Columns

Rep. Aderhot Op-Ed: We Have Much For Which To Be Thankful, Even In Days Like These

Rep. Aderhot Op-Ed: Why I Voted Against The Bailout

This week marks the 5th straight week of a decrease in gas prices as Alabamians are now paying about $3.55 per gallon of gasoline, according to AAA. What many people won't tell you is that this gradual decline began with President Bush's lifting of the executive order banning off-shore exploration on July 14th, even though a congressional ban still remains in place.

Since Last Friday, House Republicans have stood with the American people in a nationwide protest against Speaker Pelosi's decision to adjourn the House for the rest of the summer without a vote on the energy solutions Americans are demanding. This is why I returned to Washington on August 6th from the District Work Period to speak on the House Floor about possible solutions to high gas prices. I was proud to travel back to Washington to join other House Republicans on day four of this historic protest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision to adjourn the House without an energy vote.

High gas prices are affecting Alabamians in more ways than one. With skyrocketing prices at the pump, high gas prices are causing many local families to postpone or cancel their annual vacations. High gas prices are also affecting our everyday day commutes and forcing us to make budget cut-backs to other luxuries and even some necessities. In addition, the high price of gas is causing the price of food to be on the increase. My wife, Caroline, reminds me of this quite often.

You're probably aware that Congress and the President are currently locked in a political debate regarding the future of the State Children's Health Insurance Program or SCHIP. This has been one of the uglier fights I've seen since I was first elected to Congress; in large measure because Congress and the President have both lost sight of what is important in this debate: the future of health insurance for needy children.

Published by the Birmingham News on Sunday, July 22, 2007, this op-ed discusses the Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007.

Recently the Washington Post published a series of articles detailing the care, or lack thereof, of soldiers and Marines in the outpatient care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. There's no easy way to talk about what has happened at Walter Reed.

Published by the Birmingham News on Sunday, January 21, 2007, this op-ed discusses the Medicare Part D prescription Drug program.

Two weeks ago, I attended the opening of a new photography exhibit in North Alabama observing the 5th anniversary of 9/11. Called Aftermath: Images of Ground Zero, it was an inspiring chronicle of the destruction and painstaking recovery that occurred in New York following the attacks. With all of the images...

I had the privilege of being born and raised in north Alabama. Now, as a husband, father of two, and U.S. Congressman, I continue to value what the area has to offer and know it is one of the best places in the world to live and raise a family. Being a congressman with small children...

Although a world away, the dire situation in the North African nation of Sudan deserves our attention - and more importantly, our action.

I know - from personally talking to so many of you - that I am not the only one experiencing sticker shock every time I pull up to the gasoline pump. Gas prices are at record-breaking highs - and prices are only expected to go higher as the vacation season kicks in.

While these have been challenging times in America's war on terrorism, I know that many of you join me in the belief that in the end, we will win the war on terrorism, providing millions of people around the world with the democracy they deserve.

Many Americans have helplessly, and literally, watched as the nation's broadcasters have filled our airways - and homes - with often offensive programming.

I recently traveled to Iraq for a first hand look at "Operation Iraqi Freedom." As part of an eight member Congressional delegation, I traveled to Baghdad and Kirkuk to visit with United States troops, and see the work they are doing to free that country and ensure it does not threaten the safety of our nation and the safety of the free world.

November 5, 2003, was a historic day in Washington, DC. I joined several of my House and Senate Colleagues at the Ronald Reagan International Building for President Bush's signing of the ban on partial birth abortions.

Recently, I joined many of you in watching the national media cover the removal of the Ten Commandments display from Montgomery's State judicial complex. To actually have the Ten Commandments carted out of that building's lobby is a scene one would expect to see in the former Soviet Union, not the United States of America.

The procedure known as partial birth abortion is one of the most barbaric and disturbing operations in today's society. It is considered wrong by virtually every standard by which it could be measured - except the legal one. Now, we are making progress to change that.

The World Wide Web truly offers a world of opportunity. What used to require a trip to the library, the store, or the bank is now accomplished with the push of the button. In a sense, the world now comes to us. But along with the Internet's convenience and benefits come hazards.

It is hard to believe that Baghdad used to be one of the world's great cities; the capital of an empire stretching from North Africa to the edge of China. A city made famous -- in part -- by the stories "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," and tales from "A Thousand and One Nights."

Protecting senior citizens and creating jobs have been among the top of my priorities in Congress. While those topics remain important to me, and will continue to be, they are joined by an equally important issue: threats to our everyday lives and our national security.

Just recently, the House passed legislation providing seniors the right to choose a prescription drug plan under Medicare that is best for them. We need a plan now. And beyond the partisan debate one truth has become stunningly clear: There are a lot of ways to do this wrong.

In the weeks and months since the tragedies of September 11th, there have been countless stories of inspiration, heroism, and compassion. Stories of a nation united in grief - responding to a horrible act of terrorism. The support for fellow Americans is as apparent in Alabama's Fourth Congressional District as it is in every other community in this strong nation.

While the men and women serving our nation through the armed forces should always be in our thoughts, this takes on special importance on May 18th, which is Armed Forces Day.

Making the recently-passed tax cut permanent means more than just extra money in the pocket of every tax-paying, hardworking American. It is a tool in which to ensure long term economic security and prosperity for our nation.

The tense situation in the Middle East is one with no easy answer. And we are now at the point where the situation is jeopardizing the long-term prospects for peace in the troubled region.

So many people today are trying to find answers to why we have so much youth violence. I believe the lack of moral principles in our society is a large factor. Restoring the presence of fundamental values will help us all, regardless of our differing religions.

The Fourth District is a sprawling one -- indeed one of the state's largest districts geographically. Proper rural development is essential to both our economy and our very way of life.

With each new year come new opportunities. Among the most important of those is the opportunity to sustain, and even build on, the successes of the first session of the 107th Congress; to further our work on the important issues affecting all of our lives, and the lives of our loved ones.

Perhaps never before in modern times has a nation been as focused on its leadership as it is today. We are a nation unified in our efforts in the new: our war on terrorism. We are also unified in the old: our efforts to return to normal after the horror of September 11th.

2001 has been a year that has changed the lives of each of us. Nearly nothing is as it was just twelve months ago, nothing except our values. That was seen again and again in 2001.