By Beto O’Rourke

My name is Beto O’Rourke.

I’m a fourth-generation Texan, dad to three beautiful kids, and husband to Amy. I’m a former small business owner proudly representing my hometown of El Paso as a member of Congress and running for Senate.

I’ve traveled all over this state listening to you and other Texans, and have come to the conclusion that whether we live in cities or on farms, East Texas or West, we all believe that we should achieve something better for ourselves, our state and our country.

Now is the time for Texas to step-up and lead.

Jobs

Every Texan deserves the opportunity to do more than just “get by”. We must connect those out of work with the high value jobs being created right here in Texas by investing in training, certification, and apprenticeship programs. Let’s reduce the wage gap between the rich and working poor and ensure access to meaningful employment for every Texan. Being born to modest means should not preclude anyone from the American dream.

Healthcare

Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. To ensure all Texans have access to healthcare they can count on, we must remove politics and special interests from healthcare to improve the Affordable Care Act, stabilize our insurance markets, and lower premiums and prescription drug costs. Across the state I’m listening to patients, doctors, and the uninsured to hear how we can make the system better for everyone. We want our parents and our children to be healthy, productive and successful. This is much more likely when they have access to the healthcare they need. A universal health care system for all Americans is the only way to ensure that everyone who needs to see a doctor is able to see a doctor – preventatively, consistently and with real continuity of care.

Veterans

We must commit to give every veteran and servicemember the dignity and support they’ve earned. That begins with ensuring that every veteran can receive access to quality healthcare, timely resolutions to their disability claims and appeals, and sustainable housing. Most importantly, our commitment to veterans should begin with ending the veteran suicide epidemic. Twenty veterans a day take their own lives – it should be our first priority to ensure these veterans get the help they need, including those with other-than-honorable discharges.

Accountability

We must restore accountability to Washington and place term limits on every member of Congress. We must get big money out of our democracy and end political gerrymandering. I want to represent constituents, not corporations, which is why I won’t take any PAC money, and introduced legislation that would require other politicians to do the same. I believe in complete accountability and transparency of our elected officials. That is why I will hold a public town hall meeting every single month in Texas.

Beto O’Rourke is the Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas