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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Last week brought an unusual upstart to the federal processes in Washington D.C. as both chambers of Congress voted on the end-of-year funding, also known as a Continuing Resolution (CR).
Though often passed with little recognition or public awareness, despite often being filled with “pork” and excess government spending, this year’s iterations sparked massive upheaval.
The original version of the American Relief Act was an outrageous 1,500-page omnibus bill which contained items like a Congressional pay raise, 17 miscellaneous commerce bills, and random future “pandemic” policies.
Through input and pressure from both the incoming Trump administration and the public, who voiced strong objections, its third and final version was ultimately slashed to 118 pages.
While the CR’s passage was seen as a victory by some, 34 Republican Representatives, including several from Tennessee, did not support any versions of the measure, including the final revised bill which was broadly supported by House Democrats and President Biden.
In the Senate, the vote was 85-11 in favor of the CR, earning support from both sides of the aisle.
Below, The Tennessee Conservative has recorded the individual votes for the Congressional delegation from Tennessee along with any statements, if given, the elected officials issued about the vote:
Senator Bill Hagerty (R): YEA
On X, Hagerty credited Elon Musk for a massive role in exposing the waste in the original bill. “Thank God Elon Musk bought Twitter, because that’s the only way we would even know what’s in this bill … Elon Musk’s transparency helped make that happen.”
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R): YEA
A spokesperson for Blackburn issued the following statement to The Tennessee Conservative. “Hurricane Helene has cost Tennessee hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild and over a billion dollars in economic losses to our agricultural sector alone. Across Upper East Tennessee, more than 1,500 homes were damaged, destroyed, or made inaccessible. As President Trump will take office in less than 30 days, we need to ensure he has the funding necessary to properly assist Tennesseans in recovering from this horrific storm, which the Biden administration has failed to do.”
Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-Dist. 1): NAY
Representative Tim Burchett (R- Dist. 2): NAY
Burchett posted a video on social media offering his reasoning for voting against the bill. He believes the provisions in the bill should have been separate, single-issue bills each requiring its own vote and does not have confidence the money designated for disaster relief will go where it should under the current administration, amongst other concerns. “We got played. No Democrats voted against it. More voted for it than Republicans.”
You can also watch Brandon Lewis’ (The Tennessee Conservative founder) interview with Rep. Burchett discussing the vote and his upcoming plans here.
Representative Charles “Chuck” Fleischmann (R- Dist. 3): YEA
Fleischmann posted this statement on his website and social media. “Tennesseans and Americans deserve a government that functions properly and is open. Democracy and representative government can be messy at times, but when we debate and air our differences openly and honestly, the end result is always the best for the American People. Throughout this week, I have been involved in negotiations with my colleagues to keep our government open and provide essential aid for our farmers and Tennesseans affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. I am glad that we passed a reasonable, responsible bill that delivers for the American People. Now it’s time for the Senate to follow the House’s lead and pass our bill.”
Representative Scott DesJarlais (R- Dist. 4): NAY
Representative Andy Ogles (R-Dist. 5): NAY
Ogles posted, “Given barely over an hour to review, I cannot in good conscience vote for the latest CR proposal. It includes a two-year, $4 TRILLION debt limit increase; a provision that undermines the House majority and the American people.”
Representative John Rose (R- Dist. 6): YEA
Rose shared, “Today I joined President @realDonaldTrump to deliver for our farmers and those devastated by disasters. Now, we can look forward to enacting his plan for America, which was overwhelmingly endorsed by the voters.” He also previously called on Republicans to “unite” in passing the CR to support Trump’s vision and mandate.
Representative Mark Green (R- Dist. 7): YEA
Green released the following statement. “I voted to fund our government and prevent a government shutdown. Now, we can start the new year fighting for the American people and implementing President-elect Trump’s plan to strengthen our country and put America first. I’m grateful for President-elect Trump and Speaker Johnson’s leadership.”
Representative David Kustoff (R- Dist. 8): YEA
Kustoff stated, “Today I stood with @realDonaldTrump to provide critical disaster relief, extend the Farm Bill, and get immediate economic assistance to our farmers. President Trump now has a clear path to begin implementing his America First agenda when he takes office in January.”
Representative Steve Cohen (D- Dist. 9): YEA
Cohen originally said he was a “NO” on the CR, but ultimately voted YEA. “The House GOP broke several bipartisan agreements in their new CR, but I won’t stand for a broken promise in DSH payments- funding for hospitals serving the poorest, like Regional One in Memphis. I’ve fought for DSH & ROH (The Med) since to Obama Admin. and I won’t stop now. I’m a NO on this CR.”
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
THANX!! Makes it easy to see who the REAL Republicans are. Sadly, they’re the minority.