Winners, losers and jokers this week: June 8 edition
It’s been quite the week in Alabama politics. The primary election left us with some very clear winners and losers and even a few head scratchers. Here’s my take on some of what happened: Winners: Kay Ivey and her campaign team This one’s a no brainer. With favorable ratings that made her look untouchable Gov. Kay Ivey‘s campaign team managed to do exactly what they needed to in order to escape a run-off election; duck and cover. Ivey and her team played it safe by not debating the other candidates or jumping into the muck and it payed off. Tommy Battle was a formidable opponent but the strategy of making the general the only race that mattered worked for Ivey and her team. Add to that the retail politicking she did with base republican’s and all she has to do is turn them all back out for her in Nov. to secure a victory. Losers: Sue Bell Cobb Many would have thought Cobb could have at least run the Democratic primary into a runoff, but her bizarro-world defense of a rapist and subsequent stumbling statements failed both her and her campaign. Scott Maddox ran a high energy, well organized campaign but Cobb was responsible for her own undoing. Jokers: Jim Bonner voters I don’t want to call them “losers,” so we’ll go with “jokers,” because the people who voted for Jim Bonner after the hot mess he found himself in had to have been joking? The question their votes leaves me with, are people really not paying attention to the point of not knowing what was happening in that race? We need to do better as an electorate. Winners: *Bonus edition* Alabama today readers Thank you for giving us our best week this year. Please continue to share and engage with our posts online —our site is thriving because of readers like you. Also, please remember to pass on your daily Cheat Sheet newsletter to your friends, neighbors, coworkers, the mailman, you know anyone with an email address (shameless plug over now). You can sign-up for your own copy the Cheat Sheet here (right hand column).
Democratic lawmakers seek criminal corruption probe of EPA’s Scott Pruitt
House Democrats on Friday formally requested that the Justice Department investigate Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt for potential criminal conduct. In a letter to FBI Director Chris Wray and Justice criminal division chief John Cronan, six Democratic lawmakers with oversight of Pruitt’s agency allege he repeatedly violated federal anti-corruption laws by seeking to leverage his government position for personal gain. As evidence, the Democrats cite Pruitt’s $50-a-night lease of a Capitol Hill condo tied to a lobbyist seeking to influence his agency, directing an EPA aide to contact a senior Chick-fil-A executive as part of an effort to land his family a franchise, and a $2,000 payment to his wife from organizers of a conference the administrator then attended at taxpayer expense. A spokesman for Pruitt did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. The letter was signed by Democratic Reps. Gerald Connolly and Donald Beyer of Virginia, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Ted Lieu of California. Connolly is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and serves as the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Government Operations. President Donald Trump signaled Friday he is still standing by his embattled EPA chief, even as Pruitt’s support among other Republicans has started to erode. “Scott Pruitt is doing a great job within the walls of the EPA,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I mean, we’re setting records. Outside he’s being attacked very viciously by the press. And I’m not saying that he’s blameless. But we’ll see what happens.” For his part, Pruitt sought to laugh off the controversy this week over his using government resources to seek a “business opportunity” with the fast-food fried chicken chain whose owners are known for supporting conservative Christian causes, including outspoken opposition to same-sex marriage. “I mean, look, my wife is an entrepreneur herself. I love, she loves, we love Chick-fil-A as a franchise of faith,” Pruitt said in a TV interview on Wednesday. In their letter, the House Democrats make their case that Pruitt’s conduct rises to the level of criminal conduct. “At the very least, we know that federal ethics laws bar public officials from using their position or staff for private gain,” the Democrats wrote to Wray and Cronan. “Administrator Pruitt has certainly done just that. Further, his actions related to his wife’s employment and the quid-pro-quo condo situation with industry lobbyists may have crossed a line into criminal conduct punishable by fines or even by time in prison.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama appeals order to make execution information public
Alabama is appealing a federal judge’s order to make the state’s lethal injection procedures public and to unseal other court records about an aborted execution in the state. Chief District Judge Karon O. Bowdre on Thursday stayed her order to make the protocol and sealed hearing transcripts public as the Department of Corrections appeals. Bowdre had last week ordered the records unsealed, saying the public has a “great interest in understanding how the state carries out its punishment.” Lawyers for the state are appealing to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing the state has an interest in keeping the information private. Media outlets had sought the information after a lethal injection was halted when the execution team had difficulty connecting the intravenous line to an ill inmate. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama wins “Silver Shovel Award” for economic development
Governor Kay Ivey on Friday announced Area Development, an economic development-focused national publication, selected Alabama for its Silver Shovel Award — a top honor recognizing the state’s economic development successes in 2017 — continuing the state’s decade-old winning streak. In announcing the award, Area Development singled out several large-scale projects, including Mercedes-Benz’s plans to build a Global Logistics Center in Bibb County and Blue Origin’s project to assemble rocket engines at a new facility in Huntsville. “It was a good year for manufacturing in Silver Shovel recipient Alabama, with major investments in a diverse collection of projects, most of them brand-new. Additional jobs are driving in by way of logistics and distribution,” the publication says. Area Development’s Gold and Silver Shovel Awards recognize the overall economic development effectiveness of state economic development efforts. Alabama has won one of the awards each year since 2006, when it won a Gold Shovel. It won another Gold in 2012 and Silver awards in other years, including one for 2016. “The business world has discovered that Alabama is one of the most attractive locations in the U.S. to make new investments, and this Silver Shovel award confirms that,” Ivey said. “I will continue to work to position Alabama for economic growth that creates jobs and opportunities for our hard-working citizens.” Area Development noted that Alabama landed a raft of major projects in 2017: International Paper is investing $552.7 million at its Selma facility Aerojet Rocketdyne is bringing 800 jobs and a new manufacturing facility to Huntsville James Hardie Building Products is opening a $220 million production center in Prattville with 205 jobs Autocar is investing $120 million in a new heavy truck assembly facility in Jefferson County with more than 700 jobs “More manufacturing projects reflect growth in the food and poultry, aluminum, paper, and fiber cement industries, and Walmart has promised delivery of 550 distribution jobs” in Mobile County, Area Development writes. Executing Strategy The state’s 2017 economic development results are outlined in the Alabama Department of Commerce’s “New & Expanding Industry Report,” released earlier this year. The report provides a detailed look at nearly 400 projects recorded in the state during another solid year of business recruitment and support. “The mission of Alabama’s economic development team is to facilitate the creation of high-caliber jobs in strategic industry sectors that will flourish in the future,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Winning a Silver Shovel Award for the fifth consecutive year is another affirmation that our team is consistently executing our strategy and achieving positive results.” Since 2012, economic development activity in Alabama has attracted nearly $29 billion in investment and more than 105,000 jobs, according to Commerce figures. Exact totals for 2017 were $4.4 billion in new capital investment and 15,465 anticipated jobs. Alabama joined Utah and Louisiana in claiming a Silver Shovel award given to states with populations between 3 million and 5 million residents.
AG Steve Marshall testifies on Capitol Hill in support of Alabama census lawsuit
Attorney General Steve Marshall testified before a U.S. Congressional Committee on Friday that the Census Bureau‘s “unlawful” decision to include illegal aliens in the 2020 Census will cause Alabama to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representative as well as a vote in the Electoral College. Marshall told the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice the decision “plainly undermines the rule of law.” “Alabama is set to lose one of its seven congressional seats and one of its nine electoral votes – a seat and a vote it would not lose if illegal aliens were excluded from the apportionment base,” Marshall told the subcommittee. “Not only would this skewed result rob the State of Alabama and its legal residents of their rightful share of representation, but it plainly undermines the rule of law. If an individual’s presence in our country is in violation of federal law, why should the states in which they reside benefit from their illegal status?” Marshall further noted the Census has previously included illegal aliens and that the result has been an unlawful distribution of additional U.S. House seats and electoral college votes to states with higher numbers of illegal aliens. “The irony, of course, is that illegal aliens cannot vote; therefore, they are not the ones who gain from being included in the apportionment base. In a state in which a large share of the population cannot vote, those who do vote count more than those who live in states where a larger share of population is made up of American citizens.” Alabama is not alone in suffering a potential loss in federal representation if the 2020 Census count includes illegal aliens. Ohio is also predicted to lose a U.S. House seat while Montana would fail to gain a seat it would have otherwise acquired. Attorney General Marshall and Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks filed a lawsuit last month challenging the U.S. Census Bureau’s counting of illegal aliens. Watch Marshall’s testimony below:
New study reveals Alabama has 5th highest incarceration rate in the world
The Prison Policy Initiative released a new report in May comparing the incarceration rate of each American state to countries around the world, and the Yellowhammer state came in fifth place overall. Fifth place, compared to the entire world; yikes Alabama. Oklahoma topped the list with 1,079 inmates per 100,000 of populous in their state but Alabama was not far behind, reporting 946 people imprisoned per 100,000 people in the state; the U.S. national average is 698 per 100,000. But the Yellowhammer state was not the only one with higher ratings, a total 23 states in the nation were reported to have rates over the national average, giving them the highest incarceration rates in the world. The report then compared these numbers to other nations around the world, where even places like Slovakia, Argentina, Australia and the Ukraine had less than 200 people per 100,000 incarcerated. “If we imagine every state as an independent nation…every state appears extreme,” said the report. “Massachusetts, the state with the lowest incarceration rate in the nation, would rank 9th in the world, just below Brazil and followed closely by countries like Belarus, Turkey, Iran, and South Africa.” “States like Alabama, with incarceration rates even higher than the U.S. average, compare even worse. Next to other stable democracies, Alabama is off the charts,” the Prison Policy Initiative explained. The prison system in Alabama is long overdue for an overhaul, the state prison system houses nearly twice the inmates it was designed for. Prison officers and inmates have been killed and injured in a series of violent crimes behind bars, and with several reports this year of Sheriff’s stealing and pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for inmates food rations, it’s a wonder we’re not talking about this issue. In 2014, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program filed a lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) to end the poor conditions in the state prison system, including the understaffing of both correctional and mental health workers. According to the SPLC, as of January 2018, the state still hadn’t come up with an acceptable remedy to address the “horrendously inadequate” and unconstitutional mental health care and staffing needs of the ADOC. “As Gov. Kay Ivey and ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn have both recognized, the constitutional violations of how the state treats prisoners developed over a generation. It will be difficult, and likely costly, to fix them. But ADOC has to fix them,” said Maria Morris, senior supervising attorney for the SPLC, and lead litigator in the case. Ivey responded by adding an additional $51 million to the ADOC budget earlier in 2018.
Direct flights underway from Montgomery Regional Airport to Washington, DC
Flights are now underway from the Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) to Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) outside of the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C. On Thursday, MGM launched its first direct flight to DC through American Airlines with 32 passengers onboard the 50-seat passenger jet. For now, there is only one flight a day going back and forth between the two cities – a daily morning flight arriving in Montgomery and another flight departing back to DC later in the afternoon. In October, airport officials made the announcement of the new direct flight. “The Montgomery Airport Authority continues to work with our airline partners to expand service for passengers,” said, Tammy Knight Fleming, Board Chair. “This new, nonstop service connecting Alabama’s capital to the nation’s capital, one of the top destinations in our market, will be a tremendous asset for business travelers, government officials and the community at large.”
Donald Trump says ‘let Russia back in’ as he heads for G-7 summit
President Donald Trump injected fresh drama into an already tense meeting of the Group of Seven major industrialized nations Friday, calling for Russia, ousted for its the annexation of Crimea, to be reinstated. Trump made the comment at the White House Friday after hours of further escalating his rhetoric against longtime allies over U.S. trade practices. “Why are we having a meeting without Russia in the meeting? Trump said. “They should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table.“ Solidifying his solo status on the world stage, Trump also lashed out at longtime allies over their criticism of his trade policies. He plans an early exit from the G-7 meeting. Russia was ousted from the elite group in 2014 as punishment for President Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. In the U.S., special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in a bid to sway the 2016 presidential election in his favor. Trump will arrive Friday at the annual gathering, held this year at a Quebec resort, but will leave Saturday morning before the event is over, heading to Singapore for his highly anticipated summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The White House announced his travel plans after French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signaled they would use the G7 event to take a stance against new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. “Looking forward to straightening out unfair Trade Deals with the G-7 countries,” Trump tweeted early Friday. “If it doesn’t happen, we come out even better.” Trump also singled out tariffs on U.S. dairy products in yet another scathing tweet directed at Canada just before the G-7. At a joint press conference on Thursday, Macron said: “A trade war doesn’t spare anyone. It will start first of all to hurt U.S. workers.” Trudeau said: “We are going to defend our industries and our workers.” Trudeau, for his part, said Trump’s action would hurt American workers as well as Canadians. “If I can get the president to actually realize that what he’s doing is counterproductive for his own goals as well, perhaps we can move forward in a smarter way,” Trudeau said. As tempers frayed, Trump had a ready retort, via tweet: “Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the U.S. massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the U.S. is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them tomorrow.” Later Thursday, Trump tweeted: “Prime Minister Trudeau is being so indignant, bringing up the relationship that the U.S. and Canada had over the many years and all sorts of other things…but he doesn’t bring up the fact that they charge us up to 300% on dairy — hurting our Farmers, killing our Agriculture!” A few hours later, he added, “Take down your tariffs & barriers or we will more than match you!” With a cool reception all but assured, Trump has complained to aides about even having to attend the meeting, especially since his summit with Kim is just days away. Late Thursday, the White House announced that Trump would be leaving the G-7 late Saturday morning to head to Singapore ahead of his summit with Kim, though the G-7 meeting was scheduled to last until later that day. Trump will skip out on G-7 meetings about climate change, clean energy and ocean protection. This marks Trump’s second summit of the G-7, an informal gathering that meets every year under a rotating chairmanship. The member countries are Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, the United States and Britain. The European Union also attends. Trump is set to hold a series of group and one-on-one meetings, including with Trudeau and Macron. Under Trump, the United States has abandoned its traditional role in the G-7. His predecessors pressed for freer global trade and championed a trading system that required countries to follow World Trade Organization rules. Trump’s policies have been more protectionist and confrontational, driven by a perception that the U.S. has been the victim of poorly conceived trade deals. Relations have hit such a low that a key question now is whether the seven countries can agree on a joint statement of priorities at the conclusion of the meeting. A gathering of G-7 finance ministers days earlier concluded last week with a message of “concern and disappointment” for Trump from the other six countries. France’s finance minister described the group as “far more a G-6 plus one than a G-7.” Macron made clear Thursday that the other six countries wouldn’t hesitate to go it alone. On Twitter, he said: “The American President may not mind being isolated, but neither do we mind signing a 6 country agreement if need be.” Trump’s top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, was vague Wednesday on the outcome of the summit, saying: “For these kind of decisions, let them meet first. Let them meet; let them discuss. And then we’ll see what happens.” Tension has been building over a year of policymaking that has distanced the U.S. from traditional allies, including by Trump’s decisions to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear agreement. The new tariffs — 25 percent on imported steel, 10 percent on aluminum from Canada, Mexico and the European Union — threaten to drive up prices for American consumers and companies and heighten uncertainty for businesses and investors around the globe. Canada and other U.S. allies are retaliating with tariffs on U.S. exports. Canada is waiting until the end of the month to apply them with the hope the Trump administration will reconsider. Meanwhile, talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement that eliminated most tariffs and duties between the U.S., Canada and Mexico appear to have ground to a halt. Trump injected further uncertainty recently when he floated the idea of replacing NAFTA with two separate
DOJ lifts secrecy on foreign lobbying opinions
The Justice Department is opening up about the advice it has given to lobbyists who work for foreign governments and political interests. For the first time, the public will be able to read advisory opinions the department has issued to lobbyists, public relations professionals and others about whether they need to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA. The department had kept the opinions secret for decades, a point of contention for transparency advocates and lawyers who specialize in advising clients on complying with the law. The opinions provide an unprecedented view into the thinking of a specialized Justice Department unit whose influence has grown in recent years, propelled by more aggressive enforcement and a special counsel investigation focused on foreign influence operations inside the U.S. The Associated Press obtained copies of dozens of opinions, which were to be posted online later Friday. Those who have requested the department’s guidance include a television host who worked for a company with foreign connections, people negotiating with other governments over the release of prisoners and a firm that planned a U.S. fundraiser for a politician in another country. The department removed the names and other identifying details from the opinions to allow for their public release. In disclosing the opinions, Justice Department officials say they want the public to better understand how they interpret a decades-old law meant to allow Americans to know when foreign entities are trying to influence public opinion or policymakers. The law, enacted in 1938 to unmask Nazi propaganda in the United States, requires people to disclose to the Justice Department when they advocate, lobby or perform public relations work in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign government or political entity. “Today is the law’s 80th anniversary, and it remains a vital tool to combat this threat,” Assistant Attorney General John Demers, the department’s top national security official, said in a statement. “To enhance compliance, we are making these advisory opinions available publicly and online for the first time. By posting these advisory opinions, the Department of Justice is making clearer how we interpret some of FARA’s key provisions.” The heightened enforcement and some high-profile registrations have coincided with special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. In the last two years alone, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn have had to register under the law, as has Tony Podesta, a top Democratic lobbyist and brother of Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman. Manafort is set to go to trial later this year on charges that he concealed his lobbying and influence work on behalf of Ukrainian interests, including a pro-Russian political party. The Justice Department also required the U.S.-based operations of RT, an international television network funded by the Russian government, to register as a foreign agent, a move that angered Russian leaders late last year. U.S. intelligence agencies have alleged RT functioned as a propaganda outlet for the Kremlin as part of an effort to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The opinions obtained by the AP show the wide array of requests the Justice Department receives from people and companies trying to determine if they’re obligated to register. In August 2015, for instance, the department determined that a U.S. firm would have to register as a foreign agent if it wanted to host a fundraiser for a candidate running for president in another country. Last February, though, lawyers told a consultant for a foreign government that registration was unnecessary because the work was being done almost entirely outside the United States. That same month, a U.S. organization coordinating with foreign governments in the release of prisoners abroad was told it wouldn’t need to register because the work was humanitarian in nature and not funded by foreign money. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
UAB ranked No. 1 young university in the U.S.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham(UAB) has been ranked the top young university in the United States and No. 10 worldwide in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2018 Young University Rankings. Times Higher Education’s university rankings are among the world’s most comprehensive, balanced and trusted — a vital resource trusted by academics, students, their families, industry and governments globally. “This prestigious recognition directly reflects the dedication and hard work that our faculty, staff, students, alumni and community supporters have contributed to build tremendous, growing momentum in every pillar of our mission in less than 50 short years,” said UAB President Ray L. Watts. “I celebrate and share this tremendous honor with everyone in the UAB community, as well as with those who came before us and built the strong foundation from which we continue to effect positive, global change.” The full rankings are available online [timeshighereducation.com]. Students walking on campus prepping for summer months at UAB. (UAB) Times Higher Education ranked 250 institutions from 55 countries in this year’s Young University Rankings, which explores the same rigorous 13 performance indicators as the overall Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings — with young universities measured across their teaching, research, citations, international outlooks and industry incomes. However, the methodology has been carefully recalibrated, with less emphasis on reputation since younger universities are still building their reputations. Times Higher Education defines a young university as aged 50 years or under. UAB, which spans more than 100 city blocks — roughly a quarter of downtown Birmingham — will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2019. With nearly 21,000 students and more than 23,000 faculty and staff, UAB has become the largest single employer in Alabama, with an annual statewide economic impact exceeding $7.15 billion. It boasts many nationally ranked programs, including 13 graduate programs ranked in the top 25, according to U.S. News & World Report. Bird’s eye view of the UAB campus. (UAB) With annual research spending exceeding $562 million, UAB continues to create new knowledge and solve critical worldwide issues as a leader in federal research funding — ranking 23rd (top 4 percent) nationally and eighth (top 2 percent) among public institutions in funding from the National Institutes of Health. UAB Hospital, the centerpiece of the UAB Health System, is among the 20 largest hospitals in the United States. UAB Hospital’s American College of Surgeons Verified Level 1 Adult Trauma Center is the only one of its kind in Alabama and sees more than a million patient visits a year. The U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals report listed 10 of UAB’s medical specialties in the nation’s top 50 programs of their kind, and UAB has the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in Alabama and a five-state region. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Doug Jones says Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten Alabama’s auto industry
Alabama U.S. Sen. Doug Jones sent a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Thursday, criticizing President Donald Trump‘s proposed 25 percent tariffs on imported autos and auto parts into the United States. The letter argues that rather than helping the United States economy or improving national security, the tariffs will cost jobs and threaten the growth of the automotive manufacturing sector in the Southeast. “Auto manufacturers and suppliers employ nearly 200,000 of our constituents and that number is growing. These are good jobs employing American workers. Over the past several years the automotive industry, including foreign manufacturers, has invested billions in our states and created thousands of jobs,” wrote Jones, along with Tennessee U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander. They continued, “We share with you and President Trump the goal of bolstering our nation’s security and making sure that our trade policy is balanced and works for American workers and businesses. We are worried though that tariffs on the automotive industry will serve neither of these purposes, and instead put hundreds of thousands of American jobs at risk including many in our home states.” Jones and Alexander urges Ross’ agency to reconsider the tariff. Trump’s auto tariff President Trump is working with his administration in hopes of revitalizing America’s industrial base and re-balancing America’s trade relationships. To that end, the Trump administration is mulling a plan to impose the tariffs by undergoing an investigation through Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Section 232 allows Trump to impose trade restrictions that threaten U.S. national security, including levying tariffs on foreign goods that excessively displace domestic goods or cause loss of skills/investment or substantial unemployment. “Big news coming soon for our great American Autoworkers. After many decades of losing your jobs to other countries, you have waited long enough,” Trump tweeted last month before announcing the tariff There will be big news coming soon for our great American Autoworkers. After many decades of losing your jobs to other countries, you have waited long enough! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 23, 2018 Below is the complete text of the Jones/Alexander letter: The Honorable Wilbur Ross Secretary United States Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230 Dear Secretary Ross: We are writing in response to the Commerce Department’s investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 into whether imports of automobiles, including SUVs, vans and light trucks, and automotive parts into the United States threaten our national security. We share with you and President Trump the goal of bolstering our nation’s security and making sure that our trade policy is balanced and works for American workers and businesses. We are worried though that tariffs on the automotive industry will serve neither of these purposes, and instead put hundreds of thousands of American jobs at risk including many in our home states. Auto manufacturers and suppliers employ nearly 200,000 of our constituents and that number is growing. These are good jobs employing American workers. Over the past several years the automotive industry, including foreign manufacturers, has invested billions in our states and created thousands of jobs. However, as a result of the Department’s investigation, automotive companies are currently facing the threat of direct and retaliatory tariffs, which could mean hundreds of millions of dollars of additional costs. To absorb these costs, automotive companies in our state could be forced to either raise prices or cut costs. Either scenario directly translates into lost jobs for our constituents. The Administration’s 232 investigation centers on the national security impact of the automotive industry in the United States. We can assure you that reducing the size of our state’s automotive manufacturing base will not bolster our nation’s security. In closing, we hope you will take into consideration the vital role the automotive industry plays in our states and the well-being of the tens of thousands of American workers who rely on this sector to make ends meet.
