Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester today released the following statement on the two year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the Affordable Care Act – which to date has helped millions of middle class families, seniors, and young people receive quality affordable health care:

“Two years ago with the stroke of a pen, [...]

NASHVILLE – Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh announced today on the House floor that he will not seek re-election to his district 81 seat this fall. Naifeh has served in the House of Representatives for 38-years, 18 of which he spent as Speaker of the House.

“Governor McWherter always told me when it was time to [...]

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester released the following statement tonight on the results of the GOP Primary in Tennessee:

“Mitt Romney’s loss tonight shows that he is out-of-touch with Tennesseans and it raises serious concerns about his chances in November — if he can make it to the general election. Not [...]

Halsam’s “TEAM” Act Would Eliminate Veterans’ Preference for State Workers

Governor Bill Haslam’s stealthy effort to eliminate veterans’ preference for state hires looks poised to hit a very public stumbling block — Tennessee veterans.

Haslam’s TEAM Act would eliminate civil service rules, such as veterans’ preference, that protect taxpayers from political patronage, a corrupted [...]

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner stood up for Tennessee veterans and their families Tuesday defending the state’s “veterans’ preference” hiring policy.

Governor Bill Haslam and Republicans are proposing to eliminate preference given to military veterans and spouses of deceased and disabled veterans with a change to state personnel rules.

Haslam’s “TEAM Act,” sponsored [...]

View the Petition: http://tndp.org/blog/take-action/tell-governor-haslam-class-size-matters/

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Democratic Party launched Wednesday an online petition drive opposing Governor Bill Haslam’s proposal to eliminate average class size requirements at public schools. Chairman Chip Forrester released this statement to accompany the petition:

“Parents and teachers know first hand what a difference small class sizes make [...]

Eliminating the Grocery Tax Should Come First

NASHVILLE – Chip Forrester, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, urged the General Assembly Thursday to give working and middle class families top priority on tax cuts and move all tax relief efforts toward eliminating the sales tax on groceries.

“Tennessee has one of the highest grocery taxes [...]

Following Tuesday’s vote by House Republicans to reject an extension of the payroll tax cut for the middle class passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate, Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester issued the following statement:

“In less than two weeks, 160 million Americans will be hit with a tax hike in the middle [...]

Thanks to the new health reform law, tens of millions of Americans are saving money, and getting the health care security they need.

Unfortunately, Tennessee Republicans are threatening to repeal the law, taking away the many critical — and POPULAR — reforms like ensuring people with preexisting conditions are no longer discriminated against, requiring insurance [...]

NASHVILLE – In response to Mitt Romney’s dangerous plan to voucherize our veterans’ health care, Tennessee State Rep. Mike Stewart, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, released the following statement today ahead of Romney’s fundraiser in Knoxville:

“Veterans’ healthcare is the moral responsibility of the American people. [...]