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On economics, foreign policy, Corker eager to act

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On economics, foreign policy, Corker eager to actFILE - This Nov. 13, 2012 file photo shows Senate Banking Committee member Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. pursued by reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Corker is spending a lot of time lately talking to Democrats. The freshman lawmaker from Tennessee spoke briefly last week with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner after he unveiled his 10-year, $4.5 trillion solution to averting the end-of-year, double economic hit of tax hikes and automatic spending cuts. Deficit-cutting maven Erskine Bowles had forwarded Corker's proposal to White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) (Credit: AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Bob Corker is spending a lot of time talking to Democrats.

The freshman lawmaker from Tennessee unveiled his own 10-year, $4.5 trillion solution for averting the end-of-year combination of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts. He spoke briefly last week with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (GYT’-nur).

Corker also has spoken with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton about Libya and other issues. Corker is a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee and is poised to become its top Republican next year. He’ll have a major say on President Barack Obama’s choice to succeed Clinton — possibly the divisive pick of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice.

In the Senate’s new world order of a smaller Republican minority, the 60-year-old Corker is certain to play an outsized role.

More By Donna Cassata.

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