By Senator Marsha Blackburn
Between colorful Easter egg rolls and joyous church services, Tennessee families gathered around the table this past weekend to celebrate a time of renewal. As I reflected alongside my own family, I was inspired by the strong spirit of the Volunteer State. With my annual visits to all 95 counties well underway, I am joining local leaders with a renewed commitment to helping our communities thrive.
In Jackson County, leaders are doing their part to keep up with soaring prices. EMS departments shuffled budgets to pay for the skyrocketing cost of IV bags, and school districts changed bus routes to ensure that little ones can keep coming to class. Even in the face of a historic economic crisis, savvy, pro-growth policies encouraged investment and opportunity; as a result, Tennessee ranked third in the nation for growth in 2021. On Capitol Hill, I’ve brought this budget-conscious mindset to the forefront and led the charge to stop wasteful spending sprees.
In the face of spiking crime and the massive influx of drugs coming across the southern border, leaders in East Tennessee are backing law enforcement officers in identifying gangs, cartels, and major distribution hubs. Tennesseans were among the first to raise the alarm about midnight flights of illegal immigrants into our communities, and I brought this concern to the Senate through legislation to stop the federal government from forcing their border crisis onto our neighborhoods.
Leaders in Tennessee aren’t just working to address inflation or rising crime. Last week, I met with troops at Fort Campbell who are bravely focused on keeping our nation safe, and I spoke with military families who will stop at nothing to support their servicemembers. There is no greater commitment than that of the men and women in the armed forces, and in Washington, I remain resolved to give them the resources they need to fight and win.
In every corner of the Volunteer State, local leaders demonstrated their incredible ability to overcome; they also expressed tremendous frustration with the current administration’s priorities. While Tennessee has gotten to work to fight inflation, rising crime, open borders, and a “woke” military agenda, the White House has led the charge to make this an impossible task. Though Democrats might boast of restoring the “soul of this nation,” President Biden and his party of radicals have done nearly everything in their power to undermine what Tennesseans stand for.
As families gathered together to celebrate this period of renewal, I joined Tennessee leaders in renewing my commitment to fight for the policies the Volunteer State deserves. Rather than propping up the radical left, the Biden administration needs to use this time to follow suit and renew their promise to the American people.