Johnny Isakson

We waived that provision for any member of the Armed Services who is deployed overseas, if they are forced to sell because of that deployment.

There is a direct absolute correlation between home values and consumer confidence.

We raise that limitation to $300,000 for a couple filing jointly to accommodate the incentive for the move-up market.

The proposal you have before the Congress presently is a renewal of the $8,000 tax credit.

I learned a long time ago in Government that legislation is about the art of the possible.

I personally think you would lose all the value of the tax credit if it became a permanent accepted credit in the general marketplace.

It has been an honor to be here today and I enjoy serving with each and every one of you.

What I have done is Senator Dodd and I and Lieberman and others who were sponsors of it, we removed the first-time homebuyer qualification.

Nobody argues that the tax credit has worked.

It needs to be extended and it needs to be broadened in the following ways: One, it should be broadened to any homeowner who buys and occupies as their principal residence for 3 years, as long as their joint family income is no more than…

In 1974, I was a branch manager for a company when the biggest housing crisis prior to this one act took place.

It is the single biggest compounding effect on the consumer confidence level of anything that is going on.

The corporate relocation market is basically dead.

My answer, reluctantly, is, 'Five years or longer, unless Washington does something.'

I believe it is important, as we look at the current termination on November 30th, to consider what is going to happen if we do not extend that credit.

The solution to that housing crisis was a tax credit.

I appreciate the opportunity to be here. Quite honestly, I have never been on this side of the dais before.

I actually sold houses with 16.5 percent interest on the houses and negative amortization on the loans.

If we just rearrange the deck chairs, Johnny Isakson, who is probably the most eloquent spokesman of this, in another decade will be up here talking to us about another crisis that has occurred in real estate if we do not change the…

It appears to me that his willingness to accept the prime ministership, rather than cause confrontation over a flawed election, that he is probably the best chance to really bring about fundamental change in Zimbabwe.

We're in a not-enough mode, in terms of supporting the credible parts of the coalition.

If these guys that are taking money or minerals and diamonds, and are getting it offshore and then trying to launder it for their own benefit, you try and put sanctions against those who are the facilitators for that.

I think Ms. Lindborg called it a 'modest contribution' to the multinational fund.

It's absolutely critical that reform and transition take place and that the United States be engaged appropriately to see to it that that happens.

When I was in Tanzania in May, I visited CARE's operation in a number of places