Chuck Fleischmann

Great meeting with Accenture to discuss AI and the scientific partnerships strengthening our nation's energy infrastructure and research. Proud to support the cutting-edge work taking place in East Tennessee that keeps America at the forefront of innovation.

Thank you to Komatsu North America for inviting AEM to Chattanooga to celebrate an incredible milestone. @RepChuck joined Komatsu Ltd. Chairman Hiroyuki Ogawa, Komatsu North America CEO Rod Bull, Chief Digital Officer Mike Gidaspow, and AEM CEO Megan Tanel in recognizing the investment, innovation, and skilled workforce that have helped make the Chattanooga facility a manufacturing leader in Tennessee for four decades.  Congratulations to the entire Komatsu team on 40 years of manufacturing excellence and on the unveiling of the facility's 60,000th excavator. Here's to continued growth, innovation, and opportunity in the years ahead.

I am saddened to hear of the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham. Senator Graham served South Carolina and the nation with distinction throughout his career in public service. Known for his dedication, leadership, and commitment to his constituents, he played a significant role in shaping policy and building relationships across the political spectrum. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family, friends, and all those impacted.

Time for another Fleischmann Friday! Had a wonderful time in the district this week meeting with constituents and celebrating Komatsu's 40th anniversary. See you next week!

Nuclear energy isn’t just America’s past. It’s also our future.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Komatsu proudly marks four decades of building excellence and strengthening Chattanooga. As a key economic driver, the company has supported families and contributed to the region's growth by providing valuable jobs. It was an honor to speak at today’s event and recognize the dedicated team and loyal partners who have made this success possible.

Quantum is shaping the future - and America should lead it. The FY27 Energy & Water bill strengthens @Energy's research enterprise and our national labs, supporting the breakthroughs that make partnerships like this possible and drive the next generation of American innovation.

@NNSANews meeting the 2026 goals early highlights the Nuclear Security Enterprise’s strong efforts and focus. @NNSAWilliams’s leadership has played a key role in this success, showcasing strategic vision and commitment to excellence. By staying ahead, we send a clear message that our nuclear deterrent capability remains modern, agile, and reliable, ready to meet the challenges of an evolving geopolitical landscape. energy.gov/nnsa/articles/…

With 250 years behind us — work on the next 250 is ahead. Our Republic was borne of the people and upheld by a Constitution designed to endure. Article I is core to that. Appropriators have put it into action, advancing all FY27 bills out of committee. bit.ly/4vltvOr

This evening, Chattanooga celebrated an exciting new partnership in quantum technology with Vanderbilt University and EPB. This collaboration builds upon the strong foundation that has already established EPB as a leader in commercial quantum, thanks in part to the groundbreaking work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a relationship I was proud to help forge. As quantum emerges as the future of advanced computing, Chattanooga stands poised to become the epicenter for the commercialization of this transformative technology.

I was honored to introduce the new @TVAnews CEO, Mike Skaggs, at today’s roundtable and privileged to lead a dynamic discussion with members about the authority’s impact and the essential services it provides. Together, we will continue to set the standard for excellence and deliver lasting benefits for the communities we serve. I am committed to advancing our proven model by fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and ensuring that TVA remains a cornerstone of economic growth and quality of life in our region.

Great to see the real impact of my work on the @housescience and @HouseAppropsGOP Committees supporting a critical NIST program right here in Chattanooga. EPB’s Quantum Computing Fellowship is providing next-generation technical training and experience necessary for the developing quantum economy.

I appreciated the opportunity to connect with NECA and IBEW at the Joint Apprentice Training Center in Chattanooga. This is a wonderful partnership that creates a pipeline of skilled labor to meet the growing demand of a thriving East Tennessee economy.

Thrilled to see this trilateral framework between the US, ROK, and Japan to deploy SMRs in our nations. It is essential that American industry collaborate closely with our allies to share new technologies, access critical capital, develop workforce and expertise, and expand resilient supply chains to meet our growing energy demands and ensure we are secure against our shared adversaries. state.gov/releases/offic…

I was honored to speak at the CO.LAB and Oak Ridge National Laboratory MOU signing ceremony. This collaboration brings together ORNL’s cutting-edge research strengths and CO.LAB’s robust entrepreneurial network, opening new commercialization pathways for advanced technologies in Tennessee. The partnership will provide deep-tech startups with greater access to world-class expertise, research facilities, and intellectual property, accelerating their growth and impact. By working together, both organizations aim to foster innovation, connect founders with essential resources, and further establish Tennessee as a hub for deep-tech entrepreneurship.

