{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"TN\" and year = 2016 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=EB18C231-6902-4ADC-BFB1-E2FD9AC77151", "Corker Statement on Confirmation Process for Rex Tillerson", "2016-12-22", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement regarding the confirmation process for Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson.\r\n\u201cAs is long-standing precedent for nominees considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the committee has not asked Mr. Tillerson to provide copies of his tax returns,\u201d said Corker. \u201cBy all accounts, Mr. Tillerson is currently ahead of schedule in providing information to the committee. He already has submitted a completed nominee questionnaire and will soon submit an extensive financial disclosure. Furthermore, prior to his confirmation hearing, he will go through the same ethics and FBI checks as previous Secretary of State nominees. That has always been the plan, it is already in progress, and I am deeply disappointed my colleagues continue to imply otherwise. Our committee will carry out exactly the same procedures for Mr. Tillerson\u2019s nomination that have been carried out since well before I joined the committee 10 years ago.\u201d\r\nMr. Tillerson submitted a completed nominee questionnaire to the committee three days after President-elect Donald J. Trump announced his intention to nominate him for Secretary of State. Secretary Clinton submitted a completed nominee questionnaire to the committee 17 days after President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate her for the same position. Secretary Clinton provided her financial disclosure to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 5, 2009.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=9810513F-F57C-40EA-BB8D-F1EDF177AAE5", "Alexander Statement on the Passing of Lee Smith", "2016-12-21", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 21, 2016 -- U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on the passing of Lee Smith, founder of The Tennessee Journal:\r\n\r\n\"For a half century, Lee Smith and his Tennessee Journal participated in Tennessee politics in a straightforward way that commanded the respect of both Democrats and Republicans.\u00a0In between, he found time to be Vanderbilt\u2019s most rabid basketball fan.\u00a0He was my close friend.\u00a0Honey and I will greatly miss him.\u00a0We express to his family our deepest sympathy.\"\r\n###\r\n\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\n\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=CA931198-22C9-47F5-B848-50A9AD30EA69", "What They're Saying: End Modern Slavery Initiative Awaits Presidents Signature", "2016-12-21", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 The National Defense Authorization Act of 2017, which includes legislation authorizing the End Modern Slavery Initiative, passed the Senate on November 8 and currently awaits the president\u2019s signature. U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spearheaded the bipartisan initiative, along with his colleague Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). The initiative will help establish a powerful effort in concert with the private sector and foreign governments to eliminate modern slavery and human trafficking around the globe. Passage drew broad support from advocates, stakeholders, experts and members of Congress:\r\n \r\n\u201cWe\u2019re so grateful to Senator Corker and his team for their tireless efforts to see the #EndSlaveryAct pass! This is a monumental step towards FREEDOM for the millions of men, women and children trapped in slavery around the world. We believe slavery can end in our lifetime\u2026together we can END IT! #ENDITMOVEMENT\u201d \u2013 The END IT Movement\r\n \r\n \r\n\u201cThe passage of this bill is a game-changer in the fight to end the scourge of modern day slavery, and provides a tremendous opportunity to level the playing field as we seek to free the millions of men, women and children who daily suffer at the hand of a violent oppressor. IJM commends Senator Corker and the full Congress for establishing U.S. leadership in fighting this unthinkable crime against our fellow man.\u201d \u2013 Tim Gehring, policy director, International Justice Mission\r\n \r\n \r\n\u201cWe are thrilled Congress passed this bipartisan legislation to provide critical resources to the underfunded fight against human trafficking. By authorizing these additional funds, the United States is sending a strong message to other governments to step up their own efforts. Too often, severe gaps in services and a lack of governmental commitment to seriously address these crimes let trafficking networks operate unimpeded across the globe. By leveraging these new funds, we can better dismantle trafficking networks and help survivors rebuild their lives. We applaud the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for their commitment to the fight against modern slavery and, in particular, Senator Corker for championing this legislation.\u201d \u2013 Keeli Sorensen, director of government relations and public policy, Polaris\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\u201cThe expansiveness of this law will enable nations and global organizations address the enslavement of millions of people throughout the world. This law will make a very real impact in achieving our vision of a world free from slavery.\u201d \u2013 Dave Rogers, U.S. program director, Hope for Justice\r\n \r\n \r\n\u201cEnding modern slavery worldwide will require a multi-sector approach involving cooperation between government, law enforcement, and business. Additional resources to combat human trafficking are critical, and we thank Senator Corker for his leadership in including this important provision in the NDAA.\u201d \u2013 Annick Febrey, senior associate, Human Rights First\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\u201cModern-day slavery in all its forms must be stopped & the #EndSlaveryAct is an important step. Now heads to @POTUS! @SenBobCorker @Rotary\u201d \u2013 U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\u201cFTS thanks @SenBobCorker, sponsor of End Modern Slavery Initiative, and key cosponsors like @SenatorMenendez & @SenJohnMcCain. #endslavery\u201d \u2013 Free the Slaves\r\n \r\nLearn more about the End Modern Slavery Initiative here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/statement-fleischmann-berlin-attack", "STATEMENT: Fleischmann on Berlin Attack", "2016-12-20", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Chuck Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The following statement can be attributed to Congressman Chuck Fleischmann:\n\u201cWe are at war against terror\u2014the recent attacks in Paris, Orlando, Chattanooga and of course today\u2019s attack in Berlin prove just that.\u00a0 My prayers go out to the victims and their families during this tumultuous time,\u201d said Fleischmann.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-fleischmann-berlin-attack", "STATEMENT: Fleischmann on Berlin Attack", "2016-12-20", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "The following statement can be attributed to Congressman Chuck Fleischmann:\n\n\u201cWe are at war against terror\u2014the recent attacks in Paris, Orlando, Chattanooga and of course today\u2019s attack in Berlin prove just that. My prayers go out to the victims and their families during this tumultuous time,\u201d said Fleischmann.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:09:43Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsletterarchive?ContentRecord_id=95BED096-4BCA-4B1E-A8B1-2ED153866465", "Cures Newsletter", "2016-12-20", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On December 13, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law \u2013 delivering a \u201cChristmas Medical Miracle\u201d to Tennessee families. Video of the signing ceremony is available here.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n21st Century Cures Law Will Improve Health of Tennesseans\u00a0\r\nThis month, Congress and President Obama delivered a Christmas miracle called \u201c21st Century Cures\u201d that will help improve the health of virtually every Tennessean.\u00a0\r\nThis $6.3 billion bipartisan law will help us find cures for cancer, fight opioid addiction, treat mental illness, and better understand the brain to prevent diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s.\u00a0\r\nIt will help take advantage of this remarkable time in biomedical innovation, spur treatments and cures from cancer to rare pediatric diseases, and help move those treatments and cures more efficiently into medicine cabinets and doctors\u2019 offices, while maintaining our gold standard of safety.\u00a0\r\nThe president said this bipartisan legislation was \u201can opportunity to save lives, and an opportunity we just can\u2019t miss.\u201d\u00a0\r\nU.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called it \u201cthe most important legislation Congress will pass this year.\u201d\u00a0\r\nI\u2019ve worked on this bill for two years as chair of the Senate health committee.\u00a0 Working with the senior Democrat Patty Murray (D-Wash.), we held 12 hearings, led 5 working groups, and passed 19 pieces of bipartisan legislation that formed much of the policies in this bill.\u00a0\r\nWorking with our counterparts on the House health committee--Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and Democrats Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.)--we also put together a surge of funding to help make dramatic strides in cancer treatments, to help advance our understanding of the brain and Alzheimer\u2019s, and to help achieve the promise of precision medicine, or specific, individualized treatments tailored to each person\u2019s unique genome and environment.\u00a0\r\nDr. Francis Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health, has made \u201cbold predictions\u201d about the breathtaking advances to expect during the next decade from medical research: an artificial pancreas to treat diabetes, vaccines for HIV/AIDS and Zika, a universal flu vaccine, non-addictive pain medicines, a heart built from a patient\u2019s own cells, and early detection or even prevention of Alzheimer\u2019s.\u00a0\r\nEspecially important for Tennessee, the bill will provide $1 billion in grants to states to help fight the opioid crisis.\u00a0\r\nThe new law also will help the one in five adults in this country who suffer from a mental illness get the treatment they need by the making the largest reforms to major mental health programs in a decade.\u00a0\r\nIt also takes a significant step to help more Americans take advantage of regenerative medicine, which the Mayo Clinic has described as a \u201cgame-changing area of medicine with the potential to fully heal damaged tissues and organs.\u201d\u00a0\r\nNashville resident Doug Oliver has been an\u00a0advocate for regenerative medicine. Doug was blind for more than a decade before doctors used stem cells from his hip and injected them into his eye and miraculously restored his sight. He has traveled to Washington multiple times to share his story and even helped my staff craft pieces of this legislation.\u00a0\r\nFormer Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee has worked for two years with the Bipartisan Policy Center to help advance the legislation.\u00a0\r\n21st Century Cures will modernize the Food and Drug Administration. While biomedical research is making today one of the most exciting times ever in the field of medicine, our federal review and approval process takes too long and costs too much.\u00a0\r\nThe bill improves electronic health records to reduce the documentation burden for doctors and make it easier for patients to access their records and for doctors and hospitals to get the information they need to treat patients.\u00a0\r\nAll these pieces will work together to help improve the lives and health of virtually every Tennessee family. That\u2019s why this new bipartisan law is a Christmas miracle.\r\nBelow is a Wall Street Journal editorial on 21st Century Cures and some of the things others are saying about the bill:\u00a0\r\nWall Street Journal Editorial: Congress\u2019s Cures Breakthrough\r\nModest progress toward bringing the FDA into the 21st century\u00a0\r\nDecember, 7, 2016 - Medicine moves faster than government, thank goodness, but every now and again government tries to catch up. After years of thoughtful bipartisan work, Congress is now poised to pass the 21st Century Cures Act, a bill designed to accelerate the development of new medicines and modernize a malfunctioning corner of the regulatory state.\r\nThe sweeping measure cleared a Senate procedural vote 85-13 on Monday night and passed the House 392-96. These margins are testimony to renewed self-confidence in U.S. innovation and health-care progress, not much expressed in Washington until recently. A few dead-enders like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are denouncing Cures for its lack of pharmaceutical price controls, which might have become a reality had Hillary Clinton won on Nov. 8.\r\nCures includes a $4.8 billion infusion for the National Institutes of Health for basic research. The bill funds the NIH\u2019s neurological program on diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s, Joe Biden\u2019s \u201ccancer moonshot\u201d and rare diseases, while one encouraging earmark is for \u201chigh risk, high reward\u201d studies that might not be financed by the private economy.\r\nBy the way, these new dollars are roughly offset with budget cuts elsewhere, which exposes the liberal claims of crisis if every program doesn\u2019t last forever. Congress is supposed to set priorities.\r\nPerhaps the most promising component of Cures is a new regulatory model for Food and Drug Administration approvals. The FDA remains fused to an outdated clinical model that is too slow, costly and arbitrary. The FDA was not designed to govern an era of genomics, biomarkers, systems biology, artificial intelligence and other advances, not that its own inadequacy has prevented it from trying.\r\nThus Cures encourages the FDA to supplement classical randomized clinical trials with more information, such as adaptive trial designs that target patient sub-groups who are more likely to benefit. This would allow research to succeed or fail faster at some fraction of the current expense. The agency is also ordered to consider \u201creal-world evidence\u201d in approvals outside of trials.\r\nWhat the FDA calls \u201cRWE\u201d is controversial because the agency is preoccupied with \u201cproving\u201d how a medicine will perform. But modern trials are so tightly controlled that the results are often artificial, or irrelevant to how a medicine will be used and refined in actual medical practice. In any case, debates about drug approval are never about \u201cproof,\u201d but how to interpret evidence of benefits and risks.\r\nThe main limitation of Cures is that the problems at FDA aren\u2019t due to a shortage of laws. They flow from the agency\u2019s institutional culture of control, delay and abuse of regulatory discretion. Cures requires the FDA merely \u201cto evaluate the use of real-world evidence,\u201d and this wouldn\u2019t be the first political instruction that the bureaucracy has defied.\r\nStill, Cures is a stride toward a more rational and humane drug development system, and legislation is about compromise. The bill could become a useful precedent for successful progress as the 115th Congress starts to take shape next year.\r\n\r\n\r\nSen. Alexander talks at the Congressional Enrollment Ceremony for the 21st Century Cures Act on Dec. 8. Following the Senate\u2019s overwhelming passage \u2013 94 to 5 \u2013 of the 21st Century Cures Act, the bill was sent to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) before moving to the White House for the president\u2019s signature.\u00a0\r\nTalking about Cures\r\n\u201c[Cures] is the most important legislation Congress will pass this year.\u201d\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0-- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell\r\n\u201cIt could help us find a cure for Alzheimer\u2019s, end cancer as we know it, and help those seeking treatment for opioid addiction\u2026It\u2019s an opportunity to save lives and an opportunity we just can\u2019t miss.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0-- President Barack Obama, 12/3/2016\r\n\u201cA big step for cancer research and the cancer moonshot.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- Vice President Joe Biden\u00a0\r\n\"Passage of this legislation is a testament to Sen. Alexander's leadership and will help countless Tennesseans who are directly impacted by cancer, Alzheimer's, mental illness and opioid abuse. By streamlining the FDA review process and advancing biomedical research, this bill will encourage innovation and provide quicker access to the lifesaving medications and treatments that so many families need.\"\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), 12/7/2016\r\n\u201cAlexander shepherded the 21st Century Cures Act through the Senate for approval. The two senators play powerful roles in their chamber and have brought to Washington, D.C., Tennessee politicians\u2019 gifts for thoughtfulness, compromise and collaboration, at a time when gridlock has often prevailed\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- David Plazas, opinion engagement editor for The Tennessean, 12/11/2016\r\n\u201cIn a day when approval of Congress barely exceeds 10 percent of poll respondents and few believe the body ever gets anything meaningful done, the\u00a021st Century Cures Act\u00a0is, if you will, a remedy of sorts. \u2026Though Alexander called the legislation \"a Christmas miracle,\" Congress will never have enough money to fund everything researchers need and everything those seeking a cure want. Because when you have your health, you have everything. But this bipartisan bill offers hope to those seeking to regain or retain their health.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- Clint Cooper, Free Press editor at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, 12/9/2016\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe so-called \u201cdo nothing\u201d Congress has done something very special before taking its end-of-the-year holiday break. \u2026Tennessee\u2019s own Lamar Alexander was the lead sponsor of the bill in the Senate. The legislation received strong bipartisan support, including from the White House where President Barack Obama has promised to sign the measure into law.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- Johnson City Press editorial, 12/11/2016\r\n\u201cFrom a political standpoint, the [Cures] proposals are remarkable because they have managed to draw broad support from Democrats and Republicans in a contentious presidential election year.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel, 4/10/2016", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=2683B470-AE01-4E74-8FBA-99B8FCAEE0CC", "Alexander: \"21st Century Cures\" Law Highlights 2016 Accomplishments of Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee", "2016-12-20", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Committee one of the most productive, with 24 bipartisan bills signed into law \u2013 including legislation to \u201chelp virtually every American family\u201d \u00a0\r\nNASHVILLE, December 20 \u2013 Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today highlighted the committee\u2019s accomplishments for 2016 saying that it \u201cwas one of the most productive in the Senate, with 24 significant, bipartisan bills now signed into law \u2013 including legislation that will help virtually every American family.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued, \u201cFor the second consecutive year, President Obama has signed into law what he called last year \u2018a Christmas miracle\u2019 made possible by the bipartisan work done on this committee. Last year, it was legislation to fix No Child Left Behind for 50 million children in 100,000 public schools \u2013 and this year, it\u2019s the 21st Century Cures Act, a Christmas medical miracle to make better health possible for nearly every American.\r\n\u201cIn addition to the Cures bill, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called \u2018the most important legislation of the year,\u2019 this committee has produced new laws to help find faster treatments and cures for the heartbreaking Zika virus as well as legislation to boost doctors\u2019 ability to tackle the opioid epidemic ravaging Tennessee and so many other states. I look forward to next year when our committee can continue its bipartisan work on behalf of American families.\u201d \u00a0\r\nAlexander thanked the committee\u2019s ranking Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington State, and committee members of both political parties for \u201cbeing willing to focus on the 80 percent of things we can agree on and coming to a result rather than perpetually arguing about the 20 percent on which we can\u2019t agree. Because we took the time to resolve our considerable differences in a bipartisan way, the next Congress and the next President will not be trying to repeal these laws, because in the end almost all of us voted for them. \u00a0This is the unique purpose of the United States Senate, to find a consensus on difficult issues for the benefit of the country.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe full list of accomplishments is below: \r\nPublic Laws:\r\nHouse Message to accompany 21st Century Cures (H.R. 34) \u2013 Spurs treatments and cures for cancer and Alzheimer\u2019s and drives the research discoveries predicted over the next decade by National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, including the development of an artificial pancreas, organs built from patients' own stem cells, non-addictive painkillers, an HIV/AIDS\u00a0vaccine and a Zika vaccine, as well as provides $1 billion in state grants to fight opioid abuse and improves mental health programs for the first time in over a decade. The Senate health committee worked on the legislation for two years, held 12 hearings, 5 working groups, and passed 20 bipartisan bills that make up much of the policy signed into law by the president:\r\nHELP Bills Signed into Law as Part of 21st Century Cures: \r\n \r\nThe Advancing Targeted Therapies for Rare Diseases Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 2030): Advances therapies to patients with serious or life-threatening rare genetic diseases by allowing innovators to rely on their own data used for a previously approved targeted therapies to develop subsequent targeted therapies.\r\nNext Generation Researchers Act \u2013 (S. 2014): Helps attract talented young scientists to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).\r\nThe Enhancing the Stature and Visibility of Medical Rehabilitation Research at NIH Act \u2013 (S. 800): Requires the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) to develop and periodically update a comprehensive research plan for rehabilitation research.\r\nAdvancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 849): Helps advance our understanding of neurological diseases and helps researchers access data on these diseases in order to discover new therapies and cures.\r\nPreventing Superbugs and Protecting Patients Act \u2013 (S. 2503): Further encourages and clarifies that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires cleaning and validation data for reusable medical devices and to direct the FDA to clarify when device changes require regulatory clearance.\r\nThe Improving Health Information Technology Act \u2013 (S. 2511): Improves health information technology for doctors and their patients.\r\nThe Advancing Hope Act \u2013 (S. 1878): Continues a program that gives drug companies an incentive to develop a drug to treat or cure rare pediatric diseases \u2013 if a company develops a drug like that, and it\u2019s approved, they get a voucher they can keep or sell that will speed up the review of another drug.\r\nThe Advancing Breakthrough Medical Devices for Patients Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 1077): Focuses more of FDA attention and resources and put more senior people at FDA in charge of the review of breakthrough devices so that they will move more efficiently through the review process and get to the patients whose health could be improved by a truly breakthrough device.\r\nThe Medical Electronic Data Technology Enhancement for Consumers Health Act \u2013 (S. 1101): Encourages companies to develop tools like the Weight Watchers application on your iPhone to count calories or a Fitbit watch to log steps, free from unnecessary FDA oversight and red tape.\r\nThe Medical Countermeasures Innovation Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 2055): Ensures the government is planning ahead by increasing the likelihood there will be a drug to help in the event of bioterror attack with a substance such as anthrax or smallpox. If a company develops such a drug and it\u2019s approved, they get a voucher they can keep or sell that will speed up the review of another drug.\u00a0\r\nThe Combination Products Innovation Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 1767): Helps prevent combination products, such as bandaids with Neosporin built in or heart stents that can be implanted to also deliver blood thinners to prevent clots, from being caught in regulatory red tape between various departments at FDA.\r\nPatient Focused Impact Assessment Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 1597): Gives patients and their families a voice in the drug approval process, and requires FDA to hear their opinion.\r\nPlan of Safe Care Improvement Act \u2013 (S. 2687): Improves plans for safe care for infants affected by illegal substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms.\r\nThe FDA Device Accountability Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 1622): Reduces unnecessary burdens in device evaluation and streamlines the review process for clinical trials for new medical devices to ensure Americans benefit from these devices more quickly.\r\nFDA and NIH Workforce Authorities Modernization Act \u2013 (S. 2700): Helps the FDA and NIH attract and retain the talent they need to handle all the exciting developments headed their way for research and review.\r\nPromise for Antibiotics and Therapeutics for Health Act \u2013 (S. 185): Shortens the development of new treatments to help those infected with life-threatening superbugs.\r\nAdvancing Precision Medicine Act of 2016 \u2013 (S. 2713): Supports the president\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative to map 1 million genomes and make the information available to researchers who in turn will be required to share their research data \u2013 all to help find treatments for diseases sooner.\r\nAdvancing NIH Strategic Planning and Representation in Medical Research Act \u2013 (S. 2745): Requires NIH to come up with a strategic plan at least every six years, and helps ensure that scientists are including women and minorities in their research and reports on the differences they find. \u00a0\r\nPromoting Biomedical Research and Public Health for Patients Act \u2013 (S. 2742): Allows researchers at the NIH to spend more time finding life-saving treatments and cures and less time on paperwork.\r\nMental Health Reform Act of 2016 \u2013 (S. 2680): Ensures that mental health programs are effectively serving those with mental illnesses and improves access to mental health care.\r\n \r\nBills Signed into Law as Part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) \u2013 Supports education, prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts to address the opioid abuse crisis and help individuals with an opioid use disorder get and stay well.\r\nThe final bill signed by the president included two Senate health committee bills:\r\n \r\nThe Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act \u2013 (S. 1455): Increases the number of patients that a qualifying physician can dispense narcotic drugs for maintenance or detoxification treatment from 30 to 100 patients a year.\r\nCo-Prescribing Saves Lives Act of 2015 \u2013 (S. 2256): Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide information on best practices for prescribing a drug used to rapidly reverse an overdose of opioids for patients receiving chronic opioid therapy or being treated for opioid use disorders.\r\n \r\nAdding Zika Virus to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act (S. 2512) \u2013 Gives drug companies an incentive to develop a drug or vaccine for the Zika virus, to spur a faster treatment, cure or vaccine.\r\nExpanding Capacity for Health Outcomes \u2013 ECHO Act (S. 2873) \u2013 Connects the medical brain power of institutions like Vanderbilt University Medical Center to doctors in rural areas of the country to better treat patients with complex diseases.\r\nPassed by the Senate: \r\nJoint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the \u201cfiduciary\u201d rule (H.J. Res. 88) \u2013 Would have invalidated the Department of Labor\u2019s so-called \u201cfiduciary\u201d rule, which will likely cripple low- and middle-income Americans\u2019 access to affordable retirement advice\u2014forcing Americans to work longer and retire with less.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sevier-county-will-receive-federal-disaster-assistance-for-wildfire", "Sevier County Will Receive Federal Disaster Assistance for Wildfire Recovery  Additional Aid, Other Counties May be Awarded as Damage Assessments Continue", "2016-12-16", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Nashville, Tenn. \u2013 Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced Thursday evening December 15th that\u00a0Sevier County will receive federal aid assistance through a Presidential Disaster Declaration as the county begins its recovery from the devastating wildfires of Nov. 28, 2016.\n\u201cThis deadly wildfire required a coordinated response from many individuals and organizations,\u201d Haslam said. \u201cThe outpouring of care, relief, and support from around the world for Sevier County and its people has been extraordinary.\u00a0 This assistance from the federal government will help relieve some of the financial burden of this disaster on Tennesseans and Sevier County.\u201d\nIn his federal disaster assistance request of President Obama on Dec. 9, 2016, Gov. Haslam also asked for the disaster declaration to include four counties \u2013 Coffee, McMinn, Polk, and Sequatchie \u2013 hit with severe weather and tornadoes on Nov. 29, 2016.\nFEMA\u2019s disaster declaration this evening indicated the awarding of any additional aid types or inclusion of other jurisdictions will be contingent on further joint preliminary damage assessments.\nThrough the Presidential Disaster Declaration, designated as FEMA-4293-DR, Sevier County is eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs.\nThe Individual Assistance program provides financial help or direct services to disaster survivors who have eligible expenses and serious needs, if they cannot meet those needs through other means.\u00a0 More information on FEMA\u2019s Individual Assistance program is at:\u00a0 https://www.fema.gov/individual-disaster-assistance. \nFEMA\u2019s Public Assistance program will allow Sevier County government entities and certain private non-profits to apply for reimbursement of specific, eligible expenses for debris removal and emergency protective measures.\u00a0 More information on FEMA\u2019s Public Assistance program is at: https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.\nOn Nov. 28, wildfires rapidly spread through Sevier County, causing mandatory evacuations of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The wildfires caused 14 fatalities and damaged or destroyed more than 2,400 structures in Sevier County.\u00a0 Storms and tornadoes on Nov. 29, 2016, caused two fatalities, and damaged or destroyed numerous structures throughout southeast Tennessee.\n###\nAbout the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency:\u00a0TEMA\u2019s mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on Facebook,\u00a0TNDisasterInfo, on Twitter,\u00a0@T_E_M_A, and at\u00a0www.tnema.org.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=14E8752C-4C2B-4AA2-9CCA-6470AF472105", "Sevier County Will Receive Federal Disaster Assistance for Wildfire Recovery  Additional Aid, Other Counties May be Awarded as Damage Assessments Continue", "2016-12-16", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", "desjarlais", "https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center", "scraper", "Nashville, Tenn. \u2013 Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced Thursday evening December 15th that Sevier County will receive federal aid assistance through a Presidential Disaster Declaration as the county begins its recovery from the devastating wildfires of Nov. 28, 2016.\n\n\u201cThis deadly wildfire required a coordinated response from many individuals and organizations,\u201d Haslam said. \u201cThe outpouring of care, relief, and support from around the world for Sevier County and its people has been extraordinary. This assistance from the federal government will help relieve some of the financial burden of this disaster on Tennesseans and Sevier County.\u201d\n\nIn his federal disaster assistance request of President Obama on Dec. 9, 2016, Gov. Haslam also asked for the disaster declaration to include four counties \u2013 Coffee, McMinn, Polk, and Sequatchie \u2013 hit with severe weather and tornadoes on Nov. 29, 2016.\n\nFEMA\u2019s disaster declaration this evening indicated the awarding of any additional aid types or inclusion of other jurisdictions will be contingent on further joint preliminary damage assessments.\n\nThrough the Presidential Disaster Declaration, designated as FEMA-4293-DR, Sevier County is eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs.\n\nThe Individual Assistance program provides financial help or direct services to disaster survivors who have eligible expenses and serious needs, if they cannot meet those needs through other means. More information on FEMA\u2019s Individual Assistance program is at: https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual.\n\nFEMA\u2019s Public Assistance program will allow Sevier County government entities and certain private non-profits to apply for reimbursement of specific, eligible expenses for debris removal and emergency protective measures. More information on FEMA\u2019s Public Assistance program is at: https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public.\n\nOn Nov. 28, wildfires rapidly spread through Sevier County, causing mandatory evacuations of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The wildfires caused 14 fatalities and damaged or destroyed more than 2,400 structures in Sevier County. Storms and tornadoes on Nov. 29, 2016, caused two fatalities, and damaged or destroyed numerous structures throughout southeast Tennessee.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:09:43Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=CC0CB1D9-891F-4B3B-8BBE-1272F28FAD9F", "Corker Statement on Deputy Secretary of State", "2016-12-16", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement:\r\n\u201cDespite some in Washington trying to use rumor and innuendo to influence the decision, I have never had any conversation with anyone in the Trump organization about who should serve in the Deputy Secretary of State position, including the Secretary of State nominee, Rex Tillerson.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://black.house.gov/press-release/rep-black-slams-finalized-obama-admin-rule-benefitting-planned-parenthood", "Rep. Black Slams Finalized Obama Admin Rule Benefitting Planned Parenthood", "2016-12-14", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Diane Black", "B001273", "black.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 \u00a0Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06), a registered nurse and member of the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives, responded today to the Obama Administration\u2019s finalized rule effectively preventing states from defunding Planned Parenthood. Black was among the first to condemn the rule when it was initially proposed in September and led more than 100 members of Congress on a bipartisan, bicameral letter opposing the rule earlier this year. She released the following statement:\n\u201cWith this rule, we see an administration that has become unglued at the knowledge of the impending pro-life sea change in Washington, DC. President Obama knows that hope is rising for the innocent victims of Planned Parenthood\u2019s brutality and the big abortion industry\u2019s days of taxpayer-funded windfalls are numbered. We should not be surprised that his administration would lash out with this eleventh hour power grab on the way out the door, but I am certain this rule will not stand for long,\u201d said Congressman Diane Black. \u201cCome next year, our pro-life majorities in Congress will be positioned to work with President-Elect Trump and pro-life nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Tom Price, to not only roll back this latest overreach but also to enact new legal protections for these most vulnerable members of our society. The Obama Administration will not have the last word. With this new year comes renewed opportunity to fight for the dignity of every unborn child, the wellbeing of every struggling mother, and the conscience rights of every American taxpayer.\u201d \nBackground:\nThe New York Times describes the Obama Administration\u2019s finalized rule as \u201cbar[ring] states from withholding federal family-planning funds from Planned Parenthood affiliates and other health clinics that provide abortions.\u201d \u00a0A leader in the fight to defund Planned Parenthood since her first days in public service, Congressman Diane Black authored the House-passed Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015 and wrote about this rule\u2019s true intent earlier this year in an op-ed for FoxNews.com. In September, she joined with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) to lead more than 100 members of Congress on a bicameral, bipartisan letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) demanding answers on the rule\u2019s\u00a0 justification. When HHS failed to provide a substantive response, Congressman Black and Senator Ernst sent a follow up letter on November 28th requesting a thorough reply before the end of the year.\nTheBlaze: \u201cUnacceptable:\u201d Rep. Diane Black Hits HHS Over \u201cForm Letter\u201d Reply to Planned Parenthood Inquiry (11/28/16)\nFoxNews.com: Rep. Diane Black: The Insidious Way Team Obama is Funneling Money to Planned Parenthood (09/20/16) \n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=9B99EA08-EB84-4544-B5E9-16FECAE14881", "Alexander Meets with Labor Secretary Nominee Andy Puzder", "2016-12-14", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE,\u00a0December 12 \u2013\u00a0United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after meeting this afternoon with respected Tennessee businessman Andy Puzder \u2013 President-elect Trump\u2019s nominee to become the next Secretary of Labor:\r\n\u201cAndy Puzder and\u00a0I had an excellent meeting this afternoon. I am impressed with his understanding of how excessive regulation can destroy jobs and make it harder for family incomes to rise. As an experienced and respected Tennessee business leader, Mr. Puzder will be a good partner in creating an environment to help grow jobs for American workers. The Senate labor committee will promptly consider his nomination in the next Congress.\u201d\r\nThe Senate\u2019s labor committee, which Alexander chairs, will hold a hearing on Mr. Puzder\u2019s nomination in January.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=8F326224-4F91-45C9-8712-BBEE179F3086", "Corker Applauds Wacker Expansion Announcement", "2016-12-14", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today applauded the announcement by Wacker Chemical that the company will make an additional $150 million investment at its Charleston, Tenn. production plant, which will create 50 new jobs in Bradley County.\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement that Wacker will invest an additional $150 million and create 50 new jobs at its Charleston plant is outstanding news for Bradley County and surrounding areas,\u201d said Corker. \u201cThese high-quality jobs will benefit Tennessee families in a real way, and I thank Wacker for its continued investment in our state. I also appreciate the work Governor Haslam and his economic development team did to make this important expansion a reality.\u201d\r\nThe $150 million investment adds to the $2.5 billion investment the company has made in its polysilicon production plant in Bradley County since 2009. The company currently employs more than 600 individuals.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=150122DE-6A9E-46C6-A99C-62536B911D43", "Alexander: President Signs Christmas Medical Miracle That Will Help Virtually Every American Family", "2016-12-13", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 13 \u2014 Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said President Obama signed into law a \u201cChristmas Medical Miracle,\u201d the 21st Century Cures Act, which has been called \u201cthe most important legislation of the year\u201d by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and has the potential to help virtually every American family. Alexander was the chief Senate sponsor of the legislation along with Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash).\r\n\u201cThe real winners today are American families whose lives stand to be improved by the legislation signed into law. For the second consecutive year, President Obama has signed another Christmas miracle. Last year, it was the Every Student Succeeds Act, which restored control of K-12 education back to Tennessee and helps 50 million children in our nation\u2019s 100,000 public schools. This year, it\u2019s the 21st Century Cures Act \u2013 a law that will help virtually every family across Tennessee and America.\u201d\r\nSenator Alexander continued: \u201cThis bipartisan law will help us take advantage of the breathtaking advances in biomedical research and bring those innovations to doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets in Tennessee. This law will advance Vice President Biden\u2019s moonshot to find cures for cancer and President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative. It also helps states like Tennessee fight on the front lines against opioid abuse and helps the one in five Tennessee adults suffering from a mental illness get the care they need.\u201d\r\nAlexander, chairman of the\u00a0Senate\u2019s health committee, has worked on the legislation for two years, held 12 hearings, 5 working groups, and passed 19 bipartisan bills that make up much of the policy signed into law today. \u00a0Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, called the bill \u201cthe most important legislation Congress will pass this year.\u201d President Obama called it an \u201copportunity we just can\u2019t miss.\u201d Vice President Biden called it \u201ca big step for cancer research and the cancer moonshot.\u201d Speaker Paul Ryan made the bill a centerpiece of his vision for our country\u2019s future.\r\nThe law will help drive the research discoveries predicted over the next decade by Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, including the development of an artificial pancreas, organs built from patients' own stem cells, non-addictive painkillers, an HIV/AIDS\u00a0vaccine and a Zika vaccine.\r\nOpioid abuse in Tennessee:\r\nThe law helps fund the fight against opioid abuse \u2013 which takes the lives of more Tennesseans annually than gun shots or car wrecks \u2013 with $1 billion in grants to states over two years. In September of last year, Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, came to Knoxville where and hosted a roundtable with local physicians, community leaders, and public health officials on ways to fight opioid abuse. He called opioid abuse \u201ca growing epidemic that is gripping our country.\u201d Tennessee ranks near the top for opioid abuse, with the third highest rate of abuse in the nation. \u200eMore than 1,000 Tennesseans die each year as a result of drug overdose.\r\nMental health in Tennessee:\r\nThe law strengthens and improves important mental health programs for the first time in over a decade, so that the one in five adult Tennesseans suffering from a mental health disorder can get the care they need. From 2012 to 2013, nearly 21 percent of adults in Tennessee reported having a mental illness, according to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.\r\nPrecision Medicine:\r\nThe law supports the President\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative \u2013 a plan to map the genomes of 1 million volunteers and make the data available to researchers so they can develop treatments and cures tailored to a patient\u2019s genome, rather than one-size-fits-all treatments. The bill grants NIH more flexibility to make it easier for the agency to forge partnerships such as the recent $71.6 million, five year grant to Vanderbilt University Medical Center which puts Vandy \u201cfront and center\u201d in the president\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative.\r\nElectronic Health Records:\r\nThe law improves electronic health records so it\u2019s easier for Tennessee patients to access their records and for doctors and hospitals to get the information they need to treat patients. A family physician in Kingsport, TN told the New York Times last year: \u201cWe have electronic records at our clinic, but the hospital, which I can see from my window, has a separate system from a different vendor. The two don\u2019t communicate. When I admit patients to the hospital, I have to print out my notes and send a copy to the hospital so they can be incorporated into the hospital\u2019s electronic records.\u201d\r\nRegenerative medicine:\r\nThe law will also help more people take advantage of regenerative medicine\u2014 an area of medicine where a person\u2019s own cells are used to repair and rebuild organs and heal disease. A year and a half ago, Nashville resident Doug Oliver was legally blind. Today, he can see. Vanderbilt doctors told Mr. Oliver that there was no cure for the inherited form of Macular Degeneration that had gradually stolen his eyesight. After Oliver found a clinical trial in Florida, doctors extracted his own cells from his hip bone, spun them in a FDA-cleared centrifuge, and injected the appropriately isolated cells into his retina. Oliver\u2019s left eye vision improved from 20/2000 to 20/40 and his right eye improved from 20/400 to 20/30. Last December, Doug received his Tennessee driver\u2019s license 11 years after surrendering it because of blindness. Today, he is busy advising lawmakers in Washington about how this law will help more patients.\r\nBackground on the 21st Century Cures Act:\r\n \r\nHelps bring safe drugs and devices to market more quickly and at less cost by making needed reforms to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including: expedited review for breakthrough devices, increased patient involvement in the drug approval process, a streamlined review process for combination products that are both a drug and device, and freedom from red tape for software like fitbits or calorie counting apps.\r\nProvides $4.8 billion to National Institutes of Health, including: $1.8 billion for Vice President Biden\u2019s \"Cancer Moonshot\u201d to speed cancer research; $1.4 billion for President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative to drive research into the genetic, lifestyle and environmental variations of disease; and $1.6 billion for the BRAIN Initiative to improve our understanding of diseases like Alzheimer's and speed diagnosis and treatment.\r\nProvides $500 million to the FDA.\r\nProvides $1 billion in grants to states to address the opioid crisis.\r\nAddresses the country\u2019s mental health crisis and help the one out of five adult Americans suffering from mental illness receive the care they need.\r\nImproves electronic health records for doctors and their patients.\u00a0\r\n \r\nOne-pagers on the 21st Century Cures Act:\r\n \r\nSummary of what the 21st Century Cures Act does HERE.\r\nHow Cures will bring safe drugs and medical devices to patients faster HERE.\r\nHow Cures support states in the fight against the opioid abuse epidemic HERE.\r\nHow Cures supports the one in five adults suffering from a mental illness HERE.\r\nHow Cures delivers a fully-offset surge of targeted funding to tackle costly diseases and opioid abuse HERE.\r\nHow Cures encourages innovation and cuts red tape that stifles competition in the drug marketplace, which keeps many drug prices too high for Americans HERE.\r\nHow Cures supports Vice President Biden\u2019s moonshot to find cures for cancer and the President\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative to find more personalized treatments and cures: HERE and HERE.\r\nHow the bill helps improve operations at the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health HERE.\r\nHow the bill improves electronic health records for better patient care HERE. \u00a0\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=90C41498-4B15-4CAD-B743-7763224DF3E8", "Alexander on Selection of Rick Perry as Secretary of Energy", "2016-12-13", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 13, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President-elect Trump\u2019s selection of former Texas governor Rick Perry to become the next United States Secretary of Energy:\r\n\u201cRick Perry is a first class public servant. I have known and worked with him for years. I look forward to learning more about his plans for supporting energy research, strong national laboratories and supercomputing that help give America its competitive edge in creating jobs.\u201d\r\nAlexander serves as the chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=9A611A2A-A182-4CF0-B238-645BE8F63521", "Alexander Statement on Selection of Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State", "2016-12-13", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE,\u00a0Dec. 13 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on\u00a0President-elect Trump\u2019s intention to nominate Rex Tillerson, chief executive of Exxon Mobil, to become the next Secretary of State:\r\n\"Rex Tillerson has led one of the world's largest corporations with operations in about 50 countries, which requires an understanding of other\u00a0countries and cultures. I look forward to hearing more from Mr. Tillerson about his plans to strengthen our partnerships with allies\u00a0and how to deal with the threats from those who would harm our nation.\"\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=81FF416E-6367-4FF2-A6BA-B7A84DF6C155", "Corker: Religious Freedom Bill to Become Law", "2016-12-13", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today praised unanimous passage of H.R.1150, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, by the House of Representatives. The legislation, which was approved by the committee last Tuesday and the full Senate on Saturday, is now on its way to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law. The bill seeks to advance religious freedom through enhanced diplomatic and foreign assistance efforts, including improved training for foreign service officers and greater flexibility for responding to cases of religious persecution.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis bill will help ensure that defending religious freedom remains at the core of our engagement in even the most repressive parts of the world and that we have the most effective policies in place to be successful,\u201d said Corker. \u201cI am proud of the unanimous support this legislation received in our committee and in both houses of Congress, and I look forward to the president signing it into law.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=BCBD8394-43E8-4FAA-845D-19CFAED312FC", "Corker Statement on Nomination of Rex Tillerson", "2016-12-13", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement regarding President-elect Donald J. Trump\u2019s intention to nominate Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State.\r\n\u201cI very much appreciated President-elect Trump calling me last night to let me know that he would be nominating Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State,\u201d said Corker. \u201cMr. Tillerson is a very impressive individual and has an extraordinary working knowledge of the world. I congratulate him on his nomination and look forward to meeting with him and chairing his confirmation hearing.\u201d\r\n\u201cOn a personal note, it has been an honor to be considered for Secretary of State,\u201d added Corker. \u201cI thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the President-elect and his team throughout this process and appreciate the deliberate manner in which he arrived at this decision. I look forward to working with him to move our country forward.\u201d\r\nThe Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing on Mr. Tillerson\u2019s nomination in early January.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/tenn-members-of-congress-urge-president-obama-to-approve-disaster", "Tenn. members of Congress urge President Obama to approve disaster assistance", "2016-12-12", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representative DesJarlais along with other members of Tennessee\u2019s Congressional delegation have urging President Obama to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Tennessee. The declaration would help five Tennessee counties impacted by wildfires and severe weather in November rebuild and recover.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/tennessee-members-of-congress-urge-president-to-approve-federal-disaster", "Tennessee Members of Congress Urge President to Approve Federal Disaster Assistance for Five Tennessee Counties Affected by Wildfires, Severe Weather", "2016-12-12", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u00a0- Members of Tennessee\u2019s Congressional delegation today urged President Obama to quickly approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Tennessee to help\u00a0five Tennessee counties impacted by wildfires and severe weather in November rebuild and recover.\n\u201cGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes,\u201d the members wrote President Obama in a letter. \u201cWe strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible.\u201d\nThe letter was signed by Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Representatives\u00a0Phil Roe, John Duncan,\u00a0Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn, Scott DesJarlais, Chuck Fleischmann,\u00a0Steve Cohen, Jim Cooper, and Stephen Fincher.\u00a0\nThe full text of the letter is below:\nDear Mr. President:\nOn behalf of the State of Tennessee, we are writing to support Governor Bill Haslam\u2019s request to declare a major disaster pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act as a result of the severe wildfires and tornadoes that impacted our state beginning November 28, 2016.\nGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornados.\u00a0We strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible.\nThe severe wildfires that swept through Sevier County, Tennessee beginning November 28 required the evacuation of over 14,000 residents and visitors and led to 14 fatalities and 134 reported injuries. The wildfires damaged or destroyed over 2,200 homes, businesses and other structures.\u00a0 At its peak, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency estimated that over 1,300 people occupied six Red Cross and independently-operated shelters.\nThe severe weather that impacted 10 counties in East Tennessee on November 29th\u00a0produced 5 tornadoes and led to 4 fatalities and 12 reported injuries. The severe weather caused structural damage and downed powerlines throughout East Tennessee, especially in Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie Counties.\nThe Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency since the beginning of these incidents, and we are grateful for their efforts to respond to Tennessee\u2019s needs. Our offices can provide you with any additional information should you have any questions.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=EA6F6DD9-EDB2-48C1-B328-A8ED28B7D9D7", "Tennessee Members of Congress Urge President to Approve Federal Disaster Assistance for Five Tennessee Counties Affected by Wildfires, Severe Weather", "2016-12-12", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", "desjarlais", "https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - Members of Tennessee\u2019s Congressional delegation today urged President Obama to quickly approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Tennessee to help five Tennessee counties impacted by wildfires and severe weather in November rebuild and recover.\n\n\u201cGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes,\u201d the members wrote President Obama in a letter. \u201cWe strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible.\u201d\n\nThe letter was signed by Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Representatives Phil Roe, John Duncan, Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn, Scott DesJarlais, Chuck Fleischmann, Steve Cohen, Jim Cooper, and Stephen Fincher.\n\nThe full text of the letter is below:\n\nDear Mr. President:\n\nOn behalf of the State of Tennessee, we are writing to support Governor Bill Haslam\u2019s request to declare a major disaster pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act as a result of the severe wildfires and tornadoes that impacted our state beginning November 28, 2016.\n\nGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornados. We strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible.\n\nThe severe wildfires that swept through Sevier County, Tennessee beginning November 28 required the evacuation of over 14,000 residents and visitors and led to 14 fatalities and 134 reported injuries. The wildfires damaged or destroyed over 2,200 homes, businesses and other structures. At its peak, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency estimated that over 1,300 people occupied six Red Cross and independently-operated shelters.\n\nThe severe weather that impacted 10 counties in East Tennessee on November 29th produced 5 tornadoes and led to 4 fatalities and 12 reported injuries. The severe weather caused structural damage and downed powerlines throughout East Tennessee, especially in Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie Counties.\n\nThe Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency since the beginning of these incidents, and we are grateful for their efforts to respond to Tennessee\u2019s needs. Our offices can provide you with any additional information should you have any questions.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:09:43Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398098", "Tennessee Members of Congress Urge President to Approve Federal Disaster Assistance for Five Tennessee Counties Affected by Wildfires, Severe Weather", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Members of Tennessee's Congressional delegation today urged President Obama to quickly approve Governor Haslam's request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Tennessee to helpfive Tennessee counties impacted by wildfires and severe weather in November rebuild and recover.\r\n\r\nGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes, the members wrote President Obama in a letter. We strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam's request, and we hope you will consider our State's request as soon as possible.\r\n\r\nThe full text of the letter is below and available onlinehere:\r\n\r\nDear Mr. President:\r\n\r\nOn behalf of the State of Tennessee, we are writing to support Governor Bill Haslam's request to declare a major disaster pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act as a result of the severe wildfires and tornadoes that impacted our state beginning November 28, 2016.\r\n\r\nGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes.We strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam's request, and we hope you will consider our State's request as soon as possible.\r\n\r\nThe severe wildfires that swept through Sevier County, Tennessee beginning November 28, required the evacuation of over 14,000 residents and visitors and led to 14 fatalities and 134 reported injuries. The wildfires damaged or destroyed over 2,200 homes, businesses and other structures.At its peak, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency estimated that over 1,300 people occupied six Red Cross and independently-operated shelters.\r\n\r\nThe severe weather that impacted 10 counties in East Tennessee on November 29, produced 5 tornadoes and led to 4 fatalities and 12 reported injuries. The severe weather caused structural damage and downed powerlines throughout East Tennessee, especially in Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties.\r\n\r\nThe Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency since the beginning of these incidents, and we are grateful for their efforts to respond to Tennessee's needs.Our offices can provide you with any additional information should you have any questions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=64388AEF-1412-4EA7-943C-4A3CD590401A", "Tennessee Members of Congress Urge President to Approve Federal Disaster Assistance for Five Tennessee Counties Affected by Wildfires, Severe Weather", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u00a0- Members of Tennessee\u2019s Congressional delegation today urged President Obama to quickly approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Tennessee to help\u00a0five Tennessee counties impacted by wildfires and severe weather in November rebuild and recover.\r\n\u201cGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes,\u201d the members wrote President Obama in a letter. \u201cWe strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible.\u201d\r\nThe letter was signed by Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Representatives\u00a0Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Cohen, Jim Cooper, Scott DesJarlais, John Duncan, Stephen Fincher, Chuck Fleischmann and Phil Roe.\u00a0\r\nThe full text of the letter is below and available online here:\r\nDear Mr. President:\u00a0\r\nOn behalf of the State of Tennessee, we are writing to support Governor Bill Haslam\u2019s request to declare a major disaster pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act as a result of the severe wildfires and tornadoes that impacted our state beginning November 28, 2016.\r\nGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes.\u00a0We strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible.\u00a0\r\nThe severe wildfires that swept through Sevier County, Tennessee beginning November 28, required the evacuation of over 14,000 residents and visitors and led to 14 fatalities and 134 reported injuries. The wildfires damaged or destroyed over 2,200 homes, businesses and other structures.\u00a0At its peak, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency estimated that over 1,300 people occupied six Red Cross and independently-operated shelters.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe severe weather that impacted 10 counties in East Tennessee on November 29, produced 5 tornadoes and led to 4 fatalities and 12 reported injuries. The severe weather caused structural damage and downed powerlines throughout East Tennessee, especially in Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency since the beginning of these incidents, and we are grateful for their efforts to respond to Tennessee\u2019s needs.\u00a0Our offices can provide you with any additional information should you have any questions.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=926F38EA-2555-46E0-9B72-C6ED194DA1A4", "Alexander: Senate Passes Water Infrastructure Bill that Can Help Protect Nashville from Future Flooding", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Says bill authorizes funding that will help maintain dams and waterways, protect business and jobs nationwide\u00a0\r\nWASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said today the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act will help protect business and jobs across the country by authorizing funding to build, repair and maintain the country\u2019s water infrastructure.\r\n\"Improving locks, dams and other water infrastructure projects is one of the best ways the federal government can help protect jobs and industry in Tennessee and across the country. Today I voted for this bipartisan legislation because it authorizes funding to help do just that,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cThis bill will help keep commerce flowing on our nation\u2019s rivers and can also help protect the Nashville area from future flooding by authorizing the Mill Creek Flood Risk Management Project, which is important to ongoing flood risk management for the Nashville area following the May 2010 Nashville flood.\r\nThe agreement reached by the House and Senate authorizes funding to improve locks and dams, dredge rivers and harbors, prevent floods and storm damage, and conduct environmental restoration projects.\r\nThe House of Representatives passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act on Dec. 8 by a vote of 360 to 61. Today, the Senate passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act by a vote of 78 to 21. The legislation can now be sent to the president so that it can become law.\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=C0CB53AB-87C7-4FAD-A2B1-056D85EB9597", "Alexander: Senate Funds New 21st Century Cures Law, Cancer Moonshot, $500 Million in State Grants to Boost Front Lines in Opioid Fight", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislation funds government and important projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, keeps national parks open  \r\nWASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 10, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the Senate\u2019s vote to fully fund the government through April and keep national parks open would also fully fund his 21st Century Cures bill for next year, \u201csending $500 million in state grants to boost the front lines in the opioid fight.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis bill is going to pretty quickly send a boost to the front lines of the opioid fight in many states,\u00a0which will be a big opportunity for Tennessee.\u00a0It shows our commitment to funding the legislation we just passed 94 to 5, and helping find cures for cancer, treating mental illness, and better understanding the brain to prevent diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s.\u201d\r\nThe legislation \u2013 that will fund the government through April 28 \u2013 will fully fund the first year of the 21st Century Cures Act. It includes $352 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), most of which will go toward the Cancer Moonshot, $500 million for states to respond to the opioid abuse crisis and $20 million for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).\u00a0\r\nAlexander continued: \u201cThis continuing resolution funds the government though April 28, 2017 and is consistent with the Budget Control Act and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. In addition to fully funding the 21st Century Cures Act, this legislation will continue funding projects at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex, keep national parks open and provide funding for the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies. I look forward to working with the new Republican Congress to complete all of the fiscal year 2017 appropriations bills in the new year.\u201d\r\nOn Dec. 8, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation 326 to 96. The bill passed the Senate on Dec. 9 by a vote of 63 to 36. The president is expected to sign the legislation into law.\u00a0\r\n###\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=A0735936-DC04-474C-A979-9DBAB4BD4106", "Corker: Congress Sends President First State Department Authorization in 14 Years", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislation Incorporates Provisions from Senate Foreign Relations Committee\u2019s FY 2016 and FY 2017 Authorization Bills\u00a0\r\nWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today announced that for the first time in 14 years, a State Department authorization bill will be sent to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law. Today, the Senate unanimously approved S.1635, legislation referred to the Senate earlier this week from the House of Representatives where lawmakers incorporated provisions from State Department authorization bills for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, which were authored by Corker and Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the committee.\r\n\u201cToday, Congress ends a 14-year drought by finally sending a State Department authorization to the president,\u201d said Corker. \u201cRestoring Congress\u2019 rightful role in the conduct of U.S. engagement overseas has been a top priority of mine as chairman. I thank Senator Cardin for his partnership and appreciate the bipartisan cooperation and contributions of my committee colleagues and our counterparts in the House in renewing this important oversight process on behalf of American taxpayers. Among other provisions, this legislation will enhance the security of our embassies abroad, improve personnel and organizational practices of the State Department, and demand much needed oversight and accountability of U.N. peacekeeping missions to end horrific cases of sexual abuse and exploitation. Going forward, I am hopeful we can build even further on this important progress to ensure State Department funding is used in the most responsible manner to advance American interests.\u201d\r\nA summary of S.1635 is available here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=E55FB92D-6C50-47BF-9BD3-D07D49DC0C93", "Tennessee Members of Congress Urge President to Approve Federal Disaster Assistance for Five Tennessee Counties Affected by Wildfires, Severe Weather", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u00a0- Members of Tennessee\u2019s Congressional delegation today urged President Obama to quickly approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Tennessee to help\u00a0five Tennessee counties impacted by wildfires and severe weather in November rebuild and recover.\r\n\u201cGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes,\u201d the members wrote President Obama in a letter. \u201cWe strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible.\u201d\r\nThe letter was signed by Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Representatives\u00a0Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Cohen, Jim Cooper, Scott DesJarlais, John Duncan, Stephen Fincher, Chuck Fleischmann and Phil Roe. \r\nThe full text of the letter is below and available online here.\r\n\r\nDear Mr. President: \r\nOn behalf of the State of Tennessee, we are writing to support Governor Bill Haslam\u2019s request to declare a major disaster pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act as a result of the severe wildfires and tornadoes that impacted our state beginning November 28, 2016.\r\nGovernor Bill Haslam has submitted a request for Public Assistance and Individual Assistance for Sevier County, which was affected by wildfires and for Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties which were affected by severe weather and tornadoes.\u00a0We strongly urge you to approve Governor Haslam\u2019s request, and we hope you will consider our State\u2019s request as soon as possible. \r\nThe severe wildfires that swept through Sevier County, Tennessee beginning November 28, required the evacuation of over 14,000 residents and visitors and led to 14 fatalities and 134 reported injuries. The wildfires damaged or destroyed over 2,200 homes, businesses and other structures.\u00a0At its peak, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency estimated that over 1,300 people occupied six Red Cross and independently-operated shelters.\u00a0\u00a0 \r\nThe severe weather that impacted 10 counties in East Tennessee on November 29, produced 5 tornadoes and led to 4 fatalities and 12 reported injuries. The severe weather caused structural damage and downed powerlines throughout East Tennessee, especially in Coffee, McMinn, Polk and Sequatchie counties.\u00a0 \r\nThe Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency since the beginning of these incidents, and we are grateful for their efforts to respond to Tennessee\u2019s needs.\u00a0Our offices can provide you with any additional information should you have any questions. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=F0187852-2635-4524-AD4D-BC1C68BCA127", "Corker: Water Bill Strengthens Tennessee Infrastructure and Commerce", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after Senate passage of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (S. 612), which will strengthen our nation\u2019s commerce and improve communities across the country by authorizing projects that maintain and enhance water infrastructure. The legislation will now be sent to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\r\n\u201cWaterways in Tennessee and across our country are major economic drivers, and this bipartisan legislation will ensure our water infrastructure is maintained appropriately so that companies can continue to move goods in a timely and safe manner,\u201d said Corker. \u201cI also am pleased this bill authorizes a flood risk reduction project at Mill Creek, which will better protect Nashville and Davidson County against future flooding.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398096", "Roe Statement on President-elect Trumps Labor Secretary Nomination", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "JOHNSON CITY, TENN.  Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement on the announcement that President-elect Trump has chosen to nominate Andy Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, as secretary of the Department of Labor: \r\nI'm glad President-elect Trump has chosen Andy Puzder, an accomplished Tennessee businessman, to lead the Department of Labor. Mr. Puzder knows firsthand how good-paying jobs are created, and is keenly aware of the issues facing today's workforce. For eight long years, the current administration has pursued regulation after regulation, leaving many small businesses fearful about whether they could stay afloat. I know Mr. Puzder from my time as the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee chairman, and I am confident he'll be a successful Labor Secretary. I congratulate him on his nomination and thank President-elect Trump for sending such a strong statement about his commitment to our nation's workers with this nomination.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=9E24C3B7-E83B-488B-A78B-A3D8DD74D5C6", "Chattanooga Times Free Press: Cooper: Cures Act a strong dose of hope", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a day when approval of Congress barely exceeds 10 percent of poll respondents and few believe the body ever gets anything meaningful done, the\u00a021st Century Cures Act\u00a0is, if you will, a remedy of sorts.\r\nThe $6.3 billion bipartisan legislation, shepherded through the Senate by Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the body's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, overwhelmingly passed both houses of Congress and was expected to be signed by President Barack Obama.\r\nAs with last year's Every Student Succeeds Act, the Tennessee senator worked with members of the Democratic Party to achieve a bill that, in his words, \"will help virtually every American family.\"\r\nBefore Republicans gained the Senate in 2014, passing such legislation was practically impossible because then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., would not allow such comprehensive bills that weren't strictly part of Obama's agenda to see the light of day.\r\nThis freshly minted package will, among other things, help bring safe drugs and medical devices into the market more quickly and at less cost than before; provide more funding for cancer research, genetic, lifestyle and environmental variations of disease, and brain diseases such as Alzheimer's; provide funding to states for the opioid crisis; provide funding for the Food and Drug Administration; improve the electronic heath records system; and address the country's mental health crisis.\r\nThe most controversial but perhaps the most immediately helpful portion of the bill is that which will speed approval of drugs and medical devices. Because of regulatory barriers, drugs currently may take 15 years to make it to market. For many individuals with Alzheimer's disease, cancers or cystic fibrosis, that will be too late.\r\nThe drugs or medical devices may be being used in other countries with success but cannot make it to the U.S. market for many more years. Now, patients will be allowed to exercise a certain amount of risk in using the drugs or devices if their situation is dire enough. And without as many regulatory barriers, costs naturally will be reduced.\r\n\"We're trying to reduce the cost and reduce the amount of time it takes and still makes it safe,\" Alexander said.\r\nFor Tennessee, the $1 billion in funding over two years for the opioid crisis across the nation \u2014 through state grants \u2014 also is critical. The state is second in the nation for opioid prescriptions with 1.18 scripts for every man, woman and child, according to IMS data. In 2014, the latest year for which statistics are available, 1,263 Volunteer State residents died from opioid overdose, a number which exceeds those who died annually from car accidents or firearms deaths.\r\nOf course, opioid abuse always affects more people than just the abuser. Opioid addiction can be passed to infants when they are born to mothers who are drug addicts. And the longer such babies whose parents do not have private insurance are treated in neonatal intensive care, the bigger hit the TennCare budget suffers.\r\nMoney in Tennessee through the grants could be spent on treatment, on training doctors and other professionals on how to treat the addiction, and on learning how individuals might be predisposed to addiction, officials said.\r\nThe funding for cancer research and that for genetic, lifestyle and environmental variations of disease go hand in hand. The idea is that a person's DNA, the life a person leads and where a person lives can play both a part in what type of cancer or other disease a person may be diagnosed with and why one type of treatment would be helpful for one person but not for another.\r\nAlthough unrelated on the surface, the push for improved electronic health records could be an additional boon to research on cancer and other diseases. If medical records are easily shareable by permission, a potentially larger database for research immediately becomes available. The larger the database, the more easy it is to extrapolate information about the cancers and other devastating diseases.\r\nMore simply, electronic health records afford an easy transfer of information from a primary care physician to a specialist and from a physician in one city to a physician in another who happens to be treating a patient.\r\nOne last but certainly not least aspect of the bill is funding for mental health. As House co-sponsor Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson said, while funding the treatment of mental illness is expensive, \"it's more expensive to ignore it.\"\r\nThe Cures Act, among other things, pushes states to provide early treatment for psychosis, sets up a grant program to provide assertive community treatment (as in a team of professionals on call 24 hours a day) for people with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, gives communities more flexibility in how they use federal grants and requires the U.S. attorney general to create drug and mental health court pilot programs.\r\nThough Alexander called the legislation \"a Christmas miracle,\" Congress will never have enough money to fund everything researchers need and everything those seeking a cure want. Because when you have your health, you have everything. But this bipartisan bill offers hope to those seeking to regain or retain their health.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=A1135ECB-8113-4C5F-B9F7-624176E13E01", "Johnson City Press: Senate passed 21st Century Cures Act 94-5, includes $1 billion in opioid treatment funding", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On the heels of bipartisan House approval, the Senate handily approved the wide-sweeping\u00a021st Century Cures Act, which includes $1 billion in state grants to treat opioid addiction, by a 95-4 vote Tuesday afternoon.\u00a0\r\nNow the bill will move along to President Barack Obama\u2019s desk, where it will likely be signed into law. Obama has been a vocal proponent of the act.\u00a0\r\nIn an Op-Ed column published in The Columbus Dispatch, Obama said,\u00a0\u201c(The 21st Century Cures Act)\u00a0will build upon steps we have already taken to expand overdose-prevention strategies, improve opioid-prescription practices, and ensure more Americans seeking addiction treatment can get the help they so desperately need.\u201d\r\nSen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., spoke to his fellow senators about the bill\u2019s importance prior to the vote.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s pretty rare that we have legislation that the president of the United States says this is an opportunity we just can\u2019t miss. The vice president of the United States is telephoning senators before they go into their caucus meetings to urge them to support it. At the same time, the speaker of the House, a Republican, is saying this is part of my agenda for the future for our country and the majority leader is saying its the most important bill we\u2019re acting on,\u201d Alexander said on the Senate floor.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\u201cNow, it still wasn\u2019t easy to pass because we\u2019re dealing really with a lot of life and death issues.\u201d\r\nAlexander, who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, spearheaded the legislation in the upper chamber while Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Tim Murphy, R-Pa., advocated the bill in the House.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is supportive of any measure that would increase funding to help combat the prescription drug epidemic,\u201d according to a statement from the state agency.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIt is too early to know for certain if Tennessee would receive any of the 21st Century Cures Act funding allocated for addressing the opioid crisis, but our department remains committed to aggressively pursuing any federal funding that becomes available. If this act passes, we will engage in the application process in order to hopefully receive a portion of the new funds to be used for our opioid prevention, education and treatment efforts.\u201d\r\nSen. Bob Corker, who voted for the measure, released a statement calling the bill\u2019s passage\u00a0\u201ca testament to Senator Alexander\u2019s leadership and will help countless Tennesseans who are directly impacted by cancer, Alzheimer\u2019s, mental illness and opioid abuse.\u201d\r\n\u201cBy streamlining the FDA review process and advancing biomedical research, this bill will encourage innovation and provide quicker access to the lifesaving medications and treatments that so many families need,\u201d Corker added.\r\nThe 1,000-page legislation loosely details how the $1 billion will be split in half for the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years. It also allows the president and secretary of Health and Human Services to give funding preference to states with a higher percentage of opioid abuse. Tennessee is second only to Alabama for the most opioid prescriptions per 100 people.\r\nIncreasing drug-monitoring programs and improving prevention tactics and proper prescribing practices are also mentioned in the legislation.\u00a0\r\nThe House passed the legislation last week by a 392 to 26 vote.\u00a0\r\nAlong with funding for opioid treatment, the bill will also aim to shake up the Food and Drug Administration, hasten the approval of drugs and devices and address the country\u2019s mental health crisis through increasing the number of psychiatrists and psychologists.\u00a0\r\nSens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., were among the five who voted against the bill.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWhen American voters say Congress is owned by big companies, this bill is exactly what they are talking about,\u201d Warren said during a Senate floor speech last week.\u00a0\r\nBoth Democrats believe the bill will give pharmaceutical companies too much leeway and does not address increased drug pricing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=ABA3C296-C443-46DA-8D83-E24228BB60D1", "Politico: Alexander spearheaded Cures' EHR reform", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Aboard Air Force One headed for Tennessee on a frosty day two Januarys ago, President Barack Obama gave Sen.\u00a0Lamar Alexander\u00a0a preview of his Precision Medicine Initiative, the plan to get genomic and other data from a million Americans to use in developing targeted drug therapies.\r\nThe Tennessean, who was about to take over the Senate HELP Committee, was a natural ally for Obama because of his own interest in biomedical innovation that grew out of years of discussions with academics from the sprawling biomedical campus of Vanderbilt University, which he has represented in the Senate since 2003.\r\nTheir work to advance Precision Medicine quickly came across a hurdle the three-term senator was familiar with: health IT. Medical information couldn\u2019t easily flow from researcher to researcher or from hospital to hospital. It was trapped within the electronic health infrastructure that the federal government had spent nearly $35 billion to build.\r\nPrecision Medicine\u2019s biggest problem wasn\u2019t obtaining genomes; it was prying data out of EHRs. To realize the program\u2019s potential, Washington policymakers needed to unlock the data and get the meaningful use incentive program \u201cout of the ditch,\u201d as Alexander said.\r\nAlexander\u2019s HELP Committee would hold a half dozen hearings on EHRs in 2015. With help from top Democrat on the committee Sen.\u00a0Patty Murray\u00a0and others, HELP crafted legislation to spur health information sharing that became part of the 21st Century Cures bill, which passed the House with 392 votes and the Senate with 94 yeas Wednesday. Obama is expected to sign it soon.\r\n\u201cI think we\u2019ll look back and see that HELP assisted the industry in making the transition from meaningful use to value-based payment incentives for health IT adoption and use,\u201d said David Kibbe, chief executive of DirectTrust.\r\nThe Senate was able to build upon EHR policies put forth initially in the House, leaving the final product deeply imprinted with Senate fingerprints.\r\nHELP Committee hearings addressed clinical usability of the technology, documentation requirements, patient access to health records and \u201cinformation blocking,\u201d all issues addressed in the final bill.\r\nExecutives from major EHR vendors Epic, Cerner and Allscripts testified before lawmakers. \u201cI certainly am pleased with the evolution of the bill and appreciate the good work and leadership of Sens. Alexander and Murray and their staffs,\u201d said Leigh Burchell, head of government affairs at Allscripts.\r\nAlexander\u2019s familiarity with EHR problems predated the Air Force One trip. He was one of six senators who\u00a0in April 2013\u00a0called for a \u201creboot\u201d of the meaningful use program.\r\nIn 2015, as Republicans retook the Senate, new developments created an opportunity. Meaningful use penalties on doctors and hospitals were starting to hit, and providers were increasingly lobbying to get relief from the third and final stage of meaningful use.\r\nHELP\u2019s hearings came at \u201cexactly the right time,\u201d said Stephanie Zaremba of athenahealth. \u201cMultiple senators called attention to information blocking behaviors in those hearings, and that spurred more changes in terms of vendors working together and dropping excessive fees than any mandates in legislation will,\u201d she said.\r\nVanderbilt is home to one of the handful of elite biomedical informatics centers in the United States, receiving millions in grants annually from NIH. It will play a major role in the Precision Medicine Initiative, including hosting the Data and Research Support Center for the PMI Cohort Program with a $.71.6 million, five-year grant. It also will have a major role in Vice President Joe Biden\u2019s cancer moonshot.\r\nAlexander\u2019s influence in the area stems from the fact that he\u2019s an old-school senator, one willing to work with Democrats. Bipartisanship \u201chas become a hallmark of his chairmanship on the HELP Committee,\u201d said Jeff Smith, vice president of public policy at the American Medical Informatics Association. \u201cHe also empowered other senators to weigh in, and that's how Sens. Cassidy and Whitehouse got involved.\u201d\r\nBill Cassidy\u00a0and\u00a0Sheldon Whitehouse\u00a0sponsored the TRUST IT Act, which would have created a star-rating system for usability, interoperability and security in EHRs. The rating system was dropped but other elements of TRUST IT made it into the final Cures bill.\r\nProblems that providers have correctly matching patients to their records \u2014 an issue dear to Sen.\u00a0Elizabeth Warren\u2019s heart \u2014 were also addressed.\r\nIn 2014, Alexander worked with Democrats on language inserted into an appropriations bill that called for ONC to create an information blocking report, and that helped kick-start industry action on the issue. Soon after its publication in April 2015, EHR giant Epic Systems announced it would drop fees for exchanging health records with non-Epic systems.\r\nAlexander and Murray also spotlighted cybersecurity in health care, creating a government task force on the issue in last year\u2019s broader cybersecurity bill.\r\nObama and Alexander met again in February, following a White House event marking the anniversary of PMI. They discussed Precision Medicine and the cancer moonshot, aides said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=A8194689-71B5-4163-9F9D-D03C0F4167BE", "Alexander Announces Staff Changes", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander today announced the following staff changes:\r\nLiz Wolgemuth will be promoted to Senior Communications Director and Speechwriter, replacing Jim Jeffries, who is moving to Seattle. Margaret Atkinson will be promoted to Communications Director.\r\nAlexander said: \u201cWashington, D.C.\u2019s loss is Washington state\u2019s gain. Jim Jeffries is one of the savviest and most reliable media advisers in the nation\u2019s capital. He has surely earned my respect during our eight years together. While I will greatly miss him, I am delighted he has this excellent professional opportunity with Paul Allen.\u201d\r\nLiz and Margaret will oversee all of Alexander\u2019s press efforts, in Tennessee, as chairman of the HELP committee, as chairman of the Appropriations Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and as a member of the Senate\u2019s committees on energy and rules.\r\nJIM JEFFRIES\r\nJim Jeffries is leaving one Washington and moving to another\u2014in January, he will join Seattle-based Vulcan, Inc., as head of executive communications for Paul Allen. Jeffries joined the Alexander team in 2009 and served as communications director over Alexander\u2019s personal office and the HELP Committee since 2013. Jim was Alexander\u2019s principal communications advisor and media spokesman. Jim started in Congress in 2002 with then-Congressman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), after which he served as speechwriter for then-House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio). Immediately prior to joining Alexander\u2019s team, Jim was a writer for Frank Luntz\u2019s language-strategy firm. Jim is a graduate of Brigham Young University, and he and his wife, Rachel, have three sons.\u00a0\r\nLIZ WOLGEMUTH\r\nLiz Wolgemuth, previously Alexander\u2019s Senior Communications Advisor and Speechwriter at the HELP committee, will assume the role of Senior Communications Director overseeing Alexander\u2019s press efforts. She previously served as Alexander\u2019s committee press secretary and was a press secretary in his Senate office. She was a senior editor at U.S News & World Report in Washington, D.C., before joining Alexander\u2019s team. She was previously a business reporter at the Northwest Herald in Illinois. She earned a Master of Science in Journalism at Northwestern University\u2019s Medill School of Journalism and a B.A. in English at Fordham University in New York City. Liz and her husband, Tim, have two children.\r\nMARGARET ATKINSON\r\nMargaret Atkinson, previously Press Secretary at the HELP Committee, will be Alexander\u2019s Communications Director. She joined the Alexander team in 2010 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a B.A. in Journalism and worked in Alexander\u2019s personal office until moving to the committee in 2014. Margaret is from Memphis, Tenn.\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=7A006EC7-917F-49CC-8D41-26361D885533", "Corker Reiterates Strong Opposition to Arms Trade Treaty", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today reiterated his strong opposition to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty after the Obama administration submitted the treaty to the Senate. Corker was among a bipartisan group of 53 senators who voted in favor of an amendment in 2013 to protect Americans\u2019 Second Amendment rights and prevent the U.S. from entering into the treaty.\r\n\u201cSince 2012, many senators, including myself, have expressed opposition to the small arms treaty, citing an array of concerns with Second Amendment rights,\u201d said Corker. \u201cNothing has changed over the last four years to suggest the treaty is in our national interest, and it will remain dead in the water. I reiterate my strong opposition and will work with my colleagues to protect the rights of Americans.\u201d\r\nIn September 2013, Corker sent a letter to President Obama warning against any attempt by the administration to implement the treaty without the Senate\u2019s advice and consent. The following month, he joined a separate letter to the president signed by 50 senators that expressed strong opposition to the administration\u2019s decision to sign the treaty given a range of policy and constitutional concerns.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=FE370880-923B-4F05-966C-AF1BD3A9C35E", "Corker Votes Against Continuing Resolution Spending Bill", "2016-12-09", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after voting against a short-term spending bill known as a continuing resolution.\r\n\u201cThe inability to get our fiscal house in order is the greatest long-term threat our country faces, and I opposed this legislation because it will grow the federal deficit through the continued use of budget gimmicks,\u201d said Corker. \u201cLast year alone we added over $587 billion to the national debt, and massive annual deficits are projected for years to come unless we drastically change spending habits in Washington.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=54D2E6B2-0560-491C-BE11-A5D0A102745B", "Chattanooga Times Free Press: New health care law touted as 'most important bill of the year'", "2016-12-08", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., is touting the 21st Century Cures bill, which the Senate and House have now passed and President Barack Obama is expected to sign, as \"the most important bill of the year.