Niki Tsongas on VoteMatch

VoteMatch Responses (Click here for VoteMatch quiz)
VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Strongly Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Endorsed by EMILY’s List for support of abortion rights: Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Focus on preventing pregnancy, plus emergency contraception: Favors topic 1 NO on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Increase funding for occupational & physical therapy: Favors topic 2 Ratify CEDAW (Discrimination Against Women): Strongly Favors topic 2 Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights: Strongly Favors topic 2 Sponsored removing deadline for ratification of the ERA: Strongly Favors topic 2 More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2 Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination: Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays: Favors topic 3 Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell, and reinstate discharged gays: Favors topic 3 Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 YES on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Favors topic 3
Neutral on topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports SCHIP bill, including veto override: Favors topic 5 Repeal ObamaCare reporting requirements for small business: Opposes topic 5 Establish a public insurance option via healthcare Exchanges: Strongly Favors topic 5 Sponsored merging Alzheimers diagnosis and care benefit: Favors topic 5 Religious exemption from ObamaCare individual mandate: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Provide for treatment of autism under TRICARE: Favors topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Reject privatization; don't raise the retirement age: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Rated 100% by ARA, indicating a pro-Trust Fund stance: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	NO on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Opposes topic 7 YES on $40B for green public schools: Opposes topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Society bears cost of pollution (+2 points on Social scale)	Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 Prohibits breeding or possessing Big Cat species: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Sponsored tightening restrictions on hydrogen sulfide emissions: Favors topic 8 YES on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Sponsored evidence-based & proven prevention for street gangs: Opposes topic 9 Rated 85% by the NAPO, indicating a tough-on-crime stance: Favors topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Ban "fire sale" of firearms after delicensing closure: Opposes topic 10 Ban large-capacity ammunition: Opposes topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Sponsored enforcing against corporate offshore tax haven banking: Favors topic 11 YES on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Favors topic 11 YES on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports undocumented immigrants earning citizenship: Favors topic 12 Allow more visas for STEM college graduates: Favors topic 12 Protect LGBT families from illegal immigrant deportation: Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Sponsored imposing import fee on countries with undervalued currency: Opposes topic 13 $25B more loans from Export-Import Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Rated 50% by the USAE, indicating a mixed record on trade: Neutral on topic 13 YES on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Opposes topic 13 NO on promoting free trade with Peru: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-5 points on Economic scale)	Integrate gender into diplomatic and foreign aid processes: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Condemn China's organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners: Opposes topic 14 $500M and 3,000 troops to Africa to fight Ebola: Opposes topic 14 Allow travel between the United States and Cuba: Opposes topic 14 YES on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Opposes topic 14 YES on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Neutral on topic 15: Expand the military (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Reduce the salary of Members of Congress: Favors topic 16 Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Require full disclosure of independent campaign expenditures: Strongly Favors topic 16 Full disclosure of campaign spending: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 No photo IDs to vote; they suppress the vote: Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 No separate contribution limits for party activities: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+2 points on Social scale)	Set a timetable for withdrawing US troops from Iraq: Favors topic 17 War costs $15 million an hour; time to change course: Strongly Favors topic 17 YES on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 17 NO on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Opposes topic 17 YES on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Favors topic 18 NO on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Favors topic 18 YES on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Favors topic 18 YES on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Favors topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Rated B by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Increase debt limit from $14.3 trillion to $16.7 trillion: Favors topic 20 Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016: Favors topic 20 NO on prioritizing spending in case debt limit is reached: Favors topic 20 YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20