The following information on the Republican presidential candidates* has been compiled from the Congressional Record, speeches and statements on campaign Web sites. Technology Daily also contacted the campaigns for information on a series of technology-related issues, but not all of them responded. The information from those who did is incorporated here.

Republicans
Giuliani|Huckabee|Hunter|McCain|Paul|Romney|Tancredo|Thompson
Democrats
Biden|Clinton|Dodd|Edwards|Gravel|Kucinich|Obama|Richardson

	Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor As mayor, Giuliani implemented a computerized tracking system to combat crime and has proposed using a similar system to target illegal immigration. POLICIES Giuliani helped establish New York's CompStat system, which uses tracking technology to pinpoint crime trends citywide. SUPPORTERS Steve Forbes, a publisher and 2000 presidential candidate; and Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif. ON THE ISSUES Child pornography: He said in a speech that he will increase the quality of life of children by making sure they are protected against child pornography. He touted his rezoning program in New York City that limits the display of pornography. Economic competitiveness: "Corporate transparency [and] good governance are important goals ... but Sarbanes-Oxley was an overreaction. It went too far. It needs to be reformed," he said at a speech in Michigan. "You've got to consider the size of the business in a competitive environment. If businesses are regulated too much, they will go somewhere else." Education: He supports a consumer-driven model for education by giving parents the choice to choose schools. "If we don't do it we're not going to remain competitive," he said in a speech. "If we don't do it we're not going to be competitive with India and China. And if we do do it, we're going to out-compete them. Because when you unleash this unique thing that's American, we always prevail. And the unique thing that is American is not a big, centralized bureaucracy." Immigration: Giuliani told Sean Hannity: "You could set up a biometric, singular ID card that everyone would have to have who was in this country from a foreign country. You could put that in a database so that it was clear. And then you could deploy a border stat program, like my [CompStat] program that we used to reduce crime to use the border patrol so effectively that virtually -- maybe not quite 100 percent, but you could get to 95 percent, 98 percent, 99 percent accuracy in stopping people from coming in." Preparedness: Preparing emergency responders for natural disasters and terrorist attacks is part of Giuliani's 12-point plan. First responders "deserve the federal government making certain that they are at a level of preparation so that if the attack happens in the smallest town in the United States they are ready for it," he said in a speech. Technology regulation: "Giuliani believes that the free flow of information on the Internet and the development of new technologies are essential to America's global leadership in the 21st century," a spokesman said. "Open competition should be encouraged, and federal government intervention in these areas should be limited to reasonable regulation and vigilant security against those who want to exploit it for illegal or unethical acts." Trade: "To engage the world economy, we must tear down the wall to free trade," Giuliani said at a speech in Michigan. "We need to restore the fast-track promotion authority for the next president. The DOHA round of trade agreements should be carried to completion." Virtual border fence: "I do think that with the fence -- the fence honestly has to be a technological fence." Giuliani said on "Hannity and Colmes." "We need to be able to photograph people, observe them, see them, know who's there, record them."
	Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor Huckabee oversaw e-government efforts and a wireless information network while serving as governor. POLICIES E-government: Established a Web site for information on Arkansas grant programs. Wireless network: Spearheaded Arkansas' wireless public-safety network. Government Technology magazine ranked the state in the top 10 of its 2004 Digital States Survey. SUPPORTERS Scott Ford, president and CEO of Alltel, donated $2,300. ON THE ISSUES Border security: "I truly believe that national security is best served by reform in immigration policy," he said in a campaign video. "We're currently allowing too many people to cross the borders illegally. This must stop." He said the nation needs more trained border agents and cooperation agreements with state and local governments about border security. Education: He said in a campaign video: "The federal No Child Left Behind Act is often misunderstood and unfairly maligned as a total federal intrusion. As long as the states are allowed to develop their own benchmark exams, to determine the manner in which they create standards, and are aware of the consequences of failure to adhere to them, there's a value to having a national effort to at least set high standards." Immigration: "We need to create a process to allow people to come here to do the jobs -- plucking chickens, tarring roofs, picking fruits -- that are going unfilled by our citizens," he said, according to The Des Moines Register. "They must have a tamper-proof, scannable ID with a finger or retinal scan so that their employers know they belong here." Internet sales tax: Signed 2003 legislation in requiring national retail chains with stores in Arkansas to collect sales taxes on purchases made over the Internet by Arkansas residents, according to the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. He joined two other governors in 2004 to oppose congressional efforts to ban taxes on the Internet because it would cost their states billions of dollars in annual revenue, Reuters reported. Network neutrality: Blogger Kevin Tracy reported that in a conference call, Huckabee voiced support for net neutrality rules. He quoted Huckabee as saying: "The Internet is a highway and we don't restrict highways to 18-wheelers. ... If it's a car, an SUV, or a truck, you use the same highway." Security: Pushed for the modernization of the National Guard.
	Rep. Duncan Hunter, California Hunter authored a new law to extend the U.S. border fence along the Mexican border, but his platform thus far has not addressed many hot-button technology issues. LEGISLATION Sponsored: An amendment that banned the export of certain satellite technology to China. The language became law. Co-sponsored: A 2007 bill that would prevent the FCC from reinstating the "fairness doctrine." Voted for: The 2006 law that increased broadcast indecency penalties. Hunter also voted for: a 2006 bill that aimed to ease telephone firms' entry into the video market by creating national video-franchising rules; a 2003 measure to ban Internet gambling; and a 2001 bill to let telephone monopolies offer Internet access. The House passed all three measures. An Internet gambling ban was enacted in 2006 as part of other legislation. Voted against: A 2006 broadband amendment that would have established network neutrality rules. ON THE ISSUES Border fence: Hunter has said that protecting the homeland at the borders is a priority for national security and fencing has been found to be effective. As a member of Congress, he wrote the bill extending the San Diego fence across California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The legislation became law in 2006. The Des Moines Register reported that he said "building fences in strategic locations along our international borders is a proven method of keeping America safe." The paper further quoted him as saying, "I know fencing helps secure our nation's borders because criminal activity in every statistical category has been eliminated or decreased since we built the border fence in San Diego County." In a debate, he said the broad Senate immigration legislation that failed this year was a "bad bill" and criticized the Bush administration's slow construction of the border fence. "Homeland Security has a billion bucks cash on hand," Hunter said. "It's been six months and they've done 11 miles" of the 854 miles of fence mandated. Hunter was selected to be honorary chairman of the political action committee Peace Through Strength, which supports keeping American industry and jobs in the United States, increasing border enforcement through a border fence, increasing cargo inspections at the nation's ports, and cutting off the flow of military technology to potential adversaries. Network neutrality: Against. Outsourcing of jobs: "[One thing] Democrats aren't focusing on -- they never mention this word: jobs," Hunter said on "Hardball." "We're pushing lots of jobs offshore because we're allowing China to cheat on trade." And you know that's something I'm running on: stop China's cheating on trade, to level that playing field that right now is gutting the American manufacturing base and has taken that has taken 3 million jobs offshore over the last five years."
	Sen. John McCain, Arizona In his two presidential campaigns and 25 years in Congress, McCain has introduced legislation aimed at making the Internet safer for children, promoting competition among cable and Internet providers, regulating "indecent" content on the airwaves, and increasing the availability of campaign and legislative information on the Internet. LEGISLATION Sponsored: The 2006 law that increased penalties for broadcast indecency. -- A 2005 bill that would have established a digital and wireless network technology program. The Senate passed the bill. -- Two bills in 2007 to make permanent the moratorium on certain Internet-related taxes and to repeal the excise tax on telephone and other communications services. -- A 2007 measure that would have modernized and expanded the reporting requirements related to child pornography and that would have required convicted sex offenders to register online identifiers He co-sponsored revised legislation in 2007. -- Three televisions related bills in 2005 that would have: expedited the transition to digital television and educated consumers on using their analog televisions; reinstated the FCC's rules for the description of video programming; and pursued better public access to broadcasters' public-interest issues, programs lists and children's programming reports. -- Resolutions in 2003 and 2004 to provide Internet access to certain congressional documents. He also co-sponsored a 2007 bill that would require Senate candidates to file reports in electronic form. -- A 2002 measure that aimed to give Americans more broadband choices. McCain also has co-sponsored a 2007 broadband bill that aims to promote competition and to preserve the ability of local governments to provide broadband capability and services. -- A 2000 bill to enhance consumer privacy online. -- And 2000 legislation that would have provided for the technical integrity of the FM radio band. McCain also co-sponsored a 2007 bill and amendment to prevent the FCC from reinstating the "fairness doctrine." And he is the co-sponsor of another 2007 bill to require the FCC to enforce its regulations on "indecent" programming that involves a single word or image. Voted for: A 1998 amendment that would have allowed states to require companies that do business solely by phone, mail, or the Internet to collect state sales taxes. Voted against: The 1996 Telecommunications Act. SUPPORTERS Contributors/fundraisers: Computer Associates founder Charles Wang donated $4,200. Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers in August 2007 held a fundraiser for the senator. Endorsements: Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.; Rep. Gordon Smith, R-Ore.; and Michigan Republican Fred Upton of Michigan, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee. ON THE ISSUES Copyright laws: "We need to reform our copyright laws, but it needs to be carefully thought through," McCain said at a technology conference. "There needs to be leadership from the White House because some in Congress don't understand the complexity of these issues." E-waste: A section of a 2005 McCain-sponsored bill aimed at easing the digital television transition would have established incentives for e-recycling, and another section called for a feasibility study of a nationwide e-recycling program. E-Government: McCain told a group of Silicon Valley leaders that he would use the Internet to educate countries of the world about freedom, The Mercury News reported. He said he would rely on the tech community to help refurbish U.S. prestige and influence globally. "I also believe the greatest antidote is to go get in the cyberspace games" and change "the hearts and minds." Internet taxes: McCain told CNN in 1999 that if he won the Oval Office, he would make the ban on Internet taxation permanent. Immigration: He supported a Senate immigration proposal to toughen employer requirements for verification of immigrant status, The Des Moines Register reported. He said the bill would have "put employers on notice that the practice of hiring illegal workers simply will not be tolerated." Network neutrality: "I strongly support innovation, and I believe that the network operators should get a return on their infrastructure investments, which will encourage more development of broadband capacity in the U.S.," he said at a hearing on the subject. "I also firmly believe that network operators should not stifle the free flow of information that has been the essential component of the Internet -- now such a fixture and core component of our social, economic, and political lives. Prohibiting consumers -- or significantly limiting them -- from legitimate use of the Internet is anathema to the principles of democracy and it goes contrary to our free-market economy. It may also jeopardize the tremendous innovation that has been such a key part of the Internet's growth and development." McCain believes the market and technology will address net neutrality: "When you control the pipe you should be able to get profit from your investment," McCain told a crowd at a technology conference.
	Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Paul has been an outspoken opponent of government regulation of the Internet and has a large online following. He also is an advocate of civil liberties amid the war on terror. LEGISLATION Voted against: A 2006 amendment that would have established net neutrality rules. -- A 2003 House-passed bill to ban Internet gambling. -- A 2001 House-passed broadband measure. -- And a 2005 law that increased the penalties for broadcast indecency. Co-sponsored: A 2007 bill that would request an FCC review of the interference caused by broadband over power lines. -- A 2007 measure to make permanent the moratorium on certain Internet-related taxes. He discussed the bill, among other things, in an interview posted to the YouTube video-sharing site. -- And 2007 legislation that would prevent the FCC from reinstating the "fairness doctrine." SUPPORTERS Contributors: Joel Trammel, CEO of the computer software and services company NetQos, $2,300. ON THE ISSUES Anti-terrorism surveillance: "He strongly opposes this illegal, unconstitutional program" by the National Security Agency: a spokesman said. Civil liberties: He signed the American Freedom Agenda, in which he pledges to limit presidential powers concerning domestic surveillance and amend federal law to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution, among other things. Databases for background checks: "He strongly opposes collecting information on law-abiding Americans by the government," a spokesman said. E-waste: "Rep. Paul would not impose federal regulation and leave it to the states and the market." File-sharing: Paul thinks the federal government's role in combating file-sharing should be limited. According to a spokeswoman, "The best way to combat the use of file-sharing to violate intellectual property rights is through civil suits brought by those whose property rights are being violated." Government transparency: Rep. Paul was the first candidate from either party to sign a document that affirms his pledge to run a transparent administration if elected, a spokesman said. H1-B visas: "He supports H1-B visas and thinks we could expand the program if we had more secure borders." Immigration: Paul said immigration officials must track visa holders and supported a 2006 law to build a border fence, The Des Moines Register reported. "The problems associated with illegal immigration cannot be addressed unless and until we gain physical control of our borders and coastlines," Paul said. Internet: "The Internet, to me, is the political equalizer of the age because we who use the Internet a whole lot and the young people who like it and others find out they can get information that is unbiased," he said in a campaign video. Internet taxation: "I don't ever want to tax the Internet, and I don't want to regulate the Internet," Paul said in a campaign video. That's one thing that really gives us a chance to combat this horrendous movement to big government because we can talk to a lot of people. If we ever get wind of the fact that the government wants to regulate or tax, that is a bad sign. Of course it's in the winds. ... I see this as a very dangerous notion." National broadband, digital television transition, and competitiveness: "Rep. Paul does not think the federal government has a role in any of these issues," a spokesman said. "They should be left to the free market." Network neutrality: Against. Outsourcing of jobs: "He would end the excessive government regulation that drives businesses overseas and move American to a true free-market system," a spokesman said. Patent reform: Paul thinks patent protection is important, but does not have a specific reform proposal, the spokesman said. Spectrum auction: "One of the many problems with federal government ownership of the spectrum is that it has facilitated the monopolization of telecommunications by a few large companies," Paul said, according to a spokeswoman. "While limiting the amount of spectrum that [a] given purchaser can buy may not be the best solution to these problems, I would favor taking action to make sure that government auctions not compound the damage done to free, competitive markets by government ownership of the spectrum."
	Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor Romney has discussed protecting children from the dangers on the Internet, among other tech-related issues. POLICIES "In Massachusetts, Governor Romney consistently used technology and innovation to make government more transparent and accessible to citizens," a spokesman said. For instance, Romney ended the practice of printing the budget and instead put it online. "Not only did this provide transparency, but it also saved the state $50,000. Governor Romney will take these same actions as president," the spokesman added. SUPPORTERS Contributors: Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay and finance co-chair of Romney exploratory committee, $2,300; Paul Otellini, CEO and president of Intel, $2,300. Endorsements: Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; and Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. ON THE ISSUES Anti-terrorism surveillance: Romney supports the National Security Agency's program. Competitiveness: "Governor Romney believes fostering a culture of innovation is central to growing our economy and improving our standard of living," a spokesman said. He has called for more investment in technology and education. Education: He added a mandatory high-school science exam in Massachusetts. "Fairness doctrine": "I'd veto it if it ever got to my desk, and I'd fight against it vehemently. The effort to try and impose the 'fairness doctrine' on radio stations is, if you will, censorship, Democrat-style," Romney said on the "Lars Larson Show." H1-B visas: "He supports H1-B visas." Immigration: "Governor Romney supports a strong, enforceable employer-verification system that includes a tamper-proof worker verification card for non-citizens, along with an electronic database so employers can check immigration status." Internet predators: Romney has proposed a "one strike and you're ours" plan. "The people who use the Internet to carry out offenses on children should be put away for a long time," Romney said in a speech. "When they're out, track them with [global positioning systems]. No more walking around the streets." Online pornography: "[I want to] make sure that every new computer sold in this country has a filter to block all pornography and make sure that their kids don't see those things on their computers," Romney said at a town-hall meeting. Outsourcing of jobs: Romney believes the United States needs to remain competitive in the global economy to prevent the outsourcing of jobs. "Part of remaining competitive means that the U.S. needs to continually improve its education system, as well as reform the tax code to attract investment and jobs," a spokesman said. Romney also supports a reduction in corporate taxes. Patent reform: Romney believes "we should strengthen intellectual property protections generally, including streamlining the patent application process and making patent lawsuits less burdensome," according to a spokesman. Research and development: "In technology, we as a country already invest an enormous amount -- for instance, in defense technology, space technology, health -- but we also need to invest in some of the emerging technologies that are important at a basic science level, such as fuel-cell technology, power generation, materials science, automotive technology," Romney said on "Kudlow and Company." Virtual border fence: Romney would take action to secure the borders through physical and virtual fences, a spokesman said.
	Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado In his eight years in the House, Tancredo has voted on technology legislation but only sponsored one related bill. LEGISLATION Sponsored: A 2003 bill that aimed to terminate the FCC's e-rate program, which requires providers of telecommunications and information services to give schools and libraries a discounted rate. Co-sponsored: A 2007 measure that would prevent the FCC from reinstating the "fairness doctrine." Voted for: A 2006 law to increase the penalties for broadcast indecency. -- A 2003 bill to ban Internet gambling. -- And a 2001 measure that aimed to let phone monopolies offer Internet access. Voted against: A 2006 amendment that would have established net neutrality rules. ON THE ISSUES Border security: "Homeland security plans which do not include enforcing our immigration laws and securing our borders are entirely inadequate," he said on his Web site. "It is difficult, then, to justify the rigor, expense and inconvenience of new safety measures at our airports and harbors while leaving the door open for terrorists to slip across our southern border undetected." Education: The federal government has no role in education constitutionally, Tancredo said in a campaign video. Immigration: He called the Senate immigration bill a disaster and introduced legislation that would eliminate the "visa lottery" and suspend the visa-waiver program for U.S. allies until the Homeland Security Department makes certain certifications to Congress. He also said laws aimed at employers and to implement an entry-exit system should be enforced. He said would have employers check all workers' Social Security numbers and set deadlines to resolve discrepancies. (The Des Moines Register) Presidential trade-negotiating authority: Tancredo said the authority, which expired in 2007, should not be renewed. "Those who would delegate that authority to the president argue that the complexities of negotiation in a global economy require it, but that argument has lost its force because the presidents have abused the power," Tancredo said on his Web site. "Instead of sticking to trade agreements, they make commitments on matters of domestic policy, like immigration and carbon-dioxide emissions, in the guise of international accords." Network neutrality rules: Against.
	Former Sen. Fred Thompson, Tennessee In his eight years in the Senate, Thompson developed a reputation on technology-related issues as a free-market conservative. The Information Technology Industry Council gave Thompson a lifetime voting grade of 83 percent. SUPPORTERS Michael Turk, e-campaign director for President Bush's 2004 re-election team, is Thompson's top tech hand. Turk is taking a leave of absence from the National Cable Telecommunications Association to work for the Thompson campaign. Endorsements: Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and James Inhofe, R-Okla. Reps. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Adam Putnam, R-Fla., and Lee Terry, R-Neb. Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. LEGISLATION Sponsored: The Government Information Security Reform Act of 2000, which established data security policies for federal government agencies. The law has since been updated by the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002. Voted for: 2002 legislation to overhaul federal campaign finance rules. -- A 1998 law placing a moratorium on taxation of Internet access. -- A 1998 proposal to expand a visa program for highly skilled foreign workers. -- A 1996 law that aimed to deregulate the telecommunications market and open up the local telephone market to competition. Voted against: An export administration bill in 2001. -- A proposal in 2001 that would have loosened restrictions for wiretapping cellular telephones. ON THE ISSUES Border security: Thompson said in a blog post last month that national security is not achievable without border security. He supported President Bush's call for putting more National Guard troops along the Mexican border and for building a border fence. "We've found a successful strategy for increasing border security," he said. "We need to advance it, not retreat from it." He said he also disagreed severely with the Senate immigration proposal that failed this past summer, which included provisions to put undocumented immigrants on the path to citizenship and would have increased the number of visas for skilled foreign workers. Campaign finance reform: He supported 2001 legislation that banned soft money contributions to political campaigns. He has sparred with other Republican candidates, particularly former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., over the issue. Competitiveness: According to the AP, Thompson said during a recent visit to the Dell computer company's Texas headquarters that fair tax policies and a reformed patent system are integral to the country's economic success. "It still is important [that] we maintain a manufacturing base here, especially in the high-tech areas," Thompson said. In a video on his campaign site, he also noted that he is committed to limited government and respecting the authority of states. He also supported a law in 1998 that imposed a moratorium on taxation of Internet access. That statute is up for renewal this fall. Education: "It is appropriate for the federal government to provide funding and set goals for the state to meet in exchange for [education] funding," according to his campaign site. "However, it is not a good idea for the federal government to specifically set forth the means to be used in order to reach those goals." Homeland security: He was the top Republican on the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, now known as Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when Congress moved to create the Homeland Security Department. He also championed a landmark government data security measure in 2000 that has since been updated by the Federal Information Security Management Act. Information technology: On his campaign Web site, Thompson said it is important to ensure "information technology systems are secure and that they give our government the capacity and effectiveness to get the job done." Prior to the 2000 government data security law, "there really were no uniform procedures or protocols in place," Paul Kurtz, a partner and chief operating officer at Good Harbor Consulting in Arlington, Virginia told Wired in its tech profile of Thompson. "It was the government's first foray into this field, and FISMA took it several steps further." Media ownership: In a recent ABC Radio Networks podcast, Thompson said he sympathized with Democrats who have complained that talk radio is being controlled by conservatives who only present certain sides of issues. But he said in the Internet era, when audiences can seek out the content they want on the Web, it would be inadvisable for the government to try to control the news media. He also insisted most Americans are smart enough to know when news reporting is biased. "The era of controllable media is over, and nothing will ever bring it back," he said. Terrorism and the Internet: In a paper for the American Enterprise Institute, he said the Internet has made it easier for terrorists to spread their message. "In the old days, [former Palestinian leader] Yasser Arafat could condemn terrorism in English and promise more attacks in Arabic -- and almost no one would hear about it. In this new age, one subtitled video posted to the web can get the world's attention and trigger international repercussions," he said.

* -- Three Republican candidates, former Virginia Gov. James Gilmore, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, have withdrawn from the race. Gilmore is known for his staunch opposition to Internet taxes, his work on an anti-terrorism commission and his efforts as governor to make Virginia into the "Digital Dominion." View Brownback's profile here.