Will Reconciliation 3.0 make it across the finish line? And will the SAVE America Act be included? @RepChuck weighs in. "I'm the eternal optimist." Guest host: @JodyHiceFRCA

A great step towards energy independence!

AALO ATOMICS ACHIEVES CRITICALITY MILESTONE; MEETS EXECUTIVE ORDER GOAL From Founding to Fission in Less than Three Years, Aalo on Track to Become the Preeminent Nuclear Power Source for Modern AI Data Centers. AUSTIN, Texas, July 6, 2026 – Aalo Atomics, the company building fully modular nuclear plants to power modern AI data centers, demonstrated criticality for its Aalo-X Critical Test Reactor in the early morning hours of July 4, 2026 at Idaho National Labs (INL), meeting President Trump’s July 4th goal for companies in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program. Criticality, which marks the first self-sustaining chain reaction within a nuclear fission reactor, was achieved under Department of Energy (DOE) authorization. “Reaching criticality is our most significant milestone to date, as it paves the way for the deployment of the Aalo Pod to power commercial data centers once it receives authorization from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” said Matt Loszak, CEO, Aalo Atomics. “More importantly, the Aalo-X Critical Test Reactor has the same full-scale core components as our commercial reactors. The Aalo-X’s 10 MWe reactor design positions it as the premier power provider for the modern data center.” “Last month I toured the Aalo facility at Idaho National Laboratory and was impressed by the company’s determination to successfully demonstrate their technology by the Fourth of July,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “President Trump asked for three advanced reactors to be authorized and achieve criticality before the 250th anniversary of our great country. I’m pleased to share that through the dedication and hard work of Aalo, INL and DOE, we have surpassed that ask and delivered four!” Underscoring Aalo’s commitment to meeting the power needs of today’s data centers, the company has already begun work on its second nuclear reactor (located next to the Aalo-X test reactor at INL) for Project Ascension, testing acommercial-scale system that will produce electricity and power for an on-site data center in the coming months. In addition, Aalo recently announced a collaboration with Microsoft and Nvidia to lay the groundwork for an automated co-piloting system that could transform how a fleet of nuclear reactors operates safely. “Aalo has demonstrated unprecedented speed, as well as a commitment to quality and safety, in bringing its first nuclear reactor to life, but now is not the time for rest,” said Yasir Arafat, President & CTO, Aalo Atomics. “Criticality is just the beginning. In the coming months we will continue building and testing multiple reactors, including the commercial Aalo Pod design which in the next 18 months will provide a scalable and affordable power option to data centers and enterprises.” Fuel rods for the Critical Test Reactor were fabricated by GE Vernova’s nuclear fuel business, Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), and delivered to the site in early April. Once Aalo completed its Readiness Assessment and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright signed the final approval to load fuel, Aalo was able to “flip the switch” and achieve criticality. Aalo’s celebration was intentionally reminiscent of Chicago Pile-1 (CP-1), the first self-sustaining, controlled nuclear chain reaction that occurred 84 years ago on December 2, 1942. CP-1 represents the birth of nuclear reactors, and today INL is the leading U.S. site for developing and testing them. Aalo will be holding a commemorative event to celebrate its criticality milestone in Idaho Falls on July 30, 2026.

As we mark America’s 250th, we honor the enduring principles that define us: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. These ideals remain the foundation of our nation. Having witnessed America’s incredible progress since the bicentennial in 1976, I am more confident than ever that our nation will not only stand the test of time but rise to every challenge and lead as the unwavering beacon of freedom and hope for the entire world. It was a privilege to celebrate America’s birthday with people across the district, coming together as friends, neighbors, and fellow patriots to share our pride in this nation’s remarkable journey.

America’s 250th birthday is a reminder for us to come together and honor the freedoms that make our nation strong. This milestone is a testament to the American spirit, one that has guided us for generations and will continue to inspire us for years to come.