Senator Bob Corker : Update from Senator Bob Corker

Honoring the Lives of Justin and Stephanie Shults

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In remarks on the Senate floor last Monday, Senators Corker and Alexander honored the lives of Tennessean Justin Shults and his wife Stephanie, who were among those killed in the terror attacks in Brussels, Belgium.

“I rise today to honor the lives of Tennessean Justin Shults and his wife Stephanie, who were among those killed in the terror attacks in Brussels, Belgium, on the morning of March 22,” said Corker. “I want to thank our senior senator, Lamar Alexander, for joining me here this afternoon and for the way he serves our state. We are heartbroken by this tragedy, which once again hit too close to home. Not long ago, Senator Alexander and I came before this body to mourn the loss of five American heroes we lost in a terror attack in my hometown of Chattanooga. We are here again today, heartbroken that two more outstanding individuals were taken by evil. And we are reminded that terrorism knows no borders or boundaries.”

Corker added: “From Chattanooga, to Paris, San Bernardino, Brussels, and beyond, we have seen unimaginable events unfold before our eyes. It is clear that the fight against evil will be a long-term struggle. To protect our citizens, we must deepen our partnership with Europe and other allies to defeat ISIS and other terror groups so that no more families will have to deal with the heartbreak Justin and Stephanie’s families face today… We mourn their passing. We honor their lives. And we renew our commitment to fight against this evil.”

Read the full text of Corker and Alexander’s floor speeches here.

Challenging Obama Administration’s Immigration Executive Actions

Senator Corker last week joined Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and 41 other Senate Republicans in filing an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court in support of a challenge by a majority of the nation’s governors and attorneys general of the states, including Tennessee, to the Obama administration’s November 2014 executive actions on immigration.

“Unfortunately, the president announced executive actions that effectively changed immigration laws without going through Congress,” said Corker. “This approach to governing blatantly ignores the rule of law and Congress’ constitutional role and is damaging for our democracy.”

The Supreme Court took up the case (United States of America v. State of Texas) after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in November of 2015 affirmed a preliminary injunction by a federal district court in Brownsville, Texas, blocking the Obama administration from moving forward with its executive actions on immigration. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in the case on April 18.

U.S. Debt is a Strategic Threat to National Security

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Senator Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, convened a hearing last Wednesday to examine the strategic challenges mounting national debt poses for the United States. As interest on the debt and spending on entitlement programs increasingly crowd out available resources for other priorities, the United States will face difficult choices in order to maintain economic growth and defend American interests at home and around the world.

“The issue of our national debt has been an issue that our top military officials, presidents on both sides of the aisle, secretaries of state on both sides of the aisle, have considered to be a major threat to our nation, and it certainly limits our ability to respond to crises,” said Corker. “I think that it’s bipartisan in the sense that we’ve got to figure out a way to come together and grind through the issues that our nation is facing to ensure that we don’t continue with the generational theft that is occurring right now where we in essence run deficits that future generations will pay.”

Click here for complete witness testimony and archived video footage.

Senate to Vote on the Nomination of Waverly Crenshaw

Senator Corker last week announced that the Senate will vote Monday on the nomination of Waverly Crenshawof Nashville to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee.

Corker said: “Waverly Crenshaw has distinguished himself not only as a talented attorney, but also a well-respected leader in the Nashville community. He will serve the people of Middle Tennessee honorably in this new role, and I look forward to his confirmation.”

Obama Administration Commitments on Iran Not Squaring with Reality

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During a hearing last week to assess Iran’s hostile and illicit behavior since the nuclear deal took effect in January, Senator Corker disputed previous Obama administration commitments claiming certain restrictions on Iran would remain in place. The committee heard testimony from Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas A. Shannon, Jr.

“I think all of us have been – and remain – skeptical of Iran,” said Corker, who opposed the nuclear agreement. “There is also bipartisan frustration with the perception that previous commitments made by the administration are not squaring with reality.”

Corker reiterated his view that new sanctions authority provided by Congress is necessary to address the continued threat from Iran’s ballistic missile activities and prospective sales of illicit weaponry to Iran.

“There is bipartisan support for new sanctions authority in response to Iran’s repeated ballistic missile launches,” said Corker. “Previous assurances, including some by the president, clearly stated that we reserved the right to take new steps should we need to push back harder against Iran’s non-nuclear behavior. I think the repeated ballistic missile launches and desire to purchase all types of weapons from Russia prove that an increased push back is necessary.”