Lawmakers React to Arrests of Illegal Aliens in ‘Multinational’ Human Trafficking Ring

Senator Marsha Blackburn, State Rep. Gino Bulso

Tennessee lawmakers are reacting to Monday’s Tennessee Star report that two illegal aliens living in Tennessee have been arrested in what the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) calls an ongoing criminal investigation into a multinational human sex trafficking ring. 

“Two illegal aliens caught & arrested in Tennessee have been linked to a multinational human trafficking ring,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on X. “Under Joe Biden, every town is a border town. We must close the border.”

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Tennessee Lawmakers Blast Border Bill

Tennessee’s elected Republicans are taking to the airwaves to oppose a 370 page spending bill that claims to address the crisis at the U.S. southern border with Mexico. 

“It is against the law for an individual to illegally cross into our country — it’s incredible that still needs to be said. We are a nation of law and order, yet the Biden administration has allowed over 8.8 million illegal immigrants to flood our border,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on X. 

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Sen. Blackburn Slams Big Tech Companies in Fox Interview

Sen. Marsha Blackburn Fox News

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee took to Fox News to slam Big Tech companies over the dangers their platforms pose to America’s youth. 

“You know, I wish that each one of those [tech executives] would have taken their turn at apologizing to those parents,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told Harris Faulkner on “The Faulkner Focus.” “You look at the amount of pornographic material on X, you look at what Snap has done, connecting kids to pedophiles and drug dealers, TikTok, with the kids that have done these TikTok challenges and lost their lives, Discord which is used for chats and gaming, and kids are meeting really bad actors. Every one of them owed those parents that were in that room an apology and those kids – friends of kids – who had lost their lives that showed up wearing those t-shirts. Some were worth more than $230 which is what [Meta CEO Mark] Zuckerberg said a teen was worth to them on social media.” 

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Sen. Blackburn Co-Sponsors Bill That Makes Blocking Traffic While Protesting a Federal Crime

Seattle Palestine Rally

A Tennessee senator is co-sponsoring a bill that would make it a federal crime to block a highway as a form of protest.

S.3492, “The Safe and Open Streets Act,” says “[i]t shall be unlawful to, in any way or degree, purposely obstruct, delay, or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by blocking a public road or highway, or to attempt or conspire so to do.”

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Tennessee Black Lives Matter Activist Pamela Moses, Who Faced Prison in 2022, Plans Independent Run for U.S. Senate

Pamela J. Moses

Tennessee Black Lives Matter activist and former Memphis mayoral candidate Pamela Moses is running for U.S. Senate as an independent candidate. She will seek to challenge Senator Marsha Blackburn (R) and the Democratic Party nominee.

A Facebook page for Moses’ campaign has been active since November 20, and on December 30 she appeared in a live stream to confirm her candidacy. Federal filings reveal she filed paperwork for her Senate run in 2023.

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn Urges Military to Prepare for ‘Space Warfare’ After Israel Intercepts Houthi Missile Outside Earth’s Atmosphere

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) urged in a Wednesday letter to the United States Space Force for the military to prepare for “space warfare” after Israel reported intercepting a rocket from outside Earth’s orbit after it was launched by Iran-backed Houthi militants.

“The world has crossed into a new, concerning frontier: war in space,” Blackburn warned the military branch in her letter, which was first obtained by The Washington Free Beacon. After highlighting the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and rising Chinese tensions over the fate of Taiwan, Blackburn noted the October 31 interception of a ballistic missile launched by “Iranian-sponsored Houthi terrorists” in Yemen.

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Blackburn Grills FBI Director on Epstein Flight Logs

During a Tuesday meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) grilled the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wray, about what she said she believes is a lack of thorough investigation into an alleged high-profile sex trafficking ring run by billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

“The last few weeks I’ve been demanding some answers on Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, and trying to get these flight records,” said Blackburn. “I’ve offered amendments to the subpoena. I’ve kind of been stonewalled on it but I think having transparency around Jeffrey Epstein’s conduct and this massive sex trafficking ring is important. And of course you’ve had the Chairman, Sen. [Mazie] Hirono, Sen. [Jon] Ossoff, all who have mentioned our concerns with what is happening with sex trafficking.”

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With Homicides on the Rise, Tennessee to Honor Victims in ‘Season to Remember’

The Tennessee Board of Parole announced Tuesday that it will honor homicide victims with a “Season to Remember” event that is scheduled for December 7.

“For more than two decades, state and local public safety officials, along with families of homicide victims, have gathered to honor and remember victims and survivors of homicide during the holiday season,” said a press release. “This year will mark the state’s 21st annual ‘Tennessee Season to Remember’, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, December 7 at First Baptist Church in downtown Nashville.”

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Memphis Judge Releases Suspect in Thanksgiving Murder of 15-Year-Old with Zero Bond

An 18-year-old man accused of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old on Thanksgiving was released from a Shelby County jail on his own recognizance Monday, forfeiting zero bond despite allegedly confessing to his role in the crime.

Police said Edio White admitted to driving his co-defendant Conner Tucker, 15, to the Binghampton home of Anthony Mason on November 23, under the guise of Tucker trading firearms with Mason, News Channel 3 reported. When the two teens arrived at Mason’s home, police said Tucker exited the vehicle and shot Mason once in the head, killing him.

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn Introduces Bill to Stop Human Traffickers from ‘Recycling’ Children with Sen. Katie Britt

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced a bill with Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) to combat the alleged recycling of illegal immigrant children at the southern border. The bill would empower U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to fingerprint non-citizens under the age of 14.

With a database of children taken into the country illegally, the senators’ Preventing the Recycling of Immigrants is Necessary for Trafficking Suspension (PRINTS) Act would then require CBP to “publicly report the number of apprehensions in a given month involving child traffickers who falsely claimed that an accompanying child was a relative and submit an annual report to Congress identifying the number of minors who were fingerprinted” due to the legislation.

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University of Tennessee Admits Professor Made Antisemitic Comments in Class

The University of Tennessee (UT) admitted in a statement on Wednesday night that one of its professors made antisemitic comments during a classroom lecture, but said it could not go into details out of respect for the students’ privacy.

In a statement, UT Director of News and Information Tyra Hagg distributed to the media late Wednesday, the university claimed it “has addressed concerns about a class lecture that included several comments” which fall under the “working definition of antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance” in 2016.

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Commentary: FAIR and SITE Acts Will Help Tennesseans with Healthcare Costs

As sensational headlines come across our TV screens, phones and newspapers every day, it’s easy to lose sight of what issues matter most to Americans. This is why it’s more important than ever before that we help our elected leaders avoid the distractions and stay focused on how to help their constituents.

Too many Americans struggle to access quality, affordable health care. The high cost of care can be a difficult burden, especially amidst today’s many political and societal challenges. To put it flatly: the cost of health care is too expensive, and we need more solutions to address it.

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U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty Blasts Continuing Resolution for Failure to Include ‘Serious Border-Security Measures’

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) blasted the passage of the 45 day Continuing Resolution that included no spending cuts and failed to properly increase funding for U.S. border security.

The bill passed the House on Saturday in a 335 to 91 vote, then passed the Senate in an 88 to 9 vote, and was signed into law by President Biden just hours before the midnight deadline on Saturday, when funding for the 2022-2023 federal fiscal year. The bill continues funding the government at 2022-2023 levels until November 15.

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Tennessee Republicans Remember Dianne Feinstein Despite Political Differences

Tennessee’s elected Republicans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, Friday and offered somber reactions to the death of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), sending their condolences despite political differences with the late senator. 

“Senator Dianne Feinstein was a trailblazer for women in politics. Despite our differences, I enjoyed our work together to protect songwriters and take on Big Tech. My prayers are with her family,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). 

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Coast Guard Saves Drowning Crane Operator After Accident Near Memphis

According to a maritime news outlet, the United States Coast Guard in Memphis saved a drowning man’s life last week after the crane he was operating fell into McKellar Lake.

“The U.S. Coast Guard helped resuscitated an unresponsive crane operator Tuesday near Memphis, Tennessee, after the crane he was operating fell into the water,” according to a Coast Guard release. 

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Blackburn Slams Biden over Changing Stories Related to Hunter’s Business Dealings

A Tennessee senator on Wednesday blasted the Biden administration for President Joe Biden’s changing accounts of his involvement in his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings.

“The White House is now claiming that Hunter did not share his profits with Joe,” Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) captioned a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Biden keeps on changing the narrative to hide his corruption.”

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Democrat U.S. Senate Hopeful Once Said North Korea Has More Democracy than Tennessee

A state representative who announced her run for U.S. Senate Tuesday once told a news outlet that North Korea was more democratic than the state of Tennessee.

“I feel like North Korea has more democracy than we do in the state of Tennessee, and it’s terrifying to me that we’re in this march to fascism,” State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) told Mother Jones in April. “And it seems like the Tennessee supermajority is leading the charge.”

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Sources: Likely U.S. Senate Candidate Gloria Johnson to Use Special Session to Raise Campaign Profile

State Rep. Gloria Johnson (R-Knoxville) formed an exploratory committee for her expected run for U.S. Senate, and a Nashville insider told The Tennessee Star that Johnson is expected to use the upcoming special session of the General Assembly as a bully pulpit to raise the profile of her campaign. 

“I’ve been told by people in the general assembly that say that she’s officially announcing the day before session, and then she’s going to roll right into session and grandstand and make the session about her campaign,” the source told The Star, adding that Johnson is expected to “ham it up with her two buddies,” referring to Reps. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Knoxville). 

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State Rep. Who Led Riot Says She Will Challenge Sen. Blackburn

According to multiple reports, State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) will challenge Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) for her seat during the 2024 election cycle.

“I’m taking a serious look at the race and having conversations with folks that are hungry for better leadership in Washington,” Johnson told Politico. “Honestly, Tennesseans deserve someone who will stand up to corrupt special interests, fight for lower costs so that every family can build a good life and that’s not Marsha Blackburn.”

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Gulbransen on Gloria Johnson Senate Bid: You Don’t Tug on Superman’s Cape, You Don’t Mess with Marsha Blackburn When You’re a Marxist

Official guest host of The Tennessee Star Report and executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition Tennessee Aaron Gulbransen joined Michael Patrick Leahy in-studio Tuesday to discuss the purported U.S. Senate candidacy of the far-left Democrat State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville).

Gulbransen took the opportunity to remind listeners of Johnson’s liberal bona fides and Marsha Blackburn’s ferocity on the campaign trail.

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Tennessee Department of Health Engages in Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH) will work with local leaders to support the Red Sand Project between July 25 and 31.

‘’Human trafficking is a hidden crime in our state and across the country because victims rarely come forward to receive help or services,’’ said Tennessee Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado, MD, FACP. ‘’It’s up to all of us to bring an end to the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The Red Sand Project reminds us how crucial it is for communities, both urban and rural, to engage in awareness and education activities that support survivors of human trafficking and strengthen our prevention efforts.”

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Sen. Blackburn Slams Biden Admin for Being Soft on China

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee spent Thursday morning slamming President Joe Biden and his administration for what she believes are weak policies that are allowing China to gain ground in the war for global dominance. 

“The Biden administration wants to let Communist China off the hook on COVID, Taiwan, and Cuba. Their policies will makes us more dependent on the CCP,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), attaching a video from an appearance on Fox News. 

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Sen. Hagerty: Biden Will Allow Two Times Tennessee’s Population in Illegal Aliens to Enter Country

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee slammed President Joe Biden for his open borders policies, and contextualized the amount of illegal aliens who will cross into the United States under the Biden administration. 

“With an estimated 5,500,000 illegal border crossings so far, Biden is on track over a 4-year term to allow illegal immigration in an amount nearly double the entire population of Tennessee,” Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) said Tuesday on Twitter. 

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Kari Lake to Host Rally Concert Event Featuring Country Music Star John Rich

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake’s next big event, Kari’s Country Concert, will take place Saturday at 5:00 pm and feature a rodeo, rally, and concert starring county music star John Rich.

“Join us in Morristown for a Rodeo, Rally & concert with [John Rich]! This event will be so much fun! I can’t wait to see you all there,” Lake tweeted.

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Blackburn, Other Senators Fire Back After Medical Groups Call for Censorship of Critics of Minor-Age ‘Gender Reassignment’

After the American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Children’s Hospital Association asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate people and organization who speak out against gender transition surgeries for minors, a U.S. Senator from Tennessee wrote to the DOJ to ensure the protection of Americans’ First Amendment rights. 

“We write to express our concern with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) continued pattern of abusing its investigative authority to police the speech of Americans and stifle ongoing policy debates,” said a letter penned by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and co-signed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TN) among others. 

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Exclusive: Tennessee National Guardsman Confirms Troops Losing Benefits Due to COVID-19 Vaccination Status

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee, along with several of her colleagues, announced Friday that she had introduced legislation aiming to stop the federal government from kicking soldiers out of the National Guard due to their COVID-19 vaccination status. 

“Joe Biden announced the ‘pandemic is over,’ and therefore has no reason to continue to fire our servicemembers using his politically-motivated vaccine mandate,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn in a press release. “America’s national readiness should not be jeopardized because this White House is hellbent on preserving their forever pandemic. My legislation continues my work to strengthen our armed forces and prevent yet another unconstitutional power grab from the Biden administration.”

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Exclusive: Senator Blackburn Completes Annual 95-County Tour of Tennessee

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee released a video recapping a 95 county tour of the state, which she does annually, meeting with members of local communities statewide. 

“We just finished our annual 95 county tour, visiting with all our county mayors, elected officials, our business owners and citizens of this great state,” said U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn in a video uploaded to her YouTube page. 

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Hagerty, Blackburn Introduce ‘Restoring Law and Order Act’

Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators have introduced legislation that would speed up the process of analyzing sexual assault kits after Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher was abducted and killed by a habitual offender two weeks ago. 

“United States Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Restoring Law and Order Act in response to the violence plaguing communities across America,” according to a joint press release. “Compared to mid-2019, America’s largest cities have seen a 50% increase in homicides and a 36% increase in aggravated assaults. In Tennessee, Memphis has experienced a series of shockingly violent crimes.”

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Blackburn Says Biden’s Speech a Distraction from His Failures While Speech Draws Negative Response

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee says President Joe Biden’s Thursday night speech, wherein he labeled his political opponents as “extremists” who are a threat to the United States is simply a distraction tactic. 

“Don’t allow Joe Biden to distract from the real problem: inflation is at a 40-year high, there is a crisis at our southern border, and our adversaries don’t fear us,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said. 

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Blackburn: ‘Appalling’ for Biden Admin to Label Trump Supporters ‘Threat to Democracy’

Hours before President Joe Biden was set to address the nation on the state of U.S. democracy, a U.S. Senator from Tennessee blasted the Biden administration for claiming that supporters of former President Donald Trump are somehow a threat to American freedom. 

“While the press secretary’s comments are appalling, they aren’t surprising. Democrats and their friends in the liberal media are no strangers to using these over the top accusations to silence conservatives,” U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told The Tennessee Star Thursday. “The fact of the matter is that the Biden White House is terrified to have a debate over how their disastrous policies have caused inflation to hit a 40-year high and created a crisis at our southern border, so they’re resorting to scare tactics. Unfortunately for them, it’s not going to work.” 

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Blackburn Hammers DOJ, Says It’s Targeting Conservatives

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee has been hammering the Department of Justice (DOJ) for nearly a week after news broke that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. 

“There are plenty of great people who work for the FBI and have worked for the FBI, but there is a cabal within the FBI that has politicized the agency, and they did this from the time Donald Trump came down the escalator and announced his campaign – they have been after him,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Fox News. “So in some way, shape or form they cooked up this raid – they had [FBI Director] Christopher Wray agree with the raid – and of course [U.S. Attorney General] Merrick Garland signed off on this.”

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Sen. Blackburn Hammers FBI, DOJ After Mar-a-Lago Raid

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee is speaking out against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its parent agency, the Department of Justice (DOJ), after the FBI Monday raided former President Donald J. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. 

“Why are the FBI and DOJ refusing to comment after raiding the private home of a former U.S. President? The American people demand transparency — they do not want another political witch hunt of President Trump. We need to know if Joe Biden or his allies were involved,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said. 

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Tennessee Lawmakers Rip Biden Admin over Recession Debacle

Tennessee’s lawmakers are ripping the Biden administration as he and other Democrats attempt to convince Americans that the country is not on the cusp of a recession, despite the expected Thursday announcement of two straight quarters of economic shrinkage. 

“Instead of changing the definition of recession, why won’t the White House change their policies that may get us in a recession in the first place?” Rep. John Rose (R-TN-06) asked on Twitter, linking to a speech he gave on the floor of the U.S. House. 

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Sen. Blackburn Reacts to Sen. Warren’s Call to Shut Down All Pregnancy Centers

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee Friday reacted to a call from a colleague to shut down all pregnancy centers in the United States. 

“Elizabeth Warren believes each and every pregnancy resource center across the country should be shut down,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). “What does the left have against those working to support mother and child?”

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Exclusive: Sen. Blackburn Discusses Fentanyl Crisis with TBI Special Agent

A U.S. senator from Tennessee sat down for a wide-ranging interview with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Drug Task Force Director to expose America’s deadly fentanyl crisis that is getting worse by the day.

“Thousands of people are on the march toward our southern border as we speak. What do they want? Biden’s welcome package – free phone, free plane ticket, and free baby formula,” said Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). “We know that among that group, drug dealers and smugglers are bringing across deadly amounts of fentanyl. I spoke with TBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Farmer to expose how this crisis is devastating our communities.”

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Rep. Rose Co-Sponsors Massie’s Bill to Ban Military Vaccine Mandates

As Tennessee’s unvaccinated National Guardsmen face an uncertain future after Thursday’s deadline to take the COVID-19 jab or be fired has come and gone, one member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee has taken action at the federal level. 

Rep. John Rose (R-TN-06) is cosponsoring a bill with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY-04) that would prevent government mandated vaccinations for members of the U.S. Military. 

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Tennessee Lawmakers Call for Safe Return of Marine Who Attempted Suicide in Venezuelan Jail

Elected officials in Tennessee are calling for the safe return of a U.S. Marine who is jailed in Venezuela after that Marine attempted to take his own life over the weekend. 

“The safe return of Matthew Heath must be the highest priority for the White House and State Department,” said Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03). “Our government and the Venezuelan government must come to an agreement to medically evacuate Matthew. His life is in danger, and we cannot delay.”

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Entire Tennessee Congressional Delegation Urges Biden to Approve Lee’s ‘Major Disaster’ Request After Sevier County Fires

In a rare showing of bipartisanship, the entire federal congressional delegation from Tennessee this week signed a letter addressed to President Joe Biden (D) urging him to approve Gov. Bill Lee’s (R) request to declare a major disaster emergency.

An early April wildfire tore through 3,700 acres in Sevier County in early April, prompting the request for the federal declaration.

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