Vertex Energy has ribbon cutting on new renewable diesel facility
Gov. Kay Ivey was on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Vertex Energy’s first renewable diesel facility. Vertex Energy is one of the largest processors of used motor oil in the U.S. Gulf Coast. This $115 million expansion project will be Alabama’s first renewable diesel facility. Gov. Ivey said on Twitter, “I welcomed VertexEnergyInc’s Renewable Diesel Unit to Alabama today! This facility is a major milestone for our state, providing 200+ high-paying jobs, work for our farmers and low-carbon fuel products. Truly, Vertex’s Alabama-presence will be felt across the nation.” The project will create over 200 new jobs in Mobile County. The Governor was joined by Vertex Founder and President Ben Cowart, Refinery General Manager Wes Mock, Vertex Site Project Manager Daniel Hill, County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood, and Mobile Chamber President and CEO Bradley Byrne. Vertex Energy, Inc. is a leading specialty refiner and marketer of high-quality refined products. “By sourcing feedstock locally within our own state, Vertex fosters economic growth opportunities from farm-to-facility and offers low-carbon fuel products that contribute to a cleaner environment, not only here in our beautiful Alabama, but across the nations where these products are sold,” Ivey said. In 2022, Vertex acquired a conventional fuels refinery from Shell PLC The company immediately launched a $115 million conversion project. The primary aim of this project was to convert a standalone unit within the refinery to facilitate the production of renewable diesel, a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to petroleum diesel fuel. Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “Vertex is an energy transition company focused on the production and distribution of conventional as well as alternative fuels. Vertex’s large refinery in Mobile County positioned the company as a leading supplier of fuels in the Gulf Coast region. As one of the largest processors of used motor oil in the United States, Vertex is a champion of sustainability and cutting-edge alternative energy. The 200 jobs created as a result of their latest expansion is a win for Saraland, Mobile County, and our entire state.“ The newly converted renewable diesel unit is specifically designed to produce renewable diesel fuel, which can be seamlessly integrated as a direct replacement for traditional petroleum diesel. At present, soybean oil serves as the primary feedstock for the production process. However, the facility has been engineered to accommodate the use of other organic waste oils in the future. Soybeans are trading currently at $14.72 a bushel. Soybeans are a primary ingredient in livestock feeds as well as in human feedstuffs – much of it in soybean oil. The company said that the plant provides a new market for Alabama’s soybean farmers. The collaboration between Vertex and these suppliers is expected to help strengthen the local agricultural sector and help foster a stable transition to renewable energy sources. Cowart declared, “We’re not just cutting ribbons; we’re cutting emissions. We’re also carving a new path for this site, this city, and the Great State of Alabama. The opportunity to bring this kind of innovation to my hometown and the state of Alabama is incredibly meaningful. I believe this is just the beginning, as we progress on our commitment to a cleaner environment by creating a sustainable growth path for the energy transition.” Vertex worked closely with local engineering firms and other contractors. The project resulted in an estimated $4 million in local workforce spending and the support of 600 construction jobs, as the team achieved over 450,000 work hours without any OSHA reportable incidents. Vertex’s safety incentive program, which allows Vertex employees and contractors to allocate dollars to Make-A-Wish Alabama for every OSHA injury-free workday completed during the turnaround, reached its target of 12 wishes granted for a total of $120,000. Houston-based Vertex Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: VTNR), is an energy transition company focused on the production and distribution of conventional and alternative fuels. The refinery in Mobile has an operable refining capacity of 75,000 barrels per day and more than 3.2 million barrels of product storage, positioning it as a leading supplier of fuels in the region. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Bradley Byrne to lobby for Adams and Reese once again
According to quarterly disclosures filed this month, former Alabama Rep. Bradley Byrne has registered to lobby for the first time since leaving office, Politico reported. Byrne returned to his former firm, Mobile-based Adams and Reese, last year after a failed 2020 Senate bid. Byrne told PI that he wasn’t sure whether he would become a registered lobbyist at the end of his mandatory one-year cooling-off period. Byrne served in the Alabama State Senate for five years, from 2002 to 2007. He served as the U.S. representative for Alabama’s 1st congressional district from 2014 to 2021, and in 2020, he ran for election to the U.S. Senate but lost in the Republican primary. Byrne’s clients are primarily local to his home state, including the governments of Mobile, Daphne, Foley, and Baldwin County, Alabama. Other clients include Troy University, the Alabama Forestry Association, the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, the cyber company Radiance Technologies, and the engineering firm Torch Technologies.
Fairhope renames post office for former congressman Jack Edwards
Today, Congressman Jerry Carl joined Congressman Bradley Byrne and Congressman Jo Bonner to pay tribute to Congressman William “Jack” Jackson Edwards and dedicate the Fairhope Post Office in his honor. The dedication was held at the post office building in Fairhope. Members of Edwards’ family, legislative leaders, postal officials, and members of the community attended. “Today, I was honored to join two of my mentors – Congressman Bradley Byrne and Congressman Jo Bonner – to honor and pay tribute to Congressman Jack Edwards, who was a friend and mentor to all three of us, by dedicating the Fairhope Post Office in his name,” Carl stated. “Congressman Edwards was a true statesman who devoted his life and his career to the service and betterment of south Alabama. Jack was loved and respected by all who knew him, and his legacy will continue to live on for generations to come,” Carl concluded. Congressman Byrne sponsored H.R. 6418 (Public Law 116-312) to dedicate the Fairhope Post Office Building to Congressman Edwards, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1965 to 1985. The law was approved January 5. Congressman Edwards, who died in 2019, served under five U.S. Presidents from Lyndon Johnson through Ronald Reagan. After retiring from Congress, he returned to Mobile, where he devoted himself to constitutional reform, education, the environment, and economic development.
Steve Flowers: We lost some good ones in 2021
As has been my custom for 18 years, I like for my yearend column to be a remembrance of Alabama political figures who have passed away during the year. We lost some good ones this year. We lost our oldest past governor, John Patterson in June. Governor Patterson passed away at age 99 at his ancestral home in rural Tallapoosa County surrounded by his family. Patterson was Governor from 1959-1963. He defeated George Wallace in the 1958 Governor’s Race, which featured a field of 14 candidates. He is the only man to beat George Wallace in a governor’s race. Patterson was Attorney General of Alabama prior to being elected Governor. He subsequently was appointed to the Court of Criminal Appeals by Wallace and was reelected numerous times and retired as a Judge of the Alabama Court of Appeals. He was a treasure trove of Alabama political history. He was Governor during a turbulent time in Alabama history. Former Alabama Attorney General Jimmy Evans died in February at 81. Evans was a native of Montgomery and was Montgomery County District Attorney prior to being elected Attorney General. Retired Alfa lobbyist Milton Parsons passed away in March at 91. Milton was renowned on Goat Hill as a straight arrow and straight shooter. He was an honest, trustworthy, Christian gentleman. He was Alfa’s chief lobbyist for 50 years. He was a devoted family man and devout Christian. Former Troy mayor, Jimmy Lunsford died in May at 78. He was mayor of Troy for 30 years. Economic development was his forte. He was a tremendous steward of the city’s finances. He left Troy in good shape financially. Former Mobile congressman Sonny Callahan passed away at 88 in late June. He was one of a long line of popular and effective congressmen from the first district. The list includes Frank Boykin, Jack Edwards, Jo Bonner, Bradley Byrne, and Sonny. Congressman Callahan served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his two decades in Congress, he served in the Alabama House of Representatives and then six years in the State Senate. He was successful in the trucking business in conjunction with his legislative and congressional career. State Representative Thad McClammy of Montgomery passed away at 79 in August. McClammy represented parts of Montgomery County for 27 years. I had the privilege to serve with Thad in the legislature. He was a real gentleman. His word was as good as gold. He had a tremendous turnout for his funeral. State Senator Kirk Hatcher did a fabulous job singing two favorite hymns. Former State Legislator and longtime Geneva County Probate Judge Harold Wise died in August at 96 years old. He lived an amazing and colorful life. He was a loved and respected Geneva County political figure. He was the uncle to Supreme Court Justice Kelli Wise. Kelli adored him. He was her mentor. She says he sparked her love of politics and her desire to have a career in public service. Retired Winston-Marion County Circuit Judge Bobby Aderholt passed away in September at 85. He was a 50-year public servant, as well as lay minister. People say he probably married or buried half the folks in and around Haleyville and that part of Northwest Alabama. There was a tremendous turnout for his funeral. He was revered. State Senator Greg Reed sang at his funeral. Judge Aderholt was the father of our senior congressman, Robert Aderholt who is completing his 25th year in Congress. Former State Senator Jim Preuitt of Talladega died in September at 86. He was also a State Representative and Probate Judge of Talladega County. He was a successful businessman and family man. We lost some good ones this year. Happy New Year! Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama Newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Steve Flowers: 20th anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks
This week marks the 20th Anniversary of the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation. It was a day in your life where you remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the attacks on the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon. It changed our world. Like most people, I thought the first plane that flew into the towering Trade Center, was an accident. However, when the second plane hit you knew it was not pilot error. It was traumatic and terrifying. I asked several of our state leaders their memories of that fateful day. Allow me to share some of their experiences. Today, only two members of our current congressional delegation were in Congress at the time: Senator Richard Shelby and Congressman Robert Aderholt. Our senior senator, Richard Shelby, was actually chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. He was immediately briefed by the CIA, however, amazingly, he was not placed in a protective bunker. He quietly sat in his office with his staff and watched the day unfold on television. Congressman Robert Aderholt, who was a brand new 33-year old congressman recalls he and his wife, Caroline, were taking their daughter to her first day of school while all the 9/11 events were unfolding. That daughter, Mary Elliott, is now a senior at Auburn. PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh had just left Washington and was back home in Alabama getting ready for a conference call. The call was canceled, and she sat in shock all day. Gov. Kay Ivey shared her memory. She said it was a typical September morning. She was attending a conference and learned of the first plane flying into the tower while getting coffee. At first, the news did not seem too alarming. However, a few minutes later, when news of the second plane hit and videos appeared showing the large plane crashing into the World Trade Center, an awful feeling started to sink in for everyone as they realized our world was changing in front of their eyes. The Governor’s Chief of Staff, Jo Bonner, at that time was Chief of Staff to Congressman Sonny Callahan and later took that seat in Congress. Bonner was also at a legislative meeting in Montgomery. He was having breakfast at the Embassy Suites, and he watched the planes fly into the tower. Gov. Ivey’s new State Finance Director Bill Poole had recently moved back from D.C. a few weeks prior to enrolling in the University of Alabama Law School. He was in class and was concerned about young friends he had left behind in D.C. Ozark State Representative, Steve Clouse, was a young legislator and was in Montgomery eating breakfast at the Madison Hotel. State Senator Clay Scofield was a junior at Auburn University. He watched on television and recalls feeling sad, angry, and extremely patriotic. Lt. Governor, Will Ainsworth, was also a student at Auburn. He was in his apartment getting ready to go to class. Pardons and Parole Director and former State Senator, Cam Ward, was on a plane headed to Washington, D.C. while the events were unfolding. They were diverted to West Virginia to land and then informed of what had happened. State Senator Greg Reed was in his home office preparing for a business trip to Baltimore, Maryland. His wife, Mitzi, ran into his office a little after 9:00 and told him to come watch what was unfolding in New York. Needless to say, his trip was canceled. State Senator Clyde Chambliss was in an Autauga County Leadership meeting. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle was eating breakfast at a local restaurant in the Rocket City. State Treasurer John McMillan was head of the Alabama Forestry Association. They were at their annual meeting at the Perdido Beach Resort. Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, a decorated Veteran of Vietnam, had just departed campus en route to Luverne on a communities tour. By the time they reached Montgomery, he said, “It was clear that America had been attacked. What began as a day of celebration concluded in Prattville as a day of mourning and patriotism.” Attorney General Steve Marshall had been serving as the district attorney for Marshall County for just over a month. He watched the events unfold on televisions in underground offices. It was his daughter’s 11th birthday, but his family did little celebrating on that day. Former Congressman Bradley Byrne was practicing law in Mobile. His law offices were in the same building as the FBI. They got their fully automatic rifles out and were guarding the building all day. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
GOP firebrand Mo Brooks enters Senate race
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, a conservative firebrand and staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump who has come under fire for remarks he made preceding the attack on the U.S. Capitol, joined the Alabama GOP primary field on Monday to replace Sen. Richard Shelby. The north Alabama Republican announced his entry into the race at an event with former Trump adviser Stephen Miller. He joins former Trump ambassador Lynda Blanchard in a Republican primary field that is expected to attract a number of other hopefuls. “America’s status as the greatest nation in world history is at risk. And it’s at risk from those within our country,” Brooks told people packed into a meeting hall of a gun range in the northern city of Huntsville. Later, he added, “We are a beacon of freedom and liberty for the world, and we need to stay that way.” Miller was an influential force in pushing Trump’s efforts to curb immigration. He engineered the former president’s Muslim travel ban and was widely viewed as the driving force behind the Trump administration’s hardest-line immigration policies. “Nobody has had President Trump’s back more over the last four years than Mo Brooks. Now I need you to have his back,” Miller said as he introduced Brooks. Brooks, 66, has come under fire for telling the rally that preceded the Capitol riot that it was time to “start taking down names and kicking ass.” Brooks said the phrase was intended to fire up the crowd for the next election cycle and is being misconstrued as advocating the violence that followed. Shelby announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection in 2022, igniting what is expected to be a messy GOP primary at a time when the national Republican Party is trying to chart a direction following Trump’s departure. Brooks has served five terms in the House, where the former prosecutor joined the conservative Freedom Caucus. He serves on the Armed Services Committee and Science, Space, and Technology, two important committees for his north Alabama district. “America cannot afford senators who cower in their foxholes,” Brooks said. He added, “As President Trump can vouch, I don’t cut and run. I stand strong when the going gets tough.” Republican hopefuls in a state where Trump won 62% of the vote are expected to try to convince primary voters they are the rightful banner carriers for the Trump agenda. But some observers worry the race could crown a far-right nominee to replace one of the Senate’s most senior leaders with a deep establishment ties. Republican former Rep. Bradley Byrne of Alabama said the winner of the GOP primary will likely be whoever can convince voters they are the best heir to Trump and his “Make America Great Again” agenda. “They are going to be very conservative. They are going to be the most genuine, most effective carrier of the Trump/MAGA flame,” Byrne said. David Mowery, an Alabama-based political consultant, said support for Trump is “the table stakes” — a requirement to get in the game for Republicans seeking office in Alabama. However, Mowery said he thinks there is trepidation among establishment Republicans. While Shelby amassed a far-right conservative voting record, he never embraced the bombastic, populist style that has propelled Republicans like Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. “I think people are worried that you are going to get someone that’s more concerned about throwing bombs and seeing their name in the paper then you are somebody who does what Shelby does and that is bring home the bacon and make sure Alabama is taken care of in every spending bill,” Mowery said. Others sometimes mentioned as potential candidates are Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill and Shelby’s former chief of staff, Katie Boyd Britt, who now heads an influential business lobby. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Bradley Byrne: Thank you
This is my last weekly report as your Congressman. Serving you in Washington these last seven years has been a great honor, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity you have given me. I never once walked out on the floor of the House of Representatives when I wasn’t in awe that I was there to speak and vote for you. I leave Congress with hope and optimism about our country and our part of the country. American elites, who control most of our news and entertainment outlets, would have you believe that America is a weakening, evil nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’d not travelled abroad much before coming to Congress but, particularly given my work on the Armed Services Committee, I’ve travelled a lot more these last seven years. No matter where I went, American power was evident and I heard from allies and adversaries a clear expectation that we are the world’s leader in nearly every way that matters. What this has meant for the world is remarkable. The rules-based system we created after World War II and the example of our democracy and economy changed things on a truly global scale. Global per capita gross domestic product has more than tripled during the last 75 years, and the percentage of people living in extreme poverty has fallen from 66% to less than 10%. Before World War II, there were more autocracies than democracies. Today, 96 nations are true democracies, and less than 80 are autocracies. What we have achieved at home is equally impressive. We have more rights and freedoms equally enjoyed than any nation in the history of the world. No one can match our standard of living, our health care system, or our ability to face and address the issues which still challenge us. I know this year has been hard on all of us. We’ve experienced a pandemic, an abruptly sharp recession, riots, and down here, two hurricanes. Some of us have lost loved ones or had the disease ourselves. But, our resilience as a nation and as a region has allowed us to enter 2021 looking forward to widespread distribution of the vaccine and return to a new normal. America is a strong nation because of our morals and principles: freedom, equal opportunity, hard work, fair play, patriotism, and faith in God. If we ever lose those, we will lose our strength, like Sampson without his hair. I said earlier that I am hopeful and optimistic. That’s because these last seven years, I’ve had the rare opportunity to see our nation as a whole and not just the part where I live. I’ve met and worked with genuinely good and smart people. And I have an appreciation for the important national institutions which have developed over the decades to provide the structures within which the American people work their will. My ancestor, Gerald Byrne, came over from Ireland to what was then the colony of West Florida. He escaped poverty and a brutally repressive British occupation of his home country. Here he had freedom to be his own man, opportunity to make his own way, and the courage to take advantage of it all. Over 200 years later, one of his descendants would end up in the House of Representatives. That’s amazing, but that’s America. I want our country to continue to provide these opportunities to all of our people. I want us to maintain our morals and principles. And I want us all to be hopeful and optimistic because we have every reason to be so. Thank you for allowing me to represent you. I will always cherish the fact you trusted me to speak and act for you. I hope I lived up to your expectations. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. Congressman Bradley Byrne currently represents Alabama’s 1st congressional district. His service in the House of Representatives will end at the conclusion of the 117th Congress on January 3, 2021.
Alabama lawmakers split on Covid relief and omnibus bill, passed with bipartisan support
Late Monday night, both the Senate and House of Representatives passed a $900 billion relief measure designed to provide long-awaited coronavirus assistance to Americans, small businesses, and industries. The package is paired with a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that funds the federal government through September reported CBS. According to govtrac.us, the bill, which is 5,593-pages, passed overwhelmingly and with bipartisan support in the House. The first portion of the bill was for the appropriations for some federal departments including Commerce, Justice, Defense, Treasury, and Homeland Security. It passed by a vote of 327 to 85. The second vote was on the remaining portion of the bill, which included appropriations for the remainder of the federal government as well as coronavirus stimulus passed by a margin of 359 to 53. The Bill was then bundled together and passed the Senate 92-6. The bill will now head to President Donald Trump for approval. Alabama Senators Doug Jones and Richard Shelby both voted in favor of the bill. Alabama House of Representatives were mostly in favor of the bill. Robert Aderholt, Bradley Byrne, Martha Roby, Gary Palmer, and Terri Sewell all voted yea for both parts of the bill. Mo Brooks voted in favor of part one of the bill and against part two. Rep. Mike Rogers did not vote. Gary Palmer posted on Twitter, “The House passed and appropriates and #COVID19 relief package today. Read more here on why I decided to support it.” The House passed an appropriations and #COVID19 relief package today. Read more here on why I decided to support it: https://t.co/kzC9tVkOlz — Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) December 22, 2020 Terri Sewell posted on Twitter, stating, “Last night, Congress finally passed a bill to: provide $600 to each adult and child, add $300 per week in unemployment benefits, and extend the eviction moratorium. But it’s not enough- I’ll keep fighting until families get the help they need.” Last night, Congress finally passed a bill to: – provide $600 to each adult and child– add $300 per week in unemployment benefits – extend the eviction moratorium But it’s not enough — I’ll keep fighting until families get the help they need. https://t.co/0o7Arqa0ZZ — Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) December 22, 2020
Bradley Byrne gives farewell speech to House of Representatives
Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) gave his farewell speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. Byrne spoke of his hope and optimism for the direction of our nation, what the American people have said in recent elections and his thankfulness for the people of Southwest Alabama and other friends and supporters. Some highlights from his speech are below. Congressman Byrne said: “There are people on both sides of the House who want to say this country is in a bad place and headed in the wrong direction. I believe that view ignores two very important things. One is our history, and the other is what I hear the people of America telling us… I think if the people of America knew their history better, they would be more hopeful; they would be more optimistic… “Division in our country is the greatest internal threat we’ve got, and I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, it’s the greatest threat of all, because there is nothing that this great nation can’t accomplish when we are united, when we are e pluribus unum, one out of many. That is who America is, that’s who the American people want us to be, and that’s the great challenge before this House. “I want to thank my long-suffering family. They loved me, and they supported me, even when I wasn’t so lovable, and even when it wasn’t so easy to support me. I could not have done it without them.” Byrne’s service in the House of Representatives will end at the conclusion of the 117th Congress on January 3, 2021.
Bradley Byrne: A timely victory for the right to freely exercise our faith
On the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling, which is a very positive signal for the rights of people of faith to freely exercise that faith. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had issued a “Cluster Initiative” which used color-coded restrictions on large gatherings in certain parts of New York City. These restrictions were challenged in court by the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Jewish synagogues as an invalid restriction on citizens’ rights under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. The Supreme Court issued an injunction against applying Governor Cuomo’s order to gatherings at houses of worship. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote a scathing concurring opinion in which he said, “there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutters churches, synagogues and mosques.” Much of the press focused on the fact that this was the first case in which Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s vote was necessary to achieve a majority because Chief Justice John Roberts joined with the dissenters as he believed the ruling was premature. His decision was unsurprising as he had voted with the liberals on the Court against acting on earlier COVID restrictions. It was also in keeping with his preference to avoid judicial intervention in matters which he doesn’t consider to be procedurally ripe. I have great respect for Justice Roberts but disagree with his decision in this case and am glad the majority saw fit to issue the injunction. When President Donald Trump nominated Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Barrett, liberals and their news media allies howled that these new justices’ presence on the Court would provide the votes to strike down the Affordable Care Act and reverse Roe v. Wade. I never bought that line, and it appears from oral arguments in the Affordable Care Act case presently before the Court that there is not a majority to do the former. I did believe that these two new justices, along with other Republican nominated justices, would take a much broader view of the Free Exercise Clause and a much narrower view of the statutory authorization for government regulation. This new case confirms that the Court has indeed adopted an expanded application of the Free Exercise Clause. Why is this so timely and so important? America’s cultural elites have adopted a hostility to faith, people of faith, and people acting out their faith. They used to be willing to let people do as they pleased in their houses of worship while jumping at the chance to criticize and restrict them if they actually attempted to exercise their beliefs outside of worship. Governor Cuomo’s order, and those of many other Democrat governors and mayors, demonstrate that the elites now want to regulate what happens inside houses of worship. The First Amendment, like the other nine amendments in the Bill of Rights, was passed by the First Congress in 1789, and the states ratified them in 1791. Passage of these amendments was demanded by several of the states in the ratification conventions on the original Constitution. These amendments comprise fundamental law, conferring primary rights on the people of this nation. As to religion, the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” It was applied to state and local governments in the 20th century by courts invoking the Fourteenth Amendment. The first clause, known as the Establishment Clause, was intended as a prohibition on a government established church as the Church of England was at the time of the Revolution and is today. That clause has been expanded judicially to prohibit any government action favoring a particular religious view. Until recently, the Free Exercise Clause has been rarely invoked. But actions by state and local governments in more recent times to control people of faith in their efforts to live out their faith have made the Free Exercise Clause a new judicial battleground, and this new majority on the Supreme Court has arrived just in time to deliver last week’s important opinion. I predict more decisions in the future, applying the clause to inappropriate government action. Note the use of the word “exercise.” It denotes action and not just belief. That First Congress was acutely aware of the limitations on worship and action by the British government on behalf of the Church of England. Indeed, many of their ancestors fled to America to escape government dictates on religion. They also knew the ugly history of the Puritan Protectorate government in 17th century England which tried to limit all sorts of conduct – even celebrating Christmas. Congress and the ratifying states made it clear in the Free Exercise Clause that government in this country has no such power. As I have seen in the Congresses I have served in over the last several years, many members have lost that understanding. Indeed, they have attempted to repeal the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which passed with near unanimity in the 1990s. They see religious rights as secondary, not primary. Governor Cuomo and his Democrat colleagues in statehouses and mayors’ offices around the U.S. do too. Now, the new majority on the Supreme Court has stepped up to stop the slide away from religious freedom. It’s about time, and I trust they will continue to do so. Congressman Bradley Byrne currently represents Alabama’s 1st congressional district.
Personnel update: Congressman-elect Jerry Carl announces three staff hires
Jerry Carl will take office for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District in January and announced today he has hired leaders for three key staff positions. Chad Carlough will serve as Carl’s Chief of Staff, Elizabeth Roney will work as District Director, and Zach Weidlich will fill the Communications Director position. “I am proud to announce Chad Carlough will serve as my Chief of Staff when I take office January 3, 2021. Chad has a wide breadth of experience on Capitol Hill, previously holding several roles in Congressman Bradley Byrne’s office, including Chief of Staff. I have the utmost confidence in Chad’s character and his ability, and I am excited to have him on board,” stated Carl. “I’m also pleased to announce Elizabeth Roney will continue serving as District Director. Prior to serving as Congressman Byrne’s District Director, Elizabeth worked in the offices of both Congressman Sonny Callahan and Congressman Jo Bonner. Elizabeth’s long-standing experience will ensure a smooth transition from Congressman Byrne’s office to mine,” Carl continued. “Zach Weidlich will be joining our team as well on January 3rd as the Communications Director for my office. Zach did a great job running my campaign the last two years, and I am confident that he will continue to be an asset in my office.” On Twitter, Carl stated, “I’m proud of the team I’ve assembled. We are ready to get to work and fight for the needs of our District!” I’m proud of the team I’ve assembled. We are ready to get to work and fight for the needs of our district! #al01 #alpolitics https://t.co/IxUlcZv7Hw — Jerry Carl (@CarlForAlabama) November 30, 2020 Weidlich posted on Twitter, stating, “We are excited about the team that has been assembled, and we are ready to hit the ground running on January 3rd.” We are excited about the team that has been assembled and we are ready to hit the ground running on January 3rd. https://t.co/CCM9BwpY2t — Zach Weidlich (@zach_wide) November 30, 2020
Bradley Byrne: A national compact
Four hundred years ago this month, a group of just over 100 people arrived off the shores of Cape Cod after a two-month sail from England. They were dissenters from the Church of England like the Puritans but went further by formally separating from the established church they considered to be corrupt beyond repair. We call them “Pilgrims,” although there is only one instance when any one of them used that word to describe themselves. That person was William Bradford, the longtime governor of the Plymouth Colony, who borrowed the word from the 11th Chapter of the Book of Hebrews. Their arrival that November was not the occasion of the first Thanksgiving. That came the next year when they had built their homes and brought in their first harvest. In fact, they spent their first few months in a harsh winter still on their ship, the Mayflower, while their settlement was built. Their original destination wasn’t Plymouth but the mouth of the Hudson River where New York City is today, then the northern part of the Virginia Colony, but they were weary after a long journey, running low on provisions and determined to begin the long work of establishing their new home. That meant they weren’t on land covered by Virginia’s royal charter and so there were no colonial government or laws. Some on the ship weren’t separatists like the Pilgrims, remaining true to the Church of England, and talked about “using their own liberty.” These “Strangers,” as the Pilgrims called them, thus threatened the order of the new community. So, before they landed, all of the adult male settlers on the ships, Pilgrim and Stranger, reached an agreement we know as the Mayflower Compact under which they organized themselves as a “Civil Body Politic” by which they could “frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Offices from time to time, as shall be thought meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony.” They weren’t declaring independence from England but laid out a basis for people to govern themselves in America. Their example was an inspiration for those who 150 years later would indeed seek independence to form a new American nation with a government based on the consent of the people. The Compact was also firmly based on the settlers’ religious beliefs. It begins with the words “In the Name of God, Amen”, and states frankly that their voyage to America was “undertaken for the Glory of God, and the Advancement of the Christian Faith.” Yet, as they differed on exactly what their faith meant, they established not a theocracy but a civil government based on the laws made by the settlers themselves. Their settlement was risky, and their path filled with hard work, privation, and danger, but their faith sustained them. That faith would indeed inspire them to hold a three-day time of thanksgiving a year later after a successful harvest. Perhaps, in this time of political polarization, we should renew our compact with each other as members of a great nation. Understanding our differences, we can yet agree to work with each other through those differences and achieve a successful consensus based upon shared principles and the value of sacrifice and hard work. As President Abraham Lincoln observed, we are the last best hope of earth, a nation founded by and beholden to the people. We should, in the words of the Declaration of Independence, “pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” In the Name of God, Amen. Congressman Bradley Byrne currently represents Alabama’s 1st congressional district.
