Keeping Faith with America’s Veterans
With two brothers currently serving in our nation’s military overseas and as the grandson of a WWII and Korean War veteran, Luke’s commitment to those who served our nation – and those who currently serve – remains steadfast. These men and women willingly defend us and our freedoms everyday. Honoring their service and sacrifice is not negotiable – we must fight for them as they have fought for us.

An issue of particular concern is the veterans’ healthcare system, which has lost the faith of countless veterans, is rife with deficiencies, and desperately needs reformed. While Luke is encouraged by David Shulkin’s – Secretary of Veterans Affairs – commitment to improve the VA health system, repairing and modernizing the VA must be one of our top priorities. Any reform must consider the needs of rural veterans, who often live hundreds of miles from the nearest VA facility, and guarantee that they have timely access to quality care, free of bureaucratic red tape. Caring from our veterans isn’t just about healthcare though.

We must protect and strengthen the GI Bill while providing mid-career veterans access to job training that builds on the skills they developed while on active duty. We must do more to make sure veterans have access to affordable home and business loans. For those veterans who have recently separated from active duty, making the transition to civilian life as seamless as possible, while providing counseling and other necessary resources is, essential to maintaining and honoring our nation’s commitment to their service.

Protecting the Unborn
Luke is unapologetically pro-life. As a member of the Idaho Legislature, he has worked to ensure the sanctity of life. He also supports fixing our broken adoption and foster care systems to support America’s children and families.

Standing Up to Wasteful Spending
The federal budget is riddled with waste, fraud and abuse.

More than 10% of Medicaid spending in 2016 was fraudulent and Medicare made $41.1 billion in improper payments. Taxpayers are on the hook for everything from mohair wool subsidies to providing affordable housing for artists in San Francisco. But, when conservatives in Congress try to remove these wasteful line items from the budget, they’re told that a few million dollars here and there won’t make a difference.

Hard working taxpayers know better and it’s time that Congress started minding its pennies so the dollars take care of themselves. As your representative, Luke will ensure that Congress reduces spending and reins in the contractors and bureaucrats who see taxpayer money as a blank check. Luke looks forward to working with his Idaho counterparts in the Senate to ensure entitlements and support bills to end the earmark process and create commissions to find wasteful government programs.

The government can fulfill its responsibilities —defending the nation, maintaining infrastructure, caring for America’s veterans, etc.— without over-burdening taxpayers.

Americans deserve to get the most value out of every dollar.

Managing Idaho’s Public Lands
As an avid outdoorsman, Luke cherishes Idaho’s natural beauty and understands the importance of protecting one of our State’s greatest treasures. However, protecting nature has recently become more about prohibiting any utilization of our natural resources instead of responsible management of those resources. Luke believes a balance can and should be found to ensure that Idahoans are able to hunt, fish, ski, and enjoy our public lands while offering land use opportunities for job creators who seek to utilize our natural resources while adhering to strict state regulations.

It’s laughable that environmentalists in California, New York, and Massachusetts, or unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. think they know more about managing Idaho’s unique public lands than we do. Luke will support policies that seek to allow those who are in the best position to find a balanced approach to multiple use and competing interests to control these lands – the locals.

Further, Luke believes that only Congress should have the power to create new protected areas. A president should not have the unilateral power to close off public lands.

We need accountability in the land management process to protect our state.

Developing Common Sense Immigration Policy
The United States is a nation of immigrants, and legal immigrants deserve the opportunity to achieve their American dream. Illegal immigration is a threat to both our security and our economy; but rhetoric won’t solve the problem

A sound immigration policy is one that balances security and the needs of American industry, while ensuring everyone is paying their way.

Luke believes that all of the stakeholders – agricultural producers, immigrant groups, small businesses, and law enforcement – deserve to be heard before any changes to the immigration system are made.

Border security and immigration reforms should be enacted to stem the flow of drugs into the country and crackdown on human trafficking. As a former prosecutor, Luke also believes that more must be done to ensure that dangerous criminals are removed from our country.

Defending the Second Amendment
As an Idahoan who grew up around and was taught how to responsibly handle weapons, Luke knows that gun ownership is a fundamental right and a serious responsibility. Protecting the rights of law-abiding Idahoans means vigorously defending an individual right to possess firearms. Luke has repeatedly earned the endorsement of the NRA for backing legislation that protects the Second Amendment.

Improving America’s Education System
There isn’t room in Idaho’s classrooms for the federal government. Idaho’s teachers and parents are in the best position to know what Idaho’s students need. Onerous federal requirements stifle innovation and force our teachers to “teach to the test” to preserve funding. Accountability and quality are critical, but the current system needs improvement.

Luke believes that our students should have access to vocational and technical programs that prepare them for 21st century jobs. Community colleges are a critical tool to get training for the next generation of our workforce to get good paying jobs. Furthermore, those who attend four-year colleges should graduate career ready, instead of drowning in debt. Congress needs to rethink how we educate our students with an eye toward growing and strengthening our workforce and our economy.

Supporting Idaho’s Core Industries: Agriculture, Timber and Mining
Idaho’s natural resources have always been the heart of our economy.

Agriculture production is essential to the United States’ economy, health, and prosperity. Idaho grows the finest produce, grain, and livestock, and our farmers and ranchers are valued members of our communities. If elected to Congress, Luke will request a seat on the House Committee on Agriculture. Luke believes in eliminating burdensome regulations, negotiating fair trade deals, and strengthening our agricultural communities through sound rural policy. He will strive to secure a Farm Bill that supports these communities as its primary goal.

Timber and mining built Idaho, and thousands of Idahoans still work in our forests and mines. Idaho’s communities know how best to balance our environment and our economic needs. Good-paying jobs shouldn’t be endangered by policies written by outsiders. Strengthening these industries means supporting innovation, fighting over-regulation, and re-negotiating trade deals to put America’s resources first.^[17]

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