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Dear Friends:

This week the Senate passed the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, with my support, which provides funding for the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies.  Additionally, the bill includes a provision which permanently expands the E-Verify system, an internet-based system administered by the Department of Homeland Security that allows employers to determine whether or not prospective employees are legally allowed to work in the U.S.

Cap and Trade/Climate Change Legislation

In the past few weeks I have heard from many of you who are concerned about the Cap and Trade bill, which passed in the House a couple of weeks ago. Right now, if the House-passed bill came to the Senate, in my opinion it wouldn’t generate 35 votes because it’s such an expensive bill. Additionally it requires a tremendous overhaul in the way that we would have to operate from a climate change standpoint. While all of us want to make sure that we breathe clean air, have clean water and that we leave this country in better shape than which we found it, there’s got to be a measured approach in dealing with this issue.

First of all, Cap and Trade will have an immediate impact on your utility bill. The Cap and Trade bill seeks to quantify and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Those emissions are primarily carbon dioxide, and our power plants in the Southeast are fueled by coal and emit carbon dioxide.

The power companies are moving in the direction of more nuclear production in the southeast, but until these new nuclear facilities are on line, they’re going to have to continue to use coal. They’re working hard to make sure they use less carbon dioxide, but if this legislation were to go into effect, we would see an immediate increase in our utility bills somewhere around 150 percent. 

I will continue to work to ensure Georgians are not negatively impacted by any climate change legislation.

Military Overseas Voting

This week I, along with colleagues from the Senate Rules Committee, introduced the Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (“MOVE Act”), which will ensure that all ballots cast by U.S. troops overseas are counted in elections.

The legislation 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.

The bill addresses problems military and overseas voters face in registering to vote from outside the United States and it bars states from rejecting military ballots for lack of a notary signature, which can be difficult to obtain on bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Of the 992,000 military and overseas absentee ballots requested for the 2006 election, more than 660,000 never reached election officials. This is simply unacceptable. Our military men and women serving overseas to defend and promote our national values at very least deserve to participate in the electoral process.

Coast Guard Cutter Commissioning Ceremony

On July 2, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address during the commissioning ceremony at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base for the Coast Guard’s newest cutter, Sea Dog.  My wife, Julianne, was honored to be selected as the ship’s sponsor. 

It was truly a touching experience to participate in the ceremony that marks the beginning of the Sea Dog’s duty to protect the U.S. Navy’s Ballistic Submarine Fleet.  The crew’s efforts are central to our nation’s continued safety and prosperity, and I am grateful we have such a responsive team protecting us.

Coming up…

Next week the Senate will the Senate will begin consideration of S. 1390, the Defense Authorization bill. 

Should you need assistance with a federal agency, you may contact my office toll free at 800-234-4208. You can also send a letter to one of my office addresses listed at the bottom of this newsletter. 

Please let me know if I can be of assistance.

Very truly yours,

Saxby Chambliss