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James Comer, Jr.'s Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
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Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

James Comer, Jr. did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2024 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2024.

  • "For the first time in more than three decades, Washington is poised to enact meaningful tax reform that puts more money back in the pockets of American families and businesses," Comer said. "I am proud to support this critical part of President Trump's pro-growth agenda that will fulfill this promise to the American people who have struggled under the weight of Washington bureaucrats for far too long." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 93% by The Club for Growth (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 95% by National Tax Limitation Committee (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1: "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "For the first time in more than three decades, Washington is poised to enact meaningful tax reform that puts more money back in the pockets of American families and businesses," Comer said. "I am proud to support this critical part of President Trump's pro-growth agenda that will fulfill this promise to the American people who have struggled under the weight of Washington bureaucrats for far too long." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 93% by The Club for Growth (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 95% by National Tax Limitation Committee (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1: "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Democrats’ Defund the Police movement has successfully taken resources from and crushed the morale of police forces across the country. Without the police, we lose our first line of defense for victims of all crime." (oversight.house.gov)
  • Rated 100% by National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 40 "Expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enfo ..." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 42 "Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Re ..." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2670 "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4365 "Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Fortune "The Democratic-led Senate "is going to have to recognize the fact that we’re not going to budge until we see meaningful reform with respect to spending," said Comer, who heads the House Oversight Committee." (fortune.com)
  • "Americans are suffering due to the Biden administration's disastrous economic policies. While Congressional Democrats continue to dodge responsibility for their reckless spending, nationwide inflation has reached 8.6%, a 40-year high. Democrats have failed to put Americans first." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Grocery costs are up, gas prices are up, nearly every essential item for everyday living is up. The Biden Administrations failed economic policies and unchecked spending by Congressional Democrats has put our economy on the verge of recession. Gasoline, on average, costs over 47% more than it did one year ago. In my home state of Kentucky, citizens are paying twice as much at the pump as they did last year. In fact, Kentuckians have seen a 50% increase in gas prices since last year and a diesel increase of 84% which is detrimental to the farming industry. Farmers are at their breaking points. The USDA recently reported that farm expenses are expected to rise by over 20 billion dollars within the next year. I'm hearing daily from constituents in Kentucky's First Congressional District who are deeply concerned. Rightfully so. They're saying it's costing over $5,000 dollars per day just to keep farm equipment operational due to the price of farming diesel increasing 110% in the last year. This is unsustainable. On top of inflation, it's clear that President Biden has made diminishing American energy production a policy priority. Madam Speaker, Americans are in trouble. The cost of everyday living is skyrocketing. No matter how hard Democrats may try, Congress cannot spend their way out of this problem." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 5376: "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2811: "Limit, Save, Grow Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 7301 "Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 8294 "Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Americans need relief from historic inflation that's harming their pocketbooks and livelihoods. House Republicans are holding the Biden Administration accountable for their reckless inflation-inducing government spending and providing solutions for the American people. The REIN IN Inflation Act provides transparency about the Biden Administration's unilateral executive actions that are fueling inflation. I thank Conference Chairwoman Stefanik for leading this effort to deliver results for the American people," said House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "I voted no on yet another multi-trillion dollar spending bill being rammed down taxpayers' throats by President Biden and Speaker Pelosi. This $1.8 trillion spending bill will pour gas on America's inflation fire and lead to even higher costs for milk, gas, and other essential items the American people rely on." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "On the floor of the House of Representatives, Congressman James Comer (R-Ky.) expressed serious concerns over new economic data indicating inflation has hit a record 9.1%. He highlighted how frustrated farmers in Kentucky's First District are contacting him regularly regarding the high cost to keep their equipment operating. The price of everyday goods and services are rising dramatically under the Biden Administration, and he concluded his time by stressing how Congressional Democrats’ unchecked spending has put our economy on the verge of recession." (comer.house.gov)
  • Voted in favor of HR 347 "Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "President Biden’s student loan bailout is unfair to hardworking Americans who do not hold a college degree or who made tough financial decisions to pay for their college education. This bailout also raises ethical concerns about Biden Administration officials with student loans who have worked on this policy and stand to benefit financially. Alarmingly, we’ve learned that the Office of Government Ethics has never been consulted on any pending or finalized waivers related to student loan forgiveness and has no finalized waivers on file for Biden Administration officials. Oversight Committee Republicans will continue to conduct oversight of this issue to expose any self-serving Biden Administration officials who are poised to gain a financial windfall at the expense of American taxpayers. We must hold the Biden Administration accountable and protect taxpayer dollars from abuse." (oversight.house.gov)
  • "We are conducting oversight over the White House’s proposal to reportedly forgive at least $10,000 in student debt for millions of federal student loan borrowers with a household income up to $300,000. This policy is an unjust wealth transfer from hardworking Americans to highly educated upper-middle-class graduates who borrowed from taxpayers to earn their degree, and, in some cases, multiple degrees." (comer.house.gov)
