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Raja Krishnamoorthi's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Democratic for U.S. House (IL) - District 8

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2024.

  • "This extremist, right-wing decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a tragic rollback of nearly half a century of progress and precedent in protecting reproductive rights, the right to bodily autonomy, the right to privacy, and the rights of women more broadly." (x.com)
  • "It's my deep hope that the Supreme Court will not follow its terrible initial decision on Texas anti-choice #SB8 by overturning Roe v. Wade, but hope is not enough. We need to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to enshrine the right to reproductive health care in law." (x.com)
  • "The leaked draft of the Supreme Court's majority opinion reveals they plan overturn Roe v. Wade. The right to make reproductive decisions should fall to individual women, not legislators, nor presidents, nor judges who'll never walk a day in their shoes" (x.com)
  • Rated 100% by Planned Parenthood Action Fund (None)
  • "Raja supports raising the cap on income subject to Social Security withholding, which is currently set at $118,500 per year. Raising the cap could greatly extend the solvency of the Social Security trust fund while ensuring that everyone pays their fair share." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Americans are more hopeful about Social Security, but Congress still must work to defend and strengthen one of our nation's most important programs." (x.com)
  • "Raja believes that Social Security and Medicare are sacred promises that we have made to our senior citizens. He will fight in Congress to protect those programs and help secure them for future generations. Now is not the time to shirk our commitment to America’s seniors, but rather to strengthen these programs and make sure they exist for the generations yet to come." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • Rated 100% by National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (None)
  • Rated 8% by National Tax Limitation Committee (None)
  • "Billionaires need to pay their fair share of taxes, and the DOJ needs to be checked on their subpoena power and overreach. We need to stop playing with our democratic values in how our institutions function on a daily basis." (x.com)
  • "President Biden’s budget proposal provides vital aid to Ukraine, reduces the deficit, and forces billionaires to pay their fair share of taxes. We must act quickly to pass these investments in our nation’s fiscal responsibility and global stability." (x.com)
  • Voted against HR 1: "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Why do regular Americans have to pay their fair share of federal income taxes but billionaires don’t?" (x.com)
  • "During the same year that this pandemic led to record unemployment and food insecurity, the number of billionaires in the world grew by 30% to reach 2,755. Our society is jaw-droppingly unequal." (x.com)
  • "President Biden’s budget proposal provides vital aid to Ukraine, reduces the deficit, and forces billionaires to pay their fair share of taxes. We must act quickly to pass these investments in our nation’s fiscal responsibility and global stability." (x.com)
  • Rated 8% by National Tax Limitation Committee (None)
  • "Raja supports a constitutional amendment to overturn the effects of Citizens United by stipulating that the free speech rights guaranteed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights are only inherent to natural persons – not to corporations – and that spending unlimited money in elections is not the same as exercising free speech." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Raja opposes the unfettered influx of corporate and special interest money in politics made possible by the Supreme Court’s wrong-headed Citizens United decision. In Congress, Raja is working to make sure that the voices of working people and the poor aren’t drowned out by special interests." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • Rated 100% by Common Cause (None)
  • "Raja is working to eliminate so-called "dark money" from our elections by requiring all organizations to disclose their contributions – including those that currently hide their activities by claiming they are for "social" or "educational" purposes. This huge loophole is enabling wealthy individuals and interest groups to hijack our elections without revealing their true identities or purpose. We must return transparency to our elections, so voters can know who is behind the ads and other spending designed to influence their votes." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1280: "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "I’m proud to cosponsor the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The news story of George Floyd’s murder and the racial justice protests from last summer may have faded but our work to mend this broken system must not." (x.com)
  • "The Senate needs to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act now!" (x.com)
  • "Yesterday, I marched in solidarity with all who have been protesting systemic and institutionalized racism and the murder of George Floyd. As our country works to heal, we must move forward shoulder to shoulder, united in solidarity against injustice, racism, and violence." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4350: "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "The United States must remain engaged on a global scale by contributing to military operations aimed at destroying ISIS and other terrorist organizations. U.S. soldiers should not be leading those operations, but rather supporting the efforts of those who live in the region through training, logistical help and coordinated air strikes. Here at home, Raja knows we must redouble our efforts to identify and stop those individuals who have been radicalized and intend to commit terrorist acts. That starts with keeping weapons out of their hands through expanded background checks that work in real time, as well as banning the purchase or possession of guns by individuals on the no-fly, terrorist watch list." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "There is no responsibility of our national leaders more sacred than protecting the homeland and keeping our families safe. Raja knows this, and as president of a company that researches and develops infrared night vision technology to keep our troops safe, Raja will fight to ensure our military has the resources it needs to carry out its mission anywhere in the world. But the challenge to our nation and its leaders is to respond to the threat of international terrorism without sacrificing American values or the rights and liberties that are the bedrock of our democracy." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7900: "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2: "Moving Forward Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Raja is a co-sponsor of H.Con.Res.63, legislation supporting efforts to enact a bold jobs and infrastructure package that benefits all Americans. This legislation prioritizes public investment in our infrastructure, expands wind and solar power, modernizes our energy grid, and promotes energy efficiency while avoiding fossil fuel-based projects to create a new infrastructure built on 21st century clean energy jobs. Finally, the legislation prioritizes the need to build infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters and cyber-attacks. As we face threats from our climate and enemies abroad, it is imperative that we can depend on our infrastructure at all times." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "We know that most Americans support a large infrastructure package because they know it will 1) improve bridges, roads, and transit and 2) create jobs and spur the economy" (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5376: "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "President Biden’s infrastructure plan invests in clean drinking water, affordable & sustainable housing, highways & bridges, manufacturing & small businesses, and care for elderly & disabled people. Making these investments today set us up for the future." (x.com)
  • "Last year, COVID affected every aspect of American life, including housing. For renters, this is great news, but for landlords, this is a different story. We must find ways to keep everyone afloat this year through additional housing aid." (x.com)
  • "Owning a home is a staple of the American dream. As we face rising costs and housing shortages, we need to do more to pave the path to home ownership for more families." (x.com)
  • "The House passed the HEROES Act in May because we knew the American people were going to need more help. It provides unemployment insurance, housing relief, child care investments, and hazard pay for essential workers. The Senate needs to pass it now." (x.com)
  • "The Inflation Reduction Act is fighting inflation by reducing prescription drug prices and lowering energy costs. But don't just take my word for it. Listen to what some Republicans have had to say about it." (x.com)
  • "The #InflationReductionAct is set to lower costs and save Americans more money, while also reducing inflation and making a historic investment in clean energy to help us fight climate change." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5376: "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "Today’s inflation numbers from the CPI show that there is still work to be done to lower costs for American families. The good news is, the Inflation Reduction Act is going to further lower inflation in the coming months. Help is on the way." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2547:"Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Worsening student loan debt has been a weight holding down the next generation of workers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Student debt relief will help millions of families while expanding the opportunities before them." (x.com)
  • "The student debt crisis has the ability to derail our economy. Outstanding student loans in the U.S. have skyrocketed and placed a burden on students. We must support the next generation & crack down on predatory programs that leave students with useless degrees & enormous debt." (x.com)
  • "I applaud President Biden for forgiving the debt of students who were defrauded by Corinthian Colleges. We must have greater accountability in high education to ensure bad actors cannot do this again." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4: "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "I am proud to say that I voted for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This is an important step in making sure that Americans have equal access to voting and to push back against voter suppression laws." (x.com)
  • "I’d like to see the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and Electoral Count Act reform passed in the Senate. We need comprehensive, fundamental changes to prevent voter suppression in states and make it easy for Americans to exercise their right to vote." (x.com)
  • "The House has passed H.R.4: The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This is an exciting and important step to making sure that all Americans are able to access their right to vote fairly and equally." (x.com)
  • "Raja cosponsored, among other critical initiatives: The 100% Clean Energy Economy Act, which restores the United States as a global climate leader by setting a nationwide goal of achieving a 100% clean energy economy by 2050" (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "As a former small businessman with an engineering background, Raja understands both the science and economics of climate change and he knows that the time for America’s clean energy future is now. A cleaner environment and a stronger economy are not competing goals, as many in Congress seem to believe. Instead, nations that lead the way in developing clean energy technology today will gain a competitive advantage in creating the high-paying jobs of tomorrow." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "I am pleased to report that yesterday the House passed my amendment to the Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy or "EASE" Act. My legislation would help harness the power of peer influence to inspire the wider adoption of renewable energy solutions. (x.com)
  • "Raja is a co-sponsor of H.Con.Res.63, legislation supporting efforts to enact a bold jobs and infrastructure package that benefits all Americans. This legislation prioritizes public investment in our infrastructure, expands wind and solar power, modernizes our energy grid, and promotes energy efficiency while avoiding fossil fuel-based projects to create a new infrastructure built on 21st century clean energy jobs. Finally, the legislation prioritizes the need to build infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters and cyber-attacks. As we face threats from our climate and enemies abroad, it is imperative that we can depend on our infrastructure at all times." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Raja cosponsored, among other critical initiatives: The Arctic Cultural Coastal Plains Act, which repealed harmful Republican provisions that allowed for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "President Biden promised our country that he would protect our environment and he has done just that by revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline" (x.com)
  • "President Trump is using the final days of his Administration to sell oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. This is 1) terrible for environmental conservation and 2) shouldn’t be a priority during a pandemic" (x.com)
  • "The Biden Administration will re-establish our country’s commitment to protecting this planet, starting with ending the Keystone XL pipeline project" (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 1446 "Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "Raja introduced H.R.4018, a bill to provide a three-day waiting period before a person may receive a handgun. This legislation is designed to prevent would-be mass shooters from acquiring immediate access to lethal weapons, providing more time to prevent the next mass shooting. Furthermore, gun suicide is one of the leading contributors to gun deaths and to suicides in the United States, and creating a longer waiting period can provide the time to save a significant number of lives. Too many young people are dying from an epidemic of gun violence, and we must do what we can do protect the public from guns in the hands of those who would seek to do harm." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • Rated 0% by Gun Owners of America (None)
  • "Raja supports common-sense gun laws to keep guns out of the wrong hands and reduce the epidemic of mass shootings that are occurring throughout the United States. Among the measures he supports are closing the "gun-show loophole" by extending background checks for gun purchases to gun shows; reinstating the expired federal ban on assault weapons; and improving the reporting system to help keep guns out of the hands of terrorists, convicted felons, and those with severe mental illnesses. Raja also supports allowing the government to fund research on gun deaths and gun safety, something that is presently forbidden." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "I believe that healthcare in this country should be a right and not a privilege and that we must continue to strive to attain universal coverage. I believe the best way to accomplish that is by adding a public option under the Obamacare health insurance exchanges, so that people and families have an affordable alternative to private insurance. Such an option would provide competition for private insurance and, in so doing, could help drive down overall costs." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Americans without health insurance are in a scary, expensive situation. The ACA is not perfect. But, it has reduced our uninsured rate and supported individuals with preexisting conditions. Successful legislation like this should be expanded & improved, not invalidated." (x.com)
  • "During a health crisis and rising unemployment, Medicaid is more important than ever. The ACA allows states to voluntarily expand Medicaid. States that expanded Medicaid are able to cover 19.4% more of unemployed adults and provide $557/person more than states that haven’t." (x.com)
  • "I strongly support the Affordable Care Act and have voted consistently against Republican attempts to cripple or repeal it. It has afforded millions of Americans who formerly lacked health insurance the coverage they need while preventing insurance companies from excluding those with pre-existing conditions." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6201: "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Grant workers the ability to earn up to seven days of paid leave annually when the worker or family members have medical needs." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Require paid maternity leave for all women in the workforce." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "The Build Back Better Act is an investment in our futures. By providing universal child care and paid parental leave, the Build Back Better Act is working towards a future that helps families and parents." (x.com)
  • "The Inflation Reduction Act is fighting inflation by reducing prescription drug prices and lowering energy costs. But don't just take my word for it. Listen to what some Republicans have had to say about it." (x.com)
  • "I also believe that Congress should end the current ban on the federal government’s ability to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry for recipients of Medicare and Medicaid. This would utilize market forces to drive down prices and make prescription drugs more affordable for all Americans – just as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has done successfully on behalf of millions of veterans who served in our military." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Many of the most successful prescription drugs have been developed through the work and support of federal researchers and federal grants. I believe that taxpayers, who have paid for these advances in drug research and development, should reap some of the rewards for their investment. We ought to explore ways to limit or cap the profits that pharmaceutical companies are reaping from drugs developed with the help of taxpayers in order to reduce their exorbitant costs." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "One of the greatest contributors to the cost of Medicare is the rising price of drugs. Yet, at the behest of the special interests, Congress has prohibited the government from negotiating prices for prescription drugs provided through Medicare part D, which the VA has done successfully for years. This law benefits drug companies at the expense of senior citizens, and Raja will work to repeal it – which will reduce both the cost of drugs for our seniors and the cost of Medicare overall." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • Rated 14% by NumbersUSA (None)
  • "Are House Republicans bluffing on border security? President Biden called on Congress to enhance border security as a part of this package, but Republicans in the House also took this out. Let's walk and chew gum at the same time." (x.com)
  • "Raja is working in Congress for comprehensive immigration reform that protects our homeland, secures our borders, and offers a path to citizenship for undocumented workers who have staked roots in this country, lived peacefully without incident, and have agreed to pay penalties and fines, pay their taxes, learn English, and go to the back of the line." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Due to President Trump’s "zero-tolerance" policy on the U.S.-Mexico border, 545 children are still separated from their parents, some of whom have been deported. The immorality, chaoticness, criminality and sinfulness of this policy is astounding." (x.com)
  • "Raja is working in Congress for comprehensive immigration reform that protects our homeland, secures our borders, and offers a path to citizenship for undocumented workers who have staked roots in this country, lived peacefully without incident, and have agreed to pay penalties and fines, pay their taxes, learn English, and go to the back of the line." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Proud to cosponsor the Dream and Promise Act, which passed the House today. This bill would offer a pathway to citizenship for about 2.5 million DREAMers. Immigration reform is long overdue, and we’re delivering it now." (x.com)
  • "Raja is a co-sponsor of H.R.3440, the DREAM Act. This legislation, originally written by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), provides a path to citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants who have known no other home and have meaningfully staked their roots in America. We should welcome these young people, enabling them to pursue a higher education and contribute to our nation’s future. Indeed, many of these DREAMers have already contributed meaningfully to our country’s security by serving in our nation’s Armed Forces. They represent the very best attributes of our country, and we must incorporate them into the fabric of America." (rajaforcongress.com)
  • "Due to President Trump’s "zero-tolerance" policy on the U.S.-Mexico border, 545 children are still separated from their parents, some of whom have been deported. The immorality, chaoticness, criminality and sinfulness of this policy is astounding." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5692 "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • "The United States will provide support to Ukraine and will implement harsh economic sanctions on Russia for this invasion. As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I am committed to protecting U.S. national security." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 340: "Hamas International Financing Prevention Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7691: "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes." (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5692 "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • "Proud to see President Biden travel to Kyiv to meet with President Zelensky to reaffirm our nation's unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Our new shipment of supplies will support the Ukrainian war effort and protect its civilians." (x.com)
  • "With over 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s eastern border, we cannot allow Russia to bully sovereign countries. It is imperative that we provide necessary support to Ukraine to enhance their ability to defend themselves, their sovereignty, and their democratic institutions." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7691: "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes." (votesmart.org)
  • "False information on the election is spreading through Facebook, so I’m glad to see that Facebook is implementing protection measures. The bottom line is that these lies about the validity of our election cannot be allowed to permeate." (x.com)
  • "We need to hold big tech companies responsible for their central role in misinformation." (x.com)
  • "We have long known the dangers that social media can hold for our children. As we move forward in the digital age, we need to make sure our children are protected. I’m glad to hear that Facebook has paused this development, now make it permanent." (x.com)
  • "While other social media companies have implemented aggressive new polices to combat the spread of disinformation on their platforms, Facebook has failed to do the same. Today @RepKatiePorter and I wrote to @Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg demanding a more rigorous response" (x.com)

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