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2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SITE
Last updated on: 11/1/2019 3:25:45 PM PST

Beto O'Rourke (D)


Positions & Statements on the Issues


[Editor's Note: On Friday, Nov. 2, 2019, Beto O'Rourke suspended his campaign for president. In a statement published on medium.com, titled "Thank You.," O'Rourke stated, "Though it is difficult to accept, it is clear to me now that this campaign does not have the means to move forward successfully. My service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee. Acknowledging this now is in the best interests of those in the campaign; it is in the best interests of this party as we seek to unify around a nominee; and it is in the best interests of the country."]

 

 Positions on the Issues

 Biography
 Finances

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Crime & Justice
None Found
Should Police Departments Be Defunded, if Not Abolished?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Crime & Justice
None Found
Should the US Ban Assault Weapons?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Crime & Justice
None Found
Should Federal or State Governments Implement Ban the Box Legislation, which Prevents Employers from Asking about a Job Applicants' Criminal History?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Crime & Justice
None Found
Should the US End the Cash Bail System?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Crime & Justice
Now Con

Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed?

"Q: As president, would you suspend capital punishment at the federal level?

O'Rourke: I would. It's not an equitable, fair, just system right now. The guarantees and safeguards against wrongful prosecution, the disproportionate number of people of color who comprise our criminal justice system. And on moral grounds, I oppose the death penalty."

Source: O. Kay Henderson, "Beto O'Rourke Kicks off 2020 Presidential Race in Keokuk," radioiowa.com, Mar. 14, 2019

[Editor's Note: O'Rourke previously expressed a PRO opinion on this question. Read O'Rourke's former position on whether the death penalty should be legal.]


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Crime & Justice
None Found
Should the Use of Private Prisons Continue?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Crime & Justice
Pro
Should Universal Background Checks for Gun Purchases Be Made Law?

"We need universal background checks in this country. No more loopholes, no more exceptions. This is common sense, supported by most Americans, and will save lives in our communities."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, Facebook.com, Apr. 19, 2019


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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should Confederate Statues Be Taken Down?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should the District of Columbia Be Given Statehood?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should the Guantánamo Bay Detention Center Remain Open?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should the US Federal Government Honor Treaties with Native Americans?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should the Federal Government Adopt Net Neutrality Rules?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should the Federal Government Mandate Paid Family and Medical Leave for All Americans?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should Public Sector Employees Have the Right to Unionize?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should Puerto Rico Be Given Statehood?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
Pro
Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legal Federally?

"Even as marijuana has been legalized in states across our country, inequities have persisted—as white communities have benefited from new business opportunities, while communities of color still face over-policing and criminalization...

Our plan starts with: Legalizing marijuana, providing clemency for those currently serving time, and expunging the records of everyone who has been convicted for possession in the past. But we don't stop there. We will also invest in the communities that have long been most impacted by the War on Drugs—providing a 'Drug War Justice Grant' to everyone who was formerly incarcerated for a nonviolent marijuana offense, funded entirely by a tax on the marijuana industry."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "Legalize Marijuana," betoorourke.com (accessed Oct. 10, 2019)


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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should the Government Regulate Social Media Sites to Prevent Fake News and Misinformation?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Domestic Policy
None Found
Should the Federal Government Provide Universal Childcare?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Economy

ProCon.org has no entry yet for this issue.

Economy
None Found
Should the Federal Government Pay Reparations to the Descendants of Slaves?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Economy
Pro
Should Federal Taxes Be Increased?

"I think you at a minimum roll back the worst elements of the Trump tax cuts. So the top marginal tax rate back up to 39%.

If you were to do that, and in addition make some other structural changes to our tax code — the corporate tax rate, which was brought down from 35% to 21%, bring that back up to 28% — great place to start. And as you probably know, you generate hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 10 years. If you were to tax capital at the same rate that you tax ordinary wage income, like the waiters who are working here, you also get to some greater structural correction to a very unequal economy, and you generate the revenue necessary."

Source: John Harwood, "Beto O'Rourke Begins Filling in the Blanks on the Economy, Taxes and Entitlements," cnbc.com, July 5, 2019


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Economy
Pro
Should the Federal Minimum Wage Be Increased?

"Ten years ago today, the federal minimum wage was increased to $7.25. Since then, it has gone up $0.00. We need to win the #FightFor15 [$15/hr minimum wage] and ensure every working American is paid a living wage because one job should be enough in this country."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, twitter.com, July 24, 2019


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Economy
None Found
Should Federal Welfare Benefits Have Work Requirements?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Economy
None Found
Should the US Implement a Universal Basic Income (UBI)?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Economy
None Found
Should the US Implement a Wealth Tax?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Education

ProCon.org has no entry yet for this issue.

Education
None Found
Should For-Profit Charter Schools Receive Federal Funding?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Education
None Found
Should Schools Be Gun-Free Zones?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Education
None Found
Should the Federal Funding to Historically Black Universities and Colleges (HBCUs) Be Increased?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Education
Not Clearly Pro or Con
Should Student Loan Debt Be Forgiven?

"As president, he will:

Allow borrowers with high interest rate private student loan debt to refinance at lower federal interest rates.

Accelerating [sic] student loan forgiveness for educators, with total loan forgiveness for those who have spent five years in a public school.

Streamline and expand public service loan-forgiveness, enabling those working in public service to have 10% of their debt forgiven for each year served."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "Plans," betoorourke.com (accessed Sep. 5, 2019)


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Education
None Found
Should Title IX Give More Protection to College Students Accused of Sexual Misconduct?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Education
Pro
Should Public College Be Tuition-Free?

“I support free two-year college, earn that associate's degree, realize your full potential, debt-free four-year college. But unlike some of the other candidates on the stage, that's not just for tuition. That is room and books and board, the full cost of being able to better yourself so that you can better this country, and then for that schoolteacher who, in many places like Texas, is working a second or a third job, full forgiveness for her outstanding student loan debt, forgiveness for that person willing to work at the V.A. and serve our former service members.”

Source: The Fix, "Transcript: The First Night of the Second Democratic Debate," washingtonpost.com, July 30, 2019


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Elections
Pro
Should Election Day Be a National Holiday?

"Invest in Human-Centered Voter Design that expands vote-by-mail and early voting and makes National Voting Day a national holiday."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "Voting Rights," betoorourke.com (accessed Sep. 29, 2019)


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Elections
Pro
Should the US Abolish the Electoral College?

"Yes, let's abolish the Electoral College... This is one of those bad compromises we made at day one in this country... If we got rid of the electoral college, we get a little bit closer to one person, one vote in the United States of America... If there were no Electoral College, or we were to reform the Electoral College so each state awarded its electors proportionate to the popular vote, you'd have to have every presidential candidate showing up to every state to listen to, talk with, and learn from everyone."

Source: Fox News, "Beto O'Rourke: Let's Abolish the Electoral College," foxnews.com, Apr. 1, 2019


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Elections
None Found
Should Former Felons Be Allowed to Vote?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Elections
None Found
Should 2020 Presidential Election Candidates Accept Support from Super PACs?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Elections
None Found
Should the US Expand Vote-by-Mail?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Elections
Con
Should Voters Be Required to Show Photo Identification in Order to Vote?

“Voter ID laws reduce turnout, period. And the burden these laws create is felt most strongly by voters of color⎯who are more likely to not have government-issued identification in the first place, and more likely to be asked to show ID when they actually go to vote. As President, Beto will work with Congress to pass legislation that allows people without identification to vote with a sworn written statement of identity.”

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "Voting Rights," betoorourke.com (accessed Sep. 17, 2019)


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Environment
None Found
Should the US Move toward 100% Clean Energy and Net-Zero Emissions?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Environment
None Found
Should the US Enforce a Carbon Tax?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Environment
None Found
Should American Communities Have the Right to Clean Water?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Environment
Con
Should the US Expand Fossil Fuel Extraction on Public Land?

"As President, Beto will use his executive authority not only to reverse the problematic decisions made by the current administration, but also to go beyond the climate actions under previous presidents...

