Paul Kanjorski on the Issues
Creating and Maintaining Good Paying Jobs
· Increasing the minimum wage and strengthening the ability of unions to fight for workers.
· Opposed unfair trade deals like NAFTA which disadvantaged American workers. He has worked to improve federal programs to retrain workers who have lost their jobs because of foreign competition.
· Believes in investing in American workers and American technologies, two keys to long-term economic security for our country.
Making Health Care Affordable for Everyone
Supports a universal health care system that would not only improve the quality of life for our citizens but would also improve American competitiveness in the global economy by reducing costs to employers.
He believes that a universal system can streamline the delivery of health care, so that more dollars go to the benefit of patients.
Supports increased preventive care services, such as screening programs and vaccinations. He also has supported increased federal investment in health research. Research into treatments for and cures of diseases will help to produce long-term savings in health care expenditures.
A strong defender of the current federal health care programs which protect our most vulnerable citizens: children and seniors. He supported expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and fought cuts to Medicare.
Ending the War in Iraq and Fighting Terrorism
He supported legislation to require the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq and voted to override the President’s veto on one of these measures. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority of votes to overcome the President’s veto.
Curbing Illegal Immigration
He opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants, and is a cosponsor of the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act. This bill would combat illegal immigration through stronger worksite enforcement, increased border security, and improved interior enforcement.
Paul has long been a supporter of making English the official language of the United States government because the use of English as a common language remains vital to our nation’s prosperity.
Supports streamlining the process by which those who aspire to become Americans can immigrate to our country legally.
Improving Our Schools
Paul believes in the importance of holding our educators accountable but recognizes that there are deep flaws in the No Child Left Behind Act which must be fixed. Learning should be about more than “teaching to the test.” A strong supporter of Head Start, Paul understands that reaching children at a young age can change the course of their lives forever.
Voted YES on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects. (Nov 2007)
Voted YES on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges. (Mar 2006)
Voted YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror. (Nov 2001)
Voted YES on requiring states to test students. (May 2001)
Voted NO on allowing vouchers in DC schools. (Aug 1998)
Voted NO on vouchers for private & parochial schools. (Nov 1997)
Voted NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer. (Mar 1994)
Rated 92% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes. (Dec 2003)
Conserving Our Area’s Natural Beauty
· Paul is committed to preserving this land for future generations. He succeeded in enacting legislation to study the creation of a National Wildlife Refuge in CherryValley, a 30,000-acre area in the Pocono’s threatened by development.
· Paul helped to lead the effort to increase the amount of federal funds coming to Pennsylvania to repair land and waterways damaged by irresponsible mining practices decades ago.
· He created the non-profit organization, the Earth Conservancy, to purchase more than 16,000 acres of land from a bankrupt coal company. Fifteen years later, the organization has reclaimed more than 1000 acres, preserved as green/recreational space more than 10,000 acres, and donated more than 100 acres to municipalities and other local entities.
· Voted YES on $9.7B for Amtrak improvements and operation thru 2013. (Jun 2008)
· Voted YES on increasing AMTRAK funding by adding $214M to $900M. (Jun 2006)
· Voted NO on barring website promoting YuccaMountain nuclear waste dump. (May 2006)
· Voted NO on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species. (Sep 2005)
· Voted NO on speeding up approval of forest thinning projects. (Nov 2003)
· Rated 60% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment. (Dec 2003)
· Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting. (Jan 2007)
Promoting a Culture of Life
Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
Voted YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions. (Apr 2000)
Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion.
Promoting Civil Rights
Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation. (Nov 2007)
Voted NO on constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman. (Jul 2006)
Voted NO on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
Voted NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage. (Sep 2004)
Voted NO on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance. (Sep 2004)
Voted YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration. (Jun 2003)
Voted NO on banning gay adoptions in DC. (Jul 1999)
Voted NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions. (May 1998)
Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001)
Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender. (Mar 2001)
Rated 53% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Rated 63% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights. (Dec 2006)