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

March 3, 2006

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, in a bi-partisan vote of 89-10, the Senate renewed the PATRIOT Act Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005  until December 31, 2009.  This legislation reauthorizes all expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, adds dozens of additional safeguards to protect Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, strengthens port security, and provides tools to combat the spread of methamphetamine.  I voted to reauthorize the act, because when the 9/11 Commission reviewed all that went wrong prior to 9/11, it recognized that what went right after 9/11 was the passage of the Patriot Act. It acknowledged that without our ability to connect the dots , we could not protect the country.

Another major safeguard we need to protect our country is getting a handle on illegal immigration.  I believe we cannot wait any longer to address this problem, and I am drafting legislation to improve and expand our efforts to secure our borders.  To get a firsthand look at our border security challenges, Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) and I led a Congressional delegation to the U.S.-Mexico border last week during the Congressional recess. The trip included stops in San Diego, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and Manzanillo, Mexico. In San Diego, I visited the Smuggler’s Gulch area, where many illegal immigrants try to make their way into the United States. The rugged terrain in some areas makes it very difficult for the Customs and Border Protection to chase down individuals on foot. I also walked inside the recently discovered tunnel that runs 2,400 feet from Tijuana, Mexico, to a warehouse on the U.S. side of the border in southern California.  In Arizona, I saw the only Customs and Border Protection Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, commonly known as a UAV. This UAV is flown along the border and, with its high-tech infrared lens, it can detect individuals trying to come across the border illegally. Customs and Border Patrol agents use this detection system to catch these illegal immigrants and stop them from entering our country. In Mexico, I visited the port city of Manzanillo, where a significant amount of the containers shipped to this port make their way into the United States.

I also received the “Taxpayers’ Friend Award” from the National Tax Payers Union for my voting record in 2005. The rating is based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy and assigns a “Taxpayer Score” to all members of Congress indicating their commitment to reducing or controlling federal spending, taxes, debt and regulation. I was one of only 44 lawmakers this year to earn an ‘A’ rating from the organization, and I am very proud to receive this honor because I agree that we must take large and immediate steps to stop out-of-control federal spending.

What’s on Tap for Next Week?

Next week, the Senate will debate proposals for lobbying and ethics reform.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson