Hillary Rodham Clinton Return to Candidate Profile Page »

Do you have a plan to make health care more accessible to Americans? If so, how would you do it?

Yes. I recently unveiled a plan that will provide quality, affordable health care to all Americans, including the 47 million who don't have coverage today. I believe we have a moral imperative to provide quality health care for all Americans, and when I am President, enacting legislation to provide guaranteed quality, affordable health care will be my top domestic priority. My plan is based on the principles of shared responsibility and choice. If you have a plan you like, you keep it. If you want to change plans or aren't currently covered, you can choose from the same plans available to Members of Congress or opt into a public plan like Medicare. My plan will lower costs and improve quality, making health care affordable and accessible to everyone. It will lower health care costs by modernizing the system, focusing on preventive care, coordinating and streamlining care for chronically ill patients, and getting rid of the hidden cost of providing care to the uninsured. Under my plan, working families will get a tax credit to help pay for their premiums, insurance companies won't be able to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and people won't lose coverage if they switch or lose their jobs.

Do you support allowing a portion of the money currently withheld for Social Security to be put into private accounts? Why or why not?

I strongly oppose Social Security privatization. Social Security is a solemn promise to our seniors, and I am committed to keeping that promise. I am proud to have fought President Bush's attempt to privatize Social Security, which would have dismantled Social Security's guaranteed benefit structure, reduced Social Security benefits, and put seniors' retirement at risk by subjecting individuals to the whims of the stock market. Social Security is the single greatest domestic program in our history, and we have to protect it.

What specific changes would you make to the Social Security program?

I have a clear, straightforward plan to deal with Social Security. First, return to fiscal responsibility. That will give us the kinds of options we had in the late 1990s, when we had a plan to keep Social Security solvent until 2055. Second, set up a bipartisan process to address Social Security's long-term challenges. Third, as part of that process, we should consider a range of modest fixes to strengthen the program. But I will never agree to privatization, and I do not believe we should fix Social Security on the backs of the middle class or our nation's seniors. I also believe that in addition to protecting Social Security for future generations, we need to do more to promote retirement savings. That's why I have a plan to give every American the chance to open a new American Retirement Account, with generous matching tax cuts of up to $1,000 to help middle-class families save.

Do you support setting a deadline for either a withdrawal or a partial pullback of troops from Iraq? If so, what would be the date of that deadline?

Yes. I have voted for end dates in May 2008, June 2008, and December 2008. But President Bush is not willing to set an end date. When I am President, I will end the war in Iraq. I will convene a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, my Secretary of Defense, and my National Security Council to draw up a viable plan to bring our troops home starting within the first 60 days of my administration. When I am President, I will withdraw our forces from the sectarian fighting. There will be no American soldiers refereeing a civil war. No more combat patrols in Baghdad.

What distinguishes your plan for Iraq from those of the other candidates?

I have laid out a detailed plan for ending the war in Iraq swiftly and responsibly. As President, I would bring our troops home, work to bring stability to the region, and replace a military force with a new diplomatic initiative to engage countries around the world in securing Iraq's future and America's national interests. I would focus U.S. aid on helping Iraqis, ensuring that financial resources are used properly and not wasted, stolen, or hoarded by government ministries or ministers. I would also convene a regional stabilization group of allies, other global powers and all of the states bordering Iraq to develop and implement a strategy to create a stable Iraq. I would organize an international effort funded by a wide range of donor states, under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to address the needs of Iraqi refugees.

What would be your top three national security priorities if you were elected?

As President, my top national security priorities will be to end the war in Iraq, to reinforce the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan, and to rebuild our shattered alliances. These three priorities are all essential components of restoring American power and leadership around the world.

What types of regulations and guidelines do you plan on implementing or promoting in order to deal with climate change and to make our country less oil dependent?

I recently announced my plan to address the energy and climate crises. I have three big goals: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, the level necessary to avoid the worst impacts of global warming; to cut foreign oil imports by two-thirds from projected levels by 2030; and to transform our carbon-based economy into an efficient green economy, creating at least five million jobs from clean energy over the next decade. Specifically, my plan includes a new cap-and-trade program that auctions 100 percent of permits, an energy efficiency agenda to reduce electricity consumption by 20 percent from projected levels by 2020, and a $50 billion fund for investments in alternative energy. In addition, I will work toward doubling federal investment in basic energy research, taking aggressive action to transition our economy toward renewable energy sources, and increasing fuel efficiency standards to 40 miles per gallon by 2020 and 55 miles per gallon by 2030. I will also support a green building industry, modernize low-income homes to make them more energy efficient, and make it easier for low-income Americans to buy green homes and invest in green home improvements. Lastly, I will create an energy council within the White House.

Should the government have a role in encouraging development of energy efficient technologies and sustainable energy resources? If yes, how would you do it?

I believe that the government has a responsibility to provide a framework, incentives, and investments to move us toward energy independence; lead again in the international arena; and reform its organizational structure to address this new energy challenge. But I also believe that the private sector -- including oil companies, utilities, auto companies, and businesses -- and individuals must do their part in meeting the goals I have set. As I mentioned above, I have a comprehensive plan to confront global warming and move our country toward energy independence. But let me describe in detail two specific proposals I have announced to develop energy-efficient technologies and sustainable energy resources. The $50 billion fund for investments in alternative energy that I will create will demand that oil companies invest in clean energy. It's about time that oil companies do their share in funding clean energy technologies. I am going to give oil companies a choice: invest more in renewable energy technology or pay into the fund. The fund will eliminate oil company tax breaks and make sure that oil companies pay their fair share in royalties when drilling on public lands. This fund would jumpstart a clean energy future by injecting $50 billion over 10 years into research, development, and deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal technology, ethanol and other homegrown biofuels. Under my plan, I would seek to produce 25 percent of electricity from wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and other renewable resources by 2025. I would encourage investment in renewable energy production by making permanent the 1.9 cent per-kilowatt-hour tax credit for producing electricity from renewable sources. Families and businesses will receive tax incentives to install small-scale renewable energy technologies such as rooftop solar panels. We would establish national 'net metering' standards to ensure that families and businesses that install solar panels or other renewable energy resources can sell power back to the grid on fair terms.

How do you think the United States should handle illegal immigrants? Do you support President Bush's immigration plan?

The failure of the Congress and the White House to pass comprehensive immigration reform has left the country with a broken system that needs to be fixed. As President, I will work to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes five key elements. I believe we have to toughen security at our borders, by placing more people and technology there. I will ensure that my policy cracks down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants and applies strict penalties for those who exploit these workers. I think that we should work with local communities to deal with the consequences of a broken immigration system. I plan to work with our neighbors to the south to find ways to provide economic opportunities for their own people. And, lastly, I will make sure that my policy provides a path to earned legalization that requires people to learn English and pay fines.

What are your top three priorities with regard to immigration?

My top three priorities, which are outlined in more detail in the previous question, are to ensure that comprehensive immigration reform includes toughening security at our borders, placing stronger restrictions or sanctions on employers, and providing a path to earned citizenship for people who have been living and working in the United States lawfully.

Do you support affirmative action? If you do, why do you think it is a benefit to our country? If not, what do you think would be gained by changing or eliminating it?

I support affirmative action that opens the doors of opportunity, but I don't believe in quotas to guarantee results. For millions of Americans, affirmative action policies helped knock down barriers of the past that prevented them from attending school, entering the workforce, or starting a small business. I was in support of the University of Michigan affirmative action cases because I believe that diversity in higher education is a vital national interest. The benefits of diversity are real-- and not only in our school system but also in our economy and society overall. As President, I will support strong and sensible affirmative action. I will call upon corporate America to be as diverse as the customers it serves. I will call on schools to support programs to meet the needs of all of its students from different backgrounds. And I will build an administration that reflects America's diverse backgrounds and values.

Do you agree or disagree with the argument that only the wealthiest Americans are benefiting from the current economic growth? Why or why not?

There is no doubt that our economy is not working for many working Americans. While by some measures the American economy has improved over the last six-and-a-half years, the fruits of that progress haven't reached most of our families. In 2005, all income gains went to the top 10 percent of households in the United States while the bottom 90 percent saw a drop in their incomes. But that isn't because they're not working hard -- they're working longer and harder but they're not getting rewarded for that. Over the past six years, productivity has risen 18 percent but family incomes have fallen $1,300. As a result, we are seeing a growing gap between the haves and the have-nots that is threatening America's middle class, which is the backbone of our country. According to a 2006 Goldman Sachs study, the most significant contributor to higher corporate profit margins over the past five years has been a decline in labor's share of national income. Over the 12-month period ending July 2006, slow growth in labor compensation accounted for 64 percent of the increase in corporate profit margins.

What are the three most important things you would do to promote economic growth and prosperity?