\"\r\nThe sprawling 996-page legislation is the most significant health care law passed by Congress since Obamacare, and it won bipartisan backing, passing the U.S. House last week by a vote of 344-77 and winning Senate approval on Wednesday, 94-5. As chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Tennessee's senior U.S. senator has been a key architect of the bill.\r\nThe $6.3 billion legislation includes $1 billion to fight opioid abuse and $1.8 billion for Vice President Joe Biden's \"cancer moonshot\" initiative; changes the way the federal Food and Drug Administration approves drugs and medical devices; and pushes hospitals and doctors to make it easy to share data on their patients electronically.\r\nSen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., praised the Senate's vote Wednesday and applauded Alexander.\r\n\"Passage of this legislation is a testament to Sen. Alexander's leadership and will help countless Tennesseans who are directly impacted by cancer, Alzheimer's, mental illness and opioid abuse,\" Corker said. \"By streamlining the FDA review process and advancing biomedical research, this bill will encourage innovation and provide quicker access to the lifesaving medications and treatments that so many families need.\"\r\nOPIOID ABUSE\r\nIn an interview with the Times-Free Press, Alexander touted the money to fight opioid abuse as particularly important for the state.\r\n\"In almost every Tennessee county, doctors and parents are heartbroken by the amount of opioid drug abuse and by its consequences,\" he said.\r\nThe funding can help provide treatment for opioid abusers and train doctors and other health care professionals in the best way to treat addiction, said Dr. David Stern, dean of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine.\r\nUT recently established a Center for Addiction Science to research ways some people may be predisposed toward addiction. As an example, he cited neonatal abstinence syndrome, something some infants suffer when they are born to mothers who are drug addicts. The infant is also born with the addiction and suffers withdrawal symptoms that can have severe consequences for their healthy development, Stern said. But the severity of the withdrawal symptoms varies widely, and Stern said research is needed to figure out why that occurs. Knowing in advance which infants are most likely to have major problems would allow doctors to focus on their care, lessening the impact on their long-term health and also helping control the state budget.\r\n\"Babies stay in [neonatal intensive care] for a long time and that has a big impact on the TennCare budget \u2014 and it is particularly bad in East Tennessee,\" Stern said.\r\nHe hopes the new funding will allow him to enlarge a program to train a workforce of doctors and other health care workers who specialize in addiction.\r\n\"We would like to train a workforce that knows how to do state-of-the-art treatment,\" he said, \"and change the culture from saying a person with a substance abuse addiction has a weak moral character and is a person not to associate with, to realizing that, no, this is a medical problem.\"\r\nCANCER RESEARCH AND PRECISION MEDICINE\r\nOne of the most promising discoveries researchers have made recently is the role a person's DNA plays in determining whether they are vulnerable to cancer or other diseases and what treatment may be effective for their particular variation of the disease.\r\nAmong other things, the \"cancer moonshot\" is an effort to pull together data doctors obtain from individual patients into huge databases where researchers can determine which genes are linked to what particular forms of cancer and other diseases, making it easier to develop drugs or other treatment plans to target them.\r\n\"Your doctor will prescribe medicine based on your individual genome,\" Alexander said. \"For the same disease, you may not get the same medicine because your genetic makeup may be different. We are on the brink of exciting breakthroughs in finding new ways to treat cancer. And within the next 10 years, we will have medicines that will help us identify Alzheimer's before the symptoms are evident, and that will save enormous amounts of grief for families and save our country billions and billions of dollars.\"\r\nStern noted that understanding a patient's genetic makeup would help with both diagnosis and treatment. To find the best treatment, for example, doctors would like to know: \"How does my body metabolize or use certain drugs \u2014 what would be effective in you, ineffective in me, and toxic in someone else?\"\r\nAnd doctors are increasingly realizing that DNA affects how vulnerable you are to a disease.\r\n\"Your genes make someone susceptible to breast cancer or colorectal cancer,\" Stern said.\r\nHe hopes increased funding will allow UT researchers to study the makeup of two groups of Tennesseans in particular \u2014 blacks and people who live in Appalachia.\r\n\"One weakness in our current data is the lack of inclusion of significant numbers of minorities, both African- American and Appalachian,\" he said. \"Having that kind of diversity is important to tell us which polymorphisms [variations] of the gene are relevant and which are not.\"\r\nAPPROVING DRUGS AND MEDICAL DEVICES\r\nThe most controversial part of the legislation has been the way it changes how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves new drugs and medical devices.\r\nSupporters say the current tests the FDA requires take too long and are too expensive.\r\n\"Right now, if a drug company is developing a medicine for Alzheimer's or cystic fibrosis, it takes 15 years and $2 billion before they produce the first drug because of regulatory barriers,\" Alexander said. \"It costs too much. We're trying to reduce the cost and reduce the amount of time it takes and still make it safe.\"\r\nCritics, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., argued that under the new rules, drug companies could make claims for drugs without proving they are effective.\r\nThey say lower testing requirements could result in the approval of drugs with dangerous side effects.\r\n\"People can sell these treatments without meeting the FDA gold standards for protecting patient safety and making sure these drugs do some good,\" Warren said in a speech on the Senate floor.\r\nBalancing the need to get possibly life-saving drugs into doctors' hands quickly versus ensuring dangerous drugs stay off the market is difficult, Stern said. The amount of risk a patient is willing to take with a new drug often depends on their circumstances.\r\n\"If I'm someone with another month left on cancer, I may be willing to accept the toxicity,\" he said.\r\nMAKE MEDICAL RECORDS SHAREABLE\r\nThe part of the legislation that almost everyone may see soon involves electronic health records \u2014 also known as electronic medical records, or EMR.\r\nCurrently, most hospitals are spending large sums converting all of their paper records into a comprehensive computer system covering most areas of the hospital. Erlanger has 100 staffers working on its EPIC system, which will cost $100 million over 10 years, while CHI Memorial is making a decision on what system it will purchase.\r\nBut the records are unpopular with doctors, who argue the systems require them to spend more time entering data into a computer and less time interacting with patients. And they also are criticized for storing data in a format that is not shareable with other hospitals or doctors.\r\n\"Right now, if you want to take your medical records from Erlanger to the Mayo Clinic, your best bet is to go down there and put them in a briefcase and take them to Rochester, Minn. [where the Mayo Clinic is located],\" Alexander said. \"We would like for doctors and hospitals in different locations to be able to go in and find out what your ailments are, what your medicines are, what your medical history is \u2014 to make all the machines and data talk to each other and be easy to use.\r\n\"We'd like it to be as simple as buying an airline ticket \u2014 where you take it for granted you can go on your computer and make a reservation,\" he said.\r\n\"The electronic medical record is something that all doctors detest,\" UT's Stern said. \"The reason they detest it is it is cumbersome, and instead of the doctor looking into your face, they often are typing and looking down. It is almost a barrier to interaction rather than something that facilitates interaction.\"\r\nOn the other hand, he said, gathering that data is critical to improving patient care.\r\n\"The EMR is a very important tool \u2014 how can you tell what we did and if what we did led to better outcomes?\" Stern said. \"We have to have that.\"\r\nHaving a person's complete medical record available anywhere could also be a lifesaver.\r\n\"As patients, you and I want it to be that wherever we go, someone can figure out information about us in case we are unconscious, so someone would know what medicines you took, what disorders you had,\" he said.\r\n\"It is an imperfect tool, and it will require the government to mandate that it get better and better and be more friendly to patients and doctors,\" Stern said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=19AD1081-717D-4718-9431-9A3BD5F707EC", "Alexander Statement on Selection of Respected Tennessee Businessman Andy Puzder as Labor Secretary", "2016-12-08", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 8 \u2014 Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President-elect Trump\u2019s selection of respected Tennessee businessman Andy Puzder to become the next United States Secretary of Labor:\r\n\u201cMr. Puzder is a respected Tennessee business leader who understands how excessive regulation can destroy jobs and make it harder for family incomes to rise. I look forward to working with him to create an environment to help create jobs for more Americans. His nomination will be promptly considered by the Senate\u2019s labor committee.\u201d\r\nPuzder is the chief executive of CKE Restaurants, a company that owns, operates, and franchises several restaurant chains and is in the process of moving its headquarters to Nashville. Puzder lives with his family in Franklin, Tennessee.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=4FE9DF7F-9BC9-439A-B99C-B0C5344A10E3", "Alexander Meets with HHS Secretary Nominee Rep. Tom Price", "2016-12-08", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C., December 8, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after meeting this afternoon with nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary Rep. Tom Price:\r\n\u201cI spent an hour with Dr. Tom Price this afternoon and was greatly impressed with his understanding of the need to begin immediately to repeal Obamacare and reform the nation\u2019s health care system but to do it in a thoughtful, careful way that gives Americans more choices of low-cost insurance. He especially understands the importance of dealing with the Obamacare emergency in the individual market during a period of transition so that Americans have as many choices as possible.\u201d\r\nThe Senate health committee, which Alexander chairs, will hold a hearing on Price\u2019s nomination in January.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=D69BBBDD-6F59-484D-8743-42008F181A76", "Alexander: $611.2 Billion Defense Bill Means Troops Will Receive Better Pay, New Equipment, More Training and Support", "2016-12-08", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2016 - U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Senate passed a bipartisan agreement for the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that establishes the nation\u2019s military spending priorities:\r\n\u00a0\u201cGoverning is about setting priorities, and this bill shows our priority is the men and women who serve in our armed forces. The Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act authorizes $3.2 billion more for our national security than what President Obama requested, including higher pay raises for our troops, such as those who are serving at Ft. Campbell and the Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington. The legislation will also help improve health care for our servicemen and women and their families,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cThis bill will also strengthen our national security by supporting important programs at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge to maintain our nuclear weapons arsenal.\u201d\r\nThe NDAA conference report bill authorizes $611.2 billion in funding for the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, which includes the following priorities:\r\n \r\nAuthorizes $3.2 billion more than what President Obama proposed in February to increase the number of military troops.\u00a016,000 more soldiers in the Army, 3,000 more Marines, and nearly 4,000 more Air Force personnel.\r\nA 2.1 percent pay increase for members of the military, which is higher than the president requested, and will help troops at Ft. Campbell and the Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, and reauthorizes more than 30 bonuses and special payments for service men and women.\r\n$19.4 billion for Department of Energy national security programs, which support critical work at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.\r\nFunding for our nation\u2019s nuclear stockpile, a replacement strategic missile submarine, defense-related environmental cleanup at the Department of Energy.\r\nEliminates excessive and unnecessary spending and reinvests those savings in our military.\r\nA prohibition on transferring detainees at Guantanamo Bay to the United States.\r\nProvides advanced equipment to ensure the men and women of the armed forces have the tools they need protect American interests abroad and work with our allies to defeat ISIL, al Qaeda, and other violent extremist organizations.\r\nThe bill seeks to reform and modernize the military health system to improve access to care, expand choices of health plans and modernize TRICARE, the Department of Defense health program for military service members, retirees and their dependents.\r\n \r\nThe Senate passed its original version of the legislation by a vote of 85 to 13 on June 14.\r\nAfter a conference with the House of Representatives, the House passed the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act last Friday by a vote of 375-34.\r\nThe Senate passed the conference report today by a vote of 92-7. The bipartisan legislation is now ready to send to the president\u2019s desk so it can become law.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=E6985DA0-A782-4A33-9C85-37887C2947F8", "Corker: Bill to Launch End Modern Slavery Initiative to Become Law", "2016-12-08", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today announced passage of his bold, bipartisan initiative to end modern slavery worldwide. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 (NDAA) overwhelmingly passed the Senate today and includes authorizing legislation for the End Modern Slavery Initiative. The initiative will help establish a powerful effort in concert with the private sector and foreign governments to eliminate modern slavery and human trafficking around the globe. NDAA will now be sent to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\r\n\u201cMore than two years ago, we created a bold vision to not only fight the horrific practice of modern slavery, but to put in place an effort to end it, and I am proud to announce that the legislation necessary to launch the End Modern Slavery Initiative will now become law,\u201d said Corker.\r\n\u201cBy providing strong U.S. leadership and leveraging our limited foreign aid dollars, this initiative will work with foreign governments and philanthropic organizations to match the funding being provided by the U.S. and create a coordinated effort to implement best practices to stop this crime of opportunity from occurring,\u201d added Corker.\r\n\u201cWe would not be here today without incredible support from countless individuals, organizations and faith-based institutions,\u201d concluded Corker. \u201cI cannot thank them enough for their support and look forward to working with all involved in the months ahead as we begin to put this initiative into action.\u201d\r\nThe End Modern Slavery Initiative: The legislation authorizes funding for a non-profit, grant-making foundation in the District of Columbia that will fund programs and projects outside the United States. These programs will:\r\n \r\nContribute to the freeing and sustainable recovery of victims of modern slavery, prevent individuals from being enslaved, and enforce laws to punish individual and corporate perpetrators of modern slavery;\r\nSet clear, defined goals and outcomes that can be empirically measured; and\r\nSeek to achieve a measurable 50 percent reduction of modern slavery in the areas the foundation operates.\r\n \r\nFunding: The initiative will seek to raise $1.5 billion, more than 80 percent of which will come through matching funds from the private sector and foreign governments. Sources of funding are as follows:\r\n \r\n$250 million in funds from the United States over several years ($50 million has been appropriated through fiscal year 2017)\r\n$500 million from foreign governments (Double the investment of U.S. funds)\u00a0\r\n$750 million in private funding (Triple the investment of U.S. funds)\r\n \r\nMonitoring and Evaluation: Progress will be tracked against baseline data with a goal of achieving a 50 percent reduction in slavery. Projects that fail to meet goals will be suspended or terminated. The foundation is required to comply with the Government Accountability Office\u2019s mandate to conduct financial audits and program evaluations.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/release-tn-delegation-requests-medicare-enrollment-extension-victims-east-tn-wildfires", "RELEASE: TN Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension for Victims of East TN Wildfires", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Chuck Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tennessee Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension\n\tfor Victims of East Tennessee Wildfires\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today members of the Tennessee delegation sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt to request CMS extend the open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries in Sevier County, Tennessee due to the recent wildfires.\nA copy of the signed letter can be found here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/tennessee-delegation-requests-medicare-enrollment-extension-for-victims", "Tennessee Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension for Victims of East Tennessee Wildfires", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, members of the Tennessee delegation sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt to request CMS extend the open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries in Sevier County, Tennessee due to the recent wildfires.\nA copy of the signed letter can be found here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=8824652E-4B78-44FC-86AC-08E3957FDA81", "Tennessee Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension for Victims of East Tennessee Wildfires", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", "desjarlais", "https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, members of the Tennessee delegation sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt to request CMS extend the open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries in Sevier County, Tennessee due to the recent wildfires.\n\nA copy of the signed letter can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:09:43Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/release-tn-delegation-requests-medicare-enrollment-extension-victims-east-tn", "RELEASE: TN Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension for Victims of East TN Wildfires", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Tennessee Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension\n\nfor Victims of East Tennessee Wildfires\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today members of the Tennessee delegation sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt to request CMS extend the open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries in Sevier County, Tennessee due to the recent wildfires.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:09:43Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398093", "Tennessee Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension for Victims of East Tennessee Wildfires", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, members of the Tennessee delegation sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt to request CMS extend the open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries in Sevier County, Tennessee due to the recent wildfires.\nA copy of the signed letter can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=14AEDDF8-9851-4BDE-B1D0-C6560FFF2FFF", "Alexander: Senate Sends Most Important Bill of the Year to the Presidents Desk", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 7\u2014 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said \u201cthe most important bill of the year is headed towards the President\u2019s desk,\u201d after the United States Senate passed the 21st Century Cures Act by a vote of 94 to 5:\r\n\u201cFor the second consecutive year, the Senate is sending the President another Christmas miracle for his signature. Last year, it was the Every Student Succeeds Act, and this time, it\u2019s the 21st Century Cures Act\u2014a bill that will help virtually every American family. With its vote today of 94 to 5, the Senate has sent an unmistakable message that the time is now to deliver on the promise of 21st Century Cures.\u201d\r\nSenator Alexander continued: \u201cThis bipartisan legislation \u2013 which Majority Leader McConnell has called 'the most important legislation Congress will pass this year' \u2013 will help us take advantage of the breathtaking advances in biomedical research and bring those innovations to doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets around the country. This legislation will advance Vice President Biden\u2019s moonshot to find cures for cancer, President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative, and the BRAIN Initiative \u2013 and it will help states in the fight against opioid abuse and the one in five adults in this country suffering from a mental illness. I look forward to the president\u2019s signature.\u201d\r\nThis past weekend, President Obama voiced his strong support for this bill, in his weekly address to the nation saying: \u201cLike all good legislation, [the bill] reflects compromise.\u00a0 This week, the House passed it overwhelmingly, and in bipartisan fashion.\u00a0 The Senate will vote in the next few days, and I hope they\u2019ll do the same.\u00a0 I\u2019ll sign it as soon as it reaches my desk, because like a lot of you, I\u2019ve lost people I love to cancer.\u00a0 I hear every day from Americans whose loved ones are suffering from addiction and other debilitating diseases.\u00a0 And I believe we should seize every chance we have to find cures as soon as possible.\u00a0 When it\u2019s your family, hope can\u2019t come soon enough.\u201d\r\nThe 21st Century Cures agreement will:\r\n \r\nHelp bring safe drugs and devices to market more quickly and at less cost by making needed reforms to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including: expedited review for breakthrough devices, increased patient involvement in the drug approval process, a streamlined review process for combination products that are both a drug and device, and freedom from red tape for software like fitbits or calorie counting apps.\r\nProvide $4.8 billion to National Institutes of Health, including: $1.8 billion for Vice President Biden\u2019s \"Cancer Moonshot\u201d to speed cancer research; $1.4 billion for President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative to drive research into the genetic, lifestyle and environmental variations of disease; and $1.6 billion for the BRAIN Initiative to improve our understanding of diseases like Alzheimer's and speed diagnosis and treatment.\r\nProvide $500 million to the FDA.\r\nProvide $1 billion in grants to states to address the opioid crisis.\r\nAddress the country\u2019s mental health crisis and help the one out of five adult Americans suffering from mental illness receive the care they need.\r\nImprove electronic health records for doctors and their patients.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=47568F8A-E7FA-49CC-9584-961A1919A0FD", "Tennessee Delegation Requests Medicare Enrollment Extension for Victims of East Tennessee Wildfires", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, members of the Tennessee delegation sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt to request CMS extend the open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries in Sevier County, Tennessee due to the recent wildfires.\r\nFull text of the letter is included below and available online here.\r\nDear Acting Administrator Slavitt:\r\nWe are writing today to urgently request that you extend the open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries affected by the Sevier County, TN disaster. At least 14 people died and at least 134 people were injured because of fires that destroyed or damaged more than 17,000 acres and about 1,700 structures. A fire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was first reported on November 23. Then on November 28, hurricane force winds spread this fire uncontrollably within a matter of fifteen minutes, and 14,000 people were evacuated from Gatlinburg and the surrounding region overnight. It is the worst fire Tennessee has seen in the last 100 years.\r\nThis entire area has been dramatically affected by this disaster. In addition to the physical damage, Tennesseans struggled with power outages and spotty cell phone service. Only in the past day or two have our constituents been allowed to return to their homes and businesses, and only within restricted hours.\r\nThese fire victims are focused on finding missing family members, recovering from injuries, discovering the extent of damage to their homes and businesses, and just trying to survive and figure out how to live the next day. They do not currently have the ability or time to examine their Medicare options by tomorrow. Their entire lives have been turned upside down, and even more people may need to change their Medicare plans than before but have not had a chance to even consider their options.\r\nIn closing, we wish to express our sincerest hope that you acknowledge the inability of our constituents to review their Medicare options in time to make needed changes during the open enrollment period, ending tomorrow December 7.\u00a0We urgently request that you extend the Medicare open enrollment period for these victims by two or three more weeks to help them through their tragedy.\r\nWe thank you for your prompt attention to this critical, urgent matter.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=86D06D26-343A-45DF-967D-49508B4107EE", "Corker Applauds Passage of 21st Century Cures Act", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement regarding Senate passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which will advance medical research, implement mental health reforms, and provide state grants to fight opioid abuse. The legislation will now be sent to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\r\n\u201cPassage of this legislation is a testament to Senator Alexander\u2019s leadership and will help countless Tennesseans who are directly impacted by cancer, Alzheimer\u2019s, mental illness and opioid abuse,\u201d said Corker. \u201cBy\u00a0streamlining the FDA review process and advancing biomedical research, this bill will encourage innovation and provide quicker access to the lifesaving medications and treatments that so many families need.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398091", "House Passes Roe Bill to Bring Accountability to the VA", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, the House unanimously approved the Ethical Patient Care for Veterans Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) to require clinicians practicing at the VA to report directly to state licensing boards whenever they witness unacceptable behavior from other VA clinicians. This is the same process that doctors in the private sector follow.\nCurrently, it takes at least 100 days for the VA to decide whether or not to refer a complaint of substandard health care practices reported to the VA to the state licensing board.\nRoe released the following statement on passage of the bill: \nThis bill will bring much-needed accountability to the VA. As a physician, I find it unacceptable that clinicians practicing at the VA could be fired for providing substandard care to veterans and move into private practice before their state licensing board is made aware of the complaints lodged against them, if they're ever made aware at all. If we expect to change the culture at VA hospitals and clinics around the country, we must make reporting obligations at the VA consistent with existing professional ethical standards. My bill will ensure no bad actors at the VA slip through the cracks because of favoritism or corruption, and I encourage the Senate to take up this important legislation soon. \nBACKGROUND: Currently, whenever VA receives a report of substandard health care practices, it takes at least 100 days to decide whether to refer the matter to a state licensing board. Under VHA Handbook 1100.18, allegations are investigated in five distinct stages and receive review at the local medical facility level, the Veterans Integrated Service Network level, and at the central office. This bill will require VA clinicians to report any wrongdoing directly to their state licensing board, providing timely notice of these serious allegations. A copy of the Ethical Patient Care for Veterans Act can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=0BD1B2F4-6F4C-44E0-BE1A-995C741ECB4E", "Alexander: Bill Headed to Presidents Desk is Good News for People Fighting Complex Diseases in Rural Tennessee", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said a health care bill he cosponsored in the Senate that will help make the medical brain power of institutions like Vanderbilt University Medical Center available to doctors in rural parts of Tennessee and other rural areas of the country is ready for the president\u2019s signature.\r\n\"House passage of this legislation is good news for people fighting complex diseases in rural Tennessee and other parts of the country that are far away from specialists and large medical centers. This bill will help patients in remote areas who need specialized treatments get those treatments from their local doctors, because it instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to study technology that will help connect those doctors with specialists at institutions like Vanderbilt. Sens. Hatch and Schatz worked hard, in a bipartisan way, to get this bill passed, and I look forward to it being signed by the president.\u201d\r\nThe Senate unanimously passed the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Act, which Alexander cosponsored, on Nov. 29. The bill was introduced by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Sen. Alexander was one of 15 cosponsors on the bill.\r\nToday, the House of Representatives passed the legislation by voice vote. It is now heading to the president\u2019s desk.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=C7BF1535-F1F3-4FD4-83E4-87D48D115561", "Alexander Given Scenic Byway Trailblazer Award", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today was one of two recipients of the Scenic Byway Trailblazer Award from Scenic America, the National Scenic Byway Foundation and\u00a0the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership. Alexander was recognized at an event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the National Scenic Byways Program.\r\n\u201cWhen I was governor of Tennessee in 1985, President Ronald Reagan asked me to chair the President's Commission on Americans Outdoors, and he challenged those of us on the commission to look ahead for a generation and tell the country how we can best protect our outdoor spaces. In our report we emphasized that most outdoors recreation occurs close to home, near towns or cities where 80 percent of us live.\u00a0 So, we recommended more land trusts, greenways, city parks and scenic byways,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cThat led me to work with the Tennessee legislature to create 10,000 miles of state roads and scenic highways with no new billboards, because we knew tourists came to Tennessee for the scenery, not the billboards. The Great American Outdoors is blessed with natural beauty, and I look forward to maintaining our opportunities to enjoy it.\u201d\r\nThe National Scenic Byway Foundation supports the National Scenic Byways Program, which was created in 1991 by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act to provide federal funding for maintenance and improvement projects on federally-designated National Scenic Byways.\r\nAccording to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) there are currently 150 designated National Scenic Byways and American Roads in 46 states, including five that pass through Tennessee:\r\n \r\nCherohala Skyway \u2013Passes through North Carolina and Tellico Plains;\r\nEast Tennessee Crossing \u2013 Between North Carolina and the town of Cumberland Gap\r\nGreat River Road \u2013 Between from Minnesota and Louisiana, runs through West Tennessee;\r\nNatchez Trace Parkway \u2013Between Nashville, through Alabama and Jackson, Mississippi\r\nWoodlands Trace \u2013 Between Garand Rivers, Kentucky\u00a0 and Dover, Tennessee.\r\n \r\nBud Wright, executive director for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, also received the award.\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=3194A21A-8D06-4FB9-87DA-67286F7BFF5B", "Corker Statement on Committee Approval of Montenegros Bid for NATO Membership", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement regarding committee approval of a resolution of advice and consent supporting Montenegro\u2019s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Representatives of the 28-member states signed the accession protocol for Montenegro to join the alliance on May 19, 2016. The U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate for the U.S. to approve new members of the treaty organization.\r\n\u201cWe welcome Montenegro as NATO\u2019s newest member,\u201d said Corker. \u201cGiven the many challenges facing the alliance, it is important that every state step up and meet the two percent of GDP target for spending on defense.\u201d\r\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=94C6BF8F-EF8B-43EF-9085-D0A47D9BC19D", "Corker Praises Committee Passage of Religious Freedom Bill", "2016-12-06", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today praised committee passage of H.R.1150, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act. The committee-approved legislation seeks to advance religious freedom through enhanced diplomatic and foreign assistance efforts, including improved training for foreign service officers and greater flexibility for responding to cases of religious persecution.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis bill will help ensure that defending religious freedom remains at the core of our engagement in even the most repressive parts of the world and that we have the most effective policies in place to be successful,\u201d said Corker. \u201cI am proud of the unanimous support this legislation received in our committee and will push for timely consideration on the Senate floor.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/thousands-of-acres-newly-protected-on-the-south-cumberland-plateau", "Thousands of acres newly protected on the South Cumberland Plateau", "2016-12-05", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. DesJarlais was recognized along with Senator Corker and Senator Alexander for their continued support of the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This private-public partnership demonstrates how we can work together to find solutions that protect the environment and natural resources, while supporting local economies and jobs.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=BB1CC386-9621-4FCA-8D0E-33D3DA785D05", "Alexander: Over 320 Organizations Representing Patients, Doctors, and Researchers Urge Senate to Pass 21st Century Cures", "2016-12-05", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 5 \u2013 Ahead of today's Senate vote to move forward on the 21st Century Cures Act, Senate\u00a0health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) announced more than 320\u00a0organizations \u2013 from leading research hospitals\u00a0to organizations representing patients with rare diseases \u2013 are urging Congress to pass\u00a0the legislation.\r\nOn Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the legislation by a vote of 392 to 26, readying the\u00a0game-changing\u00a0medical innovation package that includes new research funding, mental health reforms, and state grants to fight opioid abuse for Senate action this week.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\u201cPatients, doctors and scientists are supporting 21st Century Cures and encouraging Congress to finish its work on this bipartisan legislation that will impact the health of virtually every American,\u201d said Alexander. \u201cThis transformational bill will lead to lifesaving medical breakthroughs and advance President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative and Vice President Biden\u2019s Cancer Moonshot. It passed overwhelmingly in the House and now it\u2019s time for the Senate to deliver on the promise of 21st\u00a0Century Cures for patients.\u201d\r\n\r\nGroups representing patients, doctors, and scientists across the country are voicing their support for 21st Century Cures:\r\n\r\nMayo Clinic: \u201cEfforts to advance biomedical innovation and accelerate the development and delivery of cures are of great importance to Mayo Clinic and our patients. We are pleased to see the inclusion of dedicated funding streams for the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health\u2014including funds for research efforts such as the President\u2019s Precision Medicine initiative, the Vice President\u2019s Cancer Moonshot, and the BRAIN initiative to speed diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u2026 Mayo Clinic is grateful for your leadership, wholeheartedly supports this comprehensive legislation and looks forward to this innovative effort being signed into law, and we pledge to be a committed partner in its implementation.\u201d\r\n\r\nFriends of Cancer Research: \u201cThe Cures bill deserves urgent support not only because it is about accelerating cures, but also because it reflects extensive and comprehensive work on a bipartisan basis over two years to identify effective ways to do it. The bill translates recent progress in scientific understanding of disease mechanisms, data integration and analysis, and patient engagement to streamline and speed the development of medical treatments while enabling a deeper understanding about their safety and effectiveness for particular patients\u2026 These new tools to promote health also help create jobs and boost American competitiveness globally.\u201d\r\n\r\nIBM: \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will support health innovation and advance precision medicine in the United States by fostering increased collaboration between patients, industry, researchers, and government. We particularly support provisions in the bill that will empower the use of real-world medical evidence and the sharing of data in delivering new scientific breakthroughs that will improve the lives of Americans.\u201d\r\n\r\nNational Organization for Rare Disorders: \u201cOn behalf of the 30 million men, women, and children in the U.S. living with a rare disease, the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is pleased to support the 21st Century Cures Act, and we urge its swift enactment.\u201d\r\n\r\nPremier Healthcare Alliance: \u201cWe are in strong support of the HIT interoperability provisions that will improve the ability of healthcare providers, patients and researchers too seamlessly and securely access health information across different electronic health record (EHR) systems\u2026 Premier agrees that this could be one of the most important pieces of legislation that Congress passes this year and we urge you to work together to advance these HIT interoperability provisions across the finish line before adjourning this year.\u201d\r\n\r\nAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology: \u201cThe American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) strongly supports the 21st Century Cures Act and encourages a \u201cyes\u201d vote on this important legislation when it is considered by the House and Senate this session. We applaud the House Energy and Commerce and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees in their bipartisan work on this pivotal legislation. It is more important than ever to realize the potential that big data and precision medicine have to offer in new treatments to patients, and this legislation will help in that effort.\u201d\u00a0\r\nParent Project Muscular Dystrophy: \u201cOn behalf of Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the leading organization fighting to end Duchenne muscular dystrophy, I am writing to enthusiastically endorse The 21st Century Cures Act. For nearly two years, you and your colleagues have undertaken an impressive process to develop and refine a piece of legislation that, if enacted into law, will supercharge our national commitment to biomedical research and will accelerate the process by which we deliver safe and effective therapies to patients in need, particularly those with profound unmet medical need.\u201d\r\n\r\nAlliance of Specialty Medicine: \u201cSpecialty physicians encourage support for medical innovation that integrates the patient\u2019s perspective into the regulatory process; facilitates responsible communication of scientific and medical developments; modernizes clinical trials; fosters the future of science, including encouraging young scientists; invests in advancing research; incentivizes the development of new drugs and devices for unmet medical needs; promotes interoperability; and supports 21st Century digital medicine by facilitating data sharing and the use of new technologies.\u201d\r\n\r\nAdvanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed): \u201cPolicy improvements are essential if America is to retain its global leadership in medical technology and innovation. The 21st Century Cures Act includes a number of proposals designed to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and support the development of life-saving, life-enhancing medical technology. This includes key improvements to FDA\u2019s premarket program for medical devices \u2013 most significantly the establishment of an expedited pathway for breakthrough, innovative technologies \u2013 which will increase the efficiency, predictability and transparency of the agency\u2019s review process and improve patient access to the best in medical progress. The bill also provides increased NIH funding which will help strengthen our R&D infrastructure, and funding for the FDA to implement the reforms advanced by the legislation. Collectively, these provisions are important and significant steps to strengthen our innovation ecosystem.\u201d\r\n\r\nAssociation of Public & Land-Grant Universities/Association of American Universities: \u201cOn behalf of our associations\u2019 more than 200 research universities, we respectfully urge Congress to pass and send to the president this year a 21st Century Cures/medical innovation bill which provides a surge of multi-year, guaranteed funding as well as robust authorization levels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The House and Senate\u2019s bipartisan efforts on such legislation in the 114th Congress have been truly extraordinary and should not go unfulfilled. As NIH Director Francis Collins has indicated many times, the state of biomedical research is at a point of exceptional scientific opportunity, with promise for advances in medicine greater than ever before. The research and people supported by the NIH will achieve these advances, improving the lives of patients and their families as well as boosting the U.S. economy and strengthening our global competitiveness.\u201d\r\n\r\nUnited for Medical Research: \u201cThis bill is about finding cures and improving our nation\u2019s health. It\u2019s about funding the research, discovery and innovation necessary to prevent, treat, and cure our most vexing diseases. The 21st Century Cures Act includes essential funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that helps the United States remain the world\u2019s engine for medical innovation, and passage this year would provide a needed boost to critical research and breakthrough treatments, as well as hope for patients. Amazing medical advances are happening every day because of NIH research funding, and the 21st Century Cures Act would provide an infusion of funds for this valued agency at a critical time for biomedical advancement.\u201d\r\n\r\nBiotechnology Industry Organization: \u201c21St Century Cures takes important steps towards placing patients at the center of the drug development process by establishing a framework for incorporating patient views into the development and regulatory review process in a more structured and transparent way, both with respect to patient input for benefit-risk assessments and use of patient experience data in regulatory decision-making. BIO believes this legislation will help spur the development of treatments focused on rare conditions and other unmet medical needs by extending the Rare Pediatric Disease (RPD) Priority Review Program (PRV). The RPD PRV program is a vital tool in helping foster the development of new treatments for children with rare diseases, providing hope to many patients, families and caregivers.\u201d\r\n\r\nAmerican Hospital Association: \u201cOn behalf of the American Hospital Association\u2019s (AHA) nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and our 43,000 individual members, I am writing to commend the Congress for its work on the revised 21st Century Cures bill, and express our support for the legislation\u2026The bill includes important provisions related to hospital outpatient services, rural health care, a much needed socioeconomic adjustment to the readmissions program, relief for long-term care hospitals (LTCHs), and important provisions related to behavioral health and opioids.\u201d\r\n\r\nInfectious Diseases Society of America: \u201cOn behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), thank you for continued efforts to spur biomedical innovation through approval of the new 21st Century Cures Act. IDSA particularly appreciates measures within the bill that help address the public health crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AR), support the next generation of scientists, and deal with the opioid epidemic that is contributing to a surge in new HIV and hepatitis C infections. We urge Congress and the president to approve the legislation as soon as possible.\u201d\r\n\r\nAmerican Society for Radiation Oncology: \u201cNot only does 21st Century Cures provide additional support for existing medical research programs, it paves the way for advancements and additional innovations in research and treatment for cancer and across medicine. ASTRO has long supported strong, sustainable funding for the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute to ensure that medical breakthroughs are not threatened. As our understanding of cancer has evolved, so must the technologies used to treat it. This bill goes a long way to support clearer pathways to achieve that goal.\u201d\r\n\r\nHealth IT Now: \u201cWe believe that provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act, as considered on the House floor today, recognizes health IT as a medium for positive reform in our healthcare system. The legislation correctly seeks to provide needed clarity to FDA oversight of software products, and puts forward important reforms to solve issues of electronic health record interoperability that has stymied the flow of health information in the United States.\u201d\r\n\r\nAmerican Association for Cancer Research: \u201cWe are writing today to convey our strong support for the 21st Century Cures Act, and we urge you and your colleagues to pass this legislation before the end of the lame duck session. We are especially grateful for the bill\u2019s establishment of an NIH Innovation Account, through which $1.8 billion in supplemental funding over seven years is designated for cancer research, and specifically for the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Extraordinary scientific opportunities exist today for making major advances against the more than 200 diseases we call cancer. As described in the AACR Cancer Progress Report 2016, definitive advances continue to be made to effectively prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat many forms of cancer. However, continued rapid progress against cancer depends on robust, sustained, and predictable funding increases, and the 21st Century Cures Act would provide significant supplemental support for many of the initiatives and programs that have been recommended to advance the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative.\u201d\r\n\r\nPermobil: \u201cOn behalf of Permobil, Inc., I am writing to express our company\u2019s strong support for the 21st Century Cures Act and our deep appreciation for your stalwart leadership in guiding this legislation through the U.S. Congress.\u201d\r\nThe University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences: \u201cThe Act also includes important funding for addressing the opioid crisis and support for biomedical research, including the cancer moonshot, the BRAIN Initiative, and the Precision Medicine Initiative. In addition, the Act includes funding to improve mental health care, including suicide prevention on college campuses and screening pregnant women for depression.\u201d\r\n\r\nMental Health Liaison Group: \u201cWe are pleased that the underlying healthcare package incorporates S. 2680, the Mental Health Reform Act of 2016, which unanimously passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee earlier this year. These important bipartisan provisions strengthen federal coordination of mental health resources, increase reporting on mental health parity, advance integrated service delivery, support the mental health workforce, increase early access to mental health services, promote suicide prevention\u2026\u201cThe need for reform is urgent, and you have the opportunity to act now to improve the lives of tens of millions of Americans, their families, and our communities. The House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 34 Wednesday evening. We urge you to follow suit so that meaningful mental health reform can be enacted this year.\u201d\r\n\r\nUndersigned medical diagnostic companies: \u201cThe undersigned organizations are writing to express their support for the FDA Device Accountability Act, S. 1622, and to urge the Committee to advance its passage into law using all means at your disposal. If enacted, S.1622 will help foster advances in medical technologies that have the potential to provide patients with better and more affordable health care that patients deserve.\u201d\r\n\r\nCoalition for CLIA Waiver Reform\r\n\r\nAdvanced Medical Technology Association\r\n\r\nNational Coalition of STD Directors\r\n\r\nAbbott\r\n\r\nAlere\r\n\r\nBecton Dickinson & Company\r\n\r\nBioFire Diagnostics\r\n\r\nChemBio Diagnostic Systems\r\n\r\nRoche Diagnostics\r\n\r\nSekisui Diagnostics\r\n\r\nSpartan Bioscience\r\n\r\nTearLab Corporation\r\n\r\nCoalition of 217 rare disease foundations: \u201cThis is a patient-focused bill that will advance the discovery and development of treatments, strengthen the patient voice in the research and regulatory environment, increase funding for the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration, and greatly improve our innovation ecosystem. Millions of Americans are desperately waiting for effective treatments and cures for their chronic disease or disability. The organizations that represent these people with chronic conditions urge Congress to pass the 21st Century Cures Act in 2016 in order to speed the development of treatments and cures. Patients simply can't afford to wait -- time is running out.\u201d\u00a0\r\n# # #\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and Chairman Alexander\u2019s other statements, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=BE9E1DE1-D107-4254-A51D-470F57F8A850", "Alexander: Senate on Track to Pass Most Important Bill of the Year", "2016-12-05", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 5 \u2014 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the United States Senate is on track to pass what Majority Leader McConnell has called \u201cthe most important legislation Congress will pass this year,\u201d after senators invoked cloture on the 21st Century Cures Act, setting up a vote for final Senate passage of the bill:\r\n\u201cFor the second year in a row, the Senate is poised to send the President another Christmas miracle for his signature\u2014one that will help virtually every American family. This time, it\u2019s the 21st Century Cures Act, which the House of Representatives passed last week by an overwhelming vote of 392-26. Tonight, the Senate has voted to move forward on this bill, sending an unmistakable message that the time is now to deliver on the promise of 21st Century Cures,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cI am looking forward to another successful vote in the Senate tomorrow, so we can send this legislation to the White House where the president has his pen ready to sign it.\u201d\r\nSenator Alexander continued: \u201cThis bipartisan legislation \u2013 which Majority Leader McConnell has called 'the most important legislation Congress will pass this year' \u2013 will help us take advantage of the breathtaking advances in biomedical research and bring those innovations to doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets around the country. This legislation will advance Vice President Biden\u2019s moonshot to find cures for cancer, President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative, and the BRAIN Initiative \u2013 and it will help states in the fight against opioid abuse and the one in five adults in this country suffering from a mental illness. It\u2019s time for the Senate to deliver on the promise of 21st Century Cures for patients.\u201d\r\nThis past weekend, President Obama voiced his strong support for this bill, in his weekly address to the nation saying: \u201cLike all good legislation, [the bill] reflects compromise.\u00a0 This week, the House passed it overwhelmingly, and in bipartisan fashion.\u00a0 The Senate will vote in the next few days, and I hope they\u2019ll do the same.\u00a0 I\u2019ll sign it as soon as it reaches my desk, because like a lot of you, I\u2019ve lost people I love to cancer.\u00a0 I hear every day from Americans whose loved ones are suffering from addiction and other debilitating diseases.\u00a0 And I believe we should seize every chance we have to find cures as soon as possible.\u00a0 When it\u2019s your family, hope can\u2019t come soon enough.\"\r\nLast December, Congress passed and the President signed the Every Student Succeeds Act \u2013 legislation to fix No Child Left Behind.\r\nThe 21st Century Cures agreement will:\r\n \r\nHelp bring safe drugs and devices to market more quickly and at less cost by making needed reforms to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including: expedited review for breakthrough devices, increased patient involvement in the drug approval process, a streamlined review process for combination products that are both a drug and device, and freedom from red tape for software like fitbits or calorie counting apps.\r\nProvide $4.8 billion to National Institutes of Health, including: $1.8 billion for Vice President Biden\u2019s \"Cancer Moonshot\u201d to speed cancer research; $1.4 billion for President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative to drive research into the genetic, lifestyle and environmental variations of disease; and $1.6 billion for the BRAIN Initiative to improve our understanding of diseases like Alzheimer's and speed diagnosis and treatment.\r\nProvide $500 million to the FDA.\r\nProvide $1 billion in grants to states to address the opioid crisis.\r\nAddress the country\u2019s mental health crisis and help the one out of five adult Americans suffering from mental illness receive the care they need.\r\nImprove electronic health records for doctors and their patients.\u00a0\r\n \r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=CA825C93-6A03-4B62-B82F-3F2DDB67CBD2", "Alexander: Senate Passes Bill to Help Doctors Treat Complex Diseases in Rural Tennessee", "2016-12-05", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement today after the Senate passed the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Act, which Alexander cosponsored:\r\n\"This bill will help provide a way for people who live in rural Tennessee and other rural and underserved areas who are suffering from complex illnesses to get the specialized care they need more quickly and more conveniently \u2013 even when there are no medical specialists near where they live. The legislation will instruct the Department of Health and Human Services to study technology that would help connect doctors in rural areas to specialists at institutions such as Vanderbilt University, so the doctors can better serve people in their communities. I commend Sens. Hatch and Schatz for their bipartisan work on this bill.\u201d\r\nThe Senate unanimously passed the ECHO Act, which was introduced by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Sen. Alexander was one of 15 cosponsors on the bill.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/21st-century-cures-act-takes-important-steps-forward", "21st Century Cures Act takes important steps forward", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representative DesJarlais made the following statement on not voting for the Cures Act, \u201cI disagreed with the way the original version was funded from mandatory instead of discretionary dollars. The bill transformed from a good bill to into another runaway government program.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=127B112C-AD57-4B04-BB25-B245EFB58DA2", "Alexander on Selection of Rep. Virginia Foxx as Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 2\u00a0\u2014 Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the selection of Representative Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) by her caucus to become the next Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee.\r\n\u201cI look forward to working with Representative Foxx, who is a diligent, hard-worker on ensuring that the law fixing No Child Left Behind is implemented the way that Congress wrote it. We will also turn our attention to higher education and helping make it easier and simpler for more students to attend college.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=96E855C5-F681-433A-8F23-B6416EF1DB57", "Alexander: Phil Roe Is an Outstanding Choice to Lead the Veterans Affairs Committee", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MARYVILLE, TENN., Dec. 2, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after Representative Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) was elected by the Republican Steering Committee to serve as chairman of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee for the 115th Congress:\r\n\u201cPhil is an outstanding choice to lead the Veterans\u2019 Affairs committee. As a veteran and doctor, no one understands better how to ensure that our veterans have access to excellent care.\u201d\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=FBA07763-863A-4409-81FB-B40ACD527401", "Alexander on Selection of Rep. Greg Walden as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee", "2016-12-02", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 2\u00a0\u2014 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the selection of Representative Greg Walden (R-Ore.) by his caucus to become the next Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee:\r\n\u201cI look forward to working with Representative Walden on repealing and replacing Obamacare with patient-centered, market-based reforms, and supporting biomedical innovation to get safe, cutting-edge treatments and cures into doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets more quickly, by reauthorizing FDA user fee agreements.\u201d\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://duncan.house.gov/press-release/eureka-21st-century-cures", "EUREKA 21st Century Cures", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "John Duncan", "D000533", "duncan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CONTACT: Don Walker\nNovember 30, 2016\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 202-225-5435\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nWASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0 Today, Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. voted in favor of the 21st Century Cures Act, which passed the House by 392 to 26.\u00a0 After the vote, Congressman Duncan stated, \u201cI am very pleased by today\u2019s passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes the Eureka Prize Competitions.\u201d\u00a0 The 21st Century Cures Act directs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to use its authority to establish Eureka prize competitions for advances in biomedical science and improved outcomes in treatments for some of our most serious illnesses.\n\u201cCongressman Cohen and I championed this Competition Program in our bipartisan EUREKA Act, H.R. 5073.\u00a0 I am eager to see what breakthrough treatments and drugs will come from the Eureka Competitions to combat Alzheimer\u2019s, dementia, and other challenging diseases affecting my constituents and millions across the Nation,\u201d said Duncan.\nThe 21st Century Cures Act also addresses a number of other needs in East Tennessee.\u00a0 For example, the Medicare provisions in this legislation do not privatize Medicare or reduce patient benefits but should help hospitals in the District, including Blount Memorial, Claiborne County, and Jellico Community Hospitals.\u00a0\nIn addition, the Cures Act protects Medicare patients\u2019 access to oxygen and critical equipment by granting much needed relief to durable medical equipment providers in the District who have been providing their services at a loss, due to the unreasonable cuts in Medicare reimbursements imposed on these small businesses.\u00a0 The Cures Act also gives similar relief to those in the District who provide wheelchairs and other complex rehab technology equipment that is essential to many constituents.\u00a0\nAbout these Medicare provisions, Congressman Duncan said, \u201cHaving supported and voted for related legislation, I look forward to continuing to work with my Colleagues on trying to find a permanent fix to these situations.\u201d\u00a0\nCongressman Duncan has always been a strong advocate for the NIH and medical research.\u00a0 The 21st Century Cures Act authorizes $4.8 billion in additional funds to the NIH, which will help fund the Cancer Moonshot Initiative, BRAIN Initiative, and other essential research.\nThe FDA\u2019s mission and work is essential to the safety and quality of food and drugs, but the approval process required by the FDA is much too long and expensive, helping to generate the high drug costs we are facing today.\u00a0 The 21st Century Cures Act addresses this by including $500 million over 10 years for the FDA to maintain safety and quality standards while getting drugs and medical devices to patients faster.\n\u201cIn addition, as a cosponsor of the landmark Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, I was pleased that the 21st Century Cures Act included many of the same provisions of that bill,\u201d commented Duncan.\nThe 21st Century Cures Act also contains $1 billion and much needed resources for combatting the opioid addiction crisis, felt severely in the 2nd District and surrounding regions.\nCongressman Duncan added, \u201cI want to thank my colleague and friend Senator Lamar Alexander for his hard work in shepherding the 21st Century Cures Act through the House and Senate, and I look forward to seeing the lifesaving effects of this essential legislation.\u201d\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398090", "Roe Elected as Chairman of House Veterans Affairs Committee", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) was elected by the Republican Steering Committee to serve as chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee for the 115th Congress, succeeding Jeff Miller (R-FL), who is retiring at the end of the 114th Congress.\r\nRoe released the following statement:\r\nI am extremely honored and humbled to be given this opportunity. During my time in Congress, veterans' issues have been a top priority for me, and this is not a responsibility I will take lightly. With scandal after scandal, it has become clear there's no federal agency more in need of reform than the VA. I am excited by the opportunity to advance Republican solutions aimed at improving veterans' care. There's a lot of work to be done  from considering the Commission on Care recommendations and reauthorizing the Choice program to ensuring veterans have timely access to the benefits they've earned  and I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate, as well as the Trump administration, to get things done for our nation's heroes. I also want to thank Chairman Miller for his leadership and tireless work on behalf of veterans the last six years.\r\nRoe was sworn in to Congress in 2009, and has been active on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee since that time. Roe earned his Medical Degree from the University of Tennessee in 1970, and served as a captain in the 2nd Infantry Division 2nd Medical Battalion of the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1973-74. During that time, he was stationed for 9 months near the DMZ in Korea; served at a 121 evacuation hospital near Seoul for 3 months; and completed his service at Fort Eustis, VA. He is a recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. An OB-GYN, Roe spent time training at a VA hospital in Memphis and worked in consultation with the VA to see veterans in his private practice.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=50DE62C1-E707-4C90-AF34-F8D9D67EE080", "Alexander: Senate Votes to Extend Sanctions on Iran", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 1, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Senate passed legislation that extends American sanctions on companies or entities that do business with Iran for 10 years:\r\n\u201cIran remains a threat to our national security, to Middle East stability, and to Israel, one of our strongest allies, which is why I voted to preserve these important sanctions.\u201d\r\nThe Iran Sanctions Extension Act extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 through Dec. 31, 2026. \u00a0The law authorizes the use of economic sanctions to deny Iran resources that could be used to support terrorism or developing weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the legislation on Nov. 15 by a vote of 419 to 1.\r\nToday, the Senate approved the legislation by a vote of 99 to 0, and now the bill will be sent to the president so it can become law.\r\n###\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=97D931C1-4EF1-4D54-87F9-ED7C014F54BE", "Alexander: Leader McConnell Announces Senate on Monday Will Take Up Most Important Legislation of the Year", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.,\u00a0Dec. 1\u00a0\u2013 Following Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell\u2019s (R-Ky.) announcement that the Senate will begin its consideration of 21st Century Cures on Monday, Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said he looks forward to getting a result for American patients on this bipartisan legislation that Leader McConnell has called \u201cthe most important legislation Congress will pass this year.\u201d\r\nThe $6.3 billion game-changing 21st Century Cures package\u2014which includes new research funding, mental health reforms, and state grants to fight opioid abuse\u2014passed the House of Representatives yesterday by an overwhelming vote of 392-26.\r\n\u201cThe House of Representatives, with its vote last night of 392-26, has sent an unmistakable message that the time is now to deliver on the promise of 21st Century Cures,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cI look forward to a successful vote in the Senate next week, so we can send this legislation to the White House where the president has his pen ready to sign it.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis legislation will help us seize on the breathtaking advances in biomedical research and bring those innovations to doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets around the country. It will advance Vice President Biden\u2019s moonshot to find cures for cancer, President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative, and Alzheimer\u2019s research. Finally, it will help states in the fight against opioid abuse and help the one in five adults in this country suffering from a mental illness get the treatment they need. I look forward to getting a result on this game-changing legislation on behalf of American patients.\u201d\r\nThe 21st Century Cures agreement will:\r\n \r\nHelp bring safe drugs and devices to market more quickly and at less cost by making needed reforms to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including: expedited review for breakthrough devices, increased patient involvement in the drug approval process, a streamlined review process for combination products that are both a drug and device, and freedom from red tape for software like fitbits or calorie counting apps.\r\nProvide $4.8 billion to National Institutes of Health, including: $1.8 billion for Vice President Biden\u2019s \"Cancer Moonshot\u201d to speed cancer research; $1.4 billion for President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative to drive research into the genetic, lifestyle and environmental variations of disease; and $1.6 billion for the BRAIN Initiative to improve our understanding of diseases like Alzheimer's and speed diagnosis and treatment.\r\nProvide $500 million to the FDA.\r\nProvide $1 billion in grants to states to address the opioid crisis.\r\nAddress the country\u2019s mental health crisis and help the one out of five adult Americans suffering from mental illness receive the care they need.\r\nImprove electronic health records for doctors and their patients. \u00a0\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=3B9ED6AE-88B8-4833-9369-3D621B1A44BE", "Corker Delivers Floor Remarks on Recent East Tennessee Tragedies", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the recent tragedies in East Tennessee:\r\n\u201cMr. President, I rise today to express my deepest sympathies and offer steadfast support to the countless Tennesseans who have experienced tragedy in the recent days. It\u2019s been a rough few weeks in our great state.\r\n\u201cLast week, my hometown of Chattanooga lost six young children in a tragic school bus crash. And today, countless East Tennesseans face a long road ahead after severe storms and tornadoes ripped through Southeast Tennessee, leaving tremendous damage and taking the lives of two individuals in Polk County.\r\n\u201cTomorrow morning, I will be in another area of our state that is dealing with unimaginable tragedy. As you have likely seen by now, the damage caused by wildfires in Sevier County \u2013 a place where my wife was raised \u2013 is heartbreaking. While officials continue to assess the full extent of the damage, we know that many have suffered tremendous loss.\r\n\u201cAs of this morning, officials confirmed that they are still addressing the remnants of smoldering wildfires. More than 400 firefighters are supporting the effort. The exact number of structures affected remains unknown, but local officials are estimating that 700 impacted structures and more than 17,000 acres have burned. More than 200 individuals remain in shelters. And just moments ago, we learned that 10 fatalities have been confirmed.\r\n\u201cSevier County is a special place surrounded by some of the country\u2019s most beautiful God-given amenities. Millions of people from around the world visit each year and have built memories in this treasured community. But as the mayor of Gatlinburg noted earlier today, it\u2019s not the attractions or the restaurants that make this place special, it\u2019s the people who live there. So many wonderful families call Sevier County home. Tough, proud people whose roots in the area span generations.\r\n\u201cThose who know this area, these people, are not at all surprised by the community response. The nation has watched and read countless stories of selfless individuals \u2013 many who lost everything themselves \u2013 are helping others. You have watched the mayor and city manager of Gatlinburg, who both lost their own homes, provide steadfast strength and grace. And you have watched the Sevier County mayor close each press conference with the simplest request: pray for us.\r\n\u201cThe coming days and weeks and months will not be easy. The recovery will take time. We are committed to doing everything that we all can do to help you rebuild. The support does not end when the cameras leave. Governor Haslam, Senator Alexander, Congressman Roe and I are ready to support requests for assistance for the recovery efforts.\r\n\u201cPeople throughout Tennessee and across the nation will be back to visit very soon. And, of course, as has been requested, we will continue to pray. \u00a0Mr. President, I yield the floor.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=ABB14B96-D9CD-4E46-90DD-B78B0002EB24", "Corker Statement on Extension of Iran Sanctions Act", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today praised renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), which ensures President-elect Donald J. Trump has the ability to reimpose the sanctions the Obama administration lifted to implement the Iran nuclear deal. The Senate extended ISA, which otherwise would expire at year\u2019s end, by a vote of 99 to 0.\r\n\u201cExtending the Iran Sanctions Act gives us the ability to reimpose the sanctions the Obama administration lifted to implement the Iran nuclear deal and ensures President-elect Trump and his administration have the tools necessary to push back against the regime\u2019s hostile actions,\u201d said Corker. \u201cI am pleased by the overwhelming support this bill received in both the House and Senate and look forward to continuing our work to hold Tehran accountable.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://black.house.gov/press-release/rep-black-urges-prayer-tennessee-following-tornadoes-wildfires", "Rep. Black Urges Prayer for Tennessee Following Tornadoes, Wildfires", "2016-11-30", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Diane Black", "B001273", "black.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "To watch Rep. Black\u2019s remarks on the House floor, click HERE or the image above\u00a0\nWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 \u00a0Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) spoke on the House floor today to call attention to the recent tornadoes and wildfires that have impacted Tennessee. To watch a video of her remarks, click here. A transcript is provided below:\nMister Speaker, Tennesseans have experienced the worst of mother nature this week \u2013 from tornadoes in my own district to the historic wildfires that ravaged the Gatlinburg community.\nThese fires forced a mass evacuation, destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, and tragically caused three known fatalities so far.\nToday, I rise to call for prayer for our neighbors in the beautiful Smoky Mountain region of our state, to remember those precious lives lost, and to recognize our heroic first responders who have worked diligently to contain the damage.\nAs the work continues, we pray that healing rain would fall - literally - across eastern Tennessee this week, that businesses would be able to quickly reopen, and that visitors would once again flock to this treasured region of our state to experience all that Gatlinburg has to offer.\nI yield back.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/statement-fleischmann-storms", "STATEMENT: Fleischmann on Storms", "2016-11-30", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Chuck Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The following statement can be attributed to Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03):\n\u201cI am extremely saddened by the devastation left by last night\u2019s severe storms in Polk and McMinn counties,\u201d said Fleischmann.\u00a0 \u201cMy thoughts and prayers are with the people of these wonderful counties, especially the families who lost loved ones, those injured and the first responders who are currently on the ground.\u00a0 Please know I am monitoring this situation closely and am in constant contact with local officials.\u201d\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-fleischmann-storms", "STATEMENT: Fleischmann on Storms", "2016-11-30", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "The following statement can be attributed to Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03):\n\n\u201cI am extremely saddened by the devastation left by last night\u2019s severe storms in Polk and McMinn counties,\u201d said Fleischmann. \u201cMy thoughts and prayers are with the people of these wonderful counties, especially the families who lost loved ones, those injured and the first responders who are currently on the ground. Please know I am monitoring this situation closely and am in constant contact with local officials.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:07:19Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=048784F4-8A80-4B79-B408-B37D08E3BD03", "Alexander: House Passes Most Important Legislation of the Year by an Overwhelming Margin, 392 to 26", "2016-11-30", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "$6.3 billion game-changing 21st Century Cures package, including new research funding, mental health reforms, and state grants to fight opioid abuse now ready for Senate floor\r\n\u201cThe real winners today are American families whose lives stand to be improved by the Cures legislation passed overwhelmingly today by the House and that we should pass by a wide margin in the Senate. This bipartisan legislation \u2013 which Majority Leader McConnell has called \u201cthe most important legislation Congress will pass this year\u201d \u2013 will help us take advantage of the breathtaking advances in biomedical research and bring those innovations to doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets around the country. ... It\u2019s time for the Senate to deliver on the promise of 21st\u00a0Century Cures for patients.\u201d\r\nWASHINGTON, November 30\u00a0\u2014 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the 21st\u00a0Century Cures Act, by an overwhelming vote of 392 to 26:\r\n\u201cThe real winners today are American families whose lives stand to be improved by the Cures legislation passed overwhelmingly today by the House and that we should pass by a wide margin in the Senate. This bipartisan legislation \u2013 which Majority Leader McConnell has called \u201cthe most important legislation Congress will pass this year\u201d \u2013 will help us take advantage of the breathtaking advances in biomedical research and bring those innovations to doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets around the country. This legislation will advance Vice-President Biden\u2019s moonshot to find cures for cancer, President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative, and Alzheimer\u2019s research \u2013 and it will help states in the fight against opioid abuse and the one in five adults in this country suffering from a mental illness. It\u2019s time for the Senate to deliver on the promise of 21st\u00a0Century Cures for patients.\u201d\r\nLast week, House and Senate health committee leaders released the\u00a021st\u00a0Century Cures Act. The Senate will take up this legislation, sponsored by Alexander and Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), early next week.\r\nThe 21st Century Cures agreement will:\r\n \r\nHelp bring safe drugs and devices to market more quickly and at less cost by making needed reforms to the FDA, including: expedited review for breakthrough devices, increased patient involvement in the drug approval process, a streamlined review process for combination products that are both a drug and device, and freedom from red tape for software like fitbits or calorie counting apps.\r\nProvide $4.8 billion to National Institutes of Health, including: $1.8 billion for Vice President Biden\u2019s \"Cancer Moonshot\u201d to speed cancer research; $1.4 billion for President Obama\u2019s Precision Medicine Initiative to drive research into the genetic, lifestyle and environmental variations of disease; and $1.6 billion for the BRAIN initiative to improve our understanding of diseases like Alzheimer's and speed diagnosis and treatment.\r\nProvide $500 million to the Food and Drug Administration.\r\nProvide $1 billion in grants to states to address the opioid crisis.\r\nAddress the country\u2019s mental health crisis and help the one out of five adult Americans suffering from mental illness receive the care they need.\r\n \r\nFor more information about the 21st Century Cures Act, click\u00a0here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=1197CAF5-A269-471D-887B-5FA3C77D1A90", "Alexander Today Discussed Sevier County Fires, Response on The Weather Channel", "2016-11-30", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here to watch video\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 30, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today joined The Weather Channel\u2019s America\u2019s Morning Headquarters where he talked about the wildfires in Sevier County and praised the community for its response efforts.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis is a small resort town in the foot of the Smoky Mountains. Many people know about Gatlinburg. They have their honeymoons there, and they visit there. The fire came out of the mountains, out of the Great Smoky Mountains, with winds as high as 80 or 90 miles an hour and just swept through town,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cBut the response has been almost as incredible as the fire. There are more than 100 fire trucks from all over Tennessee. There are volunteers, guardsmen, troopers, people bringing water and people bringing money. So, it\u2019s a strong little town and the mayors, Mayor Waters and Mayor Werner, are keeping their chins up, and people are looking forward to recovery.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued, \u201cThe federal government can do two things. First thing it can do is help the community put out the fire. The National Park Service, the State of Tennessee and Governor Haslam of Tennessee were on the spot almost immediately. The governor has several agencies there.\u00a0 The Red Cross is there. So the federal government can help local governments put out the fire, clean up and then work with the State to begin to help people recover.\u201d\r\nWhen asked about the impact of the wildfires on tourism, Alexander replied, \u201cOf course this is a concern, but both mayors would want me to say, the town will be back fast. Dollywood is nearby\u2026the Great Smoky Mountains get about 10 million visitors a year - they\u2019ll be back.\u201d\r\n###\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398128", "Tennessee Members of Congress Applaud Passage of H.R. 6135", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Marsha Blackburn", "B001243", "blackburn.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON- U.S. Representatives Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Diane Black (R-TN), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Stephen Fincher (R-TN), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Phil Roe (R-TN) and U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Bob Corker (R-TN) Applaud Passage of H.R. 6135 \u2013 To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 719 Church Street in Nashville, Tennessee, as the \u201cFred D. Thompson Federal Building and United States Courthouse\u201d\r\n            Congressman Blackburn said: \u201cFrom the start of his career in Sen. Howard Baker\u2019s office, Fred Thompson was dedicated to first principles and conservative values. Thompson went to school in Lawrence County and his contributions were appreciated and respected by all Tennesseans. Passing legislation to name the federal courthouse in Nashville after him is a great way to show our respect for his commitment to the people of Tennessee. Senator Alexander filed the companion legislation in the Senate and my colleagues and I look forward to its passage there.\u201d\r\n            Congressman Black said: \u201cFred Thompson was a statesman who led with conviction, and he was a visionary who helped turn our state into the conservative success story that it is today. Tennessee shines brighter because of Fred Thompson\u2019s service. This courthouse will serve as a worthy tribute to his enduring legacy.\u201d\r\n            Congressman Cohen said: \u201cIt is an honor to be a cosponsor of this bipartisan bill to honor my friend Fred Thompson. Fred served the United States Senate and the state of Tennessee with distinction for 8 years. He was a proud graduate of the University of Memphis and the only U of M grad to ever serve in the Senate. I was present when the National Conference of State Legislatures awarded him the Restoring the Balance Award for his dedication to federalism. For Fred, it was not a political or campaign issue, it was his philosophy. Despite our different political parties, Fred was always encouraging to me and I valued our friendship. He led an eclectic life from his time as an outstanding congressional staffer during the Watergate hearings and as a fine attorney, actor, and public servant. It is most appropriate that we name the federal courthouse in Nashville after this great American.\u201d\r\n            Congressman Fincher said: \u201cI am proud to recognize Fred Thompson as a great public servant and great Tennessean. As a prominent figure, he never strayed from his small-town Tennessee values and always conducted himself with integrity. This federal courthouse will serve as a testament to his lifetime pursuit of justice and as an inspiration for those who walk in his footsteps.\u201d\r\n            Congressman Fleischmann said: \u201cSenator Thompson had incredible career as a U.S. attorney, columnist, actor, and legislator. Most importantly, however, he was a proud Tennessean and I\u2019m pleased that a Federal Courthouse will soon bear his name.\u201d\r\n            Congressman Roe said: \u201cSenator Thompson rose from humble beginnings to national prominence through hard work and perseverance. Fred dedicated much of his life to serving the state of Tennessee and this great country, and I am proud to join the Tennessee delegation to honor the memory of a great man I was lucky to call a friend.\u201d\r\n            Senator Alexander said:\u201cI am pleased the House voted to name the new Nashville federal courthouse in honor of Fred Thompson whose career as an attorney, Senate investigator, actor and United States Senator made him one of Tennessee\u2019s most celebrated public figures. I look forward to the Senate taking up this legislation and passing it before the end of the year.\u201d  \r\n            \r\n            Senator Corker said:\u201cFred Thompson served the people of Tennessee and our country with great distinction.Through his many different roles in public life, Fred never forgot where he came from, and our state and country miss his common sense approach to public service. I was proud to call him a friend and am pleased to join my colleagues to honor his life in this way.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398087", "Roe Statement on Sevier County Fires", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following on the wildfires in Sevier County: \r\nMy thoughts and prayers continue to be with Sevier Countians. I thank the firefighters and first responders who worked throughout the night to evacuate residents to safety and are doing everything they can to stop these fires from spreading. This is a horrible tragedy, and I have been in touch with local officials. I am available to assist constituents and local officials in any way I can.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398088", "Roe Statement on Dr. Tom Price Being Named HHS Secretary", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement after President-elect Trump's transition team announced Rep. Tom Price, M.D. (R-GA) would serve as HHS Secretary in the Trump administration: \r\nPresident-elect Trump couldn't have picked a better, more qualified HHS Secretary than Tom Price. Tom is a dear friend, and I know he'll address the challenges ahead by taking a patient-centered approach. I'm thrilled he'll be leading the administration's efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Price to put patients back in charge of their health care decisions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=1787A8FD-FB5B-4E56-B895-D84DE42C78FE", "Alexander Statement on Sevier County Wildfires", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 29, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement on the wildfires in Sevier County:\r\n\"This is heartbreaking news for the people of Sevier County and all who love the Smokies. My staff and I are working with Gov. Haslam and local officials to make certain that there is maximum federal support to help fight the fires and deal with the consequences of the fires.\"\r\n###\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=B08351FA-8971-4B93-968A-813D3C4BB202", "Alexander on Selection of Rep. Tom Price as Secretary of Health and Human Services", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, November 29\u00a0\u2014 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President-elect Trump\u2019s selection of Representative Tom Price (R-Ga.) to become the next United States Secretary of Health and Human Services:\r\n\u201cDr. Price has a thorough understanding of health care policy and the damage that Obamacare has caused \u2013 he can see the view from the doctor's office as well as from the lawmaker's office. I look forward to working with him to find a responsible way to replace and then repeal Obamacare so we can move most health care decisions out of Washington, D.C., and back to states and patients.\u201d\u00a0\r\n# # #\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=B827226B-3D03-4E08-B303-44AA127253E4", "Alexander on Selection of Elaine Chao as Secretary of Transportation", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 29, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President-elect Trump\u2019s selection of Elaine Chao to become the next United States Secretary of Transportation:\r\n\u201cElaine Chao is an excellent choice to lead the Department of Transportation. This will be an important job -- President-elect Trump has said he wants to make infrastructure a priority, and Congress is ready to work with the administration to make major infrastructure improvements to our nation\u2019s roads and bridges.\u201d\r\n###\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=A1D27BE6-0823-4C14-96E9-3B2A79B65366", "Corker Statement on Fires in Sevier County", "2016-11-29", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement regarding the fires in Sevier County and surrounding communities.\r\n\u201cI am heartbroken to see the damage caused by the ongoing fires in Sevier County,\u201d said Corker. \u201cWhile the full extent of the damage will become clear over the course of the day, we know that many have suffered tremendous loss.\u201d\r\n\u201cSevier County is a special place surrounded by some of the country\u2019s most beautiful God-given amenities and is where my wife, Elizabeth, was raised,\u201d continued Corker. \u201cSo many wonderful families call this place home and millions from around the world visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. We are committed to doing all we can in the coming weeks to help these communities rebuild.\u201d\r\n\u201cMembers of my senior staff have been and will remain in close contact with community, state and local officials, and we continue to extend our thoughts and prayers to all those who have been in harm\u2019s way,\u201d concluded Corker.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/protected-black-vultures-preying-on-livestock-industry", "Protected black vultures preying on livestock industry", "2016-11-28", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The 2014 farm bill's livestock indemnity program allows farmers who lose livestock to birds that are federally protected to file a claim at their local Farm Service Agency offices. Congressman DesJarlais noted that the black vulture was \"plaguing the Southeast.\" These migratory birds are known to attack and eat live animals. Reports in several areas across the country have reported having problems with black vultures attacking small animals and in some cases, the birds have been known to attack newborn calves.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=C92FE029-35FC-43A2-A327-D546F27F393A", "Corker Statement on the Death of Fidel Castro", "2016-11-26", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement regarding the death of former Cuban president Fidel Castro.\r\n\u201cUnder Fidel Castro\u2019s brutal and oppressive dictatorship, the Cuban people have suffered politically and economically for decades, and it is my hope that his passing might turn the page toward a better way of life for the many who have dreamed of a brighter future for their country,\u201d said Corker.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=CBA2B719-14EC-40C1-81B0-30A69B1AD349", "Corker Statement on Court Blocking Obama Administration Overtime Rule", "2016-11-23", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after a U.S. district court judge granted a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Obama administration\u2019s overtime rule.\r\n\u201cThis decision is a huge victory for small businesses and the many Tennesseans who would have experienced reduced hours or layoffs under this rule,\u201d said Corker. \u201cThe Obama administration\u2019s unilateral actions made sweeping labor regulation changes without congressional input, and I am pleased a federal judge agreed that the Department of Labor overreached its authority.\u201d\r\nIn May 2016, Corker co-sponsored the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act, which would nullify the Department of Labor\u2019s changes to federal overtime rules and require a full and complete economic analysis before promulgating a substantially similar rule. In June 2016, Corker co-sponsored a joint resolution disapproving of the Obama administration\u2019s overtime rule.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/statement-fleischmann-chattanooga-bus-crash", "STATEMENT: Fleischmann on Chattanooga Bus Crash", "2016-11-22", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Chuck Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"My thoughts are with the young victims of the Woodmore Elementary School bus crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee.\u00a0I am absolutely heartbroken over this tragedy and I will pray for the children and their families,\" said Fleischmann.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-fleischmann-chattanooga-bus-crash", "STATEMENT: Fleischmann on Chattanooga Bus Crash", "2016-11-22", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "\"My thoughts are with the young victims of the Woodmore Elementary School bus crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am absolutely heartbroken over this tragedy and I will pray for the children and their families,\" said Fleischmann.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:07:19Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398084", "Roe Applauds Decision to Stop Overtime Rule", "2016-11-22", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "JOHNSON CITY, TENN. - Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant of Texas blocked the Department of Labor's overtime rule:\n\"While we all want to see the wages of hardworking Americans rise, the Department of Labor's proposed overtime rule would have wreaked havoc on our nation's workforce and higher education system. This ruling is a win for American workers, students and job creators. This misguided regulation would have affected Tennesseedisproportionately, as the threshold set by the proposed rule was higher than the median income in our state. I look forward to working with President-elect Trump to implement policies that will foster job creation and allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned pay.\"\nCongressman Roe was aleading voiceagainst the overtime rule. In September he voted for the Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools and Nonprofits Act. The bill, which passed the House with bipartisan support, would have delayed the rule for 6 months. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=43E1E394-30FE-4452-A2EC-600B250D7296", "Alexander: Federal Court Decision Gives President-elect Trump and Congress Opportunity to Revise Destructive Time Card Rule", "2016-11-22", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Obama Administration\u2019s overtime rule - which was set to take effect Dec. 1 - would have raised college tuition, cut non-profit services, and demoted millions of workers back to punching a time clock\r\nMARYVILLE, Tenn., November 22\u00a0\u2014 Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said that the decision today by a Texas federal judge to halt the Labor Department\u2019s \u201cTime Card\u201d rule\u2014which was set to take effect on Dec. 1\u2014gives President-elect Trump and Congress an opportunity next year to revise the \u201cdestructive\u201d overtime rule that \u201cwould have raised college tuition, cut non-profit services and sent the nation's workers backwards \u2014 demoting millions back to punching a time clock.\u201d\r\nAs a result of today\u2019s injunction, implementation of the overtime rule is halted until the judge reaches a decision based on the merits of the case, giving the incoming Republican administration and Congress the opportunity to revise this rule\u2014which many have said is \u201ctoo high, too fast\u201d\u2014in favor of a more reasonable, balanced approach to increasing overtime pay. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found that eliminating the overtime rule would result in an increase in real family income by about $260 million in late 2016, $2.1 billion in 2017, and $1 billion to $1.7 billion in later years. Businesses would have had to increase the costs of goods and services to comply with the new rule.\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s federal court decision to stop the Labor Department\u2019s harmful overtime rule in its tracks has America\u2019s students, non-profits, and workers\u00a0breathing a sigh of relief,\u201d said Senator Alexander. \u201cI\u2019ve heard from people all over Tennessee who had a great deal of concern about rising college tuition costs, fewer non-profit services, and diminished workplace flexibility \u2013 so this is a massive victory for them and for the more than 1,200 individuals and organizations \u2014 from mental health treatment providers to Christmas tree farms \u2014who wrote to me because they feared this rule\u2019s implementation on December 1.\u201d\r\nIn 2015, the Department of Labor released a proposal to increase the salary threshold under which employees qualify for overtime pay. The department\u2019s final rule more than doubled that salary threshold \u2013 from $23,660 to $47,476 \u2013 with just 6 months\u2019 notice, and would have resulted in students facing higher tuition costs and workers having less flexibility and opportunity for advancement in the workplace.\r\nMore than 400 organizations \u2014 from universities to social services agencies \u2014 have written to Senator Alexander in support of his bipartisan legislation to\u00a0change\u00a0the timeline for implementation of the Administration\u2019s overtime rule, and he has received nearly 800 letters to date from individuals expressing their opposition to the administration\u2019s rule.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click\u00a0here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on\u00a0Twitter\u00a0and\u00a0YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/rep-phil-roe-wrote-blueprint-for-obamacare-repeal", "Rep. Phil Roe wrote blueprint for Obamacare repeal", "2016-11-21", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. DesJarlais agrees with Rep. Roe that a patient centered and market driven healthcare plan is the direction repealing Obamacare should go. DesJarlais said he expects Congress to move quickly on health care reform. \u201cI do not think for a minute repealing and replacing the health care law is going to be simple or easy.\u00a0 But we know what the president promised did not come true in terms of keeping your doctor, your premiums going down, your deductible going down, and your access going up.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=4F8B3D79-05F6-4362-8B87-0C6728050DCF", "Corker Statement on Nomination of Jeff Sessions", "2016-11-18", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the nomination of U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) by President-elect Donald J. Trump to serve as Attorney General.\r\n\u201cJeff Sessions is widely respected in the United States Senate and is a great choice for Attorney General of the United States,\u201d said Corker. \u201cHis years of expertise and respect for the rule of law will serve the country well as he assumes this important role in the Trump administration.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=6538B40F-E766-494F-9D80-0797D976E4A3", "Alexander: New Federal Funding Helps Children by Supporting Training for Pediatricians at St. Jude", "2016-11-17", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 17, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement after the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services approved a $139,536 federal grant to help continue a successful program that supports the training of physicians at St. Jude Children\u2019s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.\r\n\u201cThis federal funding to help train pediatricians is great news for the thousands of children from around the globe who come to the world-renowned St. Jude for treatment.\u201d\r\nIn 2013, Alexander co-sponsored the Children\u2019s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act, which reauthorized support for the Children\u2019s Graduate Medical Education Program \u2013 a program that trains doctors at freestanding children\u2019s hospitals, including St. Jude Children\u2019s Research Hospital. According to the Children\u2019s Hospital Association, the program is effective in supporting the training of more than 6,000 pediatricians and pediatric specialists every year and nearly half of all pediatric residency training in the country.\r\n###\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://black.house.gov/press-release/rep-black-offers-tickets-inauguration-president-elect-trump", "Rep. Black Offers Tickets to Inauguration of President-Elect Trump", "2016-11-16", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Diane Black", "B001273", "black.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 \u00a0Today Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) formally invited Tennesseans to attend the 58th Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2017. Congressional offices receive a limited number of tickets to each inauguration, which are offered freely to constituents on a first-come, first-served basis. While Congressional offices do not yet know what their ticket allotment will be, Congressman Black is accepting requests now via the email address TN06.TicketRequests@mail.house.gov. Requests must be received by November 30, 2016. Congressman Black released the following statement:\n\u201cLike so many Tennesseans, I am eagerly awaiting the inauguration of President-elect Trump. This promises to be a historic and exciting event, and my office is pleased to invite constituents to attend. We have a limited number of standing-area tickets that we will be distributing on a first-come, first-served basis. I hope 6th District residents will contact our office and make plans to join us in celebrating this momentous day,\u201d said Congressman Diane Black.\nInstructions for Requesting Tickets:  \n\t6th District residents wishing to attend the inauguration of President-elect Trump on January 20, 2017 should email their requests to TN06.TicketRequests@mail.house.gov with the following information: Full name, email address, telephone number, mailing address, and number of tickets requested.\nPlease note that submission of a request does not guarantee a ticket. Congressional offices do not yet know their ticket allotment. For more information on the 58th Presidential Inauguration please visit www.inaugural.senate.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/house-gop-unanimously-nominates-paul-ryan-for-speaker", "House GOP unanimously nominates Paul Ryan for Speaker", "2016-11-16", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House Republicans on Tuesday afternoon unanimously nominated Paul Ryan for a second term as speaker. The GOP Conference gave Speaker Ryan a voice-vote approval, forgoing a secret ballot tally that would have shown how many Republicans oppose Ryan leading the chamber. Rep. DesJarlais stated after leaving conference that Trump's backing of Ryan's speakership clearly helped stave off division among Republican lawmakers. He credited Trump for opting against holding a grudge.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=5A31516E-2416-4BD6-9ED0-66E16552EE62", "Alexander: Next Congress Has a Prime Opportunity to Ensure Future of Nuclear Power", "2016-11-16", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Says Congress should work to end nuclear waste stalemate, invest in new nuclear reactors and end wasteful subsidies that pick energy winners and losers\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 16, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the top Senate Republican on energy appropriations,\u00a0today said the next Congress has a \u201cprime opportunity to ensure nuclear power has a future in our country\u201d and laid out steps that should be taken to spur the development of new nuclear reactors and end the nuclear waste stalemate.\r\n\u201cToday, nuclear produces about 60 percent of our country\u2019s carbon-free electricity, but the U.S. could lose about half our reactors over the next two decades if existing licenses can\u2019t be extended from 60 to 80 years. We need to take steps today to ensure nuclear power has a future in our country, including extending our reactor licenses when it is safe to do so, investing in energy research, ending policies that pick energy winners and losers and ending the nuclear waste stalemate,\u201d Alexander said.\u00a0\r\nHe added: \u201cNuclear power is our nation\u2019s best source of low-cost, reliable, safe and pollution-free electricity that can power your home or business when the wind doesn\u2019t blow or the sun isn\u2019t shining. And at a time when the world\u2019s leading science academies of 20 developed countries say climate change is a threat \u2013 and that humans are a significant cause of that threat \u2013 it makes no sense whatsoever to close nuclear reactors. We need to invest today in the next generation of nuclear reactors, advanced reactors, small modular reactors and accident tolerant fuels.\u201d\r\nToday was the second of two oversight hearings to discuss the future of nuclear power in the United States. Alexander, who leads the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy & Water Development, said this year\u2019s Senate version of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill includes $94.5 million for advanced reactors, which is $21 million more than the president's budget request. The bill also provides $95 million for small modular reactors, which is a $32.5 million increase over last year.\u00a0\r\nAlexander argued the United States should use its supercomputing resources to model and simulate reactor designs in new ways to make sure new reactors are safe and more cost-effective.\r\nToday\u2019s hearing consisted of two panels and witnesses, including Dr. John Deutch, who is chair of the Secretary of Energy\u2019s Advisory Board and institute professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Deutch is also a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, deputy secretary of defense, and director of energy research at the Dept. of Energy. The second panel included Dr. Alan Icenhour, the associate laboratory director for nuclear science and engineering at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Dr. Matthew McKinzie, the director of the nuclear program at the Natural Resources Defense Council.\r\nAlexander asked the witnesses about findings from the final report issued by the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Task Force on the Future of Nuclear Power \u2013 a report examining challenges that the nuclear industry is facing today, as well as the steps that are necessary to deploy new advanced nuclear technologies in the future. \u00a0\r\nIn September\u2019s hearing, the committee discussed what actions should be taken to maintain today\u2019s nuclear power plants and ensure our country continues to invest in nuclear power.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click\u00a0here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on\u00a0Twitter\u00a0and\u00a0YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://black.house.gov/press-release/video-rep-black-testifies-her-bill-promote-energy-security-expand-states%E2%80%99-rights", "VIDEO: Rep. Black Testifies On Her Bill to Promote Energy Security, Expand States Rights", "2016-11-15", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Diane Black", "B001273", "black.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "To watch Rep. Black\u2019s testimony, click HERE or the image above\u00a0\nWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 \u00a0Today Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) testified at a hearing held by the House Committee on Natural Resources\u2019 Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources on her legislation, H.R. 866, the Federal Land Freedom Act (FLFA). The bill would delegate the leasing and permitting process for energy exploration on federal lands to the states. To watch a video of her remarks, click\u00a0here. A full transcript is provided below:\nThank you Mr. Chairman and members of the committee for allowing me the opportunity to speak today. As has already been said, I am the proud sponsor of H.R. 866, the Federal Land Freedom Act. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this urgently needed legislation, as well as the larger need to expand states\u2019 rights when it comes to the issue of public lands.\nI truly believe the resurgence in oil and natural gas development underway in our country is an opportunity for us to achieve true American energy security. But too often, the heavy-handed federal government \u2013 particularly under this Administration \u2013 hinders that progress instead of helping to move it along.\nFirst, the federal government is notorious for tying up the permitting process for energy exploration in bureaucratic red tape. In 2014, states took 30 days on average to approve these permits, while the federal government took an average of 228 days. This means states were churning out permits in a month, while the federal government took over half a year.\nSecond, states are able to harness regional expertise to regulate energy exploration in a safe and environmentally conscious manner on private and state lands. This is in stark contrast to the federal government, which imposes weeping, one-size-fits-all regulations across all federal lands from Alaska to Florida.\nThird, the percentage of federal lands deemed \u201coff limits\u201d from energy development has increased drastically over the last 30 years. Today, the federal government owns 279 million acres of land, but 60 percent of this land is closed to development because of administration decisions of executive actions. So it shouldn\u2019t be a surprise that, last year, the Congressional Research Service released a report showing that, from 2010 to 2014 energy exploration on state and private lands increased dramatically while production decreased on federal lands.\nIncreases in domestic energy production in recent years have been almost exclusively through the permitting process operated by the states. Imagine if we could harness the effectiveness of our states to replicate this success on federal lands?\nFor these reasons, I introduced the Federal Land Freedom Act alongside Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma. Our bill will finally loosen the federal government\u2019s chokehold on energy development of public lands by giving states full authority to administer the leasing, permitting, and regulatory programs for energy development on federal lands within their borders.\nUnder this legislation, each state\u00a0 would have the option to set up their own state-based programs. And, importantly, this bill would keep in place protections for our national treasures by exempting national parks, the national wildlife refuge system, and national wilderness areas from development.\nThe fact is, the federal government was never meant to own and control the vast amount of land that it does today, or the energy resources underneath it. It\u2019s time for us to return federalism to our national energy discussion and honor the states\u2019 Tenth Amendment rights to develop and regulate these resources.\nI\u2019m pleased to tell you that my bill has the support of 23 cosponsors and the backing of several outside organizations including the American Energy Alliance, The R Street Institute, the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the Heritage Foundation \u2013 among others.\nI am grateful for the committee\u2019s interest in this critical piece of legislation and ask for your help in ensuring its timely passage. Thank you. I yield back the remainder of my time.\u00a0\nBackground:  Natural Resources Committee Press Release: Federal Land Freedom Act Empowers State Energy Development  Rep. Black Introduces Legislation to Promote Energy Security, Expand States\u2019 Rights  \n\t\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/the-chattanoogan-0", "The Chattanoogan", "2016-11-14", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. DesJarlais made the following statement, \"The Sherwood Forest in Tennessee\u2019s Fourth Congressional district provides multiple resources that sustain the local economy and help protect the sensitive wildlife in the area.\u00a0As an outdoorsman, I am pleased to learn that Sherwood Forest will also soon provide new opportunities for public recreation. Its protection will enable outdoor enthusiasts to come and discover the natural wonders that our great state has to offer. Thank you to all the contributors of the Sherwood Forest project and for their continued efforts to preserve the land for future generations.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=B9F64608-44E9-43E5-BBD3-B268913147C0", "Alexander: Voters Expect New Congress, President to Fix Obamacare Emergency and Stop Washington from Telling Them What To Do", "2016-11-10", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Nov. 10, 2016 \u2013\u00a0U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today\u00a0told members of the Chattanooga\u00a0Rotary that the results of Tuesday\u2019s election should mean \u201cless Washington involvement in telling us what to do in our everyday lives\u201d and an opportunity to fix the \u201cObamacare emergency.\u201d\u00a0\r\nAlexander said, \"A\u00a0Republican president, working with a Republican Congress, could reduce Washington\u2019s involvement in our lives and solve some of the problems that were the source of voters\u2019 frustration.\u00a0I think American voters expect that President-elect Trump and Congress will get to work quickly on fixing the Obamacare emergency\u00a0\u2013 providing immediate relief to Tennesseans paying 44 to 62 percent more in health insurance premiums \u2013 and then repealing and replacing Obamacare with step by step solutions that give states more flexibility and individuals more choices to buy private health insurance that meets their families\u2019 healthcare needs and budgets.\"\r\nIn August, Tennessee\u2019s insurance commissioner described the state\u2019s Obamacare exchange as \u201cvery near collapse,\u201d as some insurers exit the state and others raise their rates by some of the highest amounts in the nation\u2014as much as 62 percent next year. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, the state\u2019s largest health insurer, in September announced it would no longer sell individual insurance policies in Knoxville, Nashville or Memphis, impacting 131,000 Tennesseans. This follows United Health Group's announcement earlier this year that it would no longer offer Obamacare exchange health plans in Tennessee for the 2017 plan year. There are currently 41,000 individuals in the state currently covered by these United Health Group\u00a0plans. This\u00a0 is in addition to the\u00a027,000\u00a0Tennesseans who lost their Community Health\u00a0Alliance health\u00a0plan when the co-op collapsed in 2015.\u00a0\r\nA majority of Tennesseans on the exchange will need to find new plans next year. In 73 out of all 95 Tennessee counties,\u00a0individuals will have only one insurer to choose from when buying health insurance on the Obamacare exchange\u00a0for 2017.\u00a0In 2016, every county had the choice of at least 2 insurers on the Obamacare exchanges.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Obamacare exchanges are collapsing in Tennessee and across the country because of federal mandates, a lack of flexibility for states and\u00a0fewer choices for families,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cIn most of our counties, people only have one choice\u00a0\u2013\u00a0we need to give more people more choices.\"\u00a0\r\nIn September, Alexander\u00a0introduced emergency, one-year legislation that\u00a0would have given\u00a0states with\u00a0failing Obamacare exchanges\u00a0the authority to allow Americans who rely on Obamacare subsidies to buy any health plan they want, even if they purchase it outside of an Obamacare exchange. The legislation would also waive Obamacare's individual mandate, so Americans would no longer be penalized for not purchasing a federal government-approved health plan.\r\nDemocrats did not support the legislation and instead announced support for creating a government-run health plan, or \u201cpublic option.\"\r\n\"Democrats propose even more federal control, but the\u00a0right prescription is not more of what caused the disease.\u00a0We need to repeal and replace Obamacare with\u00a0step-by-step\u00a0solutions that\u00a0give states more flexibility and individuals more choices to buy private health\u00a0insurance that meets their families\u2019 health care needs and budgets.\u201d\r\nAlexander told the\u00a0Chattanooga Rotary today that in addition to the risk of losing their current insurer, many Tennesseans also at risk of losing their current doctors.\u00a0 The doctors at the state\u2019s top hospital-- Vanderbilt University Medical Center-- were considered \u201cin network providers\u201d for Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Health Group plans in 2016. With the exit of these plans from many or all exchanges in Tennessee, it is anticipated that in at least Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis, none of the remaining health plans will have network agreements with Vanderbilt University health care providers in 2017.\r\nThis means thousands of Tennesseans buying plans on the exchange either have to pay more in \"out of network provider\"\u00a0fees when they seek the same care at Vanderbilt University or they will be unable to have their care covered by their new insurance plan\u00a0altogether.\r\nAlexander said he hoped the president-elect\u00a0would review the regulations on healthcare in addition to education and labor that President Obama has put out exceeding legal authority and\u00a0either repeal them, not enforce them or change them.\r\nAlexander also talked about the importance of rebuilding\u00a0the nation\u2019s infrastructure, something the president-elect has said is a priority.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWe badly need a long-term, big time plan for how to get from one place to another. Everyone is talking about it including President-elect Trump and Gov. Haslam,\u201d the senator said. \u201cI hope the president will take a look at this opportunity for a big infrastructure plan for roads and bridges to keep America moving.\u201d\r\nAlexander mentioned the importance of maintaining infrastructure in Tennessee, including inland waterways, harbors, highways and transit systems.\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=ED255C86-C1E2-484D-87B8-3B2B4B999E1B", "Alexander Honors Nations Veterans", "2016-11-10", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MARYVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 10, 2016 \u2013 U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement in honor of Veterans Day on November 11 and pointed to a number of important steps Congress has taken to support veterans this year. \r\n\u201cOn Veterans Day we honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of our Armed Services to ensure that the rest of us can exercise our freedoms. Generations of Tennesseans have served at home and abroad and bravely serve our nation today. We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude, and they should receive the honor and respect they deserve,\u201d Alexander said. \r\nIn September, $4.2 million in federal funding was announced to expand the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery and $5.7 million to construct the new Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at Parkers Crossroads. Alexander supported funding for these two state veteran cemeteries when it was included in the Fiscal Year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill that was signed into law on December 18, 2015.\r\nBelow are some of the steps Congress has taken to aid veterans and their families so far this year:\r\n \r\nPassed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, which includes $103.9 billion in mandatory funding for veteran compensation programs and veterans pensions.\r\nPassed the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2016 which authorizes VA services and programs, including homeless veterans assistance programs, transportation services for highly rural veterans, and in-home care for disabled veterans.\r\nPassed the Veterans\u2019 Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Act of 2016, which increases veterans\u2019 disability benefits to keep up with the rising costs of living.\r\nThe Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs is working to increase accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including legislation to make it easier for leadership at the Department to remove employees at all levels, hold accountable all VA leaders including political appointees, and prohibit bonuses for employees who have been found guilty of wrongdoing. \r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n###\r\n\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=34FBC1A3-777D-472C-A073-84F4702752E6", "Alexander Statement on the Election", "2016-11-09", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, Nov. 9, 2016 - U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) issued the following statement today:\r\n\u201cCongratulations to President-elect Trump. The election belongs to the people and the people have voted for change. Donald Trump is the agent for that change. Now it is the responsibility of the President-elect and the Congress to work together to address the voices of anger and despair, and of hope, that we heard yesterday. This includes reducing Washington\u2019s role in our lives, making it easier to find a good job and less expensive health care, and making our system more fair. It\u2019s time to put the election behind us. The way to make change and move our country in the right direction is to work together to bring out the best in all of us.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\n\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=F30AA370-6CB7-4394-AB0E-7093853FE8F3", "Alexander on Fixing Traffic Jams: Think Big, Think Long Term, Dont Expect Washington, D.C. to Pay for Too Much of It", "2016-11-09", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 9, 2016 \u2014 Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) told Middle Tennessee area local officials today that to fix Nashville\u2019s traffic jams they should \u201cthink big, think long term and not expect Washington, D.C. to pay for too much of it.\u201d\r\n\u201cNashville is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. The region needs a 21st century transportation system to match its growing economy,\u201d Alexander told local officials attending the Cumberland Region Tomorrow\u2019s Power of Ten Summit. \u201cFrom my experience, I recommend that to fix Nashville\u2019s traffic jams you think big, think long term and don\u2019t expect Washington, D.C. to pay for too much of it.\u201d\r\n\u201cLast year, Congress passed a long-term transportation program, which is something that the state legislature has not been able to do,\u201d the senator said. \u201cThe federal program provides an average of $12 billion per year over five years for mass transit and light rail.\u00a0But Nashville\u2019s share of that will not be nearly enough to pay much of Metro\u2019s $6 billion 25-year transit program, even if the new president proposes a big, new infrastructure plan.\u201d\r\n\u201cThat means paying for most of it with state and local dollars, which makes sense anyway.\u00a0Why send Tennessee dollars to Washington, D.C., take some out for overhead, add some regulations and send what\u2019s left back to Tennessee?\u00a0Conservatives who believe in the 10th Amendment ought to want to keep our money at home, let local officials use it to meet real needs and pay as you go with zero debt.\u201d\r\nHe added, \u201cThat\u2019s exactly what Tennessee did 30 years ago.\u00a0In 1986, I proposed and the legislature enacted a massive $5.7 billion Better Roads Program. It has done more than anything else the state could have done to attract the auto industry, increase family incomes and spread auto jobs throughout the state.\u201d\r\n\u201cIn 1986, Tennessee had poor highways and almost no auto jobs,\u201d the senator said.\u00a0\u201cAutomakers told us when they picked locations for new plants the first thing they looked for were intersections of excellent four lane highways. As a result of our 1986 plan, by 2001 truckers named Tennessee\u2019s roads the best in the country and said \u2018driving from Tennessee to Arkansas was like driving from heaven to hell.\u2019 Today, we are the leading state for new auto jobs with suppliers in 85 of our 95 counties\u2014because they can transport their auto parts to assembly plants traveling on excellent highways.\u201d\r\nSen. Alexander said the 1986 program\u2014enacted during\u00a0his final year as governor \u2013 ultimately cost $5.7 billion, more than $12 billion in today\u2019s dollars.