Abortion
What Sen. John Kerry says: Pro-choice, but feels abortions should be "safe, legal and rare."
What he's done: Voted against partial-birth abortion ban in 2003. The bill passed in Senate 64-34, and in the House 281-142. Also voted against a "parental notification" amendment in 1991 requiring parents be notified 48 hours before any abortion is performed on a pregnant daughter under 18 at a clinic receiving federal family-planning funds. The bill passed in the Senate 52-47.
Taxes
What he says: Wants to repeal tax cuts for the richest Americans and "close the noneconomic corporate loophole welfare that takes place in the tax code that's gone from 14 pages to 17,000 pages, and not one of you has your own page. We're gonna change that."
What he's done: In 2001 and 2003 John Kerry opposed Bush's tax cuts and voted against them.
Jobs
What he says: Plans to increase spending on highways, school construction, pollution cleanup, energy projects and more to create 3 million jobs in 500 days and close corporate tax loopholes.
What he's done: Voted against killing an increase in minimum wage in November 1999.
Higher education
What he says: $3.2 billion plan for high school students that would pay for four-year public college tuition. Kerry wants to offer a College Opportunity Tax credit for up to $4,000 of tuition for each year of college and give states aid to keep tuition down.
What he's done: Now criticizing Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, Kerry voted in favor of it but now says the legislation has been underfunded.
Environment/energy
What he says: Against drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Higher mileage standards. Plans to use $20 billion from petroleum royalties for cleaner energy. Wants to be independent of Middle Eastern oil in 10 years. Would re-engage "in the development of an international climate change strategy" but no explicit endorsement of Kyoto treaty.
What he's done: Kerry voted for the Clean Air Act. He also introduced The Acid Rain Reduction Act that would have reduced emissions of acid rain-causing pollutants. He has also voted against a bill that allowed for drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge.
Gay rights
What he says: Opposes gay marriage, also opposes constitutional amendment against it. Supports gay civil unions.
What he's done: Voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. He did not support the proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
Guns
What he says: Supports ban on assault-type weapons and requiring background checks at gun shows. Opposes granting immunity to gun makers from civil lawsuits.
What he's done: Kerry supported the Assault Weapon Ban in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1993.
Health care
What he says: Supports subsidies for children, the unemployed, small companies and more to help extend coverage to about 27 million of the uninsured, as well as restrain premiums. Wants the government to help pay for extraordinary medical costs for insurers and employers who keep premiums for workers down.
What he's done: Bush has accused Kerry of voting five times to raise Medicare premiums. Kerry actually voted to maintain the same premium formula that had been in place since before he was in the Senate.
Iraq war
What he says: Supported going to war but now says he did so based on faulty U.S. intelligence. He aims to begin troop withdrawal in six months and complete it in four years, persuading allies to commit more forces.
What he's done: Opposed the $87 billion package for Iraq, but voted to give President Bush power to invade Iraq if diplomatic action failed.
Stem-cell research
What he says: Wants to reverse Bush's restrictions and put money into research using new stem-cell lines, with unspecified ethical standards.
What he's done: Was one of 58 senators, along with Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and John McCain, R-Ariz., who sent Bush a letter urging him to end the ban on stem-cell research.
National security and terrorism
What he says: "I will wage this war on terror with the lessons I learned in war. The United States of America never goes to war because we want to, we go to war because we have to. That's the standard for our country." Supported creation of Homeland Security Department and will make sure government is "doing everything in its power to better protect its borders, coasts, cities and towns."
What he's done: Voted for creation of Homeland Security Department. A bill he proposed in 2000 to cut off terrorist money laundering was later added to the USA Patriot Act.
