Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce

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

December 11, 2009

Dear Friends,

Debate continued this week on the $2.5 trillion Senate health care legislation . Republicans offered many amendments – including several to protect our seniors from proposed Medicare cuts – but all have been defeated. The unintended consequences of this legislation are disastrous to small businesses and will drive people to a public option where there is no option at all. This is not a public option; this is a public ultimatum.

Once fully implemented in 2014, the proposal would cost an estimated $2.5 trillion over 10 years. Despite the exorbitant cost, an estimated 24 million Americans would still be left without health insurance and 5 million people would lose their employer coverage under the Democrats’ proposal.

The Senate bill also includes $493.6 billion in tax increases and $464.6 billion in Medicare cuts for seniors. In addition, the bill would impose $28 billion in new taxes on employers who do not provide government-approved health plans. I believe these new taxes would ultimately result in reduced wages and lost jobs.

Vote to Preserve Medicare Home Health Services for Millions of Seniors
On Saturday, I voted to support an amendment to the health care proposal that would have prevented the Democrats’ health care plan from cutting $42.1 billion from Medicare home health services.  Senate Democrats defeated the proposal by Senator Mike Johanns, R-Neb., to send the bill back to the Senate Finance Committee with instructions to remove all home health cuts by a vote of 41-53.

I have heard from many Georgians, including the Georgia Association for Home Health Agencies who were in support of the amendment.  If the Senate bill becomes law, they estimate that 68 percent of the Medicare certified home health agencies in Georgia would go out of business, forcing the patients they serve to be re-hospitalized or seek alternative, more costly care.

These services greatly reduce the cost of health care and improve the quality of life of America’s seniors. Without this amendment, we are taking away an affordable, effective way to deliver health care to millions of Americans.

Vote to Put Medicare Savings Back in Medicare
On Monday, the Senate unfortunately rejected an amendment I co-sponsored to ensure that any revenues created by curtailing waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare go to save Medicare.  Senate Democrats defeated the amendment by Senator Judd Gregg, R-N.H., by a vote of 43-56.

The amendment would have prohibited the executive branch from implementing the provisions in the Democrats’ health bill that increase federal spending until the Director of Office of Management and Budget as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Actuary could certify that all projected increases in spending under the bill would be fully offset by projected savings under the bill each year for the subsequent 10 years after it is fully implemented.

According to the 2009 Medicare Trustees Report, Medicare has an unfunded liability of nearly $38 trillion, and Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund will become insolvent in 2017.

The Democrats’ bill reduces Medicare spending by $464.6 billion, including $120 billion in cuts to Medicare Advantage and nearly $200 billion in permanent cuts to all Medicare provider payment updates including hospitals, hospice, home health and nursing homes.

I find it troubling that Democrats in Congress would create new programs with these Medicare “savings ” rather than make a commitment to preserve Medicare and to prevent its impending bankruptcy in 2017.  I cannot in good conscience allow that to happen.

Vote to Protect Medicare Advantage Benefits for All Americans in All States
On Tuesday, I today voted for an amendment that would have protected benefits for all enrollees in the Medicare Advantage program, which serves about 11 million seniors nationwide.  Senate Democrats defeated the amendment by Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., by a vote of 42-57.

Under a current provision in the Senate health care bill, Medicare Advantage plans in Florida would receive an additional payment in order to preserve current levels of benefits. As a result, seniors in Florida would not be subject to the significant cuts facing Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in other states.

It’s unfair to single out beneficiaries in one state. If these benefits are worth protecting for the seniors in Florida, they should be protected for seniors in every state.

Votes to Preserve Ban on Federal Funding for Abortion
On Tuesday, the Senate rejected another amendment I co-sponsored that would have applied to the Senate health care bill a longstanding federal standard barring federal funding for abortion except in the case of rape, incest or life of the mother. Senate Democrats tabled the amendment by U.S. Senators Orin Hatch, R-Utah, and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., by a vote of 54-45.

The amendment would have extended a longstanding provision in law that has come to be known as the Hyde amendment, which bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortions through funds allocated by the annual appropriations bill for Health and Human Services, to the health care reform legislation currently being considered in the Senate. The amendment also would have prohibited the use of the bill’s proposed “affordability tax credits” to purchase a health insurance policy that covers abortion, and would have prohibited federal funding for abortion under the community health insurance option.

By providing taxpayer funding of abortion, Senate Democrats are poised to radically change a federal policy that has been in place for over 30 years.  I co-sponsored this amendment because it is incomprehensible to fund abortion with American tax dollars.

Climate Change Emails
In November, computer hackers entered a server at the University of East Anglia in Britain and stole data from its Climatic Research Unit. The hackers posted nearly 1,000 pieces of correspondence and 3,000 documents on the Internet consisting of emails between some of the world's leading climate scientists that showed scientific data may have been deliberately suppressed to boost one side of the debate.

On Tuesday, I signed onto a letter with five of my Republican colleagues on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee to Committee Chairman John Rockefeller, D-W.V., expressing support for a bipartisan investigation of climate research.

These emails show a troubling pattern regarding scientific research of climate change.  A bipartisan investigation will help ensure that American tax dollars are not being used to manipulate scientific data for a political agenda.  To read the text of the letter to Senator Rockefeller, please click here.

Governors in Tri-State Water Dispute to Meet
I am very pleased the governors of Georgia, Alabama and Florida will meet on Dec. 15, 2009, in Montgomery, Ala., to discuss the ongoing water dispute among the three states.

I believe it is in the best interest of all parties to return to the negotiating table, and I’m pleased the governors have scheduled a time to begin discussions.  I will work tirelessly to support Gov. Perdue’s efforts to reach a negotiated agreement that is in the best interest of all of our stakeholders in Georgia while at the same time respecting the interests and concerns of Florida and Alabama.

Legislation to Ensure Our Nation’s Future Economic Security
This week, I also joined with 26 of my Senate colleagues, including Senator Chambliss in co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation that would establish a task force charged with making recommendations on how to improve the government’s long-term fiscal imbalances.

Long-term projections show an unsustainable imbalance between government spending and revenues. Gross debt is likely to exceed 100 percent of GDP within the next few years, which cannot be corrected by economic growth alone. Additionally, health care entitlements and Social Security will consume increasingly more fiscal resources in the coming years.

Under the legislation, the task force would review projected federal revenues and expenditures as well as the long-term actuarial financial condition of the federal government. It would identify factors that affect the long-term fiscal imbalance and analyze potential courses of action.

The task force would make recommendations to Congress about spending and revenues to improve the long-term federal fiscal imbalance. Recommendations, if approved by 14 of its 18 members immediately after the 2010 elections, would be required to be introduced as legislation by each chamber’s Majority or Minority Leader, or their designees, no later than November 23, 2010.

As a businessman, I more than recognize that the way the government is operating is not only unsustainable, it is a recipe for disaster and failure.  I strongly support this legislation because our ever-increasing debt is a problem that affects everyone, and both political parties must tackle this issue together to ensure long-term success.  For more information on the task force click here.

What’s on Tap?

Today, the Senate will resume debate on the conference report for an omnibus spending package.  Votes are expected over the weekend.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson