Important
news from this week:
- The U.S. Senate approved funding to help Tennesseans combat the
opioid crisis, improve national parks, including the Smokies, support
Tennessee farmers, and help stop the spread of Asian
Carp.
- U.S. Figure Skating announced that Nashville will
host the 2022 U.S. Championships for the first time since 1997.
We’re excited to welcome everyone back to Music
City!
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory won five Research
and Development 100 Awards, bringing the lab’s total to 221, more
than any other company, university or research organization since the
award was created.
Senate Democrats block largest pay raise for military
service members, including those at Fort Campbell, since
2010
This week, Senate Democrats, for their
own political reasons, blocked funding for the largest pay increase
for our military in 10 years. The legislation would have also set
record funding for our 17 national laboratories, which include Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, and the fifth consecutive year of increased funding
for the National Institutes of Health, which researches and develops
lifesaving treatments for Tennessee families. Democrats are plunging
these departments into uncertainty that almost everyone agrees wastes
taxpayer money.
Howard Baker made us Tennesseans look even
better
How fortunate we were to know, to be inspired
by, and to learn from Tennessee’s favorite son and one of our
country’s finest leaders, Howard Baker. The nation got to know
him during the Watergate hearings. He then became the majority leader of
the United States Senate, chief of staff for President Reagan, and
President George W. Bush’s Ambassador to Japan. He began an era of
two-party competition that has changed Tennessee politics
permanently. By his eloquence and personality, Howard inspired a number of young
men and women, including me, to join him in that endeavor. Howard made
us Tennesseans look even better, and I cannot think of a more
deserving person to receive the Museum of Appalachia's first-ever Heroes of
Southern Appalachia Award.
I had a good meeting this week with special agents from
FBI Knoxville and Memphis. I thanked them for their dedicated service
to the people of Tennessee.
Approving important federal funding for Tennessee
The Senate passed a spending
bill this week that includes funding for important priorities for
Tennesseans, such as supporting Tennessee’s farmers, helping our state
tackle the opioid crisis, reducing the maintenance backlog at the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and helping stop the spread of Asian
Carp. The next step is to conference our bills with the House of
Representatives and send the bills to the president to become law. Passing
this funding package is a positive step in the right direction toward
restoring a regular appropriations process. Boy Scouts
shouldn’t get a merit badge for telling the truth, and United States senators
shouldn’t get an award for passing appropriations bills. That is
what we are supposed to do.
Cliff Corker will serve our state with distinction as
a District Court Judge for the Eastern District of
Tennessee
I spoke at the investiture of Cliff Corker as
a U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Four years ago, Cliff was selected to serve as a magistrate judge by the
District Court Judges of the Eastern District of Tennessee – a
testament to his qualifications to be a district court judge and to his
support from the community. When Judge Corker was appointed to be a
Magistrate Judge, he said: “It’s a tougher job to be the
decision maker than the advocate. There’s so much more
responsibility in making the decision than advocating for the client because you
really want to see justice done.” Cliff demonstrates the
qualities I look for in a judge – good character, good temperament, high intelligence and respect for the
law. He will be an asset to the federal bench and serve our state with
distinction
Working
to improve health care for Tennesseans
I often suggest Tennesseans look at Washington D.C. like
a split screen television. On one side, you have the controversies of
the day – Democrat impeachment and the president’s daily
tweets. But on the other side, you’ll often see senators working
together to achieve results for the American people. That has been
the case for the Senate health committee I chair.
This week, my committee worked to continue to achieve
results for Tennesseans by moving forward eight bipartisan public health
bills that will bring new over-the-counter drugs to patients more
quickly, ensure we have the nurses we need, and help Americans lead
healthier lives. Here are the proposals we voted on this
week:
- TICK
Act – This bill will authorize centers of excellence and grants
to states to improve the prevention of and response to diseases
transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. The legislation
will also require a national strategy to ensure federal agencies
coordinate to combat these diseases.
- Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2019: This
bill will help reduce infant mortality rates and improve access to care
to give babies the best opportunity at living long, healthy
lives.
- Title VIII Nursing Workforce
Reauthorization Act: This bill will update and
reauthorize programs that help ensure we have the trained nurses we
need.
- Lifespan Respite Care
Reauthorization Act of 2019: This bill will continue
support for state programs that give a break to the 45 million
Americans who provide care for a family member with special
needs.
- Scarlett’s Sunshine on
Sudden Unexpected Death Act: This bill will provide
grants to help states better understand the causes of sudden unexpected
infant and child deaths in order to identify ways to prevent them in the
future.
- Promoting
Physical Activity for Americans Act: This bill will
require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to
routinely update its recommendations on exercise.
- United States Public Health Service
Modernization Act of 2019: This bill will allow
the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a ready reserve of
public health professionals to ensure we are prepared to respond to a
national or public health emergency.
- Over-the-Counter Monograph Safety, Innovation, and
Reform Act of 2019: This bill will modernize the
way over-the-counter medications are regulated and brought to market.
The reforms aim to protect public health and encourage the development
of new products to better meet the needs of
patients.
To celebrate
Halloween, Senate Democrats have come up with a scary fairytale without an
ounce of truth
Democrats are
trying to trick Americans into thinking that giving states the ability
to lower health insurance premiums could somehow undermine protections
for pre-existing conditions, something federal law does not permit.
The Trump administration has issued guidance that would allow states to
use innovation to lower the cost of health insurance premiums.
Democrats this week attempted to block state’s ability to innovate.
Democrats should allow states to use the flexibility created by
Obamacare to lower premiums and help millions of Americans have access to more
affordable health insurance.
Honoring our nation’s nuclear weapons
workers
The Senate passed a
resolution I introduced with Tom Udall of New Mexico to designate October 30,
2019, as National Day of Remembrance for workers who helped develop
and support the nation’s nuclear weapons program. Tennesseans
played a major role in winning the Cold War, working countless hours with
hazardous materials to build our nation’s nuclear defense.
Thousands of nuclear workers didn’t serve in the heat of battle, but
in the laboratory, working with highly radioactive and toxic
substances, and paid a high price for their service to our country. This
resolution recognizes the patriotism of these men and women in Tennessee and
across the nation who have quietly sacrificed for our safety and
freedom.
Below are some articles from this week I thought
you would enjoy:
Clarksville Leaf Chronicle: Column by
Lamar Alexander: FAFSA so complex that it stops students who most need
aid from getting it
Washington Examiner: Here is
one bipartisan way to make college more
affordable
If you want to
get something done, give someone else credit.
#40 in Lamar Alexander’s
Little Plaid Book
