Sam Eppler

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Sam Eppler completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Eppler's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-203156-2024-10-02\" id=\"heading-bio-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-203156-2024-10-02\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-203156-2024-10-02\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI am an educator and a former high school principal. I am a Dallas resident looking to bring a new generation of leadership to Congress. In 2018, I joined Teach for America and moved to Dallas to teach high school math. At the end of 2020, I moved into a school leadership role when Dallas ISD asked me to become an assistant principal, and the next year, I became the principal of North Lake Early College High School. For years, I have watched partisan fighting get in the way of policies that could benefit the American people. There’s no better place to give back and support our community than working, volunteering, and supporting our public schools and local businesses. I encourage everyone to be a champion for their local communities and vote to ensure the next generation is equipped with strong skills in math, science, reading, and history and a pathway to a high-paying career, trade, community college, or four-year university.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-203156-2024-10-02\" id=\"heading-key-message-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-203156-2024-10-02\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-203156-2024-10-02\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>I am running for Congress to fight against extremism and bring moderate, bipartisan leadership back to Washington. Currently, we have representatives who ignore the needs of constituents in favor of extremist political theater. My opponent’s first vote in Congress was to object to the 2020 presidential election. She wants to defund our Departments of Homeland Security and Education. I have no interest in theatrical partisan politics. If there is a bill, from a Republican or Democrat, that could make life even a little easier for a single parent, a first responder, a healthcare worker, or a business owner, then that’s a bill I want to sign. As elected representatives, our first and only priority should be to the constituents.</li><li>I am running for Congress to ensure North Texas' small businesses and main streets can thrive. Let’s invent more, build more, and buy more in America. We have a booming economy in North Texas that needs to be supported. In Congress, I will strengthen our roads, bridges, and airports to improve commerce and invest in infrastructure to increase 21st-century chip manufacturing. I will prioritize cutting red tape and regulations for small businesses to allow our local economy to flourish. Once elected, I plan to pass a federal statutory definition of market power to allow the FTC to better prevent future mega-mergers that lead to monopolies that hurt everyday consumers, price gouging and other predatory practices.</li><li>I do not believe the government should insert itself into life-saving and intimate decisions between patients and medical doctors. Texas AG Ken Paxton blocking Dallas resident Kate Cox's access to a life-saving abortion is a perfect but horrifying example of this. He has a law degree from the University of Virginia. He knows absolutely nothing about medicine. This is incredibly dangerous, and it is, unfortunately, the norm for tens of millions of women in America in a post-Roe v. Wade world. Government bureaucrats and politicians should not be making decisions that are between a doctor and a patient, especially when it comes to reproductive medicine. I support passing the Women’s Health Protection Act.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-203156-2024-10-02\" id=\"heading1-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-203156-2024-10-02\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-203156-2024-10-02\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy top policy priorities are expanding education, restoring a women’s right to reproductive health, and investing in local businesses and main streets. Texas educates more than 10% of students in America, and 94% of our students in Texas go to public schools. We must invest in the education of the next generation. The government has no place inserting itself into intimate, life-saving decisions between patients and their doctors. I want to protect the growth of the North Texas economy and support the thousands of businesses across DFW. I will prioritize cutting red tape and regulations for small businesses and main streets to allow our economy to continue growing for years to come.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-203156-2024-10-02\" id=\"heading2-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-203156-2024-10-02\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat legacy would you like to leave?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-203156-2024-10-02\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI want to be remembered for valuing compromise and bipartisanship. When elected, I will be the most bipartisan representative in Congress. Instead of witnessing divisive representatives who value extremist partisanship above all else, I want to be the representative who values putting people first, not politics. We need less extremism and more leaders who will do what’s right for North Texas. I’m running for Congress to work with anyone, Republican or Democrat, who will put people before allegiance to a political party.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-203156-2024-10-02\" id=\"heading3-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-203156-2024-10-02\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tDo you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading3-203156-2024-10-02\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-203156-2024-10-02\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI believe compromise is essential to moving policy forward and ensuring that policies that serve the nation are prioritized above partisan fighting and gridlock. We must put what divides us aside and find a way back to the center. I want to vote for policies that will help the American people. If a bill will help a single mother trying to afford groceries for her newborn, I want to vote for that bill, no matter what office it came from. Any bill that I see that helps more people than it hurts is a bill I’d like to sign, whether it’s from a Republican or a Democrat. I want to prioritize serving the American people over my party line. I believe the best representative is one that prioritizes people over their party.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nSam Eppler completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Eppler's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I am an educator and a former high school principal. I am a Dallas resident looking to bring a new generation of leadership to Congress. In 2018, I joined Teach for America and moved to Dallas to teach high school math. At the end of 2020, I moved into a school leadership role when Dallas ISD asked me to become an assistant principal, and the next year, I became the principal of North Lake Early College High School. For years, I have watched partisan fighting get in the way of policies that could benefit the American people. There’s no better place to give back and support our community than working, volunteering, and supporting our public schools and local businesses. I encourage everyone to be a champion for their local communities and vote to ensure the next generation is equipped with strong skills in math, science, reading, and history and a pathway to a high-paying career, trade, community college, or four-year university. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? I am running for Congress to fight against extremism and bring moderate, bipartisan leadership back to Washington. Currently, we have representatives who ignore the needs of constituents in favor of extremist political theater. My opponent’s first vote in Congress was to object to the 2020 presidential election. She wants to defund our Departments of Homeland Security and Education. I have no interest in theatrical partisan politics. If there is a bill, from a Republican or Democrat, that could make life even a little easier for a single parent, a first responder, a healthcare worker, or a business owner, then that’s a bill I want to sign. As elected representatives, our first and only priority should be to the constituents. I am running for Congress to ensure North Texas' small businesses and main streets can thrive. Let’s invent more, build more, and buy more in America. We have a booming economy in North Texas that needs to be supported. In Congress, I will strengthen our roads, bridges, and airports to improve commerce and invest in infrastructure to increase 21st-century chip manufacturing. I will prioritize cutting red tape and regulations for small businesses to allow our local economy to flourish. Once elected, I plan to pass a federal statutory definition of market power to allow the FTC to better prevent future mega-mergers that lead to monopolies that hurt everyday consumers, price gouging and other predatory practices. I do not believe the government should insert itself into life-saving and intimate decisions between patients and medical doctors. Texas AG Ken Paxton blocking Dallas resident Kate Cox's access to a life-saving abortion is a perfect but horrifying example of this. He has a law degree from the University of Virginia. He knows absolutely nothing about medicine. This is incredibly dangerous, and it is, unfortunately, the norm for tens of millions of women in America in a post-Roe v. Wade world. Government bureaucrats and politicians should not be making decisions that are between a doctor and a patient, especially when it comes to reproductive medicine. I support passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? My top policy priorities are expanding education, restoring a women’s right to reproductive health, and investing in local businesses and main streets. Texas educates more than 10% of students in America, and 94% of our students in Texas go to public schools. We must invest in the education of the next generation. The government has no place inserting itself into intimate, life-saving decisions between patients and their doctors. I want to protect the growth of the North Texas economy and support the thousands of businesses across DFW. I will prioritize cutting red tape and regulations for small businesses and main streets to allow our economy to continue growing for years to come. What legacy would you like to leave? I want to be remembered for valuing compromise and bipartisanship. When elected, I will be the most bipartisan representative in Congress. Instead of witnessing divisive representatives who value extremist partisanship above all else, I want to be the representative who values putting people first, not politics. We need less extremism and more leaders who will do what’s right for North Texas. I’m running for Congress to work with anyone, Republican or Democrat, who will put people before allegiance to a political party. Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking? I believe compromise is essential to moving policy forward and ensuring that policies that serve the nation are prioritized above partisan fighting and gridlock. We must put what divides us aside and find a way back to the center. I want to vote for policies that will help the American people. If a bill will help a single mother trying to afford groceries for her newborn, I want to vote for that bill, no matter what office it came from. Any bill that I see that helps more people than it hurts is a bill I’d like to sign, whether it’s from a Republican or a Democrat. I want to prioritize serving the American people over my party line. I believe the best representative is one that prioritizes people over their party.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}, {"question": "Campaign website", "answer_html": "<p>Eppler’s campaign website stated the following:\n</p>\n<div style=\"height:400px;overflow:scroll;border:1px solid gray;margin:20px;padding:10px;\">\n<table data-nosnippet=\"\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none;background-color: transparent; auto; ;\">\n<tbody><tr>\n<td style=\"border:none; color:#B2B7F2;font-size:35px;font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 10px 3px;\" valign=\"top\" width=\"20\">“\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; padding: 4px 10px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p><b>Armed Forces and Veterans</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>We have the world’s greatest military. However, our armed services currently face the biggest shortage of applicants since moving to a volunteer fighting force. To address this issue, we must double down on our commitment to the bravest Americans who serve in our armed services:\n<ul><li>Double the impact of the G.I. Bill – all dependents of service members and veterans receive free tuition at public universities.</li>\n<li>$10,000 sign-on bonus for all enlisted service members.</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Climate and the Environment</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Incentivize energy companies to diversify their portfolios and invest in new sources of renewable and low-cost American energy\n<ul><li>Our home state of Texas is the #1 producer of wind energy in America. Texas must also be the #1 energy producer for Solar, Geothermal, Nuclear, and Hydrogen – let’s beat California in everything!</li></ul></li>\n<li>Ensure that Texas cements itself as the #1 energy-producing state for the next 100 years with tax credits for energy companies to build out renewable energy infrastructure like wind turbines, both on and off-shore, solar farms, and geothermal drilling.</li>\n<li>Protect our national parks and federal lands. Keep America beautiful from Big Bend to the Badlands!</li></ul>\n<p><b>Economy</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Let’s invent more, build more, and buy more in America!</li>\n<li>Increase the federal minimum wage\n<ul><li>Incentivize high-cost-of-living municipalities to increase their own minimum wages above federal.</li></ul></li>\n<li>Protect North Texas businesses and consumers\n<ul><li>Pass a federal statutory definition of market power to allow the FTC to better prevent future mega-mergers that lead to monopolies that hurt everyday consumers, price gouging and other predatory practices.</li></ul></li>\n<li>Support all future pro-infrastructure legislation\n<ul><li>Prioritize modernization of all ports of entry: airports, land-crossings, and seaports</li></ul></li>\n<li>Increase funding for the interstate highway system\n<ul><li>Interstate funding hasn’t been raised since 1993</li></ul></li>\n<li>Promote new construction and housing starts\n<ul><li>We don’t have enough good-quality and affordable housing. We need to cut red tape surrounding permitting in cities, thereby increasing the speed of development and housing and decreasing administrative costs to builders, buyers, and sellers.</li></ul></li>\n<li>Support American workers and unions while they fight for their right to competitive and fair wages that can support and sustain a family.</li></ul>\n<p><b>Education and Workforce Development</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>$7,500 Teacher Tax Credit\n<ul><li>We have a shortage of high-quality teachers, vacant classrooms, and declining student achievement in math, reading, history, and science. Every child deserves a great education, regardless of their zip code and no matter how politicized education is in their state. Free, public education is an American right that benefits everyone.