Before COVID-19 reached our shores, we had one of the greatest economies our country had ever seen. As we work to defeat the coronavirus, House Republicans and the Trump administration are working to rebuild our economy and ensure that our country comes back stronger than ever. It’s no secret that COVID-19 has affected almost every facet of our economy. Workers have lost their jobs, small business owners have seen their dreams threatened, and businesses everywhere have faced incredible challenge... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor awarded a $1,278,418 grant through the Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities program to the First Tennessee Development District: “Rural communities in our area faced unique workforce needs even before the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m pleased the Department of Labor has directed workforce investments to Northeast Tennessee, which couldn’t have come at a better time. These grants... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.), a senior member of the Committee on Education and Labor, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor released a proposed rule clarifying the definitions of employees and independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act: “As the gig economy has grown in recent years, there has been much confusion over whether certain workers should be classified as employees or independent contractors. The DOL’s proposed ru... Read more

JOHNSON CITY, TENN. – Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced $1,501,400 in Economic Development Administration investment funds to upgrade the existing water lines and wastewater collection system infrastructure in Mountain City: “I’m glad to see that the Economic Development Administration has awarded over $1.5 million for Mountain City water infrastructure. This project will improve infrastructure to provide businesses a c... Read more

Congress and the Trump administration are currently negotiating additional coronavirus relief. We have already seen the tremendous impact that legislation like that CARES Act has had on our country, and any additional aid needs to likewise help Americans as we fight this invisible enemy. CARES Act programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) have saved millions of jobs nationwide, and over 86,000 jobs in Northeast Tennessee specifically. The CARES Act also authorized $1,200 relief payment... Read more

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) went into effect last week on July 1. This bold trade deal is the culmination of the Trump administration’s efforts to modernize the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and ensure American businesses and workers are in the best position to compete. Our country still has a long way to go until we defeat the coronavirus, and our economy will likely feel the effects of this virus for years to come. But the USMCA is a win for hard... Read more

Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after voting for H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act: “I strongly support the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. This agreement funds three key priorities. First, we replenished three key small business loan programs that have been successful in preserving jobs and ensuring workers have a paycheck. Second, we are increasing support for providers... Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after being present to support the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that passed the House by voice: "This pandemic is affecting Americans across the country in every way possible – emotionally, physically and financially. I strongly support the CARES Act to help Americans struggling because of the unprecedented response we are undertaking to stop the spread of this deadly virus. This... Read more

The challenges brought to our nation by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are among the most significant we’ve ever faced. Americans face not only a threat to their physical health, but to their economic stability and emotional well-being. Our country is currently undergoing a planned shutdown of our economy to protect Americans’ lives. The response we are undertaking is unprecedented, but we are acting to give Americans confidence they can weather these challenges and emerge stronger. On Fr... Read more

WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Annual Report: “The PBGC FY 2019 Annual Report shows what we have known for years: the multiemployer pension program is in crisis and is getting worse each day Congress fails to pass serious reforms. If Congress does nothing, by 2026, retirees will have their benefits slashed to pennies on the dollar when PBGC becomes ins... Read more