In the face of a steadfast enemy in Fallujah, what fuels the resolve of our soldiers in Iraq to continue fighting for freedom and democracy? 

Ask our soldiers what they look forward to the most and what keeps them “staying the course” and they will tell you it is news from home. 

It is the news from a graduation they were unable to attend, an update on a sick friend, or a baby picture of their child’s first steps. After all, our soldiers’ lives at home did not stop when they received their orders to deploy. 

They are mothers and fathers, they have elderly parents to care for, they have bills to pay, and college educations to worry about for their kids. These soldiers are concerned about how their children are doing in school, they wonder what the score was at the game last night and they question whether they can make that car payment, just like many of us. Only our men and women in uniform do all this halfway around the world in a combat zone.

Yet, many are not getting this news or are getting it far after it was mailed by their loved ones. A General Accounting Office report, released this month, found that, of a survey of over one hundred servicemembers in Iraq, more than half reported they were dissatisfied with mail delivery. 

This is unacceptable. The very least we should be able to offer those soldiers fighting for democracy is the comfort of a note from those waiting at home. Mail that is delayed for long periods of time, or not delivered at all, negatively affects the morale of not only our deployed forces, but also their families at home. 

Children at home need to hear why Mommy or Daddy is so far away. Husbands and wives need to hear of each others’ love and support. The American public needs to hear the true stories of what we are doing in Iraq.

It is now, while our resolve against terrorism is being tested, that our deployed troops are in most need of mail from their loved ones. 

Failure to deliver military mail is not just a morale problem, however. With the November election on the horizon we have six months until ballots for the general election will be mailed out all over the country to our troops all over the world. 

With 29 states requiring absentee ballots to be mailed and returned through the U.S. Postal Service, the military absentee ballot fiasco of the 2000 general election could be repeated this November if we fail to take action. Our men and women on the frontlines have unquestionably earned the right to express their views on the direction our nation should take this November. They should have the same confidence of any other American that their ballot will reach the ballot box. It would be an enormous disservice to fail to count the voices of the very individuals fighting for democracy. 

Last week I faxed a letter to Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld urging him to place a high priority on finding a solution to this problem. This week I introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives again calling on the Department of Defense to take swift action to correct this problem. My colleagues in Congress already are rallying in support of the resolution to see that Pentagon bureaucrats understand the urgency of the matter. 

This is not a new problem. Over the last 12 years we have seen this problem over and over again. We saw it in Operation Desert Storm, it was evident early in the war on Iraq and we are seeing it now. It is vitally important to the success of our mission and to the strength of our democracy that we correct this problem now.

To guarantee that our military men and women in Iraq receive their mail will require shifting priorities in the Department of Defense. It will require the dedicated cooperation and swift action of a large and complex bureaucratic machine. Now is the time that Pentagon bureaucrats need to take this issue off the shelf, dust it off, and get to work. There is less than six months left to ensure that the people fighting for our democracy have a say in our democracy. But, if we can root out Saddam Hussein, if we can rebuild a nation of terror into a nation of freedom, then we can get the troops the news they need from home and we can make sure their ballots arrive in time to be counted.

:: Quiz - Are your kids safe online? ::

As a parent and as a legislator I am extremely concerned that our children are increasingly being exposed to unwanted sexual material, solicitation, and harassment while online. A survey funded by the US Department of Justice revealed that almost 1 in 5 young Internet users received an unwanted sexual solicitation in the past year. Please take this quiz from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to familiarize yourself with some easy tips for protecting your children online.

Where is the best place to locate your family computer?
A. Child’s bedroom
B. Family room
C. Home office in remote area of house

Answer B: The safest location for the computer is in a room where there is sufficient adult supervision.

True or False: Your children are completely safe if they only visit child-friendly chatrooms.
A. True
B. False

Answer B: Although it is recommended that your child only visit child-friendly sites, realize that anyone can access these sites. Child predators have been known to entice children in child-oriented chatrooms. Nothing can replace your supervision.

What should you do if your children tell you that someone they have “met” online has asked for their telephone number and wants to meet them in person?
A. Take away their computer privileges
B. Praise them for being honest with you about this information, and discuss with them the reasons why it is unsafe to meet in person with someone first met online without your supervision
C. Tell them that it’s okay to meet their friend as long as you know where they are going

Answer B: Rewarding your child for being forthcoming with information is an excellent way to keep the lines of communication between you open. Furthermore, your acceptance and praise of this may encourage them to report incidents to you in the future. You should remind your child not to give out personal information or meet anyone in person without your prior knowledge and consent. 

Of the choices below, which is the worst screen name for a child?
A. katie_ny13
B. CuteLitlAngel
C. BlueEyes7642

Answer A: Internet predators often use screen names to select their potential targets. A screen name should never reveal any identifying information about a child especially things like a name, age, location, year of birth, school name, and year of graduation.

What should you do if you suspect online “stalking” or sexual exploitation of a child?
A. Ignore it, and hope that it goes away
B. Report it to your local law-enforcement agency and the CyberTipline
C. Change Internet Service Providers

Answer B: Immediately report the information to local law enforcement and the CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-843-5678.