Weekly Columns

This past week, I had the opportunity to meet with farmers who had been affected by last month's devastating floods, which caused an estimated $200 million to $250 million in damages to crops and property. Hearing directly from the men and women whose livelihoods were interrupted and letting them know how we will move forward together to ensure they receive the assistance they need, was a moving experience. The situation is urgent. There are some farmers who lost every acre they had, leaving them with nothing.

This Fourth of July, I find myself recalling the story of Nathan Hale, an American patriot during the American Revolution who, at the young age of 21-years-old, served his nation by spying on the British. Hale posed as a Dutch schoolmaster while gathering information, but was later captured while trying to return to the Americans and sentenced to be hanged. On September 22, 1776, Nathan Hale reportedly delivered his famous last words, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

For too long, those on the Left have pushed the false narrative that only they care about our environment, attempting to dominate the environmental policy conversation. This could not be further from the truth. Conservation is a core tenant of Conservatism. Republican President Teddy Roosevelt, widely considered the father of conservation, established the National Park System. Republican President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency.

Freshman year of college is hard for any young person. A child leaves home, often for the first time, to face a brand new world of independence and new ideas. While college should be a challenging experience, it should also be an environment open to exploring new concepts and refining one's own perspectives. Unfortunately, it seems more and more frequently that I hear stories of students who voice beliefs contrary to the school's, or a particular professor, or the "majority" of the student body's thinking, and are told to sit down and be quiet, or worse.

Those with a life-threatening illness or condition know that time is of the essence. This week, I reintroduced a bipartisan bill to cut red tape so patients with terminal conditions may quickly access lifesaving treatments with positive clinical data.

The Promising Pathway Act will allow innovative therapies with encouraging clinical trial data to treat patients outside the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) rigid trial requirements, promoting innovation, and sparking competition between smaller and larger pharmaceutical companies.

In his 1967 Inaugural Address, then California Governor Ronald Reagan spoke about his vision for democracy. "Perhaps you and I have lived with this miracle too long to be properly appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance, it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people."

This year's Memorial Day will be special for many Americans as our nation begins to return to normal, with many joining in-person gatherings with family and friends for the first time in over a year. As we celebrate the holiday weekend with cookouts, sunshine, and good food, let's take a moment to count our many blessings because of the sacrifices of others. Freedom has always come with a high price, and it is our privilege to remember the men and women who died in service so that we may continue to enjoy our freedom.

For months we waited with bated breath as Operation Warp Speed spurred vaccine development and began distribution at a record pace. Now, with the vast majority of Congress members and staff fully vaccinated, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi still refuses to end the harmful practices of proxy voting and remote committee hearings and remains defiant on masks on the House floor.