Newsletter - July 2009

Statement

Welcome to the July edition of E-News! This electronic newsletter provides a great way to share information on important issues facing Idaho, the West and our country. Through my website, iTownHall meetings, podcasts, YouTube and this newsletter. I will continue to keep you updated on federal efforts and legislation important to Idaho and our country. E-News also offers me a way to update you on matters that may not make national news, but hold great interest for Idahoans. Also, use the "Tell a Friend" form on the lower left to pass this along to friends, co-workers and family members. It is my hope that you will benefit from being aware of changes in legislation of concern to you. As always, it is extremely important to me to stay informed on matters of interest to you.

U.S. CapitolThis month we celebrate the 233rd birthday of the United States of America! On July 4, 1776, our great nation claimed our independence from Britain, and our republic was born. Each year, on Independence Day, we celebrate our freedom with barbecues, picnics, parades, fireworks and gatherings with our families and friends. On June 14, we celebrated Flag Day, but we should feel immense patriotism not only on patriotic holidays, but throughout the year. On this Fourth of July, please take a moment to reflect on the brave men and women of our military who have sacrificed so much to protect our way of life and the freedom we cherish. We all owe gratitude to our dedicated troops for stepping forward to ensure that every day continues to be Independence Day in the United States of America!

In this month's E-News, you will find information on:

* Water-The Clean Water Restoration Act
* Crime-Fighting for victims of crime
* Downwinders-The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act reintroduced
* Salmon-Funding for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Program restored

Water

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), on which I serve, recently approved legislation that would greatly expand the regulatory powers of the federal government to regulate non-navigable waters. In addition to voting against the bill in Committee, I have placed a "hold" on the bill, signaling my readiness to filibuster the bill if necessary.

S. 787, the so-called Clean Water Restoration Act, would allow for government regulation of virtually all interstate and intrastate waters and their tributaries, including rivers, intermittent streams, mudflats, sandflats, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, natural ponds and others. It also would grant federal regulators new and expanded authority over activities affecting these waters, which has serious implications for commerce. S. 787 would eliminate the term "navigable" from the current Clean Water Act and substitute it with "waters of the United States." By so doing, it expands the scope of the Act by changing the standard for triggering federal jurisdiction. I have grave reservations about fundamentally altering the intent and scope of the Clean Water Act, and I will strongly oppose this bill if it ever makes it to the floor of United States Senate. Rest assured that I intend to use every tool and privilege afforded to me as a U.S. Senator to slow or stop this ill-conceived attack on Idaho's sovereignty over managing its water. Return to the top.

Crime

The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act of 2009, which I introduced on June 24, along with Senator Pat Leahy (D-Vermont), will create a minimum funding level through Fiscal Year 2014 for recipients of the Crime Victims Fund. The Fund is administered by the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee. This cap increase will allow more money to go specifically toward victims of crime, as originally intended by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. It is my intent that this legislation is just the first step toward completely eliminating spending caps for this fund in the future.

The Victims of Crime Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Regan on October 12, 1984. It serves as the central source of federal financial support for direct services to victims of crime, through a dedicated funding stream. The money for the Fund comes from fines, penalty assessments, bond forfeitures collected from convicted federal offenders, and certain other collections; taxpayer dollars do not go into the Fund. The U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime annually awards grants to states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories out of the Fund. Those state agencies, in turn, sub-grant to organizations that provide direct services to victims of crime. Return to the top.

Downwinders

Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Max Baucus (D-Montana) joined with me in introducing legislation that would make residents of Idaho and Montana eligible for a federal government program that compensates people who lived in affected areas downwind of the Nevada Test Site during periods of atmospheric nuclear testing during the 1950s and 60s. Under the legislation, those victims would be compensated if they contracted cancer or other specified compensable diseases following the testing. S. 1342, the bipartisan legislation introduced on June 24, would amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include all of Idaho and Montana.
The victims of this testing have waited years for just compensation, and the cruel irony is that the federal government has postponed this action for so long that many aren't living to see this bill passed. This is the third time we have introduced this legislation. It is of national importance and we hope we can expand the scope of the program because there are victims throughout the country. Return to the top.

Salmon

Along with Senator Jim Risch and others, I was able to convince the Obama Administration to restore $50 million in funding to restore Northwest salmon. Had the President and his staff not responded favorably to our request, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Program was set to be zeroed out in an original Fiscal Year 2010 budget proposal.

Idaho is home to half of the critical spawning habitat for salmon, and the federal government must maintain its commitment to restoring sustainable, fishable populations of salmon and steelhead. The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Program has provided improved habitat across our state. The President and his staff are to be commended for reviewing our request to restore this funding and restoring it. Return to the top.

Still looking for more information? Use the questions to the left to specify issues that are of concern to you.

It is my hope that you will benefit from being aware of changes in legislation of concern to you. Please visit the Issues and Legislation section of my website for information that addresses many issues important to all of us. As always, I highly value the opinions and concerns of my fellow Idahoans. With that in mind, we continue to work to improve my website. But please do not reply to this e-newsletter. Any comments, suggestions or concerns that you have should be sent to me through the E-mail Me section on my website. Also, let me know if there are issues that you would like me to address.

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