Sen. Chambliss Inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Md. The Georgia 4-H nominated Sen. Chambliss for the distinction for his leadership and exemplary service to 4-H. This year, fifteen men and women from across the country displaying strong support for the organization on a local, state or national level have been selected to be inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame.

“As the largest youth development organization in America, 4-H has the ability to help shape our nation’s future leaders and I am very proud to support its efforts,” said Sen. Chambliss. “My first public speech was as a sixth-grader in a 4-H competition in Tracy City, Tenn., standing on a table in the lunch room. Since then, I have delivered many speeches, but I will never forget that experience 4-H afforded me as a child. It is truly an honor and privilege to support the mission and principles of the 4-H organization as the co-chair of the Senate 4-H Caucus.”

“Senator Chambliss is a wonderful example of our amazing 4-H alumni,” said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., President and CEO of National 4-H Council. “We are thrilled to honor him today for the passion, dedication and leadership he has shown for our organization and the impact that he has made on the Senate 4-H Caucus.”

Since 2002 when the National 4-H Hall of Fame was created, over 200 individuals have been inducted. Sen. Chambliss joins other distinguished Georgians in this honor including: G.C. Adams, Mary Cresswell, Tommy Irvin, Martha Harrison Jones, W.A. “Bill” Sutton, U.S. Sen. Herman Talmadge, and Dr. Tommy Walton.

This week also marks “National 4-H Week” during which 6 million 4-H members and over 500,000 adult and youth volunteers celebrate their involvement in 4-H. In 2008, over 166,000 individuals participated in Georgia 4-H, with over 25,000 being adult volunteers.

For more information about the National 4-H Hall of Fame, go to: www.nae4ha.org/hof.
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Chambliss, Isakson Cast Votes, Cosponsor Legislation to Block ACORN from Receiving Any Taxpayer Dollars

Also Call On Democratic Leader to Hold Hearings to ‘Determine Extent of ACORN’s Wrongdoing’

U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today cast votes and cosponsored legislation to block the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN, from receiving any federal funding. The senators also signed a letter to the Senate Democratic Leader calling on him to hold hearings “to determine the extent of ACORN's wrongdoing.”

ACORN, which has received an estimated $53 million in federal money since 1994, was accused of fraudulent voter registration in several states during the 2008 presidential election. Now, the group is under fire for hidden-camera videos in which ACORN employees in several cities are seen advising two people posing as a prostitute and pimp on how to break the law.

“After repeated revelations of fraud, it's clear that we must move forward to ensure that ACORN is not receiving any federal funding,” said Chambliss. “Organizations that break our laws and undermine our democratic process should not be eligible for taxpayer dollars.”

“It is indefensible that ACORN is eligible for taxpayers funds when it has repeatedly worked to undermine our electoral process and to advance partisan political activities,” said Isakson. “The recent revelations only offer further proof that this organization should be prohibited from receiving federal funding.”

Chambliss and Isakson cosponsored a bill today to block ACORN from receiving any federal funds from any source. The legislation was introduced by Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., and has 16 cosponsors.

In addition, Chambliss and Isakson voted for an amendment on the floor to block ACORN from receiving federal funding through the Interior Appropriations bills. This amendment passed by a vote of 85-11.

Chambliss and Isakson also joined 26 other senators in calling on Democratic Leader Harry Reid to hold public hearings on ACORN and to end all federal funding for the group.
The letter to Reid says in part: “American taxpayers must be able to trust that their money is being spent responsibly and is not being used to fund criminal enterprises. As Senate Majority Leader, we hope that you will deploy all of the resources at your disposal to restore that trust.”
Earlier this week Chambliss and Isakson also cosponsored and voted for an amendment to block ACORN from receiving federal funding through the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. The amendment passed by a vote of 83-7.
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RNC Chair Discloses Comeback Plan

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is an excerpt of an Op-Ed by Robert M. "Mike" Duncan from Politico, and is being released today by the Republican National Committee:

Sen. Saxby Chambliss' reelection this week was a tremendous victory for the people of Georgia. Voters went to the polls on Tuesday and selected a strong leader prepared to deal with both the domestic and the foreign challenges our nation faces in the months and years to come. Chambliss won his election because he represents the core values of Georgians and voters recognized the very real differences between the candidates.

Georgians refuted any notion that the ideology of the country has shifted to the left. They supported the candidate who believes that people should keep their hard-earned dollars; that every American resource should be leveraged to address our energy crisis; that the role of judges is to interpret the Constitution; and that America must be vigilant against the very real threats to our nation and its citizens.

Notably, Chambliss won in spite of strong support by President-elect Obama and Democrat organizations for Jim Martin. Georgian's clearly sent a message that any rhetoric about a liberal mandate is nothing but hot air. Georgians -- and all Americans -- will be watching Washington closely and expecting policies that make government work for them and not against small businesses and entrepreneurs.

In the first contest since the presidential election and what many believe is the first race of the 2010 cycle, Republicans won because we coupled a strong, conservative candidate in Saxby Chambliss with a solid ground game that reached out to millions of Georgians and turned out the vote. Chambliss' reelection sends a message to all those who believe the Republican Party and its core principles are anything less than strong and competitive.

The ground game that reelected Sen. Chambliss focused on the nuts-and-bolts of campaigning, enhanced by investments in technology that the RNC has made over the past two years. The Chambliss team, the Georgia Republican Party, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the RNC were full partners in a Victory plan that executed the basics flawlessly. With dozens of RNC staff and hundreds of volunteers in 11 regional Victory offices across the state, our team contacted nearly a half-million Georgians in the last five days alone.

The RNC's investment in technology over the past two years allowed our Republican team to maximize every volunteer's time and every contributor's donation on behalf of Chambliss, creating a get-out-the-vote effort that overwhelmed Democrats in the state. Through sophisticated online advertising techniques we reached hundreds of thousands of Republicans who requested absentee ballots, voted early, and found their polling station. Our investment in technology enabled our Victory program to significantly increase the Republican share of advance voters in the runoff election. We also provided volunteers the tools to make phone calls from home to likely supporters and/or send numerous e-mails to their neighbors engaging them in the reelection effort.

And while we overcame challenges in reelecting Chambliss in Georgia, we have another Republican leader seeking a conclusion to his race in Minnesota. We must not lose sight of the significance and absolute importance in ensuring Norm Coleman returns to Washington in the 111th Congress as Minnesota's senior senator.

As I write, Coleman leads his opponent. Coleman won the election on Nov. 4, he won after the canvassing of votes had occurred, and he will be the winner at the end of the recount. These results only lead to one conclusion: Coleman will be reelected as a U.S. senator from Minnesota.

At the RNC, we have spent the past two years investing in programs, technology, and training staff and volunteers on the basic fundamentals of winning elections. Chambliss' victory yesterday demonstrates the value of those investments and proves that Republicans still know to win elections.

As Republicans, we must continue to take stock of the 2008 elections -- first and foremost, strengthening ourselves by listening to the American people. But that also means learning from our mistakes and acknowledging our successes. Our success in Georgia is a strong sign that reports of the GOP's demise have been greatly exaggerated, and I look forward to future Republican successes in 2009 and 2010.

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Isakson: Congress Must Put Aside Partisanship, Work Together to Address High Energy Prices

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today (July 15, 2008) urged members of Congress to work together to develop a comprehensive plan to address high energy prices during a speech on the Senate floor. Isakson said solutions that embrace all ideas – from conservation to increased domestic exploration – are at our fingertips if only members of Congress would put aside their partisan differences.

“The Congress of the United States is sitting on a ham sandwich starving to death,” Isakson said. “America has within its reach every resource necessary to be self-sufficient when it comes to energy. All we have to do is have the political will and the common sense to make it happen.”

In his remarks, Isakson outlined a number of initiatives he believes will provide a balanced approach to America’s long-term energy needs, including oil and natural gas exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf, nuclear energy, conservation and renewable resources such as solar and wind energy.

“I call on my colleagues, Republican and Democrat alike, to put their elephants and donkeys in the barn and look at the needs of the American people,” Isakson said. “If we leave this year without a comprehensive policy for energy independence, we have done a disservice to the people of the United States and we will not have fulfilled our Constitutional responsibility.”

Isakson praised the administration for its announcement on Monday that it is lifting the ban on offshore exploration, saying that we cannot decrease our dependence on foreign oil if we fail to explore our potential domestic supply.

“That is absolutely something that we ought to do,” Isakson said of the offshore exploration. “We should be exploring every resource that we have.”

Isakson is a part of a bipartisan group of senators led by Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. and Kent Conrad, D-N.D., that are committed to working together on legislation to address the nation’s energy crisis.

Sens. Chambliss-Isakson Urge USDA to Stop Plans to Change Peanut Program Loans

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Ranking Republican Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Dr. Mark Keenum urging the Department to continue using the current peanut loan differential method for 2008 and 2009. The proposal made by USDA last month would result in a significantly lower marketing loan rate for the Runner variety, which makes up almost 100 percent of Georgia production. Georgia produces nearly 45 percent of all the peanuts produced in the United States, making it the number one peanut producing state.

Text of the letter is below:

July 10, 2008

Dr. Mark Keenum
Under Secretary
Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services
Room 205 Whitten Building
United States Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250

Dear Dr. Keenum:

Now that the 2008 farm bill has finally been enacted into law the responsibility of implementing the legislation consistent with Congressional intent falls on the Department of Agriculture. This task can be as daunting as crafting the legislation and we are appreciative of the efforts you have taken to expedite the implementation process.

