Weekly Update from Senator John Ensign
February 25 - March 2, 2008: Meeting with Sheriff Gillespie, Meeting with Director of Nevada Department of Transportation, Ensuring the Health of Our Children, and City of Reno to Host International Science and Engineering Fair

Meeting with Sheriff Gillespie
This week I had the opportunity to sit down with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Douglas Gillespie. The Sheriff and I discussed the importance of federal funding for law enforcement to better their ability to protect the city of Las Vegas. The Sheriff and I also discussed the new Southern Nevada Fusion Center in Las Vegas, which I toured over the December recess, and the role it will play in identifying terrorist threats to the state of Nevada. I am pleased with the work the Sheriff has done, and I look forward to our continuing to work together.

Meeting with Director of Nevada Department of Transportation
Susan Martinovich, Director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to meet with me regarding Nevada’s transportation needs and priorities. The rapidly increasing population of our state has posed a problem for our roads and traffic. Nevada’s Department of Transportation has been trying to keep up with the growth in Nevada through road improvements and expansions, however, there is still much to be accomplished. Both the north and south of the state are in need of more road improvements, such as new interchanges and expansions of existing roads. I will continue to work with the Nevada Department of Transportation in an effort to help them meet current and future needs.

Ensuring the Health of Our Children
Childhood obesity is rising to epidemic proportions, with approximately 25 million children overweight, and I fear the numbers will continue to climb. This week I urged my colleagues to review the latest research and new legislation addressing the crisis of childhood obesity. I cosponsored the FIT Kids Act to amend the No Child Left Behind Act to support physical education for all public school children through grade 12 and ensure that they receive important health and nutritional information. I have long been a supporter of physical education programs in our schools, and studies have shown that children who are more physically active tend to score better academically. As a father of three, I believe for the future wellbeing of our children we need to address the issue of childhood obesity and the overall health of our nation.

City of Reno to Host International Science and Engineering Fair
The city of Reno has been chosen to host the International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) from May 10-15, 2009. Emphasizing the areas of science, math, and engineering, Intel ISEF has the distinction of serving as the largest pre-college science competition in the world. The main goal of this fair is to increase participation and competitiveness in science fairs across the state. My America Competes Act, which became law last year, is aimed at keeping American competitive in the 21st century; the education of our children plays a vital role. I encourage the presence of science and math in the curriculum of our schools, and I have no doubt that fairs such as this one will further solidify knowledge in these key areas. I congratulate the city of Reno on its distinction as host and wish all those who will be participating in the fair the best of luck.

Sincerely, John Ensign United States Senator