Believes District 5 residents deserve affordable and accessible healthcare with more consumer controls and education.
- Supports access to abortion and wants to "codify Roe v. Wade with limits" allowing abortion up to viability.
- Supports automatic enrollment and evaluations for veteran healthcare and believes veterans eligible for Social Security or VA disability benefits should have no medical coverage costs.
- Supports affordable medical care during and after pregnancy.
- Supports affordable access to birth control, domestic abuse resources, and mental health resources.
- Believes in using mobile care units and the internet to improve healthcare access, supporting President Biden’s infrastructure bill to achieve this goal.

Healthcare

Believes in limited testing to tailor educational approaches to individual learning needs.

Opposes the idea of students being viewed as "backpacks full of cash," suggesting a belief in prioritizing student welfare and education quality over financial incentives or funding models.

Said "Our kids are more than 'backpacks full of cash.'"

Opposes school vouchers, saying they are "tax-payer dollars for private businesses giving welfare to the wealthy" and "robbing our children of their future."

Believes the state is failing in education, ranking 42nd in attainment and 44th in funding, with only 3.45% of economic capacity spent on K-12 public schools.

Opposes policies reversing integration efforts from *Brown v. Board of Education*.

Believes foster children are vulnerable and deserve protection.

Supports efforts to recover and allocate funds for district development, such as helping to recover $32 million in district bond funds to build a new high school in Seagoville.

- Believes in limited testing to tailor educational approaches to individual learning needs.
- Said "Our kids are more than 'backpacks full of cash.'"
- Opposes school vouchers, saying they are "tax-payer dollars for private businesses giving welfare to the wealthy" and "robbing our children of their future."
- Believes the state is failing in education, ranking 42nd in attainment and 44th in funding, with only 3.45% of economic capacity spent on K-12 public schools.
- Opposes policies reversing integration efforts from *Brown v. Board of Education*.
- Believes foster children are vulnerable and deserve protection.
- Supports efforts to recover and allocate funds for district development, such as helping to recover $32 million in district bond funds to build a new high school in Seagoville.

Education

Believes in harnessing solar energy to fuel a commitment to a better future.

Supports harnessing solar energy to fuel a commitment to a better future.

Believes District 5's rapid growth necessitates infrastructure development for streets, water, sewer, first responders, parks, and public transportation, emphasizing the need for future-oriented and environmentally conscious planning.

- Supports harnessing solar energy to fuel a commitment to a better future.
- Believes District 5's rapid growth necessitates infrastructure development for streets, water, sewer, first responders, parks, and public transportation, emphasizing the need for future-oriented and environmentally conscious planning.

Energy & the Environment

Supports the Freedom to Vote/John R. Lewis Act and the For the People Act to protect voting rights.

Supports restoring voting rights after incarceration without financial barriers.

Believes Texas has "some of the WORST gerrymandered maps in the country?"

Believes the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United allowed "corporate dark money" into elections and supports election reform to prevent the wealthy from influencing politics.

Believes the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United allowed "corporate dark money" into elections and supports election reform to prevent high-income entities from influencing politics.

Supports term limits for Congress members, including a maximum of 12 years in office.

- Supports the Freedom to Vote/John R. Lewis Act and the For the People Act to protect voting rights.
- Supports restoring voting rights after incarceration without financial barriers.
- Opposes "gerrymandering."
- Believes the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United allowed "corporate dark money" into elections and supports election reform to prevent high-income entities from influencing politics.
- Supports term limits for Congress members, including a maximum of 12 years in office.

Voting & Elections

Supports reinstating deported honorably discharged veterans.

Supports bringin back deported honorably discharged veterans.

Supports providing comprehensive mental health support for military personnel and their families before, during, and after service.

Supports issuing immediate temporary work visas at the point of entry to promote financial independence and allow for obtaining a driver's license and car insurance, which he believes will enhance road safety.

Supports issuing immediate temporary work visas at the point of entry to promote financial independence and allow for obtaining a driver's license and car insurance.

Believes in changing US foreign aid to focus on job creation and crime reduction, rather than addressing poverty-based migration.

Believes in changing US foreign aid to focus on job creation and crime reduction.

Supports an efficient refugee and asylum system that allows applications to be made at the country of origin and aims to reduce processing times to 90 days or less.

