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Zoe Lofgren's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Democratic for U.S. House (CA) - District 18

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Zoe Lofgren has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2024 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

What is the Political Courage Test?

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.

  • "We write to urge you to include robust support for the Title X Family Planning Program in any mandatory or discretionary funding package you bring to the House and Senate Floor in the coming months. On June 24th, the Supreme Court overturned nearly 50 years of precedent by overturning Roe v. Wade, removing a fundamental constitutional right from half of all Americans. As states move to ban abortion services outright or severely restrict these services, funding for contraception and family planning services offered by trusted providers is more crucial than ever. While no level of funding for contraception will ever obviate the need for abortion services, we know that people across the country will turn to family planning providers for more accessible contraceptive options in the wake of this decision." (None)
  • "Sadly yet unsurprisingly, the partisan Supreme Court has again sacrificed Americans' health in pursuit of their far-right agenda. AND, like the Court’s horrific abortion decision, it threatens decades of progress on so many issues beyond climate change." (x.com)
  • "The unconstitutional #AlabamaAbortionBan, passed by an all-male majority, has no exceptions for rape or incest. This unconscionable, near-total ban is the latest Republican assault on reproductive rights. I will fight to defend #RoeVWade & protect access to safe, legal abortions." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 8297 "Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to Administrator Verma: "We write to express strong bipartisan support for the Medicare Advantage program, which 40 percent of eligible Medicare beneficiaries, more than 22 million people, choose to enroll in.[1] We appreciate your ongoing commitment to preserving and strengthening the Medicare Advantage program for current and future Medicare beneficiaries. As the Administration considers updates to the program for plan year 2021, we urge you to ensure that the Medicare Advantage program will continue to offer affordable, high-quality, patient-centered coverage options for the diverse populations the program serves, including beneficiaries with End Stage Renal Disease who for the first time will be able to choose a Medicare Advantage plan." (None)
  • "On Social Security’s birthday, we should all recommit ourselves to protecting the program from Republicans’ continued attempts to dismantle it. I support increasing benefits & making the very wealthy pay their fair share. #ProtectSocialSecurity" (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of S 610 "Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 1 "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to Speaker Pelosi: "The impact on our districts has been devastating, particularly on seniors who own homes and live on fixed income. The combination of capping SALT at $10,000 and the elevation of the standard deduction also removes most of the federal tax incentives for homeownership and for making charitable contributions. Homeownership is one of the most important ways for middle-class American families to build wealth, and millions of our constituent families will lose ground as a result. We are likewise hearing grave concerns from our districts' charitable organizations that depend on local, small-dollar donations. Churches, food pantries, youth organizations, animal welfare organizations, and many other worthy groups are experiencing sharp drops in donations." (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5377 "Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "On Social Security’s birthday, we should all recommit ourselves to protecting the program from Republicans’ continued attempts to dismantle it. I support increasing benefits & making the very wealthy pay their fair share. #ProtectSocialSecurity" (x.com)
  • "2 years ago, Republicans rushed their #GOPTaxScam into law, putting giant corporations & billionaires over working families. 2 years later, wealth inequality in America is even worse.@HouseDemocrats are fighting for an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged." (x.com)
  • Voted against HR 1 "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "H.R. 1 would also make significant advances in the areas of campaign finance and ethics reform. It would correct the rampant corruption flowing from the corrosive power of money in our elections. It would replace the current campaign finance system that empowers the super-rich and big corporations with one that relies on small donors and public matching funds. It would end secret election spending and force disclosure of all election-related spending. And it would call for a constitutional amendment to overturn the disturbing Citizens United decision that made it impossible to restrict outside spending by corporations or billionaires." (None)
  • "As Chairperson of the Committee on House Administration, I was proud to help pass H.R. 1 -- the most transformational and comprehensive democracy reforms in more than four decades. H.R. 1 would put power back in the hands of the American people by helping to curtail the dominance of big money in politics, making it easier, not harder, to vote, and ensuring that politicians actually serve the public interest." (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1 "For the People Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "Rep. Lofgren believes police officers must be held accountable for excessive use of force and there must be an end to policies that result in needless deaths. Zoe has vowed to support reform efforts advocated for by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and other safety and equitable law enforcement policies. Recently, as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Zoe has demanded that the Department of Justice open investigations in response to recent murders and is an original cosponsor of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a comprehensive police reform bill supported by the CBC and civil rights organizations." (lofgren.house.gov)
