On The Ballot: Running, Democratic for U.S. House (CA) - District 21
Jim Costa 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.
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.
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.
a) Abortions should always be illegal. | |||
X | b) Abortions should always be legal. | ||
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester. | |||
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) Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal. | ||
g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures. | |||
I am pro-choice and support parental consent for minors. |
Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.1) Budget Priorities2) Defense Spending3) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.Family Income TaxesOther TaxesDeductions/Credits
Slightly Increase | a) Agriculture | ||
Maintain Status | b) Arts | ||
Slightly Increase | c) Defense | ||
Slightly Increase | d) Education | ||
Maintain Status | e) Environment | ||
Maintain Status | f) FEMA | ||
Greatly Increase | g) Homeland security | ||
Maintain Status | h) International aid | ||
Greatly Increase | i) Law enforcement (Federal) | ||
Maintain Status | j) Law enforcement (State) | ||
Slightly Increase | k) Medical research | ||
Slightly Increase | l) National parks | ||
Slightly Increase | m) Public health services | ||
Slightly Increase | n) Scientific research | ||
Maintain Status | o) Space exploration programs | ||
Greatly Increase | p) Transportation and highway infrastructure | ||
Maintain Status | q) United Nations | ||
Maintain Status | r) Welfare | ||
s) Other or expanded categories | |||
Maintain Status | a) Armed forces personnel training | ||
Slightly Increase | b) Intelligence operations | ||
Maintain Status | c) Military hardware | ||
Slightly Increase | 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 | ||
Slightly Increase | h) Research and development of new weapons | ||
Slightly Increase | i) Troop and equipment readiness | ||
j) Other or expanded categories | |||
Greatly Decrease | a) Less than $12,000 | ||
Greatly Decrease | b) $12,001-$40,000 | ||
Slightly Decrease | c) $40,001-$100,000 | ||
Maintain Status | d) $100,001-$180,000 | ||
Maintain Status | e) $180,001-$350,000 | ||
Maintain Status | f) $350,001 and above | ||
g) Other or expanded categories | |||
Maintain Status | a) Alcohol taxes | ||
Slightly Decrease | b) Capital gains taxes | ||
Slightly Increase | c) Cigarette taxes | ||
Maintain Status | d) Corporate taxes | ||
Maintain Status | e) Gasoline taxes | ||
Eliminate | f) Inheritance taxes | ||
g) Other or expanded categories | |||
Slightly Increase | a) Charitable contribution deduction | ||
Greatly Increase | b) Child tax credit | ||
Slightly Increase | c) Earned income tax credit | ||
Greatly Increase | d) Medical expense deduction | ||
Slightly Increase | e) Mortgage deduction | ||
Greatly Increase | f) Student loan credit | ||
g) Other or expanded categories | |||
Yes | 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax? | ||
5) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year? | |||
I support PAY-GO measures and efforts with the Concord Coalition to control the federal budget and promote responsible fiscal policies. |
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.
a) Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns. | |||
b) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office. | |||
c) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees. | |||
d) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties. | |||
X | e) Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election. | ||
X | f) Support instant run-off voting (IRV). | ||
g) Support designating Election Day as a national holiday. | |||
X | h) Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations. | ||
X | i) Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill. | ||
X | j) Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege. | ||
I support early voting through absentee ballots, Saturday and Sunday voting, and early balloting at County Elections Offices and other locations. |
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. | |||
X | c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released. | ||
X | d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment. | ||
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes. | |||
f) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs. | |||
X | g) Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses). | ||
X | h) Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes. | ||
i) Other or expanded principles |
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.
X | a) Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs. | ||
b) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school. | |||
c) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school. | |||
d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools. | |||
X | e) Increase funding for the Pell Grant program. | ||
X | f) Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans. | ||
X | g) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college. | ||
h) Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders. | |||
i) Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders. | |||
j) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind). | |||
X | k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind). | ||
I support the federal government funding pre-K programs. However, due to the current fiscal climate, this is not the appropriate time for billions of dollars in new spending. The Bush administration made No Child Left Behind (NCLB) a huge unfunded mandate on states. Without a funding commitment, NCLB's program requirements are little more than a wish list. Furthermore, I support the federal government fulfilling it's original commitment to fund special education that was mandated 24 years ago at 45%. |
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.
X | a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in todays job market. | ||
b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector. | |||
X | c) Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies. | ||
d) Increase the federal minimum wage. | |||
X | e) Support the right of workers to unionize. | ||
f) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment. | |||
X | g) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws. | ||
h) Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws. | |||
i) Other or expanded principles |
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.
a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act. | |||
b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act. | |||
X | c) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil). | ||
X | d) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles. | ||
X | e) Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles. | ||
X | f) Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted. | ||
X | g) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels. | ||
X | h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel. | ||
X | i) Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source. | ||
X | j) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws. | ||
k) Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming. | |||
X | l) Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming. | ||
I support providing positive financial incentives to encourage compliance with the clean water act and clean air act. Also, while I support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel, I do not support it through the use of corn. |
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.
a) Allow individuals to carry concealed guns. | |||
b) Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials. | |||
Slightly Increase | c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns. | ||
Maintain Status | d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns. | ||
I support current California laws on concealed weapons. |
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.
a) Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income. | |||
X | b) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts. | ||
X | c) Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States. | ||
X | d) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare. | ||
X | e) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage. | ||
X | f) Support expanding child healthcare programs. | ||
g) Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government. | |||
h) 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) Establish English as the official national language. | ||
X | c) Support a temporary worker program. | ||
d) Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants. | |||
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States. | |||
f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship. | |||
X | g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship. | ||
h) Support merit-based visas over family-based visas. | |||
i) Other or expanded principles |
International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.
X | a) Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives. | ||
X | b) Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States. | ||
c) Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses. | |||
d) Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated. | |||
e) Other or expanded principles | |||
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? | ||
Yes | c) Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates? | ||
Yes | d) Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces? | ||
No | e) Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq? | ||
f) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq? | |||
Yes | h) Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program? | ||
Yes | i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan? | ||
Yes | j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan? | ||
Yes | k) Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes? | ||
No | l) Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan? | ||
No | m) Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan? | ||
Yes | n) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan? | ||
Yes | o) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo? | ||
Yes | p) Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia? | ||
Yes | q) Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses? | ||
Yes | r) Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo? | ||
a) Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China? | |||
b) Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela? | |||
Yes | c) Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements? | ||
Yes | d) Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade? | ||
I believe that the President should agree to Iraq's request to schedule the withdrawal of the U.S. troops. Now that Iraq is earning billions of dollars in oil revenues, they should pay for infrastructure projects such as water and sewer systems, schools, and roads, rather than pass these costs on to the U.S. taxpayers. | |||
I support the United States formally recognizing the Armenian Genocide. | |||
I support measures to fight outsourcing of United States jobs. |
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 law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks? | ||
Yes | c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country? | ||
Yes | d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security? | ||
Yes | e) Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security? | ||
Yes | f) Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system? | ||
No | g) Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas? | ||
h) Should the United States expand its missile defense shield? | |||
The National Guard is a vital part of our security force but as indicated in my answers on defense spending, we must do more to increase pay for active duty personnel and to improve troop retention rates so that we don't place unfair and unreasonable burdens on National Guard members and their families. Moreover, when our National Guard is depleted it must be re-supplied with current weaponry and supplies. |
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.
a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry? | |||
No | b) Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman? | ||
Yes | c) Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines? | ||
d) Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos? | |||
e) Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions? | |||
f) Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs? | |||
Yes | g) Should the federal government regulate internet gambling? | ||
h) 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 that they manage themselves. | |||
b) Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax. | |||
c) Decrease benefits paid to retirees. | |||
d) Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index. | |||
e) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits. | |||
I support comprehensive reform of the Social Security system. |
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) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants. | ||
X | c) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients. | ||
d) Abolish all federal welfare programs. | |||
e) Other or expanded principles |
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