E-Newsletters
Our nation once again is dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy. Last Saturday, one of my colleagues was meeting with her constituents in Tucson. It's the type of event that every Member of Congress has done many times.
It's become a common sight now in most televised sporting events. In football, the referee goes into a booth to review the previous play. In basketball, an official may need to review the play on a television set to see if a shot went in before the buzzer.
This week I will take the federal oath of office on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. In doing so, I will swear to defend and bear allegiance to the Constitution. I will also affirm my intent to represent the people of the Sixth District to the best of my ability. The ceremony is an act and a pledge I take very seriously.
The 111th Congress has adjourned for the last time, something known in legislative-speak as Adjournment Sine Die. In Latin it means "without another day." For many Americans, that news comes with a sigh of relief.
As Christmas quickly approaches, I find myself thinking about events that happened 66 years ago this week. Fighting Nazis in Belgium, members of the 101st Airborne found themselves in perilous danger. Freezing, short on provisions and hopelessly out-gunned the 101st held on to achieve one of the seminal moments in World War II.
Earlier today, President Obama signed H.R. 4853, the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010, into law (more on the specifics below). I am pleased that Congress and the Administration were ultimately able to work in a bipartisan manner to protect the American people from the largest tax increase in history.
In the current lame duck session of Congress, there is still much work to be done. With just a few weeks to go until the New Year, Congress still has not acted to prevent the largest tax increase in American history.
This week I was selected by my colleagues to lead the Small Business Committee, one of 21 committees in the House of Representatives. This role will put me squarely in the fight to get our economy moving again.
As we turn the calendar to December, I am reminded that the sports season is in full swing. In the Sixth Congressional District, we have a pair of state football champions (Mound City and Penney High School in Hamilton), and a girl's cross-country champion (Kearney). Basketball season has begun and you can bet some of our teams will be cutting down the nets early next year.
While it may seem as though 2010 just began, New Years is rapidly approaching. For most, the beginning of a new year is a time for reflection with friends and family. It is also an opportunity to look forward to all of the possibilities the future holds.