Second District Congressman Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) fit right in with the Republican Party faithful as the Hamblen County Republican Women hosted the annual Picnic at Cherokee Park in Morristown Friday evening.

While introducing the speaker, Darryl Brady called Burchett a long-time friend.

“We’ve been friends since he’s been a State Representative, State Senator, County Mayor and a member of Congress” Brady said. “Tim is a guy who appreciates and loves our veterans.”

Brady said that Burchett started “Wreaths Across America” in Knoxville. Burchett’s father, Charlie, was a veteran of World War II, was credited with instilling in Tim the love and respect for veterans who have served our country.

“He’s continued to do that through his service in Congress,” Brady said.

While being in Congress may change some people, Brady said that Burchett is the same person who he has known for many years.

“He’s not gotten too big for his britches,” Brady said. “He is down to earth and loves our country. We need more public servants like him in Congress.”

Work on the House Budget Committee

In his remarks, Burchett said that he is on the Budget Committee, in which he serves as chairman. He has introduced legislation to save a “Trillion” dollars in duplicating services, as well as to revamp the Internal Revenue Service as well as reworking the military structure.

“I bet you all haven’t seen one dad-gum bit of it in the press,” Burchett said. “It’s not sexy. That’s what you all have sent us there to do. Yeah, I can get into a fight, go on CNN and get into it with them, that’s pretty cool. Sometimes I get into it with Fox News, believe it or not.

“We’ve had some success there, please keep an eye on that stuff,” Burchett said. “That’s where we really need to do the work. We’re $40 trillion in debt. I may be the only person there really proposing things on the House side that’s going to cause some real savings.”

FISA Court Changes

There were arguments in Congress regarding the FISA (United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) created after the 9-11-01 attacks recently, which Burchett opined about.

“We have people who have rushed to do things and have thrown the baby out with the bathwater,” Burchett said. “It’s a court where Federal Agents can say ‘We need to get after this guy who is an illegal alien and think he’s doing something bad.’” Burchett said that there have been more than 100,000 violations of the way FISA Courts have been operated to do everything from “getting women’s phone numbers” to ask them out.

Burchett used the example of one working on someone’s roof after a storm.

The contractor brings people in and the person on the roof could be undocumented, when the homeowner asked the person if they wanted lunch, he would say that he would call you.

When that happened, the homeowner’s phone number would be in the worker’s phone.

“The federal authorities get his phone through the FISA Court,” Burchett said. “They find your phone number; back door you and they spy on you. What we found out the FISA Courts are spying on American citizens.

“If we don’t fix it and we know it’s broke, we’re worse than the Democrats,” Burchett said. “I’ll be dadgummed and there are only about 18 of us who know to shut it down. Thank goodness, we were able to stop it. I don’t know about you all, but I still feel safe. Don’t you?

“The Constitution is one thing that we cannot debate on. We take an oath to uphold it and dad-gum it, we ought to keep doing it.”

Transparency on Spending

Burchett also said that tens of millions of dollars are being spent on the UFO issue.

“It’s not about little green men and flying saucers, but dad-gum it, you deserve the right to know what we’re spending the money on,” he said. “The FBI, Secret Service, CIA are investigating this. The IRS can’t investigate it; they can’t figure out a way to tax it.

“You all should be able to see the things that I see,” Burchett said. “Regardless of what your beliefs are, it’s not the Federal Government’s duty or obligation to keep anything from you, especially if you’re paying for it. Forty trillion in debt and they’re not telling you where every red cent is spent.”

Adventures with The President

Burchett said that he goes to the White House more to “hold somebody’s hand” sometimes as they meet with the President.

“I get invited by my buddies,” he said. “They say that (President Trump) really likes you, man.”

When Burchett walked into the Oval Office, he stood in the back. President Trump yelled, “Tim, Tim Burchett, come here, buddy!”

“Trump said, ‘This guy’s good, funny and smart. Look him up on CNN,’” Burchett said.

A copy of the Constitution is on the wall inside the Oval Office.

“Trump asked, ‘Hey, Tim, you know what that is?’ I said, ‘The Constitution.’ ‘Yeah, that’s it! Get your picture made!’ I told him to stand with me with it.’” Burchett said.

Burchett said that Trump always wants to give him a challenge coin, a growing tradition among officials with roots in the military.

“This is the biggest challenge coin you’ve ever seen,” Trump said to Burchett.

“Do you remember when we used to wear belt buckles the size of man hole covers?” Burchett said. “You can literally cut yourself on one of his challenge coins. It is a man hole cover. He had given me one two weeks ago, but he gave me another one. Dad-gum it, he is the President of the United States, I’m going to take it.”

Trump was sitting behind the resolute desk and talked about the “Save America Act.”

“Who’s going to vote against the ‘Save America Act?’ Trump asked.

“Every dad-gum Democrat in Congress,” Burchett said.

The “Save America Act” basically requires people to show a form of identification when casting their vote, such as a birth certificate.

“When I played Little League baseball, I had to show a birth certificate,” Burchett said. “When you go vote, you’ve got to show your ID. We already do that in Tennessee. You can get an ID for free, even if it’s not a driver’s license.”

Burchett said he is worried that the Republicans are nowhere near as committed to saving America as Democrats are to destroying it.

“You’ve got a good representative here, Diana Harshbarger, she is a conservative lady and I like that.”

A Product of the American Dream

Burchett said that he is a “product of the American Dream.”

He sleeps in his office and showers in the Congressional gym by choice.

“I look at that Capitol and that dome every night and I get chills; I don’t care if it’s 100 degrees or 20 degrees below zero. It is an incredible honor that has been bestowed upon me. I hear Congress badmouthing how much they make. (If they don’t like it) they should get back on that plane and come home if they don’t want to serve our country. It should be an honor.”

He talked about many representatives and senators making record returns on their stock investments. He has proposed the “Timely Stock Disclosure Act” to require Members of Congress and senior government officials to report their stock transactions within 15 to 30 days, as opposed to the previous 30-to-45-day requirement.

“You’ve got members on both sides of the aisle that get sensitive information and then start making money hand over fist,” Burchett said. “It’s just not right and I’m glad it passed unanimously.”

“The only way to protect that dream is show up in these dad-gum midterms,” Burchett said. “Let’s put so many points on that scoreboard that they can’t take it away. Let’s take our country back.

“I take it as an incredible honor to represent the great state of Tennessee,” he said. “Every day, you all go to work, take care of your families, provide for them. You don’t gripe, you put your heads down, you expect Washington to do better. Let’s make Washington do better.”