Julián Castro

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Renew a permanent assault weapons ban.

"Weapons of war do not belong in the communities of America. These firearms were designed with the singular purpose of inflicting mass human casualties.

"Require registration of assault weapons already owned by individuals under the National Firearms Act.

"Establish a buyback program through an Assault Weapons Reduction Trust Fund to purchase firearms including assault weapons and banned high capacity magazines to ensure 2021 is the high-water mark of weapons of war on American streets."

Other, 2019

"'My 'People First' immigration policy - the first unveiled by a 2020 candidate - would repeal section 1325 and return to treating unauthorized entry into the U.S. as a civil, rather than criminal, violation,' Castro told The Post. 'This provision has allowed for separation of children and families at our border, the large-scale detention of tens of thousands of families, and has deterred migrants from turning themselves in to an immigration official within our borders. The widespread detention of these individuals and families at our border has overburdened our justice system, been ineffective at deterring migration, and has cost our government billions of dollars.'"

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and those under Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure, through the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, and defend and expand DACA, TPS, and DED protections, and re-institute the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans program during the legislative process."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Implement universal background checks and close NRA loopholes."

Other, 2019

"Castro is a Roman Catholic who supports legal abortion access and gay rights. He vigorously opposed a Texas law to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and limit facilities and access to abortions in general."

Other, 2018

"I'm also proud of Planned Parenthood and the services they provide for women throughout the country."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Raise the minimum wage to a living wage of at least $15 per hour for all workers, including tipped, farm, domestic, and disabled workers."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Reproductive justice means that every person has the right to make decisions about their own bodies. I will continue defending the constitutional right to abortion, including for the trans community, from the onslaught of attacks from far right extremists.

"As president, I will work to ensure everyone the reproductive health care they need and that reproductive justice is a reality for all.

• "Protect the constitutional right to have an abortion
• "Appoint judges at every level of the federal court system who understand that Roe v. Wade is settled law
• "Advance maternal health, sex education, and contraceptive access
• "Repeal the Hyde Amendment and ensure publicly-run programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and the Indian Health Service are able to provide a full range of reproductive healthcare services, including abortion.
• "End both the domestic and global gag rules."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Establish a Clean Energy Standard to guarantee ensure all US electricity is carbon-neutral by 2030 and is clean, renewable, and zero-emission by 2035."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Eliminate tuition at public colleges, universities, community colleges, and technical and vocational schools, breaking the work-school tug of war."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Establish a Wealth Inequality Tax with mark-to-market taxation of capital for the top 0.1 percent of asset holders, which is about $40 million in assets. Today, labor income is taxed at the end of every year, whereas income from investments, wealth, and capital are not. Multi-millionaires and billionaires who rely primarily on investment income receive different treatment under the law. This change to tax policy would require these very wealthy individuals to pay taxes every year on investment income, regardless of whether they sell those investments. Non-public traded assets would be treated similarly, and taxed at the time of sale, with a charge for deferring tax until that time.

"Raise the capital gains rate to match taxation of labor income. For years, tax rates on income from wealth, investments, and capital have been lower than taxes on income from work. My plan raises the capital gains rate that would apply to individuals who earn $400,000 or more a year to 40%, ensuring the program does not impact working- and middle-class families saving for retirement."

Other, 2018

"[Castro] also supports addressing trade concerns with China, but espouses a multi-national approach rather than Trump's tariff attacks."

Other, 2019

"Castro spelled out his progressive proposals, which included universal preschool education, Medicare for all, investments in clean water and infrastructure and reforming the nation's justice system."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"In 2017, there were almost 700,000 marijuana-related arrests in the United States, with over 80 percent of them related to possession alone. As president, I will legalize marijuana and expunge the records of those convicted for non-violent marijuana offenses. We will regulate the market and place a tax on all recreational sales, investing billions in revenue generated in the communities disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs. Lastly, I will support equity in the legal marijuana industry, including by creating new grant programs that support minority-owned businesses and prioritize people directly affected by the war on drugs in receiving marijuana business licenses."

Other, 2019

"No.

"I support Medicare for all with a role for private insurance for individuals that choose it."

Other, 2019

"I support universal health care with Medicare as the foundation. Americans should have options to choose either a complementary or supplementary private insurance."

Other, 2019

"My vision is that we have an immigration system that is effective at the border in a smart way and also compassionate and humane with people that arrive at the border seeking asylum, with people who are apprehended who are undocumented, and with the 11 million people who are here who are undocumented - the vast majority of which are law-abiding individuals who simply want to make a better life for themselves and their family. We need comprehensive immigration reform. We need a DREAM Act. We ought to find a way to provide for border security that is smart and effective instead of something like a wall, which I completely disagree with and I see as a waste of money."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"I will address the opioid crisis and other challenges of drug addiction as primarily public health issues, not seek to further harm the individuals and communities suffering addiction. I will invest in new initiatives to prevent dangerous drug use and treat addiction. I will also hold pharmaceutical executives who helped spark the opioid crisis accountable for their role in the suffering of millions."

Other, 2018

"I'm also going to share with them what I believe as Democrats, we need to put forward as a blueprint for 21st century opportunity that includes universal pre-k, universal health coverage, raising the minimum wage, making sure that we protect Social Security and Medicare."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"Alleviate burdens of existing student loan debt, ensuring no student pays more than their income allows. Reform the student loan and repayment process to ensure that payment is not expected until the investment of higher education begins to pay off for the borrower and so that student loan debt does not impede major life choices.

"Until a borrower is earning at lest 250% of the federal poverty line, their monthly loan payment will be capped at $0 will no interest accrual on unpaid interest for three years, exempting half of unpaid interest after three years. This is not a deferred payment. The payment amount is $0.

"Once the borrower is earning above 250% of the federal poverty line, they will not pay more than 10% of their qualified income each month. Qualified income referring to adjusted gross income with an amount equivalent to 250% of the federal poverty line exempted.

"After 240 monthly payments (including any where the repayment amount was capped at $0), the borrower will receive a non-taxable forgiveness of any remaining amount.

"All loans will have an interest accumulation cap relative to the borrowed amount to limit lifetime increase in the loan to 50%, and any balance in excess of that will be forgiven."

Other, 2013

In a 2013 interview Castro voiced support for President Obama's approach with Iran. "First, the United States and Israel share a common goal with most of the rest of the world that Iran never secures nuclear weapons. I don't believe it will happen as long as we are vigilant and remain committed to the goal. The question has arisen recently because of the conversations that President Obama had with Iran's [President Hassan] Rouhani, and I know that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had some words at the United Nations [in September] about this.

"My hope is that any conversations [about] Iran's future will be done in a productive way. I think that talking can help but, as all the parties recognize, there is a need for verifying what each party has done. This will definitely take more than verbal promises alone. The U.S. will always stand for a strong Israel and ensure that Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons."

Candidate's Website, 2019

"As my first official act, recommit the United States to the Paris Climate agreement and convene world leaders to negotiate an even stronger agreement to combat the climate crisis."