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Sheldon Whitehouse's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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

Sheldon Whitehouse has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2018 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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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 2018.

  • "Today's ruling by the Supreme Court is one of the most important for women's health care since Roe v. Wade," said Whitehouse. "This landmark decision strikes down barriers erected by politicians to block access to safe and legal abortion. As Justice Ginsburg wrote in her concurrence, "It is beyond rational belief that H. B. 2 could genuinely protect the health of women.' We have to keep fighting against these kinds of attacks on women's constitutional rights to ensure that all women can make their own health care decisions, no matter their zip code." (votesmart.org)
  • "Whitehouse and Cicilline introduced, and Langevin cosponsored, the Paying A Fair Share Act, which would implement the so-called "Buffett Rule" to ensure multi-million-dollar earners pay at least a 30 percent effective federal tax rate." (votesmart.org)
  • Uknown Position
  • "I have also helped lead the fight to give real teeth to our campaign finance laws, so that powerful interests cannot anonymously influence our elections." (www.whitehouse.senate.gov)
  • "Creating good jobs and helping Rhode Islanders build toward a secure retirement will always be my top priority. When our economy tanked after the 2008 financial crisis, I worked tirelessly to bring federal resources to our state, including $2.5 billion in Recovery Act funds. Both employment and the housing markets have rebounded in Rhode Island, but too many families still are working hard just to make ends, and don't feel confident in their and their children's futures. That's why I'm fighting to ensure economic security for Rhode Islanders and to give our children a world-class public education, including the opportunity to go to college without taking on crushing debt." (www.whitehouse.senate.gov)
  • "Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), along with Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), has introduced the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act to level the playing field for American companies by ensuring that multinationals pay the same tax rate on profits earned abroad as they do in the United States. The legislation would end new tax incentives created by President Trump's tax law to outsource jobs and shift profits offshore." (votesmart.org)
  • "ESSA will permit states to design their own accountability systems, giving them the discretion to consider a broad range of indicators of school quality--not just test scores. ESSA also frees public schools from the old law's one-size-fits-all federal sanctions, allowing states and school districts to develop their own approaches to improve struggling schools. While ESSA scales back the federal government's role in K-12 education, it maintains important guardrails to ensure that all students have the opportunity to attain a quality public education. " (votesmart.org)
  • "Sheldon knows that in the Ocean State, our economy and our way of life depend on the health of our environment. As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Sheldon has championed efforts to reduce carbon pollution, protect our air and water, and position Rhode Island as a leader in the clean energy economy." (whitehouseforsenate.com)
  • "Sheldon knows that in the Ocean State, our economy and our way of life depend on the health of our environment. As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Sheldon has championed efforts to reduce carbon pollution, protect our air and water, and position Rhode Island as a leader in the clean energy economy." (whitehouseforsenate.com)
  • "Well, it really makes no sense. First of all, we`re doing it already with respect to gun shops and pawnshops. To do it in the environment of these big gun shows, which are basically a giant gun shop with many dealers really doesn`t add anything to it. As police chief Johnson said, it takes a minute or two to go through the background check. The second thing is that the whole point of the exercise is that it keeps the criminal from coming in and buying guns. So, when Mr. LaPierre says, well, you know, this is no good because criminals won`t subject themselves to a background check, that`s precisely the point." (votesmart.org)
  • "The Affordable Care Act expanded access to health insurance for millions of Americans, but there is still working to be done to lower costs and improve results. I work to protect and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid to ensure the benefits Rhode Islanders count on will be there when they need them." (www.whitehouse.senate.gov)
  • Signed a letter stating: "As your Committee considers the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations bill, we respectfully seek a reduction in funding for President Trump's detention beds and deportation force, and ask that no funds be made available for a costly and unjustified border wall." (votesmart.org)
  • "This decision is shameful and cruel. These are children of our nation who had no say in coming here. They've studied diligently and worked hard to make a better future for themselves and their families. They've given back to their communities. This program takes those contributions into account and grants well-earned peace of mind. […] Throughout my time in the Senate, I've pushed for a comprehensive plan to fix our immigration system. That plan should secure our borders and establish a tough process for those here illegally to get right by the law. But it must treat people -- especially children – humanely. [...] Unraveling this program confronts none of the major problems with our immigration system. Instead, the President is breaking apart families and bruising our economy. And, on the heels of Charlottesville, he is signaling to champions of hate and bigotry that their voices matter most." (votesmart.org)
  • Uknown Position
  • "We believe there are four strategic elements necessary to achieve resolution of this issue: an explicit and continuing message that we will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, a sincere demonstration of openness to negotiations, the maintenance and toughening of sanctions, and a convincing threat of the use of force that Iran will believe. We must be prepared to act, and Iran must see that we are prepared. " (votesmart.org)
  • Uknown Position

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