John Delaney
Historical Details
Position on Issues
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Delaney cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban Act, which would ban semiautomatic weapons that have military-style features, including the AR-15.
This legislation also includes a ban on high-capacity magazines."
Against| Read My Position
"Delaney does not support eliminating criminal penalties for crossing the border, he told The Post."
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Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017
"We must defend the promise of our great nation by taking action to save DACA and the DREAMers who live in our communities, contribute to our economy and are upstanding members of our society."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2017
"This week the House Freedom Caucus announced their support for an amended version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The MacArthur Amendment to the AHCA would significantly weaken the essential health benefits provision established by the Affordable Care Act, by allowing states to opt-out of requiring that plans include basic features like prescription drug coverage, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity services and addiction treatment."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Delaney supports requiring background checks for every gun sale."
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2017
Delaney voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation (HR 36).
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017
"Defunding Planned Parenthood is wrong. I've opposed these efforts in the past and will continue to do so. This attack on women's health care is bad policy and bad for the country."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Raise the federal minimum wage to $15.00"
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Delaney is pro-choice and supports Roe v. Wade as the law of the land. He is a strong supporter of access to reproductive care and a woman's right to choose."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2013
"In the face of irrefutable evidence, we have a moral obligation to act on climate change. We cannot willingly leave our children and grandchildren a damaged and instable world," said Congressman John K. Delaney. "Climate change is already here and changes are expected to accelerate. As a former entrepreneur, I understand that alternative energy production is an unmatched economic opportunity for our American innovators. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be created in the energy sectors of the future; the only question is whether they will be on our own soil or abroad. I applaud the President's plan to implement commonsense solutions to reduce carbon emissions, encourage increased energy efficiency, and further green energy production. In Congress, we have more work to do, and I encourage my colleagues to work with the President and the private sector to initiate the comprehensive changes we need to protect our future health and create new jobs."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2016
"Congressman John K. Delaney and Senator Ben Cardin filed resolutions this week calling for a national goal of more than 50% of America's electricity production to come from clean carbon-free sources by 2030."
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Candidate's Website, 2019
"Delaney is proposing free tuition for two years of community college or technical career training for every high school graduate.
"To be eligible for this program, states will be required to at least maintain their funding for higher education and two-year institutions must have curriculums that allow students to transfer seamlessly to four-year public institutions in their region."
For| Read My Position
"'While I believe the wealthiest Americans should pay more in taxes, I don't believe a wealth tax is the best approach as it's likely unconstitutional and would be impossible to implement,' Delaney told The Post. 'The best way to make sure the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share is to increase capital gains tax rates and repeal the GOP tax cuts for high income earners, including reversing cuts made to the estate tax.'"
Against| Read My Position
Delaney supports stronger trade agreements, but called the tariffs under President Trump a "bad idea." According to the Concord Monitor, he said, "I think the president basically doesn't understand that the framework we put in place since World War II to build economic and security alliances around the world has fundamentally made us safer and more prosperous. That doesn't mean there's not room to improve them. There is. But he's basically throwing the baby out with the bathwater, and he's doing it for political reasons and it's going to hurt the American people."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2015
"This week, I urged the Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to meaningfully increase federal investment in roads, bridges and transit. Public investment in infrastructure, as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product, has fallen 54% since 1960. If you've spent any time driving around Maryland or sat through a brutal commute on Metro, you've seen the impact of this first-hand."
For| Read My Position
"Delaney has supported some marijuana-related legislation in Congress - he represented Maryland in the House from 2013 through January - but has not made it a major campaign platform. He has supported, in particular, proposals to permit veterans to use medical marijuana as part of their official care, and has also supported banking reforms. His campaign says he supports rescheduling marijuana and wants to 'create strong federal guidelines and taxation policies to support decisions at the state level.'"
Against| Read My Position
"I believe that Social Security's greatest strength is that it's a nearly universal program. Everyone who pays into Social Security for 10 years, regardless of their income level, should receive retirement benefits, and I support increasing the minimum benefit to provide additional assistance to low income earners."
Other| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Delaney's health care proposal:
- "Create a new public health care plan for all Americans under the age of 65 while preserving traditional Medicare. The new plan would protect the reforms delivered by the Affordable Care Act, including guaranteed coverage of preexisting conditions and essential health benefits, and would make access truly universal. At 65, people would transition into Medicare. Medicaid would be absorbed by the new plan. The highly trusted Medicare provider network could be used for the new plan.
- "Guarantee universal coverage. Individuals would be automatically enrolled in the new public plan, with no complicated procedures to follow. People would be allowed to opt-out and receive a tax credit to buy their own insurance policy if they choose.
- "Keep private insurance options. Individuals and employers will be able to purchase and negotiate supplemental coverage from private insurers to cover additional health needs. These supplementals could merge into the basic plan to make it easier for the user.
- "Employers would be encouraged to negotiate group rate supplemental plans that would merge with the basic governmental plan so that employees would be able to keep similar health care plans, many of which are very popular and important to American families."
