Maria Cantwell

Progressive

Democrat

Senator

Washington

Current Position: Senator from Washington

Running For: N/A

Policy Positions

Against Social Security privatization
For affordable housing initiatives including increasing the affordable housing tax credit and funding for low-income and veterans' housing programs

For a $15 federal minimum wage; voted to include it in the American Rescue Plan in 2021
For equal pay legislation; supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Equal Pay for TEAM USA Act
For semiconductor chip manufacturing investment and domestic technology R&D; led legislation investing in 10 key technology areas including chip manufacturing

For universal health care coverage and the Affordable Care Act; supports expanding the Basic Health Plan, fought against repeal of ACA and elimination of pre-existing condition protections, supported public health care option amendments in committee, co-sponsored the Healthy Americans Act
For allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and importing drugs from Canada; co-sponsored legislation for both, helped cap insulin at $35 for Medicare recipients via the Inflation Reduction Act

Against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR); blocked drilling measures on multiple occasions
For renewable energy and against fossil fuel expansion; promotes solar, wind, biofuel, and fuel cell energy over fossil fuels, introduced cap-and-dividend carbon emissions trading legislation (CLEAR Act), voted to reduce oil usage by 40% by 2025, opposed relaxing CAFE standards

For abortion rights; self-described as '100% pro-choice', voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, voted against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, supports access to Plan B contraceptives including for girls under 16, co-sponsored the Prevention First Act to expand family planning access, has worked to protect abortion access after Roe v. Wade was overturned and to shield providers from prosecution
For same-sex marriage; voted for the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022 to codify same-sex marriage rights into federal law
For repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell; voted to invoke cloture to begin debate on the policy in 2010

For campaign finance reform; co-sponsored the Clean Money, Clean Elections Act of 2001 and supported the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill
Against Supreme Court nominees John Roberts and Samuel Alito

For comprehensive immigration reform including a path to citizenship; voted for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, and raised concerns about treatment of immigrants at detention facilities in 2025
For the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force against Iraq
Against setting a fixed timetable for withdrawal from Iraq; voted against the Kerry-Feingold Amendment in 2006, though voted for the Levin-Reed Amendment encouraging a phased withdrawal
For the Israel Anti-Boycott Act in 2017, which would have made it a federal crime to encourage boycotts of Israel or Israeli settlements; later voted in 2026 to block sale of bombs and armored bulldozers to Israel
For NAFTA; voted in favor of the North American Free Trade Agreement
For CAFTA; voted in favor of the Central America Free Trade Agreement in 2005

For increasing penalties on opioid manufacturers that enable reckless drug distribution; supported the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act