U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., touring LMR Plastics and BLT Industries Inc. here on Friday, was asked to support offshore natural gas exploration and restoration of the federal research and development (R & D) tax credit.

Christopher Brown, of Washington, D.C., senior lobbyist for SPI, the Society of the Plastics Industry, met Corker at the event, at the invitation of Bob Leonard, president of LMR.

Brown explained that LMR is a member of the society, which tries to create opportunities for its members to explain issues directly to members of Congress.

In this case, Corker said, he needed no introduction. Speaking to employees after the tours, he said that Terry Leonard, chairman of both companies as well as of Leonard Associates, the family holding company, has been "a great friend" for some years, "and helped me get in the Senate."

Bob Leonard said he used the opportunity of Corker's visit to talk to the senator about "two major things" that are important to his company and to the plastics industry.

One issue he talked with Corker about, he said, is the availability of natural gas, byproducts of which are basic materials to the plastics industry.

Leonard said he asked the senator to support exploration of natural gas on the offshore continental shelf. Brown said leaders of the majority party, an apparent reference to the Democratic Party, "are not interested in offshore exploration."

Corker said that such exploration to ensure the availability of natural gas is something on which he is already working.

He told employees that natural gas needs to be a priority because the plastics industry, like a great many other industries, is dependent on its availability.

Reasonably-priced natural gas is also critical for home heating, he noted.

The other major point Leonard said he wanted to make with Sen. Corker is to encourage him to work for the reinstatement of the federal research and development tax credit, which has been allowed to expire.

Leonard said the tax credit "allows us to make a wage-based investment in research and exploration" leading to new products and processes.

Corker said leaders "on the other side of the aisle" see the expired credit as a measure that has to be "paid for," if reinstated, by a tax increase somewhere else, to offset any revenue lost to the credit.

"I look at it as a continuation of a good policy" that is needed, said Corker, a Republican.

Corker had earlier on Friday spoken at King College in Bristol, and toured Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Kingsport. He also was scheduled to speak Friday night at a Lincoln Day Dinner in Rogersville.

He was accompanied on his local tour by Greene County Mayor Alan Broyles, and Randy Harrell, president of the Greene County Partnership.

Also in the group were Chris Devaney, Corker's state director, of Nashville, and Bridget Baird, his coordinator for Northeast Tennessee.

Corker spent about an hour touring both plants, talking to managers and production workers. Later he spoke to about 50 employees gathered at the end of the work day for a reception.

Bob Leonard said BTL has 103 employees and LMR has 130 employees. Seven more employees work for another small Leonard-owned company called "The E-Crate Center."

He said very few employees were still at work late Friday afternoon because most of them work four 10-hour days, Mondays through Thursdays, with only one shift working five days.

Please see accompanying article for other comments made by Sen. Corker.