WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news release on March 12: * * * - Bill would study and develop action plan to address U.S. dependence on foreign-made medical equipment and boost domestic production and supply * * * Amid the coronavirus outbreak, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), along with a group of nine Senators, today introduced the Commission   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the Missile Defense. The report (GAO-20-490T) is entitled "Lessons Learned From Acquisition Efforts". The report was sent to Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tennessee, chairman, and Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, ranking member of the House Armed Services subcommittee on Strategic Forces on March 12, 2020. Here are excerpts of summaries associated with the report. What GAO Found: "The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has taken im  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on modernizing the Nuclear Security Enterprise. The report (GAO-20-293) is entitled "Uranium Processing Facility Is on Schedule and Budget, and NNSA Identified Additional Uranium Program Costs". The report was sent to Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, chairman, Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Alabama, issued the following news release: Thursday, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) released the below guidance for Washington, DC office and building shutdowns and restrictions as part of COVID-19 Coronavirus precautions. Congressman Brooks said, "I deeply regret that many Tennessee Valley families have visits and vacations to Washington that will be hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Martha and I personally set aside days for giving Capitol tours to   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on March 12 after the committee reauthorized the Women Veterans Task Force and passed 17 bills: "This morning, the Veterans' Affairs Committee came together to reauthorize the bipartisan Women Veterans Task Force and send more than a dozen bipartisan bills to help veterans and their families to the House Floor. The bills that were reported out of  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Rep. Timothy Burchett, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement on President Trump's declaration of a national disaster due to the recent Coronavirus outbreak: "The Trump Administration announced positive steps to address the Coronavirus, including important partnerships between the federal government and private sector. "America has some of the best businesses, scientists and medical professionals in the world, and they can play an important role in getting the cou  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) announced that, after he votes for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, he will close his Washington, D.C. and District offices to protect his constituents and staff from being exposed to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Congressman Cohen and his staff will work remotely and maintain normal business hours. "The unprecedented nature of the coronavirus pandemic requires me  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Stephen Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced that the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) will receive a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Integrated Mobility Innovation grant for $394,000. "MATA is being recognized for its effectiveness, efficiency, quality and safety with this grant, which is good for Memphis and MATA riders  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a member of the Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology, questioned Dr. Walter G. Copan, Undersecretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), about the origins of inaccuracies in some facial recognition algorithms. Last December, NIST found significant differences bet  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) moderated a briefing hosted by the newly re-constituted Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus to discuss issues of student athlete compensation, as well as the fairness and integrity of the games overseen by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Congressman Cohen founded the Collegiate Sports Caucus with former Texas Congressman Joe Barton in 2011. Congress  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) announced that his Washington, DC office would close for public business beginning Friday, March 13 to protect the health and safety of Members, staff, and visitors to the Capitol. The office is expected to remain closed through Friday, March 20. All Washington-based staff will telework and will be accessible via email. Previously scheduled business and constituent meetings will be   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Any serious conversation about the future of America's energy production must include nuclear energy, which accounts for 20 percent of all American energy production and 55 percent of American carbon-free-energy production. Unlike wind and solar, nuclear energy can be reliably supplied on demand, not just when the wind is blowing or when the sun is shining. Nuclear-energy plants also have the advanta  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: In early March, I voted to secure $8.3 billion in emergency funding to help combat coronavirus (COVID-19). The emergency supplemental facilitates expedited vaccine development, assists local and state health departments, and provides the necessary resources to purchase essential equipment and supplies. Here are a few resources to help you stay informed: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement on China's baseless accusations against our troops: "China's foreign ministry just accused the U.S. of biowarfare. That is a boldfaced lie. COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan food market only miles away from a biosafety lab containing some of the world's most dangerous pathogens. No American official has ever credited this virus as a creation of the Chinese government, and all the world's scientists agree the vecto  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Clinical Presentation: Clinically, patients present with upper respiratory tract infection symptom, that can progress to fever, cough and shortness of breath. A sore throat and a runny nose happens in just a few cases, 14% and 5% of cases respectively according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Typically, the fever is high: 103 - 104 degrees. 80% of patients will have mild to moderate symptoms. Pati  more

SAVANNAH, Tennessee, March 10 -- Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: On Friday, Rep. Green visited Savannah and Saltillo amid the recent catastrophic flooding from Tennessee River levels in February. The severe flooding left homes underwater, businesses interrupted, roads washed away, and crop land flooded in Hardin County and across the 7th District and the State of Tennessee. Green said, "On Friday, I met with Hardin County leaders, EMT personnel, and families an  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement: U.S. Representative David Kustoff (TN-08) issued the following statement following his support of H.R. 6020 which unanimously passed the U.S. House. This resolution affirms the important role that Minor League Baseball Teams play in the economic and cultural development of the United States. Additionally, H.R. 6020 would commission a Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report to evaluate the social, econ  more

