Marsha Blackburn Report: Honoring Our Heroes This Memorial Day Weekend

Washington, D.C. – Memorial Day weekend reminds us of the courageous sacrifice our heroes made so that others could live free.

The selflessness of our men and women in uniform is never forgotten, but rather celebrated.

Weekly Rundown

The brave nurses of World War II carried America through a challenging time in our country’s history. Because of their commitment to service, my colleagues and I introduced the bipartisan WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act, which recognizes our WWII nurses for their courageous and selfless hearts. This long-overdue honor finally awards our patriotic nurses with the honor of a Congressional Gold Medal. 

I am heartbroken over the senseless murders of innocent children and teachers in Uvalde. Violence against children is among the most heinous crimes imaginable. We must take meaningful steps to protect our children and that begins with enhancing physical security at schools. There is already roughly $100 billion sitting in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund that can be used for this purpose. As I have previously recommended, schools should have secured, limited entry points; increased funding for school resource officers; and ample mental health resources and treatments. 
 
Local sheriffs tell me that 80% of the drugs confiscated in Tennessee are either fentanyl or laced with fentanyl. With overdose deaths on the rise, we must focus on helping Tennesseans avoid dangerous drugs. This begins by securing our southern border and keeping our Title 42 and Remain in Mexico policies in place. 
 
A parent’s worst fear is not being able to feed their little one. In Tennessee, this fear has become a reality. The Joe Biden administration finally invoked the Defense Production Act, but their concern came way too late. Their inaction led my colleagues and I to write a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf. In this letter we discuss the dangerous shortage and the lengths parents are going to in order to feed their infants. 

Marsha’s Roundup

ICMYI

• I sent a letter to President Joe Biden demanding answers on his refusal to include Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). U.S. economic interests in the region will suffer because Taiwan is not included in this strategy. 
• Sign up to join Senator Bill Hagerty and me at Tennessee Tuesday every Tuesday the Senate is in session. 
• Beginning May 30th, you can register for a Capitol tour using the Capitol Visitor Center portal. Special requests for tours led by my staff can be reserved through my website. 
• Is there something you want to see in the Blackburn Report? Email my office to share!