  • "2020 brought to light serious concerns with our election system. We saw dramatic delays, uncertainty, and chaos from policies like universal mail-in voting and allowing votes to be counted for days after the election--and in the case of New York, weeks and months after the election. These concerns are real and present the need for fundamental reforms, but these reforms should be addressed by States, not Congress. And they should be the exact opposite of the disastrous H.R. 1. Mr. Speaker, this legislation sanctions the very practices that created chaos and uncertainty in the 2020 election and sowed widespread voter distrust. Banning voter ID laws and taking other actions to prevent States from promoting a safe and secure election is a massive Washington power grab." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by Common Cause. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to Letter to Hon. Robin Vos, President of the National Conference of State Legislatures: "Requiring a voter to show identification before casting a ballot is a commonsense measure to increase the integrity of the election’s process and bolster voter confidence in our nation’s elections. These requirements reduce public perceptions of fraud and ensure we continue to uphold ‘one person, one vote." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by American Energy Alliance (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 987 "Denouncing the harmful, anti-American energy policies of the Biden administration, and for other purposes" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 4447: "Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 9: "Climate Action Now Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "That's why I will continue to fight to protect the rights of all law-abiding gun owners who safely use, store, and carry firearms -- including the AR-15 which is the most popular rifle in the United States." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "These executive orders are the latest proof of the reckless disregard the Biden Administration has for the Second Amendment. By pushing unconstitutional red flag laws onto states and installing a radical gun control fanatic as head of the agency responsible for regulating firearms, President Biden is putting his anti-gun agenda front and center in Washington. If gun control laws were effective at stopping gun violence, major cities with strict gun laws would not see dramatic increases in homicide rates year after year. Gun control has not, and never will be, the solution to creating a safer and less violent society. It's time for President Biden to follow his oath to defend the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans, rather than trampling on them at every turn." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 1446 "Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 1808 "Assault Weapons Ban of 2022" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Medicare for All will gut quality healthcare coverage, in favor of waiting lines, rationed care, and stalled medical innovation. Medicare for All will cancel first-rate health plans for millions of workers, children, and seniors in favor of giving D.C. politicians unlimited control over your healthcare." (oversight.house.gov)
  • Voted against HR 1425 "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6201: "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "By steering patients to higher-cost medications, PBMs increase patients’ copays and force manufacturers to increase list prices to pay PBMs higher rebate demands. While PBMs pass on a portion of rebates they receive to payers, their lack of transparency makes it nearly impossible to determine whether these rebates are truly benefiting patients, or simply increasing PBM profits. Without greater transparency of PBMs it is difficult to see how these tactics are benefitting patients at all. If the value for consumers is so great, it shouldn’t be a stretch for PBMs to prove their worth and have an open discussion about their practices. That is why this forum is so important. Today, we take a first step to reviewing the role of PBMs in pharmaceutical markets to determine what, if any, changes need to be made and how proposed legislation could decrease the costs of prescription drugs and benefit patients." (comer.house.gov)
  • Voted against HR 3 "Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for H Res 1065 "Denouncing the Biden administration's immigration policies" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for HR 5525 "Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2 "Secure the Border Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Let's be clear: the only plan Secretary Mayorkas has is to make President Biden's border crisis worse by continuing to release illegal border crossers into the United States--just at a faster rate. We've called on Secretary Mayorkas multiple times over the past year to provide us with a plan to end the Biden Administration's self-inflicted crisis at our southern border. The fact it has taken Secretary Mayorkas over a year to provide anything detailed demonstrates this administration's gross incompetence. Secretary Mayorkas' so-called "plan" only doubles down on the Biden Administration's failed open borders policies that created this crisis. If the Biden Administration wants to end the border crisis, it must keep Title 42 in place, fully reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols, end catch and release, finish the border wall, and quit calling for amnesty for illegal immigrants. It's outrageous that Secretary Mayorkas and President Biden continue to be beholden to open borders advocates instead of putting Americans first." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2 "Secure the Border Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2494 "POLICE Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Let's be clear: the only plan Secretary Mayorkas has is to make President Biden's border crisis worse by continuing to release illegal border crossers into the United States--just at a faster rate. We've called on Secretary Mayorkas multiple times over the past year to provide us with a plan to end the Biden Administration's self-inflicted crisis at our southern border. The fact it has taken Secretary Mayorkas over a year to provide anything detailed demonstrates this administration's gross incompetence. Secretary Mayorkas' so-called "plan" only doubles down on the Biden Administration's failed open borders policies that created this crisis. If the Biden Administration wants to end the border crisis, it must keep Title 42 in place, fully reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols, end catch and release, finish the border wall, and quit calling for amnesty for illegal immigrants. It's outrageous that Secretary Mayorkas and President Biden continue to be beholden to open borders advocates instead of putting Americans first." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "On his first day in office, in a nod to his left-wing base, the President canceled constructed of the wall and reversed other policies designed to deter illegal immigration. But that wasn't enough. Next, President Biden rolled out immigration proposals that would grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants who violated our nation's sovereignty by crossing the border into America. These policies have sent a message to the world that our nation's immigration laws can be violated without consequence. The result is a humanitarian and national security crisis, which the facts bear out." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Newsweek "We are focused on Ukraine, we are focused on Russia, we are focused on a few new countries that I don't think anybody knew about, that we're starting to realize that they were receiving money from," he said. "All these countries are adversaries to the United States. All these countries are countries that have reputations for corruption—but yet the Bidens were sitting there with their hands out." (www.newsweek.com)
  • Voted for HR 6126 "Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6015: "Iran Sanctions Accountability Act of 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6126 "Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 8369: "Israel Security Assistance Support Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Newsweek "I have a lot of questions about what is going on in Ukraine with respect to foreign aid." He went on to argue that he did not believe the Ukrainian government "can honestly think that Republicans are going to continue to give them a blank check like the Biden administration is." (www.newsweek.com)
  • Voted against HR 5692 "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 6833: "Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7520: "Protecting Americans' Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7521: "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" (votesmart.org)
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
Pro-life a) Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
No b) Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
No c) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
No d) Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
Yes e) Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
Yes f) Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
Yes g) Should an ultrasound be required prior to an abortion?
No h) Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
Yes i) Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
j) Other or expanded principles

