Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

, the nominee of the Democratic Party for

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

, has taken positions on political issues while serving as First Lady of

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

(1979–81; 1983–92),

First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...

(1993–2001); as

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and power ...

from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

(2001–2009); and serving as the

United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...

(2009–2013). In accordance with longstanding custom, during her time as Secretary of State she largely avoided taking stances on most domestic political issues. In 2015, she announced her candidacy for the presidency. Clinton won the Democratic primaries and formally became the party's nominee at the

2016 Democratic National Convention The 2016 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention, held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 25 to 28, 2016. The convention gathered delegates of the Democratic Party, the majo ...

. She lost the

2016 US presidential election The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket ...

to billionaire real estate mogul and Republican nominee

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

. Over her career, Clinton has developed a reputation as a "

policy wonk {{Short pages monitor

Native American issues

Clinton cosponsored the Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendment of 2007.Hillary Clinton's Native American Agenda: Provide Vital Services and Support Tribal Sovereignty
(November 6, 2007). During both her 2008 and 2016 campaigns for the presidency, Clinton has met with Native American leaders and held events on

Indian reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...

s. During her 2008 run, Clinton released a position statement on Native American issues emphasizing the need to both provide vital services and support

tribal sovereignty Tribal sovereignty in the United States is the concept of the inherent authority of indigenous tribes to govern themselves within the borders of the United States. Originally, the U.S. federal government recognized American Indian trib ...

. Clinton specifically committed, among other things, "to meaningful increases to the

Indian Health Service The Indian Health Service (IHS) is an operating division (OPDIV) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). IHS is responsible for providing direct medical and public health services to members of federally-recognized Nativ ...

budget"; to improve health care for Native Americans (who suffer from significant health disparities); to "appoint Native Americans to key positions in a number of federal departments and agencies"; to increase funding for the American Indian Head Start Program; to improve housing and law enforcement in Indian country; and to increase support for

tribal colleges and universities In the United States, tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) are a category of higher education, minority-serving institutions defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965. Each qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Un ...

Poverty

At an April 2008 candidates' forum on faith and compassion, Clinton said that "the incredible demands that God places on us, and that the prophets ask of us, and that Christ called us to respond to on behalf of the poor are unavoidable." In 2008, Clinton said that if elected president, she would appoint a "cabinet-level poverty czar" focused on "ending poverty as we know it." She was criticized by liberal groups for supporting an increase in the work requirement for welfare.

Racial issues

According to Clinton, there is "systemic racism in our criminal justice system." She has expressed support for "retraining police officers" and "looking at ways to end racial profiling." Addressing crowds on the campaign trail in 2015 and 2016, Clinton has said both "Yes,

black lives matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...

" and "all lives matter." Clinton has met with

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...

leadership, to which activist DeRay Mckesson said "We didn't agree about all the issues, but in the end I think that we felt heard." In the meeting Clinton supported ending private prisons and immigration detention centers. Clinton addressed the

African Methodist Episcopal Church The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...

in Philadelphia in July 2016, following the killings of two black men by police officers and the subsequent killings of five police officers by a black man in Dallas. According to CNN, she argued that "it was important to acknowledge the 'implicit bias' in society and some police departments and, in particular, called on white Americans to empathize with African-Americans".

Scientific research

Science funding

According to Clinton's platform, she "would increase funding for scientific research at agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation," rapidly ramp up NIH spending from about $600 million per year now to $2 billion, and increasing funding for autism research.

Stem cell research

Clinton cosponsored the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, which called for federal funding of stem cell research based on stem cell lines derived from discarded human embryos. The bill was vetoed by President Bush. She also voted for the 2007 bill with the same name that passed in Congress.

Veterans

Clinton has spoken in favor of overhauling governance of the

Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...

(VA) and reforming veterans' health care. She has described the problems at the VA as "serious, systemic and unacceptable." Clinton favors allowing the federal government to contract with private companies to provide some veterans' healthcare services, but opposes outright privatization of the VA. On

MSNBC MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and political ...

's ''

Rachel Maddow Show ''The Rachel Maddow Show'' (also abbreviated ''TRMS'') is an American liberal news and opinion television program that airs on MSNBC, running in the 9:00 pm ET timeslot Monday evenings. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow, who gained a public p ...

'' on October 23, 2015, Maddow asked Clinton about the controversy over VA patients that have been backlogged and put on secret waiting lists while waiting for an appointment.Transcript: Rachel Maddow interviews Hillary Clinton (VIDEO)
MSNBC, October 23, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2015 (An audit by the VA Inspector General in 2014 found that 57,000 veterans had waited more than 90 days for their scheduled appointments, and that approximately 70 percent of VA facilities maintained secret, off-the-books waiting lists of patients.) Maddow asked Clinton about her thoughts on Republican ideas to abolish the VA or privatize the VA, and what she would do to fix the problems at the VA. In response, Clinton acknowledged that there were problems, "but it's not been as widespread as it has been made out to be. There have been a number of surveys of veterans, and overall, veterans who do get treated are satisfied with their treatment ... Nobody would believe that from the coverage that you see and the constant berating of the VA that comes from the Republicans, in part, in pursuit of this ideological agenda that they have." Clinton said that recent efforts to speed up treatment for veterans should be given a chance to work, but that VA health reforms may need a "

SWAT team In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...

" to ensure accountability.Bruce Japsen
Hillary Clinton Says VA May Need 'SWAT Team' To Improve Veterans Healthcare
''Forbes'' (October 23, 2015).

Video game regulation

Clinton urged an inquiry into the "Hot Coffee" mod of the video game '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', which unlocked hidden sexually graphic images. She said that if the game's manufacturer did not change the game's

ESRB The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings to consumer video games in the United States and Canada. The ESRB was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Asso ...

rating from M (Mature 17+) to AO (Adults Only 18+), she would introduce federal legislation to regulate video games. On July 20, 2005, the ESRB changed the rating and as a result, the game was removed from the shelves of Wal-Mart,

Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, f ...

, Best Buy, and other stores. Five months later, Clinton introduced the legislation anyway. On December 16, 2005, Clinton introduced the

Family Entertainment Protection Act The United States Family Entertainment Protection Act (FEPA) was a failed bill introduced by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), and co-sponsored by Senators Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) on November 29, 2005. The bi ...

, S.2126, a bill that would prohibit the sale of sexual or violent

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

s to anybody under the age of 18.

Women's rights

In 2015, Clinton said that she "absolutely" considers herself a

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

. In 2014, Clinton defined being a "feminist" as favoring equal rights for women, saying, "I don't see anything controversial about that at all." She also told those who think of feminism as outdated, "I don't think you've lived long enough." " men and girls ... recentral to our foreign policy," adding that nations that support women are more stable and "less likely to breed extremism." Clinton has promoted equal pay for equal work and proposes action to close the gender pay gap. She supports the Paycheck Fairness Act. As a Senator, Clinton co-sponsored the

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (, ) is a landmark federal statute in the United States that was the first bill signed into law by U.S. President Barack Obama on January 29, 2009. The act amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ...

; during her 2016 campaign, Clinton received the endorsement of the Act's namesake,

Lilly Ledbetter Lilly McDaniel Ledbetter (born April 14, 1938) is an American activist who was the plaintiff in the United States Supreme Court case '' Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'' regarding employment discrimination. Two years after the Supreme C ...

. In 2014, Clinton supported an Oregon state Equal Rights Amendment, which provides legal protection against discrimination based on sex. Clinton has called for the U.S. to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which was signed by President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

in 1980 but never ratified by the Senate. Clinton said in 2016 that if elected president, she will fill half of her

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...

with women, a move that would be historic in the United States. Gender-equal cabinets are rare worldwide. Clinton gave an influential speech called " Women's Rights are Human Rights" on September 5, 1995, at the United Nations

Fourth World Conference on Women The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace was the name given for a conference convened by the United Nations during 4–15 September 1995 in Beijing, China. At this conference, governments from around the ...

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

. In 2013, she launched a partnership between the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and the

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was ...

to gather and study data on the progress of women and girls around the world since the United Nations

in Beijing in 1995. This is called "No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project." As Secretary of State, Clinton created the post of Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues.

Zika

Clinton has been critical of Congress's handling of the Zika outbreak in Florida. In August 2016, she stated that she was "very disappointed that the Congress went on recess before agreeing what resources to put in this fight." She stated that "We need to step up mosquito control and abatement, provide families with critical health services, including access to contraception, develop a vaccine and treatment, and ensure people know how to protect themselves and their kids."

References

External links

On the Issues
issue positions
Project Vote Smart
candidate information including issue positions
Select2008
– Compare and choose candidates to the 2008 presidential election – Japanese

by

, Foreign Affairs
Hillary Rodham Clinton positions on other top foreign policy issues
by

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is a nonprofit organization that is independent and nonpartisan. CFR is based in New York Ci ...

Clinton & environmental issues:
Comprehensive review from the

League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environmen ...

.
2008 Presidential Candidate Health Plan Report Card
issued by the

National Physicians Alliance The National Physicians Alliance (NPA) was a 501(c)(3) national, multi-specialty medical organization founded in 2005. The organization's mission statement was: "The National Physicians Alliance creates research and education programs that promote ...

"Wahoo-wonk: Clinton talks policy with UVA class"

from

The Commonwealth Fund The Commonwealth Fund is a private U.S. foundation whose stated purpose is to "promote a high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, includ ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clinton, Hillary

Political positions Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...

Political positions of the 2008 United States presidential candidates Political positions of the 2016 United States presidential candidates Political positions of United States senators