Miller confident congress will meet future goals

"The strength -- the secret of our strength, the miracle of America, is that our greatness lies not in our government, but in the spirit and determination of our people. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure, and the state of our Union will remain strong."

Those words were delivered during President Bush's closing in his final State of the Union Address to the American people. The meaning behind his words could not be more true.

Having listened to our President speak before Congress and outline his domestic and foreign initiatives for the year ahead, I believe there is every reason to be hopeful for the future. Congress has many challenging tasks set before them; however, I am confident my colleagues will unite and fulfill the goals that must be met this year.

Recently, President Bush acknowledged a slowing economy in the short term. In response, the House passed the Economic Stimulus Package and it is my hope that the senate does not load up this bill. This stimulus package will bring tax relief to more than 117 million American families. If signed into law, individuals with an adjusted gross income less than $75,000 will receive a $600 refund from the government sometime this summer. Couples who file jointly with an adjusted gross income less than $150,000 will receive a $1,200 refund. In addition, businesses can immediately write off 50 percent of the cost of capital purchases, allowing immediate tax savings.

Along with many of my colleagues, I applaud the President's pledge to veto any bill that fails to cut the cost and number of congressional earmarks in half.