Russ with firefighters at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet in Milwaukee.

Where does Senator Feingold Stand on Issues Important to the Latino Community?

Immigration and "English-Only" Legislation

As we work to protect our nation from future terrorist attacks, Senator Feingold will continue to be vigilant to ensure that government strikes the proper balance between securing our borders, while respecting the important role that immigrants play in our society. Senator Feingold opposes so-called "English-Only" legislation that seeks to make English the official language because he believes diversity in language and culture enriches American society.

Education

Senator Feingold supports legislation that would allow undocumented children who have lived in the U.S. for a significant period of time to obtain legal status and give them the opportunity to attend college. In addition, he supports bilingual education, parent assistance programs, and early college awareness programs for low-income youth. Senator Feingold also supports adult English-as-a-Second-Language programs, and he has serious concerns about mandatory high stakes testing.

Health Care

The health care system in America is in disrepair and needs crucial reform. Senator Feingold is dedicated to expanding and guaranteeing the availability of health care to everyone. He feels strongly that an individual's health should not be compromised on account of income or geographic location. To make quality health care available for every American, he has consistently fought to protect Medicare, ensure adequate funding for Medicaid, pass a meaningful Patient's Bill of Rights, and provide affordable prescription drugs for seniors. Senator Feingold has also taken a lead role in legislation that increases access to dental care for the poor and the uninsured.

Affordable Housing and Urban Development

Senator Feingold supports efforts to ensure that every American has access to safe, affordable housing. He has held banks and other lenders accountable under the Community Reinvestment Act, and has fought to prevent lenders from predatory discrimination against customers based on what neighborhood they live in. Senator Feingold supports programs like community block grants that help local governments and community groups to undertake employment and community revitalization projects.

Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, and Racial Profiling

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Senator Feingold was the only US Senator that opposed the so-called USA Patriot Act, a bill that deeply infringed on the rights protected by the US Constitution. He believes that while it is absolutely critical that we fight terrorism, we must be careful not to degrade the very values that make us American. He also strongly believes that the civil rights of all individuals should be vigorously upheld regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, age, or disability. Jobs, schools, and housing decisions must not be made on the basis of race or nationality. He introduced legislation that would make racial profiling unlawful and create outlets for individuals to report misconduct by individual police officers.

Judicial Nominations

Senator Feingold believes that the President can demonstrate his commitment to justice for all Americans by nominating judges to the federal bench whose records demonstrate that they will uphold our nation's civil rights laws and give fair and impartial treatment to all people who come before them.

Welfare Reform

Senator Feingold believes that while we must work to reduce the welfare rolls, we also have a responsibility to help current and former welfare recipients to break the cycle of poverty. For those that are trying to make the transition from welfare to work, it is critical to make available quality child care, reliable transportation, and appropriate job training and education programs, including English-as-a-Second-Language programs.

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