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

August 3, 2007

Dear Friends,

This week the Senate debated legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which is known as PeachCare in Georgia. Last night, I voted against a massive $35 billion expansion, because I believe that the bill would shift a program intended for low-income children toward a government-run healthcare system for children and adults funded by a regressive tax increase.

SCHIP has proven to be a success in Georgia and across all 50 states, and I would like to see that the program remains true to its original intent – healthcare access for underprivileged children.  As the years have gone by, some states have chosen to enroll adults without children in their SCHIP programs, the result of which has compromised this program and taken money that was intended to go to children and sent it to adults. This is the absolute wrong way to improve this program. I cannot support a $35 billion expansion of this program so that more adults can receive coverage and I cannot support paying for that expansion with a tax increase. 

I supported an alternative proposal by Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss.) that would have expanded SCHIP by $9.5 billion over the next five years, phase out non-pregnant adults from the program, prevent the addition of any new non-pregnant adults to the program, provide additional funds to target low-income children and encourage the use of premium assistance.  Unfortunately, the Lott proposal failed 35 to 61.

Iraq

On Wednesday, I spoke on the Senate floor in support of U.S. efforts in Iraq and the War on Terror. There has been recent good news coming out of Iraq and it is critical for Congress to believe that victory is possible in Iraq. 

An article this week in The Christian Science Monitor showed that U.S. troop fatalities in Iraq have decreased dramatically over the past two months. The article also noted that the number of deaths attributed to improvised explosive devices is down by more than half, violence is down in the four most dangerous Iraqi provinces and the number of deaths among Iraqi security forces and civilians also has dropped.

A lot of brave young men and women in America have invested their lives in the chance for us to win a victory, not for ourselves but for mankind, for civility, for peace, for democracy, and for all the principles upon which this country was founded.  I hope we won’t declare failure when we have the opportunity to succeed.  I hope for those that have been invested in the possibility we will fail, that this will get equally invested in the probability or possibility that we will succeed and that together as a Congress we can reward those who fought so valiantly and see to it that one more democracy is born.

Asbestos Ban

On Tuesday the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved legislation I authored with Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to ban the production, manufacture and distribution of asbestos, a deadly carcinogen that is still legally used in the United States.  As of this writing, the full Senate was poised to pass the legislation today before we adjourn for the August recess.

Asbestos is known to cause diseases, including mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs when malignant cells develop in the protective lining around the lungs. Despite this hazard, the substance is not banned.  Today, the United States uses about 2,000 tons of asbestos annually, down from almost 800,000 tons used in the mid-1970’s. Banning asbestos is simply the right thing to do.

The bill establishes a permanent ban of asbestos that will be enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency. The bill also mandates the most thorough government study of asbestos to date.  The study will ensure the best experts from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, the National Academy of Sciences and the EPA examine all aspects of asbestos, including its natural properties, its geographic distribution across the United States and its effects on the human body.

Medicare Safe Needle Disposal Coverage Act of 2007

This week I introduced legislation to allow Medicare coverage of safe needle removal for insulin-dependent beneficiaries to reduce the number of accidental injuries, infections and subsequent costs associated with their treatment. Specifically, the Medicare Safe Needle Disposal Coverage Act of 2007 will allow coverage of safe needle removal, decontamination and destruction devices, as well as coverage of needle and syringe disposal through a sharps-by-mail program.

Of the 20 million Americans affected by diabetes, nearly 8 million diabetics qualify for Medicare.  Over 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries are dependent on insulin to manage their condition and, on average patients must inject themselves three times a day.  The entire population injects themselves 1.4 billion times annually, making accidents inevitable.  As many of the complications from diabetes can be prevented through proper needle use and disposal, I believe it is our responsibility to provide the means necessary to keep these patients healthy. 

Medicare currently spends over $130 billion annually for medical treatment and complications of diabetics. Potential savings to Medicare could be substantial if only a fraction of these complications could be prevented through safe and effective needle disposal.

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 4, 2006. I look forward to visiting with constituents across the state over the next month.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson