Emanuel Cleaver II

Representative Emanuel Cleaver II's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Full Name:	Emanuel Cleaver II
Office:	U.S. House (MO) - District 5, Democratic
First Elected:	11/02/2004
Last Elected:	11/06/2012
Next Election:	2014

Gender:	Male
Family:	Wife: Dianne; 4 Children: Emanuel III, Emil, Evan, Marissa
Birth Date:	10/27/1944
Birth Place:	Waxahachie, TX
Home City:	Kansas City, MO
Religion:	United Methodist (UMC)

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Emanuel Cleaver II has demonstrated Political Courage by telling citizens where he stands on the issues he/ she may face if elected.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Missouri Congressional Election 2012 Political Courage Test

Key

: Official Position: Candidate had the Political Courage to address this issue directly.
: Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue directly, but Project Vote Smart inferred this issue position based on the candidate's public statements, voting record, and evaluations from special interest groups.
: Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue.
: Project Vote Smart's Research: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position.

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Pro-choice	Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
	Other or expanded principles

Yes	Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?
Yes	Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan?
	Other or expanded principles

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?
	Other or expanded principles

Yes	Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
	Other or expanded principles

No	Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
	Other or expanded principles

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?
Yes	Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief?
	Other or expanded principles

No	Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
	Other or expanded principles

No	Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
	Other or expanded principles

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

Yes	Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
	Other or expanded principles

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?
	Other or expanded principles

Unknown Position	Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2012 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked NO ANSWER for: “Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?” Immigration: other or expanded principles “Like all laws, law enforcement at all levels should enforce the law of the land. Whether it be drug trafficing, illegal money transfer activities, or other fraudulent activities law enforcement officials need to coordinate their efforts to maximize limited resources.” Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "a) Do you support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants?" Immigration Issues Other or expanded principles: "Like all laws, law enforcement officials at all levels should enforce the law of the land. Whether it be drug trafficing, illegal money transfer activities, or other fraudulent activities law enforcement officials need to coordinate their efforts to maximize limited resources." Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship." Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Did Not Check SUPPORT for: "e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States." Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "d) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?" Immigration Issues Other or expanded principles: "Like all laws, law enforcement officials at all levels should enforce the law of the land. Whether it be drug trafficing, illegal money transfer activities, or other fraudulent activities law enforcement officials need to coordinate their efforts to maximize limited resources." Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States." Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration. Other or expanded principles: "e) under certain circumstances" Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2008 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship." Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked SUPPORT for: "e) Support amnesty for certain illegal immigrants who already reside in the United States." Emanuel Cleaver. HR 5281. 112th Congress. DREAM Act. Emanuel Cleaver voted Yea on 12/08/2010. (votesmart.org) National Latino Congreso/William C. Velásquez Institute. 04/18/2012. "Emanuel Cleaver supported the interests of National Latino Congreso/William C. Velásquez Institute 100 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org) Emanuel Cleaver. HR 4437. 109th Congress. Border Security Bill. Emanuel Cleaver voted Nay on 12/16/2005. (votesmart.org) Federation for American Immigration Reform. 04/18/2012. "Emanuel Cleaver supported the interests of the Federation for American Immigration Reform 0 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org)
	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?
Yes	Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
	Other or expanded principles
Like all laws, law enforcement at all levels should enforce the law of the land. Whether it be drug trafficing, illegal money transfer activities, or other fraudulent activities law enforcement officials need to coordinate their efforts to maximize limited resources.

Unknown Position	Do you support same-sex marriage? Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2012 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Checked NO ANSWER for: “Do you support same-sex marriage?” Marriage: other or expanded principles “Marriage is a state issue which is governed by the respective states.” Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2006 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "i) Do you support a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman?" Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "Yes" for: "j) Should same-sex couples be allowed to form civil unions?" Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2010 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "a) Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?" Emanuel Cleaver. Project Vote Smart: 2004 Missouri Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "No" for: "k) Should marriage be restricted to a union only between a man and a woman?" Emanuel Cleaver. Marriage Protection Amendment. 18 July 2006. “People who want to go to the courthouse, or want to get married on a ship, that is fine. But in terms of the church, keep your hands out of the church.” (votesmart.org) Emanuel Cleaver. Pelosi, 132 House Members File Amicus Brief in Landmark Court Challenge to DOMA. 2 November 2011. “In 1996 when DOMA was enacted, lesbians and gay men could not marry anywhere in the world. At that time, Congress acted with regrettable haste and without respect for its longstanding practice of respecting state marriages for purposes of federal law. That practice had served Congress interests in promoting stability and security for American families; it was a mistake to abandon it. Congress has no legitimate federal interest that is rationally served by treating married gay and lesbian couples as unmarried for all federal purposes. Section 3 is unconstitutional and should be struck down.” (votesmart.org) Emanuel Cleaver. HR 2965. 112th Congress. Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act. Emanuel Cleaver voted Yea on 12/15/2010. (votesmart.org) Matt Stearns. New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition: Gay Marriage Amendment `Shamefully Political,' Congressman Says. 31 August 2012. “So with the House of Representatives expected to vote this week on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman, you might expect Cleaver - the only practicing minister in Congress - to stand firmly behind the effort. Think again. […] Cleaver’s background as senior pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City gives him a unique perspective among members of Congress on his opposition to the amendment: He says government shouldn’t meddle in a religious sacrament. 'Marriage is a spiritual issue,' said Cleaver, a Democrat. 'That’s not for the Congress to dictate, no more than it’s appropriate for Congress to dictate how much bread should be used in communion.' If states want to regulate whether public officials who perform marriages can do so for gays and lesbians, Cleaver said he’s fine with that: 'I do believe that the state ought to be able to impose its will on its institutions.' And if Congress wants to address unions between gays and lesbians, then it should do so through “civil union” legislation dealing with issues such as inheritance laws and property rights, he argued.” (www.nhftm.org) Family Research Council. 04/18/2012. "Emanuel Cleaver supported the interests of the Family Research Council 0 percent in 2006." (votesmart.org) Traditional Values Coalition. 04/18/2012. "Emanuel Cleaver supported the interests of the Traditional Values Coalition 28 percent in 2006" (votesmart.org) Emanuel Cleaver. H J Res 88. 110th Congress. Same-Sex Marriage Resolution. Emanuel Cleaver voted Nay on 07/18/2006. (votesmart.org) American Civil Liberties Union. 04/18/2012. "Emanuel Cleaver supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 100 percent in 2006." (votesmart.org) American Family Association. 04/18/2012. "Emanuel Cleaver supported the interests of the American Family Association 0 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org) Human Rights Campaign. 04/18/2012. "Emanuel Cleaver supported the interests of the Human Rights Campaign 91 percent in 2010." (votesmart.org) Emanuel Cleaver. HR 3685. 110th Congress. Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). Emanuel Cleaver voted Yea on 11/07/2007. (votesmart.org)
	Other or expanded principles
Marriage is a state issue which is governed by the respective states.

Yes	Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?
	Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon?
	Other or expanded principles

No	Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
	Other or expanded principles

Spending
Indicate 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.
Maintain Status	a) Agriculture
Slightly Increase	b) Arts
Maintain Status	c) Defense
Greatly Increase	d) Education
Slightly Increase	e) Environment
Greatly Increase	f) Homeland Security
Maintain Status	g) International aid
Greatly Increase	h) Medical Research
Slightly Increase	i) Scientific Research
Maintain Status	j) Space exploration
Maintain Status	k) United Nations
Slightly Increase	l) Welfare
	m) Other or expanded categories

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.
Slightly Decrease	a) Capital gains taxes
Maintain Status	b) Corporate taxes
Slightly Increase	c) Excise taxes (alcohol)
Slightly Increase	d) Excise taxes (cigarettes)
Slightly Increase	e) Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
Greatly Decrease	f) Income taxes (low-income families)
Slightly Decrease	g) Income taxes (middle-income families)
Maintain Status	h) Income taxes (high-income families)
Maintain Status	i) Inheritance taxes
Maintain Status	j) Payroll taxes
	k) Other or expanded categories

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.

We must ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to access a job. Our efforts have to focus on job creation through expansion of small businesses, investment in our infrastructure, and retraining for new jobs created. Throughout my tenure in public service, I have been committed to economic development and job creation. Congress needs to help these efforts by controlling spending, focusing on balanced budgets that reduce the deficit while protecting the solvency of Social Security and Medicare. My record in Congress is one of accomplishments benefitting the 5th District.

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