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

August 4, 2006

Dear Friends,

Last night, after 18 months of working with members of the Senate and the House of Representatives on how best to protect taxpayers and airline employee pensions, the Senate passed a broad pension reform bill that meets both these goals and that will benefit tens of thousands of Georgians.  The Pension Protection Act of 2006 which passed the House last week, will allow airlines to spread their pension funding over an additional 17 years and under more stable, long-range terms. The legislation also will help protect American taxpayers by limiting the liability of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the federal agency responsible for funding pensions when companies terminate their pension plans.I am extremely pleased that the Senate has passed this bill, which will protect the pensions of thousands of Americans today and in the future make our pension laws 21st century laws in a 21st century economy.  It is to the great credit of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines that both of these companies in bankruptcy want to exit bankruptcy and ensure the pension benefits to their employees.  The Senate passed the bill by a 93 to 5 vote. It now goes to President Bush for his signature.

Also this week, I cosponsored an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations bill that would provide emergency funding to immediately pay for the manpower and technology necessary to secure the U.S. border.  On Wednesday, the Senate voted to support this crucial step to ensure that border security becomes meaningful and real.  I first proposed the idea of an emergency supplemental spending bill for border security last month because it is a national security issue, it’s a matter of the defense of our nation and it must be the foundation for comprehensive immigration reform between the Senate and the House.  The amendment that was added to the Defense spending bill will provide $3.96 billion in emergency appropriations for border security and immigration reform, including funds to hire 500 more Border Patrol agents and support staff, 200 investigators and support staff devoted to combat alien smuggling and 600 more investigators for worksite enforcement purposes. It will also provide funds for an electronic employment verification system, 1,300 detention beds to house unauthorized aliens who are apprehended and construction funds for 370 miles of double-layered fencing along the southwest border and 461 miles of vehicle barriers.  I believe it is critical to secure the borders before implementing a new guest worker program because otherwise the United States will face a repeat of 1986, when amnesty was granted to 3 million illegal immigrants without enhancing border security first. The result was that millions more immigrants have flooded into the United States illegally and now are straining our schools, our hospitals and our local jails. There’s no greater domestic issue in this country than the problems on our southern border with Mexico.

On Thursday, President Bush nominated William H. Graves of Memphis, Tenn. , to serve on the governing board of the Tennessee Valley Authority.  While I am sure Bishop Graves is qualified to serve on the TVA board, I remain deeply concerned that no Georgian has ever been nominated.  Since February, when I first raised my concerns over Georgia’s lack of representation despite the fact that the TVA delivers power to some 123,000 households in northern Georgia, the TVA has been very responsive to Georgia and I am grateful for that. However, all states within the TVA service area should be represented on the board.  I will continue to push legislation I introduced in February to expand the TVA board from nine members to 13 members and to add a requirement that each state in the TVA service area have at least one seat on the board. The TVA serves Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. I am committed to passing legislation I have introduced to require that each state in the TVA service area be represented by at least one member of the board, and I look forward to meeting Bishop Graves and receiving his assurance that the issue of representation on the TVA board will be addressed.

Next Tuesday, I will be holding a public hearing in Gainesville along with Senator Chambliss and Representative Deal to address the Army Corps of Engineers’ management of Lake Lanier and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basins. Governor Perdue is scheduled to testify at the hearing as well. This hearing will allow us to ask tough questions of the Corps and will encourage open communication between the Corps, the state and our local communities. 

What’s on Tap for Next Week?

The Senate will recess for the remainder of August for work in our home states and will return on Tuesday, September 5, 2006.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson