“Congressman John Tanner is a statesman who represents his district well. His service to his district, his state and his country is above reproach. Although his leadership in Congress will be missed here in Tennessee when he retires next year, I respect John’s decision to devote more time to his family.

“But we have other [...]

Tennessee Congressman John Tanner is tackling the global economic crisis and America’s national security as head of a delegation to NATO and NATO ally countries this week – while state Republicans waste time carping about the domestic economic stimulus package and picking at those who voted for it.

As president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and chair of the U.S. delegation to the Assembly, Tanner, congressman from West and Middle Tennessee’s 8th District, is leading the congressional delegation currently in Europe for NATO meetings. Strategic discussions focus on NATO’s leadership of the military effort in Afghanistan, issues of global and economic security, NATO’s relationship with Russia, and diplomatic relations with NATO allies.

“Congressman John Tanner is aggressively working to protect, first and foremost, Tennesseans, but his work is important to all Americans, regardless of their political party,” said Chip Forrester, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party. “Having voted for President Obama’s stimulus, he’s now leading this bi-partisan trip to further focus on our economy and national security.” Republican critics have failed to mention Republican Reps. John Boozman (AK), Jo Ann Emerson (MO ),and Jeff Miller (FL) are joining Tanner and the delegation on the trip.

“Meanwhile, our Republican senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, have preferred to use valuable effort and energy working to defeat President Obama’s stimulus package – a stimulus necessary to jumpstart the failing economy caused by our last Republican president,” Forrester said. “Tennessee’s Republicans apparently would rather waste time sowing red herrings about Democrats than be part of a positive solution.”

“If Republicans are so worried about the cost of the stimulus package, perhaps they should be reminded of the blank check they wrote the Bush administration and the trillions of dollars poured into the Iraq war – much of which was given to companies like Halliburton and KBR through no-bid contracts,” said Forrester.

Tanner’s agenda for the NATO conference, which began Feb. 14, also includes meetings with NATO defense and military officials, with NATO Secretary General Jaap de hoop Scheffer and General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD,) among others.

Tanner will also preside over meetings of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. In addition to his NATO duties, he serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Social Security. Tanner also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

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Tennessee Congressman John Tanner is tackling the global economic crisis and America’s national security as head of a delegation to NATO and NATO ally countries this week – while state Republicans waste time carping about the domestic economic stimulus package and picking at those who voted for it.

As president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly [...]