I am a Democrat. But first and foremost, I am a Coloradan and an American who wants government to function and solve the challenges we face as a country, then make way for people to pursue their dreams without interference.

I oppose piracy and want to see intellectual property protected because that is what fosters and rewards innovation. But SOPA won't accomplish a meaningful reduction in piracy and causes massive collateral damage to the Internet ecosystem.

Throughout history, we have only moved forward when society has distinguished between traditional values and valueless traditions.

It's critical to show that we can meet our commitment to students with disabilities without raising taxes and without increasing the deficit. In the past, there's been strong support for full funding and I'm still hearing that from many of my colleagues.

Congress seems to thrive on breaking promises and passing unfunded mandates down to local government. It's really just a matter of priorities.

Gay marriage won't be more of an issue 25 years from now than interracial marriage is today.

Lady Gaga is one of the most amazingly talented musicians to bring her gifts to humanity in a long time.

But parents and schools have their priorities; making sure our kids eat right because research shows a clear connection between nutrition and student performance in school.

Pizza certainly has its place in school meals, but equating it with broccoli, carrots and celery seriously undermines this nation's efforts to support children's health and their ability to learn because of better school nutrition.

If my son had a baseless accusation made against him at a university, and it was making his life there miserable, I would suggest he transfer or take courses online.

It can be a living hell to go through endless campus investigations. I've seen this go down, and there really is no winning once the accusation is made, even if the process provides formal vindication.

I have a horrible sense of direction.

I don't particularly care what people think of me as long as I know what I'm doing is right.

In general, I think it's an advantage politically to keep people guessing.

You have 435 people in the United States House of Representatives trying to get along.

With the policymaking process, you have an idea, and you try to sell other stakeholders on the idea. That's not much different than in business, where you're trying to find capital to make your idea a reality.

I want to make a difference.

I am from Colorado. I know Colorado inside and out.

Too many public and private entities simply don't take advantage of tools already at their disposal to protect themselves from hackers. No amount of information sharing will help solve that problem.

The federal government has an exceptionally poor record of behaving responsibly with Americans' personal information when entrusted with it.

I try to treat my orientation the same way I would if I was straight, which is to talk about it when it's relevant.

Before running for Congress, I was an innovator and entrepreneur who founded several high-tech businesses that created hundreds of jobs and schools that found ways to serve those children that traditional schools couldn't.

I have taken my outside-the-box, innovative, and sometimes unorthodox approach to Congress.

I am committed to leveling the playing field and expanding opportunity to all.