**Carter Courier**

http://carter.house.gov

May 18, 2007 Volume 5, Issue 9

***[LETTER FROM THE CONGRESSMAN]{.underline}***

Dear Friends,

This week Congress was busy as the House passed the Fiscal Year 2008
Defense Authorization bill. This measure will help guide us as we
continue to fund our men and women in uniform and seek to protect our
nation from threats. The Senate unveiled its immigration bill which I am
concerned creates amnesty for millions of people who bypassed the rule
of law. I am determined that we can pass a comprehensive immigration
bill without providing the blanket amnesty that was given in the '80s.
Unfortunately the Democrats in Congress continue to play politics with
this vital piece of legislation.

Also this week, I worked with my colleagues on the House Homeland
Security Appropriations Subcommittee to pass the annual funding bill
that will enable the Department of Homeland Security to maintain
operations and work toward ensuring security for all Americans. Now that
this bill has been passed from the subcommittee, I look forward to
working with my colleagues to ensure that it addresses the priorities
essential to securing our nation.

As always, I thank all of you in the 31st District for the opportunity
to serve you in Congress and look forward to the work that lies ahead in
the coming days.

> Until next week, 

***[GATHERING INTELLIGENCE TO SAVE LIVES;]{.underline}***

***[NOT PROMOTE POLITICS]{.underline}***

One of the greatest protections our government can afford in an
increasingly dangerous world is the ability to gather intelligence and
use that knowledge to protect Americans from harm. Would any of us argue
that it is not a dangerous world? The threat of terrorism is alive and
real.

Sadly there are many in Congress who do not agree with our Central Texas
commonsense. Recently, the House of Representatives discussed national
security and the priority of intelligence-gathering as laid forth in the
2008 Intelligence Authorization bill. But you may be interested to know
that this bill, crafted by Democrats, is bringing a new and more
"relaxed" attitude to the intelligence community. An example: this bill
requires the Director of National Intelligence to submit a report that
discusses the effects of global warming and climate change. Does this
sound like an intelligence function to you?

What this means in layman terms is that our finite
intelligence-gathering resources -- satellites, man hours, and taxpayer
dollars -- will be used to measure melting glaciers in summer time,
instead of the threats being hurled at America by Osama bin Laden and
his band of thugs.

The great value of gathering intelligence is that it allows us to thwart
terrorist plans before they materialize. With that said, this vigilance
is never done. We must be ever mindful of the threats that exist and
take steps to prevent them. While things may appear calm on the surface,
that is no reason to send our precious intelligence resources to
Antarctica to research climate change.

This irresponsible interpretation of "intelligence gathering" is nothing
new for liberals. President Clinton during his administration slashed
funding for intelligence collection and analysis, but added money for
frivolous projects such as the "DCI Environmental Center." This center
was notorious for wasting intelligence resources. The center diverted
precious spy satellite time to survey the polar ice caps and sea turtle
nests on beaches.

Similarly, this Congress is showing a preference for conducting
"politically correct" intelligence. Those supporting this effort are the
same ones who railed against flawed intelligence during the War on
Terror, and yet their solution is to peel away valuable resources to
study liberal priorities, like global warming.

In addition, the Democratic majority has also killed efforts to end --
or in fact to even audit -- wasteful spending funneled through the
intelligence budget that could have been better directed to true
national security interests. By shutting the door to fiscal restraint
and accountability, liberals are paving the road to the "politically
correct" intelligence community they've envisioned for decades.

America is at an important impasse of national security and partisan
politics. One of these will protect us; the other will not. Spy
satellites, intelligence analysts, and taxpayer dollars only go so far
in the effort to protect us from another 9/11. Can we really afford to
send some of them to Antarctica in the quest to measure glaciers? Make
no mistake about it; the terrorists want another 9/11. With the
Democrats' plan -- will we be ready?

***[TED KENNEDY AMNESTY AGREEMENT INTOLERABLE]{.underline}***

This last week I had the pleasure of announcing that the City of Killeen
Fire Department has received a \$28,407 grant for fire prevention
initiatives. The funding was awarded through the Department of Homeland
Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency's FY2006 Fire
Prevention & Safety program (FP&S).

This grant will prove extremely beneficial in helping the Killeen Fire
Department prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries caused by fire
hazards. The men and women of the Killeen Fire Department should be
commended for protecting their community; I am pleased their hard work
is being recognized and they were selected to receive this grant to
further enhance their efforts.

The FP&S program awards funds to high-risk target groups in order to
diminish the high rate of incidences of fire-related deaths and
injuries. FP&S is a part of DHS's Assistance to Firefighters grant
program, which enhances the safety of the public and firefighters with
respect to fire and fire-related hazards.

***[LISTEN TO MY WEEKLY RADIO ADDRESS]{.underline}***

Please click on the link below to listen to my most recent weekly radio
address that was sent to local radio and television stations. This
week's five minute address discusses the 110th Congress' "do-nothing"
leadership.

<http://carter.house.gov/multimedia/>

***[COPPERAS COVE LAND SWAP APPROVED BY HOUSE]{.underline}***

This past week I announced approval from the U.S. House of
Representatives for a land exchange between Fort Hood and the City of
Copperas Cove. The exchange was included in the Defense Authorization
Bill considered on the House floor this week.

This deal will increase the quality of life for the residents of
Copperas Cove and surrounding communities. I am happy my colleagues in
the House of Representatives were able to see the value of this project
and include it in the Defense Authorization Act.

Conveyance of the land will facilitate construction of a reliever route
around the south side of Copperas Cove to re-route traffic coming off of
US HWY 190, thereby mitigating the resulting traffic at stop lights and
intersections through Copperas Cove.

The swap will convey approximately 200 acres from Fort Hood to Copperas
Cove in exchange for a parcel of land of equal value adjacent to Fort
Hood. Copperas Cove will purchase this parcel upon determination of the
value of Fort Hood's land based upon a survey and value appraisal.

The Senate will now consider and pass their version of the Defense
Authorization Bill, and then conference with the House to agree upon a
resolution before it is sent to the President for approval.

***[ARMED SERVICES YMCA PRESENTS]{.underline}***

***[Annual Congressional Champion Award]{.underline}***

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA), the nation's leading nonprofit
organization supporting the families of junior enlisted military
personnel, recently honored me for my commitment to meeting the needs of
America's military families. I received the Military Family
Congressional Champion Award at ASYMCA's 20th Annual Recognition
Luncheon on Capitol Hill.

As a member of the House Military Quality of Life Subcommittee, I work
to ensure soldiers' and their families' needs are being provided for to
the greatest extent possible. I introduced the Military Spouses
Employment Act in 2006, which would expand the Workforce Opportunity Tax
Credit to provide employers with tax incentives to hire qualified
military spouses. I am reintroducing the bill in this Congress to help
level the playing field for military spouses and prevent them from being
penalized for their frequent moves.

I am honored to be presented with this award from such a prestigious
organization. The Armed Services YMCA is a leader is supporting our
military personnel and their families, and I am proud to work with this
and similar groups that serve our fighting men and women.

***[KILLEEN CELEBRATES ITS 125TH BIRTHDAY]{.underline}***

On May 15th I was proud to present an Extension of Remarks to the House
of Representatives honoring the City of Killeen on its 125th birthday.

I am proud to represent the people of Killeen in Congress. Killeen has
grown from a small railroad town to the home of the world's largest
military station. Killeen makes supporting its soldiers and their
families their top priority, and I am pleased to support this mission
and the residents of this great Central Texas city.