Town hall meetings are the best way to take the pulse of the community and hear the concerns, opinions and suggestions on a wide variety of issues. I can't do my job as your Representative in Washington without this valuable input.

By mid-April, I will have held at least one meeting in each of the seven counties I represent, so everyone has an opportunity to weigh in on issues that are important to them.

These meetings are held in a typical town hall format where my constituents are invited to come and listen to an update, and then there is plenty of time for questions and comments.

At each meeting stop, I've been encouraged by the number of people who participate and are committed to playing an active role in our democracy. There has been an especially strong showing from students this year, and I admire them for being engaged in the democratic process. We've agreed on some issues and disagreed on others, but I believe that we all walked away having learned something.

After each meeting, attendees are asked to fill out a survey rank the importance of issues of national significance, including the Nation's economy, Energy costs, the War in Iraq , Immigration/Border Security and Federal Spending/Budget Deficit. The survey also includes a section for additional comments where participants can write down a personal comment, suggestion or opinion. The feedback I obtain from these surveys helps me to better understand what issues matter the most to people in Southern Ohio .

I've learned a lot from these surveys. For example, in our first series of meetings, attendees universally ranked the War in Iraq as the number one concern. The second and third priorities have consistently been our Nation's Economy and Illegal Immigration, followed closely by Energy issues and Federal spending.

In terms of our dialogue at these meetings, the War in Iraq continues to be a divisive and emotional issue for all of us. From war veterans and parents of active military, to students and other citizens, this issue is an important one. Some want immediate withdrawal of our troops, others support the President's plan to send in more troops, and many question how much longer we will be in Iraq . I heard from the parents of a soldier currently serving in Iraq who pleaded for support of the War for the sake of our troops. If there is one message that I hope comes across in these meetings, it's how important it is to support our men and women in uniform, regardless of our deeply held views on this issue.

Energy is another issue that prompts significant discussion. Many attendees support the President's "Twenty in Ten" proposal that seeks to cut our nation's gas consumption by 20 percent over the next ten years. I heard some interesting anecdotes from attendees about how they, or their businesses, are doing their part to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.

I also ask participants in the survey what American value makes them the most proud. I especially like to read the responses to this question because it reminds me that despite our differences, we all truly love our country and all that it represents. Some responses to this question include "our Freedom," "our value for human life," "the resolve of our active military," and "our strong sense of community."

It is a wonderful opportunity to talk to so many of you and hear your ideas and feedback at these meetings. In the upcoming weeks, I'll be holding more meetings throughout the Second Congressional District.

For additional details, please don't hesitate to contact my office at (513)791.0381. I hope to see you at a meeting in your neighborhood!