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

May 18, 2007

Dear Friends,                              

Comprehensive immigration legislation is in the final stages of being drafted and is expected to come to the Senate floor for debate next week. I will reserve judgment on supporting the final bill until the debate is complete, but I believe that at a minimum the bill must include my border security “trigger” prohibiting implementation of a temporary, probationary work permit program until the Department of Homeland Security certifies to the President and to the Congress that the border security provisions in the immigration legislation are fully funded and operational.

I also believe the bill must prohibit any new pathway to U.S. citizenship and must require illegal immigrants to return home and get at the back of the line to apply for citizenship just as everyone must do now.

The pressure is now on us. We have got to fix our broken borders. If Congress doesn’t appropriate the funds and the Secretary of Homeland Security doesn’t install the barriers, hire the agents, get the unmanned aerial vehicles in the sky or create a verifiable biometric identification card, there is no bill.

Budget Resolution

On Thursday, I voted against final passage of the Budget Resolution that unfortunately was passed by a vote of 52 to 40.  This year’s Budget Resolution, which serves as a blueprint for Congress when it decides how to appropriate federal dollars later in the year, is packed with heavy spending and the largest tax increase in U.S. history.

The House and Senate passed different versions of the Budget Resolution earlier this year. The resolution passed this week is the result of work by a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the two bills. 

We must take large and immediate steps to end the reckless spending that is threatening the future of our nation. Congress must become better stewards of the taxpayers’ money, and this legislation sends exactly the wrong message.  We also simply cannot raise taxes on America’s families and businesses. In doing so, we abandon the very strategy that has created jobs, allowed businesses to expand, left more money in the pockets of our families and spurred unprecedented economic prosperity for the entire nation. 

Water Resources Development Act
This week the Senate passed water resources legislation that includes $80 million for critical water infrastructure projects in Georgia.   The Water Resources Development Act, which passed by a vote of 91 to 4, authorizes Army Corps of Engineers projects dealing with flood control, storm protection, environmental restoration and inland navigation. The actual funding for the projects will come later during the appropriations process. 

As ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure which had jurisdiction over the bill, I was a key negotiator in bringing the bill to the Senate floor. The Water Resources Development Act is supposed to be authorized every two years. However, Congress has not enacted the legislation since 2000.

The passage of this bi-partisan, fiscally responsible bill is a tremendous step for Georgia.  It is an investment in safe drinking water. It is an investment in stormwater management. It is an investment in flood control and water resources of the United States of America. 

The House passed its version of the legislation in April. The bill now goes to a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the two bills.

For specific project information, please visit my website.

Modernizing the VA Medical Center
As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I introduced legislation this week to modernize the inpatient wards at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Atlanta. The legislation authorizes $20.5 million to complete the upgrades.  The most important responsibility we have as a Congress is to see to it that the treatment and services we give our veterans are the very best our country can offer.  This legislation will ensure that our veterans who receive treatment at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Atlanta are provided with high-quality healthcare services. The funds for modernizing the inpatient wards have already been approved by Congress. This legislation will allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to begin work immediately at the facility.

Student Improvements in History, Civics
I was encouraged by the news this that elementary students in the U.S. have made significant improvements in U.S. civics and history and I firmly believe the No Child Left Behind Act has helped to make those gains possible.  

Two reports issued this week by The Nation’s Report Card offer new data on the achievement of America’s fourth, eighth and 12th-graders on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in U.S. history and civics. The reports are published by the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education.

These results indicate that No Child Left Behind has demonstrated improvements in the children it set out to help the most. Our lowest-performing students are making the greatest gains, and their ability to do well in all subject areas increases as their skills in reading and math improve. I believe our commitment to the principles in No Child Left Behind will continue to improve educational achievement around the country in all subject areas.

The reports found the percentage of fourth-grade students performing at or above basic level has increased from 64 to 70 percent since 1994 in U.S. history and from 69 to 73 percent since 1998 in civics. The number of 12th-graders at or above basic in U.S. history also increased from 43 percent in 2001 to 47 percent in 2006.

What’s on Tap for Next Week?

Next week, the Senate will begin its debate on comprehensive immigration reform.                                      

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson