Editorials
ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR HAS NO PLACE IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS
With a struggling economy and Congress on the verge of passing the largest spending bill in the history of our country, it seemed unlikely in early February that entertainers could make any real headlines. But there it was-on Sunday, February 8, R & B star Chris Brown and award-winning pop singer, Rihanna, his girlfriend of nearly a year, would not be performing at the Grammys. Why? There had been a fight-with injuries. Brown was arrested and Rihanna (Robyn Fenty) was pressing charges, alleg… Continue Reading
February 12, 2009
SENATE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
At the start of every new Congress, Senate committee assignments are reviewed and changes made. While some of my assignments have remained the same-(Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Budget Committee), I have been successful in obtaining two additional assignments that reflect priorities Idahoans place on our remarkable natural resources and a commitment to our strong Native American heritage. In addition to a seat on the Senate Environm… Continue Reading
February 05, 2009
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS REFLECT IDAHO PRIORITIES
At the start of every new Congress, Senate committee assignments are reviewed and changes are made. While some of my committee assignments have remained the same-I've retained my positions on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Budget Committee-I have been successful in obtaining two new committee assignments (both ones I've held in the past) that reflect priorities Idahoans place on our remarkable natural resources and a commitment to… Continue Reading
January 28, 2009
BE OUTSIDE
"Eventually, most of us figure out that it's people, not nature, who create morality, values, ethicsâ??and even the idea that nature itself is something worth preserving. We choose to be shepherds and stewards, or we don't...We will live wiselyâ??preserving water and air and everything else intrinsic to the equation we're only beginning to understandâ??or we won't, in which case Nature will fill the vacuum when we leave." --Seth Norman, in Richard Louv's "Last … Continue Reading
January 07, 2009
OF EPIC PROPORTIONS
On January 7, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its budget outlook for Fiscal Years 2009-2019. With a sobering prediction that this year's deficit will total $1.2 trillion (without factoring the cost of any new stimulus bill), the report cites what many already know or suspect: the slowdown in economic activity and policy responses to challenges in the housing and financial markets have significantly affected the federal budget. In fact, CBO stated that the U.S. will likely see the … Continue Reading
December 17, 2008
CLOSE TO HOME
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." -U.S. Declaration of Independence, 1776 "Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; th… Continue Reading
December 10, 2008
ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR MEDICARE PARTS C AND D
The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons are busy times of the year for many people-we are pulled in many directions fulfilling commitments to family, friends and work. Still there are a few things on the to-do list that should take priority even in this busy time of the year. If it applies to you or an aging or disabled family member, and if you have not already done so, you should set aside some time to evaluate your Medicare Advantage plan and/or Medicare prescription drug coverage to m… Continue Reading
December 04, 2008
LOOKING AHEAD TO A NEW CONGRESS
As the 110th Congress ends, we can reflect on important accomplishments including endangered species reform, the Farm Bill and improving benefits for Medicare patients. With a new President and a different dynamic in the House and Senate, legislating in the 111th Congress will require innovative approaches to policy-making. I look forward to working with my colleagues, and the other members of the Idaho delegation, Senator-elect Jim Risch, Representative Mike Simpson and Representative-elect Wal… Continue Reading
November 26, 2008
NOT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
In recent years, many Americans have spent the holidays away from home, in defense of freedom. Much has changed for the better in Iraq over the past four years, even as our military and coalition forces as a whole ramp up efforts in Afghanistan. But, for over 200,000 military men and women in and around Iraq and Afghanistan, and tens of thousands deployed elsewhere around the world, the 2008 holidays will mean celebrating far from home. It is important to find ways to reach out to them and demon… Continue Reading
November 19, 2008
MOVING FORWARD
Bandied about endlessly now for months during the campaigns, the word "change" was used so often that it was almost rendered meaningless. What can be said, though, is that people have definite feelings about change. Whether it's a new president or the closing of a street on our normal route to work, we all deal with change constantly-as it is said, "the only thing constant is change." So, it really comes down to how we approach these daily events. What attitude do we have? Is it resignation? Can… Continue Reading
October 29, 2008
THE COMMON PURPOSE
"On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom…In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose." -President Dwight D. Eisenhower The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; simple, white headstones blanketing the Arlington hills on the ba… Continue Reading
October 22, 2008
VOTE--YOUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT
It's that time of the political year: billboards, yard signs, political ads on radio, television and the Internet all signal the imminent arrival of this year's general election. Although political ads can seem tiresome, given the alternative-no right to choose our leaders-I can live with the sometimes extreme messaging that characterizes our elections. The tone and substance of these ads should serve as a reminder that voters must be discerning and educate themselves about issues and candidates… Continue Reading
October 16, 2008
TACKLING THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Since 1997, tuition and fees at public four year institutions have increased by an average of 4.4 percent annually. Similarly, tuition and fees for private four year institutions increased by an average of 2.9 percent annually. The amount students and families paid for college after grant aid and tax benefits-net price-fell between 1997 and 2001, but has risen rapidly ever since. Between 1992 and 2003, the net price of both public and private four year institutions as a percentage of family inco… Continue Reading
October 08, 2008
A RECIPE FOR HEALTHY KIDS
The Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) estimates that a nine-year-old boy, 53 inches tall and weighing 63 pounds, needs 1,500 calories a day, if he doesn't exercise approximately an hour every day. A 20-ounce soft drink, super-sized serving of fries and a bacon cheeseburger provide about 1,500 calories. This means this inactive child would get all his caloric (but not nutritional) needs in one typical fast food meal. The remaining snacks and meals over the course of that day make the ag… Continue Reading
September 17, 2008
ACTION ON ENERGY--NOW
Since June, I've been submitting letters to the Congressional Record from Idahoans who have written to me about how energy prices are affecting their lives. I update my website with new submissions every day that the Senate is in session. Not surprisingly, the deleterious effects of increased fuel costs over the long run are challenging people in many ways as they adjust their daily priorities to accommodate budget constraints. And, with the complexity of the fuel supply chain from extraction, t… Continue Reading
September 10, 2008
THE YEAR OF THE VOTER
In January, Time Magazine proclaimed 2008 the "Year of the Youth Vote." I would expand on that theme and say that 2008 is the "Year of the Voter." We are in the home stretch of an historic Presidential election, a highly-charged Congressional election cycle and many state and local races as well. People who have never been particularly interested in politics are tuning in to the news coverage of the campaigns and the candidates, and voters are taking an active interest in the issues on our natio… Continue Reading
August 27, 2008
MILESTONES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
How many people do you know who have been diagnosed with cancer? While one is one too many, most of us know numerous people fighting cancer and those who have won, and others, sadly, who have lost the battle. And the number sometimes includes us-in my case, I've beaten cancer twice. This year alone, the American Cancer Society predicts that over 1.4 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer. Although these statistics are unwelcome, there is progress being made. In fact, t… Continue Reading
August 20, 2008
FUNDING RECREATION THE RIGHT WAY
They get you coming and going. If you're a hunter, you pay a 10 percent federal tax on the purchase of your gun and an 11 percent federal tax on ammunition. Your hunting license includes fees for conservation and habitat. Even that tank of gas to drive into the mountains has federal tax on it. Now, after all of that, you get to your hunting spot and, surprise, surprise, you see a fee area sign. Or it's fishing season, you spend money on equipment, licensing and transportation, and you're rewarde… Continue Reading
August 13, 2008
GOING TO THE FAIR
Every August, Idahoans attend or participate in county, regional and state fairs. In some ways, the fair has come a long way from its ancient beginnings-Romans held fairs to encourage trade with conquered provinces, and medieval European fairs were held in conjunction with religious festivals. Fairs were eventually replaced by markets, but the purpose of a fair-showcasing goods, livestock and crafts-remains alive and well in communities nationwide today, thousands of years beyond the heyday of t… Continue Reading
August 06, 2008
BACK WITH A VENGEANCE
Habits are safer than rules; you don't have to watch them. And you don't have to keep them either. They keep you. -Frank Crane The deficit is back-with a vengeance. Like a bad habit, federal spending feels too good for Congress to quit. And, to borrow from Crane, the habit is "keeping" Congress-keeping it from its responsibility to be a wise and frugal caretaker of taxpayer dollars. On July 28, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) estimated a Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 deficit of $48… Continue Reading
