“Dear Lisa, Happy New Year! I know you will lead this county in the right direction with a strong ethical compass and look forward to the progress we need! Harrell 2010! “- Daniel Parfitt, Rutherford Co. Resident

“Lisa Harrell is an amazing lady. It’s been less than two years since I moved here, but it’s as if I’ve know Lisa a long time already! She is smart and friendly! I’m so happy I met her and now can call her my friend.” - Sandy Sanderson, Rutherford Co. Resident

“Best wishes for your campaign, Ms. Lisa! I am very enthusiastic about seeing you all the way to victory! Sincere thanks for offering your public service.” - Jill Woodworth-Collier, Rutherford Co. Resident

“I am so glad that J.B and I have gotten to know you in these last few months. Thank you so much for inviting us to join you at Jim and Nick’s Taco Tuesday in support of Rutherford County charities. We can’t wait to see you win next year and be the next Rutherford County Clerk! Harrell 2010!”
Much Love,
Amber Barrett, Rutherford Co. Resident

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated by a hateful white supremacist in Memphis, Tennessee while he stood on the balcony of the Loraine Motel. The night before, he gave the following speech to Memphis Sanitation workers and their families who were striking for equal pay and working conditions as their white counterparts.

This year, Tennesseans were supposed to have confidence that their vote counted because they were supposed to get paper ballots. Bill Ketron and his republican colleagues will not let that happen, though, because 10 minutes ago they banded together in Special Session to kill the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act’s implementation.

Just 10 short minutes ago, the Tennessee Senate, along party lines, voted to repeal the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act which required paper verified voting machines in all 95 counties, paid for with $32 million of federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds. Mr. Ketron sponsored SB0872, a bill to halt implementation of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act in 2010.

Tennessee currently uses machines that have no paper record and cannot offer a recount. The new paper ballot machines are paid for by funds already alloted to Tennessee by the federal government. Paper ballots ensure there is an accurate record of votes if anything is questionable.

After raising costs for small business throughout Tennessee and becoming the liquor lobby’s go-to Senator, is Mr. Ketron scared of the election results in 2010? We report. You decide.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Bart Gordon announced that Middle Tennessee State University has been awarded $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce hazards posed by lead.

“Lead poisoning can cause a whole range of health problems, from behavioral issues and learning disabilities to seizures and even death,” said Congressman Gordon. “This grant will allow MTSU to help Tennessee families understand the risks associated with lead and identify if this material is a hazard in their homes.”

MTSU received the $300,000 grant from U.S. Housing Department’s Lead Outreach Program to raise public awareness and knowledge about lead poisoning. The grant will be used to develop a coalition of partnerships across Tennessee that will provide lead hazard control training, outreach and education to families in Tennessee.

“Exposure to lead is especially harmful to children – it actually inhibits development of the brain,” said Dr. Kathy Mathis, MTSU’s project director and an associate professor in the University’s Engineering Technology Department. “This is the fourth grant we’ve received from the U.S. Housing Department. We’ll use these funds to focus on getting essential information out to the people of Tennessee about the hazards posed by lead. We appreciate Congressman Gordon’s continued support and the confidence that the U.S. Housing Department has placed in MTSU.”

The grant will specifically be used to provide 2,034 individuals with lead outreach through home visits, reach an additional 1.7 million people through public media, and participate in more than 70 health fairs and community events throughout the state of Tennessee.

“MTSU has long been committed to eliminating lead hazards.” added Gordon, “I remain committed to helping the University and other Middle Tennessee agencies continue this important work.”

Governor Bredesen made his second stop in the 62nd District on behalf of his friend and our candidate Ty Cobb. He recognized Ty’s commitment to serve the citizens of the district. Both Bredesen and Cobb then demonstrated that commitment to serve by donning aprons and serving delicious catfish, hushpuppies, and cole slaw to over 400 attendees of Ty’s Fish Fry on Saturday at the American Legion in Shelbyville. John Carney of the Shelbyville Times-Gazette reports:

The apron-clad governor personally served fish to many of those in line, stepping away for a while in order to participate in public remarks.

Bredesen called Cobb “the right kind of person to send down to those jobs in Nashville,” and said that a special election, alone on the ballot, requires a concerted effort from the party faithful.

“It’s all about getting out the vote,” said Bredesen.

MTSU EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NAMED IN THEIR HONOR

“Dr. Bob” and his family have been committed to MTSU and education since its inception. The Department of Education that they helped build to national prominence will now be named in their honor. The Daily News Journal has the story:

This family moves mountains.

From the time the doors of Middle Tennessee State Normal School opened in 1911, the Womack family has influenced the look, feel and heart of the campus-and has also provided leadership across the education spectrum in the state of Tennessee.

“Dr. Bob, his four children and their families have made a commitment to the university both in outright contributions and in their estate planning that will easily be the largest gift to that program,” added Joe Bales, MTSU vice president for development and university relations. “This, coupled with the earlier announcement of the construction of our new education building, signifies our commitment to maintaining our College of Education as Tennessee’s preeminent education program.”

Dr. Bob, as he is affectionately called by nearly everyone on campus, is starting his 53rd year of teaching at the university that he says “feels just like home.” As a student he enrolled in what was then State Teachers College in 1941.

Son Andy Womack shares his father’s sentiment.

During Andy Womack’s tenure as chair of the state Senate Education Committee, the topography of the campus changed considerably. “I was very proud of the fact that we were able to get the mass communication building as well as the infrastructure which made possible the new business building, the new library and the renovation of the Todd Library. … When we moved back here in 1957, MTSU was just a small college. Now it has become a major university, not only in Tennessee but in the southeast and the nation.”

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that starting Friday (Oct. 2) emergency checks would be available to student veterans to cover costs guaranteed under the new G.I. Bill signed into law in 2008. Thousands of veterans who applied for educational benefits under the program have not yet received their payments due to delayed processing.

“No veteran should have to dip into their savings or postpone buying books for class because of outdated technology and backed-up claims,” said Congressman Bart Gordon. “Now student veterans will be able to obtain the promised funds by visiting the VA’s regional office in Nashville or by applying online.”

VA regional offices will start distributing checks of up to $3,000 on Friday, October 2, to eligible students across the country. Tennessee’s regional office is located in Nashville (110 9th Avenue South; 1-800-827-1000). Students should bring a photo ID and a course schedule. Student veterans can also apply for an emergency check by visiting www.va.gov. Online applicants will receive their emergency payments through the mail after processing.

“Thousands of Tennessee’s National Guardsmen served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan,” explained Gordon. “These veterans and the other members of our Armed Forces who defended our country abroad deserve the full, four-year college education promised to them when we passed the new G.I. Bill.”

The emergency checks will help student veterans make payments towards books and housing. The money will be deducted from future payments, which are expected to arrive on the normal schedule – the beginning of the month following the period for which they are being reimbursed.

Qualified veterans were able to apply for the new college benefits beginning in May of this year, and started receiving tuition benefits in August, along with housing and book stipends which are paid retroactively. Almost 300,000 claims have been submitted for the program.

Above is a slide show of over 30 photos from the Grow TN Dinner on Saturday, Sept. 19. Thanks to all who came out and made this a wonderful event!

In advance of President Obama’s address before Congress on Wednesday about health care reform, Congressman Bart Gordon issued the following statement about what he hopes to hear:

“The President has a tremendous opportunity to refocus the debate on health care reform. To date, there has been considerable partisanship and most of the discussion has been about things we don’t like in the various health care reform proposals, not what we do want.

“I recently held nine different public events in an effort to hear from as many of my constituents as possible. In doing so, it became clear to me that there are a lot of commonsense reforms to our health care system that people agree on and would like to see happen.

“People agree that health insurance should be portable – if you leave or lose your job, your health insurance should stay intact. Insurance companies should be prohibited from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, and they shouldn’t be able to cut off coverage when a person gets sick. Reform should reduce the rapidly increasing cost of health care and health insurance and make it easier for both people to obtain and small businesses to provide affordable coverage. State lines shouldn’t get in the way of insurance companies offering coverage – allowing this will increase options, create competition, and ultimately lower costs. Illegal immigrants should not be able to get taxpayer-funded health insurance. Medicare should be strengthened and improved, which includes eliminating the donut hole. And, any reform proposal should be deficit neutral.

“There is agreement on these issues, as well as others. I hope the President uses his opportunity on Wednesday to propose a more modest plan built around things on which Republicans and Democrats agree. This issue is too important to rush or push through. A reframed, bipartisan approach can bring about many of the reforms our health care system needs.”

(MURFREESBORO) - The Rutherford County Democratic Party (RCDP) made a request today of freshman Representative Joe Carr (R-Lascassas) to return thousands of dollars he recently told the Tennessean he “inadvertently” took from state tax payers. The money he said “he didn’t know” he took was in the form of numerous daily $171 bogus meal and hotel expense claims.

Rep. Carr has made more requests for meal and hotel expenses than any other lawmaker in the state House of Representatives, more than Memphis and Knoxville lawmakers with legitimate travel expenses. Rep. Carr lives in a neighboring county to the state Capitol, and it is unclear why he made so many requests for money he never spent on meals and hotel rooms.

“If Rep. Carr ‘inadvertently’ made over $18,000 in bogus expense requests, it’s hard to believe he then ‘inadvertently’ signed for the checks and ‘inadvertently’ drove himself to the bank to ‘inadvertently’ deposit the taxpayers’ money in his personal bank account,” said RCDP Chairman Jonathon Fagan. “Rep. Carr can easily fix this mess by coming clean and returning that money to the taxpayers.”

In the last legislative session, Rep. Carr pushed legislation demanding Gov. Bredesen deny his own constituents unemployment benefits (HJR - 0150). His efforts thankfully failed, while at the same time Rep. Carr was stuffing his bank account with thousands of dollars of his own private stimulus checks compliments of the very taxpayers who now find themselves without a job.

“Rep. Carr represents the brand of Republican that America sent packing to the hills in 2008 after plundering record surpluses of the Clinton years through historic record deficit spending. Unfortunately the hills they fled to are right here in Tennessee,” Fagan said. “And in 2010, it’s time Tennesseans finish the job and rid our state and our country from these tax and spend Republicans. It’s time to move Tennessee forward.”

Murfreesboro Tennessee is the birthplace of today’s modern Democratic Party, born in 1822 in what was then the State Capitol on Vine Street when Andrew Jackson declared his candidacy for President of the United States and was nominated by the Tennessee Legislature. The Democratic Party that was born then is now the oldest surviving political party in the world. Visit the Rutherford County Democratic Party website at www.rutherfordcountydemocrats.org.

MURFREESBORO – To have productive conversations and obtain advice from residents of Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District, U.S. Representative Bart Gordon has scheduled several discussion opportunities over the next two weeks – two district-wide Telephone Town Halls, three Face-to-Face office hour events, and two in-person Town Hall meetings, as well as a seniors-focused Telephone Town Hall and other possible call-in events. Each event will allow constituents to share concerns, ask questions, and communicate directly with Gordon.

“I scheduled each of these events in order to accommodate and hear from as many Sixth District residents as possible,” explained Gordon.

Gordon’s August schedule follows (note: additional events may be added):

· August 21: Two Telephone Town Halls – one at 11 a.m. CDT and another at 5:30 p.m. CDT (to register, visit www.gordon.house.gov or call 615-896-1986).
· August 24: Face-to-Face office hours, starting at 9:00 a.m. CDT, at the Patterson Park Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd., Murfreesboro, 37130).
· August 24: Town Hall meeting, moderated by the Daily News Journal, at 7:00 p.m. CDT in Murfreesboro (location, to be determined).
· August 25: Face-to-Face office hours, starting at 9:00 a.m. CDT, at the Putnam County Courthouse (300 E. Spring St., Cookeville, 38501).
· August 26: Face-to-Face office hours, starting at 9:00 a.m. CDT, at the Sumner County Courthouse (100 Public Sq., Room B-100, Gallatin, 37066).
· August 26: Town Hall meeting, moderated by Mike Toole of The News-Examiner at 7:00 p.m. CDT in Gallatin (location, to be determined).

“These call-ins, one-on-one discussion events and Town Hall meetings are just part of my efforts to better understand the concerns of the more than 700,000 constituents across the 15 counties I represent in the Sixth District,” added Gordon.

The two Telephone Town Hall events require no travel, and participation is toll free and easy. Registered constituents will be able to communicate with Gordon, ask questions live, and leave messages from the comfort of their homes.

Each Face-to-Face office hour event will offer constituents an opportunity to individually meet with Gordon and discuss any questions and concerns they may have. Gordon will meet with Sixth District residents on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The in-person Town Hall meetings will be moderated by Murfreesboro’s Daily News Journal and Gallatin’s News-Examiner, respectively. The moderators will call on attendees to ask questions or give advice to Gordon, as well as ensure that a constructive dialogue takes place over the course of each event.

In addition to these events, constituents are always welcome to stop by Gordon’s district offices. The Murfreesboro office is located at 305 W. Main Street; the Gallatin office is located at 100 Public Sq., Room B-100; and the Cookeville office is located at 15 S. Jefferson Avenue.

Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District includes the following counties: Bedford, Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Jackson, Macon, Marshall, Overton, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, and part of Wilson.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to cover costs associated with treatment and follow-up testing for infected veterans in the wake of the endoscopy problems at the Alvin York VA Hospital. The statement came in response to Congressman Bart Gordon’s June 18 letter, in which he requested the VA to give infected veterans the benefit of the doubt and pay in full for the care they need.

“This is not only a good decision, it is the right decision,” said Gordon. “At the end of the day, determining if a veteran’s infection was the result of the York VA’s endoscopy mishaps was going to be very difficult, if not impossible. Paying for the treatment costs is one step in the right direction of rebuilding confidence that veterans have in the Murfreesboro VA.”

Gordon received the letter on July 8 from John R. Gingrich, Chief of Staff to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki. Gingrich stated, “Each VA facility is working with any veteran who received positive results from follow-up testing….Specifically, VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VATVHS) will provide no-cost diagnostic testing and follow-up care to its veterans. VA will ensure they that understand that the treatment they receive is at no cost to them.”

In December, officials at the Alvin York VA Hospital in Murfreesboro discovered that an endoscopy machine used for colon cancer screening had not been properly equipped with a specific valve. After testing more 6,500 potentially affected veterans in Middle Tennessee, 32 have tested positive for Hepatitis B, C, or HIV.

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday (July 8th), the U.S. House passed the Enhancing Small Business Research and Innovation Act, a bipartisan bill that will better assist small businesses in developing cutting-edge commercial technology. The bill modernizes the government’s largest small business research and development programs, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program.

“Small businesses are the backbone of Tennessee’s economy – more than 95% of our state’s private workforce is employed by small businesses,” said Congressman Gordon who helped draft the bill as Chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee. “As we work to get our economy back on track, it is important that we support the innovative high-tech small businesses that will create jobs. Every year, the SBIR and STTR programs help 1,500 new firms get off the ground throughout our country. This legislation will enable these programs to double the amount of grants they can award to small businesses engaged in innovative research.”

Over the past eight years, 91 SBIR/STTR grants have been awarded to Tennessee small businesses, totaling more than $22 million. Many of these companies have been leading research efforts to cure diseases, strengthen national defense, and develop new energy technologies.

“The SBIR and STTR business programs foster technologic innovation and economic growth in Tennessee and across America,” said Eric Cromwell, president and CEO of the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation, a non-profit organization designed to support small businesses and innovation development in Tennessee. “U.S. small businesses developing novel technologies have limited sources of financial capital to access at such an early stage of development. The SBIR and STTR programs are an important source of early stage capital for small businesses, bridging the gap to follow-on investments from the private sector”

The bill will modernize both programs, requiring each of them to reach out to rural entrepreneurs, veterans, and women. It also requires both programs to give special consideration to small businesses focused on research in the fields of rare-diseases, energy and nanotechnology.

The bill passed the House with overwhelming support and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

BY CONGRESSMAN BART GORDON

On June 26, the U.S. House passed an energy bill. Leading up to the vote, and in the days that have followed, misleading statements have been made to describe this piece of legislation.

I would like to set the record straight and explain why the House-passed energy bill is vital to our region’s economic future.

The primary reason I supported the energy bill is because it will create jobs and finally put us on a path to end our dependency on foreign energy sources.

Jobs have been leaving our country for years now, and many of them aren’t coming back. As this has occurred, America has become more and more dependent on foreign energy sources. By creating new industries in the renewable energy sector, like solar, wind and water, we will both create new jobs and end our energy dependence. This is exactly what the energy bill will do.

Nissan’s electric car and battery plant in Smyrna and the solar-technology plants in Memphis, Clarksville and Cleveland, Tennessee are examples of the new energy industries. These energy industries have ripple effects that create even more jobs.

Nissan is a great example. Its new electric and battery car plant will employ 1,300 people directly, but the supply companies – the primary metal, electrical equipment, and plastics companies – will locate in the surrounding communities and are estimated to create more than 9,000 additional jobs.

The House-passed energy bill will provide incentives for the development of more industries in the alternative energy sector here in Tennessee, similar to the plants setting up shop in Smyrna, Clarksville and Cleveland right now.

Concern has been expressed about a potential cost increase in household utility bills if the energy bill is signed into law. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analyzed the bill and concluded the following: “Households would bear costs but ultimately would receive equivalent benefits.” To be clear, I would not support a bill that imposed unreasonable cost increases on consumers.

I understand that these are tough times. I have heard from thousands of Middle Tennesseans who have lost or are worried about losing their jobs. I have also heard from countless others tired of our dependence on foreign oil. We can’t solve these problems overnight. What I am trying to do in Congress is support initiatives that will create a stable foundation for our economy and, at the same time, address other major issues facing our country.

U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon of Murfreesboro represents Tennessee’s Sixth District in the House of Representatives, where he is the chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee.

WASHINGTON – On Friday (June 26th), the U.S. House passed a military budget bill for FY2010, which included increases in funding amounts for the National Guard. The bill also extends health care coverage and increases pay for guardsmen and reservists.

“The Tennessee National Guard has contributed substantially to our nation’s military efforts over the last 8 years,” said Congressman Bart Gordon. “The military budget we passed will allow us to increase funding and benefits for guardsmen who have courageously served our country alongside active-duty soldiers.”

On Wednesday (June 25th), 140 Tennessee Guard members left for Iraq. Since 2001, nearly every member of Tennessee’s National Guard, which is made up of 14,300 members, has been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Some have been deployed multiple times.

The House-passed military budget for FY2010, provides a 3.4% pay raise for military personnel, including guardsmen and reservists. It also extends military health care coverage, known as TRICARE, for guardsmen and their families. The bill would extend TRICARE coverage prior to deployment from 3 months to 6 months.

“These soldiers willingly leave their everyday lives to defend our country,” added Gordon. “In November, 5,000 Tennessee Guard members are expected to be deployed – leading up to their deployment, they deserve quality health care, which will help to ensure they are physically prepared and healthy when they serve our nation abroad.”

The bill also increases the size of our country’s active-duty military, which could reduce the number of redeployments for Guard and Reserve units. The Senate is expected to pass their version of the bill in July.