WASHINGTON – After announcing his intent to retire from Congress last December, Congressman Bart Gordon capped off a distinguished career in office with a productive 26^th year in Congress.

“Looking back on the past 26 years, the beliefs I brought with me from Tennessee to Congress are the same ones that I am leaving with,” Gordon said. “I have always believed the best way to get things done is by working together with civility, cooperation and common sense. My experience has taught me no

party has a monopoly on good ideas.”

The son of a farmer and schoolteacher, Gordon was named chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee in 2007, becoming Tennessee’s first full committee chairman in 30 years.

This year, Gordon passed a reauthorization of his landmark bill, the America COMPETES Act, through the House of Representatives and Senate. The bill protects America’s economic competitiveness by investing in science, technology, engineering and math education and research. Gordon also used his leadership to shepherd through new bills to support nuclear energy research and improve the country’s response to oil spills.

Gordon continued to draw inspiration from constituents. A national leader in the fight against meth, Bart authored the Combat Methamphetamine Enhancement Act to make it harder for meth producers to access the materials they need to make the dangerous drug.

“My best ideas have always come from home,” Gordon said. “Over the years, insight from Middle Tennesseans has helped to ensure workers keep their jobs while managing a family emergency, reform the student loan system to save taxpayers millions of dollars and help more students afford college, and put America on the path to energy independence.”

Helping constituents cut through red tape has been one of Gordon’s top priorities throughout his time in office. With the help of his staff in Murfreesboro, Gallatin and Cookeville, Gordon has continued to ensure local veterans receive the benefits they deserve and helped them obtain the medals they earned during their service to our country. He has helped local schools and community programs work through the federal grants process and assisted thousands of individuals to resolve issues with Social Security, disability and other needed benefits.

Gordon thanked his constituents for their support and inspiration over the years, and encouraged them to stay engaged in the work of Congress when Congressman-elect Diane Black transitions into the office on January 3^rd, 2011.

“Throughout the past 26 years, your thoughtful advice has provided inspiration and guided my every decision,” Gordon said to constituents.

Educated in Rutherford County public schools, Gordon graduated with honors from Middle Tennessee State University in 1971 and later received his law degree from the University of Tennessee.  He served in the Army Reserves from 1971-1972.  Gordon is married to Leslie Peyton Gordon, who is a partner with Korn/Ferry International, and they have one daughter.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Bart Gordon’s bill to ensure robust research and development efforts in the United States nuclear industry.

“Nuclear power will need to remain a component of America’s energy portfolio, whether our goal is energy independence or responsible climate policy,” said Gordon, who chairs the House Committee on Science and Technology. “This bill invests in research to develop nuclear power technologies that are more efficient, more cost effective and more secure.”

Gordon’s bill, the Nuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 2010, promotes work on Small Modular Reactors, reactors that are significantly smaller and present much lower up-front costs than large traditional nuclear power plants. SMRs have the potential to increase the safety and reliability of nuclear generation while making it more cost effective for nuclear energy providers.  The bill also authorizes research into technologies to prolong the life of the United States' 104 existing commercial reactors, which currently provide 20 percent of the country's power and 70 percent of its emissions-free power. 

This bill also devotes resources to addressing the safety issues associated with storage and disposal of nuclear waste. A new fuel cycle research program at the Department of Energy will take a comprehensive approach to safe waste management, including reprocessing technologies and advanced storage methods. Gordon has been a leader on responsible nuclear waste disposal policy, opposing efforts to process other countries’ nuclear waste in Tennessee and passing the Radioactive Import Deterrence Act to limit imports of foreign waste.

The Nuclear Energy Research and Development Act was based on broad bipartisan efforts from the Committee of Science and Technology.

“When I became the Committee’s chairman in 2007, I wanted it to become the committee of good ideas and consensus,” said Gordon. “This bill is just one of the legislative accomplishments we’ve achieved by working in that spirit.”

In the current congress, Gordon has championed legislative efforts from tornado research to oil spill cleanup technology to national cybersecurity. The House reauthorized Gordon's landmark bill the America COMPETES Act earlier this year to protect America’s economic competitiveness by investing in research and science, technology, engineering and math education.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Gordon raised objections today to the news that a nuclear waste company plans to import radioactive waste from Germany to Tennessee for processing at Oak Ridge.

Congressman Bart Gordon, who has fought to keep foreign radioactive waste out of Tennessee for more than twenty years, says legislation is still needed to close loopholes that allow foreign waste to be brought to the United States.

“If a country like Germany has the capacity to produce large quantities of nuclear waste, it should also have the capacity to treat it and store it,” Gordon said. “I have fought to prevent these kinds of business deals by giving the Nuclear Regulatory Commission the authority to reject applications for the importation of nuclear waste.”

Nuclear waste management company EnergySolutions filed an application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to bring in 1,000 tons of radioactive waste to Oak Ridge for processing. The company acknowledges that while the waste is designed to be shipped back to Germany for disposal, radioactive byproducts will remain in the United States for disposal in a domestic waste facility. The NRC currently does not have the authority to summarily reject such applications from foreign countries, even though the U.S. already has a limited number of facilities able to store its own radioactive waste.

Gordon has led national efforts to protect America’s finite nuclear storage facilities for waste produced by American hospitals and power plants, and to keep foreign waste out. His bill the Radioactive Import Deterrence Act, or RID Act, would give the NRC the authority to reject foreign waste import applications and close the “treat-and-return” loophole. The bill passed the U.S. House in December 2009 and is awaiting action in the Senate.

“I am concerned that once waste is imported, nothing but an individual corporation’s word prevents it from being shipped to U.S. disposal sites,” Gordon said. “EnergySolutions’ business strategy is still based on bringing nuclear waste into this country. The NRC lacks the authority to enforce real oversight over this sensitive process. My bill would give the NRC the teeth it needs.”

Pressure from Gordon and his congressional allies has already helped drive EnergySolutions to scale down other nuclear waste importation plans. Earlier this year, the company halted its plans for a major shipment of nuclear waste from Italy that was destined for long-term storage in Clive, Utah.

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a final blow to plans for a shipment of foreign-produced nuclear waste bound for disposal in Utah by way of Tennessee treatment facilities.

EnergySolutions, a nuclear waste management company, first announced plans in 2007 to import 20,000 tons of Italian nuclear waste to a Utah facility. The company has met with resistance from local advocates and lawmakers, including Congressman Bart Gordon, who has led national efforts to prevent foreign-generated radioactive waste from being processed in Tennessee and disposed of on U.S. soil. The Italian shipment would be the largest importation ever of foreign-generated radioactive waste.

“This is great news for those of us who want to protect U.S. nuclear storage capacity for U.S. waste,” Gordon said. “Today’s decision ensures this facility will maintain its critical role as a site for domestic waste.”

The court’s ruling reaffirms that states can decide whether or not to accept nuclear waste from foreign countries, restoring authority to a multi-state entity known as the Northwest Compact. A lower court had ruled EnergySolutions could proceed with its plans over the objections of the state of Utah and the Compact.

Gordon applauded the decision but raised concerns about the need for further action, citing the need for Congress to pass legislation he authored to prevent future imports of nuclear waste. His bill, the Radioactive Import Deterrence Act, or RID Act, would ban companies from importing nuclear waste altogether, unless the project were deemed of critical national importance by the President. The bill passed the House of Representatives last year with bipartisan support.

“If a country has the capacity to produce large amounts of nuclear waste, it should also have the capacity to treat and store it,” Gordon said. “Foreign-produced waste threatens the capacity we have set aside in this country for waste generated by our own domestic industries—our medical facilities, university research labs and utility companies.  It is critical that Congress protect that capacity.”

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the Allied nations and Germany ceased fighting World War I upon the announcement of an armistice. Though a peace treaty was officially signed months later, many recognize this day, November 11, 1918, as the end of the Great War.

In the years following, we recognized November 11 as Armistice Day, a day to honor veterans who served in WWI. This continued until 1954, following World War II and the effort of our entire nation, when November 11 officially became recognized as Veterans Day, a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

From Europe to Afghanistan, Korea to Iraq, Vietnam to Kuwait, millions of American men and women have answered the call of duty to serve in uniform. Most have served bravely and honorably, returning to American shores and to their previous lives. Many others have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Though we should never forget the sacrifice and service of our troops, November 11 is a day we can publicly recognize and say thanks to our veterans. There are nearly 23 million U.S. military veterans today. Over the last 26 years, I have had the duty, honor and privilege as a member of Congress to serve them. It’s been one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

The best weapons in our military arsenal are the men and women serving in uniform, and the best way to recruit new members is by taking care of those who have served. As a nation, we have a responsibility to take care of those who gave so much for our freedom.

During my time in Congress, I have worked to increase the quality and accessibility of medical care for veterans across the country and specifically in Middle Tennessee. I fought to preserve full medical facilities at Murfreesboro’s York VA Medical Center and help local veterans get access to needed care.

I’ve helped hundreds of veterans receive the medals they earned but were never awarded during their military service. My staff and I have helped local veterans cut through government red tape to receive additional benefits promised to them, including access to home loans, disability payments, and education benefits through two GI bills.

This year alone, Congress passed numerous bills to help America’s veterans. The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act improved resources for veterans living in rural areas, veterans requiring mental health services, women veterans and veterans’ caregivers. We’ve also passed bills to establish more job opportunities for veterans, assist those in need of financial assistance and improve educational benefits.

Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs changed the way veterans receive care, particularly those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Vietnam Veterans suffering from conditions associated to the exposure to Agent Orange.

I have had the good fortune to be in a position to help so many veterans, and I am honored and humbled by that privilege. I encourage all Middle Tennesseans to join me in using this Veterans Day as an opportunity to thank those who have served. A simple “Thank You” goes a long way.

WASHINGTON - Congressman Bart Gordon applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs’ plan to expand the list of conditions that qualify for health care and disability pay related to exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange, which was widely used during the Vietnam War.

The new rule will make it easier for Vietnam Veterans, including those who may have been denied disability benefits in the past, to receive the care and benefits they deserve. The rule expands the list of health problems the VA will presume to be related to Agent Orange. Veterans suffering from Parkinson’s disease, ischemic heart disease, and all chronic B cell leukemias will now be eligible to apply for associated benefits. The policy change takes effect October 30.

“For too long, Vietnam War Veterans have been turned away from urgent care and resources due to strict eligibility regulations,” said Gordon.  “It is now clear from scientific research that Agent Orange has much wider health effects than previously thought, and veterans will now receive VA health care and disability compensation they deserve.”

Previously, veterans had to undergo lengthy investigations to apply for disability benefits and health care for conditions caused by Agent Orange exposure.  The new reforms will simplify the process by not requiring Vietnam Veterans to provide hard evidence of an association between their medical problems and their military service. Instead, veterans with certain health conditions who served in Vietnam anytime between January 1972 and May 1975 could be eligible for benefits without having to find specific documentation of possible exposure to Agent Orange.

The VA is expecting more than 150,000 Agent Orange claims in the next 12 months, with many eligible for retroactive payments. Approximately 90,000 previously denied claims by Vietnam Veterans for services associated with these illnesses will also be reviewed by the VA.

“Our veterans sacrifice a tremendous amount for our country, and we have a responsibility to do all we can to support them and their families,” said Gordon.

Gordon has been a strong advocate for veterans’ care in Middle Tennessee. He successfully fought to preserve medical services in Murfreesboro’s York VA Medical Center and continues to help local veterans cut through red tape to access needed care.

Veterans and family members who need assistance obtaining benefits are encouraged to contact Gordon’s office in Murfreesboro at (615) 896-1986.

WASHINGTON - Congressman Bart Gordon’s bill closing loopholes in federal law that have been exploited by meth producers was signed into law by President Obama.

“Every year, Tennessee is one of the top states when it comes to meth production, use and busts,” said Gordon. “To combat this epidemic, we have to go straight for the source, making it more difficult for the producers of this drug to get their hands on precursor materials.”

The Combat Methamphetamine Enhancement Act (H.R. 2923) requires all retailers of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products, products used to make meth, to register with the U.S. Attorney General, and requires distributors of these products to sell only to retailers who are registered to sell controlled substances. It also provides the Department of Justice legal basis to fine those not in compliance with the law. These regulations close significant loopholes in a 2006 law that first brought these products behind the counter.

“Four years ago, Congress began to tackle this issue head on,” Gordon added. “It takes a multi-pronged approach to fight meth through regulation, education and prevention. This bill is another step in the right direction.”

As Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, Gordon has fought the spread of meth and worked to reduce its impact on communities. His committee has held hearings and advanced legislation aimed at developing partnerships and cooperation among local, state and federal agencies.

In 2007, Gordon authored the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act, which directed the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop meth detection equipment for field use. The law further required the Environmental Protection Agency to develop model, voluntary, health-based clean-up guidelines for use by states and localities with the goal of making sure the sites of former meth labs are safe and livable.

During his time in Congress, Gordon has led efforts to address and curb drug abuse in Middle Tennessee. Gordon has secured more than $1 million in federal funding to help local law enforcement crack down on meth production. He has also helped implement juvenile drug court programs in Middle Tennessee communities and worked to make drug education information more available in Tennessee’s public schools.

WASHINGTON - Families who adopt children will be able to take advantage of a newly expanded tax credit for the 2010 tax year, Congressman Bart Gordon announced this week.

Gordon, a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, praised the IRS’ announcement that the maximum adoption credit will increase to $13,170 per child this year. The expanded credit follows on a measure included in the Affordable Care Act, which passed this spring with Gordon’s support.

“I’ve heard from so many Middle Tennessee families over the years who have provided loving homes to adopted children, both international and American-born. ” Gordon said. “The least we can do for these families is help ease the financial burden of the adoption process.”

The new credit is designed to help offset the expenses accumulated throughout the adoption process, including adoption fees, court costs, attorney’s fees and travel expenses. The policy not only increases the maximum amount of the tax credit, but also makes the credit refundable. Eligible low-income taxpayers who owe no tax for that year can take advantage of the tax credit and have it included in their refund.

Earlier this year, the House passed The International Adoption Harmonization Act to cut down on red tape in certain areas of the adoption process. The bill reduces certain vaccination documentation requirements and simplifies the legal immigration process for children adopted at an older age. Adoptions of international teenagers are not as common as adoptions of young children, but equally important, often arising from special circumstances such as when a family wishes to reunite a group of siblings.

“When a child in need finds a home with deserving parents, it’s a blessing both for the child and for the new family,” Gordon said. “Bureaucratic headaches should never stand in the way. The more procedural steps we can streamline, the better.”

Gordon has worked throughout his time in Congress to make the adoption process easier for deserving parents. In 1994, Gordon travelled to Romania, where he visited children in the country’s orphanages and met with Romanian officials in the wake of reports of inhumane conditions and restrictive regulations that prevented children from being adopted.

“In my travels in Romania, I saw haunting images of physical and emotional neglect in the country’s orphanages. Many international families wanted to adopt these children, but cumbersome adoption laws stood in the way,” Gordon said.

Gordon’s visits and leverage in Congress ultimately led Romania to ease restrictions on Americans wanting to adopt Romanian children. In 1997, Gordon also co-sponsored legislation to help foster children find their way into permanent adoption, which led to a steep increase in the number of adoptions from foster care.

A number of years ago, I visited a Middle Tennessee high school and asked a group of students to tell me about the most troubling issue facing them. The response shocked me. These students weren’t concerned about getting a date to the prom, passing their next test or winning the upcoming football game; they were concerned about friends who were trying meth.

Statistics about meth use are alarming. According to the results of the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 22 million Americans were current users of an illicit drug. The same survey stated the number of Americans age 12 and older who were current meth users rose 60 percent from 2008 to 2009.

According to the Rand Corporation, the economic cost to society of meth use in 2005 was between $16.2 billion and $48.3 billion. With meth use rates rising again, these costs will continue to go up and will continue to siphon already strapped state and local resources away from important programs.

Now, after years of trying to combat this epidemic, what have we learned?

Meth directly impacts not only the lives of users, but also the lives of their families and neighbors. Production poses a huge danger to those who cook it, and to those who inhabit the contaminated space long after the drug is removed. It will take the support and efforts of all of us to defeat this epidemic. It is now clearer than ever that fighting the spread and use of meth requires a comprehensive multi-pronged approach, addressing the manufacturing of meth, clean up of lab sites and smuggling of meth across the border.

In 2006, Congress approved the most comprehensive bill to date targeting the spread of meth by bringing all pseudoephedrine products, products which are used to make meth, behind the counter in pharmacies and grocery stores.

For a time, this approach worked, and meth abuse rates went down. But the criminals who cook and distribute this dangerous drug have exploited loopholes in the laws that regulate the sale of precursor materials. As a result, we have once again seen an increase in the distribution, use and manufacturing of meth across the country. In Tennessee, meth seizures have increased 50 percent in the past year.

On the federal level, Congress recently approved a bill I authored placing stronger restrictions on those who sell the precursor chemicals used to make meth. It is now waiting for the President’s signature to become law.

Earlier bills designed to target the spread of meth created invaluable local, state and federal law enforcement partnerships to help detect meth labs. In 2007, I authored the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act, which was signed into law. One portion of the law directed the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop meth detection equipment for field use. Without a doubt, these efforts have helped increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our local and state officials in detecting meth labs.

That law also required the Environmental Protection Agency to develop model, voluntary, health-based clean-up guidelines for use by states and localities with the goal of making sure the sites of former meth labs are safe and livable.

Finally, we must combat the illegal transport and smuggling of meth from outside our borders. The annual National Drug Threat Assessment indicated authorities seized more than 3,500 kilograms of meth in 2009, a 60 percent increase from 2008. Even Tennessee, annually one of the highest meth producing states, imported the majority of consumed meth from Mexico and southwest border states.

Increased border security plays a big role in keeping methamphetamine out of Middle Tennessee communities. This August, I supported a bill to provide $600 million for additional border security funding. The money will be used for border security activities, including hiring more border patrol agents, customs officers and justice officials. It also funds 1,200 members of the National Guard who are now stationed at the border to support various Department of Homeland Security agencies for the next year.

I don’t want any of Tennessee’s children to have to worry about friends using meth as they get older. In the end, it comes down to us, as individuals, as families, as friends, and as communities, to address this issue. Meth is an epidemic, but with continued support and effort, it can and will be defeated.

WASHINGTON - Congressman Bart Gordon announced the U.S. House of Representatives approved a number of measures this week to improve employment opportunities for veterans returning from service.

“The measures we approved today help to ease veterans’ transition into the civilian job market,” Gordon said. “Too many veterans are struggling to find jobs that make the best use of their invaluable strengths.”

The Housing, Employment and Living Programs for Veterans Act (H.R. 5360) improves employment opportunities for veterans in a number of areas. The bill improves loans for veteran-owned small businesses and provides a stipend for injured veterans seeking to become teachers in rural communities. The bill also enhances education benefits for veterans seeking to attend flight schools or enrolled in on-the-job training programs. The Veterans Benefits and Economic Welfare Improvement Act (H.R. 6123) establishes a transition program for new veterans whose military occupational specialty is not easily transferred to the civilian job market.

Additional bills passed this week included measures to provide qualifications for vocational rehabilitation counselors at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“These measures will help ensure those who risked their lives for our country have the support they deserve when they come home,” Gordon said.

All six bills passed with wide bipartisan support. They will now move to the U.S. Senate for consideration.