REPUBLICAN PLATFORM 2016Based on these principles, this platform is aninvitation and a roadmap. It invites every Americanto join us and shows the path to a stronger, safer,and more prosperous America... This platform lays out — in clear language — thepath to making America great and united again.We dedicate this platform with admiration and gratitudeTo all who stand strong in the face of dangerSo that the American people may be protected against it —The men and women of our military,of our law enforcement, and the first respondersof every community in our land —And to their families.Republican National Platform CommitteeRNPC_dd37e2ee-f4b4-11e1-9990-fe108b708e50Reince PriebusRepublican National Committee ChairmanSenator John BarrassoChairmanGovernor Mary FallinCo-ChairRepresentative Virginia FoxxCo-ChairJim CarnsALABAMAJudy CarnsALABAMAJim CrawfordALASKAJudy EledgeALASKABrandon SmartAMERICAN SAMOAAndrea KadarARIZONALynden (Len) MunsilARIZONAJohn NabholzARKANSASLeslie RutledgeARKANSASNoel HentschelAndy PuzderCALIFORNIARobin CoranCOLORADOJustin EverettCOLORADOAnthony D’AmelioCONNECTICUTPatricia LongoCONNECTICUTAllison BrokawDELAWARETimothy HousealDELAWARERachel HoffDISTRICT OF COLUMBIAChip NottinghamDISTRICT OF COLUMBIACindy GravesFLORIDAJoe GrutersFLORIDARanya CaseyGEORGIACurtis “Scott” JohnsonGEORGIAJuan Carlos BenitezGUAMMargaret MetcalfeGUAMAdrienne KingHAWAIIWilliam McClaryHAWAIIVicki KeenIDAHOSteve YatesIDAHOStephanie HolderfieldILLINOISJohn LynchILLINOISJames BoppINDIANABrenda GoffINDIANABen BarringerIOWATamara ScottIOWAMary Kay CulpKANSASKris KobachKANSASJulie AdamsKENTUCKYNathan HaneyKENTUCKYSandra (Sandy) McDadeLOUISIANATony PerkinsLOUISIANAEric BrakeyMAINEStacey GuerinMAINEJoeylynn HoughMARYLANDMichael (Ben) MarchiMARYLANDAmy CarnevaleMASSACHUSETTSBob MaginnMASSACHUSETTSJoe HuneMICHIGANMeshawn MaddockMICHIGANAndy AplikowskiMINNESOTAJanet BeihofferMINNESOTALynn FitchMISSISSIPPIDelbert HosemannMISSISSIPPIHardy BillingtonMISSOURIBev EhlenMISSOURISeth BergleeMONTANADebra LammMONTANADebby BrehmNEBRASKABrian BuescherNEBRASKAJuanita CoxNEVADAJesse LawNEVADAJuliana BergeronNEW HAMPSHIREStephen StepanekNEW HAMPSHIREJoseph PennacchioNEW JERSEYJill SpaceNEW JERSEYJonathan GardnerNEW MEXICOAndrea MooreNEW MEXICOThomas DadeyNEW YORKAnne DickersonNEW YORKMary ForresterNORTH CAROLINARon RabinNORTH CAROLINAKelly ArmstrongNORTH DAKOTAKelly SchmidtNORTH DAKOTAIvan BlancoNORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDSDavid JohnsonOHIOTracey Monroe-WinbushOHIOMarc HaderOKLAHOMACarolyn McLartyOKLAHOMADonna CainOREGONRuss WalkerOREGONJim McErlanePENNSYLVANIACarol SidesPENNSYLVANIAJenniffer González-ColónPUERTO RICOJorge San MiguelPUERTO RICOGiovanni CicioneRHODE ISLANDLee Ann SennickAlan ClemmonsSOUTH CAROLINALaDonna RyggsSOUTH CAROLINANancy NeffSOUTH DAKOTAHal WickSOUTH DAKOTAVictor AsheTENNESSEEConnie HunterTENNESSEEDavid BartonTEXASDiana DenmanTEXASBoyd MathesonUTAHGayle RuzickaUTAHRick CochranVERMONTDarcie JohnstonVERMONTCynthia DunbarVIRGINIAThomas ValentineVIRGINIAApril NewlandVIRGIN ISLANDSHumberto O’NealVIRGIN ISLANDSManette MerrillWASHINGTONPhilip WilsonWASHINGTONMelody PotterWEST VIRGINIAVictor SprouseWEST VIRGINIAKathy KiernanWISCONSINTom SchreibelWISCONSINMarti HalversonWYOMINGDick ShanorWYOMINGGOP Platform Committee StaffBen KeyExecutive DirectorAndrew BrembergPolicy DirectorBill GribbinEditorEric UelandAssistant EditorMary SalviExecutive AssistantDavid SchiappaParliamentarianJustin RiemerCounselMary Elizabeth TaylorClerkAllison CurryClerkSloane SkinnerClerkKaren PortikGraphic DesignerMarcia BrownProductionSheila BerkleyPlatform ConsultantMike MearsDirector of Strategic PartnershipsRachel PackebushInternGOP Platform Committee Administrative TeamBrian O’MalleyEd CowlingBlake GlovitzKim OwensWill GilletteGordon JamesStephen MengelkampCourt ReporterNate RivenessCourt ReporterAmerica great and united again_0fc6ae90-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea00To reaffirm the principles that unite us in a common purpose_0fc6b23c-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea00American ExceptionalismWe believe in American exceptionalism.We believe the United States of America isunlike any other nation on earth.LibertyWe believe America is exceptional because ofour historic role — first as refuge, then as defender,and now as exemplar of liberty for the world to see.EqualityWe affirm — as did the Declaration ofIndependence: that all are created equal, endowedby their Creator with inalienable rights of life, liberty,and the pursuit of happiness.ConstitutionalismWe believe in the Constitution as our foundingdocument.LiteralismWe believe the Constitution was written not as a flexible document, but as our enduring covenant.FederalismWe believe our constitutional system — limitedgovernment, separation of powers, federalism,and the rights of the people — must be preserveduncompromised for future generations.Political FreedomWe believe political freedom and economicfreedom are indivisible.Economic FreedomWhen political freedom and economic freedomare separated — both are in peril; when united, theyare invincible.PeopleWe believe that people are the ultimate resource— and that the people, not the government, are thebest stewards of our country’s God-given naturalresources.PeaceAs Americans and as Republicans we wish forpeace — so we insist on strength.StrengthSafetyWe will make America safe.FriendshipWe seek friendship with all peoplesand all nations, but we recognize and are preparedto deal with evil in the world. OptimismThis platform is optimistic because the American people are optimisticAmerican DreamRestore the American Dream_0fc6b3fe-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001Joe GrutersAmerican Dream Subcommittee Co-ChairDelbert HosemannAmerican Dream Subcommittee Co-ChairAndy PuzderAmerican Dream Subcommittee Co-ChairJeff SchlagenhaufRestoring the American Dream StaffEric UelandRestoring the American Dream StaffJobs & EconomyRebuild the economy and create jobs_0fc6b728-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.1Rebuilding the Economy and Creating Jobs -- We are the party of a growing economy thatgives everyone a chance in life, an opportunity tolearn, work, and realize the prosperity freedommakes possible.Government cannot create prosperity, thoughgovernment can limit or destroy it. Prosperity is theproduct of self-discipline, enterprise, saving and investment by individuals, but it is not an end in itself.Prosperity provides the means by which citizensand their families can maintain their independencefrom government, raise their children by their ownvalues, practice their faith, and build communitiesof cooperation and mutual respect. It is also thefoundation for our nation’s global leadership, for itis the vigor of our economy which makes possibleour military strength and our national security.Pundits and Democrats tell us that we shouldaccept the new normal of a slow-growing economy.The consequences are too dire to ever accept that:President Obama and his partywill set a record of being the firstmodern president ever to leaveoffice without a single calendaryear of three percent economicgrowth. As a result, the numberof Americans living in povertyhas increased by 7 million, ournation’s economy has lost nearly$8 trillion of cumulative output compared with anaverage recovery, and the economic growth shortfall has left a cumulative real after-tax per personpersonal income shortfall of nearly $17,000 compared with an average recovery.Under President Obama and the Democrats,new private-sector jobs are three million belowwhere they should have been with just averagemodern post-recession growth. Our labor forceparticipation rate has plunged to at or below 63percent for far too long, lows last seen two generations ago before President Reagan was electedin 1980. Business closures have exceeded businessstartups throughout the Obama Presidency. Stronggrowth, more jobs, increasing incomes, and expanding opportunity are all in short supply under President Obama and the Democrats.We repudiate the absurd idea this is the bestAmerica can do. The American people rejected thatnonsense the last time it was offered, in the historicelection of 1980, and we ask them to join us nowto again repudiate the false gospel of America’s diminishment and retreat. We offer instead our visionof an opportunity society based on the economicsof inclusion. TaxesEstablish a pro-growth tax code_0fc6bb92-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.2Fair and Simple Taxes for Growth -- Republicans consider the establishment of apro-growth tax code a moral imperative. More thanany other public policy, the way government raisesrevenue — how much, at what rates, under whatcircumstances, from whom,and for whom — has the greatest impact on our economy’sperformance. It powerfully influences the level of economicgrowth and job creation, whichtranslates into the level of opportunity for those who wouldotherwise be left behind. Getting our tax system right will be the most important factor in driving the entire economy back toprosperity.The current tax code is rightly the object ofboth anger and mockery. Its length is exceededonly by its complexity. We must start anew. Thatwill be an enormous undertaking and, if it is to succeed, it must command the attention and approvalof the American people. It cannot be engineeredfrom the top down, but must have a common senseapproach, and be simplified. Our proposal is straightforward. Wherever taxrates penalize thrift or discourage investment, theymust be lowered. Wherever current provisions ofthe code are disincentives for economic growth,they must be changed. We will not divide theAmerican people into winners and losers. We willeliminate as many special interest provisions andloopholes as possible and curb corporate welfare,especially where their erosion of the tax base hascreated pressure for higher rates. We will be mindfulof the burdens on families with children and the impact on an aging population. We will seek simplicityand clarity so that every taxpayer can understandhow much of their income is consumed by the federal government.We will welcome all to this enterprise — todiscuss, debate, challenge, and amend — so thattogether we can restore economic growth for theAmerican people and, even more important, renewtheir faith in the future.Our Tax Principles -- To ensure that past abuses will not be repeated,we assert these fundamental principles. Retroactive TaxationOppose retroactive taxation_0fc6bd36-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.2.1We oppose retroactive taxation.Activist JudgesOppose attempts by activist judges at any level of government to seize thepower of the purse from the people’s elected representatives by ordering higher taxes_fe5c3bbc-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.2.2Activist JudgesWe condemn attempts by activist judges at any level of government to seize thepower of the purse from the people’s elected representatives by ordering higher taxes.Class WarfareOppose tax policies that deliberately divide Americans or promote class warfare_fe5c4e36-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.2.3We oppose tax policies that deliberately divide Americans or promote class warfare.Charitable OrganizationsAvoid taxing charitable organizations and maintain the deductibility of donations to them_fe5c52c8-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.2.4Religious OrganizationsCharitiesFraternal Benevolent SocietiesBecause of the vital role of religious organizations, charities,and fraternal benevolent societies in fostering generosity and patriotism, they should not be subject to taxation and donations to them should remaindeductible.Income TaxRepeal the Sixteenth Amendment_fe5c5700-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.2.5To guard against hypertaxation of the American people in any restructuring of the federal tax system, any value added tax or national sales tax must be tied to the simultaneous repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, which established the federal income tax. CompetitivenessA competitive America_0fc6c060-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.3U.S. CorporationsJob SeekersWage EarnersA Competitive America -- Competitiveness equals jobs. That equationgoverns our policies regarding U.S. corporations in the global economy. Private investment is a key driver of economic growth and job creation. After falling dramatically during the recession, private investment has recovered at a disappointing pace due in part to high corporate tax rates and increasing regulatory burdens and uncertainty. American businesses now face the world’s highest corporate tax rates. That’s like putting lead shoes on your cross-country team. It reduces companies’ ability to compete overseas, encourages them to move abroad, lessens their investment, cripples job creation here at home, lowers American wages, and fosters the avoidance of tax liability — without actually increasing tax revenues. A more damaging policy is hard to imagine.Corporate TaxesLower the corporate tax rate_fe5c5b60-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.3.1CorporationsWe propose to level the international playing field by lowering the corporate tax rate to be on a par with, or below, the rates of other industrial nations.Territorial TaxationSwitch to a territorial system of taxation_fe5c6010-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.3.2National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and ReformWe endorse the recommendation of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, as well as the current Administration’s Export Council, to switch to a territorial system of taxation so that profits earned and taxed abroad may be repatriated for job-creating investment here at home.Corporate HeadquartersReduce barriers to headquartering American companies in America_fe5c6466-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.3.3American CompaniesWe believe American companies should be headquartered in America. We should reduce barriers to accomplishing that goal. Trade PolicyA winning trade policy_0fc6c380-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.4A Winning Trade Policy -- International trade is crucial for all sectors ofAmerica’s economy. Massive trade deficits are not.FairnessMake free trade fair trade_fe604914-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.4.1We envision a worldwide multilateral agreement among nations committed to the principles of open markets, what has been called a “Reagan Economic Zone,” in which free trade will truly be fair trade for all concerned.AgreementsPut America first in negotiated trade agreements_fe604ea0-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.4.2We need better negotiated trade agreements that put America first. When trade agreements have been carefully negotiated with friendly democracies, they have resulted in millions of new jobs here at home supported by our exports. When those agreements do not adequately protect U.S. interests, U.S. sovereignty, or when they are violated with impunity, they must be rejected.Market AccessDisallow foreign governments from limiting American access to their markets_fe605332-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.4.3Foreign GovernmentsWe cannot allow foreign governments to limit American access to their markets while stealing our designs, patents, brands, know-how, and technology.ChinaDisallow China from continuing to manipulate its currency, exclude U.S. products from government purchases, and subsidize Chinese companies to thwart American imports_fe6057c4-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.4.4ChinaWe cannot allow China to continue its currency manipulation, exclusion of U.S. products from government purchases, and subsidization of Chinesecompanies to thwart American imports. The current Administration’s way of dealing with these violations of world trade standards has been a virtualsurrender.Parity & DutiesInsist on parity in trade and stand ready to implement countervailing duties_fe605f8a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.4.5Republicans understand that you can succeed in a negotiation only if you are willing to walk away from it. A Republican president will insist on parity in trade and stand ready to implement countervailing duties if other countries refuse to cooperate.Trade AgreementsBroaden our trade agreements with countries which share our values_fe60652a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.4.6At the same time, we look to broaden our trade agreements with countries which share our values and commitment to fairness, along with transparency in our commercial and business practices.Transparency, Disclosure & SovereigntyDemand transparency, full disclosure, protection of our national sovereignty, and tough negotiation_fe6069b2-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.4.7U.S. WorkersCongressSignificant trade agreements should not be rushed or undertaken in a Lame Duck Congress. In pursuing that objective, the American people demand transparency, full disclosure, protection of our national sovereignty, and tough negotiation on the part of those who are supposed to advance the interests of U.S. workers.Financial MarketsFreeing financial markets_0fc6c556-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.5Freeing Financial MarketsTransparency & EfficiencyEstablish transparent, efficient markets where consumers can obtain loans they need at reasonable rates based on market conditions_fe606e12-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.5.1Community BanksSince the enactment of Dodd-Frank, the number of community banks has significantly declined, and the cost and complexity of complying withthe law has created impediments to the remaining banks’ ability to support the customers they serve.From 13,000 community banks in 1985, only 1,900 remain. Still, the majority of agricultural loans and small business loans are made by community banks.From start-ups foregone to home loans not made, Dodd-Frank’s excessive regulation and burdensome requirements have helped contribute to theslow economy we all endure today under President Obama and the Democrats.Community banks are essential to ensuring small businesses have easy and affordable access to the capital they need to grow and prosper.Small BusinessesThe Republican vision for American banking calls for establishing transparent, efficient markets where consumers can obtain loans they need at reasonable rates based on market conditions. Unfortunately, in response to the financial institutions crisis of 2008-2009, the Democratic-controlled Congress enacted the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, otherwise known as Dodd-Frank. They did not let the crisis go to waste but used it as an excuse to establish unprecedented government control over the nation’s financial markets. The consequences have been bad for everyone except federal regulators.Rather than address the cause of the crisis — the government’s own housing policies — the new law extended government control over the economy by creating new unaccountable bureaucracies.Predictably, central planning of our financial sector has not created jobs, it has killed them. It has not limited risks, it has created more. It has not encouraged economic growth, it has shackled it.RegulationRelieve community banks of excessive regulations_fe607434-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.5.2Community BanksCommunity banks should be relieved of excessive regulations. We support removing roadblocks and regulations that prevent access to capital.CFPBSubject the CFPB to congressional appropriation_fe60838e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.5.3Consumer Financial Protection BureauCongressThe worst of Dodd-Frank is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, deliberately designed to be a rogue agency. It answers to neither Congress nor the executive, has its own guaranteed funding outside the appropriations process, and uses its slush fund to steer settlements to politically favored groups.Its Director has dictatorial powers unique in the American Republic. Its regulatory harassment of local and regional banks, the source of most home mortgages and small business loans, advantages big banks and makes it harder for Americans to buy a home. Its one-size-fits-all approach to every issue threatens the diversity of the country’s financial system and would leave us with just a few enormous institutions, as in many European countries.If the Bureau is not abolished, it should be subjected to congressional appropriation. In that way, consumer protection in the financial markets can beadvanced through measures that are both effective and constitutional. Any settlements arising from statutory violations by financial institutions must be used to make whole the harmed consumers, with any remaining proceeds given to the general Treasury. Diversion of settlement funds to politically-connected parties should be a criminal offense.BankruptcySupport legislation to ensure that the problems of any financial institution can be resolved through the Bankruptcy Code_fe609324-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.5.4Financial InstitutionsRepublicans believe that no financial institution is too big to fail. We support legislation to ensure that the problems of any financial institution can be resolved through the Bankruptcy Code.Capitalization & BailoutsEnsure that FDIC-regulated banks are properly capitalized and taxpayers are protected against bailouts_fe609afe-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.5.5FDIC-Regulated BanksTaxpayersWe endorse prudent regulation of the banking system to ensure that FDIC-regulated banks are properly capitalized and taxpayers are protected against bailouts.Disparate ImpactEnd the use of disparate impact theory in enforcing anti-discrimination laws with regard to lending_fe60a5ee-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.5.6We will end the government’s use of disparate impact theory in enforcing anti-discrimination laws with regard to lending.Homeownership & RentalsResponsible homeownership and rental opportunities_0fc6ca74-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.6FamiliesU.S. TaxpayersThe Great Recession devastated the housing market. U.S. taxpayers paid billions to rescue Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the latter managed and controlled by senior officials from the Carter and Clinton Administrations, and to cover the losses of the poorly-managed Federal Housing Administration. Millions lost their homes, millions more lost value in their homes.Freddie MacFannie MaeFederal Housing AdministrationHouseholdsMore than six million households had to move from homeownership to renting.RentersRental costs escalated so that today nearly 12 million families spend more than 50 percent of their incomes just on rent.HomeownersThe national homeownership rate has sharply fallen and the rate for minority households and young adults has plummeted.Minority HouseholdsYoung AdultsUnemployed PeopleSo many remain unemployed or underemployed, and for the lucky oneswith jobs, rising rents make it harder to save for a mortgage.Underemployed PeopleResponsible Homeownership and Rental Opportunities -- Homeownership expands personal liberty, builds communities, and helps Americans create wealth. “The American Dream” is not a stale slogan. It is the lived reality that expresses the aspirations of all our people. It means a decent place to live, a safe place to raise kids, a welcoming place to retire. It bespeaks the quiet pride of those who work hard to shelter their family and, in the process, create caring neighborhoods.HomeownershipAdvance responsible homeownership while guarding against the abuses that led to the housing collapse_fe60b570-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.1HomeownersThere is a growing sense that our national standard of living will never be as high as it was in the past. We understand that pessimism but do not share it, for we believe that sound public policies can restore growth to our economy, vigor to the housing market, and hope to those who are now on the margins of prosperity.Our goal is to advance responsible homeownership while guarding against the abuses that led to the housing collapse.Housing MarketScale back the federal role in the housing market_fe60bd0e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.2We must scale back the federal role in the housing market, promote responsibility on the part of borrowers and lenders, and avoid future taxpayer bailouts.Standards & GuidelinesProvide clear and prudent underwriting standards and guidelines on predatory lending and acceptable lending practices_fe60c77c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.3UnderwritersLendersReforms should provide clear and prudent underwriting standards and guidelines on predatory lending and acceptable lending practices.Safe HarborConfer legal safe harbor based upon compliance with regulatory standard_fe60d622-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.4LendersTrial LawyersCompliance with regulatory standards should constitute a legal safe harbor to guard against opportunistic litigation by trial lawyers.RegulationsReview federal regulations that make it harder and more costly for Americans to rent, buy, or sell homes_fe60de10-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.5We call for a comprehensive review of federal regulations, especially those dealing with the environment, that make it harder and more costly forAmericans to rent, buy, or sell homes.Fannie Mae & Freddie MacReconsider the utility of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac_fe60e89c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.6Fannie MaeFor nine years, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been in conservatorship and the current Administration and Democrats have prevented any effort to reform them. Their corrupt business model lets shareholders and executives reap hugeprofits while the taxpayers cover all loses. Freddie MacThe utility of both agencies should be reconsidered as a Republican administration clears away the jumble of subsidies and controls that complicate and distort home-buying.FHAExclude high-income individuals from taxpayer-backed guarantees in the mortgage market_fe63e83a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.7Federal Housing AdministrationThe Federal Housing Administration, which provides taxpayer-backed guarantees in the mortgage market, should no longer support high-income individuals, and the public should not be financially exposed by risks taken by FHA officials.High-Income IndividualsFHA OfficialsLending QuotasEnd lending quotas_fe63f0d2-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.8We will end the government mandates that required Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and federally-insured banks to satisfy lending quotas to specific groups. Discrimination should have no place in the mortgage industry.ZoningKeep zoning decisions under local control_fe640590-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.6.9Zoning decisions have always been, and must remain, under local control. The current Administration is trying to seize control of the zoning process through its Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing regulation. It threatens to undermine zoning laws in order to socially engineer every community in the country. While the federal government has a legitimate role in enforcing non-discrimination laws, this regulation has nothing to do with proven or alleged discrimination and everything to do with hostility to the self-government of citizens. Public ConstructionProvide clean water and safe roads, rail, bridges, ports, and airports_0fc6cd26-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.7America on the Move -- Our country’s investments in transportation and other public construction have traditionally been non-partisan. Everyone agrees on the need for clean water and safe roads, rail, bridges, ports, and airports. President Eisenhower established a tradition of Republican leadership in this regard by championing the creation of the interstate highway system. In recent years, bipartisan cooperation led to major legislation improving the nation’s ports andwaterways.Our Republican majority ended the practice of earmarks, which often diverted transportation spending to politically favored projects. In the current Congress, Republicans have secured the longest reauthorization of the Highway Trust Fund in a decade and are advancing a comprehensive reform of the Federal Aviation Administration to make flying easier and more secure.The current Administration has a different approach. It subordinates civil engineering to social engineering as it pursues an exclusively urban vision of dense housing and government transit. Its ill-named Livability Initiative is meant to “coerce people out of their cars.” This is the same mentality that once led Congress to impose by fiat a single maximum speed limit for the entire nation,from Manhattan to Montana. Our 1980 Republican Platform pledged to repeal that edict. After the election of Ronald Reagan, we did.Now we make the same pledge regarding the current problems in transportation policy.Highway Trust FundRemove from the Highway Trust Fund programs that should not be the business of the federal government_fe64165c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.1We propose to remove from the Highway Trust Fund programs that should not be the business of the federal government.More than a quarter of the Fund’s spending is diverted from its original purpose. One fifth of its funds are spent on mass transit, an inherently local affair thatserves only a small portion of the population, concentrated in six big cities. Additional funds are used for bike-share programs, sidewalks, recreationaltrails, landscaping, and historical renovations. Other beneficiaries of highway money are ferry boats, the federal lands access program, scenic byways, and education initiatives. These worthwhile enterprises should be funded through other sources.Transportation ProjectsPhase out the federal transit program and reform provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act which can delay and drive up costs for transportation projects_fe641e2c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.2We propose to phase out the federal transit program and reform provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act which can delay and drive up costs for transportation projects.Davis-BaconRepeal the Davis-Bacon law_fe682e72-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.3UnionsWe renew our call for repeal of the Davis-Bacon law, which limits employment and drives up construction and maintenance costs for the benefit of unions.Public-Private PartnershipsRemove legal roadblocks to public-private partnership agreements that can save the taxpayers’ money and bring outside investment to meet a community’s needs_fe684164-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.4CommunitiesRecognizing that, over time, additional revenue will be needed to expand the carrying capacity of roads and bridges, we will remove legal roadblocks to public-private partnership agreements that can save the taxpayers’ money and bring outside investment to meet a community’s needs.Gas TaxOppose a further increase in the federal gas tax_fe6853f2-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.5With most of the states increasing their own funding for transportation, we oppose a further increase in the federal gas tax.TSADe-unionize the TSA_fe68659a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.6Transportation Security AdministrationTSA EmployeesAmericans understand that, with the threat of terrorism, their travel may encounter delays, but unacceptably long lines at security checks can havethe same impact as a collapsed bridge or washed out highway. TSA employeesshould always be seen as guardians of the public’s safety, not as just another part of the federal workforce.Although unionization has never been permitted in any government agency concerned with national security, the current Administration has reversed that policy for the Transportation Security Administration. We will correct that mistake.Passenger ServiceAllow private ventures to provide passenger service in the northeast corridor as well as high-speed and intercity rail across the country_fe687918-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.7Northeast CorridorAmtrak is an extremely expensive railroad for the American taxpayers, who must subsidize every ticket. The federal government should allow private ventures to provide passenger service in the northeast corridor. The same holds true with regard to high-speed and intercity rail across the country.BoondogglesEnd federal support for boondoggles_fe688976-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.7.8We reaffirm our intention to end federal support for boondoggles like California’s high-speed train to nowhere.TechnologyPartner with individuals and industries in technological progress at all levels of government_0fc6cfe2-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.8Building the Future: Technology -- The digital revolution has transformed how wework, learn, sell, shop, socialize — in short, how we live. Technological change drives our positions with regard to STEM education, business and corporate involvement with educational certifications, workforce issues, privacy, cyber and national security, energy development, regulation, and other elements of our campaign for growth and jobs. It is why we propose to simplify the tax code, reduce corporate rates, transition to a territorial system, and create incentives for investment and innovation.We envision government at all levels as a partner with individuals and industries in technological progress, not a meddlesome monitor.DataAdvance policies that protect data privacy while fostering innovation and growth and ensuring the free flow of data_fe689678-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.1We want to create a business climate that rewards risk and promotes innovation, a learning system that gives Americans the skills needed to seize the opportunities of the 21st century, and an international order that maintains a fair and open global market for America’s goods and services. We intend to advance policies that protect data privacy while fostering innovation and growth and ensuring the free flow of data across borders.Together, broadband and good ideas have become the 21st century engines of American ingenuity. Innovation, by its nature, is disruptive. In challenging legacy forms of business, innovation creates new jobs, gives access to new markets, opens opportunity to underserved populations, and expands consumer choice. Government must give America’s innovators the freedom to create and, on their merits, succeed or fail.Intellectual PropertyProtect intellectual property_fe68a8b6-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.2Our agenda includes balanced protections for intellectual property, explained elsewhere in this document.InternetFacilitate access to spectrum by paving the way for high-speed, next-generation broadband deployment_fe68b266-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.3We intend to facilitate access to spectrum by paving the way for high-speed, next-generation broadband deployment and competition on the internet and for internet services.Sharing On-DemandEncourage the sharing economy and on-demand platforms_fe68c328-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.4We want government to encourage the sharing economy and on-demand platforms to compete in an open market ...IoTEncourage the innovation and competition for an Internet of Things_fe68d57a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.5and we believe public policies should encourage the innovation and competition that are essential for an Internet of Things to thrive.Systems & PersonnelModernize the federal government’s legacy systems and to recruit the skilled technical personnel_fe68debc-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.6Government must keep pace with the technology deployed in the private sector. There is an urgent need to modernize the federal government’s legacy systems and to recruit the skilled technical personnel who can advance the adoption of innovation in the public sector.BroadbandAdvance universal broadband coverage_fe68e98e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.7FarmersRanchersSmall Business PeopleRural AreasWe encourage public-private partnerships to provide predictable support for connecting rural areas so that every American can fully participate in the global economy.At the cost of billions, the current Administration has done little to advance our goal of universal broadband coverage. That hurts rural America, where farmers, ranchers, and small business people need connectivity to operate in real time with the world’s producers. Almost ten million Americans have given up wired broadband connections in just the last two years alone, and millions more have never been connected in the first place.Cost & LeadershipReduce the cost of accessing space and extended America’s space leadership in the commercial, civil, and national security spheres_fe68fc80-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.8NASADepartment of DefenseCommercial CompaniesThe public-private partnerships between NASA, the Department of Defense, and commercial companies have given us technological progress that has reduced the cost of accessing space and extended America’s space leadership in the commercial, civil, and national security spheres. The entrepreneurship and innovation culture of the free market is revitalizing the nation’s space capabilities, saving taxpayer money, and advancing technology critical to maintain America’s edge in space and in other fields.SpaceSustain our preeminence in space_fe6bdefa-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.8.9To protect our national security interests and foster innovation and competitiveness, we must sustain our preeminence in space by launching more scientific missions, guaranteeing unfettered access, and ensuring that our space-related industries remain a source of scientific leadership and education.Electric GridExpedite the siting processes and thoughtfully expand the grid_0fc6d32a-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.9Building the Future: America’s Electric Grid -- Our nation’s interstate electric transmission system has long been a catalyst for developing and delivering low cost energy while spurring economic growth throughout the United States The grid is aging, vulnerable to cyber and terrorist threats, and unprepared to serve our energy needs of tomorrow.It should not take seven to ten years to plan and construct a transmission line. We support expedited siting processes and the thoughtful expansion of the grid so that consumers and businesses continue to have access to affordable and reliable electricity. Small Business & EntrepreneurshipInvent and create in a land of free markets_0fc6d9ce-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.10Small BusinessesMore businesses are closing in our country than are starting. Older firms are an increasing proportion of companies. Productivity growth has slowed.This is not the way to jumpstart a new era of growth.EntrepreneursStart-up Century: Small Business and Entrepreneurship -- A central reason why the 20th century came to be called the American Century was the ability of individuals to invent and create in a land of free markets. Back then they were called risk-takers, dreamers, and small business owners. Today they are the entrepreneurs, independent contractors, and small business men and women of our new economy. Their innovation drives improvement and forces long-established institutions to adapt or fade away. Many of them are so young they remember little if anything of the last century because dynamic progress does not look back. As in the past, they still create most new jobs and form the commercial network that holds communities together.Their enterprise is the lifeblood of our economy, but it is weakening.Capital GainsConsider the effect of capital gains rates_fe6bee72-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.10.1We need to consider the effect of capital gains rates on the availability of venture capital, as well as the positive impact of expensing on start-up firms.Occupational LicensingReduce occupational licensing laws_fe6c0a74-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.10.2We should reduce the occupational licensing laws that shut untold millions of potential workers out of entrepreneurial careers.Dodd-FrankOverturn Dodd-Frank law_fe6c12ee-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.10.3We must overturn the regulatory nightmare, created by the Dodd-Frank law, for the community banks and savings and loans that provide nearly half of all small-business loans and over three-quarters of all agricultural loans.RegulationReform regulations comprehensively_fe6c1e88-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.10.4Indeed, the world of the app economy cries out for the comprehensive regulatory reform proposed elsewhere in this platform.Business ModelsFacilitate market entry of new business models_fe6c2ff4-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.10.5We must challenge established interests and traditional business patterns to facilitate market entry of new business models, including inventive means of transport, delivery, and communication.Start-UpsForm partnerships with small businesses to create an American Start-Up Century_fe6c3800-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.10.6National LabsNational Institutes of HealthNASADefense DepartmentSmall BusinessesStart-UpsAs incubators of unconventional thinking, our country’s existing research infrastructure — the National Labs, the National Institutes of Health, NASA, and elements of the Defense Department — have the potential to form partnerships with small businesses to create an American Start-Up Century.Federal ReserveBrings transparency and accountability to the Federal Reserve, the Federal Open Market Committee, and the Federal Reserve’s dealing with foreign banks_0fc6dbe0-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.11Federal ReserveFederal Open Market CommitteeForeign BanksThe Federal Reserve -- Because the Federal Reserve’s monetary policydecisions affect job creation, upward mobility for workers, and equitable prosperity, they should be transparent. Similarly, the Federal Reserve’s important role as a lender of last resort should also be carried out in a more transparent manner. The Republican Party will advance legislation that brings transparency and accountability to the Federal Reserve, the Federal Open Market Committee, and the Federal Reserve’s dealing with foreign banks.AuditsAudit the Federal Reserve’s activities_fe6c439a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.11.1The first step is through an annual audit of the Federal Reserve’s activities. Such an audit would need to be carefully implemented so that the Federal Reserve remains insulated from political pressures and its decisions are based on sound economic principles and sound money rather than political pressures for easy money and loose credit.CurrencyConsider the feasibility of a metallic basis for U.S. currency_fe6c5826-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.11.2Determined to crush the double-digit inflation that was part of the Carter Administration’s economic legacy, President Reagan, shortly after his inauguration, established a commission to consider the feasibility of a metallic basis for U.S. currency. In 2012, facing the task of cleaning up the wreckage of the current Administration’s policies, we proposed a similar commission to investigate ways to set a fixed value for the dollar.With Republican leadership, the House of Representatives has passed legislation to set up just such a commission. We recommend its enactment by the full Congress and the commission’s careful consideration of ways to secure the integrity of our currency. WorkforceFoster growth that creates jobs and gets people back to work_0fc6df82-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.12WorkforceWorkplace Freedom for a 21st Century Workforce -- The greatest asset of the American economy is the hard-working American. That is why our first priority is getting people back to work by fostering the kind of growth that creates jobs. That overarching goal unites all the sections of this platform. It runs through our commitments on education and workforce development. It underlies our approach to welfare reform, regulatory reform, and our determination to advance the kind of trade agreements that multiply opportunities for workers hereat home.Labor Laws & RulesChallenge anachronistic labor laws that limit workers’ freedom and lock them into the workplace rules_fe6c63a2-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.12.1WorkersNational Labor Relations BoardIt also impels us to challenge the anachronistic labor laws that limit workers’ freedom and lock them into the workplace rules of their great-grandfathers.Instead of facilitating change, the current Administration and its agents at the National Labor Relations Board are determined to reverse it. They are attacking the franchise model of business development, which is essential to the flexibility and creativity of the new economy. They are wielding provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act from the 1930s, designed to fit a manufacturing workplace, to deny flexibility to both employers and employees. They have repealed union transparency rules that allowed members to discover what was being done with their dues. They have outlawed alternatives to unions even when they were favored by the workers.Their Project Labor Agreements discriminate against the overwhelming majority of workers by barring them from jobs on taxpayer-funded projects. Their patronizing and controlling approach leaves workers in a form of peonage to the NLRB.NLRBRestore fairness and common sense to the NLRB_fe6c7446-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.12.2NLRBWe intend to restore fairness and common sense to that agency.Technology has already created jobs that did not exist fifteen years ago, and today’s workers need flexibility and family-friendly options to make the most of them, especially portability in pension plans and health insurance.We intend to encourage those trends by bringing labor law into the 21st century. It should encourage cooperation between management and workers, not conflict. All workers, including union members, must be free to accept raises and rewards without veto power from union officials. All unionized workers should be able to find out what is going on in their union trust funds and in their executive compensation.Right-to-WorkSupport Right-to-Work laws_fe6c8698-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.12.3We support the right of states to enact Right-to-Work laws and call for a national law to protect the economic liberty of the modern workforce.All Americans deserve the opportunity to pursue their American dream free from discrimination.Clear nondiscrimination policies ensure all employees have the chance to succeed based solely on their merits. These policies are vital to creating an inclusive, innovative, and competitive workforce.ESOPsEndorse employee stock ownership plans_fe6c9156-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.12.4EmployersEmployeesRepublicans believe that the employer-employee relationship of the future will be built upon employee empowerment and workplace flexibility. We therefore endorse employee stock ownership plans that enable workers to become capitalists, expand the realm of private property, and energize a free enterprise economy.Minimum WageHandle minimum wages at the state and local level._fe72945c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.12.5StatesLocalitiesMinimum wage is an issue that should be handled at the state and local level.Federal WorkforceA Federal workforce serving the people_0fc6e266-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.13Federal WorkforceA Federal Workforce Serving the People -- The federal workforce is larger and more highly paid than ever. The taxpayers spend an average of $35,000 a year per employee on non-cash benefits, triple the average non-cash compensation of the average worker in the private sector. Federal employees receive extraordinary pension benefits and vacation time wildly out of line with those of the private sector.Compensation & BenefitsBring federal compensation and benefits in line with the standards of most American employees_fe72a938-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.13.1Federal EmployeesWe urge Congress to bring federal compensation and benefits in line with the standards of most American employees.Personnel ProceduresStreamline personnel procedures to expedite the firing of bad workers, tax cheats, and scammers_fe72b20c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.13.2A Republican administration should streamline personnel procedures to expedite the firing of bad workers, tax cheats, and scammers.UnionizationReview the unionization of the federal workforce_fe72be8c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea001.13.3Congressional CommitteesFederal WorkforceThe unionization of the federal workforce, first permitted by Democrat presidents in the 1960s, should be reviewed by the appropriate congressional committees to examine its effects on the cost, quality, and performance of the civil service. Union representatives in the federal workforce should not be paid to conduct union business on the public’s time.Federal DebtReduce the Federal debt_0fc6e45a-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea001.14Reducing the Federal Debt -- Our national debt is a burden on our economy and families. The huge increase in the national debt demanded by and incurred during the current Administration has placed a significant burden on future generations. We must impose firm caps on future debt, accelerate the repayment of the trillions we now owe in order to reaffirm our principles ofresponsible and limited government, and remove the burdens we are placing on future generations.A strong economy is one key to debt reduction, but spending restraint is a necessary component that must be vigorously pursued. Constitutional GovernmentA rebirth of Constitutional government_0fc6e7ca-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002Rayna CaseyConstitutional Government Subcommittee Co-ChairKathy KiernanConstitutional Government Subcommittee Co-ChairLeslie RutledgeConstitutional Government Subcommittee Co-ChairStephen HigginsA Rebirth of Constitutional Government StaffRobert PorterA Rebirth of Constitutional Government StaffWe the People -- We are the party of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Declaration sets forth the fundamental precepts of American government: That God bestows certain inalienable rights on every individual, thus producing human equality; that government exists first and foremost to protect those inalienable rights; that man-made law must be consistent with God-given, natural rights; and that if God-given, natural, inalienable rights come in conflict with government, court, or human-granted rights, God-given, natural, inalienable rights always prevail; that there is a moral law recognized as “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God”; and that American government is to operate with the consent of the governed. We are also the party of the Constitution, the greatest political document ever written. It is the solemn compact built upon principles of the Declaration that enshrines our God-given individual rights and ensures that all Americans stand equal before the law, defines the purposes and limits of government, and is the blueprint for ordered liberty that makes the United States the world’s freest and most prosperous nation.We reaffirm the Constitution’s fundamental principles: limited government, separation of powers, individual liberty, and the rule of law. We denounce bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism, ethnic prejudice, and religious intolerance. Therefore, we oppose discrimination based on race, sex, religion, creed, disability, or national origin and support statutes to end such discrimination. As the Party of Abraham Lincoln, we must continue to foster solutions to America’s difficult challenges when it comes to race relations today. We continue to encourage equality for all citizens and access to the American Dream. Merit and hard work should determine advancement in our society, so we reject unfair preferences, quotas, and set-asides as forms of discrimination. Our ranks include Americans from every faith and tradition, and we respect the right of each American to follow his or her deeply held beliefs.Our Constitution is in crisis. More than 90 percent of federal requirements are now imposed by regulatory agencies, without any vote of the House or Senate or signature of the President.The current Administration has exceeded its constitutional authority, brazenly and flagrantly violated the separation of powers, sought to divideAmerica into groups and turn citizen against citizen.The President has refused to defend or enforce laws he does not like, used executive orders to enact national policies in areas constitutionally reservedsolely to Congress, made unconstitutional “recess” appointments to Senate-confirmed positions, directed regulatory agencies to overstep their statutory authority, and failed to consult Congress regarding military action overseas. He has changed what John Adams called “a government of laws and not of men” into just the opposite.Democrats in Congress have enabled, supported, and defended each of these breaches.They have applauded the President’s efforts todo an end-run around Congress and stymied Republican efforts to restrain executive lawlessness.Democrats in Congress have also endorsed an anti-constitutional agenda of their own. Forty-eight Democratic senators, for instance, voted to amendthe Bill of Rights to give government officials control over political speech. Democrats in Congress have likewise proposed bills that would limit religious liberty, undermine property rights, and eviscerate the Second Amendment.In a free society, the primary role of government is to protect the God-given, inalienable rights of its citizens. These constitutional rights are not negotiable for any American. We affirm that all legislation, regulation, and official actions must conform to the Constitution’s original meaning as understood at the time the language was adopted.Our most urgent task as a Party is to restore the American people’s faith in their government by electing a president who will enforce duly enacted laws, honor constitutional limits on executive authority, and return credibility to the Oval Office.We need a Republican president who will end abuses of power by departments and agencies, like the IRS and the EPA, and by the White House itself. Safeguarding our liberties requires a president who will respect the Constitution’s separation of powers, including the authority of Congress to write legislation and define agency authority. Americans also deserve a president who will speak for our nation’s history and values, not apologize for them to our enemies.JudiciaryProperly reserve powers to the people_0fc6eae0-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.1JudiciaryThe Judiciary -- The rule of law is the foundation of our Republic.A critical threat to our country’s constitutional orderis an activist judiciary that usurps powers properlyreserved to the people through other branchesof government.JudgesAppoint judges who respect the rule of lawexpressed within the Constitution and Declarationof Independence_1df6cd5e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.1.1Only a Republican presidentwill appoint judges who respect the rule of lawexpressed within the Constitution and Declarationof Independence, including the inalienable rightto life and the laws of nature and nature’s God, asdid the late Justice Antonin Scalia. We are facing anational crisis in our judiciary. We understand thatonly by electing a Republican president in 2016 willAmerica have the opportunity for up to five newconstitutionally-minded Supreme Court justicesappointed to fill vacancies on the Court. Only suchappointments will enable courts to begin to reversethe long line of activist decisions — includingRoe, Obergefell, and the Obamacare cases — thathave usurped Congress’s and states’ lawmakingauthority, undermined constitutional protections,expanded the power of the judiciary at the expenseof the people and their elected representatives,and stripped the people of their power to governthemselves. We believe in the constitutional checksand balances and that the Founders intended thejudiciary to be the weakest branch.Article IImpeach judges who unconstitutionally usurp Article I powers_1df6e00a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.1.2We encourageCongress to use the check of impeachment forjudges who unconstitutionally usurp Article Ipowers.CourtRestore to the Court a strong conservative majority that will follow the text and original meaning of the Constitution and our laws_1df6e4ba-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.1.3In tandem with a Republican Senate, anew Republican president will restore to the Courta strong conservative majority that will follow thetext and original meaning of the Constitution andour laws.Judicial ActivismOppose judicial activism that includes reliance on foreign law or unratified treaties undermines American sovereignty_1df6eb90-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.1.4The legitimate powers of government arerooted in the consent of the American people.Judicial activism that includes reliance on foreignlaw or unratified treaties undermines Americansovereignty. Foreign laws and precedents shouldnot be used to interpret our Constitution or laws,nor should foreign sources of law be used in statecourts’ adjudication of criminal or civil matters.TreatiesOppose the adoption or ratification of treaties that would weaken or encroach upon American sovereignty_1df6f022-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.1.5United States SenateWe will not recognize as bindingupon the United States any international agreement forged without the constitutionally requiredassent of two-thirds of the United States Senate.We also affirm the wisdom of PresidentGeorge Washington’s warning to avoid foreignentanglements and unnecessary alliances. Wetherefore oppose the adoption or ratification oftreaties that would weaken or encroach uponAmerican sovereignty or that could be construedby courts to do so.Administrative LawReclaim constitutional powers from the bureaucratic state by requiring that major new federal regulations be approved by Congress_0fc6ecd4-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.2CongressAdministrative Law -- Article I of the Constitution directs that “Alllegislative Powers herein granted shall be vestedin a Congress of the United States….” For morethan a century, however, Congress has delegatedincreasing amounts of legislative authority toexecutive departments, agencies, and commissions,laying the foundation for today’s vast administrativestate. Unelected bureaucrats in the executivebranch now write countless rules with the force oflaw and arbitrarily punish individuals who disobeythose rules. The Constitution makes clear that thesepowers were granted to Congress by the peopleand must therefore remain solely with the people’selected representatives. We call on Congress tobegin reclaiming its constitutional powers fromthe bureaucratic state by requiring that major newfederal regulations be approved by Congress beforethey can take effect, such as through the RegulationFreedom Amendment.IntepretationInterpret laws as written by Congress rather than allowing executive agencies to rewrite them_1df6f4dc-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.2.1We further affirm that courtsshould interpret laws as written by Congress ratherthan allowing executive agencies to rewrite thoselaws to suit administration priorities. MarriageDefend marriage against an activist judiciary_0fc6f026-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.3JudiciaryAntonin ScaliaDefending Marriage Against an Activist Judiciary -- Traditional marriage and family, based onmarriage between one man and one woman,is the foundation for a free society and has formillennia been entrusted with rearing childrenand instilling cultural values. We condemn theSupreme Court’s ruling inUnited States v. Windsor, whichwrongly removed the ability ofCongress to define marriagepolicy in federal law. We alsocondemn the Supreme Court’slawless ruling in Obergefell v.Hodges, which in the words ofthe late Justice Antonin Scalia,was a “judicial Putsch” — fullof “silly extravagances” — thatreduced “the disciplined legalreasoning of John Marshall andJoseph Storey to the mysticalaphorisms of a fortune cookie.”In Obergefell, five unelectedlawyers robbed 320 millionAmericans of their legitimateconstitutional authority to define marriage as theunion of one man and one woman. The Courttwisted the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendmentbeyond recognition. To echo Scalia, we dissent.We, therefore, support the appointment of justicesand judges who respect the constitutional limits ontheir power and respect the authority of the statesto decide such fundamental social questions.Religious LibertyProtect the right of the people to practice their faith_0fc6f30a-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.4Charitable Religious InstitutionsAs a result, many charitablereligious institutions that have demonstratedgreat success in helping the needy have beenbarred from receiving government grants andcontracts.Religious CollegesGovernment officials threaten religiouscolleges and universities with massive fines andseek to control their personneldecisions.Religious UniversitiesPlaces of WorshipPlaces of worshipfor the first time in our historyhave reason to fear the lossof tax-exempt status merelyfor espousing and practicingtraditional religious beliefsthat have been held across theworld for thousands of years,and for almost four centuriesin America.Religious LeadersWe value the rightof America’s religious leadersto preach, and Americans tospeak freely, according to theirfaith.IRSRepublicans believe thefederal government, specificallythe IRS, is constitutionallyprohibited from policing orcensoring speech based on religious convictionsor beliefs, and therefore we urge the repeal of theJohnson Amendment.The First Amendment: Religious Liberty -- The Bill of Rights lists religious liberty, withits rights of conscience, as the first freedom to beprotected. Religious freedom in the Bill of Rightsprotects the right of the people to practice theirfaith in their everyday lives. As George Washingtontaught, “religion and morality are indispensablesupports” to a free society. Similarly, ThomasJefferson declared that “No provision in ourConstitution ought to be dearer to man than thatwhich protects the rights of conscience against theenterprises of the civil authority.” Ongoing attemptsto compel individuals, businesses, and institutionsof faith to transgress their beliefs are part of amisguided effort to undermine religion and drive itfrom the public square. Beliefs & ConscienceDefend the religious beliefs and rights of conscience of all Americans_1df6f978-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.1We pledge to defend the religious beliefsand rights of conscience of all Americans and ...InstitutionsSafeguard religious institutions against government control_1df6fedc-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.2Religious Institutionsto safeguard religious institutions against governmentcontrol.MarriageBar government discrimination against individuals and businesses for acting on the belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman_1df703a0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.3We endorse the First Amendment DefenseAct, Republican legislation in the House and Senatewhich will bar government discrimination againstindividuals and businesses for acting on the beliefthat marriage is the union of one man and onewoman. This Act would protect the non-profittax status of faith-based adoption agencies, theaccreditation of religious educational institutions,the grants and contracts of faith-based charitiesand small businesses, and the licensing of religiousprofessions — all of which are under assault byelements of the Democratic Party. We encourageevery state to pass similar legislation.Religious LibertyDefy intimidation from corporations and the media in defending religiousliberty_1df709ae-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.4Republican State LegislatorsRepublican State GovernorsCorporationsThe MediaWe likewiseendorse the efforts of Republican state legislatorsand governors who have defied intimidation fromcorporations and the media in defending religiousliberty.Education, Benefits & DebateSupport laws to confirm the longstanding American tradition that religious individuals and institutions can educate young people, receive government benefits, and participate in public debates_1df70ec2-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.5Religious IndividualsReligious InstitutionsYoung PeopleWe support laws to confirm the longstanding American tradition that religious individuals andinstitutions can educate young people, receivegovernment benefits, and participate in publicdebates without having to check their religiousbeliefs at the door.Religious BeliefsSupport the freedom of Americans to act in accordance with their religious beliefs_1df71430-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.6Our First Amendment rights are not given tous by the government but are rights we inherentlypossess. The government cannot use subsequentamendments to limit First Amendment rights. TheFree Exercise Clause is both an individual and acollective liberty protecting a right to worship Godaccording to the dictates of conscience. Therefore,we strongly support the freedom of Americans toact in accordance with their religious beliefs, notonly in their houses of worship, but also in theireveryday lives.BusinessSupport the right of the people to conduct their businesses in accordance with their religious beliefs_1df718fe-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.7BusinessesWe support the right of the people to conducttheir businesses in accordance with their religiousbeliefs and condemn public officials who haveproposed boycotts against businesses that supporttraditional marriage. We pledge to protect thosebusiness owners who have been subjected to hatecampaigns, threats of violence, and other attemptsto deny their civil rights.Ten CommandmentsSupport the public display of the Ten Commandments_1df71dea-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.8We support the public display of the TenCommandments as a reflection of our history andour country’s Judeo-Christian heritage and ...Prayer & SchoolsAffirm the rights of religious students to engage in voluntary prayer at public school events and to have equal access to school facilities_1df722b8-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.9Religious StudentsPublic Schoolsfurtheraffirm the rights of religious students to engage involuntary prayer at public school events and to haveequal access to school facilities.MembershipAssert the First Amendment right of freedom of association_1df7283a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.4.10Religious OrganizationsPrivate OrganizationsService OrganizationsYouth OrganizationsWe assert the FirstAmendment right of freedom of association forreligious, private, service, and youth organizationsto set their own membership standards. Protected SpeechOppose any restrictions or conditions that would discourage citizens from participating in the public square or limit their ability to promote their ideas_0fc899c6-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.5The First Amendment: Constitutionally Protected Speech -- The rights of citizenship do not stop at the ballotbox. Freedom of speech includes the right to devoteresources to whatever cause or candidate onesupports. We oppose any restrictions or conditionsthat would discourage citizens from participating inthe public square or limit their ability to promotetheir ideas, such as requiring private organizationsto publicly disclose their donors to the government.Limits on political speech serve only to protect thepowerful and insulate incumbent officeholders.Political PartiesRepeal of federal restrictions on political parties_1df72d12-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.5.1Political PartiesWesupport repeal of federal restrictions on politicalparties in McCain-Feingold ...ContributionsRaise or repeal contribution limits_1df7326c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.5.2raising or repealingcontribution limits ...Political SpeechProtect political speech_1df7388e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.5.3Advocacy GroupsCorporationsLabor Unionsprotecting the political speechof advocacy groups, corporations, and labor unions,and ...InternetProtect political speech on the internet_1df73e9c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.5.4protecting political speech on the internet.Free MarketEnd to the so-called Fairness Doctrine and support free-market approaches tofree speech_1df7437e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.5.5Welikewise call for an end to the so-called FairnessDoctrine, and support free-market approaches tofree speech unregulated by government.MandatesOppose mandatory contributions_1df7487e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.5.6We believe the forced funding of politicalcandidates through union dues and other mandatorycontributions violates the First Amendment. Just asAmericans have a First Amendment right to devoteresources to favored candidates or views, theyhave a First Amendment right not to be forced toindividually support individuals or ideologies thatthey oppose. We agree with Thomas Jefferson that“To compel a man to furnish contributions of moneyfor the propagation of opinions which he disbelievesand abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”ArmsUphold the right of individuals to keep and bear arms_0fc8a074-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.6The Second Amendment: Our Right to Keep and Bear Arms -- We uphold the right of individuals to keepand bear arms, a natural inalienable right thatpredates the Constitution and is secured by theSecond Amendment. Lawful gun ownership enablesAmericans to exercise their God-given right of selfdefense for the safety of their homes, their lovedones, and their communities. We salute the Republican Congress fordefending the right to keep and bear arms bypreventing the President from installing a new liberalmajority on the Supreme Court. The confirmationto the Court of additional anti-gun justices wouldeviscerate the Second Amendment’s fundamentalprotections. Already, local officials in the nation’scapital and elsewhere are defying the Court’sdecisions upholding an individual right to beararms as affirmed by the Supreme Court in Hellerand McDonald.ReciprocitySupport firearm reciprocity legislation across the States_1df74df6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.6.1We support firearm reciprocitylegislation to recognize the right of law-abidingAmericans to carry firearms to protect themselvesand their families in all 50 states. We supportconstitutional carry statutes and salute the statesthat have passed them.Magazines & RiflesOppose restrictions on magazine capacity or the sale of rifles_1df7533c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.6.2We oppose ill-conceivedlaws that would restrict magazine capacity orban the sale of the most popular and commonmodern rifle.Due ProcessOppose depriving individuals of their right to keep and bear arms without due process_1df764ee-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.6.3We also oppose any effort to deprive individuals of their right to keep and bear armswithout due process of law.LawsuitsCondemn frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers_1df77718-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.6.4Gun ManufacturersFirearm DealersWe condemn frivolous lawsuits against gunmanufacturers and the current Administration’sillegal harassment of firearm dealers.Licensing & RegistrationOppose federal licensing or registration of law-abiding gun owners, registration of ammunition, and restoration of the ill-fated Clinton gun ban_1df77f38-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.6.5We opposefederal licensing or registration of law-abidinggun owners, registration of ammunition, andrestoration of the ill-fated Clinton gun ban.Fast & FuriousInvestigate the “Fast and Furious” operation_1df78cf8-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.6.2We callfor a thorough investigation — by a new Republicanadministration — of the deadly “Fast and Furious”operation perpetrated by Department of Justiceofficials who approved and allowed illegal sales ofguns to known violent criminals.Liberty & PrivacyGuard against unreasonable searches and seizures_0fc8a466-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.7The Fourth Amendment: Liberty and Privacy -- Affirming the Fourth Amendment “right ofthe people to be secure in their houses, papers,and effects, against unreasonable searches andseizures,” we call for strict limitations on the use ofaerial surveillance on U.S. soil, with the exception ofpatrolling our national borders for illegal entry andactivity. Aerial SurveillanceLimit the use of aerial surveillance on U.S. soil_1df79fb8-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.7.1Surveillance DevicesOppose attempts by government to require surveillance devices in our daily lives_1df7a788-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.7.2We oppose any attempts by governmentto require surveillance devices in our daily lives,including tracking devices in motor vehicles.EncryptionBalance privacy rights with the government’s legitimate need to access encrypted information for law enforcement_1df7b34a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.7.3Technology CompaniesIn recent years, technology companies haveresponded to market demand for products andservices that protect the privacy of customersthrough increasingly sophisticated encryptiontechnology. These increased privacy protectionshave become crucial to the digital economy. At thesame time, however, such innovations have broughtnew dangers, especially from criminals and terroristswho seek to use encryption technology to harm us.No matter the medium, citizens must retain theright to communicate with one another free fromunlawful government intrusion. It will not be easyto balance privacy rights with the government’slegitimate need to access encrypted information.This issue is too important to be left to the courts.A Republican president and a Republican Congressmust listen to the American people and forge aconsensus solution.TaxationApply residency-based taxation for U.S. citizens overseas_1df7c312-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.7.4U.S. Citizens OverseasThe Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act(FATCA) and the Foreign Bank and Asset ReportingRequirements result in government’s warrantlessseizure of personal financial information withoutreasonable suspicion or probable cause. Americansoverseas should enjoy the same rights as Americansresiding in the United States, whose privatefinancial information is not subject to disclosureto the government except as to interest earned.The requirement for all banks around the worldto provide detailed information to the IRS aboutAmerican account holders outside the United Stateshas resulted in banks refusing service to them. Thus,FATCA not only allows “unreasonable search andseizures” but also threatens the ability of overseasAmericans to lead normal lives. We call for its repealand for a change to residency-based taxation forU.S. citizens overseas.Human LifeProtect human life_0fc8a6dc-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.8The Fifth Amendment: Protecting Human Life -- The Constitution’s guarantee that no one can“be deprived of life, liberty or property” deliberatelyechoes the Declaration of Independence’sproclamation that “all” are “endowed by theirCreator” with the inalienable right to life.Unborn ChildrenAffirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed_1df7cab0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.1Unborn ChildrenAccordingly, we assert the sanctity of human lifeand affirm that the unborn child has a fundamentalright to life which cannot be infringed. We supporta human life amendment to the Constitution andlegislation to make clear that the FourteenthAmendment’s protections apply to children beforebirth.Public FundingOppose the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion_1df7d69a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.2Planned ParenthoodWe oppose the use of public funds to performor promote abortion or to fund organizations, likePlanned Parenthood, so long as they provide orrefer for elective abortions or sell fetal body partsrather than provide healthcare.Fetal TissuesMake it a crime to acquire, transfer, or sell fetal tissues from elective abortions_1df7e57c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.3We urge all statesand Congress to make it a crime to acquire, transfer,or sell fetal tissues from elective abortions forresearch, and we call on Congress to enact a banon any sale of fetal body parts. In the meantime, wecall on Congress to ban the practice of misleadingwomen on so-called fetal harvesting consent forms,a fact revealed by a 2015 investigation. We will notfund or subsidize healthcare that includes abortioncoverage.JudgesAppoint judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life_1df7eda6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.4JudgesWe support the appointment of judges whorespect traditional family values and the sanctity ofinnocent human life.Care & TreatmentOppose the non-consensual withholding or withdrawal of care or treatment from individuals with disabilities, newborns, the elderly, or the infirm_1df7f918-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.5Individuals with DisabilitiesNewbornsThe ElderlyThe InfirmWe oppose the non-consensualwithholding or withdrawal of care or treatment, including food and water, from individuals withdisabilities, newborns, the elderly, or the infirm, justas we oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide.Unplanned PregnancyAssist women who face unplanned pregnancy_1df8082c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.6We affirm our moral obligation to assist, ratherthan penalize, women who face an unplannedpregnancy.Child SupportRequire financial responsibility for the child be equally borne by both the mother and father_1df81038-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.7MothersFathersFailure to require a father to be equallyresponsible for a child places an inequitableburden on the mother, creating a financial andsocial hardship on both motherand child.In order to encourage women who facean unplanned pregnancy to choose life, we supportlegislation that requires financial responsibility forthe child be equally borne by both the motherand father upon conception until the child reachesadulthood.Motherhood & AbuseSupport mothers in need and women fleeing abuse_1df81bbe-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.8We celebrate themillions of Americans whoopen their hearts, homes, andchurches to mothers in needand women fleeing abuse.EmpowermentEmpower women experiencing an unintended pregnancy to choose life_1df82ab4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.9Wethank and encourage providersof counseling, medical services,and adoption assistancefor empowering womenexperiencing an unintendedpregnancy to choose life.Ultrasound & AdoptionFund ultrasounds and adoption assistance_1df83252-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.10Wesupport funding for ultrasoundsand adoption assistance.Consent, Waiting & RegulationRequire informed consent, parental consent, waiting periods, and clinic regulation_1df83e5a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.11Wesalute the many states thatnow protect women andgirls through laws requiringinformed consent, parentalconsent, waiting periods, andclinic regulation. We condemnthe Supreme Court’s activistdecision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedtstriking down commonsense Texas laws providingfor basic health and safety standards in abortionclinics.Abortion SurvivorsImpose civil and criminal penalties on healthcare providers who fail to provide treatment and care to an infant who survives an abortion_1df84d46-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.12We applaud the U.S. House of Representativesfor leading the effort to add enforcement to theBorn-Alive Infant Protection Act by passing theBorn-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, whichimposes appropriate civil and criminal penalties onhealthcare providers who fail to provide treatmentand care to an infant who survives an abortion,including early induction delivery whether thedeath of the infant is intended.InfanticideOppose infanticide_1df854d0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.13We strongly opposeinfanticide. Over a dozen states have passed Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Acts prohibitingabortion after twenty weeks, the point at whichcurrent medical research shows that unborn babiescan feel excruciating pain during abortions, and wecall on Congress to enact the federal version. Notonly is it good legislation, but it enjoys the supportof a majority of the American people. We supportstate and federal efforts against the cruelest formsof abortion, especially dismemberment abortionprocedures, in which unborn babies are literally tornapart limb from limb.Sex & DisabilityBan sex-selection abortions and abortions based on disabilities_1df860ec-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.14We call on Congress to ban sex-selectionabortions and abortions based on disabilities —discrimination in its most lethalform.Stem Cell ResearchOppose embryonic stem cell research_1df86f92-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.15We oppose embryonicstem cell research. We opposefederal funding of embryonicstem cell research. We supportadult stem cell research and urgethe restoration of the nationalplacental stem cell bank createdby President George H.W. Bushbut abolished by his Democratsuccessor, President Bill Clinton.Embryos & CloningOppose federal funding for harvesting embryos and ban human cloning_1df877b2-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.16We oppose federal funding forharvesting embryos and call fora ban on human cloning.Life & SolutionsProtect human life and offer real solutions for women_1df8836a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.8.17The Democratic Partyis extreme on abortion.Democrats’ almost limitlesssupport for abortion, and theirstrident opposition to eventhe most basic restrictions onabortion, put them dramaticallyout of step with the American people. Because oftheir opposition to simple abortion clinic safetyprocedures, support for taxpayer-funded abortion,and rejection of pregnancy resource centers thatprovide abortion alternatives, the old Clinton mantraof “safe, legal, and rare” has been reduced to just“legal.” We are proud to be the party that protectshuman life and offers real solutions for women.PropertyProtect private property_0fc8ab00-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.9The Fifth Amendment: Protecting Private Property -- The Framers of our government knew, fromhistory and experience, that when private propertyis not secure, freedom is at risk. That is why the Fifth Amendment declares that private property may notbe “taken for public use without just compensation.”The Supreme Court’s Kelo decision undermined thissafeguard by allowing local governments to seizea person’s home or land not only for vital public use,but also for “public purpose,” which thus allowedthe government to seize it for transfer to privatedevelopers or other private entities.Public UseEnact legislation or state constitutional amendments declaring that private property may be taken only for true public use_1df8929c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.9.1We call on anystate legislatures that have not already done so tonullify the impact of Kelo within their jurisdictionby legislation or state constitutional amendmentsdeclaring that private property may be taken onlyfor true public use, and we join House Republicansin supporting the Private Property Rights ProtectionAct.CompensationPay just compensation whenever government takes private property_1df89a9e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.9.2The government at every level must alwayspay just compensation whenever it takes privateproperty to achieve a compelling public use, withthe money coming from the budget of the agencyperforming the taking. This includes the takingof water rights and the taking of property byenvironmental regulations that destroy or diminishthe property’s value.Asset ForfeitureEnact reforms to protect law-abiding citizens against abusive asset forfeiture tactics_1df8a64c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.9.3Civil asset forfeiture was originally intendedas a way to cripple organized crime through theseizure of property used in a criminal enterprise.Regrettably, it has become a tool for unscrupulouslaw enforcement officials, acting without dueprocess, to profit by destroying the livelihood ofinnocent individuals, many of whom never recoverthe lawful assets taken from them. When the rightsof the innocent can be so easily violated, no one’srights are safe. We call on Congress and statelegislatures to enact reforms to protect law-abidingcitizens against abusive asset forfeiture tactics.Intellectual PropertyProtect intellectual property rights_0fc8af4c-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.10The Fifth Amendment: Intellectual Property Rights -- Private property includes not only physicalproperty such as lands and homes, but alsointellectual property like books and patents. Article1, section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress thepower to safeguard intellectual property rightsfor “Authors and Inventors.” By protecting theproprietary rights of creators and innovators, theConstitution promotes the general welfare byproviding incentives for investment in all sorts oftechnology and artistic works. Intellectual propertyis a driving force in today’s global economy ofconstant innovation. It is the wellspring of Americaneconomic growth and job creation. With the riseof the digital economy, it has become even morecritical that we protect intellectual property rightsand preserve freedom of contract rather thancreate regulatory barriers to creativity, growth, andinnovation.CounterfeitsGuard against counterfeit parts_1df8b588-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.10.1ChinaToday, the worst offensesagainst intellectual property rights come fromabroad, especially in China.Protecting intellectual property is also anational security issue. We must guard againstcounterfeit parts that can compromise thereliability of our weapons systems and the safetyof military personnel.EnforcementEnforce intellectual property laws against all infringers_1df8bd3a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.10.2We call for strongaction by Congress and a new Republican presidentto enforce intellectual property laws against allinfringers, whether foreign or domestic.Retained RightsReclaim the rights of the people that have been ignored or usurped by the federal and intrusive state governments_0fc8b1f4-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.11The Ninth Amendment: The People’s Retained Rights -- The Ninth Amendment to the Constitutiondeclares that “[t]he enumeration in the Constitutionof certain rights shall not be construed to denyor disparage others retained by the people.” Thisprovision codifies the principle that our nationalgovernment derives its power from the governedand that all powers not delegated to the governmentare retained by the people. We call upon legislatorsto give full force to this fundamental principle.We welcome to our ranks all citizens who aredetermined to reclaim the rights of the people thathave been ignored or usurped by the federal andintrusive state governments. FederalismReserve to the States or to the people the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution_0fc8b67c-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.12The Tenth Amendment: Federalism as the Foundation of Personal Liberty -- Federalism is a cornerstone of our constitutionalsystem. Every violation of state sovereignty byfederal officials is not merely a transgression of oneunit of government against another; it is an assaulton the liberties of individual Americans. Hence thepromise of the Tenth Amendment: “The powers notdelegated to the United States by the Constitution,nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved tothe States respectively, or to the people.” TheConstitution gives the federal government veryfew powers, and they are specifically enumerated; the states and the people retain authority overall unenumerated powers. In obedience to thatprinciple, we condemn the current Administration’sunconstitutional expansion into areas beyondthose specifically enumerated, including bullyingof state and local governments in matters rangingfrom voter identification (ID) laws to immigration,from healthcare programs to land use decisions,and from forced education curricula to schoolrestroom policies.Balance & SeparationRestore the proper balance and vertical separation of powers betweenthe federal government and state governments_1df8c988-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.12.1We pledge to restore the properbalance and vertical separation of powers betweenthe federal government and state governments —the governments closest to, and most reflectiveof, the American people.Laboratories of DemocracyReinvigorate the role of the States as the laboratories of democracy_1df8d900-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.12.2StatesWe encourage states toreinvigorate their traditional role as the laboratoriesof democracy, propelling the nation forwardthrough local and state innovation.GrantsReduce and ultimately eliminate conditioned grants so that state and localtaxpayers can decide for themselves what is best for their own communities_1df8e0d0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.12.3StatesLocal TaxpayersCommunitiesBig government undermines federalismthrough more than 1,100 grants-in-aid programsthat consume more than one-sixth of the federalbudget for matters that should be the exclusiveresponsibility of the states. Through these programs,money originating from state taxpayers is returnedto the states, usually greatly reduced, with myriadstrings attached. These grants turn state andlocal elected officials into agents of the federalgovernment. The web of conditions and regulations— especially the requirement of matching funds thatcomes with federal grants — transforms recipientsinto appendages of the Washington bureaucracy.We call upon Congress to help a Republicanpresident to reduce and ultimately eliminate thissystem of conditioned grants so that state and localtaxpayers can decide for themselves what is bestfor their own communities. Electoral CollegeOppose the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and any other scheme to abolish or distort the procedures of the Electoral College_0fc8b9ce-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.13Electoral CollegeHonest Elections and the Electoral College -- We oppose the National Popular Vote InterstateCompact and any other scheme to abolish ordistort the procedures of the Electoral College. Anunconstitutional effort to impose National PopularVote would be a grave threat to our federal systemand a guarantee of corruption, as every ballot boxin every state would offer a chance to steal thepresidency. We urge state legislatures that havevoted for this proposal to rescind their approval.Elections & VotingEnsure honest elections and the right to vote_0fc8bc8a-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea002.14Honest Elections and the Right to Vote -- Honest elections are the foundation ofrepresentative government. We pledge to protectthe voting rights of every citizen, as well as theirrights of conscience when they are harassedor denied a job because of their contributionsto a candidate or a cause.BallotsEnsure ballot access for the elderly, the handicapped, military personnel, and all legitimate voters_1df8ed14-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.14.1The ElderlyThe HandicappedMilitary PersonnelLegitimate VotersWe support stateefforts to ensure ballot access for the elderly, thehandicapped, military personnel, and all legitimatevoters.Citizenship & IDRequire proof of citizenship when registering to vote and secure photo ID when voting_1df8fc96-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.14.2We urge state and local officials to takeall appropriate steps to allow voters to cast theirballots in a timely manner. We are concerned,however, that some voting procedures maybe open to abuse. For this reason, we supportlegislation to require proof of citizenship whenregistering to vote and secure photo ID whenvoting. We strongly oppose litigation against statesexercising their sovereign authority to enact suchlaws.AuditingEnsure that electronic voting systems have a voter-verified paper audit trail_1df9048e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.14.3In addition, to guarantee that everyone’s voteis counted, we urge that electronic voting systemshave a voter-verified paper audit trail.Accuracy & RedundancyKeep voter rolls accurate and prevent people from voting in more thanone state in the same election_1df91104-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.14.4Interstate Voter Registration Cross Check ProgramWe urgeevery state to join the Interstate Voter RegistrationCross Check Program to keep voter rolls accurateand to prevent people from voting in more thanone state in the same election.Foreign InvolvementGuard against foreign involvement in our elections_1df92004-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.14.5To guard againstforeign involvement in our elections, we call forvigilance regarding online credit card contributionsto candidates and campaigns.Military PersonnelAllow our troops to vote in a timely manner_1df92888-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.14.6Military PersonnelThe members of our Armed Forces must notbe denied the basic rights that they are defendingfor others. Our troops, wherever stationed, must beallowed to vote in a timely manner. We call uponthe entire military chain of command to ensure thevoting rights of our citizen soldiers.ApportionmentEnsure that citizenship be made the basis for the apportionment of representatives among the states_1df934a4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea002.14.7The Constitution gives Congress authorityto conduct the decennial census “in such Manneras they shall by Law direct.” In order to preservethe principle of one person, one vote, we urge ourelected representatives to ensure that citizenship,rather than mere residency, be made the basis forthe apportionment of representatives among thestates.Natural ResourcesValue the role of extractive industries and reward their enterprise by minimizing interference with their work_0fc8c16c-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea003Kelly ArmstrongNatural Resources Subcommittee Co-ChairVictor SprouseNatural Resources Subcommittee Co-ChairBrian CliffordAmerica’s Natural Resources: Agriculture, Energy, and the Environment StaffJustin MemmottAmerica’s Natural Resources: Agriculture, Energy, and the Environment StaffAgriculture, Energy, and the Environment -- We are the party of America’s growers, producers, farmers, ranchers, foresters, miners, commercial fishermen, and all those who bring from the earth the crops, minerals, energy, and the bounties of our seas that are the lifeblood of our economy. Their labor and ingenuity, their determination in bad times and love of the land at all times, powers our economy, creates millions of jobs, and feeds billions of people around the world.Only a few years ago, a bipartisan consensus in government valued the role of extractive industries and rewarded their enterprise by minimizing its interference with their work. That has radically changed. We look in vain within the Democratic Party for leaders who will speak for the people of agriculture, energy and mineral production. AgricultureCelebrate our domestic security in food_0fc8c482-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea003.1FarmersRanchersAbundant Harvests -- Agricultural production and exports are central to the Republican agenda for jobs, growth, expanded trade, and prosperity. Because our farmers and ranchers care for the land, the United States does not depend on foreign imports for sustenance. Americans spend a smaller percentage of their income on food than any other nation. On average, one American farm produces enough food to feed 155 people. No other nation has been asgenerous with food aid to the needy. We have good reason to celebrate our domestic security in food.We are the largest agricultural exporter in the world, and our exports are vital for other sectors of our economy. Those exports drive additional economic growth as each dollar of agricultural exports generates another $1.27 in business activity.Markets & TradeExpand trade opportunities and opening new markets for agriculture_fe72ce54-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea003.1.1That is why we remain committed to expanding trade opportunities and opening new markets for agriculture.RegulationsInsist that our global trading partners adhere to science-based standards with regard to food and health regulations_1df94430-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.2Under a Republican president, America’s trade negotiators will insist that our global trading partners adhere to science-based standards with regard to food and health regulations. We will not tolerate the use of bogus science and scare tactics to bar our products from foreign markets, nor will we allow insufficient health and safety standards for products imported for our consumption.PoliciesEnsure that domestic policies do not compromise our global competitiveness through overregulation and undue interference in the marketplace_1df94ce6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.3Dairy ProducersThere is growing recognition that federal dairy policies, crafted during the Great Depression, are increasingly an impediment to the ability of our dairy producers to meet the expected doubling in global demand coming by 2030. We must also ensure that domestic policies do not compromise our global competitiveness through overregulation and undue interference in the marketplace.MeatOppose policies seeking to stop or make more expensive our current system of production of meat_1df95cae-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.4Congress has repeatedly had to block the current Administration’s draconian rules concerning the marketing of poultry and livestock.Poultry ProducersLivestock ProducersWe oppose the policies pushed by special interest groups seeking to stop or make more expensive our current system of safe, efficient, and humane production of meat.Regulatory ProcessRestructure the regulatory process_1df9644c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.5This regulatory impulse must be curbed, not on a case-by-case basis, but through a fundamental restructuring of the regulatory process.LabelingEnd federal mandates on food options and menu labeling_1df972ca-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.6In the meantime, the intrusive and expensive federal mandates on food options and menu labeling should be ended as soon as possible by a Republican Congress. We oppose the mandatory labeling of genetically modified food, which has proven to be safe, healthy, and a literal life-saver for millions in the developing world.Engagement & OversightEngage farmers and ranchers to develop sound farm oversight policies at the State level_1df982a6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.7EPALike the rest of the economy, agriculture has suffered through eight years of the Democrats’ regulatory juggernaut, particularly from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).StatesStates, not Washington bureaucrats, are best equipped to engage farmers and ranchers to develop sound farm oversight policies.FarmersRanchersThe Democratic Administration’s sustained support for additional regulation of agriculture has directly resulted in higher costs of production for those who produce the food we eat. This federal regulatory overreach has resulted and will continue to result in higher food prices for Americans. These higher food costs are particularly challenging for those Americans struggling to make ends meet.Legal RequirementsStop regulatory demands forced upon citizens and businesses beyond that which is required by law_1df98b84-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.8EPAArmy Corps of EngineersCitizensBusinessesStatesThe EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, issued jointly with the Army Corps of Engineers, is a travesty.It extends the government’s jurisdiction over navigable waters into the micro-management of puddles and ditches on farms, ranches, and other privately-held property. Ditches, dry creek beds, stock ponds, prairie potholes, and other non-navigable wet areas are already regulated by the states. WOTUS is now subject to judicial review and must be invalidated, but that will not be sufficient.Unelected bureaucrats must be stopped from furthering the Democratic Party’s political agenda through regulatory demands forced upon citizens and businesses beyond that which is required by law. We must never allow federal agencies to seize control of state waters, watersheds, or groundwater.State waters, watersheds, and groundwater must be the purview of the sovereign states.Public LandsFoster, develop, and encourage ranching on public lands_1df99872-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.9FarmersRanchersFarmers and ranchers are among this country’s leading conservationists. Modern farm practices and technologies, supported by programs from the Department of Agriculture, have led to reduced erosion, improved water and air quality, increased wildlife habitat, all the while maintaining improved agricultural yields. This stewardship of the land benefits everyone, and we remain committed to conservation policies based on the preservation, not the restriction, of working lands. For this reason, ranching on public lands must be fostered, developed, and encouraged.WaterProvide an abundant water supply for America’s farmers, ranchers, and their communities_1df9a8da-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.9.1FarmersRanchersCommunitiesThis includes providing for an abundant water supply for America’s farmers, ranchers, and their communities.Risk ManagementEnsure that Federal programs to assist farmers in managing risk are cost-effective and functional_1df9b1ae-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.10FarmersRanchersTaxpayersFarming and ranching remain high-risk endeavors, and they cannot be isolated from market forces. No segment of agriculture can expect treatment so favorable that it seriously disadvantages workers in other trades. Federal programs to assist farmers in managing risk must be as cost-effective as they are functional, offering tools that can improve producers’ ability to operate when times are tough while remaining affordable to the taxpayers. Even so, the expansion of agricultural exports through the vigorous opening of new markets around the world is the surest path to farm security.While uncertainty about natural weather and markets is a risk farmers and ranchers always face, government should not add to their uncertainty by inaction and delay. Thanks in large part to a lack of leadership from the current Administration and congressional Democrats, the last Farm Bill took far too long to enact, creating instability about farm policy for nearly two years. Republicans are dedicated to leading this country forward, which includes getting things done on time, including the next Farm Bill.Nutrition AssistanceRestore work requirements for able-bodied adults as a condition for eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)_1df9bec4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.11The Democrats play politics with farm security.Much of the Democrats’ delay had nothing to do with the vital role of American agriculture. It concerned their efforts to expand welfare through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which now comprises more than 70 percent of all farm bill spending. During the last eight years of a Democratic Administration, nearly all the work requirements for able-bodied adults, instituted by our landmark welfare reform of 1996, have been removed. We will restore those provisions and, to correct a mistake made when the Food Stamp program was first created in 1964, separate the administration of SNAP from the Department of Agriculture.DataAdvance policies to protect the security, privacy, and most of all, the private ownership of individual farmers’ and ranchers’ data_1df9ce3c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.12FarmersRanchersLike all other sectors of our society, agriculture is directly impacted by the constant advance in technology. Agriculture now faces a revolution in the generation of “Big Data” — information produced not only through public oversight of regulations and programs, but also from private business records of farming and ranching operations. In the interest of protecting the safety of our farmers and ranchers, we will advance policies to protect the security, privacy, and most of all, the private ownership of individual farmers’ and ranchers’ data.ForestsPromote active, sustainable management of our forests_1df9d760-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.1.13U. S. Forest ServiceStatesCommunitiesThe U. S. Forest Service, within the Department of Agriculture, controls around 200 million acres of land with enormous natural resources, especially timber, a renewable resource providing jobs for thousands of workers that should be used to the best economic potential for the nation. Many of our national forests are in worsening health with the threat of invasive species, insect mortality, and the severe risk of wildfire. The increase in catastrophic wildfires has been needlessly killing millions of animals and destroying homes and watersheds for decades in the western states.The expense to suppress wildfires related to failed federal forest policies continues to increase. When timber is managed properly, the renewable crops will result in fewer wildfires and, at the same time, produce jobs in the timber industry for countless families. We believe in promoting active, sustainable management of our forests and that states can best manage our forests to improve forest health and keep communities safe. EnergyA New Era in Energy_fe72d78c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea003.2EngineersMinersA New Era in Energy -- Our country has greater energy resources than any other place on earth.Our engineers and miners, the men and women whose labor taps the forces of nature, are the best in the world. Together, the people of America’s energy sector provide us with power that is clean, affordable, secure, and abundant. Their work can guarantee the nation’s energy security for centuries to come if, instead of erecting roadblocks, government facilitates the creation of an all-of-the-above energy strategy.We applaud congressional Republicans for doing just that through far-sighted legislation.Both Houses have passed bills that will modernize pipelines and the electric grid, protect the grid from disruption, expedite energy exports, and lowerenergy costs. A Republican administration will build on those policies to find new ways to store electricity, a breakthrough of extraordinary import.ReservesDetermine what resources we have in reserve_1df9e3fe-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.1Planning for our energy future requires us to first determine what resources we have in reserve.Thirty years ago, the world’s estimated reserves of oil were 645 billion barrels. Today, that figure is 1.65 trillion barrels. The more we know what we will havein the future, the better we can decide how to use it.Public Lands & Continental ShelfOpen public lands and the outer continental shelf to exploration and responsible production_1df9fb96-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.2That is why we support the opening of public lands and the outer continental shelf to exploration and responsible production, even if these resources willnot be immediately developed.RegulationGive authority to state regulators to manage energy resources on federally controlled public lands within their respective borders_1dfa0424-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.3State RegulatorsCongressBecause we believe states can best promote economic growth while protecting the environment, Congress should give authority to state regulators to manage energy resources on federally controlled public lands within their respective borders.CoalProtect miners from the anti-coal agenda_1dfa1176-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.4ActivistsLow-Income AmericansEPAThe Democratic Party’s energy policy can be summed up in a slogan currently popular among its activists: “keep it in the ground.” Keeping energy in the earth will keep jobs out of reach of those who need them most. For low-income Americans, expensive energy means colder homes in the winter and hotter homes in the summer, less mobility in employment, and higher food prices. The current Administration, and particularly its EPA, seems not to care. Its Clean Power Plan — the centerpiece of the President’s war on coal — has been stayed by the Supreme Court. We will do away with it altogether. The Democratic Party does not understand that coal is an abundant, clean, affordable, reliable domestic energy resource. Those who mine it and their families should be protected from the Democratic Party’s radical anti-coal agenda.PermittingExpedite the permitting process_1dfa21b6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.5The Democratic Party’s campaign to smother the U.S. energy industry takes many forms, but the permitting process may be its most damaging weapon. It takes an average of 30 days for states to permit an oil or gas well. It takes the federal government longer than seven months. Three decades ago, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leased 12.2 million acres. In 2014, it leased only one-tenth of that number.Nuclear PowerPermit nuclear power plants_1dfa2a3a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.6Nuclear Power IndustryOur nuclear industry, cleanly generating almost 20 percent of our electricity from its 99 plants, has a remarkable safety record, but only a handful ofplants have been permitted in over three decades.Hydroelectric PowerPermit hydroelectric power facilities_1dfa378c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.7Permitting for a safe, non-polluting hydroelectric facility, even one that is being relicensed, can take many years because of the current President’s hostility to dams.Keystone PipelineFinish the Keystone Pipeline_1dfa47c2-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.8The Keystone Pipeline has become a symbol of everything wrong with the current Administration’s ideological approach.After years of delay, the President killed it to satisfy environmental extremists. We intend to finish that pipeline and others as part of our commitment to North American energy security.Markets & SubsidiesSupport the development of all forms of energy that are marketable in a free economy without subsidies_1dfa5050-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.9Department of DefenseBLMGovernment should not play favorites among energy producers. The taxpayers will not soon forget the current Administration’s subsidies to companies that went bankrupt without producing a kilowatt of energy. The same Administrationnow requires the Department of Defense, operating with slashed budgets during a time of expanding conflict, to use its scarce resources to generate 25 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2025. Climate change is far from this nation’s most pressing national security issue. This is the triumph of extremism over common sense, and Congress must stop it. We support the development of all forms of energy that are marketable in a free economy without subsidies, including coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, and hydropower. A federal judge has struck down the BLM’s rule on hydraulic fracturing and we support upholding this decision.Nuclear WasteEnd the disregard of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act with respect to the long-term storage of nuclear waste_1dfa5e38-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.10We respect the states’ proven ability to regulate the use of hydraulic fracturing, methane emissions, and horizontal drilling, and we will end the Administration’s disregard of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act with respect to the long-term storage of nuclear waste.Renewable EnergyEncourage the cost-effective development of renewable energy sources by private capital_1dfa6e64-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.11We encourage the cost-effective development of renewable energy sources — wind, solar, biomass, biofuel, geothermal, and tidal energy — by privatecapital.MineralsExpedite the permitting process for mineral production on public lands_1dfa7706-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.12The United States is overwhelmingly dependent on China and other nations for rare earth and other hardrock minerals. These minerals are critical to advanced technology, renewable energy, and defense manufacturing. We support expediting the permitting process for mineral production on public lands.Nuclear EnergyLift restrictions to allow responsible development of nuclear energy_1dfa844e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.13We support lifting restrictions to allow responsible development of nuclear energy, including research into alternative processes like thorium nuclear energy.Carbon TaxesOppose any carbon tax_1dfa9416-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.14We oppose any carbon tax. It would increase energy prices across the board, hitting hardest at the families who are already struggling to pay their bills in the Democrats’ no-growth economy.Carbon Capture & SequestrationUrge the private sector to focus its resources on the development of carbon capture and sequestration technology_1dfa9d44-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.15Private SectorWe urge the private sector to focus its resources on the development of carbon capture and sequestration technology still in its early stages here and overseas.ExportsEnable American energy producers to export their product to foreign markets_1dfaab22-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.16American Energy ProducersAmerican energy producers should be free to export their product to foreign markets. This is particularly important because of international demand for liquefied natural gas, and we must expedite the energy export terminals currently blocked by the Administration. Energy exports will create high paying jobs throughout the United States, reduce our nation’s trade deficit, grow our economy, and boost the energy security of our allies and trading partners.Markets & TradeExpand trade opportunities and open new markets for American energy_1dfabb3a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.17We remain committed to aggressively expanding trade opportunities and opening new markets for American energy through multilateral and bilateral agreements, whether current, pending, or negotiated in the future.ProductionIncrease domestic energy production_1dfac47c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.2.18OPECEnergy is both an economic and national security issue. We support the enactment of policies to increase domestic energy production, including production on public lands, to counter market manipulation by OPEC and other nationally owned oil companies. This will reduce America’s vulnerability to energy price volatility.EnvironmentBe good stewards of the God-given natural beauty and resources of our country_fe72e9ac-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea003.3Environmental Progress -- Conservation is inherent in conservatism. As the pioneer of environmentalism a century ago, the Republican Party reaffirms the moral obligation to be good stewards of the God-given natural beauty and resources of our country. We believe that people are the most valuable resources and that human health and safety are the proper measurements of a policy’s success. We assert that private ownership has been the best guarantee of conscientious stewardship, while some of the worst instances of degradation have occurred under government control. Poverty, not wealth, is the gravest threat to the environment, while steady economic growth brings the technological advances which make environmental progress possible.The environment is too important to be left to radical environmentalists. They are using yesterday’s tools to control a future they do not comprehend.The environmental establishment has become a self-serving elite, stuck in the mindset of the 1970s, subordinating the public’s consensus to the goals of the Democratic Party. Their approach is based on shoddy science, scare tactics, and centralized command-and-control regulation. Over the last eight years, the Administration has triggered an avalanche of regulation that wreaks havoc across our economy and yields minimal benefits.The central fact of any sensible environmental policy is that, year by year, the environment is improving. Our air and waterways are much healthier than they were a few decades ago. As a nation, we have drastically reduced pollution, mainstreamed recycling, educated the public, and avoided ecological degradation. Even if no additional controls are added, air pollution will continue to decline for the next several decades due to technological turnover of aging equipment.These successes become a challenge for Democratic Party environmental extremists, who must reach farther and demand more to sustain the illusion of an environmental crisis. That is why they routinely ignore costs, exaggerate benefits, and advocate the breaching of constitutional boundaries by federal agencies to impose environmental regulation. At the same time, the environmental establishment looks the other way when environmental degradation is caused by the EPA and other federal agencies as was the case during the Animas River spill.RegulationShift responsibility for environmental regulation from the federal bureaucracy to the states_1dfad23c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.1StatesOur agenda is high on job creation, expanding opportunity and providing a better chance at life for everyone willing to work for it. Our modern approach to environmentalism is directed to that end, and it starts with dramatic change in official Washington. We propose to shift responsibility for environmental regulation from the federal bureaucracy to the states and ...EPATransform the EPA into an independent bipartisan commission_1dfae236-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.2EPAto transform the EPA into an independent bipartisan commission, similar to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with structural safeguards against politicized science.AuthorityLimit congressional delegation of rule-making authority_1dfaeb82-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.3CongressWe will strictly limit congressional delegation of rule-making authority, and ...Regulatory TakingsCompensate citizens for regulatory takings_1dfaf910-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.4Citizensrequire that citizens be compensated for regulatory takings.LawsuitsPut an end to the legal practice known as “sue and settle”_1dfb0964-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.5Environmental GroupsTaxpayersWe will put an end to the legal practice known as “sue and settle,” in which environmental groups sue federal agencies whose officials are complicit inthe litigation so that, with the taxpayers excluded, both parties can reach agreement behind closed doors. That deceit betrays the public’s trust; it will no longer be tolerated.PaymentsCap and disclose payments made to environmental activists_1dfb12d8-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.6Environmental ActivistsWe will also reform the Equal Access to Justice Act to cap and disclose payments made to environmental activists and return the Act to its original intent.WaterEnforce the original intent of the Clean Water Act_1dfb2296-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.7We will enforce the original intent of the Clean Water Act, not it’s distortion by EPA regulations.Carbon DioxideForbid the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide_1dfb361e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.8EPAWe will likewise forbid the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide, something never envisioned when Congress passed the Clean Air Act.Air Quality & NEPARestore to Congress the authority to set the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and modernize the permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act _1dfb4000-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.9We will restore toCongress the authority to set the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and modernize the permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act so it can no longer invite frivolous lawsuits, thwart sorely needed projects, kill jobs, and strangle growth.Public Lands UsageProvide access to public lands for appropriate activities like hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting_1dfb4dd4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.10HuntersFishersRecreational ShootersThe federal government owns or controls over 640 million acres of land in the United States, most of which is in the West. These are public lands, and thepublic should have access to them for appropriate activities like hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting.Public Lands ControlConvey certain federally controlled public lands to states_1dfb5f36-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.11StatesLocal CommunitiesFederal ownership or management of land also places an economic burden on counties and local communities in terms of lost revenue to pay for things such as schools, police, and emergency services. It is absurd to think that all that acreage must remain under the absentee ownership or management of official Washington. Congress shall immediately pass universal legislation providing for a timely and orderly mechanism requiring the federal government to convey certain federally controlled public lands to states. We call upon all national and state leaders and representatives to exert their utmost power and influence to urge the transfer of those lands, identified in the review process, to all willing states for the benefit of the states and the nation as a whole. The residents of state and local communities know best how to protect the land where they work and live. They practice boots-on-the-ground conservation in their states every day.Parks & MonumentsEstablish Congress’ right to approve the designation of national monuments and to further require the approval of the states_1dfb6850-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.12StatesWe support amending the Antiquities Act of 1906 to establish Congress’ right to approve the designation of national monuments and to further require the approval of the state where a national monument is designated or a national park is proposed.Threatened SpeciesProtect species threatened with extinction_1dfb7606-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.13There is certainly a need to protect certain species threatened worldwide with extinction.However, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) should not include species such as gray wolves and other species if these species exist elsewhere in healthy numbers in another state or country. To upset the economic viability of an area with an unneeded designation costs jobs and hurts local communities.We must ensure that this protection is done effectively, reasonably, and without unnecessarily impeding the development of lands and natural resources. The ESA should ensure that the listing of endangered species and the designation ofcritical habitats are based upon sound science and balance the protection of endangered species with the costs of compliance and the rights of property owners. Instead, over the last few decades, the ESA has stunted economic development, halted the construction of projects, burdened landowners, and has been used to pursue policy goals inconsistent with the ESA — all with little to no success in the actual recovery of species. For example, we oppose the listing of the lesser prairie chicken and the potential listing of the sage grouse. Neither species has been shown to be in actual danger and the listings threaten to devastate farmers, ranchers, and oil and gas production. While species threatened with extinction must be protected under the ESA, any such protection must be done in a reasonable and transparent manner with stakeholder input and in consideration of the impact on the development of lands and natural resources.Climate ChangeBase information on climate change on dispassionate analysis of hard data_1dfb8740-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.14United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeCongressInformation concerning a changing climate, especially projections into the long-range future, must be based on dispassionate analysis of hard data. We will enforce that standard throughout the executive branch, among civil servants and presidential appointees alike. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a political mechanism, not an unbiased scientific institution. Its unreliability is reflected in its intolerance toward scientists and others who dissent from its orthodoxy. We will evaluate its recommendations accordingly. We reject the agendas of both the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, which represent only the personal commitments of their signatories; no such agreement can be binding upon the United States until it is submitted to and ratified by the Senate.FundingHalt to U.S. funding for the U.N.’s Framework Convention on Climate Change_1dfb906e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.14.1We demand an immediate halt to U.S. funding for the U.N.’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in accordance with the 1994 Foreign Relations Authorization Act. That law prohibits Washington from giving any money to “any affiliated organization of the United Nations” which grants Palestinians membership as a state. There is no ambiguity in that language. It would be illegal for the President to follow through on his intention to provide millions in funding for the UNFCCC and hundreds of millions for its Green Climate Fund.Ingenuity & TechnologySolve environmental problems by giving incentives for human ingenuity and the development of new technologies_1dfb9e42-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea003.3.15We firmly believe environmental problems are best solved by giving incentives for human ingenuity and the development of new technologies, not through top-down, command-and-control regulations that stifle economic growth and costthousands of jobs.Government ReformReform government_0fc8c702-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea004Tom SchriebelGovernment Reform Subcommittee Co-ChairRuss WalkerGovernment Reform Subcommittee Co-ChairDanielle CutronaGovernment Reform StaffKaty TalentoGovernment Reform StaffEffectivenessMake government work for the people_0fc8cc70-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea004.1Making Government Work for the People -- Founding Father and Constitution FramerJames Wilson declared that in America, “thepeople are the masters of government,” but thatin other countries, “the government is masterof the people.” We pledge to make governmentwork for the people, rather than the other wayaround. Much of what the federal governmentdoes can be improved, much should be replaced,and much needs to be done away with or returnedto the states. It is long past time for just tinkeringaround the edges of a bloated and unresponsivebureaucratic state. Its poorly managed programs,some begun generations ago, are ill-suited to meetpresent needs and future requirements. Its creditcard budgets impose massive indebtedness onevery American today and on children yet unborn.The more it intrudes into every aspect of Americanlife the more it alienates the citizens who work,pay taxes, and wonder what has happened to thecountry they love. We agree with Thomas Jeffersonthat “[t]he multiplication of public offices, increaseof expense beyond income, growth and entailmentof a public debt, are indications soliciting theemployment of the pruning knife.”BudgetBalance the budget_fe72f8e8-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.2Balancing the Budget -- The federal fiscal burden threatens thesecurity, liberty, and independence of our nation.The current Administration’s refusal to work withRepublicans took our national debt from $10 trillionto nearly $19 trillion today. Left unchecked, it willhit $30 trillion by 2026. At the same time, theAdministration’s policies systematically crippledeconomic growth and job creation, driving upgovernment costs and driving down revenues.When Congressional Republicans tried to reversecourse, the Administration manufactured fiscalcrises — phony government shutdowns — todemand excessive spending. The Administration’sdemands have focused on significantly expandinggovernment spending and benefits for its preferredgroups, paid for through loans that our children andgrandchildren will have to pay. This is the path tobankrupting the next generation.Constitutional AmendmentAdopt a constitutional requirement for a federal balanced budget_09f6a670-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.2.1The Republican path to fiscal sanity andeconomic expansion begins with a constitutionalrequirement for a federal balanced budget.Spending CapImpose a cap limiting spending to the appropriate historical average percentage of our nation’s gross domestic product_09f6bd68-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.2.2Wewill fight for Congress to adopt, and for the statesto ratify, a Balanced Budget Amendment whichimposes a cap limiting spending to the appropriatehistorical average percentage of our nation’s grossdomestic product while requiring a super-majorityfor any tax increase, with exceptions only for waror legitimate emergencies. Only a constitutionalsafeguard such as this can prevent deficits frommounting to government default.ScopeApply a constitutional test to the scope of the federal government_09f6c498-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.2.3Republican budgets will prioritize thrift overextravagance and put taxpayers first. We supportthe following test: Is a particular expenditure withinthe constitutional scope of the federal government?If not, stop it. Has it been effective in the past andis it still absolutely necessary? If not, end it. Is it soimportant as to justify borrowing, especially foreignborrowing, to fund it? If not, kill it. Medicare & MedicaidPreserve Medicare and Medicaid_fe730284-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.3Preserving Medicare and Medicaid -- More than 100 million Americans depend onMedicare or Medicaid for their healthcare; withour population aging, that number will increase. Topreserve Medicare and Medicaid, the financing ofthese important programs must be brought undercontrol before they consume most of the federalbudget, including national defense. The good newsis that it can be done, and it can be done withoutendangering the elderly and the needy who dependon those programs.MedicareModernize Medicare by empowering participants and putting it on a secure financial footing_09f6cba0-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.2We intend to save Medicare bymodernizing it, empowering its participants, andputting it on a secure financial footing.MedicaidPreserve the promise of Medicaid by making it a vehicle for good health_09f6d29e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.3We willpreserve the promise of Medicaid as well by making that program, designed for 1965 medicine, a vehiclefor good health in an entirely new era.Medicare’s long-term debt is in the trillions, andit is funded by a workforce that is shrinking relativeto the size of future beneficiaries. Obamacareworsened the situation — and imperiled seniors —by imposing hundreds of billions of dollars in cutsto Medicare providers to pay for its new spending.When a vital program is so clearly headed for a trainwreck, it’s time to put it on a more secure track.That is why we propose these reforms:Older PeopleImpose no changes for persons 55 or older._09f6d99c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.3.1OptionsGive others theoption of traditional Medicare or transition to apremium-support model designed to strengthenpatient choice, promote cost-saving competitionamong providers, and better guard against thefraud and abuse that now diverts billions of dollarsevery year away from patient care._09f6e0a4-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.3.2ContributionsGuarantee toevery enrollee an income-adjusted contributiontoward a plan of their choice, with catastrophicprotection._09f6e860-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.3.3EligibilityWithout disadvantaging present retireesor those nearing retirement, set a more realistic agefor eligibility in light of today’s longer life span._09f6ef68-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.3.4Rationing & QualityReject rationing, denial, and lowering of quality_09f6f800-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.4This is an agenda to improve healthcare, notjust to manage its costs. We reject the Democrats’approach of rationing inherent in Obamacare. Werecognize the de facto rationing of healthcarecaused by reduced access to doctors whoincreasingly opt out of participating in Medicareand Medicaid. We will not accept that or any otherapproach which denies care — or lowers its quality— for America’s elderly.Medicaid presents related, but somewhatdifferent challenges. As the dominant force inthe health market with regard to long-term care,births, and persons with mental illness, it is the nextfrontier of welfare reform. It is simply too big andtoo flawed to be administered from Washington.Most of the vaunted expansion of health insurancecoverage under Obamacare actually has been anunprecedented expansion of the Medicaid rolls inmany states.GrantsBlock grant Medicaid_09f6ff12-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.3.5We applaud the Republican governorsand state legislators who have undertaken the hardwork of modernizing Medicaid. We will give them afree hand to do so by block-granting the programwithout strings. Their initiatives — whether premiumsupports for purchasing insurance, refundable taxcredits, alternatives to hospitalization for chronicpatients, disease prevention activities, and otherinnovations — are the best strategy for preservingMedicaid for those who need it the most. Blockgranting Medicaid is particularly needed toaddress mental health care. Mental illness affectspeople from all walks of life, but there has beenlittle success in developing effective system-widemedical models for addressing mental health. For avariety of unique reasons, government is often thefirst frontier for people experiencing mental healthproblems — from first responders who deal withcrises to publicly funded mental health facilitiesand prisons where large numbers of inmatessuffer from mental illnesses. Using block grantswould allow states to experiment with differentsystems to address mental health and developsuccessful models to be replicated in states acrossthe nation. The current federally dictated mentalhealth care regime is wasteful and ineffective, andmoving to a block grant approach would allow forstate and local governments to create solutionsfor individuals and families in desperate need ofhelp in addressing mental illness. We respect thestates’ authority and flexibility to exclude abortionproviders from federal programs such as Medicaidand other healthcare and family planning programsso long as they continue to perform or refer forelective abortions or sell the body parts of abortedchildren.Social SecuritySave Social Security_fe730e78-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.4Saving Social Security -- We reject the old maxim that Social Securityis the “Third Rail” of American politics, deadly foranyone who would change it. The Democratic Partystill treats it that way, even though everyone knowsthat its current course will lead to a financial andsocial disaster. Younger Americans have lost all faithin the program and expect little return for whatthey are paying into it. As the party of America’sfuture, we accept the responsibility to preserve andmodernize a system of retirement security forgedin an old industrial era beyond the memory of mostAmericans. Current retirees and those close toretirement can be assured of their benefits. Of themany reforms being proposed, all options shouldbe considered to preserve Social Security. AsRepublicans, we oppose tax increases and believein the power of markets to create wealth and to help secure the future of our Social Security system.Saving Social Security is more than a challenge. Itis our moral obligation to those who trusted in thegovernment’s word.InternetProtect Internet freedom_fe731ecc-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.5Federal Communications CommissionProtecting Internet Freedom -- The survival of the internet as we know itis at risk. Its gravest peril originates in the WhiteHouse, the current occupant of which has launcheda campaign, both at home and internationally, tosubjugate it to agents of government. The Presidentordered the chair of the supposedly independentFederal Communications Commission to imposeupon the internet rules devised in the 1930s for thetelephone monopoly. He has unilaterally announcedAmerica’s abandonment ofthe international internet bysurrendering U.S. control ofthe root zone of web namesand addresses. He threw theinternet to the wolves, and they— Russia, China, Iran, and others— are ready to devour it.We salute the CongressionalRepublicans who havelegislatively impeded his plansto turn over the Information Freedom Highway toregulators and tyrants. That fight must continue,for its outcome is in doubt. We will consistentlysupport internet policies that allow people andprivate enterprise to thrive, without providing newand expanded government powers to tax andregulate so that the internet does not become thevehicle for a dramatic expansion of governmentpower. The internet’s independence is its power.It has unleashed innovation, enabled growth, andinspired freedom more rapidly and extensivelythan any other technological advance in humanhistory.GovernanceResist any effort to shift control toward governance by international or other intergovernmental organizations_09f70610-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.5.1We will therefore resist any effort to shiftcontrol toward governance by international orother intergovernmental organizations.Personal DataEnsure that personal data receives full constitutional protection from government overreach_09f70e1c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.5.2We willensure that personal data receives full constitutionalprotection from government overreach. The onlyway to safeguard or improve these systems isthrough the private sector. The internet’s freemarket needs to be free and open to all ideas andcompetition without the government or serviceproviders picking winners and losers.Immigration & LawWelcome all to the Great Opportunity Party_fe761e88-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.6Immigration and the Rule of Law -- Our party is the natural home for those whocome in search of freedom and justice. We welcomeall to the Great Opportunity Party.Workers & WagesProtect American working families and their wages_09f7156a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.1American WorkersThe greatest asset of the American economy isthe American worker. Our immigration system mustprotect American working families and their wages,for citizens and legal immigrants alike, in a waythat will improve the economy. Just as immigrantlabor helped build our country in the past, today’slegal immigrants are making vital contributionsin every aspect of national life. Their industry andcommitment to American values strengthens oureconomy, enriches our culture, and enables us tobetter understand and more effectively competewith the rest of the world.NewcomersEmbrace the newcomers legally among us, assist their journey to full citizenship, and help their communities avoid isolation from the mainstream of society_09f71d6c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.2Members of the Armed ForcesFirst RespondersWe are particularly gratefulto the thousands of new legalimmigrants, many of them notyet citizens, who are servingin the Armed Forces andamong first responders. Theirpatriotism should encourageall to embrace the newcomerslegally among us, assist theirjourney to full citizenship, andhelp their communities avoid isolation from themainstream of society.LanguagesEncourage the preservation of heritage tongues and support English as the nation’s official language_09f7249c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.3We are also thankful for themany legal immigrants who continue to contributeto American society. To that end, we both encouragethe preservation of heritage tongues and supportEnglish as the nation’s official language, a unifyingforce essential for the advancement of immigrantcommunities and our nation as a whole.JobsProtect American workers from the claims of foreign nationals seeking thesame jobs_09f72bd6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.4American WorkersForeign NationalsAmerica’s immigration policy must serve thenational interest of the United States, and theinterests of American workers must be protectedover the claims of foreign nationals seeking thesame jobs.AmnestyOppose any form of amnesty_09f733c4-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.5With all our fellow citizens, we havewatched, in anger and disgust, the mocking of ourimmigration laws by a president who made himselfsuperior to the will of the nation. We stand withthe victims of his policies, especially the families ofmurdered innocents. Illegal immigration endangerseveryone, exploits the taxpayers, and insults allwho aspire to enter America legally. We opposeany form of amnesty for those who, by breaking thelaw, have disadvantaged those who have obeyed it. The executive amnesties of 2012 and 2014 area direct violation of federal law and usurp thepowers of Congress as outlined in Article I of theConstitution. These unlawful amnesties must beimmediately rescinded by a Republican president.Borders, Ports & LawsSecure our borders and ports of entry and enforce our immigration laws_09f73afe-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.6Ina time of terrorism, drug cartels, human trafficking,and criminal gangs, the presence of millions ofunidentified individuals in this country poses graverisks to the safety and sovereignty of the UnitedStates. Our highest priority, therefore, must be tosecure our borders and all ports of entry and toenforce our immigration laws.Wall & PortsBuild a wall along our southern border and protect our ports of entry_09f74238-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.6.1That is why we support building a wall alongour southern border and protecting all ports ofentry. The border wall must cover the entiretyof the southern border and must be sufficient tostop both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.E-VerifyMake usage of the E-verify program mandatory_09f74986-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.7Weinsist upon workplace enforcement of verificationsystems so that more jobs can be available to alllegal workers. Use of the E-verify program — aninternet-based system that verifies the employmentauthorization and identity of employees — mustbe made mandatory nationwide.SAVE ProgramEnsure that public funds are not given to persons not legally present in this country_09f750c0-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.8We reaffirm ourendorsement of the SAVE program — SystematicAlien Verification for Entitlements — to ensure thatpublic funds are not given to persons not legallypresent in this country.Theft, Fraud & TraffickingPenalize those who engage in identity theft, deal in fraudulent documents, and traffic in human beings_09f758b8-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.9We demand tough penaltiesagainst those who engage in identity theft, deal infraudulent documents, and traffic in human beings.CriminalsKeep dangerous aliens off our streets and expedite expulsion of criminal aliens_09f760ba-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.10Department of Homeland SecurityThe Department of Homeland Security must use itsauthority to keep dangerous aliens off our streetsand to expedite expulsion of criminal aliens.GangsDeport members of gangs_09f7681c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.11Gangmembership should be a deportable offense.Re-EntryApply stiffer penalties to illegal aliens who illegally re-enter our nation after already having been deported_09f76f6a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.12Anypreviously deported illegal alien who continues toshow a lack of respect for our borders and ruleof law must be penalized. This is why we supportstiffer penalties, such as a mandatory minimumsentence of five years, for any illegal alien whoillegally re-enters our nation after already havingbeen deported.Sanctuary CitiesDeny Federal funding to Sanctuary Cities_09f776c2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.13Sanctuary CitiesBecause “sanctuary cities” violate federal lawand endanger their own citizens, they should not beeligible for federal funding.LicensesHalt the issuance of state licenses to people in the country illegally_09f77e1a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.14Using state licenses toreward people in the country illegally is an affrontto the rule of law and must be halted.Guest WorkersReform our guest worker programs_09f794f4-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.15Guest WorkersIn light of both current needs and historicpractice, we urge the reform of our guest workerprograms to eliminate fraud, improve efficiencyand ensure they serve the national interest.State RightsSupport the right of the states to enact laws deterring illegal aliens from residing within their states_09f7ab60-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.16Inlight of the alarming levels of unemployment andunderemployment in this country, it is indefensibleto continue offering lawful permanent residence tomore than one million foreign nationals every year.The Supreme Court has correctly recognized thatstates have the constitutional authority to takesteps to reduce illegal immigration. We condemnthe Obama Administration’s lawsuits against statesthat are seeking to reinforce federal law. We supportthe right of the states to enact laws deterring illegalaliens from residing within their states.AsylumLimit asylum to cases of political, ethnic or religious persecution_09f7b70e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.17From its beginning, our country has been ahaven of refuge and asylum. That should continue— but with major changes. Asylum should be limitedto cases of political, ethnic or religious persecution.VettingExclude refugees who cannot be carefully vetted_09f7c69a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.6.17.1As the Director of the FBI has noted, it is notpossible to vet fully all potential refugees. To ensureour national security, refugees who cannot becarefully vetted cannot be admitted to the country,especially those whose homelands have been thebreeding grounds for terrorism. TreatiesReform the treaty system_fe762fcc-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.7Reforming the Treaty System -- We intend to restore the treaty system specifiedby the Constitution: The president negotiatesagreements, submits them to the Senate, withratification requiring two-thirds of the senatorspresent and voting. This was good enough forGeorge Washington but is too restrictive for thecurrent chief executive, who presumes to bind thiscountry to bilateral and multilateral agreements ofhis devising. His media admirers portray his personalcommitments — whether on climate change, Iranianweapons, or other matters — as done deals. Theyare not, and ...Foreign RelationsReestablish constitutional order in America’s foreign relations_09f7d96e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.7.1a new Republican executive will workwith the Congress to reestablish constitutionalorder in America’s foreign relations.AgreementsWithdraw from all agreements and arrangements failing to meet constitutional standards_09f7e40e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.7.1.1All internationalexecutive agreements and political arrangementsentered into by the current Administration mustbe deemed null and void as mere expressions ofthe current president’s preferences. Those whichare in the national interest but would traditionallyhave been made by treaty must be abrogated,renegotiated as treaties, and transmitted to theSenate for its advice and consent as required by the Constitution. The United States will withdrawfrom all agreements and arrangements failing thosestandards.IRSDepoliticize the IRS_fe764ef8-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.8Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service -- Many good civil servants work at the IRS, butthe agency itself is toxic. Its leadership employsknown tax delinquents, rehires workers previouslyfired for misconduct, spends user fees without congressional oversight, and awards bonuses for customer service that would put any private companyout of business. Worst of all, the IRS has becomean ideological attack dog for the worst elements oftoday’s Democratic Party. It systematically targetsconservative, pro-life, and libertarian organizations,harassing them with repeated audits and denyingtheir tax exempt status. Its commissioner has lied toCongress, hidden evidence, and stonewalled investigations. He should be impeached by the House ofRepresentatives and convicted by the Senate.Religious ExpressionUphold the right of America’s churches, pastors, and religious leaders to preach and speak freely according to their faith_09f7f3ae-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.8.1ChurchesPastorsReligious LeadersWevalue the right of America’s churches, pastors, andreligious leaders to preach and speak freely according to their faith.Political SpeechRepeal the Johnson Amendment_09f80754-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.8.2Nonprofit OrganizationsRepublicans believe the federalgovernment, specifically the IRS, is constitutionallyprohibited from policing or censoring the speechof America’s churches, pastors, and religious leaders. We support repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which restricts First Amendment freedomsof all nonprofit organizations by prohibiting political speech.Tax CodeMake the federal tax code so simple and easy to understand that the IRSbecomes obsolete and can be abolished_09f8121c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.8.3We also support making the federal taxcode so simple and easy to understand that the IRSbecomes obsolete and can be abolished.Defense SpendingAudit the Pentagon_fe7658e4-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.9Department of DefenseAudit the Pentagon -- No major part of the Department of Defensehas ever passed an audit. Republican leaders inCongress have called for a full financial audit of thePentagon to ensure that every dollar spent is trulybenefitting our national security. Every taxpayermust be prepared to pass an audit, and we urgeCongress to demand the same level of accountabilityfrom the Pentagon and the Department of Defense. Federal WorkforceImprove the Federal workforce_fe7669e2-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.10Federal WorkforceWhistleblowersImproving the Federal Workforce -- We recognize the dedication of most employees of the federal government and thank them fortheir service, with special praise for the whistleblowers who risk their careers to expose waste, fraud,and misuse of power.UnionsDisallow compulsory unionism_09f82270-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.10.1None of them should ever becompelled to join a union or pay dues to it.Union RepresentativesDisallow union representatives from engaging in union-related activities while on the public’s time_09f8358a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.10.2Union RepresentativesIn fairness to their fellow workers, union representativesshould not be allowed to engage in union-relatedactivities while on the public’s time.Standards & AbusesEnd abuses and enforce high standards for all federal employees_09f84034-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.10.3The inability offederal managers to discipline and, if necessary, dismiss problem staff members is an affront to everyconscientious worker, as is the misuse of funds forlavish conferences and routine bonuses. The appointees of a Republican president will work withcareer managers to end those abuses and enforcehigh standards for all federal employees.ServiceProvide federal employees the opportunity to pursue their desire to serve their country free from discrimination_09f8507e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.10.4We reaffirm the existing protections that provide all employees of the federal government the opportunityto pursue their desire to serve their country freefrom discrimination.ResponsibilitiesReduce government responsibilities_09f86320-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.10.5We call for renewed efforts to reduce, ratherthan expand, government responsibilities, and ...Public RelationsReduce the public relations budgets of the departments and agencies_09f86eb0-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.10.6weurge particular attention to the bloated public relations budgets of the departments and agencies. Thefederal government spends too much of the people’s money telling the people what they should do. Term LimitsAdvance term limits_fe767aae-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.11Members of CongressAdvancing Term Limits -- Our national platform has repeatedly endorsedterm limits for Members of Congress. In response, theGOP Leadership in 1996 brought to a vote, in boththe House and Senate, a constitutional amendment.It failed to secure the necessary two-thirds vote inthe House, where 80 percent of Republicans votedfor it and 80 percent of Democrats voted against it.Every Senate Republican voted to allow a vote onterm limits, but the Democrats killed it by a filibuster.Blocked by that opposition, Republicans soughtother ways to modernize the national legislature.They set term limits for their own committee chairsand leadership positions, and by law they requiredCongress to live by the same rules it imposes onothers. To make further progress, to advance aconstitutional amendment for consideration bythe states, we must expand the current Republicanmajorities in both chambers. RegulationRegulate sensibly and compatibly with a vibrant economy_fe7684cc-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.12Environmental Protection AgencyThe Environmental Protection Agency hasrewritten laws to advance the Democrats’ climatechange agenda.Department of Health and Human ServicesThe Department of Health andHuman Services has ignored the enacted text ofthe Affordable Care Act to do whatever it wantsin healthcare.Department of LaborBoth the Department of Labor andNational Labor Relations Board have scrappeddecades of labor law to implement the agendaof big labor.National Labor Relations BoardCommunity BanksThe Dodd-Frank law, the Democrats’legislative Godzilla, is crushing small andcommunity banks and other lenders.Federal Communications CommissionThe FederalCommunications Commission is imperiling thefreedom of the internet. We support reinstatingthe Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 which prohibitscommercial banks from engaging in high-riskinvestment.RegulatorsSensible regulations can be compatible with avibrant economy. They can prevent the strong fromexploiting the weak. Right now, the regulators areexploiting everyone.Regulation: The Quiet Tyranny -- Over-regulation is the quiet tyranny of the“Nanny State.” It hamstrings American businesses and hobbles economic growth. The Great Recessionmay be over, but in the experience of mostAmericans, the economy is still sick. The federalregulatory burden has been a major contributor tothat stagnation.The ability of the American people to governthemselves has been undermined by a vast arrayof agencies with sweeping power to regulateevery aspect of American life. They legislate as ifthey were Congress. They decide guilt and issuepenalties as if they were courts. They collectivelyimpose many billions of dollars in costs to theeconomy. The current President and his allies onCapitol Hill have used those agencies as a superlegislature, disregarding the separation of powers,to declare as law what they could not push throughthe Congress.IntrusivenessMake regulations minimally intrusive, confined to