[StBernard] E-Update From Senator David Vitter

[Westley Annis]

IN THIS ISSUE

ELIMINATING CORRUPTION AND CRONYISM IN GOVERNMENT
FORGIVING COMMUNITY DISASTER LOANS
FIGHTING FOR THE REIMPORTATION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
COMPLETING ACTION ON HURRICANE PROTECTION AND CORPS REFORM LEGISLATION 

The 110th Congress is underway, and we have hit the ground running.   I
introduced six bills that make up an ethics reform package building off a
bipartisan working group I participated in last year.  Serious reforms and
changes need to take place in the U.S. Congress to restore its lost
integrity.

I also introduced a bill to forgive Community Disaster Loans that helped
local governments continue to operate following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
These loans should be forgiven so governments can put their revenue toward
continuing recovery efforts.

Another issue I will continue to work on this year is the reimportation of
prescription drugs.  Americans should be able to reimport safe, cheaper
drugs from other countries like Canada and through the mail and the
internet, and I've re-introduced legislation to accomplish this.

Following you can read more about my work on fighting corruption and
cronyism, forgiving community disaster loans, reimporting prescription
drugs, completing work on hurricane recovery legislation and other key
issues for Louisiana families. 

 David Vitter

P.S. - Please feel free to forward the newsletter to your friends, neighbors
and business associates, and encourage them to sign up for their own copy by
visiting my Web site at http://vitter.senate.gov/.  




Eliminating Corruption and Cronyism in Government

Some members of the U.S. Congress wrongly view their jobs as an entitlement,
not a privilege to serve our country.  We need to restore good faith in
government and permanently root out corruption and cronyism in Washington.

I introduced six bills last week that address critical reforms
<http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=PressRoom/VittersView&ID=ce969663-f368-438
c-b209-4735d498c5b0>  to ethics and lobbying, including Indian tribe
campaign contributions, spousal lobbying and increased penalties for
violating ethics and lobbying rules.  Indian tribes should not be allowed to
contribute to campaigns directly from their tribal treasury if those funds
include money from gambling revenues.  And spouses and children of members
of Congress should not be able to play off their family relationship and
lobby any member of Congress.  Futhermore, there needs to be stricter
penalties when ethics and lobbying laws are violated.


Forgiving Community Disaster Loans 

Last week, along with my ethics reform package, I also introduced a bill to
forgive
<http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=PressRoom/PressItem&ID=4b4e1e4e-a67a-45c6-
9795-c4e2262a28fe>  the 2005 Community Disaster Loans (CDL) that parish and
local governments received after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  In October
2005, I passed the Community Disaster Loan Act to help local governments and
municipalities stay in operation following the devastating effects of the
hurricanes.  

My new legislation seeks to have the president forgive these loans.
Historically, the president forgives loans given to local governments
following such devastating disasters, and Louisiana deserves this too.  The
CDL funds were vital in keeping local governments operational following
Katrina and Rita, allowing essential city services to continue as each town
and city began to rebuild.  But now we need to forgive those loans and allow
the local governments to continue putting their money toward rebuilding and
recovery efforts.




Fighting for the Reimportation of Prescription Drugs 

Americans deserve access to safe, cheaper prescription drugs reimported from
places like Canada and through the mail and internet.  Last year, in the
109th Congress, I passed an amendment allowing Americans to reimport
prescription
<http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=PressRoom/VittersView&ID=1b12321c-1014-460
6-ac10-9d64e154181d>  drugs from Canada, and now we need to take that a step
further.

I have introduced a bill that will allow all Americans to reimport
prescription drugs, including through the mail and internet, and provide
immediate relief to the burden of high prescription drug costs.  My bill
sets up safety standards to ensure that all reimported prescription drugs
are federally approved and are not counterfeited. 


Completing Action on Hurricane Protection and Corps Reform Legislation 

At the beginning of the month, I wrote a letter to U.S. Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid and U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Chairwoman Barbara Boxer urging the completion of the priorities I
negotiated in the Water Resources Development Act
<http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=PressRoom/PressItem&ID=ae892c2f-ae3b-4f91-
9d73-6e611aa610b5>  (WRDA).  This bill is critical to our hurricane
recovery.  It was very close to becoming law at the end of last year, so its
completion must be at the top of the agenda for this year.

Last year I negotiated extensive agreements for Louisiana priorities in the
bill, including full funding for the Morganza to the Gulf hurricane
protection project for Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, progressing the
closure of MR-GO, and full authorization for flood and hurricane protection
for nearly all of the greater New Orleans area to the true 100 year flood
protection.  Bipartisan agreements between the U.S House and the U.S. Senate
were reached on virtually all issues related to Louisiana in this bill, and
I am looking forward to picking up where we left off and finishing work on
this crucial bill.