6 resolutions for Congress – and the country -- for a new year | Linda Gustitus Jan 21, 2026 Jan 21, 2026 Updated Feb 27, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Many Americans every January resolve to do better by making New Year’s resolutions. Linda Gustitus kAm(@F=5?’E :E 36 56=:89E7F= :7 r@?8C6DD 5:5 E96 D2>6n p44@C5:?8 E@ v2==FA[ 92=7 @7 2== p>6C:42?D 92G6 =:EE=6 4@?7:56?46 :? r@?8C6DD] p?5 H9:=6 4@?7:56?46 :? @FC 8@G6C?>6?E :?DE:EFE:@?D :D D9C:?<:?8 24C@DD E96 3@2C5[ r@?8C6DD :D ?62C C@4< 3@EE@>]k^AmkAm(:E9 E92E :? >:?5[ 96C6 2C6 D:I C6D@=FE:@?D r@?8C6DD 4@F=5 >2<6 2?5 <66A[ H9:49 H@F=5 96=A E@ C63F:=5 AF3=:4 ECFDE :? r@?8C6DD 2?5 @FC 8@G6C?>6?E :?DE:EFE:@?D] {6E’D DE2CE H:E9ik^Am kAm`] (@C<:?8 7@C E96 p>6C:42? A6@A=6]k^AmkAm(6 6=64E @FC D6?2E@CD 2?5 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D E@ H@C< @? @FC 3692=7 \\ ?@E @? E96:C 3692=7 @C @? 3692=7 @7 E96 H62=E9:6DE 5@?@CD] p =2C86 >2;@C:EJ @7 p>6C:42?D 28C66 @? >2?J :DDF6D[ 3FE r@?8C6DD 42?’E] r@?8C6DD D9@F=5 C6D@=G6 E@ 255C6DD E9@D6 :DDF6D]k^Am People are also reading… New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward Top Smyth DAR essay wins state competition Smyth supervisor seeks more communication from Thomas Bridge Water system Blacksburg elementary principal among 17 men arrested in prostitution case Marion council members debate apolitical status with redistricting, 2A requests Work on Exit 39 truck stop expected to move more quickly now Royal Oak DAR names 3 high school seniors as Good Citizens Along the Yellow Brick Road Atkins Elementary celebrates new community-engaged playground Roanoke County family files lawsuit against VHSL, school board over homeschool sports rule Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident Spanberger signs 22 bills, including one concerning pharmacy benefit managers Smyth250 activities kick off Sunday with free movie Judge orders Trump to halt White House ballroom construction unless Congress OKs it Child dies in drowning in Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel pool kAma] (@C<:?8 E@86E96C]k^AmkAm}@ :?DE:EFE:@? H@C<D H6== H96? E96 >6>36CD @7 E92E :?DE:EFE:@? A:4< D:56D 2?5 C67FD6 E@ H@C< H:E9 E96 @E96C D:56] %9:D :D ECF6 :? 4@>A2?:6D[ =23@C2E@C:6D[ 9@FD6D @7 H@CD9:A 2?5 E96 2CED] r@==23@C2E:@? :D 6DD6?E:2= E@ 2 BF2=:EJ AC@5F4E] |6>36CD @7 r@?8C6DD D9@F=5 C6D@=G6 E@ H@C< H:E9 2?5 =:DE6? E@ 6249 @E96C] $E@A E96 2EE24<D]k^Am kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ !F3=:4 p86?52[ hbT @7 p>6C:42?D H2?E E@ C65F46 A@=:E:42= 5:G:D:G6?6DD] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmp?5 EH@\E9:C5D @7 p>6C:42?D 36=:6G6 5@:?8 D@ :D “G6CJ :>A@CE2?E]”k^DA2?m ~?6 H2J E@ 368:? E@ 5@ E9:D :? r@?8C6DD 4@F=5 36 7@C >6>36CD E@ 5:C64E E96:C DE277D E@ H@C< E@86E96C \\ E@ 92G6 E96> ;@:?E=J :56?E:7J :DDF6D[ D66< 724ED 2?5 D6=64E 2?5 :?E6CG:6H H:E?6DD6D]k^Am kAmp?@E96C H2J :D 7@C >6>36CD E@ G:D:E E96 5:DEC:4ED 2?5 DE2E6D @7 >6>36CD @7 E96 @AA@D:E6 A2CEJ \\ H:E9 E9@D6 >6>36CD] %96J 42? ECJ E@ D66 :DDF6D E9C@F89 2?@E96C >6>36C’D 6J6D kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm\\ 2?5 E96 ?665D @7 2?@E96C >6>36C’D 4@?DE:EF6?EDk^DA2?m]k^Am kAmb] #6EFC?:?8 E@ E96 ?@C>2= =68:D=2E:G6 AC@46DD[ D@>6E9:?8 H6 42== QC68F=2C @C56C]Qk^AmkAmxE’D 366? J62CD \\ 6G6? 564256D \\ D:?46 r@?8C6DD 7@==@H65 E96 C68F=2C @C56C :? A2DD:?8 =68:D=2E:@? 2?5 2AAC@AC:2E:@?D] }@ D49@@=[ 4@>A2?J[ 9@FD6 @7 H@CD9:A[ D>2== 3FD:?6DD[ !%p @C @C82?:K2E:@? 4@F=5 DFCG:G6 =@?8 :7 :E 72:=D E@ 255C6DD :ED 3F586E 2?5 AC6A2C6 7@C E96 4@>:?8 J62C’D 7:?2?46D] q@2C5 >6>36CD H@F=5 36 56C6=:4E :? E96:C 5FEJ :7 E92E H6C6 E@ 92AA6?[ 3FE r@?8C6DD C@FE:?6=J =6ED E96 6DE23=:D965 @C56C @7 E96 3F586E AC@46DD 2?5 2AAC@AC:2E:@?D AC@46DD D=:A] t:E96C 2== E96 3:==D 2C6 3F?4965 E@86E96C 3J =6256CD9:A 2E E96 =2DE >:?FE6[ 2?5 ?@ @?6 <?@HD 6G6CJE9:?8 E92E’D :? E96>[ @C E96 8@G6C?>6?E D9FED 5@H?]k^Am kAmr@?8C6DD D9@F=5 C6D@=G6 E@ 7@==@H E96 ?@C>2= 3F586E 2?5 2AAC@AC:2E:@?D AC@46DD — 9@=5 962C:?8D[ E2<6 AF3=:4 2?5 6IA6CE E6DE:>@?J[ 92G6 4@>>:EE66 >2C<\FAD WH96C6 3:==D 2C6 4@?D:56C65 2?5 A@DD:3=J 2>6?565X[ :DDF6 4@>>:EE66 C6A@CED 6IA=2:?:?8 E96 4@?E6?ED @7 E96 3:==D[ 2?5 2==@H 7@C 7F== $6?2E6 2?5 w@FD6 4@?D:56C2E:@? :? 2 E:>6=J 2?5 :?4=FD:G6 >2??6C] k^AmkAmc] q2=2?4:?8 E96 3F586E @C 2E =62DE 3C:?8:?8 E96 567:4:E H:E9:? C2?86]k^Am kAmr@?8C6DD 92D 2==@H65 E96 ?2E:@? E@ 244F>F=2E6 2 >@F?E2:? @7 563E] %@ 249:6G6 7:D42= DFDE2:?23:=:EJ[ E@F89 564:D:@?D 92G6 E@ 36 >256] %96 5:D4C6A2?4J :? H62=E9 E92E 92D 366? 2==@H65 2?5 E92E 8C@HD 6249 J62C :D :?E@=6C23=6] r@?8C6DD >FDE \\ 32D65 @? 724ED 2?5 ?@E A2CE:D2?D9:A \\ 5:C64E :ED 2EE6?E:@? E@ D6A2C2E:?8 E96 H962E 7C@> E96 49277 :? @FC 7656C2= AC@8C2>D]k^Am kAmd] $FAA@CE:?8 8@G6C?>6?E H2E495@8D]k^AmkAmp86?4J :?DA64E@CD 86?6C2= 2?5 E96 v@G6C?>6?E p44@F?E23:=:EJ ~77:46 H6C6 6DE23=:D965 3J r@?8C6DD E@ 96=A :56?E:7J 2?5 255C6DD H2DE6[ 7C2F5 2?5 23FD6] %96J D9@F=5 36 7F==J 7F?565[ <6AE @FE @7 A@=:E:42= :?7=F6?46 2?5 92G6 E96:C 3F586E\D2G:?8 C64@>>6?52E:@?D 25@AE65] k^AmkAme] $E@AA:?8 E96 ?2>6\42==:?8]k^AmkAm#6>6>36C E96 A@AF=2C 3@@< “tG6CJE9:?8 x }665 E@ z?@H x {62C?65 :? z:?56C82CE6?”n ~?6 DF49 “E9:?8” :D E@ 36 A@=:E6 2?5 ?@E 42== A6@A=6 ?2>6D] xE’D 6>32CC2DD:?8 7@C @FC 8C2?549:=5C6? E@ 962C E96 H@C5D D@>6 @7 @FC =6256CD FD6 E@ 56D4C:36 2 76==@H 9F>2? 36:?8] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qms646?4J 2?5 C6DA64E 8@ 2 =@?8 H2J E@ 3F:=5:?8 ECFDE[ 2?5 ECFDE 42? J:6=5 244@>>@52E:@? 2?5 244@>A=:D9>6?E]k^DA2?m r@?8C6DD D9@F=5 C6D@=G6 E@ 7@==@H 564@CF>]k^Am kAm%9:D :D ;FDE 2 DE2CE \\ 3FE 9@H 5:776C6?E @FC 4@F?ECJ H@F=5 36 :7 r@?8C6DD H@F=5 25@AE E96D6 C6D@=FE:@?D 2?5 DE:4< E@ E96>]k^Am Gustitus served for 24 years as staff director and chief counsel for Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. She wrote this for TheFulcrum.us. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Pete Hegseth’s holy war | Philadelphia Inquirer As President Donald Trump’s war with Iran grows more volatile by the day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bloodthirst and proselytizing risks… Halt the surge in AI data centers with national moratorium | Mitch Jones Gasoline prices have increased more than $1 a gallon during the last month, as President Donald Trump’s war with Iran continues. As a result, … Have we forgotten how to live with reverence? | The Ethical Life podcast Episode 240: In a fast-moving world filled with distractions, it can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters. In this episode, hosts Richa… Russia and China are losers in US war on Iran | Peter Doran The United States and Israel are devastating the parasitic Islamic regime that squandered the wealth of Iran for decades and exported terror a… Weight loss medications don’t help with body image issues | Charlotte Markey The rapid adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound represents one of the most striking cultural shifts i…
Pete Hegseth’s holy war | Philadelphia Inquirer As President Donald Trump’s war with Iran grows more volatile by the day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bloodthirst and proselytizing risks…
Halt the surge in AI data centers with national moratorium | Mitch Jones Gasoline prices have increased more than $1 a gallon during the last month, as President Donald Trump’s war with Iran continues. As a result, …
Have we forgotten how to live with reverence? | The Ethical Life podcast Episode 240: In a fast-moving world filled with distractions, it can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters. In this episode, hosts Richa…
Russia and China are losers in US war on Iran | Peter Doran The United States and Israel are devastating the parasitic Islamic regime that squandered the wealth of Iran for decades and exported terror a…
Weight loss medications don’t help with body image issues | Charlotte Markey The rapid adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound represents one of the most striking cultural shifts i…
