Steve Israel on Abortion

• 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 NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
• Voted NO on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
• Voted NO on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. (Oct 2003)
• Voted NO on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
• Voted NO on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
• Voted NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
• Voted NO on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
• Rated 100% by NARAL, indicating a pro-choice voting record. (Dec 2003)
• Emergency contraception for rape victims at all hospitals. (Sep 2006)
• Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance. (Dec 2006)
• Ensure access to and funding for contraception. (Feb 2007)

Steve Israel on Budget & Economy

• Voted YES on defining "energy emergency" on federal gas prices. (Jun 2008)
• Voted YES on revitalizing severely distressed public housing. (Jan 2008)
• Voted YES on regulating the subprime mortgage industry. (Nov 2007)
• Retire half the public debt by 2006. (May 2001)

Steve Israel on 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 NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration. (Jun 2003)
• Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all. (Aug 2000)
• Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender. (Mar 2001)
• Rated 80% by the ACLU, indicating a pro-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
• Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
• Rated 89% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)
• Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment. (Mar 2007)

Steve Israel on Corporations

• Voted YES on allowing stockholder voting on executive compensation. (Apr 2007)
• Voted NO on replacing illegal export tax breaks with $140B in new breaks. (Jun 2004)
• Voted YES on Bankruptcy Overhaul requiring partial debt repayment. (Mar 2001)
• Rated 47% by the US COC, indicating a mixed business voting record. (Dec 2003)

Steve Israel on Crime

• Voted YES on expanding services for offendors' re-entry into society. (Nov 2007)
• Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing. (Mar 2001)
• More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. (Apr 2001)
• Require DNA testing for all federal executions. (Mar 2001)

Steve Israel on Drugs

• Voted YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism. (Sep 2001)
• Rated +10 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance. (Dec 2006)

Steve Israel on Education

• Voted YES on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects. (Nov 2007)
• Voted NO 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)
• Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice. (Aug 2000)
• Reduce class size to 18 children in grades 1 to 3. (Mar 2001)
• Three R’s: $35B for Reinvestment,Reinvention,Responsibility. (Jan 2001)
• Rated 100% by the NEA, indicating pro-public education votes. (Dec 2003)

Steve Israel on Energy & Oil

• Voted YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation. (May 2008)
• Voted YES on tax incentives for renewable energy. (Feb 2008)
• Voted YES on investing in homegrown biofuel. (Aug 2007)
• Voted YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC. (May 2007)
• Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jan 2007)
• Voted YES on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore. (Jun 2006)
• Voted NO on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries. (Jun 2006)
• Voted NO on authorizing construction of new oil refineries. (Oct 2005)
• Voted NO on passage of the Bush Administration national energy policy. (Jun 2004)
• Voted NO on implementing Bush-Cheney national energy policy. (Nov 2003)
• Voted YES on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels. (Aug 2001)
• Voted YES on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR. (Aug 2001)
• Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases. (Aug 2000)
• Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy. (Jul 2001)
• Preserve Alaska's ANWR instead of drilling it. (Feb 2001)
• Establish greenhouse gas tradeable allowances. (Feb 2005)
• Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence. (Dec 2006)

Steve Israel on Environment

• 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 YES on barring website promoting Yucca Mountain 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)
• Remove PCBs from Hudson River by dredging 200 miles. (Apr 2001)
• Rated 100% by the LCV, indicating pro-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
• Grants for beach water pollution under Clean Water Act. (Apr 2008)
• Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting. (Jan 2007)

Steve Israel on Families & Children

• Voted YES on establishing nationwide AMBER alert system for missing kids. (Apr 2003)
• Voted YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years. (Mar 2001)
• Give parents tools to balance work and family. (Aug 2000)
• Rated 23% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record. (Dec 2003)

Steve Israel on Foreign Policy

• Voted NO on deterring foreign arms transfers to China. (Jul 2005)
• Voted NO on reforming the UN by restricting US funding. (Jun 2005)
• Voted NO on keeping Cuba travel ban until political prisoners released. (Jul 2001)
• Voted YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored. (May 2001)
• Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence. (Aug 2000)
• Member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. (Jan 2001)
• Seeds of Peace: promote coexistence in regions of conflict. (Apr 2008)
• Acknowledge the Armenian Genocide of the early 1900s. (Mar 2007)

Steve Israel on Free Trade

• Voted YES on promoting free trade with Peru. (Nov 2007)
• Voted YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization. (Oct 2007)
• Voted NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade. (Jul 2005)
• Voted YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. (Jul 2004)
• Voted YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement. (Jul 2003)
• Voted YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile. (Jul 2003)
• Build a rule-based global trading system. (Aug 2000)
• Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues. (Dec 2002)

Steve Israel on Government Reform

• Voted YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations. (May 2007)
• Voted YES on protecting whistleblowers from employer recrimination. (Mar 2007)
• Voted NO on requiring photo ID for voting in federal elections. (Sep 2006)
• Voted NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees. (Apr 2006)
• Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits about obesity against food providers. (Oct 2005)
• Voted NO on limiting attorney's fees in class action lawsuits. (Feb 2005)
• Voted NO on restricting frivolous lawsuits. (Sep 2004)
• Voted YES on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions. (Feb 2002)
• Voted NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties. (Jul 2001)
• Voluntary public financing for all general elections. (Aug 2000)
• Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform. (Jul 2001)
• Establish the United States Public Service Academy. (Mar 2007)

Steve Israel on Gun Control

• Voted NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers. (Oct 2005)
• Voted NO on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse. (Apr 2003)
• Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology. (Aug 2000)
• Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record. (Dec 2003)

Steve Israel on Health Care

• Voted YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health. (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids. (Jan 2008)
• Voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility. (Oct 2007)
• Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Jan 2007)
• Voted NO on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay. (Feb 2006)
• Voted NO on limiting medical malpractice lawsuits to $250,000 damages. (May 2004)
• Voted NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. (Nov 2003)
• Voted YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs. (Jul 2003)
• Voted YES on small business associations for buying health insurance. (Jun 2003)
• Voted NO on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits. (Mar 2003)
• Voted NO on allowing suing HMOs, but under federal rules & limited award. (Aug 2001)
• Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid. (Dec 2000)
• Prescription drug benefit within Medicare. (Jun 2000)
• Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care. (Aug 2000)
• Rated 89% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record. (Dec 2003)
• Improve services for people with autism & their families. (Apr 2007)
• Establish a national childhood cancer database. (Mar 2007)

Steve Israel on Homeland Security

• Voted YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad. (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations. (Mar 2008)
• Voted NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)
• Voted YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts. (Mar 2007)
• Voted NO on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)
• Voted NO on federalizing rules for driver licenses to hinder terrorists. (Feb 2005)
• Voted YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses. (Feb 2005)
• Voted YES on supporting new position of Director of National Intelligence. (Dec 2004)
• Voted YES on adopting the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. (Oct 2004)
• Voted YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Apr 2003)
• Voted YES on permitting commercial airline pilots to carry guns. (Jul 2002)
• Rated 100% by SANE, indicating a pro-peace voting record. (Dec 2003)

Steve Israel on Immigration

• Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project. (Jun 2006)
• Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment. (May 2004)
• Voted YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules. (May 2001)
• Rated 0% by FAIR, indicating a voting record loosening immigration. (Dec 2003)
• Rated 33% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders. (Dec 2006)

Steve Israel on Jobs

• Voted YES on overriding presidential veto of Farm Bill. (Jun 2008)
• Voted YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Mar 2007)
• Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Jan 2007)
• Voted NO on end offshore tax havens and promote small business. (Oct 2004)
• Voted YES on $167B over 10 years for farm price supports. (Oct 2001)
• Voted NO on zero-funding OSHA's Ergonomics Rules instead of $4.5B. (Mar 2001)
• Rated 80% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record. (Dec 2003)
• Allow an Air Traffic Controller's Union. (Jan 2006)

Steve Israel on Principles & Values

• Supports Hyde Park Declaration of "Third Way" centrism. (Aug 2000)
• New Democrat: "Third Way" instead of left-right debate. (Nov 2000)
• Profiled in "Jews in American Politics". (Jan 2001)
• Rated 92% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation. (Dec 2006)
• Member of the "Blue Dog" Coalition of conservative Democrats. (Nov 2007)
• Member of Democratic Leadership Council. (Nov 2007)

Steve Israel on Social Security

• Voted YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable. (May 2001)
• Create Retirement Savings Accounts. (Aug 2000)
• Strengthen Trust Funds and take them off-budget. (May 2001)
• Reject proposals for private saving accounts. (May 2002)
• Rated 80% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)

Steve Israel on Tax Reform

• Voted YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income. (Jun 2008)
• Voted YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes. (Dec 2007)
• Voted NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Dec 2005)
• Voted YES on providing tax relief and simplification. (Sep 2004)
• Voted YES on making permanent an increase in the child tax credit. (May 2004)
• Voted YES on permanently eliminating the marriage penalty. (Apr 2004)
• Voted NO on making the Bush tax cuts permanent. (Apr 2002)
• Voted NO on $99 B economic stimulus: capital gains & income tax cuts. (Oct 2001)
• Voted NO on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years. (May 2001)
• Voted YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"). (Apr 2001)
• 50-25-25 budget formula for debt-tax cuts-spending. (Feb 2001)
• Rated 18% by NTU, indicating a "Big Spender" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)
• Rated 83% by the CTJ, indicating support of progressive taxation. (Dec 2006)

Steve Israel on War & Peace

• Voted YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq. (Jun 2008)
• Voted YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days. (May 2007)
• Voted NO on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on approving removal of Saddam & valiant service of US troops. (Mar 2004)
• Voted YES on authorizing military force in Iraq. (Oct 2002)
• Condemns anti-Muslim bigotry in name of anti-terrorism. (Oct 2001)
• Solidarity with Israel in its fight against terrorism. (Apr 2002)

Steve Israel on Welfare & Poverty

• Voted YES on providing $70 million for Section 8 Housing vouchers. (Jun 2006)
• Voted NO on promoting work and marriage among TANF recipients. (Feb 2003)
• Voted NO on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks. (Jul 2001)
• Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs. (Aug 2000)