Gordon Officially Sworn-In to Help Represent Middle Tennessee

January 6, 2009, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Bart Gordon was officially sworn-in to represent the 6th Congressional District of Tennessee in the 111th Congress of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I look forward to serving Middle Tennesseans, and continuing my commitment to improving their lives and those of people around the country,” said Congressman Gordon.  “America currently faces many challenges, and it is with bipartisan collaboration and the sharing of ideas that we can get to solutions that actually solve problems.”

Gordon, the dean of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation, will begin his 13th term in Congress where his ability to work with Republicans and Democrats has allowed him author a number of bills that are now law and rise to Chair the House Committee on Science and Technology.

“When I was elected Chairman in 2007, I set out to make the Science and Technology Committee ‘the committee of good ideas and consensus,’” explained Gordon.  “As a result, we passed 45 bipartisan bills, and today, 27 of those bills are public law.  I intend to lead the Committee in a similar fashion in this Congress.”

On December 18, 2008, Gordon laid out Science and Technology Committee’s legislative agenda for the 111th Congress.  The agenda included measures to make jobs available for America’s future workforce, ensure that the country remains technologically competitive with the rest of the world, and better prepare state and local governments to handle crises like water shortages and droughts.

“One of the most significant accomplishments in the 110th Congress was the passage of the America COMPETES Act,” added Gordon, who worked with Senator Lamar Alexander to author the bill, which was signed into law in August 2007.  “This bill will improve math and science education, increase the America’s investment in scientific research, and help our country achieve energy independence.  I will see to it that all of the bill’s provisions are fully funded in the 111th Congress.”

Gordon also is a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.  He has authored bills to improve access and care in emergency rooms, ban the importation of foreign nuclear waste and cut wasteful health care spending.  “I am going to work hard to ensure that each of these bills is signed into law this Congress,” Gordon stated. “They are common-sense solutions that have bipartisan support.”

To read more about Gordon’s priorities, you can visit www.bart.house.gov/issues.  To read more about Gordon’s accomplishments, you can visit www.bart.house.gov/about.