However, we are concerned about proposed changes to the peanut program. Shortly after the passage of the farm bill, a white paper was distributed at the direction of Deputy Under Secretary Floyd Gaibler highlighting proposed changes to the method of determining marketing loan differentials for peanuts. The proposal to move to a market-based loan differential for peanuts was met with little to no support within the peanut industry. We find it very disturbing that since Congress made minimal changes to the Peanut Title of the 2008 farm bill that USDA would make such a drastic proposal, which was never discussed during the many farm bill meetings attended by the Department.

Recently you held an industry wide meeting to discuss the peanut market-based loan differential proposal. You made it clear to the industry that the proposal would not be implemented for the 2008 crop of peanuts, but that a decision for the 2009 and subsequent crop years has not yet been made. We are appreciative of the fact there will be no changes for the 2008 crop and that you assured the industry there would be an open dialogue on the subject before a final decision is made for the 2009 and subsequent crop years.

After the industry wide meeting, we both received a letter from the American Peanut Council (APC). The APC is the trade association representing all segments of the U.S. peanut industry. The letter stated that APC members, at your request, reviewed the proposal again and still determined that if enacted the proposal, “…will harm the peanut industry and subject the federal government to the risk of increased financial losses.”

Dr. Keenum, we respectfully request that the peanut market-based loan differential proposal not be considered and that the Department continue to use the existing peanut loan differential method. The proposal is not supported by any segment of the industry and we are fearful that if the Department continues to pursue this proposal there will be a significant deterioration of USDA’s relationship with the peanut industry.

Please do not hesitate to contact us or our staff if you have any questions about our request.

Very truly yours,

Saxby Chambliss
Johnny Isakson

Chambliss Pleased With Senate Passage of Balanced, Bipartisan Intelligence Legislation

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Georgia, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today (July 9, 2008) made the following statement following Senate passage of legislation to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Chambliss also said he was pleased the Senate rejected amendments to punish American companies who assist the federal government in monitoring terrorist activity. Chambliss said the amendments would have derailed the compromise bill and further delayed U.S. intelligence gathering capabilities.

“This critical legislation has been the subject of many negotiations, and although the legislation is not perfect, I am pleased with the bipartisan nature of this compromise bill. I am satisfied that this legislation will provide our intelligence agencies with the legal tools necessary to perform their jobs, the flexibility they require, and the capability to protect Americans’ civil liberties. However, I am perplexed that it has taken Congress this long to adopt meaningful legislation necessary to protect our country; legislation which Congress knew, at least since last August, needed to be enacted expeditiously. Normally, Congress is accused of being guided by expediency rather than principle, but not usually in national security matters. Intelligence is bipartisan. Securing our nation is bipartisan. It is in every American’s interest that Congress act quickly to protect our nation from terrorist attack, espionage, or any other harm.

“Our intelligence collection relies on the assistance of U.S. telecommunication carriers. These communication providers are facing multi-million dollar lawsuits for their alleged assistance to the government after September 11, 2001. After the expiration of the Protect America Act, many providers began to delay or refuse assistance. Losing the cooperation of just one provider could mean losing thousands of pieces of intelligence on a daily basis. In just one week after its expiration, we lost significant amounts of intelligence forever. We will never be able to recover those lost communications, nor will we ever know what we missed. It is crucial that any FISA legislation include retrospective, as well as prospective, immunity for telecommunication providers who assist the government in securing our national security. To that end, I am pleased the Senate rejected amendments that would have undermined the months of hard work by the Senate Intelligence Committee and the House to reach an agreement on this bill.”

Chambliss Highlight Georgians’ Concerns about Rising Gas Prices

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., took to the Senate floor today in his continued effort to highlight Georgians’ concerns over rising gas prices and to urge Congress to take steps to increase oil supply by allowing for domestic exploration. Chambliss has been urging Georgians to contact his office and share stories about how rising energy costs are affecting their daily lives. Chambliss said he believes drilling off the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), as well as accessing shale in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States should be pursued in an environmentally safe manner to increase domestic production. Excerpts of Chambliss’ floor speech are below:

Mr. President, my constituents continue to suffer due to the ever-increasing price of fuel. They are facing very difficult choices, between food and gasoline, between driving to work to earn money for their families and driving to the grocery store to feed their families.

I was pleased to hear yesterday both President Bush and Senator McCain highlight their support to lease off the Outer Continental Shelf so we can increase our supply of oil to help lower energy prices for all Americans. Is drilling domestically the only answer to high gas prices? Absolutely not. There are other parts to the equation, but this is the right way to go.

In 2005, we suffered the most significant damage in the Gulf Coast region of our country as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We saw not one drop of oil spilled even though there are hundreds and hundreds of oil-producing platforms in that area. I come from a coastal state. There is nothing that I want that would in any way endanger the pristine beaches in my state or the costal regions of any other state. But we now have the technology in place to ensure that never happens. Secondly, we can do this in a way that ultimately lets the individual coastal states decide whether or not to opt out of this moratorium.

I'm hopeful that the Senate will come together to take this first step to increase our supply. Would I like to see more development? Sure. I support the development not just off the Outer Continental Shelf, but in other regions of our country where we know we have vast resources of energy, whether it's on the Outer Continental Shelf, whether it's in the shale of the Rocky Mountains, or whether it is in ANWR of Alaska or other areas of the country where geologists are fairly certain we do have additional resources. We need to explore so we can add to the supply that we have so in the long-term and shore-term, we can see gas prices in this country stabilize and begin to come back down to something more reasonable than what we're looking at today.

Chambliss is a co-sponsor of S.2973, the American Energy Production Act, which aims to lower the cost of energy by increasing domestic production of oil and gas in America. Specifically, the bill would authorize oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic and Pacific Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), if states chose to do so. It will also authorize oil and gas leasing in ANWR, and suspends filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) through the end of calendar year 2008.

Senator Chambliss’ floor remarks can be viewed in their entirety on his website later today at www.chambliss.senate.gov.

Chambliss Statement on the Passing of NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Georgia, made the following statement today upon learning that Tim Russert, NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and host of “Meet the Press,” passed away from a heart attack at age 58.

“There is no question we are all shocked by the news that Tim Russert passed away so suddenly. To say that Tim Russert was the best of the best is an understatement. He was a brilliant journalist, he did his homework, and you knew going into an interview with him that he’d leave no stone unturned. He was a professional in every respect. Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family and everyone at NBC News.”

Chambliss Urges Bipartisan Medicare Solution for Doctors and Seniors

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today (June 12, 2008) took to the Senate floor to urge a bipartisan Medicare solution for doctors and seniors and expressed his opposition to S. 3101, a Medicare bill introduced by Sen. Max Baucus, D- Montana, he says would negatively impact Georgia seniors. A procedural vote to begin debate on the bill received 54 votes, short of the necessary 60 votes required under Senate rules. Chambliss is supporting an alternative measure, the “Preserving Access to Medicare Act of 2008,” introduced by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, that would replace the scheduled physicians fee cut with a 1.1 percent increase but does not make drastic cuts to the Medicare Advantage program. Senate Democrats would not allow the Grassley legislation to be considered.

“While I am supportive of ensuring doctors receive adequate Medicare reimbursements so they can cover costs, I cannot support Senator Baucus’ legislation, which will expand entitlement programs and ultimately take money away from reimbursing doctors as we move on down the road. Now is not the time to expand entitlement spending when it is already out of control and unsustainable. This Medicare bill would drastically cut Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare Advantage saves beneficiaries an average of $86 per month compared to premiums in traditional fee-for-service Medicare, and 138,000 Georgians benefit from this program. Additionally, the president has threatened to veto the legislation and realistically we do not have enough time before the July1 deadline—even if this legislation had overwhelming support, which it does not—for this legislation to pass both houses, receive a veto from the president, and return for a veto override.

“While we need a more permanent solution so doctors don’t have to worry about having to lay off employees or denying Medicare patients altogether, it is important that we work in a bipartisan manner to reach a temporary solution for doctors’ reimbursements in the meantime. Doctors and seniors deserve a serious and responsible effort that addresses the impending fee cut without playing politics and creating a major expansion of entitlement spending. It is my hope that Congress will work toward a bipartisan agreement that will provide doctors with the relief they need before July 1.”

On December 18, 2007, Chambliss voted in favor of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-183). This legislation replaced the scheduled 10 percent fee cut with a 0.5 percent increase through June 30, 2008.

Chambliss: Americans Cannot Afford to Wait While Congress Plays Partisan Politics over Energy Crisis

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., took to the Senate floor today to underscore the need to provide immediate relief to American families who are trying to cope with skyrocketing fuel prices and to address long-term solutions to our nation’s energy crisis. Excerpts of Chambliss’ floor speech are below:

“Skyrocketing gas prices is the most important issue on the minds of my constituents in Georgia and all over the country. I hear from hundreds each day who struggle to fill up the gas tank to get to work or to take the kids to school or run necessary errands. They want to know what Congress is doing about the out-of-control gas prices.

“There are several issues that need to be addressed with respect to the issue of skyrocketing gas prices. We simply need to take advantage of additional resources that we have inside the United States. Less than a month ago, my Republican colleagues in the Senate proposed legislation that would authorize drilling in offshore coastal waters currently subject to a federal moratorium. This amendment was defeated. Everywhere I go in Georgia, people ask me why we aren’t drilling domestically for oil. We have consistently tried to pass legislation that would also allow drilling in ANWR, but every attempt has been defeated.

“Supply and demand dictates the price of everything in our economy. We've got to have the capability of providing the kind of supply that is demanded by Americans.

“We’ve got to continue down the road of researching and developing more alternative fuels. We have seen the development of ethanol primarily in one region of our country -- the Midwest. The unintended consequence that we've seen is that food prices have increased due to the demand for corn. That’s why we have to move to develop the means to produce ethanol from cellulosic-based products.

“We’ve also got to implement conservation practices from an individual and household standpoint. We have put some measures in place that will direct the automobile manufacturing industry to develop automobiles that get higher miles per gallon. We also need to encourage some personal measures to make sure that we truly do have conservation practices in place.

“Another common sense solution Republicans have offered and I’ve supported, is an immediate federal gas tax holiday. Here we are going into the summer when travel increases. If this bill passed and is signed by the president, every American would be paying 18.4 cents per gallon less for gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon less for diesel fuel.

“If we can do something about the pain at the pump, the obvious question is, why aren't we?”

Chambliss is a co-sponsor of the American Energy Production Act, which aims to lower the cost of energy by increasing domestic production of oil and gas in America. He is also a co-sponsor of S. 2890, which would temporarily suspend the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel through September 1, 2008. The legislation would keep the Highway Trust Fund whole by transferring funds from the General Treasury.

Senator Chambliss’ floor remarks can be viewed in their entirety on his website at www.chambliss.senate.gov.

Chambliss Applauds Decision to Postpone Changes to Peanut Loans

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Ranking Republican Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today applauded the decision made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to not make any changes to the manner in which they establish marketing loan differentials for peanuts for the 2008 crop year. Maintaining the current practice for determining differentials for 2008 benefits Georgia peanut producers as the recent USDA proposal would have resulted in a significantly lower marketing loan rate for the Runner variety, which makes up almost 100 percent of Georgia production. Georgia produces nearly 45 percent of all the peanuts produced in the United States, making it the number one peanut producing state.

“This is good news for peanut producers in Georgia,” said Sen. Chambliss. “This year’s crop of peanuts has been in the ground for weeks and 2008 production contracts were signed months ago. Changing the loan differential formula after the peanut crop has been planted would have been detrimental for our growers. Domestic demand for peanuts and peanut products has increased and the federal government should allow growers to respond to this demand without interrupting current systems in place. I applaud USDA for recognizing the importance of maintaining the historically recognized practice of establishing loan differentials for the 2008 crop year.”

The farm bill recently approved by Congress contains several provisions that benefit peanut producers such as: maintaining a separate subtitle for peanuts; preserving the target price, direct payment rate and marketing loan rate established in the 2002 farm bill; providing for a mechanism to ensure handling and associated costs are not deducted from a producer’s loan rate; maintaining separate payment limits for peanuts; and including Conservation Security Program incentives for producers moving towards an optimal crop rotation.

Chambliss Statement on Partisan Senate Intelligence Committee Report Regarding Prewar Intelligence

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement regarding final sections of the Phase II report on prewar intelligence on Iraq released today by the Committee. Chambliss joined the Committee’s Vice Chairman, U.S. Senator Kit Bond, R-Missouri, in noting that the partisan report not only violates the Committee’s longstanding history of non-partisanship, but also rejects the conclusions unanimously reached in previous reports.

“The Senate Intelligence Committee has always had a history of non-partisanship, and that is how it should be when our national security is at stake,” said Chambliss. “Unfortunately, the Committee has wasted countless hours only to show what we already knew four years ago, that policymakers’ statements turned out to be wrong after the war because the statements were based on flawed intelligence. The Committee’s Phase I report, which investigated that intelligence failure and explained how it happened, was a judicious and valuable act of intelligence oversight. The current majority report is not. We asked from the beginning of this investigation to be included in this review but were cut out of the process. I am disappointed members of the majority on our committee chose to pursue a partisan, election-year agenda.”

In July 2004, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Iraq report, adopted by a unanimous vote, makes clear that flawed intelligence – not Administration deception – was the basis for policymakers’ statements and decisions. The report released today completely ignores this key finding.

Chambliss Statement on Climate Change Legislation

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., spoke on the Senate floor today and underscored concerns that legislation currently being debated, “The Lieberman-Warner-Boxer Climate Security Act of 2008,” would negatively impact American families by imposing higher energy costs and forcing American businesses to move to countries with more lenient environmental regulations. Excerpts of Senator Chambliss’ floor remarks are below and can be viewed in their entirety on his website at www.chambliss.senate.gov.

Climate change is a critical issue that is important not only to this generation but future generations. I have two grandchildren, and I want to make sure that we leave America better than what we inherited. Economic models have overwhelmingly shown that this bill will affect consumers directly through higher gasoline and electricity prices, resulting in lower household incomes and millions of jobs being lost in America. Like many of my colleagues, I spent the Memorial Day recess traveling around my home state. The average price of a gallon of diesel was $4.77 per gallon, and regular gasoline averaged $3.98 per gallon, and these rising costs are my constituents' number one issue. Therefore, it troubles me that some in this body want to enact legislation that would further increase the price of a gallon of gas. I hear from hundreds of Georgians every day who are struggling to fill up their tanks to get to work or to take their kids to school or to run their necessary errands. EPA models show that gasoline prices will rise by a minimum of 53 cents per gallon if this bill were implemented. Why would we do that to the American people who are already hurting in filling up their gas tanks at the pump?

Regrettably, the legislation before the Senate would do nothing to increase our domestic supply of oil and help alleviate the lack of supply of gas that is driving prices up. Instead, this bill would only keep prices rising. No one disputes that this problem has been in the making for decades, because over the past 30 years, the United States has reduced our domestic exploration options and left our refining capacity stagnant. The rising cost of fuel requires a multipronged strategy to respond. That is why we must take commonsense action and increase our domestic supply of oil by exploring where we know there are resources available and encouraging the development of alternative fuels like cellulosic ethanol to decrease our reliance on foreign oil.

We must find both short-term and long-term solutions to provide energy security for our nation. I believe this bill could be more fair and equitable. We also should work to make it more predictable for businesses and understandable to taxpayers and consumers. One of the greatest challenges to any climate bill will be to ensure that it does not stymie economic growth and protects American jobs. We need to continue to seek the best way to generate the greatest benefits for the lowest costs. We cannot burden our children and grandchildren with increased energy costs. Our climate bill must be flexible to adjust to changing science, economic conditions, and the actions of other countries.

Isakson, Chambliss Praise Passage of Senate Resolution to Urge Federal Agencies to Conserve Fuel

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today(May 23, 2008) praised passage of a Sense-of-the-Senate resolution urging federal agencies to conserve fuel at a time when rising gas prices are significantly affecting the American economy and the family budget. Isakson and Chambliss were original co-sponsors of the resolution.

“There are no quick fixes in dealing with this issue, but there are things we can and must do,” Isakson said. “With skyrocketing gas prices, the federal government should be leading the way in conservation efforts and finding ways to cut consumption among all its federal agencies.”

“Given the current circumstances, all Americans are being required to make serious adjustments to their daily routines and their family budgets as energy costs continue to rise,” said Chambliss. “They are doing their part to conserve energy and the federal government must do the same.”

The resolution urges the President to require all federal departments and agencies to take initiatives to reduce daily consumption of gasoline and other fuels by the departments and agencies. The resolution states that an overall reduction of gasoline consumption by federal agencies by even a few percentage points would send a strong signal that, as a nation, the United States is joining to conserve energy.

Isakson, Chambliss Praise Passage of Iraq Spending Bill Without Timeline for Withdrawal of Troops

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today praised the Senate’s passage of legislation to provide funds for American troops without setting timelines for U.S. troop withdrawals in Iraq.

“It is absolutely wrong to tie the money to support our troops to arbitrary timetables that have nothing to do with success or failure on the ground,” Isakson said. “I’m pleased this bill supports our men and women in uniform, who are deployed in defense of freedom, and gives them everything they deserve and everything they need to accomplish their mission.”

“Our nation has an obligation to our servicemen and women who make tremendous sacrifices every day for freedom and democracy,” said Chambliss. “They deserve our fullest support and we must give them the resources they need to carry out their duties. Passing this bill with a surrender date would have simply emboldened the enemy and I’m pleased that the final version of the bill does not include restrictions that would have hampered our military’s ability to do their job.”

The legislation also included language to increase educational benefits to all members of the military who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001, including activated reservists and National Guard. To qualify, veterans must have served at least three to 36 months of qualified active duty, with at least 30 days being served after September 11, 2001.

“The Montgomery G.I. Bill can change lives. It has given countless members of our military access to the college education they otherwise would not have been able to afford,” said Isakson, a member of the Senate Veteran’s Affairs Committee. “Our nation’s military and their families have sacrificed tremendously so that our nation can live in freedom. It is important we modernize education benefits for our military to ensure that our servicemembers, veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve receive the education benefits they deserve.”

“This legislation will greatly expand educational benefits available to servicemembers," said Chambliss. “Many servicemen and women would not be able to go to college without the G.I. bill and I’m pleased this legislation modernizes the bill to reflect today’s costs of education.”

Isakson, Chambliss Praise Senate’s Rejection of Amnesty Provision in Emergency War Supplemental Bill

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today praised the Senate’s refusal to include an amnesty provision in the emergency war supplemental bill. Language that would have granted legal status to over 1 million illegal agriculture workers and their families was stripped Tuesday night from the spending bill for troops.

Isakson and Chambliss earlier this week had urged the Democratic leader to remove the amnesty provision from the bill.

“There’s no greater domestic issue in this country than illegal immigration, and I am pleased the Senate rejected this attempt to grant amnesty on a bill designed to give our soldiers the resources they need in the War on Terror,” Isakson said. “The war supplemental was the wrong vehicle to deal with this issue and this was the absolutely wrong approach to handling illegal agricultural workers. Congress can make immigration reform a reality by first delivering common-sense solutions to secure our porous borders and stop the flow of illegal immigrants.”

“I’m pleased the Senate recognized that removing this bad provision was the right thing to do,” said Chambliss. “We need to ensure that funding for our troops is approved and delivered as quickly as possible without getting bogged down in an unrelated immigration debate.”

On May 15, the Senate Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment to the emergency war supplemental spending bill that would give a five-year visa to 1.35 million workers plus their spouses and dependent children to live and work in the United States. For almost all legal purposes, the amendment requires that the illegal aliens who qualify for the proposed visa be treated as lawful permanent residents.

Adding the amendment to the appropriations bill violated Senate rules because it legislates on an appropriations bill. Last night, Democrats invoked Senate Rule 16 on the floor, which requires that provisions in amendments to appropriations bills be relevant to the underlying legislation. Among the provisions dropped was the proposal to grant visas allowing illegal aliens to hold agricultural jobs for up to five years.

On May 20, Isakson and Chambliss, along with eight other Republican senators, sent a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., urging the removal of the language. The text of the letter to Senator Reid is below. The letter was also signed by Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., David Vitter, R-La., Tom Coburn, R-Okla., James Inhofe, R-Okla., John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and Jim Bunning, R-Ky.

May 20, 2008

The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington D.C. 20510

Dear Majority Leader Reid:

We write to express disappointment that the Senate Appropriations Committee chose to include in the War Supplemental more than 100 pages of immigration language that would grant legal status to more than one million illegal alien agriculture workers and their families. We urge you to remove these controversial provisions from the bill so we can enact essential funding for our troops without delay. If these provisions remain in the bill, you can expect a vigorous debate on immigration policy.

Isakson, Chambliss Praise Plan to Add Federal Prosecutors Along Southwest Border

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today (April 25, 2008) praised an announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice that the agency will hire 64 additional federal prosecutors and 35 additional support staff for the southwestern border.

“This addition of manpower is absolutely essential in order to handle the growing number of immigration and drug trafficking cases along the border,” Isakson said. “There’s no greater domestic issue in this country than the problems on our southern border with Mexico, and it is time that we make a commitment to make border security a reality.”

“I’m pleased to see this additional support for those who are on the front lines of combating crimes committed by illegal immigrants,” said Chambliss. “Taking immediate action to secure the borders of this country is essential, because that is where the problem of illegal immigration begins and where it must be stopped.”

In 2006, Isakson introduced legislation to provide increased manpower, equipment and technology to secure the U.S. border. The legislation called for increases in the number of U.S. Department of Homeland Security personnel, including attorneys to handle cases involving illegal aliens or immigration issues, as well as attorneys participating in the Federal Defenders Program, attorneys in U.S. Attorneys' Offices and attorneys in the Office of Immigration Litigation.

Isakson and Chambliss are members of the Senate Border Security and Enforcement First Caucus. The Caucus is a platform to let Americans know that some members of the U.S. Senate are continuing to push for enforcement of immigration laws that are already on the books, to act as the voice of those concerned citizens who have expressed their opinions time and time again for better interior enforcement and border security, to push for stronger border security and interior enforcement legislation and to work together in the U.S. Senate to defeat possible future legislation that offers amnesty.

Chambliss, Isakson Urge Democratic Leader to Strip Agricultural Worker Provisions from Emergency War Supplemental Bill

U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today, along with eight other Republican senators, sent a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., urging the removal of language that would grant legal status to over 1 million illegal agriculture workers and their families in the emergency war supplemental spending bill.

“A bill to provide funding for our servicemen and women should not be bogged down by a debate over immigration policy,” said Chambliss. “I strongly disagree that this amendment would serve to provide stability in the agricultural industry and would in fact harm U.S. farmers and ranchers and U.S. workers. Nobody is more interested in the well-being of American agriculture than me, and this proposal is simply the wrong policy at the wrong time.”

“There’s no greater domestic issue in this country than illegal immigration, and the American people will not stand for this attempt to grant amnesty on a bill designed to give our soldiers the resources they need in the War on Terror,” Isakson said. “The war supplemental is not only the wrong vehicle to deal with this issue but I firmly believe this is absolutely the wrong approach in regards to agricultural workers.”

On May 15, the Senate Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment to the emergency war supplemental spending bill that would give a five-year visa to 1.35 million workers plus their spouses and dependent children to live and work in the United States. For almost all legal purposes, the amendment requires that the illegal aliens who qualify for the proposed visa be treated as lawful permanent residents. Illegal aliens would qualify for the proposed five-year visa by proving they have performed agricultural employment for 863 hours or 150 work days or earned $7,000 from agricultural employment over the course of a four-year period. Once granted the proposed five-year visa, the illegal aliens would be authorized to work in any job other than agriculture-related jobs for the rest of the year and would be treated as U.S. workers for hiring purposes.

Adding the amendment to the appropriations bill also violates Senate rules because it legislates on an appropriations bill. As such, it will be subject to a point of order on the floor and 60 votes will be needed to keep this language in the bill. Chambliss and Isakson strongly oppose the amendment and will vote against it.

The text of the letter to Senator Reid is below. The letter was also signed by Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, David Vitter, R-Louisiana, Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, Elizabeth Dole, R-North Carolina, and Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky.

May 20, 2008

The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington D.C. 20510

Dear Majority Leader Reid:

We write to express disappointment that the Senate Appropriations Committee chose to include in the War Supplemental more than 100 pages of immigration language that would grant legal status to more than one million illegal alien agriculture workers and their families. We urge you to remove these controversial provisions from the bill so we can enact essential funding for our troops without delay. If these provisions remain in the bill, you can expect a vigorous debate on immigration policy.

Chambliss Announces NBAF Provision Included In Farm Bill

The U.S. Senate today overwhelmingly approved the bipartisan farm bill conference report, coauthored by U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., Ranking Republican Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The farm bill, titled the “Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008,” includes a provision that instructs the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a permit to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the study of foot and mouth disease at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).

The proposed NBAF, operated by the Department of Homeland Security, will study high-consequence animal and zoonotic diseases to ensure our nation is prepared to detect and mitigate deadly agriculture diseases. It will replace an aging facility on Plum Island, New York, where foot and mouth disease research is now conducted.

“The study of foot and mouth disease, one of the most infectious livestock diseases known to man, is necessary to prepare our nation for any incident or outbreak of this economically devastating disease,” said Senator Chambliss. “I am pleased with the inclusion of this provision in the farm bill. I look forward to working with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security as we bring the vision of NBAF to reality.”

“This new national facility will be dedicated to research on disease detection and countermeasures, and it is extremely important that this includes research to deal with deadly agriculture diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease,” said U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. “With its world-class USDA research facilities, Georgia is the logical choice to conduct such important research and Senator Chambliss and I are working hard to promote our state’s bid to have NBAF located in Georgia.”

“The new and modern technology of the NBAF must be utilized to protect our food animals,” said David Lee, vice president for research at the University of Georgia. “Safe research and the development of effective counter-measures for this disease are critical to the health and welfare of the domestic herds of cattle, sheep, and swine, and to our agricultural industry, not just in Georgia, but across the country.”

UGA is leading the effort to attract the NBAF to Georgia, which has nationally and internationally recognized resources in infectious disease research, vaccine and diagnostic test development, and food safety. Georgia is one of six sites under consideration.

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 passed the House and Senate this week and will now be sent to the President.

Isakson, Chambliss Co-Sponsor Legislation to End Reckless Spending, Reform Federal Budget Process

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today joined Senator Pete Domenici, R-N.M., in introducing bipartisan legislation to end reckless spending and reform the federal budget process by converting it to a two-year cycle, with one year for appropriating federal dollars and the other year devoted to oversight of federal programs.

“One of the problems we have in Congress with deficit spending is spending money on projects that shouldn’t be funded with tax dollars and programs that have outlasted their usefulness. So this is first and foremost about changing our budget process and setting priorities for spending,” Isakson said. “Also, under this legislation, if you appropriated during odd-numbered years and did oversight during even-numbered years, wouldn’t it be refreshing to have candidates seeking federal office in even-numbered years talking about the oversight of federal programs instead of how they want to spend more of the taxpayers’ dollars. Congress must become better stewards of the taxpayers’ money, and this legislation is a good step in that direction.”

“The people of Georgia expect their tax dollars to be used wisely, and they expect Congress to be more efficient and more productive,” said Chambliss. “I believe that improving our budget process is an important step in reigning in wasteful spending and ensuring fiscal responsibility, and I hope our colleagues will join us in supporting these much-needed reforms.”

Specifically, the Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act, S.2627, would require the president to submit a two-year budget at the beginning of the first session of a Congress. Members of Congress would then need to adopt a two-year budget resolution, a reconciliation bill if necessary and two-year appropriations bills during that first session. The legislation ensures the enactment of two-year appropriations bills by providing a new majority point of order against consideration of an appropriations bill that fails to cover two years.

The second session of a Congress would then be devoted to the consideration of authorization bills and oversight of federal programs. Isakson and Chambliss believe the enhanced oversight will result in more accountability of government programs.
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