Weekly Columns

During a quick glance of the news, it’s impossible to ignore the mounting crises overseas, like the dangerous uprising of terrorists groups in the Middle East and mobilization of pro-Russia rebels in Ukraine. While these worldwide crises are currently in the forefront and rightly viewed as urgent threats to our nation’s security, the sometimes overlooked yet increasingly dangerous threat to our nation’s future prosperity and security is living in the form of our exploding national debt.

While human trafficking is often viewed as an international problem, there is a sad yet growing presence of enslavement and exploitation crimes here in the United States. In order to bring criminals to justice and help victims heal, awareness of the problem is the first step. But of even greater importance is our response to the circumstances and resolve to prevent and ultimately defeat the problem. Through several pieces of legislation considered last week, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the U.S.

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear two competing portrayals of the global situation, along with visions of the role that America should play in it. In a world that becomes more closely-linked by the day through air travel, digital communication and trade, the steps and direction that our nation takes today with its foreign policy must be decisive, determined and constantly monitored.

At the end of last year and ahead of the 114th Congress, lawmakers in both chambers voted to fund the government and avert another painful and unnecessary shutdown. While the legislation funded nearly all areas of government through the end of the fiscal year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was only funded through February. This legislative strategy was enacted to allow the new majority in both chambers the opportunity to address the president’s unconstitutional executive order related to immigration and rightly block funding for its implementation.

Despite claims that he wants to work with the new Congress and enact positive reforms for the American people, President Obama certainly isn’t starting off the year in a way that reflects such intentions. By already threatening to veto any legislation on Keystone XL that makes it to his desk, the president is choosing environmental extremists over hardworking Americans who would benefit from the thousands of jobs created.

This week, newly elected lawmakers as well as those returning to Congress will come together and be sworn in to represent the beliefs, values and viewpoints of every state across the nation. But with the start of this new Congress also comes a fresh majority that was decisively elected by the American people.

As we prepare for the new Congress that assumes office on January 6 of 2015, it is important to think back on the full year behind us and remember what it meant for our country. While there were numerous challenges both at home and abroad, I believe that this year proved productive and set a positive example of bipartisanship. Despite inevitable differences on both sides of the aisle, there were several legislative achievements that proved government can function—even when it is divided.

Certainly, we always celebrate the safe return of one of our own. Especially before the holidays, we understand the relief felt by the family, friends and loved ones of Alan Gross, the U.S. citizen who was held captive in Cuba for five years after entering the country as a contractor. On the same day as the release of Gross last week, the Obama Administration announced a plan to “normalize relations” with the corrupt Castro regime responsible for the imprisonment. The steps ahead include efforts to re-establish diplomatic relations and open commerce by lifting sanctions.