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Vangie Williams' Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

Vangie Williams has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2020 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2020.

  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "As your Congresswoman I will fight those who want to cut Social Security and Medicare just to pay for tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy." (twitter.com)
  • "I'm against tax cuts for the wealthy that burden hard-working Virginians who deserve a raise. #WeDeserveBetter" (twitter.com)
  • "As your Congresswoman I will fight those who want to cut Social Security and Medicare just to pay for tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy." (twitter.com)
  • "I promise to represent you, the people, and protect Social Security and Medicare from anyone who tries to make cuts to these programs." (twitter.com)
  • "I want to end Citizens United. Let’s get big money out of Congress and make sure we’re working for people, not big corporations." (twitter.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "One of my biggest priorities as your Congresswoman will be to create an economy that works for everyone through education, innovation, and transportation. I will focus on making our schools better, increasing our broadband infrastructure, and making our commutes quicker." (twitter.com)
  • "Our infrastructure is a vital part of our nation. It doesn't just serve our everyday needs, it's relied upon in times of struggle and concern. Our leaders have failed us by diverting funds away from infrastructure and avoiding the issue. #WeDeserveBetter" (twitter.com)
  • "As your Congresswoman I will fight those who want to cut Social Security and Medicare just to pay for tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy." (twitter.com)
  • "The Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act is fiscally irresponsible. It would make last year's individual and estate tax cuts permanent, like the corporate tax cuts. This would add to the federal budget and does not serve the everyday American." (twitter.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "It's truly wonderful to see the steps Virginia is taking to embrace green energy. With your support we will be able to expand these efforts across the nation and protect our natural resources. Virginia can become a leader in solar energy field" (twitter.com)
  • "Wind and solar energy can be harvested forever. Embracing solar and green energy means more high paying jobs for our district." (twitter.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "I believe in common sense gun reform. I support universal background checks, training and keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers." (twitter.com)
  • "I support 2nd Amendment rights, but even those of us who do so know there is a difference between common sense & insanity." (twitter.com)
  • "We owe it them and all our children to do better and pass gun reform, improve our education system and address the need for greater access to counselors" (twitter.com)
  • "The actions on the part of the POTUS to destroy ACA aren't common sense. They are cruel." (twitter.com)
  • "Wittman wants to repeal #ACA but doesn’t have any solutions. Saving lives shouldn’t have a price tag. #WeDeserveBetter #VA01debate" (twitter.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
Pro-choice Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
I don't believe this question was phrased properly. My opponent calls himself "pro-life", but he fails support legislation or policies to help mothers in need (those most likely to seek an abortion) be able to support and raise a child. I think the more accurate way to describe the opposition's position is "pro-birth" since my opponent has voted time and again to slash funding for even the most basic programs to help children.
No In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
I believe in a strong national defense. However, as someone who has spent a significant portion of her career around the Department of Defense and defense contractors, I can tell you that we are not adapting our long-term strategies to match the threats which are developing around the globe. We must rethink our strategic goals and shift our spending priorities accordingly. Not only will this make our country more secure, it will also likey save us billions of dollars.
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Until we get big money out of politics, we will never have a government that is truly reflective of the people of this nation. Whether it is greed, self-interest or special interests is irrelevant when it comes to the motivation of money flowing into our political system. All money flowing into our political system is designed to affect the outcome of the deliberative process in one way or another. It's time that we took a stand against the corrupting influence of money in politics and make all parties play by the exact same rules!
Yes Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
No Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
Corporate taxes have already been through the biggest decrease in generations as a result of the most recent tax "reform" bill. The reform that needs to happen when it comes to corporate taxation is the implementation of a standard flat tax that is commensurate to the average rate paid by average Americans each year.
Yes Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
First, we must scrap the current "common core" standards that have wreaked havoc on this nation's education system. Second, we must gather educational experts, teachers, parents and administrators together to create a national blue ribbon panel to devise a way to ensure basic educational standards are being met without creating another "teach to test" culture in our schools. It's time we allow teachers to teach and prepare our children for the challenges of the 21st century.
Yes Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
Yes Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Environmental protection is economic protection. With over 500,000 acres of agriculture in Virginia's 1st District, our rural families can't afford an environmental disaster that could affect their livelihood. Smart environmental policy can be good for business - including agriculture.
Yes Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
To be honest, I don't believe the phrase "gun control" accurately conveys the path this country needs to take when it comes to firearms. We need to come together as a nation - regardless of political inclination - and discuss common sense gun reforms that keep firearms out of the hands of people who should never have one. This can be done without infringing on the rights of law-abiding gun owners. I've said it before and I'll say it again - "if you need 30 bullets to shoot a deer, you need to go fishing!"
No Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
At this point, the ACA has pretty much been picked over and the main cost-control element (the individual mandate) has been stripped away. Honestly, we need to rethink healthcare with an eye to removing the profit motive from the insurance equation. Health insurance companies first responsibility isn't the health of their subscribers, it's the wealth of their stockholders. By simply removing the insurance profit motive from our system, an additional $300 billion could be put back toward patient care and cost controls.
No Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
No Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
The idea of forced deportation of all undocumented immigrants isn't remotely realistic. First, it would cost governments at all levels hundreds of billions of dollars. Second, it would likely cripple our economy. Third, it would lower our stature among nations of the world. We must legally acknowledge the existence of the undocumented and offer them a clearly defined way to apply for and attain resident alien status based on individual conditions. Those unwilling to comply with such a plan would risk deportation.
No Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
I do not believe the federal government has any right to either criminalize or legalize the use of marijuana. The federal government needs to decriminalize marijuana and allow states to make and enforce their own laws and regulations regarding marijuana.
No Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
No Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
One of the failures of the current administration is the lack of a fully dynamic foreign policy which, at it's heart, should be aggressive diplomacy and detente. Moving Iran and North Korea to a foreign policy orbit which is more manageable and persuadable should be our top nuclear priority. With regard to the Middle East, the current administration's tone-deaf move of our embassy to Jerusalem must be undone post haste for any progress to be made with regional stakeholders. Once we bring all parties to the table, there must finally be negotiated concessions on both sides to bring about peace.
My first act as a congresswoman will be to introduce the INVEST Initiative to help veterans, enlisted military families, first responders and safety officers, and teachers and school personnel. These positions are critical to the fabric of our society but rely on public funding. It's simple: Exempt the first $50,000 of earnings of federal income tax from INVESTers and give them an immediate boost of up to $6,000 a year. The estimated $60 billion annual cost is covered by closing loopholes that allow corporations and the wealthiest 1% to hide income. My proposal doesn't cost local taxpayers an extra cent.

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