- Require any federal permitting decision to fully account for climate costs and community impacts;

- Set a first-ever, net-zero emissions by 2030 carbon budget for federal lands, stopping new fossil fuel leases, changing royalties to reflect climate costs, and accelerating renewables development and forestation."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "Climate Change," betoorourke.com (accessed Oct. 15, 2019)


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Environment
None Found
Should Fracking Be Allowed?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Environment
Pro
Should the US Adopt a Climate Change Plan such as the Green New Deal?

"To have any chance at limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 °C and preventing the worst effects of climate change, the latest science demands net-zero emissions by 2050. By investing in infrastructure, innovation, and in our people and communities, we can achieve this ambition, which is in line with the 2050 emissions goal of the Green New Deal, in a way that grows our economy and shrinks our inequality.

We cannot afford to delay any longer. That is why our ambition must be backed up by a legally enforceable standard that holds us accountable to future generations."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "Climate Change," betoorourke.com (accessed Sep. 5, 2019)


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Environment
None Found
Should the Keystone XL Pipeline Be Built?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Environment
None Found
Should the US Expand Its Use of Nuclear Power?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Environment
None Found
Should the US Rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Foreign Policy
None Found
Should the Tariffs Imposed on China by President Trump Be Maintained?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Foreign Policy
None Found
Should the US Ease or Cancel the Embargo against Cuba?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Foreign Policy
Pro
Should the US Re-Enter a Nuclear Deal with Iran?

"Yes, as President, I will rejoin the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action aka Iran Nuclear Deal], conditioned on Iran's compliance with its commitments under the agreement. President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the JCPOA was short-sighted, reckless, and against the recommendations of both the U.S. and Israeli intelligence communities. The nuclear agreement was not perfect—no negotiated agreement can be—but it significantly advanced American interests and was succeeding in blocking Iran’s pathway to achieving nuclear capability. Moreover, our sudden withdrawal has made the United States and our allies less safe and weakened our credibility as a good-faith negotiator for subsequent dealings with Iran and other regimes.

As President, I will reverse these policies."

Source: Council on Foreign Relations, "The Presidential Candidates on the Iran Nuclear Deal," cfr.org, July 30, 2019


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Foreign Policy
None Found
Does the US Need to Increase the Military Budget to Improve National Security?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Foreign Policy
Not Clearly Pro or Con
Should the US Have Withdrawn from the Open Skies Treaty?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Foreign Policy
None Found
Should the US Withdraw Troops from the Middle East?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Foreign Policy
Con
Should the US Have Withdrawn Troops from Northern Syria in Oct. 2019?

"Trump will be responsible for these deaths."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, Twitter.com, Oct. 9, 2019

[Editor's Note: O'Rourke tweeted the above along with a link to an NBC News article titled "Turkey Launches Military Operation in Northeast Syria after U.S. Withdraws."]


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Healthcare
Pro
Should Abortion Be Legal?

"Beto is committed to appointing judges who respect Roe v. Wade as the settled law of the land and recognize that a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her own body is squarely grounded in the foundational constitutional principles of liberty and privacy...

Beto would work with Congress to... [a]ffirm a woman’s constitutional right to choose under Roe v. Wade and preempt state and local laws banning abortion prior to viability...

Create a universal health care system that includes coverage for the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare, including access to contraception and abortion."

Source: Beto O’Rourke, "Women’s Reproductive Rights," betoorourke.com (accessed Aug. 15, 2019)


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Healthcare
None Found
Timeline of Comments

Please see: "Coronavirus: Timeline of Comments by Trump and Biden with Background and Context."



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Healthcare
None Found
Should Americans Be Able to Import Prescription Drugs?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Healthcare
Pro
Should the US Switch to a Medicare-for-All Healthcare System?

“The middle class will not pay more in taxes in order to ensure that every American is guaranteed world-class health care. I think we're being offered a false choice, some who want to improve the Affordable Care Act at the margins, others who want a Medicare for All program that will force people off of private insurance, I have a better path.

Medicare for America. Everyone who is uninsured is enrolled in Medicare tomorrow. Those who are insufficiently insured are enrolled in Medicare...

Our plan ensures that everyone is enrolled in Medicare or can keep their employer-sponsored insurance. When we listen to the American people -- and this is what they want us to do -- they want everyone covered, but they want to be able to maintain choice.”

Source: The Fix, "Transcript: The First Night of the Second Democratic Debate," washingtonpost.com, July 30, 2019


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Healthcare
None Found
Should the Availability of Naloxone (Narcan) Be Expanded to Help Prevent Opioid Overdoses?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Healthcare
None Found
Is the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) Good for Americans?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Healthcare
None Found
Should the Federal Government Intervene to Lower Prescription Drugs Costs?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Healthcare
None Found
Should the Federal Government Intervene to End Surprise Medical Billing?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Healthcare
None Found
Should the United States Leave the World Health Organization (WHO)?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Immigration
Con
Should the US Continue to Build a Border Wall at the US/Mexico Border?

“The current administration is distracting CBP and other law enforcement personnel from focusing on actual threats and undermining their efficacy by pulling resources away from them – all in pursuit of a wall that we do not need, does not work, and will not make us safer. As President, Beto will:

Immediately halt work on the border wall – and his first budget, and every budget, will include zero dollars for this unnecessary wall.”

Source: Beto O’Rourke, “Immigration,” betoorourke.com (accessed Aug. 15, 2019)


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Immigration
None Found
Should the US End the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Policy?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Immigration
Con
Should the US Decriminalize Illegal Border Crossings?

"[I]n the vast majority of cases, there is no need to incarcerate or to detain migrant families and especially children. But if somebody is attempting to smuggle human beings into the United States, if they are attempting to cross illegal drugs into this country, I want to make sure that we have the legal mechanism necessary to hold them accountable and to detain them to make sure they do not pose a threat to this country or to our communities... I do not think that it [the law that makes it a crime to enter the US illegally] should be repealed."

Source: CNN, "O'Rourke: Don't Decriminalize Illegal Border Crossings," cnn.com, June 16, 2019


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Immigration
None Found
Should Immigrants Who Entered the US Illegally Be Denied a Path to Citizenship?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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Immigration
None Found
Should the Federal Government Limit the Number of Green Card Holders by which Immigrants Are Likely to Be Dependent on Government Resources (the Public Charge Rule)?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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LGBTQ+
None Found
Should Adoption Agencies Be Able to Refuse LGBTQ+ Couples?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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LGBTQ+
None Found
Should Federal and State Governments Allow Nonbinary and Transgender People to Choose the Gender That Matches Their Identity (Including a Third Gender Option) for Government Documents?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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LGBTQ+
Pro
Should LGBTQ+ People Have Protection from Being Fired for Being LGBTQ+?

"Members of the LGBTQ+ community still lack comprehensive legal protections, and they face risks to their safety and security every day—in school, at work, and in their communities. Today, in more states than not, you can marry the person you love on a Saturday and risk losing your job for it by Monday morning with no protection under state law.

To protect all LGBTQ+ people, Beto will work with Congress to:

Pass the Equality Act, which would ensure all LGBTQ+ people may fully participate in public life without discrimination in employment, housing, and access to public spaces and services, such as retail stores and banking services."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "LGBTQ+ Equality," betoorourke.com (accessed Oct. 10, 2019)


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LGBTQ+
None Found
Should the Government Allow Businesses to Deny Services to LGBTQ+ Customers Using Religious Freedom Laws?

Withdrew on Nov. 2, 2019; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.



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LGBTQ+
Pro
Should Transgender People Be Allowed to Serve in the US Military?

"LGBTQ+ troops have served our country since its inception. If elected to serve as Commander in Chief, Beto will celebrate their sacrifice, and make certain LGBTQ+ troops and veterans and their families are granted the dignity of their service. He will do this by:

Overturning Trump’s discriminatory transgender troop ban, including all resulting discharges, ending the 'Deploy or Get Out' policy, and banning the practice of discharging HIV+ servicemembers; and

Directing the Department of Defense to upgrade the service records of openly LGBTQ+ veterans discharged due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics who wish to receive an upgrade."

Source: Beto O'Rourke, "Caring for Our Nation's Veterans," betoorourke.com (accessed Oct. 10, 2019)


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