The House of Representatives should not be locked down by the decided play of a few in leadership.

By keeping your eye on the ultimate goal, you lean into the mess and try to make the outcome a little better.

We must continue to foster relevant and constructive dialogue among Israeli and Palestinian communities.

I'm proud to be able to represent Bellevue and the Offutt and StratCom communities.

I always thought I'd make a good parent, but I was single and led a solitary life for many, many years. Then I met David, and he had experience with kids and wanted to have a family, too.

My son is trying to be a sports writer, and my daughter is a college student. She wants to be a comedy writer, and she's at film school. I discouraged both of them early on from getting involved in Starbucks. I didn't think it would be fair; plus, they didn't have any interest anyway.

We played out on the street every single day as a family, with neighbours, at the community centres, and I developed the desire to win very early. That environment instilled a competitive edge in me, which has paid dividends in my life.

My father's passing comes with sorrow and grief for me, for my mother, for my brothers, and for my sisters. He was a great fire who burned bright, and we lived in his light and warmth for so very long.