Project Vote Smart - Representative Paul E. Kanjorski - Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Representative Paul E. Kanjorski (PA)
Current Office: U.S. House Current District: 11 First Elected: 11/06/1984 Last Elected: 11/04/2008 Next Election: 2010 Party: Democratic				Biographical Voting Record Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)Interest Group Ratings Position Papers Speeches and Public Statements Additional Biographical Information Campaign Finances



What is the Political Courage Test? Pennsylvania Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test Please Note The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item. Project Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches. Abortion Issues Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues Crime Issues Education Issues Employment Issues Environment and Energy Issues Gun Issues Health Issues Immigration Issues International Aid, International Policy, and International Trade Issues National Security Issues Social Issues Social Security Issues Welfare and Poverty Issues Legislative Priorities

Abortion Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.
	a) Abortions should always be illegal.
	b) Abortions should always be legal.
	c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester.
	d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X	e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
	f) Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
X	g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
	h) Other or expanded principles.
Provide funding for family planning programs as a means to decrease the number of abortions.

Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.
1) Budget Priorities
Maintain Status	a) Agriculture
Maintain Status	b) Arts
Maintain Status	c) Defense
Slightly Increase	d) Education
Slightly Increase	e) Environment
Slightly Increase	f) FEMA
Slightly Increase	g) Homeland security
Slightly Decrease	h) International aid
Slightly Increase	i) Law enforcement (Federal)
Slightly Increase	j) Law enforcement (State)
Slightly Increase	k) Medical research
Slightly Increase	l) National parks
Slightly Increase	m) Public health services
Slightly Increase	n) Scientific research
Slightly Decrease	o) Space exploration programs
Slightly Increase	p) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Maintain Status	q) United Nations
Maintain Status	r) Welfare
	s) Other or expanded categories
Greatly Increase - Job creation - economic development
2) Defense Spending
Maintain Status	a) Armed forces personnel training
Maintain Status	b) Intelligence operations
Slightly Decrease	c) Military hardware
Slightly Increase	d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Slightly Decrease	e) National missile defense
Slightly Increase	f) Pay for active duty personnel
Slightly Increase	g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Maintain Status	h) Research and development of new weapons
Slightly Increase	i) Troop and equipment readiness
	j) Other or expanded categories
Slightly Increase - troop recruitment
3) Taxes
Indicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.
Family Income Taxes
Slightly Decrease	a) Less than $12,000
Slightly Decrease	b) $12,001-$40,000
Slightly Decrease	c) $40,001-$100,000
Maintain Status	d) $100,001-$180,000
Slightly Increase	e) $180,001-$350,000
Slightly Increase	f) $350,001 and above
	g) Other or expanded categories
Other Taxes
Maintain Status	a) Alcohol taxes
Maintain Status	b) Capital gains taxes
Slightly Increase	c) Cigarette taxes
Maintain Status	d) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status	e) Gasoline taxes
Slightly Decrease	f) Inheritance taxes
	g) Other or expanded categories
Slightly Increase - companies moving overseas
Deductions/Credits
Maintain Status	a) Charitable contribution deduction
Maintain Status	b) Child tax credit
Slightly Increase	c) Earned income tax credit
Maintain Status	d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status	e) Mortgage deduction
Slightly Increase	f) Student loan credit
	g) Other or expanded categories
Greatly Increase - environmental clean up credits
No	4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
Yes	5) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
	6) Other or expanded principles
Use tax policy to encourage individuals and families to save more for retirement. Greatly increase the tax rates of hedge fund and private equity managers by treating their earnings as ordinary income like all other working Americans

Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.
	a) Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
	b) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
	c) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
	d) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
	e) Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
	f) Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
	g) Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
	h) Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
X	i) Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
	j) Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
	k) Other or expanded principles
Provide free or low-cost television advertising to candidates who agree to voluntary campaign spending limits. Create a paper trail to ensure accurate elections.

Crime Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.
X	a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
	b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
X	c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
X	d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
	e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
X	f) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
X	g) Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
	h) Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
	i) Other or expanded principles
Reauthorize and increase funding for the COPS program that provides federal grants to localities to hire new police officers. Increase funding for bulletproof vest programs. Support programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.

Education Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.
	a) Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
	b) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
	c) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
X	d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
X	e) Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
X	f) Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
X	g) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
X	h) Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
X	i) Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
	j) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
	k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
	l) Other or expanded principles
Promote discipline, order and safety in classrooms. Increase funding for Head Start and other early education programs. Enhance educational opportunities for the gifted and disabled. Increase funding to the states to hire and retain teachers in math and science.

Employment Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.
X	a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in todays job market.
X	b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
X	c) Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
X	d) Increase the federal minimum wage.
X	e) Support the right of workers to unionize.
	f) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
	g) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
	h) Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
	i) Other or expanded principles
Provide additional tax credits for companies that move job-creating industries to economically-distressed areas.

Environment and Energy Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.
	a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
	b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
X	c) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
	d) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
X	e) Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
X	f) Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
X	g) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
	h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
X	i) Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
	j) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
	k) Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
	l) Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
	m) Other or expanded principles
Accelerate and enhance federal efforts to restore mine-scarred lands.

Gun Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.
X	a) Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
	b) Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.
Maintain Status	c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
Maintain Status	d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
	e) Other or expanded principles
Maintain the ability of law-abiding citizens to purchase and own guns. Increase penalties for the possession of any illegal guns. Require immediate background checks on sales at gun shows.

Health Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.
X	a) Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
	b) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
X	c) Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
X	d) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X	e) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
X	f) Support expanding child healthcare programs.
	g) Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
	h) Other or expanded principles
Extend Medicare reimbursement formulas to protect the viability of health care infrastructure in places like Northeastern Pennsylvania. Modify Medicare to provide seniors with voluntary, affordable and guaranteed prescription drug coverage through Medicare.

Immigration Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.
	a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X	b) Establish English as the official national language.
	c) Support a temporary worker program.
X	d) Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
	e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X	f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
	g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
	h) Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
	i) Other or expanded principles
Achieve strategic control of our borders before considering any worthy immigration reform proposals. Penalize corporate wrongdoers that break existing illegal immigration laws. Require legal immigrants to support themselves.

International Aid, International Policy, and International Trade Issues
(Back to top)

International Aid
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.
X	a) Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
X	b) Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
	c) Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
	d) Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
	e) Other or expanded principles
International Policy
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.
Yes	a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Yes	b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
Yes	c) Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
Undecided	d) Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
No	e) Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
Yes	f) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
g) Discuss your proposals for Iraq.
We must pursue a realistic, responsible redeployment of U.S. forces in Iraq at the earliest practicable date. We must, however, still maintain a quick-reaction U.S. force in the region to protect our national security interests. To promote internal and regional stability, technical assistance to the Iraqi government should continue. A reduction in the number of troops in Iraq would allow us to refocus and enhance our efforts to defeat al-Qaeda and stop a resurgent Taliban.
Yes	h) Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
Yes	i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
Yes	j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
Yes	k) Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
No	l) Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
Undecided	m) Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
Yes	n) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
Undecided	o) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Undecided	p) Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
Undecided	q) Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
Undecided	r) Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
	s) Other or expanded principles
On several of the above questions the potential circumstances are too varied to give definitive answers.
International Trade
Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.
Undecided	a) Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
Undecided	b) Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
No	c) Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
Yes	d) Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
	e) Other or expanded principles
In questions a - b, the potential circumstances are too varied to give a definitive answer.

National Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.
Undecided	a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
No	b) Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Undecided	c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes	d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
No	e) Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
No	f) Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
No	g) Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
No	h) Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
	i) Other or expanded principles

Social Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.
No	a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
No	b) Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
Yes	c) Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
Yes	d) Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
Undecided	e) Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
Undecided	f) Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
Yes	g) Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
	h) Other or expanded principles
The federal government should always be working to change special preferences as society changes.

Social Security Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.
	a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
	b) Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
	c) Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
X	d) Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
	e) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
	f) Other or expanded principles
Protect Social Security surpluses with a lockbox. Retain the defined benefit structure of Social Security. Increase widows' benefits. Increase benefits for seniors affected by the "notch" issue. Use a "seniors-only" to more accurately reflect seniors' expenses & increase cost of living adjustments.

Welfare and Poverty Issues
(Back to top) Related: Key Votes Ratings

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.
	a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
X	b) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
	c) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
	d) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
	e) Other or expanded principles
Maintain state flexibility to choose the appropriate mix of services and activities to move welfare recipients to self-sufficiency. Increase access to education and vocational training for welfare recipients. Increase access to safe, decent & affordable shelter for seniors, homeless, disabled and low-income working families.

Legislative Priorities
(Back to top)

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.

My priorities are:

- improving the infrastructure of Northeastern Pennsylvania to attract high-quality jobs with tax incentives, public-private partnerships, federally guaranteed loans, grants and worker training;

- preserving Social Security and strengthening Medicare; and

- as Chairman of the Capital Markets Subcommittee, establishing more effective regulation of Wall Street businesses to protect Main Street taxpayers.

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