Social networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook as well as instant messaging like AOL and Google have become a chief means of communication for many children today. Unfortunately, the success of this new communication has also opened the door for predators wishing to lure our kids. We have all seen far too many television programs and newspaper articles with new stories everyday about sex offenders posing as children to bait our kids into the unthinkable.

So today, I joined with Reps. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), and Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) in introducing the KIDS (Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators) Act of 2007 to require sex offenders to register their e-mail and instant message addresses with the National Sex Offender Registry. Once a sex offender has registered their e-mail and instant message addresses, the Justice Department will make this information available to social networking sites upon request to compare with user profiles. Offenders who fail to register their will face fines, imprisonment, or the revocation of their parole. In addition, the Act also makes it a crime for any adults to misrepresent their age with the intent to use the Internet to engage in criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Read the rest of this entry »

President Bush today touted his failed trade policies as proof of a strong economy, demonstrating to workers everywhere that he remains out of touch with their reality.

Let’s review where Bush and Free Trade have gotten us so far:

About one in five manufacturing jobs have been lost since 2001, that’s nearly 3 million jobs that have been outsourced to workers abroad.

More than 1 million jobs have been lost due to NAFTA alone.

Up to 14 million middle-class jobs could be exported out of the United States in the next 10 years.

The U.S. trade deficit is on track to set its fifth consecutive record when numbers are totaled next month. Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, with the extraordinary work of those in the state legislature and the Maine Civil Liberties Union, the state of Maine became the first in the nation to reject participation in the Real ID Act. That faulty law lays the foundation for a national ID card by federalizing the design, issuance and management of state drivers’ licenses, and collecting and storing that information in central, national databases. Residents of states that refuse – or fail – to comply will be unable to use their drivers’ licenses for any federal purpose, such as boarding an airplane or entering federal buildings.

Maine’s overwhelming vote (unanimous in the Senate, 137 to 4 in the House) is a clear signal that Real ID is a real nightmare for states. Many lawmakers who spoke on the floor talked about the need to protect the privacy of Mainers, especially when such a program cannot make us any safer and likely makes us more vulnerable to sophisticated terrorists, organized criminals and smugglers. Read the rest of this entry »

The United States has a compelling historical and moral reason to recognize the Armenian Genocide, which cost a million and a half people their lives. But we also have a powerful contemporary reason as well — how can we take effective action against the genocide in Darfur if we lack the will to condemn genocide whenever and wherever it occurs?  With the new leadership in Congress, I am hopeful we can finally get this resolution passed.

It is disappointing that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission missed this opportunity to help solve America’s nuclear reactor security problem.  These new regulations, initiated by a section of the 2005 Energy Policy Act that I wrote, were supposed to significantly enhance our ability to secure nuclear reactors in the post-September 11th era.  It does not do so.  Instead, it reflects an inadequate, industry-influenced approach that sacrifices security in favor of corporate profits.

There two kinds of measures we can implement to harden existing reactors:

1. Harden reactors to contain the radioactive stuff inside - for instance, more concrete and steel for the containment of the reactor vessel; putting the spent fuel storage pools in a hardened building; increase the protection for the control room and electrical connections to the backup diesel generators that supply power to the reactor in the event of a cutoff of external power.

2. Add reliability and redundancy of the safety-related features in the event of fire or other potential disaster. Read the rest of this entry »

Terrorists don’t target Democrats or Republicans.  They target Americans, and this is why we must face this issue as Americans.  Members of Congress and the American public must know the threats we face from radical jihadist terrorists.  This caucus will give Congress the tools and resources it needs to communicate those threats to the public, as well as help them make more informed decisions when it comes to terrorist issues.

For years under Republican leadership, Congress all but ignored the growing college cost crisis that was preventing many qualified students from going to college. Now, in just the first month of this new Democratic Congress, the House has already voted overwhelmingly to cut interest rates on need-based federal student loans. And this week, Congressman Obey and Senator Byrd have proposed another major step towards putting a college education in reach of every qualified student by boosting the Pell Grant scholarship by $260.

Because of inaction on the part of Congress and the President over the last four years, the Pell Grant scholarship – which goes to low- and moderate-income students – has been frozen at $4,050. Finally, it will be getting a much-needed boost. By taking this step, we will be getting on track towards ensuring that the Pell Grant scholarship covers a greater share of recipients’ overall college expenses. We have more work to do to make college more affordable, but this is a significant step in the right direction. Read the rest of this entry »

For any other group, such acts would mean immediate arrest. This time, the Capitol police’s hands were tied because they were ordered to stand down by their Chief of Police who answers to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). To add insult to injury, public employees had to come in on their day off, at taxpayer’s expense, to clean up the mess the protesters left behind.

According to the news reports the rank and file police officers were ‘livid’ that they were ordered not to arrest anyone. Since the Capitol police answer to Speaker Pelosi, the question arises, did the Chief of Police give the ‘no arrest’ order or did it come from someone else? Whoever is responsible for the order needs to explain why the physical destruction of taxpayer property is acceptable.

The U.S. Capitol belongs to every American and the building, and those who represent us within it, deserve respect. Surely, the tens of millions of dollars the American people have invested in the security of their Capitol means there is videotape that will assist in the identification and arrest of the perpetrators. Speaker Pelosi should direct that investigation and prosecution go forward. If the U.S. Capitol has a new policy on such acts, does it apply to everyone - or just to those whose views the majority in Congress favors?

Last July, Israel’s sovereign border was violated by terrorists linked to Hamas who killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped Corporal Gilad Shalit.

Days later, terrorists linked to Hezbollah crossed into Israel and killed three, wounded two, and kidnapped soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.

All three have been held captive since without medical attention from humanitarian groups like the Red Cross.  No information is known on the fate of the soldiers. Read the rest of this entry »

Do political considerations interfere with science when it comes to climate change? That’s the topic of the first hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Of course politics plays a role in how government deals with science. Moreover, it should. Neither realm operates in a vacuum. Science evolves, and policy must evolve with it. The pace at which policy evolves won’t often be in lockstep with the science. Sometimes, it can move faster. Most times, it must move more slowly.

To be clear, this discussion need not address whether our climate is warming. It is. It need not address whether carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has contributed to this warming. It has. Read the rest of this entry »