While citizens across the country go bargain-hunting for the “cheapest” gas prices in their areas, Speaker Pelosi and other members of House leadership have collectively put up their “will return after 5-weeks vacation” signs. Sound inconceivable? It should be, but, unfortunately, it is all too true. As America’s families, small businesses and farmers struggle to afford gasoline, Nancy Pelosi and her party remain committed to taking their annual paid vacation. This shameless move by House Democrats to lock the doors of Congress without so much as a vote on legislation to lower gasoline prices is downright negligent.

While Americans continue to pay ever increasing prices for gasoline, House and Senate leaders continue to block real solutions and instead appear to have adopted the policy of "pay more - drive less." What this absurd policy assumes is that only the people who have a significant daily commute are hurt by these high prices.  In reality, every family is impacted by these high prices regardless of whether they drive, use public transportation or walk.

It's no secret that our nation's veterans are enthusiastically using their higher education benefits when they return from service.  In fact, last year over 523,000 American veterans took advantage of government education assistance.  Protecting and bolstering opportunities for learning is a high priority of mine.  Recently, landmark legislation became law that carried a modern education benefit for our nation's veterans who have served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.  Those who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places across the world deserve every benefit available to them and every measure of support when they return home to us.