The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject and authorized such a measure.

Well I think the president is going to do well in terms of his influence for positive change here in the Congress making sure that we don't overspend making sure that we spend for only those programs that are justified.

I have long been a supporter of the Head Start program because each and every year I witness the dramatic positive impact that early intervention services have on children's lives in my congressional district.

As Bob Dole found out you can't keep a positive image while being your party's mouthpiece in Congress. That's why no legislative leader since James Madison has ever been elected president.

Congress must take responsibility for a new positive direction - an innovative agenda that will lead to a more secure America. Secure communities secure economies and a secure quality of life.

I can tell you that too much money is corrupting American politics. Don't blame the American public. The U.S. Supreme Court has a lot to answer for because it has made it impossible for Congress to reduce the corrupting influence of money on American political life.

You know they say the most dangerous person of the world is a member of the United States Congress just home from a three-day fact-finding trip.

They say women talk too much. If you have worked in Congress you know that the filibuster was invented by men.

Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress but I repeat myself.

There are distinct duties of a poet laureate. I plan a reading series at the Library of Congress and advise the librarian. The rest is how I want to promote poetry.

We are telling veterans they must sacrifice to pay for the pet projects and contracts to campaign donors of powerful members of Congress.

The government needs to help those in need but members of Congress shouldn't take advantage of the situation and use a national tragedy as an opportunity to spend taxpayer dollars on their pet projects.

Peace congresses often start by dealing with some of the less important questions in excessive detail so at the end there is no time to discuss the most important problems.

As for the promotion of peace congresses we have had our meetings and assemblies but the promotion through them of the determined and effective will to peace displaying itself in action and policy remains to be achieved.

Congressman Berg will repeatedly talk about Harry Reid and Barack Obama and I find it interesting because this morning when I woke up and brushed my teeth I looked in the mirror and I did not see a tall African-American skinny man. So let's make it clear that my priorities are North Dakota priorities.

There are 435 members of Congress. There's one 'Morning Joe' show. Hopefully we can keep hammering the argument that you can disagree with other people and have debates but remain civil.

As I have traveled throughout my Congressional district the one thing I heard loud and clear was simply please stop spending money you do not have rein in spending live within a budget.

Congress the press and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort is spent rather than whether the money or effort actually achieves the announced goal.

The idea that a congressman would be tainted by accepting money from private industry or private sources is essentially a socialist argument.

We have the right as individuals to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money.

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.

You know that I am living proof that the American Dream is real. Growing up our congressman cut through government bureaucratic red tape to help my mom buy our first house. That's the kind of congressman I'll be.

We've got activists all across the country like the members of the Million Mom March organization some of their leaders are here tonight. We're phone banking congressional offices and pursuing editorial boards.

To this day my mom's unsinkable spirit is an inspiration to me. For nearly thirty years she's worked at the Library of Congress. Everyone knows Sameha simply as 'Sami.' Along with 500 miles of shelved books her closest friendships are cataloged in that library. They are as much the value of work to my mom as is the work itself.