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

May 26, 2006

Dear Friends,

This week, the Senate finished its debate on immigration reform after debating several amendments to the bill, S. 2611. I was unable to support the final legislation because it failed to include my own border security amendment and it focuses too much on granting amnesty without securing the border first. The House and Senate must now try to reconcile the differences between their two bills, and I will continue to work to ensure that my approach of securing the border first is considered as these negotiations proceed.

In addition to rejecting my border security first amendment, the Senate also rejected another amendment offered by my Georgia colleague Senator Saxby Chambliss and cosponsored by me that would have repealed a law that encourages the hiring of illegal immigrants. Unfortunately, the Senate tabled the Chambliss amendment by a vote of 50 yeas to 43 nays, ending consideration of the amendment. On Monday, I spoke on the Senate floor on this issue, because right now in the United States, the unintended consequences of the “adverse effect wage rate” are that you are driving farmers to hire illegals rather than hire legals. Any employer in the agriculture community who chooses to use the H-2A program must pay all workers in the occupation in which they utilize H-2A workers the higher of the applicable minimum wage rate, the prevailing wage rate or the adverse effect wage rate. In almost every instance, the adverse effect wage rate is the highest of these options. The Chambliss amendment would have simply required that all workers in agriculture be paid the higher of the applicable minimum wage and the prevailing wage rate, as determined by the Department of Labor. We must stop encouraging the hiring of illegal workers.

On Wednesday, the Senate unanimously passed a landmark reform bill to improve mine safety and regulation and reduce safety risks for miners across the country. As a cosponsor of this bill, I am pleased the Senate passed it so quickly. I feel confident it will make mines across the country safer so we can avoid another tragedy such as the ones that occurred in January at Sago Mine in West Virginia and in Holmes Mill, Kentucky, last weekend. I urge the House to act quickly on this bill and send it to the President for his signature.

I was appalled to learn that some 26.5 million U.S. Veterans recently had their personal information stolen. I serve on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and at a hearing on this theft this week, I stated that we must immediately install in government agencies a rule that any breach of secure information or data is immediately reported to the person in charge, and by that I mean the Secretary of the agency. We have a situation here that clearly demonstrates that changes need to be made, and I hope the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will respond swiftly to ensure the veterans are protected and they get the information they need. I think it’s important the agency comes together with a seamless policy to protect all veterans. If you believe your information has been stolen or need more information on the situation, please call (800) FED-INFO or visit www.va.gov.

Also this week, I announced that 31 of the students whom I nominated to the United States Military Academies have received appointments to the prestigious schools. I am delighted to have been able to nominate these promising young leaders who will make Georgia and America proud. The nominees who have been accepted by the Academies are: U.S. Air Force Academy: Stanley Cornelius – The Westfield Schools, Warner Robins; Ryan Fortney – Lassiter High School, Marietta; Christopher Horn – Athens Academy, Athens; Alex Larson – McIntosh High School, Peachtree City; Robert Louder – Lassiter High School, Marietta; Zachary McClelland – Starr’s Mill High School, Zebulon; William Stainback – Fellowship Christian High School, Roswell; Wilson Tucker – Darlington School. U.S. Military Academy: Timothy Buchmiller – Lovett School, Atlanta; Ryan Clay – Alexander High School, Lithia Springs; Paul Duffy – Lassiter High School, Marietta; Michael Gann – Marist School, Roswell; Michael Moore – South Forsyth High School, Cumming; Christian Pierce – Athens Academy, Athens; Blair Ritzert – Benedictine Military School, Savannah; Kevin Seaman – The Galloway School, Atlanta; John Traver – H.V. Jenkins High School, Savannah; Corey Wheeler – Benedictine Military School, Savannah. U.S. Merchant Marine Academy: Chandler Harms – Northview High School, Dallas; Ryan Homire – Blessed Trinity High School, Alpharetta; Nathan LaShoto – White County High School, Cleveland; Collin Lynch – The Heritage School, Sharpsburg. U.S. Naval Academy: Anna Bernal – Mount de Sales Academy, Bonaire; John Bever – Wesleyan School, Dunwoody; Aaron Coe – Riverside Military Academy, Gainesville; James Golden – Heritage High School, Conyers; Tyler Jackson – Sequoyah High School, Canton; Thomas Lucak – McIntosh High School, Peachtree City; Michael Morrison – Wayne County High School, Jesup; Merritt Pearson – The Westminster Schools, Georgia Tech, Atlanta; Bradley Wheeler – South Forsyth High School, Suwannee.

What’s on Tap for Next Week?

Next week, the Senate will recess for the observance of Memorial Day.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson