Congressional Quarterly
Obama Budget Fiscal 2010: Veterans Affairs
May 7 – In line with President Obama’s pledge to boost spending for veterans, the fiscal 2010 budget request includes a nearly 16 percent increase for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Zach Wamp, ranking Republican on that panel, was also pleased by the proposed increases. “This budget goes a long way in keeping the bipartisan commitment to honor every man and woman in uniform, those serving now and those that have served in the past.”

Birmingham Star

Care needed to prevent Iraq from deteriorating says Petraeus
April 27 – Representative Zach Wamp asked General Petraeus what recent attacks could mean for the U.S. military drawdown."Give us a feeling from your perspective of how much security and war-fighting capability is still necessary for us in Iraq to leave it in a condition that those security forces in Iraq will be able to maintain the progress that has been made.”
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National Journal
Taking The Long View On The Recovery
April 25 – The president wants Americans to see his agenda as one huge package. What will save us from ruin, in Obama's view, is not spending cuts or tax hikes. It's growth. The president must respond to the doubters, such as the tens of thousands of protesters who gathered at "tea parties" around the country on April 15 to protest government spending and bailouts -- and not just by Democrats. "Republicans blew it on spending, but now Democrats are on steroids with spending," said Rep. Zach Wamp.
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Rutherford County Daily News Journal
Preservation Trust focuses on shared heritage
April 16 – Congressman Zach Wamp will speak on his recent efforts to expand the National Trail of Tears, establish the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District, and designate Green McAdoo School, site of the school desegregation crisis in Clinton as a national historic site.

WDEF-TV
Chattanooga To Atlanta Connection Not In Obama's High Speed Rail Plan
April 16 – Wamp says our corridor remains at the mercy of the Department of Transportation. "All the local governments from Atlanta to Chattanooga have agreed to put up their cost share, that's done if the federal government will just give us the $15 million that was supposed to be designated."
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Defense Professionals
BAE Systems Recieves Award for Outer Tactical Vests
April 13 – BAE Systems has received a contract to produce and deliver 75,000 Outer Tactical Vests from the Defense Logistics Agency. “The new BAE Systems contract will maintain tactical vest production at its Jefferson City and Grainger County facilities and allow Tennessee's strong work force to continue to help protect our soldiers,” said Congressman Zach Wamp.
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Blount Today
Leadership Blount plans sixth annual summit
April 8 – Leadership Blount and the Center for Strong Communities at Maryville College will bring the sixth annual Leadership Summit to focus on the current economic climate at a national and local level. Featured keynote speakers include Dr. Bill Fox, UT economist and U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp.
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Clinton Courier
Green McAdoo study approved
April 5 – President Barack Obama signs the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2008, which includes a provision for a study of the Green McAdoo Cultural Center and Museum in Clinton. Rep. Zach Wamp and U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker sponsored legislation to include Green McAdoo.

KFSM-TV
Two new routes added to the Trail of Tears
April 6 – Four thousand Cherokees died on the Trail of Tears as they were forced to endure harsh conditions on the journey to Indian Territory in 1838 and 1839. New legislation signed into law by the president designates additional routes as part of the historic trail. Congressman Zach Wamp, who authored the legislation, is himself part Cherokee.
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Cherokee Phoenix
Trail of Tears Expanded
April 1 – The Trail of Tears Documentation Act was approved by Congress last week as part of the Public Lands bill. It adds to the Trail of Tears Study Act, which was signed into law in December 2006 to recognize the Trail. Now, according to Rep. Zach Wamp, author of the new act, previously omitted threads of the trail in this region will be included.
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Maryville Daily Times
DOE facilities in Oak Ridge to get $755M for cleanup
April 1 – DOE will use the money to demolish 49 Oak Ridge buildings, including some highly contaminated by uranium – a total of 330,000 square feet of rusty, hulking, leaking structures. Wamp called it "considerable during an economic downturn," but one that will "save significant taxpayer dollars in the long run.”
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Seymour Herald
Congressman seeking interns for Washington office
March 31 – Congressman Zach Wamp has two openings for challenging, unpaid internships for college students or recent graduates in his Washington, D.C., office. The office is seeking a full-time intern to start immediately to assist with legislative and constituent services, as well as a full-time press intern for June, July, and August.
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The Hill
Dozens of Republicans sign on to currency ban
March 27 – Rep. Michele Bachmann's legislation to ban U.S. recognition of a global currency has gained 29 co-sponsors in the House. All Republicans, co-sponsors include a number of prominent conservatives. Among the supporters are Rep. Ron Paul, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, Rep. Zach Wamp, and Rep Tom Price.
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Politico
The Red Coats’ Turn
March 25 – Rep. Zach Wamp figures he’s given about 1,700 tours of the Capitol since coming to Congress in 1995, and he’s heard some crazy stuff along the way — not so much from tourists as from the other amateur tour guides. All that was supposed to change in December, when the $621 million Capitol Visitor Center opened.
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Forbes.com
Oak Ridge lab receives $71M
March 24 – The Oak Ridge National Laboratory will use a portion of its federal economic stimulus funding to replace a half-century-old research building, managers said Monday. With Recovery Act funding, officials hope to complete the project a year early in 2011. "This modernization effort will help keep ORNL as one of our nation's premier laboratories," said U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. It also will mean about 170 construction jobs.

Volunteer TV WVLT
ORNL funding to bring new jobs, economic development
March 23 – Congressman Zach Wamp issued a statement about the ORNL funding: “Secretary Chu’s announcement means more jobs and more economic development opportunities are coming to Oak Ridge. This modernization effort will help keep ORNL as one of our nation’s premier laboratories. There will be increased employment in the area from both the approximately 170 construction jobs and the permanent jobs that will come from lab improvements.”
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The New Yorker
Partisanship, by the Bye
February 23 – Throughout the Battle of the Stimulus Package one question preoccupied commentators and observers: was President Obama being “bipartisan” enough? Still, the President found time for cordiality, inviting Republicans from both Houses of Congress to join him. Nor was his “outreach” purely social. “This was not a drive-by P.R. stunt, and I actually thought it might be,” Zach Wamp, of Tennessee, told the Times after he and his Republican House colleagues finished a long session with the President. “It was a substantive, in-depth discussion with our conference.”
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Enterprise News
Filner breathes life into Merchant Mariner legislation
February 18 – The push is on again to provide a monthly pension for World War II Merchant Mariners. Congressman Bob Filner introduced the legislation in the House Jan. 6 and referred to Filner’s committee for further action. Thus far, 14 members of the House have signed on as co-sponsors including Zach Wamp of Tennessee.
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NEI Smart Brief
Nuclear business leaders to meet this week in Chattanooga
February 16 – A gathering in Chattanooga this week will help firms that want to build nuclear power plants meet up with suppliers of components, commodities and services, writes Rep. Zach Wamp, who touts nuclear energy investments. Wamp writes that nuclear energy can help create new jobs, promote energy independence and address climate change.
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WRCB TV
Tenn US Reps vote party line on stimulus bill
February 14 – The Tennessee delegation in the U.S. House voted along party lines when the House passed a $787 billion economic stimulus bill. Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper of Nashville had opposed the measure earlier but changed his vote, saying the compromise bill was an improvement than the original version. Democrats Steve Cohen, Lincoln Davis, Bart Gordon and John Tanner of Union City joined Cooper in voting for the bill. Republicans Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood, Jimmy Duncan of Knoxville, Phil Roe of Johnson City and Zach Wamp of Chattanooga were against.

CNN Politics
Stimulus package en route to Obama's desk
February 14 – The U.S. Senate gave final approval Friday to a $787 billion recovery package that President Obama hopes will help boost an economy in freefall with a combination of government spending and tax cuts and credits. Some Republicans in the House expressed frustration over how little time they had to read the 1,000-plus-page bill, and others predicted ruin if it passed. "Just because Republicans spent too much money after September 11 and lost our way on financial matters doesn't mean the Democratic party should be allowed to wreck our ship of state," said Rep. Zach Wamp "This is taking us quickly down the wrong road. Vote no."
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CNS News
Democratic Senator Predicts None of His Colleagues 'Will Have the Chance' to Read Final Stimulus Bill Before Vote
February 13 – Sen. Frank Lautenberg predicted on Thursday that none of his Senate colleagues would "have the chance" to read the entire final version of the $790-billion stimulus bill before the bill comes up for a final vote in Congress. “The Democrats have thrown this at us very last-minute,” said Rep. Zach Wamp. “That’s why the rule of thumb in the United States Congress should be, ‘When in doubt, vote no,’ because the devil is in the details and that’s why this stimulus is not worthy of support.”
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Trading Markets
BAE Systems Secures Army Deal for Outer Tactical Vests
February 9 – BAE Systems has received a $43.7 million contract to produce and deliver 75,000 Improved Outer Tactical Vests (IOTV) for the U.S. Army. "This contract award from the Army will restore more than 100 jobs at the Grainger County facility and allow Tennessee's strong work force to continue to help protect our soldiers," said Congressman Zach Wamp.

Walker County Messenger
Mullis submits “Plain Train” legislation
February 9 – [Georgia] State Sen. Jeff Mullis offered “Plane Train” legislation, which supports the creation of a magnetic levitating, or maglev, train connecting Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta to the Chattanooga Municipal Airport. “A Maglev high-speed connection between Chattanooga and Atlanta would be beneficial for both communities as it would increase economic development, bring more people to the underutilized Chattanooga airport and relieve congestion at Atlanta’s busy airport,” said Congressman Zach Wamp.
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Roll Call
House GOP drafting earmark reform for all
February 9 – Rep. Zach Wamp, a member of the Appropriations Committee who co-authored a proposal for a temporary moratorium on earmarks in 2008, said abuse of the process coupled with the constitutional right to have a say over the federal budget makes the issue particularly complicated. “It’s one of the most difficult issues for Congress to address for either party.”
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Air Force Times
Services wrestle with rise in suicide rates
February 5 – “This suicide rate issue is the canary in the mine, in a sense,” said Rep. Zach Wamp as he asked the services’ senior enlisted advisers for their thoughts about the reasons for the increase.
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U.S. Army News
Sergeant major of Army testifies on Capitol Hill
February 5 – Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston told Congress that childcare and access to healthcare treatment are top concerns of soldiers and their families. Minority Ranking Member Zach Wamp expressed his appreciation and commitment of continued support to the Army and military at large.
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Modern Medicine
Bill challenges marketing of authorized generic drugs
February 2 – The legislation would prevent name-brand pharmaceutical companies from launching advertising campaigns for their generic versions during the 180-day period after a generic company’s patent challenge is upheld. Emerson reintroduced the bipartisan legislation with U.S. Reps. Marion Berry (D-Ark.), Dennis Moore (D-Kan.), and Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.).
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As Obama talks of bipartisanship, definitions vary
February 2 – Republicans are wondering whether Obama's outreach, appreciated as it was, may not extend to agreeing to the compromises they want. For the concept to mean something it needs to involve Republicans earlier in the process. Otherwise, said Rep. Zach Wamp, "it's like coming into the kitchen after the meal's been cooked and saying, 'Let's cook a meal.'"
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NY Times
Obama is open to compromise
January 29 – President Obama made a campaign trip of sorts to seek bipartisan support for his economic stimulus plan, visiting Republicans. “This was not a drive-by P.R. stunt, and I actually thought it might be,” said Rep. Zach Wamp. “It was a substantive, in-depth discussion with our conference, and he’s very effective. He knows that the debt and the deficit are huge long-term problems as well,” Mr. Wamp said, “and he made a compelling case. He sounded, frankly, a lot like a Republican.”
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