Monday afternoon I made the difficult decision to vote against the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street. I struggled with the issue all weekend, and I still had doubts walking onto the floor. Ultimately, Congress needs to ensure confidence in America’s lending system, and I thought this bill would not provide the best solution for the American people.

I will remain here in Washington, D.C., working hard to pass legislation that will curb this potential economic crisis. I understand the grave consequences of not acting, but we need to do more than simply provide a bailout to Wall Street courtesy of the American taxpayers. For example, we need expanded FDIC insurance coverage and a strengthened insurance program for mortgage-backed securities.

I appreciate all the emails and phone calls from people in my district this past week. It certainly helped me make my decision. Check back here as Congress moves forward in the coming days.

Please help me keep up a dialogue on this issue by sharing your thoughts here. [0]