Joe Biden 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?

For me the first priority is getting the cost of health care under control and passing immediate, practical solutions. That's why I would create a federal catastrophic coverage program to stabilize premiums and keep health insurance coverage affordable. Without question access to affordable health care is a national crisis - for all Americans. All the Democratic candidates believe it is imperative to cover the uninsured. We are approaching the issue of how to get there somewhat differently. Some are using mandates, others creating new pools for health insurance. I wouldn't create a giant new program or require everyone to buy health insurance. For me the cornerstone is catastrophic coverage. It is the most effective way to stabilize premiums, to keep health insurance affordable. It is a big idea - but one I think we can enact very quickly. Health insurance premiums have increased 80 percent since 2000. And that cost is being passed on to hard working Americans. Many employers are dropping health care altogether. One employee with $100,000 in health care expenses can push premiums up for everyone - by stepping in and helping to cover costs over $50,000 we can keep premiums from rising at an unsustainable rate. I would create a federal reinsurance system for catastrophic costs, which would spread the risk and burden of covering these patients among the general population, instead of smaller subgroups of employees. In addition to helping families and business avoid financial disasters, a catastrophic coverage plan (often times called a stop-loss plan) can help lower administrative costs and reduce the variation in health care costs. Reducing the risk factor for health plans would translate into lower health insurance premiums. Beyond that I would make sure that everyone has access to affordable health insurance by: (1) covering all kids through expanding the State Childrens' Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) - 9 million children don't have health insurance that is shameful; (2) giving everyone access to the same health care plans that Members of Congress have or allow them to buy-in to Medicare starting at age 55; and (3) focusing on prevention, treatment, simplification and modernization. If we modernize our system and improve treatment of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension we can save $100 billion a year by eliminating waste, reducing errors, applying best practices to manage chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension and lowering administrative costs.

No, I oppose privatizing social security. Social Security does not face an immediate crisis. With no changes, Social Security can pay full benefits through 2041. After that it can pay 74 percent of benefits. So let's end this talk of privatization and get real about changes that will put Social Security on sounder footing.

We do not need to cut benefits. But we do need to raise the cap from $97,500 so that the wealthy pay their fair share.

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?

Leaving Iraq is necessary -- and I would set a target date of late next year for getting most of our combat forces out -- but it is not enough. We also have to have a plan for what we leave behind so that we do not trade a dictator for chaos. Americans do not support the indefinite occupation of Iraq. And as a practical matter, keeping 150,000 troops in Iraq a year from now would risk doing terrible damage to our military. We would have to send troops back on third, fourth and fifth tours; extend the deployment time of the Marines from six months to a year and of the Army from 12 months to 18 months; end the practice of giving soldiers at least a year at home between deployments; re-mobilize the National Guard and Reserve; and perpetuate the 'backdoor draft' of forcing decommissioned soldiers back into service. The risks to the readiness of our military, as well as the retention and recruitment of soldiers are enormous. But just leaving and hoping for the best would be totally irresponsible. We risk leaving a vacuum that is filled by a civil war in Iraq and becomes a regional war that would endanger our interests for a generation. The result is that the next president or his or her successor would probably have to send troops back to the Middle East. The only way to avoid trading a dictator for chaos as we leave is with a political solution that allows Iraq's different groups to share power peacefully. That's exactly what I proposed and 75 senators - including 26 Republicans - supported. My plan would maintain a unified Iraq by decentralizing it and giving its people more power and resources at the local level - as provided for in the Iraqi constitution. The central government would be responsible for common interests, like border security and the distribution of oil revenues. I would secure support from the Sunnis - who have no oil -- by guaranteeing them a proportionate share (about 20 percent) of oil revenues and reintegrating them into society. I would increase economic aid, ask the oil-rich Arab Gulf states to fund it and tie all assistance to the protection of minority rights and the creation of a jobs program. And I would initiate a major diplomatic offensive to enlist the support of the major powers, the United Nations and Iraq's neighbors to support this political solution.

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

I am the only candidate who has proposed a political solution for Iraq that would allow us to leave without leaving chaos behind. The central reality in Iraq is sectarian violence between the Shiites and Sunnis. There is no purely military solution to the sectarian civil war. The only way to break the vicious cycle of violence - and to create the conditions for our armed forces to responsibly withdraw -- is to give Iraqis a way to pursue their interests peacefully. That requires an equitable and viable power sharing arrangement. That's where my plan comes in. My plan is not partition - in fact, it may be the only way to prevent violent partition and preserve a unified Iraq. It is consistent with Iraq's constitution, which provides for Iraq's 18 provinces to join together in regions, with their own security forces, and control over most day-to-day issues. My plan is the only idea on the table for dealing with the militia, which are likely to retreat to their respective regions. And my plan avoids the trap the Bush administration has fallen into: trying to build a strong central government in Baghdad that secures the trust of all Iraqis. There is no trust within the central government, no trust of the government by the people, no capacity by the government to deliver security and services - and no evidence it will develop that trust and capacity anytime soon. Simply put, absent an occupation we cannot sustain or the return of a dictator we cannot want, Iraq cannot be governed from the center at this point in its history. Federalism is Iraq's best possible future. But unless we help make it work for all Iraqis, it won't stop the violence. We should start with a major diplomatic offensive to convince the major powers and Iraq's neighbors that a federal Iraq is the best possible outcome for them, too. Then, together, we should convene a Dayton-like conference to move all the Iraqi parties from civil war to the negotiating table. I believe it is the best way to bring our troops home, protect our fundamental security interests, and preserve Iraq as a unified country.

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

1. End the war in Iraq and restore America's credibility in the world 2. Implement a national energy strategy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil and promotes climate security 3. Reduce our debt and make sure that foreign countries do not have a mortgage on our house.

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?

After ending the war in Iraq, a comprehensive energy and climate change policy should be our top national security priority. I have proposed eight steps which we must take immediately to transform the nation into the leader on energy and the environment that it should be: First stop the self-defeating saber-rattling when it comes to Iran. We should make clear our interest is not regime change but conduct change. And we should build and sustain an international coalition that makes clear to Iran everything it stands to lose if it pursues nuclear weapons - but also everything it stands to gain if it does not. Second, return to a leadership role on climate change. As President, I would immediately direct US negotiators to return to global climate change negotiations, to secure commitments among all major emitting nations to reduce the common threat to our planet. Third, increase fuel efficiency and use of renewable fuels. I would raise fuel economy standards to 40 miles per gallon by 2017, require that all new cars be able to run on both regular gas and alternative home-grown fuels like E-85; require large gas station chains to add alternative fuel pumps at least half their stations and increase the amount of renewable fuel in the nation's fuel supply to 10 billion gallons in 2010 and 30 billion in 2020. Fourth, investing in new energy technology. I am calling for a 5-year $50 billion investment in alternative energy, climate research, carbon capture and sequestration and energy efficiency. Fifth, expand use of renewable energy. A quarter of the country has winds strong enough to generate electricity - but just 2.3 percent of our power comes from these sources today. I would set a national renewable electricity standard of 20 percent. Sixth and Seventh - use energy more efficiently starting with the federal government. The government is the country's largest energy consumer. I would require the federal government to purchase 10 percent renewable electricity by 2010 and 20 percent by the end of the next decade; require a 30 percent reduction in energy use over the next ten years; require agencies to use 10 percent more alternative fuels a year; and support the Pentagon's initiative to improve the energy efficiency of the military. Finally - create the jobs of tomorrow. By establishing a Renewable Electricity standard could add another 200,000 jobs over the next ten years.

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

Yes. The government is the country's largest energy consumer. By making energy efficiency and renewable alternatives a government-wide priority, we can drive the market for these new products and save billions of dollars. I would: require the federal government to purchase 10 percent renewable electricity by 2010 and 20 percent by the end of the next decade; require a 30 percent reduction in energy use over the next ten years; require agencies to use 10 percent more alternative fuels a year; and support the Pentagon's initiative to improve the energy efficiency of the military.

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

This debate has turned into a race to the bottom. Instead of being about protecting American values and creating a system that gives people the chance to pursue their dreams, it has become about ways to keep Spanish-speaking people out of this country. I believe that the foundation of our immigration policy should be security and American values. We need a fair and workable system that gives hard-working people an opportunity to come here legally to pursue their dreams - and a system that supports reuniting families. I supported the Kennedy-McCain Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007. Specifically, I support: dramatically increasing border security and expanding resources for border patrol; punishing employers who hire undocumented workers, providing a path to citizenship-based on considerable legal requirements-to bring the 12 million undocumented people, including 1.6 million children, out of the shadows; creating a worker visa system that is driven by the needs of employers and workers, not adherence to arbitrary numbers; and maintaining a worker visa program with safe and fair working conditions.

What are your top three priorities with regard to immigration?

Increased border security... Punishing employers who hire undocumented workers... Providing a path to citizenship based on considerable legal requirements.

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?

Yes. Throughout my career I have fought for fairness and civil rights. We've come a long way - but we still have a long way to go. I have opposed attempts to bar the use of funds to administer affirmative action programs and fought bans on affirmative action in federal contracting.

