Burgess Owens — Republican Candidate for U.S. House in Utah, 2026

Congressman Burgess Owens supports stricter immigration policies and advocates for securing the U.S. border. He voted against the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 and supported the Secure the Border Act of 2023. His stated priorities include restoring security at the southern border, ending illegal immigration, and stopping the flow of fentanyl.

Burgess Owens voted in favor of H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which aimed to reduce healthcare costs. He advocates for reforms that increase patient choice and make healthcare more affordable and accessible. Owens seeks to open the healthcare system to innovation and competition, moving towards a patient-centered approach with more choices, including for Medicare.

“The healthcare system in the United States has been too bureaucratic and expensive for far too long. Obamacare no longer needs to be repealed, but changes are necessary in the current healthcare plan. Instead of the old top-down approach to healthcare, we need to open up the system to innovation and competition. It’s simple: decrease cost, give more choice, and provide better care. By creating more transparency, our country’s healthcare system will be more patient-centered and less controlled by bureaucrats. We the people should have the freedom and flexibility to choose the care that is best for us; not the care someone in DC decides they think is best for us. As we get older, Medicare should give us more choices too - at every step, we should be in the driver’s seat. (Burgess Owens, Ballotpedia.org)”

Burgess Owens voted "Yes" on the Don't Mess With My Home Appliances Act, which regulates appliance efficiency. He also voted "Yes" on the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. Additionally, he supported the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) gave him a 6% score in 2024 and a 5% lifetime score.

Burgess Owens holds a pro-life stance on abortion, asserting that the right to life is fundamental and divinely given. He views actions that devalue life, including abortion, as aligned with "evil socialist and Marxist ideology." Owens' voting record reflects this position, as evidenced by a 1% score from the League of Conservation Voters on "Restoring the Right to Abortion Access."

“The right to life is fundamental and given to us by God. It is no accident the evil socialist and Marxist ideology of the left seeks to devalue life so much that mothers and fathers are willing to kill their own children. All of God’s children are endowed with inalienable rights which include life. It’s hard to imagine anyone ...”

Burgess Owens voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act and the Pressure Regulatory Organizations To End Chinese Threats to Taiwan Act (HR 1531). He also voted against a resolution (H Con Res 68) to remove United States Armed Forces from Venezuela not authorized by Congress. Mr. Owens emphasizes that U.S. energy independence is essential for conducting foreign policy without external coercion.

Representative Burgess Owens, as Chairman of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, supports education reform to address rising college costs, advocating for market incentives and accreditation reform. He believes administrative costs and unlimited graduate student borrowing have contributed to tuition increases. Owens also champions federal school choice programs and introduced the "Say No to Indoctrination Act" to ban K-12 indoctrination and redirect federal funds to improve academic outcomes.

“Today we will acknowledge a simple fact – college has gotten too expensive. Since 1970, college tuition has increased fivefold, far outpacing the rate of inflation. Meanwhile, colleges have increased their administrative costs, spending more on non-instructional personnel, athletics, and non-academic programs that are not core to an institution’s educational mission. Recent college enrollment surveys and federal data show that a long-running trend is continuing: colleges are on track to spend more per student on administrative costs than on teaching. I’m confident that restoring market incentives to higher education will result in better pricing for students. Every student should feel empowered to pursue an education that fits their goals and know that the degree they choose is worth the cost. I’m proud that this Committee took meaningful action to address the college affordability crisis, but there’s more to do. - Rep. Burgess Owens, Opening Statement, Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Hearing, February 4, 2026.”

Burgess Owens supports gun rights, advocating for the enforcement of existing laws rather than introducing new gun control measures. He voted against gun control legislation during the 119th Congress. Owens believes that additional laws restricting American rights are unnecessary, emphasizing that current laws should be strongly enforced and that individuals with guns can save lives.

“We don’t need more laws restricting American rights. We have the laws, and the laws need to be enforced. In most criminal cases where violent gun crimes are involved, there are other crimes tied to the case and frequently the crimes associated with gun violence are dropped. Murder has always been illegal. Doing it with a gun doesn’t make it more illegal. We need to step up and strongly enforce the laws we have. Good guys with guns save lives.”