Campaign Website: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/

Campaign POC: Unavailable

Phone Number: 540-757-2843

Campaign Email:
info@heinzerforcongress.com

Vetting Panel Selected: Refused

Structured Interview Completed: Refused

Biography: I served America in the US Army as a Ranger-Qualified infantry officer and Special Forces Green Beret, and then as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department in a career spanning the globe over 20 years.

I served my community as Chair of my local Democratic committee, and on the Exec Committee of my local NAACP.

And now, I seek to serve on your behalf as your representative in Congress.

Cliff Heinzer grew up in a working-class neighborhood at a time in our country when a full day’s work earned a living wage, benefits, and the expectation that your kids would do even better.

After graduating from college, he began a career that would see him serve America in the Far East, Latin America, Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

In the Army, he led as an officer in the infantry and special forces.

In the Foreign Service, he analyzed the politics of foreign governments overseas, and focused on U.S. policy in the Middle East while in Washington. His diverse career included:

– Countering violent extremism.
– Directing U.S. counter narcotics efforts in the Golden Triangle, including support to law enforcement, addiction treatment, and supply reduction programs.
– Bolstering border security and coordinating civilian efforts to improve governance in Afghanistan.
– Supervising the issuance of immigrant visas.
– Working closely with the Department of Defense.

A member of organized labor for 25 years, he is also a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Special Forces Association. Cliff recently ended his tenure as Political Action Chair of the NAACP’s Stafford Branch.

Since his departure from federal service, he has worked as an instructor for the Army, but the majority of his time has been devoted to political activism, advocating for school funding, campaigning for candidates he supports, and serving as the Chair of the Stafford County Democratic Committee. To the greatest extent possible, Cliff reaches across the aisle to find common ground.

​He resides in Stafford with his spouse Tuanta (née Tangae), a federal retiree and naturalized U.S. citizen. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

Why you? Refused to answer.

What are your priorities? Congress needs to address the critical issues facing our nation, not generate more sound bites. Its failure to act for the common good is undermining our democracy.

Cliff’s life is a story of service to our country. In Washington, he will work for you, not lobbyists. He knows that voters in District 7 will measure his job performance in legislation, not media attention. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

PARTISAN GRIDLOCK
Partisan bickering in Congress makes it difficult just to pass a budget. Grandstanding has replaced negotiating; many members focus more on generating soundbites than passing the legislation their constituents need. With 90% of the House in non-competitive districts, primaries determine who will go to Washington. This pushes both parties toward extremes rather than common sense at the moderate center. Voters deserve better from their representatives.

If elected, I will:

Work to promote the common good;
Reach across the aisle to advance the priorities of CD7 constituents; and
Never forget that my job performance is measured in the legislation I help to pass, not the media attention I generate. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

INFLATION
A surge in Inflation rarely has a single cause and is generally the consequence of decisions made years earlier. Too little competition among the corporations that dominate our economy, printing trillions of dollars to support Wall Street, and massive tax cuts that benefitted the wealthiest Americans combined to create an economic environment so volatile that all it took was a supply chain shock to set off explosive inflation.

If elected, I will:

Support legislation that benefits consumers by making our economy more competitive;
Advocate for monetary policies that will benefit working Americans, not just investment bankers; and
Focus on reducing deficits, not tax cuts for the wealthy. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

OUR RIGHTS
Support legislation that takes a common-sense approach to reducing gun violence; and No one should be denied an opportunity for employment, education, or promotion; worry that they will be treated differently by officials, banks, businesses, or the police; or lose the right to vote because of who they are. We should not have to fear loss of employment or freedom of expression because of beliefs we hold (incitement to criminal activity, violence, insurrection, or violent overthrow of the government excepted). We should not see books removed from library shelves because they make others uncomfortable. Yet these are concerns for many of us today. That has to change.

If elected, I will:
Advocate for those who have been denied equal opportunity, treated unjustly, or denied freedom of expression; Support legislation for comprehensive criminal justice reform and an end to civil asset seizure; and Work with other House members to update and strengthen the Voting Rights Act. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade set the clock back 50 years on the protection of women’s freedom, health, and privacy.

If elected, I will:
Never forget that decisions on reproductive health belong to a woman and her physician, not the government;
Press vigorously for passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act that prohibits government restrictions on abortion services; and
Support legislation that prevents states from prosecuting individuals and groups who help women control their own health decisions. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

DEMOCRACY
Our democracy is under assault. Opportunists promote fear, market conspiracy theories, question the legitimacy of our elections, and employ threats of violence. Many Americans feel disenfranchised and alienated. Autocracy is gaining traction overseas; we must not allow that to happen here.

If elected, I will:
Work to isolate those who seek to turn Americans against each other;
Defend our institutions, voting rights, and first amendment freedoms; and
Focus on reversing the concentration of economic and political power that has left tens of millions of Americans feeling that they have no voice in our society, economy, or governance. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

MILITARY, CIVIL SERVANTS, VETERANS, AND RETIREES
All too often, those who have served the United States find themselves at the mercy of an indifferent bureaucracy. The VA has yet to achieve the standards we should expect. Inflation is complicating the retirement plans of former military members and civil servants alike. We must stop politically motivated attacks designed to intimidate and silence government workers.

If elected, I will:
See that the needs of service members and their families are addressed and that the sacrifices made by District residents in defense of our nation are never forgotten;
Protect those who have served the United States, whether in uniform or in the halls of government, from a retirement jeopardized by inflation; and
Work with other House members to shield government employees from efforts to politicize their work or circumvent civil service protections. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND GREEN SPACE
I grew up in a time when rivers caught fire, housing developments were built on waste dumps, and smog shut down cities. There has been progress, but we need to do more to reduce the risk we face from climate change. In our district, the rapid advance of suburban sprawl makes the preservation of our remaining green space ever more important.

If elected, I will:
Defend the Environmental Protection Agency from politicization and attack by special interests;
Support incentives for the further development of clean energy sources and an orderly transition away from fossil fuels; and
Seek funding for the protection of green spaces in our communities. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY
If there ever was an era when the United States could risk unilateralism, it has passed. Our future security rests with strong alliances, firm commitments, and deft diplomacy. The evolution of warfare that we see unfolding in the Ukraine suggests that our 20th Century combat systems are nearing the end of their usefulness, and we will need timely, effective, and affordable replacements. We must build the force we need for the coming decades, remembering that our military capability is linked to and limited by the strength of both our economy and our democracy.

If elected I will:
Seek to restore United States domestic industrial capacity and the defense industrial base to levels that can produce the systems we need to prevail in future conflicts, and stop outsourcing weapons purchases to foreign companies;
Support legislation that will address the recruiting and materiel challenges our armed forces face, provide Ukraine with the means it needs to defeat Russian aggression, and secure our nation’s borders;
and Encourage efforts to advance U.S. national interests by promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

RURAL COMMUNITIES
Our smaller communities are suffering from decades of inattention and have never fully recovered from the 2008 recession. Today, they are forced to grapple with many of the same problems facing urban and suburban areas, but without the same resources. Young people are leaving these communities because the cost of entry into agriculture has soared beyond reach.

If elected, I will:
Oppose policies that support the corporate concentration of agriculture;
Advocate for programs to reduce the barriers to entry for young people who want to farm;
Support sustainable development through improved access to the technology, education, health, and transportation resources rural communities need. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

Endorsements: No endorsements listed on website.

Education: Graduated from college. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

Relevant Employment History: See above biography.

Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge: I served America in the US Army as a Ranger-Qualified infantry officer and Special Forces Green Beret. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

Past Offices Held and Tenure: Chair of my local Democratic committee. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

Community Service: None listed on website.

Leadership Experience: See above biography.

Personal Strengths: Refused to answer. 

What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you? Refused to answer.

How would your friends and family describe you? Refused to answer.
 

What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? Refused to answer. No reference to the US Constitution on website. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

MILITARY, CIVIL SERVANTS, VETERANS, AND RETIREES
All too often, those who have served the United States find themselves at the mercy of an indifferent bureaucracy. The VA has yet to achieve the standards we should expect. Inflation is complicating the retirement plans of former military members and civil servants alike. We must stop politically motivated attacks designed to intimidate and silence government workers.

If elected, I will:
See that the needs of service members and their families are addressed and that the sacrifices made by District residents in defense of our nation are never forgotten;
Protect those who have served the United States, whether in uniform or in the halls of government, from a retirement jeopardized by inflation; and
Work with other House members to shield government employees from efforts to politicize their work or circumvent civil service protections. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

    

What are your thoughts on religious liberty? Refused to answer. No reference to religious liberty on website. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

    

What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? Refused to answer. No reference to the preservation of history on website. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

   

What are your thought on government transparency? Refused to answer. No reference to government transparency on website. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

   

What are your thoughts on national defense? Refused to answer. 

MILITARY, CIVIL SERVANTS, VETERANS, AND RETIREES
All too often, those who have served the United States find themselves at the mercy of an indifferent bureaucracy. The VA has yet to achieve the standards we should expect. Inflation is complicating the retirement plans of former military members and civil servants alike. We must stop politically motivated attacks designed to intimidate and silence government workers.

If elected, I will:
See that the needs of service members and their families are addressed and that the sacrifices made by District residents in defense of our nation are never forgotten;
Protect those who have served the United States, whether in uniform or in the halls of government, from a retirement jeopardized by inflation; and
Work with other House members to shield government employees from efforts to politicize their work or circumvent civil service protections. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY
If there ever was an era when the United States could risk unilateralism, it has passed. Our future security rests with strong alliances, firm commitments, and deft diplomacy. The evolution of warfare that we see unfolding in the Ukraine suggests that our 20th Century combat systems are nearing the end of their usefulness, and we will need timely, effective, and affordable replacements. We must build the force we need for the coming decades, remembering that our military capability is linked to and limited by the strength of both our economy and our democracy.

If elected I will:
Seek to restore United States domestic industrial capacity and the defense industrial base to levels that can produce the systems we need to prevail in future conflicts, and stop outsourcing weapons purchases to foreign companies;
Support legislation that will address the recruiting and materiel challenges our armed forces face, provide Ukraine with the means it needs to defeat Russian aggression, and secure our nation’s borders;
and Encourage efforts to advance U.S. national interests by promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

   

What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? Refused to answer. No reference to the free enterprise system on website. Professes values contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

INFLATION
A surge in Inflation rarely has a single cause and is generally the consequence of decisions made years earlier. Too little competition among the corporations that dominate our economy, printing trillions of dollars to support Wall Street, and massive tax cuts that benefitted the wealthiest Americans combined to create an economic environment so volatile that all it took was a supply chain shock to set off explosive inflation.

If elected, I will:

Support legislation that benefits consumers by making our economy more competitive;
Advocate for monetary policies that will benefit working Americans, not just investment bankers; and
Focus on reducing deficits, not tax cuts for the wealthy. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

   

What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? Refused to answer. No reference to protection of the unborn on website. Professes values contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade set the clock back 50 years on the protection of women’s freedom, health, and privacy.

If elected, I will:
Never forget that decisions on reproductive health belong to a woman and her physician, not the government;
Press vigorously for passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act that prohibits government restrictions on abortion services; and
Support legislation that prevents states from prosecuting individuals and groups who help women control their own health decisions.  (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/) 

What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? Refused to answer. No reference to the role or importance of the family  on website. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

   

What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? Refused to answer. No reference to equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes on website. Professes values contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

   

What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? Refused to answer. No reference the 2nd Amendment on website. Professes values potentially contrary to the values of Chasing Freedom – Virginia. (Source: https://www.heinzerforcongress.com/)

  

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