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 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

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. 

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

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

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.     

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 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

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

Williamson Herald: Officials unveil call boxes at Natchez Trace Bridge during ceremony

Nexstar: Tenn. lawmaker Lamar Alexander pushes to simplify FAFSA

Write thank-you notes promptly and in longhand.

#205 in Lamar Alexander’s Little Plaid Book