For much of this decade both Congressional and administration budget projections showed a decline in science and technology accounts of between 20 and 30 percent in real dollars. The real impact to date has been far less severe.

The big journals and Nobel laureates are the equivalent of Congressional leaders in science journalism.

I have long been a supporter of the Head Start program because each and every year I witness the dramatic positive impact that early intervention services have on children's lives in my congressional district.

As I have traveled throughout my Congressional district the one thing I heard loud and clear was simply please stop spending money you do not have rein in spending live within a budget.

We've got activists all across the country like the members of the Million Mom March organization some of their leaders are here tonight. We're phone banking congressional offices and pursuing editorial boards.

I think national issues play into gubernatorial races less than obviously in Senate and Congressional races. Much less. They tend to be more decided by personality leadership qualities and by state or local issues. They still have some effect no question about it but not as much as Senate and Congressional races.

Moreover as the leadership of the House confirmed last year the Administration remains opposed to a congressional resolution on the Armenian Genocide due to Turkish objections. This approach sends absolutely the wrong signal to Turkey and to the rest of the world.

I've declined every congressional benefit I could decline federal health insurance the retirement program the 403(b) program which I think is overly generous. I've got self-imposed term limits of six terms if I have the privilege to serve that long.

As founder and co-chair of the upper Mississippi River Congressional task force I have long sought to preserve the river's health and historical multiple uses including as a natural waterway and a home to wildlife for the benefit of future generations of Americans.

When one may pay out over two million dollars to presidential and Congressional campaigns the U.S. government is virtually up for sale.

Let's not overlook though what we do know about the campaign finance scandal and the fact the Chinese were involved in our presidential campaign and our congressional campaigns.

If we do not get No Child Left Behind right for Limited English Proficient students the law will be a failure for most schools in the 15th Congressional District and for many across the nation.