RepublicanINCUMBENT

Michael Lawler

New York House District 17 2026 · 2026

Policy Positions

50%

Avg Confidence

Issue Areas

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Record vs. Rhetoric

Michael Lawler has a congressional voting record. The comparison between their stated positions and that record is still being computed — check back soon.

Policy Positions

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Economy

2 positions

Would you support raising the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence on minimum wage exists in the provided legislative record; position is inferred from his Republican party affiliation and general conservative economic stance, though Lawler represents a competitive moderate district. Fact-check this →

Would you support imposing tariffs of 25% or more on imports from countries that do not meet US labor and environmental standards?

Neutral

Party InferenceLawler's recent legislative record contains no direct evidence on tariff policy tied to labor/environmental standards; he is a moderate Republican from a competitive district, making party-line inference unreliable, so a neutral position is assigned with low confidence. Fact-check this →

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Education

1 position

Would you support canceling up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo sponsored legislation directly addresses student loan cancellation; position inferred from Republican Party platform opposition to broad student debt forgiveness and Lawler's general fiscal conservatism as a House Republican. Fact-check this →

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Environment

3 positions

Would you support legislation to reduce US carbon emissions by 50% by 2035?

Oppose

Party InferenceLawler sponsored the Energy Affordability and Reliability Act of 2026 (suggesting skepticism toward aggressive emissions mandates) and heat awareness legislation, but has no direct record on a 50% emissions reduction target; position inferred from his energy legislation focus and general moderate-Republican stance. Fact-check this →

Do you support legislation to reduce US carbon emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2035?

Oppose

Party InferenceLawler's legislative record shows no direct evidence on carbon emission targets, but his sponsored bill extending North Atlantic right whale regulations and 'National Extreme Heat Awareness Week' support suggest some environmental awareness, while his Republican affiliation and overall record indicate likely opposition to aggressive 50% emission reduction mandates; position inferred from general policy stance. Fact-check this →

Do you support stopping the issuance of new federal permits for oil and gas drilling on public lands and offshore waters?

Oppose

Party InferenceLawler's record shows no direct statements on oil/gas drilling permits, but his Republican affiliation, support for extending North Atlantic right whale regulations (suggesting some environmental flexibility), and general moderate-Republican profile suggest he would oppose a full ban on new federal drilling permits while potentially supporting some environmental measures; position inferred from general policy stance. Fact-check this →

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Foreign Policy

3 positions

Would you support increasing the federal defense budget by more than 5% annually?

Neutral

Party InferenceLawler's sponsored legislation does not directly address defense budget levels, and no clear voting record or public statement on increasing the defense budget by more than 5% annually was found in the available evidence. Fact-check this →

Would you support increasing the federal defense budget by more than 5% per year above the rate of inflation?

Support

Party InferenceLawler's cosponsorship of veterans and military-related legislation (Rx ACCESS Act, Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans Act) suggests general pro-defense orientation, but no direct evidence addresses specific defense budget growth rates; position inferred from Republican affiliation and moderate pro-defense legislative record. Fact-check this →

Would you support maintaining or increasing current levels of US foreign assistance to allied and developing nations?

Neutral

Party InferenceLawler's legislative record shows no direct bills or cosponsored legislation specifically addressing U.S. foreign assistance levels; the 'Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Act of 2026' touches international affairs but does not clearly indicate a position on broader foreign aid funding, so position is inferred largely from his moderate Republican profile in a competitive swing district. Fact-check this →

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Gun Policy

3 positions

Would you support universal background checks for all firearm purchases in the US?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo sponsored legislation on gun policy is present in the provided record; position is inferred from Lawler's Republican Party affiliation and general Republican opposition to universal background checks, though he has shown some moderate tendencies on other issues. Fact-check this →

Would you support requiring background checks for all firearm purchases in the US, including private sales and gun show transactions?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence in the provided legislative record addresses universal background checks; position inferred from Republican Party alignment and general conservative gun rights stance typical of NY-17 Republicans, though Lawler represents a competitive swing district which may moderate his position slightly. Fact-check this →

Would you support a federal ban on the manufacture and sale of semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines to civilian buyers?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct votes or statements on an assault weapons ban are present in the provided record; as a Republican representing a competitive NY district, Lawler has generally avoided strong gun control positions, though his moderate district profile suggests opposition rather than strong opposition to such a ban. Fact-check this →

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Healthcare

2 positions

Would you support expanding Medicare to cover all Americans regardless of age?

Oppose

Party InferenceLawler's sponsored legislation includes the 'Energy Affordability and Reliability Act of 2026' and 'Early Access to Screening Act,' reflecting incremental rather than systemic healthcare reform; no direct statement on Medicare-for-All exists, but his Republican affiliation and legislative record suggest opposition to large government expansions of coverage. Fact-check this →

Would you support federal legislation requiring Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence in the legislative record addresses Medicare drug price negotiation; position inferred from Republican party affiliation and general opposition among GOP members to the Inflation Reduction Act's negotiation provisions, though Lawler represents a competitive district and has shown moderate tendencies. Fact-check this →

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Immigration

3 positions

Would you support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have lived in the US for more than 5 years?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo sponsored legislation directly addresses immigration pathways; position is inferred from Lawler's Republican affiliation and general GOP opposition to broad legalization programs, though he has occasionally broken with party on moderate issues. Fact-check this →

Would you support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have lived and worked continuously in the US for more than 5 years?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence on this specific immigration question appears in the provided legislative record; position inferred from Republican party affiliation and general congressional Republican opposition to broad legalization pathways, though Lawler represents a competitive swing district (NY-17) and has occasionally broken with party on moderate issues. Fact-check this →

Would you support significantly increasing federal funding for border security infrastructure and personnel at the US southern border?

Support

Party InferenceLawler's sponsored and cosponsored legislation does not directly address border security, but as a Republican representing a competitive NY swing district he has generally supported border security measures; position inferred from party affiliation and general policy posture with no direct legislation on this topic in the record provided. Fact-check this →

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Taxes

3 positions

Would you support increasing the top marginal income tax rate to 50% for income over $10 million?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence on this specific tax question is available in the provided record; position is inferred from Lawler's Republican affiliation and his sponsorship of the Energy Affordability and Reliability Act, which generally aligns with a fiscally conservative, lower-tax orientation. Fact-check this →

Would you support raising the top federal income tax rate to 50% for individual income exceeding $10 million per year?

Strongly Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence on this specific tax proposal exists in the provided record; as a House Republican, Lawler's sponsored legislation (e.g., 'Fuel the Force Act') and party affiliation strongly suggest opposition to significant top-rate income tax increases, though his moderate NY-17 district profile prevents a score of strong oppose with high confidence. Fact-check this →

Would you support raising the federal corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence on corporate tax rates in Lawler's legislative record; as a House Republican who cosponsored the 'Fuel the Force Act' (a tax-related bill) and represents a competitive NY district with a moderate-to-conservative fiscal record, he is inferred to oppose raising corporate taxes, though his moderate district positioning prevents a 'strongly oppose' rating. Fact-check this →

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Voting Rights

1 position

Would you support federal legislation requiring all states to automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they interact with government agencies?

Oppose

Party InferenceNo direct evidence in Lawler's sponsored or cosponsored legislation addresses automatic voter registration; position inferred from Republican party alignment and general moderate-conservative profile, with no active championing or opposition found in the record provided. Fact-check this →