With the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as backdrop, both candidates have said military action is needed to fight terrorism and supported creating the Homeland Security Department. Kerry has said he would like to increase the number of active troops temporarily by 40,000 to deal with terror threats. Both candidates oppose reinstating the draft.

Both support creating a new national director of intelligence. Kerry has fully endorsed the recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission for an intelligence director with strong budget and personnel authority. Bush has submitted a plan to the U.S. Congress that would give a new director authority over much of the intelligence community, but not the full budgetary powers sought by the independent panel.

ECONOMY, TAXES AND JOB GROWTH

With the U.S. economic recovery under way but job creation has been below expectations, both candidates say they are focused on spurring growth.

Bush has called on Congress to make permanent the tax cuts approved in 2001 and 2003, saying they will help create jobs. Bush has also talked about tackling tax reform in a second term.

Kerry wants to repeal the Bush tax cuts for Americans earning over $200,000 a year to help pay for health care, but he would retain cuts for the middle class. He says rolling back tax cuts for the wealthy will restore fiscal health and lead to growth. Kerry favors doing away with tax benefits for companies that move jobs overseas. Kerry would also raise the minimum wage.

HEALTH CARE

U.S. health care costs have soared in recent years and about 45 million Americans lack health insurance.

Bush seeks to reduce that number through tax breaks and health savings accounts to help people purchase insurance. He would also limit medical malpractice law suits.

Kerry aims to significantly reduce the number, partly by expanding existing government programs, helping businesses afford insurance, and picking up some of the cost of catastrophic illnesses. Critics say the plan would be costly.

ENERGY POLICY With consumers facing higher winter heating costs, paying near-record gasoline prices, and still stinging from an electricity crisis, both candidates support efforts to mandate increased automobile fuel efficiency, build a natural gas pipeline to Alaska and raise the use of alternative fuels. But they differ on oil and gas drilling.

Bush, a former oil executive, favors oil exploration in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, while Kerry opposes such drilling. Bush also supports constructing new nuclear plants and storing nuclear waste in Nevada's Yucca Mountain, both of which Kerry opposes. Kerry supports the continued use of existing nuclear plants.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Same-sex marriage erupted as a controversial issue this year as some states began recognizing these marriages. Bush and Kerry both say they oppose same-sex marriage while accepting different degrees of civil unions for gay couples. Bush supports a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. Kerry opposes the amendment.

ABORTION

Bush opposes abortion in most cases and Kerry supports a woman's right to abortion. Bush has sought to double to $273 million funding for education programs advocating abstinence and has cut U.S. foreign aid to family planning groups that support abortion. Kerry would allow U.S. foreign aid to go to those family planning groups. Kerry voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 that Bush signed into law because the measure did not make an exception to save the life of the mother.

GUN CONTROL

Bush, backed by the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby, opposes most limits on gun ownership and did not act to prevent the recent expiration of an assault weapons ban. Kerry, who says he is an avid hunter, supports some limits on gun ownership and measures that would hold gun makers liable for gun crimes.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Bush backs a plan that would divert some Social Security taxes to private investment accounts for workers. Bush says the change would save the retirement program for younger workers and would not affect the benefits of current retirees or those near retirement. It is unclear how he would cover the transition costs, as much as $2 trillion, in the face of record budget deficits.

Kerry says private accounts expose retirees to too much risk and drain the retirement system of money it needs to pay benefits. He says more fiscal responsibility would help protect the system.

MEDICARE

Bush says the Medicare overhaul enacted last year will help seniors pay for costly prescription drugs and give them more health coverage choices.

Kerry said the plan was a giveaway to the pharmaceutical industry and that he would do more to help push drug prices lower, including allowing the importation of low cost prescription drugs from Canada.