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Richard Neal's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

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.
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Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Richard Neal did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 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 2022.

  • "As health care costs soar & Republicans continue their despicable attacks on people with pre-existing conditions, the GOP wants to give yet another unpaid-for tax cut to the wealthiest Americans. And where are working people? Stuck paying for it all." (twitter.com)
  • "Our tax system is too complicated and favors the wealthy and corporations over middle-class families. Republicans recently enacted a tax bill that makes matters even worse. The bottom line is if we’re going to require Americans to pay taxes every year, the least our federal government should do is create a system that everyone can understand. As the lead Democrat on the Ways & Means Committee, which handles taxes, you have my commitment that I will always put middle-class families first when reforming our Tax Code. That means focusing on tax relief for working families and a creating a simpler and easy to understand tax system." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • "President Trump’s tax proposal does not do nearly enough for working families and small businesses in this country" (waysandmeans.house.gov)
  • "Millions of Americans depend on Social Security for their income because so many people can no longer rely on the traditional employer-sponsored pension. Millions more are currently contributing to the program through their paychecks. As Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, Richie has worked to strengthen and enhance social security for all Americans." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • Rated 100% by Alliance for Retired Americans (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Passing election reform that increases accessibility, reforms our campaign finance laws, and strengthens our election security will fortify our constitutional right to vote, ensuring that it cannot be infringed. I'm proud to support this legislation." (twitter.com)
  • "The passage of #HR1 is a major step in the right direction. Our campaign finance system will see more transparency & less dominance of big $. The inclusion of @repjohnlewis's Voter Empowerment Act will safeguard every citizen’s right to vote." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 1 "For the People Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "But it is not enough to simply acknowledge the lives that have been lost to excessive police force. We must say it plainly: This killing of George Floyd was not an isolated incident. We must acknowledge the root cause and act." (twitter.com)
  • "Now is not the time to be timid in our response to racial injustice. We must listen to the words of Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd, and act." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 1280 "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "This year’s defense budget invests in what makes America strong: our diversity, our technological innovation, our alliances and partnerships, and those who serve in uniform. #FY22NDAA" (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of S 1605 "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022" (votesmart.org)
  • "This morning we will reconvene on the House floor to pass #BuildBackBetter - monumental, life-changing legislation that will combat the climate crisis, create jobs, extend tax cuts for workers & families, lower health care costs & more. We won’t be derailed. We’ll deliver." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 2 "Moving Forward Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 5376 "Build Back Better Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "Our tax system is too complicated and favors the wealthy and corporations over middle-class families. Republicans recently enacted a tax bill that makes matters even worse. The bottom line is if we’re going to require Americans to pay taxes every year, the least our federal government should do is create a system that everyone can understand. As the lead Democrat on the Ways & Means Committee, which handles taxes, you have my commitment that I will always put middle-class families first when reforming our Tax Code. That means focusing on tax relief for working families and a creating a simpler and easy to understand tax system." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • "The tax cuts proposed by President Trump would disproportionately favor the wealthy and large corporations at the expense of our nation’s hardworking middle class. Despite what this Administration might say, the notion that large tax cuts pay for themselves is a fallacy." (waysandmeans.house.gov)
  • "Richie ensured that the relief packages prioritized expanding and strengthening unemployment insurance, offering paid sick days and family and medical leave, and extending tax credits to keep small businesses open and workers on the payroll." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • "The best way to maintain hope of full recovery in the long term is to help small businesses - the real muscle behind our economy - survive in the near term." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 1319 "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 266 "Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "One of his top priorities as Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee is making the environment we share cleaner and safer, while also promoting renewable energy that creates thousands of jobs in the process. That’s why he held the first Ways & Means hearing on climate change in over a decade. It's why he cosponsored the Climate Action Now Act, which would enter the US back into Paris Climate accords, and set hard limits on carbon emissions." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • Rated 100% by League of Conservation Voters (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 4447 "Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 9 "Climate Action Now Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "One of his top priorities as Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee is making the environment we share cleaner and safer, while also promoting renewable energy that creates thousands of jobs in the process. That’s why he held the first Ways & Means hearing on climate change in over a decade. It's why he cosponsored the Climate Action Now Act, which would enter the US back into Paris Climate accords, and set hard limits on carbon emissions." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • Rated 100% by League of Conservation Voters (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 9 "Climate Action Now Act" (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Since 2020, gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and teenagers. When car crashes were the leading cause of death to children, we changed the laws. We made cars and driving safer. Now it’s time to act on #gunviolenceprevention." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 1446 "Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 8 "Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021" (votesmart.org)
  • "I am proud stand on the House floor in support of legislation that builds on the gains of the #ACA; for legislation that increases access to affordable quality health care; for legislation that is #ForthePeople" (twitter.com)
  • "I take great pride on the 11th anniversary of the #ACA because it is life-changing legislation I helped to write. Thanks to the #AffordableCareAct, over 133 million Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions, have been able to access quality health care." (twitter.com)
  • "Joined my colleagues today to denounce Republicans’ renewed efforts to dismantle ACA’s pre-existing conditions protections which would affect almost 3 million people in MA including those w/ asthma, diabetes, cancer, mental health or substance abuse issues & even pregnant women." (twitter.com)
  • "No one should be forced to choose between caring for a loved one or dealing with a serious medical condition & paying their bills. American workers have been outspoken about the importance of paid leave for all. We have heard you loud and clear. #BuildBackBetterAct" (twitter.com)
  • "The benefits of paid leave are substantial, making it a smart investment. It improves business productivity, boosts employee morale, reduces turnover, and makes it easier for employers to attract skilled workers. #SavePaidLeave" (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 6201 "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "As the grandson of immigrants myself, I won’t turn my back on today’s DREAMers. We need real, comprehensive immigration reform." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • "He believes that we must do more to create pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, to welcome new Americans, to live up to our reputation as the Land of Opportunity, and to protect immigrant communities from all forms of intolerance." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • "He supports a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers." (www.nealforcongress.com)
  • Rated 3% by NumbersUSA (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by Center for Security Policy (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Signed a letter stating: "Few decisions are more needing of debate than a move to launch attacks, or declare war, on a nuclear-armed state such as North Korea. Military action against North Korea was considered by the Obama, Bush and Clinton Administrations, but all ultimately determined there was no military option that would not run the unacceptable risk of a counter-reaction from Pyongyang. This reaction could immediately threaten the lives of as many as a third of the South Korean population, put nearly 30,000 U.S. service members and over 100,000 other U.S. citizens residing in South Korea in grave danger, and also threaten other regional allies such as Japan. In such a volatile region, an inconsistent or unpredictable policy runs the risk of unimaginable conflict. That is why we strongly urge you to adhere to the diplomatic approach recently articulated by Secretary Tillerson, who stated that your Administration's sole goal is to "seek a denuclearized Korean Peninsula," and that you "do not seek regime change" and "do not seek a collapse of the regime," both of which could lead down a path that could risk nuclear war. We support Secretary Tillerson's statement that the preferred method for resolution is "direct talks with North Korea," including persuading them to relinquish their nuclear weapons by assuring them that they "do not need these weapons to secure the existence of [their] regime." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The withdrawal from the #IranNuclearDeal will damage our credibility & isolate the United States from the intl community. The US should be strengthening the agreement to make sure Iran does not pursue its nuclear ambitions, rather than walking away from a diplomatic accord." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 550 “No War Against Iran Act" (votesmart.org)
  • "After nearly 16 years of conflict in Afghanistan, President Donald Trump now wants to extend the longest war in our nation's history. Since 2002, the United States has spent nearly $5 trillion paying for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 2,400 men and women of our Armed Services have lost their lives and thousands more have been wounded in what many regard as an endless cycle of military intervention. And tonight, the President announced his intention to put more American boots on the ground with no clearly defined mission. I do not minimize the threat posed by the Taliban, ISIS or Al Qaeda in the region and across the world. The tragic events last week in Barcelona are a stark reminder that we need to remain vigilant in the global war on terror. But at some point the Afghan security forces and police need to take control of their own future. The American people do not want to see our brave soldiers deployed indefinitely without an exit strategy." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by Center for Security Policy (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 256 "To Repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002" (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S J Res 37 "Directing the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authroized by Congress" (votesmart.org)
  • "David at Sunbrite Farm in #Bernardston said that the Trump #tariffs are killing his milk prices. As a member of Our Family Farms, a marketing co-op of local dairy farmers working together, he is able to strategize with other local farms struggling with similar issues." (twitter.com)
  • "I am pleased with the International Trade Commission's announcement to overturn tariffs on Canadian newsprint. Today’s decision clearly demonstrates that our domestic paper industry is not harmed by imported newsprint." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 5430 "United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act" (votesmart.org)
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) regarding abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
X d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
X f) Prohibit the dilation and extraction procedure, also known as "partial-birth" abortion.
g) Prohibit public funding of abortions and of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
h) Other or expanded principles

