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

December 21, 2007

Dear Friends,

This week the Congress finished business for 2007.  We have had many successes this year, including a Farm Bill that’s beneficial for Georgia’s agriculture, legislation to reauthorize Head Start for our children, authorization for $127 million in water infrastructure projects for Georgia, legislation to permanently ban asbestos, and legislation to protect middle-class families from the burden of the Alternative Minimum Tax.  Most importantly, the Senate defeated dozens of attempts by Democrats to impose a timeline for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.  Our troop surge has made enormous progress and we must let the military generals on the ground make the decisions on how and when troops should redeploy.  We owe it to the legacy of the sacrifice made by the countless men and women who are in Iraq and those who have served before them.  I remain committed to ensuring that our troops overseas receive the funding they need to do their jobs because a precipitous and final withdrawal that is notwithstanding whatever action may be taking place on the ground or what progress may have been made is just wrong. 

Legislation Passed to Modernize Wards at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Atlanta
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation I introduced to modernize the inpatient wards at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Atlanta.  The legislation passed the Senate last week and now goes to President Bush for his signature.  I introduced this legislation because I feel 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 bill awaits President Bush’s signature.

Additional Troops to Come to Georgia’s Fort Stewart, Fort Benning, Fort Gordon
Also on Wednesday, I had the great pleasure of announcing that the United States Army will increase forces at three Georgia Army bases as part of the ‘Grow the Army’ plan with Senator Chambliss.  Fort Stewart, Fort Benning and Fort Gordon all will receive additional troops over the next few years.  This move illustrates the importance Georgia’s military installations and their future to the Department of Defense and the war on terrorism.  We could not be doing what we’re doing today in Iraq were it not for Fort Stewart, Fort Benning and Fort Gordon. 

Omnibus Spending Bill Frustration
Senator Chambliss and I voted against the omnibus spending bill before the Senate this week over its inclusion of language that could restrict the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in its efforts to update its outdated water control plans for the drought-ravaged river basins that serve Georgia, Florida and Alabama.  I spoke on the Senate floor to criticize the broken appropriations process in Congress that allowed the language to be inserted into the spending bill without any debate or consultation of senators from affected states.  The language could block the Corps from meeting its statutory obligations and unnecessarily injects Congress into an issue that should remain in the hands of the Governors of the three affected states.  Senator Chambliss and I believe that updating the water control manuals is the only way the three states will be able to make informed decisions regarding any water sharing agreements. We also believe the language inserted into the omnibus spending bill could thwart the progress being made by the three Governors, who said this week they hope to have a water sharing agreement by March. 

There is no better and more precious resource than water, and we are within 90 days reach of finding the right way to solve problems that have been out of the grasp of the states of Georgia, Florida and Alabama since 1989.  There also is nothing better in the legislative process than a spirit of cooperation between each of us who share borders in our states, which is why I am deeply disappointed in the tactics used to delay a solution to the water crisis facing our states. 

The language, which was added to the omnibus spending bill at the request of U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, R-Ala., specifically prohibits the Corps from using funds to implement any new water control manuals for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basins. It also imposes restrictions on the data the Corps can use to update the current manuals. Under the data restrictions outlined in the bill, we maintain the belief that the Corps would have to base all future withdrawals on a period in which Georgia was under dramatic water restrictions instead of a normal rainfall period.

Passing of Former Georgia House Speaker Tom Murphy
It was with great sadness this week that I spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate to honor and acknowledge the passing of former Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, Tom Murphy.  The passing of Tom Murphy is a loss to our state and all of our citizens.  Tom Murphy was a giant in Georgia politics, and his legacy is everywhere. Without Tom Murphy there would be no World Congress Center or Georgia Dome or MARTA. Without Tom Murphy our parks, our schools and rural roads would not be what they are.  Simply put, Georgia would not be what it is, were it not for Speaker Murphy.  As tough as he was on the outside, he had a soft spot in his heart for children, the poor and the sick. He was a product of the Depression, and it left a lasting impression on him.  In many a speech, Speaker Murphy would reflect on the days of his youth and would vow never to let a Georgia child face the conditions he did.  Tom Murphy is gone, but he has left a living legacy that will endure in our institutions, our economy and our children. 

Senate Passes Resolution Honoring Valdosta State University Blazers
On Monday, the Senate passed a resolution Senator Chambliss and I introduced honoring the Valdosta State University football team as the 2007 NCAA Division II National Champions.  The team’s talent and tremendous dedication allowed them to overcome an early deficit and earn a hard-fought victory in the final minutes.  These young men and their coach, David Dean, have brought great pride to their state and to their university with this triumphant win in the National Championship.  The Valdosta State Blazers defeated the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats 25-20 on December 15 to clinch the national title for the second time in the past four years. 

Edmund Booth Confirmed to Serve as U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Georgia
On Monday, the Senate unanimously confirmed Edmund A. Booth to serve as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.  On February 8, 2007, Booth was appointed as the Interim United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, replacing Lisa Godbey Wood, who resigned to assume a judicial appointment as U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia.  Booth has been in the United States Attorney’s Office in Augusta, Ga., for 36 years, and he has served as the First Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia since 1986.  I am extremely pleased the Senate has confirmed this exceptionally qualified attorney.  Mr. Booth is an individual of high intellect with an established record of professional competence, reliability and integrity.

What’s on Tap for Next Week?

The Senate will reconvene for 2008 on January 22.  At this special time of year, I would like for you to join me in a prayer for our nation’s military who serve our great country with enormous personal sacrifice.  I would also like to wish you a happy New Year.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson