NOT AWARE HE VOTED FOR INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Daily News Journal’s weekly columnist Sam Stockard asked Bill Ketron why he voted for Race To The Federal Trough along with every other Republican legislator from Rutherford County. Here is what Ketron said:
Asked if he knows what the international benchmarks are, state Sen. Bill Ketron said, “I do not. We were told they would come from the U.S. Department of Education. The thing was on a fast track,” Ketron said. “We barely had time to read through it. It’s voluminous.”
Yet Ketron and fellow Republicans, Sen. Jim Tracy, of Shelbyville, Rep. Donna Rowland of Murfreesboro, Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas and Rep. Pat Marsh of Shelbyville, members of the Rutherford County delegation, voted for it. Only state Rep. Kent Coleman, a Murfreesboro Democrat, voted against it.
So Republican Senator Bill Ketron admits that he voted for a massive overhaul of Tennessee’s education system without knowing much of what it actually accomplished. He also admits that as a “conservative” Republican, he thinks its just great to beg for half a billion dollars in stimulus cash with strings attached - strings that could bind our teachers to international standards. Sounds like something Tennessee’s Tea Party crowd would really oppose, but they are deathly silent on the matter because the legislation was backed by their republican overlords Ron Ramsey and Glen Casada. Just more evidence that the Tea Party crowd are willing to ignore their own stated beliefs if republicans tell them to, just like they did when they gave George W. Bush free reign to plunge our nation into huge war debts and pass unfunded federal mandates like No Child Left Behind.
Here’s how Rutherford County’s delegation voted when it came to tying teachers’ jobs to factors beyond their control: Kent Coleman (D) - NO, Joe Carr (R) - YES, Donna Rowland (R) - YES, Bill Ketron (R) - YES, Jim Tracy (R) -YES.
Last week’s Special Session called by Governor Bredesen to overhaul Tennessee’s education system was a locomotive speeding towards passage that even Superman could not have stopped. This massive legislation was debated in committees for a single day, and passed on the Senate and House floor the next.
Every Republican Representative voted to seek stimulus cash through federal Race To The Top grants, and our Democratic Governor and Democratic Caucuses backed the measure as well even though it meant adopting federal guidelines tying teachers’ performance to mere test scores . Only a handful of Democrats (8 to be exact) were willing to stand up for teachers and say ‘NO’ to a governor of their own Party and their own caucus leadership.
Our own Rep. Kent Coleman was the only Rutherford County legislator to stand on principle and stand up for teachers when it came time to vote, even though he knew he was also standing right in front of a speeding locomotive. It took the courage of Superman to rise and say this on the House floor last Friday night:
ANSWERS EMPHATICALLY THAT TENNESSEE DEMOCRATS’ PRIORITY IS EDUCATION AND WHAT WE STAND FOR
Rep. Kent Coleman (D-Murfreesboro) answered hard questions put to him by the Daily News Journal in Sunday’s edition. While other lawmakers are tiptoeing around education issues being handled in an upcoming Special Session of the General Assembly, Coleman clearly and precisely expressed his opinions on the matter of federal Race To The Top funding and teacher tenure, even when they differed from those of our Democratic governor. He also did the best job in recent memory of calling out Republicans for voting against education funding and then claiming the credit when Democrats got it done, and stating precisely why the Democratic Party of Tennessee is the only party in the state that has proper education of our children as its top priority:
Coleman: I do believe the Democratic Party has the strongest commitment to public education between the two parties. And I’ll give you an example. A few years ago, Gov. Bredesen put forth a proposal to raise about $250 million for school systems through a tobacco tax, and it raised (about) $20 million recurring money for Rutherford County and (Murfreesboro) city school systems. I was the only person in that commission meeting last week that voted to raise that money. But I sat there and listened to the members of the opposing party. I know one of them said something to the effect of a BEP reduction would be the last thing they would vote to do to our county, and I’m having to sit there and think, ‘You didn’t vote to raise the $20 million for Rutherford County,’ and all these commissioners, I don’t any of them realized that. So, someone’s got to communicate to the public education system that the Democratic Party has always had a strong conviction to the belief of equal education, public education, desegregation, and a lot of those of those issues haven’t been popular in the past, but they remain the strongest basis or the reason the Democratic Party exists in Tennessee, because education is our main expenditure at the state level.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Bart Gordon announced that he was able to secure funding for Middle Tennessee State University to improve law enforcement and aviation safety training, as well as help MTSU complete a Physical Activity Center that will help fight obesity among children and teens.
MTSU’s Forensic Institute for Research and Education will receive $625,000 to enhance their training program for Tennessee law enforcement and forensic specialists. The Institute brings together faculty and students in several scientific specialties to provide educational and training opportunities for law enforcement officers and personnel.
“At a time when many of our sheriff and police departments can’t afford to offer specialized training to officers, this funding will help MTSU continue to provide quality training to Tennessee law enforcement and educate more students to become forensic scientists and technicians,” said Gordon.
The MTSU Department of Aerospace will also receive $700,000 for MTSU to continue its training of air traffic controllers and pilots. MTSU is one of only 14 universities in the country that participates in the Federal Aviation Administration’s AT-CTI program, which is designed to prepare young men and women to attend the FAA Training Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Gordon also secured $400,000 for MTSU’s Physical Activity Center, which will organize media and advocacy campaigns to emphasize the importance of physical activity for children and adolescents
Joe Bales, Vice President for Development and University Relations at MTSU, said, “We are extremely grateful to Congressman Gordon and the members of the Tennessee delegation for their continued support of our teaching, research and service efforts. These funds will enable us to expand our existing programs in forensics and aerospace and allow us further develop our innovative efforts at addressing childhood obesity, one of our state and nation’s leading health concerns.”
Gordon secured the funding for each project in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2010, which was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives today. The bill is expected to be passed by the Senate and then signed into law before the end of the year.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Bart Gordon supported three bipartisan bills today aimed at helping small businesses in Tennessee and around the country. Each bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The House approved the Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act (H.R. 3014), which would create a loan program in the U.S. Small Business Administration to help medical professionals purchase health information technology.
“Numerous studies have shown that if doctors and hospitals started using secure health information technology systems, like electronic medical records, billions of dollars could be saved each year nationwide,” said Gordon who has been a longtime advocate for reducing the costs of practicing medicine.
Earlier this year, the President implemented a tort reform initiative that Gordon developed to reduce the number of frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits that doctors face.
The House also passed the Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act (H.R. 3738) and the Expand Entrepreneurship Act (H.R. 1842). Both measures aim to support new, promising small businesses.
“Early-stage businesses have been found to be some of the best job creators, but starting a new business is no easy task,” said Gordon. “These bills create important SBA programs that will assist small businesses in getting up and running. Helping small businesses grow is especially important for Tennessee’s economy, where more than 95% of our state’s private workforce is employed by small businesses.”
The Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act creates an SBA investment program tasked with providing grants to small businesses involved in health information technology, digital technology, defense technology, and agriculture research and development. The Expand Entrepreneurship Act directs the SBA to develop a comprehensive plan that identifies a strategy for each SBA region to create jobs through its programs.
Having passed the House, the three bills will now move to the Senate for consideration.
On this Veterans Day, more than 190,000 of our brave men and women are currently fighting for our country in Afghanistan and Iraq. Going to war takes incredible courage, and each and every service member currently deployed is in our thoughts and prayers. All Americans appreciate their commitment to defending our freedoms.
We owe them more than just our gratitude though; we have an obligation to serve those who have volunteered to serve our country. The unfortunate reality is that here at home, there are about 185,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are unemployed and looking for work. These veterans bravely served our country, and the skills they developed during their military service – from their strong work ethic and unwavering loyalty to their commitment toward achieving goals bigger than themselves – would be of great value to any business.
Many, however, have been caught in the turmoil of the current economic climate. As the United States climbs out of this recession, my goal has been to support efforts aimed at helping them obtain the additional skills needed to compete for today’s jobs.
Last year, Congress passed the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, legislation that expanded educational benefits for military veterans who have served since September 11, 2001. In August, military veterans throughout Middle Tennessee and across the United States started receiving benefits from the new G.I. Bill, which includes covering 100% of a four-year public undergraduate education.
I strongly supported this bill because it will allow an estimated 2 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to return to the classroom and get the education they need and deserve without having to worry about costs. Not only does the new G.I. Bill cover tuition, but it also helps with books and housing expenses.
In addition to the new G.I. Bill, the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Veterans Retraining Act, which will further help veterans obtain the skills needed to get a new job. This legislation would authorize the U.S. Labor Department to pay monthly living and housing stipends to veterans enrolled in employment-training programs that teach skills in particular demand.
In Smyrna, the Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced its plans to open a new patient service call center to help serve veterans and 19 VA hospitals. This center is expected to create as many as 450 new jobs. Hiring will begin later this year, and the federal government will offer veterans special preference for these jobs, which will provide much needed job opportunities for veterans in our area.
As the current economic climate improves, I remain committed to ensuring that veterans are part of the recovery.
WASHINGTON – To build upon the new solar technology jobs being created in Tennessee, Congressman Bart Gordon used his chairmanship of the House Science and Technology Committee to advance the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. The bipartisan bill overwhelmingly passed the full U.S. House of Representatives in a vote of 310 to 106 today.
“If solar power isn’t the first thing you think of when I talk about Tennessee, I’ll forgive you,” Congressman Gordon said during his opening remarks about the Solar Roadmap bill on the House Floor today. “But over the last few years we’ve really seen first-hand the major potential that solar energy has to create new jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil in the process.”
The Solar Roadmap bill, H.R. 3585, would establish a comprehensive process to facilitate the research, development and demonstration of American solar technology in partnership with the private sector. The bill would also direct the Department of Energy to award grants to entrepreneurs, research agencies and academic laboratories that are leading the field in solar technology development and solar manufacturing.
“Solar technology is creating jobs throughout Tennessee and the rest of the country,” explained Gordon. “The short- and long-term roadmap that will be written as a result of this bill is modeled on the successful National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, which has been instrumental in creating thousands of jobs and helping the semiconductor technology industry advance rapidly over the past two decades.”
The Solar Roadmap bill would require the U.S. Secretary of Energy to appoint an 11-member Solar Technology Roadmap Committee to write, review and update a Solar Technology Roadmap. Moving forward, the roadmap will provide a path to make solar technology more dependable and widely available to American consumers.
“The solar technology plants in Clarksville and Cleveland, as well as Nissan’s electric car and battery plant in Smyrna, are going to be instrumental in making Tennessee a leader in the new clean energy industries that will help our country become more energy independent,” added Gordon. “This bill will help additional solar projects get off the ground and boost job growth in the process.”
The Solar Technology Roadmap Act has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In a letter of support, the Chamber wrote, “Increased research, development, and demonstration of solar technology is crucial to America’s energy security needs, and H.R. 3585 would help move one step closer to that goal.”
The bill has also been endorsed by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Solar Energy Industries Association, BP, IBM, Intel and National Semiconductor. Having passed the House, the bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
WASHINGTON – A congressional hearing has been set for next Friday (Oct. 16) on Congressman Bart Gordon’s bill to ban the importation of foreign-generated nuclear waste. The legislation would prevent foreign radioactive waste from being processed in Tennessee and disposed of in the United States.
“We are the only nation in the world that imports and disposes low-level radioactive waste from other countries,” said Congressman Gordon. “Unless we act, the United States is destined to become the world’s dumping ground for foreign nuclear waste. If that happens, U.S. industries could find themselves without adequate space to dispose of domestically-produced waste.”
Currently, a permit is pending with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to import 20,000 tons of Italian low-level radioactive waste for disposal in the United States, which would be the largest importation ever of foreign-generated radioactive waste. If approved, the 20,000 tons of nuclear waste would be transported to Tennessee for processing and later disposed of in Utah.
“The bipartisan legislation I’ve introduced would prevent the waste from coming in,” added Gordon. “This hearing will provide another opportunity to shed light on the importance of this issue. I look forward to generating more support for the bill as we move it through the committee process and to the House floor for a vote.”
Gordon’s bill, the Radioactive Import Deterrence Act, or the “RID Act,” would prohibit the NRC from authorizing the importation of foreign-generated low-level radioactive waste for disposal in the United States unless the President deems the importation would meet critical national or international goals.
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment will consider Gordon’s legislation next Friday. After the hearing, the bill is expected to move through the committee process and come to the House floor for a full vote.
“I have long fought to keep nuclear waste from coming into Tennessee,” said Gordon, “and I will continue to fight against the importation and disposal of foreign radioactive waste. If a country is going to generate radioactive waste, whether it is produced by researchers, hospitals, or nuclear power plants, it has a responsibility to also build the necessary disposal sites.”
WASHINGTON – This week the U.S. House will take an important step towards reducing federal spending by passing H.R. 2920, the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act (“PAYGO”). This legislation re-establishes the principle responsible for budget surpluses at the end of the 1990s, which required that any new spending by Congress be offset with a reduction in existing spending.
“Our federal spending patterns can’t continue,” said Congressman Bart Gordon who is a long-time supporter of PAYGO. “We have been borrowing money from China, as well as other countries, since 2002 to pay for federal programs and initiatives. This bill draws a firm line in the sand – moving forward, if we are going to spend a dollar, we must find a U.S. dollar to pay for it.”
The first PAYGO rule was included in the Budget Enforcement Act, which was signed into law with Gordon’s strong support in 1990. Over the next decade, PAYGO resulted in a gradual reduction of the federal deficit, and in 1998, the federal government saw its first budget surplus since 1969. Unfortunately, despite Gordon’s objections, PAYGO was not reauthorized in 2002. Since then, the federal deficit has skyrocketed.
“As our economy continues to recover from the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, we must focus on creating jobs and making the U.S. dollar strong again. Reducing federal spending will help on both fronts,” added Gordon. “This legislation expresses our long-term commitment to balanced budgets and financial solvency.”
The PAYGO legislation to be considered in the House this week will require all new spending policies passed by Congress be offset over five and ten years. It will force a serious examination of wasteful spending programs in the budget and tax loopholes that can be eliminated to offset more worthwhile programs.
WASHINGTON – As broadband internet access becomes an increasingly important component of the global economy, many rural communities throughout Tennessee and around the United States lack sufficient access. Congressman Bart Gordon recently called upon the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency developing a national broadband internet plan, to ensure that broadband access is extended to rural communities.
Gordon, along with members of the Congressional Rural Caucus, sent a letter to Michael Copps, Acting-Chairman of the FCC, stating, “The lack of broadband access for…private and public sectors have far-reaching consequences to our rural communities…it reduces their opportunities for employment, reduces their quality of life, and stifles their potential for economic development.”
A recent survey found that 64% of Tennessee residents living in urban areas have broadband internet service compared to only 37% of those living in rural communities.
“Broadband internet access throughout Tennessee and our country is essential to maintaining America’s competitiveness in the global economy,” added Gordon. “The national plan being devised by the FCC must connect the whole country and place particular attention on rural communities that are difficult to reach.”
Congress recently provided funds to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and the Rural Utilities Service with the express purpose of expanding broadband throughout the country. To ensure that this and future broadband funding is spent effectively, Congress required the FCC to devise a national broadband plan.
In 1996, Congress passed a law that created the Universal Service Fund (USF), which has been instrumental in bringing phone service to nearly every American. The letter sent by Gordon and his colleagues concluded by stating, “broadband should be a supported [USF] service and special efforts should be made…to achieve the final goal of universal service.”
Hello fellow Democrats. I’m pleased to inform you that this year’s session of the Tennessee Legislature has finally come to an end. It was a long and arduous one for our own Curt Cobb and Kent Coleman, who had to wade through 142 gun bills and several booze bills sponsored by our republican Senator Bill Ketron and Rep. Joe Carr . At last, republicans proposed a budget that killed recruitment dollars for a private solar power plant that would bring 30,000 jobs to Tennessee , put Pre-K education on the chopping block , gutted the Ethics Commission , repealed the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act , stripped funding for MTSU’s Education Building , halted badly needed road and bridge projects, and even refused to erect statues for Tennessee’s Nobel Peace Prize recipients! Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle (D - Memphis) likened it to cuttin’ and runnin’ and Governor Bredesen called it “stupid” . Our republican Senators Jim Tracy and Bill Ketron quickly voted for this “stupid” budget, and refused to help MTSU and its Education Building project. Luckily, Democrats in the House were able to fix most of this disastrous budget and forced Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey (R-Bristol) to surrender . We won this round.
But, we weren’t able to save the Ethics Commission, even though Rep. Kent Coleman tried his best to stand up for ethics in government. We also have to live with guns in bars, and paper-verified voting was postponed for another year even though we’re sitting on $34 million to implement it! Bottom line - we need more Democrats in the Tennessee Legislature. This website offers ways to get involved, contribute to the effort, stay updated on the issues, and stay connected. Your continued help and involvement is appreciated.
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey fails to defund pre-k and MTSU bonds
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s budget proposal to defund pre-k education and construction bonds for MTSU failed to get support of more level-headed lawmakers on Capitol Hill, after Rutherford County rank-and-file Democrats applied the heat over the past week.
In a last minute effort to cut funding to Tennessee’s educational priorities, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and Senators Bill Ketron (R-13) and Jim Tracy (R-16) crashed a press conference yesterday and cried out against providing recurring funds to pre-k education. The budget that finally passed rejected their efforts in favor of the common-sense plan promoted by Democrats.
In the House, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34) went out of her way to make sure her voice vote against MTSU funding was reflected in the official record. Duly noted.
Another defeat to the budget plan promoted by Republicans Ramsey, Ketron and Tracy came when the House approved a compromise budget that included bonds for MTSU’s approved Education Building. Senators Ketron and Tracy had made a back-door deal with Lt. Gov. Ramsey to scuttle the funding, but Democrats raised enough hell through emails and phone calls that Republicans caved.
None of this would have been possible without you standing up for the priorities that matter to your family and Rutherford County. Because Democrats took a stand for the priorities of working families, the Republican plan to cut funding to pre-k education and construction bonds for MTSU and other state universities failed miserably.
Despite their defeated budget proposals to defund education priorities of working families, Senators Ketron and Tracy will welcome Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey to Rutherford County in the coming months to gleefully take credit for the Democratic investments in education. You can count on us making sure the voters are reminded of the truth.
Senators Bill Ketron (R-13) and Jim Tracy (R-16) ran to the media to take credit for funding a needed building project at MTSU, but behind closed doors they’ve pledged allegiance to the Republican Party to defund it.
The Rutherford County Republicans have pledged to pull the plug on construction jobs at MTSU and the on site progress for a new education building for the state’s largest university.
According to David Gregory, vice chancellor for administration and facilities with the Tennessee Board of Regents, the $29.8 million project was funded in the 2007-2008 budget year as a Board of Regents capital outlay project, with a funding structure consisting of $17.3 million in cash and $12.5 million or in bonds.
Of that, $1.7 million has already been allocated in design fees and programming fees to the new building near Cummings Hall and the new roundabout on the MTSU campus. In addition, another $260,000 plus in construction management and site utility construction has been obligated.
Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Senators Ketron and Tracy are united in their opposition to improvements in education, health care and jobs. All three Republicans have opposed federal stimulus funds in all three areas, oppose recurring funds for pre-k education and now want to make major cuts in promised funds to MTSU.
Friday, the Senate Finance Committee passed Republican revisions to the governor’s budget plan eliminating the authorization of bonds for several higher education construction projects, including the MTSU project.
Some hope that will be changed on Tuesday, when the full Senate takes up the budget.
“I would say to you, we don’t build those buildings now, we will be unable to build them for some years to come because of the state finances,” said Democratic Sen. Jim Kyle.
MTSU was founded 98 years ago as a teachers college. University officials hope to mark the 100th anniversary by opening a building devoted to education teachers.
Senators Ketron and Tracy have spent months pushing a Republican agenda focused on abortion, guns and booze. When it comes time for leadership on issues that matter to working families of Rutherford County, they both choose cuts in education, health care and jobs instead of the hard work it takes to improve the quality of our lives.
Senators Bill Ketron (R-13) and Jim Tracy (R-16) joined Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey yesterday in crashing a press conference by advocates for pre-K education. Advocates had gathered for a press conference on Capitol Hill to stand up to Republican proposals to cut pre-k funding.
Democrats want funding for pre-k education to be a part of the general budget as recurring funds year after year. Senators Ketron, Tracy and other state Republicans want those funds to remain in non-recurring funds that are voted on by the legislature.
Placing pre-k funding on the annual chopping block is just one of the Republican budget proposals Gov. Bredesen recently called “stupid.” The Republican proposal to keep pre-k funding on the chopping block year after year is part a general state Republican Party agenda of defunding the priorities of working families.
Tennessee ranks in the top half of states that focus on pre-k education. If Tennessee Republicans get their way, Tennessee could find itself knocked off yet another good list of states focused on education.
Tennessee’s Pre-K program met nine out of 10 quality standards benchmarks in the report, The State of Preschool 2008. The state increased enrollment of 4-year-olds to 21 percent, and the $4,465 in per-child state spending earned the state a 13th place ranking on resources.
“Quality Pre-K classrooms are one of the best investments we can make in the education of children in Tennessee,” Governor Bredesen said. “Even in difficult budget times we have been able to maintain our support for these classes and, as this report shows, it’s paying off.”
Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) and Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) have made a partisan pledge to Republican leadership not to fund any bonds for a badly needed building project at Middle Tennessee State University. The closed-door pledge is part of a Republican budget plan that makes major cuts in education, jobs and health care.
Rutherford County’s Republican delegation has wasted months on abortion, guns and booze bills, but threw together a last minute budget proposal that abandons the priorities of working families and those seeking to better themselves through education.
“The Science Building at MTSU has been on the list to be funded for a number of years,” Tracy added. “The time has come for the state to make a commitment to MTSU and its students. I am optimistic that we can get funding this year for this important project.”
Though Ketron and Tracy are quick to take credit for MTSU building projects they never lifted a finger for (no MTSU building projects have begun during their 2 terms) and claim they are working to fund our hometown university, Ketron and Tracy can’t even figure out where the money is.
State Rep. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville, said Wednesday that money for the project was appropriated two years ago. “I don’t know if they have used that anywhere else,” he said.
Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, expressed similar concerns.
“Where did (the money) go? Who authorized them to take the money?” he said.
Ketron and Tracy talk a good game, but now its time to put up or shut up. Will Ketron and Tracy vote to fund MTSU’s Education Building and the jobs it creates? Will they take a stand and fight for MTSU?
TAKE ACTION: Use the form below and ask both Senators Tracy and Ketron to break their pledge with Republicans and fund MTSU’s Education Building.
NOT AWARE HE VOTED FOR INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Here’s how Rutherford County’s delegation voted when it came to tying teachers’ jobs to factors 
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Bart Gordon announced that he was able to secure funding for Middle Tennessee State University to improve law enforcement and aviation safety training, as well as help MTSU complete a Physical Activity Center that will help fight obesity among children and teens.