</li>\n<li>High quality teachers are the most important part of a strong education system. There are 4 million public, private and charter school teachers in America. Texas has almost 400,000 teachers. Each of them deserves a raise. This legislation would be the largest investment in American education in our nation’s history, and it’s a bargain for taxpayers.</li></ul></li>\n<li>Universal Pre-K\n<ul><li>Direct Department of Education to match funding for states who set up universal, full-day Pre-K education</li></ul></li>\n<li>Four-Year College Tuition Cap\n<ul><li>Moratorium on tuition increase for all publicly funded universities and colleges.</li></ul></li>\n<li>Expand Public School Choice\n<ul><li>Open enrollment in traditional public choice and magnet schools: all parents should have the right to choose the best public school for their child</li></ul></li>\n<li>Combat Fentanyl in K-12 Schools\n<ul><li>Provide life-saving Narcan supplies and training to every school in America in order to prevent fatal overdoses</li></ul></li>\n<li>Reallocate federal Department of Education funds towards vocational and career and technical education\n<ul><li>Community college credentialing</li>\n<li>K-12 vocational training pathways</li>\n<li>Internships and apprenticeships through organized labor unions and local businesses</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>End corruption in Washington D.C.</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Ban Members of Congress and Federal Government Agencies from trading individual stocks</li>\n<li>10 year ban on lobbying after serving in Congress</li>\n<li>Ban all PAC and lobbying donations to congressional campaigns</li></ul>\n<p><b>Energy Independence</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Direct Department of Energy funds to modernize the Texas grid and connect it to neighboring states.</li>\n<li>Support and celebrate American energy independence\n<ul><li>Our nation must not rely on oil and gas imports from countries like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia</li>\n<li>Invest in all types of existing energy infrastructure and expand renewable sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, and geothermal.</li>\n<li>Require methane capture at all new wellheads, and ban gas flaring with steeply increased fines</li>\n<li>Direct Department of Energy to identify, plug, cap and reclaim all orphaned oil and gas wells across the United States.</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Gun Violence</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>I support the 2nd amendment which includes reasonable government regulation of firearm sales and ownership per the Supreme Court.\n<ul><li><i>This reasonable regulation is why you can’t buy a Javelin anti-tank missile at your local Cabela’s nor an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank from your neighborhood Ford dealer.</i></li></ul></li>\n<li>Firearms kill more children (ages 1-18) than any other cause of death. I support the following common-sense gun safety proposals that enjoy the support of the vast majority of Americans while not infringing on the right to bear arms.\n<ul><li>Universal background checks</li>\n<li>Waiting periods on assault-style firearms</li>\n<li>Raise the minimum age for all firearm purchases</li>\n<li>Crack down on illegal trafficking of weapons</li>\n<li>Closing loopholes</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Healthcare</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Incentivize states, like Texas, to finally opt-in to Medicaid in order to help our struggling hospitals treat patients and keep their doors open.</li>\n<li>Expand the federal government’s ability to negotiate drug prices for Medicare</li>\n<li>Pass Universal Coverage\n<ul><li>Uninsured Americans cost hospitals, local municipalities, and taxpayers billions of dollars each year</li></ul></li>\n<li>Expand the open enrollment period for the ACA healthcare marketplace</li>\n<li>Pass a law that requires every secondary public school in America to have one dedicated mental health counselor</li>\n<li>Increase in-home hospice care services for Medicaid/Medicare recipients</li>\n<li>Cap out-of-pocket maximums for co-pays and deductibles.</li>\n<li>Expand the federal government’s investments in curing diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.</li></ul>\n<p><b>Human Rights</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>No person should be discriminated against on the basis of sex, race, religion, or LGBTQ+ identification– which is why I would support passing the Equality Act.</li>\n<li>The government should not be involved in determining who you love and what you do in your home.</li></ul>\n<p><b>Immigration and Border Security</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>I support a strong, secure, and modernized border that prevents unlawful crossings, human trafficking, and the smuggling of illicit drugs.\n<ul><li>Establish and fund a fentanyl smuggling task force between DEA and U.S. Border Patrol</li></ul></li>\n<li>Increase federal funding to immigration courts which are currently overwhelmed and underfunded.</li>\n<li>Incentivize American businesses operating in China to move their Chinese operations, jobs, and factories to Latin American countries\n<ul><li>If people in Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua had better economic opportunities and stable jobs then they wouldn’t walk thousands of miles to cross our border. This simple concept was explained to me by one of my 15-year-old immigrant students when I was a math teacher in 2018.</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>National Service</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>I believe to unify our country, every graduating high school senior should be incentivized to complete two years of public service with (1) a $5,000 signing bonus and (2) two years of college free at any public university or community college. Two years of public service would be completed via service with the following programs/agencies:\n<ul><li>Americorps</li>\n<li>Teach for America</li>\n<li>Peace Corps</li>\n<li>City Year</li>\n<li>U.S. Forest Service</li>\n<li>National Park Service</li>\n<li>U.S. Department of Agriculture</li>\n<li>Volunteer Fire Departments/EMTs</li>\n<li>Rural Hospital Staff Corps</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Protecting Social Security</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Keep our promise to the hardworking Americans who paid into Social Security their whole life, are currently paying in, and the next generation.\n<ul><li>Keep full retirement age at 67</li>\n<li>Fully guarantee benefits indexed to the inflation rate</li>\n<li>Oppose all extremist legislation that would cut Social Security payments to retired American citizens.</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Reproductive Rights</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Protect a woman’s right to choose and access healthcare\n<ul><li>Government bureaucrats and politicians should not be making decisions that are between a doctor and a patient especially when it comes to reproductive medicine. I support passing the Women’s Health Protection Act.</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Supporting our First Responders</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>$7,500 First Responder Tax Credit\n<ul><li>We have a shortage of highly-qualified applicants in frontline public sector positions like police officers.</li>\n<li>All first responders like police, firefighters, social workers, EMTs, and nurses should be eligible for a new $7,500 federal tax credit every year. That will help our communities recruit and retain the best emergency service professionals possible.</li>\n<li>All first responders should be able to afford to live in the communities they serve.</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Tax Reform</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Legalize sports betting federally\n<ul><li>10% excise tax on all sports gambling</li></ul></li></ul>\n<dl><dd><dl><dd><ul><li>50% of revenue used to offset Teacher and First Responder Tax Credits</li>\n<li>50% of revenue sent to fund the Social Security trust funds.</li></ul></dd></dl></dd></dl>\n<ul><li>Lower the corporate tax repatriation rate\n<ul><li>Incentivize U.S. companies to move operations back to America, hire American workers, and build in America.</li></ul></li>\n<li>Special 25% tax on pattern short-term day trades\n<ul><li>This would have no effect on capital markets nor on the ability of American firms to raise capital – just people betting on stocks in their basements</li></ul></li>\n<li>Recover lost tax revenue from tax-evaders\n<ul><li>Simplify the tax code by reducing loopholes</li>\n<li>Direct IRS to use new A.I. tools to find tax evaders and criminals while increasing collection rates and total revenue while cutting the U.S. deficit</li>\n<li>Simplify the corporate tax rate to increase certainty for businesses and stabilize tax revenues to better decrease deficit</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Term Limits</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li>Being a politician is not a career – it’s an opportunity to serve your country and make positive change for all Americans. I support passing the following Term Limits on Congress and Supreme Court:\n<ul><li>10 Years in House of Representatives or 5 Terms</li>\n<li>18 Years in the Senate or 3 Terms</li>\n<li>20 Years in the Supreme Court or 5 Presidential Cycles</li></ul></li></ul>\n<p><b>Voting Rights and Gerrymandering</b><br/>\n</p>\n<ul><li><i>I support restoring</i> the Voting Rights Act and ending extreme partisan gerrymandering on both sides, in both “Blue” and “Red” states.</li>\n<li>I support making Election Day a federal holiday in order to make voting accessible for all American citizens.<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-quotedisclaimer_3-0\"><a href=\"#cite_note-quotedisclaimer-3\">[3]</a></sup></li></ul>\n</td>\n<td style=\"border: none; color: #B2B7F2; font-size: 35px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; padding: 10px 1px;\" valign=\"bottom\" width=\"20\">”\n</td></tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"cquotecite\" colspan=\"3\" style=\"border: none; padding-right: 4%\"><cite style=\"font-style: normal;font-size: smaller; float: right;\">—Sam Eppler’s campaign website (2024)<sup class=\"reference\" id=\"cite_ref-4\"><a href=\"#cite_note-4\">[4]</a></sup></cite>\n</td></tr></tbody></table>\n</div>", "answer_text": "Eppler’s campaign website stated the following:\n“ Armed Forces and Veterans We have the world’s greatest military. However, our armed services currently face the biggest shortage of applicants since moving to a volunteer fighting force. To address this issue, we must double down on our commitment to the bravest Americans who serve in our armed services: Double the impact of the G.I. Bill – all dependents of service members and veterans receive free tuition at public universities. $10,000 sign-on bonus for all enlisted service members. Climate and the Environment Incentivize energy companies to diversify their portfolios and invest in new sources of renewable and low-cost American energy Our home state of Texas is the #1 producer of wind energy in America. Texas must also be the #1 energy producer for Solar, Geothermal, Nuclear, and Hydrogen – let’s beat California in everything! Ensure that Texas cements itself as the #1 energy-producing state for the next 100 years with tax credits for energy companies to build out renewable energy infrastructure like wind turbines, both on and off-shore, solar farms, and geothermal drilling. Protect our national parks and federal lands. Keep America beautiful from Big Bend to the Badlands! Economy Let’s invent more, build more, and buy more in America! Increase the federal minimum wage Incentivize high-cost-of-living municipalities to increase their own minimum wages above federal. Protect North Texas businesses and consumers Pass a federal statutory definition of market power to allow the FTC to better prevent future mega-mergers that lead to monopolies that hurt everyday consumers, price gouging and other predatory practices. Support all future pro-infrastructure legislation Prioritize modernization of all ports of entry: airports, land-crossings, and seaports Increase funding for the interstate highway system Interstate funding hasn’t been raised since 1993 Promote new construction and housing starts We don’t have enough good-quality and affordable housing. We need to cut red tape surrounding permitting in cities, thereby increasing the speed of development and housing and decreasing administrative costs to builders, buyers, and sellers. Support American workers and unions while they fight for their right to competitive and fair wages that can support and sustain a family. Education and Workforce Development $7,500 Teacher Tax Credit We have a shortage of high-quality teachers, vacant classrooms, and declining student achievement in math, reading, history, and science. Every child deserves a great education, regardless of their zip code and no matter how politicized education is in their state. Free, public education is an American right that benefits everyone. High quality teachers are the most important part of a strong education system. There are 4 million public, private and charter school teachers in America. Texas has almost 400,000 teachers. Each of them deserves a raise. This legislation would be the largest investment in American education in our nation’s history, and it’s a bargain for taxpayers. Universal Pre-K Direct Department of Education to match funding for states who set up universal, full-day Pre-K education Four-Year College Tuition Cap Moratorium on tuition increase for all publicly funded universities and colleges. Expand Public School Choice Open enrollment in traditional public choice and magnet schools: all parents should have the right to choose the best public school for their child Combat Fentanyl in K-12 Schools Provide life-saving Narcan supplies and training to every school in America in order to prevent fatal overdoses Reallocate federal Department of Education funds towards vocational and career and technical education Community college credentialing K-12 vocational training pathways Internships and apprenticeships through organized labor unions and local businesses End corruption in Washington D.C. Ban Members of Congress and Federal Government Agencies from trading individual stocks 10 year ban on lobbying after serving in Congress Ban all PAC and lobbying donations to congressional campaigns Energy Independence Direct Department of Energy funds to modernize the Texas grid and connect it to neighboring states. Support and celebrate American energy independence Our nation must not rely on oil and gas imports from countries like Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia Invest in all types of existing energy infrastructure and expand renewable sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, and geothermal. Require methane capture at all new wellheads, and ban gas flaring with steeply increased fines Direct Department of Energy to identify, plug, cap and reclaim all orphaned oil and gas wells across the United States. Gun Violence I support the 2nd amendment which includes reasonable government regulation of firearm sales and ownership per the Supreme Court. This reasonable regulation is why you can’t buy a Javelin anti-tank missile at your local Cabela’s nor an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank from your neighborhood Ford dealer. Firearms kill more children (ages 1-18) than any other cause of death. I support the following common-sense gun safety proposals that enjoy the support of the vast majority of Americans while not infringing on the right to bear arms. Universal background checks Waiting periods on assault-style firearms Raise the minimum age for all firearm purchases Crack down on illegal trafficking of weapons Closing loopholes Healthcare Incentivize states, like Texas, to finally opt-in to Medicaid in order to help our struggling hospitals treat patients and keep their doors open. Expand the federal government’s ability to negotiate drug prices for Medicare Pass Universal Coverage Uninsured Americans cost hospitals, local municipalities, and taxpayers billions of dollars each year Expand the open enrollment period for the ACA healthcare marketplace Pass a law that requires every secondary public school in America to have one dedicated mental health counselor Increase in-home hospice care services for Medicaid/Medicare recipients Cap out-of-pocket maximums for co-pays and deductibles. Expand the federal government’s investments in curing diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Human Rights No person should be discriminated against on the basis of sex, race, religion, or LGBTQ+ identification– which is why I would support passing the Equality Act. The government should not be involved in determining who you love and what you do in your home. Immigration and Border Security I support a strong, secure, and modernized border that prevents unlawful crossings, human trafficking, and the smuggling of illicit drugs. Establish and fund a fentanyl smuggling task force between DEA and U.S. Border Patrol Increase federal funding to immigration courts which are currently overwhelmed and underfunded. Incentivize American businesses operating in China to move their Chinese operations, jobs, and factories to Latin American countries If people in Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua had better economic opportunities and stable jobs then they wouldn’t walk thousands of miles to cross our border. This simple concept was explained to me by one of my 15-year-old immigrant students when I was a math teacher in 2018. National Service I believe to unify our country, every graduating high school senior should be incentivized to complete two years of public service with (1) a $5,000 signing bonus and (2) two years of college free at any public university or community college. Two years of public service would be completed via service with the following programs/agencies: Americorps Teach for America Peace Corps City Year U.S. Forest Service National Park Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Volunteer Fire Departments/EMTs Rural Hospital Staff Corps Protecting Social Security Keep our promise to the hardworking Americans who paid into Social Security their whole life, are currently paying in, and the next generation. Keep full retirement age at 67 Fully guarantee benefits indexed to the inflation rate Oppose all extremist legislation that would cut Social Security payments to retired American citizens. Reproductive Rights Protect a woman’s right to choose and access healthcare Government bureaucrats and politicians should not be making decisions that are between a doctor and a patient especially when it comes to reproductive medicine. I support passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. Supporting our First Responders $7,500 First Responder Tax Credit We have a shortage of highly-qualified applicants in frontline public sector positions like police officers. All first responders like police, firefighters, social workers, EMTs, and nurses should be eligible for a new $7,500 federal tax credit every year. That will help our communities recruit and retain the best emergency service professionals possible. All first responders should be able to afford to live in the communities they serve. Tax Reform Legalize sports betting federally 10% excise tax on all sports gambling 50% of revenue used to offset Teacher and First Responder Tax Credits 50% of revenue sent to fund the Social Security trust funds. Lower the corporate tax repatriation rate Incentivize U.S. companies to move operations back to America, hire American workers, and build in America. Special 25% tax on pattern short-term day trades This would have no effect on capital markets nor on the ability of American firms to raise capital – just people betting on stocks in their basements Recover lost tax revenue from tax-evaders Simplify the tax code by reducing loopholes Direct IRS to use new A.I. tools to find tax evaders and criminals while increasing collection rates and total revenue while cutting the U.S. deficit Simplify the corporate tax rate to increase certainty for businesses and stabilize tax revenues to better decrease deficit Term Limits Being a politician is not a career – it’s an opportunity to serve your country and make positive change for all Americans. I support passing the following Term Limits on Congress and Supreme Court: 10 Years in House of Representatives or 5 Terms 18 Years in the Senate or 3 Terms 20 Years in the Supreme Court or 5 Presidential Cycles Voting Rights and Gerrymandering I support restoring the Voting Rights Act and ending extreme partisan gerrymandering on both sides, in both “Blue” and “Red” states. I support making Election Day a federal holiday in order to make voting accessible for all American citizens. [3] ” —Sam Eppler’s campaign website (2024) [4]"}]