Join our Campaign


TheIssues

Budget & Economy | Crime & Gang Violence | Education | Energy & Environment | Equal Opportunity | Ethics & Accountability | Health Care | Immigration | Middle Class | Military & Veterans | National Security & Iraq | Rural | Second Amendment Rights | Seniors | Trade & Jobs | Women

Where Kay Stands


The following is information on where Kay stands on some of the issues affecting North Carolina families. Washington is broken, and the special interests have too much power in Congress. We need to send a proven, North Carolina problem solver like Kay Hagan to Washington to be a voice for working North Carolina families and get our country back on track.

In the U.S. Senate, Kay Hagan will stand up for North Carolina’s working families and put North Carolina’s best interests first.

If there is an issue or policy that you would like Kay to address, or would like to give feedback on Kay’s stand on an issue, please send an email to: MyVoice@KayHagan.com.

Budget and Economy


The budget in Washington is broken. Every family in North Carolina pays $1,500 in taxes each year just to pay the interest on our national debt. As a budget expert in the state Senate, Kay has balanced the North Carolina budget and pushed reform measures to open the budgeting process to the public. In the U.S. Senate, she will work towards a balanced budget and fiscal constraints, and she will demand we follow pay-as-you-go rules. She will be a diligent steward of taxpayers’ money by fighting against wasteful federal contracts and finding ways to reduce our national debt.

Crime: Fighting for Safer Streets and Schools


Over the past eight years, the Republican Administration – enabled by Elizabeth Dole – has worked to reduce and eliminate federal crime-fighting programs that have benefitted North Carolina’s law enforcement and communities. At the same time, police forces nationwide are tasked not only with fighting crime, but also with preventing threats of terrorism and the burden of illegal immigration – a federal issue that has been woefully unaddressed by the Republican federal government.

Education: Stronger Schools, Successful Students


Educational opportunity is central to economic opportunity. But America, once the envy of the world, is no longer the best educated country on Earth. Our education system now produces too many students who struggle in key subjects such as science and math, too few who graduate from high school, and serious gaps in achievement and opportunity based on class and race.

Energy: Using Our Energy to Make a Difference


The global energy crisis has put our economy on the brink and left our planet in peril. Since Elizabeth Dole was elected, gas prices have more than doubled, the price of oil has tripled, and the average price of a gallon of gas is the highest ever. At the same time that Americans are digging deeper than ever to meet high energy costs, oil companies are recording some of the biggest profits in history. Americans want to be more energy independent and energy efficient, and we need to find a solution that will protect our economic security, national security and our environment.

Equal Opportunity for All: Kay Hagan's Plan to Empower Minorities


Our country has made valiant strides over the past 50 years in combating discrimination, strengthening civil rights, and lifting historical minority groups out of poverty. Nevertheless, gaps in opportunity and discrimination remain prevalent in our society. Members of minority groups still lag behind in income, graduation rates, and other indicators of economic prosperity. Moreover, discrimination in schools and the workplace persist despite monumental progress in recent years.

Ethics and Accountablity


Kay Hagan has a record of pushing for more accountability in government and ensuring responsible use of taxpayer money. She pushed for more accountability and auditing requirements when state funds were being given to nonprofits, and she supported a budget process to evaluate public services and ensure that only effective programs and departments received funding. Kay has said, “Anytime we use [taxpayer dollars] for any program, there must be accountability and the agencies must know how that money was spent.”

Health Care: Affordable Solutions for Healthy Families


Ordinary Americans are struggling to maintain their health care coverage as premiums rise, insurance covers less, drug prices escalate, and health plans discriminate against those with chronic conditions. All the while, the climbing unemployment rate and the increasing number of baby boomers entering retirement means that fewer Americans will have access to health coverage because they are no longer eligible for an employer-based health plan. Every year these problems get worse, and they’ll keep getting worse until we reverse this downward spiral.

Immigration


Illegal immigration is a threat to national security and our economy. During the last seven years, the current administration in Washington has failed. The rule of law has been eroded as the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. nearly doubled and enforcement activity fell. In the Senate, Kay will work towards a practical solution that is fair to taxpayers and addresses the problem at its roots: by strengthening the borders, enforcing and upgrading laws that crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, and eliminating the shadow economy that drives down wages and working conditions.

Middle Class: Fighting for the Middle Class


America’s middle class is the engine of our national economy. When the middle class prospers, the whole country prospers. Unfortunately, under the Bush Administration, the middle class has been the victim of a reckless fiscal policy, corporate greed, and a Washington culture that rewards the special interests instead of hard working Americans’ best interests. Middle class families are feeling an economic pinch that makes it more difficult to balance work and family, send children to college, purchase a home, and handle skyrocketing energy costs.

Military & Veterans: Protecting our Promises to our Military and Veterans


Over the past century, America’s servicemembers have protected our country with bravery, determination, and patriotism. These individuals acted with heroism by liberating Europe and Asia from the scourge of totalitarianism, fighting repressive Communist regimes, freeing Kuwait from the brutality of Saddam Hussein, and promoting freedom around the globe. The veterans of today’s ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have likewise demonstrated their valor on behalf of their fellow citizens and a grateful nation.

National Security and Iraq


Kay believes that the first job of government is keeping the American people safe, and ensuring that we have strong intelligence and homeland security agencies. Kay believes the decision to invade Iraq without a plan, without the proper number of troops, and without proper equipment to keep our troops safe was mismanagement of the highest order. She supports a responsible withdrawal so that we can re-focus our national security efforts on defeating al Qaeda, improving our country’s reputation around the world and rebuilding our military strength.

Rural: Reinvesting in Rural North Carolina


The United States has a wealth of resources, and in rural North Carolina, we must recognize the role of the agricultural, forestry and fiber industries, which contributes $70.8 billion of the $375 billion state gross product. Kay Hagan knows our rural communities have been a vibrant, important part of North Carolina’s history, and should increasingly fill a role as part of our future. We can take advantage of the diverse resources available in our rural communities to feed the world, provide clean energy throughout the country, contribute to the state’s economy and offer a high quality of life to North Carolinians throughout the state.

Second Amendment Rights


Kay is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights. Obtaining a lifetime hunting license in Kay’s family is something of a tradition, and her husband is qualified to teach hunter safety. Responsible gun ownership is not only part of the fabric of North Carolina, but it is also a fundamental constitutional right. Kay pledges to continue to protect gun owners’ rights when she is in the U.S. Senate.

Seniors: Promoting a Secure and Healthy Retirement for Seniors


America’s seniors deserve a full life and a happy retirement. Unfortunately, deficiencies in our health care system, few meaningful incentives to promote saving, frequent instances of abuse, and turmoil in the stock market leave many seniors with tough choices as they reach retirement. Kay Hagan believes we need to honor our seniors by ensuring they have the means to retire with dignity and the access to services that provide high quality care.

Trade: Making Trade Work for North Carolina


When done right, trade opens up nations to new products, new opportunities, and new ideas. It is one of the ways in which the democratic ideals and values that serve as the foundation of our great nation are transmitted across the world. Trade also encourages healthy competition in our economy, which prevents our businesses from becoming complacent and increases the drive for more efficient and innovative products. Consumers across the country benefit not just from lower prices, but from new ideas and new opportunities.

Women: Ensuring Equity for Women


Women have made great advances in our society over the past century. Women now enjoy several safeguards against discrimination, a higher level of economic security, and substantial protections against violence and exploitation. State Senator Kay Hagan, a working professional, dedicated mother and effective legislator, is a product of these important reforms.

Paid for by Hagan Senate Committee Inc.