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

March 7, 2008

Dear Friends,

This week, Senate Republicans made strides in addressing the current illegal population in the United States with a major rollout of 15 specific bills, each designed to secure the borders, increase enforcement at the workplace and restore law and order to our nation’s immigration system. 

Senator Chambliss and I introduced one of the bills, ‘The Effective Immigration Enforcement Partnerships Act of 2008, ’ which would provide state and local law enforcement officials with the necessary tools to be effective partners in the enforcement of our immigration laws.  Every day, our state and local communities face the repercussions of a national immigration problem the federal government has looked the other way on for too long. This bill is essential to giving state and local law enforcement the common-sense means to be successful partners with federal immigration officials.

Specifically, the Chambliss-Isakson legislation facilitates the formation of effective enforcement partnerships with state and local law enforcement by:

• Clarifying their authority to enforce federal immigration laws during their normal course of duty
• Expanding the 287(g) program to every state
• Offering a basic training course for all state and local law enforcement officers
• Compensating state and local entities for immigration enforcement related expenses
• Expanding the National Crime Information Center’s Immigration Violators File to include: (1) aliens against whom a final order of removal has been issued; (2) aliens who have signed a voluntary departure agreement; (3) aliens who have overstayed their authorized period of stay; and (4) aliens whose visas have been revoked.

In addition, a similar bill, the ‘Charlie Norwood CLEAR Act’ (H.R. 3494), has been introduced by U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the U.S. House of Representatives.  My friend and colleague, the late U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood, (R-GA) first introduced the CLEAR Act in 2003.  

Border Security
Also on Wednesday, I, along with a group of other Senators focused on the meaningful border security, announced the formation of the Border Security and Enforcement First Caucus.  The Caucus members recognize that Congress has presented the American people with a false choice in solving the illegal immigration problem – give illegal aliens amnesty or round them up and deport them en masse.  The principle mission of the Caucus is to promote a true, achievable alternative: attrition through enforcement and border security.  Living illegally in the United States will become more difficult and less satisfying over time when the government – at all levels – enforces all of the laws already on the books.

There’s no greater domestic issue in this country than the problems on our southern border with Mexico, and it is time that Congress makes a commitment to make border security a reality. The members of this caucus understand that there is no way you can reform legal immigration unless you first secure the porous borders and stop the flow of illegal immigrants. It is time we stop making promises. It is time we start delivering solutions. America is too important, and this issue is too critical to the American people.

The Caucus will be a platform to let Americans know that some in the U.S. Senate are continuing to make sure that the laws already on the books will be enforced, to act as the voice of those concerned citizens who have expressed their opinions time and time again for interior enforcement and border security, to push for stronger border security and interior enforcement legislation, and to work together to defeat any future legislation that offers amnesty.

In addition to myself, members of the Caucus include U.S. Sens. David Vitter (R- LA), Jim DeMint (R-SC), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), James Inhofe (R-OK), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Richard Burr (R-NC) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

Water
I am continuing to fight every day for Georgia in the decades-old war over water with Alabama and Florida. On March 2, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Jim Connaughton sent a letter to the governors of Alabama, Georgia and Florida. While acknowledging that more progress has been made over the last few months than in the previous 18 years, Kempthorne and Connaughton said the governors have been unable to cross the finish line with an agreement.

In the letter, Kempthorne and Connaughton told the governors that the federal government will now begin a process to review interim operations that will replace the current program before it expires on June 1, 2008.  Kempthorne and Connaughton also expressed disappointment with the states’ continued legal actions against one another. If the states refuse to work with one another, Kempthorne and Connaughton said that the revised operational decisions will integrate important information gained from the negotiations, but regrettably will be drawn up by the federal government instead of coming from the states.

I hope that the three Governors will come back to the table, continue their productive talks and reach agreement on a resolution.

Gas Prices
I have concerns with the significant increase in gas and oil prices and its effects on the American economy. There are no quick fixes in dealing with this issue, but there are things Congress has done to address it and there are certainly more things I believe Congress must do.  I have voted to explore our own reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge because I believe we can be good stewards of our land while at the same time exploring for resources that increase supply and lessen our dependence on foreign oil, thus reducing prices. I have also voted to make oil-producing and exporting cartels, such as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), illegal, and to make any legislation that is introduced in the Senate that would increase gas prices subject to a procedural roadblock. I also voted in favor of a 35-mile-per-gallon Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard for automobiles. By 2020, all cars sold in the United States must get an average of 35 miles to the gallon, saving 18 billion gallons a year of gas by 2020 and significantly reducing demand and gas prices.

As a major consumer of energy, I believe America should be a leader in the development of new sources of energy and the development of renewable resources, which is why I voted to expand the use of alternative fuels such as biofuels and cellulosic based ethanol.  If Americans are given choices of which gas they would like to use to fill up their car, I believe that competition will also keep gas prices down. These steps and others will reduce demand on foreign oil, increase supply in the marketplace, and lower gas prices. 

Tax Credit for Homebuyers
I am continuing to gain support for my legislation offering a tax credit for homebuyers as a way to help the sagging housing market and to boost the economy.  The legislation will include a $15,000 tax credit spread out over three tax years ($5,000 per year) for anyone purchasing a new home (where the building permit was issued and construction began on or before September 1, 2007), a foreclosed home or a home where foreclosure is pending. In addition, the buyer must occupy the home as his or her principle residence to qualify (homes bought as investments are not eligible). The purchase must be made between March 1, 2008, and February 28, 2009.

The Senate Democratic leadership has currently shelved plans to begin consideration of housing legislation due to disagreements over the amendments that senators would be allowed to offer. When the Democratic leader brings the legislation back up, the GOP leadership will make my legislation a key piece of its larger package. My bipartisan legislation has already attracted 23 co-sponsors, and it has been publicly endorsed by the National Association of Realtors and Home Depot.

What’s on Tap for Next Week?

The Senate will debate the Fiscal Year 2009 budget and try to reach an agreement before we adjourn for the spring recess in March.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson