This week, the House passed H.R. 5522, the Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Act, which requires expedited issuance of Labor Department standards for combustible dust in response to an explosion which occurred at an Imperial Sugar Company refinery in Georgia earlier this year. The House also passed H.R. 493, the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act, which ensures that Americans can fully utilize genetic testing to improve health and reduce costs without worrying that their genetic information will be used against them. Finally, the House approved S. 2739, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act, which includes legislation I authored that will transfer title of the American River Pump Station to the Placer County Water Agency. This bill will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.

A Good Decision

Voter identification laws have long been promoted by Republicans in order to protect the integrity of our elections. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Indiana law that requires voters to show photo identification when voting. Justice Stevens wrote for the Court, stating that the law is “amply justified by the valid interest in protecting the integrity and reliability of the electoral process.” The case concerned an Indiana state law, passed in 2005, that was backed by Republicans as a way to deter voter fraud. Democrats and civil rights groups opposed the law as unconstitutional, but on Monday the Supreme Court rejected their argument. In a concurring opinion, Justice Scalia wrote “[t]he universally applicable requirements of Indiana’s voter-identification law are eminently reasonable. The burden of acquiring, possessing and showing a free photo identification is simply not severe, because it does not even represent a significant increase over the usual burdens of voting.” This ruling validates voter identification laws already passed in over 20 states, and paves the way for legislation at the federal level. In 2007, I introduced H.R. 481, the Federal Election Integrity Act, which not only requires a photo identification when voting, but also requires that the identification demonstrate proof of citizenship. While verifying the identity of voters is an important step in reducing voter fraud, we must also prevent illegal immigrants from voting, and H.R. 481 would ensure that only U.S. citizens determine the outcome of our elections. The bill is currently pending in the House.

A Bad Decision

On April 21, a Russian judge sentenced Reverend Phillip Miles to more than three years in a Russian prison for failing to disclose a $25 box of hunting ammunition brought into the country. Reverend Miles, who as a humanitarian has made more than 12 trips to Russia, was bringing the hunting rounds as a gift to a fellow pastor and avid hunter. Reverend Miles has admitted to making a mistake, but has asserted that at no time did he knowingly violate the law. Unfortunately, for this simple mistake, Reverend Miles received a harsh sentence. Reverend Miles is not a threat to Russia, and his sentence should reflect this. I feel strongly that America should assist its citizens when they are treated unjustly, whether it is at home or abroad. As a result, I am encouraging the State Department to use all diplomatic avenues to ensure Reverend Miles is able to return home and continue as a pastor and humanitarian. This week I collected signatures from 62 of my colleagues for a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, urging her to assist Reverend Miles, so that he may resume the good work he does to help people in need instead of wasting his talent by serving a harsh and unjust prison sentence.

Quote of the Week

“If you ask me, the country would be better off if Congress stopped making it illegal to develop our own oil instead of begging our enemies to produce more of it.” – House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Don Young (R-AK), in a letter discussing America’s failed opportunity to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by accessing the vast oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. May 1, 2008.