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Congressman Phil Roe: Giving back and giving thanks

Congressman Phil Roe, M.D. represents Tennessee’s First District. 

As we celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday with our family and friends, let’s remember its important history and all that the holiday stands for. While there were many celebrations before, in 1789, George Washington signed an official proclamation entitled “General Thanksgiving” which called for a “day of public thanksgiving and prayer.”

Since then, our nation has observed this day as a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude for the blessings in your life. It’s about spending time with your family and loved ones. It’s about giving back and giving thanks.

We must also repurpose ourselves to do all we can to restore our economy and put us on a path to economic growth. This includes creating jobs and putting us on a path toward a balanced budget. I am disappointed the House was not able to pass a balanced budget amendment because our national debt has reached an all time high of $15 trillion—more than $48,000 for every man, woman, and child in this country. It is time to get serious about enacting spending cuts, and I can promise you this defeat is just the start of a long journey to end wasteful Washington spending.

President George W. Bush joins 14 servicemen and women on the Warriors 100k challenge

Natalie Gonnella

A keen bike enthusiast and avid advocate for American troops, President George W. Bush took to the trails yesterday joining 14 US veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan on the Warriors 100k challenge.  

As the first event of the Bush Institute's Social Enterprise Initiative, the W100k aims to:

Highlight the bravery and physical strength of the warriors wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan, as well as those organizations that have made continuing commitments to supporting America’s heroes.

It also seeks to:

[Provide] an opportunity for military support organizations to highlight their good work and has been sponsored by several companies and individuals that have generously contributed their time and resources to support America’s servicemen and women. 

The group started their three day challenge yesterday with a 12 mile (19.4 km) journey through rough desert terrain, continuing today with a grueling 30 mile (48.3 km) in the Texas heat.

President Bush and the warriors will finish the last 20 miles (32.3 km) tomorrow, with video and photo updates on their progress available via the W100k website.

Joining the Bush Institute in support of the event are the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Ride 2 Recovery, World T.E.A.M. Sports, and Wounded Warrior Project. Full bios of the 14 warriors are available to view here.