Melissa Bean on Abortion

• Reproductive choice must remain a legal option for women. (Nov 2004)
• 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)
• Rated 9% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance. (Dec 2006)

Melissa Bean 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)

Melissa Bean 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 YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
• Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks. (Dec 2005)
• Rated 75% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
• Rated 83% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action. (Dec 2006)
• Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment. (Mar 2007)

Melissa Bean on Corporations

• Voted YES on allowing stockholder voting on executive compensation. (Apr 2007)
• Screen imports & ban lead in children's products. (Feb 2008)

Melissa Bean on Crime

• Voted YES on expanding services for offendors' re-entry into society. (Nov 2007)

Melissa Bean on Drugs

• Rated -10 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance. (Dec 2006)

Melissa Bean on Education

• Voted YES on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects. (Nov 2007)
• Voted YES 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)

Melissa Bean 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)
• Balance fossil fuels and viable renewable energy. (Jul 2001)
• Tax credit for gas stations providing 85% ethanol fuel. (Apr 2005)
• Rated 100% by the CAF, indicating support for energy independence. (Dec 2006)
• Sign on to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. (Jan 2007)

Melissa Bean on Environment

• Supports strong EPA air and water quality regulations. (Nov 2004)
• 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)
• Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting. (Jan 2007)

Melissa Bean on Families & Children

Melissa Bean 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)
• Acknowledge the Armenian Genocide of the early 1900s. (Mar 2007)

Melissa Bean 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 YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade. (Jul 2005)

Melissa Bean on Government Reform

• Voted YES on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations. (May 2007)
• Voted YES on granting Washington DC an Electoral vote & vote in Congress. (Apr 2007)
• Voted YES on protecting whistleblowers from employer recrimination. (Mar 2007)
• Voted YES on requiring photo ID for voting in federal elections. (Sep 2006)
• Voted NO on restricting independent grassroots political committees. (Apr 2006)
• Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits about obesity against food providers. (Oct 2005)
• Voted YES on limiting attorney's fees in class action lawsuits. (Feb 2005)
• Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform. (Jul 2001)
• Prohibit non-legislated earmarks. (Jul 2005)

Melissa Bean on Gun Control

• Voted YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers. (Oct 2005)

Melissa Bean 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)
• Better and immediate funding for Medicare & Medicaid. (Dec 2000)
• Prescription drug benefit within Medicare. (Jun 2000)
• Establish a national childhood cancer database. (Mar 2007)
• Establish a National Diabetes Coordinator. (Mar 2008)

Melissa Bean 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 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)
• Voted YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts. (Mar 2007)
• Voted YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)
• Voted YES on federalizing rules for driver licenses to hinder terrorists. (Feb 2005)
• Voted YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses. (Feb 2005)
• Study & address suicides among veterans. (Apr 2008)

Melissa Bean 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)
• Rated 33% by USBC, indicating a mixed record on open borders. (Dec 2006)

Melissa Bean on Jobs

• Voted NO 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)
• Allow an Air Traffic Controller's Union. (Jan 2006)

Melissa Bean on Principles & Values

• Rated 100% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation. (Dec 2006)
• Member of the "Blue Dog" Coalition of conservative Democrats. (Nov 2007)

Melissa Bean on Social Security

• Opposes attempts to privatize Social Security or Medicare. (Nov 2004)
• Strengthen Trust Funds and take them off-budget. (May 2001)

Melissa Bean on Tax Reform

• Voted NO on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income. (Jun 2008)
• Voted NO on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes. (Dec 2007)
• Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Dec 2005)
• 50-25-25 budget formula for debt-tax cuts-spending. (Feb 2001)
• Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation. (Dec 2006)

Melissa Bean on War & Peace

• Voted YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq. (Jun 2008)
• Voted NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days. (May 2007)
• Voted YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date. (Jun 2006)

Melissa Bean on Welfare & Poverty

• Voted YES on providing $70 million for Section 8 Housing vouchers. (Jun 2006)