A Weekly e-Newsletter from
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)

March 17, 2006

Dear Friends,

This week, the Senate again rejected an opportunity to be fiscally responsible.  Yesterday, during the debate on the Budget Resolution, I voted for an amendment to put the brakes on federal spending by capping discretionary spending at fiscal year 2007 levels.  The amendment would have required a two-thirds vote by the Senate before there could be an increase in discretionary federal spending above fiscal year 2007 levels. Defense spending and trust-fund spending would have been exempted. Unfortunately, the amendment failed by a 35 to 62 vote.  I believe Congress mu st become better stewards of the taxpayers’ money.  Balancing our federal budget is an obligation that those of us in Washington owe to future generations of Americans, and this amendment would have been a huge step in the right direction.

Good news came on my recently introduced immigration bill this week when Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) said he agrees with me that “these unmanned aerial vehicles can enhance our capabilities, as they have for our military as demonstrated in Afghanistan and Iraq.  I can assure the Senator [Isakson], we will take a hard look at the UAV program as a component of a border security infrastructure program.”  I appreciate Senator Gregg’s leadership on this issue. I have traveled to the U.S.-Mexican border and have observed firsthand the progress we’re making in securing our borders. One of the keys to this progress is the eyes in the sky that the unmanned aerial vehicles provide.

Also during the debate on the Budget Resolution this week, I was very pleased to join with a majority of the Senate to approve an amendment that would allow oil and gas development in a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). With gas prices continuing to remain high, the exploration of ANWR is critical to America’s national security and economic well being.  We must seek to end our reliance on foreign energy sources by responsibly exploring potential energy sources here at home. ANWR holds the most potential for domestic oil and gas production. ANWR potentially contains up to 10.4 billion barrels of crude oil and will eventually be capable of producing 1 million barrels of oil per day. Opening a portion of ANWR will also create between 700,000 and 1 million American jobs.

Last weekend, Senator Chambliss, Congressman John Linder, Congressman Phil Gingrey and I went to Iraq to visit with our troops stationed there fighting to protect a new nation’s democracy and our own.  Georgia’s National Guard 48 th Infantry Brigade Combat Team has units from over two dozen communities in our state and they continue to make us proud while they are abroad. We are looking forward to when they will begin arriving back home at the end of April and into May.  While there, we also traveled to Dubai and met with Director of Dubai Customs Ahmed Butti, saw a demonstration of the Container Security Initiative operation at Port Rashid, and met with Executive Chairman Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation Sultan bin Suleyem.  We thanked them for understanding the sensitivity of the ports deal and we thanked officials of the United Arab Emirates for continuing to be our partner in the war on terror.

Good news came for America’s small businesses this week when the Committee Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) on which I serve, approved legislation that would help small businesses provide affordable health insurance to employees. The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act passed by the HELP Committee will allow business and trade associations to bring their members together and offer group health coverage on a national or regional basis. The ability to provide affordable health insurance is one of the most critical issues facing small businesses in Georgia and across this country today.  The Committee’s action is a good step forward and I urge the full Senate to act soon. We must help level the playing field for small businesses so that they can provide health insurance to their workers who desperately need it.

What’s on Tap for Next Week?

Next week, the Senate will recess and I will be visiting several cities in Georgia.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson