1. Do you support:

     a) A public health insurance option, offered by the federal government and tied to Medicare reimbursement rates plus 5% (H.R. 3200, Subtitle B, including § 223(b)(1)(A), as introduced in the House, 111th Congress)?

Yes. In addition I was a co-author of every single-payer bill introduced in the California State Legislature.

     b) The Medicare You Can Buy Into Act (H.R. 4789, 111th Congress), which would allow all citizens or permanent residents to buy into Medicare?

Yes.

2. Do you agree that any immigration reform bill should:

     a) Contain a meaningful path to citizenship — one that does not include overly-punitive fines or a touchback requirement — for law-abiding undocumented immigrants currently in the United States;

I have been a strong supporter of immigrant  rights for the past fourteen years in the Legislature, including  co-authoring of the California Dream act.

     b) Ensure that expanded legal permanent immigration, rather than expansion of temporary worker programs, serves as the United States' primary external answer to workforce shortages; and

Yes.

     c) Ensure that any non-agricultural temporary worker programs maintain current caps on the total number of non-agricultural temporary worker visas issued, and . include a meaningful prevailing wage requirement keyed to the Service Contract Act and the Davis-Bacon Act?

Yes.

3. Do you oppose each of the following changes to Social Security and Medicare:

1. Raising the retirement age;

I oppose this.

2. Eliminating or reducing the cost of living adjustment;

I oppose this.

3. Directly reducing benefits; yes

I oppose this.

4. Means-testing recipients;

I oppose this.

     e) Privatization, so-called "personal accounts," and vouchers?

I STRONGLY oppose this.

.

4. Do you support the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1409/S. 560, 111th Congress), including the provision known as "card check"?

Yes, in fact I have voted several times for card check bills in the State Legislature.

5. Do you pledge to vote against any efforts to extend the temporary tax cuts for income over $250,000 (Public Law 111-312)?

I do not sign pledges, however, I cannot envision any instance in which I would vote to extend the tax cuts for any individual making over $250,000

6. If elected to the House, do you pledge not to join the Blue Dog Coalition?

Again, I do not sign pledges, however, I cannot see myself as a member of that coalition. I am consistently cited as one of the most progressive members of the legislature. That being said, I pride myself in finding common ground and common solution whenever possible.  

7. If elected to the Senate, do you pledge to restore majority rule to the Senate and work/vote to end the filibuster?