Access to health care for seniors in America is in jeopardy. Unless Congress acts now, on January 1 the federal government will begin nine years of Medicare cuts to the physicians who care for Medicare patients – our nation’s seniors. Medicare will automatically cut physician payments by about 40 percent over the next nine years, while practice costs increase about 20 percent.

The American Medical Association is concerned about the impact these cuts will have on seniors’ ability to see a doctor. Physicians want to see Medicare patients, but these cuts will force many doctors to make a tough decision. In an AMA survey, nearly half of physicians said they would be forced to either decrease or stop taking new Medicare patients if the first cut goes into effect.

Those physicians who try to continue to take new Medicare patients will be forced to make other difficult practice decisions, such as deferring the purchase of new medical equipment and information technology. When these types of decisions are made to keep the doors open and the lights on, America’s overall ability to improve health care in the digital age suffers.

Physicians’ concerns are shared by the federal advisory committee on Medicare (MedPAC), many in Congress, and the vast majority of Americans. A report by MedPAC shows that one in four Medicare patients seeking a new primary care physician is already having trouble getting an appointment. Eighty Senators and 265 House members have signed letters calling on their leadership to stop these cuts before Congress adjourns in just a few days. When told about the cuts, 86 percent of Americans surveyed said they were concerned that these cuts will hurt seniors’ access to care. Many Americans have shared their concern with their legislators. The AMA’s 1.2-million member “Patients’ Action Network

With the primary now behind me, I look forward to beginning the next phase in my campaign to continue to represent the views of the independent minded citizens of the 2nd District, focusing on issues such as protecting our environment, supporting increased educational funding and working towards reducing our reliance on foreign fuels through the use of renewable energy sources. Over the last 12 years, I have actively listened to the needs and opinions of my constituents and have consistently responded with results. I look forward to the opportunity to contrast my established record of independent leadership with my opponent's. It is now time to turn attention to the race ahead which will certainly be a challenge and will require our continued hard work.

With the Senate taking up the border security bill we passed in the House last week to construct 700 miles of physical fence and a virtual fence along the entire border, now is the time it must be serious and follow through. It is clear to me that what we need to secure the border is the proper combination of boots, barriers and technology. I call on the Senate to join the House and take action to pass this meaningful legislation.

Last month, I took a trip to the Southern border, to see for myself just what was needed to secure that border. I saw, that if left unchecked, illegal immigration will continue to threaten our national security, have compounding affects on our public systems and corroborate a culture of lawlessness. In order to stop the harmful components of illegal immigration, we have to attack the problem at its root, our borders. If we don't secure our borders first, any other comprehensive reform will be undermined by those who wish to harm our country by finding safe haven on a
porous border.

The border agents I talked with while on the Southern border are ready and willing to do the job if given the proper tools. This bill is will provide some of those tools and we must provide them now to stop this growing problem.

Border security is long overdue and it has to be addressed before Congress can implement any sensible, comprehensive immigration proposals. As we continue to work toward a solution to stop illegal immigration, I will persist in supporting only limited, legal immigration to keep our economy stable and our families safe.

Unfortunately, Hugo Chavez has become a clown.  What's even more unfortunate is his deliberate efforts to intervene and interefere with the internal politics of his neighbors, jeopardizing democracy and destabilizing many Latin American nations who are struggling to secure a better future for their citizens.

The inflammatory rhetoric of President Chavez at the United Nations should come as no surprise given his association with pariah's such as Iran's terror-sponsoring leader and Cuba's brutal dictator.  The U.S. must be concerned about these extremist, undemocratic leaders who seek to gain domestic popularity by attacking the US and its President, inciting hatred against our nation and the freedom and liberties that we stand for and seek for all human beings to enjoy. Our country is the beacon of hope for millions across the globe and our founding principles of democracy are the tenets of free societies. Let us remember that those who so viciously attack us are the very ones who are seeking to deny their people the inalienable rights which we are all born with.

In response to the worst terrorist attack ever on American soil, five years ago the United States led an international coalition to liberate the Afghan people from brutal Taliban rule.  Those who had aided and sheltered the perpetrators of the September 11th attacks were swept from power.

Five years later, the Bush Administration has badly bungled Afghanistan policy, and we are once again on the brink of losing Afghanistan to armed terrorists.  The Administration failed – and failed in a potentially catastrophic way – to stabilize Afghanistan so that it can never again be used as a terrorist base.  The horrifying truth is that, as a result, we in this country are in many ways less secure today than we were five years ago.

This morning the House International Relations Committee held a hearing examining these issues.  We had an impressive lineup of expert witnesses, but not one from the Bush Administration.  The Administration refused to send an authoritative witness.  As Afghanistan goes down the tubes before our eyes, the Administration couldn’t be bothered to spare for even one hour the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ronald Newman – who was scheduled to be in Washington today – to appear before our committee to explain the Administration’s policy in Afghanistan.

By thumbing its nose at us, the Administration shows the world what it thinks about Congressional oversight.  I have urged Committee Chairman Henry Hyde to demand that the Administration send a high-level witness to appear before us next week.

Yesterday, I led the committee’s Democrats in sending a letter to President Bush calling for immediate action to reverse the descent of Afghanistan into lawlessness.  The enormous sacrifices made by American and other troops to liberate Afghanistan and its people must not be in vain. Read more...

The U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement will benefit U.S. farmers, workers, and businesses by creating new market opportunities throughout the United States.  The United States has already implemented free trade agreements with four other countries in the Middle East-Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, and Morocco-and I am confident that the Oman Free Trade Agreement will ultimately lead to new market access opportunities for American products in yet more Middle Eastern countries.

This past Sunday, I spoke before tens of thousands who gathered in New York City’s Central Park, united in their compassion and concern, to call for an immediate end to the genocide in Darfur.  One of the reoccurring themes of the rally, and one that was a focus of my speech, was that the need for a presidential special envoy to Sudan to help push the peace process forward in Darfur.

That request became a reality yesterday, when President Bush named former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Andrew Natsios as Presidential Special Envoy to Sudan during his speech before the United Nations General Assembly.  This welcome news brings additional focus, urgency, energy, and gravitas to U.S. efforts to help the people of Darfur and bring lasting peace to all of Sudan.

However, there are many challenges that lay ahead for the new envoy, including, and most imminent, the need to allow UN peacekeepers on the ground in Sudan to protect the people of Darfur.  This afternoon I will convene a hearing to explore this and other challenges that the new envoy will face in this position.

Mr. Natsios has a full plate from the moment he starts this job.  Not only is the crisis in Darfur is getting worse by the hour, but north-south tensions are rising, putting the peace agreement that ended the 22-year civil war in jeopardy.  At today’s hearing, we will examine the ways that we can effectuate positive change and help settle the protracted disputes that have kept lasting peace from taking hold in the war-torn nation of Sudan.

Our vulnerable borders have threatened our security for too long and the Republican Congress won’t kick the can down the road any longer.  To address this pressing national security priority, I filed cloture on the motion to proceed to the Secure Fence Act of 2006.

The overwhelming majority of people who violate our borders do so in search of jobs, but not all. Some come across to deal drugs and commit crimes. Intelligence reports show that even al Qaeda considers our borders a key vulnerability. Without effective border surveillance, we can’t identify those looking for honest work from those bent on mayhem. This is not a Republican or Democrat issue, this bill is what is best for the American people.

Under the secure fence bill we will erect 700 miles of two-layered reinforced fencing along the southwest border with prioritized placement at critical, highly populated areas. Furthermore, the measure mandates that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) achieve and maintain operational control over the entire border through a “virtual fence