JOHN McCAIN:

Quick Background Info

Currently: US Senator from Arizona since 1987

Experience: Navy, 1958-1981; Vietnam POW, 1967-1973; US Representative from Arizona 1983-1987

Family: Wife Cindy, 7 children

www.johnmccain.com OR www.exploremccain.com

Environment/Global Warming

Promises to make global warming a top priority. Has called for more use of nuclear energy and supports cap-and-trade programs as ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say cause global warming.
“Suppose that we are wrong and there’s no such thing as climate change and we hand our kids a cleaner world. But suppose we are right and do nothing. I think that’s a challenge for America. We can meet it.”

Healthcare
Wants to open up the existing system and let employees keep their health coverage even if they change jobs. Also wants to create a tax credit for health insurance. McCain is against abortion rights generally, except in cases of rape, incest or when a woman’s life is in danger.

SCHIP
Missed the final vote on the bill to expand the program, but praised the veto by President Bush. He has called the program an unfunded liability and a smoke-and-mirrors policy. Said he would not be against expanding access if there were a better source of funding than the proposed increase in the cigarette tax.

War/Homeland Security

McCain was an early and ardent supporter of the troop surge in Iraq launched last year by President Bush and still believes the U.S. should have a long-term presence in the region. He has made homeland security and his experience as a military veteran and former prisoner of war a prevailing theme of his campaign. Also wants to increase the size of the military. He’s also calling for more secure borders and assimilation of the immigrant population.
“Now we’re on the right track. Now we are succeeding. And if we withdraw and if we decide that we have to get out of there, I guarantee you al-Qaida will be trumpeting to the world that they have defeated the United States of America.”

Political Corruption
Has been an outspoken critic of earmarked funding in federal legislation, saying it would reward special interests with pork. Calls for new restrictions on campaign finance and lobbyists.

Public Schools
Believes more choice and competition in the school system will make it better. Supports charter schools and school vouchers and says we need to improve the No Child Left Behind Act.

Higher Education
Has sponsored legislation to provide tax-free savings for college tuition, but his hard stance against earmarks has the higher-education community concerned because colleges get federal funding through earmarks.

Shore Protection
Co-sponsored bill that sought to reform the Army Corps of Engineers by, among other things, increasing the local cost-share for beach replenishment projects to 65 percent.

Sprawl
Has been a proponent of open-space preservation, which is viewed by environmentalists as one of the tools available to combat suburban sprawl.

Transportation
Presides over the Senate committee that oversees transportation issues. Has criticized federal funding for Amtrak and was quoted saying transportation funding should go more for repairs than new pork-barrel projects.