{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["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"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=083953A7-4C3F-469C-91BE-F4469ED9CA40"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6477140597999096, "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"}