I have also come to understand Congress' need for a bipartisan as well as a partisan capacity.

What drew me to both study and activism was the formative experience of the civil rights movement.

We pass bills authorizing improvements and grants. But when it comes time to pay for these programs, we'd rather put the country's money toward tax breaks for the wealthy than for police officers who are protecting our communities.

Honest discussions - even and perhaps especially on topics about which we disagree - can help us resist hypocrisy and arrogance. They can also help us live up to the basic ideals, such as liberty and justice for all, on which our country was founded.

The impending teacher shortage is the most critical education issue we will face in the next decade.

I have also come to understand Congress' need for a bipartisan as well as a partisan capacity.

Personal faith can be a powerful force for public good.