Domestic issues Health care On April 20, 2017, Labrador said he does not believe healthcare is a
human right. Labrador supports the full repeal of the
Affordable Care Act because he believes it will raise costs and eliminate jobs. Labrador supports requiring those illegally residing in the United States to be responsible for their own healthcare costs. One of the few Republican lawmakers who hosted a town hall after this vote, Labrador received national attention for stating during the meeting at
Lewis-Clark State College that "Nobody dies because they don't have access to healthcare." The statement caused a huge outcry from the audience present and on social media for several days.
Economic issues Elections Labrador has stated that he supports the repeal of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which provides for the direct election of members of the U.S. Senate by the voters in each state. Before the amendment was ratified in 1913, Senators were selected by the legislatures of their respective states. With regard to this position, Labrador has stated "I have a consistent philosophy about government and the importance of states' rights."
Tax reform Labrador is in favor of
tax reform, specifically reform that rids of
loopholes, lowers "overall rates," and reduces government spending so the national debt does not increase. He says the bill will "allow hard-working Idahoans to keep more of their money," including helping them "meet their expenses and make crucial investments."
International issues Energy & oil Labrador is seen by many in eastern Idaho, which is not in his congressional district, as an opponent of the
Idaho National Laboratory (INL).
Immigration On the July 6, 2014, episode of
Meet the Press, Labrador stated that the Obama administration needed to "immediately deport" young
illegal immigrants. The comment came as part of a discussion about the estimated 52,000 unaccompanied minors from Central America who had tried to cross the border since October 2013. Labrador was a member of the "Gang of Eight," a bipartisan group of House members working on immigration reform legislation, but on June 5, 2013, he left the negotiations because he wanted language in the bill requiring that
illegal immigrants be responsible for their own health care costs. Labrador said he would use his position on the House Judiciary Committee to pass immigration reform legislation.
Social issues Abortion Labrador opposes
late termination of pregnancy and believes "life begins at conception" and that "The unborn child is still a child – made in the image of God, who will one day have the same hopes and dreams as the rest of us. The fact that life begins at conception might be an uncomfortable truth for some. But it's a truth, all the same."
Family Rights Idaho is one of the states that has
faith-healing exemption. In a debate, Labrador said he would not change it.
LGBT issues In June 2015, Labrador introduced HR 2802, titled the "
First Amendment Defense Act" (FADA) which was said to protect those who oppose same-sex marriage based on their religious beliefs from action by the federal government. Critics, such as Ian Thompson of the
American Civil Liberties Union claimed that the bill would "open the door to unprecedented taxpayer-funded discrimination against LGBT people, single mothers, and unmarried couples." ==Elections==