A Weekly e-Newsletter from
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)

November 4, 2011

Dear Friends,

During the Senate recess last week, I spent a great deal of time traveling and hearing from constituents. This week, the senate debated an appropriations bill, H.R.2112, that combined three FY2012 appropriations bills – Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Transportation-HUD – into one bill. I voted against final passage of this legislation because it contained too many increases in federal spending for too many programs.

‘Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011’
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011, legislation that I introduced in June. The Senate already had passed it unanimously. The cost of legislation is offset and does not add to the nation’s debt, and the bill will now go to President Obama for his signature.

This legislation provides whistleblower protection for Peace Corps volunteers, a safeguard that is currently in place for federal employees but not for Peace Corps volunteers. In addition, this legislation requires the Peace Corps to develop sexual assault risk-reduction and response training and protocol in consultation with experts that complies with best practices in the sexual assault field. The training also is to be tailored to the specific countries in which volunteers serve.

I was moved to draft and introduce this legislation after reading an article in the newspaper about Kate Puzey, a 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer from Cumming, Ga., who was murdered in the West African village of Badjoude, Benin, in 2009, soon after she had reported a colleague for allegedly molesting some of the young girls they taught. As a father and grandfather, I was moved by her story and felt compelled to attend her funeral, where I met and grieved with her family. Since that time, I have worked with them to attempt to bring justice to Kate’s murderer and to pass legislation to provide better protection for Peace Corps volunteers. As the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on African Affairs, I traveled to Africa during a Senate recess earlier this year. While there, I made it a priority to meet with President Boni Yayi of Benin to seek justice in the Puzey case. During our 2.5 hour meeting, I urged President Yayi to allow the FBI to assist in the murder investigation, and I hand-delivered a letter from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterating the importance the United States places on the Puzey case. I met with President Yayi again in July in Washington.

I am overjoyed that Congress approved this legislation unanimously, and I am very grateful to everyone who contributed to the team effort that made this day possible. Kate was a remarkable young woman who unselfishly went to Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer and was tragically murdered while helping others. Through the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act, Kate’s life will be memorialized by this new law to provide added protections, victims’ rights and whistleblower status for Peace Corps volunteers. It is my sincere hope that this day might bring a small bit of comfort to the Puzey family.

Proposed Re-Organization of Air Force Materiel Command in Warner-Robins
On Wednesday, the U.S. Air Force announced that it is proposing a re-organization of Air Force Materiel Command, the parent command of the Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center. 

According to the Air Force, the restructure of Air Force Materiel Command – the Air Force’s largest employer of civilians – will focus on standardizing processes, streamlining decision-making and aligning missions to allow the command to operate more effectively and efficiently. The realignment is in line with the Defense Department’s requirement to make $450 billion in spending cuts over the next decade. The command will preserve workforce and mission capabilities by consolidating management functions around its core missions. The re-organization will result in a reduction of 193 civilian positions at the Warner-Robins AFB. Some of these positions are currently unfilled. An additional 150 civilian positions will be eliminated elsewhere at Robins Air Force Base, again, with some of these positions currently unfilled. Based on other initiatives un-related to the command re-organization, the total reduction at Robins Air Force Base will be around 600 personnel. The base leadership has given assurances that it will work to achieve these reductions through retirements and voluntary separations.

The proposed re-organization leaves unresolved one issue central to the Air Force’s ability to sustain weapon systems, and that is the responsibilities and reporting chain for what is known as the “Aerospace Sustainment Directorates” at each of the Air Logistics Centers. These organizations are the sustainment “brain trust” and are the quarterbacks of the sustainment team. The Air Force has discussed the possibility of re-aligning these organizations away from the sustainment command and that could make the sustainment process less efficient.

The Air Force is responding to the reductions that must take place throughout our federal government. While this action by the Air Force does lead to a reduction of civilian positions, there will be no loss of active duty personnel at Robins. Any loss of civilian jobs is concerning, but the relatively small reduction is a testament to the importance of Robins Air Force Base to the mission of the Air Force.

November is ‘Military Family Month’
As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I was pleased this week to commemorate the month of November as “Military Family Month,” which was created by a presidential proclamation to “celebrate the exceptional service, strength, and sacrifice of our military families, whose commitment to our Nation goes above and beyond the call of duty.”

Not only should we express our deep gratitude to the men and women in our armed forces, but also we should recognize the great sacrifices military families make every day and thank them for their contribution to our country. I urge all Americans to join me in honoring our soldiers’ families during the month of November and every day of the year.

'Drive Safer Sunday'
Dangerous driving results in terrible accidents that cost money and unfortunately, sometimes even lives. The holidays are a particularly dangerous time on the roads and should not end in tragedy—that's why this week, I was pleased that the Senate unanimously passed a resolution I co-authored with Senator Chambliss and Senator Mark Pryor, D-Ark., urging drivers to drive safely during the holiday season.

Specifically, the resolution designates Sunday, November 27, 2011, as "Drive Safer Sunday" and is designed to bring attention to the fact that the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest highway traffic day of the year. The "Drive Safer Sunday" resolution encourages motorists, trucking firms and law enforcement agencies to work together to make the roads safer for all travelers during the holidays and throughout the year.

Senator Chambliss and I have introduced similar resolutions in previous years in honor of Cullum Owings, a Georgia college student who died in 2002 in a traffic accident on his way back to school after Thanksgiving. Steve and Susan Owings of Atlanta, the parents of Cullum Owings, founded an organization called Road Safe America in honor of their son to bring awareness of the hazards of highway travel and provide statistics and safety tips to drivers. Road Safe America's goals include better driver training for all drivers and limiting the top speed for large trucks.

We must do a better job of educating all drivers to be safer on the road at all times, and I am proud to join with Senators Chambliss and Pryor to once again designate one of the biggest travel days of the year as "Drive Safer Sunday."

Alleged Security Breach at Atlanta Airport
This week, in response to a TV news station's investigative report that exposed a potential security gap in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's catering operation, I sent a letter to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) encouraging a full investigation. Specifically, the story focused on the operations of a catering operation, and concerns about security both with catering carts and with employees "piggybacking" through checkpoints where they are required to swipe their identification cards.

As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, its Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security, and a frequent traveler through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, I have a special interest in the findings. We must to all we can to ensure that that air travelers in our country are safe and airport operations are secure.

What's on Tap?

Next week, the Senate will resume debate on a bill that would repeal a tax withholding requirement for federal contractors. If the Senate votes to proceed to the 3 percent withholding legislation, then the measure will also be the vehicle for Democratic amendments that will make up their next attempt at a jobs bill.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson