Senate Report Card: Saxby Chambliss R-GA

Senator Saxby Chambliss is the senior United States Senator from the state of Georgia. Senator Chambliss is a Republican Senator that came to office in 2003.

Senator Chambliss serves on the Rules and Administration, Intelligence and Armed Services Committees. In addition, he is the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

Chambliss famously took the Senate seat from the Democratic incumbent Max Cleland, who was a decorated Vietnam veteran who is a triple amputee. Chambliss aired attacked ads comparing Cleland with Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden, and attacking the senator's abilities in defending the country. He drew criticism from the left and the right for the ads.

Chambliss is the primary sponsor in the Senate for the tax-reform proposa the Fair Tax Act, attracting numerous cosponsors. He has worked hard to deliver tax relief. Senator Chambliss supported, Congress passed, and President Bush signed into law the Economic Jobs and Growth Package.

The senator is highly touted by the National Rifle Association, the National Taxpayers Union and the Christian Coalition. He is given poor ratings by the League of Conservation Voters, American Civil Liberties Union and the National Education Association.

Senator Chambliss included legislation in the Defense Appropriation called the National Guard and Reserve Retirement Modernization Act, which would reduce the age for receipt of retirement pay by three months (counting down from age 60) for every 90 days a Guard or Reserve member spends on active duty in support of a contingency operation. It would also include time spent on active service for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the president or supported by federal funds. The legislation would promote participation in the Guard as well as reward members for their service.

Upon Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's comments that the War in Iraq "is lost," Chambliss responded on his website, "Georgia is home to the Third Infantry Division of the United States Army, and Fort Benning and Fort Stewart are proud to be home of the Third ID. Today, members of the Third ID are on their third tour in Iraq. The men and women of the Third ID do not believe what the Democrats are saying, that this 'war is lost'."

In response to calls on both sides of the aisle that the United States pull out of Iraq, Chambliss noted that he believes any calls for pullout are admissions of failure and contradictory to approval of David Petraeus as the lead commander of the Iraq War. He urges funding for the war without a timeline. He voted down calls for withdrawal and any funds tied to a timetable.