I believe it's time to reject President Bush's philosophy of a 'you're-on-your-own' society and to replace it with a progressive commitment to shared prosperity. My first priority will be to lay the foundations for an economy that will create good, high-paying jobs in the United States. To this end, I will end tax breaks for American companies that ship jobs overseas. I will implement an energy plan that will drive innovation, expand domestic manufacturing, and help create five million new 'green collar' jobs in the country. I have laid out a comprehensive innovation agenda to modernize our research and technology infrastructure to keep the United States on the cutting edge. And I will raise the minimum wage and expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is one of our nation's most effective tools to encourage work. My second priority will be to provide quality, affordable health care to all Americans, which I view as essential to our economic success. The skyrocketing cost of health care is undermining the competitiveness of America's businesses and is particularly burdensome for small businesses, which have been responsible for 80 percent of net new job growth since 1990. That is why a key component of my plan is to lower costs throughout the entire health care system. My plan will also provide a tax credit to small businesses to help them create good jobs with health care benefits in the United States. My third priority is to ensure that our education system is preparing students to compete in the 21st century economy. My plan begins early by investing in universal Pre-K. I will reform our K-12 system to ensure that our students have the necessary resources to stay on track and enroll in two- or four-year colleges. I will work to bring more women and minorities into the math, science, and engineering professions, and increase the number of science and engineering students graduating from our colleges. And I will make college affordable with a new $3,500 tax credit and expand and strengthen our community college system.

If elected, would you balance the budget? If you answered yes, how soon would you do it?

I want to move towards balanced budgets. I believe we can achieve big goals in this country again while restoring our commitment to fiscal responsibility. That is why I have been very clear throughout the entire campaign to explain how I would pay for every new initiative I announce without increasing the deficit. We need to turn the page on the Bush administration's fiscal recklessness. Over the past six-and-a-half years we have witnessed the most dramatic fiscal deterioration in our nation's history -- turning trillions in projected surpluses into deficits as far as the eye can see. Now, we're borrowing more and more from foreign countries like China, our national debt is three times higher than even the Bush administration itself projected, and we're leaving our children and grandchildren to pay the bill. I want America back in control of our fiscal destiny. It will take hard work and tough choices, but I am confident that we can put America back on a path to balanced budgets. I remember -- and many Americans might, too -- that we began the 1990s with record deficits but we ended the decade with $5.6 trillion in projected ten-year surpluses, 22 million new jobs, and average family income gains of more than $8,000.

Would you roll back tax cuts that were supported by the Bush administration?

I have called for reinstating the pre-Bush income tax rates for those earning over $250,000 as part of my plan to provide quality affordable health care to all Americans. I also oppose the Bush administration's commitment to completely eliminate the estate tax. Instead, I would freeze the estate tax at $7 million per couple and redirect those revenues to provide tax credits to help tens of million of families save and invest as part of my American Retirement Accounts proposal. Finally, I would extend the middle class tax cuts, including the 10 percent income tax rate, the child tax credit and marriage penalty relief.

Do you support the No Child Left Behind program? Why or why not?

When the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted, I viewed it as an historic promise between the federal government and educators. Schools would be held to higher standards than ever before and the government would make a record investment in those schools so they could meet the new expectations. Unfortunately, that promise has largely been broken because NCLB has been underfunded and schools have struggled to meet the mandates imposed by the law without the resources that were promised. So we need to make changes. First, I want to create a system that rewards schools that make progress towards the proficiency goals. I support growth models, which measure the progress of every child. I would also like to find ways to invest in better testing methods -- tests that assess higher level skills like critical thinking. Second, I believe the one-size-fits-all approach to fixing troubled schools is problematic. I strongly believe educators and school leaders need to have substantial input into efforts to turn around struggling schools and that schools should have more flexibility in determining the right solutions for addressing the problems they face. I am also concerned about the narrowing of curricula that I am hearing about in local communities. Some schools have eliminated physical education and others are cutting back on social studies, science, art, and music. This is a problem, and I think we have to ensure that children receive a well-rounded education.

What changes, if any, would you attempt to implement in national education policy?

As President, I will work to support our children from their earliest years in school, in Pre-K, until they graduate from college. I have proposed investing $10 billion to ensure that all four-year-olds in the country have access to quality Pre-K; studies have shown that early education leads to higher achievement and graduation rates. My agenda will place special emphasis on children from limited-English and/or low-income households, ensuring that they receive priority in enrollment and receive these services at no cost. In addition, I have unveiled a plan to make college more affordable for middle-class families. My plan would more than double the college tax credit, raising the maximum amount of benefits that students and their families can receive from $1,650 to $3,500. This new credit could cover more than 50 percent of the typical cost of public colleges and universities and more than the full cost of tuition for community colleges. In addition, I have proposed to increase the maximum Pell Grant and ensure that it is adjusted annually to take account of rising college costs. Furthermore, I will offer incentives for community colleges and four-year institutions to partner and support their students until they graduate.

What is your position on the proposed constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman?

The question of marriage is one that historically has been left to the states. I opposed the so-called 'Family Marriage Amendment' because this issue has no place in the Constitution.

What is your position on civil unions between same sex partners?

I believe gay and lesbian couples should have the same rights and responsibilities as all Americans, and I believe that civil unions are the best way to achieve this goal. As President, I will work to ensure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal benefits."

Do you support the Roe v. Wade decision or would you like to see this decision overturned? Why or why not?

I support Roe v. Wade. Throughout my career, I have fought to ensure that every woman has the right to make the most personal of life decisions with her family and her doctor. I believe that abortion should be safe, legal and rare. I have worked to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in America, and I strongly oppose the efforts of those trying to roll back reproductive rights in the country. I voted against President Bush's Supreme Court nominees, Samuel Alito, Jr. and John Roberts, because I believed that they posed a very significant threat to the future of Roe v. Wade.

Should the federal government have a role in seeking an end to poverty? What would you do, specifically, to deal with poverty?

When I am President, I will make new investments to reduce poverty and increase opportunity for low-income Americans. One example is my comprehensive plan to address the crisis of the millions of young people in the United States who are out of school and out of work. To support our children in their earliest years in life, I will invest $10 billion for universal Pre-K and increase support for nurse home visits for first-time mothers. I will invest in mentoring and internship programs to help at-risk middle-school students stay on track for college and job success. I will provide job-training opportunities for young people who have fallen off-track in high-growth industries like renewable energy, health care, construction, and financial services. To support responsible fatherhood, I will triple the Earned Income Tax Credit benefit for childless adults and invest in employment and education programs for fathers who pay their child support. I will work to close the prison revolving door by creating new Reentry Partnership Grants that reward communities that devise successful home-grown strategies to reintegrate ex-offenders into the economy and society.

Do you think gun control has an impact on crime rates in the United States?

While I support the Second Amendment and believe law-abiding citizens should be able to own guns, I also believe strongly in smart laws that keep guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists, which can help us fight crime. We should take reasonable steps to protect Americans from gun violence and, at the same time, safeguard the right of law-abiding citizens to use firearms for hunting and other recreational purposes. Illegal guns contribute to violence, and we have a problem when people acquire guns illegally or commit crimes with guns.

Do you think tighter restrictions should be in place for those buying a firearm?

I respect the right of Americans to own and bear arms, but we need protections in place to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands. I support closing the gun show loophole and making sure our background check system is truly instant and accurate. Background checks at gun shows can stop gun sales to criminals, terrorists, and seriously mentally ill individuals like the Columbine shooters without burdening law-abiding gun buyers. I also support extending and reinstating the assault weapons ban while exempting hundreds of hunting and recreational weapons. And I support giving local law enforcement access to data that helps them track down guns sold to criminals and terrorists.

If elected, would you keep the current ban on funding for embryonic stem cell research in place? Why or why not?

I have pledged to lift the current ban on funding for embryonic stem research. This is because science, not narrow ideology, should drive our national research agenda. Stem cell research has the potential to transform lives, to help us find cures for illnesses including Parkinson's disease, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, Huntington's disease, and spinal cord injury. One hundred million Americans suffer from these diseases. The ban on stem cell research prevents scientists from pursuing developments that could lead to cures for these devastating illnesses. This ban is also a problem because some of our brightest researchers and scientists are choosing to do their work elsewhere -- or deciding to go into a different field of research entirely -- because they will not be supported in the United States. As a result, we are losing our international competitive edge to countries like Singapore and the United Kingdom, which support stem cell research. We are literally losing the race toward scientific progress. When I am President, we will once again stand up for science and research, for open and free inquiry, and for the critical investments that will make us richer, safer, smarter and stronger in the years to come. I have also proposed to increase the National Institutes of Health budget by 50 percent over five years and to double it over 10 years. Since 2003, the NIH budget has been largely flat, and President Bush proposes reducing it by 1.1 percent in 2008.

What would be your top three overall priorities if elected?

When I am President, my top three priorities will be providing quality, affordable health care to all Americans, ending the war in Iraq, and strengthening the middle class. It is a tragedy that there are 47 million Americans without health insurance and many more just a pink slip away from losing the coverage they have. Health care just isn't affordable for many people -- premiums have been skyrocketing and half of all personal bankruptcies in the United States are caused by medical bills. My plan will focus on offering high-quality care -- ensuring that Americans have access to preventive, basic, and chronic care that is coordinated and delivered by well-trained health care professionals. And I will implement cost-savings measures throughout the health care system so that cost is no longer a barrier to having health insurance for any American. The war in Iraq is sapping our military strength, absorbing our strategic assets, diverting attention and resources from Afghanistan, alienating our allies, and dividing our people. As I have said previously, if President Bush does not end the war, when I am President, I will. For 35 years, I have worked to improve the lives of America's children and families, and I will continue to do so when I am President. I will create new well-paying jobs through investments in alternative energy and innovation, increase the minimum wage, support our unions, and keep and create middle-class tax cuts. I want to eliminate incentives for American companies to ship jobs and profits overseas, and I plan to invest in new industries at home to make America competitive in the global economy. I will ensure that all American children have access to quality education, starting with Pre-K and continuing until college, and that they are prepared to enter the workforce so that all Americans have a chance to live up to their potential.