Profile: Hillary Clinton

EXPERIENCE: U.S. Senator from New York, 2001-present; First Lady of the United States, 1993-2001; Partner, Rose Law Firm, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1979-1992; Associate, Rose Law Firm, 1976-1979; faculty member, University of Arkansas Law School, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1975; staff attorney, presidential impeachment inquiry, House Judiciary Committee, 1974; staff attorney, Children's Defense Fund, 1973.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in political science, Wellesley College, 1969; Juris Doctor, Yale University Law School, 1973.

FAMILY: Husband, former President Bill Clinton. One daughter, Chelsea, 27.

THE ISSUES:

ABORTION:
• Favors abortion rights.

EDUCATION:
• Proposes a $10 billion plan for universal preschool and more money for special education.
• Opposes performance-based merit pay for teachers.
• Favors incentives for teachers who work in places and on subjects where shortages exist.
• Supported No Child Left Behind accountability law but says it has not been properly financed or run, and should be replaced.
• Supports $10,000 higher education scholarships for all who engage in national service full-time for a year.
• Wants to raise value of tuition tax credit to a maximum $3,500 from $1,650.

GAY MARRIAGE:
• Supports recognition of same-sex civil unions short of marriage.
• Would let states decide whether to recognize same-sex marriage.
• Opposes constitutional amendment against it.

GLOBAL WARMING:
• Proposes 10-year, $150 billion energy package, including $50 billion "strategic energy fund" to develop new sources of fuel. Fund would be paid for by eliminating tax subsidies for oil companies.
• Wants tougher fuel efficiency standards financed in part by $20 billion in "green vehicle bonds."
• Voted for 2003 bill that would have capped 2010 emissions at 2000 levels.
• Would use some of the money from auctioning pollution credits to cushion higher consumer energy costs resulting from emission cuts.

GUN CONTROL:
• Voted for ban on assault-type weapons and to require background checks at gun shows.
• Favored leaving gun-makers and dealers open to civil suits.
• Supported proposals for a federal requirement for state-issued photo gun licenses, as well as a national registry for handgun sales.

HEALTH INSURANCE:
• Favors mandatory universal coverage in first term.
• Supports tax credits for working families to make insurance more affordable, ensuring premiums do not exceed a percentage of income.
• Supports requiring businesses to offer insurance to employees or pay into a pool for people without it.
• Wants to expand Medicare and federal employees' health insurance plan to cover those without adequate workplace insurance.
• Also wants to raise taxes on wealthier families to help pay estimated cost of $110 billion a year.
• Wants to raise taxes on a portion of "very generous" plans covering people making more than $250,000.

IMMIGRATION:
• Voted for 2006 bill that would have provided conditional path to citizenship.
• Supported border fence.

IRAQ:
• Opposed troop increase, but has also opposed using congressional spending power to end war.
• Has not committed to withdrawal timetable and says some troops will have to remain to continue fighting terrorism in Iraq and the region.
• Voted in favor of Iraq war authorization. Now says she would not vote that way again.

SOCIAL SECURITY:
• Opposes using a portion of payroll taxes to finance private retirement accounts.
• Noncommittal on raising the $97,500 income cap on Social Security.
• Proposes a federal match of up to $1,000 per person to help people set up 401(k) plans in program costing $25 billion a year, to be paid for by freezing the estate tax at 2009 levels.

TAXES:
• Would let some of Bush's tax cuts expire in 2010 as scheduled, in effect raising taxes on wealthier people to help pay for programs.
• Her tax proposals are focused on universal health care plan, including tax credits to make insurance more affordable.
• She would also tax a portion of health insurance benefits provided to workers making more than $250,000.
• Would maintain estate tax on the richest tier.
• Would increase tax breaks for college.
• Supports $1 billion paid family leave program to be financed by eliminating some tax shelters.

MISCELLANEOUS: