U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, Chairman of Energy and Water Appropriations, recently hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The visit aimed to showcase ORNL’s efforts in advancing American energy and innovation as part of President Trump’s agenda. U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty also joined the event.
Chairman Fleischmann expressed his appreciation for Secretary Wright’s visit, stating, “I’m honored to have welcomed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to East Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to highlight the outstanding work that ORNL is doing to advance breakthroughs in AI and supercomputing, develop new nuclear that will power our nation and economy through the 21st Century, reestablish American Energy Dominance, and strengthen our national security.” He emphasized his commitment to partnering with Secretary Wright over the next four years.
Secretary Wright reflected on historical achievements at ORNL: “More than 70 years ago, experts from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Lab joined with innovators from around the United States in one of the greatest scientific and engineering accomplishments in history: the Manhattan Project.” He noted that a new era akin to this project is beginning under President Trump’s leadership, focusing on winning the global AI race by unleashing energy dominance.
Senator Hagerty shared his enthusiasm about participating in the event: “It was great to join Secretary Wright and Representative Chuck Fleischmann in Oak Ridge,” he said. He highlighted Tennessee’s role in providing computing power and energy necessary for leading advancements in Artificial Intelligence under President Trump’s guidance.
