U.S. Senate

NUCLEAR IRAN

Bob Casey:
Opposes a nuclear-armed Iran. Says the United States has to exhaust every non-military tool it has including sanctions. He noted that sanctions in place already are working.

Tom Smith:
Opposes allowing Iran to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons. Says sanctions against Iran seem to be working and whatever steps are needed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons must be taken.

PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Casey:
Voted in favor, though he was able to get two amendments into the final package of bills to encourage family planning and fund it. He said there are some parts that need to be tweaked but overall it’s a good law that will enable millions of Americans to receive health care. He chided anyone who says they’d repeal the law and said allowing insurance companies to deny services for those with pre-existing conditions is an abomination.

Smith:
Called the law “the biggest power grab” he’s seen in his lifetime and said he would vote to repeal it. Said health care is not something the federal government should be getting involved in. He does support the coverage of pre-existing conditions and allowing students in college to remain on parents’ health care plans until the age of 26, but said they should be separate issues, not tied in with the massive tax increase that is ’’Obamacare’’.

ABORTION

Casey:
Said he’s long been a supporter of family planning and the federal funding of it though he’s also pro life. He opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or the health of the mother being at risk.

Smith:
Is pro life in all circumstances. He does not support abortions in any case.

ENERGY

Casey:
Supports natural gas drilling and sees it as a way to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. He sees it as a job creator, an economic stimulator and a tax generator for the state. He doesn’t believe the Pennsylvania extraction tax on the books was high enough, however.

Smith:
Supports the development of alternative energy but believes development should proceed on the basis of private market investment without the use of government subsidies or directives. He opposes any government mandate that resellers of energy must purchase alternative energy at subsidized prices, such as requiring utilities to purchase wind-produced electricity at a specified price. This merely forces the final consumer to provide the subsidy, he said

PAYROLL TAX CUT

Casey:
Has supported a 2 percent payroll-tax cut and said he’d vote to continue it into next year.

Smith:
Opposes the extension of the payroll tax cut.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Casey:
Supports a University of Texas policy that permits affirmative action and hopes the U.S. Supreme Court upholds it when it hears the case. He said the country still has a long way to go in addressing racial inequality in education.

Smith:
Said the nation should try to end discrimination and bigotry wherever we find it including affirmative action policies at colleges and universities. He suggested that preferences for minorities amount to discrimination against others.