Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced a bill on Tuesday that would limit President Joe Biden’s ability to roll back current border restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The legislation, known as the SHIELD Act, strengthens Title 42 , which was put into place by former President Donald Trump in an effort to limit the coronavirus over the course of the pandemic
Read the full story
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn urged President Biden and her colleagues in the Senate to fully support the ongoing protests in Cuba against the current communist regime.
“The ruling communists have bled the Cuban people dry and now armed thugs have taken to the streets to repress the opposition at any cost. Make no mistake. This is a test for President Biden. He must draw a line in the sand. I call on my colleagues in the majority, on President Biden, and the members of his cabinet to join me in supporting all who would risk their lives to expose the ravages of socialism in Cuba,” she said while speaking on the Senate floor.
Read the full story
Ahead of the Senate vote to federalize elections, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) hosted a press call to predict the outcome and explain her position against the bill. As Blackburn predicted on the call Tuesday morning, Senate Republicans blocked the bill.
On that press call, Blackburn told The Tennessee Star that local governments are better built to handle elections than the federal government.
Read the full story
Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) are calling for increased transparency for the foreign funding in higher education. The Foreign Funding Accountability Act will target Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. That law requires universities to submit biannual reports on all foreign gifts and contract transactions. The Department of Education reported last October that many colleges and universities fail to comply with Section 117.
The two Tennessee senators introduced the Foreign Funding Accountability Act alongside Senators Tom Cotton (R-AK) and Tim Scott (R-SC). China was identified as the main foreign actor that spurred the legislation. The bill would require the full names of all levels of foreign donating entities and the purpose(s) for those gift-transactions, close the loopholes allowing gifting by registered foreign agents and exempting in-kind gifts from counting towards the disclosure minimum, lower the minimum reporting threshold for disclosure in terms of dollar amount to $25,000, and levy a graduated civil penalty structure against higher education institutions that willfully and repeatedly violate Section 117.
Read the full story
Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) joined Congressman Chuck Fleischmann in introducing the Migrant Resettlement Transparency Act.
If enacted, the legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to consult with state and local officials regarding federally sanctioned migrant resettlement before the migrants are relocated to the specific area.
Read the full story
Since reports of migrant children landing in Chattanooga emerged over the week, Tennessee’s legislators are urging the Biden Administration to cease importing migrants. In a press release, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced that Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03) joined her in a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary (USDHS) Alejandro Mayorkas.
It is apparent from the letter that Tennessee’s leaders at both the federal and state levels have been left in the dark on the Biden Administration’s orders concerning migrants. The legislators asked Becerra and Mayorkas to answer whether the federal government is using Tennessee as a central location for resettling unaccompanied alien children.
Read the full story
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) blamed the “Biden Surcharge” for the climbing prices of goods in this country. Blackburn coined the term during a Senate floor session on Thursday. She had a poster propped up next to her that read: “THE BIDEN SURCHARGE: PAYING A PREMIUM JUST TO LIVE FROM THE MOMENT YOU WAKE UP, TO THE MOMENT YOUR HEAD HITS THE PILLOW.” In a statement to The Tennessee Star, Blackburn claimed that Biden’s spending was to blame for the increasing cost of living nationwide.
“President Biden has recklessly spent American tax dollars throughout his first 100 days in office. Now, future generations will bear the burden of Biden as inflation catches up and grips our nation,” said Blackburn.
Read the full story
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Representative David Kustoff (R-TN-08) in re-introducing the Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act of 2021.
“The practice of releasing violent serial criminals has to end. Repeat offenders should not be rewarded with the freedom to needlessly victimize more law-abiding Americans,” Blackburn said in a statement released by her office.
Read the full story
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and 14 other Republican Senators issued a letter to the international business community warning against resuming business with Iran.
The opportunity to resume business with Iran comes as President Joe Biden and his administration officials may repeal some sanctions in order to facilitate negotiations to return to a nuclear deal similar to the one implemented by President Obama in 2015.
Read the full story
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called for increased cybersecurity measures in a recent interview with Fox News.
Senator Blackburn’s remarks come in response to the cyber attack on Colonial Pipeline, which has greatly impacted gas prices and levels across several states.
Read the full story
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced Wednesday a bill to prevent President Joe Biden from circumventing the U.S. Senate to renegotiate the Iran Nuclear Deal.
The legislation, “Iran Nuclear Deal Advice and Consent Act,” would prevent federal funds from going to the deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It would require current and future administrations to submit any JCPOA successor agreement as a written treaty rather than an international agreement.
Read the full story
After Major League Baseball (MLB) pulled its All-Star Game out of Georgia over new voter laws, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) proposed a bill Wednesday to subject the organization to antitrust laws. The “Competition in Professional Baseball Act” would repeal Section 27 of the Clayton Act.
MLB parroted the outcry over Georgia’s new voter ID laws. The organization claimed that voter ID requirements disproportionately disenfranchise Black individuals, and therefore are inherently racist policies.
Read the full story
U.S Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty (both R-TN) reversed course late Wednesday night and allowed Arizona’s disputed electoral votes to be counted, WJHL reported.
Just last week, the duo had pledged to contest the Electoral College results, The Tennessee Star reported.
Read the full story
Eleven more Republican U.S. senators and senators-elect from 10 states said they will contest the Electoral College results Wednesday over fraud concerns.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), one of the 11, made the announcement Saturday. Senator-Elect Bill Hagerty (R-TN), who was endorsed by President Donald Trump in the election, is working with her in the dissent.
Read the full story
Wednesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn to the newsmakers line to discuss her new podcast.
Read the full story
Tennessee Republicans are joining in a 50-state effort today to raise funds to support Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff elections. The Georgia Battleground Fund event will be held in all 50 states, Fox News reported. The Jan. 5 runoff election for incumbent Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler against their Democratic rivals Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock will determine control of the Senate. Politico reported that combined spending by both sides has reached $100 million and will climb. Sources told The Tennessee Star that the Volunteer State’s fundraiser will be held today from 10-11 a.m. on a Zoom call. Speakers will be U.S. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), U.S. Sen.-elect Bill Hagerty and Loeffler. Donations for the Georgia Battleground Fund are being accepted here. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) told Fox News the Georgia Battleground Fund team is led by Outgoing NRSC Chairman Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) and Karl Rove as national finance chairman, with help in every state. Democrats are making a push to fully exploit weaknesses in Georgia’s voter registration laws that include no minimum residency requirement and allowing out-of-state drivers’ licenses for voting, Georgia Star News reported. They have encouraged people to move to Georgia to vote in…
Read the full story
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) took to task Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock for their political motives and agendas.
In an interview with Fox Business, Blackburn was asked what was at stake if Republican incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue lost.
Read the full story
Monday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Senator Marsha Blackburn to the newsmakers line to discuss the vote for Amy Coney Barrett as Supreme Court Justice.
Read the full story
Ahead of the third and final presidential, Turning Point USA of Nashville hosted a debate watch party downtown. Speakers included country star John Rich, “Final Thoughts” political commentator Tomi Lahren, First Liberty Institute President and CEO Kelly Shackelford, Students For Trump co-founder Ryan Fournier, pro-life advocate Victoria Robinson, world-renowned eye surgeon and public speaker Dr. Ming Wang, and famed conservative public intellectual Dr. Carol Swain.
The idea for the event came about three to four weeks ago, according to Turning Point USA Belmont President Jeffrey Seraphine. Ahead of the debate, Seraphine told The Tennessee Star that the speakers volunteered their time when asked.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) appeared on Fox Business’ Morning with Maria on Thursday and asked how former FBI director Jim Comey and others could have been so oblivious about details on Crossfire Hurricane.
Crossfire Hurricane refers to the FBI investigation of alleged collusion between President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign with Russia.
Read the full story
In a special interview, Tuesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed U.S. Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee to the newsmakers line.
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has been busy checking in on the state’s response to the deadly tornadoes that hit Middle Tennessee this week.
Read the full story
In a special interview Thursday on the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy welcomed U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn to the show to talk about the current impeachment process now in the Senate.
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced a resolution Monday to update Senate rules to allow a motion to dismiss articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump for lack of prosecution. The resolution, which calls for immediate action on an impeachment, is available here. Blackburn tweeted, “Impeachment shouldn’t be playing out like an episode of House of Cards. If Pelosi fails to send the articles promptly over to the Senate, we should hold a vote to dismiss them and get on with our work. That’s why I’m co-sponsoring @Hawleymo’s impeachment rule change resolution.” Impeachment shouldn’t be playing out like an episode of House of Cards. If Pelosi fails to send the articles promptly over to the Senate, we should hold a vote to dismiss them and get on with our work. That’s why I’m co-sponsoring @Hawleymo’s impeachment rule change resolution. https://t.co/RCI0yPNDlo — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 6, 2020 Blackburn, in a press release, called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s attempt to prevent an impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate “unprecedented.” “After three years of searching for a reason to impeach this president, Democrats in the House cannot seem to find the time to send…
Read the full story
What do you suppose the Alliance for American Advertising has in common with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the American Society of Civil Engineers, or American Apparel and Footwear? Apart from beginning with the letter “A,” they are among the nearly 3,500 trades or firms that have dedicated lobbying operations in Washington, D.C.
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined officials in touring the Union Row development in Memphis Friday.
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) had some things to say — such as “witch hunt” — on the Senate floor Wednesday about House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry about President Donald Trump.
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined other senators in asking YouTube’s parent company Google to expand its copyright infringement technology to more members of the creative community, including those in Nashville.
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Wednesday joined Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to introduce a resolution commending the men and women of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency for their honorable service.
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced bipartisan legislation Monday that would enhance the preparation of students in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) for careers in computer science and cybersecurity, she said in a press release. The JROTC Cyber Training Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Gary Peters (D-MI). Identical bipartisan legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX). Blackburn tweeted, “By providing funding for high school training in computer science and cybersecurity, we can ensure that the next generation in uniform is prepared for the future of combat. Glad to join @SenJackyRosen to invest in this crucial aspect of rebuilding our nation’s military.” By providing funding for high school training in computer science and cybersecurity, we can ensure that the next generation in uniform is prepared for the future of combat. Glad to join @SenJackyRosen to invest in this crucial aspect of rebuilding our nation's military. https://t.co/KYlveHOGQE — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 22, 2019 By 2026, the Department of Labor projects there will be 3.5 million computing-related jobs, yet the current education pipeline will only fill 19 percent of those openings, Blackburn said.…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Thursday spoke on the Senate floor asking for support for the bipartisan BROWSER Act and discussed the dangers of FaceApp ahead of the first Senate Judiciary Tech Task Force meeting she led that afternoon. “A quick scroll through an average Instagram feed this morning revealed post after post of artificially-aged faces—all thanks to FaceApp, who now owns those images, and can do whatever they like with them,” Blackburn said in a press release. “Don’t mistake that recklessness for trust. Ask anyone who downloaded that app last night how they feel about it this afternoon.” Video of her speech is available here. Later in the day, Blackburn tweeted, “Thank you @LindseyGrahamSC for asking me to serve as Chair of the @senjudiciary Tech Task Force.” Thank you @LindseyGrahamSC for asking me to serve as Chair of the @senjudiciary Tech Task Force. pic.twitter.com/PxtvZyvMsk — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 18, 2019 The free FaceApp allows users to make themselves look older in photos. Business Insider reported on privacy concerns that have surfaced for the Russian-created app that has more than 12.7 million new users. The terms of service allow the company to license photos for commercial…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Thursday again raised the topic of Snapchat and her efforts to urge the company to protect minors from sexual predators. Blackburn addressed the Senate about a letter she wrote Monday to Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel urging him to protect children from sexual predators and from being exposed to explicit content while using the platform. The Tennessee Star reported on the letter on Tuesday. Blackburn said in the letter, “Snapchat’s app rating—rated age appropriate for children ages 13 and up—fails to provide parents with adequate warnings about the platform’s dangers. The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted some of the ancillary risks associated with allowing such young children on the platform. ’13 has become the internet’s age of adulthood,’ when it should instead be 18.” Blackburn gave Spiegel a deadline of July 29 to respond to a list of questions. Video of Blackburn’s speech is available here. Blackburn’s remarks as prepared were as follows: Thank you, Madam President. In 2017, ICE agents arrested Francisco Javier Soledad on charges of producing child pornography using the popular social media app Snapchat. He assumed a variety of false identities, first a teenage boy, later an adult woman, and…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Wednesday voted to fund the needs of border patrol agents to address the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border. The bill passed the Senate with a substantial bipartisan majority of 84-4, providing $4.59 billion in funds, Blackburn said in a press release. Presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) was too busy doing a press availability tour at a migrant facility in Miami to make the vote. She was scheduled to appear in the Democratic presidential debate Wednesday night as well. She criticized the detention of 2,300 illegal immigrant children, Fox News said. “This is not what we should be doing,” she argued. Taking aim at the president’s illegal immigration detention policies, Warren said that “these children pose no threat to people here in the United States and yet they are locked up for weeks, for months, because our government is following a policy of inflicting maximum pain.” On Wednesday, The Tennessee Star reported that President Donald Trump’s $4.5 billion border spending request faced obstacles because the House and Senate versions differed. The bills are similar on the amount of funding but differ on other topics like funding for Immigration…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined several colleagues to introduce the Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act to halt the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortion services. “Sixty percent of Americans oppose their tax dollars being used to fund abortions,” Blackburn said in a press release. “We should honor their wishes by ending the use of public funds. The pro-life community should not be forced to directly or indirectly fund this abhorrent practice.” Co-sponsors are U.S. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS). The House version is H.R. 833, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO-04). The Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act is supported by the Susan B. Anthony List. In January, Blackburn introduced her first bill in the Senate, The Tennessee Star reported. That bill – S. 105, the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act – would strips all abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, of federal funding under Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Of the Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act, Cramer said, “Abortion providers do not deserve taxpayer subsidies. While current law prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions, companies like Planned Parenthood still receive millions of…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is tackling the fentanyl crisis. Last week, Blackburn and Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Ben Sasse (R-NE) introduced he Ending the Fentanyl Crisis Act of 2019, the Tennessee senator said in a press release. The bill aims to ensure that sentencing penalties for trafficking fentanyl reflect the deadliness of the drug. This legislation marks a major step toward addressing the nation’s opioid epidemic, Blackburn said. “Fentanyl is deadly, and it is killing Americans every single day,” Blackburn said. “It’s time the punishment fit the crime for these drug traffickers.” The bill reduces the amount of fentanyl that drug traffickers and dealers must be caught with in order for mandatory sentencing minimums to apply. Under current sentencing guidelines, a trafficker with 2 grams of fentanyl is treated the same as a trafficker with 5 grams of heroin even though fentanyl is 50 times deadlier than heroin. Cotton and the other senators joined Blackburn in discussing their reasoning for introducing the bill. “Fentanyl is one of the most dangerous drugs there is,” Cotton said. “It killed nearly 30,000 Americans last year and has been a driving force behind the opioid crisis in the…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is gaining attention for her strong stands on border security and “big tech.” On Saturday, she joined Fox News’ Neil Cavuto on “Cavuto Live” to discuss her trip to the border in El Paso, Texas, Friday to meet with Customs and Border Patrol officials. Blackburn also discussed how Congress should assess the size of big tech companies. ‘Big tech’ Cavuto called it “an odd confluence of events” to have many Republicans and Democrats agreeing on a subject — the need to watch “big tech.” Regarding “big tech,” Blackburn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said “They are big ad companies. They have pretty much built monopolies in their space and it is time to review their practices and see how much we know about what they are doing with, as I call it, your Virtual You – you and your presence online.” Congress needs to “do a deep dive” and examine the companies’ business practices before making any sort of recommendations to the Department of Justice, Blackburn said. In April, Blackburn said tech companies should embrace “the spirit of the First Amendment,” The Tennessee Star reported. She called out media giants to…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Thursday spoke on the Senate floor about the ongoing crisis at America’s Southern border with Mexico. Blackburn said the border is facing a “real humanitarian crisis” while ICE is challenged on making deportations. Her remarks to the Senate follow: Our border is strained to the breaking point. There is a real humanitarian crisis escalating, with people being stranded in the desert without food or water, at 100 degree weather in summer. At the same time, ICE faces mounting challenges on expediting deportations. Abuse and exploitation of the asylum process overburdens our court system, as migrants flood our borders claiming persecution. Our country historically welcomes people fleeing political persecution, but there must be tighter rules on asylum seekers. I welcome President Trump’s moves to raise the standards. Last week the President directed the Department of Homeland Security to enact several new asylum changes. As part of these new policies, the President imposed a new deadline for the immigration courts to meet. He directed that cases in immigration courts be settled within 180 days. Tennesseans want to see government accountability, and a six month deadline is exactly the accountability the government needs. Right now there…
Read the full story
U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on Monday called for a Federal Trade Commission investigation into online platforms over privacy concerns, data security and antitrust violations. Blackburn tweeted, “Today, @SenAmyKlobuchar and I urged the @FTC to hold tech companies like @Google and @Facebook accountable for securing their platforms. Tennesseans are rightly concerned about who owns their #VirtualYou.” Today, @SenAmyKlobuchar and I urged the @FTC to hold tech companies like @Google and @Facebook accountable for securing their platforms. Tennesseans are rightly concerned about who owns their #VirtualYou. pic.twitter.com/rQvvY0ZPce — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) April 8, 2019 The letter comes a few weeks after U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-01), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee, asked for the FTC to probe whether Facebook has violated antitrust laws, The Hill said. Blackburn said in a press release, “Tennesseans are rightly concerned about who owns their Virtual You. They want to be certain that their privacy is protected in both the physical and virtual space. The FTC has a responsibility to hold technology companies accountable for securing their platforms. My hope is that through this bipartisan effort we will shed light on the need to protect competition and online privacy to keep up…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) praised Attorney General William Barr for quickly releasing the summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings to Congress that show President Donald Trump did not collude with Russia. Mueller’s investigation found no evidence President Donald Trump, his campaign or associates conspired or coordinated with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, according to a summary released Sunday by Attorney General William Barr, The Tennessee Star reported. Blackburn tweeted her statement. My statement on today’s letter from Attorney General Barr: pic.twitter.com/1xpZQDtWdZ — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) March 25, 2019 Blackburn’s statement reads: “After two years of thorough investigation, led by a team of 19 lawyers and 40 FBI employees, costing over $25 million in taxpayer dollars, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s conclusions confirm that President Trump’s campaign did not collude with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. “Attorney General Bill Barr, in a jointly reached conclusion with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, determined the evidence from the Special Counsel report was ‘not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.’ “Attorney General Barr is to be commended for his quick release of the findings to Congress as well as his commitment to continue reviewing…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) joined Democrats in voting against President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to build the border wall and likened the president to King George III who was king of England during the American Revolution. Alexander was one of 12 Republican senators to join Democrats in a 59-41 vote against the president, The Washington Examiner said. Trump said he would veto the measure. Last month, 13 Republicans joined Democrats in the House to vote against Trump’s declaration. The Senate Republicans said Trump’s use of a declaration of a national emergency would open the doors for Democratic presidents to use the measure to push gun control or fight climate change. In a series of tweets, Alexander defended his break with the president. One tweet said, “I support the president on border security. I have urged him to build the 234 miles of border wall he has asked for in the fastest possible way by using $5.7 billion already approved by Congress.” I support the president on border security. I have urged him to build the 234 miles of border wall he has asked for in the fastest possible way by using $5.7 billion already approved by…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) voted Thursday to advance Neomi Rao’s nomination to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to move Rao’s nomination to the full Senate, Fox News said. Rao would fill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s vacant seat on the court. Rao is in charge of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, where she has a key job in President Donald Trump’s work to cut federal rules and regulations, Fox News said. She also is on leave as an associate professor of law from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. She teaches and writes in the areas of structural constitutional law, administrative law, and legislation and statutory interpretation, according to her biography. She founded the law school’s Center for the Study of the Administrative State. Democrats and two Republicans — Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Thursday grilled Rao on her stance on topics from sexual assault to LGBT rights to deregulation, Fox News said. She said, “Tennesseans have regularly said over the last several years one of the things that concerned them most is the judges that…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced Friday that President Donald Trump is essentially backing her bill to protect unborn babies by defunding Planned Parenthood. Blackburn on Jan. 10 introduced her first bill in the U.S. Senate, S. 105, the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, to strip all abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, of federal funding under Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Now, Trump has announced he would issue a rule to block the use of federal funds from going to abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, under Title X of the Public Health Service Act, Blackburn said in a press release. The Department of Health and Human Services rule accomplishes the same goal as her act, she said. The bill’s tracking information is here. “President Trump is to be commended for taking action to ensure that federal funding for women’s health is used for its intended purpose, not the ending of innocent human life,” Blackburn said. “This new rule works to accomplish the same goal as the bill I introduced in January, the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, so taxpayers can be sure their dollars only go toward funding women’s health programs, not big abortion providers.…
Read the full story
There should have been nothing controversial about protecting babies born after botched abortions, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) wrote. Blackburn’s comments about the failed Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act appeared in an op-ed Tuesday on Fox News. The op-ed is available here. Blackburn said, in part: On Monday night I proudly voted for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. There should be nothing controversial about voting to give babies born as a result of a failed abortion the same degree of medical care given to those born at the same stage of a pregnancy. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is legislation that makes certain every child who is born has the same opportunity to live and survive. … It should have been an easy vote for every member of the Senate, but on Monday night, many Democrats demonstrated that their pro-choice stance also requires them to support infanticide. Sadly, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s recent comments advocating infanticide clearly framed the Democrats’ radical agenda. Their push to abort children reveals a hardened inner core that shocks the conscience. On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted 53-44 to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to the floor for a vote on…
Read the full story
U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) have introduced a resolution to honor the late Capt. Rosemary Mariner, the Navy’s first female fighter pilot. S. Res. 61 was introduced in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 7. The resolution’s tracking information is available online here. Mariner was buried on Feb. 2 in Maynardville, Tennessee, Blackburn tweeted. She was honored with the first all-female-pilot flyover in Navy history. The Navy’s first female fighter pilot was laid to rest yesterday, and her life was celebrated with the first all-female flyover in her honor. Thank you, Captain Rosemary Mariner, for your service to our country.🇺🇸 https://t.co/VgwtZ7Xhnq via @knoxnews — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) February 3, 2019 Mariner’s parents were a Navy nurse and an Air Force pilot who died in a plane crash, NBC News said. According to her obituary, Mariner, 65, died Jan. 24 after a five-year fight with ovarian cancer. Her husband of 40 years, Navy Cmdr. Tommy Mariner (ret.) was by her side. The Harlingen, Texas native graduated from Purdue University at age 19 with a degree in aeronautics. Mariner was one of the first eight women selected to fly military aircraft in 1973, her obituary says. She became…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) outlined conditions for her support of a border security deal to avert the second government shutdown in less than two months. The comments came on Fox Business News’s “Mornings With Maria.” The tentative deal in Congress provides $1.38 billion for border security funding, Fox Business News said Tuesday. The video is available online here. President Donald Trump held a “Finish the Wall” rally Monday in El Paso to kick off his 2020 presidential campaign and to continue the push for the $5.7 billion border wall, The Tennessee Star reported Tuesday. Blackburn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the pending deal would add 55 miles of wall to the border. She said she did not know if Trump would sign the deal. Americans want to end “the influx of drugs and sex traffickers, human traffickers, gangs, that really make our communities unsafe,” Blackburn said. Although some reports indicate the number of beds in ICE detention facilities for “violent criminal illegal aliens” is reduced in the tentative deal, the numbers don’t bare that out. The “deal” limits the number of average daily beds to a number below what Trump requested, but it is still an…
Read the full story
A Knoxville Fire Department captain whose son was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant in an automobile crash will join U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) at the State of the Union address Tuesday. Blackburn said in a statement Thursday that KFD Capt. DJ Corcoran, father of the late PIerce Corcoran, will be her guest. She tweeted, “It is an honor to join with @timburchett to bring DJ and Wendy Corcoran as our guests to the State of the Union. #JusticeForPierce” It is an honor to join with @timburchett to bring DJ and Wendy Corcoran as our guests to the State of the Union. #JusticeForPierce pic.twitter.com/gsMyRSi8En — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 31, 2019 U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) is bringing Wendy Corcoran, Pierce’s mother, as his guest. Blackburn met with the Corcoran family in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16, according to a tweet. This afternoon, I met with the Corcorans, whose son and brother Pierce was tragically killed two weeks ago by an illegal alien. My prayers are with #AngelFamilies across this country. No family should ever have to experience such a tragedy. #JusticeForPierce pic.twitter.com/dP4e9RDkiq — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 16, 2019 Blackburn said in a statement, “The tragedy…
Read the full story
U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) on Thursday sent a letter urging President Donald Trump to protect the United States’ Kurdish partners in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Blackburn posted a copy of the letter on Twitter, tweeting, “This morning, I joined @SenDuckworth in writing a letter to the president to express the importance of protecting our Kurdish friends as the administration plans its withdrawal of American troops from Syria.” “The protection of our Kurdish friends and allies is in the national security interest of the United States,” said Blackburn. “The Kurds have been a reliable partner in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and we must not abandon them now.” Nashville is home to the largest Kurdish population of any city in the United States, Blackburn said. The letter comes as the administration considers a withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Syria. Blackburn and Duckworth are members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The White House officially announced Dec. 19 that nearly 2,000 U.S. troops would leave Syria, Townhall reported. “Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate. These…
Read the full story
Volkswagen will spend $800 million to expand its Chattanooga factory to become the German company’s North American hub for manufacturing electric vehicles, and the Scenic City may want to thank President Donald Trump. VW CEO Dr. Herbert Diess made the announcement at a presentation at the Detroit Auto Show Monday, TechCrunch said. The expansion is expected to create 1,000 jobs at the Chattanooga plant. The German company is moving away from diesel following the 2015 emissions cheating scandal. VW Group plans to spend nearly $50 billion in the next five years toward the development and production of electric vehicles and digital services, TechCrunch said. VW’s news means another feather in Tennessee’s cap for a growing automotive industry. In response to VW’s announcement, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said in a statement, “This follows General Motors’ announcement yesterday that it will produce its new Cadillac XT6 crossover in Spring Hill. The Middle Tennessee location is the product of an over $2 billion investment since 2010. It is the largest GM facility in North America at 7.1 million square feet and has brought 3,400 jobs to the area. “Volkswagen and General Motors’ decisions are further proof that Tennessee workers and our business friendly climate…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced her first bill Thursday in the U.S. Senate. Her bill – S. 105, the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act – strips all abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, of federal funding under Title X of the Public Health Service Act. “Tennesseans and the American people do not want their tax dollars funding abortions,” Blackburn said in a statement on Twitter. “They have made this position clear time and again. Hardworking taxpayers do not want to subsidize the business of abortion providers and entities such as Planned Parenthood.” Today, I introduced my first bill in the United States Senate, S. 105, the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which strips all abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, of federal funding. pic.twitter.com/UwtbwGt1wd — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 10, 2019 U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO-04) on Wednesday introduced the House version of the bill, Life News reported. Blackburn has a long history of standing up for the rights of the pre-born. Last August, Blackburn, then a Senate candidate, announced she had assembled a pro-life coalition of more than 500 advocates from across Tennessee, The Tennessee Star reported. Blackburn said in August, “The first of our rights is…
Read the full story
Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden has come out in support of President Trump’s visit to the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday. “The most important job a president has is to protect Americans, and today’s visit to the southern border by President Trump further illustrates his strong commitment to our nation’s safety,” Golden said in a statement. “While Democrats continue to play petty partisan games with our security, drug dealers, human traffickers and enemies of this country flaunt our sovereign border. The games have to end, and Democrats need to work with President Trump to make America a more secure nation. This is non-negotiable.” Trump visited the border in Texas Thursday, Fox News reported: During an afternoon briefing with border agents at a patrol station in McAllen, Trump highlighted the prevalence of guns and drugs along the border. The president spoke in front of a table of items border agents have seized, including a rifle, handguns, a plastic bag full of cash and black-taped bricks of heroin and meth. “If we had a barrier of any kind, a powerful barrier, whether it’s steel or concrete…We would stop it cold,” Trump said of human trafficking. The president posted a Twitter video of himself with…
Read the full story