Oak Ridge Today

SL Tennessee expansion could be largest in industrial employment since World War II

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SL Tennessee Expansion Media Availability

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, center, announces 1,000 new jobs as part of an $80.5 million expansion at auto parts manufacturer SL Tennessee in Clinton. Also pictured from left are Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, Clinton Mayor Scott Burton, and U.S. Senator Bob Corker.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:30 a.m. July 26.

CLINTON—The 1,000 new jobs announced at SL Tennessee in Clinton on Friday could be the largest expansion of industrial employment in Anderson County since World War II, officials said.

SL Tennessee, an auto parts manufacturer, plans to invest $80.5 million to build a 250,000-square-foot plant on Frank L. Diggs Drive in the Clinton I-75 Industrial Park. It will be SL Tennessee’s LLC third building in the park, and the company’s fifth expansion since locating in Clinton in 2001. The new building will manufacture automobile head lights and tail lamps for General Motors.

The jobs announcement was made in the South Korean company’s Chassis Plant on Friday near workers assembling gear shifters and brake assemblies, mostly for GM. Marking the importance of the announcement, Gov. Bill Haslam was invited to speak and so were U.S. senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann.

“This is obviously a big day,” said Haslam, who announced the new jobs. “It shows our growth in the automotive business.”

It’s the second announcement of more than 1,000 jobs at an automotive plant in East Tennessee in the past two weeks. Last week, Volkswagen announced a $600 million investment and 2,000 new jobs in Chattanooga. [Read more…]

Volkswagen to expand auto plant in Chattanooga, build new SUV

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Volkswagen will expand its automotive plant in Chattanooga, the company’s only U.S. manufacturing facility, and build a new midsize SUV for the American market.

Volkswagen’s total global investment for the expansion will be $900 million, and $600 million of that will be invested in Tennessee. The company expects to create 2,000 jobs in Hamilton County.

The announcement was made by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Volkswagen Group of America officials in a Monday morning press release. [Read more…]

Federal spending bill includes money for Y-12 water plant, reduces UPF spending

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Y-12 Water Treatment Plant Announcement

In May 2013, state and federal officials announce a plant to treat mercury-contaminated water at the Y-12 National Security Complex. Pictured from left are Mark Whitney, Robert Martineau, Lamar Alexander, Dave Huizenga, and Stan Meiburg.

The $1 trillion federal spending bill passed by Congress last week provides money for a water treatment plant that would help reduce mercury contamination in Oak Ridge, and it includes less money for the Uranium Processing Facility than President Obama had requested, Sen. Lamar Alexander said Thursday.

The U.S. Senate approved the spending bill in a 72-26 vote after the House passed it 359-67. Alexander and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann voted for it, while Sen. Bob Corker voted against it. All are Tennessee Republicans, and Fleischmann’s district includes Oak Ridge.

Alexander said the spending bill provides $16 million less than Obama had requested in his budget for the UPF, a multi-billion-dollar building that would replace old buildings at the Y-12 National Security Complex as part of a years-long effort to update the 811-acre site, consolidate operations, and cut the plant’s high-security “footprint” from 150 acres to 15. [Read more…]

Corker calls for continued commitment to nuclear modernization

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U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Bob Corker

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker has called on the Obama administration to maintain its commitment to nuclear modernization in next year’s budget and include the necessary funding in the fiscal year that starts in October.

Corker, a Tennessee Republican, made the request after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed support for resources to modernize the nation’s nuclear arsenal.

Corker is the ranking member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee.

In a press release, he said President Barack Obama agreed to provide the “full and necessary funding to upgrade and modernize the United States’ aging nuclear arsenal” during the Senate debate in 2010 over the New START Treaty with Russia. [Read more…]

Sen. Corker completes Middle East trip with visits to Oman, Bahrain

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Sen. Bob Corker Meets with Tennessee Sailors and Marines

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, meets with Tennessee sailors and marines deployed to Bahrain with the U.S. Fifth Fleet. (Submitted photos)

Submitted

MANAMA, Bahrain—U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, completed a three-nation trip to the Middle East on Dec. 5 in Bahrain, where he continued to assess U.S. diplomatic and security relations in the Gulf region, a press release said.

After a visit with U.S. Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski, he met with Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa to discuss the state of U.S.-Bahrain relations and the Crown Prince’s ongoing efforts for political reform and stability amidst continued unrest.

“Bahrain is an important and longstanding U.S. ally, hosting the U.S. Fifth Fleet, which plays a significant role in regional stability and protecting the global flow of energy,” Corker said in a press release. “It is in our national interest to continue our strong military partnership, ensure the country remains stable, and encourage nonviolent reformers on both sides to continue to work together to achieve a political solution to Bahrain’s own internal problems.” [Read more…]

Corker also says ‘no’ to budget deal

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U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Bob Corker

Both U.S. senators from Tennessee have now said “no” to the two-year budget deal expected to be approved by Congress, an agreement that would avoid a second government shutdown in mid-January.

Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said he will vote against the budget deal because it “busts budget caps without making meaningful changes to mandatory programs.”

Earlier Wednesday, Sen. Lamar Alexander, who is also a Tennessee Republican, announced that he too would oppose the budget bill.

The legislation passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Thursday in a 332-94 vote. U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican whose district includes Oak Ridge, supported it. [Read more…]

Alexander will oppose two-year budget bill being considered by Senate

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U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said he will oppose a two-year budget agreement that cleared a key Senate hurdle on Tuesday and is expected to keep the government open through 2015.

The bill passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Thursday in a 332-94 vote. It’s now being considered in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, and could win congressional approval this week.

“I will vote against the budget agreement because it avoids the federal government’s most urgent need: reducing the growth of runaway entitlement spending,” said Alexander, a Tennessee Republican. “Instead, it spends savings that should be used to strengthen Medicare, pensions, and the air transportation system.”

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican whose district includes Oak Ridge, supported the legislation last week.

Passage of the bill is likely to offer relief to federal employees and government contractors in Oak Ridge—and to the businesses that support them. Many reported impacts during the last partial government shutdown in October. [Read more…]

Sen. Corker in Oak Ridge on Tuesday

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U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Bob Corker

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., will be in East Tennessee on Tuesday, and he will make stops in Knoxville and Oak Ridge.

Corker is scheduled to be at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday afternoon. His brief visit to the Chamber will be with Millennium Partners only.

“At events in Knox and Anderson counties, Corker will discuss his work to solve the big problems facing our country,” a press release said. “In Knoxville, Corker will address family business owners and entrepreneurs at an event hosted by The Legacy Centre, an organization working to grow companies through educational programs, peer advisory groups and professional resources. Later, Corker will address business and community leaders at an event hosted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.” [Read more…]

Shutdown ends: Oak Ridgers relieved, but frustrated with Congress

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Dean's Restaurant and Bakery

Dean Russell, co-owner of Dean’s Restaurant and Bakery in Jackson Square, has put up a sign expressing frustration with Congress over the government shutdown. Pictured above are restaurant servers Cassandra Prater, right, and Andy Tatum.

The end of the government shutdown last week brought relief to Oak Ridge, especially at the Y-12 National Security Complex, where up to about 3,600 workers were expected to be furloughed starting last Thursday unless a deal was reached.

Chuck Spencer, general manager of B&W Y-12, which manages and operates Y-12, told workers on Thursday that a shutdown to minimum staffing had been averted and the furloughs would no longer be necessary. There had been reports that only about 900 workers might have remained starting today.

Spencer said the nuclear weapons plant, which started an orderly shutdown two weeks ago on Monday, Oct. 7, will begin planning to resume normal operations.

Normal operations resumed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Thursday, Director Thom Mason said in a message to staff. ORNL had enough funding to continue operating through October and into November, but officials had started preparing for a possible temporary shutdown and unpaid furloughs in case the shutdown continued.

Oak Ridge residents remained frustrated even after Congress and the White House reached a last-minute, short-term spending agreement late Wednesday night that averted the shutdowns and furloughs, just hours before a deadline to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and after some local businesses had already reported that the shutdown had affected their operations. [Read more…]

Fleischmann, DesJarlais, Duncan vote ‘no’ on bill to reopen government, raise debt limit

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Barack Obama and House Democratic Leaders

President Barack Obama meets with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other members of the House Democratic leadership in the Oval Office on Oct. 15. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)

The epic budget battle that resulted in the first U.S. government shutdown in 17 years and led the nation to the brink of default again ended late Wednesday.

President Barack Obama signed the legislation reopening the federal government and raising the debt ceiling early Thursday morning, a few hours after it passed the House and Senate, and federal workers were told to report to work Thursday, ending a 16-day shutdown.

“We’ll begin reopening our government immediately,” Obama said in remarks before the House passed the bill. “And we can begin to lift this cloud of uncertainty and unease from our businesses and from the American people.”

Officials at the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration weren’t immediately available to comment early Thursday morning on the impact on federal facilities in Oak Ridge, where workers have been preparing for shutdowns and furloughs, including at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex.

U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann

Chuck Fleischmann

Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, both Tennessee Republicans, voted for the last-minute, short-term agreement, which keeps the government open through Jan. 15 and raises the federal government’s debt ceiling through Feb. 7.

Tennessee’s two Democratic representatives also voted for it, while all seven Republican representatives—including East Tennessee congressmen Chuck Fleischmann, John J. Duncan Jr., and Scott DesJarlais—voted against it. [Read more…]

Alexander, Corker vote to end shutdown, prevent default

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U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Bob Corker

Tennessee’s two U.S. senators voted Wednesday to reopen the federal government and raise the nation’s debt limit, a deal likely to have a major impact in Oak Ridge, where federal facilities and contractors had been preparing for possible shutdowns and furloughs.

The last-minute agreement keeps the government open through Jan. 15 and raises the federal government’s debt ceiling through Feb. 7, avoiding a default for now. The bill was approved 81-18 in the U.S. Senate and 285-144 in the House of Representatives.

Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, both Tennessee Republicans, voted for the legislation. A statement from Rep. Chuck Fleischmann’s office did not say whether the congressman voted for or against the bill.

President Barack Obama said he would sign the bill immediately and begin reopening the government immediately, ending the 16-day shutdown.

More information will be added as it becomes available.