Patty Murray's Washington View

PATTY MURRAY'S WASHINGTON VIEW

U.S. Senator Patty Murray's Weekly Report to the People of Washington - September 16, 2005

Wrong Move on Mercury Emissions

This week, the Senate failed to send a message to President
Bush that public health and safety must be put ahead of
energy industry profits. By defeating, on a vote of 47-51, the
Leahy-Collins resolution, Senate Republicans squandered an
opportunity to stop a dangerous Administration policy
change on mercury emissions.

BACKGROUND: REVERSING CLEAN AIR PROGRESS - In
the last days of the Clinton Administration, the EPA
determined mercury to be a toxic pollutant and thus subject
to strict regulation under the Clean Air Act Amendments of
1990. By the end of 2003, the EPA was to formulate a plan
for reducing toxic emissions from power plants. The Clinton
plan required mercury-emitting power plants to install
specific control systems by 2008, helping to reduce pollution
by as much as 90 percent.

However, in December 2003, the Bush Administration
announced a proposal that would significantly relax the
restrictions on emissions of mercury from American power
plants. And, on March 15 of this year, this dangerous
reversal of policy was put into effect by the Environmental
Protection Agency.

By calling for only a 70 percent reduction in emissions by
2018 - ten years later than the Clean Air Act intended - the
rule puts public health and safety at great risk.

SENATE FAILS TO SEND PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGE - On
Tuesday, I voted in favor of a bipartisan joint resolution,
known as the Leahy-Collins resolution, condemning this Bush
Administration rule. I've been strongly opposed to allowing
increased mercury emissions into the atmosphere.

In both March 2004 and 2005, I joined dozens of my
colleagues in sending letters to the EPA Administrators
asking that the rule - which contains verbatim industry
language - be withdrawn and rewritten to properly
safeguard public health. And I cosponsored the Leahy-Collins
resolution, because I knew it was important to send a
message to the President that we need aggressive plans to
improve our air and water quality - not a relaxation of
federal standards. I'm extremely disappointed by this vote,
but I'll keep fighting to reduce toxic mercury emissions.

Standing up for Our Veterans

As more veterans return home from serving our country
overseas, I'm leading an effort in the Senate to make sure
they get what they need to make a smooth transition. I've
held roundtables and official Senate hearings with returning
service members throughout our state. I'm committed to
helping our veterans get the help and respect they deserve.

WALLA WALLA/KITSAP: HELP FOR HOMELESS VETS -
On Wednesday, I announced that the federal government
will provide more than $700,000 to assist homeless veterans
in Walla Walla and Kitsap County. Details of the grants are
as follows:

- Walla Walla - $400,000 for 14 beds;

- Kitsap County - $317,000 for 40 beds, a new service
center, and a van.

For too long, homeless veterans have been forgotten
heroes. These new facilities and services will make a big
difference for those who deserve our respect and support.

VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HEARING - On Thursday,
the Veterans' Affairs Committee met to mark up two veterans'
healthcare proposals. I supported one proposal - passed by the
committee - to expand and improve Vet Centers, which provide
convenient and confidential readjustment counseling to returning
veterans.

Don't Privatize VA Jobs - However, at the hearing, I also
voiced my strong opposition to another proposal that came before
the committee, S. 1182. This bill would waste millions of scarce
VA healthcare dollars on a study to explore the outsourcing of
dedicated VA employees.

I noted that VA employees have been praised for their
outstanding work protecting and caring for veterans who were
impacted by Hurricane Katrina. In fact, a recent report by VA
Secretary Jim Nicholson called the efforts of VA employees
"heroic." Yet the committee stood ready to slap those employees
in the face by privatizing these jobs. We should be rewarding
these VA employees, not insulting them.

Not only is privatization a bad idea, but the cost of studying
privatization could be more than $300 million. At a time when VA
facilities have been damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and the VA
itself if facing budget shortfalls and rising healthcare costs, I
cannot support wasting scarce healthcare dollars on a wasteful
and misguided study. That's one reason why I opposed S. 1182.

Katrina Veterans Deserve More Help - I also voted against it
because it failed to provide adequate support for veterans who
have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. So, throughout the
hearing, I worked to make the bill more helpful to veterans who
were impacted by Hurricane Katrina. I supported an amendment
by Ranking Member Daniel Akaka (D-HI) that would help middleincome
veterans who reside in regions affected by Hurricane
Katrina. Unfortunately, that amendment was weakened during
the markup so that it only provides affected veterans with a
token level of assistance.

Despite my opposition, the bill passed the committee, and will
move to the Senate floor. I believe our veterans and VA
employees deserve better, and I'll continue to fight for them.
Sign up to get periodic updates on my work for our veterans:

Keeping Our Ports Secure

MORE MONEY FOR FERRY SECURITY - On Thursday, I
announced that the federal government will provide more than
$7.2 million to improve security throughout the Washington State
Ferries system. This funding comes in the latest round of Port
Security grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. The Bush Administration has repeatedly tried to cut this
program, but I've led the effort in the Senate to maintain and
increase port security grant funding. The funding is as follows:

- Washington State Ferries - $6.4 million to improve access
control and monitoring, and $63,800 for video monitoring;

- Washington State Patrol - $64,340 to upgrade training
facilities for the explosive canine unit; and

- Bainbridge Island Police Department - $637,646 for video
surveillance and fencing.

These investments will help keep our ferries safe and secure for
everyone who rides them. Ferries are a critical part of our state's
transportation system, and I'm pleased that we're taking steps to
keep them safe.

Get more on my work to improve port security:

http://murray.senate.gov/current.pdf