Lawmakers Name 2006 Priorities
By: Edward Lee Pitts
Chattanooga Times-Free Press
Saturday, December 24, 2005

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress from Tennessee said securing the nation’s borders, increasing domestic energy production, cutting federal spending and easing health care premiums are top legislative priorities for 2006.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he will seek confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito to start the year, then he’ll introduce legislation to improve border security in February.

"We are a nation founded by immigrants, but we are also a nation founded by the rule of law," Sen. Frist said.

Technological advancements should help the nation better protect its borders, he said.

Jessica Echard, executive director of Eagle Forum, said Sen. Frist has a chance to start off 2006 with a victory by securing the confirmation of Judge Alito. Conservative groups then will see if the Senate can pass immigration reform with a focus on border security and not worker amnesty, she said.

U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., said the influx of illegal immigrants and the exploding trade deficit have stifled job growth in rural areas. He said he wants Congress to pass budget reforms and tax reforms that will help small businesses and the poor.

"More and more people in my district are reaching a level of poverty, and more and more are without health care," Rep. Davis said.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said he hopes Congress’ focus on border security includes creating lawful status for non-natives who live or study in the United States as productive members of society.

He said the two top issues in 2006 will be the war in Iraq and protection of American jobs. He said he will work to develop legislation to fund science, math and engineering initiatives designed to help the United States maintain global competitiveness in technology fields.

"The biggest issue is how do we keep our jobs from going overseas," Sen. Alexander said. "The answer to that is more brain power and lower energy prices."

There are some energy items Congress needs to address in 2006 despite approving a new energy policy last summer, he said. Those include finding new sources of energy through offshore drilling and more aggressive research in clean-coal and nuclear-power technology.

Sen. Alexander said he plans to hold hearings on the No Child Left Behind Act to ensure the education law is funded properly.

U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., said Congress needs to devote attention in 2006 to simplifying the tax code, preventive health care initiatives, energy and immigration.

Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath also showed that Congress must have greater oversight of federal agencies, he said.

"We create these agencies and then let them go without dragging them up here to Washington to hold them accountable," Rep. Wamp said. "We need to figure out how to make them 21st century agencies and not 18th century agencies."

Sen. Frist said Congress must work to corral the rising cost of health care that is driving Americans into the ranks of the uninsured.

"In health care we have not yet addressed adequately what it is going to take to have a truly patient-centered system," Sen. Frist said.

Sen. Frist said he would continue to look for ways to reduce government spending such as the $39.7 billion in federal spending cuts approved by Congress this month.

Dr. Bruce Oppenheimer, a Vanderbilt University political scientist, said with a lame-duck president and many senators up for reelection in the fall, Sen. Frist should guard against setting the legislative bar too high.

"If he sets expectations for what Republicans are going to achieve in 2006 too high, then people will ask, "Why didn’t you get things done?’" Dr. Oppenheimer said. U.S. Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., said he supports a balanced-budget amendment as well as a broader energy package that examines incentives for owning and producing hybrid vehicles and farm-based fuels.

U.S. Rep. John Duncan, R-Tenn., said he would continue to hold hearings to oversee Katrina spending and will support any measure that reduces the government’s debt.

"We are in a dangerous situation with all the pending retirements of the baby boomers," Rep. Duncan said. "I am trying to call as much attention to it as possible."