McKinney is a firm supporter of abortion rights, appearing on EMILY's List of pro-choice women. She has also supported federal funding for contraception and U.N. family planning programs.

McKinney voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, but believes it has been neglected and underfunded. She supports increasing funding by using money currently being spent on the military and in Iraq to decrease class sizes, modernize schools in disrepair, and combat the digital divide. She does not support using vouchers for parochial or private schools, but supports federal funding for charter schools, if they are accountable to the public. She would fight to keep Title IX in place so that girls and women have equal access to participation in sports.

While a U.S. House Representative, McKinney voted no to drilling for oil offshore or in the Arctic National Wildlife Preserve and yes to implementing the Kyoto Protocol. She supports ending the commercial logging program in U.S. national forests and strengthing the Endangered Species Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. She supports increases in funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

McKinney supports raising CAFE standards and offering incentives for using alternative fuels in order to decrease emissions that cause global warming.  She supports increased funding for public transit using alternative fuel technologies and solar and wind technologies that would reduce emissions.

McKinney calls health care a "national security issue" and that all uninsured Americans should be covered by expanding current programs such as Medicaid and children's health programs (SCHIP). She has supported increased funding for community health programs and revision of federal prescription drug benefits to cover all Americans.

McKinney opposed making the Patriot Act permanent, allowing surveillance without a warrant, and intelligence gathering without civil oversight. She supports increased funding for local police, fire, and EMS first responder units to prepare for and respond to terrorist acts.

McKinney has opposed proposals to build a wall on the U.S./Mexican border.

McKinney supports same-sex marriage, as well as anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation.

McKinney believes that taxation on Social Security benefits should be reduced, and that benefits should be increased.

McKinney believes we must leave behind the militarization that has accompanied the Bush administration. She supports leaving Iraq and moving toward peaceful methods of dealing with other countries. 

McKinney was an outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq. She was one of only three members of Congress to vote "yes" on a House Resolution in 2005 calling for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.