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

October 9, 2009

Dear Friends,

The Senate Finance Committee has finished its debate on amendments to its health care reform proposal and a final vote from the committee is expected on Tuesday.  This week, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office issued a preliminary analysis for the Senator Max Baucus’ “America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009.”  The projected cost of the bill would be $829 billion over the next 10 years, but the cost of this bill once fully implemented (2014-2023) is $1.8 trillion – twice what the President said it should be. In addition, this score reflects the CBO’s review of only “conceptual language,” because the Democrats have yet to provide actual legislative text.   

This plan would increase federal spending on health by nearly $1 trillion. About half of that spending would be paid for through massive cuts to Medicare and other programs, and the other half of the spending would be paid for by increasing taxes.

In addition, this plan continues to place unfunded mandate on states through its plans to expand Medicaid.  The nation’s governors are voicing strong objections to the Democrats’ plans to significantly expand Medicaid, costing states billions of additional dollars they cannot afford in these tough economic times.

After the Senate Finance Committee votes on this plan next week, the Democrats will then take this bill and merge it behind the scenes with the bill that was passed in July by the Senate HELP Committee and bring this new hybrid bill to the floor for debate. No one knows at this point what this new hybrid bill might look like or exactly when it will be considered.

I remain firmly opposed to the health care reform legislation that passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on July 15, 2009.  I voted against this bill because it would cost more than $1 trillion, would put the federal government in an unfair competition with private health insurers and managed care providers and would place a massive financial burden on Georgia and other states to pay for a proposed expansion of Medicaid.

The key to health care reform is stimulating competition in a market-based system that will encourage private health insurers and managed care providers to compete for business and make health insurance more affordable for consumers. Congress should look carefully into proposals that will increase coverage of preventative and wellness care, which will help control the cost of managing chronic disease and drive down the cost of treating largely preventable conditions.

I am a co-sponsor of S.1099, Patients’ Choice Act of 2009, which seeks to strengthen the relationship between the patient and the doctor by using choice and competition, rather than rationing and restrictions, to contain costs and ensure affordable health care for all Americans.

Homebuyer Tax Credit 
I continue to work every day to find a way to extend and expand the current first-time homebuyer tax credit, which is set to expire on November 30, 2009.

After spending more than three decades in the real estate business, I understand the critical role the housing market plays in our overall economy.  I believe the current first-time homebuyer tax credit has made a difference.  First-time home buyers have used it and the market has stabilized slightly.  The National Association of Realtors (NAR) estimates that about 1.8 to 2.0 million first-time buyers will take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit this year, with approximately 350,000 additional sales that would not have taken place without the credit. 

However, the real housing recession is not with first-time home buyers.  Instead, I believe we have a recession in the “trade-in” or “move-up” market in which citizens are putting off purchasing their next home. Today, in the United States, one in two sales made every day is a short sale or a foreclosure. That is an unhealthy market, and Americans are still facing an illiquid housing market, a decline in their equity, a decline in their net worth and a depression in the housing market.

Home sales do more than simply stabilize the housing market. NAR research shows that each home sale at the median price in 2008 generated $63,260 of economic impact.  If passed, my legislation, which has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors, Business Roundtable Housing Working Group and Mortgage Bankers Association, will swiftly help our economy get back on track.

Senate Approves 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill
On Wednesday, the Senate passed the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill which funds a number of important resources for our servicemen and women and their families, as well as Georgia-made weapons systems and a 2.9 percent, across-the-board pay raise for all military personnel. 

Georgia’s military bases and defense systems manufacturers are critical to our national security and have played a key role in the global war on terrorism.  This funding is critical to ensuring that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to protect our homeland and continue the fight for freedom around the world.

The Defense Appropriations bill also provides funding for the Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (“MOVE Act”), which was introduced by Senator Chambliss and me and passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act in July, to ensure that all ballots cast by U.S. troops overseas are counted in elections. It requires all states to provide military voters with ballots no later than 45 days before an election. It also requires states to institute and maintain an electronic and fax system for sending voter registration applications and absentee-ballot applications.  Our men and women serving overseas are deployed in defense of freedom and democracy, and I’m very pleased the Senate has approved funding to ensure our soldiers are able to fully participate in our nation’s democratic process.

Additionally, the Senate unanimously approved an amendment, introduced by Senator Chambliss and that I cosponsored, expressing its view that funding for re-engining of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, known as Joint STARS, should be appropriated in accordance with the president’s budget request for fiscal year 2010. The amendment also expressed the Senate’s view that the Air Force should proceed with planned efforts to re-engine Joint STARS aircraft, to include expending both procurement and research, development, test and evaluation funds.

The bill provides funding for a number of Georgia projects, as well.  To view the list, click here.

Federal Grants Workshop on October 26 in Savannah
My office, in conjunction with the office of Senator Chambliss, will host its second annual statewide federal grants workshop on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, at the Armstrong Center at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga., from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. 

The grants workshop is an opportunity for Georgia organizations and governments to speak with representatives from the federal granting agencies about grant opportunities available to them. Over 50 federal departments and agencies have been invited to participate in the event. 

The event is open to the public. All persons who are interested in attending must make individual reservations by emailing Isakson’s office at rsvp@isakson.senate.gov or by contacting Isakson’s office at (770) 661-0999.  All persons who wish to attend must register by Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, at 5 p.m. For more information, please click here.

I am honored to be able to offer this excellent opportunity to local governments and organizations from across Georgia.  I encourage anyone interested in meeting with staff members from federal granting agencies to attend this workshop, whether they’re unfamiliar with the grants process or knowledgeable about the practice.

What’s on Tap?

The Senate will resume consideration of the fiscal 2010 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill (H.R.2847).  The Senate also likely will debate a bill to extend unemployment benefits. In addition, the Senate will likely vote on the conference report between the Senate and House versions of the Energy-Water spending bill, as well as consider the fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill  that funds the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and military housing (H.R.3082).

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson