The 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees. District 16 represents most of El Paso County, minus some neighborhoods in the eastern portions of the Lower Valley and East Montana. U.S. representatives get paid $174,000 per year and serve two-year terms.
Who’s running for this seat?
Veronica Escobar, 54, a Democrat, is the current U.S. representative for District 16.
Leeland White, a Democratic candidate for U.S. representative for District 16, did not respond to the questionnaire.
Candidate Questionnaires
Candidates were asked to limit their responses to 100 words. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar.
Veronica Escobar: It’s been 37 years since Congress last passed comprehensive immigration reform. My bipartisan comprehensive reform bill, the Dignity Act, opens up robust new legal pathways, creates in-country processing facilities to disincentivize the dangerous journey migrants are making to the border, reforms our outdated border processes while increasing border security, and provides legal protections to the undocumented in our country who qualify.
Leeland White: No response.
Veronica Escobar: I am the only member of Congress from our region to have voted in favor of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and through that I secured $600 million for the Bridge of the Americas, a historic once-in-a-generation investment. I also chaired a binational infrastructure Task Force focused on border infrastructure. Additionally, I helped pass the CHIPS Act which bolsters semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. My bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill also authorizes more funding for our land ports of entry.
Leeland White: No response.
Veronica Escobar: I’ve been in Congress for three terms, and during my first two terms, when House Democrats held the majority, we passed our appropriations bills in a bipartisan manner and months before the fiscal year began. Under the new Republican majority, there has been chaos, dysfunction and non-stop brinkmanship. As a legislator who is willing to compromise and do the hard work of governing, I can only control the role I play in Congress.
Leeland White: No response.
Veronica Escobar: Inflation has been decreasing over the last several months, and the United States economy continues to rebound post-pandemic. But we still have work to do to lower the costs Americans are feeling. When House Democrats were in the majority and passed the expanded Child Tax Credit, we saw childhood poverty decline and families had more money in their pocket to deal with the costs of raising a family.
Leeland White: No response.
Veronica Escobar: The State of Texas’ efforts to enforce immigration laws are unconstitutional and will only increase civil rights violations and racial profiling. I fully support the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the State of Texas to stop their reckless government overreach.
Leeland White: No response.
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The post Meet the Democratic U.S. representative candidates for District 16 in March primary appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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