Taxing Small Businesses

Last week, I set out on my annual bus tour in Texas. I have taken a tour of Texas every year since I entered the Senate, taking me thousands of miles across this glorious state and every one of our 254 counties. This is my last year as a US Senator, and nothing highlights the reasons I chose to represent my great state better than spending time with our people. Texans are strong, resourceful, innovative, self-reliant, kind, open and world-famous for friendliness. Texas is a destination for everything from barbecue to cutting-edge science and technology, and that is a reflection of the people - richly diverse in so many ways, but sharing an inimitable and unique Texas spirit.

A Taxing Decision on Health Care

The Supreme Court's decision to uphold most of the Administration's health care law is disappointing, but with the vast majority of Americans voicing deep misgivings about the law, the debate is far from over. In fact, the Court made a point of writing that while the law is constitutional, it was not deciding on its fairness or wisdom. The qualms about the law have grown as Americans have learned more about how it will affect them and affect the economy. The law contains over $500 billion in new taxes, cuts nearly $500 billion out of the Medicare program to fund a new government entitlement and puts the federal government between patients and their doctors.

Investing in Space

Since it first became a possibility for man to reach the stars, America has been the leader in space exploration. We have done so because we are a nation that prizes knowledge and progress. We have done so because we are a nation that imagines what can be and works to realize our vision. And we have done so because it is vital to our economy and national security.

National Missing Children’s Day, 2012

In 1983, when President Reagan declared the first National Missing Children's Day, he chose May 25th to commemorate the day that Etan Patz disappeared. Etan was not the first child to go missing, but his disappearance marked a turning point in the way we search for children in America. In a poignant twist, this year's National Missing Children's Day was accompanied by a break in Etan's case - almost 33 years to the day after he disappeared, a confession was finally obtained. I hope for the Patz family that this might offer some measure of closure and that knowing law enforcement never gave up pursuing his abductor would bring some measure of peace. And I hope it is some small comfort that because of their work, and the changes his case inspired, more missing children return home safely than ever before, both in America and across the world.

The Class of 2012: Needing Change ? And Quickly

This month, millions of high school and college seniors will graduate and embark upon their working lives. Unfortunately, they will face unpleasant realities - the prospect of unemployment or underemployment - as our economy continues to struggle to grow and create new jobs.

Unleash Our Domestic Energy

As we approach the peak driving months of summer, gasoline prices are nearly $4 a gallon - double the cost when President Obama took office. It's no coincidence that American workers and families are still struggling through the weakest economic recovery and highest sustained joblessness since the Great Depression. High energy costs are keeping our country in the economic doldrums.

Let’s Ensure Our Nation’s Commitment to Space Exploration

For more than 50 years, human space exploration has inspired Americans. Now more than ever, we must capture the imaginations of our young people if they are to aspire to be the scientists and explorers of the future.

YouTube Space Lab Challenge Winners Show the Power of Freedom, Science, & Innovation

I recently hosted a remarkable group of young people on Capitol Hill - the finalists in the YouTube Space Lab Challenge. We're all familiar with YouTube, one of the three most popular sites on the Internet. (If you're a parent, you know this from your children.)

The Undeniable Damage of President Obama’s Health Care Law

Two years ago, against the tide of public opinion, the Democrat-controlled Congress passed President Obama's health care legislation - the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

Women’s History Month: Two Stories of Texas Trailblazers

For more than two decades, Americans have celebrated the month of March as Women's History Month, giving special tribute to the historic achievements and contributions of women to our society.