Congressman Marsha Blackburn
7th District of Tennessee
Washington, D.C. – At President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address, he invited a very important guest from our own Clarksville, TN. We all know that any person who signs up for the armed services already exhibits an extraordinary character.
The sacrifice that they, and their families, make to serve our country is beyond measure. Through their commitment to protecting our nation, we are forever in their debt. America is the greatest country on earth, but it can only remain so because of the selfless acts of those who serve in our military.
We were already so thankful for Staff Sergeant Justin Peck’s commitment to serve. But this man went beyond what is expected and showed the nation and the world that he is truly a hero.
Staff Sergeant Justin Peck was conducting a multi-day mission with partner forces in Raqqa, Syria to clear IEDs from a territory controlled by ISIS.
While Staff Sergeant Peck was holding a position outside a hospital building, his team member Chief Petty Officer Kenton Stacy was struck by an IED on the second floor.
Peck immediately rushed to Stacy’s location, even though the location was not cleared and full of IEDs. With swift action, Peck applied a tourniquet, placed an endotracheal tube, and performed artificial respirations and CPR. Peck is the reason Stacy is still alive.
Staff Sergeant Peck showed immeasurable bravery by risking his own life to save his team member’s life. This extraordinary act of courage and selflessness shows his valor and his commitment to his team and country. Peck walked right into the eye of danger, and did everything he could to try and save Stacy’s life. This is true heroism.. Thank you so much, Staff Sergeant Justin Peck, for your service and your bravery. We are beyond grateful and forever in your debt.
Highlights from State of the Union Address
I’m sure that many of you watched this week’s State of the Union address, the first of President Trump’s tenure in office. President Trump very clearly laid out his agenda for the next year, while highlighting the achievements from 2017. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we have cut burdensome regulations on our Main Street businesses and passed historic tax reform.
We have already seen the effects of this new tax law, as companies have given employees bonuses and have promised to invest billions into the American economy. For far too long, Americans were told they had to accept the status quo of a weak economy.
But you knew that if you elected a businessman, things would be different. It has only been a year, and we have already seen significant job growth and the stock market continuing to break records.
But we will not stop there. The economy can continue to improve, and we can have even more growth. We’re going to continue to do everything we can in Congress to cut burdensome regulations and get government out of the way so you and your family can achieve your American dream.
President Trump’s strong admiration of and dedication to our military was evident in his address. As the President said, it is their sacrifice to this country that we honor when we stand for the national anthem. I promise you I will do everything I can in Congress to ensure the military has everything they need in order to defend our country. I also promise you that I be a tireless advocate for our veterans to make sure that they have the care and services they need. We must do more to guarantee that their service is honored.
Hearing on Broadband Expansion Bills
This week, I chaired a hearing at the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. We invited seven experts to come to Congress and testify on how we can best work with the private sector to ensure we pass the best bills for broadband expansion.
Our committee has 25 bills and resolutions from both Democrats and Republicans that focus on broadband expansion. We want to work with the private sector to find out how we can best tailor our bills to meet market needs. I was so happy that President Trump promised to help with this effort, and we are doing everything we can in Congress to get this over the finish line.
A Very Important Visit
This week, I had the honor of visiting Vanderbilt’s Children Hospital and NICU. I toured the hospital, and heard from some of the doctors on how they are treating children there. I met with Dr. Stephen Patrick, who is known for his work with both infants born in opioid withdrawal and with pregnant and new mothers addicted to opioids.
As this health crisis continues to grip our nation, I will work with doctors who see the pains of addiction first hand, to find out what we, in Congress, can do to best assist them. We must do everything we can to end this epidemic. Thank you so much, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Patrick, for all that you do to help people who suffer from addiction.
