A healthy Amtrak is an integral part of New York and the Nation's economy and transportation systems.

However, this President sees no problem eliminating funding for Perkins Loans in his budget, even though the cost of tuition is rising and will continue to rise as the administration's policies force inflation.

The fact is that America relies on Amtrak to move people.

Real economic stimulus comes from real investment.

Meanwhile, hard-working Americans are increasingly faced with workplace conditions in which critically important safeguards are watered down, emerging problems are ignored, and enforcement is scaled back.

Our nation and those of the developed world must offer our own resistance to despot leaders who seek to commit murder on the basis of religion or race.

We need to get serious about combating gang violence on Long Island, and the entire nation.