Senator Feinstein's E-Newsletter

October 2005

Welcome to the October edition of my Washington Report. I hope this newsletter keeps you informed about some of the important matters facing our State, our Nation, and the U.S. Senate.

In this edition, you'll find information about the following:

Preventing a Disaster with California's Levees
Celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Safeguarding Drivers from Gas Price Gouging
Combating the Meth Epidemic

If you have any comments or questions on these or any other issues, please don't hesitate to let me know. Please send any comments you have through my website.

Best wishes,

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein

Preventing a Disaster with California's Levees
The likelihood of a levee breach in California due to a major storm, earthquake, or deterioration remains high. Hurricane Katrina has taught us that we must prepare for such an event. The two areas most at risk of catastrophic flooding are Sacramento and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

A major breach in these levees could imperil hundreds of thousands of people and endanger most of the State’s water supply. Additionally, more than 3 million acres of farmland and over 20 million people depend on water supplies from the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project. In the event of a major Delta levee breach, these distribution systems could be inoperable for months, or even years. If we don't take effective action, there is a 2-in-3 chance that a major storm or earthquake will cause widespread levee collapse in the next 50 years. It would be a dramatic mistake to further delay the repairs that are necessary to protect communities from the ravages of floodwaters.

California's Congressional Delegation needs to work together to secure the funding necessary to protect the State from flooding. Senator Barbara Boxer and Representatives Doris Matsui, Wally Herger, Mike Thompson, and Dan Lungren and I laid out a specific spending plan to secure FY 2006 funding for this critical effort to improve flood protection in consultation with Governor Schwarzenegger and the Army Corps of Engineers. Together our delegation can ensure that full federal participation proceeds with the urgency needed to prevent a major disaster in our great State.

Read the latest news about efforts to protect California from Catastrophic Floods: Feinstein, Boxer, 4 Northern California Representatives Call on Delegation to Unite Behind Plan to Protect State from Flooding (9/23/05)

Celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is an opportunity to raise awareness of breast cancer issues and for women to talk to their health care providers about their risk for breast cancer and find out what they should do to be screened for the disease.

The Senate recently took an important step toward eliminating this terrible disease by approving legislation I sponsored with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) to extend the Breast Cancer Research Stamp for another two years. To date, the stamp has raised $47.4 million for breast cancer research. I hope that the House will act soon to continue the legacy of the stamp.

Breast cancer is considered the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in every major ethnic group in this country. Over two million women in the U.S. are living with breast cancer, one million of whom have yet to be diagnosed. This year, approximately 211,240 women in this country will get breast cancer and about 40,410 women will die from this dreadful disease. Though much less common, about 1,300 men in America are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.

Read the latest news on efforts to increase breast cancer research: Senate Approves Continuing Breast Cancer Research Stamp (9/28/05)

92 Senators Support NCI Goal to Eliminate Cancer by 2015 (9/28/05)

Safeguarding Drivers from Gas Price Gouging
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and I have introduced legislation to ban price gouging at the gas pump in the wake of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina. This would give the President authority to declare national energy emergencies, when proven price gougers would be subject to new fines and criminal penalties. The legislation also empowers federal regulators to go after market manipulation of oil and gas prices on an every-day basis.

I have written to the CEOs of leading oil companies operating in California to urge them to take whatever steps necessary to address soaring gas prices and keep them at a reasonable level for consumers. But they have declined and are continuing to rack up record profits. In the past year, the refiners who produce gasoline have recorded an unprecedented 255% jump in their profits.

Hurricane Katrina has shown us clearly how susceptible our energy market is to disruption, and also that a disruption does not hit all Americans equally. While some may be able to afford gas no matter what the cost, prices of $3, $4, or even $5 a gallon leave many Americans unable to fill up their tank and with less money for food, for rent, or for other necessities.

This legislation helps balance the scales for consumers. It is simply wrong for the oil industry to profiteer in the wake of a natural disaster or other emergency. Americans should know that their government is on their side and that a basic commodity like gasoline will be available and affordable when they need it most.

To learn more about protecting consumers from high energy prices read: Senator Feinstein Joins 31 Democratic Senators to Call on President Bush to Urge Energy Executives to Lower Prices (10/11/05)

Feinstein, Feingold Lead Effort To Protect Consumers From Oil Industry Concentration (10/3/05)

Cantwell-Feinstein Legislation Would Prohibit Gasoline Price Gouging (9/20/05)

Senator Feinstein Urges Oil Executives to Curb Skyrocketing California Gasoline Prices (8/19/05)

Combating the Meth Epidemic
The Senate took a major step forward in the fight against methamphetamine this month, passing Talent-Feinstein legislation that would move cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine (a key ingredient in meth) behind the pharmacy counter. Our comprehensive bill also authorizes $43 million in new anti-meth funding for law enforcement, training and treatment.

The continuing proliferation of meth production is putting a severe strain on federal and local law enforcement resources. We need to do more to help law enforcement put meth cooks and traffickers behind bars. This means a coordinated federal effort from DEA and the Border Patrol to prevent meth from entering the country from Mexico. And it means increasing awareness of the dangers of meth and finding successful treatment options for addicts.

The legislation passed by the Senate will put thousands of meth labs out of business across the country. It establishes a strong national standard for limiting access to pseudoephedrine, but also gives States the flexibility to enact even tougher laws. Now it’s up to the House of Representatives to accept this provision and send it to the President for his signature.

To learn more about combating the meth epidemic, read: Senator Feinstein to Co-Chair Senate Anti-Meth Caucus (10/7/05)

U.S. Senate Approves Talent-Feinstein Anti-Meth Bill (9/9/05)

Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Feinstein-Talent Anti-Meth Bill (7/28/05)

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