BACKGROUND

1. Candidate Name and Office Sought: Santos Limon , Congressional Candidate TX. D.23
2. Campaign Address: P.O. Box 761292 San Antonio 78245
3. Campaign Email: slimon@limonforcongress.com
4. Phone Number: 210-765-0721
5. Provide a brief biography and explain your qualifications for this office.

Born in Fort Worth, he’s intimately acquainted with the Texan way of life, moving between his hometown and Del Rio alongside his siblings. These connections are as deep-rooted as the Rio Grande, stretching back to  Texas his grandfather called home in Marathon.

His childhood aspirations of making a positive impact on his community and stepping into public service may soon become reality as he vies for the 23rd Congressional seat. Santos, a Civil Engineer and a shrewd Businessman, embarked on his journey in the realm of transportation at Union Pacific Railroad. What started as a role in systems administration flourished into a role that shapes global movement of goods and people across vast distances. But he didn’t stop there; his enterprising spirit led him to establish prosperous businesses, all the while remaining connected to and involved in his communities.

Santos Limón’s achievements and visionary leadership in commerce and transportation perfectly position him as the candidate to drive economic progress and introduce world-class transportation choices to Southwest Texas. His business expertise has translated into meaningful contributions on a global scale, all while he maintains an unwavering involvement in local initiatives. His affiliations with esteemed associations like the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), Asociación Mexicana de Ferrocarriles, A.C. (AMF), and his proud 11-year tenure with the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employee Union (BMWE), highlight his commitment to advancing the transportation sector.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Santos devotes himself to philanthropy and community service. He’s an active member of the Del Rio San Felipe Lions Club, a part of the San Antonio Knights of Columbus, and has played pivotal roles within the Boys Scouts of America since 2002.

Educationally, Santos Limón’s journey encompasses studies at Southwest Texas Jr. College, Saltillo Institute of Technology in Coahuila, Mexico (TEC de Saltillo), the George Meany Center for Labor Studies, and the University of Kearney Nebraska. Notably, he’s a proud alumnus of Del Rio High School.

Santos’s personal life is a testament to his strong family values. He shares his life with his beloved wife, Alma, and together they nurture their five blended children and two cherished grandchildren. Alma’s steadfast support underscores Santos’s campaign for Congress. With a proven track record and a clear vision, Santos Limón is positioned to usher in economic prosperity and cutting-edge transportation solutions to the 23rd Congressional District.

6. Why are you seeking AFSCME’s endorsement? Have you received it in the past?

                 I have not received AFSCME’S endorsement. I am seeking AFSCME endorsement because I believe it is

                 critical that we properly fund, staff, and all governmental agencies. This will help eliminate the threat of

                 privatization. By building working relationships with the unions it will better serve our communities. 

7. What other endorsements do you have and what others are you seeking?

AFL-CIO Texas and Teamsters National and several elected officials within the 23rd District. We are now seeking AFSCME endorsement .

8. How will you win this election? What is your path to victory (for the primary and/or general election, if applicable)?

                 It will take 150,000 votes to win in the 23rd Congressional District. I anticipate on turning 8,000 republican

                 votes. I am making this possible because I have already turned republican votes in the rural areas and

                 through veterans. We must also have 65% of the democratic voters to vote. 

9. What is your relationship with AFSCME members and/or leaders in your district?

We are building a working relationship with AFSCME labor leaders in El Paso. They are instrumental

in establishing the first ever high school union fair in the EL Paso area. They are also posting our

signs in their communities.

10. Are you a union member and if so, what union? LACLA
11. Supporting Public Sector Jobs, Services, Collective Bargaining and Workplace Rights – All Americans depend upon public services to keep our communities strong and prosperous. Protecting the rights of public sector workers to have the freedom to come together to form strong unions and use their collective voice to advocate for resources and safe staffing levels is one of AFSCME’s top priorities.
    1. Given the ongoing and concerted attacks on labor rights and workers, from limiting the powers of the National Labor Relations Board to using federal legislation to strip workers of rights and more, will you support modernizing American labor law so that public employees at the federal, state and local level along with private sector workers can better organize and bargain collectively for workplace rights and protections, wages, and benefits?

Yes, I will advocate to get the Pro Act put into law. Public and private sector employees should not be denied the right to organize and bargain collectively.

1. Will you co-sponsor and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act that sets a federal minimum standard for collective bargaining rights for public sector workers?

Yes, Employees should be able to select a union. The right to collectively bargain employment terms, and conditions, bargain for wages and hours. Employees should have access to dispute resolution mechanisms. They should also be allowed to enforce their labor rights in court.

1. Will you oppose efforts to attack wages, benefits, workplace rights and protections?

Yes, Employees should have the right to earn a living wage, benefits and protections in the workplace.

1. Will you support requirements that state and local governments and other recipients of federal funding adequately staff those federally funded programs and fairly compensate their workers?

I will advocate for all governmental agencies to be properly funded and staffed. I will fight for all employees to be paid a living wage and advocate a cost of living wage as needed for all employees.

12. Privatization and Outsourcing of Jobs – Outsourcing and privatization of jobs continues to be a major problem at all levels of government, especially in the administration of federally-funded programs like SNAP (formerly food stamps), Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and using Public Private Partnerships (P3s) for public utilities such as water that prioritize profits for private companies at the expense of good jobs for public workers and leaves taxpayers continuing to assume all the risk.
    1. Will you oppose any legislation that would encourage, expand, or mandate the contracting out, privatization, (including public private partnerships) or off-shoring of public services as well as oppose financing schemes – such as private activity bonds, asset recycling, and others that purport to leverage private dollars for public services – that lead to privatization, less accountability, and displace workers?

Yes, I will oppose any legislation that promotes privatization. We must make sure that all public and government agencies are properly funded and staffed so they can properly function.  

1. Will you support efforts to curtail state and local privatization of publicly funded programs, including by opposing the contracting out or privatization of administrative functions in public benefit programs such as SNAP, Medicaid and Unemployment Insurance and new social insurance programs such as paid family and medical leave?

I will always curtail all privatization agendas that threaten government and local jobs. From the federal standpoint. I will make sure that all federal monies are provided to these programs.

1. Will you support strengthening federal requirements that decisions and redeterminations of eligibility for Medicaid, SNAP, and UI be done by workers under a merit-based personnel system, so these decisions are insulated from political pressure?

We should always strengthen federal requirements for these programs. The integrity for federal requirements upheld by government agencies should be honored.

13. Budgets, Taxes and Revenues – Budget austerity and budget cuts have decimated vital public services. Increased revenues are needed to fund vital government benefits and services that all Americans depend upon, including to make needed investments in health care, infrastructure, education, and child care. More also needs to be done to close egregious loopholes that let the wealthy and corporations pay less than their fair share.
    1. Will you work to ensure public services and programs are fully funded to meet public needs, as well as work to repeal and reject unfair budget caps, sequestration cuts, and other schemes that reduce funding and services?

As a Congressman I will always advocate to make sure that all federal monies given to these public services and programs are properly funded. At the federal level I will never advocate to repeal or reject any  budget cuts.

1. What is your plan for a jobs agenda that includes additional funding for state and local governments to create needed jobs in public safety, transportation, education, social services, child care, home care and other vital public sectors as well as fully fund the services provided by the workers in these jobs?

Once elected into office, I will push for economic development with innovative projects like high speed rail from San Antonio to El Paso. By promoting innovative projects it will automatically enhance job opportunities in the 23rd Congressional District. I will always support federal funding for state and local government. I will advocate for the money distributions to these social programs to go directly to these programs.

1. Will you oppose and work to repeal tax breaks benefiting the wealthiest Americans and corporations and enact tax laws and policies to require them to pay their fair share?

I will advocate as a Congressman to make sure the wealthiest and corporations pay their fair share of taxes. I will support any legislation that will eliminate tax laws that give them a way out of paying their fair share of taxes.

1. Will you support closing corporate tax loopholes, like those that encourage firms to send jobs and profits offshore, and support corporate tax reform in order to raise significant federal revenue?

I will oppose any federal tax corporate loopholes in Congress and support tax reform legislation that will eliminate all tax loopholes.

14. Infrastructure – Even with the passage of the latest infrastructure investments, we will continue to have unmet hard and soft infrastructure needs in our country
    1. Will you support large, real dollar investments in further infrastructure needs, including for physical infrastructure, public health, child care, home care, schools, and more?

I will always support federal funding for infrastructure needs.

15. Constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment
    1. Will you oppose any proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced federal budget, including efforts to advocate for a Constitutional Convention of the states?

I will oppose any proposals to the U.S. Constitution that will require a balanced federal budget. I will oppose State Constitutional Conventions that are proposed by the states to amend the U.S. Constitution in accordance with Article V.

16. Health Care
    1. Will you oppose any legislative, administrative, or judicial efforts to repeal and/or replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and will you support efforts to strengthen the law to make healthcare more affordable for working families?

I will not support legislation that repeals or replaces the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I will support legislation that will reform and strengthen the ACA.

1. Will you oppose efforts to send Medicaid dollars to the states through block grants as well as oppose any caps on support? Yes
2. Will you oppose all efforts to dismantle Medicare, raise the eligibility age, and shift costs from the federal government onto states or beneficiaries?

I will never support legislation that will dismantle medicare, raise the eligibility age, and shift costs from the federal government onto states and beneficiaries. I will advocate that the wealthiest Americans and Corporations pay their fair share to eliminate the risk of dismantling Medicare and shift costs to the states.

1. How will you improve Medicare for current and future beneficiaries?

I work towards simplifying Traditional Medicare and Advantage Medicare programs that will enable beneficiaries to easily compare their coverage options. I will also support legislation that enhances and promotes supplemental benefits. I will fight to reduce drug prices for beneficiaries by giving medicare the right to open market competition. I will also fight to ensure all beneficiaries who meet the requirements have access to homecare. I will advocate to establish new standards for plan compensation for agents and brokers.

17. Retirement Security
    1. Do you support the use of the Consumer Price Index – E (CPI-E) to more accurately calculate cost-of-living adjustments for seniors to take into account seniors’ unique spending patterns?

I will always support all cost of living funding for seniors.  

1. Will you oppose efforts to raise the retirement age for Social Security?

I will always oppose raising the social security age.

1. Will you oppose any efforts to privatize Social Security?

I will oppose  privatizing  Social Security.

How will you support efforts to expand Social Security benefits to address the growing national retirement security problem and guarantee Social Security for the future?

We must fully fund Social Security. We must provide 20 billion in emergency supplemental funding over 10 years to Social Security; Address and fix all solvency issues.

1. Will you support efforts to protect against the further deterioration of guaranteed pension benefits?

I will always advocate to guarantee that pension benefits do not get deteriorated. I will fight to protect them and enhance them.

18. Civil and Human Rights – The work of preserving, promoting, and protecting hard-won civil and human rights         in this country is not over.
19. How will you continue the fight for equality for persons of color, women, children, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, older Americans and others whose civil liberties and human rights are threatened?

                   As a Congressman,I will promote   any affirmative action legislation to be put into law. The rights to  all Americans should be protected.                            

1. Will you vote to restore those Voting Rights Act (VRA) protections weakened by the U.S. Supreme Court as well as prioritize legislation that further protects voting rights from the continued attacks by extremists in state legislatures?

 I will advocate to pass the John Lewis voting rights bill.

1. What current bills in Congress relating to civil and human rights would you prioritize for passage?

Voting rights, affirmative action, and right to choice,

18. Courts – Ensuring fair and balanced representation on our nation’s courts is critical to ensuring equal rights and justice for all. U.S. Senators have the constitutional power to provide Advice and Consent on federal court nominations, and in doing so work with U.S. Representatives from their state and others in the community.
    1. Are you willing to work to recommend and advance unbiased, knowledgeable, and diverse appointments to the federal courts who are representative of the public, including lawyers with a background in labor law and protecting workers’ rights? Yes
    2. What is your plan to achieve these goals?

To get elected into office so that I can recommend and advance unbiased, knowledgeable, and diverse appointments that will adhere to the U. S. Constitution.

19. Paid Sick and Family Leave – Providing equitable access to paid leave benefits for all workers to expand their families and care for themselves and their loved ones is essential to our nation’s economic prosperity and, in particular, women’s workforce participation and economic opportunity.
    1. Will you support legislation to mandate a publicly administered paid leave benefit for all American workers with strong oversight for employers providing their own better or equal paid leave benefit?

I will always advocate legislation that promotes mandated  paid leave to all American workers.

1. Will you support creating a federal-state hybrid paid leave program under which already existing state-administered paid leave programs continue to operate if they meet minimum federal standards?

I will always advocate to protect or promote paid leave programs.