  • "From George Floyd to Eric Garner to Breonna Taylor & too many others, the list of unarmed POC who've been killed by law enforcement officers is long & outrageous. Action is long overdue. Led by @TheBlackCaucus, @HouseDemocrats are fighting for #JusticeInPolicing." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1280 "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 2670 "Nationl Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024" (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by Center for Security Policy. (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7900 "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 3684 "Infrastructure Investment and Investment Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Since the start of @POTUS’ term, we’ve seen 7.9 million new jobs in the U.S. @HouseDemocrats are continuing to build on that success by strengthening supply chains, investing in infrastructure, & making sure big companies offer consumers fair prices." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5376 "Build Back Better Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7301 "Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020" (votesmart.org)
  • "The lack of affordable housing is a crisis in the South Bay and in communities across the country," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. "I'm proud to join my colleagues to introduce the Housing Access Improvement Act, which will encourage the construction or renovation of new, affordable units. Increasing the Project Based Voucher statutory cap is a straightforward change that will help local housing agencies meet the soaring demand for affordable housing. The Santa Clara County Housing Authority has already successfully used a higher project voucher cap, and this legislation recognizes the impact the county's innovation has had." (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 8294 "Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5376 "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to President Biden: "The COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate shortages, with parents unable to find child care and businesses struggling to find workers, contributing to supply chain bottlenecks and inflation. Addressing our nation's child care crisis remains essential to boosting labor force participation among mothers, helping lower everyday expenses for families and child care providers who are facing higher costs due to inflation, and ensuring all children access the benefits of quality child care that support positive physical and brain development. We stand ready to work with you to enact legislation through reconciliation that ensures middle-class and working families do not spend more than 7 percent of their income on child care, expands access to pre-K, and invests in the early childhood workforce and infrastructure." (None)
  • "Today, @HouseDemocrats passed the landmark Inflation Reduction Act. This legislation help will lower prescription drug costs, save our planet from the worst effects of climate change, keep ACA health insurance affordable, & fight inflation & spur growth." (x.com)
  • "ICYMI: Last week, @HouseDemocrats passed the #LowerFoodAndFuelCostsAct to help farmers & alleviate supply chain bottlenecks. This will lower prices at the gas pump & grocery aisle." (twitter.com)
  • "Student loans shouldn’t be a barrier to a college education. I applaud @POTUS for providing relief to 43 million borrowers, capping payments & extending the pay pause. This will help combat the student debt crisis." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2547 "Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5746 "Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "The Democratic majority in the House of Representatives worked diligently to re-establish key provisions of the Voting Rights Act and put these blatantly discriminatory attempts to rob minority groups of their voting voice right back where they belong--firmly in the past. In passing H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, the House acted to ensure that every vote counts, and every eligible voter is able to exercise their right to vote, regardless of skin color or place of residence. The Voting Rights Act has long enjoyed bipartisan support, last renewed under a Republican-controlled Congress and signed by President George W. Bush -- it is long past time the Senate honor this tradition by bringing H.R. 4 to the floor for consideration." (None)
  • "Voter ID: Members act as if that is just a piece of cake. Well, 11 percent of eligible voters in the United States don't have an ID, and they can't get it because they don't have the money to pay for the underlying documents that would be necessary to get that ID. And those 11 percent are disproportionately senior citizens, young people, people with disabilities, low-income voters. So what is the alternative? They sign under penalty of perjury. They can be prosecuted for a felony if they are lying." (None)
  • "We all benefit as Americans when we invest in the future of our country. I am pleased to reintroduce the Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act for the fourth time, as momentum builds in California and across the country for aggressive action on climate change," said Lofgren. "Americans on both sides of the political divide understand the need for urgent action on the energy and environmental challenges we face. Individual citizens are looking for avenues to take ownership of these efforts and this legislation provides them with an opportunity to invest within their means in an array of clean energy projects." (None)
  • "In the South Bay and around the country, individuals and families are looking for ways to do their part in building our country's clean-energy economy and fighting climate change. The Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act provides Americans with an opportunity to invest, within their means, in innovative technologies that will yield profits both for themselves and our society," said Lofgren, a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. "This is my fifth time reintroducing this bill, and I feel strongly that, as momentum continues to build in California and around the country to be good stewards of our environment, we must employ proven economic growth-based tactics to tackle climate change. We all benefit when we invest in America's future." (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4447 "Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019" (votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to Speaker Pelosi: "It is time to enact a budget that ends new federal leasing for offshore oil and gas drilling and prevents the next oil spill. Oil spills shut down the very activity that drives coastal economies. As we are seeing in California right now, toxic oil is covering marine wildlife, causing beaches to close, and shutting down recreation areas that support local businesses and industries. We cannot afford to keep investing our nation's budget in harmful leasing at a time when we should be investing in coastal communities, which requires preventing new offshore leasing. To avoid the next drilling disaster and protect future generations we must permanently protect our coasts from new offshore drilling. Thousands of jobs in industries like tourism, recreation, and fishing rely on the decisions we make in the coming weeks and months." (None)
  • Signed Letter to Secretary Bernhardt: "We are concerned over reports that the administration is continuing to pursue plans to expand new oil and gas leasing off the Pacific coast of the United States. As Members of Congress from the California Delegation, we write in strong opposition to any new oil and gas leasing off the Pacific coast. We urge you to continue to follow the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (Program), ensuring that no new oil and gas leasing takes place off the coast of California." (None)
  • Voted against HR 21 "Strategic Production Response Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 2938 "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Our nation has been affected by far too many mass shootings and we are long overdue for commonsense reforms to ensure all Americans have a right to safety from gun violence." (None)
  • "Today, the House passed the #AssaultWeaponsBan Act. While it can’t bring back the lives lost three years ago yesterday at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, it would have prevented the sale of the gun used in the attack & will help prevent future tragedies." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1808 "Assault Weapons Ban of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 1425 "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "The #BuildBackBetter Act will deliver for California families with critical investments in childcare, universal Pre-K, paid leave, home & community based care, & expanded Child Tax Credits. I urge my Senate colleagues to quickly pass this vital legislation." (x.com)
  • "As we recognize #FMLA23, it's time for Congress to pass national #paidleave #leadonleave" (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6201 "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to President Biden: "Furthermore, we cannot ignore the economic benefits of paid leave. Enacting paid leave also means that families will continue to earn some income at the very time when they need it most – when a family is growing or a member is sick and needs medical care. Workers will be able to continue to earn a portion of their wages, allowing them to continue to meet their basic needs and pay bills before returning to work. Moreover, lack of paid leave has meant that workers lose an estimated $22.5 billion in wages each year when that could have been used to keep a family afloat and spent in local economies." (None)
  • "Thanks to the #InflationReductionAct, over 23,000 CA19 residents will save an average of $1,200 in health insurance premiums. 5,000 CA19 Medicare recipients will also have the cost of their insulin capped at $35 per month." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 3 "Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6833 "The Affordable Insulin Now Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 6136 "Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018" (votesmart.org)
  • "Zoe has described President Trump's cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as "a moral emergency for our nation". Some 800,000 DACA recipients brought to the United States as children are today vital members of our communities and economy. They are as American as any of us -- except for paperwork. President Trump's decision to turn his back on them betrays our national character. As the Senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security and a former immigration attorney and immigration law professor, Zoe is working hard to grant DREAMers the legal status and path to citizenship that they deserve." (None)
  • Voted against HR 2 "Secure the Border Act of 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • "Zoe has described President Trump's cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as "a moral emergency for our nation". Some 800,000 DACA recipients brought to the United States as children are today vital members of our communities and economy. They are as American as any of us -- except for paperwork. President Trump's decision to turn his back on them betrays our national character. As the Senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security and a former immigration attorney and immigration law professor, Zoe is working hard to grant DREAMers the legal status and path to citizenship that they deserve." (None)
  • "The men and women who work America's farms feed the nation. But many of them do so while living and working in a state of uncertainty and fear, which has only been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. "Stabilizing the workforce will protect the future of our farms and our food supply. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act accomplishes this by providing a path to legal status for farmworkers and updating and streamlining the H-2A temporary worker visa program while ensuring fair wages and working conditions for all workers. I look forward to working with Senators on both sides of the aisle to get this bipartisan legislation that serves the best interests of our country to the President's desk." (None)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6 "American Dream and Promise Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 4695 "Protect Against Conflict by Turkey (PACT) Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "The US gov must continue to hold Russia accountable while strengthening Ukraine’s ability to fight off their invaders. Today, the House passed legislation to revoke permanent normal trade relations from Russia, which will further isolate Russia from the world. #IStandwithUkraine" (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6968 "Suspending Energy Imports from Russia Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 6833 "Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 3522 "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "Mr. Speaker, this NDAA conference report contains several important provisions that I support. These include the authorization of $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, $300 million for construction of new military childcare centers, excluding the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA), and providing a 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers." (None)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legally available.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Eliminate public funding for abortions and public funding of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
X g) Other or expanded principles
I support Roe.v. Wade, current law in America which should have been one of your "listed' choices.

