As a soldier and combat veteran, I believe American military forces should only be used in the defense and furtherance of our nation's vital interests.

I don't know the science behind climate change. I can't say one way or another what is the direct impact, whether it's man-made or not. I've heard arguments from both sides, but I do believe in protecting our environment, but without the job killing regulations that are coming out of the Environmental Protection Agency.

In the Iowa senate, I helped pass the largest tax cut in state history - returning over four billion dollars in savings and putting more money back in the pockets of hard-working Iowa families.

It will take hard work, but doing nothing on Social Security, for example, simply makes sure the system will go broke. It's time to make some reforms.

Here in Iowa, as a state senator, I have worked hard to find solutions that work for our state and as a result we've reduced taxes and lowered the unemployment rate. We have done that through hard work and sticking to our Iowa values. In the final months of this campaign I'll be asking voters to send me, and those Iowa values, to Washington, D.C.

We need to preserve programs like Social Security and Medicare for our seniors of today and tomorrow. But we need to strengthen both Social Security and Medicare to make sure these programs are still available for future generations.

When we do go to combat, it should be with a defined mission and a plan for withdrawal.