Serving the People of Tennessee in the United States Senate

The USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee recently asked Senator Corker to pen an open, nonpartisan letter to his eventual successor. Text of the letter follows.

Dear senator-elect,

I never dreamed of being a United States senator. I dreamed of building a business, and after graduating from the University of Tennessee, I built a construction company from scratch.

By my late 20s, our company was operating around the country and growing rapidly. I had worked hard, sure, but I also knew that I was blessed beyond measure and that I needed to give back to the community I still to this day call home.

One day, I was looking at our church bulletin and saw that they were organizing a mission trip to Haiti and needed someone who knew something about construction. Working with people in such need touched me in ways you cannot imagine.

I began to focus on the inner city in Chattanooga and saw that people there had similar needs. And that is where my foray into public service began — not as a political endeavor, but a civic one, on a mission to help thousands of families have the opportunity for a decent home so they could have a better life.

That is how I have tried to approach each job along the way.

It is how I approached my time as commissioner of finance and administration for the state of Tennessee, telling newly elected Governor Don Sundquist on my first day exactly how long I would serve.

It is how I served as mayor of Chattanooga, working with our citizens to reimagine our city, and after checking off every item on our agenda, stepping down after one term.

And it is how I have approached my service in the Senate, telling Tennesseans when I ran in 2006 that I could not imagine serving more than two terms.

I think when you approach public service that way and are willing to walk away from “power” it allows you to serve in a different capacity.

It allows you to get your uniform dirty on every play and to call ‘em how you see ‘em. It allows you to think big and tackle major issues without thinking about the next election. And it allows you to focus on what unites rather than what divides.

Our state has been served in the Senate by individuals who have played outsized roles on the national stage because of their focus on solving problems and on appealing to our country’s better angels. In my 11 years and six-and-a-half months in the Senate, I have done my best to serve in the same vein and move the ball forward on the issues that matter most to our state and country. And in our form of government, the only way to do that successfully is by working with members on both sides of the aisle.

Serving the people of Tennessee in the United States Senate has been the greatest privilege of my life, and I know it will be for you too.

The people of Tennessee are special. They are passionate, proud people who are always willing to lend a hand to their neighbors. They love their families and strive to provide a better life for their children. They are people of faith, in God and country. They work hard and will expect you to as well.

In Genesis 12, God tells the Jewish people that they are blessed so that they can be a blessing to others. That is a verse I have often thought of throughout my Senate tenure. It has helped ground me during times of chaos and helped inspire me during times of sorrow.

This job will not always be easy, but it will be worth it because of the people I — and now you — have the privilege of serving. I will be cheering you on each step along the way. Congratulations and good luck.

Meeting With Supreme Court Justice Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh

On Thursday, Senator Corker released the following statement after meeting with President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

“I had a great meeting with Judge Kavanaugh and think he is a superb nominee,” said Corker. “It is inspiring to me to see someone of his caliber, who has dedicated his life in the fashion that he has, have this opportunity to serve on the Supreme Court. He answered the questions that I asked very clearly, succinctly and professionally, and I don’t think the meeting could have gone any better. I thank him for his desire to serve our country. I will certainly watch Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing, but assuming there are no surprises there, I plan to enthusiastically support his nomination.”

We Must Stand Firm and Not Turn a Blind Eye to the Putin Regime's Long History of Aggression

Earlier this month, Senator Corker returned from a week-long trip to the Nordic and Baltic regions, where he met with U.S. and foreign officials in Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, and Finland. The trip, led by Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), focused on political and security issues important to the United States, including the effect of Russian influence in the regions. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Congressman Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined Corker and Flake on the trip.    

“As I traveled to Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, and Finland in my role as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, it was clear that Russia’s destabilizing behavior continues to have a major impact,” said Corker. “It is important that the U.S. not turn a blind eye to the Putin regime’s long history of aggression, including its violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, interference in elections, and current activities in Syria. In the face of these continued threats, we should stand firmly with our NATO allies and affirm our transatlantic partnership.”

On Monday, President Trump and Putin met in Helsinki, Finland for a summit, where they later held a formal presentation together before taking questions from members of the press. Once the event concluded, Corker made the following comment when asked about his opinion of the meeting.  

“I, too, want us to have good relations with Russia. I think everybody would like to see that happen, but I was disappointed, especially by the comments made after the formal presentation,” said Corker. “I felt like that everyone who has dealt with Putin understands fully that the best way to deal with him is through strength, and I just felt like the president’s comments made us look as a nation more like a pushover. And I was disappointed in that. When he had the opportunity to defend our intelligence agencies, who work for him, I was very disappointed and saddened with the equivalency that he gave between them and what Putin was saying. And, you know, Congress has spoken strongly as very few bills around here that pass 98 to 2, but we led on pushing back against Russia for many of the things they’ve done which have been counter to U.S. interests, and I just felt like the president should have been more forceful in talking about those grievances. Again, Putin only understands strength, and I did not think this was a good moment for our country.”

Tennessean: Top Tennessee Republicans part ways with Trump over Russian meddling in 2016 election

Click here or on the image above to watch WATE's report on the Helsinki summit.

Working to Ensure Congress Plays Its Appropriate Role in the Implementation of National Security-Designated Tariffs

The Senate last week overwhelmingly expressed support for efforts by Senators Corker, Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to ensure Congress plays its appropriate role in the implementation of national security-designated tariffs. By a vote of 88 to 11, the Senate adopted a non-binding motion to instruct conferees with respect to H.R. 5895 to include language “providing a role for Congress in making a determination under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. 1862)” in the final legislation developed by the Senate and House conference committee. Corker, Toomey and Flake said they will continue to push for a binding vote on legislation they introduced in June to require congressional approval of national security-designated tariffs.

“In today’s polarized Washington, rarely do we see broad, bipartisan consensus on an issue,” said Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “But today, the Senate spoke loud and clear by overwhelmingly expressing support for our efforts to ensure Congress plays its appropriate role in the implementation of national security-designated tariffs. Tariffs are a tax on the American people, and as the U.S. economy and American businesses and consumers begin to feel the damaging effects of incoherent trade policy, I believe support for our legislation will only grow. We will continue to push for a binding vote and are hopeful one will be scheduled in the near future.”

Corker, Toomey and Flake have been seeking an up-or-down vote on their legislation since June. Their first attempt to schedule a vote was blocked by Senate leadership and the most recent attempt was blocked by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

The legislation has attracted a wide range of support and is also cosponsored by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Angus King (I-Maine), and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.).

Prior to the vote, Corker urged his colleagues to support efforts to reassert constitutional responsibility on trade policy.

Click here or on the image above to watch the senator's remarks.

Welcoming Tennesseans to Washington

Last week, Senators Corker and Alexander hosted more than 45 Tennesseans at “Tennessee Tuesday,” a regular breakfast held on Capitol Hill every week the Senate is in session for visitors from the Volunteer State. For more information, click here.

Senator Corker last week met with members of the Tennessee Farm Bureau, including President Jeff Aiken, to discuss the importance of the agriculture community having a reliable workforce and how tariffs are hurting farmers in the Volunteer State.

Oshkosh Corporation Coming to Jefferson City Is Outstanding News

Senator Corker posted the following tweet after Fortune 500 company Oshkosh Corporation announced it will establish a manufacturing facility in Jefferson City and create more than 300 jobs over the next three years. 

Tennessean Confirmed as General Counsel for Department of Defense

On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Tennessean Paul Ney as general counsel for the Department of Defense by a vote of 70-23. Earlier this year, Corker introduced Paul at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination. 

Demanding Turkey End Unjust Detention of U.S. Citizens

On Thursday, Senators Corker and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) introduced bipartisan legislation with Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) to restrict loans from international financial institutions to Turkey until the Turkish government ends the unjust detention of U.S. citizens. In 2016, Turkey imprisoned American Pastor Andrew Brunson and indicted him on unsubstantiated charges earlier this year. A Turkish court ruled on Wednesday that Brunson will remain in custody until the next hearing on his case in October. In April, the senators led a bipartisan group of 66 senators in a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanding Brunson’s release. Other U.S. citizens, locally employed staff of the U.S. embassy, and tens of thousands of Turkish citizens still face unacceptable harassment and human rights violations by the Government of Turkey.

“The detention and harassment of American citizens in Turkey cannot continue,” said Corker. “With Turkey continuing to rebuff good faith efforts by Congress and the administration to resolve this, we must take further action until the rights of our citizens and employees in Turkey are respected. Pastor Brunson’s continued imprisonment on what seem to be baseless charges is an outrage that demands we insist on his immediate and unconditional release.”

Click here to learn more about the legislation. 

Reaffirming the U.S. Commitment to NATO and Supporting Our NATO Allies

Last week, Senator Corker voted for committee passage of a resolution expressing support for the strategic importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the United States and urging its member states to work together at the summit meeting (July 11-12) to strengthen the alliance. Corker offered an amendment adopted by the committee reaffirming U.S. policy supporting Ukraine and condemning Russia for its efforts to annex Crimea. Earlier this month, he returned from a trip, led by Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), to the Nordic and Baltic regions focused on political and security issues important to the United States, including Russian attempts to influence the regions.             

“I absolutely support the notion that all NATO countries, especially Germany, need to meet the 2 percent requirement for spending on defense and increase their capabilities. At the same time, a weakening of the alliance is not in U.S. interests,” said Corker. “The resolution we passed expresses strong, bipartisan support for our NATO allies and reaffirms the U.S. commitment to the transatlantic partnership. A strong NATO, especially given a level of aggression from Russia not seen since the Cold War, remains essential for maintaining the rules-based international order created with U.S. leadership that has helped democracy thrive around the world and has made our citizens safer at home.”

Click here to read the text of the resolution.