Using the key, indicate what federal funding levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.Budget Priorities

Maintain Status a) Agriculture
Maintain Status b) Arts
Slightly Increase c) Defense
Slightly Increase d) Education
Maintain Status e) Environment
Slightly Increase f) Homeland security
Maintain Status g) International aid
Slightly Increase h) Law enforcement
Greatly Increase i) Medical research
Maintain Status j) National parks
Slightly Increase k) Public health services
Greatly Increase l) Scientific research
Maintain Status m) Space exploration programs
Maintain Status n) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Maintain Status o) Welfare
p) Other or expanded categories

Defense Spending

Maintain Status a) Armed Forces personnel training
Slightly Increase b) Intelligence operations
Maintain Status c) Military hardware
Maintain Status d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Maintain Status e) National missile defense
Slightly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Slightly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Maintain Status h) Research and development of new weapons
Slightly Increase i) Troop and equipment readiness
j) Other or expanded categories

Using the key above, indicate what federal tax levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.TaxesIncome Taxes:Family IncomeRetiree IncomeOther Taxes:Deductions/Credits:

Maintain Status a) Less than $25,000
Maintain Status b) $25,000-$75,000
Maintain Status c) $75,000-$150,000
Slightly Increase d) Over $150,000
e) Other or expanded categories
f) Over $40,000
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Increase b) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Status c) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Increase d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status e) Gasoline taxes
Maintain Status f) Inheritance taxes
g) Other or expanded categories
Maintain Status a) Charitable contributions
Maintain Status b) Child tax credit
Slightly Increase c) Earned income tax credit
Maintain Status d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status e) Mortgage deduction
Maintain Status f) Student loan credit
g) Other or expanded categories
No 4) Do you support permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
No 5) Do you support eliminating taxes on dividends paid to individual investors?
Yes 6) Should a married couple filing jointly pay the same taxes as if they were an unmarried couple filing separately?
7) Other or expanded principles

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

a) Support public taxpayer funding for federal 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.
d) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
e) Allow ads paid for by soft money that support or attack a candidate for federal office.
f) Allow issue advocacy commercials by corporations, labor unions, and non-profit groups which appear within 60 days of a general election and within 30 days of a primary election.
g) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
No h) Do you support instant run-off voting (IRV)?
No i) Should Election Day be a national holiday?
Yes j) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?
Yes k) Should marriage be restricted to a union only between a man and a woman?
I do not think we need to amend the Constitution to define marriage.

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

X a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
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.
f) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
X g) Support additional criminal penalties if a fetus is killed in the commission of a federal crime against a pregnant woman.
X h) Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
X i) Support programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.
X j) Impose stricter penalties for those convicted of white-collar crimes.
k) Enforcement of civil rights should primarily be the responsibility of the federal government.
l) Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
m) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
X b) Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
X c) Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
X d) Allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
X e) Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
f) Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
g) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Support national standards for and testing of public school students.
b) Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any public school.
c) Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any private or religious school.
X d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools.
X e) Increase funding for block grants to states to aid in the hiring of additional teachers.
f) Support teacher testing and reward teachers with merit pay.
X g) Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology).
X h) Support granting states limited control over Head Start programs.
i) Support changing the mission of Head Start to emphasize improving the math and reading skills of disadvantaged children.
j) Providing education is not a responsibility of the federal government.
X k) Support affirmative action in public college admissions.
X l) Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
X m) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
n) Other or expanded principles

1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding 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) Provide tax credits or grants to businesses that offer child care services to employees.
X d) Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
e) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
X f) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X g) Support the right of workers to strike without fear of being permanently replaced.
X h) Allow workers to sell company stock and to diversify their company retirement funds into other investment options.
i) Other or expanded principles
X a) The federal government should consider race and gender in government contracting decisions.
b) The federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs.
X c) The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
X d) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
e) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

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) Require states to compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately-owned land.
d) Relax logging restrictions on federal lands.
e) Relax standards on federal lands to allow increased recreational usage.
X f) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
X g) Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
h) Support opening a select portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
X i) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
j) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
X k) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits.
X l) Support the U.S. re-entering the Kyoto treaty process to limit global warming.
m) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Renew the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
X b) Maintain and strengthen the current level of 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.
X h) Require a license for gun possession.
X i) Establish a national database of ballistic "fingerprints" to track guns used in criminal activities.
j) Support legislation that would protect manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms from civil lawsuits by crime victims.
k) Other or expanded principles

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

a) Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
X 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 which includes 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.
e) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
f) Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X g) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X h) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under private managed care plans.
X i) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
X j) Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid.
k) Allow 55-65 year-olds to buy into Medicare.
X l) Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells.
X m) Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research.
n) Other or expanded principles

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

a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Increase the number of visas issued for agricultural workers.
d) Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
X e) Support amnesty for certain illegal immigrants who already reside in the United States.
f) Support the detention of asylum seekers from countries known to sponsor terrorism.
g) Other or expanded principles

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding United States 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 United States.
c) Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
e) Other or expanded principles

International Policy1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Central and East Asia.3) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United Nations.

Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Yes b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
No c) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
e) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?
Undecided b) Should the United States use military force to destroy the North Korean nuclear weapons program?
No c) Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?
Yes d) Should the United States increase financial support to Afghanistan?
Undecided e) Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?
f) Other or expanded principles
Yes a) Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?
No b) Should the United States decrease its financial support of the United Nations?
Yes c) Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
d) Other or expanded principles
Yes 4) Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
Yes 5) Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs"?
Yes 6) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund distribution of contraceptives?
Yes 7) Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention fund abstinence education?
8) Other or expanded principles
We need more international support to stabilize and reconstruct Iraq. We must better train Iraqi soldiers in this reconstruction effort.

International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

No 1) Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
Yes 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) Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) status with the United States?
No 5) Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
Yes 6) Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?
7) Other or expanded principles

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

Yes a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
Yes b) Should the United States adopt stricter rules for student visa applications from nations known to sponsor terrorism?
Yes c) Should the United States grant law enforcement agencies greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Yes d) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes e) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to national security?
g) 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.
c) Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities.
d) Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
e) Lower the annual cost-of-living increases.
f) Raise the retirement age for when individuals are eligible to receive full Social Security benefits.
g) Other of expanded principles

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

a) Collect taxes on commercial Internet transactions.
b) Continue the moratorium on Internet taxation.
X c) Implement regulation of Internet content.
X d) Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
X e) Support strict penalties for Internet crimes (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
X f) Support legislation to detail how personal information can be collected and used on the Internet.
g) Regulating the Internet is not a responsibility of the federal government.
X h) Impose regulations on "spam" emails.
i) Other or expanded principles

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

X a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
X b) Increase funding for child care programs.
c) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
d) Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
e) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
X f) Support housing assistance for low-income families.
g) Other or expanded principles
On an attached page, disk, or via email, please explain in a total of 75 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.

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