Dear Shore Residents:

For those of you who know me, I have been hard at work during the 2006 and 2007 Maryland General Assembly regular and special legislative sessions, diligently representing your concerns and interests. I am very proud of several accomplishments that were achieved. To say the least, it was a busy session. Hopefully, you recognize that I try to listen and plan for the future of the "Land of Pleasant Living….the Beautiful Eastern Shore", where I was born and raised.

To those of you who are new to our district, I trust that you will find an abundance of information pertaining to my past and recent accomplishments. I pride myself in tackling issues that concern you both as a constituent and as a resident. I have also included a little bit about myself, not only as your Senator, but as your neighbor. It is very important to me, as your representative, to be an honest Shore leader, while maintaining integrity and old fashioned Eastern Shore values.

Sen. Colburn receives the Hispanic Bar Award from Marian C. Cordier, President

As you will note on my Legislative Agenda page, my record speaks for itself. I am concerned with much more than just a couple of hot topics and how they generally affect my district. Additionally, if you click through to read the description and information of each bill, you will see that there is much more to many of these bills than a select sentence here or there that is taken out of context.

During the 2006 legislative session, I sponsored/co-sponsored 143 bills. Many of these bills have a very significant impact on you, my constituents. Bills to manage growth, protect agriculture, and to support education, state employees and emerging services with benefits. I intend to continue on this path by being constantly available to my 37th district constituency as a representative who is always working for you: my neighbors, and friends.

Rich and daughter Johanna, at her college graduation from Salisbury University

I have been a part of the beautiful Eastern Shore my entire life. I was born here, I have always lived here, I raised my daughter here and I have chosen to stay here! I have been fortunate enough to represent the good people of the Eastern Shore for 20 years and I would like to continue to do so. In closing, I would like to thank you for your continued and future support as YOUR State Senator for the 37th District of Maryland.

In closing, I realize that when you make tough decisions, you open yourself to criticism. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once said during an 1860 speech in the House of Commons, "It is much easier to be critical than to be correct". I believe that a quote from President Lincoln best summarizes any rebuttal I could make. "If I were to try to read, much less answer all the attacks on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until my end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."