[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 31, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5225-S5226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Tennessee

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity to 
participate today and talk a little bit about my State of Tennessee. I 
will tell you, as we are talking about what we are going to do and how 
we are going to be working across our State during the August work 
period and how we are looking forward to having people visit our State 
during that time, one of the things that strikes me so very often when 
people talk about Tennessee and when they hear that I am from 
Tennessee, they will stop and say: That is

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one of the most beautiful States. Our State is beautiful, with its 
rivers, lakes, rolling hills, mountains, and the flatlands over toward 
Memphis. Indeed, it is beautiful. It is also very long, and that is 
also quite remarkable to people when they start to drive through the 
State. They say: I spent a whole day driving through the State of 
Tennessee. From the time they enter up around Mountain City and Bristol 
and make their way through to Memphis, it does really take the whole 
day.
  I think one of the things that interest people when they cross into 
Tennessee as they are going down I-81 is seeing the Bristol Motor 
Speedway. They realize that it is truly a feat of engineering--NASCAR 
is very popular--and realize the innovation and creativity that has 
gone into creating that speedway. Then to be there on race day, I will 
tell you, that is something that is quite amazing, to see those cars 
speeding around those banked turns and realize it is people who are 
handling these feats of engineering.
  People also appreciate, in addition to the Bristol Motor Speedway and 
car racing, that Tennessee is a State that is very important to the 
automotive industry. You have Volkswagen in Chattanooga, and you have 
the GM facility at Spring Hill. Nissan North America's headquarters are 
located in Cold Springs, right outside of Nashville. Their 
manufacturing plant is in Smyrna. You have the Toyota plant that is 
over in West Tennessee.

  We Tennesseans are also excited about the prospect of having an 
aerospace park that is going to be in East Tennessee, up at the Tri-
Cities. As a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
Committee, I have had the privilege of working with the Tri-Cities 
Airport and local officials to make that a destination and to make it a 
reality.
  A little further down in the State, as you get on I-40, you will find 
yourself in the middle of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the 
most visited park in our National Parks System. Senator Alexander and I 
are continuing the work to designate the Dean Stone Bridge on the 
Foothills Parkway there in Blount County. Dean Stone was a pillar of 
the community, and naming the bridge in honor of him is the perfect way 
to thank him for his dedication in improving the lives of all those who 
live and enjoy the Smokies in that part of our State.
  The Smokies are second in my heart to just one Tennessee landmark in 
Nashville that I think everyone wants to see. They are all country 
music fans, and they want to see the mother church of country music, 
which is the Ryman Auditorium. The best singers and songwriters in the 
world leave their stadiums and their festivals because they want to 
have the opportunity to play just one song on the stage of the Ryman 
Auditorium. It is a wonderful place to be and to celebrate Tennessee's 
creativity and to celebrate the music that fills our hearts and our 
lives.
  When I was a Member in the House, I worked tirelessly for several 
years and fought for the unanimous passage of the Music Modernization 
Act. That is something that fixed a lot of loopholes that were in U.S. 
law that adversely impacted our songwriters as they were facing 
copyright many times.
  Upon coming to the Senate, I worked with Senator Feinstein, 
continuing the fight on behalf of our songwriters to close the 
loopholes that exempt broadcast radio from paying royalties to music 
creators.
  Tennessee is also known for some other wonderful music, a little bit 
further down I-40, and that is the blues. You can't leave the State of 
Tennessee without going through Memphis and having a visit over on 
Beale Street, right there on the banks of the mighty Mississippi.
  The Mississippi River is our Nation's original superhighway, if you 
will. It is vitally important, not only to river but to rail, air, and 
highway transportation networks. All of these have found their way 
along West Tennessee's river lands.
  Shipping and logistics giant FedEx has its corporate headquarters in 
Memphis. Memphis is the city of their founding and their headquarters 
location, and that takes advantage of Memphis International Airport and 
their cargo operations center.
  All that being said, one of the things that individuals repeatedly 
comment on when they talk about Tennessee is how nice the people are in 
Tennessee, how welcoming they are, and how they engage you and want to 
make certain that you come back.
  You will find in Tennessee a very diverse community. Yes, we are the 
home to artists and athletes. We are the home to engineers, to farmers, 
to doctors, to soldiers, and to veterans. It is, indeed, one of the 
best places on the face of the Earth to call home and, indeed, a 
certain not-to-be-missed destination for all Americans.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 10 
minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.