Budgetary PrioritiesUsing the key below, indicate what levels of federal funding you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.

Greatly Decrease Funding a) Agricultural
Slightly Increase Funding b) Arts
c) Defense
Greatly Increase Funding d) Education
e) Environmental
f) International Aid
g) Law Enforcement
Greatly Increase Funding h) Medical Research
Greatly Increase Funding i) National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA)
Greatly Increase Funding j) National Parks
Greatly Increase Funding k) Public Health Services
Greatly Increase Funding l) Scientific Research
m) Terrorism Prevention
Slightly Increase Funding n) Transportation and Highway Infrastructure
o) Welfare
p) Other or expanded categories

Defense SpendingUsing the key below, indicate what levels of federal funding you support for the following categories. Select one number per category.

Maintain Funding Status a) Armed Forces personnel training
b) Covert intelligence operations
c) Military hardware
Greatly Increase Funding d) Pay for active duty personnel
Eliminate Funding e) National Missile Defense Program
Greatly Increase Funding f) Programs to improve military retention rates
Maintain Funding Status g) Research and development of new weapons
h) Troop and equipment readiness
i) Other or expanded categories

TaxesUsing the key below, indicate what levels you support concerning taxes, deductions, and tax credits in the following categories. Select one number per tax.Income Taxes - Family IncomeIncome Taxes - Retiree IncomeOther TaxesDeductions/Credits

a) Less than $25,000
b) $25,000 - $75,000
c) $75,000 - $150,000
d) Over $150,000
e) Other or expanded categories
f) Over $40, 000
g) Other or expanded categories
Slightly Increase a) Alcohol taxes
b) Capital gains taxes
Greatly Increase c) Cigarette taxes
d) Corporate taxes
e) Gasoline taxes
Greatly Decrease f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
a) Charitable deductions
b) Medical expense deductions
c) Mortgage deductions
Greatly Increase d) Child tax credit
Greatly Increase e) Earned income tax credit
Greatly Increase f) Student loan tax credit
g) Other or expanded categories

Taxes

Yes 2) Should a married couple filing jointly pay the same taxes as if they were an unmarried couple filing separately?
No 3) Would you use Social Security surpluses to balance the budget?
4) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and governmental reform issues.

a) Support public taxpayer funding for congressional candidates who comply with campaign spending limits.
b) Increase the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
c) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
X d) Provide free or low-cost television advertising to candidates who agree to voluntary campaign spending limits.
X e) Ban unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
f) Prohibit non-U.S. citizens from making soft money contributions to national parties or party committees.
X g) Require full disclosure of funding sources of issue advocacy commercials which appear within 60 days of an election.
h) Remove all contribution limits to federal candidates and parties.
i) Require congressional candidates to raise over half of their campaign money from their home state.
X j) Require that unions give members the option of not having membership dues used for political purposes.
Yes k) Support the federal government mandate that creates national voting system standards.
No l) Do you support amending the Constitution to limit the number of terms that members of Congress can serve?
Undecided m) Do you support voting on-line?
X n) Other or expanded principles
on line voting is not yet secure, but I support it when security is achieved.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime.

a) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Increase spending to build more federal prisons.
c) Impose "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve full sentences with no chance of parole.
X d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X e) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
X f) Increase funding for community policing programs.
X g) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
X h) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
i) Enforcement of civil rights should primarily be the responsibility of the federal government.
j) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
X k) Support programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.
l) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning illegal drugs.

X a) Increase penalties for selling illegal drugs.
X b) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
X c) Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
X d) Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
X e) Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S.
f) Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
g) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning education.

X a) Support national standards and testing of public school students.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any publicly-funded school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any participating school: public, private or religious.
X d) Support charter schools where teachers and professionals receive authorization and funding to establish new schools.
X e) Increase funding for block grants to states to help them hire additional teachers.
f) Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay.
X g) Increase funding for computers and computer training in public schools.
X h) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
X i) Eliminate restrictions on federal education funding, giving educators or local school districts more flexibility to design and implement their programs.
X j) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
X k) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
l) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment and affirmative action.

X a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
X c) Establish empowerment zones in areas with large numbers of unemployed people.
X d) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
X e) Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
f) Eliminate any federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
X g) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X h) Considering race and gender in government contracting decisions is appropriate for the federal government.
X i) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
X j) Continue federal affirmative action programs.
k) Discontinue federal affirmative action programs.
l) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding America's environment and natural resources.

X a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
X b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
c) Support opening a select portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
X d) Support the U.S. re-entering the current Kyoto treaty process to limit global warming.
e) Require states to fully compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately owned land.
X f) Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
X g) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline or diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
X h) Provide tax credits for state and local bonds to preserve open spaces, build parks, improve water quality and redevelop brownfields.
X i) Support the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act prohibiting commercial logging in our national forests.
X j) Provide states and local communities with more flexibility to address their respective environmental problems.
k) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

a) Ban the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
X b) Maintain and strengthen the enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
c) Ease federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
d) Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
e) Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
X f) Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks on guns.
X g) Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
h) Require a license for gun possession.
X i) Raise the minimum age for ownership of handguns from 18 to 21.
j) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health issues.

a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
b) Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
X c) Support a Patient's Bill of Rights to define and enforce the rights of insured patients, including greater access to specialists and emergency rooms, wider choice of health care providers, and appeal mechanisms when claims are denied.
X d) Support a Patient's Bill of Rights which includes the right to sue when claims are denied.
X e) Support a Patient's Bill of Rights which includes the right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied.
X f) Support legislation to provide prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X g) Increase research funding of the human genome to find cures for diseases such as cancer, AIDS/HIV, Alzheimer's, and heart disease.
X h) Increase federal funding for training health workers to recognize and respond to the release of biological agents.
i) Prohibit the procedure of cloning human embryos.
j) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X b) Provide extra federal aid to states with higher numbers of immigrants for necessary medical and social services.
X c) Prohibit states from passing laws that deny human services (medical care, education) to illegal immigrants or their children.
d) Increase the immigration quota for computer scientists and other information technology workers.
e) Establish English as the official U.S. language.
f) Collect fingerprint data from all U.S. visa applicants which would be accessible to all federal immigration-related agencies.
X g) Allow legalization for certain illegal immigrants working in the U.S.
h) Other or expanded principles

International AidIndicate which principles (if any) you support regarding U. S. economic assistance.

