Issues & Stances

House Conservatives believe that the federal government has an obligation to protect all innocent human life, including the most vulnerable, the unborn children. We believe that instead of using abortion as a method of birth control, the government should emphasize abstinence programs. By encouraging alternatives to abortion, such as programs that promote adoption, we can alleviate many of the circumstances that contribute to the distressingly high number of abortions in this country.

The agricultural industry has always been a fundamental cornerstone of the American economy. House Conservatives advocate fiscally responsible policies that help farmers without compromising the American taxpayer. This includes promoting investment, economic growth and prosperity for the men and women of this country who uphold the American agricultural tradition.

We in the "Majority of the Minority" have always stood behind fiscally conservative economic policy. However, we are still concerned that the federal government is growing faster than any other segment of society. Currently, the federal government is expanding at almost three times the rate of inflation. The average taxpayer in this country should never be called upon to foot the bill for wasteful national spending. House conservatives must continue to promote smart spending and increased accountability at all levels of the government. This incredible rate of growth must be stopped and spending reigned in.

Conservative economics got us out of the latest recession and conservative economics will continue the help promote outstanding job growth. The Nation has added more than 4.7 million jobs since the implementation of the 2003 tax cut. House Conservatives will continue to work to stimulate the economy by passing conservative economic policies in an effort to relieve people of heavy tax burdens.

In order to ensure fair elections and honest campaigns, House Conservatives support reform aimed at protecting the integrity of each citizen's right to vote and decreasing the power and influence of special interest groups. We also support measures designed to encourage transparency in campaign contributions and expenditures so that the democratic process remains pure. Our belief is that these reforms will strengthen the political party system and leave the true power where it belongs - in the hands of the voters.

The first responsibility of the federal government is to protect the American people. Without a secure society America would no longer be a free society. Therefore, House Conservatives strongly support funding for defense and homeland security programs to ensure the U.S. has the best-equipped and best-trained military in the world. In order to promote freedom abroad we must not cut corners under any circumstance-especially in a time when our military is so essential to our national security.

We can all agree that the youth of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Providing our children with a quality education is critical to enriching their minds and shaping the future of our country. House Conservatives believe in a framework for legislation that will expand access and quality of education by focusing on the principles of fairness, accountability and affordability. We advocate holding schools to the highest of standards, giving each child the opportunity to learn and live up to their greatest potential. We also support mechanisms for enhanced parental involvement in their child's educational future. It is important that we equip parents with the tools they need to ensure teachers and schools achieve excellence and meet the needs of each individual child.

With gas prices subject to fluctuating prices due to production quotas and the profit-driven actions of producing countries, it is crucial that our nation learns to wean itself away from foreign oil. House Conservatives believe that American dependence on foreign oil threatens our national security. We need less dependence on foreign fuel and more attention to developing our own energy supply. We need more domestic oil production, reusable energy, and more use of clean-coal technology, which is the only way to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of energy when we need it.

As one of the most important principles guiding the founders of our nation, faith plays a pivotal role in our everyday life, and House Conservatives have moved to defend its place in the public forum. Using faith-based institutions - whether churches, synagogues or mosques - may be the most effective way to eliminate the challenges facing our needy and to combat social problems. Faith-based organizations already have the buildings, caring staff, and presence in needy communities to implement effective programs that can reach those who most need our help. House Conservatives believe ensuring the continued success of faith-based initiatives will lead to a stronger America.

Improving our nation's health care system is a priority for all American families. House Conservatives support competitive reforms designed to lower costs and ensure quality access to care. Policies that will increase competition and individual choice in the healthcare marketplace are essential in achieving greater efficiency and eliminating the rising costs of healthcare. It should not be the goal of government to subsidize health care but to seek solutions that will reduce the costs of procedures, consultations and medications.

Medicare is a vital program for America's elderly and disabled citizens. We believe in working hard to secure the program's future while strengthening the program to better meet the changing needs of today. HCF does not endorse the privatization of Medicare. House Conservatives are committed to securing adequate and affordable health care for seniors while stabilizing the burden placed on the American taxpayer.

America is a nation of immigrants, and House Conservatives do not feel we should shut out those individuals legally seeking a better life for themselves and their families. However, maintaining border control is critical to our national stability and security. House Conservatives will continue address the pressing problem of illegal immigration and examine what can be done to curb the harmful effects upon our nation.

Conservatives firmly believe that the courts of our nation should be guided by judges who will strictly construe our Constitution and our laws. Activist judges who go beyond simply interpreting the law impose their own agendas on the public and threaten to distort the fundamental precepts on which our great country was founded. We at the House Conservatives Fund support candidates who would support judicial nominees who will faithfully adhere to our Constitution as it was written, and we oppose those who would advocate the obstruction of qualified nominees to deny them an up or down vote.

House conservatives tend to understand that Social Security provides a critical foundation of income for retired and disabled workers. Social Security is safe for today's seniors. However, the government does not save our Social Security taxes for future retirees. Congress borrows this extra money and uses it to make up for deficits elsewhere in the budget. Thus the Social Security trust fund contains nothing but IOUs the government has written to itself. For this reason, House conservatives should be encouraged to act now to seriously investigate long-term, structural reforms to Social Security. HCF does not endorse the privatization of Social Security.

House conservatives should believe that simplicity, fairness, and efficiency are three standards which should govern our country's tax system. Taxation in any form represents one of the greatest assaults by government on personal freedoms. In general, House conservatives need to support measures that would eliminate or reduce the number of taxes that individuals and businesses pay.