Rob’s experience on the Issues

Rob’s stand on the Issues

Improving Education

Education

As a teacher for almost 30 years, Rob has seen many education ideas come and go. The best results come from getting the Federal Government out of local decisions, allowing parents the control to help their children, and giving teachers flexibility to meet the needs of kids. He has consistently fought the educational bureaucracy in the classroom and on Capitol Hill.

The Federal Government cannot be allowed to mandate a universal, one-size-fits-all, factory model on local schools. Vouchers, tuition tax credits, and charter schools can benefit public education and enhance the overall education climate for our children.  Rob would have voted against the final No Child Left Behind Act and continues to fight for local control of education.

Protecting Your Paycheck

Taxes

The economy cannot grow when the government takes the people’s money away. When Rob was Speaker of the House, he established an agenda that pushed through tax cuts despite heavy opposition (even opposition from within some elements of the Republican Party).  Rob has voted many times in Congress to cut your taxes.

As Congressman, Rob has cut our taxes and opposed any effort to reduce the tax cuts of the Bush stimulus package. The best way to keep our economy growing is through broad-based and equitable tax relief that places more money in the hands of consumers and small business owners. And, after all, your hard-earned dollars belong to you and not to the government.

Protecting Gun Rights

Gun Rights

As a legislator, Rob voted for Utah’s constitutional language on gun rights. He lobbied the Legislature against infringements on many parts of our constitutional rights.  As Congressman, Rob already has a strong record on the Second Amendment, co-sponsoring and voting for many common sense pieces of legislation.

Gun Rights are a constitutional guarantee, and the Second Amendment is an individual right of self-defense.  This right must not be infringed.

Preserving Our Lands

Land Rights

As a legislator, Rob created a constitutional defense fund to protect states rights; he secured funding for counties to inventory R.S. 2477 roads and other traditional access routes. He also co-founded the multi-state Western States Coalition, composed of legislators and community leaders, to promote the interests of Western states at the national level.  In the House, Rob is in the leadership of the Western Caucus.

Rob is committed to protecting private property rights from the encroachment of the federal government. He opposes the use of federal funds to take more Utah land out of the tax base. As long as the federal government owns land in Utah, payment-in-lieu-of-taxes to local governments must be certain and stable to provide services to all the citizens of the state of Utah.

Protecting Life

Life

Rob is strongly pro-life, and has fought for this cause his entire career. As a state legislator, he supported legislation that challenged the Roe vs. Wade decision.  As a Congressman, he has voted many times to restrict this practice, including voting for a ban on the heinous procedure known as partial birth abortion.

Today’s cavalier attitude towards life produces a society of increased violence and diminishes within our children a respect for the sanctity of human life. As a Congressman, Rob continues to fight for the rights of the unborn.

Balanced Budget

Budget

Producing a balanced budget is vital to effective government. As a state legislator, Rob helped the State of Utah produce balanced budgets for sixteen years.  As a member of Congress, he is a co-sponsor of the balanced budget amendment as well as legislation such as H.CON.RES.301, a resolution that states that any bill or joint resolution that establishes a new Federal program should eliminate one or more current Federal programs of equal or greater cost.  He has consistently voted for smaller, leaner budgets during his two terms.

Rob supports a constitutional amendment that requires the Federal Government to enact a balanced budget each year—similar to Utah’s own policy. The best way to balance the budget is to cut spending.  Increasing taxes is not the answer.  Any surplus from a balanced budget should be used to pay off the national debt and provide tax cuts to further stimulate growth in the economy.