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

Yes. The top 1 percent - those that earn an average of $1.4 million a year - made 21.2 percent of all the country's income in 2005 - the highest level since the 1920s. At the same time the middle class - which drives our economy - has been hit by rising health care, education, energy prices and, now, the mortgage crisis. This Administration has it backwards. You want the economy to grow - stop passing the buck onto the middle class. By putting tax cuts for millionaires over investments in health care and education and by acting too slowly on the housing crisis this administration has made us vulnerable.

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

First, end the war in Iraq and stop exacerbating tension in the Middle East. Second, deal with the crisis in the housing market. Third, get health care spending under control. There are some fundamental problems with this Administration's economic policy - and its starts with their foreign policy. At almost every turn, this President has increased the pressure on the middle class - the economic engine that drives our economy. We are spending over $1 billion a week on Iraq - instead of investing in alternative energy innovation or education. So the first thing I would do is end the war in Iraq without leaving chaos behind. Tensions in the Middle East - particularly this Administration's irresponsible saber-rattling with Iran - are fueling high energy prices. We are paying a security premium on oil of between $15-$30 a barrel. That is having a direct impact on people's pocket books. I would focus on building and sustaining an international coalition that makes clear to Iran everything it stands to lose if it continues to pursue its course. We must deal with the mortgage crisis - there is no upside in driving people out o their homes. Two million people are in danger of losing their homes. If they do it will be a shock to the housing sector and blow to our economy. I would implement a comprehensive solution that keeps people in their homes by: allowing bankruptcy judges to modify loans including interest rates and repayment timeframes; cracking down on predatory lenders, unscrupulous brokers and abusive penalties that trap people in bad mortgages; encouraging lenders to modify loans and freeze interest rates - beyond the rate freeze proposed by this Administration; strengthening the Federal Housing Administration's ability to counsel families facing foreclosure and help them refinance with federally backed loans; expanding the ability of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase loans and stabilize the mortgage market; and ensuring that rating agencies are doing their jobs. Finally, we have to have a national strategy to get health care costs under control. Health insurance premiums have increased 80 percent since 2000. And that cost is being passed on to hard working Americans. Many employers are dropping health care altogether. That is why providing catastrophic coverage is a corner-stone of my health care plan. One employee with $100,000 in health care expenses can push premiums up for everyone - by stepping in and helping to cover costs over $50,000 we can keep premiums from rising at an unsustainable rate.

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

Yes, we can balance the budget - it is question of establishing priorities. Who should we give tax breaks to? The wealthiest hedge fund investors or the middle class? We can extend middle class tax relief benefiting millions by closing the tax gap and shutting down abusive tax shelters and offshore tax havens. But taxes aren't the only way to raise money for health care, education, and infrastructure. Take defense spending. By setting some new priorities for defense spending we can save $150-$160 billion dollars by responsibly ending the Iraq war; reforming military procurement; reducing the nuclear arsenal; and cutting unnecessary programs like space based weapons. It is critical that we get our debt under control. The debt was $5 trillion when Bush took office and we were paying it down. Now it is $8 trillion and headed up. We are basically borrowing from two sources: Social Security and foreign countries like China and Japan. Under Bush foreign holdings of US debt have doubled - from roughly $1 trillion to $2 trillion. It took 42 presidents 224 years to accumulate a trillion dollars of foreign-held debt. This administration has more than doubled that - and it took Bush just five years to do it.

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

Yes. I will repeal the Bush tax cuts for the top one percent - those that make an average of $1.4 million a year - which is projected to cost an average of $85 billion a year before it expires. It is an expensive tax break we can't afford - particularly while we are spending $100-$150 billion a year on the war in Iraq. We can extend middle class tax relief benefiting millions of tax payers by: (1) closing the tax gap; and (2) shutting down abusive tax shelters and offshore tax havens. Moreover, I would not completely repeal the estate tax - which would cost a trillion dollars - instead I would extend it at 2009 levels exempting estates below $7 million dollars.

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

We need to comprehensively over-haul No Child Left Behind. My education reform package would include early childhood education, class size reduction, and incentives and supports for teachers. We have to leave behind the high-stakes testing, teaching to the test, inflexibility, and finger-pointing which have come to define No Child Left Behind. Students should be evaluated by more than just a standardized test score. Test scores should be just one measure of student performance. Otherwise you end up with what we have now - students who are taught to the test and teachers who are confined to a rigid and inflexible system. We should also stop penalizing underperforming schools - and get them the resources and teachers and administrators they need to improve. Finally, we need to make reducing class size and increasing teacher pay a priority.

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

I will set four goals for our education system: access to quality pre-school for all; well-paid, effective teachers in every classroom; reduced class sizes; and college access for every graduating high school student qualified to attend. By fully funding early childhood education - Head Start and Early Start - we can quadruple the number of infants in Early Start programs and double the number of toddlers in Head Start. We should also provide $5 billion a year in grants to states to expand high quality preschool programs. We must commit to raising teachers' salaries and investing in teachers to improve education. I would create an initiative to hire 100,000 more teachers nationwide in order to reduce class size. And because teacher attrition costs our schools $2-7 billion a year, I would transform the way we prepare and support teachers as well as improving teacher pay by: (1) funding mentoring, (2) providing scholarship money for teachers to defray the costs of education in exchange for a four-year commitment to teaching in a high need school, and (3) designing incentives to reward high quality and effective professional development like National Board Certification. I have also proposed a College ACCESS refund - a $3,000 refundable tax credit - for families paying tuition that will cover the average tuition at two-year public colleges and more than half the average tuition at four year public colleges and universities. In addition, I would expand Pell grants that cover college tuition for low-income students to $6,300 - which, together with the ACCESS credit will give low income students $9,300 towards college.

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

I oppose a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

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

I support civil unions. I believe that recognition and benefits should not be denied same-sex couples because of their sexual orientation. The government has an obligation to guarantee that every individual is free of discrimination and that his or her legal rights are protected. As nation we are making progress recognizing this as an issue of individual liberty.

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

Prevention is a goal we can all agree on - preventing unwanted pregnancies and avoiding heart-wrenching and difficult decisions about abortion. Abortion should be the choice of last resort. But I am a long-time defender of that choice and Roe v. Wade. Under the Bush-majority, the scales are tipped against Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court's decision last term was paternalistic and intellectually dishonest. I believe it is critical that we restore balance to the courts and move away from the general hostility toward a woman's right to choose that seems to pervade the Supreme Court.

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

We cannot end poverty without a comprehensive plan - at every level of government. President Bush and his administration have ignored poverty and cut programs that help low-income people - and poverty has increased. We know what to do - but you can't do it if tax cuts for those making an average of $1.4 million a year are more important than health insurance for kids or investments in education. I would focus on four things: (1) rewarding work; (2) improving education and early childhood education; (3) providing health care and (4) insuring people have access to affordable housing. First, work. We're making progress by raising the minimum wage to $7.25 - after a decade this is long overdue. We should also expand the Earned Income Tax Credit. The Earned Income Tax Credit helps working families that do not earn enough to live on. Second, Education. Preschool and early childhood education should be available for every child. We need to attract teachers to low-performing schools with incentives and reduce class size, especially in early grades. We need to expand afterschool programs and programs like Youthbuild which help teens develop job skills. The hours between 3pm and 6pm are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex. But afterschool programs are underfunded by more than a billion dollars. Finally, we need to expand Pell Grants and create a single refundable tax credit of $3,000 so that the tuition at four-public colleges is covered for low income students. Third, Health Care. I would insure every child by expanding the SCHIP program and subsidize health insurance for low-income adults who often don't have health insurance through their work. Fourth, affordable housing. We must alleviate the subprime mortgage crisis by focusing on keeping people in their homes. We can do that by modifying the terms of loans so that people can continue to afford them, allowing bankruptcy judges to modify loans, expanding the ability of the Federal Housing Administration to provide counseling and federally backed loans and cracking down on the predatory and discriminatory practices that created the subprime mess. In addition, we should fund Section 8 vouchers so that working people in high-priced cities can afford rent. Only one in three eligible families gets assistance. In addition, we should help states build affordable housing by doubling funding for Community Development Block Grants. Finally we must expand the Low Income Housing Tax Credit to lower the financing costs of housing developments so that the rental prices are more affordable (lower than market rates).

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

We can do more. I've introduced legislation that would: restore the assault weapons ban, and make it permanent; include state court convictions and determinations that someone's mental illness makes them a danger in the national background check system; close the gun show loophole.

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

For two decades I have worked with law enforcement on this issue. We've gotten a lot done, including the assault weapons ban, restricting the use of cop killer bullets, and the Brady Bill requiring background checks. We can do more. I've introduced legislation that would: restore the assault weapons ban, and make it permanent; include state court convictions and determinations that someone's mental illness makes them a danger in the national background check system; close the gun show loophole.

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

No. I would lift the ban. There is tremendous promise of healing power in stem cell research. It offers hope for treatment to hundreds of thousands of people - from those with Alzheimer's to those with devastating spinal cord injuries. Thousands of unneeded embryos are destroyed in fertility clinics every year. We should give donors the option to sign them over to help save lives. Stem cells from fertilized embryos offer the best hope for new lines of cells and they are needed to make progress on important research that has the potential to help millions.

What would be your top three overall priorities if elected?

1. End the war in Iraq and restore America's credibility in the world. 2. Education. 3. Health Care.