More than 500 New Jobs in Hamilton County
Senator Corker was in Chattanooga on Monday as Volkswagen Chattanooga and Gestamp, a company that designs, develops and manufactures metal components and assemblies for the automotive sector, announced that their partnership for metal parts stamping in Tennessee will grow and the commitment will lead to more than 500 additional jobs in Chattanooga.
The project will include an expansion of Gestamp’s existing Chattanooga facility and the construction of a new stamping facility in Enterprise South to accommodate stamping of Class A parts including external metals skin for the new mid-size SUV. Gestamp will invest $180 million in the project that triples its capacity in Chattanooga.
“Today’s announcement is yet another reminder that the Volunteer State is an outstanding place to do business, and I could not be more proud that Gestamp is deepening its commitment to my hometown,” said Corker. “From day one, we knew that if Volkswagen decided to build its mid-size SUV in Chattanooga it would create a jobs multiplier effect that would be felt across our state and region for years to come. I am thrilled for the families in Hamilton County who will benefit from these new jobs, and I applaud Governor Haslam and his economic development team for their tireless work to build on this important partnership, which only further solidifies Tennessee as the premiere location for automobile manufacturing in the nation.”
For more information on the announcement, click here.
July 14, 2014 – Senator Corker celebrates Volkswagen’s expansion announcement at the Hunter Museum in Chattanooga (Hamilton County).
Discussing News of the Day on MSNBC’s Morning Joe
In an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday, Senator Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discussed negotiations with Iran over their nuclear program and South Carolina’s display of the Confederate flag at the state capitol after the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church massacre in Charleston.
On the Iran talks: Senator Corker highlighted enactment of his legislation – the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act – that gives Congress the opportunity to review any final nuclear deal before the president can waive congressional sanctions on Iran. He also called U.S. demands for “anytime, anywhere” inspections and disclosure of Iran’s past research into weaponization of a nuclear weapon “non-negotiable,” urging the Obama administration to be prepared to suspend talks unless Iran agrees.
“Congress had no role in this until we passed a bill recently because the president had the ability to go directly to the U.N. Security Council with national security waivers he was given,” said Corker. “If they are trying to cross these two remaining red lines,…I do think we should…step away from the table and make sure that we end up with a deal that will stand the test of time. We already have so many weaknesses in it today.”
On South Carolina’s display of the Confederate flag at the state capitol: “It's a state issue, and I acknowledge that it's a state issue…If I were there, I would certainly vote to have it come down,” said Corker. “It serves no purpose anymore, especially after what has occurred [in Charleston]. I was born in South Carolina. I lived in South Carolina the first 11 years of my life. I love South Carolina, but I think in light of what's happened, there's no question from my perspective over what ought to happen.”
Click here or on the image above to watch the introduction.
“We Have a Lot of Work To Do” on Nation’s Fiscal Challenges
At a hearing last week on the federal government’s deepening fiscal challenges, Senator Corker, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, questioned Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Keith Hall about the agency’s 2015 Long-Term Budget Outlook and the urgent need for Congress to enact responsible policies to reduce our nation’s debt and deficits.
In the hearing, Corker raised concerns about the country being unprepared for another financial crisis due to Congress’s inaction on real fiscal reforms.
“It seems to me that our nation is much worse off than your projections are, that there are difficult decisions that are not being made, [and] the longer we put off those decisions the more difficult they become and the worse off our nation is,” said Corker. “We have a lot of work to do.”
Affirming more needs to be done to prepare the country for a future financial downturn, Director Hall said, “I think all you need to do is look what happened to debt. It almost doubled since 2007, from that crisis, and now if we were to have another one with debt being as high as it is now, we would have real trouble responding to it.”
Honored for Support of Music Industry
Senator Corker was honored by the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) last week for his leadership on behalf of music publishers and songwriters.
“There’s no place where the music is more vibrant than in my home state of Tennessee, where we are blessed with talented songwriters, musicians and businesses that bring to life the music that we enjoy each day,” said Corker. “As technology advances, it’s important that we also modernize the way the people behind the music get paid. I’m honored to be recognized by the National Music Publishers’ Association and thank them for their work to advocate for music creators.”
“We’re excited to recognize Senator Corker’s steadfast commitment to helping songwriters succeed,” said NMPA president and CEO David Israelite. “Without his leadership helping creators achieve a fair wage in a free market, we would not be making the progress I believe we are making today.”
On March 4, 2015, Corker, along with U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Representatives Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), introduced the Songwriter Equity Act that would allow songwriters to receive compensation based on the fair market value of the songs.
June 18, 2015 – National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) president and CEO David Israelite presents Senator Corker with the President’s Award.
Honored for Championing America’s Leadership in the World
Senator Corker was honored for championing America’s leadership in the world at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s (USGLC) Annual Tribute Dinner in Washington last week.
“It is hard to recall a time in history when pragmatic U.S. leadership around the world mattered more to our nation’s security and prosperity. Responsible engagement improves individual lives and economic opportunities at home and abroad, and helps head off problems before they become crises,” said Corker. “I am honored to be recognized by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and thank them for all they do to advance America’s interests around the globe.”
Previous honorees include Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, among others.
Click here or on the image above to watch a tribute video honoring Corker.
