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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)	Support the expansion of embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Embryonic research holds promise for reversing diseases: Favors topic 1 Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record: Strongly 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 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 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
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Support affirmative action and programs that help minorities: Strongly Favors topic 2 Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Rated 97% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Favors topic 2 Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Sponsored bill increasing funding for occupational therapy: Favors topic 2 Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights: 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 Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment: 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 Honor the 100th anniversary of the NAACP: Favors topic 2 Sponsored bill for ratifying Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights (+5 points on Social scale)	Supports civil unions, no comment on gay marriage: Favors topic 3 More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes: Strongly Favors topic 3 Rated 88% 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 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)	Rated 23% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	We need to move forward, not repeal ObamaCare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Rated 89% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record: Strongly Favors topic 5 Preserve access to Medicaid & SCHIP during economic downturn: Strongly Favors topic 5 Provide for treatment of autism under TRICARE: 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 Rated 99% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Supported pension reform and tax credits for long-term care: Neutral on topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 91% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Businesses have a right to pollute (+5 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Grants for beach water pollution under Clean Water Act: Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Sponsored matching grants for wetlands conservation projects: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Fund projects for international conservation of cranes: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated 60% by CURE, indicating mixed votes on rehabilitation: Neutral on 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 Rated 73% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9
No opinion on topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (0 points on Economic scale)	Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Close the Gun Show Loophole; restrict show sales: Opposes topic 10 Ban large-capacity ammunition: 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 25% 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
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 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: Favors topic 12 Sponsored bill to disallow religion-based immigration ban: Strongly Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Push TPP to remove limits on US poultry exports: Strongly Favors topic 13 Maintain anti-dumping restrictions against foreign importers: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Rated 44% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 38% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions: Opposes 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)	Integrate gender into diplomatic and foreign aid processes: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14 Enforce humanitarian aid access to South Sudan: Opposes topic 14 Two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on West Bank: Favors topic 14 Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror: Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 15: Peace through Strength (-3 points on Social scale)	Questions costs of new Army Futures Command: Opposes topic 15 More research into causes of combat-related illnesses: Favors topic 15 Voted against war in Iraq, but for funding for troops: Strongly Favors topic 15 Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 15 Extend reserve retirement pay parity back to 9/11: Favors 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)	Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: 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 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill for election holiday & easier voting access: Strongly 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: Stay out of foreign wars (+2 points on Social scale)	Withdraw troops plus diplomatic solution, but no timetable: Favors topic 17 Redeploy our troops and focus on the war on terror: Strongly Favors topic 17 No troop surge: no military escalation in Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sponsored funding and supplying the Syrian rebels: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17 Hold Assad accountable for slaughter of civilians: Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes 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)	End special breaks to oil industries: Opposes topic 18 Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it: Favors topic 18 Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence: Favors topic 18 Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: Strongly 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 Let states define stricter-than-federal emission standards: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated C by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform: Neutral on topic 19 Keep ObamaCare's prevention, treatment, & recovery services: Opposes topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	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 $1.9 trillion ARPA bill for COVID relief: Favors topic 20

Benjamin Cardin is a Hard-Core Liberal
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