{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"TN\" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=2F6524F3-0877-4182-B9E4-E404C65B4F87", "Corker Statement on National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month", "2017-12-29", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.  U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump proclaimed January 2018 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.\r\nWith the establishment of the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery and matching $25 million contributions from the U.S. and United Kingdom, 2017 was a historic year in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking but much more work remains, said Corker. I applaud the Trump administration, especially Ivanka Trump, for a continued focus on combatting this scourge on humanity both at home and abroad, and I remain committed to working with them to make this issue a priority in 2018.\r\nToday, in 2017, an estimated 27 million people are enslaved around the world. Thats more than at any time in history. More than two and a half years ago, with input from leading stakeholders and industry experts, Corker proposed a bold, bipartisan initiative to end modern slavery worldwide. Not unlike the role PEPFAR has played in fighting AIDS worldwide, the End Modern Slavery Initiative, which is now operating as the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery, was designed to leverage limited foreign aid dollars and galvanize tremendous support and investment from the public sector, philanthropic organizations and the private sector to focus resources responsibly where the crime is most prevalent. In September, both the U.S. and the United Kingdom announced matching $25 million contributions to the fund.\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=64439F22-ED11-46CE-8940-9A1CC8F63FE9", "Corker Statement on Passing of Fletcher Bright", "2017-12-25", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.  U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the passing of prominent Chattanoogan Fletcher Bright.\r\nLike so many he knew, Fletcher had a big impact on me as a young man, and throughout life, said Corker. A gentleman, a pilot, a musician, and a businessman, he kept a balance and a steadiness that made you feel calm in times of stress. We will all miss him and hope to carry some of him with us to share with others.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/op-ed-recipe-healthy-holidays", "OP-ED: Recipe for Healthy Holidays", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "December 22, 2017\n\nBy: Mrs. Brenda Fleischmann\n\nRecipe for Healthy Holidays\n\nThe holiday season is in full swing, which means parties, indulgent meals and busy schedules\u2014not exactly the ingredients for healthy living. Eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and doing regular physical activity are important to your overall health and can reduce your risk of cancer. Unfortunately, these aren't always priorities, especially this time of year. Let's change that. This year, mix in new traditions focused on wellness. Here are a few ideas to get you started on your own recipe for healthy holidays.\n\nGive health and fitness gifts. You might expect a \"Bah! Humbug!\" from recipients of these gifts, but put thought into what each of your family members and friends would appreciate. Whether it's a new yoga mat for your best friend, a basketball for your niece or nephew, a fitness tracker for your brother or sister, or a gym membership for your partner, your gift can provide extra motivation to loved ones for a healthy start to the new year. On a budget? Give \"fitness date\" coupons to be shared by you and a loved one.\n\nOrganize family (or workplace) outings that revolve around activities rather than food. Run or walk a 5K race, take a stroll around the neighborhood to see the festive lights or volunteer at a food bank together. If your office hosts a holiday gathering, suggest an activity, such as bowling or ice skating, rather than a party centered on food.\n\nBring a salad or vegetable to your holiday meal. Casseroles and desserts are never in short supply at potluck dinners, so make sure plenty of vegetables and salads make it to the table too.\n\nPlan your workouts and meals ahead of time. The family calendar is hectic this time of year. Schedule your workouts in advance so they are part of your routine. Meal planning and prepping on the weekend can help you make smarter choices throughout the week.\n\nYou might not be able to resist your office cookie exchange or give up the family movie marathon after dinner, but moderation is key. By making your health a priority this season, you'll have many more holidays ahead of you to celebrate. To learn more ways you can reduce your cancer risk, visit preventcancer.org.\n\nBrenda Fleischmann is a member of the Prevent Cancer Foundation's Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program, and the spouse of U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=520477F1-C01D-41A7-AC6B-8793F58DF789", "Alexander: Senate Confirms Four New Members of TVA Board of Directors", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, December 22,2017 United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the Senate confirmed four of President Trumps nominees  including Jeff Smith of Tennesseeto the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors.\r\n\r\nIm glad the Senate confirmed these nominations so the new board members can get to work at the nations largest public utility,Alexander said.Each of these nominees understands that TVA must continue to provide cheap, clean, reliable electricity for homes and businesses throughout the seven-state Tennessee Valley region. I appreciate the president selecting such well-qualified nominees, and I look forward to working with them in the coming years.\r\n\r\nOne of the four nominees confirmed was Tennessean Jeff Smith.AlexanderintroducedSmith athis confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in November,saying that because of his expertise in nuclear energy,his background in management of a large facility and his understanding of large construction projects, he will make an excellent TVA board member. President TrumpannouncedSmiths nomination in September.\r\nSen. Alexander and Sen. Corker recommended Mr. Smith, who is the Deputy Lab Director for Operations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, because of his background in nuclear energy. Oak Ridge National Laboratory employs nearly 5,000 people and has a budget of $1.4 billion. Mr. Smith, who is a resident of East Tennessee, will bring his experience to the nations largest public utility which has an annual budget of over $10 billion and employs more than 10,000 people.\r\nKenneth E. Allen of Kentucky, James R. Thompson III of Alabama, and A.D. Frazier of Georgia were also confirmed to serve on the TVA board.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=5582A20D-E925-41FE-AA89-946835D7EECD", "Alexander: Senate Confirms Four New Members of TVA Board of Directors", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, December 22,2017 United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the Senate confirmed four of President Trumps nominees  including Jeff Smith of Tennesseeto the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors.\r\n\r\nIm glad the Senate confirmed these nominations so the new board members can get to work at the nations largest public utility,Alexander said.Each of these nominees understands that TVA must continue to provide cheap, clean, reliable electricity for homes and businesses throughout the seven-state Tennessee Valley region. I appreciate the president selecting such well-qualified nominees, and I look forward to working with them in the coming years.\r\n\r\nOne of the four nominees confirmed was Tennessean Jeff Smith.AlexanderintroducedSmith athis confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in November,saying that because of his expertise in nuclear energy,his background in management of a large facility and his understanding of large construction projects, he will make an excellent TVA board member. President TrumpannouncedSmiths nomination in September.\r\nSen. Alexander and Sen. Corker recommended Mr. Smith, who is the Deputy Lab Director for Operations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, because of his background in nuclear energy. Oak Ridge National Laboratory employs nearly 5,000 people and has a budget of $1.4 billion. Mr. Smith, who is a resident of East Tennessee, will bring his experience to the nations largest public utility which has an annual budget of over $10 billion and employs more than 10,000 people.\r\nKenneth E. Allen of Kentucky, James R. Thompson III of Alabama, and A.D. Frazier of Georgia were also confirmed to serve on the TVA board.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=9DAEFCD2-CBE3-41BD-A74F-2A1F8E9D7F26", "Alexander: Senate Sends to President Legislation Honoring Important Civil Rights Sites", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, December 22,2017U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the Senate has sent President Trump legislation to be signed into law thatwill recognize and connect important landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement, including two potential sites in Memphis. Alexander said the legislation will preserve history for the next generation.\r\n\r\nThe African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017 will help recognize and preserve as part of our national history sites that are central to the Civil Rights Movement, such as Memphis Mason Temple, the Church of God in Christ, and the Lorraine Hotel, Alexander said. This network will ensure the Civil Rights Movement remains at the front of our history and will help our children grow up learning about this pivotal movement. I'm glad the Senate passed this legislation, and I look forward to President Trump signing this legislation into law.\"\r\nThe African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017 would create a national network facilitated by the National Park Service of existing federal, state, local and privately owned sites that have been found to be significant to the Civil Rights Movement. Two sites in Memphisthe Mason Temple, Church of God in Christ, and the Lorraine Hotelare on the tentative list of sites that could be included in the African American Civil Rights Network. The legislation would allow the National Park Service to form partnerships with existing entities included within the African American Civil Rights Network to provide technical assistance on preservation and interpretation of the Civil Rights Movement. The Senate passed the legislation last night, and Alexanderwas the lead Republican cosponsor of the Senate version of the legislation. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislationon July 26.The legislation now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=AECD48E5-95E2-4F68-BB16-5DA1D32DC4C8", "Alexander: Senate Confirms Experienced Education and Labor Nominees Approved by Senate HELP Committee", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 22, 2017United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, released the following statements on the Senates confirmation last night of President Trumps nominees to serve in the administration:\r\n\r\nOn Johnny Collettto serve as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Education Department, Alexander said:Mr. Collett, who has served as a special education teacher and as Director of the Division of Learning Services at the Kentucky Department of Education, is uniquely qualified to serve as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and I congratulate him on being confirmed by the Senate.\r\nOn Kate OScannlain to serve as Solicitor, Department of Labor, Alexander said:I look forward to working with Ms. OScannlain to ensure there is a clear understanding of what is law and what is guidance. I congratulate Ms. OScannlain on her confirmation by the Senate.\r\nOn Preston Rutledge to serve asAssistant Secretary for the Employee Benefits Security Administration, Alexander said:Mr. Rutledge will have the important job of protecting hard-working Americans who participate in employee pension and welfare benefit plans, and I look forward to working with him.\r\nThe Senate also confirmedKatherine Brunett McGuire as assistant secretary of Labor for congressional and intergovernmental affairs, andDouglas Webster as the Department of Education's chief financial officer.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=1FC8B991-006E-49D1-9E4B-B937D217990F", "Corker Statement on Senate Confirmation of TVA Board Nominees", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.  U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed four nominees, including Jeffrey Smith of Tennessee, to serve on the nine-member board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).\r\nWith over 9 million customers, TVA is the largest public power utility in the nation, and it is critical for the Tennessee Valley that it remains a low-cost, reliable producer of electricity, not only for ratepayers but also for our states business recruitment efforts, said Corker. The diverse backgrounds of these nominees give them the necessary qualifications to support TVAs important mission, and I am pleased the Senate has acted swiftly to confirm them.\r\nLast month, Corker introduced Jeffrey Smith at a Senate Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee hearing on his nomination, saying: I am confident that Jeff understands the needs of the Tennessee Valley and believe he will bring valuable experience to the TVA board.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/release-fleischmann-emergency-disaster-aid-package", "RELEASE: Fleischmann on the Emergency Disaster Aid Package", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) issued the following statement in support of H.R. 4667,the Emergency Disaster Aid Package:\n\n\"Wildfires continue to burn hundreds of thousands of acres across the Californian terrain, and the results of relentless flooding from storms Harvey, Irma, and Maria reduced neighborhoods throughout Texas and the southern United States to ruins, leaving Americans with no place to call home this holiday season. This is a heartbreaking reality for thousands of families, and while emergency agencies have been working tirelessly to provide assistance since these tragedies occurred, there is still a great deal of work that remains.\n\nToday, the House passed $81 billion in FY18 emergency funding. Of the $81 billion, $27.6 billion will be used to replenish the depleted funds for FEMA operations and the Disaster Relief Fund for all areas affected by hurricanes and wildfires. An additional $27.8 billion will go towards Transportation, Housing and Urban Development restoration of public transit and FAA facilities in conjunction with community relief efforts. $12.11 billion will be designated specifically to provide the Army Corps of Engineers with the means to assist Puerto Ricans in their efforts to rebuild.\n\nAs our fellow Americans continue to put pieces back together after the natural disasters of 2017, I am committed to do my part to help those in need.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/issues?ContentRecord_id=AFDE3BE4-6879-4017-BF3D-65D5187A4B00", "Letter from Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker to Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Home\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAbout\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tServices\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStudents\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCasework\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFlag Requests\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTennessee Delegation\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTennessee Resources\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVisiting DC\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLegislation\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPress Room\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tContact", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=050AF5BF-B9E3-44F2-B482-26DE927A03CD", "Alexander, Corker Urge Extension of Critical Medicare Payments for Rural Hospitals in Tennessee", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 21, 2017 United States Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) requesting the committee extend Medicare payments that are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee.\r\nWe are writing to request that you consider including an extension of the low-volume adjustment (LVA) for hospitals with offsets at the same rate the program was funded before its expiration on September 30, 2017, in the final health care extenders package. Medicare payments such as these are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee and it is important that Congress provide these facilities some certainty that future funding for this program will remain level,the senators wrote.\r\nTennessee hospitals would lose over $5.4 million in reimbursements over the next five years if the Senate Finance Committees proposed changes for eligibility become law, according to the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA). The Tennessee senators said it is important that Medicare funding is included in the final health care extenders packages because these payments are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee.\r\nThe full text of the letter is below, and a link is availablehere.\r\nDecember 21, 2017\r\nDear Chairman Hatch:\r\nWe are writing to request that you consider including an extension of the low-volume adjustment (LVA) for hospitals with offsets at the same rate the program was funded before its expiration on September 30, 2017, in the final health care extenders package. Medicare payments such as these are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee and it is important that Congress provide these facilities some certainty that future funding for this program will remain level.\r\nThe Senate Finance Committees discussion draft released in October includes a five-year extension of the LVA, but also makes changes to the eligibility threshold for the payment adjustment. According to the Tennessee Hospital Association, this proposal would result in a nearly $5.4 million reduction in reimbursements for Tennessee hospitals over the next five years when compared to pre-expiration funding. Hospitals in rural Tennessee serve as job creators and economic engines in communities, and our state has seen eight hospitals close in recent years.\r\nAs you continue negotiations on other health care extender policies, we hope you will consider extending this program at pre-expiration levels to give our rural hospitals stability so they can make long-term, financial decisions to serve the best interests of their patients and communities.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=A57CF0A5-E1C1-4FCD-A110-B4206AA29C92", "Alexander, Hatch to Introduce Songwriters Legislation Early Next Year", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 21, 2017  U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today said the Senate will introduce legislation early next year that would help songwriters receive fair market compensation for their creative works and also improve an outdated music licensing process for digital music companies. U.S. Representatives Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY) introduced legislation today in the House of Representatives that takes the first step toward this goal.\r\nSongwriters are the lifeblood of Music City, and their paychecks ought to be based on the fair market value of their songs  so that when they write a hit heard around the world, you can see it in their billfolds, Alexander said. We intend to introduce legislation that we have been working on for months to help songwriters receive fair market compensation early next year, and we will be including in our legislation many of the same provisions that were in the House bill introduced today.\r\nI congratulate my House colleagues on introducing legislation today to bring our music licensing system into the 21st Century, Hatch said. Our outdated rules for collecting and distributing music royalties have failed to keep pace with the digital revolution. As a result, music streaming companies face uncertain legal obligations, and many songwriters and other artists are not compensated fairly for their work. Ive been working closely with Senator Alexander on companion legislation here in the Senate to fix these problems and look forward to introducing our legislation early in the new year. We need a music licensing system that works, and our bill will help create such a system.\r\nIn 2015, Alexander and Hatch introduced the Songwriter Equity Act, legislation that would have allowed songwriters to receive market-based compensation and remove government price controls in two ways:\r\n \r\nFirst, it would have directed the Copyright Royalty Board to set compensation according to the fair market value when songs are sold, such as through music downloads and CD purchases, replacing the current below-market standard.\r\n \r\n \r\nSecond, it would have removed a provision of law that narrows the scope of evidence the federal rate court may examine when asked to set songwriter compensation for when their song is played, such as in a restaurant or at a concert.\r\n \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=AE51C209-723A-4915-8463-2820074A2AA6", "Corker, Alexander Urge Extension of Critical Medicare Payments for Rural Hospitals in Tennessee", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) requesting the committee extend Medicare payments that are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee.\r\nWe are writing to request that you consider including an extension of the low-volume adjustment (LVA) for hospitals with offsets at the same rate the program was funded before its expiration on September 30, 2017, in the final health care extenders package. Medicare payments such as these are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee and it is important that Congress provide these facilities some certainty that future funding for this program will remain level, the senators wrote.\r\nTennessee hospitals would lose over $5.4 million in reimbursements over the next five years if the Senate Finance Committees proposed changes for eligibility become law, according to the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA). The Tennessee senators said it is important that Medicare funding is included in the final health care extenders packages because these payments are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee.\r\nFull text of the letter is included below and available here.\r\nDecember 21, 2017\r\nDear Chairman Hatch:\r\nWe are writing to request that you consider including an extension of the low-volume adjustment (LVA) for hospitals with offsets at the same rate the program was funded before its expiration on September 30, 2017, in the final health care extenders package. Medicare payments such as these are critical to small, rural hospitals in Tennessee and it is important that Congress provide these facilities some certainty that future funding for this program will remain level.\r\nThe Senate Finance Committees discussion draft released in October includes a five-year extension of the LVA, but also makes changes to the eligibility threshold for the payment adjustment. According to the Tennessee Hospital Association, this proposal would result in a nearly $5.4 million reduction in reimbursements for Tennessee hospitals over the next five years when compared to pre-expiration funding. Hospitals in rural Tennessee serve as job creators and economic engines in communities, and our state has seen eight hospitals close in recent years.\r\nAs you continue negotiations on other health care extender policies, we hope you will consider extending this program at pre-expiration levels to give our rural hospitals stability so they can make long-term, financial decisions to serve the best interests of their patients and communities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=CAF15CA6-5CA2-4260-BEEA-DB1F2FE6B4A0", "Corker Pushes Back on False Reports About Why He Supported Tax Reform", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  In an interview with host Brian Kilmeade on Fox & Friends today, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) pushed back against false reports about why he supported tax reform. Corker is not a member of the tax-writing committee and had no involvement in crafting the legislation. He requested no specific tax provisions throughout the months-long debate and had no knowledge of the pass-through provision in question. Corker said he supported the legislation because our country will be better off with it than without it.\r\nHas Senator Corker been a victim of the fake news trend just like President Trump that many people thought was just a slogan? Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the [Senate Foreign Relations Committee], and Id have to say one of the most respected on both sides of the aisle in the Senate chamber. Senator, what is the Corker kickback? asked Kilmeade.\r\nLook, this is a travesty that something like this would be put forth,said Corker.The fact is this was a provision that came from the House of Representatives. Brian, Ive had zero impact on a word of the tax policy. Ive focused on deficits. The reporter that wrote about this knew I was unaware of the provision. I sat down with [Senate] leadership on Thursday and walked through the differences between the House and Senate bill... and this was not a provision that was even brought up. The reporter calls. He knows Im unaware of [the provision] and then all of a sudden turns it around as if this had some impact on a decision that I had already made.\r\nCorker also discussed the call he had with President Trump on Tuesday and said he now understands what the president has been facing in regards to false reporting.\r\nThe president called yesterday. We had a warm conversation about numbers of issues, continued Corker. I told him that I had a healthy respect for the media. I deal with them all the time and, you know, to attack the media has not been something Ive done. But I had a newfound empathy for him in watching how a totally debunked story  debunked by everybody involved. Orrin Hatch, Kevin Brady, the guys that actually wrote this bill knew I had nothing whatsoever to do with it All of a sudden, people I respect in the news media  New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post  start printing this as if its true [and] a social media phenomenon generates from this. And I've never, ever used in my life the words fake news until today, but I actually understand what it is the president has been dealing with.\r\nBrian, I think its difficult for people to understand that when you make a decision on these big, big votes, youve got to decide is the country better off with this or not? And youve got to make a decision based on all the facts you have. Look, Ive been very concerned about deficits here in our country. I think people know that. Theres no doubt that over a $43 trillion revenue base over the next ten years theres the possibility of a $500 billion gap. But at the end of the day, to cause our companies to be competitive around the world, to keep companies from locating in other places, to continue to build on this dynamism that we have here in our nation, I felt like this was the right thing to do,concluded Corker.\r\nOver the weekend, a left-leaning website published a report by a former press secretary for Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) questioning the senators support for tax reform. The accusations have been debunked by those who wrote the legislation, includingSenate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who said the assertions are categorically false.\r\nIt takes a great deal of imagination  and likely no small amount of partisanship  to argue that a provision that has been public for over a month, debated on the floor of the House of Representatives, included in a House-passed bill, and identified by JCT as an issue requiring a compromise between conferees is somehow a covert and last-minute addition to the conference report,Hatch wrote in aletterto Corker.\r\nHouse Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas)also refuted the accusations,saying he and conferees in the House pushed for the provision in question and that the claim that Senator Corker had anything to do with it, in my view, is baloney.\r\nSenator John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate tax-writing committee who was intricately involved in crafting the legislation, said: A left-wing website masquerading as a legitimate news outlet led by a former staffer of the junior senator from Vermont, published what it advertised as a breaking news story about the final bill. This story breathlessly claimed that, without a shred of evidence, that a provision had been air-dropped into the final draft in secret in order to secure the vote of a member who would supposedly personally benefit from it. This was a salacious tale from beginning to end. It was also completely false and invented. What the whole purpose of this exercise was, this false and invented story, is to undermine public confidence in this tax reform package that we will pass perhaps as early as tomorrow and be signed by the president before Christmas. Some of our friends on the other side of the aisle and their allies in the so-called mainstream media ran with it in a dishonest attempt to derail us from passing the bill and undermine the reputation for integrity of one of our fellow senators.\r\nBut what we saw happen this weekend, as I said, would have made a Russian intelligence officer proud,Cornyn continued.Shame on those who would perpetuate lies in an effort to deny the American people a much-needed tax cut and tax relief.\r\nClickhereto read Senator Corkers statement on his support for tax reform.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://duncan.house.gov/media/press-releases/duncan-statement-tax-bill-passage", "Duncan Statement on Tax Bill Passage", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "John Duncan", "D000533", "duncan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that passed today, a typical median income family of four will receive a tax cut of $2,059. The overwhelming majority of those who pay federal income taxes will get a cut under this bill.\nAnother major goal of this bill is to try to encourage companies to stay in the U.S. or re-locate here.  To accomplish this we had to lower our corporate tax rate which was one of the highest in the world.  This bill was not about trying to help billionaires - they dont need any help. \nWe have far too many college graduates who are working as waiters and waitresses or are under-employed in other ways. This will help college graduates and others have a better chance to get higher-paying jobs.\nI also was pleased that this bill doubled the Child Tax Credit and eliminated the Obamacare health insurance mandate in 2019. Over 80% of this mandate was placed on people making less than $50,000 a year.\nNo other bill in the Congress will do more to help keep jobs in this Country. Not only does this bill simplify our tax code, it provides much relief to the working families in East Tennessee.\nWhile no bill is perfect, this legislation goes a long way toward leaving money in the private sector where it will continue to encourage economic growth.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=14FE9E1D-4744-46EA-9823-B1CF1886E074", "Alexander: Senate Votes to Reduce Taxes for Most Tennessee Families", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A family of four making a little over $70,000 a year will save more than $2,000 on their taxes, and a single mother making $41,000 a year will see a $1,300, or 73 percent, reduction in her taxes\r\nWASHINGTON, December 20, 2017U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement about the tax bill passed by the Senate:\r\nThis bill will reduce taxes for most Tennessee families and will grow the economy by making business taxes competitive with the rest of the world. It nearly doubles the standard deduction and doubles the child tax credit.A family of four making a little over $70,000 a year will save more than $2,000 on their taxes, and a single mother making $41,000 a year will see a $1,300, or 73 percent, reduction in her taxes.\r\nThose making $100,000 or more today pay 78 percent of federal taxes, and after this bill is signed into law, will pay slightly more.\r\nToday, the U.S. Senate voted 51 to 48 in favor ofthe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act  legislation agreed to by the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senate passed its tax reform bill onDecember 2.The House of Representatives passed its own version of the legislation on November 16.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=24821496-73E1-4B1F-A2EC-A4EB9461DCAB", "Alexander, Collins Statement on Bills to Lower Health Insurance Premiums", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 20, 2017United States Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today jointly released the following statement:\r\nRather than considering a broad year-end funding agreement as we expected, it has become clear that Congress will only be able to pass another short-term extension to prevent a government shutdown and to continue a few essential programs,said the Senators.For this reason, we have asked Senator McConnell not to offer this week our legislation which independent analysts Avalere and Oliver-Wyman say would reduce premiums by about 20 percent for the 9 million Americans who have no government subsidies to help them buy insurance in the individual market. Instead, we will offer it after the first of the year when the Senate will consider the omnibus spending bill, the Childrens Health Insurance Program reauthorization, funding for Community Health Centers, and other legislation that was to have been enacted this week.\r\nAlso, in order to succeed, our legislation must be bipartisan, andthe Senate Democratic leader said on Tuesday that Democrats would not support it in the current environment even though as recently as October he said that all Democrats would.\r\nThere is every reason to believe that these important provisions can and will be delivered as part of a bipartisan agreement.And Majority Leader McConnell has told us that he will uphold his commitment to schedule and support the legislation.\r\nAmericans with no government subsidy for health insurance have seen their premiums more than double on average over the last five years, making health care unaffordable for millions of people. The Alexander-Murray legislation,which funds cost-sharing payments and gives states more authority to reduce rates,was introduced by 24 senators, half Democrats and half Republicans. The Collins-Nelson risk pool proposal was supported by almost every witness who came before the Senate's health committee during our four hearings on stabilizing the individual market. President Trump and Majority Leader McConnell support these bipartisan bills. And House Republicans voted for similar proposals earlier this year in their repeal and replace bill. Earlier, the Senate Democraticleader said that every Senate Democrat would vote for it.\r\nSenator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) added:It looks like the Christmas present of lower health insurance premiums will now have to be a Valentines Day present. It is hard to add our bills to a year-end package that does not yet exist. I am grateful to Senator Collins for her strong and steady leadership and to the 22 other Senate Democrats and Republicans who have cosponsored legislation to help drive down these intolerable insurance premium increases. I am confident that after the first of the year members of both houses will be eager to include our legislation in what was to have been the year-end package of bills.\r\nSenator Susan Collins (R-Maine) added: I appreciate the thoughtful and bipartisan effort that Chairman Alexander has led in the Senate health committee, and I look forward to working alongside him and Ranking Member Murray to enact these bipartisan bills and help make health insurance more affordable.This afternoon Speaker Paul Ryan called me and said that the House remains committed to passing legislation to provide for high-risk pools and other reinsurance mechanisms similar to the bipartisan legislation I have introduced. He pointed out that by waiting until early next year, we will be able to use a new CBO baseline that will result in more funding being available for reinsurance programs that have been proven effective in lowering premiums while protecting people with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.\r\nOn background:\r\n \r\nIn a December 9 report,Oliver Wyman saidof the package, We estimate that with $5 billion in funding, states collectively could provide more than $15 billion in reinsurance coverage, and that this, combined with the funding of CSRs, would result in another 700,000 people with coverage in the individual market and premiums that were more than 20% lower than if the individual mandate were repealed and the package of provisions was not implemented.\r\nOn December 6,Avalere said,In combination, CSR funding and $5B in annual reinsurance could lower 2019 premiums by 18% and increase enrollment by 1.3M people.\r\nIn a December 15 letter to the senators,the National Association of Insurance Commissioners said,Providing reliable federal funding to reimburse health insurance carriers for the Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) program assistance they give to low-income consumers and grants for states to establish invisible high risk pools or reinsurance programs would reduce premium increases as much as 20% and could encourage some carriers to stay in the market. Such funding is not a bailout for insurers as some have argued, but rather goes directly to improving the availability and affordability of health insurance for our most financially vulnerable consumers.\r\nIn August, thenonpartisan Congressional Budget Office saidthat cost-sharing reduction payments are terminated, premiums for silver plans offered through the marketplaces would be 20percent higher in 2018 and 25 percent higher by 2020.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=6D6215B2-A057-4377-8E6E-D1091C566739", "Alexander: Senate Votes to Reduce Taxes for Most Tennessee Families", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Says bill will double the child tax credit and nearly double the standard deduction, make business taxes competitive\r\n\r\nA family of four making a little over $70,000 a year will save more than $2,000 on their taxes, and a single mother making $41,000 a year will see a $1,300, or 73 percent, reduction in her taxes\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, December 20, 2017U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement about the tax bill passed by the Senate:\r\n\r\nThis bill will reduce taxes for most Tennessee families and will grow the economy by making business taxes competitive with the rest of the world. It nearly doubles the standard deduction and doubles the child tax credit.A family of four making a little over $70,000 a year will save more than $2,000 on their taxes, and a single mother making $41,000 a year will see a $1,300, or 73 percent, reduction in her taxes.\r\n\r\nThose making $100,000 or more today pay 78 percent of federal taxes, and after this bill is signed into law, will pay slightly more.\r\nToday, the U.S. Senate voted 51 to 48 in favor ofthe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act  legislation agreed to by the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senate passed its tax reform bill onDecember 2.The House of Representatives passed its own version of the legislation on November 16.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/release-fleischmann-votes-final-passage-hr1-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act", "RELEASE: Fleischmann Votes for Final Passage of H.R.1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014 Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) released the following statement upon the passage of the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:\n\n\"The last time Americans witnessed tax reform was 1986, and I am proud to have voted to change that today,\" said Congressman Fleischmann. \"This legislation demonstrates what can happen when Members work in a bicameral fashion toward one common goal- tax relief for families, workers, and businesses. I commend the leadership of Chairman Brady and the tireless work from Members of the Conference Committee, and look forward to seeing this legislation on the President's desk.\"\n\nIn detail, the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will:\n\nIncrease the standard deduction to $12,000 for single files, $18,000 for heads of household, and $24,000 for joint filers.\n\nSimplify the Corporate Tax Rate to a single-rate, 21 percent income tax.\n\nExpand the Child Tax Credit to $2,000.\n\nRepeal Obamacare Individual Mandate Penalty.\n\n*Information courtesy of TaxFoundation.org\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kustoff-statement-house-passage-tax-reform", "Rep. Kustoff on Final Passage of Tax Reform", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) today released the following statement after the House and Senate passed the conference report to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1). This bill will now be delivered to President Donald J. Trump's desk for his signature.\n\n\"This is a historic moment for hard-working West Tennesseans as we cut taxes at every income level,\" said Congressman Kustoff. \"Tax reform is heading to President Trump's desk for his signature, which will grow the American economy and lead to better jobs and bigger paychecks in 2018. When our bill becomes law, the average family of four making a median income will see a tax cut of at least $2,000. Finally, our tax code will benefit the American people and not Washington special interests.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398264", "Roe Votes to Cut Taxes for East Tennesseans", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the House passed the conference report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:\r\nAn overhaul of our tax code hasnt occurred in 31 years. Today, the House seized a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide tax relief to every American family and business. Im very proud of the work done by the House and Senate, especially considering the tax relief the First District will see from this commonsense, pro-growth package. This bill is a win for East Tennesseans, and the proof will be in Tennesseans paychecks.\r\nThe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers individual rates for every American. Already, 85 percent of East Tennesseans take the standard deduction, so by nearly doubling the standard deduction to $12,000 for individuals and to $24,000 for families, even more East Tennesseans will be able to file their taxes on a simplified form. This bill will double the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000 to help with the cost of raising children, and provides relief from the death tax that hurts family-owned farms and businesses. In addition, Im very pleased we were successful in protecting Americans from Obamacare by repealing the individual mandate penalty tax so families can decide what health insurance works best for them.\r\nIn addition to the tax relief we are providing to individuals and families, we are making our countrys business tax climate far more competitive to incentivize businesses to invest in jobs right here at home. By lowering the corporate and small business tax rates, we are helping grow our economy. These are just a few of the many provisions in this tax relief bill that will benefit all Americans.\r\nI am excited about what tax reform will do to boost the economy in the First District and around the country, and I look forward to seeing our president sign this bill into law.\r\nNote: The U.S. House of Representatives passed its tax reform legislation on November 16, and the U.S. Senate passed its tax reform bill on December 2. The conference committee released the conference report on December 13, which reconciled the differences between the House and Senate bill.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=E73BCA99-506B-4BE1-988F-E69CF7D851DB", "Alexander Urges Unanimous Support For Lankford Proposal to Make the Senate Function Better", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Says the Senate needs a change in behavior more than a change in rules\r\nWASHINGTON, December 19 United StatesSenator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today urged his colleagues to support a proposal by Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) that would reinstate a bipartisan standing order adopted in 2013 to reduce the amount of post cloture debate on some nominations. \r\nThis is what we are talking about today: Functioning as an institutionmaking the Senate work. We claim the Senate is unique but that is only true if it works.Sen.Lankfords proposal is modest because it would reinstate a bipartisan Standing Order that we adopted for two years, 2013 and 2014, Alexander said. This is an opportunity to reinstate the practice of changing the rules of the Senate according to the rules.Continuing to ignore the rules will lead to ending the filibuster on legislation and destroy the uniqueness of the Senate.\r\nAlexander spoke today at the Senate Rules Committee hearing on a proposal by Senator Lankford that would reduce the post cloture debate time on most of the presidents executive branch and judicial nominees. The proposal would not change the post cloture debate time on nominees to the Supreme Court, circuit court and the presidents cabinet.\r\nLankfords proposal would require 60 votes to pass the U.S. Senate. \r\nAlexanders full remarks are below:\r\nAfter the 1980 elections, Democrat Sen. Robert C. Byrd suddenly became Minority Leader of the Senate and Republican Howard Baker became the Majority Leader.\r\nBaker said to Byrd, Bob, Ill never know the rules as well as you do. Lets make a deal. I wont surprise you if you wont surprise me. Byrd said, Let me think about it.\r\nThe next day Byrd said yes and they managed the Senate for four more years. I have heard Sen. Leahy say that it was one of the best, if not the best, times the Senate functioned as an institution.\r\nThat is what we are talking about today: Functioning as an institutionmaking the Senate work.\r\nWe claim the Senate is unique but that is only true if it works.\r\nSen. Lankfords proposal is modest because it would reinstate a bi-partisan Standing Order that we adopted for two years, 2013 and 2014.\r\nHis proposal is important because it would reinstate the practice of changing our rules according to the rules.\r\nI hope that the committee will unanimously recommend Lankfords proposal to the full Senate.\r\nI want to say three things about the proposal:\r\nFirst, it is the same proposal that we adopted in January 2013 by a bipartisan vote of 78 to 16. \r\nIt is true that then it took 60 votes to end debate on a nomination and later that year Democrats used the nuclear option to be able to invoke cloture on nominations with a majority vote.\r\nBut that was not really a change in practice because throughout the Senates history presidential nominees were almost always approved by majority vote.\r\nEven when the rules permitted it, cloture was never once used to block the nomination of a Cabinet member or a federal district judge.\r\nThe only time it was used to block a Supreme Court Justice was in 1968 in a strange episode involving Abe Fortas. Cloture was never used to block a Circuit Judge until Democrats blocked nominees of George W. Bush in 2003. \r\nThe point is, the custom has always been that presidential nominations are decided by a majority vote. So, by custom and by rule, Sen. Lankfords proposal is the same as the 2013 Standing Order.\r\nSecond, this is an opportunity to reinstate the practice of changing the rules of the Senate according to the rules. That is, by securing 67 votes if changing the Standing Rules and 60 votes if passing a new standing order.\r\nEach party has demonstrated we know how to do it the wrong way. The problem with that, as Sen. Carl Levin has said, is that a Senate in which a majority can change the rules anytime it wants is a Senate without rules.\r\nContinuing to ignore the rules will lead to ending the filibuster on legislation and destroy the uniqueness of the Senate. \r\nIn Sen. Byrds last speech, which was before this committee in 2010, he implored us never ever, ever to get rid of the filibuster. It is, he said, the guardian of minority rights and an essential engine for consensus.\r\nThird, the Senate needs a change in behavior more than a change in rules.\r\nWe changed rules in 2012 and 2013 to make it easier for President Obama and his successors.\r\nWe eliminated secret holds, required 72 hours to review legislation, made 373 nominations privileged, eliminated confirmation of 163 major positions and eliminated the need to confirm 3163 noncontroversial positions.\r\nWe adopted several measures to speed up the motion to proceed and shortened post-cloture debate.\r\nStill, since then the nuclear option has been used twice. Unnecessary obstruction is commonplace today. There is always one senator who can find a way to make the place not work well.\r\nThe change in behavior we need boils down to one word: restraint. Sens. Baker and Byrd were successful because senators did not insist on using every right and prerogative.\r\nMotions to proceed and unanimous consent requests were routinely granted. Senators didnt block other senators amendments; they simply voted against them. Presidential nominations were almost never blocked by requiring a cloture vote.\r\nLast summer, a Supreme Court Justice was asked how justices are able to get along when they have such different philosophies and such controversial issues. The Justices reply was, each of us tries to remember that the constitution and the institution are more important than our own opinion.\r\nSen. Lankfords proposal is an opportunity to demonstrate that United States Senators can remember that the institution is more important than our own opinions.\r\nI hope we will unanimously recommend it to the full Senate.\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=876CC4D8-DBFC-4334-88B6-FD59AF909154", "Chairman Hatch Says Accusations in Report on Tax Reform Conference Provision \"Categorically False\"", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Below is a letter from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch in response to the letter Senator Corker sent late yesterday following false reporting over the weekend about his involvement in the tax reform legislation. The senator is not a member of the tax-writing committee and had no involvement in crafting the legislation. He requested no specific tax provisions throughout the months-long debate and had no knowledge of the pass-through provision in question.\r\n\r\nSenator Hatch notes that the two assertions contained in these reports are categorically false. He writes: It takes a great deal of imagination  and likely no small amount of partisanship  to argue that a provision that has been public for over a month, debated on the floor of the House of Representatives, included in a House-passed bill, and identified by JCT as an issue requiring a compromise between conferees is somehow a covert and last-minute addition to the conference report.\r\n****\r\nDecember 18, 2017    The Honorable Bob Corker   425 Senate Dirksen Office Building  Washington, D.C. 20510\r\n\r\nDear Chairman Corker,\r\n\r\nThank you for your letter dated yesterday.\r\n\r\nI am disgusted by press reports that have distorted one particular aspect of the conference agreement on H.R.1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The reports have focused on the final version of the 20 percent pass-through deduction, the proposed new Section 199A. As the author of this provision and the vice chairman of the conference committee, I can speak with authority about the process by which the conference committee reached its final position.\r\n\r\nThere are two false assertions contained in these reports, and I would like to correct the record on both.\r\n\r\nFirst, some have asserted that a new provision was crafted for real estate developers and was air-dropped into the conference agreement. Second, reports have implied that you had some role in advocating for or negotiating the inclusion of this provision.\r\n\r\nBoth assertions are categorically false. With respect to the second, I am unaware of any attempt by you or your staff to contact anyone on the conference committee regarding this provision or any related policy matter. To the contrary, virtually all the concerns you had raised in the past about the treatment of pass-through businesses in tax reform were to voice skepticism about the generosity of various proposals under consideration.\r\n\r\nThe first claim  that a new pass-through proposal was created out of whole cloth and inserted into the conference report  is an irresponsible and partisan assertion that is belied by the facts. For more than a year, tax-writers in the House and Senate have worked to craft legislation that not only provided relief for C corporations, but also delivered equitable treatment for pass-through businesses. Though the two chambers came at this issue from different angles, our goal was the same: To provide tax relief to pass-through businesses at a level similar to that provided to regular C corporations. This policy goal was confirmed in the Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code, which provided in part:\r\n\r\nTAX RATE STRUCTURE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES The framework limits the maximum tax rate applied to the business income of small and family owned businesses conducted as sole proprietorships, partnerships and S corporations to 25%. The framework contemplates that the committees will adopt measures to prevent the re-characterization of personal income into business income to prevent wealthy individuals from avoiding the top personal tax rate.\r\n\r\nThe House Ways Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee achieved this mutual goal by different means. Section 1004 of the House bill provided a special tax rate for pass-through income and included a prove-out option for capital-intensive businesses. Chairman Brady unveiled this approach on November 2nd, more than six weeks ago.\r\n\r\nThe Senate took a different approach, achieving the intended rate relief through a deduction patterned after current law Section 199. We also included measures to ensure that compensation could not be easily gamed into business income in order to qualify for the deduction. Similar to Section 199, the deduction in the Senate bill excluded compensation and guarantee payments to owners and was limited to 50 percent of compensation paid to employees, with an exception for small pass-through businesses, including service providers. The Senate bill did not include a prove-out option for capital-intensive businesses like the one contained in the House bill.\r\n\r\nThe Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), the non-partisan congressional scorekeeper for tax legislation, released a side-by-side summary of the two bills for conferees. That summary, dated December 7, 2017 and available on JCTs website (JCX 64-17), described the House position in part:\r\nIn the case of a capital-intensive business, a taxpayer may prove out a capital percentage by electing the application of an increased percentage for the taxable year it is made and each of the next four taxable years. The applicable percentage is determined by dividing (1) the specified return on capital for the activity for the taxable year, by (2) the taxpayers net business income derived from that activity for that taxable year.\r\n\r\nIt takes a great deal of imagination  and likely no small amount of partisanship  to argue that a provision that has been public for over a month, debated on the floor of the House of Representatives, included in a House-passed bill, and identified by JCT as an issue requiring a compromise between conferees is somehow a covert and last-minute addition to the conference report.\r\n\r\nI have sat on a number conference committees, too numerous to remember. In each case, conferees have come into the conference expecting to achieve their chambers position or negotiate a reasonable compromise. This conference committee was no exception. The House entered the conference with an interest in preserving, in some form, the prove-out alternative as an option for capital-intensive taxpayers. Through several rounds of negotiations, the House secured a version of their proposal that was consistent with the overall structure of the compromise.\r\n\r\nThe prove-out alternative included in the conference report was derived from the House provision and is the product of a negotiation between the House and Senate tax-writing committees. It is that simple.\r\n\r\nIf you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.\r\n\r\nVery Truly Yours,\r\n\r\nOrrin G. Hatch,\r\nChairman, Senate Finance Committee    Cc: The Honorable Kevin Brady, Chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means   The Honorable Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, United States Senate", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=6F9D4FDB-2DF1-4707-B02C-1C66271209D4", "Corker Seeks Information on Provision in Tax Reform Conference", "2017-12-17", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.  Following false reports over the weekend about his involvement in the tax reform legislation, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) wrote to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today seeking information about where the provision in question originated. The senator is not a member of the tax-writing committee and had no involvement in crafting the legislation. He requested no specific tax provisions throughout the monthslong debate and had no knowledge of the pass-through provision in question.\r\nText of the letter is available below.\r\nDear Chairman Hatch:\r\nI appreciate the fact that on Thursday, as the conferees were concluding their work and before the weekend began when Senate staffs and members were going through the tax bill in detail, that I was provided with a briefing on key provisions in the reconciled conference bill that were different than those of the Senate bill.\r\nYesterday afternoon, I received a call from a reporter asking about what he alleged to be a new provision in the legislation. The suggestion was that it was airdropped into the conference without prior consideration by either the House or the Senate. Since this issue has never been discussed with us by committee or Senate leadership, I went back through the bill in detail today.\r\nBeginning on page 25, line 3, there is a policy related to pass-through businesses and what is known as the alternative limitation on the deduction amount. My understanding from talking to leadership staff today is that a version of this provision was always in the House billfrom the Ways & Means markup, through House floor considerationand in reconciling the divergent House and Senate approaches to pass-through businesses this House approach stayed in the final conferenced version.\r\nBecause this issue has raised concerns, I would ask that that you provide an explanation of the evolution of this provision and how it made it into the final conference report. I think that because of many sensitivities, clarity on this issue is very important and hope that you will respond in an expeditious manner.\r\nThanks very much for your attention in this matter.\r\nSincerely,\r\nBob Corker\r\nU.S. Senator\r\ncc: \r\nChairman Kevin Brady\r\nLeader Mitch McConnell\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kustoff-statement-passing-bill-giannini", "Rep. Kustoff Statement on the Passing of Bill Giannini", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Memphis, Tennessee - U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) today released the following statement on the passing of Bill Giannini, former Chairman of the Shelby County Election Commission and the Republican Party of Shelby County.\n\n\"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my friend Bill Giannini,\" said Congressman Kustoff. \"From his time as Chairman of the Republican Party of Shelby County to Deputy Commissioner for Governor Haslam, Bill was a strong voice for the Volunteer State. We will never forget his humor and unmatched positivity. Roberta and I are grateful for our memories with Bill, and we will keep his family in our thoughts and prayers.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=23CA524B-448C-4497-9E2C-463757122918", "Alexander: NLRB Restores Path to American Dream for Americans Who Own 780,000 Franchise Locations", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, December 15 Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the decision by the National Labor Relations Board to overturn its Obama administration-era joint employer standard:\r\nThe Obama NLRBs decision changing the joint employer standard was the biggest attack on the opportunity for small businessmen and women to make their way into the middle class that anyone has seen in a long timethreatening to destroy the American Dream for owners of the nations 780,000 franchise locations. Our committee worked to confirm two board members this year with the goal of restoring fairness to the board, and todays decision by the Board in the Hy-Brand Industrial Contractors case is good news for all Americans.\r\nToday, in a decision on a case involving Hy-Brand Industrial Contractors, the NLRB returned to the joint employer standard that since 1984 required that for a business to be considered a joint employer, it must hold direct control over the terms and conditions of a workers employment.\r\nA decision by the Obama Administration NLRB on a separate case in 2015 changed the standard so that it took just indirect control over the employees terms and conditions of employment, or even unexercised potential to control working conditions to be a joint employer. That 2015 standard particularly hurt franchises. Companies could find it much more practical to own all their stores and restaurants and day care centers themselves, rather than encourage more franchisee-owned small businesses.\r\nAlexander has fought the boards joint employer decision since 2015, when he introduced legislation to overrule the decision. He has held hearings on the joint employer decision, and chairs the committee that oversaw confirmation of two new Republican board members and a new Labor Secretary.\r\nBackground:\r\n \r\nIn August 2015, the National Labor Relations Board (Board) issued its decision in Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) adopting a new joint employer standard under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).\r\n \r\n \r\nUnder that new standard, merely indirect control or even unexercised potential to control working conditions could make a franchisee and franchisor, or contractor and subcontractor, joint employers.\r\n \r\n \r\nIn November, the House passed the bipartisan Save Local Business Act to clarify what it means to be a joint employer under the NLRA and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Chairman Alexander urged the Senate to promptly pass such legislation.\r\n \r\n \r\nTodays decision by the Board returned to precedent well established for decades.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=AC0C2243-33F4-4A96-91D8-BE4EEA529982", "Alexander: NLRB Restores Path to American Dream for Americans Who Own 780,000 Franchise Locations", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NASHVILLE, December 15 Senate labor committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the decision by the National Labor Relations Board to overturn its Obama administration-era joint employer standard:\r\nThe Obama NLRBs decision changing the joint employer standard was the biggest attack on the opportunity for small businessmen and women to make their way into the middle class that anyone has seen in a long timethreatening to destroy the American Dream for owners of the nations 780,000 franchise locations. Our committee worked to confirm two board members this year with the goal of restoring fairness to the board, and todays decision by the Board in the Hy-Brand Industrial Contractors case is good news for all Americans.\r\nToday, in a decision on a case involving Hy-Brand Industrial Contractors, the NLRB returned to the joint employer standard that since 1984 required that for a business to be considered a joint employer, it must hold direct control over the terms and conditions of a workers employment.\r\nA decision by the Obama Administration NLRB on a separate case in 2015 changed the standard so that it took just indirect control over the employees terms and conditions of employment, or even unexercised potential to control working conditions to be a joint employer. That 2015 standard particularly hurt franchises. Companies could find it much more practical to own all their stores and restaurants and day care centers themselves, rather than encourage more franchisee-owned small businesses.\r\nAlexander has fought the boards joint employer decision since 2015, when he introduced legislation to overrule the decision. He has held hearings on the joint employer decision, and chairs the committee that oversaw confirmation of two new Republican board members and a new Labor Secretary.\r\nBackground:\r\n \r\nIn August 2015, the National Labor Relations Board (Board) issued its decision in Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) adopting a new joint employer standard under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).\r\nUnder that new standard, merely indirect control or even unexercised potential to control working conditions could make a franchisee and franchisor, or contractor and subcontractor, joint employers.\r\nIn November, the House passed the bipartisan Save Local Business Act to clarify what it means to be a joint employer under the NLRA and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Chairman Alexander urged the Senate to promptly pass such legislation.\r\nTodays decision by the Board returned to precedent well established for decades.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=C98936A6-2B07-48D1-9A66-20C42DFA8CE6", "Alexander: Congress, President Poised to Deliver Christmas Presents of Tax Cuts, Lower Cost Health Policies", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BRENTWOOD, Tennessee,December 15, 2017United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), in Middle Tennessee today, said Congress and President Trump are set to deliver Christmas presents to Tennessee families next week by reducing taxes and health care premiums.\r\nThis Christmas season is a good time for Congress to give Christmas presents to both taxpayers and hardworking Tennesseans who have been struggling to pay for skyrocketing insurance premiums,Alexander said. And thats exactly what Congress and President Trumpwill do when we passa legislative package that would lower premiums by 18 percent in 2019, according to Avalere,one of the leadinghealthcareconsultingfirms in the country. On top of that,according to the Congressional Budget Office, thispackagewould also mean fewer federal dollars for Obamacare subsidies, less federal debt,and no taxpayer money bailing out insurance companies.\r\n  \r\nAlexander continued, The legislative package would includea bill I  as chairman of the Senates health committee -- worked onwith Senator Patty Murray from Washington  which was co-sponsored by 11 other Republicans and has the support of President Trump. This billfundscost-sharing reduction payments for two years, which would help low-income Tennesseans pay for co-pays and deductibles. It would also give Tennessee more flexibility in creating policies at a lower cost and allow any Tennessean to buy a catastrophic health care plan with lower premiums and high deductibles.\r\nThe packagewould also include the Collins-Nelson bill  written by Senator Susan Collins from Maine and Senator Bill Nelson from Florida -- which is based upon the experience of Maine and Alaska in using invisible risk pools and reinsurance funds to create a pool of money to pay for the health care needs of the very sick, thereby reducing premiums by as much as 20 percent for everybody else.\r\nAlexandertold Brentwood rotary members the storyof Marty, afarmer he met in Nashville last week whowill pay $1,300 a month next year in premiums, making it very difficult for her to afford. The average Tennessean has seen premiums rise 176% over the last five years and an additional 58 percent this year, the senator said.\r\nSo a very good Christmas present for Marty and men and women like her across this country would be for this Congress, before the end of the month, to pass what we call the Alexander-Murray and the Collins-Nelson legislation which will lower premiums by 18%.\"\r\nAlexander said Tennesseans will also receive a well-deserved Christmas present after Congress passes a tax reform bill next week that will help create more good-paying jobs for Tennessee families and keep more money in Tennesseans pockets. Alexander told rotary membersthe Senate and House have been working together on their different bills to send to President Trump legislation that can become law by the end of the year. Alexander voted for the Senates tax reform bill onDecember 2.\r\nPlease email Ashton_Davies@alexander.senate.gov for high resolution photos.\r\n\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=5FBCEA10-ABE4-47D4-A16B-035263C985F7", "Corker Announces Support for Tax Reform Legislation", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.  U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today announced his support for the tax reform legislation developed by members of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Conference Committee.\r\nAfter many conversations over the past several days with individuals from both sides of the aisle across Tennessee and around the countryincluding business owners, farmers, chambers of commerce and economic development leadersI have decided to support the tax reform package we will vote on next week.\r\nThis bill is far from perfect, and left to my own accord, we would have reached bipartisan consensus on legislation that avoided any chance of adding to the deficit and far less would have been done on the individual side with items that do not generate economic growth.\r\nBut after great thought and consideration, I believe that this once-in-a-generation opportunity to make U.S. businesses domestically more productive and internationally more competitive is one we should not miss. While many project that it is very possible over the next ten years we could be at least $500 billion short on a $43 trillion policy baseline, I believe this bill accompanied with the significant regulatory changes that are underway, and hopefully, future pro-growth oriented policies relative to trade and immigration, could have significant positive impact on the well-being of Americans and help drive additional foreign direct investment in Tennessee.\r\nIn the end, after 11 years in the Senate, I know every bill we consider is imperfect and the question becomes is our country better off with or without this piece of legislation. I think we are better off with it. I realize this is a bet on our countrys enterprising spirit, and that is a bet I am willing to make.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=4BF28EE6-EBA6-41B1-AE62-916715E1A261", "Lamar Alexander: The Alexander-Murray bill: Lower premiums, less debt, and new permanent flexibility for states", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congress can pass a Christmas present that would mean lower health insurance premiums for 9 million Americans who get no government subsidies.\r\nSpecifically, this Christmas present would lower premiums by 18 percent in 2019, according to a new study published today by Avalere, a health consulting company.\r\nAnd according to the Congressional Budget Office, this present would also mean fewer federal dollars for Obamacare subsidies, less federal debt \u2014and no taxpayer money bailing out insurance companies.\r\nIt has the support of President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said every Senate Democrat would vote for it. And almost all House Republicans have already voted for its provisions earlier this year.\r\nThis present is wrapped up in a pair of bipartisan bills called Alexander-Murray and Collins-Nelson. It includes:\r\nLower premiums: Two years of temporary cost-sharing reduction payments to help low-income Americans pay for co-pays and deductibles. These cost-sharing reduction payments, when properly approved by Congress, are a short-term help not only for Americans who buy insurance on the individual insurance market \u2014 because they help prevent premiums increases of about 25 percent, according to CBO \u2014 but also for taxpayers.\r\nLess debt:\u00a0CBO said last month that making the payments would reduce Obamacare subsidies and therefore reduce the federal deficit. The CBO tells us that without these payments, taxpayers will spend $194 billion more over a decade to cover the higher subsidies that come with higher premiums. That\u2019s why these temporary payments were a part of the House of Representatives repeal-and-replace bill and would have been part of the Senate Republican bill if budget rules had permitted it.\r\nNew catastrophic health plans:\u00a0This Christmas package also includes a new catastrophic insurance policy with lower premiums and higher deductibles to draw young people into the insurance markets.\r\nNew flexibility for states:\u00a0This bill includes new waiver authority for states to come up with their own ideas to reduce premiums. Alaska has already reduced premiums by 20 percent using such a waiver. Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma, and others have already submitted their ideas.\r\nInvisible risk pools:\u00a0$10 billion for invisible risk pools or reinsurance funds to help states do more rapidly what Alaska, Minnesota, and Maine have done to lower premiums. This was a compromise idea included in the House Republicans\u2019 repeal and replace bill.\r\nWhen President Trump followed a court\u2019s ruling earlier this year and ended the previous administration\u2019s unconstitutional payments of the Affordable Care Act\u2019s cost-sharing reduction payments \u2014 because they had never been approved by Congress \u2014 he gave Congress a job: Take care of our people, prevent chaos, approve the payments, and don\u2019t bail out insurance companies.\r\nSo, that\u2019s what we did. With input from four hearings in the Senate health committee and meetings attended by more than half of the Senate, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and I wrote a bill that would fund cost-sharing reduction payments for two years, give states a fast-track to freedom from Obamacare, and allow anyone at all to buy a lower-cost catastrophic \u201ccopper\u201d healthcare plan.\r\nThe Alexander-Murray bill has 12 Democrat sponsors and 12 Republican sponsors. President Trump said this week he supports the package. Sen. Schumer told \"Meet the Press\" on Oct. 22, \u201cWe have all 48 Democrats, 12 Republicans, I would urge Senator McConnell to put it on the floor immediately, this week. It will pass, and it will pass by a large number of votes. That'll put pressure on the House, because let's not forget what this bill does is prevent premiums from going up 20 percent, even more in some states.\u201d\r\nThe proposal by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is based upon the experience of Maine and Alaska in using invisible risk pools and reinsurance funds to create a pool of money to pay for the healthcare needs of the very sick, thereby reducing premiums by as much as 20 percent for everybody else. This idea was supported by almost every witness who came before the Senate's health committee during our hearings on stabilizing the individual market.\r\nThe Christmas season is a good time to give a Christmas present both to taxpayers and to hardworking Americans who have been struggling to pay for skyrocketing insurance premiums. Alexander-Murray and Collins-Nelson should become law before the end of the year.\r\nSen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., is chairman of the Senate\u2019s health committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=A561F991-CEAD-4BF7-8419-9C51ACB8EF54", "Alexander, Murray Ask Nations Governors, Insurance Commissioners How Federal Government Can Be Best Partner for States on the Front Lines of Opioid Crisis", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 14 \u2014 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today sent a letter to every governor and state insurance commissioner in the nation asking for their specific recommendations on how the federal government can be the most effective partner for states in the battle against the opioid crisis.\r\n\u201cWe are writing to ask what further changes to federal law or regulations would be helpful as you work to combat the opioid crisis in your state. Prescription drug abuse and misuse, and especially opioid abuse and misuse, is a public health crisis that has increased dramatically in scope during recent years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 1999, the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids has nearly quadrupled, with over 183,000 deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2015. In 2016, an estimated 64,000 Americans died from a drug overdose, and beginning in 2013, the nation has seen a skyrocketing increase in deaths related to fentanyl and synthetic opioids with over 20,000 overdose deaths. Every day, 91 Americans die from an opioid overdose,\u201d the senators wrote.\r\nOn November 30, Alexander and Murray chaired a hearing in the Senate\u2019s health committee\u2014the second in a series of hearings on the opioid crisis\u2014which focused on what is happening at the state and local levels to address the crisis. On October 5, the committee held its first hearing of the series on the federal response to the opioid crisis with witnesses from the administration.\r\nThe 21st Century Cures Act, sponsored by Alexander and Murray and passed in December 2016, included provisions to advance biomedical research and speed the development of new safe and effective treatments and cures to patients, and provided $1 billion for state opioid prevention and treatment efforts.\r\nBelow is the full text of the letter:\r\nDecember 13, 2017\r\nDear Governors:\r\nWe are writing to ask what further changes to federal law or regulations would be helpful as you work to combat the opioid crisis in your state. Prescription drug abuse and misuse, and especially opioid abuse and misuse, is a public health crisis that has increased dramatically in scope during recent years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 1999, the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids has nearly quadrupled, with over 183,000 deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2015. In 2016, an estimated 64,000 Americans died from a drug overdose, and beginning in 2013, the nation has seen a skyrocketing increase in deaths related to fentanyl and synthetic opioids with over 20,000 overdose deaths. Every day, 91 Americans die from an opioid overdose.\r\nCongress has been working in a bipartisan way to ensure that federal laws intended to help fight this crisis are up to date. In 2015, the Protecting Our Infants Act helped address the growing problem of infants being born exposed to opioids. In 2016, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act established new programs and encouraged those on the front lines to work together to combat substance use disorders. Also in 2016, as part of the 21st Century Cures Act, Congress modernized authorities and programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to better prevent and treat opioid use disorders and provided $1 billion of funding for two years to help states respond to the opioid crisis. All three bills were signed into law during the 114th Congress, and the first round of funding from the 21st Century Cures Act, a total of $485 million in grants, has been issued to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories.\u00a0\r\nWe are asking you to inform us how these laws have helped state and local officials address the opioid crisis, whether additional changes to federal law or regulation are necessary, and if so, what specific changes should be considered.\r\nPlease submit recommendations and comments to HELPfightsopioids@help.senate.gov no later than January 15, 2018.\r\nCongress will continue to work on this national problem, and we appreciate your input to help our efforts to develop bipartisan, common-sense solutions that provide you with the tools and flexibility you need to fight the opioid crisis.\r\nSincerely,\r\nSenator Alexander \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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Senator Murray", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=C1D67D64-D2BB-4C09-88C6-1BB7603E0A4A", "Alexander: Eli Richardson Will Be an Asset to the Federal Bench", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 13, 2017\u2014United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today introduced Nashville lawyer Eli Richardson at his confirmation hearing to serve as a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.\r\n\u201cIt is my pleasure to join Mr. Richardson and introduce him to the committee today, along with his wife, Erin, his son, Wesley, and other family and friends,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cI\u2019m thankful the committee is moving this nomination along because the Middle District is a growing and busy district \u2013 so we\u2019re eager for Mr. Richardson to be approved by the committee and confirmed by the Senate.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued, \u201cI strongly support Mr. Richardson\u2019s nomination to be a district judge for the Middle District of Tennessee. Mr. Richardson\u2019s professional experience \u2013 as a litigator, FBI special agent\u00a0and federal prosecutor in the Middle District of Tennessee, where he was appointed the office\u2019s Criminal Chief \u2013 make him uniquely qualified for this position. Eli will be an asset to the federal bench, and Tennessee is fortunate to have such a well-qualified nominee who is willing to serve. I urge the members of this committee to support his nomination so he can be promptly considered by the full Senate.\u201d\r\nVideo of Alexander\u2019s full remarks is available here.\r\nAfter President Trump announced Richardson\u2019s nomination on July 13, Alexander said he had no doubt Richardson would serve Middle Tennesseans with integrity.\r\nSenators Alexander and Corker have urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to act quickly on the nominations to the Middle District of Tennessee because there are currently only two full-time district court judges. \u00a0Federal judges from across Tennessee and other states are volunteering to help with the caseload until the two district court judge vacancies can be filled.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=28A7A85C-ED4C-4095-81A1-B8A1A20418DA", "Alexander: Early Intervention in Mental Health is Critical", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cSean is one person out of nearly 10 million in the United States with a serious mental health condition. Without treatment, his story could have had a very different outcome\u2026 Over the past few years, this Committee has worked in a bipartisan way to update parts of the federal mental health system for the first time in over a decade\u2026 I look forward to hearing about the progress being made to ensure more people can receive the help they need and have positive outcomes like Sean.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, December 13, 2017 \u2014\u00a0At today\u2019s oversight hearing on the mental health provisions in 21st\u00a0Century Cures, Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that early intervention for patients with mental health disorders is critical.\u00a0\r\n\u201cSean Lester is, by all accounts, a typical, Nashville young adult with a full-time job who also attends college,\u201d\u00a0Alexander said. \u201cHowever, just before his 25th\u00a0birthday, he experienced his first schizophrenic experience and has spent ten weeks receiving psychiatric treatment since 2014.\u00a0Sean wrote me, saying, \u201cThis may seem slightly depressing, but my story does not end there. The doctors and staff I encountered at the hospital and at the Centerstone clinic taught me to live productively again in society. I have been free of the hospital for a whole year now. During that time, I have taken medication, returned to work, and even paid off a car! I am currently enrolled at Tennessee State University as a Junior pursuing a degree in Psychology.\u2019\u201d\r\nAlexander continued:\u00a0\u201cSean is one person out of nearly 10 million in the United States with a serious mental health condition. Without treatment, his story could have had a very different outcome. Over the past few years, this Committee has worked in a bipartisan way to update parts of the federal mental health system \u2013 including programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration \u2013 for the first time in over a decade.\u201d\r\nToday\u2019s hearing is the third oversight hearing on the 21st\u00a0Century Cures Act, which included\u00a0provisions from the Mental Health Reform Act\u00a0that\u00a0passed the committee\u00a0on March 16, 2016\u00a0and updated programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) for the first time in a decade. Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, the first Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, a position created in Cures, has new authorities through Cures to work with states and federal agencies and to help more Americans receive the treatment they need.\r\n\u201cMost of the services, treatment, and care for people with mental health issues is provided by the private sector, like Vanderbilt, or through programs run by the states. The federal government plays a role through Medicaid and SAMHSA, which provided Tennessee with over $80 million grants last year.\u201d\r\n\u201cPrior to our work on Cures, the coordination between federal\u00a0agencies that provide mental health care was not as effective as it could have been. I hope today we will learn how implementation of these provisions is going. For example, how has coordination improved between federal agencies on the best ways to assist those with mental illness? We hoped that promising research into early intervention programs at the National Institutes of Health would translate into clinical applications for patients\u2026 I look forward to hearing about the progress being made to ensure more people can receive the help they need and have positive outcomes like Sean.\u201d\r\nHere\u00a0are Senator Alexander\u2019s prepared remarks.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=D2FA9A9D-1815-4199-AB21-B7F5B6191041", "Senate HELP Committee Approves 3 Nominees to Education Department, 4 Nominees to Labor Department", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 13, 2017 \u2014\u00a0The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee today approved and sent to the Senate\u00a0floor seven nominees\u00a0for the Department of Education and Department of Labor.\r\nFor the Education Department, Brigadier General Mitchell\u00a0Zais is nominated to serve as Deputy Secretary, James Blew is nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, and Johnny Collett is nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nFor the Labor Department, Kate O\u2019Scannlain is nominated to serve as Solicitor, Preston Rutledge is nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for the Employee Benefits Security Administration, Scott Mugno is nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health and Dr. William Beach is nominated to serve as Commissioner of Labor Statistics.\r\nOn General Zais,\u00a0Chairman Lamar\u00a0Alexander\u00a0(R-Tenn.)\u00a0said:\u00a0\u201cGeneral Zais\u00a0has an excellent and deep background \u2013 having been a college president and a member of South Carolina\u2019s Commission on Higher Education \u2013 to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Education. I look forward to working with him to continue working on implementing the law to fix No Child Left Behind as it was written and working with him\u00a0to reauthorize the Higher Education Act to make it simpler and easier for students to go to college.\u201d\r\nOn Mr. Blew, Alexander said:\u00a0\u201cI look forward to working with Mr. Blew in his capacity at the Department of Education, where he will be responsible for helping develop policies and manage the budget, and ensure that programs are working as intended.\u201d\r\nOn Mr. Collett, Alexander said:\u00a0\u201cMr. Collett\u2019s long history in special education makes him uniquely qualified for his position as the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.\u201d\r\nOn Ms. O\u2019Scannlain, Alexander said:\u00a0\u201cAt her confirmation hearing, Ms. O\u2019Scannlain confirmed that one of her priorities would be \u2018consistency in application of our laws.\u2019 I welcome her confirmation and will work with her to make sure that guidance is guidance and laws are laws.\u201d\r\nOn Mr. Rutledge, Alexander said:\u00a0\u201cIn his role at the Department of Labor, Mr. Rutledge will be tasked with protecting the interests of Americans who participate in employee pensions and welfare benefit plans. I look forward to working with him in his efforts to protect American workers.\u201d\r\nOn Mr. Mugno, Alexander said:\u00a0\u201cWorkplace safety is important to me. My father was a safety director at a plant in Alcoa, Tennessee, and I could see his pride when the plant would go a long number of days without an accident. I trust that Mr. Mugno, as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, will work to keep our nation\u2019s workers safe.\u201d\r\nOn Dr. Beach, Alexander said:\u00a0\u201cDr. Beach has a deep history and understanding of how data can show how our economy is performing. I look forward to voting to confirm him in the full senate to serve as Commissioner of Labor Statistics.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=FCFB2761-95D5-46AB-A045-191C150F6A75", "Opening Statement: Alexander: Early Intervention in Mental Health is Critical", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sean Lester is, by all accounts, a typical, busy, Nashville young adult with a full-time job who also attends college. In June 2014, two days before his 25th birthday, he experienced his first schizophrenic experience. Since then, Sean has been admitted to the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital five times, spending ten weeks receiving psychiatric treatment.  Sean wrote me, saying, \u201cThis may seem slightly depressing, but my story does not end there. The doctors and staff I encountered at the hospital and at the Centerstone clinic taught me to live productively again in society. I have been free of the hospital for a whole year now. During that time, I have taken medication, returned to work, and even paid off a car! I am currently enrolled at Tennessee State University as a Junior pursuing a degree in Psychology.\u201d Sean is one person out of nearly 10 million in the United States with a serious mental health condition.\r\nWithout this treatment, his story could have had a very different outcome. In Tennessee, about one in five adults have a mental illness, according to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. That is more than a million Tennesseans, and over 230,000 of them have what is considered a serious mental illness. Over the past few years, this Committee has worked in a bipartisan way to update parts of the federal mental health system \u2013 including programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) \u2013 for the first time in over a decade. As I said at the beginning, this effort was championed by Senators Cassidy and Murphy, as well as Senator Collins and other members of this committee. The reforms were part of the Mental Health Reform Act, which passed this Committee on March 16, 2016, and were included in the 21st Century Cures Act, which Majority Leader McConnell called \u201cthe most important legislation\u201d Congress passed last year. Today marks the third hearing on the implementation of Cures. We hope the updates in this law will help more Americans access quality, evidence-based mental health care. As I said when we began hearings on the Every Student Succeeds Act, a law is not worth the paper it\u2019s printed on if it is not implemented properly, and I intend to ensure that the 21st Century Cures Act is fully and properly implemented as well. Our focus today is to hear how SAMHSA is implementing the mental health provisions in Cures. About 10 million Americans have a serious mental illness, which includes severe schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression, yet millions go without treatment as families struggle to find care for loved ones. Most of the services and treatments for people with mental illness are provided by the private sector, like Vanderbilt, or through programs run by the states. The largest role the federal government plays is the amount of money spent through Medicaid, in partnership with the states. The federal government also plays a role through SAMHSA, which, while relatively small compared to Medicaid and the responsibility States have, is critically important to improving the availability and quality of prevention screenings, early intervention and treatment programs, and recovery services. Tennessee received over $80 million in SAMHSA grants last year. Prior to our work on Cures, federal mental health programs had not been updated in over a decade and the coordination between federal agencies was not as effective as it could have been. I hope today we will learn how implementation of these provisions is going: How has coordination improved between federal agencies on the best ways to assist those with mental illness? For example, we hoped that promising research into early intervention programs at the National Institutes of Health would translate into clinical applications for patients. We also included updates to the SAMSHA block grants to states, to ensure the funding is best meeting the needs of those suffering from mental illness.\r\nIn addition, to improve the care patients receive, we encouraged the adoption of proven, scientific approaches to treatment, and so I would also like to hear how the agency has started to incorporate more evidence-based approaches for treating mental health. We also hoped the reforms would help increase integration between primary care and mental health care, ensure that insurance coverage for mental health disorders is comparable to insurance coverage for other medical conditions, and strengthen suicide prevention efforts. Dr. McCance-Katz, our witness today, serves as the first Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use \u2013 a position we created in the 21st Century Cures Act. She has new authorities through Cures to work with states and federal agencies and to help more Americans receive the treatment they need. I look forward to hearing about the progress being made to ensure more people can receive the help they need and have positive outcomes like Sean.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=6A792DC9-AB7A-4430-83C9-0DE00F617F79", "Corker Introduces Eli Richardson at Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today introduced Eli Jeremy Richardson at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on his nomination to serve as U.S. District Court Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee. A transcript of the senator\u2019s remarks follows.\r\n\u201cMr. Chairman, thank you so much for allowing me to be here. I want to thank the committee for the work that it does in moving so many good nominees to the floor.\r\n\u201cIt is my pleasure today to introduce Eli Jeremy Richardson, who has been nominated to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee.\u00a0 \u00a0\r\n\u201cI\u2019d also like to acknowledge his wife, Erin, his son, Wesley, his parents, Lincoln and Gloria, and the other family members and friends who are here to support him. I know they all, as they should be, are very proud.\r\n\u201cEli attended Duke University and obtained his law degree from Vanderbilt University.\r\n\u201cAfter he began practicing law, Eli felt called to serve our country and pursued a career with the FBI as a special agent focused on public corruption and counterterrorism cases.\r\n\u201cEli next served as a federal prosecutor \u2013 first in New Jersey and then in the Middle District of Tennessee, where he eventually became the office\u2019s criminal chief.\r\n\u201cNext, Eli worked for the Department of Justice overseas as the resident legal advisor for the U.S. Embassy in Serbia. Quite a distinguished career.\r\n\u201cAnd for the past seven years, he has been working for a law firm in Nashville handling a wide array of issues.\r\n\u201cWithout a doubt, Eli\u2019s diverse background and knowledge in civil and criminal matters will serve the Middle District of Tennessee well.\r\n\u201cI am confident that he understands the proper role of a judge and will faithfully uphold the law.\r\n\u201cI wholeheartedly support Eli\u2019s nomination and encourage my colleagues to support his confirmation.\r\n\u201cI would also like to mention \u2013 as I\u2019m sure my friend, Senator Alexander, did \u2013 that the Middle District has lost two active and two senior judges since November of 2016, and the two remaining judges now carry a weighted caseload of 780 per judgeship.\r\n\u201cThis is the fourth highest caseload of any district with a judicial emergency.\r\n\u201cI thank this committee for moving swiftly to bring the other nominee for the Middle District \u2013 Chip Campbell \u2013 to the floor and hope you will do the same with Eli\u2019s nomination.\r\n\u201cThank you so much for the courtesy of allowing me to be here.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398261", "Roe, Polis introduce the bipartisan RETIRE Act to help Americans save and plan for retirement", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON: Today, Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., and Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., introduced the bipartisan Receiving Electronic Statements to Improve Retiree Earnings (RETIRE) Act to help Americans plan for retirement.\u00a0 \u00a0\r\nThe RETIRE Act would ensure employers make retirement information easily accessible online, while providing protections for employees who prefer to receive paper documents.\u00a0\r\nUnder current law, employers are required to waste significant money and paper mailing documents like notices, disclosures, and statements to retirees. For context, it\u2019s estimated that the costs of sending just one four-page notice to recipients is between $36 and $60 million.\r\n\u201cWe need to make it easier for Americans to think about and plan for retirement,\u201d Polis said. \u201cNowadays, most Americans prefer their inbox to their mailbox.\u00a0 The RETIRE Act makes planning one-click away by giving employees online access to their retirement information.\u00a0 Not only does it make retirement information more accessible, but it helps the environment and reduces costs by cutting back on wasted paper.\u201d\r\n\u201cToday, more and more Americans are choosing to manage their finances online,\u201d said Roe. \u201cFor this reason, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the RETIRE Act which allows retirement plan sponsors to automatically enroll participants in electronic delivery for plan communications. By encouraging savers to receive their retirement plan information online, this commonsense bill will lower administrative costs, provide more timely access to plan information and allow greater interaction with and personalization of retirement savings. At the same time, this legislation provides important consumer protections, allowing participants to opt out and receive paper statements at any time with no additional cost. I am proud to partner with Reps. Polis, Kelly and Kind to introduce this important piece of legislation.\u201d\r\nPolis has served Colorado\u2019s 2nd Congressional District since 2009.\u00a0 He is currently on the Committee on Rules, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the\u00a0 Committee on Ethics, and the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. Polis is a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of legislators determined to counter congressional gridlock.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=B845B896-9407-4A2E-97A1-CE909A347D5F", "Alexander: Health Committee Explores Practical Solutions to Make Biomedical Miracles More Affordable", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cThe system is extremely complex and there are many factors that could have caused Joseph, who wrote the constituent letter I mentioned, to be charged $150 for his prescription \u2013\u00a0for example, what type of insurance plan did his family have? Is it a prescription drug where there is only one manufacturer? Is it a new drug with no generic substitute available?\u201d\u00a0\r\nWASHINGTON, DC, December 12, 2017\u00a0\u2013Senate health committee chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said Congress is working to find solutions to help Tennesseans who cannot afford their prescriptions.\r\nAlexander said:\u00a0\u201cI recently received a letter from Joseph in Cordova, Tennessee. He wrote, \u2018Senator Alexander, I just got back from a trip to my local pharmacy. Unfortunately, I was unable to purchase some of the medicine my family needs because one of the medications was $150...I want to know how you plan to get this problem under control.\u2019 I\u00a0know that every member of this committee has heard similar stories from their constituents.\u201d\r\nToday\u2019s hearing was the third in a series of bipartisan hearings on drug pricing. Today\u2019s focus was to examine a National Academies report on the price Americans pay for their prescription drugs.\r\n\u201cAccording to the National Academies report, about 10 percent of health care expenditures is on prescription drugs \u2013 17 percent, if you include prescription drugs received in hospitals and at the doctor\u2019s office. Like most elements in our health care system, spending on prescription drugs increases every year, sometimes by as little as 1.3 percent, as in 2016, and other years by as much as 12.4 percent, as in 2014. Big increases in spending may be driven by the introduction of a new and lifesaving drug, such as the Hepatitis C treatment introduced in 2014.\u201d\r\n\u201cBut there can be differences between what the overall increase on spending on prescription drugs is in any given year and what a patient spends on his prescription when he goes to fill it.\u00a0The system is extremely complex and there are many factors that could have caused Joseph, who wrote the constituent letter I mentioned,\u00a0to be charged $150 for his\u00a0prescription\u00a0\u2013\u00a0for example, what type of insurance plan did his family have? Is it a prescription drug where there is only one manufacturer? Is it a new drug with no generic substitute available? What is the list price of the drug established by the manufacturer and what is actual net price of that drug after all of the negotiations and rebates?\u201d\r\n\u201cI think it is important to hear about the National Academies work on prescription drug prices as we work to find reasonable solutions for people like Joseph. These are thoughtful recommendations from the National Academies that deserve careful analysis and I am sure there will be a vigorous debate before Congress comes to any conclusions.\u201d\r\nThis is the committee\u2019s third hearing on the cost of prescription drugs this year. The\u00a0first hearing\u00a0in June examined the path a\u00a0prescription drug approved by the\u00a0Food and\u00a0Drug\u00a0Administration\u00a0takes from the manufacturer to patient, and how this path affects what the patient pays.\u00a0At a\u00a0second hearing\u00a0in October, the committee heard from industry experts on\u00a0what goes into the price Americans pay when picking up their prescriptions.\r\nAlexander\u2019s full prepared remarks are available\u00a0here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=90DE45EA-4249-425F-B714-95471DD7202F", "Opening Statement: Alexander: Health Committee Explores Practical Solutions to Make Biomedical Miracles More Affordable", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will please come to order. Today we are holding our third hearing on drug pricing to look at the new National Academies Report \u201cMaking Medicines Affordable: A National Imperative.\u201d  Senator Murray and I will each have an opening statement, then we will introduce the witnesses. After the witnesses' testimony, senators will each have 5 minutes of questions. I recently received a letter from Joseph in Cordova, Tennessee. He wrote, \u201cSenator Alexander, I just got back from a trip to my local pharmacy. Unfortunately, I was unable to purchase some of the medicine my family needs because one of the medications was $150...I want to know how you plan to get this problem under control. In the meantime, I guess my family will just have to suffer since we cannot afford the medications that they need.\u201d I know that every member of this committee has heard similar stories from their constituents.  Today\u2019s hearing is the third in a series this committee has held on the cost of prescription drugs, based on a bipartisan request led by Senators Cassidy and Franken, along with Senators Collins, Baldwin, Murkowski, Whitehouse, Capito, Sanders, Enzi, and Warren. The fourth, if you consider how many questions on drug pricing Alex Azar, the nominee for HHS Secretary, had to answer at his confirmation hearing two weeks ago. At our first two hearings, we heard from prescription drug manufacturers, pharmacists, doctors, health policy experts, and others, to try to understand what goes into the price patients pay when picking up their prescriptions.  The cost Americans pay for their prescription drugs is an important topic \u2013 more than 4.4 billion prescriptions are written for drugs each year for Americans who then pick up those prescriptions at 60,000 pharmacies, or receive them from doctors or hospitals, and from online pharmacies.  While we are living in a time of remarkable biomedical research that is leading to new drugs that can stop a stroke and cure Hepatitis C, it is critical that patients can afford to pay for these miracle drugs. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, national health expenditures in the United States were nearly 18 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2016, or $3.3 trillion, and are projected to be 20 percent in 2025. Our reason for concern is how this compares to other industrialized countries: In 2014, the World Bank shows the United Kingdom was spending 9.8 percent of its gross domestic product on health care; Germany was spending 11.1 percent, and Finland 9.6 percent. To give what we are talking about some context, CMS says hospital stays and doctor visits account for about half of national health expenditures.\r\nThe other half includes home health care, nursing care, medical equipment such as wheelchairs and eyeglasses, and our subject for today \u2013 prescription drugs.  According to the National Academies report, about 10 percent of health care expenditures is on prescription drugs \u2013 17 percent, if you include prescription drugs received in hospitals and at the doctor\u2019s office.\r\nLike most elements in our health care system, spending on prescription drugs increases every year, sometimes by as little as 1.3 percent, as in 2016, and other years by as much as 12.4 percent, as in 2014. Big increases in spending may be driven by the introduction of a new and lifesaving drug, such as the Hepatitis C treatment introduced in 2014.\r\nBut there can be differences between what the overall increase on spending on prescription drugs is in any given year and what a patient spends on his prescription when he goes to fill it.\r\nThe system is extremely complex and there are many factors that could have caused Joseph, who wrote the constituent letter I mentioned, to be charged $150 for his prescription \u2013 for example, what type of insurance plan did his family have? Is it a prescription drug where there is only one manufacturer? Is it a new drug with no generic substitute available? What is the list price of the drug established by the manufacturer and what is actual net price of that drug after all of the negotiations and rebates?\r\nWhat we learned at our first two hearings is that all of these factors affect what patients pay when they pick up a prescription from the pharmacy or receive it in the hospital. I think we all recognize it is a complex system to get a prescription drug from the manufacturer to the patient and that the complexity affects what and how much of his or her own money a patient pays for their prescription drugs.\r\nThat is why I think it is important we have Norm Augustine testifying here today, to hear about the National Academies work on prescription drug prices and to discuss the thoughtful recommendations published in their new report, \u201cMaking Medicines Affordable: A National Imperative.\u201d\r\nThe National Academies noted in their report: \u201cThere is not enough accessible information to determine with certainty which segments of the biopharmaceutical sector are principally accountable for the rising cost of many pharmaceuticals.\u201d\r\nI think many of us here today would agree that more information is needed to find reasonable solutions for people like Joseph.\r\nI believe most ideas in Washington fail for the lack of the idea, so it is important for us to hear concrete recommendations from independent and knowledgeable experts.\r\nThese are thoughtful recommendations from the National Academies that deserve careful analysis and I am sure there will be a vigorous debate before Congress comes to any conclusions.  My understanding is the research for this report was concluded in May, so it does not take into account any policy changes since then.\r\nAnd since May, Congress has taken significant steps to address some of the concerns in the report.\r\nIn August, Congress passed and the president signed updated user fee agreements \u2013 which pay for a quarter of the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s work and that we hope will take steps to help FDA approve new drugs more quickly.\r\nFor example, this new law includes a provision from Senators Collins, McCaskill, Cotton, and Franken to encourage the development of new generic drugs to increase competition and bring down prices.\r\nIn addition, through a provision in the new law offered by Senators Hatch and Menendez and action taken by Dr. Gottlieb at the Food and Drug Administration, two loopholes have been closed to prevent drug manufacturers from taking advantage of incentives for the development of prescription drugs for rare diseases.\r\nMr. Augustine, I am looking forward to hearing more about these recommendations from you today.\r\nWe will also hear from David Mitchell, who is a cancer patient who has become an advocate for policies to make drugs more affordable.\r\nWe were sorry that our former colleague, Dr. Coburn could not make it today. We wish him a speedy recovery.\r\nWe instead welcome Mr. Doug Holtz-Eakin and thank him for accommodating our request. He is a well-respected economist and former head of the Congressional Budget Office and we look forward to his testimony today.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kustoff-religious-intolerance-has-no-place-america", "Rep. Kustoff: \u2018Religious Intolerance Has No Place in America\u2019", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u00e2\u0080\u0093 U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) today delivered remarks on the House floor before final passage of his bill, the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017 (H.R. 1730). This legislation is Congressman Kustoff's first to pass in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\nThe full text of Congressman Kustoff's remarks follows:\n\nI rise today in support of H.R. 1730, the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017.\n\nI introduced this bipartisan bill with the support of my friend, Representative Derek Kilmer of Washington state.\n\nOur legislation is essential in safeguarding religious institutions of all kinds from atrocious threats and acts of violence.\n\nEarlier this year, we saw a disturbing rise in bomb threats at Jewish Community Centers, churches and other religious institutions across the country.\n\nOur communities were in distress as cemeteries were vandalized because of their religious affiliation.\n\nThis kind of hate crime is simply unacceptable.\n\nAfter all, religious tolerance is the bedrock on which this great nation was founded.\n\nAccording to a report by the Anti-Defamation League, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States increased dramatically by 86 percent in the first three months of 2017.\n\nWe can attribute this year's increase to 155 vandalism incidents, including three cemetery desecrations and 161 hoax bomb threats against religious community centers.\n\nThis is a dramatic increase of 127 percent over the same quarter in 2016.\n\nOn November 13, 2017, the FBI released their 2016 Annual Hate Crime Statistics Act data documents.\n\nThe study found that more than 100 hate crimes occurred at churches in the United States in 2016 alone.\n\nUnfortunately, hate crimes motivated by religious affiliation accounted for 1,538 total offenses and 1,273 incidents that were reported by law enforcement.\n\nHate crimes do not just hurt one person\u00e2\u0080\u0094they cause grave distress to our families, communities and society as a whole.\n\nIn my home state of Tennessee, we sadly experienced multiple bomb threats at a local Jewish Community Center.\n\nThese events shook the entire community.\n\nIn addition to the fear inflicted upon these institutions after a threat, there are tangible ramifications for the centers.\n\nMany community centers and places of worship are forced to temporarily close their doors as a result of these threats.\n\nFamilies who rely on the center's services, such as bible study and early-childhood education programs, have been forced to choose between their faith community and their safety.\n\nHere, in the United States of America, people should not have to make that choice.\n\nOur nation was founded on the idea of religious freedom, and our commitment to religious freedom must remain unshakeable.\n\nIt is time we say enough is enough \u00e2\u0080\u0093\n\nReligious intolerance has no place in this country.\n\nThe Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017 would ensure that individuals who make credible threats of violence against religious community centers and places of worship can be prosecuted for committing a hate crime under federal law.\n\nThis bipartisan bill strengthens federal criminal statutes to prevent threats, while preserving our First Amendment rights.\n\nIt is our moral imperative to protect the right of all Americans to worship freely and without fear, a right that is sewn into our nation's very fabric.\n\nWe must strongly condemn any acts of hate against people and all institutions of faith.\n\nI want to thank Representative Kilmer for his hard work on this legislation.\n\nI am proud of this bipartisan effort that we have led.\n\nI also want to thank all of the cosponsors of this bill and Chairman Goodlatte for his leadership on the Judiciary Committee.\n\nI urge all of my colleagues to support this very important legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-kustoff-kilmer-pass-bill-protect-religious-institutions", "Reps. Kustoff, Kilmer Pass Bill to Protect Religious Institutions", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representatives David Kustoff (R-TN) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) today applauded House passage of their bill, the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017. This strong bipartisan legislation will increase the federal penalties for bomb threats and other credible threats of violence against religious institutions.\n\nCongressman David Kustoff (R-TN): \"The dramatic rise in threats against religious institutions is deeply disturbing and makes it clear that existing federal laws do not suitably deter these acts of hate. We must stand united against acts of hate and protect the rights of all Americans to worship freely and without fear. I am proud that our bipartisan bill today passed in the House. I look forward to the Senate's consideration, so we can send this important legislation to President Trump's desk.\"\n\nCongressman Derek Kilmer (D-WA): \"Across our country, too many people have been subjected to hate, violence and threats because of the religion they practice. People who have come to a religious community center to take a class, exercise or support their neighbors have faced bomb threats and violence. With this bill, our government is saying with one voice: \u2018Enough is enough.'\"\n\nJudiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA): \"Freedom in the exercise of religion is a fundamental right that our founding fathers chose to place as the first recognized right in our Bill of Rights. It is as important to protect these rights today. Sadly, we have witnessed many threats and acts of violence against religious institutions and centers and we must ensure our laws appropriately punish those seeking to intimidate people of faith. The Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act strengthens prosecutorial tools to deter acts of hate and violence toward religious institutions so that freedom of religion continues to flourish in America. I thank Congressman Kustoff for his hard work on this bipartisan bill and applaud the House for quickly passing it.\"\n\nIn 2017 alone, more than 160 bomb threats and other threats of violence have been made against Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) across America. In addition to the fear and terror inflicted upon these religious institutions after a threat, there are tangible ramifications for the centers. Many places of worship are forced to temporarily close their doors as a result of these threats, and families who rely on the center's services, such as school and early-childhood education programs, have been forced to choose between their safety and their faith community.\n\nThis bipartisan legislation would amend the Church Arson Prevention Act (18 U.S.C. \u00a7 247) to ensure that individuals who make bomb threats and other credible threats of violence against community religious centers \u2013based on the religious nature of that center will now carry a penalty of up to 3 years of imprisonment if any violations of the statute results in the damage or destruction to religious property.\n\nThe Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017 has broad, bipartisan support and was originally co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Ted Poe (R-TX), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Joseph P. Kennedy, III (D-MA). The bill was cosponsored by an additional 40 bipartisan members.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398281", "Roe, Norcross Unveil Bipartisan Plan to Give Retirement Options to Workers", "2017-12-09", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  January 9, 2018  U.S. Representatives Phil Roe (R-TN) and Donald Norcross (D-NJ) hosted a bipartisan roundtable discussion at the U.S. Capitol today focused on the risks facing the multiemployer pension plan system. In response to the growing retirement uncertainty faced by millions of Americans participating in the system, Roe and Norcross unveiled the Give Retirement Options to Workers (GROW) plan, a bipartisan effort that is designed to modernize and strengthen the multiemployer pension system for the future. Roundtable participants included Michael Scott, executive director, National Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans (NCCMP); Carol Duncan, chief executive officer, General Sheet Metal (GSM); Brent Booker, secretary-treasurer, North Americas Building Trades Unions (NABTU); and Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and strategic initiatives, Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).For decades, families have relied on multiemployer pension plans for retirement, but the multiemployer pension system as currently structured is irreparably broken, said Representative Roe. The current structure makes it more difficult for employees and employers to modernize their system to provide the retirement security necessary for hardworking Americans. Thats why Im proud to partner with Representative Norcross to propose the GROW plan. This important, bipartisan proposal is widely supported by retirement security advocates and will provide a new voluntary vehicle for retirement savings that combines the best components of defined benefit and defined contribution plans. This plan will create a best of both worlds scenario for employers and employees, and I look forward to working to ensure composite plans are a key reform adopted to ensure the multiemployer pension system is around for future retirees. Millions of workers deserve a safe, secure retirement and, at the same time, employers deserve predictability and flexibility without excess liability. By focusing on the partnership between employees and employers, our bipartisan solution combines key features of defined benefit and defined contribution plans and is a win-win-win  for employees, employers and our economy as a whole, said Representative Norcross. Im an electrician by trade who participated in the multiemployer pension system for 37 years, as both a rank-and-file worker and a negotiator. The GROW plan offers another tool in the toolbox for workers to grow their retirement savings and employers to grow their businesses. For 70 years, middle class workers have relied on the multiemployer pension system to secure their retirement, but outdated rules and regulations have kept these plans from modernizing to keep pace with changes in the economy, said Michael Scott, executive director of the NCCMP. The new structure authorized under the GROW plan will give workers peace of mind about their retirement security while offering employers greater certainty in how much they will be required to pay into the system. The bipartisan GROW plan will safeguard the multiemployer pension plan system by authorizing the creation of a new type of retirement option that combines the key features of defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Even plans that are healthy today need the ability to make structural changes to ensure certainty for workers in the coming years, otherwise current and future participants may face having to adopt 401(k) defined contribution plans as defined benefit plans are phased out by market forces. Under the GROW plan, workers will still receive lifetime income, and importantly, the benefits that workers earned under a traditional multiemployer plan are protected even after they are shifted onto a GROW plan structure. For employers, the GROW plan offers greater stability by eliminating the uncertainty and volatility currently faced in the multiemployer system. Under the plan, employers will negotiate a fixed contribution rate and limit their risk, and employees will gain financial security. Ultimately, the GROW plan offers a fiscally responsible way forward, enabling pensions to maintain fiscal solvency. Retirement vehicles like those authorized under the GROW plan are already being utilized successfully in the Canadian multiemployer system, and extensive stress testing of these vehicles confirm that they would work as intended in the United States. Stress testing has also demonstrated that they are robust enough to weather financial crises like the Great Recession without causing serious financial harm to workers or employers participating in the system. Carol Duncan, a small business owner attending the event, shared her hope that the GROW plan would allow her to invest for the future, allowing her company to create more jobs, and one day hand down her business to her daughter. My daughter works for our familys small business and would like to become the third-generation owner. But without structural changes to the multiemployer pension system, I do not know if she should, said Duncan, chief executive officer of GSM, based in Clackamas, Oregon. We have grown a successful business in GSM, and have created good jobs in our community, but the defined benefit plans we contribute to now have unfunded liabilities caused by circumstances over which GSM has no control. I worry about the potential of a plan collapse or a massive withdrawal liability that could be larger than the value of my company. I dont want my companys workers suffering and I am unwilling to pass on this uncertaintyand liabilityto my daughter. Thanks to the across-the-aisle work done on this problem, the GROW plan is  \r\na viable and thoughtful set of solutions to the current unstable multiemployer pension system. Other participants at yesterdays meeting also spoke about the importance of strengthening the multiemployer system, focusing their comments on the need to preserve and protect retirement benefits to support and retain qualified workers. Preserving benefits for our members and ensuring their secure and dignified retirement are among NABTUs highest priorities, said Brent Booker, secretary-treasurer of NABTU. This new structure authorized by the GROW Plan does exactly that, giving peace of mind to our workers by providing much needed stability to the system. This measure will give employers and employees a new and more effective way to protect retirement benefits, said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and strategic initiatives for the AGC of America. With most firms struggling to find ways to attract qualified workers into the industry, creating a new way to provide for employees after retirement will serve as a powerful recruiting tool. Participants at yesterdays meeting applauded Representatives Roe and Norcross for working together on the GROW plan, and for their bipartisan leadership in reforming the multiemployer system.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=F6DE1528-7DE8-49F5-B5C1-3672737A70F8", "Alexander to Tennessee Farmer: Weve Got a Christmas Present for You", "2017-12-08", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2017\u00a0\u2013 Senate health committee chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) urged\u00a0Congress\u00a0to deliver \u201ca very good Christmas present\u201d\u00a0by passing his bipartisan legislation to lower health insurance premiums by 18 percent --\u00a0that's according to Avalere, which is one of the leading health consulting firms in the country and made the announcement this week.\r\nThe senator said that the legislation\u00a0will not just reduce premiums,\u00a0but\u00a0will\u00a0also\u00a0reduce the amount of federal tax dollars that go to pay for Obamacare subsidies, according to the Congressional Budget Office, because \"if the premiums are lower, the subsidies are going to be lower. And if the\u00a0subsidies are lower, then the federal debt is going to be lower,\u201d Alexander said.\u00a0\r\nThe legislative package would include the Alexander-Murray bill to fund cost-sharing reduction payments for two years\u00a0that help low-income Americans pay for co-pays and deductibles. \u00a0It would\u00a0give states\u00a0more flexibility in \u00a0creating policies at a lower cost\u00a0and allow anyone\u00a0to buy a\u00a0\u201ccatastrophic\u201d\u00a0healthcare plan\u00a0with lower premiums and higher deductibles. \u00a0The package\u00a0would also include the Collins-Nelson bill, which is based upon the experience of Maine and Alaska in using invisible risk pools and reinsurance funds to create a pool of money to pay for the healthcare needs of the very sick, thereby reducing premiums by as much as 20 percent for everybody else.\r\nAlexander told the story of a Nashvillian he met who will pay $1,300 a month next year in premiums:\r\n\u201cOn Wednesday, I was in Nashville, and I went to Chick-fil-A on Charlotte\u00a0at about 2 pm in the afternoon. \u00a0I\u00a0ordered six chicken nuggets, some mac and cheese and some waffle fries.\u00a0As I\u00a0was about to leave, and a lady walked up to me and said, \u2018Senator, thank you for what you're doing to help me with insurance.\u2019\u00a0\r\n\u201cShe said, \u2018My name is Marty. I'm a self-employed farmer. And the year before Obamacare started, my monthly insurance premium was $300. Next year, it's $1,300, and it's very hard for me to afford.\u2019\u00a0\r\n\u201cI said, \u2018I guess you're one of those Americans who work hard and you don't get any government subsidy to help you pay for your health insurance.\u2019 She said, \u2018That's exactly right. I have to pay for the whole thing myself.\u2019\r\n\u201cI said, \u2018Well, Marty, I\u2019ve got a Christmas present for you if Congress can pass by the end of the month legislation that would lower your premiums in the year 2019 by 18%-- that's according to Avalere, which is one of the leading health consulting firms in the country\u00a0who\u00a0made\u00a0that\u00a0announcement yesterday.\r\n\u201c\u2018So if your premiums are $1,300 a month, that's a couple thousand dollars less you'll have to pay. That's still way too high. Or if the Senate and the House\u00a0in the tax bill\u00a0agree\u00a0to remove the\u00a0individual mandate\u00a0penalizing \u00a0you if you don\u2019t buy insurance\u00a0that will put upward pressure on those same rates but only by\u00a0about\u00a010%.\u00a0So you're still going to get an\u00a0average\u00a08% decrease in your rates in 2019, and that's about $1,000 in your pocket. Those are real dollars.\u2019\r\nThe average Tennessean has seen premiums rise 176% over the last five years and an additional 58 percent this year, the senator said.\u00a0\r\n\u201cSo a very good Christmas present for Marty and men and women like her across this country would be for this Congress, before the end of the month, to pass what we call the Alexander-Murray and the Collins-Nelson legislation which will lower premiums by 18%.\"\r\nWatch the rest of Sen. Alexander\u2019s floor speech\u00a0here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=58B89032-5552-4FFE-909D-471FB38CA87D", "Alexander Holds Hearing to Ensure Patients Benefit from 21st Century Cures Law", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201c[A] law is not worth the paper it\u2019s printed on if it is not implemented properly. I intend to ensure Cures is\u2026 implemented properly... Today we are hearing from Dr. Collins and Dr. Gottlieb on the provisions related to biomedical research. We are fortunate to have two talented leaders who know their agencies, are widely respected in Congress, and capable of getting results.\u201d\r\nWASHINGTON, December 7, 2017\u2014Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander today held a hearing to ensure patients benefit from the 21st\u00a0Century Cures Act \u2013 the law passed last year to boost biomedical research at a time of \u201climitless opportunity.\u201d\r\n\u201cWhen the Senate passed Cures one year ago today, we hoped to unleash medical innovation and give Americans more access to life-changing treatments and cures, so more Americans could experience medical miracles,\u201d\u00a0Alexander said. \u201cIt is not an overstatement to say that the 21st\u00a0Century Cures Act has the potential to affect virtually every American family by taking advantage of breathtaking advances in biomedical research.\u201d\r\nAt today\u2019s hearing, Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA), testified about the implementation of 21st\u00a0Century Cures and progress being made in unleashing biomedical innovation. Of the witnesses, Alexander said, \u201cWe are fortunate to have two talented leaders who know their agencies, are widely respected in Congress, and capable of getting results.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued: \u201cAt a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing in 2016, Dr. Collins offered \u2018bold predictions\u2019 for future medical advances if we continue funding NIH and ensure FDA has the tools it needs. These predications included a way to identify Alzheimer\u2019s before symptoms appear, the development of an artificial pancreas, a vaccine for Zika virus and HIV/AIDS, and a universal flu vaccine, and new non-addictive pain medicines to help patients as we continue to battle the opioid crisis.\u201d\r\n\u201cToday, I want to find out find out from Dr. Collins and Dr. Gottlieb how implementation of the law is going. I look forward to hearing about the progress being made to unleash medical innovation and bring new drugs and devices to patients.\u201d\r\nAlexander told the story of Doug Oliver, a Nashville resident who regained his sight after participating in a clinical trial:\u00a0\u201cIn 2007, Doug Oliver began to have trouble seeing and was declared legally blind. After moving to Nashville, his doctor at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute told him that while there were no cures, Doug could search online for a clinical trial. Doug found a regenerative medicine clinical trial in Florida, where doctors took cells out of the bone marrow in his hip, spun them in a centrifuge, and then injected those into his eye. Three days later, he began to see. His eyesight eventually improved enough to get his driver\u2019s license back\u2014and enough that he became an effective advocate for more support for regenerative medicine, which we included in the 21st Century Cures Act.\u00a0\r\n\u201cCures added $30 million to support regenerative medicine and an accelerated pathway for these treatments at FDA \u2013 so we can hear more stories like Doug Oliver\u2019s. FDA has begun implementing these provisions and I look forward to hearing how FDA and NIH are working together to make sure the funding and authorities for regenerative medicine are helping to advance this important work, while ensuring bad actors do not take advantage of the hope of this exciting field to harm or defraud patients.\u201d\u00a0\r\nToday\u2019s hearing is the second oversight hearing the committee has held. In October, the committee held\u00a0a hearing on the Electronic Health Records\u00a0provisions and will meet next Wednesday to continue over oversight on the mental health provisions.\r\nAlexander\u2019s full prepared remarks are\u00a0here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=1B929F56-E721-4E2E-AF1D-0BF704C23E73", "Opening Statement: Alexander Holds Hearing to Ensure Patients Benefit from 21st Century Cures Law", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In 2007, Doug Oliver, a computer programmer, began to have trouble seeing and, after a near accident, had his driver\u2019s license taken away and was declared legally blind. The culprit was a rare form of Macular Degeneration. Doug moved to Nashville, where his doctor at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute told him that while there were no cures, Doug could search online for a clinical trial. Doug found a regenerative medicine clinical trial in Florida, where doctors took cells out of the bone marrow in his hip, spun them in a centrifuge, and then injected those into his eye. Three days later, he began to see. His eyesight eventually improved enough to get his driver\u2019s license back\u2014and enough that he became an effective advocate for more support for regenerative medicine, which we included in the 21st Century Cures Act.\r\nEarlier this year, Doug gave me the cane he\u2019d used while he was blind. He said: \u201cI don\u2019t need it anymore.\u201d When Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act, we hoped to unleash medical innovation and give Americans more access to life-changing treatments and cures, so more Americans could experience medical miracles. It is especially appropriate to be having this hearing today because it marks the one-year anniversary of the Senate passing Cures.  When it became law last December, I said that President Obama had signed a second Christmas miracle. In 2015, it was the Every Student Succeeds Act, the law fixing No Child Left Behind. Last year, it was the 21st Century Cures Act, which Majority Leader McConnell called \u201cthe most important legislation\u201d Congress passed last year.\r\nI have often said of the Every Student Succeeds Act that a law is not worth the paper it\u2019s printed on if it is not implemented properly. I intend to ensure Cures is also implemented properly, and this committee began our oversight hearings on Cures with a hearing in October on the Electronic Health Records provisions and, in addition to today\u2019s hearing, we will continue our oversight with another hearing on the mental health provisions next Wednesday. Today we are hearing from Dr. Collins and Dr. Gottlieb on the provisions related to biomedical research. We are fortunate to have two talented leaders who know their agencies, are widely respected in Congress, and capable of getting results. While the legislation included provisions to improve electronic health records, resources to fight the opioid epidemic, and the first update to mental health programs in a decade, the major purpose of the legislation was to provide additional resources and authorities to speed drugs and devices through the research and development process into doctors\u2019 offices and patients\u2019 medicine cabinets, while ensuring the FDA gold standard of safety and efficacy. It is not an overstatement to say that the 21st Century Cures Act has the potential to affect virtually every American family by taking advantage of breathtaking advances in biomedical research. Dr. Collins, at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing in 2016, you have offered \u201cbold predictions\u201d for future major medical advances if we continue funding NIH and ensure FDA has the tools it needs.  One prediction is that scientists will find ways to identify Alzheimer\u2019s before symptoms appear as well as how to slow or even prevent the disease. Alzheimer\u2019s causes untold family grief and costs $259 billion a year.  Another prediction is using a patient\u2019s own stem cells, doctors could rebuild his or her heart. This personalized heart would make transplant waiting lists and anti-rejection drugs obsolete. Dr. Collins, you have made other predictions that are equally breathtaking: The development of an artificial pancreas for diabetes patients\r\nA Zika vaccine, a universal flu vaccine and an HIV/AIDS vaccine available within the decade. New non-addictive pain medicines to help patients as we continue to battle the opioid crisis that kills 91 Americans every day. The 21st Century Cures law put in place policies that will fund biomedical research at a time of limitless opportunity to help make Dr. Collins\u2019 predictions a reality. Today, I want to find out find out from Dr. Collins and Dr. Gottlieb \u2013 those leading this charge \u2013how implementation of the law is going.  For example, Cures included a surge of one-time funding of $4.8 billion for the National Institutes of Health, including money for the Precision Medicine Initiative, Cancer Moonshot, and BRAIN Initiative. I know from talking with Vanderbilt University that the Precision Medicine Initiative \u2013 the plan to map the genomes of 1 million volunteers to help researchers develop treatments and cures tailored to a patient\u2019s genetics, environment, and lifestyle \u2013 has already begun enrolling patients less than one year after the program began. In addition to PMI, I am curious how the funding has been spent, and when and how you plan to keep Congress informed of your results.  Cures required a process to look at burdensome regulations on researchers. I would like to hear if this is helping researchers spend more of their time and money on research and less on administrative tasks. Cures also put in place policies at the FDA to move safe and effective treatments and cures through the regulatory process more rapidly and at a lower cost. For example, Senators Burr, Bennet, and Hatch worked on a breakthrough provision for devices, modeled after a breakthrough provision for drugs. The first breakthrough approval was just last week for an exciting cancer diagnostic. Senators Isakson and Casey worked on removing red tape from the review of combination products. And I worked with Senator Murray to make sure FDA had the authority to hire and pay scientists to keep up with the rapid rate of innovation. 21st Century Cures also added $30 million to support regenerative medicine and an accelerated pathway for these treatments at FDA\u2014so we can hear more stories like Doug Oliver\u2019s. FDA has begun implementing these provisions and I look forward to hearing how FDA and NIH are working together to make sure the funding and authorities for regenerative medicine are helping to advance this important work, while ensuring bad actors do not take advantage of the hope of this exciting field to harm or defraud patients. It is going to be difficult to cover everything today, but I look forward to hearing about the progress being made to unleash medical innovation and bring new drugs and devices to patients.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=6E525786-4A74-4358-8D87-668745C4D294", "Alexander Floor Speech on Alexander-Murray", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Mr. President, let me tell you a story.\r\nYesterday I was in Nashville and I went to Chick-Fil-A on Charlotte Avenue at about 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon and I ordered six chicken nuggets, some mac and cheese and some waffle fries.\r\nAnd I was about to leave, and a lady walked up to me and said, \u201cSenator, thank you for what you're doing to help me with insurance.\u201d\r\nI said, \u201cWell, what do you mean?\u201d\r\nShe said, \u201cMy name is Marty Parish. I'm a self-employed farmer. And the year before Obamacare, started, my monthly insurance premium was $300. Next year it's $1,300, and it's very hard for me to afford.\u201d\r\nI said, \u201cI guess you're one of those Americans who work hard and you don't get any government subsidy to help you pay for your health insurance.\r\nShe said, \u201cThat's exactly right. I have to pay for the whole thing myself.\u201d\r\nI said, \u201cWell, Marty Parish, I\u2019ve got a Christmas present for you.\u201d\r\nIf Congress can pass by the end of the month legislation that would lower your premiums in the year 2019 by 18 percent-- that's according to Avalere-- which is one of the leading health consulting firms in the country, which made the announcement yesterday. So if your premiums are $1,300 a month, that's a couple thousand dollars less you'll have to pay. That's still way too high. Or if the Senate and the House agree on a tax bill that removes the individual mandate and the Congressional Budget Office is right, that will put upward pressure on those same rates but only a maximum of 10 percent.\r\nSo you're still going to get an 8 percent decrease in your rates in 2019, and that's about $1,000 in your pocket. Those are real dollars.\r\nMarty Parish, has seen, if she's like the average Tennesseans, her premiums rise 178 percent over the last five years and she has seen them go up an average this year of 58 percent more.\r\nSo a very good Christmas present for Marty Parish, and men and women like her across this country, would be for this Congress, before the end of the month, to pass what we call the Alexander-Murray and the Collins-Nelson legislation which will lower premiums by 18 percent.\r\nMore than that, that Christmas present, which is all wrapped up in a nice package and sitting in the White House waiting for anybody who wants to consider it, according to the Congressional Budget Office, it will not just reduce premiums, it will reduce the amount of federal tax dollars that go to pay for Obamacare subsidies. Because if the premiums are lower, the subsidies are going to be lower. And if the premiums are lower and the subsidies are lower, the federal debt is going to be lower.\r\nSo here you've got for my friend who I met yesterday at Chick-Fil-A, an 18 percent on average reduction in her 2019 insurance premiums, less of her tax dollars going to pay for Affordable Care Act subsidies and less federal debt for her and her family.\r\nAnd because the president has said he won't put up with it and because Senator Murray, the Democrat who is ranking on the HELP committee and I agree on this, there will be no bailout of insurance companies in these proposals.\r\nNow who would support something like this?\r\nWell, President Trump supports it. He told us that last week. In fact, he asked for it. He called me specifically a few weeks ago and said I don't want people hurt in the next two years while we're still debating what to doing long term about health insurance. Why don't you work with Senator Murray and see if you can put together a bill that keeps people from being hurt, that stabilizes the market so premiums don't go up so much.\r\nI said, Mr. President, we're already working on that. I've talked with him a half dozen times about that. I met with him at the White House, talked with him the other day. He has said publicly and privately that he supports the Alexander-Murray legislation and he supports the legislation supported by Senator Collins -- a Republican -- and Senator Nelson -- a Democrat. So that's one, a pretty big one.\r\nSenator McConnell, the Republican Majority Leader, he supports it. He said that publicly and privately he supports both of them.\r\nSenator Schumer, who is the Democratic leader, said two or three weeks ago that every single Democrat in the Senate would vote for Alexander-Murray and that it had 60 votes and Senator McConnell should put it on the floor as soon as possible and he thought it would pass with a lot of votes.\r\nThe bill hasn't changed except in one way. It's gotten better from the point of view not just of Democrats, but of Republicans. The idea that Senator Collins and Senator Nelson have come up with, the idea of creating an invisible risk pool, or a reinsurance fund, or a stability fund to allow states to do that would permit those states to do what Maine has done and what Alaska has done and what Minnesota is trying to do.\r\nAnd it's this: Alaska created such a fund, they call it a reinsurance fund. Maine calls it invisible risk pool. They put money in to take care of the very sick people in the individual market in Alaska. And once they did that, they're able to lower rates for everybody else by 20 percent.\r\nNow, Mr. President, that's in addition to the 18 percent that Avalere talked about that's in our bill in addition to that. Maine did a similar thing in a little different way in their state.\r\nAnd who else likes this idea?\r\nWell, Republicans in the House of Representatives like it. They, of course, are a full partner in this exercise. They'll have to consider it and decide whether they're for it. I think it would be pretty easy for them to support Collins-Nelson because it was in the repeal and replace bill for the Affordable Care Act that the house passed and voted for.\r\nIn fact, the so-called compromise by Representative Meadows and Representative MacArthur included an invisible risk pool of up to $15 billion to allow states -- this is pretty good Republican philosophy -- to allow states to make their own decision about doing this, and decide as Maine did, as Alaska did, as Minnesota is trying to do, to say we're going to create this fund and we're going to take care of the very sick people who use most of the money we spend on healthcare\u2014and when we do that we lower the rates for everybody else.\r\nAnd in the Alaska case, because it lowered the rates for everyone else, again, premiums went down, subsidies went down, and Alaska was able to pay for 85 percent of its reinsurance fund without any new federal dollars going to Alaska.\r\nSo that\u2019s what happens when you allow states to use their own good judgment. And that\u2019s why Senator Collins, a Republican, and Senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat, have suggested it over here.\r\nThe other thing that the House of Representatives did in its Republican repeal and replace bill is it continued the cost sharing payments for two years. Now cost sharing payments are payments that the federal government makes so that low-income Americans won\u2019t have to make them when they buy their insurance.\r\nIt makes them to the insurance companies, but the benefit is supposed to go to the individual consumer or to the taxpayer from the lower rates.\r\nThe House of Representatives in its repeal and replace bill understood just as the distinguished presiding officer, Senator Cassidy, and Senator Graham and Senator Johnson understood, is if they are able to repeal and replace Obamacare or make any significant major changes to it, it will take a couple of years to get into place and you don\u2019t want people to be hurt in the meantime.\r\nThat\u2019s exactly what the president said to me when he called me a few weeks ago. He said I don\u2019t want people hurt during this two year period. So the House of Representatives put in their repeal and replace bill two years of cost sharing payments. Not to bail out insurance companies, it doesn\u2019t bail out insurance companies, the benefits go to individuals. They wanted to make sure the rates stayed down and people didn\u2019t get hurt.\r\nSo the proposals we\u2019re talking about-- the Christmas present I talked about to the young farmer in Tennessee\u2014both have fundamentally been a part of the House repeal and replace bill, which is why while I can\u2019t speak for the House of Representatives, what they do is there business, I believe that as they study Alexander-Murray and Collins-Nelson, they'll find they like it because they've already voted for it once this year.\r\nThe House of Representatives created the invisible risk pool. That was a real breakthrough in their ability to pass a bill.\r\nAnd then, second, they wanted to make sure that during this interim, between the time that we tried to change the individual insurance market in this country, that people aren't hurt.\r\nSo I\u2019ve come to the floor today, Mr. President, just to say there\u2019s a lot going on today and next week. It involves defense spending. It involves the amount of money we can spend for the next year in our government. It involves a tax bill the Senator from Georgia has just talked about it, a historic tax bill that I hope we can pass.\r\nBut there's also an opportunity for every single one of us to give a Christmas present to the nine million Americans who have been hammered by skyrocketing insurance premiums. We don't need to debate whose fault that is.\r\nI don't need to say it's all the fault of the Affordable Care Act. Democrats don't need to say its President Trump sabotaging it. Let's forget that for a moment.\r\nLet's just say the fact of the matter is that in Tennessee, premiums will go up in 2018 by 58 percent and they\u2019re going to go up more the next year if we don't do something about it.\r\nAnd we have two bills here that will say to the self-employed farmer in Tennessee or Iowa or Louisiana, or the songwriter or businesswoman, we hear you, we know you can't afford these rates, and if you're paying $1,300 for two of you, that's way too high, and we can begin to take those rates down. According to Avalere, 18 percent in 2019.\r\nAccording to Congressional Budget Office, if we don't take this action to pass the cost sharing payments, rates will go up 25 percent.\r\nSo if the present that we\u2019ve got includes lower premiums, less debt, less money going to Obamacare subsidies, and it doesn't bailout insurance companies, why should we not pass that? I think we will pass it.\r\nI think it will be pretty hard to explain-- I don't want to run into Marty Parish between Christmas and New Year\u2019s and say, I\u2019m sorry about that Christmas present. I could have lowered your rates 18 percent, I could have done it in a way that didn\u2019t run up your federal debt \u2013 but I just couldn't get it done.\r\nShe would say, isn't the president for it? I would say yes. Hadn\u2019t the House already voted for it once? I would say yes. Didn't the Democratic leader say that the Democrats are for it? I would say yes. And then she would ask, why didn't it pass?\r\nI would have a hard time coming up with that answer.\r\nI hope over the next few days we are able to do what the Democrats and Republicans have suggested and what 12 Democratic Senators and 12 Republican Senators have offered to the Senate in Alexander-Murray, and what Senator Collins and Senator Nelson have offered in Collins-Nelson.\r\nBoth ideas are very much like two provisions already voted on this year by the House of Representatives. Let\u2019s realize it's the Christmas season and a very nice Christmas present for nine million hardworking Americans who don't get any government help to pay for their skyrocketing health insurance premiums would be these bills into law so they can count on insurance premiums in 2019 that are on average 18 percent lower.\r\nI thank the President. I yield. The floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://black.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-black-statement-house-passage-concealed-carry-reciprocity-act", "Rep. Black Statement on House Passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Diane Black", "B001273", "black.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Today, Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38) by a vote of 231-198:\n\"The Second Amendment is a fundamental right of the American people, and its protections do not end at the state line. In Tennessee alone, thousands of honest, law abiding citizens hold valid legal permits to carry a firearm and we believe in our Constitutional right to do so. Just as a driver\u2019s license is recognized from one state to another, carry permit holders must be allowed to exercise this right safely and appropriately no matter which states they visit en route to their destination. I am proud to support this Act and will continue fighting for our rights under the Constitution.\"\n###\nCongressman Diane Black represents Tennessee\u2019s 6th Congressional District. A nurse for more than 40 years, she serves as Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a member of the Ways and Means Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/named-for-vanderbilt-terror-victim-taylor-force-act-restricts-us-foreign", "NAMED FOR VANDERBILT TERROR VICTIM, TAYLOR FORCE ACT RESTRICTS U.S. FOREIGN AID TO STOP PALESTINIAN MARTYRDOM PAYMENTS", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NAMED FOR VANDERBILT TERROR VICTIM, TAYLOR FORCE ACT RESTRICTS U.S. FOREIGN AID TO STOP PALESTINIAN MARTYRDOM PAYMENTS\nREP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES FOR BILL TO HONOR SLAIN ARMY VET, PUNISH \u201cPAY TO SLAY\u201d\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 \u00a0Army veteran Taylor Force served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, before enrolling at Vanderbilt University\u2019s Owen Graduate School of Management. In 2016, on a trip to study international business, the Texas native became the latest victim of Islamic extremism in Israel, where the Palestinian government pays terrorists to murder Americans and Israelis.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTaylor served his country, working to protect Americans and to make the world a safer place. In his memory, the House has passed severe restrictions on financial aid to the Palestinian Authority, funding terrorism, while the majority of its people subsist in poverty,\u201d said Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. \u201cUntil it ends institutional support for violence against innocent civilians, the government there will never be a legitimate partner for peace.\u201d \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Taylor Force Act, which the House of Representatives passed yesterday, would require the Palestinian Authority to renounce support for payments to terrorists and to abolish laws and funding, including for affiliate organizations. The U.S. Secretary of State must regularly certify compliance. \u201cSadly, Taylor is not the only American citizen to have died in the climate of hate the Authority\u2019s radical policies create. Taxpayers here should have no part,\u201d said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04).\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If successful, terrorists and their families receive pensions and other financial rewards from a Martyrs Fund. According to estimates, the territorial government spends approximately $300 million annually, or seven percent of its budget, on such payments. Because foreign aid to alleviate poverty and debt in the West Bank is fungible, American taxpayer dollars, averaging $335 million per year, free funds for martyrdom operations or may directly subsidize them.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/original-co-sponsor-rep-scott-desjarlais-votes-for-concealed-carry-bill", "ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES FOR CONCEALED CARRY BILL TO ENHANCE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS FOR TENNESSEANS", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES FOR CONCEALED CARRY BILL TO ENHANCE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS FOR TENNESSEANS\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 \u00a0An original co-sponsor of the legislation, Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., voted today for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill that would allow any Tennessean licensed to carry a concealed handgun in his home state, to carry it in another where concealed-carry is also legal, as long that person follows local law.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe right to self-defense is an unalienable one and the most important to protecting ourselves from harm,\u201d said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04), \u201cas the Supreme Court has decided. Our Constitution guarantees that right \u2013 and also that states must respect our common laws.\u201d \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s bill ensures Tennesseans who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights will face no undue burden when traveling to gun-friendly states,\u201d he said. The Congressman is a strong Second Amendment supporter, as well as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, who after terror attacks at a recruitment center and military facility near Chattanooga in 2015, guided passage of a law allowing more service members to carry firearms on base.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He has voted to allow federal law enforcement officers to carry their firearms when on furlough, in case of a government shutdown, and endorsed other pro-Second Amendment solutions to self-defense. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act prevents criminals from abusing the law. The National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, and National Shooting Sports Foundation endorse the legislation.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The NRA awarded Rep. DesJarlais an \u201cA\u201d grade for his work to protect Americans\u2019 gun rights.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=5DF73225-2A0A-4909-9AE2-1E372504DDBF", "ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES FOR CONCEALED CARRY BILL TO ENHANCE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS FOR TENNESSEANS", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", "desjarlais", "https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 An original co-sponsor of the legislation, Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., voted today for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill that would allow any Tennessean licensed to carry a concealed handgun in his home state, to carry it in another where concealed-carry is also legal, as long that person follows local law.\n\n\u201cThe right to self-defense is an unalienable one and the most important to protecting ourselves from harm,\u201d said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04), \u201cas the Supreme Court has decided. Our Constitution guarantees that right \u2013 and also that states must respect our common laws.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s bill ensures Tennesseans who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights will face no undue burden when traveling to gun-friendly states,\u201d he said. The Congressman is a strong Second Amendment supporter, as well as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, who after terror attacks at a recruitment center and military facility near Chattanooga in 2015, guided passage of a law allowing more service members to carry firearms on base.\n\nHe has voted to allow federal law enforcement officers to carry their firearms when on furlough, in case of a government shutdown, and endorsed other pro-Second Amendment solutions to self-defense. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act prevents criminals from abusing the law. The National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, and National Shooting Sports Foundation endorse the legislation.\n\nThe NRA awarded Rep. DesJarlais an \u201cA\u201d grade for his work to protect Americans\u2019 gun rights.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=A1DEB181-FC6F-4C50-8A43-0C759B819249", "NAMED FOR VANDERBILT TERROR VICTIM, TAYLOR FORCE ACT RESTRICTS U.S. FOREIGN AID TO STOP PALESTINIAN MARTYRDOM PAYMENTS", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", "desjarlais", "https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center", "scraper", "REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES FOR BILL TO HONOR SLAIN ARMY VET, PUNISH \u201cPAY TO SLAY\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Army veteran Taylor Force served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, before enrolling at Vanderbilt University\u2019s Owen Graduate School of Management. In 2016, on a trip to study international business, the Texas native became the latest victim of Islamic extremism in Israel, where the Palestinian government pays terrorists to murder Americans and Israelis.\n\n\u201cTaylor served his country, working to protect Americans and to make the world a safer place. In his memory, the House has passed severe restrictions on financial aid to the Palestinian Authority, funding terrorism, while the majority of its people subsist in poverty,\u201d said Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. \u201cUntil it ends institutional support for violence against innocent civilians, the government there will never be a legitimate partner for peace.\u201d\n\nThe Taylor Force Act, which the House of Representatives passed yesterday, would require the Palestinian Authority to renounce support for payments to terrorists and to abolish laws and funding, including for affiliate organizations. The U.S. Secretary of State must regularly certify compliance. \u201cSadly, Taylor is not the only American citizen to have died in the climate of hate the Authority\u2019s radical policies create. Taxpayers here should have no part,\u201d said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04).\n\nIf successful, terrorists and their families receive pensions and other financial rewards from a Martyrs Fund. According to estimates, the territorial government spends approximately $300 million annually, or seven percent of its budget, on such payments. Because foreign aid to alleviate poverty and debt in the West Bank is fungible, American taxpayer dollars, averaging $335 million per year, free funds for martyrdom operations or may directly subsidize them.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/release-fleischmann-concealed-carry-reciprocity", "RELEASE: Fleischmann on Concealed Carry Reciprocity", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014 Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) released the following statement upon the passage of H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act:\n\n\"For far too long law-abiding gun owners have had to navigate a treacherous and ever shifting labyrinth of local and state gun laws while traveling with their concealed carry permits,\" Fleischmann said. \"H.R. 38, The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, will provide certainty to properly licensed individuals who travel with a firearm to carry in all states that already allow for concealed carry. I was proud to vote for H.R. 38 to ensure that upstanding citizens are not deprived of their Second Amendment rights or threatened with needless jail time due to crossing a state border.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-congressman-fleischmann-president-trumps-recognition-jerusalem", "STATEMENT: Congressman Fleischmann on President Trump's Recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) released the following statement in response to President Trump's announcement to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel:\n\n\"Today, President Trump made the historic announcement to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel. For years, Jerusalem has been regarded as Israel's capital city by the Knesset, the United States Congress, and the people of Israel. The President's announcement reaffirms the longstanding friendship and support between United States and Israel. I applaud President Trump for his decision, and will continue to stand with Israel as our ally in the Middle East.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kustoff-applauds-president-trump-s-decision-move-us-embassy-israel", "Rep. Kustoff Applauds President Trump\u2019s Decision to Move U.S. Embassy in Israel", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced his intention to move the United States embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the country's capital city.\n\n\"I applaud President Trump for fulfilling his promise to recognize Jerusalem as the unquestionable capital of Israel,\" said Congressman Kustoff. \"After eight years of the Obama Administration's failure to support our closest ally, this sends a powerful message to the world \u2013 the United States will stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel, our friend and the stronghold of democracy in the Middle East.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kustoff-votes-defend-second-amendment-rights", "Rep. Kustoff Votes to Defend Second Amendment Rights", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) today released the following statement after voting for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38).\n\n\"Our Constitutional rights do not end at state lines, and that includes the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms,\" said Congressman Kustoff. \"I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this commonsense legislation that will enhance public safety by allowing law-abiding Americans to exercise their fundamental rights, while keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398260", "Roe Statement on House Passage of Legislation to Protect Americans Second Amendment Rights", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after voting in support of \u00a0H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act which also contained the text of H.R. 4477, the Fix National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act:\r\n\u201cI am committed to protecting law-abiding Americans\u2019 Second Amendment rights. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in support of this critical piece of legislation that ensures citizens\u2019 rights don\u2019t end once they cross state lines and addresses shortcomings in the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s NICS database. Just a few years ago, we saw the absurdity of Virginia threatening to crack down on Tennessee concealed carry permit holders. This would have meant that Tennesseans with a valid concealed carry permit could be committing a felony by crossing the street in places like Bristol. I am also pleased the Fix NICS Act was included in this legislation, as it will ensure existing laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals will be better enforced. As a concealed carry permit holder, you can rest assured I will continue to defend the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.\u201d\r\nRoe wrote about these bills in his weekly column. Both measures are supported by the National Rifle Association.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=AD491D4D-B2C4-4236-9AE6-0109FC500D9D", "Corker Statement on Jerusalem Announcement", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "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 after President Donald J. Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and begin the process of moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement recognizes what has been true for almost 70 years, namely that Jerusalem is Israel\u2019s seat of government,\u201d said Corker. \u201cOn a bipartisan basis, Congress has repeatedly voted overwhelmingly to recognize Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital, and I applaud the president\u2019s initiative in making this a reality. Maintaining a close working relationship with our regional partners and ensuring the security of our embassy personnel and facilities will be critical as the administration takes steps to operationalize this decision, and I look forward to working with them toward that end.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398541", "Update: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Marsha Blackburn", "B001243", "blackburn.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. CONGRESSMAN\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHONORED TO SERVE THE 7TH DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=F05BD91F-1BF2-4D68-8108-8A849830B728", "Senate HELP Committee Considers Education, Labor Nominees Who Have Broad Support", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 5, 2017 \u2014\u00a0The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee today held a hearing for two Department of Education nominees, Ken Marcus to serve as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Johnny Collett to serve as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and two Department of Labor nominees, Scott Mugno to serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health and Dr. William Beach to serve as Commissioner of Labor Statistics.\r\nOn Mr. Marcus, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said: \u201cThe Office for Civil Rights has the important responsibility of ensuring that Title IX and other civil rights laws, and the protections they provide to all students, are fully enforced.\u00a0Mr. Marcus has a deep understanding of civil rights issues, having founded the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and having served as Staff Director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for four years. I have letters from 10 individuals and organizations supporting Mr. Marcus\u2019 nomination to lead the Office for Civil Rights.\u201d\r\nOn Mr. Collett, Alexander said: \u201cAs a result of a long history in special education, Mr. Collett is widely supported by the special education community, including the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and five other organizations. \u00a0He has been a high school special education teacher, served as Director of the Division of Learning Services at the Kentucky Department of Education, and is currently the Director of Special Education Outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers.\u201d\r\nOn Mr. Mugno, Alexander said: \u201cMy father was the safety director at a plant in Alcoa, Tennessee and later served on the first Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, so I grew up seeing my father\u2019s pride when the plant went a long number of days without an accident, which instilled in me the importance of workplace safety. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Mugno\u2019s experience and have received six statements of support for his nomination.\u201d\r\nOn Dr. Beach, Alexander said: \u201cAs Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Dr. Beach will be responsible for the Bureau that collects and publishes the data that tells us how our economy is doing. As fewer people have landlines and more people use cell phones and social media to communicate, it is getting harder to reach people in order to obtain these figures. The committee has received three letters of support demonstrating that Dr. Beach is well equipped to lead the organization and meet these challenges.\u201d\r\nAlexander\u2019s full prepared remarks are\u00a0here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=E0734ED1-B5F0-4120-A6B9-BF406D645796", "Opening Statement: Senate HELP Committee Considers Education, Labor Nominees Who Have Broad Support", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a hearing in 2014, I had this exchange with the former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, Catherine Lhamon: Alexander: Ms. Lhamon, you talk about something called guidance and I\u2019ve got here about 66 pages of guidance under Title IX. Do you expect institutions to comply with your Title IX guidance documents? Lhamon: We do. Alexander: You do. What authority do you have to do that? Why do you not go through the same process of public comment that the [Department of Education] is going through under the Clery Act? Lhamon: Well, we would if they were regulatory changes. Alexander: Why are they not regulatory changes? You require 6,000 institutions to comply with this, correct? Lhamon: We do. The problem with that exchange is that guidance documents are not law. Laws are created by the Congress, or in some cases, the Department may issue regulations within the authority that Congress has granted, and an agency must follow proper procedures that include public comment. Public comment is especially important when issues are complex and have a great deal of difference of opinions. This certainly is true on the issue of the standard of proof colleges must use when investigating allegations of sexual misconduct. In April 2011, the Education Department had issued guidance under Title IX that told colleges for the first time the standard of proof that must be used when investigating these allegations. I was glad to see Secretary DeVos end this overreach and recognize the difference between the law and guidance, and announce that the Department will conduct the proper public rulemaking process to hear from students, college administrators, and others to help schools protect the safety and rights of all students. The Office for Civil Rights has the important responsibility of ensuring that Title IX and other civil rights laws, and the protections they provide to all students, are fully enforced.  If confirmed, Mr. Marcus, I hope you will also recognize the difference between the law, which is binding, and guidance, which is not. Mr. Marcus, you have a deep understanding of civil rights issues, having founded the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and having served as Staff Director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for four years. You also led the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Education under President George W. Bush for a period of time when it didn\u2019t have a confirmed official in that office.  I have letters from 13 individuals and organizations who support your nomination to lead the Office for Civil Rights, including Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, who said, \u201cMr. Marcus has been a longtime champion for civil rights and for college students. We have worked personally with him on several campuses across the country in response to specific issues of bigotry and discrimination, and we have found him to be extremely skilled and knowledgeable in Civil Rights laws. Mr. Marcus has been a true leader in fighting discrimination\u2026\u201d I ask unanimous consent to insert the letters into the record.  You were nominated on October 30. On November 8, the Committee received your Office of Government Ethics paperwork, including your public financial disclosure and ethics agreement. On November 28, we received your committee paperwork. Now, Mr. Collett, five organizations support your nomination, as a result of your long history in special education. I ask unanimous consent to insert these statements and letters into the record. Mr. Collett, you have been a high school special education teacher, served as Director of the Division of Learning Services at the Kentucky Department of Education, and your current role is Director of Special Education Outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers. You also previously served on the board of directors of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. That Association applauded you for having \u201cworked with stakeholders in the disability community at the local, state, and national levels.\u201d  You were nominated on November 16. On November 28, the Committee received your committee paperwork. And on November 29, the committee received your Office of Government Ethics paperwork, including your public financial disclosure and ethics agreement.\r\nToday, we also are considering two nominees for the Department of Labor.\r\nThe first is Scott Mugno, to serve as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health at the Department of Labor. This position is especially interesting to me because in the early 1970\u2019s, my father received a call from Governor Winfield Dunn, who asked him to be a Commissioner on the first Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. At the time, my father was the safety director at the Smelter plant in Alcoa, Tennessee. So I grew up seeing my father\u2019s pride when the plant went a long number of days without an accident, which instilled in me the importance of workplace safety. You can imagine, therefore, that I have a lot of respect for your experience at FedEx, where you currently serve as the Vice President for Safety, Sustainability and Vehicle Maintenance for FedEx Ground in Pittsburgh. You have held legal positions at FedEx Express, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and the U.S. Army JAG Corps. Of special note, you also lived in Memphis for 18 years, where you and your wife raised your two daughters. You were nominated on November 1. On November 13, the Committee received your committee paperwork. On November 14, the committee received your Office of Government Ethics paperwork, including your public financial disclosure and ethics agreement.\r\nMr. Mugno, I have received two letters and have statements from five organizations in support of your nomination that I would like to have included in the record.  As Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Dr. Beach, you will oversee the Bureau that is responsible for collecting and publishing the data that tells us how our economy is doing, including the unemployment rate and changes in consumer prices. As fewer people have landlines and more people use cell phones and social media to communicate, it is getting harder to reach people in order to obtain these figures. There is also the challenge of how to engage with the public on these important figures without seeming like we are cherry picking the best results. Data itself is non-partisan, and at the Bureau, you will be leading an agency that collects data and does not make policy. I hope you will have an opportunity at this hearing to tell us how you plan to adapt to these challenges when you release the data gathered through the Household and Community Surveys. Dr. Beach, you are well equipped to lead this organization and meet these challenges, having served as the Chief Economist for the Senate Budget Committee from 2013 to January 2016 and as a Director at the Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation prior to that. Currently, you are the Vice President for Policy Research at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. You were nominated on October 24. On October 28, the Committee received your Office of Government Ethics paperwork, including your public financial disclosure and ethics agreement. On November 21, we received your committee paperwork. Mr. Beach, I have received three letters of support for your nomination that I would like to have included in the record. Thank you all for your willingness to serve. I look forward to hearing from our nominees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=5F57E9CA-020B-4551-A8BC-901A22057082", "Corker: Congress, Administration Stand United Against Rogue North Korean Regime", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "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 said legislation unanimously approved by the committee would support a comprehensive U.S. approach for dealing with the threat from North Korea. The committee sent amended versions of the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2017 and the LEED (Leverage to Enhance Effective Diplomacy) Act of 2017 to the full Senate for consideration.\r\n\u201cThe committee\u2019s action today shows that Congress and the administration stand united against the rogue North Korean regime,\u201d said Corker. \u201cThese bills support a comprehensive U.S. approach and will help the administration address the most acute threat to global security at this time. I appreciate the work of the bill sponsors and am hopeful the full Senate will approve these measures in the near future.\u201d\u00a0\r\nFull text of the bills and amendments considered during the committee\u2019s business meeting today are 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=D5FD19DC-597C-45F4-AB6A-731637E33E99", "Corker Statement on Committee Passage of Financial Regulatory Reform Legislation", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee, today released the following statement after the committee passed legislation to improve our nation\u2019s financial regulatory framework and promote economic growth.\r\n\u201cSince Dodd-Frank was signed into law in 2010, community banks in Tennessee and across our country have faced an overwhelming and disproportionate regulatory burden,\u201d said Corker. \u201cThese reforms are long overdue and not only will help our community banks better serve hardworking Americans but also will ensure small businesses have access to the credit they need. While more work remains, I believe this bill is an important step in the right direction and am pleased we are close to getting this over the finish line.\u201d\r\nThe package, authored by Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and cosponsored by Corker, is targeted toward helping community banks, credit unions, mid-sized banks, regional banks and custody banks. It includes important consumer protections, particularly for veterans, senior citizens and victims of fraud.\r\nRepublican Co-Sponsors: Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), David Perdue (R-Georgia), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho).\r\nDemocrat Co-Sponsors: Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana), Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Mark Warner (D-Virginia), Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri), Gary Peters (D-Michigan) and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado).\r\nHighlights of the legislation include:\r\n \r\n\u00b7 Improves consumer access to mortgage credit;\r\n\u00b7 Provides regulatory relief for small financial institutions and protects consumer access to credit;\r\n\u00b7 Provides specific protections for veterans, consumers and homeowners; and\r\n\u00b7 Tailors regulations for banks to better reflect their business models.\r\n \r\nFor a section-by-section summary, click here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398257", "Roe Announces Federal Grants for Reconstruction from Natural Disasters", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u00a0\u2013 Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program will reimburse the U.S. Forest Service $335,408 and $160,000, respectively, to reconstruct federally-owned roads damaged by heavy rains in December 2015. Roe released the following statement: \r\n\u201cThe Cherokee National Forest is one of our area\u2019s great treasures, and maintaining access to it is critically important. At a time of tight budget constraints, and with wildfires consuming an ever-increasing portion of the Forest Service\u2019s resources, funding like this will help ensure public access to the Cherokee is maintained. Our national forest is a source of pride for East Tennessee, providing recreational opportunities and helping to drive economic growth. This funding will help ensure the Forest can be enjoyed for generations to come.\u201d\r\nTo view more information on these federal grants. Click here and here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398258", "Roe: We Are One Step Closer to Seizing a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after voting for the motion to go to conference to allow the House and Senate to reconcile the differences between the two tax reform bills:\r\n\u201cToday we are one step closer to overhauling our tax code and seizing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to allow hardworking Americans to keep more of their pay. I am pleased the House has agreed to go to conference to reconcile the differences between the bills in both chambers. Comprehensive tax reform will give East Tennesseans a much-needed boost in their paychecks, increase job growth across the country and create a competitive tax environment for all businesses \u2013 both large and small. This pro-growth, commonsense tax reform bill is an incredible opportunity to improve the lives of all Americans, and I am optimistic Congress can get this bill to the president\u2019s desk before Christmas.\u201d\r\nNote: The U.S. House of Representatives passed its tax reform legislation on November 16, and the U.S. Senate passed its tax reform bill on Saturday.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=631A2FDB-5DCB-41CA-85E8-6D9EB02A6E89", "Alexander Announces Policy Directors for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, December 4 \u2014 Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he has named three new majority staff policy directors.\r\nGrace Stuntz will serve as Health Policy Director, Bob Moran will serve as Education Policy Director, and Andy Banducci will serve as Labor and Pensions Policy Director.\r\n\u201cWe are fortunate this talented group of individuals is working to help tackle some of the most important issues facing Americans today: addressing the opioid abuse crisis, making it easier to go to college, and ensuring our labor policies are helping American workers find good jobs,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cSenator Ted Kennedy, who served for many years as the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, once said that the committee had 30 percent of the legislative jurisdiction of the Senate, and we\u2019ve got critical work ahead of us this Congress.\u201d\r\nGRACE STUNTZ\r\nGrace Stuntz previously served as Deputy Health Policy Director and Senior Food and Drug Administration Policy Advisor for the HELP Committee. She has worked on the committee since 2011, previously working for Ranking Member Mike Enzi, focusing on FDA policy, including the FDA Reauthorization Act, 21st Century Cures Act, and Drug Quality and Security Act. She received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Virginia.\u00a0\r\nBOB MORAN\r\nBob Moran previously served as Deputy Policy Director for Education for the committee, focusing on higher education policy with a specialty in financial aid policy. \u00a0Prior to joining the committee, he was Director of Federal Relations and Policy Analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). He has served as a Policy Analyst for the U.S. Under Secretary of Education, and an aide to two Pennsylvania members of the House of Representatives, one of whom was a conferee to the 1998 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. He is a father to three girls.\r\nANDY BANDUCCI\r\nAndy Banducci previously served as Workforce Policy Counsel for the majority staff of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. In that capacity, he advised Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and other members on the Committee's workforce-related agenda, including employee benefits, labor-management relations, labor standards, and workplace safety. A native of northwestern Pennsylvania, Andy graduated from Penn State and the University of Michigan Law School.\u00a0 He practiced law prior to joining the House committee's staff in 2011.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=2E16E07E-C5B6-4EB5-B1D7-9F7E4BDC7E16", "Alexander: Senate Tax Bill Good for Tennesseans Family Incomes", "2017-12-02", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Says doubling standard deduction and child care tax credit will help middle income families;\u00a0Lower business rates will create jobs and keep companies from moving overseas\r\nWASHINGTON, December 2, 2017 \u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today voted for the Senate\u2019s tax reform bill, saying it will help create more good-paying jobs for Tennessee families and keep more money in Tennesseans\u2019 pockets.\r\n\u201cToday, the Senate took a critical step toward reducing taxes. This is good for Tennesseans\u2019 family incomes in two ways,\u201d\u00a0Alexander said.\u00a0\u201cFirst, middle-income tax cuts will leave more money in the pockets of Tennesseans \u2014 the standard deduction and child care tax credit are doubled. On average, wealthy Americans will pay a slightly higher share of federal income taxes, and middle income Americans will pay a smaller share. Second, taking the handcuffs off job creators will grow the economy. Our corporate taxes rates have been among the highest in the world, driving 4,700 American companies overseas during the past ten years to take advantage of lower tax rates. This bill lowers corporate rates from 35% to 20%-- about the worldwide average-- and allows immediate expensing of capital investment, which will create jobs and raise wages. The law will help increase the anemic annual 1.9% growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that our country has been experiencing and will produce more federal revenues to reduce the national debt.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued,\u00a0\u201cNow the Senate and House can work together on our different bills to send to the President legislation that can become law before the end of the year.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe U.S. Senate passed its tax reform bill today, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed its tax reform legislation on\u00a0November 2.\u00a0The House and Senate will now work together to come to an agreement on the two different versions of the bill.\u00a0 The House and Senate can then send a final bill to the president\u2019s desk so it can be signed into law.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kustoff-applauds-passage-bill-protect-affordable-housing", "Rep. Kustoff Applauds Passage of Bill to Protect Affordable Housing", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u00e2\u0080\u0093 U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) today delivered remarks on the House floor in support of the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2017 (H.R. 1699). This bipartisan legislation, which the Congressman cosponsored, passed the House of Representatives shortly after.\n\nThe full text of Congressman Kustoff's remarks follows:\n\nI rise today in support of the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2017, legislation of which I was proud to be an original cosponsor.\n\nIn West Tennessee and in other rural areas around the country, manufactured housing is a critical, affordable option for many families.\n\nMore than 8.5 million families \u00e2\u0080\u0093 that is roughly 22 million Americans \u00e2\u0080\u0093 have chosen this option because of the affordability and value.\n\nIn fact, one out of ten West Tennesseans has chosen manufactured housing as the best option to make their home.\n\nFor this reason, our legislation is essential to protecting consumer choices and financing options for those seeking to buy a manufactured home, while also leaving in place important consumer protections.\n\nIn fact, close to 60 percent of new manufactured homes sell for less than $70 thousand and are usually available at lower monthly payments than what it costs to rent.\n\nManufactured home loans are always offered as a fixed rate, fixed term option.\n\nI am pleased to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation, which will allow many Americans seeking the American dream of owning a home to continue to have access to affordable manufactured housing.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=7A33AC61-A734-4274-82CB-114BD28D2FB6", "Corker Statement on Tax Reform Legislation", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "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.\r\n\u201cMy concern about the impact a rapidly growing $20 trillion national debt will have on our children and grandchildren has been a guiding principle throughout my time in public service. And during my 10 years and 11 months in the Senate, I have consistently fought for fiscal discipline in Washington.\r\n\u201cI have authored comprehensive legislation to address America\u2019s debt crisis, including the Commitment to American Prosperity (CAP) Act and the Fiscal Sustainability Act. I also have taken some really tough votes against very popular policies, including appropriations bills, budget resolutions, defense authorizations, disaster funding, and even a veterans\u2019 bill.\u00a0\r\n\u201cBut at the same time, I have consistently advocated for pro-growth tax reform. And in my view, these are not mutually exclusive priorities.\r\n\u201cFrom the beginning of this debate, I have been a cheerleader for legislation that \u2013 while allowing for current policy assumptions and reasonable dynamic scoring \u2013 would not add to the deficit and set rates that are permanent in nature.\r\n\u201cI worked closely with Senator Toomey to negotiate the budget agreement that paved the way for this legislation. And I have worked diligently over the past few weeks with Senate leadership and the White House to make improvements.\r\n\u201cWhile I support a number of the provisions included in this legislation and continue to believe it would have been fairly easy to alter the bill in a way that would have been more fiscally sound without harming the pro-growth policies, unfortunately, it is clear that the caucus is in a different place.\r\n\u201cThis is yet another tough vote. I am disappointed. I wanted to get to yes. But at the end of the day, I am not able to cast aside my fiscal concerns and vote for legislation that I believe, based on the information I currently have, could deepen the debt burden on future generations.\r\n\u201cI thank the administration, Senate leadership, and members of the tax-writing committee for working with me in good faith, and as I shared with President Trump when I called him a short time ago, I will take a close look at the product developed in conference before making a decision on the final legislation.\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=E6572E46-DE03-4D89-AF80-AFCF89CCD5F8", "Corker, Cardin Urge President Trump to Prioritize Elimination of Slavery in U.S. Policy Toward Libya", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Expressing deep concern over recent reports of slave auctions in Libya, U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday urged President Donald J. Trump to make elimination of slavery a priority for U.S. policy toward Libya. President Trump is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of the Government of National Accord (GNA) today, and the senators in a letter asked the president to discuss strategies for Libya to eradicate slavery during the meeting.\r\nText of the letter is included below. A signed copy is available here.\r\nNovember 30, 2017\u00a0\r\nPresident Donald J. Trump\r\nThe White House\r\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue\r\nWashington, DC 20500\r\nDear Mr. President:\r\nWe are deeply concerned by reports that slave auctions are taking place in at least nine locations across Libya.\u00a0 If confirmed, these reports suggest that slave traders are exploiting Libya\u2019s political instability and forcing migrants and refugees into servitude.\u00a0\r\nThe internationally recognized Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli has acknowledged that these slave auctions are taking place. But given its limited capacity, the GNA has asked the international community for assistance in shutting down these auctions and holding slave traders accountable.\u00a0 We therefore urge you to discuss strategies for eliminating slavery with GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj when he visits the Oval Office this week and to make the elimination of slavery within Libya an integral part of U.S. policy towards that country. This issue will similarly be raised with the prime minister in congressional meetings with him.\r\nThere are presently more than 27 million people enslaved worldwide. This scourge on humanity knows no borders or boundaries. It is imperative that the U.S. continue to lead in the fight to end modern slavery.\r\nSincerely,\r\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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 __________________________\r\nBob Corker\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 Ben Cardin\r\nUnited States Senator\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 United States Senator\r\nCc: Secretary Rex Tillerson\r\nIvanka Trump", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://black.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-black-demands-full-transparency-and-accountability-congressional-hush-fund", "Rep. Black Demands Full Transparency of Congressional 'Hush Fund'", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Diane Black", "B001273", "black.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Today, Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) released the following statement after signing on as a co-sponsor of the Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act:\n\u201cToday, I joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to bring more transparency to claims of sexual harassment and misconduct in Congress. No public official should be able to use taxpayer dollars as hush money to cover up their sexual misconduct. This behavior has gone on too long and it needs to stop. I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in this effort and look forward to considering this legislation on the House floor.\u201d\n\u201cI also believe we need to go further. I believe that Congress and the Tennessee legislature should release all details of sexual harassment claims and settlements against legislators and staff. Victims should be released from their Non-Disclosure Agreements and Congress and the state legislature should identify perpetrators and produce redacted information that shields the identity and circumstance of the victim. Veils of secrecy only serve to protect the perpetrators. Full transparency and accountability is the only way to allow victims to heal and to bring perpetrators to justice. Those of us who are public servants should be held to a higher standard. We are not above the law. The time for action is now.\u201d\n\u00a0\n###\n\u00a0\nCongressman Diane Black represents Tennessee\u2019s 6th Congressional District. A nurse for more than 40 years, she serves as Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a member of the Ways and Means Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/rep-scott-desjarlais-house-armed-services-committee-member-shapes-national", "REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS, HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE MEMBER, SHAPES NATIONAL DEFENSE BILL, MOVING TO WHITE HOUSE FOR SIGNATURE", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION MOVES TO WHITE HOUSE, STRENGTHENS U.S. DEFENSE\nHOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE MEMBER REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS SHAPES LEGISLATION\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2018, a bipartisan House-Senate agreement to increase troop numbers, pay, benefits, training, and national security. The legislation will travel to the White House for President Donald Trump\u2019s signature, before it becomes law.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, responsible for drafting the annual NDAA, which sets military policy and spending levels, described today\u2019s ceremony in the Capitol as a major step towards fulfilling his, and the Commander-in-Chief\u2019s promise, to \u201cMake America Strong Again.\u201d\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The 2018 NDAA raises defense spending levels to restore depleted troop levels, as well as air, sea and land fleets, necessary to protect Americans at home and abroad. \u201cOur adversaries, such as Russia, Iran and China, have responded to budget uncertainty and military cuts with technological and geographic advances in Europe and Asia,\u201d said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04).\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProviding for the common defense is the federal government\u2019s number-one responsibility,\u201d he said, explaining Congress must now appropriate funding, requiring congressional Democrats to cease demands for equal increases in domestic discretionary spending.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe NDAA makes important changes to Defense Department acquisitions and auditing that would save taxpayers billions of dollars. I\u2019d like to see the same enthusiasm for eliminating bureaucracy and waste at federal agencies without the same constitutional mandate or dangerous mission,\u201d said the Congressman.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He represents a district at the heart of the Aerospace and Defense Technology Corridor including Fort Campbell, Arnold Air Force Base, Redstone Arsenal and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where hypersonic, nuclear and unmanned aerial vehicle research and testing take place. Rep. Desjarlais worked to make improvements to those programs in the NDAA.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=251A2E88-812B-4E2F-992D-615AB0B18D99", "Alexander Introduces Amendment to End Wind Production Tax Credit At the End of This Year", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cYou don\u2019t need to be an accountant to know that our tax code is too complicated, takes too many dollars away from working Americans and makes it harder to create good-paying jobs\u2026 The wind production tax credit is a perfect example of the kind of provision Congress should kiss goodbye.\u201d\u00a0\r\nWASHINGTON, November 30, 2017 \u2013 U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today introduced an amendment to the Senate tax reform bill that would end the wind production tax credit at the end of this year, instead of\u00a0two years from now.\r\n\u201cYou don\u2019t need to be an accountant to know that our tax code is too complicated, takes too many dollars away from working Americans, and makes it harder to create good-paying jobs. Congress is focused on making our backward tax code into something that encourages our nation\u2019s instinct for creativity and innovation,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cAs we look at all the wasteful and unnecessary tax breaks that are holding us back, the wind production tax credit is a perfect example of the kind of provision Congress should kiss goodbye.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued, \u201cThe subsidy for Big Wind hasn\u2019t come cheap: In just eight years \u2014 from 2008 to 2015 \u2014 the credit cost taxpayers $9.6 billion, more than a billion dollars a year. And it gets worse: The credit is expected to cost taxpayers more than $23 billion over just five years from 2016 to 2020, according to the Congressional Research Service \u2013 and the cost to taxpayers will continue until 2029 because when you extend the wind production tax credit for one year, it\u2019s really for ten years.\r\n\u201cIt hasn\u2019t done much for most Americans. Despite the billions that Congress has provided in subsidies, wind energy still produces only 6 percent of our country\u2019s electricity. Wind blows about 35 percent of the time \u2014 and its schedule is not exactly pegged to our demand \u2014 so until there\u2019s some way to efficiently store large amounts of wind power, a utility still needs to operate nuclear, gas, or coal plants when the wind doesn\u2019t blow.\r\n\u201cWind turbines also destroy America\u2019s natural beauty. On average, wind turbines are taller than the Statue of Liberty \u2014 they\u2019re over twice as tall as the skyboxes at University of Tennessee\u2019s Neyland Stadium. The blades on windmills can be as long as a football field, and their blinking lights can be seen for 20 miles.\u201d\r\nAlexander concluded, \u201cFor all these reasons, we should consider ending the wind production tax credit at the end of the year an easy decision.\u201d\r\nEarlier this month, Alexander spoke on the Senate floor about the wind production tax credit being a candidate for elimination in the tax reform bill, urging members of Congress to look at eliminating all tax subsidies for mature energy technologies.\r\nAlexander also wrote in National Review that Congress should eliminate the wind production tax credit at the end of the year \u2013 and not two years from now \u2013 and use the $4 billion in savings to lower tax rates.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=DC574CB6-8281-4B22-BAF8-0C8701E50F41", "Alexander: Federal Government Should Be the Best Possible Partner for States on Front Lines of Opioid Crisis Ravaging Our Country", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cWhile the federal government remains an important partner in this fight, those in the judicial and public health sectors are on the front lines of this crisis. I want to know how these different state departments are working together to fight opioid addiction and what innovative approaches states are taking to address the distinct challenges they face.\u201d\u00a0\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C., November 30, 2017 --\u00a0\u00a0Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that \u201cwe must ensure the federal government is the best possible partner for states on the front lines of the opioid crisis ravaging our country.\u201d\u00a0\r\nToday\u2019s hearing \u2013 the second in a series of hearings on the opioid crisis \u2013 is focused on what is happening at the state and local levels to address the crisis and follows a Senate health committee meeting\u00a0last month\u00a0to hear from administration witnesses on the federal response to opioid abuse.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe opioid crisis is tearing our communities apart, tearing families apart, and posing an enormous challenge to health care providers and law enforcement officials,\u201d\u00a0Alexander said. \u201cIt seems that every day, there are new studies and statistics that further describes the toll of this crisis. For example, last week the White House Office of Economic Advisers released a report that estimated the opioid crisis cost $504 billion in 2015.\u201d\u00a0\r\nAlexander continued: \u201cWhile the federal government remains an important partner in this fight, those in the judicial and public health sectors are on the front lines of this crisis. I want to know how these different state departments are working together to fight opioid addiction and what innovative approaches states are taking to address the distinct challenges they face.\u201d\r\n\u201cLast year, Congress provided tools and resources to states through the Comprehensive Care and Recovery Act and the 21st\u00a0Century Cures Act. I would like to hear whether these laws are helping states make progress in the fight against the opioid crisis, and, if not, why not.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis past spring, the administration began issuing grants funded by Cures for states to use to combat the opioid crisis, totaling $485 million to all 50 states. Because each state is facing different challenges in responding to the crisis, it is important that states have flexibility in how to use the money. Tennessee is using some of its nearly $14 million to distribute naloxone, a drug that can reverse an overdose, and implement strategies to help reduce the number of babies born who experience withdrawal from opioids. In the last ten years, Tennessee has seen a nearly 10-fold rise in the incidence of babies born addicted to opioids.\u201d\r\n\u201cOther states are using funds to improve state-run prescription drug monitoring programs \u2013 the electronic databases that can track controlled substances prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacists. That way, doctors can see whether a patient has already been prescribed an opioid by another doctor across the street. I\u2019m eager to hear how these programs are run in your states and if there are things that can be done at the federal level to help improve coordination and data-sharing at the state level.\u201d\r\nWitnesses today included Dr. Omar Abubaker, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry and who also lost his son to a drug overdose, Rebecca Boss, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, Andrea Magermans, Managing Director of the Wisconsin Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, and John Tilley, Secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.\r\nAlexander\u2019s full prepared remarks are available\u00a0here.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=A68E15F0-714A-4214-873A-7C09EBB0C660", "Opening Statement: Alexander: Federal Government Should Be the Best Possible Partner for States on Front Lines of Opioid Crisis Ravaging Our Country", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The toll of the opioid crisis that is ravaging our country is staggering.\r\nOne of our witnesses today, Dr. Abubaker, has personally experienced the heartbreak that opioid addiction causes.\r\nHis son, Adam, as a 17 year old, was prescribed 90 Vicodin pills for a minor shoulder injury.\r\nAdam developed an addiction and overdosed four years later on a mixture of drugs including heroin\r\nI am grateful Dr. Abubaker is here to tell his family\u2019s heartbreaking story and share the work he has done to educate other doctors about prescribing opioids.\r\nAs Dr. Abubaker has said, \u201cPeople from all walks of life\u2026 have had problems. It has nothing to do with where you live, or where you came from. You could be the president. You could be the son of a doctor.\u201d\r\nLast month, this committee held the first in a series of hearings this Congress on the opioid crisis \u2013 a crisis that is tearing our communities apart, tearing families apart, and posing an enormous challenge to health care providers and law enforcement officials.\r\nThat hearing was focused on the federal response to the opioid crisis, and today we will hear from those on the front lines: our witnesses represent states, communities and providers and will share what they are doing and what, if any, changes are needed to federal law to fight the crisis.\r\nThese witnesses come from four different states and have personal and professional perspectives on the opioid crisis from the judicial and public health sectors.\r\nWe hope to hold an additional hearing early next year as we build on our work from last Congress \u2013 which included passing the 21st Century Cures Act, which appropriated $1 billion over two years for state grants, and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which created new programs to address the crisis.\r\nI mentioned some of the tragic statistics of this crisis at our last hearing, but they are worth repeating:\u00a0\u00a0The amount of opioids prescribed in the U.S. in 2015 was enough for every American to be medicated around the clock for three weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\r\nAcross the country, 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.\r\nIn my home state of Tennessee, 1,631 Tennesseans died of a drug overdose last year --12 percent more than the year before\u2014mostly due to an increase in overdoses of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, a pain medication that is\u00a050 to 100 times stronger than morphine and can kill with just a small dose.\r\nIt seems that every day, there are new studies and statistics that further describe the toll of this crisis.\r\nFor example, last week the White House Office of Economic Advisers released a report that estimated the opioid crisis cost $504 billion in 2015.\r\nAs we talk about this crisis from a state perspective, I hope to hear from our witnesses:\r\nHow are different state departments\u2014medical, public health, and judicial systems\u2014working together in a collaborative way to address this crisis?\r\nWhat innovative approaches are states taking to address the distinct challenges they face?\r\nFor example, Rhode Island is working to connect individuals who overdose with recovery coaches while they receive treatment in hospital emergency departments to try to get people into treatment and break their cycle of addiction in the long term.\r\nThe federal government remains an important partner in the opioid crisis. Earlier this month, the President\u2019s Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis released recommendations, and I hope our witnesses will touch on some of those today.\r\nWe also want to know what is being done with the tools and resources provided in CARA and Cures, whether these laws are helping make progress, and, if not, why not.\u00a0\r\nThis past spring, the administration began issuing grants funded by Cures for states to use to combat the opioid crisis, totaling $485 million to all 50 states.\r\nBecause each state is facing different challenges in responding to the crisis, it is important that states have flexibility in how to use the money.\r\nTennessee received nearly $14 million of that money.\u00a0\r\nTennessee is using that money to: Distribute naloxone, a drug that can reverse an overdose, and train people how to use it to reduce the number of overdose deaths; Expand access to medication-assisted treatment; and Implement strategies to help reduce the number of babies born who experience withdrawal from opioids.\r\nIn the last ten years, Tennessee has seen a nearly 10-fold rise in the incidence of babies born addicted to opioids.\r\nOther states are using the grants from Cures to address different needs within their states.\r\nFor example, Arkansas is using its grant to expand access to buprenorphine, a medication-assisted treatment.\r\nOther states are using funds to improve state-run prescription drug monitoring programs \u2013 the electronic databases that can track controlled substances prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacists. That way, doctors can see whether a patient has already been prescribed an opioid by another doctor across the street.\r\nI\u2019m eager to hear how these programs are run in your states and if there are things that can be done at the federal level to help improve coordination and data-sharing at the state level.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kustoff-spends-thanksgiving-troops-afghanistan", "Rep. Kustoff Spends Thanksgiving with Troops in Afghanistan", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) last Thursday, November 23, spent Thanksgiving Day with American troops in Kandahar and Kabul, Afghanistan. Congressman Kustoff was one of eight members of Congress to join a week-long, bipartisan trip to Afghanistan, Poland and Qatar. High resolution photos are available here.\n\n\"Last week, I had the great privilege of serving Thanksgiving lunch and dinner to our troops in Afghanistan, including soldiers from West Tennessee who are stationed overseas,\" said Congressman Kustoff. \"It was an incredible experience, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to personally thank our brave servicemen and women for their remarkable sacrifice.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:12:50Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=402151BB-0D06-4464-A5D0-81F4097D002C", "Alexander to Azar: Your Broad Experience is an Obvious Asset in Leading HHS", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cYou will also oversee the Affordable Care Act\u2026In Tennessee, premiums have increased 176 percent in four years, and an additional 58 percent this year. Both Congress and the Administration need to act to provide relief for these Americans. Senator Murray and I worked together on an agreement\u2026 Yesterday, President Trump said he supported the Alexander-Murray agreement becoming law by the end of the year and Senator Schumer has said all 48 Democratic senators support it.\u201d\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C.,\u00a0November 29, 2017\u00a0\u2013\u00a0At a confirmation hearing today for Alex Azar, President Trump\u2019s nominee to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said\u00a0that\u00a0Azar\u2019s\u00a0\u201cbroad experience is a principal asset to leading the Department.\u201d\r\n\u201cYou have served in the judicial branch as a law clerk for Justice Antonin Scalia and you know the executive branch, having been HHS General Counsel and Deputy Secretary,\u201d\u00a0Alexander said. \u201cAnd you know the private sector. You\u00a0spent a decade in a leadership position at one of the country\u2019s major pharmaceutical companies, so you know the system of how drugs get from the manufacturer to patients.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued: \u201cWith all of these perspectives, you are ready to take advantage of the law Leader McConnell called, the \u2018most important piece of legislation,\u2019 the 21stCentury Cures Act, which gave new, broad powers to FDA and NIH, and included the first major reorganization of mental health programs in a decade, as well as significant new funding for the opioid crisis.\u201d\r\n\u201cYou will also oversee the Affordable Care Act. The nine million people who purchase insurance in the individual market who do not qualify for a subsidy are really getting hammered by skyrocketing prices \u2013 in Tennessee, premiums have increased 176 percent in four years, and an additional 58 percent this year. Both Congress and the Administration need to act to provide relief for these Americans.\u201d\r\n\u201cSenator Murray and I worked together on an agreement, co-sponsored by 11 other Republicans and 11 other Democrats, which the Congressional Budget Office says will prevent a 25 percent price increase in premiums by 2020 by paying cost sharing subsidies, decrease the federal dollars spent on ACA premiums subsides, and as a result, lower the deficit. The agreement would also give states the authority to use the innovation waiver already in the law to find other ways to lower premiums. Yesterday, President Trump said he supported the Alexander-Murray agreement becoming law by the end of the year and Senator Schumer has said all 48 Democratic senators support it.\u201d\r\n\u201cYou will also be coordinating a department wide effort to combat the opioid crisis that is ravaging this country. Some are now saying we need an opioid czar, and I hope you will join me in advising the president that this is a terrible idea. The Federal government does not need a new czar. Once confirmed, you need to be the one to take charge of leading the federal government response and letting us know how to help.\u201d\u00a0\r\nWhile the Senate health committee holds a courtesy hearing on the nomination of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Finance Committee receives his paperwork and will vote on his nomination.\r\nAlexander\u2019s full prepared remarks are available\u00a0here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=B4835553-4AF7-46FE-A021-61995DA4EF7B", "Alexander to HHS Secretary Nominee Alex Azar: As Secretary, You Can Help Lower Premiums for the 350,000 Tennesseans in the Individual Health Insurance Market", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cYou will oversee the Affordable Care Act\u2026In Tennessee, premiums have increased 176 percent in four years, and an additional 58 percent this year. Both Congress and the Administration need to act to provide relief for these Americans.\u201d\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C.,\u00a0November 29, 2017\u00a0\u2014 U.S. Senator\u00a0Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today chaired a hearing for Alex Azar,\u00a0President Trump\u2019s nominee to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he urged Azar, if confirmed, to work to\u00a0lower Tennesseans\u2019 health insurance premiums and stabilize the individual health insurance market.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cIf confirmed, you will be faced with skyrocketing premiums in the individual health insurance market that are currently a nightmare for the nine million Americans \u2014 including 150,000 Tennesseans \u2014 who do not receive a government subsidy to help them pay for their health insurance,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cIn Tennessee, premiums have increased 176 percent in four years, and an additional 58 percent this year.\u00a0Both Congress and the Administration need to act to provide relief for these Americans.\u201d\r\n\u00a0Alexander continued, \u201cI worked on an agreement with Senator Murray, which was co-sponsored by 11 other Republicans and 11 other Democrats, that would give states more flexibility to use the innovation waiver already in the law to find ways to lower premiums. It would also prevent a 25 percent price increase in premiums by 2020 by paying cost sharing subsidies, decrease the federal dollars spent on ACA premium subsides, and as a result, lower the deficit.\u00a0 Yesterday, President Trump said he supported the Alexander-Murray agreement becoming law by the end of the year.\u201d\r\nAlexander concluded, \u201cAs HHS Secretary, there are other steps you can take to lower premiums and stabilize the market, such as approving states\u2019 innovation waivers, which could increase access to lower cost plans and incentivize younger and healthier individuals to purchase insurance. If we can take these steps to stabilize the markets for the next few years, it will provide time to repeal and replace Obamacare with a better system. The American people deserve health care reform that is done in the right way, for the right reasons, in the right amount of time. It is about working toward long-term solutions that work for everyone.\u201d\r\nAlexander, as chairman of the Senate health committee, held four hearings in September on steps Congress could take to stabilize premiums in the individual insurance market so that the 18 million Americans \u2013 including 350,000 Tennesseans \u2013 who buy health insurance in the individual market will be able to buy insurance at more affordable prices. Julie McPeak, Tennessee\u2019s state insurance commissioner who said in August of 2016 that the state\u2019s individual health insurance market was \u201cvery near collapse,\u201d and Governor Haslam testified at those hearings.\r\nOn October 17, Alexander announced he and Sen. Murray reached a short-term deal to stabilize the individual health insurance market and begin to lower the costs of premiums so all Americans have access to health insurance. Alexander has said the legislation is the \u201cfirst step to avoiding chaos that could occur during 2018 and 2019 if premiums continue to skyrocket and millions of Americans \u2013 including thousands of Tennesseans \u2013 find themselves without a way to purchase insurance.\u201d\r\nAlexander also said today that Azar, if confirmed, will be\u00a0coordinating a department-wide effort to combat the opioid crisis that is ravaging this country, where just last year, 1,631 Tennesseans died of a drug overdose \u2013 12 percent more than the year before. In October, the Senate health committee held the first of a series of hearings on the opioid crisis with the federal response, where Alexander talked about efforts the committee has worked on to help prevent addiction, encourage appropriate prescribing and improve treatment.\r\nAlexander said at last month\u2019s hearing, \u201cLast July, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act was signed into law, which established new programs and encouraged those on the front lines to work together to combat substance abuse. In December, as part of the 21st\u00a0Century Cures Act, we updated drug abuse programs and provided $1 billion for prevention and treatment efforts.\u201d\r\nAzar, if confirmed, will also be in charge of overseeing new authorities in the 21st Century Cures Act, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called \u201cthe most important piece of legislation\u201d in 2016.\u00a0Alexander was the lead Republican Senate sponsor of Cures, which was signed\u00a0into\u00a0law last December. This past spring, the administration began issuing grants funded by Cures, including nearly $14 million for Tennessee. While the Senate health committee holds a courtesy hearing on the nomination of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Finance Committee receives his paperwork and will vote on his nomination.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=21208E81-0FD1-470D-9999-C369DB27996D", "Opening Statement: Alexander to Azar: Your Broad Experience is an Obvious Asset in Leading HHS", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Mr. Azar, if confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, you will be running a $1.11 trillion organization, which almost equals the total of the 12 Appropriations bills that Congress passes each year to fund everything from national parks to national defense to national laboratories.\r\nYou will be overseeing  Medicare and Medicaid \u2013 our nation\u2019s government-run insurance programs for the poor and elderly; \r\nMental health and substance abuse programs \u2013 where you will have to address the opioid crisis, among many other issues;  The National Institutes of Health \u2013 where, with Francis Collins\u2019 great leadership, the United States is leading efforts develop a cure for Alzheimer\u2019s, a new non-addictive painkiller to prevent opioid abuse, and new treatments for cancer;  The Food and Drug Administration \u2013 where Scott Gottlieb has gotten off to an excellent start speeding up the approval of generic drugs and working to spur innovation and access to regenerative medicines;  And you will be faced with skyrocketing premiums in the individual health insurance market that are currently a nightmare for the nine million Americans who do not receive a government subsidy to help them pay for their health insurance.  You will also have an opportunity to implement what Leader McConnell called, \u201cthe most important piece of legislation\u201d last year, the 21st Century Cures Act, which gave new, broad powers to FDA and NIH, and included the first major reorganization of mental health programs in a decade, as well as significant new funding for the opioid crisis.\r\nI believe you are an excellent nominee to do this job.  You have been confirmed by the Senate twice.  You have offered to meet with every member of this committee and have met or spoken with 15 committee members.  You served in the judicial branch as a law clerk for Justice Antonin Scalia.  You know the executive branch, having been HHS General Counsel for four years and Deputy Secretary for two years.  And you know the private sector. You spent a decade in a leadership position at one of the country\u2019s major pharmaceutical companies, so you know the system of how drugs get from the manufacturer to patients. With all of these perspectives, you should need no on the job training to lead this Department and take advantage of this exciting time in biomedical research to speed safe drugs through the system to patients more rapidly.  I see your broad experience as one of your principal assets.  Experience in health care is an obvious asset for someone called upon to lead the nation\u2019s most important health care agency.\r\nOne reason Dr. Gottlieb, the current FDA Commissioner, has done so well so rapidly is he knew the agency, having been Deputy Commissioner, and he knew the private sector as well.  Similarly, Dr. Collins\u2019 knowledge of NIH and his experience leading the Human Genome Project has made him an especially effective leader at NIH.  I am glad to know that people like you, Dr. Gottlieb and Dr. Collins have experience in the issues you will face.  Health care costs and drug pricing are issues this committee has studied to better understand existing challenges and find solutions. We plan to hold a third hearing on how the supply chain affects what patients pay for prescription drugs on December 12 to hear from the National Academies. Given your experience, I would welcome your input as we continue to examine the price patients pay when picking up their prescriptions.  Health care is much broader than just health insurance, and only about six percent of insured Americans purchase their health insurance in the individual market. \r\nAs I mentioned nine million in the individual market do not qualify for a subsidy and are really getting hammered by skyrocketing prices.  In Tennessee, premiums have increased 176 percent in four years, and an additional 58 percent this year.  Both Congress and the Administration need to act to provide relief for these Americans.  Senator Murray and I worked together on an agreement, co-sponsored by 11 other Republicans and 11 other Democrats, which the Congressional Budget Office says will prevent a 25 percent price increase in premiums by 2020 by paying cost sharing subsidies, decrease the federal dollars spent on ACA premiums subsides, and as a result, lower the deficit.  The agreement would also give states the authority to use the innovation waiver already in the law to find other ways to lower premiums.  For example, Alaska created a reinsurance program and lowered premiums by 20 percent with no new federal spending.  Yesterday, President Trump said he supported the Alexander-Murray agreement becoming law by the end of the year.  Our agreement has so much in it that it appeals to so many Democrats and Independents that it is hard to imagine not passing something that prevents a 25 percent increase in premiums by 2020 and offers states flexibility to further lower rates.  Senator Schumer called it a \u201cgood compromise,\u201d and said it has the support of \u201call 48 Democrats\u201d in the Senate. And the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Tom Perez tweeted last month that, \u201cAlexander-Murray\u2026has widespread bipartisan support.\u201d As HHS Secretary, there are other steps you can take to lower premiums and stabilize the market, such as approving states\u2019 innovation waivers, which could increase access to lower cost plans and incentivize younger and healthier individuals to purchase insurance.  The opioid crisis that is ravaging this country is a priority for the president and for every member of this committee. We are having a hearing on the state perspective of the opioid crisis tomorrow.  You will be coordinating a department wide effort to help combat the opioid abuse crisis. Drug overdose deaths in Tennessee went up by 12 percent from 2015 to 2016. In particular, overdose deaths related to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, have dramatically increased 74 percent from 169 in 2015 to 294 in 2016.  Congress has passed legislation to streamline programs and provide funding to states and communities on the frontlines of this crisis, including the Protecting Our Infants Act, the Comprehensive Addition and Recovery Act, and the 21st Century Cures Act I mentioned earlier. We have also included $816 million in the fiscal year 2018 Appropriations bill to help address this growing and tragic crisis.  As you implement these laws, we want to hear from you what is or is not working. I stand ready to work with you if additional tools or authorities are needed. Some are now saying we need an opioid czar, and I hope you will join me in advising the president that this is a terrible idea. The Federal government does not need a new czar. Once confirmed, you need to be the one to take charge of leading the federal government response and letting us know how to help.\r\nAs I mentioned at the beginning, you have an exciting opportunity to implement the 21st Century Cures Act. As this committee holds oversight hearings on Cures, I hope you will work with us to take advantage of all this law offers, including the Precision Medicine Initiative, the Cancer Moon Shot, and the BRAIN Initiative.  Cures also gave you and the FDA new authority to hire the scientists it needs to make sure these exciting new advances are safe and effective for Americans. I hope you will use these authorities to make sure we take full advantage of this exciting time in science.  The committee will also perform oversight on the Drug Quality and Security Act, which is the law we passed to help ensure the safety of compounded drugs.  I also hope we will continue to look at how to lower health care costs, including the cost patients pay for their prescription drugs and how to keep people healthy.  Looking at next year, this committee will have to reauthorize: \r\nThe Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, which provides the authority to ensure our nation is prepared for and able to respond to public health emergencies, such as hurricanes, infectious diseases, like Zika virus, and bioterror attacks. \r\nAnd, another important bill to fund the FDA, this one focused on animal drugs: The Animal Drug and Generic Animal Drug User Fee Acts.\u00a0\r\nI look forward to working with you on this and hearing more about your priorities today.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/op-ed-november-reduce-your-lung-cancer-risk", "OP-ED: This November, Reduce Your Lung Cancer Risk", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "By: Mrs. Brenda Fleischmann\n\nThis November, Reduce Your Lung Cancer Risk\n\nIn today's society fewer Americans are smoking and lung cancer rates are declining, yet the disease remains the number one cause of cancer death. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and reminds us that we have more to do to prevent lung cancer.\n\nAbout 220,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the U.S. each year, and more than 155,000 men and women are expected to die of the disease. In Tennessee alone, an estimated 5,830 will be diagnosed and 4,590 will die of lung cancer this year. The biggest way to reduce your risk of lung cancer is to never smoke. Smoking is responsible for about 80 percent of lung cancer cases in the U.S. Although smoking is the main risk factor for lung cancer, secondhand smoke, exposure to radon gas, or occupational exposure to certain toxic substances or radiation may also increase your risk.\n\nLung cancer symptoms, including a persistent cough, constant chest pain, hoarseness lasting a long time or shortness of breath, don't usually occur until the disease has progressed. If you are or were a long-time smoker, talk to a health care professional about the pros and cons of low-dose spiral CT screening, which can detect lung cancer at earlier stages, when successful treatment is more likely.\n\nQuitting smoking is not easy, but a health care professional can connect you to resources to help you quit. Visit www.preventcancer.org/lungcancer to learn more.\n\nBrenda Fleischmann is the spouse of Representative Chuck Fleischmann and is a member of the Prevent Cancer Foundation's Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program. (Statistics provided by the American Cancer Society and FDA.)", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:12:50Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=15EC3D0A-DC72-432A-89CF-EBFDC707137C", "Hospitals, Doctors, Patients Support HHS Secretary Nominee Alex AzarUniquely Qualified, Steady Hand, Tested Leader, Superior Credentials", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "American Hospital Association:\u00a0\u201cWe welcome the nomination of Alex Azar to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. We are confident that his extensive background in business, health care and medicine distinguishes him as a uniquely qualified candidate for the vacancy. The expertise garnered from his career in the private sector and prior public service at HHS as Deputy Secretary will prove to be particularly valuable in addressing the serious challenges facing our nation's health care system today. We look forward to working side-by-side with him to achieve our mission of advancing the health of the patients and communities we are privileged to serve.\u201d\r\nFederation of American Hospitals:\u00a0\u201cWe welcome and support the nomination of Alex Azar for HHS Secretary. His years of experience in government service and the health care sector makes him uniquely qualified to confront the challenges facing patients, families, and caregivers. I have worked with Mr. Azar in the past and think he is the perfect pick for the times. His steady hand of leadership will be critically important as the deliberations over health reform and the many health care quality and cost issues proceed. We encourage the US Senate to confirm Mr. Azar quickly. We look forward to working with him constructively on the future of American health care delivery and financing.\u201d\r\nFormer Deputy HHS Secretary Doctor Roger Klein:\u00a0\u201cI applaud President Trump\u2019s nomination of Alex Azar to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. As a former Deputy HHS Secretary and attorney with extensive private sector business experience, he brings the necessary skills and expertise to confront the disruption and dislocation the Affordable Care Act has caused. Alex Azar\u2019s appointment will add stability to HHS, and help improve healthcare for millions of Americans.\u201d\r\nAdvanced Medical Technology Association:\u00a0\u201cThe President has made a smart choice; Alex is a tested leader in the hard-fought battles to advance health care within the Department and across the country. I saw that leadership and character firsthand when I served with Alex at HHS. His expertise across a broad spectrum of issues \u2013 from public health to medical technology and beyond \u2013 will serve the nation well\u2026I urge the Senate to confirm Alex quickly, and pledge our support in helping him and the Department fulfill its mission.\u201d\r\nAssociation of American Medical Colleges:\u00a0\u201cWe congratulate Alex Azar on his nomination as secretary of HHS.\u00a0In this position, he will oversee many of the federal agencies that play a crucial role in how the nation\u2019s medical schools and teaching hospitals are able to educate and train the next generation of doctors, care for the nation\u2019s most vulnerable and complex patients, and conduct medical research that brings hope to countless Americans. Upon his confirmation, we look forward to working with Mr. Azar on improving the health of all through high-quality clinical care, groundbreaking medical research, and a robust, diverse physician workforce.\u201d\u00a0\r\nNational Community Pharmacists Association:\u00a0\"We congratulate Alex Azar on his nomination to be the next HHS Secretary. His background in the pharmaceutical industry means he brings an understanding of supply chain issues and players that will be helpful to him in this role. We look forward to sharing independent community pharmacists' insights about how to make the system more transparent, increase patient access to prescription drugs, and reduce health care spending and drive better health outcomes in the process. NCPA and the 22,000 independent community pharmacies it represents will continue to push for common-sense, market-based, bipartisan reforms in the delivery of critical prescription medications and health care services to Americans.\"\u00a0\r\nAmerica\u2019s Health Insurance Plans:\u00a0\u201cCongratulations to Alex Azar on his nomination to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services. He has the experience and expertise to combine the best from the private sector with the best of our public programs to make health care work for every American. We look forward to working with him upon his confirmation to reduce health care costs, increase access, and strengthen essential programs that millions of Americans rely on for their coverage and care.\u201d\u00a0\r\nSusan B. Anthony List:\u00a0\u201cSBA List welcomes President Trump\u2019s nomination of Alex Azar as Secretary of HHS. For weeks now we have been working with our allies at the White House on filling this important vacancy and we believe Alex will do a great job of implementing the President\u2019s pro-life agenda.\u201d\r\nNational Organization for Rare Disorders:\u00a0\u201cIn our view, Alex Azar brings superior credentials for this job, based on his extensive management experiences and deep understanding of our healthcare system.\u00a0 He understands the needs of the patient community and particularly the challenges of the rare disease community and the urgency of orphan drug development.\u00a0 While we inevitably will discuss and debate policies that affect the rare disease community, what we value most is a Secretary who will listen carefully and decide thoughtfully.\u00a0 Alex Azar meets this test.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe AIDS Institute:\u00a0\u201cAs both a former HHS Deputy Secretary and General Counsel, together with his private sector experience, Alex Azar has the knowledge, expertise, and leadership to oversee our Nation\u2019s health response. While we may not share some of the Trump Administration\u2019s objectives relative to such issues as the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, we believe a practical problem-solver like Mr. Azar is the right person for the job for this Administration. He has been a dedicated public servant with additional leadership in the health industry who understands the importance of meeting the health needs of patients. He also values the role of the patient voice in decision-making.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=34A1153A-9C1C-4225-A63F-716A2DB9BD6D", "Alexander: Jeff Smith Will Make an Excellent TVA Board Member", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, November 28, 2017\u00a0\u2013 United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today introduced Tennessean Jeff Smith at his confirmation hearing to serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board of Directors before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, saying he will make an \u201cexcellent board member for the nation\u2019s largest public utility.\u201d\r\n\u201cOne reason Sen. Corker and I recommended him [Jeff Smith] is because of his background in nuclear energy. He is the Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is known around the world for its expertise in nuclear energy. TVA has been the utility that has led all other utilities in opening new nuclear reactors. TVA opened both the last nuclear power reactor in the 20th century and the first nuclear power reactor in the 21st century.\u00a0 Having a TVA director with a broad background in nuclear energy is especially important.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cSecond, he knows how to manage a large organization. Oak Ridge National Laboratory employs nearly 5,000 people and has a budget of $1.4 billion. He brings this experience to the nation\u2019s largest public utility which has an annual budget of over $10 billion and employs more than 10,000 people.\r\n\u201cThird, he knows how to finish a large construction project on time and on budget, which has been a problem with some government projects, but not at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Their Spallation Neutron Source was on time and on budget while he was Deputy Director.\r\n\u201cAs a resident of the Tennessee Valley and East Tennessee, Jeff is very familiar with the needs of the region\u2019s residents and businesses. He understands that TVA must continue to provide low cost, clean, and reliable power for homes and businesses throughout the TVA region.\u00a0\r\n\u201cSo for all those reasons \u2013 his expertise in nuclear energy, his background in management of a large facility and his understanding of large construction projects \u2013 he will make an excellent board member for the nation\u2019s largest public utility.\u201d\u00a0\r\nAlexander said Smith would be an \u201coutstanding choice\u201d for the TVA Board after President Trump announced his nomination on September 19.\r\nVideo of Alexander\u2019s remarks is available here.\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=4ED07E5F-B2D4-4913-AAAE-BDCCBA5F8439", "Alexander: Time to Simplify the FAFSA", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cSenator Bennet and I are now completing work on a bill that would reduce the FAFSA from 108 questions to as few as 15 and no more than 25 questions...Over and over again, across Tennessee, I have been asked, if I have already given my tax information to the federal government, why do I have to give it again for the FAFSA? My answer is that you shouldn\u2019t have to. Once is enough.\u201d\r\nWASHINGTON, November 28, 2017\u00a0\u2014 Senate education Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said that, \u201cafter four years of discussions over how to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, it is time to come to a result to make it easier for students to apply for federal financial aid.\u201d\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   \u201cNearly 20 million students fill out the FAFSA every year and we have heard over and over that the 108-question form is difficult to complete and its complexity discourages students from applying,\u201d\u00a0Alexander said.\u00a0\u201cThere is a consensus on how to make it easier for these students to apply for federal aid.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued: \u201cSenator Bennet and I, along with Senators Burr, Isakson, King and Booker, introduced legislation to cut the 108 questions down to two. Others have had good ideas on how to make the FAFSA less burdensome for students. For example, Senator Murray has a bill to simplify the FAFSA process for homeless students and students without parents.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe result of all this is that Senator Bennet and I are now completing work on a bill that would reduce the FAFSA from 108 questions to as few as 15 and no more than 25 questions, depending on how you answer questions about your family. We will do this principally by taking the tax information that Americans give to the federal government and incorporating that tax information into the FAFSA.\u201d\r\n\u201cOver and over again, across Tennessee, I have been asked, if I have already given my tax information to the federal government, why do I have to give it again for the FAFSA? My answer is that you shouldn\u2019t have to. Once is enough.\u201d\r\nToday\u2019s hearing\u00a0was focused on proposals to simplify the\u00a0Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly called the\u00a0FAFSA.\u00a0Alexander said, \u201cOur first order of business after the first of the year will be to mark up a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. My central focus will be to make it simpler and easier for students to apply for federal aid and to pay their loans back and easier for college administrators to cut through the jungle of bureaucratic red tape.\u201d\r\nAlexander\u2019s full prepared remarks here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=9925CFEB-2306-4530-B932-D7158C2BAB38", "Opening Statement: Alexander: Time to Simplify the FAFSA", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Nearly four years ago, at a hearing before this committee, an unusual thing happened: four witnesses from diverse backgrounds agreed that almost all the 108 questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, are unnecessary.\r\nThe FAFSA is the government form 20 million families fill out every year in order to qualify for the $140 billion in federal aid that helps nearly 20 million students attend 6,000 colleges and universities.\u00a0\r\nAt the end of hearing, I asked the witnesses if they could summarize their proposals to simplify the FAFSA in four separate letters to us. They said\u00a0\u00a0 they could do it together in one letter.\u00a0\r\nSenator Bennet and I then had the same reaction.\u00a0\r\nIf there is that much consensus on how to make it easier for nearly 20 million families to apply for federal aid, we asked, why don\u2019t we actually do it?\r\nSo, Senator Bennet and I set about to turn 108 questions into two, on a postcard that Dr. Scott-Clayton, who is also here today, recommended in her testimony four years ago.\r\nLet\u2019s take a moment to talk about why simplifying this form is important:\r\nFirst, nearly 20 million students fill out this form every year. This means if you receive a federal grant or a loan as a freshman, you have to fill it out again to continue to receive aid for your sophomore year and beyond.\u00a0\r\nWhile experienced financial aid officers tell us it does not take long to complete, we have heard over and over again from parents, students, and higher education officials how difficult it is the first time.\u00a0\r\nSecond, this complexity frustrates the goal of the Pell Grant, which is to help low-income students attend college, because it discourages them from applying for aid.\u00a0\r\nI know in Tennessee, where two years of post-secondary education is now free, the complexity of the FAFSA is the single biggest impediment to more students taking advantage of Tennessee Promise.\r\nThe former president of Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis told me he believes that he loses 1,500 students each semester because of the complexity of the form.\r\nThird, this complexity wastes time and money that could be better spent helping students choose the right college or major, or develop financial literacy skills so they can understand the impacts of taking out student loans.\u00a0\r\nAfter four years of discussion over how to simplify the FAFSA, it is time to come to a result.\r\nOur first order of business after the first of the year will be to mark up a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.\r\nMy central focus will be to make it simpler and easier for students to apply for federal aid and to pay their loans back, and to cut through the jungle of red tape that federal law and regulations imposes so college administrations can spend their time and money instead for the benefit of students.\r\nAfter our hearing four years ago, Senator Bennet and I, along, with Senators Burr, Isakson, King and Booker, introduced our legislation to cut the 108 FAFSA questions down to two questions.\r\nWe have listened to students, financial aid officers, and college presidents. We have done this in a bipartisan way for four years.\r\nWe will hear about some of those good ideas today.\r\nFor example, Senator Murray has a bill to simplify the FAFSA process for homeless students and students without parents.\r\nWe worked with the Obama Administration to allow students to fill out the FAFSA with their tax information from two years before they enroll in college, instead of one, so they could file in the fall, rather than having to wait until spring.\r\nThe result of all this is that Senator Bennet and I are now completing work on a bill that would reduce the FAFSA from 108 questions to as few as 15 and no more than 25 questions, depending on how you answer questions about your family.\u00a0\r\nWe will do this principally by taking the tax information that Americans give to the federal government and incorporating that tax information into the FAFSA.\r\nOver and over again, across Tennessee, I have been asked, if I have already given my tax information to the federal government, why do I have to give it again for the FAFSA?\r\nMy answer is that you shouldn\u2019t have to. Once is enough.\r\nOur proposal will also tell students the amount of their Pell Grant, money they do not have to pay back, before they apply to colleges instead of after they have already been accepted to schools.\r\nI have a long perspective on this \u2013 as Education Secretary, I oversaw the implementation of the first FAFSA, in January 1, 1993, shortly before I left office.\r\nWhile the FAFSA is a complex form today, it was actually created then to reduce the burden on students by combining federal, state and institution based financial aid applications into one single application.\r\nThat first FAFSA had four pages of questions and 12 pages of directions.\r\nToday\u2019s FAFSA is 10 pages, with directions included on the form, plus an additional 66 pages of instructions.\r\nNow, 25 years later, I sit here as Chairman of the Senate Education Committee trying to update the HEA and once again simplify how students apply for federal financial aid.\r\nOver the next couple of months, I want us to listen to the experts, discuss different proposals, and write and pass a final bill.\r\n25 years after the first FAFSA and four years after the first hearing, it is time to bring this discussion to a result.\r\nWe should be able to say to the nearly 20 million families who fill out the FAFSA, instead of answering 108 questions, you will only have to answer about 15-25. Once is enough to give your basic information about family size and income to the federal government. And instead of waiting until you\u2019ve been admitted to college, we\u2019ll tell you about your Pell Grant while you\u2019re still shopping around for schools.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=083953A7-4C3F-469C-91BE-F4469ED9CA40", "Corker Introduces Tennessee Valley Authority Board Nominee", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today introduced Jeffrey Smith at a Senate Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee hearing on his nomination to serve on the nine-member board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and called on his colleagues to swiftly confirm nominees for the four current vacancies on the board. A transcript of the senator\u2019s remarks at the hearing follows.\r\n\u201cI am pleased to be here with you today to introduce Jeff Smith, who has been nominated to serve on the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority.\u00a0 \u00a0\r\n\u201cI would like to extend a warm welcome to Jeff and his family. I also want to welcome the other three board [nominees] today \u2013 Kenny Allen, A.D. Frazier, and Skip Thompson \u2013 as well as their families.\r\n\u201cI\u2019d like to also thank the committee for holding this hearing. With over 9 million customers, TVA is the largest public power utility in the nation, and it is critical for the region that it remains a low-cost, reliable producer of electricity, not only for ratepayers but also for our state\u2019s business recruitment efforts.\r\n\u201cIt is important that TVA has a full and well-qualified board, and without confirmation of these nominees, the board will lose a quorum at the end of the year.\r\n\u201cAs deputy director of operations for one of the most prestigious research labs in the country, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Jeff Smith understands the importance of continuing TVA\u2019s mission.\r\n\u201cIn this position, he gained extensive experience working with TVA as he coordinated with the utility to construct three new substations as part of efforts to modernize the grid at Oak Ridge.\r\n\u201cJeff also has overseen cutting-edge research in the energy sector, and that knowledge and background will be of great value as our electrical power sector undergoes important changes to support the demands of the growing Tennessee Valley.\r\n\u201cIn addition to a distinguished career, Jeff has demonstrated a true commitment to East Tennessee through his involvement with multiple community organizations that work to improve the standard of living in the region.\r\n\u201cI am confident that Jeff understands the needs of the Tennessee Valley and believe he will bring valuable experience to the TVA board.\r\n\u201cI wholeheartedly support Jeff\u2019s nomination \u2013 and the other nominees here today \u2013 and believe their diverse backgrounds give them the necessary qualifications to support TVA\u2019s important mission.\r\n\u201cI appreciate you guys letting me be here today. Thanks for holding this committee hearing, and I hope we will swiftly confirm these nominees.\r\n\u201cThank you.\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=88D045F4-12C2-4A48-B715-B3771C45F233", "Corker Working Feverishly With Colleagues, Administration to Improve Tax Reform Legislation", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Bob Corker", "C001071", "www.corker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 In an interview on \u201cFox & Friends\u201d, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today discussed his work to improve the Senate tax reform legislation by putting in place a \u201ctrigger\u201d mechanism that would ensure fiscal responsibility should economic growth estimates not be realized.\r\n\u201cI think all of us want to get across the finish line, and we are trying to make this bill one that not only serves our immediate interests as a nation but also our long-term interests,\u201d said Corker. \u201cEverybody is working feverishly right now to try to get to that place.\u201d\r\n\u201cFor the last 13 days, Brian, we have been working with the finance committee and over the Thanksgiving holiday\u2026 very feverishly with the White House \u2013 both [White House National Economic Council Director] Gary Cohn, [Treasury Secretary] Steve Mnuchin, who was in my office yesterday, [White House Chief of Staff] John Kelly, and others \u2013 to try to create a backstop, or a trigger mechanism, that to the extent the growth estimates that have been laid out aren\u2019t achieved, we don\u2019t pass on even greater debt to our children,\u201d added Corker. \u201cWe are working on that right now and hopefully we\u2019re going to be successful.\u201d\r\n\u201cWhat you don\u2019t want to do is create uncertainty as businesses are making decisions down the road,\u201d continued Corker. \u201cAnd you don\u2019t want to do something that stifles growth. We\u2019re working on all of those things right now, again, very constructively with each other to try to resolve it.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=A80D28C8-02D5-4959-B59B-E4DCC68711AC", "Corker Votes to Advance Tax Reform Legislation", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "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, today released the following statement after voting to advance tax reform legislation to the Senate floor for consideration.\r\n\u201cAfter agreeing in principle with Senate leadership, members of the finance committee, and the administration on a trigger mechanism to ensure greater fiscal responsibility should economic growth estimates not be realized, I voted today to advance this important piece of legislation,\u201d said Corker. \u201cWhile we are still working to finalize the details, I am encouraged by our discussions.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/in-the-news/oak-ridge-breaks-ground-facility-enabling-large-scale-y-12-cleanup", "Oak Ridge Breaks Ground on Facility Enabling Large-Scale Y-12 Cleanup", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Chuck Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Chuck Fleischmann participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for Outfall 200, the new Mercury Treatment Facility, at\u00a0Y-12 National Security Complex.\u00a0The facility will play an important role in the remediation of mercury contamination and pave the way for further cleanup work, such as the demolition of contaminated buildings.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/in-the-news/uranium-processing-facility-project-achieves-key-milestone-completion-construction", "Uranium Processing Facility project achieves key milestone with completion of Construction Support Building", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Chuck Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Fleischmann attended a ribbon cutting for The Uranium Processing Facility\u2019s Construction Support Building. This facility is part of a larger Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) project that will replace an early-Cold War facility with modernized resources to efficiently and safely carry out national security operations.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=9C50DA88-6332-493C-9FDE-3F80CF3541D9", "Lamar Alexander: End the Wind Production Tax Credit", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "It\u2019s an expensive, wasteful subsidy to an inefficient industry.\r\nCongress is focused on making our backward tax code into something that encourages our nation\u2019s instinct for creativity and innovation. As we look at all the wasteful and unnecessary tax breaks that are holding us back, I have a nomination: At the top of the list should be ending the quarter-century-old wind production tax credit now \u2014 not two years from now. This giveaway to wind developers was meant to end in 1999 but has been extended by Congress ten different times. While the wind production tax credit is scheduled to be phased out by the end of 2019, we should do better and end it at the end of this year, and use the $4 billion in savings to lower tax rates.\r\nThe subsidy of Big Wind hasn\u2019t come cheap: In just eight years \u2014 from 2008 to 2015 \u2014 the credit cost taxpayers $9.6 billion, more than a billion dollars a year. And it gets worse: The credit is expected to cost taxpayers more than $23 billion over just five years from 2016 to 2020, according to the Congressional Research Service. It also hasn\u2019t done much for most Americans. Despite the billions that Congress has provided in subsidies, wind energy still produces only 6 percent of our country\u2019s electricity. Wind blows only 35 percent of the time \u2014 and its schedule is not exactly pegged to our demand \u2014 so until there\u2019s some way to store large amounts of wind power, a utility still needs to operate nuclear, gas, or coal plants to cover when the wind doesn\u2019t blow. Wind turbines also destroy America\u2019s natural beauty. On average, wind turbines are taller than the Statue of Liberty \u2014 they\u2019re over twice as tall as the skyboxes at Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee. The blades on windmills can be as long as a football field, and their blinking lights can be seen for 20 miles. Congress needs to stop its habit of picking winners and losers in the marketplace. Twenty-five years of picking wind developers over more-reliable sources of electricity hasn\u2019t paid off. Imagine what innovation we might unleash if we used the billions wasted on wind energy to invest in research to help our free-enterprise system provide the abundance of cheap, clean, reliable energy we need to power our 21st-century economy. You don\u2019t need to be an accountant to know that our tax code is too complicated, takes too many dollars away from working Americans, and makes it harder to create good-paying jobs. The wind production tax credit is a perfect example of the kind of provision Congress should kiss goodbye. Ending the credit two years early is a bigger deal than it sounds.\r\nEvery wind developer benefits from their credit for a decade, so taxpayers will still be paying this year\u2019s beneficiaries in 2027. As Congress examines ways to cut wasteful spending, I challenge my colleagues to consider all energy subsidies for mature technologies \u2014 wind, solar, oil, and gas \u2013 as candidates for elimination in a tax-reform bill. The House tax-reform bill took a step in the right direction by reducing the benefit of the wind production tax credit before it expires.\r\nWhen the House and Senate begin resolving their differences on tax reform, we should consider this decision an easy one. Let\u2019s call it a wrap on the wind production tax credit in 2017.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=8E19D8B2-3E20-43CE-9A28-77192691B2D8", "Alexander: New Mercury Treatment Facility in Oak Ridge Will Mean Safer, Cleaner Water", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cIn 2013, I made a personal commitment to address one of the biggest problems we have from the Cold War era \u2013 mercury contamination \u2013 and help fund a solution.\u00a0 \u2026Today, I am proud to see that we are breaking ground on a new water treatment facility. I am grateful to all of those who have worked together over the past few years to get a result.\u201d\r\nOAK RIDGE,\u00a0November 20, 2017\u00a0\u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today spoke at the groundbreaking of a new water treatment facility at Y-12, \u201cOutfall 200,\u201d which will help reduce the amount of mercury getting into Tennessee waterways to safe levels and make it possible for cleanup work to begin at Y-12.\r\n\u201cIn May 2013, I came to Oak Ridge to announce that a new water treatment facility would be built at Y-12 at the head of the East Fork Popular Creek to prevent mercury that was once used to make nuclear weapons from getting into our waterways,\u201d Alexander said.\u00a0\u201cThat day, I made a personal commitment to address one of the biggest problems we have from the Cold War era \u2013 mercury contamination \u2013 and help fund a solution. Today, I am proud to see that we are breaking ground on the new water treatment facility.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued,\u00a0\u201cWhen operational, this facility will reduce the amount of mercury getting in our waterways to safe levels and make it possible for cleanup work to begin at Y-12. There are a lot of big buildings on this site that we need to cleanup and tear down \u2013 and there is still a lot of mercury that is not accounted for. This facility will make it possible for us to do that cleanup work and not let more mercury get into the waterways.\u201d\r\nAlexander said the new facility \u2013 which will be called \u201cOutfall 200\u201d -- would not have been possible without the hard work and coordination between the U.S. Department of Energy, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and the Oak Ridge community.\r\nAlexander concluded,\u00a0\u201cI am grateful to all of those who have worked together over the past few years to get a result. Today, as we are moving another step closer to safer, cleaner water for East Tennessee, one of my top priorities will continue to be funding cleanup work in Oak Ridge because doing so fulfills our commitment to address our nation\u2019s Cold War legacy, makes our environment safer and cleaner and supports thousands of jobs for Tennesseans.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=D7BC814E-7B3E-430D-880F-87102EF86FFF", "Alexander Statement on Next Steps for Tax Reform", "2017-11-17", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MARYVILLE, November 17, 2017\u00a0\u2013 United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement regarding tax reform, after the U.S. Senate Finance Committee approved its tax reform bill:\r\n\u201cThis Senate Finance Committee bill is good for Tennesseans\u2019 family incomes. Its middle class tax cuts will leave more money in the pockets of Tennesseans. Tax cuts for job creators will grow the economy and cause employers to raise wages in order to compete for employees.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nLast night, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance approved tax reform legislation for consideration by the full Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-scott-desjarlais-votes-to-empower-tennessee-families-and-small", "REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES TO EMPOWER TENNESSEE FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN HOUSE TAX BILL", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES TO EMPOWER TENNESSEE FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN HOUSE TAX BILL\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Middle-class tax cuts passed the House of Representatives today. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, in addition to lowering Tennesseans\u2019 tax bills, includes major business incentives that will grow jobs, workers\u2019 income and the U.S. economy, said Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., in a statement following his vote in support of the legislation:\n\u201cThe federal government is collecting more taxes than ever. The prior administration issued record pages of regulations, squeezing family businesses and the middle class, while Washington grew rich on government stimulus. Instead, lowering taxes will allow Tennesseans to keep more of their hard-earned money, to spend, save or invest as they like. Because of new financial incentives, more will form small businesses, our country\u2019s economic engine, and American companies will return profits and jobs back home. The tools of success are in every person\u2019s hands. We\u2019re unshackling the power of American industry and ingenuity to ignite the economy, lagging for far too long.\"\nDetails of the plan can be found here. The Tax Foundation estimates House Republicans\u2019 plan would create an additional 18,255 jobs in Tennessee and add almost $2,000 to middle-income families\u2019 yearly income. The Senate is currently considering its own version, and the two chambers will consult on a final one for the President\u2019s approval.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=BDD92014-2C41-4B4D-95B8-DBD95260E9E2", "REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES TO EMPOWER TENNESSEE FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN HOUSE TAX BILL", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", "desjarlais", "https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Middle-class tax cuts passed the House of Representatives today. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, in addition to lowering Tennesseans\u2019 tax bills, includes major business incentives that will grow jobs, workers\u2019 income and the U.S. economy, said Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., in a statement following his vote in support of the legislation:\n\n\u201cThe federal government is collecting more taxes than ever. The prior administration issued record pages of regulations, squeezing family businesses and the middle class, while Washington grew rich on government stimulus. Instead, lowering taxes will allow Tennesseans to keep more of their hard-earned money, to spend, save or invest as they like. Because of new financial incentives, more will form small businesses, our country\u2019s economic engine, and American companies will return profits and jobs back home. The tools of success are in every person\u2019s hands. We\u2019re unshackling the power of American industry and ingenuity to ignite the economy, lagging for far too long.\"\n\nDetails of the plan can be found here. The Tax Foundation estimates House Republicans\u2019 plan would create an additional 18,255 jobs in Tennessee and add almost $2,000 to middle-income families\u2019 yearly income. The Senate is currently considering its own version, and the two chambers will consult on a final one for the President\u2019s approval.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:12:50Z"], ["https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/release-fleischmann-votes-support-historic-tax-reform", "RELEASE: Fleischmann Votes in Support of Historic Tax Reform", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Charles J. \"Chuck\" Fleischmann", "F000459", "fleischmann.house.gov", "fleischmann", "https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) issued the following statement upon the passage of H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, historic legislation to reform the American tax code:\n\n\"Today the House of Representatives passed long overdue and sorely need tax reform legislation which will lead to families in Tennessee keeping more of their hard earned paychecks,\" said Fleischmann. \"For example, a typical middle-income family in Tennessee will receive up to a $1,951 increase in income. Second, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act establishes a new Family Credit that includes increasing the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $1,600. As a father of three, I know that raising a family can be expensive, and it is time we have a tax code that works with, not against, families.\n\nTennessee is home to over 500,000 small businesses as well as international employers like Volkswagen, all of which will benefit from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Currently, our corporate tax rate is 35%, the highest in the industrialized world. The plan prosed today will reduce the corporate rate to 20% and the small business rate to 25%. The result of this business-centered tax reform will create thousands of jobs and make America more competitive on a global scale. That means more Tennesseans at work and a more prosperous Volunteer State.\"\n\nThe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed the House with a vote of 227 to 205.\n\n*Data provided by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:12:50Z"], ["https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/kustoff-votes-historic-tax-reform", "Kustoff Votes for Historic Tax Reform", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "David Kustoff", "K000392", "kustoff.house.gov", "kustoff", "https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1):\n\n\"For three decades, special interests have been tailoring the tax code to their needs. Today, we fought back and passed tax reform that puts money in the pockets of West Tennesseans, not Washington bureaucrats. I will continue to work alongside President Trump to keep the promises we made to the American people.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:12:50Z"], ["https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398254", "Roe Statement on House Passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Phil Roe", "R000582", "roe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the House passage of H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:\r\n\u201cRepublicans in Congress promised to work with President Trump to cut taxes for people of all income levels, and I\u2019m proud the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will deliver on this promise. This bill will help Tennesseans keep more of their pay and relieve the stress that comes with filing taxes and navigating a bloated, complicated tax code. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a family of four making $58,367 will receive a tax cut of $1,087. The 44,584 Tennesseans in the First District who utilize the child tax credit will see that credit increase from $1,000 to $1,600 per child, and roughly 18,255 full-time equivalent jobs will be added to Tennessee\u2019s economy. It\u2019s estimated that nine out of ten Americans will be able to file their taxes on a form as simple as a post card under this legislation. This bill represents the kind of tax reform Tennessee families deserve, and I\u2019m glad the bill passed the House today.\u201d\r\nCongressman Roe wrote about the bill in his column this week. You can find that here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=13948D96-03BE-4665-A270-1CAD9322A0CA", "Alexander Meets with HHS Secretary Nominee Alex Azar Senator Lamar Alexander meets with Alex Azar in his Washington, D.C., office", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, November 16 \u2014 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after meeting this morning with Alex Azar\u2014President Trump\u2019s nominee for United States Secretary of Health and Human Services:\r\n\u201cI was glad to host Alex Azar in my office this morning and was impressed with his knowledge and experience. As a former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and private sector executive, Alex Azar has the qualifications to get results.\u201d\r\nThe Senate health committee will hold a hearing on Alex Azar\u2019s nomination on Wednesday, November 29th.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=44901D50-F034-422F-A8E8-DC9C4C721F79", "Senate Sends to President Legislation to Provide Military More Equipment and Training, Expand Military Families Access to Health Care", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 16, 2017 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report:\r\n\u201cWe owe our service men and women in uniform a debt of gratitude, and the defense bill helps ensure they receive the support and resources they need,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cNot only is Congress authorizing pay raises for troops at Ft. Campbell and the Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, the bill reforms and modernizes the military health care system to improve and expand access to care for military families. This bill also authorizes funding for advanced equipment to help ensure the men and women of the armed forces have the tools they need protect American interests at home and abroad.\u201d\r\nAlexander continued: \u201cFinally, this legislation strengthens our national security by supporting important programs at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge to help maintain our nuclear weapons arsenal.\u201d\r\nAlexander also worked on legislation that accompanied the conference report that will speed safe drugs and devices for use in battlefield emergencies. \u201cThere was a problem and this legislation is going to give FDA the tools to solve that problem by getting safe and effective medicines more rapidly to warfighters on the battlefield,\u201d he said.\r\nThe defense bill authorizes $692 billion in funding for the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy, which includes the following priorities:\r\n \r\nA 2.4 percent pay increase for members of the military, including 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$21 billion for Department of Energy national security programs, which support critical work in Oak Ridge.\r\nModernizing our nation\u2019s nuclear stockpile, including a replacement strategic missile submarine, defense-related environmental cleanup, and nuclear energy programs at the Department of Energy.\r\nProposes to eliminate $1.8 billion in excessive and unnecessary spending and reinvests those savings in our military.\r\nSupports U.S. military forces stationed in Europe to counter Russian aggression.\r\nA prohibition on transferring detainees at Guantanamo Bay to the United States.\r\nProposes funding for advanced equipment to help 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 bill now heads to the president\u2019s desk so it can be signed into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=6E0592D8-B84E-4090-ABD1-776C23D861B2", "Alexander Statement on FDA Regenerative Medicine Guidance", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2017 \u2013 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today made the following statement about new Food and Drug Administration guidance on regenerative medicine:\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cI am glad Commissioner Gottlieb is implementing the 21st Century Cures Act in such a way that Americans can access the near-miracles regenerative medicine can provide while ensuring bad actors don\u2019t take advantage of the hope and promise in this field to harm or defraud patients looking for help.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=9E998EBB-9136-43A3-8DD9-A3E962C05D87", "Alexander, Burr: Senate Unanimously Passes Legislation to Help FDA Better Equip Warfighters with Lifesaving Treatments", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Lamar Alexander", "A000360", "www.alexander.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2017 \u2013 Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) made the following statements after the Senate today sent to the president legislation that would speed safe drugs and devices for use in battlefield emergencies:\u00a0\r\nAlexander said: \u201cThere was a problem and this legislation is going\u00a0to\u00a0give FDA the tools to solve that problem by getting safe and effective medicines\u00a0more\u00a0rapidly to warfighters on the battlefield. Chairman McCain and FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb deserve great credit for their work on this important bill.\u201d\u00a0\r\nBurr said: \u201cWith final passage of today\u2019s legislation, we can better protect our troops by improving emergency access to drugs that will help save and enhance lives of those who serve. Ultimately, this bill will encourage and expedite the development and approval of new remedies to commonly seen injuries on the battlefield, getting safe, effective and potentially lifesaving drugs and treatments to the military personnel that need them the most. I thank Senators McCain and Alexander for their work on this important legislation.\u201d\r\nThe legislation, H.R. 4374, which will accompany the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report, was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives yesterday.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1197, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "TN", "p2": "2017"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 1197, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TN&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1197, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TN&year=2017&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "TN", "label": "TN", "count": 1197, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "2017", "label": "2017", "count": 1197, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TN", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2017-11-16,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ealexander~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpressreleases~3FContentRecord_id~3D9E998EBB-9136-43A3-8DD9-A3E962C05D87", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TN&year=2017&_next=2017-11-16%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ealexander~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpressreleases~3FContentRecord_id~3D9E998EBB-9136-43A3-8DD9-A3E962C05D87&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 505.69475814700127, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}