Congressmembers Terri Sewell (D-AL-7) and Jerry Carl (R-AL01) both voted on Tuesday to keep the government funded and touted the benefits that the continuing resolution would bring to their districts. Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL05) voted no citing what he considered to be wasteful spending and the growing national debt.
Sewell said that the C.R. included $8,379,355 in Community Project Funding for Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District.
“I was so pleased to secure $8,379,355 in Community Project Funding in this bill which responds directly to the needs of our communities in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District,” said Sewell. “These investments will uplift underserved areas and foster economic development across our district, and I know they will make a real difference in the lives of so many. I am proud to have fought for this funding which will make our community healthier, safer, stronger, and even more resilient.”
Sewell said that she championed nine projects to directly benefit the residents of CD7:
$550,000 for Community Oriented Policing Services in Selma, Alabama
$474,355 for Small Business Accelerator Program in Jefferson County
$3,000,000 for North Birmingham Elementary School Redevelopment Project
$700,000 for Lowndes County for Septic Tank Installations
$480,000 for City of Marion for Source Water Rehabilitation Project
$300,000 for West Central Alabama Area Health Education Center, Demopolis, AL for a community health worker initiative and purchase of equipment
$1,500,000 for Cornerstone Revitalization Foundation, Inc., Birmingham, AL for workforce development activities, including opportunities to obtain a GED, postsecondary credentials, and stipends
$575,000 for Hill Hospital, York, AL for facilities and equipment
$800,000 for Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, AL for facilities and equipment
Sewell’s office said that this “Twelve-bill government funding package will help middle class families with the cost of living, create American jobs, support the vulnerable, and work to help small businesses and restaurants that are key to our economic future. Taken together, the funding for Alabama’s 7th District and the funding increases for critical government programs will help reverse decades of disinvestment in our communities and strengthen our nation.”
“The programs that we fund in our annual government spending package should reflect our values as Americans, and I’m so proud that this year’s funding bill will help working families with the cost of living, create American jobs, and support our nation’s most vulnerable communities,” said Sewell. “I fought hard to include millions of dollars in funding for the Selma Interpretive Center, the Selma Federal Courthouse, wastewater systems, broadband expansion, and grants for historic preservation. I’m proud to report that this funding was included in this bill and will soon be on its way to our communities!”
Carl said the funds will not only impact the state, but the entire region and the nation.
“Today, I voted to bring home over $1 billion in federal funding for south Alabama,” Carl said. “This important funding will go toward important initiatives including:
Four Navy ships to be built at Austal USA
Expansions and improvements at the Port of Mobile
Construction and improvements to Brookley Airport
Economic development projects to revitalize rural and downtown areas
Infrastructure improvements to our roads, bridges, railways, and waterways
Renovation for University of South Alabama College of Medicine and expansion of research facilities."
Brooks however was not impressed with the process in which the legislation was voted on.
“As an overview, it insults Americans that debt junkie Democrats and Republicans alike give Congress less than 24 hours to vote on a combined 2,741 page $1.5 trillion spending package — leaving scant time for proper scrutiny,” Brooks said. “I’m sickened every time this happens. It is even more troubling that these bipartisan 'leaders' continue to insist on Congress spending $1.5 trillion America does not have, has to borrow to get, and cannot afford to pay back. As is so often the case, our bipartisan, debt-junkie 'leaders' require Congress to approve spending bills that are full of pet projects, pork barrel earmarks, and bloated government programs days before a funding deadline. The choice is to vote for bills laden with bad things, or force an also bad government shutdown. This 'damned if you do, damned if you don’t' process corrupts the public policy debate, drives inflation, increasingly risks a national insolvency, and abuses the intelligence and patience of the American people."
Brooks listed some of the funding he found questionable:
Allows the Department of Homeland Security to double temporary foreign worker H-2B visas in 2022; thereby, once again, undermining the wages of American families struggling with job losses, COVID restrictions and 7.5% inflation.
Reauthorizes an EB-5 visa program that allows wealthy Chinese nationals with connections to the Chinese Communist Party and Russian oligarchs to purchase U.S. green cards and citizenship.
Uses taxpayer money to pay lawyers to help illegal aliens and other foreign nationals obtain U.S. residence.
Provides no border wall funding at a time when more than 2 million illegal aliens crossed America’s southern border illegally.
Includes the largest IRS funding boost in two decades with increased money for audits on American taxpayers.
$100 million for 'environmental justice' activities at Environmental Protection Agency
$3.25 million for low-emission electric ferries
23% increase in funding for the SNAP welfare program, for a total of $140 billion in mandatory funding for SNAP.
Sec. 428 of the bill blocks oil and gas leasing in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico at a time when America desperately needs to increase energy production.
Includes multiple anti-Second Amendment provisions.
Provides $286.5 million in welfare funding for Title X Family Planning. Because Biden undid Trump’s Title X rule, this will result in funding going to Planned Parenthood, and thus funding a provider of abortions.
Brooks is a candidate for U.S. Senate.
This legislation will be voted on by the Senate which is expected to pass it and it should signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden (D) later this week. Passage avoids a government shutdown.
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