Senator Conrad Burns’ Montana eNewsLetter Friday, October 21, 2005 version 5, edition 7

Time to End Japanese Beef Embargo

On Thursday I met with Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato regarding the 22-month Japanese embargo on U.S beef. Our meeting was very positive. The Ambassador is optimistic, and he indicated that we could hear something concrete as soon as the end of this month. I stressed to Ambassador Kato that on October 4, Japan’s Food Safety Commission concluded that risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from U.S. beef and beef products under 20 months of age is “very low”, and that the Senate is very seriously considering sanctions if this ban continues. This process has gone on long enough. Montana’s cattle producers produce the best beef in the world, and we are fed up with these delays.

ANWR, Budget Reconciliation Action in Senate

As part of its Budget Reconciliation process, the Energy and Natural Resources committee directed the Secretary of the Interior to create and implement an environmentally-sensitive oil and gas leasing program in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The committee took this action in response to instructions from the Budget Committee to raise $2.4 billion in revenue for fiscal years 2006-2010, which in this case will be raised through revenues from the lease sales. We have seen what a huge impact Katrina and Rita have had on our energy prices and it is clear that we need to make sure we don’t have all our eggs in one basket when it comes to energy. Diversification is critical to our national security and stability, and ANWR is an issue that has been shelved for too long. The same tired excuses have been heard over and over again—responsible development in ANWR is the right thing to do for America’s Energy future, and it’s time we take action. Regarding Agriculture reconciliation, I was disappointed to see the cuts come down exclusively on farmers. While I support the need to remain fiscally responsible through this process, I would like to see more balanced cuts than the ones that came out of the Agriculture Committee. These cuts are going to really dig into the pockets of our producers in Montana and across the country and I just cannot stand behind that. These cuts should be evenhanded and across the board, no question, and that’s not what we have seen come out of the Committee.

Burns Passes Amendment to Fund Essential Air Service

In a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Thursday, I included an amendment that will make $75 million in funding available over the next five years for the Essential Air Service (EAS). I’m pleased to see the Committee side with our nation’s small airports by including my amendment in this bill. In an environment of skyrocketing jet fuel costs, this amendment ultimately provides the EAS program with the funding it needs to be effective. It gives us the opportunity to assist our rural communities through a well supported program, and I look forward to seeing it become law.

President Bush Signs Homeland Security Appropriations Bill

On Wednesday, I joined President George W. Bush at the White House as he signed the FY06 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill into law. The bill includes a total of $30.8 billion for the operations and programs of the Department of Homeland Security. Included in the bill is $18.3 million for the creation of a Northern Border Airwing in Great Falls, Montana. The money we’ll use to construct our new Airwing in Great Falls is all but in our hands, and I can’t wait to get this project started. Now that we’ve gotten this ball rolling, I look forward to seeing the new Airwing will bring jobs into the Great Falls area, boost Montana’s economy, and play a roll in the defense of our nation as a whole. In addition to the $18.3 million in funding for the Northern Border Airwing, this bill includes important funding for immigration and border security, The Federal Flight Deck Officer Program, and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and Emergency Management Performance (EMPG) grants, including:

· $3.4 billion for first responders, including grants to state and local communities, firefighters, and emergency management

· $5.05 billion for transportation security

· $9.8 billion for border protection, immigration enforcement, and related activities, an increase of $915 million from FY05

· $32 million for the Federal Flight Deck Officer and Flight Crew Training Programs, and increase of $7 million from FY05

USDA Halts FSA Office Closures

I’m pleased to announce that I have received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that they will not move forward with their proposed Farm Service Agency (FSA) office closures. The USDA announcement came in response to a letter I sent earlier this week to Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner of the USDA, expressing my reservations about the planned office consolidations. Since the initial announcement from the USDA, I have spoken to the USDA on a daily basis to make clear the importance of halting these closures. While I applaud FSA’s underlying goals of modernizing and improving services and program delivery for farmers and ranchers, I have some big concerns—FSA appears to have no plan for dealing with the potential impact of these closures on local communities, and that’s a very serious issue. Streamlining government is a worthy goal, but the process must be conducted properly. Local input is essential, as is a thorough assessment of the impacts of consolidation on local communities. I am glad to see the USDA has finally seen that their proposals needed to be revisited, and I am glad I was able to play a part in putting the breaks on this effort.

Amtrak Increases Ridership

I’m pleased to announce that Amtrak served 25,373,998 passengers in fiscal year 2005, and in Montana ridership increased from 129,044 last year to 140,475 this year. I don’t think it’s possible to overstate the important role of Amtrak to our country’s transportation infrastructure, and the ridership these numbers make that point all the more clear. I have long fought here in Washington to keep Amtrak intact and year in and year out I find we have to fight this same battle to get folks to understand the critical role of this rail system. As ridership numbers continue to increase each year, more and more folks will stand with me in support of Amtrak, and I am glad to see these great numbers come out this week.

USDA Farm Bill Forum

I’m pleased to tell you that Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be conducting a Farm Bill Forum in Bozeman on November 4, from 2-4 p.m. This event will take place as a part of Ag Appreciation Days at Montana State University. This will be a great way for the USDA to hear directly from Montanans about their ideas and concerns. I know Chuck will be able to offer a lot of information to our folks as well, so mark your calendar. USDA has been conducting Farm Bill Forums throughout the country to give producers a chance to shape the 2007 Farm Bill. Participants have the opportunity to respond to six questions that USDA has put out for public comment. The forums address issues such as commodity programs, conservation programs, international trade, rural development, and agricultural research.

Contracting Opportunities Following Katrina and Rita

Small business owners will have increased opportunities to participate in federal prime and sub-contracting rebuilding efforts in the areas affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The U.S. Small Business Administration has partnered with the U.S. General Services Administration and other federal agencies to provide a toll-free number, 1-800-FED-INFO (800-333-4636), to help small businesses learn about hurricane relief efforts, contracting and rebuilding opportunities. A customer service representative from GSA will field the calls and direct callers to the appropriate SBA district office representative. The SBA has designated personnel from each district office to respond to these inquiries and make referrals to the SBA’s procurement center representatives and others as necessary. Small businesses interested in learning more about contracting opportunities in the affected areas can find more information on the SBA’s Web site at http://www.sba.gov.

Community Outreach Hours in Plains, St. Regis

My Missoula Field Representative, Erin Ballas, will hold community outreach hours in Plains and St. Regis on Thursday, October 27. Ballas will be available from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Town Hall, 101 W. Lynch in Plains and from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the St. Regis Community Center, 39 Lobo Loop Road. She will be available to meet with anyone who has a problem with a federal agency or questions or concerns regarding issues before Congress. This is a great opportunity for folks in the Plains and St. Regis areas to speak with Erin, and let her know their questions and concerns. I know it’s often hard with work and home obligations for people to make it to my Missoula field office, so I wanted Erin to visit you. She will relay all the questions and concerns to me, so I can find out what’s on the mind of folks in Sanders and Mineral Counties and to see if there’s something I can do to help them. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Erin Ballas at (406) 329-3528 or (800) 344-1513.

MSU Billings College of Technology Grant

This week, I announced a job training grant of $1,980,042 for MSU Billings College of Technology. This funding is a part of the President’s community-based job training grants through the Department of Labor. MSU Billings College of Technology’s award will develop an industry-driven model for just-in-time, short-term focused training programs in the construction industry to meet immediate needs. The program will have three levels: Basic Certificates, Advanced Certificates, and an A.A.S. degree in construction. Career-readiness and awareness programs beginning in middle school and dual-credit programs at the high school level will be utilized for recruitment into the program. A total of 1,822 students will be trained. ($129,000 in leveraged resources from more than 19 employer partners, 6 workforce partners, 16 education partners, and 8 other partners). This funding will be used to develop the construction trades educational pathway, a partnership of Montana’s technical colleges. The project is called “Montana BILT – Building Industry Labor Training” and will support our commitment to the promotion of education and training opportunities that support a skilled workforce in our state. This endeavor is vital to the future of our state’s construction capabilities, and I’m thrilled to see the grant coming our way.

VA Warns of Telephone Prescription Scam

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is warning veterans not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers claiming to update VA prescription information. The latest scam, currently centered in the Midwest, comes from callers who identify themselves as working for the "Patient Care Group." They say VA recently changed procedures for dispensing prescriptions and ask for the veteran’s credit card number. Veterans with questions about VA services should contact the nearest VA medical center or call, toll-free, 1-877-222-8387.

Assistance with Federal Agencies

Every day, I am able to help Montanans who are having problems with Federal agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Defense, and the Forest Service. It is one of my primary responsibilities to ensure Montanans are treated fairly by the Federal government and my constituent’s concerns and problems are presented to the agency and those agencies work to rectify the problem in a timely manner. If you or someone you know could use help with a Federal Government agency, please feel free to contact any of my eight state offices for assistance or call me at 800-344-1513. You can also visit my website at: http://burns.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Services.Casework.

Military Service Academy Nominations

Each year I look forward to another round of nominations for bright, young Montana students wanting to attend our U.S. Service Academies. As a former Marine, and now as your United States Senator, I enjoy the opportunity to assist those future American leaders who want to attend a U.S. Service Academy. If you are, or know of, a young man or woman interested in a top-of-the-line education and a commission to the United States Armed Forces, please contact my Academy Advisor, Lisa Wheeler, at (406) 723-3277 or (800) 344-1513. The deadline is November 1st for the following years entering class. For more information, visit my website by going to: http://www.senate.gov/~burns/index.cfm?.FuseAction=Academies.Home.