Posted by: Hank Johnson (August 03, 2007, 06:54 PM)
Friends:
Here’s a Friday recap of this week’s Congressional accomplishments.
Iraq: Throughout the week, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have listened to testimony from expert witnesses regarding the state of our armed forces and of our continuing efforts in Iraq.
It remains my belief that, while our military is more than capable of winning individual battles, there is no long-term military strategy that will pacify and secure such an unstable and divided country. I continue to oppose escalation of the war and will keep working for a responsible redeployment of our troops from Iraq.
By the same token, I am deeply concerned by the heavy toll our operations in Iraq are placing on our men and women in uniform. An unrelenting deployment schedule and the stress of life in a war zone burden our soldiers and their families.
So, as a member of the Armed Forces Committee, I am particularly proud of the legislation the House passed on Thursday, the Ensuring Military Readiness through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act of 2007. This bipartisan bill strengthens our military by mandating minimum periods of rest and recuperation for military service personnel between deployments. (CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION)
PeachCare: On Wednesday, we approved the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP Act), which reauthorizes and expands the S-CHIP children’s health insurance program, including Georgia’s PeachCare.
I have been a vocal advocate for PeachCare and am very pleased that my colleagues have joined me in supporting these vital children’s healthcare programs. Click the video below to watch me speak up for PeachCare on the floor of the House when it was facing a budget crisis in February. Months of hard work later, we’ve saved PeachCare from insolvency.
Detainee Treatment: Last Friday, I introduced The National Commission on Detainee Treatment Act of 2007. It has been five years since the first detainees arrived at the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba, and allegations of abuse there and at CIA “black sites” around the world tarnish our country’s reputation and undermine America’s moral authority in the struggle against terrorism.
The administration may believe its clandestine activities at shadowy detention centers around the globe to be beyond the reach of Congressional oversight. The administration is wrong.
We need to establish explicit rules to ensure that our detainee treatment practices are Constitutional, are consistent with human rights treaties we have signed, and reflect American values. This bill would commission a thorough review of our detainee treatment practices so Congress can craft an ethical and effective policy. (CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION)
Ethics Reform: On Tuesday, my colleagues and I passed important bipartisan ethics reform to increase the transparency of relationships between politicians and lobbyists. The fight against corruption goes on and this bill is a major step in the effort to clean up Washington. (CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION)
Consumer Protection: I spent much of the week continuing to recruit cosponsors for a bill I introduced in July with Sen. Russ Feingold, the Arbitration Fairness Act of 2007, which would protect consumers and employees against being forced into arbitration when their disputes deserve a jury trial. This week I attracted an additional four cosponsors for a total of twelve.
This Weekend: My colleagues and I will continue working through this weekend to ensure that we have accomplished our objectives, including the passage of landmark energy independence legislation, before heading home to our districts for the August Recess.
Thank you for checking in with me on my blog. Please send this to family and friends so our community can stay abreast of our efforts in Washington. Never hesitate to contact my office with questions and feedback.
Stay tuned for updates.
--Hank
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