Scott Bland
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Scott Bland
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist.17
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Baylor University, Waco, BS, 1995
WORK & MILITARY
United States Secret Service, Special Agent, 2001-2006
Heart of Texas Builder's Association, President, Board Member, 2008-Present
Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, Board Member, 2016-Present
AFFILIATIONS
Neighborworks of Waco, Board Member, Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy
Board Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Mike Huckabee (2008)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
I support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires health care providers to provide life-saving treatment for infants who survive an attempted abortion.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Only in the medically verified risk to the life of the mother.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?
I believe the first thing that needs to be done to save Social Security is to raise the retirement age to 70. As our medical care improves the ability for citizens to be productive longer in life, a later retirement age becomes more realistic. That raised age would not be effective across the board but would be gradually raised based on the age of the recipient. In the long term we need to look at basing benefits on a needs basis as well as providing incentives to those who are capable of saving money for their own retirement. Allowing folks to open private accounts within the SSA system will help alleviate the overall burden on the system.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
I would reduce the amount of foreign aid we send overseas, I would eliminate the Department of Education and send a reduced amount to the states in block grants that could be applied where needed on education. I would advocate looking at every government program and eliminating every instance of waste, fraud, and redundancy. Politicians have promised this for years and never delivered.
Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?
Only in the circumstance where that student wishes to commit him or herself to an extended period of public service, be that military or local governmental service.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Strongly Agree
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
I promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles.
Yes
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
This means that no entity that receives federal funds promotes or discourages one form of religion over another. Simply posting the 10 Commandments or taking a moment for prayer is not a promotion of one religion or another and does not represent a violation of that separation.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
I support the elimination of private healthcare insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
I know that the Obama-care system is completely broken, many of the doctors in private clinics will not accept it so access within that system is laughable at best. In my opinion, we need to work towards reforming the way health care works in our country. We should start with reforming the insurance system, allowing policies to be sold across state lines and letting the market place work in our favor. The amount of money that is involved in research and development in health care absolutely invites corruption and a system that favors those with deep pockets or access within the system. I believe that at the government level we need to begin to stop treating health care as a for profit industry and increase access to the system by allowing for a more level playing field for the development of cures and treatments. I believe that we need to find ways to incentivize cures instead of making it more financially beneficial to treat diseases instead of curing them.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?
In my time as a Special Agent, we effectively used monitoring techniques and technology to focus on groups that we believed represented a high risk of spreading Islamic idealogical terrorism. I believe using these techniques to include undercover operations to infiltrate groups that are known to be hostile to the United States can continue to keep the threat of Islamic terrorism under control. I was part of the operation that monitored the Holy Land Foundation in Richardson, Texas, that worked to cut off a major Al-Qaida funding operation in the United States. I know these efforts are effective because I have participated in them.
IMMIGRATION
I am in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States.
Strongly Agree
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
State and federal funds should be denied to any public or private entity, including but not limited to sanctuary cities, that are not in compliance with immigration laws.
Strongly Agree
Employers should be required to use E-verify to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone who can prove a clean background and sponsorship in employment in the construction, agriculture, or engineering industry or sponsorship for employment in those industries should be allowed to come to this country on a work visa and can apply for citizenship.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian, born and raised within the Methodist Church. I was baptized at the age of 6 and confirmed into the church at the age of 13. I attended and graduated from Baylor University which is the largest Baptist educational institution in the world. The values of the church have guided my life for as long as I have memory.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Very Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
As a federal law enforcement officer I worked to protect our citizens from terrorist acts, both foreign and domestic. As a business owner I worked to create private and public partnerships to help disadvantaged citizens get training and jobs in the construction industry. Our philosophy was to give people a hand up and not a hand out.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I am a strong Christian conservative who believes in the possibilities and potential of this country. I was born and trained to be a servant and a protector and I believe we face an ever increasing array of threats to our way of life. I want to continue the work of protecting my family and the families of all Americans.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Restrictions based on felony convictions or mental health issues can be used to place restrictions on gun ownerships.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
I support BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) against Israel if they refuse to allow the creation of a Palestinian state.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Strongly Disagree
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
I would sponsor legislation pulling our national guard forces back from overseas duty and stationing them on the southern border. I would sponsor legislation to repeal the ACA and replace it with common sense health care reform focusing on reforming the way insurance companies provide coverage and hospitals bills patients. I would sponsor legislation that eliminated the country quota system in immigration and established a guest worker visa program.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
It is a perceived threat and a message that is perpetrated by the media. I believe there has never been a better time in this country than right now in terms of race relations. We have never been more aware and sensitive to each other's backgrounds than we are at this moment in time. There has never been a time in human history where people of all backgrounds operate on as level of a playing field as we have in America right now. It is unfortunate that a vocal few want to continue to focus on what separates us while the vast majority in this country are focusing on seeing what we can accomplish together.
