Americans are hungry for a discussion on policy solutions to the problems in their communities that work.

I never got into politics for it to be a career.

Americans are hungry for a discussion on policy solutions to the problems in their communities that work.

There's a whole lot more to the African-American community than entertainment and sports.

In my wildest imagination, I never thought that the fifth of six children born to Helen and Buddy Watts - in a poor black neighborhood, in the poor rural community of Eufaula, Oklahoma - would someday be called Congressman.

My views on everything from welfare to a balanced budget to affirmative action can be traced to what Buddy and Helen Watts taught me as a young boy growing up poor but proud in Eufaula.

The Republican Party is terrific at determining how a program will impact the federal budget, but we're not nearly as good as the Democrats in explaining to people how our agenda will directly benefit them and their families.