"As the 109th Congress begins, I'd like to think we could restore bipartisanship to the halls of Congress, something that, unfortunately, has been seriously lacking over the last four years. Republicans are not getting off to a good start.

"Normally at the beginning of every new Congress, both parties work together to adopt the rules that will govern the House over the two-year congressional session. Acting with the same arrogance we've encountered over the last four years, the Republicans broke that protocol and signed off on a rules change that will make it virtually impossible for the House to investigate possible improprieties by a member of congress.

"First, Republicans made it far more difficult to get an ethics complaint investigated by the House Ethics Committee by requiring a majority vote of the Ethics Committee to pursue a formal investigation. Under the old rules, a tie vote led to an investigation. Because the committee is made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, that would now mean that either party could prevent an investigation of one of their own just by holding each of their members firm in a vote against an investigation. That is not how the Ethics Committee is supposed to run, and Democrats across the board voted against this weakening of the House ethics rules.

"Second, Republicans also eliminated the 45-day deadline for the Ethics Committee to announce a formal investigation. Under the old rules, if a complaint was still active after 45 days a subcommittee was charged with investigating the matter. Now, under the new rules, if a complaint has not been addressed in 45 days, the ethics complaint dies.

"Today, House Republicans seriously undermined the integrity of the House. House Republicans want to protect Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who was rebuked by the House Ethics Committee four times in recent years, to the detriment of the institution in which they serve. At a time when the American people have little faith in Congress, Republicans should not have further eroded that trust by approving these rules changes.

"I'd like to see Congress work to ease the strain many middle class families are now facing. We should work together in a bipartisan fashion to create more jobs here at home by rewarding companies that keep jobs here; to help college students better afford college by increasing Pell Grants and other federal aid packages; to make health care more affordable and assessable; to assist seniors with a meaningful prescription drug benefit within the Medicare system; and to clean up more toxic waste sites so Americans can live in a healthier environment.

"Over the next two years, I'd also like to see Congress address some of our nation's largest needs that we were unable to complete last Congress. It's critical that we finally approve a robust infrastructure and transportation bill that will modernize our transportation needs and provide over one million high paying jobs. Congress must also finally approve an energy bill that addresses our dependence on foreign oil.

"However, based on recent statements by President Bush, I expect to spend the year fighting to save Social Security from privatization, working to provide real accountability over the administration's continued war in Iraq and protecting our environme nt from future assault from an administration that constantly sides with corporate polluters."