It is not acceptable that we continue to see thousands of acres burn because of forest fires, because of poor management on our forests, big kill, and we have these catastrophic situations take place when we are not able to take action.

Many defense experts have predicted that we face no greater threat from a single country than from Iran.

My top three priorities for my first term in Congress are growing our economy; providing for quality, affordable health care; and keeping our nation and communities safe.

No longer should we rely on oil from countries that are not necessarily friendly or democratic.

People in Eastern Washington should be confident in knowing that the government will not come and seize their property or farm land. Legislation is needed to correct this decision and restore the principle of having limited government involvement.

This year I hope to introduce legislation that would require Power Administrations to list direct and indirect costs associated with ESA compliance as a line item on customer's power bills.

Today, over half of China's undergraduate degrees are in math, science technology and engineering, yet only 16 percent of America's undergraduates pursue these schools.

We need to tap the resource of current and retiring science and math professionals that have both content mastery and the practical experience to serve as effective teachers.

What has made America great have been the opportunities given to everyone in this country. Since our founding, individuals and families have come to America to seek freedom, opportunity and the choice for a better life.

Yet since the 1950s, little has been done to prepare for our country's current or future energy needs.

Restoring the people's voice in Congress is not just one part of our Better Way agenda, it's the most important part. Unless people are back in the driver's seat, we won't be able to rebuild our military, roll back the red tape, or help our most vulnerable.

If you look at the architecture of Washington, D.C., it is not by mistake that the dome over the Capitol is the very center of the federal city. The White House and the Supreme Court are set about us, satellites to the supreme power of the people expressed in the legislative authority of Congress.

Big, expensive government is not the answer for people without disabilities, nor is it for those with.

Children in foster care are there through no fault of their own, and they face challenges that would test the resolve of even the most mature adults: frequent moves, early trauma, instability, and in many cases, abuse.

Maintaining healthy forests is essential to those who make a living from the land and for those of us who use them for recreational purposes.

The heavy hand of government and its rules are causing family businesses to shutter their doors.

The Republicans have long had a platform of being pro-life. And I'm someone that believes life begins at conception and should be protected.

The Pacific Northwest depends on inexpensive renewable energy from our dams.

We depend on our rivers and dams for energy, transportation, irrigation and recreation and I will continue this year to fight for what's best for the Pacific Northwest.

Math and science fields are not the only areas where we see the United States lagging behind. Less than 1 percent of American high school students study the critical foreign languages of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Russian, combined.

Women oftentimes are the ones making those economic decisions, sitting around the kitchen table and trying to figure out how to pay for rising gas prices or food prices or the health insurance costs. And I think that they see where they expect their leaders in Congress to also make those tough decisions.

We believe in a government that trusts people and doesn't limit where you finish because of where you started.

I've lived the American dream.

Providing tax relief and reducing regulations leads to job creation and new economic opportunities for our small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy.