As 2006 comes to a close and we approach a new year, I have prepared some New Year’s Resolutions to guide me through 2007:
· Spend more time with my grandchildren, William Etheridge Otto and Virginia Parker Etheridge. It’s amazing how quickly they are growing!
· Clean out the corruption that has plagued Washington by passing tough new ethics laws in Congress.
· Write a new farm bill that will ensure prosperity for North Carolina’s farmers and our state’s economy.
· Help more students afford a college education by cutting the interest rate on subsidized student loans in half. Access to higher education is the key to the American dream.
· Keep our families and communities safe by implementing all of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.
· Raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour. The minimum wage has not been raised in a decade, and working families are struggling.
· Find more time for physical activity.
· And finally, I hope to have more grandchildren in our family!