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VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 50% by NARAL, indicating a mixed voting record on abortion: Neutral on topic 1 Expand embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports public funding for abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Opposes parental notification for abortions by minors: Favors topic 1 Opposes judges who strictly interpret Constitution: Opposes topic 1 Keep federal funding for family planning clinics: Strongly Favors topic 1 Protect the reproductive rights of women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated Born-Alive Survivors bill tries to illegalize abortion: Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 96% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 Sponsored more services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Reinforce anti-discrimination and equal-pay requirements: Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Investigate deportation of Japanese during WWII: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights (+5 points on Social scale)	More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance: Strongly Favors topic 3 ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Apply copyright inheritance to same-sex couples: Strongly Favors topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3 Provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: America was founded on Christian values (+5 points on Social scale)	Co-sponsored Do No Harm Act: keep church and state separate: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Rated 16% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Religious freedom means no religious registry: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Invest funds to alleviate the nursing shortage: Favors topic 5 Rated 88% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Let states make bulk Rx purchases, and other innovations: Favors topic 5 Merge Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Opposes repealing mandated health insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand the National Health Service Corps: Strongly Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 90% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 98% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 $25B to renovate or repair elementary schools: Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Businesses have a right to pollute (+5 points on Social scale)	Include Lake Champlain in Great Lakes ecology funding: Strongly Opposes topic 8 End commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Support UNCED Rio Declaration at 2002 conference: Opposes topic 8 Rated 100% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 EPA must do better on mercury clean-up: Opposes topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Require labeling genetically engineered food: Opposes topic 8 Rated Deregulating banks encourages discriminatory practices: Opposes topic 8 Rated Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Worked to reverse some of mandatory minimum sentences: Strongly Favors topic 9 Rated 75% by CURE, indicating pro-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing: Opposes topic 9 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 9 Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program: Opposes topic 9 Reduce recidivism by giving offenders a Second Chance: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Facilitate recovering crime victim restitution fees: Strongly Favors topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Rated 73% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Heller case established a fundamental individual right: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated C by the NRA, indicating a mixed voting record on gun rights: Opposes topic 10 Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad: Favors topic 10 Supports restrictions on right to bear arms: Opposes topic 10 Co-sponsored background check for every firearm sale: Strongly Favors topic 10 Sponsored bill for background checks for private transfers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 18% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 100% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation: Strongly Favors topic 11 Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million: Strongly Favors topic 11 Supports increasing income tax rates: Strongly Favors topic 11 Opposes eliminating the death tax: Favors topic 11 Rated Reducing tax rates balloons federal deficit & cuts programs: Favors topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	Include dairy in H2A visas (temporary agricultural workers): Favors topic 12 Rated 8% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 Opposes additional border infrastructure: Opposes topic 12 Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported: Favors topic 12 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: Favors topic 12 Sponsored bill to disallow religion-based immigration ban: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 8% by CATO, indicating a pro-fair trade voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Implement USMCA for improved North American trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 50% by the USAE, indicating a mixed record on trade: Neutral on topic 13 Ban imports from Xinjiang made by Uyghur forced labor: Opposes topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Stay away from the UN & Globalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	More foreign languages courses and exchange students: Opposes topic 14 Integrate gender into diplomatic and foreign aid processes: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Supports standing with the nation of israel: Favors topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Opposes topic 14 Allow travel between the United States and Cuba: Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Peace through Strength (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Rated Funding wars separately is gimmick against sequestration: Opposes topic 15 Exempt Veterans Affairs from federal hiring freeze: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Amend Constitutional to declare corporations are NOT people: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill for election holiday & easier voting access: Strongly Favors topic 16 Prohibit 'voter caging' which intimidates minority voting: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to expand voter registration and voter access: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Favors topic 17: Stay out of foreign wars (+5 points on Social scale)	Signed letter opposing Israeli annexation of territories: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Wrote first law banning export of anti-personnel landmines: Strongly Favors topic 17 Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine: Strongly Favors topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sponsored resolution to repeal 2002 AUMF against Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Human-caused climate change is accelerating: Strongly Favors topic 18 Opposed drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Strongly Favors topic 18 Keep efficient air conditioner rule to conserve energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances: Strongly Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 Designate sensitive ANWR area as protected wilderness: Favors topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+5 points on Social scale)	Let legal cannabis businesses use banking system: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated B by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business: Favors topic 20 Rated 86% by UFCW, indicating an anti-management/pro-labor record: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 Opposes constitutional amendment for balanced budget: Opposes topic 20 Voted YES on $900 billion COVID relief package: Favors topic 20

Patrick Leahy is a Hard-Core Liberal
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