VoteMatch Responses (Click here for VoteMatch quiz)
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)	Let military perform abortions in cases of rape or incest: 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 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Sponsored removing deadline for ratification of the ERA: Strongly 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 Recognize 1961 Freedom Riders against segregated buses: Strongly Favors topic 2 Voted YES on private lawsuits for school race discrimination: Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: 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
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	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 Don't elevate gender identity as a protected class: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Let states recognize same sex marriage: Favors topic 3 Give domestic partnership benefits to Federal employees: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Sex Ed including both abstinence and contraception: Opposes topic 4 Religious freedom means no religious registry: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	No denying coverage for pre-existing conditions: Favors topic 5 Require insurers to cover breast cancer treatment: Strongly Favors topic 5 Sponsored merging Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Rated GOP can't beat ObamaCare, so they pretend it's a "disaster": 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 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)	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)	Increase federal investments in education: 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
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Add polar bear & bluefin tuna to endangered species list: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Endorsed Endorsed by LCV; supports conservation efforts: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Prohibit invasive research on great apes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Prohibits breeding or possessing Big Cat species: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Sponsored tightening restrictions on hydrogen sulfide emissions: Favors topic 8 Require labeling genetically engineered food: Opposes topic 8 Extend to 2023 Superfund hazardous waste cleanup: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Voted YES to require GMO labeling: 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 YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Sponsored evidence-based & proven prevention for street gangs: Opposes topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Rated 77% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9 Sponsored stricter rules for police accountability: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: 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
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	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
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Allow more visas for STEM college graduates: 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
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Tariffs against countries undervaluing their currency: Opposes topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Sponsored imposing import fee on countries with undervalued currency: Opposes 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
Strongly Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-5 points on Economic scale)	Condemn China's organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners: Opposes topic 14 $500M and 3,000 troops to Africa to fight Ebola: Opposes topic 14 Rated Maintain World Bank funding as part of multilateralism: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Opposes topic 15: Expand the military (+2 points on Social scale)	Sell F16 fighter aircraft to Taiwan: Favors topic 15 Rated Funding wars separately is gimmick against sequestration: Opposes topic 15 Rated Let NSF decide research grants, not Congress: Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Investigate election fraud in NC-9 district race: Strongly Favors topic 16 Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: 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 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 Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to expand voter registration and voter access: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+2 points on Social scale)	End the war in Iraq and restore American credibility: Strongly Favors topic 17 Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Aid the Syrian opposition with training & equipment: Opposes topic 17 Sponsored bill to remove US forces from Yemen: Strongly 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 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	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 Green New Deal: 10-year national mobilization: Favors topic 18 Voted YES to assist rural electric renewable energy: 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 enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Strongly Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+5 points on Social scale)	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
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 Expand lending caps for credit unions to small business: Favors topic 20 Sponsored investing $1 billion in transportation projects: 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 $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20

Gerry Connolly is a Hard-Core Liberal
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