This week, the Senate passed legislation to improve security at our Nation’s ports. As part of this effort and to ensure that Washington does not continue to leave behind our rural communities, I introduced legislation adopted by the Senate establishing a Rural Policing Institute (RPI) at the highly respected Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). This continues my homeland security efforts begun as Attorney General to provide the necessary tools for Colorado’s 14,000 peace officers to better protect our communities and themselves.

Meanwhile, the Senate has a renewed debate on immigration reform with a “fence only” proposal. I am disappointed that the Republican leadership has chosen to seek a piecemeal solution to immigration reform. Real immigration reform must be comprehensive: 1) secure our borders, 2) enforce our immigration laws, and 3) secure our economy by taking undocumented immigrants already here out of the shadows. Instead, the current Republican leadership has decided to engage in political gimmicks.

On Wednesday, a report I requested by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) concerning a surprise $1 billion shortfall in health care funding at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) was released. The report showed that the VA relied on, “unrealistic assumptions, errors in estimation, and insufficient data.” The VA also failed to account for our servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. This is yet another example of how the Administration has failed to adequately prepare for the aftermath of war.

I took part in a hearing in support of S.1106, the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, which creates a cost sharing program for construction of the Conduit. Since the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project was authorized in 1962, the Arkansas Valley Conduit has been on Washington’s “to-do” list. Many communities in the Lower Arkansas Valley will benefit from the drinking water promised to them, and the Conduit will help revitalize this important region of Colorado.

Finally, last week President Bush introduced his proposal regarding Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention and America’s treatment of detainees in the war against terrorism. I agree with former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Senator John McCain – himself a former prisoner of war – and my Republican and Democratic colleagues in the Senate that the President’s proposal is not the right solution. The President’s plan will endanger our soldiers, invite other nations to undermine international standards for interrogation and prisoner treatment, and lead many around the world to doubt the moral basis for our fight against terrorism. America must be aggressive in pursuing intelligence to combat terrorism, but we must not endanger our troops or diminish our standing around the world.

Next week will be the Senate’s final week of work before breaking for a month-long recess, and I am hopeful that it will be a productive one. During the month of October, I plan to be in every region of our state, meeting with and hearing from Coloradans on the issues that matter most to them. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Sincerely,

Ken Salazar,
United States Senator

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