There should be no underestimating the significance of the change or the impact the absence of non-discrimination will have on the Internet as we have come to know it. Allowing network operators to discriminate against specific websites and Internet content will change the very nature of the Internet forever. I am disappointed by the committee's vote, but I am committed to restoring the non-discrimination principle that has guided the Internet since its inception, and hopeful we will continue to make progress.

The amendment Senator Dorgan and I offered yesterday during the Senate Commerce Committee's consideration of the Communications, Consumer's Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006 would have simply ensured all Internet users have an equal ability to view the content and applications of their choice. Net Neutrality is not a government regulation, but rather a restoration of the guarantee to unfettered, unfiltered, collection and dissemination of ideas and ideals on the Internet. The misunderstanding of this issue can be countered with information, discussion, and the facts.

Yesterday the Commerce Committee, which I am a member of, passed the most comprehensive telecommunications bill in a decade. This legislation addresses many issues and fixes many problems consumers have faced ranging from how we communicate with one another to how we will view television. I was very pleased with how the members of the committee worked together in order to create a piece of legislation that will help our nation move forward in the area of telecommunications.

One area of this bill I would like to comment on is language I added to protect children. This language requires operators of pornographic websites to have a homepage that contains no pornographic images or material. This will prevent children from stumbling across obscene pictures without restricting access by adults. Many times pornographic websites use web addresses which are very similar to other, non-pornographic websites. When a child, for example, accidentally types in a .com instead of .gov or .org, sexually explicit photos would appear on the screen. As we offer legislation to move our nation forward into new territories dealing with telecommunications, I want to ensure we protect our kids from dangers that may come their way.

Japan’s Prime Minister Koizumi’s visit to Washington, D.C. to meet with President Bush is a timely opportunity to talk about my bill blocking imports of Japanese beef if Japan doesn’t lift its unfair embargo on U.S. beef. Because the beef industry can’t tolerate this unfair ban much longer, I’ll push my bill forward to block Japanese beef imports until Japan fully resumes beef trade. This is an issue of fair trade, in principle and practice, and Nebraska’s significant beef industry deserves fairness.

Japan’s embargo on U.S. beef products over the last three years has cost the Nebraska beef industry $875 million and cost Nebraska 1300 jobs. I believe the ongoing embargo is unfair and the cumbersome Japanese bureaucracy is moving too slow to reinstate beef trade with the United States. I’ve expressed my frustration and have been in constant communication with Japanese officials, including Japan’s Ambassador to the United States, Ryozo Kato, trying to work out a solution to the trade impasse. I’ve always maintained that U.S. beef is the safest, highest quality beef in the world. And once Japan ends this unfair and bureaucratic embargo, I’m sure they’ll recognize the safety and quality of U.S. beef as well.

Social Security should be a guaranteed benefit, not a guaranteed gamble. It must be reliable, undeniable, and inflation-proof. I am alarmed to see that a budget will come to the floor next week that could be a backdoor way of privatizing Social Security.

Under the guise of empowering an unelected commission, they would have the authority to cut benefits to turn it over to Wall Street where seniors would have to rely on the political promises and fear the bear of a market. We cannot let this happen.

I think it's ironic that people who call for a "moral agenda" waste taxpayer money on mismanaged Katrina relief and on operations in Iraq, while cutting back on children's assistance.

They need a good look in the mirror.

Yesterday, an amendment was approved that would give $2 million to West Coast salmon fishers hit hard by a sharp cutback in this year's fishing season. This is nowhere near the amount of funds necessary, but getting funding for disaster assistance included in this bill is a significant victory for our coastal communities. I appreciate Chairman Wolf and my colleagues for recognizing that fishing communities in Oregon and California vitally need our help. We'll be fighting to get more assistance in the Senate and the conference committee.

Senator Nelson wants to have federal control of the state's coast. We can ill afford to do that with only 5% representation in Congress.

I want Florida's future to be more closely tied to its state legislature, which is not accountable to Texas, Oklahoma, and other oil states.

This is our coastline, and we need to determine our future.

I support  the Palestinians returning that young 19-year old soldier.  If they refuse to do that, then the Israelis have no choice.

The Palestinian authority can prevent an attack in Gaza.  If they don't return that soldier, then Israel has every right to go in and find that kid.  While they're there, they might as well destroy Hamas's capacity to attack them.
Israelis took a very courageous step in unilaterally disengaging from Gaza.  One would have thought that the Palestinians would have used that opportunity to demonstrate that they are capable of self-governance.  Instead, they have launched over 1,000 Quassam rockets to Israel and have demonstrated themselves to be incapable at this time of creating a state for the Palestinian people.

The death tax is a socialist tax. It is born out of jealousy and envy. It says, "You've made too much money, so we want to take 1/2 of it from you."

We need to encourage people to make a good living, to pay their taxes while alive.

And while they're dead, the government should not steal from the wallets of their cold, lifeless body.