Wilderness designations should not be the result of a quid pro quo. They should rise or fall on their own merits.

The spirit of Christmas is - and hopefully always will be - about goodwill and generosity to others and peace on earth.

Today we thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon this great Country and ask Him to continue to heal our land and meet our needs - and we do so through the power of prayer.

Peace cannot come from punishing the Palestinian people.

Today, our actions must be motivated only by our intense desire to achieve a just and lasting peace. The compassion and charity of the American people should be reflected in this legislation, though sadly, they are silenced.

A resilient people cherishing liberty and equality and the rule of law will endure.

America, 5 years after this brutal attack, is testament that a Nation conceived in liberty and equality will endure. It is a triumph of millions of Americans but it is also the triumph of an idea larger than any one person, larger than any one nation.