In 2009-2010, he also supported Democratic efforts to reform the health-care system, specifically touting the savings the legislation would bring about. He also pushed for a change in Medicare reimbursements in order to reimburse health providers based on patient outcomes rather than based on office visits. Walz remained ambivalent about a public option, though he hinted at his support

In describing himself as a fiscal conservative, Walz touts his concern about the federal debt, arguing that his support for the health-care bill was a result of its lowering the deficit over the long term, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Walz has promised to stand by "pay-as-you-go" budget rules, which require every dollar spent to be offset by cut spending or new revenue. This has led Walz to take some uncomfortable votes: In 2007, he was one of only 64 House members to oppose a temporary suspension of the alternative minimum tax, explaining that this so-called "patch" would further unbalance the federal budget.

In fall 2008, Walz opposed the fWall Street bailout, arguing that it failed to prevent another bailout didn't establish sufficient oversight. "I don't believe the government should be a player in the market, but there needs to be a referee on the field, and there hasn't been one," he said.

Energy and Agriculture

Walz, whose district is primarily rural, sits on the House Agriculture Committee, which gives him an important voice in farming debates.

In 2007, for instance, he supported a farm bill that set an income limit of $1 million to receive farm payments - down from the then-limit of $2.5 million. Yet, he voted against Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.)'s proposal to slash subsidies to the wealthiest farners and lower the income limit to $250,000; he argued that many of the farmers who would be affected "are still family farmers."

Walz has opposed expanding offshore oil drilling, arguing that it wouldn't address the energy crisis or decrease gas prices. "I'll tell you what, I did vote 12 times against that, because I'm not going to give Big Oil a free ride again," he said.

He contends that the solution crisis has to come from renewable fuels.

In 2009, he supported the Waxman-Markey bill, which sought to curb global warming by establishing a cap-and-trade system and allocating funding for renewable energy.

National Security

Walz criticized the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war in his 2006 House race. He most notably ran an ad in which he stood in front of empty bleachers and said: "When I coached football, these stands held about 3,000 people. That's a lot. It's also the number of American soldiers who have died fighting in Iraq." In the House, Walz voted for legislation setting a timetable for redeploying troops out of Iraq.

In a 2008 vote that divided Democrats, Walz opposed legalizing the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program. He criticized the immunity it granted to telecommunication companies that collaborated with the program.

Yet, just a year earlier Walz had been one of 41 Democrats to back legislation that similarly expanded the government's surveillance powers and removed the warrant requirement.

Social Issues

In the 111th Congress, Walz helped spearhead efforts to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell." His military background explains why party leaders put him on the frontlines to assist Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Penn.), a fellow veteran and the legislation's main sponsor.

Walz supports abortion rights and opposed the "Stupak amendment" that tightened restrictions on abortion funding as part of the House health-care bill.

Walz favors expanding gun rights. In 2008, he celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 decision striking down the District of Columbia's gun laws. "Gun ownership is a basic right in America, not to be infringed upon by anyone or any government entity," he said. In 2009, he sided with a large minority of Democrats to allow people to carry guns in national parks.

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