[StBernard] eupdate 2.26.10

[Westley Annis]

e-update
2.26.10 

  

I spent last week traveling around Louisiana, as I hosted four regional
economic development forums to talk about the best ways to rein in federal
government spending and debt and to encourage job growth in our state.
These were interesting and productive discussions, and I appreciated the
chance to hear the concerns that are on the minds of Louisianians. 

This month I also continued to urge the president and his allies in Congress
to reconsider their approach to the health care debate and to stop and
listen to the American people who have made it clear that they don't want a
massive government takeover.  I also expressed my concerns to the head of
NASA about his agency's proposed budget, which would have devastating
effects on jobs in Louisiana, and to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke
about the deficits and bailouts that are threatening America's long-term
economic health. 

Read below to find out more about these issues as I continue to fight to
bring some Louisiana common sense to the halls of Congress.  

  

  

 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/. 

  

RECAPPING THE ECONOMIC FORUMS
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressRelease
s&ContentRecord_id=a9aeaded-b5f7-8c3f-0327-de8ee0e2879b&Region_id=&Issue_id=

>  


Last week, I traveled to Lake Charles, Alexandria, Monroe and Shreveport to
host forums on regional economic development.  I always enjoy the
opportunity to have constructive and engaging conversations about the issues
that matter most to Louisianians, and these forums were no different.  I was
joined by state and national experts on economic development as we talked
about the best ways to stop bailouts, control federal government spending
and debt and spur businesses to create jobs and get Louisiana's economy back
on track.  I also discussed how my No Cost Stimulus plan would be a great
step in the right direction.  You can read what the Shreveport Times had to
say about one of my forums here
<http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20102200332> , and
you can watch some of my recent speech about the No Cost Stimulus in the
U.S. Senate here
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Multimedia.Video&Video
_id=fcb721d2-e209-dabb-3e2b-73fba54db36c&PageNum=1> . 

CALLING FOR A "RESET" IN THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressRelease
s&ContentRecord_id=a5c7bfc8-911e-9383-e487-9677914c8615&Region_id=&Issue_id=

>  


President Obama recently introduced his "new" plan for health care reform
and hosted a roundtable discussion with members of Congress on the issue.
Unfortunately, it's clear that the president is doing a lot of talking and
very little listening on this issue, as his new plan is essentially a
combination of the Senate and House plans that the American people have
overwhelmingly rejected.  I will continue to urge President Obama and my
colleagues to go back to the drawing board and try again with a series of
smaller, targeted bills that keep costs low without raising taxes and
without taking away the right of Americans to make their own health care
decisions.  Click here
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Multimedia.Video&Video
_id=0b4a6c82-c96b-d067-2e30-9eaa2d468ba6&PageNum=1>  to watch my comments on
the latest developments in the health care debate. 

FIGHTING TO PROTECT LOUISIANA JOBS AT MICHOUD
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.Articles&Con
tentRecord_id=aa3358f4-bc07-2119-528a-603e6f8b4470&Region_id=&Issue_id=> 

At a recent hearing of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space, of
which I am the ranking member, I had the chance to ask some tough questions
of NASA Administrator Charles Bolden regarding his agency's proposed budget.
The NASA budget currently under consideration seems to have no clear plan
for moving forward with space exploration, and it would have absolutely
devastating affects on the Michoud Assembly Facility outside of New Orleans,
which is responsible for more than 3,000 Louisiana jobs.  You can watch some
of my exchange with Administrator Bolden here
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Multimedia.Video&Video
_id=0b2f3fd2-9d4a-d74c-0971-92d6a33a1f1d&PageNum=1> , and rest assured that
I will continue fighting to protect these important jobs in our state. 

QUESTIONING FED CHAIRMAN BERNANKE ON DEFICITS AND BAILOUTS
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.Articles&Con
tentRecord_id=aa3358f4-bc07-2119-528a-603e6f8b4470&Region_id=&Issue_id=>  

The federal government's massive deficits and continued bailouts continues
to be a serious concern.  I recently had the chance to ask Federal Reserve
Chairman Ben Bernanke about these and other issues during a hearing of the
U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.  You can watch
video of our exchange here
<http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Multimedia.Video&Video
_id=0b2d7dea-db8a-8446-3745-f62ede5ba0ac&PageNum=1> .