Harms for Congress

Find out all about my campaign for Congress.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Government Funding a Necessity


Impeachment activity has been dominating the news for months, if not longer.  It can be easy to forget that determining impeachment is not the only requirement of our Congressional members.  Luckily, other priorities are being attended to, and the House approved a spending deal that would fund the government through September 2020.  The $1.37 trillion spending package increases the age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21, and provides funding for the border wall and gun violence research.  The package moves next to the Senate and then, if approved, on to President Trump.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

We’re All Losing if the Truth is Hidden

We’re All Losing if the Truth is Hidden
It’s no secret that we are living in a highly partisan USA, at least when it comes to those in positions of political power.  Life in average neighborhoods might be different, but the news from Capitol Hill certainly seems to show a reality where the party line is more important than anything else.  It’s difficult to know how we got here, or how to get better, but news like the Project Veritas undercover reporting of CNN serves to show that the problem is real.  If the accusations of bias are true, the American people deserve to know that.  Equally as important, if the accusations are false, that must be reported. We can’t thrive in a world where someone’s word is automatically doubted simply because they are supporters of the opposite political party.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Whistleblower Hearing in House Committee

Making all the headlines today is the whistleblower complaint filed against President Trump, concerning a conversation the President had with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky.  Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Joseph Maguire testified Thursday morning before the House Intelligence Committee about the complaint.  The whistleblower document was declassified and released ahead of the hearing, giving everyone, not just those on the Committee, the opportunity to read the details for themselves.

This is a serious issue and as it unfolds, we have to look to the laws of our nation to determine how best to proceed.  All members of Congress took an oath to “well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.”  That is the foundation for all work by our governing officials, and we hope it sees us through these challenges.

(For reference: the oath used today by Congress) “I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.  So help me God.”

Friday, September 13, 2019

Cleaning Up After Dorian

Hurricane Dorian is gone, but recovery efforts are still ongoing, and will be for awhile.  Since the storm moved past the Bahamas, the U.S. Coast Guard has rescued more than 300 people in the region.  They are supporting the Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency and the Royal Bahamian Defense Force, who are leading search and rescue efforts.   In addition, the USS Bataan joined the international effort to deliver supplies, transport relief personnel, and provide medical evacuations, and 18 U.K. Royal Navy medics deployed to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Mounts Bay, which is delivering supplies to the region.  Our thanks go out to the extraordinary men and women working to save lives and help people recover. 

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Mourning Senator Lugar

Richard Lugar was mayor of Indianapolis before he was elected to the Senate in 1976.  He would go on to serve for 36-years, and was a highly regarded Republican foreign policy expert who, along with former Senator Sam Nunn, spearheaded a program that dismantled thousands of former Soviet nuclear weapons after the Cold War.  He died last month and today numerous national leaders and several hundred mourners gathered for his funeral. He will be remembered as a peacemaker and a man whose contributions to our nation are countless.

Friday, April 5, 2019

The Fourth Industrial Revolution


The first industrial revolution started in Britain in textile factories.  The second affected everything from steel to motor cars.  The third brought us computers.  Now, we might be looking at a fourth, one that will bring robots, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing to factories everywhere.  This change will disrupt the world.  Whether it means humanoid robots start to fill factories, or factories start churning out vastly different products every day thanks to the ease of 3D printing remains to be seen, but disruption is certain.  It doesn’t have to be negative though.  Manufacturing is a huge source of economic growth for the U.S. and countries around the world.  If the fourth industrial revolution is coming, here’s a chance for us to shape it so that it has the best impact possible on every nation.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Avoiding another Government Shutdown- Probably


According to the news sites, President Trump intends to sign a border security deal to avoid another partial government shutdown.  While reportedly not happy with Congress’s tentative deal, he has said he does not want another shutdown.  The potential deal doesn’t include full funding for the border wall, but there are other options available to the executive branch when it comes to funding.  Any move forward will undoubtedly come under extensive debate.  There’s a reason negotiation is referred to as an art – it takes skill, finesse and talent to come out a winner, and that’s especially tough during a time when politicians and American citizens are struggling to see a way towards a universal winning narrative.