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.

It's the clearest distinction between the two parties.
One party would pass enormous tax cuts for the richest 1% of the country when the division of wealth is greater than at any other time in American History, and at the same time, would starve social programs, such as the education system, that can help the middle class open up the same doors of opportunity that are wide open for the wealthy.  People on the minimum wage don't get capital gains tax cuts, they don't get dividends tax cuts.

If we want to celebrate work, we need to pay for work.  If Republicans want to get people off of welfare, then get them a job to enable them to afford a roof over their head, healthcare for their children.

My bill looks towards the future in terms of what energy we are going to be using.  It takes us off of our addiction to oil by funding research and development into alternative forms of energy, such as hydrogen power, solar power, and wind power.

This is all about national security as well.  Our addiction to energy from the Mideast is a dangeorus policy.

This bill brings universities to the table.  Programs like Future Gen will be administered by the Department of Energy in coordination with universities.

Energy is a hot topic in Washington, and there are more than a few ideas on the table trying to convince consumers that Congress can save them money and make us energy independent now.  The truth is this is a long term problem that requires not only a major shift in consumer behavior, bu  more importantly, marketplace penetration of revolutionary advancements in energy technology.  That's a tall order - but one that a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy, or ARPA-E, could help to fill.

Despite the very valuable research already being done at DOE and in the industry, I am not convinced that our current energy R&D system alone will get us much further down this road.  Between bureaucratic inertia in federal research, private companies rightfully protecting their corner of the markets, and the immense scale of the marketplace, any revolutionary change (and there will have to be many) in our energy paradigm will require an unprecedented effort.  I believe we should start that new effort by giving the best and brightest the flexibility and resources to approach the problem in a whole new way.

There are models that we can look to in crafting that effort into a new program at DOE.  Congress can cherry-pick the best organizational and operational ideas from examples such as DARPA at the Department of Defense and In-Q-Tel at the CIA to do business in a way that breeds new life into the existing energy research efforts.

Some ask, "Do we really need a new agency for energy research?"  I say to that, "Are we more or less dependent on foreign sources of oil than we were 6 years ago?  Is it any cheaper to drive your car and power your home and business?"  I think we all know the answer to that.  So let's think about this a little differently.  Establish ARPA-E.

Once again, Democrats are demonstrating a remarkable ability  to distort the facts as they attempt to paint their confusing Iraq policy in a better light.

While Democrats would like to compare their "cut and run" agenda to General Casey's strategic military plans, it's simply not a valid comparison.
General Casey is an accomplished military official who is leading our troops to victory in Iraq.  As a critical advisor to our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for developing multiple recommendations regarding our future involvement in Iraq. Do Democrats honestly believe that our military commanders on the ground have only one plan for victory? If so, they are more out of touch than I could have ever imagined.

Although Democrats would like to leave Iraq immediately, President Bush and General Casey will not support troop withdrawal from Iraq before U.S. troops complete their mission. The difference between the two approaches is critical.  Democrats' Iraq strategy equals retreat and defeat while President Bush and Republicans remain dedicated to achieving victory in Iraq.

Posted by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
We’ve seen what a failure the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been. From 1993 to 2004, the United States lost more than 1 million jobs due to growing trade deficits with our NAFTA partners, while workers in Mexico have seen their real wages erode.

But that didn’t stop the Bush administration from twisting arms in Congress to pass by a bare one-vote margin the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)—yet another deal that looks out for the interests of Big Business but includes few protections for workers’ rights or the environment.

Now, the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (OFTA) is on the table, and Congress should reject this latest expansion of NAFTA’s failed model. This model has accelerated the loss of good jobs here while exacerbating poverty and social disparities in our trading partners.

The lack of effective labor provisions in OFTA is particularly significant in light of the recent New York Times article revealing egregious labor abuses in Jordan—a nation with which the United States has a free trade agreement. These violations include human trafficking, 20-hour workdays, and widespread failure to pay back wages. Worse—the Oman FTA contains even weaker labor provisions than the Jordan FTA.

Congress must oppose the Oman agreement and send a message to the American people and to the world: America’s workers want trade pacts that don’t ignore fundamental human rights.

As a former journalist I have the utmost respect for the freedom of the press. But the New York Times has repeatedly abused that freedom by publishing classified information to the detriment of our national security, in the process putting lives in danger and possibly breaking the law. Revoking the congressional credentials of Times reporters does not restrict their rights - it merely restricts their access to the Capitol Complex. Let's not forget that the New York Times is our guest at the Capitol. The paper has no right, constitutional or otherwise, to have a presence here. The paper has worn out its welcome and its time for them to go.