MONTGOMERY, Alabama, March 6 -- Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Barbara Lee and students from the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center will travel to Alabama and Tennessee to participate in the Faith & Politics Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage. "Each year, the Faith & Politics Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage provides a life-changing experience by reminding us of our nation's civil rights history and the lessons we must embrace if we  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after introducing a bill to protect GI Bill recipients from being negatively impacted by school closures or other changes as a result of COVID-19: "No student veteran, dependent, or spouse should be worried about their GI Bill benefits being reduced or cut off because of actions the  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, ranking Republican member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after introducing a bill to protect GI Bill recipients from being negatively impacted by school closures or other changes as a result of the coronavirus: "No student veteran, dependent, or spouse should be worried about their GI Bill benefits being reduced or cut off because of actions their school is taking in response to COVID-19. "That is wh  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 6020, legislation to require an evaluation by the Government Accountability Office of the social, economic and historic contributions that Minor League Baseball has made to American life and culture: "Minor League baseball plays an important role to the quality of life for towns all across the country, particularly our co  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement after President Trump declared a national emergency to combat the coronavirus: "This is an unprecedented public health crisis, and today's national emergency designation and President Trump's announcement of additional response measures is the right decision. I'm confident that he and his team are doing everything possible to keep Americans safe. "We are making a great effort as a country to keep Americans healt  more

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: As the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States and around the world, Reps. Phil Roe M.D. (R-Tenn.), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-Calif.), Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) have introduced a bipartisan bill in the House to analyze the dependence of the United States on critical drugs and medical devices that are sourced or manufactured outside of the United States. Recent halts in shipments from China and other  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tennessee, issued the following column: As of March 8, there were 559 coronavirus cases in the U.S., but as of March 11, that number had grown to 938. Unofficial estimates put the number of cases over 1,000. So far, 38 states plus the District of Columbia are all reporting cases, and 29 deaths have been confirmed. By the time you read this, these numbers will almost certainly have increased. Globally, large outbreaks have occurred in Italy, South Korea,  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Danny Davis (IL-07), who co-introduced H.R. 3250, the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Study Act, last June, applauded its advance in a Natural Resources Committee Markup this morning. This bill would begin the process to establish a national historic park to honor the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald, a successful entrepreneur and renowned philanthropist who   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: With lead hazards lurking in about 3.6 million homes of families with young children nationwide, Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09) and David McKinley (WV-01) today introduced the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act - bipartisan legislation to help American families cover the cost of eliminating lead from their homes. "The safest place for a child should be his or her own home, but many homes built before 1978,  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) applauded an announcement by McKee Foods that they will be investing more than $500 million in capital projects in Collegedale, Tennessee. McKee Foods expects to create 480 new jobs over the course of the entire project. "It comes as no surprise that Tennessee continues to be a hub for busine  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following floor statement: If your car is a lemon, you don't sue the bank - you sue the dealer. A college can be a lemon just like a car can be. A college could promise a potential student a job or tell them that 50 percent of their students scored perfectly on the SATs. A potential student might use that information to take out student loans and enroll in that college - and then if that information turns out to be false,   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement on March 10 after the Trump administration released two electronic health record rules: "These rules are a continuation of the effort to make electronic health records systems work so patients have access to their own medical records. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these two rules should give more than 1  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement: U.S. Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the Trump Administration released two final electronic health record rules: "These rules are a continuation of the effort to make electronic health records systems work so patients have access to their own medical records. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these two rules sh  more

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, March 14 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following statement: Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced actions to help address diagnostic testing for the COVID-19 outbreak: "The Trump Administration's actions yesterday are the type of leadership needed from the federal government in order for our country to better combat COVID-19. "Laboratory developed tests are a  more

MARYVILLE, Tennessee, March 14 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced actions to help address diagnostic testing for the coronavirus outbreak: "The Trump Administration's actions yesterday are the type of leadership needed from the federal government in order for our country to better combat COVID-19. "Laboratory developed tests are a crucial part of ou  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: At a hearing to review the president's fiscal year 2021 budget request for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said Congress has now appropriated money to award the remaining contract to complete Chickamauga Lock, but it's important to provide the Corps with adequate funding to "finish the job." "With the money now appropriated by Congress and signed by the preside  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said Tennesseans continue to show the "Volunteer spirit," by helping each other after the catastrophic storms on March 3. Alexander joined President Donald Trump, Governor Bill Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn and Congressman John Rose on Friday to visit with Tennesseans who were impacted by the tornadoes, and he discussed that visit today on the Senate flo  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) seeks to minimize Chinese efforts to exert inappropriate influence on American university campuses through Confucius Institutes, which repress free speech and discourage transparency. Congressional efforts have led to the closure of many Institutes, yet many remain. Senator Blackburn is leading a two-part effort to ensure that the existing Confucius Institutes in the  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) have introduced the Securing America's Medicine Cabinet (SAM-C) Act to increase American manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the building blocks of prescription drugs. Currently, only 28% of API-producing facilities are in the United States and the number of Chinese facilities has more than doubled since 2010. "When   more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced S. 3422, the Great American Outdoors Act, landmark legislation to preserve and protect our country's public lands. The bipartisan legislation provides permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservati  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, issued the following news release: Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Congressmen Scott DesJarlais (TN-4) and Jody Hice (GA-10) sent a letter to the Indian Foreign Secretary to advocate for the return of Bryan Nerren of Shelbyville, Tennessee, to the United States. The Senators wrote, "We write to bring your attention to the case of Bryan Kevin Nerren Sr. of Shelbyville, Tennessee. We are immediately concerned wi  more