Since its inception, our Nation has stood on the foundations of compassion and justice.

On every journey you take, you are met with options. At every fork in the road, you make a choice. These are the decisions that shape your life.

The court's recent decisions have made life more difficult for the democratic institutions that perform the day- to-day work of our nation.

The entertainment industry is encouraging young people to defy and deceive their parents.

While the president is to nominate that individual [to Supreme Court], we in the Senate must provide our advice and consent. This function is not well-defined. The Constitution does not set down a road map. It does not require hearings. In fact, it does not even require questioning on your understanding of the Constitution nor the role of the Supreme Court.

In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt reminded us that the Constitution is, and I quote, "a layman's document, not a lawyer's contract."

It is my mission to ensure that HIV-positive children and children with AIDS are no longer overlooked and that they begin receiving the treatment and care they deserve.