The Bernard Johnson Platform for West Texas

I’m running for Congress because the people of West Texas deserve better than party loyalty and backroom deals. This platform is built on real issues affecting our communities—border security, land rights, small business, education, and water. My focus is simple: Keep decision-making close to the people, protect our resources, and give power back to local families and small towns.

Border Security

Supporting Humanitarian Efforts

As a staunch advocate for humane immigration policies, I wholeheartedly embrace the arrival of immigrants to our great nation, so long as they respect and comply with our nation’s laws. It is my firm belief that the United States must take a closer look at our existing trade agreements with countries that see a high volume of their citizens seeking new lives within our borders. By improving these agreements, we can create opportunities for individuals to prosper in their home nations, thereby reducing the pressures that lead to unlawful immigration. My commitment is to work diligently on advancing thoughtful legislation that addresses the root causes of unlawful immigration and ensures that our borders are secure yet welcoming to those who seek a better life in accordance with our laws.

• Promote Legal Immigration: Welcome immigrants through lawful, respectful pathways that contribute to society.
• Review Trade Agreements: Reassess trade policy to improve economic stability in high-migration nations.
• Address Unlawful Entry: Target root causes—not just symptoms—of unauthorized immigration.

As we reform our immigration approach and work to stabilize the conditions that drive people to our borders, we must also take a hard look at what we’re doing—or not doing—for the Americans already here.

Keep the Land in American Hands

Fighting for Generational Farmers and Local Ownership

For too long, the people who built this country—who’ve lived on the land, worked it, and passed it down—have been pushed aside by backroom deals, foreign interests, and government overreach. And now, some in Washington are floating the idea of giving our land and resources to individuals who haven’t put in the same sweat, roots, or legacy.

Let’s be clear: American land belongs in American hands. That means third-generation families and beyond—not new arrivals, foreign nationals, or mega-corporations.

• Land Incentives for Legacy Citizens: Reward families with generational roots through land access, farming support, and tax relief.
• Stop the Corporate Buyouts: Block large-scale foreign or non-local land grabs that threaten local control.
• Protect Rural Values: Ensure communities—not bureaucrats—decide how their land is used.

This land is your land—and I’ll fight to make sure it stays that way.

Economic Development

Supporting Entrepreneurship and Small Business for Legacy Americans

Owning a business isn’t just a dream—it’s how many West Texans build a future. I will introduce legislation focused on empowering third-generation American citizens and beyond to build local businesses without being buried in government red tape.

• Remove Barriers to Entry: Cut unnecessary occupational licensing requirements that hold back local entrepreneurs.
• Tax Relief for New Founders: Provide targeted tax subsidies for first-time business owners with deep U.S. roots—not corporations or foreign investors.
• Local First Focus: Prioritize economic investment in rural and working-class communities where mobility has stalled.

Digital Inclusion and Broadband Access

Connecting Our Communities—Digitally and Economically

Access to reliable internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. From applying for jobs to running a farm to educating our kids, broadband is the backbone of modern life. But many rural and working-class Texans are still being left behind.

• Build Rural Broadband Infrastructure: Prioritize areas with no or low coverage to ensure every home and business is connected.
• Leverage Smart Partnerships: Collaborate with co-ops, local governments, and the private sector to keep costs low and avoid red tape.
• Empower Through Education: Support digital literacy so communities can make the most of new access.

No West Texan should be left behind in the digital age.

Education

Investing in Local Schools and Career Readiness

Our children’s education should be guided by those closest to them: parents, teachers, and students—not distant bureaucrats. I support a flexible, local-first approach that prepares young people not just for college, but for life—whether that’s through trade skills, agriculture, tech, or entrepreneurship.

• Empower Local Decision-Makers: Return authority to families and local school boards.
• Support Alternative Education Paths: Expand vocational training, apprenticeships, and homeschooling resources.
• Cut Federal Bureaucracy: Eliminate ineffective mandates and redirect resources to classrooms.

Mental Health

Community-Based Support for Students and Families

Our children carry heavy burdens—especially in small towns and rural communities. I believe mental health care should be available, accountable, and family-centered. That starts in our schools.

• Secure Federal Support: Leverage IDEA and federal programs to fund school-based counseling for trauma-affected students.
• Build Local Partnerships: Allow colleges and university psychology departments to assist districts with services, training, and oversight.
• Put Parents First: Guarantee parental consent and involvement in all school mental health services.

Military Accountability and Veterans Support

Defending the Constitution, Supporting Those Who Served

Our service members take an oath to defend the Constitution—and so should our leaders. As your representative, I will hold the Executive Branch fully accountable when it comes to military action. Congress—not the President—holds the sole constitutional power to declare war, and I will fight to restore that balance.

But supporting our military doesn’t end when service does. Too many veterans, especially those who are disabled, are slipping through the cracks of a broken transition system. We must do better—for their sake, and for our nation’s future.

• No Unauthorized Wars: Enforce the constitutional requirement that military strikes and prolonged conflicts must be authorized by Congress.
• Prioritize Mental Health: Expand access to trauma-informed care and counseling for active-duty service members and veterans alike.
• Veteran Transition Reform: Implement oversight and modernization of veterans' transition policies to ensure housing, job training, and medical access are guaranteed—not delayed or denied.

Our veterans defended this country. It’s time the country stood up for them—with real reforms, real accountability, and real care.

Electoral Reform

Returning Power to the Voters

Our political system is broken—and the people know it. Whether it’s gerrymandering, ballot access barriers, or party insiders rigging the rules, Texans are being robbed of real choices and real accountability.

• Ballot Access Reform: Remove double standards that block independent and third-party candidates.
• Fair Redistricting: End gerrymandering with transparent, nonpartisan processes.
• Ranked Choice Voting: Let voters rank candidates to reduce toxic campaigns and increase majority support.

We don’t need more career politicians—we need more honest ones.

Government Transparency

Real Accountability Starts with Open Government

Texans deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent and who’s influencing the laws that affect their lives. I support full transparency at every level of government.

• Audit Government Agencies: Require independent audits to cut waste and expose fraud.
• Strengthen Open Records Laws: Enforce the Public Information Act and FOIA with teeth.
• Lobbyist Disclosures: Make all lobbyist meetings public in real time.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. If they’ve got nothing to hide, they’ve got nothing to fear.

Water Conservation

Protecting Our Most Vital Resource: The Ogallala Aquifer

In West Texas, water is survival. Our farms, families, and future depend on the Ogallala Aquifer and other local water sources—and they’re being depleted faster than they can recover.

• Collaborative Solutions: Work with local leaders and agencies to create science-based, region-specific water strategies.
• Support Water-Efficient Technology: Promote irrigation tech and water recycling for farms and rural towns.
• Community-First Conservation: Incentivize local stewardship and voluntary water-saving initiatives.

We don’t need D.C. telling us how to manage our water—we need the tools and support to do it ourselves.

Take the Next Step

This platform wasn’t built in Washington—it was built by listening to West Texans. If you’re tired of being ignored, sidelined, or sold out, I ask you to stand with me.

Not sure where you stand? Take the “How Bernard Are You?” quiz and find out.