Today the House passed a new, and more narrowly tailored, border security bill aimed at strengthening U.S. borders with fences. A virtual fence of cameras and sensors and a 700 mile barrier along the southwest border are a good start, but they are just a start. For the past month, while I have been traveling around my Ohio district, a highly-agricultural area which relies both on the rule of law and a migrant workforce, I have only positive reviews of my five guiding principles for immigration reform. My district stands behind reform and I think my five principles are a good approach to reform.

As we continue this debate, here are my Five Principles on Immigration Reform:

- Strengthen border security by increasing resources to federal and state authorities to strengthen border patrol efforts;

- Enforce our laws banning the hiring of illegal immigrants;

- Design a limited guest worker program to allow temporary workers to live in the country legally for a fixed, but limited period of time;

- Oppose amnesty for those who have broken our laws;

- Change the focus of legal immigration to make it easier for our country to accept legal immigrants with higher skills or education such as doctors and scientists.

Would you purchase a car without reading what costs the car dealership added?  Then why should we expect health care consumers to purchase their care without seeing the true cost?

Outside of terrorism and the War in Iraq, the affordability of health care is among most American's chief concerns.  One reason why health care does cost so much is that it is difficult for the consumer to influence the price at any point.  A myriad of payers, government and third parties have obscured the cost of care over time to the point where it is even difficult for practitioners to know how much services cost.

I have devised a new way of looking at health care transparency.  My legislation, H.R. 6053, The Health Care Price Transparency Act of 2006, will oblige states to create systems that would require hospitals to disclose charges, to provide access to that information, and to have health plans provide a statement of the estimated out-of-pocket costs of an individual for anticipated future health care services.

The American health care system needs a healthy dose of transparency so that consumers can truly be knowledgeable and responsible for making their own health care decisions.

It's important that we set up a tribunal that is fair. No matter how despicable the individual, no matter how heinous the crime committed, it is still the right thing to do to set up a tribunal that is fair. These tribunals will be unique, in that they'll be the first conducted in an atmosphere in which the war is continuing to go on. Previous tribunals have always been conducted after the cessation of hostilities, but with this one we have to accommodate a continuing fight against the bad guys.

The commissions that were set up under this legislation will provide the defendant or the accused with a lawyer and with an opportunity, in most instances, to confront the evidence that is being presented against him. There may be some rare exceptions where classified information will have to be protected. The legislation sets up a due process that hopefully will strike a balance between providing the accused with the right to a fair and full trial while at the same time protecting America from its enemies.

I was concerned about that particular aspect of it but voted for the legislation even with that reservation after receiving assurances from Chairman Duncan Hunter to continue to work on the new system. In addition, there are three levels of appeal that allow the defendant a fair and full trial.

I hope we will finish work on a bill that President Bush can sign so that we can begin the hard work of convicting of crimes that they have committed against the United States and our allies.

Government contracts worth over $762 billion for initiatives like homeland security, Iraq reconstruction, and Hurricane Katrina recovery have been plagued by significant fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement under the Bush Administration. And it’s not hard to see why.

Under the Bush Administration and Republican Congress, no-bid contracts have been the rule, not the exception, and well-connected contractors with poor performance have received large award fees. Abuse prone cost-plus contracts have given contractors little or no incentive to control costs. And “layer cake

As we commemorated the anniversary of one of America's darkest days, I was reminded of the thin line between discussing our national security and playing politics with those who would harm Americans. This past week, and indeed, these past five years have shown us the harsh reality that the President and his Administration are simply playing politics.

Instead of finding out what happened on that day five years ago, the Administration worked to thwart the efforts of the 9/11 Commission. Instead of pursuing Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, they allowed him to escape. Instead of implementing the homeland security recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, they passed laws restricting civil liberties. They've failed to secure the borders, failed to inspect cargo that passes through our ports, and failed to reach out to allies who could help us track down and corner those who wish us harm. Instead of focusing our resources on preventing the spread of terrorism, the Administration lied, fabricated, and mislead us into a war with a country that had nothing to do with the terrorists who attacked us. Moreover, they sent our troops into harm's way without sufficient numbers, adequate body armor, or even a plan to establish peace after the invasion.

Most of all, they have failed to understand that our national security depends upon far more than just the bombs on the wings of an airplane. It is the combined effect of all of our national strengths—military, economic, cultural, and diplomatic. If our experience in the Cold War taught us anything, it is that the combined effect of these forces is far more powerful than any one alone. We did not defeat the Soviet Union with military power alone, nor will we be able to bomb our way through the great threats of the modern world. We must employ the same, combined, coordinated approach that so effectively tore down the Iron Curtain and bring to bear the full might of the United States if we are to continue to be a leading force in the world.

Yet, despite this essential truth, this Administration insists upon staying a broken and badly misguided course. We are fighting the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time against the wrong enemy—and for the wrong reasons. We need a new course and that must begin by accepting the facts on the ground. Iraq is in a state of civil war, the broader Middle-East is badly destabilized, Osama bin Laden is operating freely, and we have no viable plan to fix any of these problems. We must immediately begin to redeploy our troops to resume the hunt for al-Qa'ida. We must work for a political solution in Iraq, drawing upon the lessons of Bosnia to establish three separate, semi-autonomous regions. Lastly, we must repair the broken alliances around the world—alliances that will give us the broad reach to hunt down and capture terrorists no matter where they hide—and restore the United States to our place as the leader, and the hope, of all nations.

I saw Nancy Pelosi's comments that capturing Osama Bin Laden would not make us safer. And I had one thought: "What a quack." Based on her logic, Hitler should've been a low-priority target during World War II. In the run-up to November, this is one of the hundreds of reasons Americans must consider WWPD - What Would Pelosi Do?

Rep. Mike Ferguson wants to change the Constitution to make abortion a crime even in the case of rape or incest. My campaign recently launched a new television commercial informing voters of his extreme position on choice.

I have long worked to protect women’s health and defend a woman’s right to choose while in public office. I will always support legislation guaranteeing women access to safe, legal contraceptives and abortion services. I trust women to make the right decision. Nobody – especially Mike Ferguson – has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body. That decision is between a woman, her family, and her doctor.

Watch my commercial and let me know what you think.

Lincoln Chafee's historic victory in yesterday's primary bodes extremely well for the general election. His honest, independent leadership and integrity brought voters to the polls in record numbers, and it is evident that enthusiasm for Senator Chafee and his record will carry through to November. Chafee's support across Rhode Island -- from both Republicans and independents -- will make it very difficult for Sheldon Whitehouse to gain traction in his bid to unseat Senator Chafee. Look for him in Chafee's rear view mirror...

A few weeks ago I took my pickup around Eastern Montana to talk with Montana families and businesses about my ‘Real Energy, Real Change’ plan.  At a time when energy prices are through the roof and folks have to dig deeper in their pockets to fill their tanks, heat their homes, run their farms and keep their businesses afloat, we need vision and a plan for energy independence in our country.  By taking concrete steps to invest in bio-diesel, ethanol and wind power, along with developing our state’s abundant natural resources cleanly and efficiently, Montana has the potential to play a key role in leading our country to energy security.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently reported that the U.S. Senate’s Interior Spending Bill is only a fraction of the funding needed to implement renewable-fuels standards.  My opponent, Sen. Burns, crafted that bill and calls it a success.  I call that lack of vision and poor leadership, and it’s this kind of poor leadership in Washington that has allowed our country to become more dependent on foreign oil than we were in the 1970s. It’s that lack of leadership that is allowing multinational oil and gas companies to write our energy policy.

We can achieve energy independence, with government that will facilitate and encourage development of alternative and renewable energy.