X a) Aid should be granted to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
X b) Aid should be granted to countries when it is in the security interests of the U. S.
X c) Aid should be granted to countries that are close allies of the U. S. and in need of financial/military assistance.
d) Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
e) Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated except for extraordinary circumstances.
f) Other or expanded principles

International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United States-United Nations relationship.

a) The U.S. should take military action against Iraq only as part of an international effort.
X b) The U.S. should end the economic embargo against Iraq.
c) The U.S. should not continue to play a prominent leadership role in the peace process between Israel and the Palestine Authority.
X d) The U.S. should support the formation of a Palestinian state.
e) Other or expanded principles
X a) The U.S. should participate in United Nations peacekeeping missions only when vital U.S. interests are involved.
b) The U.S. should not commit military troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions.
c) The U.S. should withdraw completely from the United Nations.
d) Other or expanded principles
Yes 3) Should the U.S. have full diplomatic relations with Cuba?
Undecided 4) Should the U.S. recognize and extend full diplomatic relations to Taiwan?
No 5) Should the U.S. increase its financial support to Colombia for the "war on drugs?"
Yes 6) Do you support the cooperative threat reduction programs with Russia to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Undecided
No 7) Do you support the recent withdrawal of the U.S. from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty in order to deploy a national missile defense system?
Yes 8) Should the U.S. hold nations accountable for terrorists who operate from their country?
9) Other or expanded principles

International Trade

Undecided 1) Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
Undecided 2) Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
Yes 3) Do you support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
Yes 4) Do you support China becoming a member of the World Trade Organization?
Undecided 5) Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) trading status with the United States? ___ Yes ___ No ___ Undecided
Yes 6) Should the President have "fast-track" authority to negotiate trade agreements?
No 7) Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
8) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

No 1. Do you support the President using military tribunals to try terrorist suspects when the President deems ordinary civil courts to be inappropriate or impractical?
No 2. Should the U.S. adopt higher qualification rules for student visa applications from nations known to sponsor terrorism?
No 3. Should law enforcement agencies be granted greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Undecided 4. Should federal law enforcement agencies share intelligence data with local law enforcement agencies?
Yes 5. Should the federal government provide states with funding for homeland security?
6. Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
b) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
X c) The federal government should invest a portion of Social Security's assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of U.S. Treasury securities.
d) Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
e) Lower Social Security's annual cost-of-living increases.
X f) Support a "lock box" measure, limiting Congress's ability to spend Social Security and Medicare surpluses on any other federal programs except Social Security and Medicare, until each program's long-term solvency is guaranteed.
X g) Other or expanded principles
Balance the budget

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding technology.

X a) Continue the moratorium on Internet sales taxes.
b) Implement regulation of Internet content by the federal government.
X c) Regulation of the Internet should not be controlled by the federal government.
d) Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
e) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding poverty and the welfare system.

X a) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
X b) Provide homeless families with apartment vouchers they can use to defray the cost of an apartment.
X c) Continue to give states and local governments responsibility for welfare programs through TANF block grants.
X d) Maintain current welfare-to-work requirements in order for states to qualify for block grants.
X e) Restore food stamp programs to legal immigrants.
X f) Transfer homeless housing programs to states through block grants.
X g) Provide continued Medicaid benefits for those welfare recipients who have moved from welfare to work.
h) Require states to return any unused welfare block grant funding to the federal government.
i) Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
X j) Provide states with additional funding for Medicaid programs to alleviate increasing state budget deficits.
k) Other or expanded principles
In a total of seventy-five (75) words or less, please explain what your top two or three priorities will be if elected. Please explain how you would obtain any additional funding needed to implement these priorities.

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