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America in 2006 continues to face serious challenges. That's why Dianne will continue to fight for the values we hold dear and ensure that the American Dream is accessible by all. Here's what Dianne is saying about critical issues facing our nation:
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| Iraq |
We need to change direction in Iraq. It's been more than three years since the invasion of Iraq, yet the country remains bitterly divided. Iraq is on the brink of a civil war; we cannot and should not be caught in the middle. First, the President should put a new team in place. I believe Secretary Rumsfeld should be replaced. Secondly, we should transition the mission and begin a structured downsizing of the American troop presence. We should reduce the number of American troops in Iraq from 130,000 to approximately 60,000 by the end of 2006 and to virtually zero by the end of 2007. Third, Iraq needs to assert leadership on its own, stand up to its ministries, and protect its people.
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| Foreign Policy |
The Administration must work with our friends and allies on foreign policy. In Iran and North Korea, we face isolated states with nuclear ambitions. Both nations are threats to the United States and the rest of the world. And in the Middle East, there is a window of opportunity for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. The United States cannot afford to go at it alone to solve these issues. We must work with our friends and allies to share the burden.
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| Immigration |
We must secure our borders, but we must also create a humane policy to deal with the 12 million illegal immigrants in this country today. The Senate Judiciary Committee recently passed a major immigration bill. It strengthens our borders by more than doubling border patrol, by adding 12,000 border patrol agents and 2,500 Port of Entry inspectors over five years; it criminalizes the act of constructing or financing a tunnel across an international border into the United States; and it increases the number of unmanned aerial vehicles, modern cameras, sensors and other new technologies that carry out surveillance at the border. It also creates a legitimate path to citizenship for all other immigrants through an earned adjustment program. Illegal immigrants would gain an adjustment of status if they could prove they have been law-abiding individuals that could pass criminal and national security background checks, have worked and will continue to work, would pay a $2,000 fine in addition to all of their back taxes, and learn English. This is a high bar, but a reachable bar. This bill approved by the Judiciary Committee would give undocumented workers and their families a chance to receive a green card, but they would be required to go to the back of the line. They would only be eligible after the 3.3 million applicants already in line. The entire process will take about 11 years. These undocumented immigrants want to live by the law, and this bill gives them the chance to do so.
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| Global Warming |
The clock is ticking on global warming. If we do not slow, stop, and reverse global warming soon, we will do irreparable harm to the world around us. I have outlined legislation to reduce America’s emissions of greenhouse gases in order to minimize the impact of climate change on the Earth, while safeguarding our economy. When fully implemented, this legislation would raise the average fuel economy standards for all vehicles, including SUVs and sedans, from 25 miles per gallon to 35 mpg by model year 2017. If passed, the bill would save 2.5 million barrels of oil per day by 2025, the same amount of oil we currently import from the Persian Gulf, & 420 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2025, the equivalent of taking 90 million cars (or 75 million cars and light trucks) off the road in one year. I am also currently working on a draft bill that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, a 7.25% reduction from today’s level, which is the equivalent of taking 85 million passenger cars off the road for one year.
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| Stem Cell Research |
I'm working with a bipartisan group of Senators to ban human reproductive cloning, but allow embryonic stem cell research to go forward under strict federal guidelines. Every day 3,835 Americans are diagnosed with Cancer, 4110 Americans are diagnosed with Diabetes, 164 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and 29 Americans are diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It's time for the Senate to pass this bill. It's time for a sensible embryonic stem cell policy that promotes research. We want to see this legislation go forward so that we can find treatments and cures -- for kids with juvenile diabetes, for grandmothers with Alzheimer's and for people living with Parkinson's, cancer and spinal cord injuries. With legislation to expand the number of stem cell lines available, we can bring hope to more than 100 million Americans and their loved ones.
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| Nuclear Weapons |
We've got to prevent the Bush Administration from developing a new generation of nuclear weapons. Last year, we were able to eliminate funding into the research and development of low-yield nukes and 100-kiloton bunker busters. This year we must redouble our efforts.
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| Judges |
We've got to continue the fight for mainstream judges. There have been two Supreme Court vacancies in the last year and the Bush administration has been able to supply the Court with two Judges that threaten a woman's right to choose. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will insist that judicial nominees respect and follow the Constitution and all the rights it sets forth. I will not support those who are out of the mainstream or are determined to roll back women's rights.
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| Social Security |
We must defeat President Bush's effort to privatize Social Security. We cannot fundamentally dismantle the most successful program in our nation's history, which keeps half of our seniors out of poverty.
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