url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
http://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397800,Roe: The Sacrifice of Those Who Served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm will Forever be Remembered,2014-12-22,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Phil Roe,R000582,roe.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement after President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. Roe’s bill to create a memorial for those that served in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield was included in the package.  
“I am so proud this memorial will finally move forward. After working on this for the last two years, it’s an exciting day for myself and my staff. I’d like to thank Senator Boozman for championing this cause in the Senate, and Scott Stump for his service to our country and tireless efforts on behalf of the veterans of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. This is a win for these heroes, and I look forward to the day I’ll have the honor of visiting this memorial. Every soldier who honorably served our nation should be recognized, and the sacrifice of those who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm will forever be remembered with honor and gratitude.”
No federal funds will be spent to build this memorial; all funds will be raised privately by the National Desert Storm Memorial Association.
Background:
In 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and, in less than 24 hours, dominated nearly 30% of the world’s oil supply. This brutal dictator then set his eyes on Saudi Arabia. Recognizing Saudi Arabia’s important role in the region, President George H.W. Bush launched Operation Desert Shield, the deployment of American combat forces to Saudi Arabia, and issued a mandate to Hussein stating all Iraqi troops must be out of Kuwait by January 15, 1991. With Kuwait still occupied after the deadline passed, the United States led coalition forces in the liberation of Kuwait, a mission known as Operation Desert Storm.
These operations—a major coalition victory—resulted in the removal of all Iraqi forces from Kuwait, imposition of sanctions against Iraq and a significantly weakened Iraqi Army. Of the roughly 600,000 American troops who were deployed in both Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 293 died in theater, of which 148 were killed in action.
The United States currently lacks a national memorial dedicated to the valor and sacrifices made by those members of our Armed Forces who honorably fought in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Roe’s original bill, H.R. 503, passed the House unanimously as a stand-alone measure on May 28th. The bill has more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=318aaebf-8698-4a25-983f-02f0bc1c7b84,"Alexander Highlights Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee Accomplishments for this Congress",2014-12-22,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“The Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee has produced some of the most significant legislation of any Senate committee this year. In a dysfunctional Congress, among senators with profound ideological differences, our work shows what can happen when you focus on getting results on issues important to the American people.""  –Lamar Alexander
 
NASHVILLE, Dec. 22 – U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the ranking Republican member on the Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions today highlighted the committee’s accomplishments for this Congress—including 25 bipartisan bills that have been signed into law: 
“The Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee has produced some of the most significant legislation of any Senate committee this year. In a dysfunctional Congress, among senators with profound ideological differences, our work shows what can happen when you focus on getting results on issues important to the American people. This legislation includes bills that help pay for child care for 1.5 million children; make loans cheaper, simpler, and more certain for more than 9 million students; and make safer prescription drugs for virtually every American.”
 
The full list of bipartisan bills passed is below:
Drug Quality and Security Act (H.R. 3204), legislation that enacted a new model of oversight of sterile compounding pharmacies to make injections of compounded sterile drugs safer—following the deadly meningitis outbreak of 2012.
 
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 (S. 1086), legislation to expand access to and improve the quality of child care for the more than 1.5 million children and families. 
 
Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 (H.R. 1911), legislation that established a permanent, market-based plan to makes students’ loans simpler, more certain—and, in most cases, cheaper.
 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (H.R. 803), legislation that updated and improved the nation’s workforce development system, by simplifying the maze of programs, supporting state and local-decision making, and improving federal program accountability.
                                                                                                                         
PREEMIE Reauthorization Act (S. 252), legislation to reduce infant deaths and disabilities by expanding research, education, and intervention activities related to premature birth.
 
Sunscreen Innovation Act (S. 2141), legislation to get safe sunscreen ingredients to Americans more quickly to help prevent skin cancer. 
 
Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (H.R.307), legislation to strengthen America’s preparedness for and ability to respond to medical and public health emergencies.
 
School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (H.R. 2094), legislation to encourage schools to maintain a supply of epinephrine injectors in a secure location that’s easily accessible to a trained school personnel. 
 
 CHIMP Act Amendments of 2013 (S. 1561), legislation to ensure that the National Institutes of Health can continue to care for retired government-owned chimpanzees that are no longer needed for research.
 
National Pediatric Research Network Act (S. 424), legislation to encourage collaboration among researchers and optimize pediatric research.
 
HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (S. 330), legislation to end the ban on research of organ transplantation from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients.
 
Animal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Reauthorization Act (S. 622), reauthorization of programs that reduce the average waiting time for the Food and Drug Administration to approve generic animal drugs by 450 days and eliminated a backlog of applications.
 
Poison Center Network Act (H.R. 3527), legislation that reauthorized the poison control centers national toll-free number, national media campaign, and grant program.
 
Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act (H.R. 2747), legislation that transfers authority from the Government Accountability Office to the Department of Labor for processing claims for wages due to laborers and mechanics hired by contractors on public works projects.
 
Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act (S. 1557), legislation to reauthorize the successful children’s hospitals graduate medical education program that supports the training of pediatricians at children’s hospitals in Tennessee and across the country.
 
Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Act (S. 1302), legislation to make it easier for charities and cooperatives to continue to offer pensions to their employees.
 
Improving Trauma Care Act of 2014 (H.R. 3548), legislation to update the federal definition of trauma to include burns—more appropriately reflecting the relationship between burns and other traumatic injuries.
 
Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act (Autism CARES Act) of 2014 (H.R. 4631), legislation to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act—continuing research programs, education, early detection and intervention programs to aid the estimated one in 68 children affected by Autism.
 
Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act of 2014 (S. 2154), legislation to improve emergency medical services for more than 600,000 Tennessee children who receive emergency medical care every year.
 
Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2013 (H.R. 594), legislation to revise the muscular dystrophy research program—including expanding the range and forms of the disease included in the program.
 
Traumatic Brain Injury Reauthorization Act of 2014 (S. 2539), which reauthorizes certain programs relating to traumatic brain injury and to trauma research through FY2019.
 
 A bill to amend the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (S.2511, passed as part of H.R. 83), legislation to determine when a company needs to make greater pension payments to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation due to a cessation of operations.
 
Adding Ebola to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act (S. 2917), legislation to spur the development of Ebola vaccines and drugs.
 
Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act (H.R. 669), legislation to direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to continue data collection regarding stillbirth, sudden unexpected infant death, and sudden unexplained death in childhood—including collaborating with states and experts—to improve the quality and consistency of data collected after one of these deaths.
 
Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2013 (H.R. 1281), legislation to improve life-saving screenings for nearly 80,000 infants born in Tennessee every year—as well as ensure that parents and doctors have the information they need to keep the newborns in their care as safe as possible.
 
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https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=8061a569-2574-4a22-a70a-e25e6d772bc3,"Kline, Alexander Respond to Administrations College Ratings Proposal",2014-12-19,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 19 – House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN) issued the following statements after the Department of Education released the framework for an unprecedented college ratings system:
“The same administration that created the HealthCare.gov debacle, now wants to arbitrarily grade and rank our nation’s diverse system of colleges and universities,” said Chairman Kline. “The Department of Education seems to believe it is a better judge of what students need rather than the students themselves. After working for more than a year on this unprecedented scheme, the department clearly hasn’t begun to figure it out. We should be looking for opportunities to empower students and families with information that allows them to make informed decisions. This should be done through commonsense reforms of the law, and there is already strong bipartisan support for such an effort. This so-called college ratings system is a fool’s errand and the secretary should stop it immediately.”
Alexander said: “Trying to create yet another complicated, federal system—this time for grading our country's 6,000 colleges and universities—is every bit as impossible and unnecessary as it sounds and is sure to fall flat on its face. Making sure students have access to the information they need to pick the right school is important and something we will discuss during the next reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, but I can’t support letting Washington bureaucrats use taxpayer dollars to fund a higher education popularity contest.”
 
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http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397643,Blackburn Calls for Enhanced Measures to Protect Against Cyber Attacks,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement regarding the alleged North Korean cyber attack against Sony.“Sony should have stood its ground and not surrendered to online terrorists. Their failure to prepare for this threat has effectively allowed them to be held hostage by North Korea. This is the type of nightmare data breach scenario many people, including myself, have warned about. We need better data security and privacy provisions. ISPs should have the ability to block malicious, rogue networks. The private sector and government should also be working together to share information about threats. “There is one absolute truth about data -- we still cannot protect it. Last year, when I introduced my SECURE IT legislation, I specifically stated that we needed enhanced measures to protect ourselves from cyber attacks by rogue regimes such as North Korea. That day has arrived.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=2ac4e6a2-57d5-407d-9b7b-798f9c82fba4,Alexander Announces Committee Assignments for Next Congress,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Will serve on committees overseeing health, education, labor, energy, appropriations 
NASHVILLE, Dec. 18 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced that next Congress he will serve on the following committees:
 
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where he is currently the ranking Republican member;
Appropriations, where he is the ranking Republican member on the subcommittee that oversees energy and water appropriations;
Energy and Natural Resources; and
Rules and Administration.
 
“In the new Senate majority, Republicans will have an extraordinary opportunity to show Americans what it means to lead and work together to get results,” Alexander said. “We need to repair the damage Obamacare has done to our health care system. We need to get Washington out of our local schools. We need to reform the FDA so life-saving drugs can get to patients faster. We need a 21st-century energy policy that doesn’t pick winners and losers in the marketplace and recognizes the importance of clean, low-cost, and reliable nuclear power. These will all be top priorities of mine as the new Congress begins in January, and these committee assignments give me a real opportunity to get results.”
Senate committee chairmen will be elected in January by members of the respective committees, the results of which will then need to be approved by the full conference of Republican senators.
 
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https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=710c9ab6-f799-4e4f-849b-5a41e2269070,Members of Tennessee Delegation Request Administration Support of TennCare Waiver Extension,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Lawmakers remain “deeply committed to restoring Tennessee’s DSH funding”
 
WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 18 –  Nine members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation today sent a letter to Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Marilyn Tavenner requesting an extension of TennCare’s waiver approval from earlier this year. Because Tennessee does not receive funding through the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program that every other state participates in, the lawmakers are requesting continuing funds to support Tennessee hospitals that help tens of thousands of low-income patients receive medical coverage they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. Just last year, these hospitals provided $950 million in charity care and $720 million in unreimbursed medical services to low-income Tennesseans. Unlike hospitals in every other state, Tennessee hospitals are unable to offset these expenses with the help of the Medicaid DSH program.  
The lawmakers write to Tavenner that they remain “deeply committed to restoring Tennessee’s DSH funding, as [Tennessee] is the only [state] in the nation without permanent access to these dollars.”
The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, along with U.S. Reps. Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Cohen, Jim Cooper, John Duncan, Jr., Chuck Fleischmann, and Phil Roe.
The text of the letter follows:
 
Dear Administrator Tavenner:
We write to request that you extend TennCare’s waiver approval from earlier this year to include continuing funds for the Essential Hospital Access payments to extend current funding levels for the remainder of the underlying TennCare waiver in the absence of Tennessee Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program funding.  We are deeply committed to restoring Tennessee’s DSH funding, as our state is the only in the nation without permanent access to these dollars.
The Medicaid DSH program is vital to Tennesseans who rely on our state’s hospitals for health care.  Tennessee hospitals are an integral part of their communities, providing $950 million in charity care and $720 million in unreimbursed costs in 2013.  Unlike hospitals in every other state, Tennessee hospitals are unable to offset these expenses with the help of the Medicaid DSH program.  
To resolve the matter, TennCare has requested your assistance in securing funding through the waiver amendment.  Our hospitals have operated with temporary funding from Congress, and the most recent patch expired on September 30, 2013.  Despite the looming financial uncertainty, our hospitals have continued to provide quality care for our state’s most vulnerable populations.
As Members of Congress, we have worked together as a bipartisan delegation with the Senate Finance Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and most recently, the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, to secure support for Tennessee hospitals reliant on this program which is evident by the six partial patches included in six laws. 
The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President on December 16, 2014, includes language that strongly urges the continuation of the waiver amendment for a longer period of time in order to allow for Congress to adopt a permanent solution for our state.  To that end, we are committed to advancing a permanent solution in the next Congress and have worked collectively to insert language in the House Ways and Means Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014.
We request the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to act immediately on TennCare’s waiver to prevent any lapse in funding which would threaten our health care providers.   As previously communicated, this waiver request and the EAH payment provision are imperative to preserving access to health care in our state.  
We are committed to resolving this issue and remain available to work with you on the solution.  We look forward to your response on this important matter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=b2a5d108-b9f8-4ee4-b0b9-da35b5a6c643,Alexander Statement on Yucca Mountain Report,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON,  Dec. 18, 2014 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) today said the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s publication of volume four of the safety evaluation report for the nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain is “is yet more evidence that we need to move forward” with the plan to permanently store nuclear waste.
“Today’s report is yet more evidence that we need to move forward with Yucca Mountain, and that to stall because of safety concerns would be to ignore science. This report confirms that the Department of Energy’s management plan for Yucca Mountain meets all of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s requirements for the right programs and people to oversee the safe storage of used fuel from nuclear reactors. I will continue to work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to make sure it completes its review of Yucca Mountain’s license application so nuclear power can continue to be a source of clean, cheap, and reliable electricity in the United States.”
The report confirms that the Department of Energy’s management plan for Yucca Mountain – including research and development and performance confirmation programs, as well as other administrative controls, systems and programs – meet applicable NRC requirements. Completion of Yucca Mountain would still require a number of other steps outside of the management plan, which include exclusively dedicating the land for use as a nuclear waste repository, and the Department of Energy acquiring sufficient water rights.
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=10ddaba0-ee5e-4984-9185-5f329371bb24,Corker Statement on President Obama Signing Ukraine Freedom Support Act into Law,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement after President Obama signed the Ukraine Freedom Support Act into law.
“I am pleased the president signed our bill into law, and I hope he will do the hard work to convince the Europeans to adopt similar measures and stand with Ukraine against the ongoing threat of Russian aggression,” said Corker. “This legislation passed with the full support of Congress, so I would urge the president to use the tools provided to help restore Ukraine’s leverage in negotiations and deescalate this crisis instigated by Russia’s hostile actions.”
In a signing statement today, President Obama indicated he “does not intend to impose sanctions under this law” and would instead use the new authority only “if circumstances warranted.”  Since the last round of U.S. sanctions on September 12, Russia has repeatedly violated its commitments under a proposed ceasefire by affirming an illegal rebel election in Eastern Ukraine and continuing to support separatist fighters with troops and heavy weapons. The Obama administration has yet to approve the Ukrainian government’s request for arms.
The Ukraine Freedom Support Act, coauthored by Corker and Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), offers lethal military and non-military assistance for Ukraine and expands sanctions against Russia. It also provides Ukraine with energy, defense sector, and civil society assistance, and expands broadcasting programs to counter Russian propaganda in countries of the former Soviet Union.
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https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=fc6968cb-5931-48c8-a216-8f6e5e5c1671,Members of Tennessee Delegation Request Administration Support of TennCare Waiver Extension,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 18 –  Nine members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation today sent a letter to Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Marilyn Tavenner requesting an extension of TennCare’s waiver approval from earlier this year. Because Tennessee does not receive funding through the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program that every other state participates in, the lawmakers are requesting continuing funds to support Tennessee hospitals that help tens of thousands of low-income patients receive medical coverage they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. Just last year, these hospitals provided $950 million in charity care and $720 million in unreimbursed medical services to low-income Tennesseans. Unlike hospitals in every other state, Tennessee hospitals are unable to offset these expenses with the help of the Medicaid DSH program.  
The lawmakers write to Tavenner that they remain “deeply committed to restoring Tennessee’s DSH funding, as [Tennessee] is the only [state] in the nation without permanent access to these dollars.”
The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, along with U.S. Reps. Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Cohen, Jim Cooper, John Duncan, Jr., Chuck Fleischmann, and Phil Roe.
The text of the letter follows:
Dear Administrator Tavenner:
We write to request that you extend TennCare’s waiver approval from earlier this year to include continuing funds for the Essential Hospital Access payments to extend current funding levels for the remainder of the underlying TennCare waiver in the absence of Tennessee Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program funding.  We are deeply committed to restoring Tennessee’s DSH funding, as our state is the only in the nation without permanent access to these dollars.
The Medicaid DSH program is vital to Tennesseans who rely on our state’s hospitals for health care.  Tennessee hospitals are an integral part of their communities, providing $950 million in charity care and $720 million in unreimbursed costs in 2013.  Unlike hospitals in every other state, Tennessee hospitals are unable to offset these expenses with the help of the Medicaid DSH program.  
To resolve the matter, TennCare has requested your assistance in securing funding through the waiver amendment.  Our hospitals have operated with temporary funding from Congress, and the most recent patch expired on September 30, 2013.  Despite the looming financial uncertainty, our hospitals have continued to provide quality care for our state’s most vulnerable populations.
As Members of Congress, we have worked together as a bipartisan delegation with the Senate Finance Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and most recently, the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, to secure support for Tennessee hospitals reliant on this program which is evident by the six partial patches included in six laws. 
The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President on December 16, 2014, includes language that strongly urges the continuation of the waiver amendment for a longer period of time in order to allow for Congress to adopt a permanent solution for our state.  To that end, we are committed to advancing a permanent solution in the next Congress and have worked collectively to insert language in the House Ways and Means Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014.
We request the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to act immediately on TennCare’s waiver to prevent any lapse in funding which would threaten our health care providers.   As previously communicated, this waiver request and the EAH payment provision are imperative to preserving access to health care in our state.  
We are committed to resolving this issue and remain available to work with you on the solution.  We look forward to your response on this important matter. 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397799,Setting the Stage to Fight the Presidents Unconstitutional Actions on Immigration,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Phil Roe,R000582,roe.house.gov,,,legacy,"Last week, the House passed a spending bill that funds the government—except for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—through next September. DHS, the agency in charge of implementing the president’s “executive amnesty,” is only funded through February, setting up a major battle early in the next Congress. While the spending bill was far from a perfect package, I voted for it because two critical things: 1) it requires Congress to pass new legislation that funds DHS—which is implementing this immigration plan—when Congress has a Republican Senate and a strengthened Republican majority in the House, and 2) it continues House Republicans’ effort to keep discretionary spending at pre-Obama Administration levels. I wanted to take this opportunity to explain to you why I felt this vote was necessary and clear up some misconceptions about the measure.
Since the president’s November announcement, I’ve heard from thousands of Tennesseans who are concerned about his unilateral, unconstitutional executive action to allow five million illegal immigrants to remain legally in this country. I could not in good conscience support legislation that would implement this policy, but this spending package does not do that. Instead, it only funds operations for the Department of Homeland Security until the end of February, which will allow the new Republican-led Congress to act on overturning this executive action. Within the first two weeks of the next Congress beginning in January, the House of Representatives will act on legislation to defund “executive amnesty”.
It is painfully clear the president has no intention of truly working with Congress, but the election proved that American voters want change in Washington. By electing a Republican Senate, voters have empowered Congress to push back against President Obama’s policies. With this majority, the president will have no choice but to listen to Congress on the issues – including immigration.
This bill does not provide a blank check for the administration to push executive amnesty as some have claimed, and since outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid – who urged the President to “go big – big as he can” on immigration – would not allow a vote on the president’s plan, the best solution was to consider this issue when Majority Leader-Elect Mitch McConnell will not only bring it up, but also actively support a vote on stopping this executive action.
President Obama’s number one talking point to distract the media and voters from serious issues in this country is that Republicans are only interested in shutting down the government. By passing this bill, we’ve taken that talking point out of his arsenal and focused the fight early next year solely on his this executive action. I can promise you this: within the first couple weeks of the 114th Congress we WILL vote to defund the president’s actions. With a Republican-led Senate, we can actually get this bill to the president’s desk. He can veto it if he chooses, but the money for DHS will run out. Unless he wants to be responsible for single-handedly shutting down this part of the federal government, he’ll have to work with Congress to reverse his plan.
You might also be pleased to know that I have signed on to a legal brief challenging the constitutionality of the president’s actions on immigration in the Supreme Court. I’m sick of this administration ignoring Congress, and I am proud to take this fight to the court. Please rest assured I will continue fighting the president both legislatively and legally. I won’t allow him to get away with trampling our Constitution any longer, and I look forward to continuing this fight in the next Congress. 
Feel free to contact my office if we can be of assistance to you or your family.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=514d3c86-ae36-4bbc-b5dc-cf0dce33ccc5,"Corker Statement on Release of Alan Gross, Obama Announcement of U.S. Policy Change toward Cuba",2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement today regarding the president’s announcement of the release of American Alan Gross and the administration’s policy change toward Cuba:
“This morning, I was notified of the release of Alan Gross as well as the president’s negotiations with the Cuban government. I am pleased Alan Gross will be reunited with this family after suffering years of unjust imprisonment and mistreatment by the Castro regime.       “The new U.S. policy announced by the administration is no doubt sweeping, and as of now there is no real understanding as to what changes the Cuban government is prepared to make. We will be closely examining the implications of these major policy changes in the next Congress.”
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http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397642,Blackburn Statement On Todays Ruling By A Federal Judge Questioning Constitutionality Of Obama Amnesty,2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement today in reaction to findings announced by Federal Court Judge Arthur Schwab in the western district of Pennsylvania that parts of President Obama’s executive amnesty are unconstitutional.“We’ve said all along that President Obama was overstepping the authority granted to him by the Constitution by choosing to go it alone in his lawless effort to expand amnesty for illegal aliens,” Blackburn said. “Today’s ruling confirms that President Obama has taken unconstitutional steps to expand amnesty for illegal aliens. This ruling is just the first in what I expect to be many cases where the courts will side with those of us in Congress who have been working to protect the Constitution and fight back against King Obama’s lawless actions.” Congressman Blackburn led the fight in the House this year to stop President Obama's executive amnesty. On August 1st the House approved H.R. 5272, legislation sponsored by Blackburn that would freeze the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program prohibiting federal funds or resources from being used to adjudicate new applications under DACA. Blackburn's legislation would also prevent President Obama from taking future executive actions to expand amnesty for illegal aliens.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=244c65c0-0464-45cf-877d-0d8faee2d1e7,Senate Passes Third Step of Alexander Plan to Replace Chickamauga Lock,2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“This legislation is good news for jobs all around Tennessee, providing necessary tax breaks for small businesses and families, encouraging investment for more jobs to be created around the country, and allowing for replacement of Chickamauga Lock.” – Lamar Alexander
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2014 - U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today voted in favor of the Tax Increase Prevention Act (also known as the tax extenders bill), a comprehensive package of tax provisions that also includes a change in law that would allow for the replacement of Chickamauga Lock to begin as early as 2016.  The bill, passed in the Senate by a vote of 76-16, also extends the state and local sales tax deduction and increases small business expensing limits.
“This legislation is good news for jobs all around Tennessee, providing necessary tax breaks for small businesses and families, encouraging investment for more jobs to be created around the country, and allowing for replacement of Chickamauga Lock,” Alexander said. “After many years, this legislation finally presents the third step of my plan that should permit us to begin reconstruction of Chickamauga Lock as early as 2016. This is important not just to Chattanooga, but also to all of East Tennessee because of the number of jobs affected by shipping by river barge.”
The fee increase is the third step in Alexander’s plan, following a change in law that made available more money from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund for projects around the country, and the establishment of Chickamauga Lock as No. 4 on the U.S. Army Corps’ priority list. Passed as a provision of the ABLE Act, today’s legislation would authorize a 9-cent increase in the user fee commercial barge owners pay to use U.S. river locks and navigation channels, which the barge owners themselves have requested. This would provide about $260 million for inland waterways projects across the country over the next 10 years, allowing reconstruction of Chickamauga Lock to begin as early as 2016. The fee increase does not affect recreational boaters who will continue to have free passage through the locks.
“We are almost out of time for a solution – the lock could close in a few years unless more progress is made, throwing 150,000 trucks on I-75 and increasing the cost of shipping goods for Oak Ridge, Y-12, and manufacturers across the state,” Alexander said.
He continued, “In addition to this provision, this bill includes a deduction for state and local sales taxes that will help Tennessee families make ends meet by keeping more money in the pockets of hard-working individuals. This deduction is a matter of fairness for Tennesseans to ensure they are treated the same way the federal government treats those in states with state income tax.”
The state and local sales tax deduction allows residents in states with no state income tax, such as Tennessee, to deduct their state and local sales tax payments from their federal income tax. This puts Tennesseans on equal footing with taxpayers in other states who can deduct their state income taxes from their federal tax obligation. Alexander is a cosponsor of legislation to make the state and local sales tax deduction permanent.
The legislation also includes a provision that extends the increased small business expensing limits, commonly referred to as the Section 179 deduction. “This bill allows small businesses and farmers to deduct the cost of new purchases which encourages more investment so they can continue to create more good jobs in Tennessee,” Alexander said.
Lastly, Alexander said, “It is long past time for Big Wind to stand on its own, and I hope this is the last year Congress extends Washington’s most wasteful tax subsidy, the Wind Production Tax Credit.” Alexander cosponsored an amendment to remove the extension of the Wind Production Tax Credit from the legislation, which the Senate failed to vote on.
 
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=3b94c466-3685-4444-b922-1ecd98686442,"Alexander: Senate Passage of ABLE Act Brings Us One Step Closer to Removing Federal Barriers to Jobs for 9,500 Individuals with Disabilities in Knox County",2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“By removing federal barriers to employment and long-term supports, places like Knoxville’s Sertoma Center can serve more individuals with disabilities throughout East Tennessee.” –Lamar Alexander
WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 16 –U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today voted for the ABLE Act, saying Senate passage of the legislation “brings us one step closer to removing federal barriers to jobs for nearly 9,500 individuals with disabilities in Knox County alone.”
The legislation, cosponsored by Alexander, passed the Senate today by a vote of 76 to 16 and now heads to the president’s desk for signature. Once signed into law, the ABLE Act could enable the more than 170,000 Tennesseans with disabilities to work and save money—without fear of losing federal benefits.
“The need for opportunities for citizens with disabilities is great in the area of Tennessee from which I come from—nearly 9,500 individuals in Knox County alone receive Supplemental Security Income,” said Alexander. “The ABLE Act would allow many of these individuals in Tennessee and other states to save money for the future without discouraging work. By removing federal barriers to employment and long-term supports, places like Knoxville’s Sertoma Center can serve more individuals with disabilities throughout East Tennessee.” 
The ABLE Act, which passed today as part of the tax extenders legislation, was introduced by Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Bob Casey (R-Penn.) to change current law, which prohibits individuals with disabilities in most states from collecting Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid if they hold more than $2,000 in total assets. The ABLE Act allows individuals with disabilities to earn and save up to $100,000 in their ABLE accounts, removing disincentives to work and allowing them to pay for their own health care and other long-term supports. Family and friends of an individual with disabilities would also be allowed to contribute to an ABLE account on behalf of the individual.
At a September hearing, Alexander introduced Tennessee State Sen. Becky Duncan Massey (R-Knoxville) as a witness to discuss her work serving more than 100 individuals with disabilities at Knoxville’s Sertoma Center through vocational training, as well as employment, medical, case management, life skills, and residential services.
Alexander asked, “As you think about the Tennesseans with whom you work, what would be the effect of the ABLE Act on those individuals?”
Massey said, “I think it would be a huge impact on folks that have active families that could put money aside for their individual without fear of hurting their benefits. For a lot of these families, unfortunately, their dream is to live one day longer than their child because they’re not certain, even if they’ve got good providers, that the system is in place to take care of them. This would give them some peace of mind.”
 
 
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=00b1d3fd-3bc8-4a45-93a9-5ed51484f1aa,Corker Announces Senate Passage of Water for the World Act,2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today announced Senate passage of The Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014, bipartisan legislation to significantly improve access to clean water and sanitation around the world without spending new money or creating new bureaucracy. The bill, which was unanimously approved by the Senate late Monday, is sponsored by Corker and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and cosponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). The bill will now be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.
""I'm pleased lawmakers from both chambers agree that investing in water can make the most of existing foreign aid resources. These programs bring life-saving water and sanitation to vulnerable people around the globe, helping to support improved health and stability in these communities,” said Corker.
Nearly 750 million people around the world lack access to clean, safe water and nearly 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation—many living on less than $2 a day. Rapid industrialization and population growth continue to put pressure on global water supplies, particularly in developing nations. Water issues are no longer isolated problems, but are increasingly linked to regional tensions, global health, child and maternal mortality, and economic growth.
The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 made access to safe water and sanitation for developing countries a specific policy objective of the United States Foreign Assistance Program. The Act was named after the late Senator Paul Simon, who more than a decade ago wrote the book, Tapped Out, which warned of the world’s looming clean water crisis.
The Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014 will make better use of existing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) funds, strengthen WASH programming, and ensure the greatest impact on communities worldwide, without spending new money or creating new bureaucracy.
 
With the goal of increasing access to clean drinking water and sanitation, the bill would:
 
Ratify the existing capacity in the U.S. government to ensure WASH remains a policy priority, and that expertise is available at USAID and State Department headquarters, and in country-level USAID missions, to guide implementation of effective and sustainable WASH programs;
 
 
Sharpen the criteria for choosing high-priority countries to ensure that limited funds are directed to the countries and communities most in need, recognizing evidence that the poorest people benefit most from receiving WASH services;
 
 
Increase integration of WASH programs with other critical interventions, including child survival, global health, food security and nutrition, and gender equality, to increase their efficiency and impact;
 
 
Advance best practices of effective aid, such as improved monitoring and evaluation and a focus on leveraging non-Federal partnerships and funds;
 
 
Improve the strategic approach to international safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and to water resource management, by providing guidance that builds on USAID’s own Water and Development Strategy (May 2013), such as by requiring transparency in country priorities, the results of field programs, and regular reviews of progress using recognized metrics.
 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=e2dfef10-69b4-4e7b-8e5c-0f55dd61b04d,"Alexander, Corker Statements on Gov. Haslams Insure Tennessee Plan",2014-12-15,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 – U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker today released the following statements on Gov. Bill Haslam’s announcement of “Insure Tennessee,” which Gov. Haslam calls “an alternative approach” to the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare. The plan, according to the governor, is “a two-year pilot program to provide health care coverage to Tennesseans who currently don’t have access to health insurance or have limited options.""
Alexander, the senior Republican on the Senate health committee, said: “Governor Haslam deserves credit for insisting upon a Tennessee plan that the state can afford, and Secretary Burwell deserves credit for being flexible enough to allow the governor to achieve that.”
Corker said: “I have had several conversations with Governor Haslam and appreciate the work he and his team have done to study this issue closely and negotiate a tailored solution that works for Tennessee. I'm glad the administration has finally allowed appropriate flexibility, and I'm pleased our state was able to adopt a solution that will build off of the innovative ways we deliver quality health care.”‎
 
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=0bb4a680-8c2e-4395-a25b-36525986c305,Corker Announces 114th Congress Committee Assignments,2014-12-15,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today announced he will serve on the following committees during the 114th Congress:
 
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Senate Committee on the Budget
Senate Special Committee on Aging
 
“As I traveled across the Volunteer State in the days following the November election, Tennesseans made clear that they are ready for the Senate to govern responsibly and finally focus on growing our economy, repairing our fiscal house and strengthening our nation’s role in the world,” said Corker. “Serving on the foreign relations, banking, budget and aging committees will allow me the unique opportunity to focus on the issues that matter most to Tennesseans and our country, and I am eager to get to work.”
Corker continued: “Some of America’s greatest achievements and longest-lasting solutions have occurred when one party controls Congress and another the White House. It will take hard work, but if the president rolls up his sleeves and provides leadership and if the Congress acts responsibly, I truly believe we can begin to solve the big issues before us so that my generation can leave behind a stronger nation than the one we inherited.”
Committee assignments are subject to approval of the Republican Conference as well as the full Senate. Chairmen will be selected by a vote of the members of each respective committee and then approved by the Republican Conference, which is expected to take place in early January.
Corker currently serves as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=81271ede-d483-4415-96b1-1c0c771ddf34,"Alexander, Corker Statements on Gov. Haslams Insure Tennessee Plan",2014-12-15,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 – U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker today released the following statements on Gov. Bill Haslam’s announcement of “Insure Tennessee,” which Gov. Haslam calls “an alternative approach” to the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare. The plan, according to the governor, is “a two-year pilot program to provide health care coverage to Tennesseans who currently don’t have access to health insurance or have limited options.""
Alexander, the senior Republican on the Senate health committee, said: “Governor Haslam deserves credit for insisting upon a Tennessee plan that the state can afford, and Secretary Burwell deserves credit for being flexible enough to allow the governor to achieve that.”
Corker said: “I have had several conversations with Governor Haslam and appreciate the work he and his team have done to study this issue closely and negotiate a tailored solution that works for Tennessee. I'm glad the administration has finally allowed appropriate flexibility, and I'm pleased our state was able to adopt a solution that will build off of the innovative ways we deliver quality health care.”‎
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=6e12f825-4bda-42d7-ba82-eb0009ae00d8,"Alexander: Appropriations Bill Keeps Spending in Check, Supports National and Tennessee Priorities",2014-12-13,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“Fiscal responsibility is about setting priorities, and I voted for this legislation because it helps keep spending in check while supporting projects that are crucial to Tennessee, as well as our country’s economic competitiveness and national security.” – Lamar Alexander 
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2014 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the Senate’s top Republican on energy appropriations, today voted in favor of legislation to fund the federal government that “helps keep spending in check while supporting two projects that are crucial to Tennessee,” a proposal to build the world’s fastest supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12. Alexander noted that the legislation complies with spending caps established by the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013.
“Fiscal responsibility is about setting priorities, and I voted for this legislation because it helps keep spending in check while supporting projects that are crucial to Tennessee, as well as our country’s economic competitiveness and national security,” said Alexander, the top Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy & Water Development, which oversees funding for Oak Ridge and Y-12. “Once again having the world’s fastest supercomputer in the United States – and once again having it in Oak Ridge – will help us remain a center for advanced manufacturing and scientific breakthroughs. Providing both funding and oversight of the Uranium Processing Facility supports jobs and national security, and continues our mission of completing this project on time and on budget.”
The omnibus legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 56-40 and provides funding for most federal government agencies for fiscal year 2015, which extends until Oct. 1, 2015. In order to slow President Obama’s executive order granting amnesty to 5 million illegal immigrants, the legislation only extends funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 27, 2015.
At $1.014 trillion, the legislation complies with the budget caps that Congress passed as part of the Budget Control Act of 2011 and amended with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. Alexander noted that the legislation only affects discretionary spending – such as funding for national defense, national labs and national parks – which currently accounts for about 35 percent of the federal budget, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Mandatory spending, which is not controlled by appropriations legislation and includes entitlement programs, makes up about 60 percent of overall federal spending.
Alexander continued, “Unfortunately, President Obama and the Democratic Senate majority have not worked with Republicans to address the real driver of the federal government’s nearly $18 trillion debt: out-of-control entitlement spending. I hope that changes with a new Republican Senate majority. We need to pass a plan like the Fiscal Sustainability Act I proposed with Senator Corker, which would reduce the growth of entitlement spending by nearly $1 trillion over 10 years.”
The funding for the supercomputer and the Uranium Processing Facility was part of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which Alexander helped author. It included:
 
$104 million for supercomputing, following a November announcement by Alexander and U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz that Oak Ridge would build a supercomputer five times the speed of Titan, its current machine.
$335 million for the Uranium Processing Facility, which processes enriched uranium for nuclear weapons systems. Alexander has pushed to keep costs under control, in part through the Red Team review led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory director Thom Mason.
The closure of two facilities Alexander said perform duties that are redundant and can be accomplished more cost effectively elsewhere, saving taxpayers $120 million over the next ten years. The first is the New Brunswick lab in New Jersey, which does work on radiation that is used in the calibration of radioactivity detection equipment and that Alexander said can be done in various other parts of the federal government. The second is the closure of the Lujan Center in New Mexico, which performs scientific research with neutrons that Alexander said can be done at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.
 
UPDATED 12/14, 10:00 ET:
Alexander voted against a constitutional point of order offered by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), saying, ""I voted against the point of order because it would have invalidated the annual appropriations bill that is  needed and clearly constitutional. The bill funds the Department of Homeland Security for only three months, giving the new Republican Congress an opportunity next year to deal with the president’s unconstitutional executive amnesty.""
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=85bbc9b4-0816-4796-bb2a-199cc7dda8c6,Alexander Opposes Obama Nominee for Surgeon General,2014-12-13,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“The surgeon general is known as ‘the nation’s doctor.’ He leads a professional corps of 6,800 commissioned public-health officers. …Unfortunately, Dr. Murthy’s experience does not demonstrate the leadership and knowledge of public health that we expect from our surgeons general.”  –Lamar Alexander
WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 13 –U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said he opposes President Obama’s nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, citing the nominee’s lack of public health and management experience as well as his advocacy for gun control legislation that would infringe on Americans’ Second Amendment rights.
“The surgeon general is known as ‘the nation’s doctor.’ He leads a professional corps of 6,800 commissioned public-health officers—including 75 corps members currently deployed to Liberia to provide critical medical care for healthcare workers infected with Ebola,” said Alexander, the top Republican on the Senate health committee. “Unfortunately, Dr. Murthy’s experience does not demonstrate the leadership and knowledge of public health that we expect from our surgeons general.”
In a committee hearing in February, Alexander pressed Murthy on whether he would use the position to advance his ideological goals, saying, “My concern is much of your credential, it seems to me, is a political credential. Much of your work has been devoted to electing the current president and advocating the new health care law … I’d be reluctant to put into the surgeon general’s office someone who would use that as a bully pulpit to promote a law I think is an historic mistake.”
At that hearing, the senator also noted that Murthy is an advocate of gun control, once saying on the social media website Twitter that he was “tired of politicians…[who are] scared of the NRA.”
“I would hope you know that Americans have a First Amendment right to advocate the Second Amendment or any other amendment, and the Second Amendment is not a special interest group—it’s part of our Constitution,” Alexander told Murthy at the Feb. 4 hearing.
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=67990290-baab-4b39-a9bf-9a63c60c754b,Corker Statement on Government Spending Bill,2014-12-13,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after voting against a spending bill known as a continuing resolution (H.R.83).
“I could not support this spending bill because it continues the regrettable precedent of spending above the budget levels established by the original Budget Control Act without proper offsets elsewhere in the budget,” said Corker. “Next year, controlling both chambers of Congress, Republicans will have the opportunity to govern responsibly by passing individual appropriations bills with more oversight of how taxpayer dollars are being used.”
Corker also commented on a Constitutional point of order raised by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
""‎While the president's executive actions on immigration are reprehensible and deserve a strong response, I value the oath I took to support and defend the Constitution too much to exploit it for political expediency,” said Corker. “The Constitution gives Congress the power to fund the government so to assert that the House-passed spending bill is unconstitutional is not only inaccurate but irresponsible."" 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397641,National Womens History Museum bill heads to Presidents desk after 16 year legislative effort,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"After 16 years of work, a bill to form a commission on the creation of a National Women’s History Museum (H.R. 863/S. 398) will soon become law. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY),Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) hailed the achievement as a major victory for women.“The legacies of women who paved the way before us and helped shape our nation deserve to be preserved and shared with our citizens,” said Rep. Blackburn. “I am honored to have worked with Rep. Maloney and Senators Collins and Mikulski to push this legislation across the finish line so that these stories can inspire future generations by illustrating how the bravery, patriotism, and perseverance of our nation’s women can truly make a difference. We look forward to this bill being signed into law by the President.” “When I first introduced legislation to form a National Women’s History Museum, I never dreamed it would take 16 years to get this commission passed,” said Rep. Maloney. “It seemed like an easy lift – it’s hard to see who can be opposed to a museum dedicated to chronicling the achievements of women. Women gained the right to vote in 1920. I hope that a century later, in 2020, the efforts and accomplishments of women throughout our history will be chronicled in a museum that both our daughters and sons can learn from and enjoy.” “American women have made invaluable contributions to our country in such diverse fields as government, business, medicine, law, literature, sports, entertainment, the arts, and the military. The need for a museum recognizing the contributions of American women is long overdue, and the Commission approved today is an important first step towards that goal,” said Senator Collins.“A National Women’s History Museum would help ensure that future generations understand what we owe to the many generations of American women who have helped build, sustain, and advance our society.This can and should be done at no expense to American taxpayers.” “Women’s history is American history,” said Senator Mikulski. “Women have been trailblazers throughout our history, using grit, passion, and determination to seize the day and to make a difference. We must not only honor the past – we must learn from it. A National Women’s History Museum will be a fitting tribute to recognize their lasting legacy while inspiring future generations of women and girls.” “Surely, American women deserve a museum to showcase their significant contributions that have been indispensable to our country,” said Rep. Norton.“That is why I have been working to establish this museum in my district, the nation’s capital, with Rep. Maloney and other women in the House and Senate for many years.The museum seeks only to help ensure that the contributions women have made to our nation are understood as part of our history and collective conscience.We look forward to the report, and to moving forward with a museum that encourages and empowers even more women to make contributions and to take on leadership roles.” The law will establish a privately-funded commission to prepare a report containing recommendations for establishing and maintaining a National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C. The 8-member commission would have 18 months to produce the report and submit it to Congress for approval. Members of the commission will be appointed by Speaker of the House John Boehner, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. This bipartisan legislation passed by a vote of 383 to 33 in the House on May 7, 2014. The Senate legislation introduced by Collins and Mikulski was cosponsored by 39 Senators, including all 20 women Senators. The legislation was added to a package of Natural Resources bills, which was later attached as a separate title of the National Defense Authorization Act, which cleared the House on December 4 and the Senate today. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the commission and the museum would have no significant impact on federal spending. The bill authorizes the commission to accept and spend monetary gifts and a 501(c)3 organization, National Women’s History Museum, is already raising the funds necessary to fund the commission.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://duncan.house.gov/press-release/duncan-opposes-massive-omnibus-spending-bill,Duncan Opposes Massive Omnibus Spending Bill,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,John Duncan,D000533,duncan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON –Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement Thursday following his vote against a massive bill Omnibus-Continuing Resolution to fund the government through next year:
	During my time in Congress, I have never voted for an omnibus spending bill.  I am very much opposed to funding the government at the end of the year with massive, last-minute bills where they throw in just about everything but the kitchen sink. It is simply a bad way to do business.
	There really was no way to find out what all was in the bill.  It contained more than $1 trillion in spending at a time we have a national debt of $18 trillion that is still rising at a very fast rate.
	Of course in a bill this massive, I could find things that I liked, but I couldn’t vote for a bill that funded President Obama’s amnesty program and included increases for many departments and agencies even above what some were asking.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/house-votes-cut-spending-and-keep-government-open,House Votes To Cut Spending And Keep Government Open,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Chuck Fleischmann,F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON− The House of Representatives passed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act to keep the government open and functioning through fiscal year 2015. After passage, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann released the following statement. 
“This evening, the House performed its duty as representatives to ensure taxpayers’ dollars are wisely invested in effective programs and our government remains open and functioning. The legislation we passed today will cut excessive spending for programs such as the IRS and EPA while responsibly funding critical programs like those that keep our brave men and women in uniform safe. By providing no new funding for Obamacare or President Obama’s executive amnesty, this Omnibus will responsibly fund the majority of our federal government through the end of the fiscal year. While this bill is not perfect, it is a product of bipartisan compromise, and I am hopeful the Senate will act quickly to avoid another government shutdown.”
The 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill will provide funding for the vast majority of the federal government through September 30, 2015. Included in the Omnibus are significant program cuts and improved oversight of tax dollars; yet, critical programs, such as the research and work conducted in Oak Ridge, will remain funded. The bill will cut Internal Revenue Service funding by $345.6 million and Environmental Protection Agency funding by $60 million. Additionally, the Omnibus includes language led by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann to protect 2nd Amendment rights.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsletterarchive?ContentRecord_id=0af49775-f586-4275-8d25-c9ce0c82e9a4,Year-End Newsletter,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"As the year comes to an end, I’d like to share with you some of what I’ve been working on in Tennessee and Washington:
Preparing to fix our broken system as part of a new Republican majority in the U.S. Senate 
In November, Americans elected a new Republican Senate majority determined to fix our broken system in Washington and move our country in a new direction. When the new Republican majority takes over in the new year, I am ready to hit the ground running with proposals to grow jobs, turn our health care system in the direction of more choices and lower costs, return control over our public schools to communities and classroom teachers, and put an end to the Obama administration’s unconstitutional overreach into so many areas of Americans’ lives. I look forward to accomplishing these goals in a way Tennesseans know well—working with others to get results.
Encouraging job growth in Tennessee and keeping Washington out of the way
Throughout the past few months, I had the opportunity to attend several groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies across Tennessee, all celebrating good, new jobs being created around the state. Because of our state’s strong right-to-work law and low taxes, Tennessee continues to be one of the country’s most attractive states for companies to invest and create new jobs.

 
Preventing the spread of Ebola in Tennessee and around the nation
Since the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, I pressed for a more urgent response from the United States and other countries to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. It is clear that this is a threat we should be taking as seriously as that of ISIS. Last week, the Senate passed legislation I introduced to spur the development of vaccines and drugs to prevent and treat Ebola, with hopes that this will one day help lead to a cure. It is expected to be signed into law any day now. Throughout the past few months, I held several forums across Tennessee to discuss how hospitals and the state and local health departments were preparing for a potential Ebola outbreak.
You can watch me discuss the threat from Ebola here and here. Click here to read more about my visit to Vanderbilt University to learn more about the disease and their research to combat it.
Helping more Tennesseans go to college by simplifying student aid 
In June, Senator Michael Bennet and I released a draft proposal that would simplify the complicated federal student aid form, one of the principal obstacles to a free college education for many students. This proposal would reduce the complex 108-question federal student aid application to two questions, and would also streamline federal student loan and grant programs, allow year-round use of Pell Grants, discourage over-borrowing and simplify repayment options. In the past few months, I visited several colleges and universities across Tennessee where I discussed my proposal with school officials, students, and parents.

This is one of the many proposals I plan to push as chairman of the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions when Republicans take the majority next year. Read more here on my plan to reform No Child Left Behind to return responsibility to states and local communities to create and implement their own education standards and tests, evaluate teachers and principals, and improve schools. We also need to get rid of Obamacare and repair the damage it has caused as rapidly and responsibly as possible with step-by-step proposals to increase freedom and choice and to reduce the cost of health insurance.
Fighting to secure the border and stop the president’s executive amnesty agenda 
Last month, the president announced he is going to bypass Congress and unilaterally give amnesty to 5 million illegal immigrants currently living in our country. Our immigration system is broken and our border is a mess. Rather than acting like a king, the president should be working with Congress to secure the border and create a system of legal immigration – not disregarding the rule of law and the will of the American people.
Read more here on my thoughts on the president’s executive action on immigration.
I also thought you might be interested in the following articles:
Chattanooga Times Free Press: Alexander, Corker to have strong voices in U.S. Senate
The Hill: Alexander to Obama: Stop education waiver mandates
Maryville Daily Times: Chickamauga Lock repair prospects boosted by House",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=1ac08f54-1170-4237-abba-82a0b8ea59f7,"McConnell, Alexander Statements on NLRBs Final Ambush Election Rule",2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 12 – Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) made the following statements after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) released its final rule today authorizing “ambush elections,” which shorten the length of time in which a labor union certification is held—currently a median 38 days—to as little as 10 days:
“I was very disappointed to see that the NLRB finalized a rule to significantly cut the amount of time available to conduct union elections,” McConnell said. “Instead of ensuring that employees are equipped with the necessary information before casting a ballot in union elections, the NLRB decision will allow unions to rush the process on unsuspecting individuals in an effort to increase the number of dues paying members.  Furthermore, the NLRB rule also poses serious privacy issues as it will force employers to provide private and sensitive employee information to union bosses without the employee’s permission. 
He continued, “Given that the NLRB has tried this tactic before, I was proud to join Senator Alexander and others to propose legislation preventing the board from moving forward with this onerous rule. This is another example of the board acting as an advocate rather than umpire.  We need to reform the make-up of the board to make it more bipartisan and fair which is why Senator Alexander and I introduced the NLRB Reform Act earlier this year.” 
“The NRLB was established to be an impartial umpire in labor disputes, but has grown into an advocate for whichever party has the White House, a trend that has worsened under this president,” said Alexander, the top Republican on the Senate labor committee. “The board’s ‘ambush election’ rule will sacrifice every employer’s right to free speech and every worker’s right to privacy for the sake of boosting organized labor, and I believe a new majority in the Senate will vote to disapprove this rule.”
In September, McConnell and Alexander introduced the NLRB Reform Act, legislation intended to end partisan advocacy at the NLRB. 
Nearly identical to a rule introduced in 2011 that was rejected by a D.C. Federal District Court, today’s final rule changes long-standing labor policies in an attempt to speed up union elections. The rule provides employers only seven days to find legal counsel and appear before an NLRB regional officer at a pre-election hearing and limits the ability to settle important issues such as which employees would be in a union bargaining unit until after the election has been held. The proposed rule also jeopardizes worker privacy by providing employees’ names, home and email addresses, work schedules, phone numbers, and other personal information to union organizers.
  
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=f567f555-0577-4163-bf55-6cb7f98ee302,Alexander: Defense Authorization Critical to National Security,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“I voted for the National Defense Authorization Act because it is critical to our national security and to ensuring that our men and women in uniform receive the support and resources they need.” – Lamar Alexander
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2014 - U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on his vote in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015:
“I voted for the National Defense Authorization Act because it is critical to our national security and to ensuring that our men and women in uniform receive the support and resources they need,” Alexander said. “I look forward to the new Senate majority in which I believe senators will have an opportunity to debate and amend important legislation like this.”
The National Defense Authorization Act passed the Senate by a vote of 89-11 and will go to the president for signature. The legislation authorizes funding for the Department of Defense on a range of fronts, including:
 
Providing military pay with a 1 percent across-the-board pay raise for military personnel.
Funding for military construction projects in Tennessee, specifically $41 million at Fort Campbell.
Preventing another round of military base closures.
Alexander’s legislation that designates three sites of the World War II-era Manhattan Project, including sites at Oak Ridge, as a National Historical Park. This will “preserve and protect one of the most historic events in American history,” Alexander says.
 
 # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=728ead8c-827e-47cb-b687-ed46d846268f,Corker Statement on National Defense Authorization Act,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement today after voting for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
“I’m pleased this bill stays within our budget caps and begins to rein in unnecessary expenditures in the defense budget while providing our men and women in uniform with the resources needed to maintain a strong national defense,” said Corker.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397640,Blackburn To Oppose House Funding Resolution,2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement in opposition to the House Continuing Resolution, which fails to take the steps necessary to stop President Barack Obama’s executive actions to expand amnesty for illegal aliens.“Unfortunately, this spending package fails to take the necessary actions to defund the President’s lawless amnesty. As a result, I cannot vote in support of this measure. It is not fair that hard-working taxpayers in Tennessee will now have to compete for jobs with illegal aliens to whom the President is unilaterally granting work permits at a time when our workforce participation rate sits at a 36-year low and more than 90 million Americans are out of work. That is why I fought for and passed my bill in the House this summer to freeze the President’s unconstitutional Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. King Obama’s amnesty is turning America into a lawless open borders society.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://desjarlais.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/desjarlais-votes-against-omnibus-appropriations-agreement,DesJarlais Votes Against Omnibus Appropriations Agreement,2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement after voting against HR 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY 2015, commonly referred to as the cromnibus:
“This 1,603-page bill was released just the other day. There is absolutely no conceivable way any member of Congress had time to properly review this $1.1 trillion piece of legislation. Have we not learned the lesson that having to pass a bill to find out what is in it results in bad policy?
“One thing we do know is that this legislation provides funding for President Obama’s unconstitutional executive order on immigration. As the representative for Tennessee’s Fourth District, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. This is something I will not compromise on. Congress has the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to prevent the White House from violating the separation of powers.
“If the president wants immigration reform, then he should present his ideas to Congress and work within the proper constitutional framework. But he does not have the authority to disregard existing law – laws that he is constitutionally bound to execute. If Republicans won’t step up and hold this president accountable, who will?”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/desjarlais-votes-against-omnibus-appropriations-agreement,DesJarlais Votes Against Omnibus Appropriations Agreement,2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement after voting against HR 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY 2015, commonly referred to as the cromnibus:
This 1,603-page bill was released just the other day. There is absolutely no conceivable way any member of Congress had time to properly review this $1.1 trillion piece of legislation. Have we not learned the lesson that having to pass a bill to find out what is in it results in bad policy?
One thing we do know is that this legislation provides funding for President Obamas unconstitutional executive order on immigration. As the representative for Tennessees Fourth District, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. This is something I will not compromise on. Congress has the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to prevent the White House from violating the separation of powers.
If the president wants immigration reform, then he should present his ideas to Congress and work within the proper constitutional framework. But he does not have the authority to disregard existing law  laws that he is constitutionally bound to execute. If Republicans wont step up and hold this president accountable, who will?",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397798,"Roe Votes to Protect Tennesseans from Executive Overreach, Keep Government Open",2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Phil Roe,R000582,roe.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement after voting in support of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act:
“The budget agreement, while imperfect, has numerous provisions that will help our state. For the past six years, I’ve heard from East Tennesseans on a wide array of issues, but because our government has been operating under a continuing resolution, we haven’t been able to roll back some of the policies enacted in the first few years of the Obama administration.
“While traveling around the district I’ve heard from folks concerned about the IRS targeting, the runaway EPA, Obamacare and President Obama’s executive overreach on immigration. This agreement will prohibit the IRS from targeting organizations because of their political or ideological beliefs; keep the EPA from regulating lead content in ammunition and fishing tackle while also cutting their funding for the fifth consecutive year; and reduces funding for the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which I’ve worked on since the Affordable Care Act’s passage. This bill funds important infrastructure projects while keeping one of the largest economic drivers in the First District – the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – open.  
“Perhaps most importantly, by only extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security until the end of February, this bill ensures the new Republican-led Congress will have the opportunity to address the president’s executive action on immigration early in the new year. I believe it’s important we get to work on immigration as soon as the 114th Congress convenes.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=FB9E8D0E-C8E3-4CAA-B49C-C3E727D030A0,DesJarlais Votes Against Omnibus Appropriations Agreement,2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,desjarlais,https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center,scraper,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement after voting against HR 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY 2015, commonly referred to as the cromnibus:

“This 1,603-page bill was released just the other day. There is absolutely no conceivable way any member of Congress had time to properly review this $1.1 trillion piece of legislation. Have we not learned the lesson that having to pass a bill to find out what is in it results in bad policy?

“One thing we do know is that this legislation provides funding for President Obama’s unconstitutional executive order on immigration. As the representative for Tennessee’s Fourth District, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. This is something I will not compromise on. Congress has the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to prevent the White House from violating the separation of powers.

“If the president wants immigration reform, then he should present his ideas to Congress and work within the proper constitutional framework. But he does not have the authority to disregard existing law – laws that he is constitutionally bound to execute. If Republicans won’t step up and hold this president accountable, who will?”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-votes-cut-spending-and-keep-government-open,House Votes To Cut Spending And Keep Government Open,2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON− The House of Representatives passed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act to keep the government open and functioning through fiscal year 2015. After passage, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann released the following statement.

“This evening, the House performed its duty as representatives to ensure taxpayers’ dollars are wisely invested in effective programs and our government remains open and functioning. The legislation we passed today will cut excessive spending for programs such as the IRS and EPA while responsibly funding critical programs like those that keep our brave men and women in uniform safe. By providing no new funding for Obamacare or President Obama’s executive amnesty, this Omnibus will responsibly fund the majority of our federal government through the end of the fiscal year. While this bill is not perfect, it is a product of bipartisan compromise, and I am hopeful the Senate will act quickly to avoid another government shutdown.”

The 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill will provide funding for the vast majority of the federal government through September 30, 2015. Included in the Omnibus are significant program cuts and improved oversight of tax dollars; yet, critical programs, such as the research and work conducted in Oak Ridge, will remain funded. The bill will cut Internal Revenue Service funding by $345.6 million and Environmental Protection Agency funding by $60 million. Additionally, the Omnibus includes language led by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann to protect 2nd Amendment rights.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=7e544860-33c3-40f0-860e-0b4968ef51b1,Corker Statement on FHFA Decision to Fill Affordable Housing Funds,2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today commented on a Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) decision to direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to begin making contributions to the Housing Trust Fund and the Capital Magnet Fund, affordable housing funds established in 2008. The FHFA previously suspended payments to the funds due to the financial instability of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs).
“It is beyond irresponsible to restart these affordable housing allocations without first dealing with the underlying problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” said Corker. “These two entities would not be generating one penny of revenue without taxpayer backing, and until the American taxpayers are taken off the hook for a future bailout, FHFA should continue to suspend payments to these funds.”
During the 2008 financial crisis, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taken into government conservatorship and given a $188 billion capital injection from taxpayers to stay afloat. As a result, the private market almost completely disappeared, and nearly every loan made in America today comes with a full government guarantee. Despite this unsustainable situation, there still has been no real reform to our housing finance system.
A recent FHFA stress test projected that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could require a $190 billion taxpayer bailout to keep them afloat during a future crisis.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://desjarlais.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/desjarlais-statement-on-president-obama-s-immigration-speech-in,DesJarlais Statement on President Obamas Immigration Speech in Nashville,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement regarding President Obama’s immigration speech in Nashville:
“While I am sure this scripted event in Nashville will attempt to present the president in the best possible light, I would encourage him to travel a few miles to the south to Tennessee’s Fourth Congressional District and speak with real folks from all walks of life who continue to voice their concerns over his unilateral action on immigration. Although President Obama might wish otherwise, our Constitution does not give him the authority to circumvent Congress simply because existing laws conflict with his particular ideology.  Fortunately, Congress maintains the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to put a stop to this flagrant usurpation of power.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/desjarlais-statement-on-president-obama-s-immigration-speech-in,DesJarlais Statement on President Obamas Immigration Speech in Nashville,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement regarding President Obamas immigration speech in Nashville:
While I am sure this scripted event in Nashville will attempt to present the president in the best possible light, I would encourage him to travel a few miles to the south to Tennessees Fourth Congressional District and speak with real folks from all walks of life who continue to voice their concerns over his unilateral action on immigration. Although President Obama might wish otherwise, our Constitution does not give him the authority to circumvent Congress simply because existing laws conflict with his particular ideology. Fortunately, Congress maintains the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to put a stop to this flagrant usurpation of power.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=3FB57E0D-0655-45C2-B5F1-C3A155794C37,DesJarlais Statement on President Obama’s Immigration Speech in Nashville,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,desjarlais,https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center,scraper,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement regarding President Obama’s immigration speech in Nashville:

“While I am sure this scripted event in Nashville will attempt to present the president in the best possible light, I would encourage him to travel a few miles to the south to Tennessee’s Fourth Congressional District and speak with real folks from all walks of life who continue to voice their concerns over his unilateral action on immigration. Although President Obama might wish otherwise, our Constitution does not give him the authority to circumvent Congress simply because existing laws conflict with his particular ideology. Fortunately, Congress maintains the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to put a stop to this flagrant usurpation of power.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397639,Blackburn Statement on President Obamas Nashville Speech on Lawless Amnesty,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement ahead of President Obama’s speech in Nashville today where he will talk about his executive actions on amnesty.“America’s workforce participation rate sits at a 36-year low due to the Obama economy. More than 90 million Americans are out of work, so it is unfair to Tennessee families that this President wants to force hard-working taxpayers to compete for jobs with illegal aliens to whom he is unilaterally granting work permits. In addition, what is the President’s response to those immigrants who have been lawfully waiting in line for years to become citizens?Is that consistent with the societal “fairness” of which he so often speaks? “During the first two years of his term, the President had a Democrat super-majority in Congress and did nothing to address this immigration crisis that he now claims is such an emergency that he must go it alone. He kicked the immigration reform can down the road for six years and failed to work with Congress on serious solutions to address the problems with our immigration system. “His solution to immigration is to take out his pen and write an executive memo that encourages thousands of illegal aliens to flood our borders through unconstitutional executive actions. DACA is the primary example. President Obama’s actions have effectively nullified the immigration laws of this country and made America an “open borders society” with no rules governing entrance except those announced through royal decree. “That is exactly why I led the House effort this summer in passage of legislation that would freeze the DACA program and prevent President Obama from taking future executive actions to expand amnesty for illegal aliens. H.R. 5272 passed the House with bipartisan support on August 1st. I share in the frustration Americans have with this President and will continue to do everything in my power to stop his executive amnesty. Enough is enough.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://duncan.house.gov/press-release/east-tennessee-representatives-respond-president-obama%E2%80%99s-nashville-speech,East Tennessee Representatives Respond to President Obamas Nashville Speech,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,John Duncan,D000533,duncan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – Today, Reps. John J. Duncan, Phil Roe, and Chuck Fleischmann released the following statements responding to President Obama’s speech on immigration in Nashville:
Rep. Roe (TN-01): 
“I was disappointed to hear more partisan rhetoric from the president as he spoke in Tennessee today. We can—and should—take steps to reform the immigration process, starting with fully securing the border. But the president’s attempt to rewrite immigration law from the Oval Office is the wrong solution, not to mention a slap in the face to every naturalized citizen that waited in line to live in this country. Right now we have an opportunity to make changes to our immigration system to help future generations. Rather than repeating past mistakes and kicking the can down the road, we need to implement real reform, but President Obama’s ‘plan’ is about the furthest thing from a long-term solution possible.” 
Rep. Duncan (TN-02): 
“The President continues to ignore or gloss over the fact that we already have very detailed immigration laws on the books, and no President has the right or the power to pick and choose which ones to enforce. This latest executive order will encourage many millions more to come here, illegally if necessary, as President Obama himself said in 2010. The American people are the kindest, most generous people in the world.  We have allowed many millions to immigrate here legally over the last 25 or 30 years, far more than any other nation. But our entire infrastructure—our schools, hospitals, jails, roads, sewers, etc.—just could not handle the mega-millions who would come here in the next few years if we simply opened our borders. We must have a legal, orderly immigration system, and it must be enforced.”
Rep. Fleischmann (TN-03):
“Unfortunately, the President used today’s trip to try and sell Tennesseans on his unlawful executive orders -orders even he once said would violate our laws.  We owe it to the American people to secure our borders, and those waiting to legally enter the country, to enforce the current immigration laws before we make any radical changes. While the President claimed, after the election, that he heard the American people, it’s clear he has not.  This is just another example of the President failing to lead, and instead, taking his own path and ignoring the will of the people.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/congressman-fleischmann-chair-congressional-nuclear-cleanup-caucus,Congressman Fleischmann To Chair Congressional Nuclear Cleanup Caucus,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Chuck Fleischmann,F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON− Today, at a press conference, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann announced he will lead the Nuclear Cleanup Caucus.  The caucus is comprised of a group of lawmakers who have Department of Energy cleanup sites in their districts.  Rep. Fleischmann is taking over for Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) who is retiring at the end of this term. 
“It is a great honor to serve as Chairman of this important caucus,” Fleischmann said after the press conference. “It is an absolute necessity that we ensure the success of our nuclear cleanup missions, not only in East Tennessee, but at all cleanup sites throughout our nation.  I am excited to lead this bipartisan group of legislators from across the country and look forward to the work ahead.”
""From my time at Oak Ridge, I know firsthand how passionate and knowledgeable Congressman Fleischmann is about the nuclear cleanup mission,"" said Mark Whitney, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management. “His deep understanding of the Office of Environmental Management’s mission and challenges make him an effective advocate as he leads the Cleanup Caucus into the future.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/representatives-east-tennessee-respond-president-obama%E2%80%99s-remarks-immigration,Representatives From East Tennessee Respond To President Obamas Remarks on Immigration,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Chuck Fleischmann,F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON− Today, President Obama visited Nashville, Tennessee to speak about his plans for immigration reform. After the President’s remarks, Reps. Fleischmann, Duncan and Roe released the following statements.
“Unfortunately, the President used today’s trip to try and sell Tennesseans on his unlawful executive orders - orders even he once said would violate our laws,” Rep. Fleischmann said. “We owe it to the American people to secure our borders, and those waiting to legally enter the country, to enforce the current immigration laws before we make any radical changes. While the President claimed, after the election, that he heard the American people, it’s clear he has not. This is just another example of the President failing to lead, and instead, taking his own path and ignoring the will of the people.”
“The President continues to ignore or gloss over the fact that we already have very detailed immigration laws on the books, and no President has the right or the power to pick and choose which ones to enforce,” stated Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. “This latest executive order will encourage many millions more to come here, illegally if necessary, as President Obama himself said in 2010. The American people are the kindest, most generous people in the world.  We have allowed many millions to immigrate here legally over the last 25 or 30 years, far more than any other nation. But our entire infrastructure—our schools, hospitals, jails, roads, sewers, etc.—just could not handle the mega-millions who would come here in the next few years if we simply opened our borders. We must have a legal, orderly immigration system, and it must be enforced.”
“I was disappointed to hear more partisan rhetoric from the president as he spoke in Tennessee today,” stated Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. “We can—and should—take steps to reform the immigration process, starting with fully securing the border. But the president’s attempt to rewrite immigration law from the Oval Office is the wrong solution, not to mention a slap in the face to every naturalized citizen that waited in line to live in this country. Right now we have an opportunity to make changes to our immigration system to help future generations. Rather than repeating past mistakes and kicking the can down the road, we need to implement real reform, but President Obama’s ‘plan’ is about the furthest thing from a long-term solution possible.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397796,East Tennessee Representatives Respond to President Obamas Remarks on Immigration,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Phil Roe,R000582,roe.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Roe, Duncan and Fleischmann released the following statements following President Obama’s remarks on immigration reform in Nashville: 
Rep. Roe (TN-01) released the following statement:
“I was disappointed to hear more partisan rhetoric from the president as he spoke in Tennessee today. We can—and should—take steps to reform the immigration process, starting with fully securing the border. But the president’s attempt to rewrite immigration law from the Oval Office is the wrong solution, not to mention a slap in the face to every naturalized citizen that waited in line to live in this country. Right now we have an opportunity to make changes to our immigration system to help future generations. Rather than repeating past mistakes and kicking the can down the road, we need to implement real reform, but President Obama’s ‘plan’ is about the furthest thing from a long-term solution possible.”  
Rep. Duncan (TN-02) released the following statement:
“The President continues to ignore or gloss over the fact that we already have very detailed immigration laws on the books, and no President has the right or the power to pick and choose which ones to enforce. This latest executive order will encourage many millions more to come here, illegally if necessary, as President Obama himself said in 2010. The American people are the kindest, most generous people in the world.  We have allowed many millions to immigrate here legally over the last 25 or 30 years, far more than any other nation. But our entire infrastructure—our schools, hospitals, jails, roads, sewers, etc.—just could not handle the mega-millions who would come here in the next few years if we simply opened our borders. We must have a legal, orderly immigration system, and it must be enforced.”

Rep. Fleischmann (TN-03) released the following statement:
“Unfortunately, the President used today’s trip to try and sell Tennesseans on his unlawful executive orders -orders even he once said would violate our laws. We owe it to the American people to secure our borders, and those waiting to legally enter the country, to enforce the current immigration laws before we make any radical changes. While the President claimed, after the election, that he heard the American people, it’s clear he has not. This is just another example of the President failing to lead, and instead, taking his own path and ignoring the will of the people.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-fleischmann-to-chair-congressional-nuclear-cleanup-caucus,Congressman Fleischmann To Chair Congressional Nuclear Cleanup Caucus,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON− Today, at a press conference, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann announced he will lead the Nuclear Cleanup Caucus. The caucus is comprised of a group of lawmakers who have Department of Energy cleanup sites in their districts. Rep. Fleischmann is taking over for Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) who is retiring at the end of this term.

“It is a great honor to serve as Chairman of this important caucus,” Fleischmann said after the press conference. “It is an absolute necessity that we ensure the success of our nuclear cleanup missions, not only in East Tennessee, but at all cleanup sites throughout our nation. I am excited to lead this bipartisan group of legislators from across the country and look forward to the work ahead.”

""From my time at Oak Ridge, I know firsthand how passionate and knowledgeable Congressman Fleischmann is about the nuclear cleanup mission,"" said Mark Whitney, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management. “His deep understanding of the Office of Environmental Management’s mission and challenges make him an effective advocate as he leads the Cleanup Caucus into the future.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/representatives-east-tennessee-respond-president-obamas-remarks-immigration,Representatives From East Tennessee Respond To President Obama’s Remarks on Immigration,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON− Today, President Obama visited Nashville, Tennessee to speak about his plans for immigration reform. After the President’s remarks, Reps. Fleischmann, Duncan and Roe released the following statements.

“Unfortunately, the President used today’s trip to try and sell Tennesseans on his unlawful executive orders - orders even he once said would violate our laws,” Rep. Fleischmann said. “We owe it to the American people to secure our borders, and those waiting to legally enter the country, to enforce the current immigration laws before we make any radical changes. While the President claimed, after the election, that he heard the American people, it’s clear he has not. This is just another example of the President failing to lead, and instead, taking his own path and ignoring the will of the people.”

“The President continues to ignore or gloss over the fact that we already have very detailed immigration laws on the books, and no President has the right or the power to pick and choose which ones to enforce,” stated Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. “This latest executive order will encourage many millions more to come here, illegally if necessary, as President Obama himself said in 2010. The American people are the kindest, most generous people in the world. We have allowed many millions to immigrate here legally over the last 25 or 30 years, far more than any other nation. But our entire infrastructure—our schools, hospitals, jails, roads, sewers, etc.—just could not handle the mega-millions who would come here in the next few years if we simply opened our borders. We must have a legal, orderly immigration system, and it must be enforced.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=a68d4b1d-10e0-4aa7-b9f7-dac9cccb35a9,"The Tennessean: Lamar Alexander, protesters sound off on Obama visit",2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"“The president is always welcome in Tennessee, where he can see for himself why Republican leadership has our state headed in the right direction. Most Tennesseans would prefer to hear the president talk about working with Congress to secure the border and create a legal system of immigration, instead of discussing his decision to disregard the Constitution and make our broken system worse.”
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.
“The only tangible results from Barack Obama’s visit to Nashville today were obstructed streets and gridlock traffic. His remarks were unconvincing because his argument is without merit. The first step in solving our immigration problem must be enforcement of laws currently on the books.”
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey,
R-Blountville
“More than 200,000 Tennesseans remain out of work, but rather than prioritize their plight, the president is putting the interests of those who have broken our laws ahead of them. Why should unemployed Tennesseans have to compete with illegal immigrants for jobs? And why should those who break our laws to come here be rewarded while so many wait to come here legally? This is wrong and the president does not have the authority to change our immigration laws without Congress, as he himself has said at least 22 times. But now he has changed his mind and chosen Nashville as a destination to publicly thumb his nose at the American electorate that just rebuked him in the last election.”
Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn.
“If nobody stands up, we won’t have a country much longer. America’s in distress.”
Terry Hayes, protester from Cleveland, Tenn.
“I was disappointed to hear more partisan rhetoric from the president as he spoke in Tennessee today. We can — and should — take steps to reform the immigration process, starting with fully securing the border. But the president’s attempt to rewrite immigration law from the Oval Office is the wrong solution, not to mention a slap in the face to every naturalized citizen that waited in line to live in this country. Right now we have an opportunity to make changes to our immigration system to help future generations.”
Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn.
“We are allowing undocumented immigrants to take those jobs that veterans could have. We need to take care of our own.”
Karen Douglas, protester from Clarksville
“The president continues to ignore or gloss over the fact that we already have very detailed immigration laws on the books, and no president has the right or the power to pick and choose which ones to enforce. This latest executive order will encourage many millions more to come here, illegally if necessary, as President Obama himself said in 2010. ... Our entire infrastructure — our schools, hospitals, jails, roads, sewers, etc. — just could not handle the mega-millions who would come here in the next few years if we simply opened our borders.”
Rep. John J. Duncan, R-Tenn.
“Unfortunately, the president used today’s trip to try and sell Tennesseans on his unlawful executive orders — orders even he once said would violate our laws. We owe it to the American people to secure our borders, and those waiting to legally enter the country, to enforce the current immigration laws before we make any radical changes.”
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn.
“He said he wants to be bipartisan, yet he wants to be a lone ranger.”
Jim Hayden, protester from Old Hickory",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=49250264-5003-471c-b5b6-802e4ff988c7,"Harkin, Alexander, Hagan, Hatch Praise Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Enhance Life-Saving Newborn Screening Programs",2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 9 – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and HELP Committee members Sens. Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today praised unanimous passage in the Senate of the bipartisan Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act.
“Today I am pleased the Senate moved forward with this critical bill to invest in healthy families. Newborn screening programs play an essential role in the early detection and treatment of conditions that affect newborns. This bipartisan bill will ensure that infants and families get timely, accurate screenings,” Harkin said. “By supporting states, this legislation will help them to improve their newborn screening programs and assist pediatricians and other providers with finding and treating any medical conditions at the earliest possible time. For families around the country, these screening programs save lives and I thank Senators Hagan and Hatch for their tireless efforts to move this important bill forward.”
“The legislation passed by the Senate will improve life-saving screenings for nearly 80,000 infants born in Tennessee every year—as well as ensure that parents and doctors have the information they need to keep the newborns in their care as safe as possible,” Alexander said. “Senator Hatch and Senator Hagan have done great work with this bill, and I look forward to the House quickly taking up and passing this important legislation.”
“I am so pleased that the Senate came together to reauthorize these critical programs and ensure more infants have the chance to lead a full and healthy life,” said Hagan, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families. “As a mom and a grandmother, I know that parents have no greater concern than their children’s health, and today, no family should suffer because a treatable condition was left undetected at birth. I hope the House will move swiftly to approve this bill that will give states the resources to improve their newborn screening programs, and ensure that babies with serious or even fatal conditions get the care and treatment they need right when they’re diagnosed at birth.”
“When I first sponsored this bill in 2008, we created national newborn screening guidelines and helped improve comprehensive newborn screening in every state,” Hatch said. “Today, I’m proud that 30 more states treat at least 29 of 31 treatable core conditions. Reauthorizing this program means that newborns will have a better shot at dealing with these conditions thanks to early diagnosis. I’m pleased to support it once again.""
The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act, introduced by Sens. Hagan and Hatch, would reauthorize federal programs and grants that assist states with improvements to their newborn screening programs—including ensuring quality laboratory equipment and surveillance for newborn screening. The legislation also supports states in related education programs for parents and health-care providers and continues the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children, which determines which newborn screening tests should be added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel. The screening panel serves as a reference for states in determining which conditions to screen for in their respective newborn screening programs.
Approximately one in every 300 newborns in the United States has a condition that can be detected through screening, according to the March of Dimes.
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=d9b5e3d7-f0e4-4369-978c-c222736774c7,Maryville Daily Times: Chickamauga Lock repair prospects boosted by House,2014-12-05,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The lock jam is breaking — finally.
As announced by U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and U.S. Reps. John J. Duncan Jr. and Chuck Fleischman, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would help fund repairs to the Chickamauga Lock. And did so with bipartisan support.


The legislation, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, includes an industry-supported user fee provision that would provide about $260 million for inland waterways projects across the country over the next 10 years.


Through the Inland Waterways Trust Fund capital will flow to repair infrastructure, including the Chickamauga Lock on the Tennessee River at Chattanooga. The trust fund has been underfunded for years.


Passage is a classic win-win-win. The fee increase — 9 cents per gallon of commercial barge fuel — is paid for entirely by barge companies, at their request. It does not impact recreational boaters, who will still have free passage through the locks.


Industry is happy. Taxpayers are happy. And to top it off, environmentalists are happy.


It takes 58 large semi-trailer trucks to transport what a barge can carry. One 15-barge tow takes 870 large semi-trailer trucks off the road. That means fuel conservation and cleaner air with safer and longer-lasting highways. It also means jobs saved.


Alexander, the top Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development that oversees funding for the lock, said, “Replacing Chickamauga Lock keeps good jobs flowing into Chattanooga and East Tennessee — including at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear facilities and manufacturing plants — makes it easier for recreational boaters to go through the lock at no cost, and keeps 150,000 trucks from clogging up I-75.”


Unless corrective measures are accelerated, closure of the lock is inevitable. The lock’s days are numbered because of concrete growth resulting from the mix of water and aggregate that was used in the construction of its walls.


A shutdown — which happened for 10 days in October — would block 313 miles of navigable waterways on the upper Tennessee River. It would be a barrier to waterborne travel from above Chattanooga to the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico and the world.


A new, larger lock could give river access to 6.7 million tons of cargo annually. It is estimated that $200 million in paychecks and 3,000 jobs could be lost with the lock’s closure. And those estimates are over two years old.


According to Alexander, the House action was the third of three major steps in his long-term plan to replace Chickamauga Lock. The project will take several years to finish and is expected to cost more than a half-billion dollars.


The first two steps were passed into law as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, including:


• A change in the cost share for Olmstead Lock in Ohio from 50 percent of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to 15 percent, to enable more existing money to be used for other projects, including Chickamauga Lock;


• The prioritization of Chickamauga Lock as No. 4 in the federal government’s priority list for inland waterways projects;


The third step is the enactment of the user fee increase commercial barge owners pay to use river locks and navigation.


Alexander originally proposed all three changes to Chickamauga Lock funding as part of the American Waterworks Act in 2012. When Republicans take control of the Senate in January, Alexander is expected to serve as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. He says he’ll use that position to help make sure Chickamauga Lock remains a construction funding priority.


The measure next goes to the Senate for approval before landing on the president’s desk.


The Senate vote should be swift and the president’s signature should be sure — finally.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397637,Blackburn Works to Support Needs of Nations Military,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)) today issued the following statement on her vote in support of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘Buck’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015.“Like many installations across the country, Ft. Campbell is facing reductions that will have an impact on military readiness programs as well as installation infrastructure. That is why I was so pleased to secure provisions in this bill to address the needs of the thousands of military personnel who call Ft. Campbell home,” Blackburn said. “I strongly support this bill to ensure our warfighters and their families receive the care and support they have earned and deserve. “This legislation includes a provision I have routinely championed to restore the Army Flying Hours Program. For aviation units like the 101st Airborne, this training is not only vital to mission success but to the safety of our soldiers. This vital program provides aviation training resources for individual crewmembers and units according to approved training strategies. In addition, it also provides individual and collective proficiency in support of ongoing combat and non-combat air operations. Wewill continue to monitor this issue closely as these gains to flying hours programs will be lost if sequester returns in 2016. “One of our most important responsibilities as Members of Congress is to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the resources, training, and funds necessary to keep Americans safe. No one recognizes that more than House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon who is leaving us at the end of this Congress. We are grateful for Chairman McKeon’s leadership and all the great work he has done in support of our military families and veterans. He will be missed and I wish him all the best as he moves on to his next adventure in life.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397638,Blackburn Statement on President Obamas Upcoming Visit to Nashville,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today issued the following statement on the announcement that President Obama will travel to Nashville on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 to discuss his executive action on amnesty.
“President Obama continues to relentlessly assault the Constitution and American workers. I hope he plans on explaining to Tennesseans why they will now have to compete for jobs with illegal aliens to whom he is unilaterally granting work permits. The American people are sick and tired of the President's lawless actions and I share their frustration, which is why I will continue to do everything I can in the fight to stop his unconstitutional unprecedented illegal amnesty.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://duncan.house.gov/immigration-executive-order-without-precedent,Immigration Executive Order Without Precedent,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,John Duncan,D000533,duncan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Mr. Speaker,
I rise in support of this very reasonable legislation, which really simply requires that our present immigration laws be fully enforced or at least not be violated.
I commend the Gentleman from Florida, Mr. Yoho, for bringing this legislation to the floor.
The President has said he has been forced to act because the Congress has not done so.
That is not correct, as Chairman Goodlatte pointed out a few minutes ago.
Congress can act in any one of three ways: writing a new law, changing an old law, or leaving present law in effect.
The Administration is glossing over or is ignoring the fact that we have very detailed immigration laws on the books now.
They may not like present law, but no one has the right, or the power, or the authority to pick and choose and enforce some laws but not others.
Presidential executive orders have traditionally been used almost entirely for non-controversial, administrative-type actions. They were not meant to be a way for a President to bypass the Congress.
We do not live, or are not supposed to live, under a system where all the power is vested in the Executive.
We have a Constitution, and it should be followed.
Mister Speaker, all of us admire those who have immigrated here legally and have contributed so much to this Nation.
We have allowed many millions here legally since the Simpson-Mazzoli law of 1986, far more than any other country.
But with 58-percent of the people in the world having to get by on $4 or less a day, that means that almost four billion people are hoping to get one good meal today and probably aren't.
We are blessed beyond belief to live in this Nation.
But our entire infrastructure, our schools, our hospitals, our jails, our roads, our sewers simply could not handle the influx of mega millions who would come here in a relatively short time if we simply opened our borders.
We have to have a legal, orderly system of immigration, and it must be enforced.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://duncan.house.gov/press-release/house-passes-bill-provision-fund-chickamauga-lock-repairs,House Passes Bill with Provision to Fund Chickamauga Lock Repairs,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,John Duncan,D000533,duncan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – A bill championed by Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) that would help fund repairs to the Chickamauga Lock passed the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday with large bipartisan support.
The measure—H.R. 647, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act—included an industry-supported user fee provision that would bring in $112 million per year to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which funds repairs to the Nation’s inland waterways infrastructure like the Chickamauga Lock.  The trust fund has been underfunded for years.
The user fee of 9 cents per gallon of commercial barge fuel was strongly supported by the commercial barge industry. Rep. Duncan, Vice Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and former Chairman of the Water Resources Subcommittee, also pushed for the provision.
“Hopefully, this much needed funding will speed up the new Chickamauga Lock construction. Our Nation’s inland waterways infrastructure needs critical repairs, and I am pleased that we have found a solution supported by all interests,” Duncan said.
“According to a study by the Iowa Department of Transportation, one barge takes 58 large semi-trailer trucks off the road, and one 15-barge tow takes 870 large semi-trailer trucks off the road. We must keep our waterways fully operational,” Duncan continued. “Congressman Fleischmann and Senator Alexander have been great champions of this cause as well, and I am so thankful for all of their hard work to get this passed.”
The measure now goes to the Senate.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/house-votes-designate-oak-ridge-manhattan-project-site-national-historical-park,House Votes To Designate Oak Ridge Manhattan Project Site As National Historical Park,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Chuck Fleischmann,F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON− This afternoon, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision to designate the three Manhattan Project sites, including the site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as a national historical park. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann was an original cosponsor on the legislation, and Senator Lamar Alexander introduced the legislation in the Senate.
“The Manhattan Project produced groundbreaking achievements at a critical time in our nation’s history right here in Oak Ridge, Tennessee,” said Rep. Chuck Fleischmann. “The legacy of the incredible work done in Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington deserves to be recognized. The advancements achieved by thousands of hardworking men and women at Oak Ridge helped bring an end to World War II. The Manhattan Project continues to serve as one of the most significant accomplishments in American history, and I am proud that our legislation will honor these facilities by designating them as a national historical park.”
“The Manhattan Project is one of the most significant events in American history, and this legislation will protect and preserve these sites, including those at Oak Ridge, and designate them as a national historical park,” said Senator Lamar Alexander. “Oak Ridge continues to serve as a global resource for scientific discovery, and this national historical park will provide the opportunity to learn about the significance of the Manhattan Project and how it continues to shape our history.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397795,Roe Memorial Bill Passes House as Part of NDAA,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Phil Roe,R000582,roe.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) voted in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Roe’s bill to create a memorial for those that served in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield was included in the package.  
Roe released the following statement on the inclusion:
“I was proud to support this important package and pleased that our memorial bill was included as a provision. Every day we should commemorate and give thanks to the men and women who have devoted their lives to defending freedom. Every soldier who honorably served our nation should be recognized, and that is why I introduced the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial Act. The sacrifice of those who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm will be remembered through the building of this memorial and I hope the Senate will pass this important legislation and I look forward to seeing President Obama sign it into law.”
H.R. 503 passed the House unanimously as a stand-alone measure on May 28th. The bill has more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-votes-designate-oak-ridge-manhattan-project-site-national-historical,House Votes To Designate Oak Ridge Manhattan Project Site As National Historical Park,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON− This afternoon, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a provision to designate the three Manhattan Project sites, including the site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as a national historical park. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann was an original cosponsor on the legislation, and Senator Lamar Alexander introduced the legislation in the Senate.

“The Manhattan Project produced groundbreaking achievements at a critical time in our nation’s history right here in Oak Ridge, Tennessee,” said Rep. Chuck Fleischmann. “The legacy of the incredible work done in Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington deserves to be recognized. The advancements achieved by thousands of hardworking men and women at Oak Ridge helped bring an end to World War II. The Manhattan Project continues to serve as one of the most significant accomplishments in American history, and I am proud that our legislation will honor these facilities by designating them as a national historical park.”

“The Manhattan Project is one of the most significant events in American history, and this legislation will protect and preserve these sites, including those at Oak Ridge, and designate them as a national historical park,” said Senator Lamar Alexander. “Oak Ridge continues to serve as a global resource for scientific discovery, and this national historical park will provide the opportunity to learn about the significance of the Manhattan Project and how it continues to shape our history.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
https://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397794,Roe Leads 24 Members of Congress in Filing Amicus Brief with Supreme Court,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Phil Roe,R000582,roe.house.gov,,,legacy,"Encourages the Court to hear the Goldwater Institute's Challenge of the Independent Payment Advisory Board
WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) led 24 members of Congress in joining the Pacific Legal Foundation to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court asking the court to take up a case filed by the Goldwater Institute concerning the Independent Payment Advisory Board's (IPAB) constitutionality.
Roe released the following statement on the brief:
Since the president signed his signature health care bill into law, we've seen many concerning parts of the law come to light. Perhaps one of the most troubling parts of Obamacare is the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The IPAB will consist of fifteen unelected bureaucrats who are granted substantial powers to reduce Medicare spending. IPAB's proposals could, for example, cut reimbursement for specific services that it determines not to be of high value.
As a physician, I can tell you first-hand how troubling this mindset can beevery case is unique and must be treated that way. The IPAB is a serious threat to seniors' access to medical care, and I will continue to fight it both in Congress and by supporting legal challenges like the one the Goldwater Institute filed last month.
The Goldwater Institute filed a petition last month requesting that the court take up the case on appeal. A copy of the petition can be found here.
Rep. Roe has been an outspoken opponent of the IPAB and introduced legislation, H.R. 351, to repeal it. The bill has 227 bipartisan cosponsors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=2c92e809-7ff5-43fb-815d-29da65965712,House Passes Legislation to Preserve Oak Ridge Manhattan Project Sites as National Historical Park,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“Oak Ridge continues to serve as a global resource for scientific discovery, and this national historical park will give all Americans the opportunity to learn about the significance of the Manhattan Project and how it continues to shape our history.”– Lamar Alexander
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2014 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) today announced their legislation that would designate three sites of the World War II-era Manhattan Project, including sites at Oak Ridge, as a National Historical Park, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
“The Manhattan Project is one of the most significant events in American history, and this legislation will protect and preserve these sites, including those at Oak Ridge, and designate them as a national historical park,” said Alexander. “Oak Ridge continues to serve as a global resource for scientific discovery, and this national historical park will provide the opportunity to learn about the significance of the Manhattan Project and how it continues to shape our history.”
“The Manhattan Project produced groundbreaking achievements at a critical time in our nation’s history right here in Oak Ridge, Tennessee,” said Fleischmann. “The legacy of the incredible work done in Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington deserves to be recognized. The advancements achieved by thousands of hardworking men and women at Oak Ridge helped bring an end to World War II. The Manhattan Project continues to serve as one of the most significant accomplishments in American history, and I am proud that our legislation will honor these facilities by designating them as a National Historical Park.”
The original legislation, introduced by Alexander and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in the Senate and cosponsored by Fleischmann in the House, passed the House today as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation would designate sites at Oak Ridge as well as Los Alamos, N.M., and Hanford, Wash., as the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The park would include in its designation the Beta-3 racetracks and Alpha Calutron magnets at Y-12 and the K-25 Building site at the East Tennessee Technology Park.
Tennessee’s history with the project ties back to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s request of Sen. Kenneth McKellar, a Tennessee Democrat, to help him secretly fund a project – ultimately the creation of the atomic bomb – to help end the war. McKellar famously asked Roosevelt “where in Tennessee” he’d like to locate the project. “That place in Tennessee turned out to be Oak Ridge, one of three secret cities that became the principal sites for the Manhattan Project,” Alexander said.
 
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=68d934a6-979d-4829-ad3b-62517ab823bc,Durbin-Corker Water for the World Act Clears Committee,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON—The Senate Foreign Relations Committee today unanimously advanced The Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014, bipartisan legislation to significantly improve access to clean water and sanitation around the world. The bill is sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bob Corker (R-TN), cosponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and led by Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Ted Poe (R-TX) in the House of Representatives.   
“Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation services sickens and kills thousands of children every day, and leads to poverty across the globe,” Senator Durbin said. “But this is no longer simply a global health and development issue—it’s a long-term problem that increasingly threatens our national security. The Foreign Relations Committee agreed unanimously today, and I hope the full Senate will quickly pass this legislation before the crisis reaches a devastating tipping point.”
""We need to make every dollar of our limited foreign aid resources count by addressing problems where we can have a real impact on people's lives. By focusing our efforts on clean water and sanitation, we can save lives, improve public health and provide stability in vulnerable communities throughout the world,"" said Senator Corker. 
Nearly 750 million people around the world lack access to clean, safe water and nearly 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation—many living on less than $2 a day. Rapid industrialization and population and economic growth continue to put pressure on global water supplies, particularly in developing nations. Water issues are no longer isolated problems, but are increasingly linked to regional tensions, global health, child and maternal mortality, and economic growth.
The Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 made access to safe water and sanitation for developing countries a specific policy objective of the United States Foreign Assistance Program. The Act was named after the late Senator Paul Simon, who more than a decade ago wrote the book, Tapped Out, which warned of the world’s looming clean water crisis.
The Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014 will make better use of existing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) funds, strengthen WASH programming, and ensure the greatest impact on communities worldwide, without spending new money or creating new bureaucracy.
With the goal of increasing access to clean drinking water and sanitation, the bill would:
 
Ratify the existing capacity in the U.S. government to ensure WASH remains a policy priority, and that expertise is available at USAID and State Department headquarters, and in country-level USAID missions, to guide implementation of effective and sustainable WASH programs;
 
 
Sharpen the criteria for choosing high-priority countries to ensure that limited funds are directed to the countries and communities most in need, recognizing evidence that the poorest people benefit most from receiving WASH services;
 
 
Increase integration of WASH programs with other critical interventions, including child survival, global health, food security and nutrition, and gender equality, to increase their efficiency and impact; 
 
 
Advance best practices of effective aid, such as improved monitoring and evaluation and a focus on leveraging non-Federal partnerships and funds;
 
 
Improve the strategic approach to international safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and to water resource management, by providing guidance that builds on USAID’s own Water and Development Strategy (May 2013), such as by requiring transparency in country priorities, the results of field programs, and regular reviews of progress using recognized metrics.
 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397635,Blackburn Votes to Prevent Tax Increase on Hard-Working Americans,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement on House passage of H.R. 5771, Tax Increase Prevention Act.“Today, the House came together on a bipartisan vote to extend tax breaks for hard-working taxpayers, but this could have been a much better package for America if President Obama weren’t blind to the will of the people. “On November 4th, the America people said loud and clear that they wanted Washington to work together to find solutions for our country’s problems. “Last week, Chairman Camp and Senate Majority Leader Reid were able to craft a bipartisan and bicameral compromise on tax extenders that would give certainty and stability to American small businesses and allow them to stay competitive in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the President threatened to veto that deal. “While this wasn’t the best that Washington could have done for the American people, it does take important steps to help keep big government’s hand out of the pockets of hardworking American taxpayers. I am very happy to report that the legislative package we approved today does include my sales tax deduction that is so vital to thousands of small businesses in Tennessee.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397636,House Approves Blackburn Legislation to Help Combat Ebola,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,blackburn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today applauded unanimous House passage of the Adding Ebola to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act, legislation she authored along with Senator Lamar Alexander in the Senate to help improve the process for U.S. companies working to develop vaccines and other therapies to protect Americans from the Ebola virus. Senator Alexander’s bill passed the Senate on Tuesday and the legislation now goes to the President for his signature.On November 18, 2014, Blackburn introduced H.R. 5729, which would add filoviruses to the list of diseases included in the Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher Program at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The filovirus family includes all known strains of Ebola as well as the related Marburg virus. Joining Blackburn in introducing this bipartisan bill were Reps. Gene Green (TX-29), G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), Michael McCaul (TX-10), and Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03). “Decreasing the time it takes for a company to bring a drug safely through the FDA to approval provides a great incentive for the development of other drugs, particularly those that have historically been neglected. I was pleased to be able to work with Senator Alexander on this important effort to help cut red tape for companies working to develop a vaccine to protect Americans from the Ebola Virus,” Blackburn said. “We look forward to the President signing the bill into law. “With nearly 15,000 cases and over 5,000 deaths, the 2014 Ebola epidemic is the worst since the discovery of the virus in 1976. In light of this global outbreak there should be an intensive effort to find and approve a treatment or better yet, a vaccine to prevent Ebola.” The Priority Review Voucher Program was authorized by Congress in 2007 to incentivize the development for neglected tropical diseases. Under this program, a company that receives approval for a tropical disease treatment is eligible to receive a voucher that allows the bearer to receive priority review status for any future product. Products undergoing priority review are generally given an approval decision within six months instead of the usual ten months.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/fleischmann-leads-fight-increase-funding-chickamauga-lock,Fleischmann Leads Fight To Increase Funding For Chickamauga Lock,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Chuck Fleischmann,F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON− The House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 647, the ABLE Act, which will provide critical funding for inland waterways projects such as the Chickamauga Lock. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann was joined by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander in championing passage of this legislation.
“Since my first day in office, I have been fighting to secure funding for the Chickamauga Lock,” said Congressman Chuck Fleischmann. “Earlier this year, we passed legislation to reform the main funding mechanism for the lock. This was an essential fix to the underlying problem, but there is more work to be done. Today, we moved one step closer to completing our goal with the passage of the barge fuel fee increase. This fee will add approximately $40 million in annual funding to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which could allow construction to start as early as 2016.  The legislation passed today will ensure that East Tennessee has the waterways infrastructure necessary to build a world-class economy.”
“Passage of this legislation would mean Congress has accepted the offer by commercial barge owners to pay more to replace Chickamauga Lock, and that construction could resume as early as 2016,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, the top Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. “Replacing Chickamauga Lock keeps good jobs flowing into Chattanooga and East Tennessee – including at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear facilities and manufacturing plants – makes it easier for recreational boaters to go through the lock at no cost, and keeps 150,000 trucks from clogging up I-75. I especially congratulate Congressman Fleischmann for his work on this legislation. Without his support and that of Senator Corker and Congressman Duncan, this would not have happened. I will work to make sure it receives prompt consideration in the Senate.”
Congressman Chuck Fleischmann recently led a bipartisan letter to Speaker Boehner urging an increase in the barge fuel fee, which will help provide funding for the lock.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/video-chuck-fleischmann-fights-next-step-chickamauga-lock-funding,Video: Chuck Fleischmann Fights For Next Step In Chickamauga Lock Funding,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Chuck Fleischmann,F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON− This morning, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann spoke on the House floor in support of H.R. 647, the ABLE Act. This legislation will provide funding to key waterways infrastructure projects such as the Chickamauga Lock.
Click here to watch the video.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/fleischmann-leads-fight-increase-funding-chickamauga-lock,Fleischmann Leads Fight To Increase Funding For Chickamauga Lock,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON− The House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 647, the ABLE Act, which will provide critical funding for inland waterways projects such as the Chickamauga Lock. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann was joined by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander in championing passage of this legislation.

“Since my first day in office, I have been fighting to secure funding for the Chickamauga Lock,” said Congressman Chuck Fleischmann. “Earlier this year, we passed legislation to reform the main funding mechanism for the lock. This was an essential fix to the underlying problem, but there is more work to be done. Today, we moved one step closer to completing our goal with the passage of the barge fuel fee increase. This fee will add approximately $40 million in annual funding to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which could allow construction to start as early as 2016. The legislation passed today will ensure that East Tennessee has the waterways infrastructure necessary to build a world-class economy.”

“Passage of this legislation would mean Congress has accepted the offer by commercial barge owners to pay more to replace Chickamauga Lock, and that construction could resume as early as 2016,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, the top Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. “Replacing Chickamauga Lock keeps good jobs flowing into Chattanooga and East Tennessee – including at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear facilities and manufacturing plants – makes it easier for recreational boaters to go through the lock at no cost, and keeps 150,000 trucks from clogging up I-75. I especially congratulate Congressman Fleischmann for his work on this legislation. Without his support and that of Senator Corker and Congressman Duncan, this would not have happened. I will work to make sure it receives prompt consideration in the Senate.”

Congressman Chuck Fleischmann recently led a bipartisan letter to Speaker Boehner urging an increase in the barge fuel fee, which will help provide funding for the lock.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-chuck-fleischmann-fights-for-next-step-in-chickamauga-lock-funding,Video: Chuck Fleischmann Fights For Next Step In Chickamauga Lock Funding,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON− This morning, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann spoke on the House floor in support of H.R. 647, the ABLE Act. This legislation will provide funding to key waterways infrastructure projects such as the Chickamauga Lock.

Click here to watch the video.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:44:12Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/multimedia?ContentRecord_id=9c4d6b7f-a75b-4e43-9972-b64ed65c5265,Alexander: Legislation Passed Today Means Chickamauga Lock Construction Could Resume As Early As 2016,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,Sen. Alexander speaks on the Senate floor on expected passage of legislation that would allow construction to replace Chickamauga Lock to resume as early as 2016. The legislation would provide about $260 million for inland waterways projects across the country over the next 10 years.,1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=be379939-90ea-4cb0-95fc-19e0360f5ca9,Chattanooga Times Free Press: House approves tax measure that could revive Chickamauga Lock,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"By Dave Flessner 
	
	
	
	
		
		The U.S. House of Representatives voted 404-17 tonight to approve a measure that includes an increase in fuel taxes on barge operators that could help revive funding for the stalled Chickamauga Lock.
The industry-backed measure will raise the diesel fuel tax on barges from 20 cents a gallon to 29 cents a gallon, generating another $40 million a year to be put into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund that pays for lock and dam projects like the stalled Chickamauga Lock project in Chattanooga.
U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., said today he was able to attach the proposed fuel tax increase on to a popular measure designed to allow people with disabilities to create special accounts for tax-free savings. The so-called ABLE Act has 380 sponsors, including Fleischmann, and is expected to be approved in the House later today and possibly in the U.S. Senate on Thursday.
Fleischmann calls the increase in the fuel tax ""an industry fee"" rather than a tax increase and said he doesn't see a vote for the higher fuel fee as contrary to the pledge taken by most House Republicans to oppose any tax increase.
Fleischmann said the extra funds generated by the tax should help revive work on a new lock to replace the crumbling existing lock at the Chickamauga Dam in Chattanooga.
Fleischmann acknowledged that it would be difficult to pass such a fuel tax increase on barges in a stand alone bill.
""But by working to attach this to the right vehicle, that should help us get this needed measure passed,"" Fleischmann said today.
U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who has been urging Congress to raise the barge tax for two years to help improve inland waterway infrastructure, praised the House tonight for its vote in favor of a higher fuel tax on barges.
“Passage of this legislation would mean Congress has accepted the offer by commercial barge owners to pay more to replace Chickamauga Lock, and that construction could resume as early as 2016,” said Alexander, who is the top Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which oversees funding for the lock. “Replacing Chickamauga Lock keeps good jobs flowing into Chattanooga and East Tennessee – including at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear facilities and manufacturing plants – makes it easier for recreational boaters to go through the lock at no cost, and keeps 150,000 trucks from clogging up I-75. I especially congratulate Congressman Fleischmann for his work on this legislation.""
Earlier this year, Alexander and Fleischmann worked with Democrats in their respective chambers to revamp the funding formula for locks and dams built by the Army Corps of Engineers to help free up more money for projects other than the $3.1 billion Olmsted Lock and Dam project, which has been absorbing all of the funds in the inland waterways fund.
Fleischmann, whose campaign criticized rival Weston Wamp this summer for his support of higher fuel taxes, said he didn't want to support any fuel tax increase until the funding mechanism for the inland waterways trust fund was changed so the Chickamauga Lock was more likely to be funded.
Earlier this week, Fleischmann joined with U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinksi, D-Ill., another member of the House transportation committee responsible for inland waterway projects, in a letter to House leaders urging them to increase the barge fuel fees.
""With our nation's aging waterways infrastructure under increasing strain, it is imperative that we provide additional financing for our inland waterways system as soon as possible to help goods move efficiently and safely,"" Fleischmann and Lipinksi said in their letter to other House members.
The measure is being pushed by the barge industry to help avoid potential closures at the Chickamauga and other aging locks. Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, which has secured pledges from most members of Congress to oppose any tax increase, is not opposing the measure, Fleischmann said.
“I like to say it’s not a tax increase, but just an inflation adjustment to make up for the fact that the tax has not been increased since 1995,” said Cline Jones, executive director of the Tennessee River Valley Association, a trade group that is backing the tax increase to help fix more locks and dams. “It’s long overdue.”
The tax increase could free up funds to restart the idled Chickamauga Lock, although the new lock at the Chickamauga Dam remains behind major projects at the Olmsted Dam on the Ohio River, the lower Monongehela lock and dam in Pennsylvania and the Kentucky Dam in Kentucky.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=377864db-b76f-4aae-ba3b-029661e8c7de,Alexander: Legislation Passed Today Means Chickamauga Lock Construction Could Resume As Early As 2016,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“Replacing Chickamauga Lock keeps good jobs flowing into Chattanooga and East Tennessee – including at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear facilities and manufacturing plants – makes it easier for recreational boaters to go through the lock at no cost, and keeps 150,000 trucks from clogging up I-75.” – Lamar Alexander 
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2014 – U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Reps. Chuck Fleischman (R-Tenn.) and John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.), today announced that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that would allow construction to replace Chickamauga Lock to resume as early as 2016. Alexander called for the Senate this month to promptly approve the legislation and send it to President Obama. The legislation would provide about $260 million for inland waterways projects across the country over the next 10 years.
The fee increase is paid for entirely by commercial barge companies, which they requested, and does not affect recreational boaters who will continue to have free passage through the locks.
“Passage of this legislation would mean Congress has accepted the offer by commercial barge owners to pay more to replace Chickamauga Lock, and that construction could resume as early as 2016,” said Alexander, who is the top Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which oversees funding for the lock. “Replacing Chickamauga Lock keeps good jobs flowing into Chattanooga and East Tennessee – including at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear facilities and manufacturing plants – makes it easier for recreational boaters to go through the lock at no cost, and keeps 150,000 trucks from clogging up I-75. I especially congratulate Congressman Fleischmann for his work on this legislation. Without his support and that of Senator Corker and Congressman Duncan, this would not have happened. I will work to make sure it receives prompt consideration in the Senate.”
“This common sense solution is an important step toward returning to a structure where our nation’s transportation system is fully funded by those who use it,” said Corker. “I appreciate Senator Alexander, Congressman Fleischman and Congressman Duncan’s leadership on this issue, and I’m pleased this measure will help needed construction at Chickamauga Lock move forward.”
“Since my first day in office, I have been fighting to secure funding for the Chickamauga Lock,” said Fleischmann. “Earlier this year, we passed legislation to reform the main funding mechanism for the lock. This was an essential fix to the underlying problem, but there is more work to be done. Today, we moved one step closer to completing our goal with the passage of the barge fuel fee increase. This fee will add approximately $40 million in annual funding to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which could allow construction to start as early as 2016.  The legislation passed today will ensure that East Tennessee has the waterways infrastructure necessary to build a world class economy.”
“Hopefully, this much needed funding will speed up the new Chickamauga Lock construction. Our Nation’s inland waterways need critical repairs, and I am pleased that we have found a solution supported by all interests,” said Duncan. “According to a study by the Iowa Department of Transportation, one barge takes 58 large semi-trailer trucks of the road, and one 15-barge tow takes 870 large semi-trailer trucks off the road. We must keep our waterways fully operational. Congressman Fleischmann and Senator Alexander have been great champions of this cause as well, and I am so thankful for all of their hard work to get this passed.”
The legislation would authorize a 9-cent increase in the user fee commercial barge owners pay to use U.S. river locks and navigation channels – which the barge owners themselves have called for – increasing the fee to 29 cents per gallon of fuel used. It passed as part of the ABLE Act, a broader piece of legislation that removes federal disincentives to work for individuals with disabilities.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the commercial barge user fee increase will generate about $260 million over the next 10 years for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, a fund that provides half the money for projects like Chickamauga Lock, with the other half coming from the U.S. Treasury. How much money Chickamauga Lock will receive depends upon how much funding is requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers next year and the congressional appropriations process, but Alexander said the fee increase would enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to resume construction as early as 2016.
Alexander said that today’s action is the third of three major steps in his long-term plan to replace Chickamauga Lock – a several-year project that is expected to cost more than half a billion dollars to complete. The first two were passed into law as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, including:
 
First step: a change in the cost share for Olmstead Lock in Ohio from 50 percent of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to 15 percent, to enable more existing money to be used for other projects, such as Chickamauga Lock.
Second step: the prioritization of Chickamauga Lock as No. 4 in the federal government’s priority list for inland waterways projects.
Third step: the enactment of the user fee increase commercial barge owners pay to use U.S. river locks and navigation.
 
Alexander originally proposed all three changes to Chickamauga Lock funding – the fee increase, the change to Olmsted Lock and the prioritization of Chickamauga Lock – as part of his American Waterworks Act in 2012. When Republicans take control of the Senate in January, Alexander is expected to serve as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy & Water Development, a position he said he’ll use to help make sure Chickamauga Lock remains a construction funding priority.
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=713db0bc-5b4e-4275-b686-0a064c2df83a,Alexander Votes Against EEOC General Counsel Nominee Lopez,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"***
“Mr. Lopez has been chiefly responsible for the agency’s pursuit of high-profile lawsuits that have been rebuked by the courts.""   –Lamar Alexander 
WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 3 –U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today voted against the president’s nominee for general counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, David Lopez.
“During his time as general counsel, Mr. Lopez has been chiefly responsible for the agency’s pursuit of high-profile lawsuits that have been rebuked by the courts—and taxpayers are paying the cost of these rebukes,” Alexander said.
Last week, Alexander released a staff report detailing the litigation missteps the EEOC has taken in recent years. The report found that today’s EEOC “is pursuing many questionable cases through sometimes overly aggressive means—and, as a result, has suffered significant court losses that are embarrassing to the agency and costly to taxpayers. …The courts have criticized EEOC for misuse of its authority, poor expert analysis, and pursuit of novel cases unsupported by law.”
Alexander pointed to five separate EEOC lawsuits brought by Lopez that were so frivolous or mismanaged that the commission was required to pay attorney’s fees to the defendants—at taxpayers’ expense.  
While the agency has pursued high-profile lawsuits without a complainant, in March 2014 EEOC reported almost 71,000 unresolved complaints of discrimination from individuals who filed charges.  Further, its litigation has recovered almost $200 million less for victims than under the previous administration over the same time frame.
Alexander also noted that Lopez refused to answer whether he would wait on guidance from the commission on wellness plans before continuing to sue employers over their plans. “That’s discouraging employers who are trying to give employees cheaper insurance if they lead a healthy lifestyle,” Alexander said at last month’s hearing regarding Lopez’s nomination.
 
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speechesfloorstatements?ContentRecord_id=e6b9449a-cd4b-4ed4-8204-496638f4042f,Floor speech: Replacing Chickamauga Lock,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The House of Representatives is expected to pass tonight legislation that should be very good news to Americans who care about their jobs and Americans who care about the condition of our inland waterway systems.   
      Inland waterway systems aren't on the front page of the U.S. newspapers until a lock closes or something happens and the cargo can't get down the river, and then it is big trouble. Which is the case in Tennessee with the Chickamauga Lock, an old lock that the Army Corps of Engineers says could close. It is in such bad shape, and if it were to close it would throw 150,000 heavy trucks on I?75 and disrupt the economy in all of eastern Tennessee.  That same picture applies in many other parts of our country to these important waterways:  The Mississippi, the Missouri, the Tennessee, and the Ohio ?? rivers that carry so much of the heavy cargo that provides income and jobs for so many American families. 
      Tonight the House of Representatives is expected to enact the third part of a three?part plan that was envisioned in the American Waterworks Act of 2012, which would provide a permanent, long?term solution to having the kind of inland waterway system that a great country such as the United States deserves.  I wish to speak for a moment about the effect that has not just on our country but on my home State of Tennessee.
      For our country, it would be hard to imagine how we could carry cars and coal and agricultural equipment from the great Midwest and the South to the rivers to be shipped overseas without the barges that carry that equipment, millions of tons of cargo every year, and it is usually cheaper and faster than many other forms of transportation.  That means more jobs and more money in the pockets of Americans who are able to work for industries that are competitive.
      The legislation the House is expected to pass will provide $260 million for inland waterway projects across the country over the next 10 years.  It is important to note that this fee is paid entirely by the owners of the big commercial barges that use the locks when they go down the rivers, and that none of it would be paid by the fishing boats and recreation boats which also use the locks.  In other words, the big commercial barges are going to pay more to get through the locks faster, to save money and to save time, and that is good for the fishermen as well, without any cost. This is the third step in the American Waterworks Act that was proposed in 2012. 
      This step would increase by 9 cents the way the fee is calculated that the big barge companies pay to go through the locks.  The barge companies have volunteered to do this.  They have been pleading with the U.S. Congress, saying, ""Please raise the fee we pay to go through the locks so you can use the Corps of Engineers to replace the locks so we can go through faster and cheaper.""  So the House is taking steps to do that tonight.  The fee will increase from 20 to 29 cents per gallon of fuel used and, as I said, $260 million of that over the next 10 years will go to help repair these locks. 
      The first two steps in the plan of the American Waterworks Act were enacted by law earlier this year as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act.  Step one was to take the Olmsted lock in Ohio and treat it separately, because it was soaking up all the money that might be available for all the other locks in the country.  Step two was to create a prioritization of the locks, so we didn't come here every year and say “my lock is more important than your lock.”  And, in fact, with that, the Chickamauga lock in Tennessee became No. 4.  And Step three is the user fee I talked about earlier. 
      What difference does this legislation mean for the State of Tennessee and the Chickamauga lock?  Well, for years the Chickamauga lock has been subject to year?by?year efforts by those of us in Congress to find a little money to repair it, to keep it from closing, all knowing full well that if we didn't replace it, it would one day soon close.  Those days are over.  This is a long?term solution that says, No. 1, the Olmsted lock which has been soaking up the money has been reduced, Chickamauga lock is a fourth priority in the government, and now we have money paid by the big barge owners that, when combined with the annual appropriations, should make it possible to begin to replace Chickamauga lock beginning in the year in 2016.  That would mean it would still take several years to replace the lock.  It would mean it would still cost about half a billion dollars.  But it would mean that instead of year?by?year appropriations and guessing games that the Army Corps of Engineers can have a long?term plan and begin to do the job, and those who are making plans to invest in our part of the region ?? not just in Chattanooga but in eastern Tennessee ?? can know if they do that, the lock would be there to help provide low?cost transportation for what they manufacture and what they grow. 
      I want to thank a variety of people who have taken great leadership in this.  The Senator from Pennsylvania, Senator Casey, and I have been the joint sponsors of this legislation in the Senate.  We are very hopeful that the House will do its work tonight and the Senate will do its work next week and that the bill will go to the president before the end of the year and this will be law by the end of the year.  So I thank him for his leadership.
      I also want to congratulate Congressman Fleischmann of Chattanooga who rounded up a group of Republican members to support this effort, and Congressman Duncan from Knoxville.  Speaker Boehner has been very helpful, and Congressman Camp has been very helpful. 
      In the Senate I would like to thank Senator Vitter, who is the ranking member of the Environment & Public Works Committee for his leadership on this effort, and I would like to thank Senator Reid, the majority leader, and Senator McConnell, the Republican leader, for their cooperation on this. 
      Nothing is ever done in the U.S. Congress until it is finally done.  So this is passing the House tonight and it is expected to pass the Senate next week, which is very good news for Americans who depend on the inland waterways for their jobs, and in Tennessee ?? instead of a year?by?year appropriation, it is an effort, it is the first chance we have had to have a long?term solution to the replacement over the next several years of Chickamauga Lock beginning as early as the year 2016. 
 
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=e5ef2f5e-2f2a-4103-9088-2990025bef8c,Washington Post: School reform can move beyond Common Core,2014-12-02,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"By Jennifer Rubin 
	
	
	
	
		
		Republicans, thanks to President Obama, are more unified than ever on immigration reform: No on the order, pass a series of bills on border security, and then and only then address the 11 million illegal immigrants. Among the GOP contenders, virtually all (except perhaps Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), who opposes “amnesty” — which he defines so broadly as to encompass everything but deportation) would agree with that. Now, thanks to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and the shift in majority control in the Senate, another hotbed issue may cease to divide the party.

Alexander is bent on fixing No Child Left Behind, and doing so in a way that allows both sides to declare victory in the Common Core debate. His Web site explains that he has been a proponent of the Every Child Ready for College or Career Act to fix NCLB, which:




 
Restores state and local control: Gets Washington out of the business of deciding whether local schools are succeeding or failing and empowers states to develop their own systems to ensure that students graduate from high school prepared for college or the workforce.
 
 
Removes National School Board mandates: Gets rid of Washington rules, definitions, and models for how states and local districts identify and fix public schools; . . . Makes clear that the U.S. education secretary’s waiver authority is led by state requests for flexibility and is not an excuse to impose more federal mandates, including “common core” standards.
 
 
Encourages high state standards and quality tests: Ensures that states, not Washington, will define high standards and quality tests for students in reading, math and science. The education secretary is prohibited from specifying, defining or prescribing the standards or measures that states or school districts use to establish, implement or improve standards and tests. The secretary may not require states or local districts to adopt common standards, tests or accountability systems.
 
 
Expands school choice for low-income parents: Allows states to let $14.5 billion in federal funding, or about $1,300 per low-income child, follow those children to the public school they attend and encourages school districts to provide parents whose children attend low-performing schools with the option of transferring to another public school.
 
 
Provides more freedom for teachers and principals: Encourages the expansion and replication of successful public charter schools, which give teachers and school leaders more freedom from government and union regulations to use their own good judgment about how to teach.
 
 
Gives local control over teacher evaluations: Gets Washington out of the business of deciding whether teachers are succeeding or failing by ending the federal definitions of “highly qualified teachers” and encouraging states to use their share of $2.5 billion in federal teacher quality funds to create teacher evaluation systems related to student performance and other factors.
 
 
Increases flexibility in spending federal funds: Rather than let Washington determine funding priorities, the bill consolidates 62 No Child Left Behind programs into two streamlined block grants that allow states and local school districts to better meet the unique and specific needs of their students; eliminates the current “maintenance of effort” requirement so states have more flexibility to determine how to spend money and where and when to make education investments.
 
 
Improves reporting: Creates an annual secretary’s report card on the nation’s progress in improving and closing gaps in student achievement; eliminates unnecessary and irrelevant federal reporting requirements, maintaining only those that provide parents and communities with good information on student achievement and school performance and can help states and local school districts make their own decisions on how to hold schools accountable.
 
Common Core, you may recall, began as a state-led effort to set standards — that is benchmarks — for when children should master certain skills. The trouble began as the Obama administration started to use Common Core as a prerequisite for NCLB aid to the states. What ensued was a stormy and at times distorted debate about what Common Core was (an effort to catch American kids up with foreign counterparts) and was not (curriculum) and whether it was a plot by the feds to take over education. Whatever the merits of each side, Alexander’s approach would clarify once and for all that states have the responsibility for developing and implementing their own standards and developing appropriate testing to measure their students’ proficiency. This should embolden proponents of standards.
Bill Bennett recently took on the Common Core bugaboo:
 
Conservatives have reason to be upset by this federal overreach. The Obama administration has run roughshod over individual rights and state sovereignty, on issues ranging from health care to climate change. But the federal intrusion into Common Core, however unwelcome and unhelpful, does not change a basic truth: Common, voluntary standards are a good, conservative policy. . . . Some of the criticism is legitimate, but much of it is based on myths. For example, a myth persists that Common Core involves a required reading list. Not so. Other than four seminal historical documents — the Declaration of Independence, the preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address — there is no required reading list. Textbook companies have marketed their books disingenuously, leading many parents to believe that under Common Core the government mandates particular textbooks. Also not true.
The standards are designed to invite states to take control and to build upon them further. The standards do not prescribe what is taught in our classrooms or how it’s taught. That decision should always rest with local school districts and school boards.
The principles behind the Common Core affirm a great intellectual tradition and inheritance. We should not allow them to be hijacked by the federal government or misguided bureaucrats and politicos.
 
For Common Core critics, Alexander’s approach should offer peace of mind that local control will remain. With the school choice provisions, it would represent a major step forward in creating competition in K-12 education.
Resolving Common Core, as former Florida governor Jeb Bush has argued, also allows reformers to refocus attention on the real issue: having somestandards, wherever they originate. He recently explained:
 
This morning over 213 million Chinese students went to school, and nobody debated whether academic expectations should be lowered in order to protect the students’ self-esteem. Yet in Orange County, Florida, that exact debate did occur. And so the school board voted to make it impossible for a student to receive a grade below a 50. You get 50 out of 100 just for showing up and signing your name. This was done, and I quote here from a local official, so the students “do not lose all hope.”
But in an international report card on education performance, students from Shanghai ranked number one. Students from the US ranked 21st in reading and 31st in math. The point is this: an over-riding concern for self-esteem instead of high expectations doesn’t help you get to number 1. It gets you to 21. So let’s get real. Only a quarter of our high school graduates who took the ACT are fully prepared for college. More than half who attend community college need to take some kind of remedial course. 600,000 skilled manufacturing jobs remain unfilled because we haven’t trained enough people with those skills. And almost a third of high school graduates fail the military entrance exam. Given this reality, there is no question we need higher academic standards and — at the local level — diverse high-quality content and curricula.
 
Alexander’s bill seems to move the ball in the right direction. For conservatives, school reform should be an issue around which they can rally — and demonstrate they can govern smartly. It is an issue in which they can demonstrate that they have the interests of  poor and minority kids, most affected by cruddy schools, in mind. Those looking to keep picking fights on the right may be disappointed, but for students, school reformers, the party and the country Alexander’s bill shows promise.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=3112f44d-7b49-494d-8d82-ee1d6a4460a6,"Harkin, Alexander Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Ebola Treatments Bill",2014-12-02,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 2— Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN) today applauded unanimous Senate passage of the Adding Ebola to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act. The bill was unanimously approved by the HELP Committee in November and now goes to the House.
“We have seen real progress as the U.S. response to Ebola continues, but as the disease rages on in West Africa, it is critical that we continue to use all of the tools in our arsenal to fight Ebola,"" Harkin said. ""Today the Senate took a strong step to support that mission by passing this bipartisan bill to incentivize the development of Ebola treatments and vaccines. I urge my colleagues in the House to also pass this bill quickly and send it to the President’s desk.”
Alexander said: “The world is in desperate need of a vaccine to prevent Ebola and a drug to treat it. I’m glad the Senate has moved quickly to pass this bill to spur the development of these vaccines and drugs—an important step in the fight against Ebola, which we hope will one day help lead to a cure.” 
The Adding Ebola to the FDA Priority Review Voucher Program Act would add Ebola to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) priority review voucher program, which Congress first authorized in 2007 to promote the development of new treatments and vaccines for neglected tropical diseases. Under the program, a developer of a vaccine or treatment for a qualifying tropical disease receives a voucher for FDA priority review to be used with a second product of its choice, or this voucher can be sold. 
Because Ebola is not considered a qualifying disease under current law, developers of Ebola treatments and vaccines currently do not qualify for the program. This bill would change that and immediately add Ebola to the program – a step that would add another tool to help fight Ebola. The bill also makes changes to improve the functioning of the program and allow FDA to respond more efficiently to infectious disease ‎threats in the future.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=59a3b0cb-6f23-418c-a0a7-dd5c2c3152b6,Corker Statement on Diplomatic Nominations,2014-12-02,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the administration and Senate Majority Leader’s decision to push through two controversial, political ambassador nominees rather than focus on approving experienced diplomats to fill vacancies in positions around the world:
“It is disappointing that in a transparent move, the White House and the Senate Majority Leader have chosen to prioritize doing political favors instead of working with Congress to confirm professional diplomats, further delaying our ability to fill important positions around the world.” 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=393d2bae-6968-4e83-81e1-5a2b99617ec0,Associated Press: No Child Left Behind gets renewed focus,2014-12-01,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"By Kimberly Hefling 
	
	
	
	
		
		WASHINGTON (AP) — The No Child Left Behind education law could be making a political comeback.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, the Tennessee Republican who is the incoming chairman of the Senate committee overseeing education, says his top education priority is fixing the landmark Bush-era law. His goal? Get a bill signed by President Barack Obama early next year.
Doing so will require bipartisanship that's been elusive since the law, primarily designed to help minority and poor children, came up for renewal in 2007.
The law requires schools to show annual growth in student achievement or face consequences, with all students expected to be proficient in reading and math this year. It has been credited with shining a light on how schools handle minority, low-income, English learners and special needs students, but led to complaints that teachers were teaching to standardized tests and that mandates were unrealistic and penalties ineffective.
Obama since 2012 has allowed states to get a waiver from some of the more stringent requirements of the law, but they had to agree to requirements such as adopting college and career ready standards — like Common Core — and implementing teacher evaluation systems with teeth. More than 40 states have a waiver.
The waivers left alone a federal requirement of annual standardized testing in grades three to eight and testing once in high school. The testing provisions are likely to be part of the debate.
Alexander, a pragmatic lawmaker, is no stranger to education policy. He served as education secretary under George H.W. Bush, as president of the University of Tennessee and as Tennessee governor.
He says that ""excessive regulation of local schools by Washington is getting in the way of better schools."" He and House Education and Workforce Chairman John Kline, R-Minn., say the federal government needs to get out of the business of deciding what to do about low-performing schools, education standards and teacher evaluations.
But, Alexander has also acknowledged the political reality — even if Congress passes a bill, Obama would need to sign it to become law.
""We'll work with Secretary Duncan and the president in hopes we can persuade them that what we want to do is also what they want to do,"" Alexander said, referring to Obama's education secretary, Arne Duncan.
Recent history shows just how difficult that can be.
In 2013, a bill to update No Child Left Behind backed by Kline passed the full House with no Democratic support. The Senate Education Committee, led by Democrats, passed a bill the same year with no Republicans on board. It would have put more control in the hands of states but would have given the federal education secretary more leverage than Kline's plan.
Alexander also put forward his own bill last year. Like Kline's bill, it wouldn't have rolled back the annual testing requirement under No Child Left Behind.
Both lawmakers have said they are open to making adjustments to their proposals, and Alexander has said he believes there are questions to be asked about whether all the federally mandated annual tests are appropriate and whether states should decide how to assess their students.
Obama and Duncan have shown steadfast support for annual standardized testing as a way to chart student growth and track how historically underserved groups are faring.
A push by teachers' unions to push back standardized tests and new Common Core standards and assessments rolling out in much of the country have stoked the debate, said Anne Hyslop, a senior policy analyst with Bellwether Education Partners.
""I think there is agreement that parents need information about their students, but where is that information coming from, and who's requiring it, is where there's a lot of debate,"" Hyslop said.
Alexander takes over the chairmanship as two longtime Democratic education stalwarts, California Rep. George Miller and Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, retire.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a former preschool teacher, is expected to be the Senate committee's senior Democrat. She has an incentive to get a law passed because her home state lost its waiver.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., former superintendent of schools in Denver who sits on the committee, said he hopes Alexander is right that the law can soon be updated.
""It's challenging because a lot of the decisions are made at the local level, and No Child Left Behind built in some ways a huge federal incursion into what has been a state and local set of issues,"" Bennet said. ""Figuring out how to get that calibrated correctly is going to be the tough work of the committee, and that's what we got to do.""
Kline said he anticipates Obama will be faced with a choice.
""He can either join with us and replace the law, or he can fight, and I would love to hear his explanation for why he thinks it's better to be in the waiver business, which has schools, districts and states across the country confused and not knowing what the next step is,"" Kline said.
Roberto Rodriguez, an education official at the White House, said the waivers have long been considered a stopgap, and the administration is happy to work to update the law.
""We have a dance partner with Congress,"" Rodriguez said at a recent forum.
Meanwhile, the Education Department has told states they can apply for an extension to their waiver lasting to 2018 or beyond — well past when Obama leaves office.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=917d8d38-97d0-4436-a8c4-f7c25cc7c483,Alexander Statement On Proposed EPA Ozone Rule,2014-11-26,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"NASHVILLE, Nov. 26, 2014 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to increase ground-level ozone standards.
“This proposed rule may be premature. Because of recent federal pollution-control rules reducing ozone-causing pollutants—which I have consistently supported—our air is significantly cleaner and healthier. It may be wiser to let these existing rules continue to make our air cleaner and then let's see whether stricter ozone standards for communities, like the one proposed today, are really needed. Otherwise we run the risk of unnecessarily making it harder for Tennessee communities to attract new industrial jobs.""  
Alexander has consistently supported efforts authorized by Congress under the Clean Air Act to reduce ozone-causing pollutants, such as the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. His support of such rules is in contrast to his opposition to EPA attempts to regulate carbon, which Congress has not specifically authorized.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=3b2c342f-ea60-420c-8886-a80510dbb023,Washington Times: Lamar Alexander: Anti-discrimination board undermining own mission,2014-11-24,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"By Tom Howell Jr. 
	
	
	
	
		
		A government commission that probes workplace discrimination is chasing shaky legal cases that result in embarrassing and costly losses, a Republican senator charged Monday in a report that says the body has underperformed of late compared to during the Bush era.
Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, formed as part of civil rights reforms in the 1960s, serves an important function but is ""increasingly demonstrating poor judgment and using questionable tactics"" that hurt its overall mission.
While victims are reaping more funds through settlements, the EEOC recovered $341 million through litigation during the first five years of President Obama's tenure, compared to $526 million during the same period under President George W. Bush, according to the report.
The report says the commission suffered losses in court because it pursued high-impact lawsuits without performing due diligence. Specifically, it has failed to resolve cases before filing suit — 6,967 resolutions in Mr. Obama's first five years compared to 8,273 under Mr. Bush — relied on flawed expert analysis and pursued ""novel cases unsupported by law,"" according to the report.
The EEOC said it is still reviewing the report from Mr. Alexander, who is the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions, and who voted against the renomination of P. David Lopez as general counsel for the commission.
An EEOC spokeswoman pointed to recent Senate testimony from Mr. Lopez, in which he said his team resolved more than 90 percent of cases that agency litigators file, ""including landmark cases involving disability, pregnancy, age and religion.""
The report says in one case the EEOC claimed U.S. Steel's random alcohol and drug tests on new probationary employees violated the Americans with Disabilities Act because the tests were not job-related or necessary for business.
""U.S. Steel conducted these tests on new hires who were less familiar with their working environment to ensure safety at a busy steel factory with numerous hazardous working conditions,"" the report says. ""Yet, in EEOC's view, the company needed an individualized, reasonable suspicion of intoxication to perform such tests. The court disagreed.""
The report says the EEOC did not visit the plant to investigate whether the policy was justified and suffered embarrassing media scrutiny.
Also, the EEOC has been forced to pay attorney's fees 10 times since 2011, although not all of the cases were initiated by the current administration.
Courts ordered the commission to pay the fees because it failed to produce evidence in a timely fashion or to preserve key documents in some cases.
In another case, the commission accused a company of discriminating against black applicants by refusing to hire people with a criminal record. As it turned out, the company had no such policy.
""Unfortunately, taxpayers have been left to foot the bill for some of these litigation failures,"" the report says. ""Courts award attorney's fees only in rare cases that are considered particularly egregious.""
In its statement, the agency said Mr. Lopez feels that any award of fees or sanctions against EEOC is ""unacceptable.""
""This is why he developed and implemented systems and procedures for attorneys across the EEOC to learn from judicial decisions, including those instances mentioned in the report, where cases filed by predecessors had sanctions and fees,"" the agency told The Washington Times.
The staff report found the general counsel has broad discretion over which cases are brought to the agency's five-member commission for a vote. For instance, only three of 122 lawsuits were brought to the commission for approval in fiscal 2012.
""Such broad delegation of litigation authority to the general counsel detracts from the commission's ability to perform its statutorily obligated duties and ensure prudent litigation decisions are made on behalf of EEOC,"" the report said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=48c411da-8b2c-4dcb-9b6e-decf64715395,Chattanooga Times Free Press: Sen. Alexander wants to shorten 10-page college aid FAFSA form to two-question postcard,2014-11-24,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"By Tim Omarzu 
	
	
	
	
		
		Dianne Cox knows people who'd rather do their income taxes than fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a 108-question form that needs to be filed annually for college students to get most kinds of financial aid.
So Cox, the director of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's financial aid office, likes the push by U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., to whittle the 10-page FAFSA down to a postcard-size form with only two questions: What is your family size? What was your household income two years ago?
""It's become so complex and over-regulated that starting over might not be a bad idea,"" Cox said.
Alexander is in line to be chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions when Republicans take over the Senate in January. The Nov. 4 elections gave Republicans control of the U.S. Senate for the first time during Barack Obama's presidency. The GOP already controlled the House.
Alexander said that, despite partisan differences, shrinking the FAFSA is an issue that both parties can get behind.
""I think the chances are very good that we can reduce the 108-question FAFSA, the dreaded FAFSA, to a few questions -- instead of 108,"" Alexander said Thursday in a telephone interview.
Alexander said he and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., are working together to reform the FAFSA. In June, they released a draft bill to replace it with the two-question version they've dubbed the ""Student Aid Short Form.""
The duo's proposed legislation also would let high school juniors learn their eligibility for federal aid, instead of making them wait until their senior year. And the bill would allow year-round use of Pell grants, discourage over-borrowing and simplify repayments, the senators say.
Alexander said FAFSA reform is timely in Tennessee partly because of Gov. Bill Haslam's Tennessee Promise, a new program that guarantees high school seniors two years of tuition-free community college or technical school.
""At most of the community colleges around the state, applications have doubled or tripled,"" Alexander said.
But people who have volunteered to serve as Tennessee Promise mentors may get bogged down helping students fill out the FAFSA, Alexander said.
Alexander, a former president of the University of Tennessee and two-term governor, said that 440,000 Tennessee families fill out the FAFSA annually. Yet the form is so daunting, he said, that it discourages some from even attending college.
While the senators' goal is reducing the FAFSA to two questions, he said, it may turn out that a few more questions are needed.
""Hopefully, the end result will be a lot closer to two than the 108 questions,"" Alexander said.
Getting more Hamilton County kids into college also is a goal of the Public Education Foundation.
Filling out the FAFSA isn't fun, said Dan Challener, president of the Chattanooga nonprofit organization.
""I went to college, I'm in this field -- it's really hard for me,"" Challener said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=eebde1ac-f0cc-4863-a75a-a3cf7df6e1e5,Alexander Report Finds EEOC Missteps Costing Taxpayers and Victims of Workplace Discrimination,2014-11-24,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 24  –U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the Senate labor committee, today released a staff report that finds litigation missteps at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are costing taxpayers millions while EEOC faces a deep backlog of discrimination complaints.
The report finds that today’s EEOC “is pursuing many questionable cases through sometimes overly aggressive means—and, as a result, has suffered significant court losses that are embarrassing to the agency and costly to taxpayers. Courts have found EEOC’s litigation tactics to be so egregious they have ordered EEOC to pay defendants’ attorney’s fees in ten cases since 2011. The courts have criticized EEOC for misuse of its authority, poor expert analysis, and pursuit of novel cases unsupported by law.”
While the agency has pursued high-profile lawsuits without a complainant, in March 2014 EEOC reported almost 71,000 unresolved complaints of discrimination from individuals who filed charges.  Further, its litigation has recovered almost $200 million less for victims than under the previous administration over the same time frame.
The report finds that EEOC also has suffered from a troubling lack of transparency. In the past two and a half years, EEOC has ignored calls from current commissioners and Congress to allow public review of significant and controversial guidance prior to its adoption. Also, the Office of General Counsel has, since 2010, failed to issue its standard annual report, and the agency is being sued for violating the Freedom of Information Act.”
“Today’s EEOC has had successful enforcement efforts and court victories for victims of discrimination, but this report finds the agency is increasingly demonstrating poor judgment and using questionable tactics in pursuit of cases that are not fulfilling the EEOC’s objective of protecting employees from workplace discrimination,” the report concludes.

Link to PDF of report: EEOC: An Agency on the Wrong Track? Litigation Failures, Misfocused Priorities and Lack of Transparency Raise Concerns about Important Anti-Discrimination Agency 
 
# # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=554cfac2-505e-4ab4-981b-955c874820c6,Corker Statement on Iran Nuclear Negotiations,2014-11-24,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement on the Iran nuclear negotiations.
“Since the beginning, I have been concerned about a series of rolling extensions becoming the norm and reducing our leverage. However, I would rather the administration continue to negotiate than agree to a bad deal that would only create more instability in the region and around the world,” said Corker. “With so much riding on these talks for the security of our nation and that of the region, Congress must have the opportunity to weigh in before implementation of any final agreement and begin preparing alternatives, including tougher sanctions, should negotiations fail.” 
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/issueslegislation?ContentRecord_id=31ea859b-2569-4550-9e10-c2fa14a6d454,Reforming Our Nation's Housing Finance System,2014-11-23,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In the 115th Congress, Senator Corker serves on four Senate committees: Foreign Relations where he is the chairman; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Budget; and the Special Committee on Aging.
Learn more about each committee below:
 
Foreign Relations
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Budget
Special Committee on Aging",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/issueslegislation?ContentRecord_id=b1a513e4-76dc-4380-919a-db2951655a1b,Moving Our Country Ahead in the New Year,2014-11-23,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In the 115th Congress, Senator Corker serves on four Senate committees: Foreign Relations where he is the chairman; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Budget; and the Special Committee on Aging.
Learn more about each committee below:
 
Foreign Relations
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Budget
Special Committee on Aging",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/issueslegislation?ContentRecord_id=bc3077c1-bcf4-4e32-9d6c-dcac9a97c0e4,Corker Washington Post Op-ed: Obama is an Unreliable Ally,2014-11-23,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In the 115th Congress, Senator Corker serves on four Senate committees: Foreign Relations where he is the chairman; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Budget; and the Special Committee on Aging.
Learn more about each committee below:
 
Foreign Relations
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
Budget
Special Committee on Aging",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/photogallery?ContentRecord_id=7a88dde8-02af-40db-812c-5261dfe68a59,"Tennessee Tuesday - November 18, 2014",2014-11-23,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Menu
				
							
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
				 
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THOMAS (Legislative Information)
America's Debt Crisis
Hoeven-Corker Border Security Amendment
Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act
End Modern Slavery Initiative Act
Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://desjarlais.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/desjarlais-statement-on-president-obama-s-immigration-announcement,DesJarlais Statement on President Obamas Immigration Announcement,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement on immigration:
“President Obama’s decision to act unilaterally on immigration shows a blatant disregard for the constitutional checks and balances upon which our government was founded and sets a troubling precedent for the use of executive power.  Congress has the sole authority to create and amend laws, with the president’s duty being to faithfully execute those laws. Although he might wish otherwise, the Constitution does not give President Obama the authority to circumvent Congress simply because existing immigration laws conflict with his particular ideology. My colleagues and I will be reviewing all available options afforded to Congress to prevent this usurpation of power and preserve our rule of law.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/desjarlais-statement-on-president-obama-s-immigration-announcement,DesJarlais Statement on President Obamas Immigration Announcement,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement in response to President Obamas announcement on immigration:
President Obamas decision to act unilaterally on immigration shows a blatant disregard for the constitutional checks and balances upon which our government was founded and sets a troubling precedent for the use of executive power. Congress has the sole authority to create and amend laws, with the presidents duty being to faithfully execute those laws. Although he might wish otherwise, the Constitution does not give President Obama the authority to circumvent Congress simply because existing immigration laws conflict with his particular ideology. My colleagues and I will be reviewing all available options afforded to Congress to prevent this usurpation of power and preserve our rule of law.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://duncan.house.gov/press-release/duncan-statement-obamas-immigration-speech,Duncan Statement on Obama's Immigration Speech,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,John Duncan,D000533,duncan.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement Thursday in response to President Obama’s pending immigration announcement:
	There is a right way to do things, and there is a wrong way to do things.  This is the wrong way.
	President Obama has said on several occasions in the past that executive orders are the wrong way to fix immigration and that he isn’t a king, but now this is exactly what he is trying to do.
	With unemployment and underemployment rates still high and so many millions of people who have given up looking for work, it is not a good move to bring in millions more people from other countries.
	Rest assured, there will be a strong and coordinated response from the Congress to stop this unconstitutional overreach of power.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center?ID=4365990B-9376-4552-815D-4F348970449B,DesJarlais Statement on President Obama’s Immigration Announcement,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Scott DesJarlais,D000616,desjarlais.house.gov,desjarlais,https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center,scraper,"Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement on immigration:

“President Obama’s decision to act unilaterally on immigration shows a blatant disregard for the constitutional checks and balances upon which our government was founded and sets a troubling precedent for the use of executive power. Congress has the sole authority to create and amend laws, with the president’s duty being to faithfully execute those laws. Although he might wish otherwise, the Constitution does not give President Obama the authority to circumvent Congress simply because existing immigration laws conflict with his particular ideology. My colleagues and I will be reviewing all available options afforded to Congress to prevent this usurpation of power and preserve our rule of law.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:43:56Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20141124044152/http://black.house.gov:80/press-release/reps-poe-and-black-respond-presidents-amnesty-plan-introduce-separation-powers-act,"Reps. Poe and Black Respond to President's Amnesty Plan, Introduce the Separation of Powers Act",2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Diane Black,B001273,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) and Congressman Diane Black (TN-06) introduced the Separation of Powers Act.  This legislation would prohibit the use of funds for granting deferred action or other immigration relief to aliens not lawfully present in the United States. The bill text is attached.
“Time and again this lawless administration has defied Congress in order to unilaterally implement its own agenda,” said Rep. Poe. “The President’s latest edict announcing that he will disregard immigration law, rewrite the rules and grant amnesty and work permits to millions of foreign nationals is just the latest illegal act. These actions are motivated by politics, not people. This legislation will allow Congress to exercise its 'check' on an out-of-control White House that treats the Constitution as a mere suggestion, not the law of the land.”
“President Obama will regret this decision,” said Congressman Black. “The American public has loudly voiced their objections to the President circumventing Congress like this, and now President Obama has ignored the will of the people and set a terrible precedent for future Administrations. In doing so he has also reversed his own previous position on the limits of his power, further degrading his credibility and disgracing his Administration. My colleagues and I will explore our options to stop this overreach and restore the proper Constitutional balance to our government – this legislation is an important start.”
The Separation of Powers Act:
1.      Prohibits any funds from being appropriated or otherwise made available to grant parole or deferred action to any alien other than for reasons permitted under current law; and 
2.      Prohibits any funds from being appropriated or otherwise made available to provide work permits or green cards to aliens who are currently unlawfully in the U.S.
####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsarticles?ContentRecord_id=eb07032f-bf29-4aa6-b623-df92b08ddf0c,Greeneville Sun: U.S. Reps Outraged At Immigration Executive Order,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"President Barack Obama's prime-time promise Thursday to not deport what will likely amount to approximately 5 million illegal immigrants garnered heavy criticism from Republican Congressmen, including those representing East Tennessee.
Key to that criticism is Obama's decision to bypass Congress to accomplish his goal.
""Our founders did not want a king and the American people don't want a president who acts like one,"" U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said in a statement. ""Our immigration system is broken and our border is a mess.
""The president should be working with Congress to secure the border and create a system of legal immigration -- not disregarding the rule of law and the will of the American people,"" Alexander concluded.
Likewise, Alexander's junior counterpart, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, attacked Obama's decision to bypass Congress.
""The president is not acting in strength, he is acting in weakness,"" Corker said in a statement. ""This decision makes it clear that the president doesn't have the ability and willingness to lead by rolling up his sleeves and doing the hard work to reach a consensus that is in the best interest of our country.""
Corker continued, ""The president is blatantly ignoring the rule of law and Congress' constitutional role, and I could not be more disappointed. Congress has to respond, but the response should be prudent and we should not lose sight of the fact that our job over the next two years is to enact policies that will make our nation stronger.""
U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, of Johnson City, said such executive action is a sign of Obama's unwillingness to work with what will soon be a Republican-controlled Congress.
""The president's unilateral action on immigration reform is outrageous,"" Roe said. ""In October, the president rightly noted that he wasn't on the ballot, but his policies were, and the American people sent a clear message on Nov. 4 they wanted a different direction.
""Tonight's action makes clear that the president has no interest in working with Republicans in Congress to find common ground on any substantive issue, and instead intends to go it alone,"" Roe said.
""President Obama has clearly prioritized his political legacy over the will of the American people and effective governing. As I've said before, we can -- and should -- take steps to reform the immigration process, starting with fully securing the border,"" Roe concluded.
""But the president's attempt to rewrite immigration law from the Oval Office is the wrong solution, not to mention a smack in the face to every naturalized citizen that earned their legal right to live in this country.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://fleischmann.house.gov/press-release/president-obama-disregards-rule-law-and-american-people,President Obama Disregards Rule Of Law And American People,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Chuck Fleischmann,F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON− Tonight, President Obama declared he will bypass Congress and issue an executive order on immigration. After the announcement, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann released the following statement.
“In March of 2011, President Obama told the American people, ‘There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply, through executive order, ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President.’ Tonight, the President overstepped his role, not only by his own definition, but also in the eyes of the American people. Although I hoped the President would work with Congress to implement new laws in a just and legal manner, it appears the President has no plans to abide by the Constitution or listen to the American people.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://roe.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397790,Roe Statement on President Obama's Executive Action on Immigration,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Phil Roe,R000582,roe.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) released the following statement after President Obama’s announcement he would take executive action on immigration reform:
“The president’s unilateral action on immigration reform is outrageous. In October, the President rightly noted that he wasn’t on the ballot, but his policies were, and the American people sent a clear message on November 4th they wanted a different direction. Tonight’s action makes clear that the president has no interest in working with Republicans in Congress to find common ground on any substantive issue, and instead intends to go it alone.
“The president himself has made the case throughout his presidency that he doesn’t have this authority. As Speaker Boehner noted, President Obama has said 22 times that he couldn’t legally do exactly what he’s announced he will do tonight. In February of 2013, when discussing this exact executive action, the president stated, ‘The problem is that I’m the president of the United States, I’m not the emperor of the United States.’
“The administration points to President Reagan’s executive action in the 80’s as setting precedent for this kind of executive action, but the difference was that in 1986 Congress explicitly authorized immigration reform first. Furthermore, the fact we have more than 11 million illegal immigrants in this country today – less than 30 years later – proves what we did in the 80’s didn’t work. A Band-Aid didn’t work then, so we shouldn’t expect it to work now.
“President Obama has clearly prioritized his political legacy over the will of the American people and effective governing. As I’ve said before, we can—and should—take steps to reform the immigration process, starting with fully securing the border. But the president’s attempt to rewrite immigration law from the Oval Office is the wrong solution, not to mention a smack in the face to every naturalized citizen that earned their legal right to live in this country.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/president-obama-disregards-rule-law-and-american-people,President Obama Disregards Rule Of Law And American People,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON− Tonight, President Obama declared he will bypass Congress and issue an executive order on immigration. After the announcement, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann released the following statement.

“In March of 2011, President Obama told the American people, ‘There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply, through executive order, ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President.’ Tonight, the President overstepped his role, not only by his own definition, but also in the eyes of the American people. Although I hoped the President would work with Congress to implement new laws in a just and legal manner, it appears the President has no plans to abide by the Constitution or listen to the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T22:43:56Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20141205201528/http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397631,Blackburn Vows to Fight Back Against Obamas Lawless Amnesty,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today issued the following statement regarding President Obama's planned executive action that would provide amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants who have entered America with complete disregard for our nation’s laws.“After months of crafting comprehensive immigration reform behind closed doors and delaying it to shield Democrats up for re-election, the self-proclaimed most transparent Administration in history is finally announcingthe scope of its lawless amnesty. The President’s decision to nullify the immigration laws of this country through executive action will hurt our economy, lead to more unemployed American citizens, and make us less secure. It signals that America is an ‘open borders’ society with no rules governing entrance except those announced through Royal decree. “This is the culmination of President Obama’s executive amnesty, which began in June 2012 with the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA). DACA has provided deportation deferrals and work permits to illegal aliens, which has served as a magnet to encourage more non-citizens to cross our Southern border. The President’s decision to expand amnesty for over five million unlawful entrants is a gross abuse of power. “President Obama’s relentless assault on the Constitution will be his legacy. His actions have established a new precedent for Executive behavior that will have repercussions for years to come. Soon we will no longer need the legislators or the courts. King Obama will make the law, interpret the law, and if he so chooses, enforce the law. His ‘ends justify the means’ approach is exactly the type of Executive mentality our system of government was designed to discourage. “Republicans will fight the President’s amnesty. America is a nation of laws and lawlessness will not stand.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20141205203300/http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397630,Blackburn Statement on Deactivation of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement on today’s announcement regarding the decision to inactivate the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell:“We are disappointed in the deactivation of the 159th Combat Aviation brigade and the loss of those soldiers to Fort Campbell,” Blackburn said. “We continue to encourage the administration and Secretary of Defense Hagel to work with us on the funding needs of our nation's military. We continue to voice our opinions that you cannot push the military to keep doing more with less funding and resources. We will continue to try to protect our resources at Fort Campbell.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20141206020231/http://black.house.gov/press-release/rep-black-co-sponsors-bill-end-social-security-benefits-nazis,Rep. Black Co-Sponsors Bill to End Social Security Benefits for Nazis,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Diane Black,B001273,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing legislation to terminate Social Security benefits for Nazi persecutors who receive them because of a loophole in current law. 
“Congress must stop the flow of payments to these war criminals immediately,” said Congressman Black. “That is why I co-sponsored Congressman Sam Johnson’s No Social Security for Nazis Act. This legislation will cut off benefits to anyone stripped of U.S. citizenship—either voluntarily or by order of the federal government—related to their participation in Nazi crimes. The legislation further ensures that, if the offenders are married, they are denied spousal benefits under Social Security as well. These human rights violators don’t deserve one more dime from you and me.”
The legislation is a result of bipartisan work following news reports that some Nazi persecutors, who participated in the systematic murder of millions of innocents, are currently receiving Social Security benefits due to a loophole in the law.  By leaving the U.S. voluntarily, instead of being deported, some Nazi war criminals and collaborators were able to keep their Social Security benefits.  The House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Finance Committee have jurisdiction over Social Security. 
Text of the legislation and bill summary information is available here.
###
Congressman Diane Black represents Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District. She has been a registered nurse for more than 40 years and serves on the House Ways and Means and Budget Committees.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=3c7da557-5df9-4904-939e-5fc77dc8f9ab,Alexander Statement on Presidents Decision to Grant Executive Amnesty to Illegal Immigrants,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Lamar Alexander,A000360,www.alexander.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2014 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement on President Obama’s unilateral decision to grant executive amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants:
“Our Founders did not want a king and the American people don’t want a president who acts like one. Our immigration system is broken and our border is a mess. The president should be working with Congress to secure the border and create a system of legal immigration – not disregarding the rule of law and the will of the American people.”
The president’s decision contradicts what he, on multiple occasions over several years, characterized as both constitutional and legal restrictions on what the U.S. president in our system of government can accomplish on immigration through executive order: 
 
On Sept. 28, 2011, he said: “I just have to continue to say this notion that somehow I can just change the laws unilaterally is just not true. We are doing everything we can administratively. But the fact of the matter is there are laws on the books that I have to enforce …. We live in a democracy. You have to pass bills through the legislature, and then I can sign it.” (Emphasis added.) 
 
 
On June 25, 2011, he said: “Now, I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own. And believe me, right now dealing with Congress – believe me – believe me, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting. I promise you. Not just on immigration reform. But that's not how – that's not how our system works. That’s not how our democracy functions. That's not how our Constitution is written.” (Emphasis added.) 
 
 
On March 28, 2011, he said: “ … for me to simply, through executive order, ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as president.” (Emphasis added.)
 
 # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=4dc9d2dd-fb85-4200-8bf2-88a46a7d4a75,Corker Discusses President Obamas Immigration Executive Order on Fox News,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – On Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” this morning, U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) discussed President Obama’s decision to issue an executive order on immigration.
“This president is not acting in strength, he is acting in weakness. Unless lightning strikes, it will be the worst presidency in modern history,” said Corker.
“There has to be a response, no question. But it has to be a response that enables us to continue to move our nation ahead, remembering that this president will be gone in two years,” Corker continued. “He’s incredibly weak, and candidly, he is doing these things because he doesn’t have the ability to lead and is not willing to put the effort out to do the work to actually cause things to pass in Congress.”
Speaking about the need to fix our nation’s broken immigration system in a 2011 commencement address at Miami Dade College, President Obama said: “I know some here wish that I could just bypass Congress and change the law myself. But that’s not how democracy works… Changing our laws means doing the hard work of changing minds and changing votes, one by one.”
President Obama is expected to announce an executive order on immigration in an address to the nation tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-list?ContentRecord_id=fb7ac930-c82c-4584-af6e-6f24cf711dc5,Corker Says President is Blatantly Ignoring Rule of Law by Acting Unilaterally on Immigration,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s decision to take executive action on immigration:
“The president is not acting in strength, he is acting in weakness,” said Corker. “This decision makes it clear that the president doesn’t have the ability and willingness to lead by rolling up his sleeves and doing the hard work to reach a consensus that is in the best interest of our country.”
Corker continued, “The president is blatantly ignoring the rule of law and Congress’ constitutional role, and I could not be more disappointed. Congress has to respond, but the response should be prudent and we should not lose sight of the fact that our job over the next two years is to enact policies that will make our nation stronger.”
In previous statements, President Obama acknowledged that he doesn’t have the authority to take such unilateral action without Congress. Speaking about the need to fix our nation’s broken immigration system in a 2011 commencement address at Miami Dade College, President Obama said, “I know some here wish that I could just bypass Congress and change the law myself. But that’s not how democracy works… Changing our laws means doing the hard work of changing minds and changing votes, one by one.”
Senator Corker co-authored the Hoeven-Corker border security amendment, which is the toughest border security measure to ever pass the Senate. The amendment was approved overwhelmingly by the Senate in a 69-29 vote and led to the final passage of the Senate immigration reform bill.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/video?ContentRecord_id=87ea4b90-4d3c-467f-bee7-a4d0275bc0fb,Corker Discusses President Obamas Immigration Executive Order on Fox News,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Bob Corker,C001071,www.corker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Nov 20 2014
 
	
	
	
	


	
	
	
		
		November 20, 2014 - On Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom”, Senator Corker discusses President Obama’s decision to issue an executive order on immigration.
		
	


	Permalink: https://www.corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2014/11/corker-discusses-president-obama-s-immigration-executive-order-on-fox-news

	
	
	
		
			
		
	
	
	
	
		
		
			
			
			
			
				Click play to view the video or follow this link  
				https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkzPEmo_e4E&list=UUm7if_szz7DxfcdYGrywHSA",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20141205201532/http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397629,"Reps. Blackburn, Green, Butterfield, McCaul & Fleischmann Introduce Legislation as Part of Effort to Combat Ebola Virus",2014-11-19,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Representatives Marsha Blackburn (TN-07), Gene Green (TX-29), G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), Michael McCaul (TX-10), and Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) have introduced H.R.5729, which would add filoviruses to the list of diseases included in the Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher Program at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The filovirus family includes all known strains of Ebola as well as the related Marburg virus.“With nearly 15,000 cases and over 5,000 deaths, the 2014 Ebola epidemic is the worst since the discovery of the virus in 1976,” Blackburn said. “In light of this global outbreak there should be an intensive effort to find and approve a treatment or better yet, a vaccine to prevent Ebola. I want to thank my colleagues – Reps. Green, Butterfield, McCaul, and Fleischmann – for joining me in this important effort with the introduction of H.R. 5729. Decreasing the time it takes for a company to bring a drug safely through the FDA to approval provides a great incentive for the development of other drugs, particularly those that have historically been neglected.” Rep. Gene Green: “In 2007, Congress took action to break down economic barriers for developing treatments and vaccines effective against tropical diseases by establishing the tropical disease priority review voucher program. Now it’s time for Congress to act again, and respond to the Ebola outbreak by making therapies and vaccines to treat the deadly virus eligible for the program. The Ebola outbreak is the worst in history, and this crisis demands swift actions to combat the epidemic. This legislation will help fight Ebola by rewarding investments and efforts to find effective vaccines and cures.” Rep. Butterfield: “I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducing this important legislation.I was excited to learn that two North Carolina companies have been pursuing Ebola vaccines – one to treat the virus and another to prevent it entirely. I am hopeful that this bill – if passed – will encourage quick action so that lives can be spared and the disease stopped for good.” Rep. McCaul: “Ebola has garnered the attention of the world and must be combated with a comprehensive strategy including the development of a cure. U.S. companies have the unique talents and ingenuity to develop a vaccine but they need the right incentives to justify the extraordinary up front investment necessary to bring a drug to market. I am proud to support Rep. Blackburn's bill which builds on the innovate priority review voucher program for tropical diseases and ensures that Ebola is not neglected.” Rep. Fleischmann: “Ensuring the timely development and availability of lifesaving treatments and vaccines is vital to thwarting the spread of deadly diseases. In order to protect our nation from the current Ebola outbreak and future threats, we must cut out the red tape that is prohibiting the prompt approval of these critical treatments and create incentives for developers of new drugs and therapies.” The Priority Review Voucher Program was authorized by Congress in 2007 to incentivize the development for neglected tropical diseases. Under this program, a company that receives approval for a tropical disease treatment is eligible to receive a voucher that allows the bearer to receive priority review status for any future product.Products undergoing priority review are generally given an approval decision within six months instead of the usual ten months.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20141205201535/http://blackburn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397634,Blackburn Named 2014 Woman of Valor,2014-11-19,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,TN,Marsha Blackburn,B001243,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"IWF Board Member Lisa Gabel presenting Congressman Blackburn with the Woman of Valor award
  

Remarks by Congressman Marsha Blackburn
As Prepared for Delivery
Independent Women's Forum 2014 Barbara K. Olsen Women of Valor Dinner
Thank you for the honor of receiving the Women of Valor Award.
I am honored and humbled to receive an award named for Barbara Olson.  I knew her from afar.  Seeing her on TV, reading comments, seeing her speak at a conference, she was inspiring.  How blessed we are to have such women who are so committed to the cause of freedom and free people. The relentless, passionate demeanor of someone like Barbara Olson is worthy of honor. Thank you for continuing to remember her. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to associate my name and work with hers and with the other outstanding women who have received this honor. 
And to Hirsi Ali, how wonderful to share the time with you this evening.  I’ve read your writings and listened to your lectures.  What a riveting life of endurance and a compelling story.  You are truly an AGAINST ALL ODDS woman and I pray that you will be richly blessed as you continue to stand tall for freedom and as you expose – without fear—the truths of Islamic practices and sharia law.
This past weekend, I participated on a panel at the Reagan National Defense Forum. Our topic of discussion was Heroism and Valor, so I did what any good panelist would do; I first looked up the root of the word, the definition, etc.  Valor is defined in our dictionary as showing great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle.
It occurred to me that battles and warfare are now asymmetric, virtual, and ideological. Does this change the face of danger?  Are we under attack in the virtual space for our thoughts and beliefs just as we have been in the public square in years past?  What will our response be this time?
To understand where we are going, we must look to our past.
Throughout our nation’s history, women have shown incredible and tremendous courage to defend freedom and human dignity.  The Revolutionary War saw women on the front lines of the battle field – some of these were conventional – such as seamstresses and cooks – some were unconventional and scandalous for the time – such as spying. 
Deborah Sampson fought under the alias of Robert Shurtliff, was wounded, and ultimately honorably discharged at West Point.  Ann Bailey enlisted and served under the name of Sam Gay.  She was discovered, arrested, and imprisoned.  After her release from prison, she signed up again and once again served as a secret soldier.
The right for American women to vote came to fruition with the ratification of the 19th amendment.  When TN became the 36th State to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920, the battle for American women to vote was won.
Female leaders, both past and present, know they have to be team builders and they do a superb job of this.  Bringing people together around shared goals and a common vision is a priority.  Building a team and sharing success shortens the path to victory and women understand that concept so well.
Today our fight to defend faith, family, freedom, hope and opportunity is a global fight --- virtual and real.
We have women around the globe, such as Hirsi, who stand on the front line of that fight every day.   It thrills me when I open my email and one of the women I have mentored in Iraq or Afghanistan are wanting me to accept a linked in invitation or friend or follow them.  Those are clicks of freedom in action and I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to help push freedom forward.  
And what we do in America makes a difference to the rest of the world.  If we grow weary of the fight, if we give up, then the world will give up.  We are the superpower in this fight and we can’t afford to take a day off.  Our enemies never do.  We must remember, “Be not weary in well doing.”
In the 21st century, much of this asymmetrical, virtual, get on the front lines battle will be continue to be led by women. 
Look at the tea party movement that has generated much conversation, it is primarily a movement led by women.  The fight over school curriculum, school lunches, government budgets. More often than not, it is a woman who is standing behind the podium at these school board and town council meetings making the case for less government intrusion. 
Look at what is happening in our communities, city councils, county governments and state legislatures.  More women are signing on the line to be a candidate for these offices.  They are choosing to run and they are winning.  And now we have a record number of women in Congress.  For the first time ever, in January, there will be over 100 women in the Congress of the United States of America.
Just as I say our party should choose to be labeled the Great Opportunity Party, I believe we should begin to establish some great new gal networks to replace that tired, worn out moniker of the good ole boys.  Female leaders know that what the American people want is to measure leadership as it performs, not as it appears.
Women have realized that their country, communities and states need them and their expertise.  They are realizing that the skills they have developed in their private and not for profit sector endeavors are transferable to the public sector and they are putting them to work. 
Women are not willing to see opportunity for their children and hope for the future compromised by a bureaucratic government which seems paralyzed by the layers of rules, regulations and mandates that have piled up through decades of go along to get along attitudes.  Women are in this fight for the both long term and with a long term view. 
I believe in one of the strongest and most enduring tenets of leadership- that is - Leaders raise up other leaders.  It is this strong desire of building a legacy or even building for a legacy that will keep us working long into the night or putting that extra bit of adrenaline to work after many people would have accepted defeat. It is what causes us to volunteer and to speak out and to care.  
And, in large part this is what you, the Independent Women’s Forum does every day.  You nurture, prod, stimulate conversation and validate the views that are shared by thousands of women across this country.  You inspire women around the globe. You provide a gathering spot in the battle of ideas for women to seek information, to come together to defend their individual rights and to prepare to take action to defend their beliefs. 
So all of you great new gals, our country needs us, now as much as ever.  They need women who believe fervently in the power of freedom, free people and free markets to provide results to improve the lives of people around the globe. 
Thank you for choosing to share your time and your event with me this evening and for recognizing my work in the fight to be certain we remain, the USA, remains the leader of the free world.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z