12.10.07

Maria's Monday Memo

Senator Tackles Flooding in Washington State
 
In the wake of the massive damage caused throughout Washington by wind, rain and flooding, I would like to offer my support to Governor Chris Gregoire and local officials in the affected counties and cities throughout the state. I commend the Governor on her swift action in declaring a state of emergency and immediately making resources available to local governments. From the 80,000 people without power, to the closure of I-5, to the massive flooding and road closures, these storms have wreaked havoc across the state. My thoughts and prayers are with all Washington residents who have been affected by this devastation.
 
Meeting with Coast Guard Head to Discuss Flood Response
 
Following devastating storms last week that resulted in tremendous rainfall, floods, road damage, and land and mud slides, I met with Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard to discuss the Coast Guard’s response to the disaster. As Chair of the Senate Subcommittee that has oversight over the Coast Guard, we discussed the status of the floods and the ongoing search and rescue operations.  The Coast Guard’s response following last week’s storm has been tremendous. The storm caused devastating damage to Washington homes, businesses, infrastructure and economy.  In the aftermath, hundreds of our fellow citizens were left stranded by the floods, and the Coast Guard worked day and night to rescue them.  I applaud the Coast Guard for their efforts last week and will continue working with local, state and federal authorities to ensure the Coast Guard and the state of Washington have the resources they need.
 
Calling on the President for Federal Assistance for Flood Victims
 
Last Thursday, the Washington delegation sent a joint letter to President Bush urging him to quickly approve the federal assistance that Governor Chris Gregoire requested.  This Saturday, I joined Senator Patty Murray Governor Gregoire and Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA-06) for a tour of the flood zones.  President Bush declared Washington's flooding a major disaster Saturday, clearing the way for federal recovery aid to the state as well as local governments in six southwestern counties -- Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston -- for  at least 75 percent of debris-removal costs, and up to 75 percent of emergency measures. On Sunday the President granted the Governor’s request for individual assistance to Lewis and Grays Harbor counties.  Individual assistance will provide direct financial help to residents of these two counties that have suffered extreme loss.  I will continue working with the rest of the delegation to ensure they get the federal disaster assistance they need. 
 
 
Filibuster of Landmark Energy Bill a Mistake
 
I am very disappointed a landmark energy package was blocked in the Senate last week, despite a majority of Senators voting for the bill.  America is facing a tremendous energy challenge, and the decision to reduce our nation’s overdependence on fossil fuels should not be partisan or allowed to be sabotaged by special interests.  The Senate came together across party lines to move our nation forward and make the next chapter in America’s energy story about keeping our energy dollars here at home and in family pocketbooks, while reducing our contribution to global warming.  The bill would have increased fuel economy standards for the first time in over two decades, required a major increase in the use of biofuels, and made our appliances, electronics, and lighting significantly more efficient.  Together these measure would have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by about 20 percent, and saved consumers about half a trillion dollars through 2030.  America needs a better plan and a better energy future.  It is time to get serious about a more visionary approach to curbing our addiction to oil.  I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to get a bill passed by the end of this year that not only delivers on the promises we made in the Senate bill which passed earlier this summer, but that has the votes needed to overcome any political and short-sighted opposition from the President.
 
 
Tax Relief for Washingtonians
Over 273,000 Washingtonians will receive a tax break on their 2007 returns thanks to the passage of the Alternative Minimum Tax Act of 2007 (AMT) last week. I supported the measure which passed last Thursday but I am disappointed that Republican leadership prevented the Senate from passing fiscally responsible AMT relief. While passage of this bill will bring much needed tax relief to hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians, I am distressed that it wasn't done so in a fiscally responsible way that works to reduce our soaring deficit. I hope that Republican leadership won't continue to stand in the way of passing critical extensions of expiring tax relief including state sales tax deductibility, the research and development tax credit and tax credits for our nation's students and teachers. I will also continue to work to make the sales tax deduction a permanent feature of our tax code. The Senate passed legislation is a temporary fix, meaning that more than 22 million taxpayers nationwide, and an estimated 273,000 Washingtonians, will not be subject to the AMT in 2007. 
 
 
We Need A More Transparent Process for FCC Media Ownership Rules
 
Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee passed the Media Ownership Act of 2007 introduced by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND). I was an original cosponsor of the Act. The bill will increase the transparency in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) process for adopting any new media ownership rules. Chairman Kevin Martin is rushing to complete the FCC's media ownership rulemaking by December 18th and has allowed for only limited public comment on these proposed rules, while paying lip service to localism and woman and minority ownership.  If enacted, the Media Ownership Act would ensure the issues surrounding how media ownership impacts communities get addressed before any new rules get released and that the public has adequate time to weigh in at the FCC once any proposed rules do come out. Diverse voices make this country what it is today and democracy is strengthened when we have various opinions broadcast on our airwaves, posted on the Internet, and printed in the press. No one should be allowed to corner the marketplace for ideas.
 
Specifically the bill would require the FCC to:
 
  • publish any proposed modification to its broadcast ownership regulations at least 90 days prior to a vote and provide at least 60 days for public comment;
 
  • complete a separate rulemaking on localism before voting on changes to broadcast ownership regulations, including a study to determine the impact of station duopolies and newspaper / broadcast cross-ownership on the quantity and quality of local news, public affairs, local news media jobs; and
 
  • establishment of an independent panel on female and minority ownership and for the FCC to provide the panel with accurate data on female and minority ownership. This panel must issue recommendations and the FCC must act on them prior to voting on any proposed ownership rules.
 
 
 
Ending the Hunting of Protected Whales
 
Earlier this month, I joined Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and a group of my colleagues in sending a letter to Ryozo Kato, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan, asking the Japanese government to reconsider its intended hunt of endangered whales in Antarctica. The fleet intends to harvest 1,000 whales, including 50 threatened humpback whales protected by a worldwide moratorium since 1966.  So-called scientific whaling shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hunt these threatened animals. This letter needs to bring attention to the whaling practices in other countries. The international community needs to stand firm in opposing attempts to expand whaling to endangered species.