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Josh Riley's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Democratic, Working Families for U.S. House (NY) - District 19

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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.
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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 2024.

  • "Protect women’s right to make their own healthcare decisions" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs, which overturned Roe v. Wade, Josh set forth a detailed plan for legislative and regulatory action to protect women’s access to abortion care, and he has been a leading advocate for protecting access to abortion medications, including by urging the Justice Department and the Food & Drug Administration to act." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Josh has received support from leading advocacy organizations, including Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the National Organization of Women, Vote ProChoice, and the Family Planning Action Fund." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Josh has received support from Social Security Works and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Seniors have earned the right to retire with dignity. Josh will never cut a penny from Social Security or Medicare. He believes that retirement programs should be strengthened, not weakened" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Strengthen Medicare to cover hearing, dental, and vision services" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Strengthen the care economy so seniors can access the long-term care they need and their families deserve." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Cut taxes for the Middle Class so working families keep more of their own money" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Require the wealthy and big corporations to pay their fair share so we can reduce the deficit and invest in necessary public services" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "The Middle Class needs a tax cut; billionaires and big corporations don’t. Josh believes it is unacceptable that hedge fund managers pay lower tax rates than janitors, and he believes the tax code should be reformed to be simpler, fairer, and less of a burden for working families." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Create a wealth surtax on incomes over $5 million and trusts/estates valued at more than $25 million" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Require the wealthy and big corporations to pay their fair share so we can reduce the deficit and invest in necessary public services" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Require the wealthy to pay their fair share into these programs" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "The Middle Class needs a tax cut; billionaires and big corporations don’t. Josh believes it is unacceptable that hedge fund managers pay lower tax rates than janitors, and he believes the tax code should be reformed to be simpler, fairer, and less of a burden for working families." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "As counsel in the U.S. Senate, Josh worked on a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, the disastrous Supreme Court case that opened the floodgates to dark money in our politics. As an attorney in private practice, Josh filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court to strengthen campaign finance laws" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Josh has received support from End Citizens United, which recognized Josh’s commitment to refusing corporate PACs and reforming our campaign finance system." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Our campaign finance system is a cesspool. Let’s drain it. Josh believes the corrupting influence of corporate money and dark money is the root of all evil in our politics. Special interests buy seats for politicians who then vote for the special interests’ bottom lines, not yours." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Stop Big Money’s corrupting influence in our politics" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "As counsel in the U.S. Senate, Josh worked to bring Democrats and Republicans together to advance legislation that was supported by the National Sheriffs Association and National Association of Police Organizations" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Josh comes from a law enforcement family, so he knows first-hand the sacrifices our law enforcement and first responders make to keep our communities safe. Josh is adamantly opposed to proposals to "defund the police," and he believes that public safety requires more resources, not fewer." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Congress should invest in the construction of new affordable housing. Our building trades unions can do the work." (x.com)
  • "Every single child deserves safe shelter. We must (a) expand access to affordable housing (by building more of it with union labor sustainably) and (b) implement the infrastructure law to get lead out of homes and water." (x.com)
  • "Big corporations are raking in major profits by jacking prices and blaming inflation. We must do more to prevent this rampant practice and give working families the break they deserve." (x.com)
  • "Crack down on price gouging so corporations can’t profit on artificially increased prices" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Merck forecasts profits of over $57B this year. Now they’re suing to roll back the Inflation Reduction Act so they can price gouge seniors to make even more. It’s corporate greed, and I’m fighting against it." (x.com)
  • "The Inflation Reduction Act will create good jobs in renewable energy right here in Upstate New York. I support it. Marc Molinaro does not." (x.com)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "I'm honored to have the Voter Protection Project's endorsement in this campaign. There's no right more fundamental to a functioning Democracy than the right to vote and have your voice heard. That's why I worked to strengthen the Voting Rights Act when I was counsel in the U.S. Senate, and it's why I'll always fight to strengthen our Democracy when I'm in Congress." (x.com)
  • "Josh has received support from leading pro-Democracy groups, including End Citizens United/Let America Vote, Defend the Vote, and the Voter Protection Project." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Protect access to the ballot, particularly for service-members and communities whose rights to vote historically have been suppressed" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Create good jobs building the American-made products we need to fight climate change." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Establish energy independence, including by ending our reliance on fossil fuels." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "The Inflation Reduction Act will create good jobs in renewable energy right here in Upstate New York. I support it. Marc Molinaro does not." (x.com)
  • "Establish energy independence, including by ending our reliance on fossil fuels." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "From superstorms to wildfire smoke to deadly flooding, Upstate New Yorkers have experienced the climate crisis firsthand. But Marc Molinaro cashes checks from Big Oil and voted to kill the clean energy projects here in Upstate New York. It makes no sense." (x.com)
  • "Slashing investments in clean-energy manufacturing is great for Big Oil, but it’s terrible for the planet and for Upstate NY." (x.com)
  • "Keeping weapons of war out of schools and off the streets through appropriately tailored and constitutionally permissible legislation" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Josh supports: Stronger background checks to keep weapons out of the hands of folks who are a danger to themselves or others" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "We can keep vulnerable populations safe from gun violence while honoring law-abiding gun owners’ Second Amendment rights. Josh served as counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and he worked on common-sense legislation to keep communities safe." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Create a public option so that anyone who wants it can use it" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Healthcare should be a civil right in America, not something that bankrupts so many American families. Josh believes that our healthcare system should put patients over profits. He has litigated in federal courts to improve children’s access to healthcare services, and he worked as counsel in the U.S. Senate to advance legislation to improve access to addiction treatment and mental health care." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "If the wealthy finally pay their fair share, we can invest in things like paid family leave and universal Pre-K. These will be some of my top priorities in Congress." (x.com)
  • "Paid family leave shouldn’t be a luxury only available to the wealthy. No one should have to choose between taking care of a sick family member or a new baby and their job. RT if you agree." (x.com)
  • "The best thing I ever did for my career was take paternity leave to spend time with my son. Every parent should be afforded the same opportunity. In Congress, I will fight for paid family leave." (x.com)
  • "This is the best moment of my day. Every parent and every child should have the time and resources they need to bond. That’s why I support universal paid family leave and the child tax credit." (x.com)
  • "Cap the cost of critical drugs and allow Medicare greater authority to negotiate drug prices." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Lower the cost of prescription drugs, including by ending pay-for-delay deals that jack up prices by reducing competition" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Our immigration system is completely broken, and it needs to be fixed in a way that upholds both the law and our values. Josh’s wife is the daughter of immigrants from India and Ecuador who came to America legally to pursue the American Dream. As an attorney, Josh advocated in the U.S. Supreme Court against immigration policies that discriminate based on religion, and as counsel in the U.S. Senate, he helped draft a bipartisan and comprehensive immigration reform proposal." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Secure the border to stop and deter illegal immigration" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Update visa programs to ensure our farmers and trades unions have access to labor" (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Our immigration system is completely broken, and it needs to be fixed in a way that upholds both the law and our values. Josh’s wife is the daughter of immigrants from India and Ecuador who came to America legally to pursue the American Dream. As an attorney, Josh advocated in the U.S. Supreme Court against immigration policies that discriminate based on religion, and as counsel in the U.S. Senate, he helped draft a bipartisan and comprehensive immigration reform proposal." (joshrileyforcongress.com)
  • "Reflect America’s values, including our tradition as a nation of immigrants and our identity as a nation of laws." (joshrileyforcongress.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.

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