The Bangor Daily News asked all of the congressional candidates their positions on several issues handled by Congress in recent years. The date in parenthesis indicates year Congress last dealt with the issue. In some cases, their answers have been edited or excerpted for space. For the complete responses, visit www.bangordailynews.com.

Flag-burning amendment (2006):

Supportive of a ban to burn the American flag.

Estate Tax Repeal (2006):

Supportive of repealing the estate tax.

Minimum wage increase to $7.25 (2006):

Not supportive of a federally mandated minimum wage. The minimum wage should be decided at a state level. Each state has its own economic factors to be considered including teenage workers in the tourism industry.

Opening the Arctic Wildlife Refuge of oil drilling (2006):

Not supportive of opening ANWAR because just opening ANWAR won’t solve our energy problems. We must have a comprehensive national energy policy that ends our dependency on foreign oil. If part of a comprehensive national policy that ends foreign oil imports the issue of ANWAR would need to be readdressed.

Increased federal funding for embryonic stem cell research (2006):

Supportive of increased federal funding for stem cell research.

Medicare prescription drug coverage (2003):

Supportive of the Medicare prescription drug coverage. There are 249,000 eligible people in the state of Maine for this program.

Although, the program isn’t perfect it was the right thing to do for our seniors.

Extend $70 billion in Bush administration tax cuts (2006):

Supportive of the Bush administration’s tax cuts that let Maine people keep more of their money.

Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage (2006):

This issue should not be decided on a federal level but should be determined by each state.

Adoption (2001)/renewal (2005) of the USA Patriot Act:

Supportive of the USA Patriot Act in 2001 and supportive of its renewal.

Including a health exception to the late term abortion ban (2003):

Supportive of a ban on late term abortion. Supportive of a family’s decision to safeguard a woman’s life.

Iraq War resolution (2002); funding for the war (2006); timetable for withdrawal (2006):

Supportive of the resolution.

Supportive of funding for the Iraq War.

[Candidate Curley would like a two-year plan that outlines steps for Iraqi self-sufficiency and establishment of strong diplomatic ties.] Within that time frame establishment of a multinational peacekeeping force to ensure support for the Iraqi government. However, Iraq must be strong and not harboring terrorists before U.S. troops can be withdrawn.

Immigration reform (2006):

Supportive of legal immigration.