Other| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Delaney's health care proposal:
- "Create a new public health care plan for all Americans under the age of 65 while preserving traditional Medicare. The new plan would protect the reforms delivered by the Affordable Care Act, including guaranteed coverage of preexisting conditions and essential health benefits, and would make access truly universal. At 65, people would transition into Medicare. Medicaid would be absorbed by the new plan. The highly trusted Medicare provider network could be used for the new plan.
- "Guarantee universal coverage. Individuals would be automatically enrolled in the new public plan, with no complicated procedures to follow. People would be allowed to opt-out and receive a tax credit to buy their own insurance policy if they choose.
- "Keep private insurance options. Individuals and employers will be able to purchase and negotiate supplemental coverage from private insurers to cover additional health needs. These supplementals could merge into the basic plan to make it easier for the user.
- "Employers would be encouraged to negotiate group rate supplemental plans that would merge with the basic governmental plan so that employees would be able to keep similar health care plans, many of which are very popular and important to American families."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018
"$18 billion for the first phase of a wall we don't need! This is an absurd waste of money."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017
"The opioid situation is a massive public health and public safety crisis that is having tragic consequences - destroying individuals, families, and communities.
"There are many dimensions to the problem and many causes, including loose prescribing practices by physicians, aggressive marketing practices by drug companies and distributors, a failure to invest in smart public and mental health care interventions, failure to support law enforcement and first responders against the challenges they face dealing with this each day and night, failure to invest in research to mitigate the addictive nature of these drugs, and a failure to implement real economic development strategies in communities that have been economically dislocated.
"I have supported and will continue to support specific changes to laws and additional investments to combat this national state of emergency - a long list of actions. But we must remember, it is critically important that we take steps to allow good paying jobs to be created in communities so that people can earn a good living and support their family. This, together with improvements in public health, mental health, public safety, and improvements in prescribing and marketing practices, will end this crisis across the long term."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2016
"North Korea remains a threat and I support additional sanctions against their regime."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2012
"We must preserve this crucial program for future generations without cutting benefits or making radical and irresponsible changes. In Congress, I will defend Social Security and fight any attempts to privatize it.
"The program is generally sound, but some changes will need to be made to make sure we can keep this promise to future generations. I will support common sense measures such as making sure that wealthy Americans pay the same payroll tax rate into Social Security as everyone else."
For| Read My Position
"I will support a reform proposal that ends the cap on Social Security payroll taxes so the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share, increases the minimum benefit to support people with modest incomes, and enhances benefits for the very old, who require the most assistance."
Against| Read My Position
"I oppose raising the retirement age and my Social Security plan protects benefits."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2014
"Delaney believes in strong sanctions against Russia in response to their regional aggression, as well as new initiatives to sell American natural gas to Europe as a way of breaking Russia's regional hegemony. Russia's regional energy dominance has distorted the balance of power and fuelled Putin's regime."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Expand eligibility and improve terms for the Obama administration's income-based repayment programs. Borrowers using the Pay As You Earn Plan and the Revised Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan will have access to loan forgiveness 2 years earlier than the current requirement and will no longer pay taxes on the value of their forgiven loan amounts.
"The federal government shouldn't be making a profit on student loans. Delaney will reduce interest rates on federal student loans and set them equal to the interest rate on 10-year Treasury bonds.
"Loans from private lenders are responsible for more than $100 billion in outstanding student debt, and interest on these loans is significantly higher than the rates for federal student loans. Delaney supports allowing borrowers with high interest private loans to refinance through the federal government with new, low interest federal loans up to the $27,000 cap.
"The new federal loan would be eligible for income-based repayment programs.
"Our system is stacked against student loan borrowers, and bankruptcy is just one example. Delaney authored legislation to allow people who need to declare bankruptcy to use that process to discharge student loan debt just as they can for auto loans or credit card debt."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2017
"The power of markets is the one tool we must harness if we are going to respond to climate change effectively," said Congressman Delaney. "The truth is, there are significant hidden costs we're already paying, as greenhouse gas emissions place a burden on public health and the health of our environment. Greenhouse gas emissions are also a down-payment on incredibly expensive damages in the future wrought by climate change, which threatens our economy, our infrastructure and our national security. By accurately pricing carbon and other greenhouse gasses, we create market incentives around new innovation and new energy technologies, which is the single most important thing we need to tackle climate change. Importantly, we put these revenues to good use, using them to reduce the corporate tax rate overall, provide benefits to coal workers and make payments to low income and working Americans."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2018
"backing out of the Iran Deal puts our national security at risk."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Facebook Page, 2017
"Exiting the Paris Climate Accords puts our future at risk."
Voting Record
H J Res 2 (2018)
Constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to balance the budget each year.
HR 695 (2018)
Defense budget bill for 2018, which increases defense spending.
HR 6311 (2018)
Expands access and use of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and allows all individuals to buy catastrophic plans (renamed “copper” plans) on the health insurance market.
HR 6760 (2018)
Makes permanent various tax cuts passed as part of the "Trump tax plan"
HR 620 (2018)
Amends the Americans with Disabilities Act so that the anyone filing a lawsuit must first give the business or person an opportunity to fix the alleged discrimination.
HR 6136 (2018)
Immigration reform bill backed by Speaker Paul Ryan, which provides for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), provides $25 billion for border security, and establishes a merit-based visa program.
HR 2851 (2018)
Outlaws some synthetic drugs and gives the Attorney General power to more quickly add synthetic drugs to the lists of banned substances
S 756 (2018)
Makes various reforms to the criminal justice system, such as mandating de-escalation training for correctional officers, improving feminine hygiene for prisoners, and adding more leniency to sentences for non-violent offenders.
HR 2 (2018)
"Farm bill" that authorizes a variety of agriculutral programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The final version of this bill did not include stricter work requirements for SNAP, as originally proposed. The bill also legalizes industrial hemp.
HR 4909 (2018)
Sets aside $50 million for various school safety improvements, such as threat assessment systems and anonymous reporting systems.
HR 6756 (2018)
Increases tax deductions for new businesses.
HR 195 (2018)
Stopped a federal government shutdown by funding the government through February 8, 2018. This bill also extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years. This bill does not include an extension of the immigration program Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or any other immigration-related policy.
S 2155 (2018)
Eases some of the financial regulations of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
HR 5698 (2018)
Categorize crimes against law enforcement as hate crimes
S 139 (2018)
Extends so-called "section 702" surveillance by the NSA under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
HR 184 (2018)
Permanently repeals the medical device tax.HR 36 (2017)
Bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.HR 1628 (2017)
"American Health Care Act" that repeals parts of the Affordable Care Act (also known as "Obamacare") and revises many health care laws. For example, this bill would cap Medicaid funding, repeal various insurance coverage requirements, and replace the requirement to buy health insurance with a penalty the next time you get insurance if you allow your coverage to lapse.
HR 3697 (2017)
Allows the federal government to deport an immigrant suspected of gang involvement, even if the immigrant came to the U.S. legally and has not been convicted of a crime.
HR 1101 (2017)
Allows small businesses to join association health plans across state lines, outside state insurance regulations.
HR 7 (2017)
Permanently bans federal funding for abortion and prevents federal subsidies for any health care plans that include abortion coverage.
HR 1215 (2017)
Caps damages for "emotional distress, suffering, and mental anguish" in medical malpractice lawsuits.HR 806 (2017)
Slows down implementation of ozone standards and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
HR 1430 (2017)
Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to only use data from studies that are publicly available and can be reproduced.
HR 1259 (2017)
Makes it easier to fire, demote, or suspend an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
HR 1431 (2017)
Changes the makeup of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), opening the board to more public input and industry stakeholders and limiting scientists who might use their own research to advise the EPA.
HR 998 (2017)
Establishes a commission to review and recommend the repeal of rules to lower the cost of regulation.
HR 3922 (2017)
Extends funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), cuts funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund, and makes some other changes to CHIP and Medicare (such as increasing Medicare premiums for higher income beneficiaries).HR 78 (2017)
Increases economic analysis requirements for any proposed regulation from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
HR 26 (2017)
Greatly increases congressional oversight of rules and regulations adopted by federal agencies.
HR 3003 (2017)
Strengthens laws against "sanctuary cities," for example withholding federal grants from any city that does not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
HR 115 (2017)
Adds the killing or attempted killing of a state or local law enforcement officer or first responder - not just a federal law enforcement officer - to the list of aggravating factors justifying the death penalty in a federal case.
HR 10 (2017)
Rolls back many of the financial regulations 2010 Dodd-Frank Act.
HR 1 (2017)
Reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, reduces the individual income tax rate for high earners from 39.6% to 37%, increases the income threshold to qualify for the alternative minimum tax, and repeals the mandate to purchase health insurance.S Con Res 3 (2017)
Sets the federal budget. This bill also establishes rules that pave the way for a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare."
HR 1370 (2017)
Stopped a federal government shutdown by funding the government through January 19, 2018.HR 1181 (2017)
Prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from sending the name of an individual to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System unless a judge determines that the individual is a danger to themselves or others.
H J Res 43 (2017)
Allows states to withhold federal funding for Planned Parenthood.
S 114 (2017)
Continues the Veterans Choice Program, which pays for veterans to use private health care providers instead of the VA.
H Amdt 261 (2017)
Increases funding for the Navy to address contamination from PFCs.
H J Res 42 (2017)
Effectively allows states to drug test anybody claiming unemployment benefits or food stamps.
S J Res 34 (2017)
Overtuns a rule from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that requires all internet browsing and app usage data be subject to the same privacy requirements as private personal information. The FCC rule is stricter than previous regulations, which had various privacy requirements depending on the sensitivity of the online information.
