Abortion

Thompson is a Roman Catholic,^[2] but is pro-choice. In May 2004, he and 47 other Catholic Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., to dissuade him from refusing to administer Holy Communion to Catholic members who voted in favor of pro-choice legislation.^[15] In February 2006, Thompson was one of 55 Democratic U.S. representatives identifying as Catholic who signed a "Statement of Principles" that affirmed a commitment to their faith but acknowledged opposition to Catholic doctrine on some issues. They wrote that on those issues, such as abortion rights, they would follow their conscience instead of the church's teachings.^[16] In response, the U.S. Catholic Bishops issued a "Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life" that said, in part, "Catholic teaching calls all Catholics to work actively to restrain, restrict and bring to an end the destruction of unborn human life."^[17]

Thompson opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it "an assault on women."^[18]

Cannabis

In 2015, Thompson proposed tougher penalties for marijuana growers who operate on trespassed land.^[19] The United States Sentencing Commission adopted the tougher sentencing guidelines, which went into effect in November 2015, after a six-month congressional review. The guidelines were intended to increase public safety.^[20]

Environmental issues

Thompson voted for President George W. Bush's Healthy Forests Initiative,^[21] which some environmentalists saw as a favor to the timber industry.^[22] He has disappointed some environmentalists with votes against limits to new commercial logging roads in Alaska's Tongass National Forest^[23] and against limits to hunting bears over bait.^[24][25] He was also one of only 30 Democrats to vote against an amendment to maintain roadless areas protected under the Roadless Rule.^[26] Thompson received a B rating from the American Wilderness Coalition in 2003 and an A+ in 2004.^[27]

The Sierra Club endorsed Thompson for reelection in 2010.^[28]

Thompson has voted several times to weaken the Clean Water Act.^[29][30]

In March 2012, Thompson and state Assemblyman Jared Huffman voiced their opposition to a piece of water legislation that the House would be voting on, which Thompson argued would "kill local jobs, ignore 20 years of established science and overturn a century of California water law."^[31]

Foreign policy

In late 2002, Thompson joined Representatives Jim McDermott and David Bonior on a fact-finding trip to Iraq. During the trip, they spoke to officials in Baghdad and residents of Basra. They expressed skepticism about the Bush administration's claims that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.^[32]

On March 26, 2008, Muthanna Al-Hanooti, an official of a Michigan charity, was accused of underwriting three members of Congress to travel to Iraq on behalf of Iraqi intelligence officials. McDermott's office was already organizing the trip when the charity offered to pay the trip expenses. McDermott's spokesman claimed the charity was fully vetted by the U.S. government. He also stated that the representatives obtained a license from the State Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control for the group to travel to Iraq.^[33]

Thompson has supported military intervention in certain foreign countries.^[34]

Health care

Thompson has supported a public option for health insurance. In 2009, he wrote, "[b]y streamlining health care, reducing fraud and abuse, ending unnecessary testing, discouraging over-utilization, investing in smart reforms, and emphasizing preventive health care, we can significantly bring down the cost of health care."^[35] In 2010, Thompson voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.^[36]