Gretel Enck had a 25-year career with the National Park Service before taking an early retirement through the Trump administration’s government efficiency program last year. She’s lives in Marfa and is one of four Democrats seeking their party’s nomination in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
My name is Gretel Enck. I am 57 years old and live in Marfa, Texas. I have a BS in Broadcasting and Communications from Boston University and a Masters in Environmental Policy from the University of Denver. I spent 25 years in public service working for the federal government. Most of that time was working with the National Park Service, with two years in the Peace Corps.
2. Briefly describe your top policy priorities.
My policy priorities are centered around my fierce love for people who work for a living, which is most of us. Policies that allow us to thrive: higher minimum wage, Medicare For All, universal pre-K and paid parental leave, Social Security Expansion that guarantees solvency for 75 years, citizenship for DACA recipients and passage of Rep. Escobar’s Dignity Act, and restoration of tax incentives for renewable energy.
But before we can address these critical economic and environmental justice issues, we need to stop the harm from the current administration: the policies, priorities, and the rhetoric. I will fight to restore 2025 spending cuts to government agencies that we need, shore up ACA and Medicaid until we enact a system of universal health care, and pull funding from ICE.
3. What should Congress be doing to rein in inflation and/or stabilize/boost the economy?
The first thing is to remove Trump-era tariffs in a phased manner that doesn’t cause more chaos to American businesses. Next, we need to restore cuts to agencies like Social Security that serves our most vulnerable, and HUD that provides block grants to communities all over the country. We need to return to Covid-era direct, monthly, child tax credit payments. We need to strengthen and increase the low income housing tax credit. I support universal pre-K and I will work hard to take best practices from pilot programs in universal child care to bring that to a reality nationwide. I will also collaborate to figure out the best way to provide two years of free post-high school education to all, whether that is community college, state university, or a technical/vocational/apprentice program. And finally, it is long past time to raise the minimum wage and tie its rate to inflation.
4. What should Congress be doing to reform immigration laws?
We have a good compromise ready to enact in the bipartisan Dignity Act. This is the bill that Trump forced Republicans to back away from two years ago. It provides better pathways to citizenship while increasing resources to Border Patrol to do the work we actually need and want, including facilitating cross-border commerce that my district relies heavily on. In addition, I will work every day to stand up for the dignity and humanity of all of my neighbors. The rhetoric coming out of this administration is quite literally killing us.
5. At a time when the White House is asserting more control over national security and spending without Congress’ input, how would you handle disagreements over the division of power?
I will work with my colleagues to exert Congressional power afforded by Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, to impeach the President for treason, bribery, and high crimes and misdemeanors. In addition to supporting this legislation, I will use my platform to education and lay out to the people in my district which behaviors qualify for these charges and how they rise to the level of impeachment.
6. The past year has brought tremendous uncertainty to many Americans surrounding rising health insurance premiums and lack of access to medical care near their homes. What do you believe Congress should be doing to make health care affordable and accessible to residents in your state?
Living in a rural area, the lack of medical resources is plainly tangible—even to someone with good insurance. We need robust Medicaid for our neighbors to afford care, and to ensure resources are available for all of us. So the first thing we need to do is restore cuts to Medicaid and the ACA tax credits. Further, we need to pass and implement Medicare for All. Once this is done, we need funding and oversight to create rural and neighborhood public clinics all across America.
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