their legal mandate, and respectful toward the creation of new and small businesses_09f87e78-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.12.1Small BusinessesNew BusinessesWe are determined to makeregulations minimally intrusive, confined to theirlegal mandate, and respectful toward the creationof new and small businesses.Authority & DelegationRevisit existing laws that delegate too much authority to regulatory agencies and review all current regulations for possible reform or repeal_09f891e2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.12.2We will revisit existinglaws that delegate too much authority to regulatoryagencies and review all current regulations forpossible reform or repeal. ApprovalRequire approval by both houses of Congress for any rule or regulation that would impose significant costs_09f89caa-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.12.3CongressWe endorse Republicanlegislation, already passed by the House, to requireapproval by both houses of Congress for any ruleor regulation that would impose significant costson the American people.Economic BurdenRemove regulations of equal or greater economic burden when new regulations are_09f8ae16-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.12.4Further, Congress shouldwork towards legislation that requires removal ofa regulation of equal or greater economic burdenwhen a new regulation is enacted.Regulatory BudgetConsider a regulatory budget that would cap the costs federal agencies could impose on the economy_09f8c19e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.12.5Because regulations are just another tax on theconsumers, Congress should consider a regulatorybudget that would cap the costs federal agenciescould impose on the economy in any given year.Crony Capitalism & Corporate WelfareFight crony capitalism_fe769354-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.13SolyndraCrony Capitalism and Corporate Welfare -- Cronyism is inherent in the progressive visionof the administrative state. When governmentuses taxpayer funding and resources to givespecial advantages to private companies, itdistorts the free market and erodes public trustin our political system. By enlarging the scope ofgovernment and placing enormous power in thehands of bureaucrats, it multiplies opportunitiesfor corruption and favoritism. It is the enemy ofreform in education, the workplace, and healthcare.It gives us financial regulation that protects thelarge at the cost of the small. It is inherent in everypart of the current healthcare law, which is packedwith corporate welfare. Crony capitalism givesus special interest tax breaks, custom-designedregulations, and special exemptions for favoredparties.The Solyndra debacle is a perfect example.It creates both subsidies and restrictions to tilt themarket one way or the other. By putting the weightof government behind the status quo, it leads toeconomic stagnation. We applaud the RepublicanMembers of Congress who have taken the lead infighting crony capitalism and urge others to rally totheir cause.American IndiansHonor our relationship with American Indians_fe76a8f8-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.14American IndiansIndian Tribal GovernmentsAlaska NativesHonoring Our Relationship with American Indians -- Based on both treaty and other law, thefederal government has a unique government-to-government relationship with and trust responsibilityfor Indian Tribal Governments, American Indians,and Alaska Natives. These obligations have notbeen sufficiently honored. The social and economicproblems that plague Indian country have grownworse over the last several decades; we mustreverse that trend. Ineffective federal programsdeprive American Indians of the services they need,and long-term failures threaten to undermine tribalsovereignty itself.American Indians have established elected tribal governments to carry out the public policiesof the tribe, administer services to its tribal member constituents, and manage relations with federal,state, and local governments. We respect the tribalgovernments as the voice of their communities andencourage federal, state, and local governments toheed those voices in developing programs and partnerships to improve the quality of life for AmericanIndians and their neighbors in their communities.Republicans believe that economic self-sufficiency is the ultimate answer to the challengesconfronting Indian country. We believe that tribalgovernments and their communities, not Washington bureaucracies, are best situated to craft solutions that will end systemic problems that createpoverty and disenfranchisement. Just as the federal government should not burden states withregulations, it should not stifle the developmentof resources within the reservations, which needfederal assistance to advance their commerce nationally through roads and technology.JobsWithdraw Federal and state regulations that thwart job creation_09f8cdf6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.1Tribal GovernmentsFederal andstate regulations that thwart job creation must bewithdrawn or redrawn so that tribal governmentsacting on behalf of American Indians are not disadvantaged.Labor MattersGive Native communities the same authority as state governments in labor matters_09fa1166-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.2Native CommunitiesNational Labor Relations Board (NLRB)It is especially egregious that the Democratic Party has persistently undermined tribalsovereignty in order to provide advantage to unionbosses in the tribal workplace. Native communitiesshould have the same authority as state governments in labor matters, so that union bosses andthe National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) cannotundermine the authority of tribal governments.ConsultationEnsure each tribe has the right of consultation before any new regulatory policy is implemented on tribal land_09fa2b60-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.3Republicans recognize that each tribe has theright of consultation before any new regulatorypolicy is implemented on tribal land. To the extentpossible, such consultation should take place inIndian country with the tribal government andits members.PoliciesEncourage Indian tribes to develop their own policies to achieve program objectives_09fa3a9c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.4Before promulgating and imposingany new laws or regulations affecting trust landor members, the federal government shouldencourage Indian tribes to develop their ownpolicies to achieve program objectives, and shoulddefer to tribes to develop their own standards, orstandards in conjunction with state governments.AutonomyExpand local autonomy where tribal governments seek it_09fa50ea-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.5Tribal GovernmentsRepublicans reject a one-size-fits-all approachto federal-tribal-state partnerships and will work toexpand local autonomy where tribal governmentsseek it.PartnershipsImprove partnerships_09fa6468-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.6Better partnerships will help us to expandeconomic opportunity, deliver top-flight educationto future generations, modernize and improve theIndian Health Service to make it more responsiveto local needs, and build essential infrastructurein Indian country in cooperation with tribalneighbors.Economic OpportunityExpand economic opportunity_09fa705c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.6.1EducationDeliver top-flight education to future generations_09fa809c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.6.2IHSModernize and improve the Indian Health Service to make it more responsiveto local needs_09fa9492-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.6.3Indian Health ServiceInfrastructureBuild essential infrastructure in Indian country in cooperation with tribal neighbors_09faa144-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.6.4EmpowermentEmpower American Indians through tribal self-determination and self-governance policies_09fab2a6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.7Our approach is to empower AmericanIndians, through tribal self-determination and self-governance policies, to develop their greatest assets,human resources and the rich natural resources ontheir lands, without undue federal interference.Legal SystemProvide stability and protect property rights_09fac6d8-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.8Like all Americans, American Indians wantsafe communities for their families; but inadequateresources and neglect have, over time, allowedcriminal activities to plague Indian country. Toprotect everyone — and especially the mostvulnerable: children, women, and elders — the legalsystem in tribal communities must provide stabilityand protect property rights. Everyone’s due processand civil rights must be safeguarded.Federal ProgramsEnsure equitable participation in federal programs_09fad222-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.9American IndiansAlaska NativesNative HawaiiansWe support efforts to ensure equitableparticipation in federal programs by AmericanIndians, including Alaska Natives and NativeHawaiians, and to preserve their culture andlanguages that we consider to be national treasures.Military ServiceHonor that commitment, loyalty, and sacrifice of all American Indians serving in the military_09fae352-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.14.10Lastly, we recognize that American Indians haveresponded to the call for military service inpercentage numbers far greater than have othergroups of Americans. We honor that commitment,loyalty, and sacrifice of all American Indians servingin the military today and in years past and willensure that all veterans and their families receivethe care and respect they have earned through theirloyal service to America. TerritoriesAcknowledge the patriotism of our brothers and sisters in the territories_fe76b3d4-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.15Americans in the TerritoriesGuamCommonwealth of the Northern Mariana IslandsAmerican SamoaU.S. Virgin IslandsPuerto RicoAmericans in the Territories -- Throughout the history of our nation, the patriotism exhibited by our brothers and sisters inthe territories of Guam, the Commonwealth of theNorthern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S.Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico has often gone unacknowledged.Armed ForcesHonor the extraordinary sacrifices of the men and women of the territories who protect our freedom through their service in the U.S. Armed Forces_09faf6b2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.1U.S. Armed ServicesYear after year, the citizens quietly,without fanfare, send their sons and daughters intothe U.S. Armed Services. We honor the extraordinary sacrifices of the men and women of the territories who protect our freedom through their servicein the U.S. Armed Forces.Politics & ConstitutionWelcome greater participation by the territories in the political process and affirm their right to seek the full extension of the Constitution with all the rights and responsibilities that entails_09fb0512-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.2Geographically, the territories and commonwealths, especially those in thePacific, are of vital importance to our national security as the outermost line of defense and gateway toAmerica against potential encroachment by foreignpowers. We welcome their greater participation inall aspects of the political process and affirm theirright to seek the full extension of the Constitutionwith all the rights and responsibilities that entails.ChallengesRecognize the challenges facing all the U.S. territories_09fb1ac0-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3We recognize the challenges facing all the U.S.territories in an era of dramatic global economicchange.CapitalProvide venture capital_09fb3456-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3.1They need venture capital to retain existingindustries and develop new ones.Private SectorStrengthen the private sector_09fb443c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3.2Private SectorA stronger privatesector can reduce dependence on public employment and lead toward self-sufficiency.EnergyDevelop local energy options_09fb5cb0-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3.3Their development of local energy options will be crucial toreduce dependence on costly imported fuel.Trade AgreementsConsider the territories’ economic stability and potential for growth in any trade agreements between the United States and other Pacific nations._09fb70ec-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3.4Pacific NationsThe territories’ economic stability and potentialfor growth must be considered in any trade agreements between the United States and other Pacificnations.Flexibility & ExemptionsGive the territories flexibility or exemption from laws that increase costs for their populations_09fb7dc6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3.5They should be given flexibility or exemption from laws that increase costs for their populations, such as the minimum wage and the Jones Actconcerning shipping.ImpedimentsRemove unreasonable impediments to prosperity_09fb8e60-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3.6All unreasonable impedimentsto their prosperity should be removed, including unreasonable U.S. customs practices.DevelopmentAllow the territories to properly develop their resources_09fba45e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.3.7American SamoaTerritories suchas American Samoa should be able to properly develop their resources, including fishing, when jobsand the economy depend on it.Advisory CommitteeAppoint a commonwealth and territories advisory committee_09fbb07a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.4We call for the appointment of a commonwealth and territories advisory committee consisting of representatives from all five U.S. territories.The committee will be integrated into the president’s transition team and be tasked with performing a holistic review of all federal regulationsaffecting the territories and commonwealths.Special AssistantAppoint a Special Assistant to the President responsible for day-to-dayinteraction with the territories and commonwealths_09fbc0f6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea004.15.1Office of Insular AffairsThis position will be the direct connection for theOffice of Insular Affairs, the citizens of the territoriesand commonwealths, and the White House.Wefurther call for the appointment of a Special Assistant to the President responsible for day-to-dayinteraction with the territories and commonwealths.Puerto RicoSupport the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state_fe76c5d6-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.16Puerto RicoThe Territory of Puerto Rico -- We support the right of the United Statescitizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Unionas a fully sovereign state. We further recognize thehistoric significance of the 2012 local referendum inwhich a 54 percent majority voted to end PuertoRico’s current status as a U.S. territory, and 61percent chose statehood over options for sovereignnationhood. We support the federally sponsoredpolitical status referendum authorized and fundedby an Act of Congress in 2014 to ascertain theaspirations of the people of Puerto Rico. Once the2012 local vote for statehood is ratified, Congressshould approve an enabling act with terms forPuerto Rico’s future admission as the 51st state ofthe Union. District of ColumbiaPreserve the District of Columbia_fe76d864-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea004.17District of ColumbiaPreserving the District of Columbia -- The nation’s capital city is a special responsibility of the federal government because it belongsboth to its residents and to all Americans, millions ofwhom visit it every year. Congressional Republicanshave fostered homeownership and open access tohigher education for Washington residents. Againstthe opposition of the current President and leaders of the Democratic Party, they have establishedand expanded the D.C. Opportunity ScholarshipProgram, through which thousands of low-incomechildren have been able to attend a school of theirchoice and receive a quality education.Republicans have been in the forefront ofcombating chronic corruption among the city’stop Democratic officials. We call for congressional action to enforce the spirit of the Home RuleAct, assuring minority representation on the CityCouncil. That council, backed by the current mayor,is attempting to seize from the Congress its appropriating power over all funding for the District.The illegality of their action mirrors the unacceptable spike in violent crime and murders currentlyafflicting the city. We expect Congress to assert, bywhatever means necessary, its constitutional prerogatives regarding the District.Since the Supreme Court’s decisions affirmingthe Second Amendment rights of its citizens, cityofficials have engaged in a campaign of massiveresistance by denying virtually all applications forgun ownership. The Republican Congress shouldbe prepared, upon the inauguration of a Republicanpresident, to enact legislation allowing law-abidingWashingtonians to own and carry firearms.Statehood for the District can be advancedonly by a constitutional amendment. Any other approach would be invalid. A statehood amendmentwas soundly rejected by the states when last proposed in 1976 and should not be revived. Families, Education, Healthcare & JusticeGreat American families, education, healthcare, and criminal justice_0fc8d01c-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea005Carolyn McLartyGreat America Subcommittee Co-ChairPatricia LongoGreat America Subcommittee Co-ChairKatie AltshulerGreat American Families, Education, Healthcare, and Criminal Justice StaffCyrus ArtzGreat American Families, Education, Healthcare, and Criminal Justice StaffValuesAdvance the ideals of independent individuals and make real their dreams_0fc8d2ec-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea005.1FamiliesSchoolsCongregationsNeighborhoodsAmerican Values -- We are the party of independent individualsand the institutions they create together — families,schools, congregations, neighborhoods — to advance their ideals and make real their dreams. Thoseinstitutions, standing between the citizen and thepower of government, are the pillars of a free society. They create spaces where the power of government should not intrude. They allow Americans towork together to solve most of the problems facingtheir communities. They thus reduce the need forintervention by government in the form of more andbigger programs or a larger public workforce. Theyminimize decision-making by those who hold or areappointed to office. That is precisely why today’sprogressives distrust and seek to control them —because this is more than a conflict of ideas. It is astruggle for power.Our society is at a crossroads. For severalgenerations, an expansive federal regime hasmarginalized and supplanted the institutions holdingour society together. No wonder, then, that so muchseems to be coming apart now. The question iswhether we are going to reinvigorate the private sector institutions under citizen control or allowtheir continued erosion by the forces of centralizedsocial planning. In that divide, the Republican Partystands with the people. Marriage, Family & SocietyFormulate public policy with attention to the needs and strengths of the family_fe76e782-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.2FamiliesMarriage, Family, and Society -- Foremost among those institutions is theAmerican family. It is the foundation of civil society,and the cornerstone of the family is natural marriage,the union of one man and one woman. Its dailylessons — cooperation, patience, mutual respect,responsibility, self-reliance — are fundamental tothe order and progress of our Republic. Strongfamilies, depending upon God and one another,advance the cause of liberty by lessening the needfor government in their daily lives. Conversely, aswe have learned over the last five decades, the lossof faith and family life leads to greater dependenceupon government. That is why Republicansformulate public policy, from taxation to education,from healthcare to welfare, with attention to theneeds and strengths of the family.It is also why everyone should be concernedabout the state of the American family today, notbecause of ideology or doctrine, but because ofthe overwhelming evidence of experience, socialscience, and common sense. All of which give usthese truths about traditional marriage: Childrenraised in a two-parent household tend to bephysically and emotionally healthier, more likely todo well in school, less likely to use drugs and alcohol,engage in crime or become pregnant outside ofmarriage.CohabitationOppose policies and laws that create a financial incentive for or encourage cohabitation_09fbd5be-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.2.1We oppose policies and laws that createa financial incentive for or encourage cohabitation.MarriageRecognize marriage as the union of one man and one woman and actively promote married family life as the basis of a stable and prosperous society_09fbe14e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.2.2ChildrenMoreover, marriage remains the greatest antidote tochild poverty. The 40 percent of children who noware born outside of marriage are five times morelikely to live in poverty than youngsters born andraised by a mother and father in the home. Nearlythree-quarters of the $450 billion governmentannually spends on welfare goes to single-parenthouseholds. This is what it takes for a governmentalvillage to raise a child, and the village is doing atragically poor job of it.The data and the facts lead to an inescapableconclusion: Every child deserves a married mom anddad. The reality remains that millions of Americanfamilies do not have the advantages that come withthat structure. We honor the courageous efforts ofthose who bear the burdens of parenting alone andembrace the principle that all Americans should betreated with dignity and respect. But respect is notenough. Our laws and our government’s regulationsshould recognize marriage as the union of one manand one woman and actively promote marriedfamily life as the basis of a stable and prosperous society. For that reason, as explained elsewherein this platform, we do not accept the SupremeCourt’s redefinition of marriage and we urge itsreversal, whether through judicial reconsideration ora constitutional amendment returning control overmarriage to the states.Religious DiscriminationOppose government discrimination against businesses or entities which decline to sell items or services to individuals for activities that go against their religious views_09fbf292-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.2.3We oppose governmentdiscrimination against businesses or entities whichdecline to sell items or services to individuals foractivities that go against their religious views aboutsuch activities.Adoption AgenciesEnsure that private entities which facilitate adoptions do not face government discrimination because of their views on marriage and family_09fc067e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.2.4Adoption AgenciesFamilies formed or enlarged by adoptionstrengthen our communities and ennoble our nation.Private entities which facilitate adoptions enrichour communities. We support measures such asthe First Amendment Defense Act to ensure theseentities do not face government discriminationbecause of their views on marriage and family. Weapplaud the Republican initiatives which have ledto an increase in adoptions, an achievement whichshould be recognized in any restructuring of thefederal tax code.Foster CareHelp teens who age out of foster care become independent_09fc1240-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.2.5While the number of children infoster care has stabilized, teens who age out of thatsetting often are abruptly left to face the world ontheir own. We urge states and community groupsto help these young adults become independent.Marriage PenaltiesRemove marriage penalties from the tax code and public assistance programs_09fc23ac-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.2.6Thirty years ago, President Reagan commissioned a Special Working Group on the Family tostudy how government at all levels could be moresupportive of family life. We urge marriage penalties to be removed from the tax code and publicassistance programs. We invite all who care aboutchildren to join us in this proposal to ensure thatall federal programs, in the words of President Kennedy, “stress the integrity and preservation of thefamily unit.”WelfareMake welfare a benefit instead of an entitlement_fe76f59c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.3A Culture of Hope -- We have been fighting the War on Poverty for50 years and poverty is winning. Our social safetynet — about 80 separate means-tested programscosting over $1 trillion every year — is designedto help people born into or falling into poverty. Itrarely lifts them out. Its apologists judge success bythe amount of money spent to keep people in thesystem. That is a cruel measurement. Republicanspropose to evaluate a poverty program by whetherit actually reduces poverty and increases thepersonal independence of its participants. Theresults are damning: intergenerational poverty haspersisted and worsened since 1966.This year marks another important anniversary;it has been 20 years since the landmark Republicanwelfare reform of 1996 broke away from thediscredited Great Society model. By making welfarea benefit instead of an entitlement, it put millionsof recipients on a transition from dependence toindependence. Welfare rolls declined by half asrecipients and prospective recipients discovered abetter way to reach their goals. Best of all, about3 million children moved out of poverty. Todaythat progress has been lost. Defying the law as itwas plainly written, the current Administrationhas nullified any meaningful work requirementand made TANF a mockery of the name we gaveit: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Thisdecision ensures that those families will remainneedy and cut off from the economic mainstreamof American society.This is the progressive pathology: Keepingpeople dependent so that government canredistribute income. The result is 45.8 million peopleon food stamps and 77 million on Medicaid, plusanother 5.7 million in the Children’s Health InsuranceProgram. This is the false compassion of the statusquo.WorkApply work requirements_09fc377a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.1We propose instead the dynamic compassionof work requirements in a growing economy, whereopportunity takes the place of a hand-out, wheretrue self-esteem can grow from the satisfaction ofa job well done.ImpedimentsRemove structural impediments which progressives throw in the path of poor people_09fc43dc-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.2We call for removal of structural impedimentswhich progressives throw in the path of poor people:RegulationReduce over-regulation of start-up enterprises_09fc57fa-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.2.1Start-UpsOver-regulation of start-up enterprises, LicensingRemove excessive licensing requirements_09fc63b2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.2.2excessivelicensing requirements, Schools & Day-CareRemove needless restrictions on formation of schools and day-care centers_09fc765e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.2.3needless restrictions onformation of schools and day-care centers servingneighborhood families, and Public ServicesRemove restrictions on providing public services_09fc8b76-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.2.4restrictions on providingpublic services in fields like transport and sanitationthat close the opportunity door to all but a favoredfew.SchoolsEnable all parents can find good, safe schools for their children_09fc9792-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.3We will continue our fight for school choiceuntil all parents can find good, safe schools for theirchildren.Religious DiscriminationEnsure that faith-based institutions do not face discrimination by government_09fca8ae-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.3.1Faith-Based InstitutionsTo protect religious liberty we will ensurethat faith-based institutions, especially those thatare vital parts of underserved neighborhoods, donot face discrimination by government.PartnershipsForm partnerships between those who manage federal programs and those who are on the front lines of fighting poverty on the ground_09fcbde4-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.3.2We proposenew partnerships between those who managefederal programs and those who are on the frontlines of fighting poverty on the ground. We must encourage their efforts to reclaim their communitiesfrom the culture of poverty.Public AssistanceDelegate greater state and local responsibility for, and control over, public assistance programs_09fcc9a6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.3.3.3StatesLocal GovernmentsTo advance this process,we urge greater state and local responsibility for,and control over, public assistance programs.EducationA chance for every child_fe7b26a8-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.4ChildrenEducation: A Chance for Every Child -- Education is much more than schooling. It isthe whole range of activities by which families andcommunities transmit to a younger generation,not just knowledge and skills, but ethical andbehavioral norms and traditions. It is the handingover of a cultural identity. That is why Americaneducation has, for the last several decades, beenthe focus of constant controversy, as centralizingforces from outside the familyand community have soughtto remake education in orderto remake America. They havedone immense damage. Thefederal government should notbe a partner in that effort, asthe Constitution gives it no rolein education. At the heart ofthe American Experiment liesthe greatest political expressionof human dignity: The self-evident truth that “all men arecreated equal, that they areendowed by their Creator withcertain unalienable rights, thatamong these are Life, Liberty,and the Pursuit of Happiness.”That truth rejects the dark view of the individual ashuman capital — a possession for the creation ofanother’s wealth.Parents are a child’s first and foremosteducators, and have primary responsibility forthe education of their children. Constitutional AmendmentProtect the right of parents to direct their children’s education, care, and upbringing_09fcdb44-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.1ParentsParents have aright to direct their children’s education, care,and upbringing.We support a constitutionalamendment to protect that right from interferenceby states, the federal government, or internationalbodies such as the United Nations.EducationSupport a broad range of educational choices for parents and children atthe state and local level_09fcf02a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.2We reject a one-size-fits-all approach to education and support abroad range of choices for parents and children atthe state and local level.Standards & AssessmentsOppose the imposition of national standards and assessments_09fcfc5a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.3We likewise repeat our longstanding opposition to the imposition of nationalstandards and assessments, encourage the parentsand educators who are implementing alternativesto Common Core, and congratulate the states whichhave successfully repealed it. Their education reformmovement calls for choice-based, parent-drivenaccountability at every stage of schooling. It affirmshigher expectations for all students and rejects thecrippling bigotry of low expectations. It recognizesthe wisdom of local control of our schools and itwisely sees consumer rights in education — choice— as the most important driving force for renewingeducation. It rejects excessive testing and “teachingto the test” and supports the need for strongassessments to serve as a tool so teachers can tailorteaching to meet student needs.LawsuitsProtect teachers against frivolous lawsuits_09fd0e34-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.4TeachersWe applaud America’sgreat teachers, who shouldbe protected against frivolouslawsuits and should be ableto take reasonable actions tomaintain discipline and order inthe classroom.Discipline & OrderEmpower teachers to take reasonable actions to maintain discipline and order in the classroom_09fd2252-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.5TeachersInnovation & AccountabilityGive administrators flexibility to innovate and to hold accountable all those responsible for student performance_09fd2ed2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.6School AdministratorsAdministratorsneed flexibility to innovateand to hold accountableall those responsible forstudent performance.BibleEncourage state legislatures to offer the Bible in a literature curriculum as an elective in America’s high schools_09fd408e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.7State LegislaturesA goodunderstanding of the Biblebeing indispensable for thedevelopment of an educatedcitizenry, we encourage statelegislatures to offer the Biblein a literature curriculum asan elective in America’s highschools.Teaching TalentMake use of teaching talent in the business community, STEM fields, and the military, especially among our returning veterans_09fd5592-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.8MilitaryVeteransWe urge school districts to make use ofteaching talent in the business community, STEMfields, and the military, especially among ourreturning veterans.Merit & TenureReplace tenure systems with a merit-based approach_09fd61ae-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.9Rigid tenure systems shouldbe replaced with a merit-based approach in orderto attract the best talent to the classroom.Background & ConductConduct background checks on personnel who interact with school children and hold them to the highest standards of personal conduct_09fd7392-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.4.10Allpersonnel who interact with school children shouldpass background checks and be held to the higheststandards of personal conduct.Academic ExcellenceAcademic excellence for all_fe7b7d92-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.5Department of EducationAcademic Excellence for All -- Maintaining American preeminence requiresa world-class system of education in which allstudents can reach their potential. Republicans areleading the effort to create it. Since 1965, the federalgovernment, through more than 100 programs in the Department of Education, has spent $2 trillionon elementary and secondary education with littlesubstantial improvement in academic achievementor high school graduation rates. The United Statesspends an average of more than $12,000 per pupilper year in public schools, for a total of more than$620 billion. That represents more than 4 percent ofGDP devoted to K-12 education in 2011-2012. Of thatamount, federal spending amounted to more than$57 billion. Clearly, if money were the solution, ourschools would be problem-free.Policies & MethodsApply policies and methods that actually make a difference in student advancement_09fd87a6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1More money alone does not necessarily equalbetter performance. After years of trial and error,we know the policies and methods that haveactually made a difference in student advancement:ChoiceAllow choice in education_09fd94a8-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.1Choice in education; BasicsBuild on the basics_09fda6b4-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.2building on the basics;STEM & PhonicsEmphasize STEM subjects and phonics_09fdbadc-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.3STEM subjects and phonics; Career & Technical EducationOffer career and technical education_09fdc81a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.4career and technical education; Social PromotionsEnd social promotions_09fdd9a4-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.5ending social promotions; Merit PayOffer merit pay for good teachers_09fdef16-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.6merit pay for good teachers; DisciplineProvide for classroom discipline_09fdfb46-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.7classroom discipline; ParentsInvolve parents_09fe0cb2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.8Parentsparental involvement; and LeadershipProvide strong leadership_09fe21de-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.1.9PrincipalsSuperintendentsSchool Boardsstrong leadership by principals, superintendents, and locally elected school boards.TechnologyApply technology to provide every child equal access and opportunity_09fe2e5e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.2Because technology has become an essential toolof learning, it must be a key element in our effortsto provide every child equal access and opportunity.History & CivicsUse the original documents of our founding fathers to provide instruction in American history and civics_09fe40d8-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.3We strongly encourage instruction in Americanhistory and civics by using the original documentsof our founding fathers. Educational ChoiceSupport options for learning_fe7b9282-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.6Home SchoolersTechnical SchoolsPrivate SchoolsParochial SchoolsMagnet SchoolsCharter SchoolsEarly-College High SchoolsChoice in Education -- We support options for learning, includinghome-schooling, career and technical education,private or parochial schools, magnet schools,charter schools, online learning, and early-collegehigh schools.FinancingSupport the innovative financing mechanisms that make options available to all children_09fe5596-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.6.1We especially support the innovativefinancing mechanisms that make options availableto all children: education savings accounts (ESAs),vouchers, and tuition tax credits.Title IAllow federal money through Title I for low-income children and through IDEA for children with special needs should follow the child to whatever school the family thinks will work best for them_09fe6284-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.5.2Low-Income ChildrenChildren with Special NeedsEmpoweringfamilies to access the learning environments that willbest help their children to realize their full potentialis one of the greatest civil rights challenges of ourtime. A young person’s ability to succeed in schoolmust be based on his or her God-given talent andmotivation, not an address, ZIP code, or economicstatus. We propose that the bulk of federal moneythrough Title I for low-income children and throughIDEA for children with special needs should followthe child to whatever school the family thinks willwork best for them.GapBridge the gap between the enormous amounts of money are being spent for K-12 public education and the results that do not justify that spending_09fe73e6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.6.3K-12 SchoolsIn sum, on the one hand enormous amountsof money are being spent for K-12 public educationwith overall results that do not justify that spendinglevel. On the other hand, the common experienceof families, teachers, and administrators forms thebasis of what does work in education. In Congressand in the states, Republicans are bridging thegap between those two realities. Grants & RegulationsAdvance block grants and repeal federal regulations which have interfered with state and local control of public schools_186c7a4a-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.6.3.1CongressionalRepublicans are leading the way forward with majorreform legislation advancing the concept of blockgrants and repealing numerous federal regulationswhich have interfered with state and local controlof public schools.Unfunded MandatesRequire transparency in unfunded mandates imposed upon our schools_186d5988-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.6.3.2Their Workplace Innovationand Opportunity Act — modernizing workforceprograms, repealing mandates, and advancingemployment for persons with disabilities — isnow law. Their legislation to require transparencyin unfunded mandates imposed upon our schoolsis advancing.Opportunity ScholarshipsExpand the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program as a model for the rest of the country_186d666c-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.6.3.3District of ColumbiaTeachers’ UnionsTheir D.C. Opportunity ScholarshipProgram should be expanded as a model forthe rest of the country.We deplore the effortsof Congressional Democrats and the currentPresident to eliminate this successful program fordisadvantaged students in order to placate theleaders of the teachers’ unions.EnglishSupport the English First approach and oppose divisive programs that limit students’ ability to advance in American society_186d71a2-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.6.3.4To ensure that all students have access tothe mainstream of American life, we supportthe English First approach and oppose divisiveprograms that limit students’ ability to advance inAmerican society. We renew our call for replacing“family planning” programs for teens with sexualrisk avoidance education that sets abstinenceuntil marriage as the responsible and respectedstandard of behavior. That approach — the onlyone always effective against premarital pregnancyand sexually-transmitted disease — empowersteens to achieve optimal health outcomes. Weoppose school-based clinics that provide referralor counseling for abortion and contraception andbelieve that federal funds should not be used inmandatory or universal mental health, psychiatric,or socio-emotional screening programs. The federalgovernment has pushed states to collect and sharevast amounts of personal student and family data,including the collection of social and emotionaldata. Much of this data is collected without parentalconsent or notice. This is wholly incompatible withthe American Experiment and our inalienable rights. Title IXSupport the original, authentic meaning of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972._fe7ba56a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.7GirlsWomenTitle IX -- We emphatically support the original, authenticmeaning of Title IX of the Education Amendmentsof 1972. It affirmed that “no person in the UnitedStates shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded fromparticipation in, be denied the benefits of, or besubjected to discrimination under any educationprogram or activity receiving Federal financialassistance.” That language opened up for girls andwomen a world of opportunities that had too oftenbeen denied to them. That same provision of lawis now being used by bureaucrats — and by thecurrent President of the United States — to imposea social and cultural revolution upon the Americanpeople by wrongly redefining sex discriminationto include sexual orientation or other categories.Their agenda has nothing to do with individualrights; it has everything to do with power. Theyare determined to reshape our schools — and ourentire society — to fit the mold of an ideology aliento America’s history and traditions. Their edict tothe states concerning restrooms, locker rooms, andother facilities is at once illegal, dangerous, andignores privacy issues. We salute the several stateswhich have filed suit against it.Sexual AssaultAddress the crime of sexual assault responsibly_09fe8994-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.7.1Sexual assault is a terrible crime. We commendthe good-faith efforts by law enforcement,educational institutions, and their partners toaddress that crime responsibly. Whenever reported,it must be promptly investigated by civil authoritiesand prosecuted in a courtroom, not a faculty lounge.Questions of guilt or innocence must be decidedby a judge and jury, with guilt determined beyonda reasonable doubt. Those convicted of sexualassault should be punished to the full extent of thelaw. The Administration’s distortion of Title IX tomicromanage the way colleges and universities dealwith allegations of abuse contravenes our country’slegal traditions and must be halted before it furthermuddles this complex issue and prevents the properauthorities from investigating and prosecutingsexual assault effectively with due process. Higher EducationImprove higher education_fe7bafba-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.8CollegesUniversitiesTrade SchoolsImproving Higher Education -- Our colleges, universities, and trade schools,large and small, public and private, form the world’sgreatest assemblage of learning. They drive much ofthe research that keeps America competitive and,by admitting large numbers of foreign students,convey our values and culture to the world. Theirexcellence is undermined by an ideological biasdeeply entrenched within the current universitysystem.IndoctrinationEnsure the taxpayers' investment in state schools is not abused for politicalindoctrination_09fe960a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.8.1State SchoolsWhatever the solution may be in privateinstitutions, in state schools the trustees have aresponsibility to the taxpayers to ensure that theirenormous investment is not abused for politicalindoctrination. We call on state officials to preserveour public colleges, universities, and trade schoolsas places of learning and the exchange of ideas, notzones of intellectual intolerance or “safe zones,” asif college students need protection from the freeexchange of ideas. A student’s First Amendmentrights do not end at the schoolhouse gates.Colleges, universities, and trade schools must notinfringe on their freedom of speech and associationin the name of political correctness.BDSCondemn the campus-based Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign against Israel_09fea92e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.8.2IsraelWe condemnthe campus-based BDS (Boycott, Divestment,and Sanctions) campaign against Israel. It is anti-Semitism and should be denounced by advocatesof academic freedom. College Costs_fe7fd414-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.9College Costs -- The cost of a college education has long beenon an unsustainable trajectory, rising year by yearfar ahead of inflation. Nationwide, student debt nowexceeds credit card debt with average debt levelsper student totaling roughly $27,000. Delinquencyrates on student loans are now as high as they wereon subprime mortgages during the housing crisis.Over half of recent college grads are unemployedor underemployed, working at jobs for which theirexpensive educations gave them no preparation.CompetitionInstitute a new systems of learning to compete with traditional four-year schools_09febf5e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.9.1Technical InstitutionsOnline UniversitiesWe need new systems of learning to compete withtraditional four-year schools: Technical institutions,online universities, life-long learning, and work-based learning in the private sector. Public policyshould advance their affordability, innovation, andtransparency and should recognize that a four-yeardegree from a brick-and-mortar institution is not theonly path toward a prosperous and fulfilling career.FinancingRestore private sector participation in student financing_09fecbca-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.9.2The federal government should not be in thebusiness of originating student loans. In orderto bring down college costs and give studentsaccess to a multitude of financing options, privatesector participation in student financing should berestored.RegulationsBalance the value of regulations that increase college costs against the negative economic impacts on students and their families_09fede26-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.9.3Any regulation that increases college costs must be challenged to balance its worth against itsnegative economic impact on students and theirfamilies.DeliveryEncourage new modes of higher education delivery_09fef5d2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.9.4In order to encourage new modes of highereducation delivery to enter the market, accreditationshould be decoupled from federal financing, andstates should be empowered to allow a wide arrayof accrediting and credentialing bodies to operate.This model would foster innovation, bring privateindustry into the credentialing market, and givestudents the ability to customize their collegeexperience.AccreditationDecouple accreditation from federal financing_09ff0360-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.9.4.1Accrediting & Credentialing BodiesEmpower states to allow a wide array of accrediting and credentialing bodies to operate_09ff1738-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.9.4.2StatesAccrediting BodiesCredentialing BodiesHealthcareRestore patient control and preserving quality in healthcare_fe7fe2d8-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.10PatientsRestoring Patient Control and Preserving Quality in Healthcare -- Any honest agenda for improving healthcaremust start with repeal of the dishonestly namedAffordable Care Act of 2010: Obamacare. It weighslike the dead hand of the past upon Americanmedicine. It imposed a Euro-style bureaucracy tomanage its unworkable, budget-busting, conflictingprovisions. It has driven up prices for all consumers.Their insurance premiums have dramaticallyincreased while their deductibles have risen abouteight times faster than wages in the last ten years.It drove up drug prices by levying a $27 billiontax on manufacturers and importers and, throughmandated price cuts for drugs under Medicare andMedicaid, forced pharmaceutical companies toraise prices for everyone else. Its “silver plans,” themost common option on the government insuranceexchanges, limit people’s access to their own doctorthrough narrow networks and restrict drug coverage,forcing many patients to pay for extremely costlymedicines for their chronic diseases.We agree with the four dissenting judges of theSupreme Court: “In our view, the entire Act beforeus is invalid in its entirety.” It must be removedand replaced with an approach based on genuinecompetition, patient choice, excellent care, wellness,and timely access to treatment. To that end, aRepublican president, on the first day in office,will use legitimate waiver authority under the lawto halt its advance and then, with the unanimoussupport of Congressional Republicans, will sign itsrepeal. The Supreme Court upheld Obamacarebased on Congress’ power to tax. It is time to repealObamacare and give America a much-needed taxcut.ObamacareRepeal the Affordable Care Act_09ff2dea-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.1ReplacementCombine what worked best in the past with changes needed for the future_09ff3ace-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2In its place we must combine what workedbest in the past with changes needed for the future...Our goal is to ensure that all Americanshave improved access to affordable, high-qualityhealthcare, including those struggling with mentalillness.Patient-Physician RelationshipRecover the traditional patient-physician relationship_09ff4d48-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.1PatientsPhysiciansWe must recover the traditional patient-physicianrelationship based on mutual trust, informedconsent, and confidentiality.SimplificationReduce mandates and enable insurers and providers of care to increase healthcare options and contain costs_09ff63d2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.2To simplify the systemfor both patients and providers, we will reducemandates and enable insurers and providers ofcare to increase healthcare options and containcosts. Insurance MarketsReturn to the states their historic role of regulating local insurance markets_09ff7156-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.3StatesWe will return to the states their historic roleof regulating local insurance markets, limit federalrequirements on both private insurance andMedicaid, and call on state officials to reconsider thecostly medical mandates, imposed under their ownlaws, that price millions of low-income families outof the insurance market.Grants & PaymentsProvide block grant Medicaid and other payments and to assist patients toobtain coverage in a robust consumer market_09ff8402-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.4To guarantee first-rate carefor the needy, we propose to block grant Medicaidand other payments and to assist all patients,including those with pre-existing conditions, toobtain coverage in a robust consumer market.Human LifeProtect the sanctity of human life_09ff9a64-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.5Through Obamacare, the current Administration haspromoted the notion of abortion as healthcare. We,however, affirm the dignity of women by protectingthe sanctity of human life. Numerous studies haveshown that abortion endangers the health and wellbeing of women, and we stand firmly against it.PricingPromote price transparency_09ffa720-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.6To ensure vigorous competition in healthcare,and because cost-awareness is the best guardagainst over-utilization, we will promote pricetransparency so consumers can know the costof treatments before they agree to them.Purchasing PoolsEmpower individuals and small businesses to form purchasing pools_09ffb8fa-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.7We willempower individuals and small businesses to formpurchasing pools in order to expand coverage tothe uninsured.Preexisting ConditionsProtected from discrimination individuals with preexisting conditions who maintain continuous coverage_09ffd42a-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.8We believe that individuals withpreexisting conditions who maintain continuouscoverage should be protected from discrimination.RecordsAdvance technology in electronic medical records while affirming patient privacy and ownership of personal health information_09ffe10e-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.9We applaud the advance of technology in electronic medical records while affirming patient privacy and ownership of personal health information.ChoiceEnable consumer choice_09fff7c0-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.10Consumer choice is the most powerful factor in healthcare reform.PortabilityMake insurance coverage portable_0a000d96-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.11Today’s highly mobile workforceneeds portability of insurance coverage that can go with them from job to job. The need to maintaincoverage should not dictate where families have tolive and work.Interstate CommerceAllow consumers to buy insurance across state lines_0a001ac0-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.12We propose to end tax discriminationagainst the individual purchase of insurance andallow consumers to buy insurance across statelines.Anti-Trust LitigationRepeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act_0a002cc2-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.12.1In light of that, we propose repealing the 1945McCarran-Ferguson Act which protects insurancecompanies from anti-trust litigation.HSAs & HRAsGrow Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Accounts_0a004252-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.13We look to the growth of Health Savings Accounts and HealthReimbursement Accounts that empower patientsand advance choice in healthcare.Older PeopleEnsure access to safe and affordable care for our aging population_0a004f2c-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.14Aging PopulationOur aging population must have access to safeand affordable care. Because most seniors desireto age at home, we will make homecare a priorityin public policy and will implement programs toprotect against elder abuse.HomecareMake homecare a priority in public policy_0a0061d8-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.14.1Elder AbuseImplement programs to protect against elder abuse_0a0076e6-02d1-11eb-9254-294d0383ea005.10.2.14.2Individual ConscienceProtect individual conscience in healthcare_fe807cde-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.11Healthcare ProfessionalsDoctorsNursesPharmacistsFaith-Based GroupsProtecting Individual Conscience in Healthcare -- America’s healthcare professionals should notbe forced to choose between following their faithand practicing their profession. We respect therights of conscience of healthcare professionals,doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and organizations,especially the faith-based groups which providea major portion of care for the nation and theneedy.ConvictionsAllow organizations to provide, purchase, or enroll in healthcare coverageconsistent with their religious, moral, or ethical convictions_186dd160-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.11.1We support the ability of all organizations toprovide, purchase, or enroll in healthcare coverageconsistent with their religious, moral, or ethicalconvictions without discrimination or penalty.TreatmentsAllow parents to determine the proper medical treatment and therapy for theirminor children_186ddfa2-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.11.2ParentsMinor ChildrenWe support the right of parents to determine theproper medical treatment and therapy for theirminor children.Parental ConsentRequire parental consent for their daughters to be transported across state lines for abortions_186e79a8-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.11.3ParentsDaughtersWe support the right of parentsto consent to medical treatment for their minorchildren and urge enactment of legislation thatwould require parental consent for their daughterto be transported across state lines for abortion.Patient ServicesDisallow providers from unilaterally withholding patient services_186e859c-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.11.4Healthcare ProvidersPatientsProviders should not be permitted to unilaterallywithhold services because a patient’s life is deemednot worth living.AbortionBan federal funding and subsidies for abortion_186e915e-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.11.5American taxpayers should not beforced to fund abortion. As Democrats abandonthis four decade-old bipartisan consensus, wecall for codification of the Hyde Amendment andits application across the government, includingObamacare.We call for a permanent ban on federalfunding and subsidies for abortion and healthcareplans that include abortion coverage.Tort ReformCap non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits_fe80928c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.12Better Care and Lower Costs: Tort Reform -- Medical malpractice lawsuits have balloonedthe cost of healthcare for everyone by forcingphysicians to practice defensive medicine throughtests and treatments which otherwise might beoptional. Rural America is especially affected asobstetricians, surgeons, and other providers moveto urban settings or retire in the face of escalatinginsurance premiums. Many Republican Governorshave advanced the legal reforms necessary toreverse that trend. We support state and federallegislation to cap non-economic damages inmedical malpractice lawsuits, thereby relievingconscientious providers of burdens that are notrightly theirs and addressing a serious cause ofhigher medical bills. Healthcare R&DAdvance research and development in healthcare_fe809ed0-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.13Advancing Research and Development in Healthcare -- American medicine is poised to enter a newera of technological advance. Federal and privateinvestment in basic and applied biomedicalresearch holds enormous promise, especially withdiseases and disorders like autism, Alzheimer’s,and Parkinson’s. Just as we today take for grantedwonders that seemed impossible a few decades ago— MRIs and CAT scans, robotic surgery, and in uterotreatment — patients a decade hence will havecare and treatment that will make much of today’smedicine look primitive. Modern miracles involvinggenetics, the immune system, cures for deadlydiseases, and more are in the research pipeline.This is the consequence of marrying significantinvestment, both public and private, with the world’sbest talent, a formula that has for a century giventhe American people the world’s best healthcare.We are determined that it should continue to doso, especially as we confront new dangers likeEbola, Zika, Chikungunya, and antibiotic-resistantpathogens.Neglected GroupsConsider the needs of formerly neglected demographic groups_186e9dde-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.13.1To continue our headway against breastand prostate cancer, diabetes, and other killers,research must consider the needs of formerlyneglected demographic groups.Stem Cell ResearchExpand support for the stem cell research_186eab58-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.13.2We call forexpanded support for the stem cell research thatnow offers the greatest hope for many afflictions— through adult stem cells, umbilical cord blood, and cells reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells— without the destruction of embryonic humanlife.CloningBan human cloning for research or reproduction_186eb788-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.13.3We urge a ban on human cloning for researchor reproduction, and ...EmbyosBan the creation of and experimentation on human embryos for research_186ec5ca-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.13.4a ban on the creation of, orexperimentation on, human embryos for research.We applaud Congress’ ban on the FDA approvalof research involving three-parent embryos.ContraceptivesEnsure the safety of contraceptives_186ed178-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.13.5FDAWebelieve the FDA’s approval of Mifeprex, a dangerousabortifacient formerly known as RU-486, threatenswomen’s health, as does the agency’s endorsementof over-the-counter sales of powerful contraceptiveswithout a physician’s recommendation.FundingCut federal and state funding for entities that endanger women’s health by performing abortions in a manner inconsistent with federal or state law_186edd44-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.13.6We supportcutting federal and state funding for entities thatendanger women’s health by performing abortionsin a manner inconsistent with federal or state law. FDAReform the FDA_fe80ada8-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.14FDAPatientsPutting Patients First: Reforming the FDA -- The United States has led life sciences andmedical innovation for decades, bringing millionsof high-paying jobs to our country and helpingAmericans and people around the world live longer,healthier lives. Unfortunately, the continuouslyincreasing burden of governmental regulationand red tape is taking its toll on our innovativecompanies, and their pipeline of new life-savingdevices and drugs to our nation’s patients isslowing and diminishing. The FDA has slowly butrelentlessly changed into an agency that more andmore puts the public health at risk by delaying,chilling, and killing the development of new devices,drugs and biologics that can promote our livesand our health.Predictability, Consistency, Transparency & EfficiencyFix the lack of predictability, consistency, transparency and efficiency at the agency_186ee906-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.14.1The FDA needs leadership thatcan reform the agency for our century and fix thelack of predictability, consistency, transparencyand efficiency at the agency.Science & BreakthroughsEmphasize hard science and approving new breakthrough medicines_186fc358-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.14.2The FDA needs toreturn to its traditional emphasis on hard scienceand approving new breakthrough medicines, ratherthan divert its attention and consume its resourcestrying to overregulate electronic health recordsor vaping. We pledge to restore the FDA to itsposition as the premier scientific health agency,focused on both promoting and protecting thepublic health in equal measure, so we can ensurethat Americans live longer, healthier lives, thatthe United States remains the world leader in lifesciences and medical innovation, that millions ofhigh-paying, cutting-edge device and drug jobs stayin the United States, that U.S. patients benefit firstand most from new devices and drugs, and that theFDA no longer wastes U.S. taxpayer and innovators’resources through bureaucratic red tape and legaluncertainty.Right to TryAllow terminally ill patients the right to try investigational medicines_186fd078-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.14.3Terminally Ill PatientsWe commend those states that havepassed Right to Try legislation, allowing terminallyill patients the right to try investigational medicinesnot yet approved by the FDA. We urge Congress topass federal legislation to give all Americans withterminal illnesses the right to try. Americans with DisabilitiesAdvance Americans with disabilities_fe80c1b2-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.15Americans with DisabilitiesAdvancing Americans with Disabilities -- Under the last two Republican presidents,landmark civil rights legislation affirmed the inherentrights of persons with disabilities. Republicans wantto support those rights by guaranteeing access toeducation and the tools necessary to compete inthe mainstream of society. This is not just a moralobligation to our fellow Americans with disabilities.It is our duty to our country’s future to tap this vastpool of talented individuals who want to work andcontribute to the common good. For that reason,Republican leadership led to enactment of theABLE Act (Achieving a Better Life Experience)and the Steve Gleason Act.Services & SavingsLet people with disabilities maintain access to services while saving to develop assets_186fe59a-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.1People with DisabilitiesThe former, for the firsttime, lets people with disabilities maintain accessto services while saving to develop assets.Speech GenerationProvide access to speech-generating devices_186ff33c-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.2Thelatter, bearing the name of the former NFL playerwith ALS, provides access to speech-generatingdevices.EmploymentMake it easier for students with disabilities to pursue competitive employment_18700002-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.3Students with Disabilities8(a) ProgramInclude persons with disabilities in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) certification program_18706470-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.4Persons with DisabilitiesSmall Business AdministrationPersons with disabilities are nearly twiceas likely to be self-employed as the generalpopulation. To encourage their entrepreneurship, itmakes sense to include them in the Small BusinessAdministration’s 8(a) certification program,which opens up federal contracting for emergingbusinesses.Tax CodeConsider ways in which the tax code might enable companies to benefit fromthe talent and energy of their disabled employees_187070dc-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.5CompaniesDisabled EmployeesAny restructuring of the tax code shouldconsider ways in which companies can benefit fromthe talent and energy of their disabled employees.IDEA & HEAReauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and renew theHigher Education Act_18707d8e-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.6Students with DisabilitiesThe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA) has opened up unprecedented opportunitiesfor many students. Congressional Republicans willlead in its reauthorization, as well as renewal of theHigher Education Act, which can offer studentswith disabilities increased access to the generalcurriculum.FLSAModernize the Fair Labor Standards Act to encourage competitiveemployment for persons with disabilities_18709396-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.7Persons with DisabilitiesOur TIME Act (Transition to Integratedand Meaningful Employment) will modernize the Fair Labor Standards Act to encourage competitiveemployment for persons with disabilities. We affirmour support for its goal of minimizing the separationof children with disabilities from their peers. JobsReplace dependency with jobs_1870a034-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.8Weendorse efforts like Employment First that replacedependency with jobs in the mainstream of theAmerican workforce.Care & TreatmentDisallow the non-consensual withholding of care or treatment from people with disabilities_1871557e-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.9People with DisabilitiesNewbornsThe ElderlyThe InfirmWe oppose the non-consensual withholdingof care or treatment from people with disabilities,including newborns, the elderly, and infirm, just aswe oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide, whichendanger especially those on the margins of society.Physician-Assisted SuicideBan the use of controlled substances for physician-assisted suicide_1871632a-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.15.10We urge the Drug Enforcement Administration torestore its ban on the use of controlled substancesfor physician-assisted suicide. SafetyEnsure safe neighborhoods_fe80ce1e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.16NeighborhoodsPolice ForcesDepartment of JusticeEnsuring Safe Neighborhoods: Criminal Justice and Prison Reform -- The men and women of law enforcement— whether patrolling our neighborhoods or ourborders, fighting organized crime or guardingagainst domestic terror — deserve our gratitudeand support. Their jobs are never easy, especiallyin crisis situations, and should not be made moredifficult by politicized second-guessing fromfederal officials. The current Administration’s lackof respect for them, from White House interventionin local arrests to the Attorney General’s presentcampaign of harassment against police forcesaround the country, has been unprecedented. Withall Americans, we mourn those whom we have lostto violence and hatred. To honor their sacrifice, werecommit ourselves, as individuals and as a party, tothe rule of law and the pursuit of justice.The conduct of the Department of Justicehas included refusal to enforce laws, stonewallingcongressional committees, destroying evidence,reckless dealing with firearms that led to severaldeaths on both sides of our border, and defyinga citation for contempt. It has urged leniency forrioters while turning a blind eye to mob attacks onpeaceful citizens exercising their political rights.A new administration must ensure the immediatedismissal and, where appropriate, prosecution ofany Department officials who have violated theiroath of office.The next president must restore the public’strust in law enforcement and civil order by firstadhering to the rule of law himself. Additionally,the next president must not sow seeds of divisionand distrust between the police and the people theyhave sworn to serve and protect. The RepublicanParty, a party of law and order, must make clear inwords and action that every human life matters.Two grave problems undermine the rule oflaw on the federal level: Over-criminalization andover-federalization.CrimesExercise caution in the creation of new “crimes” and purge the Code andthe body of regulations of old “crimes_1872a168-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.1Department of JusticeIn the first case, Congress andfederal agencies have increased the number ofcriminal offenses in the U.S. Code from 3,000 inthe early 1980s to more than 4,500 today. Thatdoes not include an estimated 300,000 regulationscontaining criminal penalties. No one, including theDepartment of Justice, can come up with accuratenumbers. That recklessness is bad enough whencommitted by Congress, but when it comes fromthe unelected bureaucrats of the federal agencies,it is intolerable. The power of career civil servantsand political appointees to criminalize behavior isone of the worst violations of constitutional orderperpetrated by the administrative state.To deal with this morass, we urge cautionin the creation of new “crimes” and a bipartisanpresidential commission to purge the Code andthe body of regulations of old “crimes.”Knowledge & IntentProtect Americans who, in violating a law, act unknowingly or without criminal intent_1874f42c-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.2We callfor mens rea elements in the definition of any newcrimes to protect Americans who, in violating alaw, act unknowingly or without criminal intent.Unclear StatutesRequire courts to interpret unclear statutes in favor of defendants_187508f4-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.3CourtsDefendentsWeurge Congress to codify the Common Law’s Ruleof Lenity, which requires courts to interpret unclearstatutes in favor of a defendant.State & Local MattersAvoid compromising the role of federal law enforcement personnel by diversion to matters properly handled by state and local authorities._187525fa-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.4Federal Law Enforcement PersonnelState Law Enforcement AuthoritiesLocal Law Enforcement AuthoritiesThe over-federalization of criminal justiceis one of many ways in which the governmentin Washington has intruded beyond its properjurisdiction. The essential role of federal lawenforcement personnel in protecting federalproperty and combating interstate crime should notbe compromised by diversion to matters properlyhandled by state and local authorities.Criminal Justice ReformEmphasize restorative justice to make the victim whole and put the offenderon the right path_18769214-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.5We applaud the Republican Governorsand legislators who have been implementingcriminal justice reforms like those proposedby our 2012 platform. Along with diversion offirst-time, nonviolent offenders to communitysentencing, accountability courts, drug courts,veterans treatment courts, and guidance by faith-based institutions with proven track records of rehabilitation, our platform emphasized restorativejustice to make the victim whole and put the offenderon the right path. As variants of these reforms areundertaken in many states, we urge the Congressto learn from what works.SentencingTarget modifications to mandatory minimum sentencing toward particular categories of offenders_1876a6d2-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.6In the past, judicialdiscretion about sentences led to serious mistakesconcerning dangerous criminals. Mandatoryminimum sentencing became an important toolfor keeping them off the streets. Modifications toit should be targeted toward particular categories,especially nonviolent offenders and persons withdrug, alcohol, or mental health issues, and shouldrequire disclosure by the courts of any judicialdeparture from the state’s sentencing requirements.Capital PunishmentMaintain the right of the people to enact capital punishment in their states_18778bec-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.7The constitutionality of the death penalty isfirmly settled by its explicit mention in the FifthAmendment. With the murder rate soaring in ourgreat cities, we condemn the Supreme Court’serosion of the right of the people to enact capitalpunishment in their states.AssaultsImpose mandatory prison time for assaults seriously injuring law enforcement officers_1877b112-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.8Law Enforcement OfficersIn solidarity with thosewho protect us, we call for mandatory prisontime for all assaults involving serious injury to lawenforcement officers.Victims' RightsMake the federal courts a model for the rest of the country in protecting the rights of victims and their families_18786f80-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.9VictimsFederal CourtsWe call on the Congress to make the federalcourts a model for the rest of the country inprotecting the rights of victims and their families.They should be told all relevant information abouttheir case, allowed to be present for its trial, assureda voice in sentencing and parole hearings, givenaccess to social and legal services, and benefit fromthe Crime Victims Fund established under PresidentReagan for that sole purpose.Correctional InstitutionsRegain control of their correctional institutions_18788bf0-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.10Correctional InstitutionsPublic officials must regain control of theircorrectional institutions, some of which have becomeethnic and racial battlegrounds.CrueltyProtect jailed persons against cruel or degrading treatment by other inmates_1878a9e6-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.10.1Jailed PersonsInmatesCourtsCourtsshould not tie the hands of prison officials in dealingwith these problems.Prison OfficialsPersons jailed forwhatever cause should be protected against cruelor degrading treatment by other inmates.EducationOffer opportunities for literacy and vocational education to prepare prisoners for release to the community_1879105c-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.11PrisonersWe encourage states to offeropportunities for literacy and vocational educationto prepare prisoners for release to the community.Children of PrisonersPay special attention to children of prisoners_18792984-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.12Children of PrisonersSchoolsSocial ServicesReligious InstitutionsBreaking the cycle of crime begins with the childrenof those who are prisoners. Deprived of a parentthrough no fault of their own, youngsters from thesefamilies should be a special concern of our schools,social services, and religious institutions.Child PornographyProsecute child pornography_187c49ac-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.16.14The internet must not become a safe haven forpredators. Pornography, with its harmful effects,especially on children, has become a public healthcrisis that is destroying the lives of millions. We encourage states to continue to fight this public menace and pledge our commitment to children’s safetyand well-being. We applaud the social networkingsites that bar sex offenders from participation. Weurge energetic prosecution of child pornography,which is closely linked to human trafficking.Drug AbuseCombat drug abuse_fe80dd00-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea005.17Combatting Drug Abuse -- The progress made over the last three decadesagainst drug abuse is eroding, whether for culturalreasons or for lack of national leadership. In manyjurisdictions, marijuana is virtually legalized despiteits illegality under federal law. At the other endof the drug spectrum, heroin use nearly doubledfrom 2003 to 2013, while deaths from heroin havequadrupled. All this highlights the continuingconflicts and contradictions in public attitudes andpublic policy toward illegal substances.Long-Range ImplicationsConsider the long-range implications of these trends for public healthand safety and prepare to deal with the problematic consequences_187c60ae-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.17.1Congressand a new administration should consider the long-range implications of these trends for public healthand safety and prepare to deal with the problematicconsequences.Over-PrescriptionReduce the over-prescription of drugs_187c7e9a-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.17.2The misuse of prescription painkillers —opioids — is a related problem. Heroin and opioidabuse touches our communities, our homes, andour families in ways that have grave effects onAmericans in every community. With a quadruplingof both their sales and their overdose deaths, theopioid crisis is ravaging communities all over thecountry, often hitting rural areas harder than urban.Because over-prescription of drugs is such a largepart of the problem, Republican legislation nowallows Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantageplans to limit patients to a single pharmacy.LimitationsEnsure physicians are not penalized for limiting opioid prescriptions_187dc8ea-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.17.2.1PhysiciansCenters for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesCongressional Republicans have also called uponthe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services toensure that no physician will be penalized for limitingopioid prescriptions.Supply & DemandAddress the opioid epidemic from both the demand and supply sides of the problem_187ddd58-033f-11eb-8c92-7eaa1b83ea005.17.3We look for expeditiousagreement between the House and Senate onthe Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act,which addresses the opioid epidemic from both thedemand and supply sides of the problem.ResurgenceResurge America_0fc8d77e-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea006Jim CarnsResurgence Subcommittee Co-ChairRon RabinResurgence Subcommittee Co-ChairSteve YatesResurgence Subcommittee Co-ChairJonathan BurksAmerica Resurgent StaffMichael StranskyAmerica Resurgent StaffRobert WilkieDefenseProvide for the common defense_0fc8db02-0076-11eb-94da-b888fa82ea006.1U.S. NavyOur agingnaval capabilities are inadequate for their job.U.S. Air ForceThe Air Force fields the smallest and oldest forceof combat aircraft in its history.U.S. Marine CorpsThe Marines haveonly two-thirds the number of battalions they havehistorically needed to meet day to day operationaldemands.U.S. ArmyThe Army is at its lowest troop levelssince before World War II. Strategic ForcesAlso neglected are our strategic forces,especially the development anddeployment of ballistic missiledefenses.Ground-Based Midcourse DefenseThe Ground-BasedMidcourse Defense system hasbeen delayed and underfunded.RussiaTo curry favor with Russia,defense installations in Polandand the Czech Republic havebeen neutralized and thenumber of planned interceptorsin Alaska has been reduced.A New START agreement(Strategic Arms ReductionTreaty), so weak in verificationand definitions that it is virtually impossible to provea violation, has allowed Russia to build up its nucleararsenal while reducing ours. Meanwhile Moscowhas repeatedly violated the Intermediate-RangeNuclear Forces (INF) Treaty (a treaty agreeing tothe elimination of land-based mid-range nuclearmissiles) with impunity, covertly testing missilesbanned under that agreement.PolandCzech RepublicChinaIn the international arena, a weak Administration has invited aggression. The results ofthe Administration’s unilateral approach todisarmament are already clear: An emboldenedChina in the South China Sea, Ukrainea resurgent Russiaoccupying parts of Ukraine and threatening neighbors from the Baltic to the Caucasus, and Middle Eastanaggressive Islamist terror network in the MiddleEast.A Dangerous World -- Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 23that the first of the “principal” constitutionalobligations of the federal government is to providefor the “common defense” of the United States,and President George Washington wisely remindedus that “To be prepared for war is one of the mosteffectual means of preserving peace.”After nearly eight years of a DemocraticCommander-in-Chief who has frequently placedstrategic and ideological limitations and shackleson our military, our enemies have been emboldenedand our national security is atgreat risk. Our country faces anational security crisis, and onlyby electing a Republican to theWhite House will we restore lawand order to our land and safetyto our citizens.We are the party of peacethrough strength. We believethat American exceptionalism— the notion that our ideas andprinciples as a nation give us aunique place of moral leadershipin the world — requires theUnited States to retake its natural position as leaderof the free world.Tyranny and injustice thrive when America isweakened. The oppressed have no greater ally thana confident and determined United States, backedby the strongest military on the planet.Quite simply, the Republican Party is committedto rebuilding the U.S. military into the strongest onearth, with vast superiority over any other nation orgroup of nations in the world. We face a dangerousworld, and we believe in a resurgent America.In all of our country’s history, there is no parallelto what President Obama and his former Secretaryof State have done to weaken our nation...Our U.S. Ambassadorand American personnel were left without adequatesecurity or backup halfway across the world inBenghazi. In summary, we have returned to thehollow force days of Jimmy Carter.Russia SanctionsMaintaining and, if warranted, increase sanctions against Russia unless and until Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are fully restored_1dfbaf0e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.1.1UkraineRussiaWe support maintaining and, if warranted,increasing sanctions, together with our allies,against Russia unless and until Ukraine’s sovereigntyand territorial integrity are fully restored.UkraineProvide assistance to the armed forces of Ukraine and greater coordinationwith NATO defense planning_1dfbbaf8-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.1.2UkraineNATOWe alsosupport providing appropriate assistance to thearmed forces of Ukraine and greater coordinationwith NATO defense planning.GratitudeHonor, support, and thank all law enforcement, first responders, and emergency personnel for their service_1dfbcc1e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.1.3Law Enforcement OfficersFirst RespondersEmergency PersonnelAll our adversariesheard the message in the Administration’s cutbacks:America is weaker and retreating. Concomitantly,we honor, support, and thank all law enforcement,first responders, and emergency personnel for theirservice.Dangers & Military MightRestore our nation’s military might to confront the dangers_fe80f254-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.2Confronting the Dangers -- In the face of these threats, the first order ofbusiness for a Republican president and Congresswill be to restore our nation’s military might.Republicans continue to support American militarysuperiority which has been the cornerstone of astrategy that seeks to deter aggression or defeatthose who threaten our vital national securityinterests.Troops, Readiness & MissionRebuild troop numbers and readiness and confirm their mission_1dfbdfc4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.1We must rebuild troop numbers andreadiness and confirm their mission: Protectingthe nation, not nation building. The United Statesshould meet the Reagan model of “peace throughstrength” by a force that is capable of meeting anyand all threats to our vital national security. Wewill no longer tolerate a President whose rules ofengagement put our own troops in harm’s way orcommanders who tell their soldiers that their firstduty is to fight climate change.StrategyMove from a budget-based strategy to one that puts the security of our nation first_1dfbeba4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.2A Republican administration will begin atonce to undo the damage of the last eight years.We must move from a budget-based strategy toone that puts the security of our nation first.Threats & ForcesDevelop a balanced force to meet the diverse threats facing our nation_1dfbfbd0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.2.1Thismeans that our Republican president’s strategicvision will include the development of a balancedforce to meet the diverse threats facing our nation.Special Operations Forces are simply not intendedto deal with the full spectrum of threats. We needa Reagan-era force that can fight and win two-andone-half wars ranging from counterterrorism todeterring major power aggressors.Arms ControlAbandon arms control treaties that benefit our adversaries without improving our national security_1dfc0f08-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.3We should abandon arms control treatiesthat benefit our adversaries without improvingour national security.Missile DefenseFund, develop, and deploy a missile defense system_1dfc1a7a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.4We must fund, develop, anddeploy a multi-layered missile defense system.Nuclear WeaponsModernize nuclear weapons and their delivery platforms_1dfc2ab0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.5Wemust modernize nuclear weapons and their deliveryplatforms ...MADEnd the policy of Mutually Assured Destruction_1dfc3e06-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.6end the policy of Mutually AssuredDestruction, and ...Allies & Nuclear ProliferationRebuild relationships with our allies so they do not feel the need to engagein nuclear proliferation_1dfc49e6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.7rebuild relationships with our allies,who understand that as long as the U.S. nucleararsenal is their shield, they do not need to engagein nuclear proliferation.BordersSecure our borders_1dfc5a4e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.8While immigration is addressed in moredetail elsewhere, we cannot ignore the reality thatborder security is a national security issue, andthat our nation’s immigration and refugee policiesare placing Americans at risk. To keep our peoplesafe, we must secure our borders ...ImmigrationEnforce our immigration laws_1dfc7092-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.9enforce ourimmigration laws, and ...Refugees & ImmigrantsScreen refugees and other immigrants_1dfc7f24-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.10properly screen refugeesand other immigrants entering from any country.High-Risk ImmigrantsApply special scrutiny to those foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States from terror-sponsoring countries or from regions associated with Islamic terrorism_1dfc8fe6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.2.10.1Inparticular we must apply special scrutiny to thoseforeign nationals seeking to enter the United Statesfrom terror-sponsoring countries or from regionsassociated with Islamic terrorism. This was donesuccessfully after September 11, 2001, under theNational Security Entry-Exit Registration System,which should be renewed now.Defense ResourcesGive our troops the resources to do their job_fe80fe3e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.3Supporting Our Troops: Resources to do Their Job -- We owe it to the American people and tothose who fight our wars that we remain thestrongest military on earth and be prepared todefeat any adversary under any circumstances onany battlefield, including land, air, sea, or cyber.Successive years of cuts to our defense budgethave put an undue strain on our men and womenin uniform. This is especially harmful at a timewhen we are asking our military to do more in anincreasingly dangerous world. The U.S. defensebudget has suffered a 25 percent cut in real dollarsin the five years since sequestration.BudgetLift the budget cap for defense_1dfca3f0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.3.1We supportlifting the budget cap for defense and reject theefforts of Democrats to hold the military’s budgethostage for their domestic agenda.SpendingApprove military spending at the level necessary to defend our country_1dfcaf80-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.3.2Congress andthe Administration should work together to approvemilitary spending at the level necessary to defend ourcountry.ProcurementModernize the military procurement system and embracing competition_1dfcbfe8-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.3.3TaxpayersCompetitive acquisition and maintenance of weapon systems, includingthe sustainment and support of such systems, willbenefit the U.S. economy, U.S. taxpayers, and mostimportant, the American warfighter.Department of Defense SuppliersIncreasedcompetition will enable new Department ofDefense suppliers, particularly small businesses, toparticipate in the defense sector. That will promotenew demand for skilled-labor jobs, while making theDepartment’s procurement more cost-efficient. Defense SectorSmall BusinessesAmerican WarfightersTheincreased agility and effectiveness will ensure thatour troops are equipped with the right resourcesmore quickly than our current procurement systemsallow.We must not be encumbered by decades-old, legacy procurement processes. America’sincredible talent and ingenuity must be unleashedby modernizing the military procurement systemand embracing competition among traditional andnon-traditional suppliers. MilitaryReverse America’s military decline_fe810f14-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.4Supporting Our Troops: Standing by Our Heroes -- With Republican leadership, the Congress recently passed legislation that begins to reverseAmerica’s military decline.TroopsReverse troop cuts_1dfcd7e4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.1The National DefenseAuthorization Act of 2016 begins to correct theshortfalls in our military readiness by reversingtroop cuts, increasing investments in training andmaintenance, and rebuilding facilities.Training & MaintenanceIncrease investments in training and maintenance_1dfce45a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.2FacilitiesRebuild facilities_1dfcf4f4-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.3PayGives our troops a pay raise_1dfd087c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.4It gives ourtroops the full pay raise to which they are entitledunder the law and gives the next administrationthe ability to review operations and funding, makeadjustments, and ask for more money if necessary.All this represents a sound start in supporting thosewho put their lives on the line in defense of ourcountry, while protecting our national security in adangerous world.Military FamiliesAssure military families of the pay, healthcare, housing, education, and support they have earned_1dfd140c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.5EnlisteesAbout 75 percent of enlistees come from militaryfamilies. We cannot expect that level of patrioticcommitment to continue among young people whohave experienced the way their families have beentreated.We must ensure that the nation keeps itscommitments to those who signed on the dottedline of enlistment. Military FamiliesThe repeated troop deploymentsduring conflicts in the Middle East have beenunusually hard on all members of their households,worsening unemployment and underemploymentamong spouses. In many cases, they and theirchildren have been at war for 14 years. We muststrengthen existing programs that offer familiesreadjustment information and counseling, and weurge states to help by providing job programs,license reciprocity, one-stop service centers, andeducation.Military families must be assured of the pay,healthcare, housing, education, and overall supportthey have earned. In recent years, they havebeen carrying the burden of budgetary restraintmore than any other Americans through cuts intheir pay, health benefits, and retirement plans.Wounded Military Service MembersWork with the private sector to advance opportunities and provide assistance to those wounded in spirit as well as in body_1dfd249c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.6Wounded Military Service MembersFaith-Based InstitutionsThe burden of our country’s extended militaryinvolvement in the Middle East has taken a toll onour service personnel. Suicides among our military —active duty troops, reservists, National Guardsmen,and veterans — are at shocking levels, while post-service medical conditions, including addiction and mental illness, require more and more assistance.More than ever, our government must work with theprivate sector to advance opportunities and provideassistance to those wounded in spirit as well as inbody, whether through experimental efforts like thePAWS (Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemen)program for service dogs or through the faith-basedinstitutions that have traditionally been providers ofcounseling and aid.Military ChaplainsSupport the rights of conscience of military chaplains of all faiths to practice their faith free from political interference_1dfd3856-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.7Military ChaplainsWe support the rights of conscience of militarychaplains of all faiths to practice their faith freefrom political interference. We reject attemptsby the Obama Administration to censure andsilence them, particularly Christians and Christianchaplains.Chaplain CorpsIncrease the size of the Chaplain Corps_1dfd4710-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.8Chaplain CorpsWe support an increase in the size of the Chaplain Corps.Religious FreedomProtect the religious freedom of all military members_1dfd57aa-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.9Military MembersA Republican commander-in-chief will protect the religious freedom of all militarymembers, especially chaplains, and will not tolerateattempts to ban Bibles or religious symbols frommilitary facilities.EducationEncourage education regarding the religious liberties of military personnel under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the National Defense Authorization Act_1dfd6b8c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.10A Republican commander-in-chief will also encourage education regarding thereligious liberties of military personnel under boththe First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution andthe current National Defense Authorization Act.DraftOppose reinstatement of the draft_1dfd7744-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.11Our country’s all-volunteer force has been asuccess. We oppose the reinstatement of the draft,except in dire circumstances like world war, whetherdirectly or through compulsory national service.Volunteer ForceSupport the all-volunteer force and oppose unnecessary policy changes, including compulsory national service and Selective Service registration of women_1dfd87fc-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.12We support the all-volunteer force and opposeunnecessary policy changes, including compulsorynational service and Selective Service registrationof women for a possible future draft.WomenSupport the advancement of women in the military and their exemption from direct ground combat units and infantry battalions_1dfd9d3c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.13Women in the MilitaryWe reiterateour support for both the advancement of women inthe military and their exemption from direct groundcombat units and infantry battalions.Service & SuperiorityEncourage selfless service and superiority in battle_1dfda99e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.14We affirm the cultural values that encourage selfless service andsuperiority in battle, and we oppose anything whichmight divide or weaken team cohesion, includingintra-military special interest demonstrations.Nonmilitary AgendasOppose modification or lessening of standards in order to satisfy a nonmilitary agenda_1dfdba4c-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.15In particular, we warn against modification orlessening of standards in order to satisfy a nonmilitary agenda imposed by the White House.We call for an objective review of the impact onreadiness of the current Administration’s ideology-based personnel policies, andwill correct problems withappropriate administrative,legal, or legislative action.Social ExperimentationReject the use of the military as a platform for social experimentation_1dfdce88-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.16Wereject the use of the militaryas a platform for socialexperimentation and will notaccept or continue attemptsto undermine military prioritiesand mission readiness.Readiness, Recruitment & RetentionPrioritize readiness, recruitment, and retention_1dfdda68-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.17Webelieve that our nation is mostsecure when the president andthe administration prioritizereadiness, recruitment, andretention rather than using themilitary to advance a socialor political agenda. Militaryreadiness should not be sacrificed on the altarof political correctness.Military JusticeOppose legislative attempts to modify the system of military justice_1dfdeb70-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.4.18We oppose legislativeattempts to modify the system of military justicethat would undermine its fairness and due processrights for all concerned, both the accuser and theaccused.National Guard & ReservesNurture our Reserve and National Guard forces_fe8124ea-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.5National GuardNational ReservesCitizen Soldiers: National Guard and Reserves -- Our Reserve and National Guard forces arenational assets that must be nurtured in a mannercommensurate with their role as America’s sentinels.Their historic mission as citizen-soldiers is a proudtradition linking every town and city across Americato liberty’s cause. Since September 11, 2001, theNational Guard has transformed from a strategicreserve to a fully integrated operational fightingforce. The Guard has bled on missions in Iraq,Afghanistan, the Balkans, and the Sinai. Today, morethan fifty percent of our Guardsmen have combatexperience. The Guard has demonstrated its valueto the nation not only in war but during emergencieshere at home such as Hurricane Katrina and SuperStorm Sandy.To avoid the overextension of our military,we support a larger active force and oppose thecurrent Administration’s cuts to the National Guardand Reserves. Those reductions are dangerous andcounter-productive because the men and women ofthe Guard and Reserve tend to be older and moreexperienced than their active duty counterparts.Guard and Reserveforces are currently deployed athistorically high rates. The ArmyReserve alone has soldiersin 30 countries. To its credit,the Republican Congress, bypassing the National DefenseAuthorization Act, has movedto ensure these troops havewhat they need. That provisionhas triggered another vetothreat from the Commanderin-Chief, even though the billpassed with overwhelmingbipartisan support in both theHouse and Senate. He wouldhave the members of theReserve and Guard train on, and potentially bedeployed with, equipment that is no longer used bytheir active duty comrades. We cannot tolerate thisendangerment of both our troops and our nationalsecurity. Therefore, we recommend a permanentline item for National Guard affairs, one that isnot eliminated by the President and reinstated byCongress. The guard is too essential to our nationaldefense to be a secondary decision. VeteransHonor and support our veterans_fe85031c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.6VeteransHonoring and Supporting Our Veterans: A Sacred Obligation -- Our nation’s veterans have been our nation’sstrength and remain a national resource. Theirservice to their country — as community leaders,volunteers, mentors, educators, problem solvers,and public officials — continues long after theyleave the military. In the same way, our obligationto the one percent who defend the other ninety-nine percent does not end when they take offthe uniform. America has a sacred trust with ourveterans, and we are committed to ensuring them and their families’ care and dignity. The work of theDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) is essentialto meet our commitments to them: Providinghealth, education, disability, survivor, and homeloan benefits, and arranging memorial servicesupon death. We heed Abraham Lincoln’s command“to care for him who bore the battle.” To care,as well, for the families of those who have madethe ultimate sacrifice, who must be assured ofmeaningful financial assistance, remains our solemnduty.As shown by recent controversies at theDepartment, senior leaders must be heldaccountable for ensuring that their subordinatesare more responsive to veterans’ needs. The VAhas failed those who have sacrificed the most forour freedom. The VA must move from a sometimesadversarial stance to an advocacy relationship withvets. To that end, we will empower the Secretaryto hold all VA employees accountable and will seekfundamental change in the VA’s senior leadershipstructure by placing presidential appointees, ratherthan careerists, in additional positions of significantresponsibility. We cannot allow an unresponsivebureaucracy to blunt our national commitment. TheVA must strengthen and improve its efforts throughpartnerships with private enterprises, veteranservice organizations, technology and innovation,and competitive bidding to enable the VA to betterprovide both quality and timely care along with allearned benefits to our nation’s veterans and theirfamilies. This will allow the VA to reduce the backlogand save immense resources all at the same time.Therefore, let us look to innovative solutions thatallow higher quality VA care, reduce backlogs, andsave immense resources all at the same time.Our wounded warriors, whether still in serviceor discharged, deserve the best medical care thecountry can provide. We must make military andveterans’ medicine the gold standard for mentalhealth, traumatic brain injury, multiple traumas,loss of limbs, and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). Those injuries require a new commitment oftargeted resources and personnel for treatment andcare to advance recovery. That includes allowingveterans to choose to access care in the communityand not just in VA facilities, because the best care inthe world is not effective if it is not accessible. Wewill seek to consolidate the VA’s existing communitycare authorities to make a single program that willbe easily understood by both veterans and VAhealthcare providers.Like the rest of American medicine, the VAfaces a critical shortage of primary care and mentalhealth physicians. That’s why there are long waitingtimes to see a doctor and why doctors are oftenfrustrated by the limited time they have with theirpatients. This is especially the case with mentalhealth care, which often amounts to prescribingdrugs because there are not enough psychologistsand psychiatrists to do anything else. Inadequatetreatment of PTSD drives other problems likesuicide, homelessness, and unemployment. Thissituation may not be quickly reversed, but aRepublican administration will begin, on day one, toundertake the job.As a nation, we honor the sacrifice of our fallenservice members at the graves where we lay themto rest in national, state, and veterans’ cemeteriesaround the world. In doing so, we make it clearthat their ultimate sacrifice and service to ourcountry will never be forgotten. As a party, we seekto honor their sacrifice and comfort their familiesby ensuring all veterans’ cemeteries are adequatelyequipped and a standard of care established, usingArlington Cemetery as a guide, that is befitting theirservice.The level of financial distress and homelessness among vets is a shame to the nation. For aveteran, a job is more than a source of income. It isa new mission, with a new status, and the transitioncan be difficult. We urge the private sector tomake hiring vets a company policy and commendthe organizations that have proven programs toaccomplish this. We will retain the preferencegiven to veterans when they seek federalemployment. We urge closer coordination with thestate offices for veterans’ affairs, particularly withregard to expediting disability claims, since thoseclosest to an individual can often best diagnosea problem and apply a remedy. We will halt thecurrent Administration’s unconstitutional automaticdenial of gun ownership to returning members ofour Armed Forces who have had representativesappointed to manage their financial affairs. Weurge state education officials to promote the hiring of qualified veterans as teachers in our publicschools. Their proven abilities and life experienceswill make them more successful instructors androle models for students than would any teachingcertification.Over-prescription of opioids has becomea nationwide problem hindering the treatmentof veterans suffering from mental health issues.We therefore support the need to explore newand broader ranges of options, including faith-based programs, that will better serve the veteranand reduce the need to rely on drugs as the soletreatment.Indispensable NationDefend our nation’s security and advance freedom around the world_fe85240a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.7America: The Indispensable Nation -- For the last several generations, our country’stwo major political parties were dedicated to thenation’s security and the advance of freedomaround the world. Both had learned from mistakesof the past and realized that a weak America invitedaggression. Both recognized the need to standwith friends and oppose those who wished us evil.Whatever their disagreements, both the Republicanand Democratic parties stood for peace throughstrength — and strength meant American militarysuperiority.This bipartisan commitment has tragicallychanged. The leadership of the Democratic Party,both those in office and those who seek it, no longersee America as a force for good in the world. Theydo not stand by allies or stand strong against ourfoes. They pander to world opinion and neglect thenational interest. They cannot be trusted to advanceeither the cause of liberty or our national security inthe dangerous years in which we live.We affirm our party’s tradition of worldleadership established by President Eisenhowerand followed by every Republican presidentsince. It stands for enormous power — and theprudence to use it sparingly, precisely, and onlyin grave necessity. It stands for involvement, notintervention. It requires consultation, not permissionto act. It leads from the front — and ensures allothers do their parts as well. It embraces Americanexceptionalism and rejects the false prophets ofdecline and diminution. It is, in sum, the way wewill lead the world into a new century of greaterpeace and prosperity — another American Century.Middle EastPrioritize America’s national interests and restore our credibility_fe86a776-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8Middle EastChallenges of a Changing Middle East -- The Middle East is more dangerous now thanat any time since the Second World War. Whatevertheir disagreements, presidents of both parties hadalways prioritized America’s national interests, thetrust of friendly governments, and the security ofIsrael. That sound consensus was replaced withimpotent grandstanding on the part of the currentPresident and his Secretaries of State. The resultshave been ruinous for all parties except Islamicterrorists and their Iranian and other sponsors...A Republican administration will restore ournation’s credibility. We must stand up for our friends,challenge our foes, and destroy ISIS.IranRetain all options in dealing with a situation that gravely threatens our security, our interests, and the survival of our friends_fe86b5c2-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.1IranWe consider the Administration’s deal with Iran,to lift international sanctions and make hundreds ofbillions of dollars available to the Mullahs, a personalagreement between the President and his negotiating partners and non-binding on the next president.Without a two-thirds endorsement by the Senate, itdoes not have treaty status. Because of it, the defiant and emboldened regime in Tehran continuesto sponsor terrorism across the region, develop anuclear weapon, test-fire ballistic missiles inscribedwith “Death to Israel,” and abuse the basic humanrights of its citizens. A Republican president will notbe bound by it. We must retain all options in dealingwith a situation that gravely threatens our security,our interests, and the survival of our friends.ISISDestroy ISIS_fe86c68e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.2Over the last four years we have seen the riseof a murderous fanaticism in the form of ISIS, theso called Islamic State. Its reach now extends farbeyond the Middle East to virtually every continent.ISIS has brought ancient butchery into the 21stcentury. Nations are imploding, erasing long-established borders. The Obama Administrationand its Secretary of State so mishandled the ArabSpring that it destabilized the entire region. Thehope some saw in the Arab Spring has transformedinto disappointment.SyriaSupport the transition to a post-Assad Syrian government_fe86e0f6-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.3SyriaThe dictator of Syria, BasharAssad, has murdered hundreds of thousands of hisown people and created millions of refugees, andan American president has been unable to rally theworld against him. Understandably, our allies fearfor their future in a region far more dangerous thanit was eight years ago...We will support the transition to a post-Assad Syriangovernment that is representative of its people,protects the rights of all minorities and religions,respects the territorial integrity of its neighbors,and contributes to peace and stability in the region.LebanonRestore Lebanon’s independence_fe86ed12-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.4LebanonHezbollah,controlling over 100,000 missiles in Lebanon, mustbe isolated and Lebanon’s independence restored. HezbollahIsolate Hezbollah_fe86fd84-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.4.1HezbollahIraqiContinue our partnership with the Iraqi people_fe8713dc-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.5IraqiChristian CommunitiesWe are deeply concerned that, in the faceof genocide against them, Christian communities incities like Erbil are receiving no financial supportfrom either the U.S. government or the UN to helpwith displaced persons and urban refugees. Theirsurvival is sustained only by private charities. Thismust change immediately.The Iraqi people have been on the front lines in thefight against terror. Hundreds of thousands havebeen killed, and the attacks against them continue,even in Baghdad. Our partnership with them shouldcontinue as long as ISIS and others like it survive inthe region.AssistanceAid those who have suffered the most_fe872426-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.5.1Defeating ISIS meansmore than pushing back itsfighters while abandoning itsvictims. It must mean aidingthose who have suffered themost — and doing so beforethey starve. It means supportingthe long-term survival ofindigenous religious and ethniccommunities, punishing theperpetrators of crimes againsthumanity, and conditioninghumanitarian and militaryassistance to governments ontheir observable commitmentto human rights.KurdsSupport the Kurdish people_fe873574-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.8.5.1.1Kurdish PeopleWe continue to supportthe Kurdish people, whose bravery and cooperationwith our forces merit our respect and theirautonomy. Many countries in the region have given,and continue to give, substantial assistance tothe United States because they understand thatour struggle against terrorism is not an ethnic orreligious fight. They consider violent extremists tobe abusers of their faith, not its champions. Weapplaud their courage and value their counsel. TheU.S. government, together with its global partners,should mobilize its political, economic, and militaryassets to support the creation of a safe haven innorthern Iraq to protect those ethnic and religiousminorities continuing to face genocide at the handsof ISIS.IsraelSupport Israel_fe874b4a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.9IsraelOur Unequivocal Support for Israel -- Like the United States of America, the modern state of Israel is a country born from the aspiration for freedom and stands out among the nations as a beacon of democracy and humanity. Beyond our mutual strategic interests, Israel is likewise an exceptional country that shares our most essential values. It is the only country in the Middle Eastwhere freedom of speech and freedom of religion are found. Therefore, support for Israel is an expression of Americanism, and it is the responsibility of our government to advance policies that reflect Americans’ strong desire for a relationship with no daylight between America and Israel.American EmbassyMove the American embassy to Jerusalem_fe8d5062-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.9.1We recognizeJerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital ofthe Jewish state and call for the American embassyto be moved there in fulfillment of U.S. law.SecurityReaffirm America’s commitment to Israel’s security_fe8d6390-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.9.2We reaffirm America’scommitment to Israel’s securityand will ensure that Israel maintains a qualitative military edgeover any and all adversaries. Wesupport Israel’s right and obligation to defend itself againstterror attacks upon its peopleand against alternative formsof warfare being waged uponit legally, economically, culturally, and otherwise.Commercial RelationsCall for effective legislation to thwart actions that are intended to limit commercial relations with Israel_fe8d7a4c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.9.3We rejectthe false notion that Israel is anoccupier and specifically recognize that the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement(BDS) is anti-Semitic in nature and seeks to destroyIsrael. Therefore, we call for effective legislation tothwart actions that are intended to limit commercial relations with Israel, or persons or entities doingbusiness in Israel or in Israeli-controlled territories,in a discriminatory manner.PeaceAssist in the establishment of comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East_fe8d8866-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.9.4The United States seeks to assist in the establishment of comprehensive and lasting peace in theMiddle East, to be negotiated among those livingin the region. We oppose any measures intended toimpose an agreement or to dictate borders or otherterms, and we call for the immediate termination ofall U.S. funding of any entity that attempts to doso. Our party is proud to stand with Israel now andalways.Asian PacificLead in the Asian Pacific_fe8d9a22-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10Asian PacificJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaPhilippinesThailandNorth Korean PeopleChinaWe urge thegovernment of China to recognize the inevitabilityof change in the Kim family’s slave state and, foreveryone’s safety against nuclear disaster, tohasten positive change on the Korean peninsula.U.S. Leadership in the Asian Pacific -- We are a Pacific nation with economic, military,and cultural ties to all the countries of the oceanicrim and treaty alliances with Japan, South Korea,Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Withthem, we look toward the establishment of humanrights for the people of North Korea.North KoreaDemand the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program_fe8dafc6-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.1The United States will continue to demand thecomplete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlementof North Korea’s nuclear weapons program withfull accounting of its proliferation activities. Wealso pledge to counter any threats from the NorthKorean regime.TaiwanContinue to base our relations with Taiwan upon the provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act_fe9305de-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.2TaiwanChinaIf Chinawere to violate those principles, the United States,in accord with the Taiwan Relations Act, will helpTaiwan defend itself.Government of TaiwanWe praise efforts by the newgovernment in Taipei to continue constructive relations across the Taiwan Strait and call on Chinato reciprocate.World Health OrganizationInternational Civil Aviation OrganizationMultilateral InstitutionsWe salute the people of Taiwan, with whomwe share the values of democracy, human rights, afree market economy, and the rule of law. Our relations will continue to be based upon the provisionsof the Taiwan Relations Act, and we affirm the SixAssurances given to Taiwan in 1982 by PresidentReagan. We oppose any unilateral steps by eitherside to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Straits onthe principle that all issues regarding the island’s future must be resolved peacefully, through dialogue,and be agreeable to the people of Taiwan...As a loyal friend of America, Taiwanhas merited our strong support, including free tradeagreement status, the timely sale of defensive armsincluding technology to build diesel submarines,and full participation in the World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, andother multilateral institutions.ChinaReject complacency about China's threats and hostile actions _fe931ac4-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.3ChinaGuamThe complacency of the Obama regime hasemboldened the Chinese government and militaryto issue threats of intimidation throughout theSouth China Sea, not to mention parading their newmissile, “the Guam Killer,” down the main streets ofBeijing, a direct shot at Guam as America’s first lineof defense.TibetMeanwhile, cultural genocide continuesin Tibet and Xinjiang, the promised autonomy ofHong Kong is eroded, the currency is manipulated,our technology is stolen, and intellectual propertyand copyrights are mocked in an economy basedon piracy.XinjiangHong KongAmerican CompaniesIn business terms, this is not competition;it is a hostile takeover. For any American companyto abet those offenses, especially governmentalcensorship and tracking of dissenters, is a disgrace.China’s behavior has negated the optimisticlanguage of our last platform concerning our futurerelations with China. The liberalizing policies ofrecent decades have been abruptly reversed, dissentbrutally crushed, religious persecution heightened,the internet crippled, a barbaric population controltwo-child policy of forced abortions and forcedsterilizations continued, and the cult of Mao revived.Critics of the regime have been kidnapped by itsagents in foreign countries. To distract the populacefrom its increasing economic problems and, moreimportantly, to expand its military might, thegovernment asserts a preposterous claim to theentire South China Sea and continues to dredgeports and create landing fields in contested waterswhere none have existed before, ever nearer toU.S. territories and our allies, while building anavy far out of proportion to defensive purposes.Students, Tourists & InvestorsWelcome Chinese students, tourists, and investors_fe933522-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.3.1Chinese StudentsChinese TouristsChinese InvestorsThe return to Maoism by China’s currentrulers is not reason to disengage with the Chinesepeople or their institutions. We welcome students,tourists, and investors, who can see for themselvesour vibrant American democracy and how realdemocracy works. We caution, however, againstacademic or cultural operations under the controlof the Chinese government and call upon Americancolleges to dissociate themselves from thisincreasing threat to academic freedom and honestresearch.Southeast AsiaSupport the nations of Southeast Asia in setting aside crippling ideologies and seeking progress in free enterprise and democracy_fe93422e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4Southeast AsiaMost of the nations of Southeast Asia haveset aside crippling ideologies and sought materialprogress in free enterprise and democracy.BurmaUrge Burma to respect the rights of their country’s minority populations_fe935390-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4.1BurmaWe congratulate the people of Burma on theiremergence from authoritarian rule and urge theirrespect for the rights of their country’s minoritypopulations.VietnamImprove relations with Vietnam_fe93697a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4.2VietnamOur improved relations with Vietnam— including arms sales — must advance efforts toobtain an accounting for, and repatriation of theremains of, Americans who gave their lives in thecause of Vietnamese freedom. We cannot overlookthe continued repression of fundamental rights and religious freedom, as well as retribution againstethnic minorities and others who assisted U.S.forces during the conflict there.IndiaAlly and strategically trade in partnership with India_fe937622-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4.3IndiaIndia is our geopolitical ally and a strategictrading partner. The dynamism of its people andthe endurance of their democratic institutionsare earning their country a position of leadershipnot only in Asia but throughout the world.Investment & TradeEncourage the Indian government to permit expanded foreign investment and trade_fe96b72e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4.3.1Indian GovernmentWeencourage the Indian government to permitexpanded foreign investment and trade, the keyto rising living standards for those left out of theircountry’s energetic economy.Religious CommunitiesUrge protection against violence and discrimination against India’sreligious communities _fe96d146-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4.3.2India’s Religious CommunitiesFor all of India’sreligious communities, we urge protection againstviolence and discrimination. Indian American CitizensNote with pride the contributions to our country that are made by our fellow citizens of Indian ancestry._fe96e280-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4.3.3American Citizens of Indian AncestryRepublicans note withpride the contributions to our country that are madeby our fellow citizens of Indian ancestry.PakistanStrengthen historic ties with Pakistan_fe96f7de-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.10.4.4Middle EastPakistanConflicts in the Middle East have createdspecial political and military challenges for thepeople of Pakistan. Our working relationship is anecessary, though sometimes difficult, benefit toboth, and we look toward the strengthening ofhistoric ties that have frayed under the weight ofinternational conflict. This process cannot progressas long as any citizen of Pakistan can be punishedfor helping the War on Terror. Pakistanis, Afghans,and Americans have a common interest in riddingthe region of the Taliban and securing Pakistan’snuclear arsenal. That goal has been undermined bythe current Administration’s feckless treatment oftroop commitments and blatant disregard of advicefrom commanders on the ground, particularly withregard to Afghanistan. A Republican president willwork with all regional leaders to restore mutual trustwhile insisting upon progress against corruptionand the narcotic trade that fuels insurgency. European AllianceRenew the European Alliance_fe9711c4-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.11EuropeNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)Renewing the European Alliance -- With bipartisan support, President Trumanforged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) as an alliance of the western democracies.Its continued effectiveness is vital, especially in lightof recent military challenges in Eastern Europe.With the American people spending on defense,per capita, four times the amount spent by Europeans, we demand, as we have in the past, that ourfellow members of NATO fulfill their commitmentsand meet their need for greater investment in theirarmed forces.Our historic ties to the peoples of Europe havebeen based on shared culture and values, common interests and goals. Their endurance cannot be taken for granted, especially in light of thecontinent’s economic problems and demographicchanges. We recognize with regret the increasingtrend among many of our allies to move away fromrights and liberties that Americans hold dear, especially freedom of speech. It would be a tragic ironyif the nations of Europe which withstood Sovietrepression were to now impose a form of it uponthemselves.We honor our special relationship with thepeople of the United Kingdom and are grateful fortheir staunch support in the fight against terrorism.We respect their decision concerning their nation’srelationship to the European Union and pledge that,however much other international relationships maychange, those who were first to our side in our hourof loss will always rank first in our policies and ouresteem.We thank the several nations of Europethat have contributed to a united effort in Iraq,Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Their support andsacrifice in the fight against Islamic terrorismwill not be forgotten. We applaud the ongoingreconciliation in Northern Ireland and hope thatits success might be replicated in Cyprus. We urgegreater coordination in economic and securityaffairs between the United States and the republicsof Eastern Europe. We urge that Poland be grantedvisa waiver status and we support placement ofNATO troops in Poland.For the people of Russia, we affirm our respectand our determination to maintain a friendshipbeyond the reach of those who wish to divide us.We have common imperatives: Ending terrorism,combating nuclear proliferation, promoting trade,and more. We also have a common problem:The continuing erosion of personal liberty andfundamental rights under the current officials in theKremlin. Repressive at home and reckless abroad,their policies imperil the nations which regainedtheir self-determination upon the collapse of theSoviet Union. We will meet the return of Russianbelligerence with the same resolve that led to thecollapse of the Soviet Union. We will not acceptany territorial change in Eastern Europe imposed by force, in Ukraine, Georgia, or elsewhere, andwill use all appropriate constitutional measures tobring to justice the practitioners of aggression andassassination.We urge greater attention in U.S. diplomacy,trade, and strategic planning, to the nations ofEurasia, formerly parts of the Soviet Empire.Caught between their two authoritarian neighbors,their path toward democratic institutions has beenuncertain. We urge our government and our alliesto work toward the integration of the Central Asianrepublics into the global economy through foreigninvestment, which can bring with it market andpolitical reforms and a firmer establishment ofthe rule of law. Those developments will not onlyimprove the living conditions throughout that vastarea but are likely to reduce the lure of the radicalideologies that already threaten the region.The Americas_fe971e76-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.12The AmericasFamily of the Americas -- Our future is intimately tied to the future of theAmericas. Canada & MexicoContinue cooperation with Canada and Mexico on our mutually shared interests_fe995466-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.12.1MexicoThe Mexicanpeople deserve our assistance as they bravelyresist the drug cartels that traffic in death on bothsides of our border. Their rich cultural and religiousheritage, shared by many millions of our fellowcitizens, should foster greater understanding andcooperation between our countries.CanadaFamily, language, culture, environment,and trade link us closely with both Canada andMexico. Our relations with both of these friendswill be based upon continuing cooperation and ourmutually shared interests. Our attention to tradeand environmental issues will contribute to strongeconomic growth and prosperity throughout theAmericas.We thank our neighbors in Mexico and Canadawho have been our partners in the fight againstterrorism and the war on drugs.Keystone XL PipelineReverse the blocking of the Keystone XL Pipeline_fe996d8e-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.12.2CanadaOur Canadian neighbors can count on ourcooperation and respect. To advance NorthAmerica’s energy independence, we intend toreverse the current Administration’s blocking ofthe Keystone XL Pipeline. Apart from its economicvalue, that project has become a symbol in thecontest between the public’s desire for economicdevelopment and the government’s hostility togrowth. We stand with the people.SolidarityExpress solidarity with all the peoples of the Western Hemisphere_fe997fd6-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.12.3Western HemisphereVenezuelaA Republican presidentwill never embrace a Marxist dictator, in Venezuelaor anywhere else. The current chief executivehas allowed that country to become a narcoterrorist state, an Iranian outpost threateningCentral America, and a safe haven for the agentsof Hezbollah. Now, with their country ruined bysocialism and on the verge of chaos, the Venezuelanpeople are fighting to restore their democracy andregain their rights. When they triumph, as theysurely will, the United States will stand ready tohelp them restore their country to the family of theAmericas.We express our solidarity with all the peoplesof the Western Hemisphere. Their aspirationsfor economic betterment and political libertyhave deserved better from our government thanits policies of the last eight years. The currentAdministration has abandoned America’s friendsand rewarded its enemies.ColombiaAffirm our friendship and admiration for the people of Colombia_fe9991c4-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.12.4ColombiaWe affirm our friendship and admiration forthe people of Colombia and call on the RepublicanCongress to express its solidarity with theirdecades-long fight against the terrorist FARC. Theirsacrifice and suffering must not be betrayed by theaccession to power of murderers and drug lords.CubaWelcome the people of Cuba back into our hemispheric family_fe99aa74-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.12.5CubaWomen in WhiteWestand with the Women in White and all the victimsof the loathsome regime that clings to power inHavana. We do not say this lightly: They have beenbetrayed by those who are currently in control ofU.S. foreign policy.CongressWe call on the Congressto uphold current U.S. law which sets conditions forthe lifting of sanctions on the island: Legalizationof political parties, an independent media, and freeand fair internationally-supervised elections.We want to welcome the people of Cubaback into our hemispheric family — after theircorrupt rulers are forced from power and broughtto account for their crimes against humanity...The current Administration’s“opening to Cuba” was a shameful accommodationto the demands of its tyrants. It will only strengthentheir military dictatorship. Pro-Democracy MovementStrength Cuba’s pro-democracy movement_fe99bb4a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.12.5.1Radio & TV MartíCommission for Assistance to a Free CubaWe support the work of the Commission forAssistance to a Free Cuba and affirm the principlesof the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966, recognizingthe rights of Cubans fleeing Communism. Wecall for a dedicated platform for the transmissionof Radio and TV Martí and for the promotion ofinternet access and circumvention technology astools to strength Cuba’s pro-democracy movement.AfricaRecognize Africa’s potential_fe99ce5a-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.13AfricaAfrica: The Promise and the Challenge -- We recognize Africa’s extraordinary potential.Both the United States and our many African allieswill become stronger through investment, trade,and promotion of the democratic and free marketprinciples that have brought prosperity aroundthe world.Economic Freedom & Human RightsPartner with African nations in their pursuit of economic freedom and human rights_1dfdff7a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.13.1African NationsWe pledge to be the best partner of allAfrican nations in their pursuit of economic freedomand human rights.Health InitiativesSave lives_1dfe0d44-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.13.2Republican CongressThe Republican Congresshas extended to 2025 the African Growth andOpportunity Act, and President George W. Bush’shealth initiatives — AIDS relief under PEPFAR andthe Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, andMalaria — continue to save millions of lives.President George W. BushTeaching & BuildingTeach and build in villages_1dfe227a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.13.3Peace Corps volunteersPeaceCorps volunteers and U.S. Seabees teach andbuild in villages that know firsthand our country’sidealism.U.S. SeabeesRadical IslamSupport closer cooperation in both military and economic matters with those on the front lines of civilization’s battle against the forces of evil_1dfe3094-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.13.4We stand in solidarity with those Africancountries now under assault by the forces ofradical Islam: Boko Haram, al-Shabaab, and otherslike them. Their terror falls on both Muslims andChristians, on anyone who will not submit to theirsavage ideology. We urge governments throughoutthe continent to recognize this threat to their ownpeople. We support closer cooperation in bothmilitary and economic matters with those on thefront lines of civilization’s battle against the forcesof evil.International OrganizationsMaintain principled American in international organizations_fe9f2a94-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.14International OrganizationsSovereign American Leadership in International Organizations -- There is no substitute for principled Americanleadership. Since the end of World War II, theUnited States, through the founding of the UnitedNations and NATO, has participated in a numberof international organizations which can, butsometimes do not, serve the cause of peace andprosperity. While acting through them our countrymust always reserve the right to go its own way.BroadcastingSupport our country’s international broadcasting to Eastern Europe, theMiddle East, and Asia_1dfe426e-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.1Eastern EuropeMiddle EastAsiaWe must not be silent about our country’s cause.That is why we have long supported our country’sinternational broadcasting to Eastern Europe, theMiddle East, and Asia.United NationsCondition our continued participation in the United Nations upon the enactmentof in the way that institution functions_1dfe57ae-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.2United NationsOur continued participation in the UnitedNations should be contingent upon the enactmentof long-overdue changes in the way that institutionfunctions. TransparencyInsist on transparency in the UN's financial operations_1dfe64a6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.2.1American taxpayers, the chief funders ofthe U.N., deserve full transparency in the financialoperations of its overpaid bureaucrats.Managerial ScandalsRefuse to tolerate the UN's managerial scandals_1dfe7680-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.2.2UN Human Rights CouncilIsraelWe shouldno longer tolerate its managerial scandals, itsHuman Rights Council composed of some of theworld’s worst tyrants, and its treatment of Israel as apariah state.Economic DevelopmentOppose no-growth policies that limit economic development in the countries_1dfe8ba2-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.2.3UN Population FundChinaIts complicity in China’s barbaric program offorced abortion led President Reagan to set a wall ofseparation — his Mexico City Policy, which prohibitsthe granting of federal monies to non-governmentalorganizations that provide or promote abortion. President ReaganWeaffirm his position and, in light of plummeting birthrates around the world, suggest a reevaluation ofthe U.N.’s record on economic progress.The U.N.’s Population Fund has, from itsorigin, been rooted in no-growth policies that limiteconomic development in the countries needing itmost. International AgreementsOppose ratification of international agreements whose long-range implications are ominous or unclear_1dfe9908-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.3Precisely because we take our country’streaty obligations seriously, we oppose ratificationof international agreements whose long-rangeimplications are ominous or unclear. We donot support the U.N. Convention on Women’sRights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child,the Convention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities, and the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, as wellas various declarations from the U.N. Conferenceon Environment and Development. Because ofour concern for American sovereignty, domesticmanagement of our fisheries, and our country’slong-term energy needs, we have deep reservationsabout the regulatory, legal, and tax regimes inherentin the Law of the Sea Treaty.Agenda 21Reject U.N. Agenda 21_1dfeab64-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.4We emphatically rejectU.N. Agenda 21 as erosive of U.S. sovereignty, andwe oppose any form of Global Tax.Ideological ProsecutionsShield members of our Armed Forces and others in service to America from ideological prosecutions overseas_1dfec086-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.14.5U.S. Armed ForcesInternational Criminal CourtTo shield members of our Armed Forces andothers in service to America from ideologicalprosecutions overseas, the Republican Party doesnot accept the jurisdiction of the InternationalCriminal Court. We support statutory protectionfor U.S. personnel and officials as they act abroadto meet our global security requirements, and wedeplore the current inaction of the Administration inthat regard. Our service members must be subjectonly to American law.Religious FreedomDefend religious freedom_fe9f3bec-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.15Religious MinoritiesReligious minorities acrossthe Middle East have been driven from their ancienthomelands, and thousands, there and in Africa, havebeen slaughtered for their faith in what the StateDepartment has, belatedly, labeled genocide.President SisiTheUnited States must stand with leaders, like PresidentSisi of Egypt who has bravely protected the rightsof Coptic Christians in Egypt, and call on otherleaders across the region to ensure that all religiousminorities, whether Yazidi, Bahai, Orthodox, Catholicor Protestant Christians, are free to practice theirreligion without fear of persecution.ChinaAt a time whenChina has renewed its destruction of churches,EuropeChristian home-schooling parents are jailed in partsof Europe, and Canadaeven Canada threatens pastors fortheir preaching, a Republican administration willreturn the advocacy of religious liberty to a centralplace in its diplomacy, will quickly designate thesystematic killing of religious and ethnic minoritiesa genocide, and will work with the leaders of othernations to condemn and combat genocidal acts.Defending International Religious Freedom -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an initiative of Congressional Republicans, has been neglected by the current Administration at a time when its voice more thanever needs to be heard.International AssistanceEnsure that foreign aid serves America’s interests_fe9faf50-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.16President ReaganA strong commitment tointernational development and diplomacy, alongsidedefense, was a key component of President Reagan’s“peace through strength” strategy. It can sometimesserve as an alternative means of keeping the peace,far less costly both in dollars and in human lives thanmilitary engagement. Millennium Challenge CorporationThe Millennium ChallengeCorporation, spearheaded by the last RepublicanAdministration, has established a new model offoreign assistance that helps ensure taxpayerdollars are spent on projects that are effective,results-driven, transparent, and accountable.America’s Generosity: International Assistance that Makes a Difference -- Foreign aid must serve America’s interests first.In today’s world of complex challenges, internationalassistance is a critical tool for advancing America’ssecurity and economic interests by preventingconflict, building stability, opening markets forprivate investment, and responding to sufferingand need with the compassion that is at the heartof our country’s values. InvestmentEmbrace private sector investment to combat corruption, strengthen the rule of law, and open new markets for American goods and services_1dfece28-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.16.1Private SectorWemust embrace this model throughout our foreignassistance programs and efforts as a catalyst forprivate sector investment to combat corruption,strengthen the rule of law, and open new marketsfor American goods and services in a competitiveglobal economy.Values & Self-SustainabilityProject the best of American values, create self-sustainability, and leveragethe resources and capacity of the private sector_1dfee1ec-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.16.2Foreign assistance programs mustnot only project the best of American values, butmust work to create self-sustainability and leveragethe resources and capacity of the private sector.Voluntary ContributionsWeigh voluntary contributions to international development in any revision of the tax code_1dfef9fc-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.16.3American FoundationsAmerican Educational InstitutionsAmerican Faith-Based GroupsAmerican Charitable IndividualsEven more important is the overseas assistance —billions of dollars and volunteer hours — providedby America’s foundations, educational institutions,faith-based groups, and charitable individuals. Theiressential role in international development shouldbe weighed in any revision of the tax code.Global ChallengesUse foreign assistance to catalyze private sector investment and expertise in addressing global challenges_1dff0852-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.16.4Private SectorThe advance of political freedom andentrepreneurial capitalism drives economic growth,catalyzes private sector development, and is theonly sustainable solution to poverty. Over the last50 years, the level of private investment overseasfrom the United States has eclipsed aid many timesover. Our development strategy must build onrecent Republican efforts to use foreign assistanceto catalyze private sector investment and expertisein addressing global challenges that can build amore stable world and advance America’s nationalsecurity and economic interests.Values & Aid OrganizationsEncourage more involvement by the most effective aid organizations and trust developing peoples to build their futures through their own values_1dff1c20-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.16.5Aid OrganizationsThe integrity of our country’s foreign assistanceprogram has been compromised by the current Administration’s attempt to impose on foreign recipients, especially the peoples of Africa, its own radicalsocial agenda while excluding faith-based groups— the sector with the best track record in promotingdevelopment — because they will not conform tothat agenda. We pledge to reverse this course, encouraging more involvement by the most effectiveaid organizations and trusting developing peoplesto build their futures through their own values.Human RightsAdvance human rights_fe9fc954-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.17Advancing Human Rights -- To those who stand in the darkness of tyranny,America has always been a beacon of hope, and soit must remain. Radical Islamic terrorism poses anexistential threat to personal freedom and peacearound the world. We oppose its brutal assault onall human beings, all of whom have inherent dignity.The Republican Party stands united with all victimsof terrorism and will fight at home and abroad todestroy terrorist organizations and protect the livesand fundamental liberties of all people. Republicanshave led the way in promoting initiatives that haveprotected and rescued millions of the world’s most vulnerable and persecuted. Standing up forrepressed religious groups, prisoners of conscience,women trafficked into sexual slavery, and thosesuffering from disease or starvation is not justconsistent with American values. It advancesimportant security and economic interests aswell. A Republican administration will never say,as Hillary Clinton did as Secretary of State in 2009,that raising human rights concerns “can’t interferewith the global economic crisis, the global climatechange crisis, and the security crisis.”Freedom, Rights & LawAdopt a “whole of government” approach to protect fundamental freedoms globally, one where pressing human rights and rule of law issues are integrated_1dff3390-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.17.1The United States needs a radical rethinkingof our human rights diplomacy. A Republicanadministration will adopt a “whole of government”approach to protect fundamental freedoms globally,one where pressing human rights and rule of lawissues are integrated at every appropriate level ofour bilateral relationships and strategic decision-making.Repressive GovernmentsSupport the free flow of information and an independent judiciary and civil society in countries with repressive governments_1dff41be-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.17.2Repressive GovernmentsChinaRussiaMiddle EastAfricaRepublican policy will reflect the fact thatthe health of the U.S. economy and environment, thesafety of our food and drug supplies, the securityof our investments and personal information incyberspace, and the stability and security of theoceans will increasingly depend on allowing the freeflow of news and information and developing anindependent judiciary and civil society in countrieswith repressive governments such as China, Russia,and many nations in the Middle East and Africa.Human TraffickingCombat human trafficking_fe9fd854-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.18Liberty to Captives: Combatting Human Trafficking -- As an estimated 21 million people worldwideare trapped in modern day slavery, we are remindedto be vigilant against human trafficking in whateverform it appears.Law EnforcementUse the full force of the law against those who engage in commercial sexual exploitation and forced or bonded labor_1dff546a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.1We will use the full force of thelaw against those who engage in commercial sexualexploitation and forced or bonded labor of men,women, or children; involuntary domestic servitude;trafficking in persons for the purpose of organremoval; and the illegal recruitment and use of childsoldiers.Diplomacy & AccountabilityIncrease diplomatic efforts and accountability for foreign governments to prosecute traffickers_1dff6aea-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.2Foreign GovernmentsBuilding on the accomplishments of thelast Republican administration in implementing theTrafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, we callfor increased diplomatic efforts and accountabilityfor foreign governments to prosecute traffickers,including penalties for any public officials whomay be complicit in this devastating crime.Slave LaborStop slave labor_1dff78aa-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.3SlavesOverseas Labor ContractorsWe willhighlight the need to stop slave labor, taking stepsto prevent overseas labor contractors who exploitforeign workers from supporting military basesabroad or exporting goods to the United States.DemandPrevent the demand for trafficking victims_1dff8ce6-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.4Trafficking VictimsA Republican administration will strategize withpartners around the world to prevent the demandfor trafficking victims that makes exploitationlucrative and will prosecute sex tourists anddomestic buyers to the fullest extent of the law.IdentificationIdentify trafficking victims_1dffa23a-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.5We will work at home and abroad to ensure thattrafficking victims are identified among migrants,refugees, and our own citizens so they receive therehabilitative care needed to heal and thrive.International CampaignContinue participation in the international campaign against human trafficking_1dffafa0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.6America’s continuing participation in theinternational campaign against human traffickingmerits our support.Rescue &ReturnRescue and safely return victims to their homes_1dffc288-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.7The goal of our domestic antitrafficking programs should be the rescue and safereturn of victims to their homes, not creating a long-term dependency upon public support.Foreign WorkersScrutinize overseas labor contractors to prevent abuses against temporary foreign workers brought to the United States_1dffd930-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.18.8Foreign WorkersOverseas Labor ContractorsWe call forgreater scrutiny of overseas labor contractors toprevent abuses against temporary foreign workersbrought to the United States. The horrific deaths ofsmuggled workers on our southwestern border atthe hands of drug cartels and other gangs highlightthe need for total security in that region.CybersecurityPrepare to respond to cyber attacks in kind and in greater magnitude_fe9fea92-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.19Facing 21st Century Threats: Cybersecurity in an Insecure World -- Cyber attacks against our businesses, institutions, and the government itself have becomealmost routine. They will continue until the world understands that an attack will not be tolerated — thatwe are prepared to respond in kind and in greatermagnitude. Despite their promises to the contrary,Russia and China see cyber operations as a part ofa warfare strategy during peacetime.Guilty PartiesCause diplomatic, financial, and legal pain, curtailing visas for guilty parties, freezing their assets, and pursuing criminal actions against them_1e0044e2-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.19.1Our responseshould be to cause diplomatic, financial, and legalpain, curtailing visas for guilty parties, freezing theirassets, and pursuing criminal actions against them.InternetWeaken control over the internet by regimes that engage in cyber crimes_1e005a18-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.19.2We should seek to weaken control over the internet by regimes that engage in cyber crimes.Information SharingAdvance information-sharing among entities endangered by cyber attacks_1e0070c0-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.19.3We muststop playing defense and go on offense to avoid thecyber-equivalent of Pearl Harbor.The Republican Congress has passed important legislation to advance information-sharingamong entities endangered by cyber attacks.Cyber-InsuranceExplore the possibility of a free market for Cyber-Insurance_1e007d90-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.19.4Wewill explore the possibility of a free market for Cyber-Insurance and make clear that users have a self-defense right to deal with hackers as they see fit.Supply ChainProtect the cyber supply chain to ensure against contamination of components_1e008f10-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.19.5Itis critical that we protect the cyber supply chain toensure against contamination of components madeall over the world, sometimes in offending countries.Cyber WorkforceExpand our cyber workforce_1e00a7f2-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.19.6Cyber WorkforceMilitary CommunityBusiness CommunityHacker CommunityOur own cyber workforce should be expanded withthe assistance of the military, business, and hackercommunities to better protect our country. Electromagnetic PulsesProtect against electromagnetic pulses_fea0034c-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.20North KoreaWith North Korea in possessionof nuclear missiles and Iran close to having them, anEMP is no longer a theoretical concern — it is a realthreat.ChinaMoreover, China and Russia include sabotage as part of their warfare planning.RussiaUtilitiesNonetheless,hundreds of electrical utilities in the United Stateshave not acted to protect themselves from EMP, andthey cannot be expected to do so voluntarily sincehomeland security is a government responsibility.Protection Against an Electromagnetic Pulse -- A single nuclear weapon detonated at high altitude over this country would collapse our electricalgrid and other critical infrastructures and endangerthe lives of millions. LegislationEnact legislation to protect the national grid and encourage states to take the initiative to protect their own grids expeditiously_1e00e212-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.20.1President CongressDepartment of Homeland SecurityDepartment of DefenseStatesUtilitiesPrivate SectorThe President, the Congress, the Department ofHomeland Security, the Department of Defense, theStates, the utilities, and the private sector shouldwork together on an urgent basis to enact Republican legislation, pending in both chambers, toprotect the national grid and encourage states totake the initiative to protect their own grids expeditiously. Internet TyrannyConfront internet tyranny_fea010c6-013c-11eb-9080-fb0e2183ea006.21Confronting Internet Tyranny -- Internet firewall circumvention and anticensorship technology must become a national priority in light of the way authoritarian governmentssuch as China, Cuba, and Iran restrict free press andisolate their people limiting political, cultural, andreligious freedom. Leaders of authoritarian governments argue that governments have the samelegal right to control internet access as they do tocontrol migrant access. A focus on internet freedomis a cost-effective means of peacefully advancingfundamental freedoms in closed and authoritariansocieties. But it is also an important economic interest, as censorship constitutes a trade barrier for U.S. companies operating in societies like China withadvanced firewall protection policies.Openness & ExpressionChampion an open and free internet based on principles of free expression and universal values_1e00f2fc-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.21.1A Republican administration will champion anopen and free internet based on principles of freeexpression and universal values and ...News & InformationEmpower citizens and U.S. companies operating in authoritarian countries to circumvent internet firewalls and gain accurate news and information online_1e010b84-0208-11eb-844e-20061183ea006.21.2U.S. CompaniesCitizenswill pursuepolicies to empower citizens and U.S. companiesoperating in authoritarian countries to circumventinternet firewalls and gain accurate news and information online. 2016-11-012020-09-30https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL%5B1%5D-ben_1468872234.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net