Royce West in 2020 TX Senate race
On Abortion:
A woman has the right to make decisions about her body
A woman has the right to make decisions about her body -- it is that simple. Any issue involving a woman's healthcare is between her and her doctor, and that's where we need to leave it. I am dedicated to continuing this fight in Washington, where
Roe vs. Wade is under attack, and the continued appointment of anti-choice Supreme Court Justices could result in a catastrophic blow to women's reproductive freedom.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Budget & Economy:
End predatory lending practices
To combat income inequality, we also need to make banking available to low income families without making interest rates so high that they continue the cycle of poverty. We must end predatory lending practices and safeguard well-intentioned borrowers
who are trying to make their lives better. Together, we must elect leaders to Washington who will ensure we have an economy that works for all of us -- not just big banks and corporations.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Civil Rights:
Every person should have access to the voting booth
America was built upon the ideal of one person, one vote. Federally, we must take whatever steps necessary to ensure that every person has the opportunity and access to the voting booth.
Voter equity means strengthening automatic voter registration, making Election Day a national holiday, increasing the number of polling places, and reversing all of the discriminatory Voter ID laws.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Civil Rights:
Pass Equality Act; end trans-phobic policies
We must pass The Equality Act and unequivocally say that discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare, and access to public goods and services is illegal.
Congress needs to pass legislation to end the exclusion of sexual and gender identity as a protected class under Title VII and Title IX. Congress must take action to immediately end the Trump Administration's blatant transphobic policies.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Crime:
Total reform needed at all levels of the judiciary
From the halls of our local police departments, to the court rooms, and overcrowded prisons, total reform is needed at all levels of the judiciary. We must pass federal legislation to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences,
end private for-profit prisons, promote rehabilitation centers, and put support systems in place for former inmates who are shut out of opportunities.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Crime:
Reexamine the use of deadly force by police
We must hold our police departments accountable for misconduct and excessive force; and bring in independent investigators to reexamine the use of deadly force and foster an environment that prioritizes de-escalation tactics. I have a long record of
fighting for criminal justice reform and putting measures in place to hold law enforcement accountable. In the Texas State Senate, I authored groundbreaking legislation for body cameras and dashboard cameras in police vehicles.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Education:
Offer debt relief & free tuition for low income students
Tuition is too high and student loan interest rates make it nearly impossible to even pay off your debt. We must offer debt relief programs for the millions of Texans who are unable to invest in buying a home or vehicle due to the burden of their debt.
We need to invest in Community Colleges, offering free tuition for low income students. The path from a Community College into a 4-year institution is complicated and uneven, and it is imperative to make that pathway easier to navigate.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Education:
Investing in public schools a top priority
Investing in K-12 education is one of my top priorities. One of the things we did was make sure funding followed our low-income students. Money would be given to schools based on the number of
low-income students in attendance. We also passed a statewide pay increase for teachers to ease the burden they face. Teacher's shouldn't worry about paying for their own school supplies out of pocket.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Energy & Oil:
Reengage in Paris Climate Accords
The window to address climate change is getting smaller and smaller. This is something that America must address now, and our first step is reengaging in the Paris Climate Accords. We have to end our dependence on fossil fuels and utilize renewable
energy. As a nation, we are not investing nearly enough in clean energy solutions. We have the technology to invigorate the solar and wind industries, which would create thousands of jobs across the country and aid our environment.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Gun Control:
We must regulate deadly weapons
My position on gun reform has been clear for over 30 years. In the 1990's I authored bills on both universal background checks and an assault weapons ban. Since the 90's, I have remained consistent in my unwavering belief that we must regulate
deadly weapons. I support universal background checks, banning weapons of war, red flag laws, and limiting magazine capacity. We need brave legislators in Washington to take on the NRA.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Health Care:
Fought to expand Medicaid
We must stand together, as a nation, and say that healthcare is a basic human right, not a privilege reserved for only those who can afford it. That's why, for decades, in the Texas Senate, I have fought to expand Medicaid to our most vulnerable
neighbors. No matter your circumstance, our nation benefits from healthy and productive people. I sponsored a bill in 2018 to expand Medicaid eligibility to our military heroes. Texas left millions without coverage by refusing Medicaid expansion.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Health Care:
Imperative that mental health services be included
It is imperative that mental health services don't fall through the cracks. We must continue educating people on the importance of mental health and include those services with basic healthcare packages. Introducing the importance of mental health
to our children is a clear step we must take as a country. I authored multiple bills in the Texas Senate to not only include mental health services in our schools, but to also add mental health care as part of our curriculum.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Immigration:
Must address humanitarian crisis at the border
Our immigration system is broken. This presidential administration has thrown our immigration policies into total chaos -- to the point where we are violating international human rights laws.
Children do not belong in cages, families must stay together, and we must immediately address the humanitarian crisis going on at the border. Our border needs more resources, like judges who can expedite hearings for asylum seekers.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Jobs:
Fully supports $15 minimum wage
Hard working Texans deserve a living wage and should not have to live paycheck to paycheck.I fully support a $15 federal minimum wage and I have fought for legislation to raise the minimum wage in Texas.
With the staggering increase in income inequality, a single parent has to work 2 or 3 jobs just to afford putting food on the table. This country can afford to pay workers a dignified, living wage.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
On Immigration:
We've got to find a way to keep DREAMers in the country
When it comes to the border, West said Texas needs more judges with more resources so Texas can adjudicate the asylum claims. DACA went before the Supreme Court and West said a legislative solution may be the answer if the president is not going to do
anything by executive order. "Those kids that are involved in the DACA program are kids that have done everything that they need to do here in this country," West said. "And we've got to find a way to make certain that they stay in this country."
Source: KXAN-TV NBC on 2020 Texas Senate race
Nov 17, 2019
On Government Reform:
Government contracts raise issues of conflicts of interest
West has dismissed concerns about any conflicts of interest, saying he makes it clear to entities that hire him that they are talking to him in his capacity as a private lawyer, not as a state lawmaker. "I tell people all the time, 'When you come
into this office, you're seeing me as an attorney,'" West told the Dallas Observer in 2007. The writer took note of a "State Senator Royce West" nameplate in that same office, in full view of potential customers.
Source: The Texas Tribune on 2020 Texas Senate race
Sep 5, 2019
On Gun Control:
We can legislate on guns when we turn Texas blue
Dallas said it was possible to work with Republicans on gun violence issues, saying that "he's not tired yet," when it comes to legislative maneuvering. He said beating incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and turning Texas blue would help speed the
process."That is a perspective. That's not my perspective," West said after Bell's remarks. "My perspective is that we can get this done. We must get this done, when we turn Texas blue, I assure you that we will be able to get something done."
Source: Dallas Morning News on 2020 Texas Senate debate
Sep 5, 2019
On Health Care:
Expand Medicaid in Texas to cover all uninsured
West said his experience makes him the best choice. "I've worked to expand Medicaid in the state of Texas," he said. "We lead the country in the number of citizens that are uninsured.
It needs to be a fundamental right, but understand this, you can't change this ship in one day."
Source: Dallas Morning News on 2020 Texas Senate debate
Sep 5, 2019
On Abortion:
Pro-choice, but voted for parental consent
West said he supports abortion rights and has the record to show it. But he's previously upset advocacy groups when he voted to support bills that require parental consent for minors seeking
abortions. "I've always sided with being pro-choice, but on that particular legislation, my personal belief is that the parents should be involved in those decisions," he said.
Source: The Dallas Morning News on 2020 Texas Senate race
Jul 28, 2019
On Crime:
Now for reform, in 1995 for 14- year-olds tried as adults
West has positioned himself as a top advocate for reforming a criminal justice system that disadvantages people of color. He's been a leader on increasing the use of body cameras by police officers and combating racial profiling. But in 1995,
West co-sponsored a juvenile justice package that aimed to toughen penalties for youthful offenders. The bill, which he called "tough love" at the time, lowered the age from 15 to 14 at which serious offenders could be prosecuted as adults.
Source: The Dallas Morning News on 2020 Texas Senate race
Jul 28, 2019
On Education:
Free community college, not sure about student debt
Q: What about student debt?A: One of the things I will be doing is working on figuring out how students can at least get a community college degree without having to pay for it.
Q: Do you support calls to completely eliminate student debt for
everyone and make college free for all?
A: If we can do it in a realistic manner, and tie that into the other priorities we have like health care. The question becomes if you only have a finite amount of money, then which one do you prioritize?
Source: The Dallas Morning News on 2020 Texas Senate race
Jul 28, 2019
On Health Care:
Not Medicare-for-All, but health care for all
I won't say Medicare for all, but I will say health care for all. Whoever becomes president is going to have a bill and I want to see the following principles: Health care becomes a basic human right. Preexisting conditions are covered.
I want us to look at the Affordable Care Act, ObamaCare, and figure out where we went wrong as opposed to starting over.
Source: The Dallas Morning News on 2020 Texas Senate race
Jul 28, 2019
On Immigration:
Putting kids in cages makes "my blood boil"
Q: What about putting kids in cages?A: Every time I think about it my blood boils. My eyes get red. America? I think about the internment camps in World War II, where the Japanese were sent to internment camps. I think about the Nazis in terms of
the concentration camps. America? We can do better than that.
Q. Should the act of crossing the border be decriminalized?
A: At this point I believe it should not be, we should continue to make it a crime. But I'm open for a discussion.
Source: The Dallas Morning News on 2020 Texas Senate race
Jul 28, 2019
Page last updated: Oct 24, 2020