Candidate Responses
Favors abortion rights.
"Senator Biden supports the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade that protects a woman's right to choose to terminate a pregnancy," his campaign web site states.
Asked in 2003 whether gay marriage is inevitable, said: "I'm not sure. I think it probably is." In that same interview with Fox News, Biden added, "We're going to go through a process here that is necessary for this nation in terms of how we deal with the rights and recognition of gay unions. And I don't think that gets settled by a constitutional amendment. It makes it more divisive."
Although opposing a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, Biden voted in 1996 in favor of Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits same-sex marriage under federal law.
Supports civil unions for same-sex couples
According to his campaign web site, "He supports letting states determine how to recognize civil unions and define marriage."
Favors withdrawal of most U.S. troops by year end. Voted for war spending bill that would have withdrawn most U.S. troops by March 2008.
"This bill enhances our control ove the border, allowing us to better deal with future illegal immigrants as well as drug traffickers and potential terrorists," he said in a statement after the vote.
Voted for 2006 bill offering legal status to illegal immigrants subject to conditions, including English proficiency and payment of back taxes and fines.
Says the U.S. should negotiate directly with Iran, and also with Syria.
Supports relaxing restrictions on federal financing of embryonic stem cell research.
Opposed 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. Opposed extending tax cuts through 2010. Proposed legislation to roll back some tax cuts for those making over $1 million a year.
Biden supports universal health care and wants to expand coverage for children under the age of 18 first. He would do that by expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which gives government subsidies to families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.
He wants to create a federal pool to reimburse employers and insurers for 75 percent of the catastrophic health costs (more than $50,000) for active and retired employees and their families.
To pay for his plan, Biden would eliminate some of President Bush’s tax cuts, especially the tax break on dividends.
