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

July 11, 2008

Dear Friends,

This week, the Senate passed legislation to stimulate the nation’s declining housing market as well as strengthen the regulation of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. This legislation incentivizes buyers to come back to the marketplace. It provides liquidity to refinance loans that are under water. It motivates, inspires and provides liquidity in the marketplace through Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae that does not exist right now.

The legislation will now return to the House of Representatives for consideration, and I urge members of the House to immediately pass the bill. We cannot afford to delay this legislation, which will help bring back a prosperous, healthy housing market and a disciplined, well capitalized and liquid mortgage market. Every day we wait is a protraction of the current economic difficulty in the housing market.

FISA
The Senate also passed legislation this week to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, also known as FISA, so that our nation can take advantage of the latest communications technologies in protecting our country.  The intelligence gathered through foreign intelligence surveillance saves American lives.  The absence of any catastrophic attacks in America since September 11, 2001, is the product of hard work by Americans in intelligence, law enforcement and the military.

The bipartisan legislation makes needed changes to FISA so the government’s counter-terrorism intelligence-gathering can continue. It reiterates that FISA constitutes the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance and surveillance of domestic communications may be conducted.  Additionally, the legislation includes retroactive immunity for private telecommunications carriers who have assisted the United States in conducting intelligence surveillance post-9/11 if there was “substantial evidence” they received written assurances that the program was legal and authorized by the president. Yesterday, President Bush signed this important legislation into law. 

VA Vet Center Planned for Cobb County
On Wednesday, Senator Chambliss and I were pleased to announce that the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to open a new “Vet Center” in Cobb County.  Vet Centers provide readjustment counseling and outreach services to all veterans who served in any combat zone.  This new facility will help ensure that we deliver to our veterans the level of VA care they deserve.  As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, one of my top priorities is to make sure America takes care of the veterans who have dedicated their lives to serving our country. The new facility, which will be fully operational by the end of December 2009, joins four other VA Vet Centers already operational in Georgia.

Medicare Physician Payments
During the 10 years I have served in the U.S. Congress, Congress has voted to delay the reduction of physician fees under Medicare in each calendar year since 2003, and each time I have supported this delay.  In fact, in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007, Congress not only delayed the cut, but also approved a slight increase in physician payments.  I am very interested in permanently fixing the root of this problem, the flawed payment schedule known as the Sustainable Growth Rate, rather than these temporary, haphazard solutions that we must revisit each year.  I do not sit on the Senate Finance Committee, but I have always encouraged the Committee to address this issue and remain willing and ready to give the Committee my full support to work in a bipartisan way to reform this flawed payment schedule. 

This year, on June 26, 2008, I voted against H.R.6331 because I was concerned for the nearly 130,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Georgia who had voluntarily enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.  The bill has the potential to impact the access to care for these individuals, especially the 40,000 or so who reside in Georgia’s rural areas.  In addition, H.R.6331 may weaken the Medicare Part D prescription drug program—a program that has proven to be a success for beneficiaries and that I wholeheartedly support. 

Though I remain concerned about the impact of the cuts to Medicare Advantage and the impact on seniors in those plans, the immediate need to stop the 10 percent cut in physician payments proved to be too great; therefore, this week, I voted in support of the bill to ensure that doctors were properly compensated and beneficiaries would still have access to care.  I will always support giving our senior citizens better choices and better access to the healthcare they need, and I hope we can ensure patient choice and ensure more competition in Medicare through further legislation.

Air Force Toll-free Number for Privatized Housing Concerns on Bases
The U.S. Air Force has made available a toll free number for information regarding the four American Eagle Communities housing privatization projects.  This includes the Moody Air Force Base housing privatization project, as well as projects at Little Rock, Patrick and Hanscom Air Force Bases.  The number, 1-877-527-2654, provides a single point of contact to provide assistance and information until the sale of these projects is concluded and the initial development phase is completed at each site.  The delays in the completion of these housing projects, including the project at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, have a significant impact on our airmen and their families as well as the local community.  I’m pleased the Air Force is providing this essential assistance and much-needed information.

Feedback
I enjoy hearing from you regularly.  In order to keep in touch while I am in Washington, D.C., my field staff in Georgia regularly conducts ‘Open Office Days’ at locations around the state. I encourage you to talk with these liaisons about any issues concerning the federal government, federal legislation or federal agencies, such as Veterans Affairs, the IRS, Medicare, or the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.  To find out when a representative will be near you, click here.

In addition, any time you have comments for me in response to this newsletter or any federal issue, please c ontact my office at (202) 224-3643 in Washington, D.C., in Atlanta at (770) 661-0999 or through my website at: www.isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm.  These avenues of communication allow us to assist you as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

What’s on Tap?

The Senate will debate legislation to combat AIDS and other diseases overseas.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson