The fight for agriculture disaster relief is not over. I am committed to pursuing every opportunity to get emergency relief to our farmers and ranchers in South Dakota who have been hit with the worst drought conditions since the Great Depression. The harvest season may have come to a close, but the devastating impact of a multi-year drought on our agriculture industry is far from over. I will continue to fight for real relief for the men and women whose farms and ranches are the livelihood of their families’ futures and the backbone of our state’s economy.

An extension of the research and development tax credit is essential to businesses as they prepare for the future to make hiring decisions, and investments that will create new jobs.  This credit is overwhelmingly popular in both the House and Senate and yet it has been in limbo for over a year now.  We ought to make sure that political threats do not impede the passage of this important legislation.  American businesses are depending on it.

I am deeply disappointed the House failed Monday night to pass what should be non-controversial legislation granting PNTR status to Vietnam.  I introduced this very straight-forward legislation back in June and was pleased to gain the cosponsorship of many of my Democrat colleagues.  In addition, the extra section added last week only serves to codify a process that aims to help U.S. companies if the Vietnamese are found to be illegally subsidizing their exports and was shown to members of both parties last week.

Vietnam has already been given the green light to join as the WTO's 150th member.  And the U.S. is the last major country to take this important step, which means the bill's failure to pass this week will only hurt U.S. companies and U.S. workers.

President Bush has now left for the APEC Summit in Vietnam without passage of this important legislation, thereby damaging the U.S.'s credibility in global trade issues.  If we are to be successful in reviving the Doha process to reduce subsidy levels worldwide - or begin new processes to open markets to U.S. farmers, manufacturers and service providers - Congress must  pass this important bill.

During floor consideration, the bill was supported by the leadership of both parties.  That, in my opinion, is the very definition of bipartisanship.  I hope Congress can do better when we reconvene in December.

Senator McConnell has been a trusted friend and advisor for four years, and I know Mitch's focus and perseverance will serve him well as Republican Leader. With Senators Lott, Kyl, Hutchison, Cornyn and Ensign on his leadership team, the Republican agenda and ideals will continue to move America forward.

I have treasured my time as Majority Leader and look forward to passing the job on to my friend Mitch.

The following is the second in a series of three posts from Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) that provide new members with tips on how to succeed in Washington. You can read the first part here.

Your Congressional Office

• Why is it we always have time to do something over but never take the time to get it right the first time? Take your time setting up your office. Do not make snap decisions. Remember that you’ll be overwhelmed with input from friends, supporters, well-wishers, and people who now wished that they had supported you.

• You’ll have to make immediate decisions about committee memberships, requests for support from various people competing for leadership positions, even personal decisions. Make a priority list of the ones that are most important for you. Don’t try to make all of these decisions all at once.

• Your important immediate decisions will be your Chief of Staff, your living situation, your schedule for the months ahead, and which congressional colleagues you're going to rely on, not just for advice, but actually to help you. Read more...

A recommitment to our roots as the party of fiscal discipline is one of my strongest goals for our Conference.

There is an opportunity for us to begin to do this immediately.

In the Continuing Resolution we take up in December, we should include a provision requiring a balanced budget by fiscal year 2009.  If the Congress fails to balance the budget by 2009, then in Fiscal 2010 all Federal spending other than Social Security, Medicare and interest on the National Debt shall be subject to review in order to balance the budget.

The Democrats have said they favor a balanced budget and have indicated a willingness to work in a bipartisan manner.  We should test these intentions be beginning immediately to restore fiscal discipline to our budget process.

Monday night I voted against H.R. 5602, which would have extended normalized trade relations with Vietnam.  Even though I expected that the bill would still pass on suspension, I wanted to send a message with my “no

During a speech last week, Robert Rubin, Treasury Secretary under Clinton and a top Democrat advisor on tax policy, spoke in code about his party’s commitment to raise taxes on millions of American families and businesses, saying, “You cannot solve this nation’s fiscal problem without increased revenue. Read more...

Developing a memorial in honor of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is fitting and long overdue.

Dr. King, acknowledged as a peacemaker throughout the world for his promotion of nonviolence and equal treatment for all races, sparked the modern day civil rights movement. The movement and its legacy made it possible for millions of African Americans to enjoy rights and privileges not previously available. Because of Dr. King's courage and tenacity, America is a better place.

The 43-members of the Congressional Black Caucus salute those who have made a national memorial for Dr. King a reality.