Russia under President Putin is less democratic and less free today than when he assumed office. If Russia cannot fulfill its obligation to the G-8 and maintain a high standard of democratic governance then its membership should be suspended.

The sad fact is that the same terrorist scenarios, if they occurred in five different States, there could be five different sets of responses to the American people. We need, at a minimum, a level of coordination on communicating threats to the public.

Ukraine is also successfully moving toward democracy and making progress expanding freedoms and rights to its people. We can help Ukraine achieve these goals and improve its economy by normalizing trade relations.

The issue for me is American competitiveness, and how do we best create a climate here that allows international capital to come to these shores to create jobs.

In New York alone, there was an average of more than 300 campus fires per year between 1997 and 2000, with roughly 160 of them annually in dormitories.

As many know, and especially those who may have young sons or daughters at colleges or universities, the last thing you want to hear is a call that perhaps one of your children was injured or, even worse, lost their life in a tragic fire at a dorm or campus housing.

In the annals of history, few men have left a more positive imprint on the world than Pope John Paul II.