Latest from Lamar, Notes from the Senate Desk

*Important Recent
News:*

-
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved more
than $43 million for local internet providers to bring broadband to
about 11,000 rural locations across Tennessee.

-
FedEx announced
that it plans to invest an additional $450 million [link 1] to modernize
its hub in Memphis.



*I enjoyed spending time traveling
through Tennessee the past few weeks. Here are a few things I've done during
our August state work period:
*



*Retracing the steps of the
Clinton 12*

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Over 60 years ago, a group of 12 high school
students - some as young as 14 - bravely stood up and became the first
students to integrate a public high school in the South. They met at the
Green McAdoo School before walking together to the all-white Clinton
High School. We retraced their walk to honor those 12 high school
students who braved threats of violence in 1956 to attend Clinton High
School. The struggle for civil rights is not a snapshot - it is a
panorama. As the Reverend Benjamin Hooks, former president of the NAACP, used
to say, you have to understand that America is a work in progress. All
of us who have lived these last 60 years celebrate that our country
has come a long way, but we also know that we have a long way still to
go. Fortunately, the Clinton story - the courage the Clinton 12 and
Governor Clement showed - provides great inspiration to continue moving
forward.



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I enjoyed spending time and eating a
little BBQ with members of the Tennessee Farm Bureau in Nashville.
Thank you, Tennessee Farm Bureau, for having me and presenting me with
your 2019 Distinguished Service Award. They were kind enough to put
together a video that brought back a lot of good memories. You can watch
that here [link 2].







*Asking state legislators to
help make it easier for students to apply for college*

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*Backstage with a fellow East Tennessean who is known around the world, Dolly
Parton*

I spoke to legislators from across the country at a
conference in Nashville, where I asked for their help in making it easier for
students to apply for college. There are nearly 20 million families,
including 400,000 here in Tennessee, that fill out the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, every year to apply for federal
student aid. Tennessee's former Governor, Bill Haslam, told me it's the
single biggest impediment to more students enrolling in Tennessee
Promise, our state's free, two year college program. As chair of the
Senate education committee, I'm working to update the Higher Education Act
and would like to include a proposal to shorten the FAFSA from 108 to
15-25 questions. I asked the legislators gathered in Nashville to help
me make this proposal law, so that we won't miss the opportunity to
make it easier for students to apply for federal aid.




*Celebrating over 100 years of the Tennessee Valley Fair*

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This
weekend, I visited the Tennessee Valley Fair, which has been a special part
of East Tennessee for over 100 years. As governor, I went across the
state encouraging communities to celebrate what was special about them.
Fairs have always been something special for adults and kids alike,
and the Tennessee Valley Fair has been a special part of East Tennessee
for over 100 years. When the fair started in 1916, farmers came in
their horse-drawn wagons, and others in the area would arrive by
streetcar. In 1932, the fair featured a reunion of over 5,000 World War I
veterans, and the U.S Secretary of War, Patrick Hurley. In 1971, you could
see an actual moon rock from Apollo XII. And Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle
Haggard, Luke Bryan and most of the cast of the Beverly Hillbillies
have entertained visitors at the Tennessee Valley Fair. At a time when
many local fairs have closed, the tradition of the Tennessee Valley Fair
remains special.

*Working to prevent suicides on the Natchez Trace
Bridge*

I visited Natchez Trace Bridge for the installation of
call boxes at the Double Arch Bridge on the Natchez Trace Parkway. This
is the first phase in helping prevent suicides at the bridge. Since
2000, at least 32 people have committed suicide on the Natchez Trace
Bridge. Several months ago, Tracy Frist told me about the Natchez Trace
Bridge Barrier Coalition, founded Trish Merelo and Sarah Elmer who had
loved ones commit suicide on the bridge. We all began working together
to solve an urgent problem. I, along with Senator Blackburn and
Congressman Mark Green, started working with the National Park Service,
Centerstone, the Federal Highway Administration and the Natchez Trace
Bridge Barrier Coalition to look at ways we could help prevent suicides
and get people the help they need. Last week, the National Park Service
(NPS) unveiled call boxes on the bridge that will help someone in
crisis, as the NPS continues to design and plan barriers on the bridge. I
look forward to continuing to work with the National Park Service,
Trish, Sarah, and others to make the Natchez Trace Bridge safer.






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I had a good time with my staff in Knoxville
this week for our annual staff retreat. I know my Washington staff
enjoyed East Tennessee's hospitality as well. As I write in my Little
Plaid Book, "Serve in Washington, D.C., long enough to get vaccinated,
but not infected."









Visiting Neighborhood Health
at East Side*

I visited Neighborhood Health at East Side, which
provides primary health care services to thousands of Tennesseans - some
are uninsured and some have insurance with high deductibles. I'm
working to make sure the community health centers that 400,000 Tennesseans
rely on for care are funded for the next five years. Learn more [link
3] about my bipartisan bill - the Lower HealthCare Costs Act - that
extends funding for community health centers and lowers what Tennesseans
pay for health care out of their own pocket.





*Below are
some articles from this week I thought you would enjoy:*

*National
Review: Op-Ed by Lamar Alexander: End Surprise Medical Billing [link
4]*

*Knoxville News Sentinel: Op-Ed by Patsy Writesman: Lamar
Alexander's legislation to end surprise medical billing is right on target
[link 5]*

*Williamson Herald: Officials unveil call boxes at Natchez
Trace Bridge during ceremony* [link 6]

*Nexstar: Tenn. lawmaker
Lamar Alexander pushes to simplify FAFSA* [link 7]



Write
thank-you notes promptly and in longhand.

*#205* *in Lamar Alexander's
Little Plaid Book*




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