Ro's Op-Eds
American agriculture policy has failed. Our country is currently facing a nutritional crisis, desperation among farmers, and a reckless trade imbalance. This situation didn't happen overnight and it represents an approach to agriculture policy that has failed farmers and families, and has put our national security at risk.
The 118th Congress has officially begun with a slim Republican majority in the House and a larger Democratic majority in the Senate. The red wave predicted by pundits in the midterm elections never materialized. Instead, House Republicans regained control with just a four-seat margin.
With so little wiggle room, collaboration between our two parties will be necessary if we are going to accomplish meaningful work for the American people.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and a member of the appropriations and foreign relations committees while Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is a member of the House oversight, agriculture and armed services committees. The lawmakers are co-sponsors of the National Development Strategy and Coordination Act.
Last week in the chamber of the House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered magnificent remarks about our Constitution, our democracy and her decision to relinquish power, as great leaders do.
The Democrats defied historical trends in last week's midterm elections, thanks to excellent candidates, a record of legislative achievements, and an urgent mission of standing up for women's rights and against election deniers. The president made a strong case that democracy and our freedoms were on the ballot, and he deserves credit for the better-than-expected results.
This week, Saudi Arabia colluded with Russia — deciding to cut 2 million barrels a day of oil production at the OPEC+ meeting, thus raising the price of gas to Russia's advantage. The shocking move will worsen global inflation, undermine successful efforts in the U.S. to bring down the price of gas, and help fuel Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
In Chicago, I spoke with steelworker Jawan Smith who worked at US Steel South Works. When he started out, steelworkers made $30 an hour with a pension. Now, too many steel mills have closed or downsized, and many of his friends are working at warehouses that pay closer to $17 an hour. He told me there are fewer economic opportunities for Black men in Chicago than there were four decades ago.
The U.S. finds itself in a challenging moment along many dimensions. Political divisions, high prices, supply chain woes, and economic challenges from foreign competitors like China dominate our headlines. Fortunately, despite the pressures for myopic focus on the present, Congress and President Biden recently made a much-needed commitment to our nation's ability to compete with successful passage of the CHIPS and Science Act.
Nevada's economy was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state's key industries – tourism, gaming, and entertainment – were affected most. Nevada's economy is rebounding strong, but the pandemic highlighted how critical it is to diversify the state's economy and create new employment opportunities.
Nevadans must have access to good-paying technology-driven jobs and opportunities.
U.S. News: Should Supreme Court justices have term limits?
Rep. Ro Khanna: Our Founding Fathers gave Supreme Court justices lifetime appointments with the intention of ensuring impartiality and isolating justices from external political and social pressures. Since then, life expectancy in the U.S. has increased dramatically, and justices are serving on average 28 years on the court – the longest term length in our nation's history.