KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, June 1 -- Rep. Timothy Burchett, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement on violent rioting erupted in Nashville and in other cities: "The killing of George Floyd was tragic, unnecessary and unacceptable. Communities of color, and in fact our entire nation, are right to be angry, and protesting peacefully and lawfully is an appropriate way to express that anger. "Rioting, as we've seen across our country in recent days and in Nashville tonight is illegal and unworth  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that the University of Memphis will receive $1,860,725 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for scholarships for disadvantaged students. Congressman Cohen made the following statement: "This funding for scholarships for disadvantaged students at the U of M is money wisely spent. The students benefitting from these scholarships will improve their p  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, June 4 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that the University of Memphis will receive a grant of $482,080 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study microplastics and their degradation and transport in agricultural soil and the interaction of hydrodynamics, chemistry and material sciences. * * * "This basic research in agriculture soils will   more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, June 4 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, applauded introduction of the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act. Congressman Cohen noted that it incorporates several of his priorities including his bill, H.R. 1400, the Horse Transportation Safety Act. It also incorporates many el  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, June 1 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) cautioned those still awaiting an Economic Impact Payments from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that the payments may come in the mail in the form of debit cards. Some four million Americans who don't receive the payments by direct deposit to their bank accounts or by checks in the mail will be receiving the payment in the form of a debit card. * * * "It has come t  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, June 5 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that Amiracle Sanaa Laney of Cordova, an 11th grader at the Tennessee Virtual School, has won the Congressional Art Competition for the 9th Congressional District. Her painting, "Beauty in the Middle of a Pandemic" will hang in the U.S. Capitol along with the winners from other congressional districts around the country. * * * "I congratulate Amiracle on her   more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, June 5 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that the Stax Museum of American Soul Music will be receiving a grant of $168,728 from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences' African American History and Culture program. The grants are designed to build the capacity of African American museums and support the growth and development of museum professionals. The Stax Museum was awarded one of 22 grants  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, June 5 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive a grant of $3,686,681 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research into SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) transmission and immunity. The Congressman also announced the University of Memphis will receive a grant of $415,740 from the National Cancer Institute for cancer detection and   more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, presided at a hearing on Protecting the Right to Vote During the Coronavirus Pandemic. In his opening remarks, Chairman Cohen noted that the pandemic "has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities" affecting the rights of African Americans, and other historically disadvantaged peop  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Rep. David Kustoff (TN-08), applauded the Department of Justice for awarding the Dyer County Sheriff's Department $58,008 in funds to help combat COVID-19. This funding is part of the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program. "Our West Tennessee first responders and all those in law enforcement have been on the frontlines throughout COVID-19. "I would like to thank President Trump and the Depa  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Rep. David Kustoff (TN-08), signed on as a co-sponsor to the Reopening America by Supporting Workers and Businesses Act of 2020. This bill will help local businesses rebuild their workforce by turning the $600 per week unemployment benefit into a back-to-work bonus totaling $1,200. This will incentivize workers and help accelerate our economic recovery. "It is time to get Americans back to work and rebuil  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, June 2 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement on nationwide protests: "Let's be clear - George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight. Mr. Floyd's family has every reason to demand justice for the reckless actions that led to their beloved family member losing his life. Those responsible for this tragedy must be brought to account. "Every day, I see the hard work our police officers do in East Tennessee. I am confident that they want officers like   more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on June 1 condemning the vandalizing of the World War II Memorial and other sites: "For generations, veterans of all ages, races, and creeds have fought under the American flag for freedom, liberty, and justice for all and in defense of the rights enshrined in our constitution, including the right to peacefully assemble. "The vandalizing that occ  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on June 4: Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, along with Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.), the Ranki  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following column: Last week, George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. His death has ignited anger and has been the catalyst for protests around our country, some right here in the First Congressional District. I completely understand why this incident is so painful for so many in our country. George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight by an officer of th  more

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, June 6 -- Reps. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), joined U.S. House Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) in leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers in a call for increased funding for infrastructure investments at America's National Labs as a way to create good-paying jobs and jumpstart the nation's economic recovery. "Funding for maintenance, repairs, and the modernization of National Lab infra  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement: U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act - bipartisan legislation he supported that provides the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) additional flexibility for the more than 85,000 Tennessee small businesses who have received forgivable loans through the program. * * * "As of May 30, the Small Business Adm  more

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, June 1 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement on protests in Nashville: "Looting and burning the courthouse by a few dishonors the peaceful protest of thousands against racial discrimination and police brutality. Governor Lee and Mayor Cooper are right to call on the National Guard to restore order and allow Nashville to heal and rebuild. At the same time, I think of my friend, South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott, who is African American   more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release on June 4: Senate health and education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said "the question for administrators of 6,000 colleges and universities is not whether to reopen in August, but how to do it safely." Alexander made his remarks today during the Senate health and education committee hearing -- "COVID-19: Going Back to College Safely" -- which featured college and university presidents di  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release on June 4: Senate health and education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said "the question for administrators of 6,000 colleges and universities is not whether to reopen in August, but how to do it safely." Alexander made his remarks during the Senate health and education committee hearing -- "COVID-19: Going Back to Coll  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee issued the following hearing information: "COVID-19: Going Back to School Safely" at 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building at 10 a.m. on June 10: Witnesses: * Penny Schwinn, Commissioner of Education, Tennessee Department of Education, Nashville, TN * Matthew Blomstedt, Commissioner of Education, Nebraska Department of Education, Lincoln, NE * Susana Cordova, Superintendent, Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO * Joh  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), a member of the Armed Services Committee, introduced legislation to authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to enhance the preparation of students in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) for training and education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The Providing Resources and Organization to Maximize Opportuni  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on June 4: Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statements after Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), the Ranking Member and Chair of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on   more