Delaware's firefighters put their lives in jeopardy every day in an effort to keep families safe.

Over the years, I've had a lot of different jobs - newspaper boy, dish washer, naval flight officer, Amtrak board member, Governor and chairman of the National Governors Association - just to name a few. But my most cherished job - and frankly my most important job for that matter - is being a father.

Like many dads I know, I've long been motivated in all aspects of my life by my love for my children - and my desire to make the world better a better place for them, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren.

Class action lawsuits are an important part of our legal system. All citizens should have the right to band together and settle grievances with bigger companies, but that system is broken and it needs fixing.

In my home state of Delaware, we've done our homework and worked hard and, as a result, we've made great strides in cleaning up our own air pollution. Unfortunately, a number of the upwind states to the west of us have not made the same commitment to reducing harmful pollution by investing in cleaner air.

Unbeknownst to a lot of us, our children actually listen to just about everything we say and, even more so, watch everything we do. They notice the choices we make and the company we keep.

Hurricane Katrina reiterated the need for [access to] medical records, ... ... But there's going to be a lot more needed than $4 million.