\u00a0He said he had proposed finishing most of the projects within 13 years, but it took 30 years. The state built more than 100 miles of new interstate quality highways that were paid for with 100 percent state funds instead of the usual 90 percent federal, a 10 percent state split.\u00a0The three quarters\u00a0of a billion dollars\u00a0spent to build I-840 south of Nashville\u00a0was 100 percent state funds. The plan included 312 projects and established a 12-year cycle for resurfacing state roads.\r\n\u201cThe\u00a0Tennessee Department of Transportation estimates that over 30 years, state tax dollars paid for half of the $5.7 billion program,\u201d\u00a0Alexander said.\u00a0\u201cWe paid for it with a conservative pay as you go policy that saddled Tennesseans with zero road debt.\u00a0That meant raising the gas tax 4 cents per gallon and the diesel tax 3 cents a gallon. \u00a0Three times between 1981 and 1986, I asked the legislature to increase the gas tax. It went from 7 to 16 cents. In 1989, Governor McWherter asked the legislature to add another 4 cents. So it nearly tripled during the 1980\u2019s, and is still below the national average for states.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cBecause we incurred zero debt, all the money we raised since\u00a0the\u00a01980\u2019s has gone\u00a0to maintain or build roads, instead of to pay interest and reduce debt. Compare that with Texas which has more than $20 billion in road debt and New Jersey which has more than $16 billion.\r\nHe continued, \u201cOnce we set as a goal building the nation\u2019s best road system with new state dollars and zero debt, paying for it was not a major political problem. Because it was a conservative, pay as you go plan that created jobs, every Republican legislator voted for it. No one who voted for it came close to losing\u00a0an election. One third of the total cost was paid by truckers, one third by tourists and one third by the rest of us who use the roads. Tennesseans did not object to paying the cost of one tank of gasoline a year\u2014about $15-- to improve our roads and attract jobs.\u201d\r\n\u201cI suspect Tennesseans would have the same attitude today.\u00a0I for one would prefer to pay a little more and have local officials decide what\u00a0to\u00a0do with it\u00a0rather than sit stuck in a traffic jam on Interstate 24 waiting for someone in Washington to send me some money from New Jersey or New York to help pay for my local transportation needs.\u201d\r\n\r\nAlexander spoke at the Cumberland Region Tomorrow\u2019s annual Power of Ten Regional Summit in Nashville. The event attracts local leaders from the 10 primary counties that are a part of the Middle Tennessee region with the goal of solving issues caused by the area\u2019s population surge.\r\n###\r\nFor access to this release and the senator\u2019s other statements, click here.\r\nTo stay up-to-date on the senator\u2019s latest actions, follow him on Twitter and YouTube.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=D25461AE-ABD9-411B-91B9-89B713007094", "25 Senate, House Education Committee Members: Education Department Should Withdraw Rule that Violates the Unambiguously Expressed Intent of Congress", "2016-11-07", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 \u2013 Twenty-five Republican members of the Senate and House education committees today urged the Department of Education to withdraw its proposed \u201csupplement not supplant\u201d regulation, saying it \u201cviolates the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress,\u201d and called on the department to instead work with Congress to implement the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act as it is written.\r\nThe regulatory proposal would change the longstanding requirement that prevents school districts from using federal Title I funds as a replacement for state and local funds in low-income schools.\r\nIn comments submitted to Education Secretary John King, the members said the rule \u201cdraws broad and inaccurate conclusions about what Congress intended when amending the [\u2018supplement not supplant\u2019] provision that are not supported by the statutory text and violate clear and unambiguous limitations on the Secretary\u2019s authority.\u201d\r\nThe members said certain provisions of the rule are \u201cunlawful, unnecessary and could result in harmful consequences to [local educational agencies], schools, teachers, and students.\u201d\r\nSpecifically, the rule dictates to states and local school districts how they should distribute state and local funds, which violates the law and its prohibitions on the Secretary. They write:\r\nIn Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, the U.S. Supreme Court established that the test for reviewing an agency\u2019s interpretation of a statute consists of two related questions. First, the question is \u201cwhether Congress has directly spoken to the precise question at issue. If the intent of Congress is clear, that is the end of the matter\u201d because the court and agency must \u201cgive effect to the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress.\u201d Second, if \u201cCongress has not directly addressed the precise question at issue\u201d or \u201cif the statute is silent or ambiguous\u201d the question is \u201cwhether the agency\u2019s answer is based on a permissible construction of the statute.\u201d\r\nThey continue:\r\nThe intent of Congress in amending the SNS requirements under Title I of ESEA is clear and unambiguous in directly speaking to the issue of how LEAs must demonstrate compliance.\u00a0 As the Court has held, that should be \u201cthe end of the matter\u201d for the Department, which through rulemaking should \u201cgive effect to the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress.\u201d Instead, the NPRM violates this principle in imposing new requirements that reflect the Department\u2019s own construction of the statute. We therefore strongly urge the Department to rescind this additional language and work with Congress in a bipartisan, bicameral way to implement ESSA as Congress clearly intended. The following outlines areas of agreement, and then describes the ways in which the Department\u2019s proposal violates the letter and intent of the statute and could lead to negative results for low-income students and schools if it were implemented.\r\n   The letter was signed by Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.), along with Senate committee members Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R- Maine.), Michael B. Enzi (R- Wyo.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Mark Kirk (R- Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pat Roberts (R- Kan.), and House committee members Mike Bishop (R- Mich.), Bradley Byrne (R- Ala.), Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R- Ga.), Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Brett Guthrie (R- Ky.), Joe Heck (R-Nev.), Luke Messer (R-Ind.), Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Glenn \u201cGT\u201d Thompson (R-Pa.), Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe full text of the comments submitted is below and online here: \r\nNovember 4, 2016\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable John B. King, Jr.\r\nSecretary\r\nU.S. Department of Education\r\n400 Maryland Avenue, SW\r\nWashington, DC 20202\r\n\u00a0\r\nRe: RIN 1810-AB33\r\nProposed Rule on Implementing the Supplement, Not Supplant Provision Under Title I of the ESEA\r\nDear Secretary King:\r\nWe respectfully submit these comments in response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to create new regulations to implement programs under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which was published in the Federal Register on September 6, 2016. As Members of the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce, we are writing to express our strong concerns about the U.S. Department of Education (\u201cthe Department\u201d) proposals to regulate the supplement, not supplant (SNS) requirement found in section 1118(b) of ESSA.\r\nESSA was signed into law by President Obama on December 10, 2015, after passing the U.S. House of Representatives (359 \u2013 64) and Senate (85 \u2013 12) with overwhelming bipartisan support. The new law represents a broad consensus to restore to States, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), educators, and parents the responsibility for making important decisions about how to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all students.\r\nIn Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, the U.S. Supreme Court established that the test for reviewing an agency\u2019s interpretation of a statute consists of two related questions. First, the question is \u201cwhether Congress has directly spoken to the precise question at issue. If the intent of Congress is clear, that is the end of the matter\u201d because the court and agency must \u201cgive effect to the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress.\u201d Second, if \u201cCongress has not directly addressed the precise question at issue\u201d or \u201cif the statute is silent or ambiguous\u201d the question is \u201cwhether the agency\u2019s answer is based on a permissible construction of the statute.\u201d[1]\r\nUnfortunately, the NPRM does not reflect the clear and unambiguously expressed intent of Congress. In the new law, Congress directly spoke to the issue by both clarifying and simplifying how LEAs demonstrate compliance with the SNS requirement under Title I of ESEA. The NPRM draws broad and inaccurate conclusions about what Congress intended when amending the SNS provision that are not supported by the statutory text and violate clear and unambiguous limitations on the Secretary\u2019s authority. While the NPRM includes some provisions that accurately reflect the statute, it includes additional requirements on LEAs that are unlawful, unnecessary, and could result in harmful consequences to LEAs, schools, teachers, and students.\r\nThe intent of Congress in amending the SNS requirements under Title I of ESEA is clear and unambiguous in directly speaking to the issue of how LEAs must demonstrate compliance.\u00a0 As the Court has held, that should be \u201cthe end of the matter\u201d for the Department, which through rulemaking should \u201cgive effect to the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress.\u201d Instead, the NPRM violates this principle in imposing new requirements that reflect the Department\u2019s own construction of the statute. We therefore strongly urge the Department to rescind this additional language and work with Congress in a bipartisan, bicameral way to implement ESSA as Congress clearly intended. The following outlines areas of agreement, and then describes the ways in which the Department\u2019s proposal violates the letter and intent of the statute and could lead to negative results for low-income students and schools if it were implemented.\r\n1. General Requirements in Compliance with ESSA and Congressional Intent\r\nSections 200.72(a) and (b)(1)(i) of the NPRM are consistent with the statute and Congressional intent by providing appropriate regulatory clarification that will enable LEAs to satisfy the requirements of the law. Consistent with section 1118(b)(1) of ESSA, the NPRM requires LEAs to use Title I, part A funds only to supplement the funds that would, in the absence of such funds, be made available from state and local sources for the education of students participating in Title I programs, and not to supplant such funds. This general requirement has been in ESEA since 1970 and is maintained under ESSA. Additionally, the NPRM repeats statutory language eliminating the non-regulatory \u201ccost-by-cost\u201d test. Accordingly, LEAs are no longer required to identify that an individual cost or service supported with Title I, part A funds is supplemental under ESEA. Finally, the NPRM also repeats statutory language that prohibits any requirement for LEAs to provide services with Title I, part A funds through a particular instructional method or instructional setting. Therefore, we recommend the Department maintain sections 200.72(a) and (b)(1)(i) of the NPRM.\r\n2. Additional Requirements in Violation of ESSA and Congressional Intent\r\nSection 200.72(b)(1)(ii) of the NPRM violates the \u201cunambiguously expressed intent of Congress\u201d and clearly contradicts provisions of the law that have existed since 1970 by outlining new and prescriptive methodologies from which LEAs must choose to distribute state and local education funding in order to demonstrate compliance with the SNS requirement under Title I, part A. Specifically, the NPRM would require each LEA to allocate \u201calmost all State and local education funds to all of its public schools \u2013 regardless of Title I status\u201d in a way that meets one of three federally prescribed tests. While the NPRM includes a \u201cState-determined option for compliance\u201d that the Department reasons is intended to \u201cmaximize flexibility for innovative approaches,\u201d an LEA can only exercise this option if the methodology for distributing state and local funds is as rigorous, and results in substantially similar amounts of state and local funding for Title I schools in the district, as the other federally prescribed options. Furthermore, exercising this option must be ultimately approved by federal peer reviewers and the Secretary. Section 200.72(b)(1)(iii) also includes a \u201cspecial rule\u201d that provides a fourth option for how an LEA could comply with the new regulatory requirement, which is essentially the same Department proposal that was rejected during negotiated rulemaking. These new requirements on how state and local funds are distributed, which are not included in the law, violate the plain language of the statute, including limitations on the Secretary\u2019s authority, and conflict with the unambiguous intent of Congress in amending the SNS requirement.\r\ni. Section 1118(b)(2) of ESEA Does Not Require a Particular Funding Outcome\r\nSection 1118(b)(2) of ESEA, as amended by ESSA, reads as follows:\r\n(2) COMPLIANCE- To demonstrate compliance with paragraph (1), a local educational agency shall demonstrate that the methodology used to allocate State and local funds to each school receiving assistance under this part ensures that such school receives all of the State and local funds it would otherwise receive if it were not receiving assistance under this part.\r\nThe unambiguously expressed intent of Congress in adding the new paragraph (2) to the SNS provision was to clarify how LEAs should demonstrate compliance. This language replaces the test, established in non-regulatory guidance, that required most LEAs to demonstrate that each cost (i.e. material or service) charged with Title I funds was supplementary, which was criticized for being opaque, confusing, burdensome, incentivizing fragmented spending decisions, and otherwise in conflict with the purposes of Title I and the original intent of SNS. Instead, the plain language of ESEA now requires only that LEAs demonstrate that their methodology for allocating state and local dollars does not take into consideration a school\u2019s receipt of Title I funds, which effectively means that the methodology must only demonstrate Title I neutrality. In other words, school districts cannot construct a methodology for distributing state and local funds to schools that deliberately reduces the amount of such funds that are allocated to Title I schools because they are also receiving Title I dollars. In doing so, Congress has directly spoken to the precise question at issue in setting forth an unambiguous auditable standard that does not require or support further regulatory clarification. That should be the end of the matter for the Department.\r\nWhen the Senate passed its version of ESSA, entitled the Every Child Achieves Act, (S. 1177), which was approved unanimously by the Senate HELP Committee and passed the full Senate 81-17, it included language identical to paragraph (2) above, as well as a committee report negotiated between HELP Committee Republicans and Democrats. This report explained the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress in how LEAs must demonstrate compliance with SNS under Title I, saying:\r\nSpecifically, the bill allows States and LEAs to comply with SNS for title I, part A funds if they can document that the manner in which they allocate State and local resources to schools is \u201cTitle I neutral,\u201d or that the methodology does not account for the title I funds that schools will receive. Additionally, the bill removes requirements in regulation that force LEAs to identify individual costs or services as supplemental. Instead, the way in which State and local resources are allocated to a school must be examined as a whole to ensure that the methodology does not account for title I funds the schools will receive. This language will provide more flexibility for schools to utilize title I funds to implement comprehensive and innovative programs. LEAs will be able to demonstrate SNS compliance in a much less burdensome and restrictive way, while still making clear that Federal dollars are supplemental to State and local dollars and not be used to replace them.[2]\r\nThe plain language and unambiguously expressed intent of this provision is to provide more flexibility to LEAs in complying with SNS by demonstrating that their methodology for distributing state and local funds does not account for the Title I funds, and, therefore, any federal Title I dollars that a school receives is clearly supplemental to the state and local funds that they would otherwise receive. Compliance is established once this methodology is demonstrated. Thus, this should be the end of the matter. However, the regulatory clarification proposed in the NPRM goes well beyond the requirement set forth clearly in statute and unambiguously expressed intent of Congress. The Department\u2019s proposal prescribes four new standards from which school districts must choose, which collectively require either a specific methodology for distributing state and local funds or specific funding distribution outcomes. Congress deliberately chose not to create any such standards and added a paragraph on how an LEA would comply with the SNS provision to clarify that intent.\r\nii. The NPRM Violates Clear Prohibitions on the Secretary\u2019s Authority\r\nIn ESSA, Congress spoke directly to limit the Secretary\u2019s authority to regulate. First, section 1118(b)(4) of ESEA prohibits the Secretary from prescribing any specific methodology for allocating state and local funds. Second, section 8527(a) states:\r\nNothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government, including through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, to mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or school\u2019s \u2026 allocation of State or local resources, or mandate a State or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds or incur any costs not paid for under this Act.\r\nBased on these clear prohibitions, that should have been the end of the matter for the Department. Instead, section 200.72(b)(1)(ii) of the NPRM violates the statute and the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress in two ways. \u00a0\r\nFirst, the NPRM violates section 1118(b)(4) by prescribing the methodologies that LEAs may use to distribute state and local education funding. The Department reasons the NPRM is consistent with this prohibition because it provides a menu of options from which school districts can choose. However, in doing so, the NPRM creates a set of finite conditions for compliance with SNS, the practical effect of which is to prescribe specific methodologies that states and school districts must choose from to allocate State and local funds to all public schools. The proposal is also in violation of the intent of this prohibition, which was added to protect against any federal interference with school district funding methodologies, so long as those methodologies comply with paragraph (2) as discussed above.\r\nSecond, under the proposal, the Secretary is violating section 8527(a) by mandating, directing, and controlling how state and local resources are allocated, or alternatively, mandating states and LEAs spend additional funds not paid for under the statute. The fact that the NPRM will \u201cmandate, direct, or control\u201d the allocation of State or local resources or how a state or LEA spends its funds is not in dispute. The NPRM itself estimates that LEAs not in compliance would have to reallocate $800 million in State or local funds, or spend $2.2 billion in new State or local funds, or do a combination of both, in order to comply. The prohibition on such a mandate in section 8527(a) is not new to the law and its meaning is clear \u2013 federal officers may not mandate, direct, or control how States and LEAs spend or allocate their own dollars. This understanding of section 8527(a) was confirmed by a federal district court in School District of the City of Pontiac v. Secretary of the United States Department of Education.[3] Therefore, by prescribing the methodologies that LEAs may use to distribute state and local education funding and effectively mandating, directing, and controlling how state and local resources are allocated, the NPRM violates clear prohibitions in the law and the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress to limit the Secretary\u2019s authority to regulate. \u00a0\r\niii. The NPRM is Not Supported by the Legislative History\r\nThe NPRM is not supported by the legislative history of ESSA in amending the SNS requirements. The Department reasons the proposed regulations \u201cwould ensure that Title I funds are used to fulfill their statutory purpose,\u201d including to provide all children with a fair and equitable education, rather than to make up for \u201cinequitable allocation of State and local funding to title I schools.\u201d Many states have examined and are continuing to examine whether their own state and local funds are being allocated equitably to Title I and non-Title I schools. However, SNS has never required, nor is it intended to require, equity or fairness in the allocation of state and local education dollars.\r\nAs explained in a 2008 report, published by the Center for American Progress, under SNS \u201c[a] district could provide half as much money for poor schools as middle-class schools, get Title I money, and then keep its own spending the same, using the new Title I dollars entirely for special programs in high-poverty schools.\u201d [4] The fact that Title I schools have received less state and local money than non-Title I schools would not violate the SNS requirement. The Department has maintained this interpretation of SNS since 1970.\r\nThe amendments made under Title I of ESSA do not alter this understanding of the purpose and intent of the SNS provision. The purpose of section 1118(b)(2) was not to prescribe how state and local funds must be distributed to Title I schools in comparison to non-Title I schools. Instead, it was to replace a complicated test for compliance issued by the Department in non-regulatory guidance with a simplified statutory requirement regarding how LEAs may comply with SNS. The Title I neutral test established by this provision is not new to the program. Guidance issued by the Department as recently as 2015 permitted LEAs to utilize a Title I neutral test to demonstrate compliance with SNS in schools operating a schoolwide program. Specifically, as articulated in the guidance, \u201cthe supplement not supplant requirement for a schoolwide program is simply that the school receive all non-Federal funds it would receive if it did not receive Title I funds.\u201d The Title I neutral test does not change the purpose or expand the scope of SNS. As explained in a 2012 report by the Center for American Progress and the American Enterprise Institute, which recommended amending the SNS provisions in ESEA to provide the Title I neutral test for compliance that Congress ultimately included in ESSA:\r\nIt is important to note that this proposed test would not look at whether the amount of state and local money a Title I school receives is equitable. Given the significance of the problems caused by the current supplement-not-supplant test, this issue should be addressed on its own, separate from other Title I fiscal issues.[5]\r\nThe legislative history of ESEA demonstrates Congress was aware of and considered language to address concerns about equity and fairness in the allocation of state and local education funds. Congress considered but did not approve proposed language that would have required spending in Title I schools to be measured against spending in non-Title I schools using actual per-pupil amounts. This proposal had been debated for years leading up to the enactment of ESSA. For example, the Senate HELP Committee debated but did not approve an amendment to ESEA\u2019s comparability provision offered during Committee consideration of the Every Child Achieves Act by Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) that would have required LEAs to demonstrate that combined state and local per-pupil expenditures, including personnel and non-personnel expenditures, in each Title I school were not less than the average combined state and local per-pupil expenditures in non-Title I schools. Additionally, the House Education and the Workforce Committee debated and defeated a similar amendment offered by Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) during Committee consideration of the Student Success Act. Instead, Congress added a new provision in section 1111(h)(1)(C)(x) that requires states and LEAs to publicly report actual per-pupil expenditures. Congress recognized the need for public scrutiny of funding allocations among schools. But Congress also recognized any mandates regarding actual per-pupil funding differences similar to what is proposed in the NPRM would cause far more harm than good for low-income students and chose not to enact them. Nobody involved in the negotiations that led to ESSA can plausibly argue that Congress intended to provide statutory authority for the requirements laid out in this NPRM.\r\nBeyond the addition of this reporting provision, the issue of equitable funding between Title I and non-Title I schools was never raised during the subsequent Congressional negotiations that resulted in ESSA. During this process, the White House and the Department provided a list of priorities for Congressional consideration. This was not among those priorities. No member of the Conference committee ever proposed to amend either the comparability or SNS provisions under ESEA to address differences in actual per-pupil spending between Title I and non-Title I schools.\r\nThe NPRM does not reflect the plain language of ESEA or the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress in amending the SNS provisions in Title I of ESSA. As held by the U.S. Supreme Court, if \u201cCongress has directly spoken to the precise question at issue\u201d and \u201cthe intent of Congress is clear, that is the end of the matter.\u201d ESSA clearly reflects the intent of Congress to clarify and simplify how LEAs must demonstrate compliance with the SNS requirements of Title I-A and places clear limitations on the Secretary\u2019s authority to regulate beyond those requirements in statute. In requiring a particular funding outcome, prescribing the methodologies that LEAs must choose from to demonstrate compliance with SNS, and mandating, directing, or controlling how state and local funds are distributed to schools, the NPRM violates the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress. Furthermore, the NPRM is not supported by the legislative history of the SNS provision that has been in the law since 1970 or the amendments made to it under ESSA. Rather than deferring to Congressional intent, the Department, through the NPRM, seeks to impose its own construction of the statute, which does not stand up to scrutiny. \u00a0\r\n3. Potential Negative Impact of the Proposed Rule\r\nThe NPRM, if implemented, will have a harmful impact on low-income students, teachers, schools, and LEAs. First, the NPRM gives the federal government unprecedented control over state and local education finance systems and requires states to govern LEAs\u2019 compliance, possibly in violation of some state and local laws. This will create chaos for State and local education systems and distract them from the important work of raising student achievement, especially for the most disadvantaged. Rather than improving academic outcomes, the NPRM would force state and local leaders to focus on arbitrary compliance targets.\r\nSecond, the NPRM would undermine school-based budgeting reforms. State and local leaders around the country have recognized that one of the best ways to improve school performance is to hire good principals and provide them the autonomy to hire the staff and develop the programs that will best meet the needs of their students. The prescribed methodologies set forth in the NPRM will likely require district office staff to make final decisions about which teachers and programs are placed in which schools. This is the only way to ensure spending is distributed in compliance with the NPRM. Staffing and program decisions will be based on a \u201cnumbers game\u201d that focuses on meeting regulatory spending targets rather than the needs of students.\r\nThird, most communities will not have the option of raising spending to comply with the NPRM. Therefore, because staff salaries are by far the largest cost within LEAs, the NPRM will force LEAs to transfer teachers out of their current schools to other schools chosen by the district. This will force many LEAs to violate collective bargaining agreements. But more importantly, it will likely exacerbate existing teacher shortage crises and in some cases force LEAs to place less effective teachers in higher need schools. Driving staffing decisions by arbitrary compliance requirements will harm low-income students.\r\nFourth, the NPRM ignores the reality of how certain costs critical to school operations, such as costs for school construction, transportation, and employee benefits and pensions, are accounted for by districts. The NPRM would force \u201calmost all\u201d state and local funds to be allocated directly to the school level, making it impossible for districts to reserve funds for these important functions. We are not aware of any LEAs that currently distribute \u201calmost all\u201d state and local funds to the school level \u2013 thus, this NPRM would drastically upset how local schools finance these costs.\r\nIt is unfortunate that, once again, the Department has refused to adhere to the letter and intent of the law, or listen to the many stakeholders who helped shape ESSA, are responsible for implementing the new law, and have already articulated the problems this NPRM would create. Congress will do everything in its power to ensure that this proposed rule never becomes final.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\u00a0\r\n# # #\r\n\u00a0\r\nFor access to this release and Chairman Alexander\u2019s other statements, click here. \r\n\u00a0\r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\n[2] S. Rep. No. 114-231 (2015).\r\n\r\n\r\n[3] Sch. Dist. of Pontiac v. Sec'y of the United States Dep't of Educ., 512 F.3d 252 (6th\u00a0Cir. 2008).\r\n\r\n\r\n[4] Robert Gordon, More Equity and Less Red Tape: Rethinking the Comparability Provisions in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Center for American Progress, October 2008, Page 4.\r\n\r\n\r\n[5] Melissa Junge and Sheara Krvaric, How the Supplement-Not-Supplant Requirement Can Work Against the Policy Goals of Title I: A Case for Using Title I, Part A, Education Funds More Effectively and Efficiently, Center for American Progress and American Enterprise Institute, March 2012, Page 19.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/urgent-information?ContentRecord_id=C31F33AB-252A-4AB1-B515-133BA10FD25B", "Click read more for information about the 58th Presidential Inauguration.", "2016-11-01", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", 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