I believe universal health care coverage is the civil rights issue of our time. The need for safe, affordable health care is an issue that affects us all.

After nearly a century of effort, I proudly voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. The new law is centered on building on what works in our current health system and fixing what is broken. It creates a regulated marketplace where individuals can purchase health care at affordable rates and where uninsured Americans can purchase subsidized insurance for themselves and their families. The law also expands Medicaid eligibility to millions of more lower-income families and eliminates the so-called “donut hole” or prescription drug coverage gap for seniors under Medicare’s prescription drug program, making necessary medicines available to more of America’s seniors.

The law improves quality and lowers costs for those who are currently insured and ends the discriminatory insurance industry practices like denying care because of a pre-existing medical condition and canceling your health coverage if you get sick. The law also requires health plans to provide free preventive care and screening, allows young people to stay on their parent’s health plan until their 26th birthday, and provides access to an affordable way for small businesses to insure their employees.

To learn more about the historic health care reform law and to see how it affects you and your family, visit healthcare.gov.

I am steadfast advocate for a single-payer health care system. I am a proud co-sponsor of the United States Health Insurance Act, which will provide health care to all Americans by establishing a national single-payer health care system. I will continue to fight for single-payer health care system because I think it is only true way to make health care a right for every single American.

I believe that insurance providers should cover mental illnesses and addiction in the same way that they cover physical ailments. On October 3, 2008, Congress finally passed the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and President Bush subsequently signed it into law. This crucial legislation was championed by the great Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, who died tragically before he could see this legislation become law.

Promoting peace at home and abroad is one of my top priorities as a Member of Congress. I believe Congress has a Constitutional obligation to debate the wisdom of fighting wars. I serve on the Foreign Affairs Committee, which oversees U.S. diplomatic and national security interests throughout the world. I have visited both Iraq and Afghanistan and I believe that it is time for the United States to start winding down both conflicts. Over the last decade, we have spent over a trillion dollars on war -- funds that could have been used to create jobs, rebuild our nation's infrastructure, and educate our children.

After almost nine years and the sacrifices made by thousands of our brave service men and women, the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is not succeeding. In order to defeat the Taliban, the Afghan government must build up its own police force, crack down on corruption, empower women, and strengthen civil society. I believe that reducing the U.S. military footprint and increasing civilian assistance in Afghanistan will both save lives and assist the process of democratization.

I believe that the United States pursued an unwise and unnecessary war with Iraq and I have consistently voted against continuing to fund this war without specific timelines to withdraw our troops. Thanks in part to the tireless efforts of advocates for peace -- all the way from President Obama and Congressional leaders, to the activists on the Lake Street Bridge in Minneapolis -- the United States officially ended combat operations in Iraq on September 1st, 2010. Despite this victory for peace, there are many important lessons that I believe we must learn from the lead-up to the Iraq War and its execution -- mistakes that we must never repeat as a nation.

Irresponsible lending practices and lax regulation were driving forces in the collapse of the financial markets in 2007. That financial meltdown and recession cost eight million American jobs (including thousands of Minnesota jobs), wiped-out trillions of dollars in retirement plans and investments, and led to the largest number of home foreclosures since the Great Depression.

I believe consumer justice issues are critical because banking and credit have become such a key element for attaining economic prosperity in our society.  America’s working families are increasingly squeezed between the rising cost of everyday expenses and falling real wages. To make up the difference between what they’re taking home and what’s due to the doctor or to the utility companies working families are increasingly turning to credit cards and other high-cost consumer loans to finance their daily costs of living. I believe in the long run we need to establish an economy where our working families are not forced to rely on these products to finance their everyday expenses. Until that day arrives, we must make sure the credit terms offered to consumers are fair and free from abuse.

Historic Wall Street Reforms

In 2010, I proudly voted to pass historic Wall Street Reform legislation that brings long-overdue regulatory reforms for big banks and financial institutions on Wall Street. It ends "too big to fail" companies and protects consumers from deceptive practices, hidden fees, and abusive lending terms. This law creates a much-needed independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which will have the power to stop common traps and eliminate confusing fine print.

The Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights

In 2009, I authored legislation that became law as part of the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights, which protects borrowers from being penalized by lenders for defaulting or missing payments on other loans. This unfair practice was known in the financial sector as “Universal Default” and is now illegal. The Universal Default Prohibition Act was the first bill I introduced as a Member of Congress.

Minnesota is home to thousands of men and women who have served our country with distinction, and their service and sacrifice commands our support. To help honor their sacrifice, I believe the United States government must provide veterans with the health, education, housing, and job benefits that they have earned.

I am proud of the accomplishments Congress has made to help support and honor our veterans. We provided the largest increase in funding of Veterans Affairs history with the passage of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies appropriations bill in 2008. The Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 is a law that enhances veterans employment and work training opportunities, addresses veterans housing issues, upgrades disability, insurance and survivor programs, and requires a comprehensive study of best treatment practices for chronic multi-symptom illness in Gulf War I veterans. We passed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, a law which offers the caregivers of veterans training, compensation, respite care, and access to mental health counseling.

Ensuring Minnesota Veterans Get Their Benefits
In the fall of 2007, I worked closely with the Minnesota Congressional delegation to ensure that the members of the Minnesota National Guard 1/34th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) received their full Active Component GI Bill entitlements. The 1/34th BCT returned to Minnesota after a 22-month mobilization and deployment to Iraq, the longest tour of any ground combat unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Unfortunately, members of the unit were informed after they returned home that they were not eligible for their full GI benefits because their orders to return home cut them a few days short of the eligibility for these benefits. After my office was informed of this decision by the Army, I wrote to the Department of Defense to appeal this decision. I am pleased to report that the Army responded positively to my inquiries and that most soldiers of the 1/34th BCT were granted waivers to access those educational benefits.

When it comes to Congressional actions that affect our relationships with foreign governments and citizens, I believe that U.S. policy should reflect the same principles that drive our domestic policy: respect for differences, care for humanitarian needs, and commitment to peace and improving the lives of all people. I am honored to be a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; where I serve on the International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight Subcommittee as well as the Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee.

I authored legislation that upholds the concept of a Global Marshall Plan as a vision for restructuring our commitment to international development and for the United States’ restored influence of goodwill in the world. The Global Marshall Plan, first devised by Vice-President Al Gore, is a new plan for foreign development assistance that calls for the U.S. to invest 1-2% of our country’s Gross Domestic Product into aid to poor countries across the globe. This follows in the footsteps of the Marshall Plan that was so effective following World War II.

Unfortunately, the push for free trade in this global economy is far too often an economic race to the bottom with developing countries outbidding each other to provide labor at the lowest wage possible. This frequently results in good paying jobs being outsourced from the United States to developing nations with abusive working conditions and poor or non-existent environmental protections.

I believe trade between the nations of the world can help promote not only economic growth but also democratic values. However, this is only accomplished when the value of trade is measured by asking whether or not this commerce improves the quality of life for the citizens of each nation. This is especially true when our trading partners are developing countries. I believe trade deals must be negotiated not only for the benefit of the United States, but for the benefit of all countries involved. That is why I believe in fair trade and not simply free trade.

I am honored to serve on the Executive Committee of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, which investigates human rights conditions and abuses around the globe.

I also serve on the House Democracy Partnership, an official organization of the House of the Representatives that works through peer-to-peer partnerships with emerging democratic legislatures to assist in the development of the building blocks of legislative government: oversight, transparency, accountability, effective legislation, and responsiveness to constituents.

I believe we can live in a country in which everyone can breathe clean air, drink clean water, and eat food without toxins. Many Americans choose to embrace sustainable environmental practices, but history shows that we can’t rely solely on corporations and the free market to do what’s right. I believe it is the responsibility of government to take decisive action to protect our natural resources, enact sustainable policies, and promote a green economy.

We need a safe and clean planet for all communities, not just for some. I am a strong supporter of the environmental justice movement, which brings low-income communities and communities of color into the larger efforts to create a cleaner world for future generations.

We must make strategic investments in green technologies, provide strong incentives for companies to act responsibly, and make it more affordable for American families to adopt Earth-friendly lifestyle choices.

My top environmental priority is to address the very serious challenge of global warming. I support necessary policies that will help our country reduce its carbon footprint, transition away from reliance on fossil fuels, and implement a carbon cap and trade system.

As the late, great Senator Paul Wellstone said, “we all do better when we all do better.” This must be at the core of the efforts we’re making to rebuild our economy. I believe that having a job is not just about income, but also pride and dignity for workers and their families.

The economic downturn has resulted in millions of lost jobs. While some jobs have returned, many Americas are still looking for the opportunity to get back to work. We can address this problem on two fronts. First, we must ensure that unemployment insurance is available as a lifeline for Americans who are actively looking for work. Second, we must pass legislation that creates public and private sector jobs, including the Local Jobs for America Act, which I co-authored. This proposed legislation will create one million public and private sector jobs, secure and strengthen our communities, and keep our economic recovery on track.

President Obama inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit and a quickly‐declining economy that shed 779,000 jobs in January 2009 alone. The Administration and the 111th Congress immediately addressed the worst economic and financial crisis since the Great Depression by passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – a critical step on the road to meaningful economic recovery.

We passed the Recovery Act to create jobs and rebuild our economy, providing tax cuts to 95% of working families and spending with immediate and long‐term economic impacts. The Recovery Act created jobs with funding for infrastructure projects as well as sending billions of dollars to states for education that helped prevent teacher layoffs. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Recovery Act created or saved nearly 3.5 million jobs. Find out more about Recovery Act projects in your neighborhood at Recovery.gov.

I believe that giving workers the ability to bargain for better wages and benefits is an integral part of strengthening America's middle class and rebuilding our economy. On average, union workers earn 30 percent more than their nonunion counterparts and nearly 80 percent of union workers have health care benefits. Union workers are also far more likely to have pensions than their nonunion counterparts when they retire. This is why I’m a strong supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act, which overhauls out-dated labor laws that heavily favor owners and managers by increasing penalties for businesses who illegally retaliate against workers who attempt to form a union.

The United States is a proud country of immigrants, and Minnesota is a shining example of this history. As with past generations, new Americans want what all Americans want: safe neighborhoods, good schools, and the chance to raise a family and succeed. Immigrants today are often asked to work in the toughest jobs for the least amount of pay, and are cast into the shadows of our society. Our immigration system is broken, and I am committed to working in Congress to fix it.

Passing Comprehensive Immigration Reform

I believe immigration rules need to be straightforward, fair, and predictable. They currently are not. I am committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform and have co-sponsored such legislation in my two terms in Congress. I believe that our reformed immigration system should include a clear path to citizenship for those who are already in the U.S. working and paying taxes. We need to put families first and have an expedited process for family reunification and believe that the federal government has an obligation to clear up the lengthy backlog of family visa requests. I also believe we need to pass The Dream Act, which is legislation designed to increase access to higher education for the children of immigrants and give them an opportunity to succeed and give back to their communities.

Liberian Temporary Protective Status

I am a strong supporter for keeping Liberian Americans in our communities. In 1989, a civil war in Liberia displaced over half the country’s population and many Liberians sought refuge in the United States. More than 30,000 Liberians reside in Minnesota and an estimated 1,000 currently are living under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status. Since 1991, these refugees have been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status. I worked in 2007 and 2009 to get Presidents Bush and Obama to extend the DED for Liberians in the United States, but now I’m working on a more permanent solution. I have introduced the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act, which would allow Liberians who were brought to the United States legally under temporary protection status classification to apply for permanent residency.

I believe the right to vote is arguably the most essential right because it guarantees all other rights. Our country has a proud tradition of progressive reforms that have made elections more fair, including granting universal suffrage, adopting the secret ballot, and eliminating poll taxes. Minnesota has been at the forefront of modern reforms with Election Day voter registration, the virtual elimination of voter fraud, reasonable limits on campaign contributions, and transparency for campaign advertisements.

Minnesota is known for our clean and fair elections, along with routinely having the highest voter participation in the country – usually over 70%. This is made possible because of Minnesota’s election laws, which I believe should serve as a model for the rest of the United States. I am proud to author legislation that would bring the Minnesota model of Election Day voter registration to the rest of the country. It’s a common sense measure that brings more people into the democratic process.

I believe that American citizens - not corporations or special interests - should determine the future of our country through the electoral process. The 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, has the potential to upend our entire electoral process. This deeply flawed decision overturns decades of precedent and allows corporations and special interest groups to spend unlimited amounts of money with zero accountability. In effect, this decision puts our representative democracy up for auction to the highest corporate bidders.

To address this problem, I believe we must adopt public financing of federal campaigns -- it's the best way to make elections more fair and allow candidates to focus on representing the needs of their constituents and not just on fundraising. Since corporate money poses a serious threat to our democracy, we should also consider amending our Constitution to reaffirm that corporations are not entitled to the same rights as American citizens and close this loophole for good.

Women have made tremendous progress since gaining the right to vote in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.  I firmly believe we need to pass an Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which would guarantee that equal rights protections under the law are also extended on the basis of gender.

Violence Against Women

Violence is an all too common occurrence in the lives of millions of women worldwide.  It permeates all socio-economic classes, cuts across all cultural, physical and religious barriers, and impedes the right of women to participate fully in society. Equal rights for women are vital to the development and well-being of people in all nations. That’s why I believe the United States Senate should ratify the United Nations Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The CEDAW agreement is the only comprehensive treaty guaranteeing women’s human rights and the prevention of discrimination against women.  More than 173 countries across the world have ratified CEDAW; the United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that has not ratified this agreement.

Reproductive Rights

I wholeheartedly believe a woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy, particularly when her life is in danger or her health is threatened.  I also believe restricting access to contraceptives is counterproductive to reasonable family planning policies.  Women should have the right to affordable access to legal contraceptives that will help prevent unintended pregnancies.  Please know that you can count on me to be a strong advocate for the right of women to make their own reproductive decisions.

Equal Pay for Women

I am deeply concerned that women still face obstacles in earning equal pay for their work. I am proud that President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009  into law on his very first day in office. This law was inspired by the story of Lilly Ledbetter, who tried to sue her company after 20 years of being paid less than her male colleagues. However, the Supreme Court said that Ledbetter had waited too long to sue for pay discrimination. This law fixes that loophole and allows women to have their day in court if they’ve faced systematic pay discrimination because of their gender.

Paid Family Leave

As our nation’s workers continue to have a difficult time balancing work and family, I have proudly co-sponsored legislation to provide paid leave for new parents and give workers more time to spend with their children and provide their children a better foundation to succeed in life.  I have also co-sponsored legislation to provide for paid sick leave to ensure all Americans can address their own health needs and the medical needs of their families.

I am working to advance Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) equality in Congress by ending existing discrimination written in federal laws, giving law enforcement tools to pursue perpetrators of hate crimes, and extending marriage rights and responsibilities to same-sex couples and families.

Marriage Equality

I believe in expanding marriage rights and responsibilities to same-sex couples and to have those marriages recognized by other states and the federal government. I strongly support repealing the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, which actively denies marriage rights and recognition to same-sex couples.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

I also believe that men and women in our armed services should be able to serve their country openly, regardless of their sexual orientation and I am fighting to end the unjust “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Hate Crimes

I am proud that we expanded hate crime laws to extend protections to victims of crimes committed against them on the basis of  their sexual orientation and gender identity. After more than a decade of work, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law by President Obama on October 28th, 2009.

Employment Non-Discrimination

I am a strong supporter of legislation called the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which prohibits discrimination in employment based on a worker’s sexual orientation or gender identity -- similar to protections we offer based on age, gender, religious affiliation, and race.

I am proud to be vice-chair of the Congressional Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Caucus.

I believe that every American child should be guaranteed access to a world-class education -- from pre-school through college. Increasing educational opportunities for children of all backgrounds is a key to creating opportunities and prosperity for working families.  
The Federal Government needs to take decisive action to support children, families, schools and teachers in the development of high quality educational opportunities. We must also ensure that children with disabilities are given the same opportunities for success as their peers by requiring the federal government to fully fund special education.

Higher Education
I am greatly concerned about the skyrocketing cost of higher education, which is a proven pathway to grow the middle class. I believe that the Federal Government must do more to support higher education so that our communities can be as competitive as possible in today’s global economy.

We’ve changed the way that the Federal Government gives student loans with the passage of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which cuts the interest rates on need-based student loans in half, increases Pell Grant scholarships, caps student loan repayments to 15% of the borrower’s income, and provides loan forgiveness for public servants after 10 years of public service. This legislation is the biggest investment in higher education in America since the creation of the G.I. Bill in 1944 and I was proud to support its passage.