Obviously it was a sobering reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices that our young men and women in uniform are engaging in every single day, not only our troops but their families as well...Obviously the burden that both our troops and their families bear in any wartime situation is going to bear on how I see these conflicts and it is something that I think about each and every day.

Is this bill all that I would want? Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls. And I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress (taking) every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.

Time and again we've been reminded of the difficulty of building a nation in which we're all free to live and love as we see fit. But the cause endured and the struggle continued...You understood that we must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones, but to break spirits--not only to inflict harm, but to instill fear. You understand that the rights afforded every citizen under our Constitution mean nothing if we do not protect those rights--both from unjust laws and violent acts.

Just 'cause I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm not tough. I don't rattle. I'm not going to shrink back. Now is the time for us to continue to push and follow through on those things we know have to be done but haven't been done for decades.

As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic. Nevertheless, the 2009 H1N1 pandemic continues to evolve.