1) State SpendingIndicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.2) State TaxesIndicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category- you can use a number more than once.3) Budget StabilizationIndicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Kentucky's budget.

Maintain Status a) Education (higher)
Maintain Status b) Education (K-12)
Maintain Status c) Environment
Maintain Status d) Health care
Maintain Status e) Law enforcement
Greatly Increase f) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Greatly Decrease g) Welfare
h) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status b) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Decrease c) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status d) Gasoline taxes
Maintain Status e) Property taxes
Maintain Status f) Sales taxes
Slightly Decrease g) Income taxes (low-income families)
Slightly Decrease h) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Slightly Decrease i) Income taxes (high-income families)
j) Other or expanded categories
No a) Tapping into Kentucky's "rainy day" fund
Yes b) Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
No c) Increasing tuition rates at public universities
Yes d) Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
Yes e) Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
Yes f) Privatizing certain government services
g) Other or expanded principles

c) Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?

Yes a) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Kentucky governors?
Yes b) Do you support limits on the number of terms for Kentucky state legislators?
Yes 1) Individual
Yes 2) Political Action Committee
Yes 3) Corporate
Yes 4) Political Party
Yes d) Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
Yes e) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
f) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
Yes b) Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
No c) Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
Yes d) Should minors accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as adults?
Yes e) Should minors who send sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
Yes f) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
g) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
No b) Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
No c) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
Yes d) Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
e) Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
No f) Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
No g) Do you support capping interest rates and fees on payday loans?
No h) Do you support permitting video lottery terminals at horse racing tracks?
i) Other or expanded principles
No a) Do you support national education standards?
Yes b) Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
No c) Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
No d) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
Yes e) Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
No f) Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Kentucky high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
g) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
Yes b) Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
Yes c) Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
Yes d) Do you support state funding for improvements to Kentucky's energy infrastructure?
No e) Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
No f) Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
g) Other or expanded principles
No a) Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
No b) Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
Yes c) Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
No d) Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
e) Other or expanded principles
No a) Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
Yes b) Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
Yes c) Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
No d) Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
Yes e) Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
No f) Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Kentucky?
No g) Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
No h) Do you support Medicaid coverage for smoking cessation programs?
i) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
No b) Should Kentucky allow same-sex couples to form civil unions?
No c) Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
No d) Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
No e) Do you support the state's use of affirmative action?
No f) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Kentucky's anti-discrimination laws?
No g) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Kentucky's anti-discrimination laws?
h) Other or expanded principles
Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.

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