Tag Archives: congress

Congress Condemns Dogfighting

Since May — when the news of Michael Vick being involved with dogfighting came out — both Republicans and Democrats in Washington have been speaking out against dogfighting. Democrat Tom Lantos from California sent a letter to the commissioner of the NFL, asking for strong action against any athlete involved in dogfighting. A “strong rebuke,” he wrote, would send a message that dogfighting is not welcome in our “civilized society.” Anything less, however, would be seen as “tacit support for this atrocious activity.” Republican Elton Gallegly also wrote to the commissioner in May, condemning the alleged dogfighting activities. Last week … Continue reading →

Homeschoolers and the Congressional Page Program

Earlier this week, we went to our state’s annual Homeschool Day at the Capitol. It was wonderful. People had traveled several hours to get there, and there was a permeable sense of expectation. It’s put on by a conservative Christian homeschool organization, and it was not only the audience that reflected that. I was very encouraged to hear the many different speakers echo many of my own views. Because the legislature is in session, they were working, taking time out of their busy days to give us three-to-five minute speeches of encouragement. The first congressman came out and spoke about … Continue reading →

Former Senator Robert Stafford Dies

When I was in college, I was fortunate enough to qualify for loans, grants, and work-study. I never really paid close attention to it, but I usually received a Stafford loan each year. To let you know how long ago this was, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Christian Brothers University owing only $5,000 total for four years. I never realized it, but Stafford loans were named after former Vermont senator Robert Stafford. He passed away this week at the age of 93. He was the governor for two years, served eleven years in the House of Representatives, and … Continue reading →

A “Gold Medal” For Jerry

What do George Washington, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz all have in common? They have all been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their contributions to American society. And after raising a record breaking $61 million during his annual Labor Day telethon to battle muscular dystrophy earlier this week, actor-comedian Jerry Lewis looks like he may be next in line to receive the prestigious award. Three senators introduced a resolution Wednesday to honor Lewis with the Congressional Gold Medal for his philanthropy and contribution to entertainment. The lawmakers … Continue reading →

Pet Evacuation Bill in Congress

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Representative Tom Lantos from California has sponsored the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act, which was voted on by the House of Representatives on Monday. Lantos says that this piece of legislation was inspired by an image you may or may not remember from the Hurricane Katrina disaster: a little boy wailing as his dog Snowball was taken away from him. The idea of the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act is to require that emergency preparedness officials at the state and local level include pets and service animals in all evacuation plans. Preparedness offices that fail to include animals … Continue reading →

Save Headstart – A Slowly Dying Free Early Educational Program for Families Part 1

Unfortunately, Headstart is a wonderful program that is slowly fading away. Funds are being ripped away, causing teachers to cut down on activities and a lot of Headstart Centers nationwide to cut down on certain programs. It has become so bad that there is even a website dedicated to saving Headstart – http://www.saveheadstart.org Here are some Headstart Basics from Save Head Start: About Head Start Created in 1965, Head Start is the most successful, longest-running, national school readiness program in the United States. It provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. Nearly … Continue reading →