Jim Langevin's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)
Key
Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Jim Langevin has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2020 Political Courage Test.
Rhode Island Congressional Election 2020 Political Courage Test
| Pro-life | Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
| My pro-life stance is shaped by my personal experience of having come so close to losing my own life. However, I did not come to Congress to overturn Roe v Wade, and in this time of deep political divisiveness, any court ruling changing that precedent could tear deeply at the fabric of our nation. We should work together to reduce unintended pregnancies by expanding access to reproductive health care, contraception, scientifically-based sexual education, and support services for new mothers. | |||
| Yes | In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
| Yes | Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare? | ||
| Social Security and Medicare are necessary safety nets, and we must protect and strengthen these programs so they provide the appropriate level of care and support for our seniors, disabled workers, and their families. | |||
| Yes | Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
| The relationship between big money and politics needs to end. Many qualified candidates are unable to run due to rising campaign costs, which leads to a narrower field of candidates who are often backed by big corporations or super-PACs. We are meant to be governed by the people, and we owe it to those who elect us to be as transparent and forthcoming about ourselves as candidates, without big money influencers who seeking personal gain. | |||
| No | Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct? | ||
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| Yes | Do you support increasing defense spending? | ||
| We need to make investments that provide for a strong national defense, support our servicemembers, and protect our citizens; however, these investments must be made in a smart and effective manner. We can strengthen our national security and our cybersecurity while conducting necessary oversight to ensure funds are being used properly and we are minimizing wasteful spending. | |||
| Yes | Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| No | Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
| Yes | Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19? | ||
| Now more than ever small businesses and working families are in desperate need of financial support as we combat the ongoing health crisis. Continuing stimulus payments and providing more assistance for small business will allow people to put that money right back into local economy and help American cities and states stay afloat. | |||
| No | Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? | ||
| I support incentivizing states to adopt best practices, and I support federal funding to help states and localities address high-risk populations. However, I believe that education has traditionally been, and should rightly remain, the province of local government, and I do not support mandates to adopt federal standards or curricula. | |||
| Yes | Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)? | ||
| Yes | Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
| As a founding member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition in Congress, I fully support policies geared towards green innovation. I am a sponsor of legislation to promote investments in wind energy. I have vocally opposed the U.S.'s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords that are critical to addressing environmental and economic impacts of climate change; and I have successfully championed legislative efforts to address the impacts of climate change on our national security. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
| At the age of 16, I was a part of a training program held by a local police department when a gun accidentally discharged and nearly took my life. Since then, I have dedicated my time in Congress to work with organizations like the Brady Campaign, Gifford's Courage, and many more to enact common sense gun legislation. Our nation has seen too much senseless tragedy, and it is imperative that we act aggressively to keep communities safe. | |||
| No | Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? | ||
| Yes | Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19? | ||
| No | Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border? | ||
| No | Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? | ||
| We need comprehensive immigration reform in this country. That means improving security at our border, but it also means reforming and modernizing our visa system. We also need to address the undocumented members of our communities, particularly the Dreamers brought to this country through no fault of their own. Unfortunately, far from working toward comprehensive reform, the current Administration has embraced senseless, and at times heartless, policies including a border wall, a travel ban targeted at Muslims, and, most disturbingly, the separation of children from their families at the border. | |||
| No | Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)? | ||
| Yes | Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts? | ||
| One of the most important votes of my career was opposing the authorization to use military force in Iraq. I believe that the United States has legitimate counterterrorism reasons to be involved in the Middle East, but I believe we must prioritize winding down our involvement in a way that promotes stable self-governance. I also believe that diplomacy, including accords like the Iran nuclear deal, not military force is the way to best achieve non-proliferation goals. | |||
| Yes | Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)? | ||
| I believe in fair trade. We all have much to gain when we exchange ideas, goods and services. However, I am strongly opposed to sending American jobs overseas to avoid our labor and environmental standards, and I have consistently opposed trade deals that do not adequately protect workers or our natural world. I also believe we must do more to stop countries like China from subsidizing state-owned enterprises in a way that puts American firms at a distinct disadvantage. | |||
| My biggest concern is solving the COVID pandemic. We must create a national testing strategy, invest in biomedical research to develop treatments, and provide additional economic relief for struggling families and small businesses. Beyond that, I remain committed to advancing Career and Technical Education and work-based learning to train students and workers for high-skill, high-wage careers that meet the needs of the 21st Century economy. I will also build on my efforts to expand health coverage, reduce out of pocket costs, and lower prescription drug prices.Finally, I will continue my committee efforts to strengthen our country's national security and cybersecurity. |
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