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Tim Walz on Government Reform

Democrat

 


Restore voting rights for formerly incarcerated people

Gov. Walz signed into law the largest expansion of voting rights in Minnesota in the last half century, restoring voting rights for over 55,000 formerly incarcerated people in Minnesota, establishing automatic voter registration, creating a permanent absentee voting status, and pre-registering 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. Gov.Walz also signed the Minnesota Voting Rights Act into law--prohibiting standards that would deny or limit any citizen's right to vote based on their race, color, or language.
Source: 2022 Minnesota Governor campaign website mn.gov/Governor , Aug 6, 2024

State investments come back to you tenfold over

Walz and GOP challenger Scott Jensen [held] their only televised debate. Walz stressed that the return on state investments in things like education, roads & health care "comes back to you tenfold over."

"You get a choice here of a vision of Minnesota, one that questions our elections, one that tells women they can't make their choices, one that defunds our public schools or you get an opportunity that brought so many of us to Minnesota. An opportunity for a state that is inclusive," Walz said.

Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune on 2022 Minnesota Governor race , Oct 18, 2022

Limit corporate campaign donations, and disclose all

Q: Require political ads to disclose their largest funders?

Jeff Johnson (R): Unknown.

Tim Walz (D): Yes. Co-sponsored 2012 DISCLOSE Act, requiring full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures.

Q: Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations & unions?

Johnson: Unknown.

Walz: No. Disagrees with Supreme Court decision that lifts limits on corporations' & unions' spending in US elections.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Minnesota Governor race , Oct 9, 2018

Remove barriers to voting

Q: Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements, even if they prevent some people from voting?

Jeff Johnson (R): Yes. Supports requiring voters to show photo ID, although Minnesotans rejected that idea in a 2012 vote.

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Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Minnesota Governor race , Oct 9, 2018

Ban all privately funded congressional trips

The era of closed-door favors to insider lobbyists must come to an end, but we cannot rely on those that are part of the culture of corruption to police themselves. Walz will consistently vote to give the House ethics committee authority to investigate and indict members without the consent of party leadership. Additionally, Walz will vote to strengthen lobbyist registration rules, bar lobbyists from congressional chambers and ban all privately funded congressional trips.
Source: 2006 House campaign website, www.timwalz.org, "Issues" , Nov 7, 2006

Public funding for political campaigns

Source: 2006 Congressional National Political Awareness Test , Nov 7, 2006

Establish the United States Public Service Academy.

Walz co-sponsored establishing the United States Public Service Academy

Introductory statement by Sponsor:

Sen. CLINTON: I rise today to introduce legislation that will create an undergraduate institution designed to cultivate a generation of young leaders dedicated to public service. The US Public Service Academy Act (The PSA Act) will form a national academy to serve as an extraordinary example of effective, national public education.

The tragic events of September 11 and the devastation of natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita underscore how much our Nation depends on strong public institutions and competent civilian leadership at all levels of society. Congress must take a step forward to ensure competent civilian leadership and improve our Nation`s ability to respond to future emergencies and to confront daily challenges.

This legislation will create the US Public Service Academy to groom future public servants and build a corps of capable civilian leaders. Modeled after the military service academies, this academy will provide a four-year, federally-subsidized college education for more than 5,000 students a year in exchange for a five year commitment to public service.

The PSA Act will meet critical national needs as the baby-boomer generation approaches retirement. Already, studies show looming shortages in the Federal civil service, public education, law enforcement, the non-profit sector and other essential areas.

Unfortunately our young people are priced out of public service careers all too often. By providing a service-oriented education at no cost to the student, the PSA Act will tap into the strong desire to serve that already exists among college students while erasing the burden of enormous college debt.

The establishment of a United States Public Service Academy is an innovative way to strengthen and protect America by creating a corps of well-trained, highly-qualified civilian leaders. I am hopeful that my Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle will join me today.

Source: United States Public Service Academy Act (S.960 & HR.1671) 07-HR1671 on Mar 23, 2007

Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures.

Walz co-sponsored DISCLOSE Act

Congressional Summary:

Wikipedia & OnTheIssue Summary: