Tag: Senator Marsha Blackburn

Sen. Marsha Blackburn Says She Will Not Support Deal That Cuts Number of ICE Beds Or Opens The Border

Jason M. Reynolds

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…

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Knoxville Parents Whose Son Allegedly Killed in Crash by Illegal Immigrant Will Join Sen. Blackburn, Rep. Burchett at State of the Union

Jason M. Reynolds

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…

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Sen. Blackburn Urges President Trump to Protect Kurdish Allies as America Looks to Leave Syria

Jason M. Reynolds

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…

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Volkswagen to Funnel $800 Million into Chattanooga Plant to Build Electric Vehicles as President Trump Pressures German Companies to Invest in America

Jason M. Reynolds

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…

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U.S. Sen. Blackburn Introduces First Bill as Senator to Protect The Unborn

Jason M. Reynolds

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…

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Tennessee Republican Party Supports President Trump’s Commitment to Border Security

Jason M. Reynolds

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…

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U.S. Rep. DesJarlais Supports President Trump’s Border Policy ‘100 Percent’

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U.S. Rep. Dr. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) said he supports stronger border and immigration security in the wake of President Donald Trump’s Oval Office address to the nation. On Tuesday, Trump said, “This is just common sense. The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress. The wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico.” In a statement, DesJarlais said: Weak border security and bad laws are causing a humanitarian crisis at the southern border and in our local communities. Erecting more effective physical barriers would prevent drug and human smuggling into the U.S. We need more border agents and ICE officers, too, but Democrats oppose a wall, a fence and even ICE itself. But over ninety percent of heroin crosses into the U.S. from Mexico, killing Americans, and cartels and gangs are also smuggling women and children. Illegal immigration is overwhelming our court system. “The President presented these clear facts, including his offers to sign legislation Democrats supported until he took office. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are now describing…

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Rep. Green, Sen. Blackburn Back Trump’s Call for Border Security From Primetime Oval Office Address

Jason M. Reynolds

Two of Tennessee’s newest members of Congress, U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), backed President Donald Trump’s statements on border security in Tuesday night’s primetime address from the Oval Office. Green is a former special operations flight surgeon and veteran who did tours in both the Iraq and Afghanistan. The freshman congressman appeared on “Fox News Sunday” this past weekend and said he would support Trump on improving border security. Green said in a statement Tuesday: Tonight, a lot of Americans learned, perhaps for the first time, there is really an urgent crisis and it involves our southern border. The crisis is causing human suffering and death, and it is heartbreaking. One of the more another alarming stats shared – 90% of the heroin in our country comes across our southern border. Heroin, in turn, kills 300 Americans each week. As a veteran of the War on Terror, I know that if we were losing 300 Americans a week in the field of battle, Americans and our leaders in DC would be strategizing how to win the war and limit casualties. In this case, the strategy is simple – we secure our border, and…

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Tennessee’s Freshmen U.S. Representatives Host Swearing-In Events For Supporters in D.C.

Laura Baigert

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tennessee’s three freshman congressman held a variety of events for supporters who made their way to Washington, D.C. for their inaugural swearing in to the 116th Congress on January 3rd. Republicans Tim Burchett (TN-02), Mark Green (TN-07) and John Rose (TN-06) were all sworn into their first term as U.S. Representatives with their families surrounding them and later posed for pictures with the re-elected Democrat Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (CA-12). After making their way through U.S. Capitol Police security in a line that extended outside the building, visitors on the day of the swearing in found themselves navigating crowded hallways and slow-moving elevators to arrive at legislators’ offices. With space being limited on the House floor for the actual swearing-in ceremony, additional invited supporters and guests joined staffers in the representatives’ congressional offices, viewing the events on monitors tuned to C-SPAN. U.S. Representatives are housed in one of the three House Office Buildings (HOB) located on Independence Avenue adjacent to the Capitol: Cannon House Office Building, Longworth House Office Building or Rayburn House Office Building. While the offices of both Burchett and Rose are in Longworth, Green is located in Cannon, the oldest of the…

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Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill Critiques Governor-Elect Bill Lee’s Personnel Picks on Fox 17 News Program

Jason M. Reynolds

Steve Gill, Political Editor of The Tennessee Star, appeared as a panelist Sunday on Fox 17 News’ In Focus and pointed out a problem with Gov.-elect Bill Lee’s cabinet picks. Watch the full segment here. The show was hosted by Scott Couch and Harriet Wallace. Other guests were Holly McCall, chairwoman of the Williamson County Democratic Party, and Saletta Holloway, former Metro Nashville councilwoman. Wallace asked Gill about Courtney Rogers, a former State Representative (R-TN-45) whom Lee selected as head of the Department of Veterans Services. Gill said, “Courtney is going to be celebrated as a great pick.” Gill pointed out her military service of 20-plus years in the U.S. Air Force and her experience as a legislator. However, “I think the down side is, it’s not a particularly powerful position in terms of the Cabinet,” Gill said. “It’s basically a pass-through for federal dollars through the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.” He did say that she is the “first solid grass-roots conservative” appointment by Lee. “For a guy who ran as a definitive conservative it’s taken him a long time to find a conservative to serve in his Cabinet,” Gill said. The Star has previously reported on the lack of…

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Rep. Steve Cohen Introduces Bills to Eliminate Electoral College, Limit Presidential Powers to Issue Pardons

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), who wishes U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) would jump off a bridge, wasted no time trying to monkey with the U.S. Constitution as the Democrats took control of the House Thursday – he introduced a bill to eliminate the Electoral College. Cohen is a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee. He actually introduced two Constitutional amendments, one to abolish the Electoral College and one to prohibit presidents from pardoning themselves, members of their families, members of their administrations and their campaign staff, according to a press release from his office. Cohen said, “In two presidential elections since 2000, including the most recent one in which Hillary Clinton won 2.8 million more votes than her opponent, the winner of the popular vote did not win the election because of the distorting effect of the outdated Electoral College. Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office. More than a century ago, we amended our Constitution to provide for the direct election of U.S. Senators. It is past time to directly elect our President and Vice President.” Cohen has previously tried to impeach President Donald Trump. Also on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Brad…

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Tennessee Republican Party Re-Elects Scott Golden as Chairman

Jason M. Reynolds

The Tennessee Republican Party re-elected Scott Golden Saturday as its chairman to a second two-year term. “I am deeply honored and grateful to have the opportunity to lead our state’s Republican Party once again, and I thank the members of our State Executive Committee for their continued trust,” said Golden in a statement. “Tennessee Republicans made history this past year and we continued to build on a foundation of success that put us in prime position to expand our supermajorities in the General Assembly and help re-elect the president in 2020.” “I would like to congratulate Jennifer Little, Shannon Haynes, Beth Scott Clayton Amos and Pat Allen on their elections to vice chair, treasurer, vice treasurer and secretary respectively.” said Golden. “These women have the skills and long history of dedication to our party that will be instrumental to our success during the 2020 cycle.” Golden chaired the Tennessee Republican Party through the 2018 general elections, a historic year for Republicans in the Volunteer State: Republican Marsha Blackburn was elected as the first woman to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate. Republican Bill Lee was elected as the first Republican to succeed a Republican governor in Tennessee. Republican supermajorities were…

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Blackburn Handily Defeats Bredesen to Become Tennessee’s First Woman Senator

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) took a commanding lead of 54.73 percent to Democrat Phil Bredesen’s 43.89 percent to win the U.S. Senate race Tuesday. Blackburn received over 1.22 million votes, to Bredesen’s slightly more than 980,000 votes. The results are from unofficial tallies posted late Tuesday by the Tennessee Coordinator of Elections and the Secretary of State. The results, which could change slightly as districts trickle in, are here. Blackburn said, “You have sent a message that it is time to take Tennessee conservative values to Washington and keep our state and our country moving forward. I am so incredibly grateful to each of you for doing your part, standing with me, staying strong and turning out the vote. It is such an honor to be the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee. I am going to work as hard for you as you have worked for me.” “Just as we said on day one, I will take our shared Tennessee values to work on issues of importance to you in Washington: more constitutional federal judges and Supreme Court Justices, lower taxes, less regulation, protecting the right to life, defending the Second Amendment, providing for our…

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