Tennessee’s Republican leaders are voicing their support for Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Read the full storyTennessee Republicans Voice Support for Amy Coney Barrett’s Nomination to Supreme Court
Tag: Sen Lamar Alexander
Senators Alexander, Scott Key in Growing Push to Include School Choice in Federal Relief Bill
As Congress remains at an impasse regarding the next round of COVID-19 relief, a measure that would create a permanent tax credit scholarship for students to attend schools of their choice could be included in the relief package.
The School Choice Now Act, presented by U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Tim Scott (R-SC) has the support of President Donald Trump’s administration, and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has advocated strongly for the measure to be included in the next round of COVID-19 relief funding.
Read the full storyBlackburn Organizes Smithsonian Exhibit of Women Senators Discussing What 19th Amendment Means to Them
U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) assembled a special project for the Smithsonian Institution to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment’s ratification giving women the right to vote.
They recruited 22 of their female colleagues to write essays about what the centennial means to them and the challenges they faced on their path to the U.S. Senate, Blackburn said in a press release. The exhibit is titled “Senators on Suffrage” and is available online here. It is part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s “Creating Icons: How We Remember Woman Suffrage” exhibit.
Read the full storySen. Lamar Alexander Predicts Kids Will Return to School This Fall, but Under New Conditions
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) predicted this week that public school students will return to their school buildings this fall, but he also said school officials would accommodate children in new ways because of COVID-19.
Alexander said this on FOX News this week and posted video of his appearance on Twitter.
Read the full storyTennessee Could Be Eligible for $2.65 Billion from Federal Coronavirus Relief Package
Tennessee could be eligible for up to $2.65 billion in federal aid to spend on state efforts designed to combat COVID-19 as part of the U.S. Senate-passed $2 trillion relief package, the Tax Foundation estimated.
“The government has temporarily shut down the economy because of this disease, and the government must help those who are hurt by it,” Tennessee U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said in a news release.
Read the full storySen. Alexander Throws Lot in With Democrats to Try to Block President Trump’s War Powers to Respond to Attacks by Iran
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) threw his lot in with his Democrat colleagues Thursday to try to block President Donald Trump from using his war powers authority to handle attacks by Iran without begging for congressional approval first.
Read the full storyCommentary: Senators Grassley and Alexander Tackle Projected Union Pension Collapse
Our nation’s pension systems are in trouble. Underfunded with outsized promises to beneficiaries who are living longer, the death rattles of the defined benefit pension system, which promises a fixed amount of money per month for retirees, are now audible.
Read the full storyWashington Post Desperately Tries to Cast Republican Senators, Including Alexander, as ‘Lost and Adrift’ in Reaction to Impending Impeachment
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) told The Washington Post, “I’d be a juror, so I have no comment,” in regard to a question about impending impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.
Read the full storyDr. Sethi’s Senate Campaign Raises $839K for the Quarter
Dr. Manny Sethi, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, announced in a statement Thursday that his campaign brought in $839,000 this quarter.
Read the full storySenatorial Candidate Sethi Names County-Level Campaign Leaders
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Manny Sethi on Thursday announced the campaign’s grassroots support in all 95 counties.
Read the full storyDr. Manny Sethi Stepping Down from Nonprofit Healthy Tennessee
Dr. Mannish “Manny” Sethi is stepping down from leadership of his nonprofit Healthy Tennessee organization to focus on his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
Read the full storyCommentary: Lamar Alexander is Pushing Big Government Policies that Threaten Tennesseans’ Health Care
Someone needs to remind Sen. Lamar Alexander what it means to be a Republican. If his recent support of healthcare legislation featuring of socialist-style price controls is any indication, it looks like he’s clearly forgotten.
Read the full storyMemphis’ U.S. Rep. David Kustoff Says He Will Not Run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate Seat
U.S. Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN-08) of Memphis said he will not run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate seat in 2020’s primary race.
Read the full storyKnoxville Pathologist Dr. Josh Gapp Announces Run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate Seat
The field to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) is getting more crowded as Knoxville Dr. Josh Gapp has thrown his hat in the ring.
Read the full storyDr. Manny Sethi Announces Bid to Replace Retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander
Dr. Manish “Manny” Sethi on Monday announced he would seek to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN). According to a story by The Chattanoogan, Sethi said he was running as an outsider. “Tennesseans want a conservative outsider who will take on the Establishment, support President Trump, fight illegal immigration and work to repeal ObamaCare,” said Dr. Sethi. “That’s why I’m running for Senate.” Many political experts were surprised by the timing because they were waiting to hear what former Gov. Bill Haslam would decide, according to a story by The Tennessee Journal: On the Hill. But Sethi and his team apparently ran out of patience and decided to pull the trigger, using “outsider” themes echoing those made by similarly little-known Bill Lee when the latter was making surprise march toward the governor’s office last year. Sethi called upon Lee consultant Jordan Gehrke, as well as Chris Devaney, a former state Republican Party chairman who served as Lee’s campaign manager, to handle campaign operations, TNJ: On the Hill said. In December, The Tennessee Star reported on Sethi’s interest in running for the Senate seat. Sethi is an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Sethi and wife Maya…
Read the full storySen. Alexander Questions President Trump’s Emergency Declaration on Wall, While Experts Say He Has Constitution, Precedent on His Side
President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to build the border wall was “unnecessary, unwise and inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution,” U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said. Trump on Thursday evening declared a national emergency in the southern border crisis, The Tennessee Star reported. He signed a spending bill lacking the wall funds to avert a second government shutdown. Alexander is joined in his disapproval by none other than ultra-liberal U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43). Alexander criticized the president’s action in a press release Friday. He said: It is unnecessary because significant additional money already has been approved by Congress that he could spend on border security without declaring a national emergency. In fact, the president announced today that he would spend $3 billion of this additional funding to fund construction of the border wall. This $3 billion is in addition to the $22 billion Congress appropriated on Thursday for detention beds, technology, border patrol agents, ports of entry, replacing existing wall and 55 miles of new wall. It is unwise because if this president can declare a national emergency to build a wall, the next president can declare a national emergency to tear it down; or declare a climate change emergency to…
Read the full storyJudson Phillips Commentary: It is Time for a Conservative Convention in Tennessee
by Judson Phillips The announcement by Senator Lamar Alexander, that he will not seek reelection in 2020, has thrown open the doors for conservatives to change the face of Tennessee politics. In 2019, the first installment of that change will happen. Marsha Blackburn will replace Bob Corker in the Senate. That can only be described as a tremendous improvement. Bill Lee will replace Bill Haslam as governor. While the jury is still out on Governor-elect Lee, by default he has to be an improvement over Governor Haslam. Rumors have long swept Nashville about Governor Haslam’s interest in a Senate seat. He would be a disaster for conservative and for Tennessee. He must be stopped. But how? The cards are stacked against conservatives. Governor Haslam is a billionaire who can outspend almost any potential opponent. In addition, Tennessee is not a run off state. Whoever wins the most votes, even if it is only a plurality, wins the races. Conservatives well remember the 2006 election where conservatives Van Hillary and Ed Bryant fought it out with Bob Corker. Corker won with the conservative base split. We cannot allow the conservative base to be split again. Conservatives must unite in a…
Read the full storySenator Lamar Alexander Will Not Seek Re-Election in 2020
Senator Lamar Alexander announced Monday he would not run for a fourth term in 2020. “I will not be a candidate for re-election to the United States Senate in 2020,” he wrote on Facebook. He added: The people of Tennessee have been very generous, electing me to serve more combined years as Governor and Senator than anyone else from our state. I am deeply grateful, but now it is time for someone else to have that privilege. I have gotten up every day thinking that I could help make our state and country a little better, and gone to bed most nights thinking that I have. I will continue to serve with that same spirit during the remaining two years of my term. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill pointed out, “Lamar just gave political consultants and media buyers an early Christmas gift as he just kick-started the 2020 campaign for his open Senate seat.” He continued: It is surprising that he has made this announcement so early rather than waiting another year. Every indication was that he was planning to run for reelection based upon his recent increase in public appearances, commissioning and releasing a poll by his longterm…
Read the full storySen. Lamar Alexander Says ‘Unlikely’ Supreme Court Would Rule Obamacare Unconstitutional Despite District Court Decision Ending It
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said he believes that the Supreme Court will not find Obamacare to be unconstitutional – but even if it did, the federal government can swoop in and provide protections for people with pre-existing health conditions. Tennessee’s senior senator made the remark Saturday following the historic court ruling effectively declaring Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act (ACA), dead. Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas on Friday night ruled the ACA unconstitutional based on the individual mandate that requires people to have insurance and how that affects a new tax law that sets the penalty for no coverage to $0. Alexander issued a statement on Twitter that said: “If the U.S. Supreme Court eventually were to agree that Obamacare is unconstitutional — which seems unlikely, however poorly the law was written — I am confident that any new federal law replacing it will continue to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions who buy health insurance.” My statement on the ruling in Texas v. Azar. pic.twitter.com/NrFtFRK9tH — Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) December 15, 2018 The Supreme Court in 2012 said the ACA was constitutional in a 5-4 vote in a case titled NFIB v. Sebelius.…
Read the full storySenator Lamar Alexander Commentary: Key Education Decisions Should Be Made in States, Schools and Homes – Not Washington
by Senator Lamar Alexander When I wrote the law fixing No Child Left Behind, I was thinking about Tennessee teachers like Candace Hines, who teaches kindergarten in Memphis. Earlier this year, Candace wrote that the new law “empowers Tennessee with the responsibility to decide how to close achievement gaps, improve schools and make sure that all our children succeed.” No Child Left Behind let Washington make decisions about Tennessee’s classrooms— and it created a national school board. My goal was to return decisions about how best to educate our children to the people closest to our students—to Tennessee teachers like Candace, our local school boards, and our state—and to end the national school board. When I was running for Senate in 2014, Tennesseans all across the state would tell me that Congress needed to end the Common Core mandate, and a year later I passed a law to do exactly that. If you’re wondering why parents and teachers don’t worry about Washington meddling with state standards anymore, it’s because the new law explicitly prohibits Washington from mandating or even incentivizing Common Core or any other specific state standards. It is up to states to decide their academic standards. Another…
Read the full storySenator Lamar Alexander’s Poll Numbers Reflect Troubles Ahead in 2020 Re-Election Effort
As the 2018 election swings into full fury some are already looking ahead to the 2020 elections that will feature not only a Presidential cycle but also a likely reelection bid by Republican Senator Lamar Alexander. A new Tennessee Star poll of likely 2018 general election voters indicates that troubled waters like ahead for Alexander. 31.8% of the voters surveyed indicated they had a “favorable” view of Senator Lamar Alexander while 40.8% had an “unfavorable” view. 27.4% were “unsure or didn’t know” which is a remarkably high number for a political figure who has been a fixture in Tennessee politics for four decades. Alexander has not yet announced that he is running for reelection in 2020 when his current term ends, but he is expected to seek another six year term. Tennessee Star political editor Steve Gill says that Alexander’s low approval figures can be traced to several factors. “First, his colleague Senator Bob Corker regularly attacks President Trump; Corker’s behavior is splashing back on Lamar despite the fact that he’s actually been very supportive of the President and isn’t launching the kinds of cheap shots that Corker constantly spews out. Not calling our Corker and standing more clearly with…
Read the full storySen. Lamar Alexander: ‘Judge Kavanaugh Will Be Confirmed by the Senate at the End of the Month’
NASHVILLE, Tennessee–Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) told a gathering of the Nashville Kiwanis Club on Friday he believes that Judge Brett Kavanaugh will be sitting on the Supreme Court on October 1. Alexander began his comments by noting that “the Senate has gotten into a bad habit” in recent years in the way it conducts hearings on nominees for the Supreme Court. “I believe that Judge Kavanaugh will be confirmed by the Senate at the end of the month and be sitting on the Court October 1 when it opens its new term,” Alexander told the audience at the Patron Platinum Club Restaurant at Bridgestone Arena. Alexander said some Democrats in the Senate now consider Supreme Court nominees as “innocent until nominated.” “They treat someone like Judge Kavanaugh as if he were recently released from San Quentin prison. Although in fact, he is one of the most highly regarded members of the Federal Circuit Court,” Alexander said. “You have a Republican president appointing judges, and the Democratic senators acting like they’re in the circus, trying to insult the judge . . . for whatever reasons I’m not sure. It’s a very bad habit. It’s not good for our country,” he noted.…
Read the full storySen. Lamar Alexander Commentary: GOP Accomplishments
by Senator Lamar Alexander When I travel across Tennessee some people say, “I sure am glad I don’t have your job.” My answer is always, “I’m also glad you don’t have my job because I like my job, and I thank you for it.” And then someone will say, “Why don’t you guys ever do anything? What difference does a Republican majority make?” My answer is to hand them my Republican accomplishments card – a scorecard that lists what President Trump and a Republican Congress have been able to accomplish in the last 18 months. Best economy in 18 years, the biggest tax reform in 31 years, military support is the strongest it has been in 15 years, numerous regulations have been repealed, one confirmed Supreme Court justice and another Supreme Court nominee, 23 conservative U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed, opened up Alaska to energy development after 38 years. We have a new National Labor Relations Board. We repealed Obamacare’s individual mandate penalty, repealed Dodd-Frank mortgage rules, passed legislation to improve veterans’ health care, and passed sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea. All of this in the last 18 months – the most important accomplishments by a conservative government in…
Read the full storyGlobalist Sen. Lamar Alexander Bemoans President’s ‘Shot to the Foot’ From Tariffs
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) bemoaned President Trump’s “shot to the foot’” over tariffs on Fox News’ Journal Editorial Report. Tennessee’s senior senator, praising globalism, introduced the Automotive Jobs Act of 2018 Wednesday to delay the tariffs. He said, “Zero tariffs is exactly the right policy.” He also called for an end to the steel and aluminum tariffs which he said are hurting Tennessee’s auto industry and raising prices of the autos they make. He claimed the state exports cars around the world but could not answer a question as to how many are shipped out of the country. “Tariffs are shooting ourselves in the foot, really shooting ourselves in both feet,” Alexander said. He called for the reauthorization of NAFTA by September and said it has been good for Tennessee. Steel and aluminum tariffs remain in place and car tariffs will remain on hold if negotiations continue, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said. Fox News quoted him as calling auto tariffs a “national security threat.” Watch the latest video at foxnews.com Calling on globalists The automotive act, co-sponsored by Sen. Doug Jones, (D-AL), would delay the tariffs of 20 to 25 percent on imported vehicles, CNBC said. The bill would require…
Read the full storyLamar Alexander Sides With Corker Over Trump on Tariffs
SuperTalk 99.7 WTN veteran broadcaster Brian Wilson, host of Nashville’s Morning News, interviewed Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander today, who made it very clear he sides with outgoing Senator Bob Corker over President Trump on the tariff issue. The two men also discussed the recent Inspector General’s report, which was highly critical for the FBI and former Director James Comey. Alexander praised Trump and stressed the need for the GOP to retain their majorities in Congress, As for the tariff issue, host Wilson asked him about his “fellow Senator Bob Corker who has been drawing a lot of fire lately in the state of Tennessee for his criticism of this president.” Responded Alexander, “What’s bother Senator Corker is he thinks we should have a vote on whether tariffs are a good idea. But I don’t think they’re a good idea either. I think we ought to have a vote on it. That’s the basis of his criticism. Tariffs on Aluminum and Steel are more likely to hurt Tennessee than any other state because we’ve got nearly a thousand auto parts suppliers and they nearly all use aluminum and Steel when they make their parts. If you add 25% to the cost of…
Read the full storySenator Lamar Alexander Endorses Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate as Outgoing Corker Remains on the Sidelines
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has endorsed Congresswoman and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). In a statement issued by Alexander, and posted in social media, Alexander said: “I have supported Marsha Blackburn as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and I support her again as a candidate for the United States Senate. She has served Tennesseans well. I look forward to working with her to make the Senate a more effective institution.” In response to the endorsement, Blackburn said: “Lamar is a true public servant, and I am continually grateful for his support. I look forward to working with him in the U.S. Senate to pass the President’s agenda. Together, we will effectively serve Tennesseans and fight for our shared Tennessee values.” Meanwhile Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is vacating the seat that Blackburn is seeking, remains unwilling to follow Alexander’s lead. In late February, after Corker again decided not to seek reelection, he refused to answer a reporter’s question regarding an endorsement for Blackburn. Soon after, a Corker spokesman said: “The senator does not typically get involved in primaries but has always planned to support the nominee.” Yesterday, speaking to reporters, Corker reiterated his…
Read the full storySen. Lamar Alexander Wants an Amnesty Immigration Bill Like the One He Voted For in 2013
Pro-American immigration groups want voters to tell legislators in Washington that no amnesty fix for illegal aliens whose parents brought them to the U.S. illegally and who later received deferred deportation under Obama’s unconstitutional DACA program can be considered, if at all, until after certain fixes are made to the immigration system. And the same thing goes for any form of a “DREAM Act” to help an even larger group of illegal aliens. Activists that want immigration reform that makes Americans’ interests the priority, say that any Congressional action must first terminate the visa lottery program, end chain migration, increase interior enforcement and fund the border wall. Tennesseans who have delivered the “no amnesty” message to Sen. Lamar Alexander’s office, however, are being told that Lamar’s priority is to help illegal aliens by reviving the ‘Gang of Eight’ amnesty bill which he voted for in 2013: Dear , Thanks very much for getting in touch with me and letting me know what’s on your mind regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. On September 5, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Homeland Security was ending the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The DACA program was…
Read the full storyGovernor Haslam Echoes Lamar Alexander’s Sense of Urgency to ‘Fix’ Obamacare at Senate Hearings
The second of four hearings scheduled by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee and Patty Murray of Washington as Chairman and Democratic Ranking Member, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on the topic of “Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018,” had the same themes from five Governors as the five Insurance Commissioners from the day prior. In addition to Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, the other four witnesses were Governors Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Steve Bullock of Montana, Gary Herbert of Utah and John Hickenlooper of Colorado. In their opening comments, all five governors echoed the comments of the Insurance Commissioners’ testimony and that of Sen. Alexander to achieve premium stabilization in the individual market for 2018. Measures the governors and insurance commissioners encouraged Congress to take included continuing the cost sharing reductions (CSRs), seeding state reinsurance programs and streamlining the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Section 1332 Waiver process. CSRs, subsidies that lower out-of-pocket expenses of co-pays and deductibles for individual market participants who purchase a specific subsidized plan sold on the healthcare.gov exchange, are funded on an annual basis. The consensus from committee members and witnesses is…
Read the full storyLamar Alexander Sets Aggressive Senate Committee Goal of 10 Days to Lower Obamacare Premiums
At the first of four hearings of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions over the next week, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) set an aggressive goal of 10 days to make the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Section 1332 Innovation Waivers easier, which could result in lower premiums in the individual insurance market for 2018. The bi-partisan committee of 23, with a one Republican majority includes Republicans, by rank, Lamar Alexander, Johnny Isakson (GA), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (LA), Pat Roberts (KS), Mike Enzi (WY), Rand Paul (KY), Todd Young (IN), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Richard Burr (NC), Susan Collins (ME), Tim Scott (SC), and Democrats, by rank, Patty Murray (WA), Al Franken (MN), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Tim Kaine (VA), Bernie Sanders (VT), Michael Bennet (CO), Chris Murphy (CT), Maggie Hassan (NH), Robert Casey, Jr. (PA), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Elizabeth Warren (MA). The three-hour hearing held Wednesday, a day after the Senate returned from their regularly scheduled August recess, was named “Stabilizing Premiums and Helping Individuals in the Individual Insurance Market for 2018.” Witnesses for the hearing, in addition to Tennessee’s Julie Mix McPeak, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, were four other state insurance commissioners: John Doak,…
Read the full storySenator Lamar Alexander Joins Calls to Remove Bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from Tennessee Capitol
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has joined demands to remove a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, reports WKRN News 2. The Tennessee Republican spoke to reporters Tuesday about the issue when he was in Nashville for an event. Alexander said the Civil War can be remembered at museums, birthplaces and battlefields, but that “a place of honor” should be for Tennesseans “who inspire all of us,” such as Roots author Alex Haley, Senator Howard Baker or World War I hero Sgt. Alvin York. The bust of Forrest was installed at the Capitol in the late 1970s. In 1980, when Alexander was Tennessee governor, he was against removing the bust. Acknowledging that he has changed his mind, Alexander said Tuesday that when he was governor he “thought it was more important to appoint the first African-American Supreme Court justice in Tennessee, which I did. More important to pass the Martin Luther King holiday, which I did. More important to (appoint) the first black chancellor in the state, which I did.” Bill Haslam, the current Tennessee Republican governor, as well as activists, have called for the removal of the controversial bust. A Tennessee native, Forrest was a slave…
Read the full storyEconomist Stephen Moore Blasts Senator Lamar Alexander and ‘Turncoat’ Republicans During Nashville Visit
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Free-market economist Stephen Moore slammed U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) in a speech Saturday when talking about “turncoat” Republicans who did not support a recent Republican-led Senate effort to repeal Obamacare. He said the Tennessee senator is “leading the charge” to preserve Obamacare in some form. Last month, Alexander was one of seven Republicans to vote against a strong repeal amendment sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). “What he is doing right now behind the scenes is a betrayal,” said Moore, the senior economic contributor for FreedomWorks and a fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Moore is a frequent commentator on TV and a former Wall Street Journal editorial board member. Moore spoke at a breakfast hosted by the Tennessee Republican Assembly at Glenwood Baptist Church in Nashville. The meeting was to be held at Dairy King next door, but had to be moved because of rain damage at the restaurant. Business leader Andrew Puzder, who was at one point President Trump’s nominee for labor secretary, also spoke at the event. “This is a very dangerous moment right now,” Moore said. “If Lamar has his way, we will permanently enshrine Obamacare into the budget. We will never get rid of…
Read the full storyTennessee’s Republican U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker Help Elevate Victim Status of Muslims Living in America
On April 5, 2017, Senators Alexander and Corker joined in the unanimous consent of the Senate and “agreed to” S.Res. 118: A resolution condemning hate crime and any other form of racism, religious or ethnic bias, discrimination, incitement to violence, or animus targeting a minority in the United States. Because S.Res.118 was introduced as a “simple resolution,” considered a non-binding statement of the Senate, no roll call vote is required, the House does not vote on it, and it has no force of law although it remains to be seen whether a bill will follow later. According to the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), “[t]he drafting, introduction, and passage of this resolution [was] the result of a joint advocacy effort between MPAC and Emerge USA [a Muslim organization now renamed eMgage]. We ensured that the resolution went beyond rhetoric and resolves that the government take concrete steps to address hate crimes.” S.Res. 118 references acts of anti-Semitism, threats against Jewish institutions, anti-Black or anti-African American bias crimes, and “harassment and hate-based violence against individuals who are perceived to be Arab or Muslim, including members of South Asian communities in the United States, and Hindu and Sikh Americans” but reserves the opening and misleading statistic…
Read the full storyAlexander And Corker Both Vote For Failed Obamacare “Skinny Repeal” Amendment
Tennessee’s Republican senators both voted early Friday for a health care bill amendment that would have repealed parts of Obamacare, though less dramatically than an amendment defeated earlier this week. The latest amendment, defeated by a 51-49 Senate vote, was dubbed “skinny repeal” and was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The stronger amendment defeated Wednesday was sponsored by his fellow Kentucky Republican senator, Rand Paul. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who voted against Sen. Paul’s amendment because it didn’t have an immediate replacement plan, but who voted to advance Sen. McConnell’s “skinny repeal” said: I voted to take the next step toward what I believed was our best opportunity to repeal and replace Obamacare. The Senate’s failure to do this leaves an urgent problem that I am committed to addressing: Tennessee’s state insurance commissioner says our individual insurance market is very near collapse. Unless Congress acts, many of the 350,000 Tennesseans who buy health insurance in that market—songwriters, farmers, the self-employed—face the real prospect of having zero options to buy insurance in 2018 and 2019. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) said in a statement: My strong preference was for Congress to advance legislation I supported earlier this week to repeal Obamacare…
Read the full storySen. Corker Votes To Repeal Obamacare, Sen. Alexander Votes No
Tennessee’s Republican senators in Washington, D.C., were divided Wednesday on repealing significant portions of Obamacare. Sen. Bob Corker voted for a health care bill amendment to repeal the Affordable Care Act, while Sen. Lamar Alexander voted against it. Put forward by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), the amendment would have given lawmakers two years to develop a replacement plan. The Senate will now debate measures that won’t alter Obamacare as much as the amendment defeated Wednesday. Radio talk show host Phil Valentine speculated on his show Wednesday that Corker, considered a moderate by some conservatives, voted for repeal because he is up for election next year and knew the vote would play well with Tennessee voters. Corker has not said whether he will seek a third term. In a statement released before Wednesday’s vote, Corker said: As I have said before, I believe the best path forward is for Congress to repeal Obamacare after a reasonable transition period. This amendment would take us back to a level playing field where, by a date certain, all sides have incentive to work together to develop a health care replacement that would generate broad support and stand the test of time. I urge my…
Read the full storySenate Health Care Legislation Stalls, Corker and Alexander Were Still Mulling Bill
The Senate health care bill appeared to stall late Monday for lack of votes needed to pass. Last week, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) said he was encouraged by the direction of the bill, while Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said he had concerns about its effects on Tennesseans and was waiting to see a report from the Congressional Budget Office. The bill was to have been considered this week, but was delayed until at least next week to give Arizona Republican Senator John McCain time to recover from surgery to remove a blood clot. McCain’s presence was needed to advance the bill, which has faced growing opposition. Then news broke late Monday that the bill in its current form has been brought to a halt after more senators stepped forward to say they wouldn’t support it. That means leaders will need to revamp the bill or scrap health care legislation this year. Some senators are opposed to the bill because they say the proposed cuts to Medicaid are too steep, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) says it keeps too much of Obamacare intact. Paul mounted a campaign to convince fellow Republicans that the bill is not a repeal as promised. The bill has…
Read the full storyBob Corker and Lamar Alexander Silent on Federal Contractor Failing to Provide Services to Refugees Dumped in Murfreesboro
The same day that The Tennessee Star discovered complaints publicized on YouTube by the refugee service volunteers in Murfreesboro made against refugee resettlement contractor World Relief for failing to provide basic and essential services, both Sens. Alexander and Corker’s offices were contacted for comment. Sen. Corker’s office never responded and while Sen. Alexander’s media contact asked for and was given additional time to look into the matter before responding, days later no comment was ever received. During the March “Murfreesboro Muslim Youth” (MMY) meeting soliciting help for refugees brought to Rutherford County by World Relief, refugee service organizer Melissa Sohrabi started crying while detailing the contractor’s neglect and failure to provide even basic survival services to the refugees they placed in Murfreesboro: [the third family] had nothing but a mattress and sheets, no blankets. They didn’t know how to work the thermostat, they were freezing. They were scared and they were so relieved because Saffi knew their language. They had been there for several days with no contact with anyone. They did not know how to get in touch with their caseworker and with no language skills they didn’t know where to go or who to ask to even how to get help. We immediately…
Read the full storyMarsha Blackburn Supports President Trump’s Firing of FBI Director While Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander Hedge
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) gave her complete support of President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey, while both of Tennessee’s U.S. Senators, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) hedged in their official comments. Here is the reaction of these three Republican members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to President Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday. They made their comments in official press statements and on social media. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Republican: The FBI Director is entrusted to conduct business in an apolitical manner. What we have seen from Director Comey has been a breach of that trust and a politicization of the office. His removal from this office is warranted after his recent conduct in his position. Senator Bob Corker, Republican: While the case for removal of Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey laid out by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein was thorough, his removal at this particular time will raise questions. It is essential that ongoing investigations are fulsome and free of political interference until their completion, and it is imperative that President Trump nominate a well-respected and qualified individual to lead the bureau at this critical time. Senator Lamar Alexander,…
Read the full storyTennessee’s Congressional Delegation Backs Syrian Airstrikes
Tennessee’s Congressional delegation is supporting the airstrikes in Syria ordered by President Trump and carried out on Thursday. Both United States Senators from Tennessee and all nine members of the delegation from the Volunteer State in the U.S. House of Representatives–seven Republicans and two Democrats– in public statements late Thursday and early Friday gave Trump’s actions their support. The airstrikes are in response to a chemical weapons attack carried out by the Syrian government against its own people in a rebel-controlled area. Sen. Bob Corker, who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a news release that he approves of Trump’s “decisive action.” “The U.S. and world community stood by as Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad brutally tortured and murdered more than 500,000 of his own people, and I applaud President Trump for taking decisive action following the latest chemical weapons attack,” Corker said. “It is critical that Assad knows he will no longer enjoy impunity for his horrific crimes against his own citizens, and this proportional step was appropriate. As we move forward, it will be important for the administration to engage with Congress and clearly communicate its full strategy to the American people.” Sen. Lamar Alexander…
Read the full storyPeyton Manning Will Not Run for Senate in Tennessee: ‘I Have NO Interest in the Political World’
Rumors swirling of a possible US Senate run by legendary football star Peyton Manning on the heels of a possible 2020 retirement of Senator Lamar Alexander have been sidelined. For now. The Denver Post reported University of Tennessee alum Manning denied any interest in the Senate, stating: “I have NO interest in the political world.” Via the Post: “I don’t know where that came from. Last week I was going to run a team, this week I going to apparently run for Senate, and next week I’ll be an astronaut,” Manning said. “I have no interest in the political world, but would like to continue serving communities.” Manning said he’s “excited about the next chapter of my career” and that he has “a bucket list” of things he wants to do before finding something new. “The best advice I got was to not sign up for something full-time right away that you can’t commit to,” he said. “I’m taking my time and seeing what my options might be.” So… we’ll put him down as a “maybe.” Read the Post’s full report at: http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/22/peyton-manning-political-world-interest/
Read the full storyShowdown in Williamson County: Conservative Grassroots Debbie Deaver Vs. Establishment Tom Miller in Fight for GOP County Chair
For some, Tuesday, Feb 28 might be just another National Chocolate Soufflé Day, but to the Williamson County Republican Party loyalists, it’s time to pick a new GOP Chair. The election in 2015 of outgoing Chairwoman Julie Hannah was a great victory for the conservative grassroots. Of the two candidates running to replace her, many activists believe Debbie Deaver represents a continuation of Hannah’s high-energy, principled leadership. Party insiders agree the choice between the two candidates emerging from the Willamson County GOP Convention earlier this year is stark: Establishment-supporting, Moderate Tom Miller, or conservative crackerjack, Deaver. Miller served as a Franklin alderman-at-large from 1997-2003, then was elected the Mayor of Franklin for a single term in 2003. However, although Miller enjoys a nearly ubiquitous reputation as a “nice guy,” some Republican activists fear the longtime Realtor and Franklin resident will “do nothing” but take orders from the Establishment Party Leaders in Tennessee like Governor Bill Haslam, and Senators Bob Corker and Llamar Alexander. “If Tom Miller is elected to the Williamson County Chair, we will go from being a strong conservative party organization, to simply being a big-government, liberal tax-and-spend organization,” said activist and Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips.…
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