Sen. Richard Shelby announces $360 million UA funding NOAA research
Senator Richard Shelby, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, announced that NOAA has selected the University of Alabama (UA) to host a new cooperative institute focused on accelerating hydrology research and enhancing collaboration. This new institute will be created with an award of $360 million that will be distributed over the course of five years, with the potential for renewal in another five years. The new research venture will establish the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH) and will be administered by the Alabama Water Institute. It will consist of a group of 28 academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and government and industry partners with the goal of this institute will be to improve NOAA’s actionable water resource information for forecasts, watches, warnings, and related products to protect life and property and strengthen the national economy. NOAA selected the University of Alabama as the host for CIROH following a highly-competitive evaluation. The campus is home to the National Water Center, NOAA’s hub for U.S. water forecast operations, which supports research and collaboration efforts across federal water science and management agencies. “I am thrilled that the University of Alabama has received this competitive award to facilitate a cutting-edge Cooperative Institute focused on hydrology. UA has the unique environment and expertise to lead the nation in high-level water research between 28 partners. Thanks to the Alabama Water Institute’s leadership in assembling a world-class team, the growing scientific expertise and collaborations in Alabama will continue to benefit the nation. Additionally, NOAA’s efforts to create this innovative institute will, in turn, protect communities and promote wise investments across the nation through better water models, forecasts, and predictions. This award is excellent news for Alabama and its findings will influence decisions made across the continent for years to come,” stated Shelby in a press release. UA System Chancellor Finis St. John emphasized how the funding will help UA lead the nation in water research. “The addition of the Cooperative Institute to the University of Alabama’s campus bolsters UA’s position at the epicenter of water research and operations. The opportunity to earn this competitive grant and lead the nation in this transformative work providing exceptional educational opportunities for our students would not be possible without Senator Richard Shelby’s support to bring the National Water Center and U.S. Geological Survey partners to our campus,” St. John stated. “The research institutes were established on campus to support and expand upon the great work done by our faculty, staff, and students in addressing real challenges facing our society. This award will elevate those contributions, bringing innovation to such a critical issue as water quality and availability while enriching the educational experience of our students. The expertise of the Alabama Water Institute is positioned well to answer our nation’s call to improve the lives and livelihood of Americans and our partner nations,” said UA President Stuart R. Bell. “The new cooperative institute will work with NOAA to research and develop state-of-the-science water analysis, forecasts, and guidance, and the equitable delivery of decision-support services,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “This program will train the next generation of scientists focused on addressing water issues and emergencies on all time scales, helping NOAA build a Climate Ready Nation that is responsive and resilient in a changing world.”
Rep. Terri Sewell announces over $76 Million for Alabama transit projects
Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell announced $76 million of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade and expand local transit in Alabama. The funding will create even more manufacturing jobs, in addition to the 2,900 manufacturing jobs already created in Alabama in the last year. $11,791,104 of these funds have been allocated for local transit projects in Birmingham, and $4,124,766 will go to local transit projects in Montgomery. This investment will allow local transit authorities to buy new buses and railcars, address repair backlogs, modernize fleets, and transition to new technologies that reduce carbon emissions. “Today’s announcement is yet another example of how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering for Alabamians,” said Rep. Sewell in a press release. “Alabama’s transit systems are in dire need of repair. This funding, which I was proud to help secure, will help us upgrade and expand our transit systems to reduce commute times and help connect our communities, all while creating good-paying jobs.”
Kay Ivey signs HB 391, providing tax relief to small businesses
On Wednesday Gov. Kay Ivey signed House Bill 391, a bill that will eliminate the business privilege tax for Alabama small businesses and will provide relief to more than 230,000 small businesses. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Steve Clouse and Sen. Tom Butler. Currently, the Alabama Business Privilege Tax levies a minimum of $100 annually on corporations, limited liability entities, and other businesses in Alabama. The tax remains due every registered year until the entity is legally dissolved, regardless of whether or not such entity is actively doing business in Alabama. In a press release, Ivey emphasized the need to provide relief for small businesses. “Alabama’s small businesses are the soul of our economy, and as long as I am your governor, I will continue to be a champion for these hardworking men and women. We are providing real relief to our small businesses,” stated Governor Ivey. “I commend Chairman Clouse and Senator Butler for their leadership and the Alabama Legislature for their work to support our small businesses. This will go a long way in providing support for some 230,000 small businesses for years to come.” Ivey commented on Twitter, “I’m proud to sign HB 391, providing relief from the business privilege tax for 230,000+ AL small businesses. Small businesses are the would of our economy, & as long as I’m your governor, I’ll continue to be a champion for these hardworking men & women.” The exemption is projected to save the state’s small businesses an estimated $23 million a year. The law cuts the $100 minimum business privilege tax in half to $50 for small businesses in 2023, and it completely exempts small businesses from the minimum tax beginning in 2024.
U.S. hits Russia with ‘war crimes’ sanctions, Europe following
The U.S. rolled out a new wave of financial sanctions on Wednesday against Russia that President Joe Biden said would place a lasting penalty on the country’s economy. The United Kingdom quickly followed suit, and more pain was coming from the European Union as the allies pressed forward with an escalating campaign to tighten the economic screws on Russian President Vladimir Putin for “war crimes” in Ukraine. Making it personal, the U.S. sanctions singled out the Putin’s family, targeting his two adult daughters in addition to blocking two key Russian banks. Biden said that “Russia has already failed in its initial war” after the country’s forces were turned back from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. He cautioned, however, that “this fight is far from over.” “This war could continue for a long time,” but the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine and Ukrainians in the fight for freedom, Biden said. “We’re going to stifle Russia’s ability to grow for years to come.” The latest sanctions underscore the financial pain that Russia faces, as evidence that its troops killed Ukrainian civilians has led to ever-harsher penalties by the U.S. and its Western allies that are eroding Putin’s ability to fight. While rounds of increased sanctions have not forced Putin out of the war, they have put Russia in increasingly desperate economic circumstances as Ukrainian forces withstand his barrages. Key to the effectiveness of the sanctions has been the unity between the U.S. and European nations. And the atrocities revealed in Ukraine have intensified pressure on Germany and other countries to go further and join the U.S. and Lithuania in blocking all Russian energy exports. The U.K. piled on Wednesday with asset freezes against major banks, a ban on British investment in Russia and a pledge to end dependency on Russian coal and oil by yearend. The European Union was also expected to soon take additional steps, including a ban on new investment in Russia and an embargo on coal, after the recent evidence of atrocities emerging in the wake of the retreat by Russian forces from the town of Bucha. The U.S. acted against two of Russia’s largest banks, Sberbank and Alfa Bank, prohibiting assets from going through the U.S. financial system and barring Americans from doing business with those two institutions. In addition to sanctions aimed at Putin’s adult daughters, Mariya Putina and Katerina Tikhonova, the U.S. is targeting Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin; the wife and children of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; and members of Russia’s Security Council, including Dmitry Medvedev, a former president and prime minister. The penalties cut off all of Putin’s close family members from the U.S. financial system and freeze any assets they hold in the United States. Biden was expected to sign an executive order that would ban new investment in Russia by Americans no matter where they are living. The U.S. Treasury Department was preparing more sanctions against Russian state-owned enterprises, according to the White House. Britain announced asset freezes targeting Sberbank and the Credit Bank of Moscow and designated eight Russian oligarchs whom it says Putin “uses to prop up his war economy.” “Together with our allies, we are showing the Russian elite that they cannot wash their hands of the atrocities committed on Putin’s orders,” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said. Britain had already announced a plan to phase out Russian oil, which accounts for 8% of the U.K. supply. Russia is the top supplier of imported coal to the U.K., though British demand for the polluting fuel has plummeted in the past decade. Britain has not ended imports of Russian natural gas, which accounts for 4% of its supply, saying only that it will do so “as soon as possible.” Videos and images of bodies in the streets of Bucha after it was recaptured from Russian forces have unleashed a wave of indignation among Western allies, who have drawn up new sanctions as a response. The European Commission’s proposed ban on coal imports would be the first EU sanctions targeting Russia’s lucrative energy industry over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said energy was key to Putin’s war coffers. And because the war has pushed prices higher, Russia has benefitted from being able to sell its natural gas and oil to the rest of the world. “A billion euro is what we pay Putin every day for the energy he provides us since the beginning of the war. We have given him 35 billion euro. Compare that to the one billion that we have given to the Ukraine in arms and weapons,” Borrell said. The steady intensifying of sanctions is less a sign of their shortcomings than the building pressure against Russia as it seeks foreign investment and basic goods, Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters at a Wednesday breakfast. “We need to have patience and perspective when it comes to the impacts on Russia of this unprecedented and crippling sanctions regime,” Deese said at the event sponsored by The Christian Science Monitor. Deese noted that Russian inflation is running at 2% weekly, which would compound to annual inflation above 200% annually. He noted that the Biden administration expects Russian prices will not ultimately rise more than 200% this year. While the White House has said Russia should not attend the G-20 meeting in Indonesia this November, he noted that it may drop out of the organization anyway because its economy has shrunk in size so dramatically. After several European countries announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats, the European Commission proposed a fifth package of sanctions including a ban on coal imports that could be adopted once unanimously approved by the 27-nation bloc’s ambassadors. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the coal ban is worth 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) per year and that the EU has already started working on additional sanctions, including on oil imports. She didn’t mention natural gas, with consensus among the 27 EU countries
Plan advances to alter name of Edmund Pettus Bridge
Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday advanced legislation that would alter the name of Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge to honor those who were beaten on the bridge as they marched for civil rights in 1965. The Alabama Senate voted 23-3 for legislation that would change the official name to the “Edmund W. Pettus-Foot Soldiers Bridge.” However, the lettering on the famous bridge would remain unaltered. The name “Foot Soldiers” would be on a separate sign that would include a silhouette of the marchers. The bill dubbed the “Healing History Act,” now moves to the Alabama House of Representatives with three meeting days remaining in the legislative session. The bridge in 1940 was named after Pettus, a Confederate general and reputed Ku Klux Klan leader. However, 25 years later, it became an enduring symbol of the civil rights movement after marchers were beaten by law enforcement officers on the bridge in 1965. The melee became known as Bloody Sunday and helped lead to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “Not a single letter would be touched. It would stay intact in its historical context. And at the same time… honor the history that is there and the history that came out of it,” said state Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier, a Democrat from Selma. Through the years, some have proposed changing the name of the bridge, including a push to name it for the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis. The Georgia congressman was one of the demonstrators beaten on the bridge in 1965. Sanders-Fortier said many who marched for civil rights in her community do not want the bridge name changed entirely because of what the bridge has come to represent. State Sen. Gerald Allen, the author of a state law forbidding the removal and renaming of longstanding monuments and memorials, voted against the name alteration. The Alabama Memorial Preservation Act was approved as some cities began taking down Confederate monuments and emblems. Allen said the name of the Edmund Pettus Bridge is famous across the world. “If you add to it, you change it,” Allen said. The bill also would steer funds to provide for the commissioning and protection of new monuments and the preservation of sites that have significance to Alabama history. Sanders-Fortier said it is important to honor all of the state’s history and “to heal from our past so we can move forward as a state.” “Many of the events in our state’s history have been traumatizing, been traumatizing to African-American folk to Indigenous folk to white folk,” she said, adding that healing means considering the “hurt of each group.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama lawmakers approve teacher pay raise
Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday approved the largest teacher pay raise in a generation in an effort to keep experienced educators in the classroom. The raises are included in the education trust fund budget that got final approval when the Alabama House of Representatives agreed, without a dissenting vote, to Senate changes. The budget bill now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature. Teachers with nine or more years of experience would get raises ranging from 5% to up to nearly 21% for those with 35 years of classroom experience. Teachers with less than nine years of experience would see a 4% raise. School systems in Alabama and across the country have reported concerns about teacher shortages, particularly as the coronavirus pandemic accelerated a wave of retirements. That has led states to look at pay increases and other measures to try to recruit and retain educators. Rep. Danny Garrett, the chairman of the House budget-writing committee, said the goal is to make public school salaries more competitive for mid-career educators. “Already, we’ve heard of teachers who are reevaluating their retirement based upon this compensation. We’re actually competing with the private sector for some of these teachers. I think this goes a long way to make it very competitive,” Garrett said. A teacher with a bachelor’s degree and 10 years of experience would see their minimum salary rise from $48,822 to $51,795. A teacher with a bachelor’s degree and 20 years of experience would see their minimum salary rise from $51,810 to $57,214. A teacher with a master’s degree and 25 years of experience would see their minimum salary rise from $61,987 to $69,151. Amy Marlowe, executive director of the Alabama Education Association, said there has been a positive response from educators. “We’ve had so many who have said they are actually going to stay in the classroom who were considering retirement. I think it will go a long way toward the intent of the Legislature of retaining teachers,” Marlowe said. She said the budget also provides “much-needed resources in Alabama classrooms,” such as technology coordinators and reading and math coaches. The spending plan would also provide an automatic 1% yearly raise for educators and do away with a salary cap that currently ends step raises after 27 years of teaching. Alabama teachers last saw large pay raises in the 1980s when lawmakers approved 15% increases for two consecutive years during George Wallace’s last term as governor. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Lawmakers put job search requirement on unemployment benefit
People receiving unemployment benefits in Alabama could soon face a new requirement to contact three potential employers each week in order to keep receiving benefits. Alabama lawmakers gave final approval to the bill that now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her consideration. The House of Representatives voted 76-24 for the Senate-passed bill, and the Senate accepted a House change to the bill. State law already requires people on unemployment to make an effort to secure work. The legislation would specify that the person must contact three potential employers about finding a job. The contacts could be made in person or by telephone or email, said Republican Rep. Danny Garrett, who handled the bill in the House. Garrett said state rules now require one contact a week. “Your odds are finding work are going to be better, I believe, if you are looking three times versus one time,” Garrett said. Supporters said the measure would make sure that unemployment recipients were looking for work and increase their chance of finding a job. But opponents argued it is punitive toward poor people. Rep. Ralph Howard, a Democrat from Greensboro, said the requirement would be tough on low-income people in rural areas who may struggle finding transportation to get to job interviews and to a job. “What are we gaining as a state, other than putting a hindrance on somebody who is already hindered? We don’t know why that person lost that job. We don’t know whether the plant closed,” Howard said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
