Andy Harris

Nationalist

Republican

House Representative

Maryland - District 1

Current Position: US House Representative MD-1

Running For: House Representative - District 1

Policy Positions

For a federal balanced budget; opposes earmarks, opposes raising the debt ceiling without spending cuts, opposes tax increases, opposes raising the federal minimum wage, voted against $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package as 'fiscally irresponsible', voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
For a flat tax; supports eliminating tax deductions and implementing a flat tax
Against raising the Social Security retirement age; supports raising the full retirement age from 67 to 70
For increasing federal defense funding to combat national security threats

For work requirements on Medicaid and food stamps for able-bodied adults
For mass layoffs of federal civil service workers; supported DOGE-led federal worker reductions as necessary to cut the deficit and root out waste

Against the Affordable Care Act; opposes ACA as a 'government takeover of health care', ran on promise to repeal it, opposed individual and employer mandates, supported Graham-Cassidy amendment to return Medicaid control to states, supported ending federal ACA subsidies
Against the PACT Act providing expanded VA healthcare benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances
Against COVID-19 lockdown measures; opposed indoor dining prohibitions, stay-at-home orders, was skeptical of face masks, promoted hydroxychloroquine as treatment, opposed $2,000 stimulus checks, voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
Against vaccine mandates; supported COVID-19 vaccination efforts but opposed mandating vaccines

Against stem cell research; introduced Human Cloning Prohibition Act to ban stem cell research in Maryland, opposed state funding for stem cell research, filibustered stem cell research funding bill
For private school scholarships; introduced legislation to create a statewide program for state-funded scholarships for students attending private schools

Against offshore wind farms near coastlines; amended appropriations bill to ban federal funding for wind farms within 24 nautical miles of the coastline, called for moratorium on wind farm construction
For offshore drilling and fossil fuel expansion; supports offshore drilling (but opposed it specifically off Maryland's coast), supports restarting the Keystone pipeline, called for increased natural gas and coal production
Against rejoining the Paris Agreement; voted against rejoining the Paris Agreement in 2019
Against human activity as a primary driver of climate change; has questioned whether human activities have contributed to climate change, though supports technological solutions like hydrogen cells and nuclear fusion

Against abortion rights; identifies as pro-life, introduced bill to ban abortions after fetal viability, opposed emergency contraception without prescription, supported Burwell v. Hobby Lobby decision, cosponsored Life at Conception Act (ban without exceptions), celebrated Dobbs ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, supports federal six-week abortion ban, supports 15-week federal ban, voted against bills codifying Roe and protecting interstate abortion travel, supports defunding Planned Parenthood via Medicaid, cosigned amicus brief to revoke FDA approval of mifepristone
Against same-sex marriage; filibustered anti-discrimination bill protecting same-sex couples, supported constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman, cosponsored that amendment in 2013 and 2015, expressed disappointment with Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, voted against the Respect for Marriage Act codifying same-sex marriage rights
Against transgender women competing in female sports; voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act and opposed Education Department rules allowing students to participate in sports based on stated gender identity
Against LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections; voted against the Equality Act adding gender identity and sexual orientation to federal anti-discrimination laws, voted to strip funding for LGBTQ projects from the federal budget
Against the Equal Rights Amendment; voted against removing an expired congressional deadline for its adoption in 2020

Against accepting the 2020 presidential election results; falsely claimed large-scale voting irregularities, signed amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania to contest election results, attended White House meeting to discuss fighting election outcome on January 6, opposed the Electoral Count Reform Act
For independent redistricting commissions to draw federal district maps
For voter ID laws; called for national voter ID laws

Against a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants; opposes amnesty, supported Trump's travel ban on predominantly Muslim countries, supported phasing out DACA, supported border wall construction via national emergency declaration, opposed sanctuary city policies
Against the Iran Nuclear Deal; opposed the deal, called for increased sanctions on Iran and a ban on nuclear enrichment, supported U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites in 2025 and 2026
For Israel's right to defend itself; supports Abraham Accords, opposed providing humanitarian aid to Palestine during Gaza war, criticized Biden administration for interfering with Israel's handling of the war
For supporting Ukraine with aid during the Russo-Ukrainian War

Against gun restrictions; opposes restrictions on right to carry, voted for Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, opposed handgun mechanical safety device requirements, supports eliminating gun-free zones at schools, supports arming teachers, voted against assault weapons ban, compared gun control to Nazi gun control measures
For the death penalty; voted against a two-year moratorium on death penalty sentences in 2003
Against cannabis legalization; opposed medical marijuana legalization, led congressional efforts to block marijuana decriminalization in Washington D.C., used spending bill provisions to bar D.C. from legalizing recreational cannabis, believes cannabis is a gateway drug, criticized FDA's move to reclassify marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3
Against the Violence Against Women Act; voted against renewing it in 2019
Against the January 6 commission; voted against creating the January 6 commission, voted against giving Congressional Gold Medal to Capitol Police who defended the Capitol on January 6