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Rush Holt, Jr.'s Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.

Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.

Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.

Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.

Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2012.

Pro-choice

Abortion: Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?

Pro-choice

Afghanistan: Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?

Yes

Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?

Yes

Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?

Yes

Campaign Finance: Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?

Yes

Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.

Yes

Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?

Yes

Economy: Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?

Yes

Rush Holt. HR 2. 108th Congress. Jobs and Economic Growth bill. Rush Holt voted Nay on 05/23/2003. (votesmart.org)
Rush Holt. Conference Report on H.R. 1, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. 13 February 2009. "This legislation [the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, H.R. 1] includes more than $23.2 billion in incentives to promote renewable energy, help low and middle income Americans weatherize their homes, and decrease energy consumption by the federal government. It will also provide $20 billion in tax incentives such as the renewable energy production tax credit, the advanced energy manufacturing tax credit, and the consumer energy-efficiency tax credits." (votesmart.org)
Rush Holt. Holt Urges Congress to Provide More Reliable, Long-Term Assistance For Small Business. 14 September 2004. "We can help small businesses thrive by providing tax incentives and loan guarantees on which they can plan." (votesmart.org)
Rush Holt. Issue Position: Economic Growth. 13 December 2011. "Rush has worked hard to make sure that central New Jersey has all the necessary ingredients for economic growth. He has worked to attract and keep industry and jobs in the 12th district by ensuring a skilled labor force, sensible regulations, and tax incentives." (votesmart.org)
Rush Holt. HR 2488. 106th Congress. Financial Freedom Act of 1999. Rush Holt voted Nay on 08/05/1999. (votesmart.org)
Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2000 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "a) Provide tax credits for companies that move job-creating industries into areas with high unemployment."

Yes

Education: Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?

Yes

Energy: Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?

Yes

Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?

Yes

Guns: Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?

Yes

Health Care: Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?

Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?

Yes

Marriage: Do you support same-sex marriage?

Yes

Unknown Position

National Security: Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?

Unknown Position

Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?

This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

New Jersey Congressional Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Abortion

Pro-choice		Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
Abortion should be legal and consistent with Roe v. Wade. I believe that reproductive health care is a personal matter and should be left to individuals, their doctors, and their families without interference from the government. Additionally, I support mandating equity in insurance coverage for contraceptive services.

Afghanistan

Yes		Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan?
No		Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?
Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2010 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "a) Do you support United States military action in Afghanistan?" International Policy Issues Other or expanded principles: "I do not support current military action in Afghanistan without a declared plan for the safe and expeditious withdrawal of American combat forces from Afghanistan. Military aid to Afghanistan is already very large and I foresee no need to increase it. Striking military targets in Pakistan, as it is currently being done, should not be continued. There are circumstances under which it could be justified. Trade agreements can and should state what constitutes acceptable behavior in worker's rights, environmental matters, intellectual property, and so forth. We should export the goods we produce and not the workers who produce them." Peace Action. 04/18/2012. "Rush Holt supported the interests of the Peace Action 75 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org) Peace Action West. 04/18/2012. "Rush Holt supported the interests of Peace Action West 75 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2004 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "e) Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?" Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2010 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "b) Do you support increasing military assistance for Afghanistan?" International Policy Issues Other or expanded principles: "I do not support current military action in Afghanistan without a declared plan for the safe and expeditious withdrawal of American combat forces from Afghanistan. Military aid to Afghanistan is already very large and I foresee no need to increase it. Striking military targets in Pakistan, as it is currently being done, should not be continued. There are circumstances under which it could be justified. Trade agreements can and should state what constitutes acceptable behavior in worker's rights, environmental matters, intellectual property, and so forth. We should export the goods we produce and not the workers who produce them." Rush Holt. Letter to Co-Chairs and Members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. 21 September 2011. "Congress and the American people have entrusted you with a great responsibility - ensuring the economic well-being of our nation and the creation of jobs. This is no simple task and will require both bold decisions and fair compromises. We understand that you will consider many options when it comes to reaching the benchmarks set by Congress. But too often, when it has come time to reduce spending, the most vulnerable - the working poor and the middle class - have been asked to bear most of the sacrifice. Fortunately, there are other alternatives. To generate much-needed savings, we strongly urged you to examine the costs of the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. To date, the wars have cost our taxpayers at least $2.3 trillion, with an additional $884 billion in future costs for veterans and their families. This adds up to a total of at least $3.2 trillion. By ending the wars and paying for a safe, orderly, and responsible redeployment of troops from both Afghanistan and Iraq, we can go a long way toward meeting our fiscal challenges." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. Afghanistan War Powers Resolution. 10 March 2010. "The bad news is that every time we take out one of their field commanders, several more rise to take their place. This is the nature of insurgency, it is the nature of the problem that confronts us, and it is not a problem that will be resolved by the continuous, endless use of military force. I came to the floor in December 2009 and posed a series of questions about our policy in this war, and many of those questions remain unanswered. However, several events over the last few months have answered at least one question: Are we fighting on the wrong battlefield?" (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. Afghanistan War Powers Resolution. 17 March 2011. "Mr. Speaker, today the House has a chance to make a judgment about the wisdom of continuing our combat role in Afghanistan. In 2009, I came to the floor of the House and declared that I would give the President at least a year to show that his approach could work. For those who choose to actually look at the facts and the results to date, the conclusion is clear: it is time--past time--for us to leave Afghanistan." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. America In Afghanistan: Questions To Consider. 15 December 2009. "Madam Speaker, today Members received another classified briefing on our policy in Afghanistan, a briefing that raised a number of questions that need answers before our country commits further troops and resources to that conflict. These are not loaded questions or simply rhetorical, they are real questions--and just some of the real questions--that people in central New Jersey are asking. Would this proposed troop increase bring us closer to capturing or killing those responsible for the 9/11 attacks? If the al Qaeda remnant Americans are seeking to capture or kill is on the Pakistani side of the border, or in Yemen or East Africa, how will sending more troops to, say, southern Helmand Province in Afghanistan help us to get those terrorists who attacked us on September 11 or might attack us in the future? Should we send troops to where al Qaeda isn't? Should we expand our aerial strikes? Would an escalation in air attacks do more harm than good? Is our intelligence apparatus structured and capable of giving our military and political leaders the intelligence they need to wage this war? Given our lack of foreign language capabilities, can we really know what's going on in the towns and farms and villages? Does the deterioration in the military and political situation in recent years in Afghanistan result from actions Americans have taken or failed to take? If so, how do we avoid those problems in a surged military action? What constitutes victory or success in this conflict? What is it that we hope to leave behind once we exit Afghanistan? What can we reasonably hope to leave behind?" (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. Issue Position: Foreign Policy. 13 December 2011. "As has become clear, the Taliban insurgency cannot be defeated through purely military means, and the corrupt and ineffective government of Hamid Karzai is only fueling support for the insurgency. Moreover, the cost of the war is directly imperiling the hometown security of communities across this nation and the economic security of our children and grandchildren. Every month, we squander on the war in Afghanistan enough money to put an additional 38,000 police on our streets for a full year, or to prevent massive teacher layoffs in every state, particularly New Jersey. Ending our combat involvement in Afghanistan is the first step towards reorienting our security priorities back on the threats of greatest concern to the American people." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. Larson and Colleagues Urge GAO to Investigate Overextension of Armed Forces. 4 October 2004. "We, the undersigned Members of Congress, are writing to request that the General Accounting Office (GAO) undertake a comprehensive study to review the recruitment and retention efforts of the U.S. Armed Forces. In light of the extraordinary scope of our current military commitments - 466,000 troops deployed to over 120 countries - we are concerned about the adequacy of the total force and our ability to sustain long-term force requirements. Specifically, we are seeking an analysis of the most severe stresses facing the force and GAO's appraisal of how these factors may impact recruitment and retention efforts; an assessment of how measures such as Stop-Loss and the mobilization of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) may be masking future problems; and an assessment of how recruitment and retention issues may ultimately impact DoD's ability to meet global military commitments, especially if the need arises for more forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, or other regions around the globe. We are particularly interested in GAO's assessment of the actions DOD is taking, if any, to prepare for the eventuality of a personnel shortage." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. Letter to President Obama. 9 May 2011. "The success of this mission does not change the reality that America still faces a determined and violent adversary. It does, however, require us to reexamine our policy of nation building in Afghanistan. We believe it is no longer the best way to defend America against terror attacks, and we urge you to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan that are not crucial to the immediate national security objective of combating al Qaeda." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. H Con Res 28. 112th Congress. Removing Troops from Afghanistan. Rush Holt voted Yea on 03/17/2011. (votesmart.org)
We will not solve Afghanistan's problems with more bombs and bullets; the Afghans themselves must take the lead in settling their differences peacefully. We cannot afford to continue to spend billions upon billions of dollars on this war when we have so many pressing needs here at home -- schools that need to be built, bridges that need to be replaced, and police that need to be hired to keep our neighborhoods safe. I have called for an expedited withdrawal of our forces from Afghanistan.

Budget

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing the federal budget.In order to balance the budget,

Yes		do you support reducing defense spending?
Yes		do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
No		do you support reducing Medicaid spending?
No		do you support reducing Medicare spending?
Yes		Is balancing the budget a legislative priority?
I am working to cut taxes for middle class families and I've worked on the federal level to create a new federal deduction for property taxes. Additionally, I am working to strengthen and permanently extend the R&D tax credit. The federal government should not continue to keep borrowing against our future and that of our grandchildren. We must roll back the tax cut for the top 1 percent of income earners. The tax code should stop rewarding companies for taking jobs overseas, and close foreign tax shelters. Further, we must end corporate subsidies for the non-renewable energy industry and mega-agribusinesses.

Campaign Finance

Yes

Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?

Capital Punishment

Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?

Economy

Yes		Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes		Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
Yes		Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
Yes		Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits?
		Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief?
I oppose extension of the Bush tax cuts that largely benefited the wealthiest in America without corresponding cuts in federal spending. I have and will continue to support a tax policy that supports middle class families and asks the wealthiest among us to pay their fair share. Throughout my time in Congress, I have been willing to cross party lines to vote for tax relief that will benefit senior citizens and small business. I have supported family-friendly tax breaks such as the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, Alternative Minimum tax relief, and Marriage Penalty relief.

Education

Yes		Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
Some federal education funds can be awarded competitively to states as part of our efforts to improve student performance, but it cannot be the only step we take. Federal funding must be available, at least in part, to all states and localities not just competition winners.

Energy

Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?

Environment

Yes		Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change?
Yes		Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?

Guns

Yes

Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?

Health Care

No		Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
Yes		Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?

Immigration

Yes		Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?
No		Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
No		Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2002 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "g) Allow legalization for certain illegal immigrants working in the U.S." Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2010 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?" Immigration Issues Other or expanded principles: "We need to realize that our nation's immigration system is broken and comprehensively address immigration reform. Currently, the U.S. is dependent economically and socially on people breaking the law. It is unfortunate that some localities feel pressured to enforce immigration laws. This distracts them from critical local safety issues. I have supported increased funding for border security and am committed to fixing our immigration system. I support providing in-state tuition to qualified immigrant students without U.S. Citizenship, and allowing citizens and legal residents to sponsor their permanent partner for permanent legal residence." Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2000 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "f) Grant U.S. citizenship to children born in the US only if their parents immigrated legally." Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2006 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States." Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2004 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "e) Support amnesty for certain illegal immigrants who already reside in the United States." Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2010 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "a) Do you support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants?" Immigration Issues Other or expanded principles: "We need to realize that our nation's immigration system is broken and comprehensively address immigration reform. Currently, the U.S. is dependent economically and socially on people breaking the law. It is unfortunate that some localities feel pressured to enforce immigration laws. This distracts them from critical local safety issues. I have supported increased funding for border security and am committed to fixing our immigration system. I support providing in-state tuition to qualified immigrant students without U.S. Citizenship, and allowing citizens and legal residents to sponsor their permanent partner for permanent legal residence." Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2000 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "e) Prohibit states from passing laws that deny human services (medical care, education) to illegal immigrants or their children." Rush Holt. Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2010. 8 December 2010. "I oppose blanket amnesty for those who have illegally come into the United States [...]. H.R. 6497 would provide an opportunity for students who grew up in the United States a chance to contribute to our country's well-being by serving in the U.S. Armed Forces or pursuing a higher education. Passing this bill is the right thing to do--morally and economically." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. HR 4437. 109th Congress. Border Security Bill. Rush Holt voted Nay on 12/16/2005. (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. HR 5281. 112th Congress. DREAM Act. Rush Holt voted Yea on 12/08/2010. (votesmart.org) Federation for American Immigration Reform. 04/18/2012. "Rush Holt supported the interests of the Federation for American Immigration Reform 0 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org) National Latino Congreso/William C. Velásquez Institute. 04/18/2012. "Rush Holt supported the interests of National Latino Congreso/William C. Velásquez Institute 100 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org) Rush Holt. Letter to Janet Napolitano, Secretary, Homeland Security, and Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General. 27 September 2011. "We applaud the August 18, 2011 announcement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to close many low-priority immigration deportation proceedings. We especially commend DHS for stating that it will consider the family ties of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a factor in determining cases that merit relief from deportation, including for gay and lesbian foreign nationals who are the spouses and partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. We write to you today with two requests that will further the enforcement of this important mandate [¦] We ask that consideration of LGBT family ties be communicated in the guidance being prepared by the new DHS/DOJ working group [¦] Additionally, we ask that the working group include a member experienced in working with LGBT immigrants and their families to ensure that these factors are recognized and understood in the working group's case-by-case review of all individuals currently in removal proceedings as well as its review of new cases placed in removal proceedings. The vulnerability of LGBT immigrants -- the historical stigmatization of whom both within and outside the U.S. is well-documented -- makes knowledgeable review a necessity. The announcement on August 18 constitutes a major step forward in ensuring that immigration enforcement resources prioritize enhancing border security, national security, and public safety as well as in exercising discretion when warranted." (votesmart.org)
We need to realize that our nation's immigration system is broken and we need to address comprehensively immigration reform. Currently, the U.S. is dependent economically and socially on people breaking the law. It is unfortunate that some localities feel pressured to enforce immigration laws. This distracts them from critical local safety issues. I have supported increased funding for border security and am committed to fixing our immigration system. I support providing in-state tuition to qualified immigrants to sponsor their permanent partner for permanent legal residence.

Marriage

Yes

Do you support same-sex marriage?

National Security

		Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon?
Unknown Position		Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
Rush Holt. Project Vote Smart: 2004 New Jersey Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "f) Do you support a policy of pre-emptive strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to national security?" Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security. Other or expanded principles: "a) The use of military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical has not proven to be either appropriate or practical. b) The United States should adopt stricter rules for student visa applications from nations known to sponsor terrorism. This can be done without precluding any students from such countries coming to study in the U.S. In addition, there are new reporting requirements in place that help colleges and universities ensure that foreign students who are admitted do show up for class and are not engaged in terrorist activities." Rush Holt. To the Honorable Barack Obama. 12 June 2012. "We are concerned that the use of such "signature" strikes could raise the risk of killing innocent civilians or individuals who may have no relationship to attacks on the United States. Our drone campaigns have virtually no transparency, accountability or oversight. We are further concerned about the legal grounds for strikes under the 2001 Authorization for the Use Military Force. The implications of the use of drones for our national security are profound. They can generate powerful and enduring anti-American sentiment. They are faceless ambassadors that cause civilian deaths, and are frequently the only direct contact with Americans that the targeted communities have. As members of Congress, we are deeply concerned about the full impact of drone strikes." (kucinich.house.gov) Spencer Ackerman. Washington Independent: Holt Blasts Cheney on Terrorism. 5 February 2010. "Do not misunderstand; this is not just a polite clash of ideas. It is deadly and deadly serious. We need our intelligence and law enforcement communities to gather information about radical movements, identify training, penetrate cells, disrupt, discredit, and eliminate those who would harm Americans and innocents anywhere. But most of the work necessarily is unglamorous, meticulous watching and analyzing. Prior to 2001, too much of the thinking in intelligence agencies had been the Cold War spy-versus-spy maneuvering and now too much of it is the warfighting mentality that replaced it over the past eight years. The failure to share information in 2001 was that the intelligence community was still in the Cold War mentality. The failure to share information this month was that the intelligence community had replaced the Cold War mentality with a warfighting one. If the focus is on "kinetic action" it shapes how you evaluate and value information. How irrelevant the movements of disciples of an extremist must seem when the focus is on assassinating him. How unimportant the denial of a visa must (washingtonindependent.com) Philip Molnar. Lehigh Valley Live: U.S. Rep. Rush Holt warns of risk in use of military drones in letter to President Obama. 18 June 2012. "The administration has claimed its drone strikes are executed with precision on the basis of solid intelligence. Targeting an entire group of people on the basis of ambiguous signatures' is neither precise nor wise, as innocent civilians are too often killed in such strikes." (www.lehighvalleylive.com)
It is clear that the current regime in Iran poses troubling security challenges to the world community and our allies in the Middle East. A nuclear Iran would destabilize the region and threaten the United States and our allies. Iran must alter its dangerous course, and the United States needs to be fully involved to help bring this about. To that end, I have supported a number of bills that are designed with out resorting to war to halt Iran's drive for nuclear weapons, such as the Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons and Stop War Through Diplomacy Act.

Social Security

Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?

Spending and Taxes

SpendingIndicate what federal spending levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category; you can use a number more than once.TaxesIndicate 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.

Slightly Decrease		a) Agriculture
Slightly Increase		b) Arts
Slightly Decrease		c) Defense
Greatly Increase		d) Education
Slightly Increase		e) Environment
Maintain Status		f) Homeland Security
Greatly Increase		g) International aid
Slightly Increase		h) Medical Research
Greatly Increase		i) Scientific Research
Slightly Decrease		j) Space exploration
Maintain Status		k) United Nations
Maintain Status		l) Welfare
		m) Other or expanded categories
Slightly Increase		a) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Status		b) Corporate taxes
Maintain Status		c) Excise taxes (alcohol)
Slightly Increase		d) Excise taxes (cigarettes)
Maintain Status		e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
Slightly Decrease		f) Income taxes (low-income families)
Slightly Decrease		g) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Slightly Increase		h) Income taxes (high-income families)
		i) Inheritance taxes
		j) Payroll taxes
		k) Other or expanded categories

Administrative Priorities

Helping small businesses create jobs with investment tax credits and increasing access to credit, and investing in education and research for a better economic future. Putting college education within reach of more middle class families. Respecting our seniors by strengthening Medicare and protecting Social Security. Working to help families by fighting for middle-class tax relief. Honoring the service of America's veterans and providing for their physical and mental health needs. Protecting our environment by preserving open spaces, guarding beaches from reckless off-shore drilling and encouraging sustainable and renewable energy sources.

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