The gift of informed and able leadership is truly a treasure to be appreciated. This seems to be obvious, but I was reminded of its importance today, when listening to an NPR analogy of the similarities between the successful 1986 income tax reform legislation and the current effort to reform our health care insurance system.

In 1986, then Congressman Byron Dorgan was a member of the tax writing House Ways and Means Committee. He understood how tax incentives and loopholes had gone out of control. In the case of agriculture, these incentives gave unfair advantages to non-farm investors over farm families who devote their lives to producing food and exercising stewardship of the land. Dorgan provided the leadership needed to make certain these rural inequities were addressed in the bi-partisan measure that became law with President Ronald Reagan's signature.

We are fortunate that in this time of needed reform, we have Sen. Kent Conrad on the health care legislation writing Finance Committee, Sen. Byron Dorgan on the Appropriations Committee and Congressman Earl Pomeroy on the House Ways and Means Committee. Our health care insurance system must be changed to include all Americans and it must be made more cost effective. We are grateful that these able members of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation have the understanding and the influence in Congress to craft bi-partisan legislation that treats all sections of the country, rural and urban, fairly. It will address these two important needs of our country:

1) health coverage for all

2) that is cost-effective, and it will be signed into law by President Barack Obama. We treasure their leadership.