- Supports bringin back deported honorably discharged veterans.
- Supports providing comprehensive mental health support for military personnel and their families before, during, and after service.
- Supports issuing immediate temporary work visas at the point of entry to promote financial independence and allow for obtaining a driver's license and car insurance.
- Believes in changing US foreign aid to focus on job creation and crime reduction.
- Supports an efficient refugee and asylum system that allows applications to be made at the country of origin and aims to reduce processing times to 90 days or less.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Ruth "Truth" Torres

Ballotpedia, Lance Gooden

Supports reducing the size of the IRS, simplifying the tax code, and minimizing government interference for small business owners.

Believes the national debt is "out of control" with the federal government spending "$7 million a minute" and facing a debt of nearly "$19 trillion."

Supports responsible budgeting and minimal state spending increases.

Supports allocating additional funds to reduce insurance premiums.

- Supports reducing the size of the IRS, simplifying the tax code, and minimizing government interference for small business owners.
- Believes the national debt is "out of control" with the federal government spending "$7 million a minute" and facing a debt of nearly "$19 trillion."
- Supports responsible budgeting and minimal state spending increases.
- Supports allocating additional funds to reduce insurance premiums.

Supports adding 250 new state troopers and expanding the workweek for all Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers statewide.

Believes in reducing firearm regulations, including lowering training hours and fees for Concealed Handgun Licenses, and supports repealing continuing education requirements.

- Opposes gun control.
- Supports adding 250 new state troopers and expanding the workweek for all Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers statewide.
- Believes in reducing firearm regulations, including lowering training hours and fees for Concealed Handgun Licenses, and supports repealing continuing education requirements.

Believes allowing individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines and supporting state-based reforms will reduce insurance costs and improve quality of care.

Opposes the expansion of Medicaid and the use of tax dollars for abortions.

Supports restricting abortion and increasing funding for alternatives to abortion.

Believes the Affordable Care Act has not improved access to quality, affordable health insurance and has led to "skyrocketing premiums."

- Believes allowing individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines and supporting state-based reforms will reduce insurance costs and improve quality of care.
- Opposes the expansion of Medicaid and the use of tax dollars for abortions.
- Supports restricting abortion and increasing funding for alternatives to abortion.
- Believes the Affordable Care Act has not improved access to quality, affordable health insurance and has led to "skyrocketing premiums."

Believes the federal government should "get out of the way" and stop using "one-size-fits-all policies" for public education.

As a state representative, Gooden increased funding for public and higher education, eliminated 2/3 of standardized tests, and prohibited the "Common Core Standards Initiative" from being implemented in Texas schools.

As a state representative, increased funding for public and higher education, eliminated 2/3 of standardized tests, and prohibited the "Common Core Standards Initiative" from being implemented in Texas schools.

As a legislator, allocated $350 million to increase the contribution rate and address the shortfall in TRS-Care, the health care program for retired teachers.

Allocated $350 million to increase the contribution rate and address the shortfall in TRS-Care, the health care program for retired teachers.

- Believes the federal government should "get out of the way" and stop using "one-size-fits-all policies" for public education.
- Supports public schools and teachers.
- As a state representative, increased funding for public and higher education, eliminated 2/3 of standardized tests, and prohibited the "Common Core Standards Initiative" from being implemented in Texas schools.
- Allocated $350 million to increase the contribution rate and address the shortfall in TRS-Care, the health care program for retired teachers.

As of September 7, 2024, Lance Gooden’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in banning "sanctuary cities" to reduce illegal immigration.

Supports banning "sanctuary cities" to reduce undocumented immigration.

Supports strong border security measures.

Aims to "bring transparency, accountability, and improved service to benefit our veterans and every American taxpayer who finances the department."

- Supports banning "sanctuary cities" to reduce undocumented immigration.
- Supports strong border security measures.
- Aims to "bring transparency, accountability, and improved service to benefit our veterans and every American taxpayer who finances the department."

Lance Gooden

- Your US Representative represents the interests of your district in the US House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Texas currently has 36 US Representatives.
- US Representatives can author, sponsor, debate, and vote on bills that become national law.
- Representatives may serve on congressional committees. Committees focus on certain policy areas, such as transportation, education, or labor. They may also run for higher positions within their party, such as the Speaker of the House or Majority/Minority Leader.
- Representatives are elected to two-year terms. To hold this office, a candidate must be a legal resident of Texas for at least seven years before their election. US Representatives are paid a salary of $174,000/year.