Archive for the ‘MTSU’ Category

Bart Gordon Secures Funding For MTSU Programs

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

bartgordonWASHINGTON – 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.

Posted in Education, Jobs, Legislation, MTSU, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | No Comments »

Gordon’s Fight Against Foreign Nuclear Waste Continues

Friday, October 9th, 2009

bartgordonWASHINGTON – 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.”

Posted in Education, Environment, MTSU, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | No Comments »

Our Chairman’s 2009 TN Legislature Wrapup…

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

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.

Sincerely,
Jonathon Fagan
Chairman, Rutherford County Democratic Party
(615) 604-4211
han.d.man.2@gmail.com
www.rutherfordcountydemocrats.org

Posted in Budget, Education, Elections, Energy, Ethics, From the Chair, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Guns, Jobs, Legislation, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, MTSU, Rep. Curt Cobb (D-62), Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), Republican leaders, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »

Republicans Cave Under Pressure from Rutherford Democrats

Thursday, June 18th, 2009
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey fails to defund pre-k and MTSU bonds

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.

Posted in Budget, Education, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, MTSU, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »