By the end of September, Congress must reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens act, which the principal law governing the management of America’s commercial fisheries. While this may seem like a small issue, in reality commercial fishing is a multi-billion dollar industry, central to the economies of several states.

There is little doubt Magnuson-Stevens will be reauthorized. Too many states, too many jobs depend on it. It’s more a matter of what reform will look like as the current fisheries management system is just not up to the job. It is riddled with problems, including over-fishing, environmental insensitivities, and massive taxpayer subsides that hide the cost of government regulations, both to consumers and to fishermen.

As Congress finds itself on the cusp on a bipartisan immigration solution, advocates and opponents of reform are anxious to see what the Senate "Gang of Eight" has cobbled together. From everything that I have heard and read, it seems that these Senators have reached a very reasonable, responsible, and fair compromise. As a conservative, I am not thrilled by some of the proposed agreements, but that's okay. If I was perfectly happy with this bill, it probably would not be acceptable to my friends on the progressive side of the aisle. If most proponents of this immigration overhaul are begrudgingly accepting of these proposed solutions to the crisis that confronts America's immigration system, then it seems that these Senators have gotten it just about right.

Inside the beltway, immigration is the single most issue that has captured the bipartisan support of a deadlocked Congress. While the budget and gun control seem to be replete with heated politics, immigration, till this moment, has been a welcoming and civil debate. Just last week, major components were resolved and the news cycle is filled with lead Democrats and Republicans projecting progress to the American people. But when legislation emerges on Tuesday, will Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn stand in the way of immigration reform?

Tourism is big business in Washington, D.C., this time of year. People from across the country and around the world are climbing all over the cherry blossoms and discovering America’s greatest historical figures, from Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and the Roosevelts to Martin Luther King, Jr. and Clara Barton. These visitors have come to explore and enjoy the region’s national parks and monuments, and your local economy stands to benefit.

Fortunately, thanks to the leadership of President Obama and the hard work and input from our bipartisan congressional delegations, community leaders, and small business owners, we’re greeting tourists at our new national monuments, too, this spring.

President Obama came, saw, and commented. Any conquering was done by Israel. Notwithstanding President Obama’s visit, Israel’s illegal settlement activity will continue. The president lost that battle in his first term and nothing has changed in his second.

We are far beyond the point of words, even sweet ones from President Obama about justice for the Palestinians. Thousands of words filled the Oslo Accords, but they did not head off Israeli intransigence, endless delay, and absurd protestations that the Palestinian leadership did not accept the feeble peace offers extended. Soaring rhetoric from President Obama asking Israelis to put themselves in our shoes is no substitute for the urgent need to press Israel to stop expansion of illegal settlements, abide by international law, end the occupation, and respect equal rights.

U.S. airlines lead the world as transporters of people and goods and innovators of technology and service. Even in challenging economic times, they support 10 million jobs and $1 trillion in annual economic activity. But over the past decade, they have been fighting to maintain a globally competitive edge against foreign-owned carriers that enjoy significant financial and policy backing from their governments. Now, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing to set a disturbing precedent that could put U.S.-based airlines at a further financial and competitive disadvantage.

As General Joseph Dunford, commander of all international and U.S. troops in Afghanistan, prepares to appear before the Senate and House Armed Service Committees this week to discuss his plans to wind down the war, just under a week after Army General Martin Dempsey recommended that NATO retain between 8,000 and 12,000 troops in Afghanistan after 2014, you might reasonably believe that Afghanistan only exists insofar as there are U.S. military personnel fighting there. Such a view ignores the ongoing challenges that Afghanistan will face after international forces leave – problems that not only affect the people of Afghanistan but the region and the world. Refusing to acknowledge and confront the political and economic issues posed by the transition threatens to undermine those who wish to overcome them.

There is a scene near the end of the wonderful new movie “42” when Jackie Robinson asks Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey a simple question: “Why did you do it?”  He was asking Rickey why he took the courageous step to break the color barrier in major league baseball in 1947.
Rickey’s response has particular resonance for white pro civil rights Democrats of my generation.

Rickey told a story about how, when he was the player coach of a team at a Methodist college in Ohio 40 years earlier, he had a very talented African-American catcher on his team and how he did nothing to help that catcher pursue his dream to play on a high level. He told Robinson he had regretted his inaction for years and vowed to set things right if he ever had a chance.

As faith leaders, we have spoken out consistently about the moral bankruptcy of Republican federal budget proposals over the last 2 years, and we have supported President Obama’s commitment to protecting the poorest Americans from cuts to crucial programs like food stamps and Medicaid. The president's just released budget, however, falls short of the moral vision many faith leaders have for this country and the president's own ideals as embodied in his second Inaugural Address. While the Obama administration’s 2014 budget has some admirable measures and is far superior to the House GOP plan, it does not go far enough in promoting the common good and protecting the vulnerable.