Kamala Harris

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Ban AR-15-style assault weapons from being imported into the United States.

• "More than 4 million assault weapons have been imported into the U.S. from foreign countries.
• "The Gun Control Act empowers the executive branch to prohibit the importation of guns not 'suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes,' and it's been done in a limited fashion by both Democratic and Republican presidents in the past. The AR-15 was designed to kill people on the battlefield. It was not designed for sporting. As president, Harris will ban AR-15-style assault weapon imports and suspend all other assault weapon imports until the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) conducts an analysis of whether their importation should be permanently banned under existing law.

"This is just part of the gun safety agenda Harris will pursue as president. In addition to enacting universal background checks, renewing the assault weapons ban, and repealing the PLCAA, Harris will fight to make gun trafficking a federal crime, ban high capacity magazines, and prohibit those convicted of a federal hate crime from buying guns."

2019

"Appearing on ABC's 'The View' last Friday, Sen. Kamala Harris, a California Democrat now running for president, said she believes in border security, but she would not treat illegal aliens as criminals.

"'I would not make it punishable by jail,' Harris told host Meghan McCain. 'It should be a civil enforcement issue, but not a criminal one. You have to play by the rules, but we can't treat people like criminals when they are crossing the border,' Harris said."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017

"Every single day that Congress refuses to act, 122 more DACA recipients lose their status. Passing the Dream Act is a matter of morality. This is a matter of what is the right thing to do, among leaders who say that they have power. Here's what I have to say to them: use your power and keep our promise to these young people."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017

"Republicans want to make the Affordable Care Act's ten essential health benefits optional. This includes everything from emergency room visits, to prescription drugs, to dropping coverage for maternity care. We can't afford to have these protections rolled back."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018

"Making background checks universal and raising the minimum age to purchase rifles are solutions."

Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2017

"Senate GOP's proposed 20-week abortion ban is another example of politicians playing politics with health care."

Other, 2017

Harris has called for federal agencies to increase research into the impacts of climate change. For example, in 2017 she wrote, "We request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) undertake a study on the risks to human health and the environment posed by natural disasters' impacts on Superfund sites and evaluate what federal actions may be taken to reduce those risks."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017

"Planned Parenthood has provided millions of women and men across the country vital access to reproductive health care, including preventive care, screening for cervical and other cancers, and birth control. We can't allow Republicans to take that away."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2019

"The last time the federal minimum wage was increased was 2009. It's been almost ten years since working Americans were given the raise they deserve. I joined my colleagues this week to re-introduce the Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2024."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Similar to the preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act, Harris will require, for the first time, that states and localities with a history of violating Roe v. Wade obtain approval from her Department of Justice before any abortion law or practice can take effect."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2016

"Today marks 10 years since then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the California Global Warming Solutions Act, which made California a leader in stopping climate change. Climate change is a clear threat to our water, public health, and our nation's economy. We must ensure our state remains a model for the rest of the country on this issue by investing in clean energy, improving energy efficiency in buildings, and upgrading smart grids."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2016

"California has been a leader in renewable energy sources and it's time we become a model for the rest of the country. This is why I support plans to create a 40 percent national renewable energy standard for electricity providers by 2035."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018

"I remain committed to fighting for raising the federal minimum wage, making public colleges and universities tuition-free, and guaranteeing everyone in America has health care."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Under [Harris'] plan, she'll reverse President Trump's trillion-dollar tax cut for big corporations and the top 1% and use that money to give a tax credit of up to $6,000 to working families each year."

Other, 2018

In a 2018 letter to the U.S. Trade Representative, Harris joined fellow senators in writing, "While we agree with the findings of your office's recent investigation into China's unfair industrial policies and outright theft of American intellectual property, we are concerned that the Administration's trade actions are counterproductive to its goal of ensuring a level playing field for American companies. ... Rather than support American businesses and workers, the Administration's tariffs will give foreign competitors an edge in both domestic and international markets."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017

"On National Infrastructure Week, I wanted to discuss why updating our infrastructure is critically important to California. It's clear we've desperately need upgrades to bridges, freeways, airports, and other transportation infrastructure. We've neglected transportation infrastructure for far too long, as we saw earlier this year with the Oroville Dam whose infrastructure was compromised. It's time Republicans and Democrats work together to fix our crumbling infrastructure. There needs to be a true commitment to putting the resources back into the states to repair our infrastructure, which in turn would also produce jobs."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"[Harris]'ll give the VA the full resources it needs and stop the wasteful outsourcing of services that only benefit a handful of companies and Trump's cronies."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018

"Making background checks universal and raising the minimum age to purchase rifles are solutions."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018

"The fact is, marijuana laws are not applied and enforced in the same way for all people. That's why I've signed onto Cory Booker's Marijuana Justice Act to make marijuana legal at the federal level. It's the smart thing to do."

Candidate's Website, 2019

Harris's Medicare for All plan would have some automatic enrollment but some private insurance options, as well.

According to her website, "First, when we pass my plan, all Americans will immediately have the ability to buy into Medicare. This is similar to the immediate, introductory buy-in provided in Senator Sanders' Medicare for All bill. Right away, it will lower costs and give us a baseline plan as we transition to Medicare for All.

"Second, we will set up an expanded Medicare system, with a 10-year phase-in period. During this transition, we will automatically enroll newborns and the uninsured into this new and improved Medicare system, give all doctors time to get into the system, and provide a commonsense path for employers, employees, the underinsured, and others on federally-designated programs, such as Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act exchanges, to transition. This will expand the number of insured Americans and create a new viable public system that guarantees universal coverage at a lower cost. Expanding the transition window will also lower the overall cost of the program.

"Third, in setting up this plan, we will allow private insurers to offer Medicare plans as a part of this system that adhere to strict Medicare requirements on costs and benefits. This would function similar to how private Medicare plans work today, which cover about a third of Medicare seniors, and operate within the Medicare system. Medicare will set the rules of the road for these plans, including price and quality, and private insurance companies will play by those rules, not the other way around. This preserves the options that seniors have today and expands options to all Americans, while also telling insurance companies they don't run the show.

"Unlike the current system, private plans in the new Medicare system will be held to stricter consumer protection standards than they are today, such as getting reimbursed less than what the Medicare plan will cost to operate, to ensure that they are delivering meaningful value and unable to profit off of gaming consumers or the government. People will also be able to purchase supplemental insurance covering services not included in Medicare, such as medical insurance for traveling abroad, or cosmetic surgery.

"Essentially, we would allow private insurance to offer a plan in the Medicare system, but they will be subject to strict requirements to ensure it lowers costs and expands services. If they want to play by our rules, they can be in the system. If not, they have to get out."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"In America, health care should be a right, not a privilege only for those who can afford it. It's why we need Medicare for All. ...

"First, when we pass my plan, all Americans will immediately have the ability to buy into Medicare. This is similar to the immediate, introductory buy-in provided in Senator Sanders' Medicare for All bill. Right away, it will lower costs and give us a baseline plan as we transition to Medicare for All. ...

"At the end of the ten-year transition, every American will be a part of this new Medicare system. They will get insurance either through the new public Medicare plan or a Medicare plan offered by a private insurer within that system. Seniors will see stronger Medicare benefits than they have now. We will cover millions more people who don't have health insurance today. And we will reduce costs, save our country money, and ensure that no American has to sacrifice getting the care they need just because the cost is a barrier."

Other, 2018

"And folks, on the subject of transnational gangs, let's be perfectly clear: The president's medieval vanity project is not going to stop them."

(Source: The Hill)

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017

"With an opioid epidemic raging across our country, we don't need another failed War on Drugs. We need real solutions to address addiction head on."

2019

"Let me start by saying this: I guarantee you I won't be exchanging love letters with Kim Jong-un. President Trump has handed Kim one PR victory after the next, all without securing any real concessions, so the next president will have serious work to do.

"Ultimately, we can't accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state. But it's clear that simply demanding complete denuclearization is a recipe for failure; we must work closely with our allies to contain and reverse the short-term threats posed by Pyongyang as we work toward that long-term goal.

"In any negotiations with North Korea, we must proceed with great skepticism given our past experiences. I would consider targeted sanctions relief to improve the lives of the North Korean people if the regime were to take serious, verifiable steps to roll back its nuclear program. And that relief would have to be immediately reversible were they to renege on their commitments."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Today, U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) joined her colleagues to introduce legislation to expand Social Security benefits and strengthen the retirement program for generations to come. ... The bill would ensure that Social Security could pay every benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 52 years, according to the retirement system's chief actuary. It would extend the program's solvency by making the wealthiest 1.8 percent of Americans - those with incomes of more than $250,000 a year - pay the same rate into the retirement system as everyone else already pays. Current law caps the amount of income subject to payroll taxes at $132,900."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017

"Congressman Mick Mulvaney supports a raise in the retirement age for Social Security, cuts to Medicare, and refuses to commit to prompt disaster relief, which would all jeopardize the livelihood and well-being of millions of Californians. After careful consideration of these facts, I will vote no on his nomination for director of the Office of Management and Budget."

2019

"In both Ukraine and Georgia, Russia has used military force to seize territory and undermine democratically elected governments. Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea is a severe violation of the international norms that have guided the world since World War II - as are Russia's support for combat operations in eastern Ukraine and its cyber-attacks. Thousands of people have died because of Russia's aggression, including 298 civilians killed when a Russian missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014.

"As president, I would continue to support Ukraine and ensure the U.S. is unequivocal in affirming Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. I would also prioritize working with the government of Ukraine to build out its military, strengthen its civil society, and combat corruption, while working closely with our European partners on a diplomatic solution. And unlike the current occupant of the White House, I will consistently stand up to Putin in defense of democratic values, human rights, and the international rule of law."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2016

"We must make college affordable and alleviate student loan debt by:

• "Income-based free tuition at public colleges & universities
• "Increasing aid to fund non-tuition costs
• "Expanding tax credits for families to help them save for college
• "Refinancing existing student loan debt & expanding income based repayment
• "Allowing borrowers to discharge student loans in bankruptcy"

Other, 2016

"As Attorney General, Harris has fought to protect key climate safeguards including defending California's landmark carbon tax and President Obama's Clean Power Plan, taken on environmental justice issues by standing up for the families at Mira Loma, and held companies accountable for dumping hazardous waste."

Candidate's Website, 2018

"Today's decision to violate the Iran nuclear deal jeopardizes our national security and isolates us from our closest allies. This nuclear deal is not perfect, but it is certainly the best existing tool we have to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and avoid a disastrous military conflict in the Middle East."

Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017

"Syria announced this week that it plans to join the Paris Climate Accords, leaving the United States as the only country refusing to participate. We're on the wrong side of history."