The US Congress has passed the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act (H.R.3967). The PACT Act is likely THE LARGEST health care and benefit expansion in VA history. The PACT Act helps provide generations of veterans, and their survivors with the care and benefits they've earned and deserved for some fifty-plus years.

In the African studies history course that I taught, I emphasized that the great majority of Africans who resisted European colonialism with force, as well as those who became leaders after most nations were granted independent peacefully in the 1960s-- they had graduated from schools founded by missionaries.

Continuing a 22-year downward trend, water levels in Lake Mead stand at their lowest since April 1937, when the reservoir was still being filled for the first time. As of July 18, 2022, the largest reservoir in the United States was at a mere 27% of its capacity, the result of a multi-decade drought.

Lake Mead is at 28% capacity and Lake Powell is at 27% capacity.

The fifth wedding in this series is quite personal.

Our toxic polarization means that we are constantly putting down the "other side" in ways that activate the threat responses of those we demean.

The request to marry a couple that gave me the most surprise (and little time to plan), came in a panicked, late-morning phone call from an employee in food services in what is today Motel 6 in Sherman.

Casting doubt about our elections and working to overturn them when you don't win is how we start the quick slide into fascism.

(L-R) Amy O'Rourke, Bill Roberts, Beto O'Rourke

Summer is usually wedding time for many reasons; and many weddings follow specified religious and/or civil guidelines.

The three justices nominated by Trump, Kavanaugh, Gorsuch and Barrett, misled the Senate during their confirmation hearings.

Raised on Schoolhouse Rock's cartoon civics lessons, I know that being a good American means voting.