By Vance Snider, Republican candidate for U.S. House District 13

I grew up in Dumas, the county seat of Moore County in the 13th Congressional District. My family moved to Dumas in December of 1995 where my father owned and operated a small business.

I graduated from Dumas Senior High School in 2007. Shortly after graduation, I made a selfless sacrifice and joined the United States Army in December of 2007 as a Calvary Scout. My unit deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. I was later deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield. I served five and a half years honorably with the United States Army and after completing my military service, I returned to my hometown in 2013 to start the next chapter of my life.

Upon completion of military service, I took a job as a Railroad Conductor for Texas Northwestern Railway in Sunray, TX, 15 miles from Dumas, TX. I learned the industry from the ground up, quickly moving to management as yardmaster, and now I am a Railroad Conductor for BNSF Railway in Amarillo.

I married the love of my life, Christy, in September of 2015. Christy and I have been happily married for the last four years and are the proud parents of our two-year-old son Linus and four-month-old daughter Lucy.

Veterans

I was 20 years old when I made my first combat deployment overseas to a remote area in Afghanistan. Today on the home front, I use the V.A. Healthcare system regularly. Veterans have made a huge personal sacrifice by choosing to serve our country. Hundreds of thousands of military veterans do not reach out for the support they need due to the V.A.'s inability to keep up with the demand. Every V.A. hospital is run differently across the nation and this creates confusion. When elected, I will send a bill to President Trump’s desk that brings unison among V.A. hospitals across the nation.

Healthcare

Healthcare is an issue that affects all Texans along with Americans across the nation. Not having an insurance plan that provides the coverage that is needed for an individual can be a death sentence. Americans rack up millions in medical debt or continue to not seek the proper medical attention out of fear of being in debt for the rest of their lives. I will work to ensure Americans who like their health care coverage can keep it and if an individual’s employer doesn't provide health insurance, then providing a tax break so they can purchase a plan on the open market.

Immigration

I stand with President Trump in securing our southern border and building a wall to prevent the rapid progression of illegal immigrants entering our country. When in Congress I will work to implement new laws for immigrants to obtain legal residence status at an affordable cost.

Gun Rights

The 2nd Amendment was created to prevent government overreach and disarming of its citizens. Over time, Congress has created new laws infringing on these rights by regulating certain firearms and accessories. Across the United States, there are millions of responsible firearm owners, and Congress is actively working to strip those rights away. When elected, I will fight against Pelosi and the Democratic leadership to protect our God-given rights.

Transportation

Innovation through technology has swept every industry and brought its fair amount of challenges. These advances have come with a debate about the role between what needs to be run solely by humans or technology. The safety of our communities needs to be the number one goal when addressing each industry-specific obstacle regarding the roles between technology and humans. Currently, it is mandatory for airplanes to have two pilots onboard to ensure the safety of the public. The same must be done for the railroad industry.