An open letter to Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.; Sen. Patrick J. Toomey, R-Pa.; and Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd District.

Just as nature abhors a vacuum, our father in Heaven deplores deadlocks that debilitate progress. Everywhere I look, I see people hammer-locked by seemingly solvable differences. I see people unable to work toward creative compromises because they are determined to win arguments, always be right, and be superior to others. Marriages are crippled, families are hurt, friendships are destroyed, companies are unproductive, cities are blighted by unresolved social and/or political problems. And government is often debilitated by people who become party to acrimonious discord because of loyalty to their parties rather than what is best for the nation.

If our leaders are weak in character and in moral strength, our nation may fall. There is a longing on the part of millions of Americans for honest statesmen who will speak their convictions and tell the truth.

You, individually, along with the rest of the 535 members of Congress should remember the oath you took to defend the Constitution against all enemies.