Michael Echols

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Insurance costs are crushing families across Louisiana, and while states regulate most insurance markets, Washington still plays a major role in the costs that drive premiums higher. Federal policies that fuel inflation, drive up building materials, and increase energy and transportation costs all make insurance more expensive. In Congress, we should focus on lowering inflation, expanding domestic energy production, and removing federal regulations that drive up the cost of rebuilding homes and businesses after storms. When the cost of construction, labor, and materials comes down, insurance premiums can finally start moving in the right direction for Louisiana families.

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Making groceries affordable again starts with tackling the policies that caused food prices to skyrocket in the first place. Runaway federal spending drove inflation, raising the cost of everything from fertilizer and fuel to transportation and packaging. We need to rein in Washington’s reckless spending, expand American energy production to lower fuel costs, and remove unnecessary regulations that drive up costs for farmers, truckers, and grocery stores. When we lower the cost of producing and transporting food, prices at the checkout line come down for families. Washington can’t control every price in the economy, but it can stop making groceries more expensive.

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Trump is the greatest foreign policy President of our lifetime. Peace through strength keeps America safe. The United States must maintain the strongest military in the world and stand firmly with our allies. I support rebuilding America’s military, standing with Israel as it defends itself against terrorism, and confronting the Iranian regime that sponsors violence across the Middle East. America must project strength abroad, deter our adversaries, and protect our national interests while ensuring our troops have the resources they need to succeed.

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America is a nation of laws, and our immigration system only works if those laws are enforced. We must secure the border, end the policies that encourage illegal immigration, and ensure that those who enter the country illegally are returned to their home countries. At the same time, we should protect and strengthen a legal immigration system that rewards people who follow the rules and come here the right way. Restoring enforcement and accountability is essential to protecting American workers, national security, and the integrity of our immigration system.

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Federal judges are not elected lawmakers, and they should not be allowed to use the bench to impose their own political agenda on the American people. When judges repeatedly abuse their authority to block the will of voters and undermine the policies of a duly elected president, Congress has a responsibility to act. The Constitution gives Congress the power to impeach judges who violate their oath of office. Judicial independence is important, but so is accountability. No judge should be allowed to act as a one-person legislature and override the democratic choices of the American people.

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Free and fair elections are the foundation of our republic. I strongly support nationwide voter ID laws to ensure that only eligible citizens vote in American elections. I also support the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which requires proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections and closes dangerous loopholes that could allow non-citizens onto voter rolls. These commonsense safeguards help restore confidence in our elections and ensure that America’s future is decided by American citizens.

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Energy independence is national security. Louisiana plays a critical role in powering the American economy through oil, natural gas, refining, and petrochemical production. In Congress, I will fight to expand domestic energy production, support LNG exports, protect Louisiana refineries and energy jobs, and reform the federal permitting process that delays critical infrastructure projects. By unleashing American energy, we can lower fuel costs, strengthen our economy, create high-paying jobs, and ensure the United States never again depends on hostile foreign nations for the energy we need.

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Louisiana is seeing a new wave of economic development, and Congress should be working hand-in-hand with leaders at Louisiana Economic Development to keep that momentum going. The state is aggressively recruiting major manufacturing, energy, and technology projects that can bring thousands of jobs to our communities. At the federal level, our job is to support that effort by cutting burdensome regulations, expanding American energy production, strengthening our ports and infrastructure, and making sure Louisiana remains competitive for major investment. We must also invest in workforce training and technical education so Louisiana workers are prepared to fill the high-paying jobs being created here at home.

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Prescription drug prices are out of control, and one major reason is the powerful middlemen known as Pharmacy Benefit Managers. PBMs were originally created to help negotiate lower prices, but today they often drive prices higher through opaque rebate schemes, spread pricing, and backroom deals that squeeze pharmacies while raising costs for patients. Congress should break up these anti-competitive practices, require full transparency in drug pricing, and eliminate rebate systems that reward higher list prices. By restoring competition and cutting out abusive middlemen, we can bring real relief to patients and make prescription drugs more affordable for American families.

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Medicare is a promise our country made to seniors who worked hard and paid into the system their entire lives. We must protect and strengthen Medicare so it remains secure for today’s seniors and future generations. That means safeguarding the program from waste, fraud, and abuse while ensuring it continues to provide reliable coverage for doctor visits, hospital care, and prescription drugs. Our goal should be simple: protect the benefits seniors have earned and make sure Medicare remains strong and sustainable for the long term.

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Louisiana’s traffic problems are getting worse every year, and too many of our roads and bridges are decades past their intended lifespan. Congestion costs families time, costs businesses money, and slows economic growth across our state. We need to prioritize infrastructure investment that expands highway capacity, repairs aging bridges, and modernizes the transportation systems Louisiana depends on every day. Congress must also support improvements to the Mississippi River shipping corridor, modernize our ports, and ensure the Army Corps of Engineers keeps our waterways dredged and open for commerce. Strong infrastructure keeps Louisiana’s economy moving.

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Farming is the backbone of Louisiana’s economy, feeding the world and supporting thousands of families. But in recent years farmers have been squeezed from every direction. Inflation drove up the cost of fertilizer, fuel, and seed, while commodity prices lagged behind and higher interest rates made borrowing more expensive. Many farmers are now struggling just to pay off loans, leaving thousands of acres sitting idle. Programs like USDA disaster and commodity assistance are helping farmers stay afloat, but more must be done. We need expanded access to 90/10 guaranteed loans and stronger enforcement against countries flooding global markets with cheap rice. Louisiana farmers don’t need handouts — they need stability and a fair marketplace so they can keep producing and prospering.

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China is engaged in economic warfare against the United States. From unfair trade practices to dumping agricultural products on global markets, China manipulates the system to hurt American workers and farmers. Congress must push back by enforcing fair trade rules, protecting American intellectual property, and preventing hostile foreign governments from buying strategic land near military bases or critical infrastructure. America must stand strong against China’s economic aggression while protecting American industries and national security.

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The right to keep and bear arms is not granted by the government. It is a natural right recognized and protected by the Constitution. The Second Amendment exists to ensure that a free people always retain the power to defend their liberty. Our Founders understood that an armed citizenry is the final safeguard against tyranny and the surest defense of a free nation. In Congress, I will oppose any attempt by Washington to erode this fundamental freedom and will stand firmly for the right of Americans to keep and bear arms as the Constitution intended.

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I am proudly pro-life and believe every life is a gift from God that deserves protection. I will stand up for the unborn, support policies that defend the sanctity of life, and work to ensure both mothers and children have the support they need. A just society protects its most vulnerable, and that includes the unborn.

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Illegal immigration and immigrant welfare abuse must end. Any immigrant caught defrauding American taxpayers should be denaturalized and deported. Illegal immigrants must be barred entirely from receiving taxpayer-funded benefits. And legal immigrants who choose to take welfare should lose the opportunity to become U.S. citizens in the future. The choice should be clear: accept temporary assistance and give up the path to citizenship, or honor the promise made when receiving a visa — to come to America to work, contribute, and build a life without relying on taxpayers.

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Washington wastes billions of taxpayer dollars every year, and almost nobody is held accountable. The work uncovered by DOGE exposed just how much waste, fraud, and abuse is hiding inside the federal bureaucracy. We should build on that momentum by aggressively auditing federal agencies, exposing wasteful spending, and eliminating programs that no longer serve the American people. Congress must demand transparency and enforce real oversight so that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and government once again answers to the people.