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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 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly Favors topic 1 Emergency contraception for rape victims at all hospitals: Favors topic 1 Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance: Strongly Favors topic 1 Provide emergency contraception at military facilities: Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated Funding abortion avoids discrimination against poor women: Strongly Favors topic 1 Rated Constitutional right to terminate pregnancy for health: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ensure access to and funding for contraception: Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 Teach teens about both abstinence & contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Favors topic 1 NO on Unknown roll call for 2001-89: Favors topic 1 NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Favors topic 1 NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Favors topic 1 NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all: Neutral on topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Rated 92% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recruit women & minorities for STEM teaching: Strongly Favors topic 2 Voted YES on private lawsuits for school race discrimination: Favors topic 2 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Sponsored bill for ratifying Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Combat international and domestic Islamophobia: Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2 YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 75% 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 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Don't elevate gender identity as a protected class: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3 NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 15% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4 Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4 Comprehensive sex ed for sexually-active adolescents: Opposes topic 4 NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Opposes topic 4 NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4 YES on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care: Favors topic 5 Rated 100% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Require insurers to cover breast cancer treatment: Strongly Favors topic 5 Rated GOP can't beat ObamaCare, so they pretend it's a "disaster": Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Favors topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Create Retirement Savings Accounts: Favors topic 6 Rated 80% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 6 by NCPSSM indicating a pro-Social Security stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Sponsored keeping CPI for benefits instead of lower "Chained CPI": Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 92% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Endorsed Endorsed by NCPSSM for protecting Social Security and Medicare: Strongly Opposes topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice: Opposes topic 7 Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Sponsored extending subsidized federal student loan rates until 2015: Opposes topic 7 Rated No-strings-attached block grant will kill transparency: Opposes topic 7 Rated Oppose private and religious school voucher programs: Strongly Opposes topic 7 NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 95% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 No EPA permits required for forest road runoff: Strongly Favors topic 8 Rated Voted NO on requiring limited GMO labeling: Favors topic 8 Regulatory relief for smaller banks stimulates growth: Favors topic 8 Rated Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 NO on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Favors topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Rated 85% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9 Sponsored stricter rules for police accountability: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology: Opposes topic 10 Rated B- by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Teach kids Eddie Eagle GunSafe's lifesaving message: Favors topic 10 Ban "fire sale" of firearms after delicensing closure: Opposes topic 10 Ban large-capacity ammunition: Opposes topic 10 Require background check for every firearm sale and transfer: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Sponsored bill for background checks for private transfers: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Rated 27% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes: Strongly Favors topic 11 Rated 83% 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 Rated Raising estate tax to 1990s level means $448B in new revenue: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated Reducing tax rates balloons federal deficit & cuts programs: Favors topic 11 NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Favors topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Favors topic 11 NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration: Strongly Favors topic 12 Rated 0% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance: Strongly Favors topic 12 Allow more visas for STEM college graduates: Favors topic 12 Protect LGBT families from illegal immigrant deportation: Favors topic 12 Rated Voted to legalize DREAMer immigrants via military service: Strongly Favors topic 12 Increase both high-skill and family-based visa caps: Favors topic 12 Sponsored bill to disallow religion-based immigration ban: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Favors topic 12 NO on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Build a rule-based global trading system: Favors topic 13 Rated 39% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Implement USMCA for improved North American trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 75% by the USAE, indicating support for trade engagement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated Maintain World Bank funding as part of multilateralism: Strongly Opposes 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 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored: Strongly Opposes topic 14 NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Opposes topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Favors topic 14 NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+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 Rated Let NSF decide research grants, not Congress: Opposes topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Establish 15 days of early voting in all states: Favors topic 16 Full disclosure of campaign spending: Strongly Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: Favors topic 16 Corporate political spending is not free speech: Favors topic 16 Establish "My Voice Voucher" small campaign contributions: Strongly Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 No separate contribution limits for party activities: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 Holiday on election day; revamp for easier voting access: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to expand voter registration and voter access: Strongly Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Opposes topic 16 YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Favors topic 16 NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Favors topic 16 YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+2 points on Social scale)	Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence: Favors topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Defund US military presence in Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 Aid the Syrian opposition with training & equipment: Opposes topic 17 Remove US Forces from Hostilities Against Yemen: Favors topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 Repeal 2002 Military Force Authorization against Iraq: Favors topic 17 NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Opposes topic 17 NO on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 $5 billion in tax credits for alternative energy projects: Favors topic 18 Voted YES on banning offshore oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico: Strongly Favors topic 18 50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 Voted YES to assist rural electric renewable energy: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated -10 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 50% by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform: Neutral on topic 19 Rated B by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Rated Voted NO on additional Drug War funding for synthetic drugs: Strongly Opposes topic 19 NO on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 Voted YES on $900 billion COVID relief package: Favors topic 20 $1.9 trillion ARPA bill for COVID relief: Favors topic 20 NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached: Favors topic 20 YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20

Rick Larsen is a Hard-Core Liberal
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