Mazie Hirono topics and responses

Stimulus Spending to Beat Great Recession

PRO:

• 09/26/2008: Voted YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy
• 03/22/2012: Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business
• 11/19/2013: Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016
• 07/27/2011: Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion
• 07/29/2009: Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending

Acknowledging and Addressing Climate Change

PRO:

• 04/07/2011: Voted NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases
• 06/26/2009: Voted YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution
• 11/07/2006: Ratify Kyoto; raise CAFE and apply to SUVs

Getting Money Out of Politics

PRO:

• 05/24/2007: Voted YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations
• 01/16/2014: No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote
• 02/09/2012: Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures
• 11/15/2011: Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge

Saving Elephants, Whales, Dolphins and Lions

PRO:

• 01/09/2009: Fund projects for international conservation of cranes
• 02/28/2011: Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs
• 01/13/2012: Ranked by HSLF, indicating a pro-animal welfare voting record
• 03/09/2007: Promote conservation of rare felids & canids
• 05/08/2013: Voted YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems
• 07/17/2009: Voted YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros
• 05/28/2010: Add polar bear & bluefin tuna to endangered species list
• 06/27/2012: Establish an International Conservation Strategy

Renewable Energy

PRO:

• 08/04/2007: Voted YES on investing in homegrown biofuel
• 11/02/2011: Extend through 2016 the renewable energy tax credit
• 09/26/2008: Voted YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets
• 02/12/2008: Voted YES on tax incentives for renewable energy
• 05/21/2008: Voted YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation
• 01/18/2007: Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies

Making it Harder to Get a Gun

PRO:

• 04/17/2013: Voted YES on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets

GMOs and Food Labeling

PRO:

• 02/11/2013: Sponsored enforcing against illegal ocean fishing

Cutting the US Military Budget

PRO:

• 03/15/2007: Voted YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts
• 02/05/2007: Establish a Department of Peace and Nonviolence
• 11/07/2006: Pre-emptive strike should not be basis of foreign policy
• 08/18/2014: Non-proliferation includes disposing of nuclear materials

Legalizing Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

PRO:

• 01/01/2014: Ranked by NORML, indicating a pro-legalization stance
• 01/29/2008: Allow rehabilitated drug convicts get student loans

  CON:

• 06/10/2008: Voted YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs

Abortion Rights

PRO:

• 06/28/2011: Endorsed by EMILY's List for pro-choice women
• 05/04/2011: Voted NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion
• 02/05/2007: Ensure access to and funding for contraception
• 01/06/2009: Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception
• 09/01/2010: Endorsed by EMILY's list for pro-choice Democratic women
• 07/26/2011: Require pharmacies to fulfill contraceptive prescriptions
• 04/26/2007: Provide emergency contraception at military facilities
• 11/13/2013: Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services
• 01/11/2007: Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines
• 03/17/2009: Teach teens about both abstinence & contraception

Gay Rights and Gay Marriage

PRO:

• 11/13/2007: Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation
• 11/07/2006: No Constitutional bans on same sex marriage
• 06/24/2009: ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays
• 06/04/2013: Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools
• 03/10/2011: Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools
• 03/03/2010: Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes

Repealing ObamaCare

CON:

• 04/15/2011: Voted NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts
• 11/11/1999: Make health care a right, not a privilege
• 03/05/2008: Voted YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health
• 01/05/2011: Require insurers to cover breast cancer treatment
• 04/02/2009: Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug
• 01/14/2009: Voted YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program
• 04/13/2011: Voted NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund
• 01/12/2007: Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D
• 01/05/2011: Establish a public insurance option via healthcare Exchanges
• 07/15/2008: Voted YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare
• 03/04/2009: Expand the National Health Service Corps
• 01/31/2001: MEDS Plan: Cover senior Rx under Medicare
• 10/25/2007: Voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility
• 01/23/2008: Voted YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids
• 11/07/2006: Single-payer plans are viable starting points

Addressing and Fighting Income Inequality

PRO:

• 09/04/2002: Tax policy to spur growth
• 11/07/2006: Eliminate tax breaks for the richest 2%
• 11/11/1999: Reduce the concentration of wealth & wage inequality
• 02/08/2001: American People's Dividend: Give $300 to every person
• 12/12/2007: Voted YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes
• 04/16/2012: Minimum tax rate of 30% for those earning over $1 million

  CON:

• 06/25/2008: Voted YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income

Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

CON:

• 05/12/2011: Voted NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling