2006 Op-ed Archives
Action Is Required For U.S. To Remain Competitive In Today’s World
January 4, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- America stands to lose its place as the global leader in innovation if we don’t take action. What’s the problem? Quite simply, other countries are outpacing the U.S. in science and technology. Pretty soon, we may find that we are unable to regain what we have lost.
The Time For Ethics Reform Is Now
January 13, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Ethical problems with elected officials have become all too familiar to Middle Tennesseans and Americans everywhere. Bribery scandals in Tennessee’s legislature and corruption charges in the United States Congress are an embarrassment to our state and our nation. They are especially embarrassing to those of us who are elected and sworn to uphold the public trust. Enough is enough. We can and must do better.
All Americans Deserve Access To Emergency Care
January 18, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Two years ago, I experienced terror as a parent while driving with my wife and our daughter Peyton. What began as a normal Sunday afternoon turned into the worst experience of my life as Peyton suddenly went into convulsions. Horrified, Leslie and I rushed to the nearest hospital to seek treatment for our two-year-old daughter.
Middle Tennesseans Rightfully Concerned About Port Security
Many Middle Tennesseans have contacted me to express their concern about and opposition to the deal that would turn over management of six major U.S. ports to a firm owned by the United Arab Emirates. Under the agreement, Dubai Ports World would oversee operations of ports in Baltimore, Miami, Newark, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia.
Seniors Deserve A Real Prescription Drug Benefit
March 16, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- In the wee morning hours of November 22, 2003, the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit passed the U.S. House of Representatives under the quirkiest of circumstances. The Speaker of the House held votes open for nearly three hours – well beyond the usual 15 minutes allowed for votes. In what is believed to be the longest vote in the history of the House, former House Majority Leader Tom Delay twisted arms to bully members into changing their votes from no to yes. The bill ultimately passed by a one vote margin.
Immigration Laws Must Be Enforced
March 30, 2006 - Throughout our history, America has been a nation of immigrants, but it also has been a nation of laws. We have a legal process to govern immigration into our country, but this system has broken down. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that the U.S. Border Patrol made 1.1 million border apprehensions in 2005.
In Sumner County, Compassion And Kindness Follow The Storm
April 13, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- As Sumner County residents know all too well, Friday’s devastating tornadoes left a path of destruction and heartache across Middle Tennessee. Many residents I have spoken with feel blessed to have escaped with their lives, but nearly everyone in the storm’s path experienced some level of loss.
IRS Proposal To Allow Sale Of Tax Return Information Should Be Stopped
April 14, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Next year’s tax season will be open season on your privacy if new disclosure regulations proposed by the Internal Revenue Service are not stopped. Under a proposed regulation issued by the IRS, tax preparation services could disclose your private tax information to direct marketers. By simply filing taxes, you could be inviting marketers to use your financial information to target you for things like credit cards, home equity loans and life insurance.
Time To Drop Partisan Politics And Get Energy Relief To Consumers
May 8, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- With summer road trips only a few weeks away, Americans have good reason to be frustrated with gas prices that are climbing right along with the temperature. Today, Americans are paying twice as much for gasoline as they paid in 2001, while oil companies are making triple the profits they made in 2002.
Garage Innovators May Provide Key To New Energy Technologies
May 17, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- As energy prices continue to climb, consumers are taking steps to save energy where they can. Many are considering new purchases, such as energy-saving appliances or hybrid vehicles that may cost more initially but save money over the long run. New energy technologies like these don’t just spring up overnight; they are the result of years of research by some of our nation’s brightest minds. And some of the most innovative energy research is not taking place in fancy labs, but in garages across the country.
Honoring The Promises Made To Our Military Men And Women
May 23, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- In our nation’s capital, some of the most moving monuments carry solemn phrases about sacrifice. The Korean War Veterans Memorial bears the words, “Freedom Is Not Free,” while the World War II Memorial honors the more than 400,000 Americans who died in the war with the inscription, “Here We Mark the Price of Freedom.”
Elected Officials Must Live Under The Laws They Make
June 1, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- In Washington, much ado has been made over the U.S. Department of Justice’s decision to raid the office of a sitting congressman who is being investigated on allegations of bribery. Some members of the congressional leadership are arguing that the FBI had no right to search a congressional office. They say the action may violate the separation-of-powers regulations concerning the judicial, executive and legislative branches of government.
Putting Qualified Teachers in Our Classrooms is Job One
June 8, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- The latest news about our kids’ science knowledge is not encouraging. As U.S. students progress through middle and high school, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found recently that their science scores worsen.
Federal Legislation Could Provide Help For Emergency Room Woes
June 19, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Americans everywhere depend on emergency rooms to be open and ready to provide care in times of crisis, but a recent report by the Institute of Medicine indicates overcrowding in our nation’s emergency rooms may leave them unable to address our health care needs.
Increasing Minimum Wage Makes Sense
June 23, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Imagine working all day, doing your job well, and receiving your salary for eight hours of hard work. What do you get for your labor? One tank of gas. I don’t know many people who would be pleased with that payment. But for 6.6 million Americans who work for minimum wage, that’s reality. With a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour, it takes a full day’s pay for a worker to pay for a single tank of gas.
Workers Deserve A Wage Increase Instead Of Partisan Games
August 7, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- The U.S. Capitol isn’t a place where you would expect to find a scene from "Let’s Make a Deal," but that’s exactly what happened when congressional leadership decided to play political games rather than hold a clean vote to increase the minimum wage.
Veterans Have Earned Their Benefits
August 17, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Today, Americans in uniform are bravely fighting the war on terrorism all across the world. This nation asks our military personnel to make many sacrifices while defending our country, and they do it gladly and honorably. In exchange, our government promises basic necessities like health care to the brave men and women who protect us and our interests.
Nation’s Nuclear Waste Doesn’t Belong In Tennessee
October 13, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Nearly two decades after a decision was made to establish a permanent site in Nevada for the safe storage of the nation’s nuclear waste, no such facility has opened. As a result the U.S. Department of Energy is trying once again to force Tennessee to store waste from the nation’s nuclear power plants.
Every Veteran’s Story Deserves To Be Told
November 3, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- Veterans Day is a time for our nation to come together to remember and honor the millions of brave men and women who have served our country. Each of our nation’s 24 million veterans has a unique story of service. Through initiatives like the Veterans History Project, we can ensure that those stories of bravery, perseverance and camaraderie are preserved for future generations.
Every Child Deserves A Loving Family
November 22, 2006, by Bart Gordon -- More than ten years ago, I traveled to Romania and saw haunting images of physical and emotional neglect in that country’s orphanages. What troubled me most about the situation was that many international families wanted to adopt these children, but the country’s cumbersome adoption laws stood in the way.
