Rhode Island is ranked 8th in the country in regards to it's strict gun laws. From a NRA-ILA study states the fact that 99.8% of legal gun owners never use a gun to commit a crime! So why punish law abiding citizens for the actions of a small minority? That's exactly what these "feel good" bills will do. They would not prevent crime, deter crime, or prevent a tragedy like Newtown!

Introduced in 1949 by the FCC, The Fairness Doctrine required holders of broadcast licenses to present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a way that was honest, equitable and balanced. In 1969 it was upheld by an 8-0 vote by the Supreme Court. Since it was repealed under President Reagan in 1985, we have had a proliferation of partisan talk radio, Fox News and the most partisan government of my lifetime. Reinstating the act could be key to bringing sanity back to our politics.

The Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico will lose virtually all protections in 2015 if Congress doesn't include it in the National Park system as a National Preserve. It's urgent that Congress pass Senate Bill 285 as soon as possible to secure the Preserve's future. New Mexico's economy will benefit and this spectacular place will be protected for all time.

When citizens are innocent victims of violent acts of crime and they are unmarried, expecting mothers or fathers. The Social Security administration makes it very difficult for these children when they are born to receive their parents benefits. The family is already grieving and this makes the process even more difficult and painful for both those that have to be the caregivers of these children who are now left with just one parent or in some cases no parent and the child who may now not have sufficient support during the first 18 years of his/her life. This is an issue many are faced with now that there is a growing epidemic of gun violence among our youth.

Fannie and Freddie are toxic that led to the housing crisis in which they played a role . they must be liquidate.

Imagine this: While walking in the door to your home, the phone rings; on the other end a representative from EPA informs you that there has been a disaster at the BP plant in Whiting, Indiana; something about an explosion and leaking pipes filled with toxic chemicals... The conversation ends with her telling you that you MUST NOT drink the water out of the faucet - the water is contaminated! You turn on the TV and the news is everywhere - DO NOT DRINK OR USE THE WATER OUT OF LAKE MICHIGAN! I wait for this day to come; all that it takes is one problem and millions of people, plants and animals that rely daily on our lake's fresh water, will suffer. The World will suffer. 97% of the World's water is salt water... 3% of the World's water is fresh water... Of this 3% fresh water, less than 1% is actually above ground and of this above ground water roughly 21% of the entire worlds fresh and above ground water lies in the Great Lakes. We must do everything we can to preserve the world's resource! Please act now and say NO MORE TO BP IN LAKE MICHIGAN!!! Water is our most precious resource. We must defend the defenseless and defend ourselves. Big money corporations look out for their pocketbooks, not for the protection of the environment. We are not going to sleep on this issue any longer. We, the people, are waking up NOW! We want British Petroleum (BP) out of Lake Michigan!

When Jason Collins became the first openly gay player in the NBA, he emphasized the importance of his Christian faith in accepting himself and deciding to come out. But within hours, ESPN sportscaster Chris Broussard characterized coming out as "openly living in unrepentant sin" and attacked Collins, saying "I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I don't think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian." Shockingly, so far ESPN is standing by Broussard, describing his tirade as "a respectful discussion of personal viewpoints." ESPN needs to hear immediately that it's unacceptable to turn Christian faith into a weapon of anti-gay hatred.

Health Care

The gridlock in both the House and Senate seems to be controlled by Deep Pockets, not the majority opinion of the representative's constituency. I don't want to wait until November for a change...besides, I approve of how my representatives are voting. I want the gridlock to stop now and the representatives to follow the will of the people who have elected them in good faith.

Reform campaign finance law to reduce political corruption and lessen the incumbents’ electoral advantage:

This bill would close down legitimate small local businesses that help employ people and pump money into the local economy. There are other issues more pressing. Cut unemployment and foster local business! Doing the opposite is what House Bill 3518 would do.

Where can an adult work 50 hours a week for no pay in 2013? The White House Intern program. According to the White House website, intern duties "include conducting research, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, writing memos, and staffing events." That is real work, Mr. President. It's not equivalent to a semester in college. The White House internship program puts many on a fast track to leadership, but is only open to the children of the wealthy. No one can work 45 hours a week and then make enough to pay the high rents in D.C. It's nothing to be proud of. We can do better. A federal court ruled correctly that interns for the film "Black Swan" should have been paid. We ask the White House to lead by example and pay all its employees.