Terri Sewell asks FEMA to pay 100% of cost share to counties damaged by January tornadoes
On Thursday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell led members of the Alabama Congressional Delegation in a letter urging President Joe Biden to increase the federal cost share for the FEMA Public Assistance (PA) program for debris removal and emergency protective measures to 100% in response to the severe storms and tornadoes that impacted the State of Alabama on January 12, 2023. President Biden has declared six central Alabama counties a major disaster area. The federal government currently covers at least 75% of eligible costs of FEMA public assistance grants for disaster recovery. “While we are immensely grateful for President Biden’s swift approval of a major disaster declaration, additional federal resources are needed to ensure that our communities can fully recover,” said Rep. Sewell. “So many of our municipalities were still recovering from the financial devastation of Hurricanes Zeta and Sally and the COVID-19 pandemic when the January 12 storms tore through our state. I am proud to lead all nine members of the Alabama Delegation in requesting that President Biden increase the federal cost share for FEMA public assistance from 75 percent to 100 percent, and I thank my colleagues for their strong support.” Sewell spoke on the House Floor describing the damage to Alabama. “In my district alone, 6,000 properties sustained damage, many of to the point of irreparable repair,” Sewell explained. “As officials and volunteers work around the clock to get Alabamians back on their feet following recent devastating storms, there is still a long road to recovery ahead,” said Senator Tommy Tuberville. “I hope President Biden acts swiftly to provide those impacted by the storms with as much support as possible.” “In the aftermath of the severe weather that devastated our communities on January 12, we have seen the very best of our great state – people have banded together to help their fellow Alabamians recover and rebuild,” said Senator Katie Britt. “We are grateful for the incredible first responders, law enforcement officers, and volunteers who continue to devote their time, talent, and resources to these valiant efforts. While we appreciate the swift, collaborative support thus far offered by President Biden and FEMA, the situation on the ground makes it clear that additional federal resources are both warranted and needed as the recovery process moves forward. My office will continue to be in close contact with local, state, and federal officials to see how we can best support affected families, small businesses, and communities.” FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, and certain types of private non-profits so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. After an event like a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or wildfire, communities need help to cover their costs for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and restoring public infrastructure. The federal share of assistance is at least 75 percent of the eligible cost. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Judge Bill Filmore announces campaign for Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2
On Thursday, Judge Bill Filmore announced his campaign for Alabama’s Court of Criminal Appeals, Place No. 2. “Dedicated to Service, Guided by Faith – just about everything you need to know about me and what kind of Appeals Court judge I will be is contained right there,” Filmore said in a statement. “I have a strong conservative record as a prosecutor, a District Judge, and a Circuit Judge. My experience on the bench at the trial level will give me a leg up when it comes to hearing the appeals of criminal cases.” Filmore has served as the Presiding Judge of the Thirty-Third Judicial Circuit soon after being elected in 2012. Before his service on the bench, Filmore spent eight years as Chief Assistant District Attorney for the Thirty-Third Circuit, and before that, he was an attorney in private practice in Ozark. Filmore holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and was a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Troy University. He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law and holds an LL.M. (Masters of Law) in Taxation from Alabama. Filmore is a member of the Alabama Association of Circuit Judges Executive Committee, serving as Treasurer, Secretary of the Alabama Circuit Judges’ Scholarship Fund, and a Member of the Alabama Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Criminal Procedure. “I’ve practiced law and served as a Judge at the local level for almost 40 years,” Filmore said. “I don’t need any on-the-job training – I will be ready from day one to help protect Alabamians from criminal activity and those in our society who inflict harm on others.” Filmore and his wife, the former Angelia Foreman from Brundidge, have been happily married for over 42 years. They have two sons, William and Ray, and four grandchildren. Court of Criminal Appeals, Place No. 2, currently held by Judge Chris McCool, will be an open seat in the 2024 campaign cycle after McCool announced he will seek a seat on the Alabama Supreme Court. A seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals is a statewide position and serves a 6-year term.
Katie Britt joins bill to prioritize military, veterans, and seniors when federal debt ceiling is reached
The United States’ debt is already in excess of $31.5 trillion and is approaching the debt ceiling. U.S. Senator Katie Britt and Senator Rick Scott have proposed legislation to keep defense spending, veterans benefits, social security, and Medicare payments coming if there is a partial government shutdown and the debt ceiling is not raised. Scott and Britt were joined by Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Mike Braun, Ted Budd, Kevin Cramer, Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, Cynthia Lummis, and Jim Risch in reintroducing the Full Faith and Credit Act to address the federal debt crisis. This legislation would ensure that the federal government prioritizes funding for the military, veterans, and seniors should the federal debt ceiling be reached due to the inability of Congress and the Biden Administration to reach a deal on either cutting federal spending or raising the debt ceiling. “Our ballooning national debt is an economic and security crisis,” said Sen. Britt. “We can’t continue to recklessly pile this burden on the backs of our children and our children’s children. The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner. It is crucial that we maintain the full faith and credit of the United States, meet our obligations to Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries, maintain a strong national defense, and support our incredible veterans and servicemembers. This legislation would do exactly that.” “The last two years have made crystal clear that the left, the big government crowd, and even Wall Street have found a very clever way to keep America forever stuck in a vicious tax-and-spend cycle where spending always goes up, debt always goes up – and if you dare to disagree – they say you want a default,” said Sen. Scott. “For them, it is a false choice: embrace overspending and massive debt, or be the one who destroys the American economy. That is nonsense and a lie. While Democrats want to maintain the status quo where a default threat looms over Americans every time their reckless spending hits our debt ceiling, I’m fighting to eliminate the threat of default and protect the federal government’s core responsibilities to the American people even while the Biden administration refuses to acknowledge we are in a time of fiscal crisis. Since the Treasury refuses to do what it can and must, it is time to pass the Full Faith and Credit Act. This bill would require the government to fulfill critical payments to the debt to avoid default and full fiscal calamity while Democrats refuse to take accountability for their wasteful spending. It would require Congress to ACTUALLY address the debt ceiling crisis. It also ensures Americans depending on important programs like Social Security, Medicare, and veteran benefits, as well as our service members, are not punished for Washington’s dysfunction. If Democrats reject this proposal, they are rejecting the protection of the full faith and credit of the United States and REJECTING a solution to the possibility of a default. It’s time for Washington to start living within its means, just like every family and business across the nation does, and preserve the American dream—this bill is a great start.” The Full Faith and Credit Act is endorsed by Club for Growth, Americans for Prosperity, and FreedomWorks. The Full Faith and Credit Act would require the following to take priority over all other federally incurred obligations in the event that the federal debt reaches the debt ceiling: · The Department of the Treasury to pay the principal and interest on debt held by the public · Social Security payments toward monthly Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance benefits under title II of the Social Security Act · Pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces on active duty and the United States Coast Guard; · Payment of compensation and pensions and medical services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs · Medicare programs. The bill would also require the Secretary of the Treasury, if the Secretary determines that incoming revenue will not be sufficient to finance the priorities described above over the following two weeks, to notify Congress of the expected revenue shortfall; and would authorize the Secretary to raise the debt limit by the amount necessary to cover the difference between incoming revenue and the revenue needed to finance those priorities on a two-week basis. It would also prohibit such a debt limit increase from exceeding the difference between expected outlays for the listed priorities and expected revenue. The President and Senate Democrats favor raising the debt ceiling without cutting any spending. “We need to act,” President Joe Biden said on raising the debt ceiling. “These leaders know the need to act. The United States pays its bill. It’s who we are. It’s who we’ve been. It’s who we’re going to continue to be, God willing. That’s what’s called the full faith and credit of the United States.” “Let’s be clear: Raising the debt limit is paying our old debts,” Biden continued. “It has nothing to do with new spending or what may be coming this year or other years. It has nothing to do with my plans on infrastructure or building back better, both of which are paid for, but they’re not even in — in the queue right now. It’s about paying for what we owe and preventing a catastrophic event occurring in our economy.” Biden continued, “We had to raise the debt limit three times when Donald Trump was President. And the Republicans moved to raise it each time, and each time the Democrats supported the effort to raise the debt. But now Republicans won’t raise the debt limit despite being responsible for what the debt limit — why it has to be raised for the bills that are outstanding.” A partial government shutdown is possible if Congress and the President cannot reach a deal on raising the debt limit. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville supports bill to permanently ban taxpayer funding for abortions
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined 45 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act to establish a permanent prohibition on federal funding for abortion. Tuberville said in a statement, “Every life is sacred.” “Millions of hardworking Americans believe that life begins at conception and don’t want their taxpayer dollars inadvertently funding abortions,” said Sen. Tuberville stated. “As a Christian and as a conservative, I share their belief that every life is sacred and every American has a right to life. That’s why I’m proud to sign on to this legislation that will solidify abortion funding restrictions that have been in place for decades and better protect the unborn.” “Most Americans do not want their hard-earned tax dollars being used for abortion-on-demand, but our current patchwork of regulations has brought years of uncertainty,” Sen. Roger Wicker said. “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would simplify federal rules, ensuring that American tax dollars are never used for the destruction of innocent, unborn life.” The bill seeks to change 40 years of inconsistent policies that have regulated federal funding for abortion. It would make funding restrictions permanent for abortion and elective abortion coverage, including the Hyde Amendment, which requires annual approval. The legislation would also eliminate taxpayer-funded subsidies for elective abortion coverage currently offered on Affordable Care Act exchanges through refundable tax credits. Tuberville, Wicker, and Britt joined Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis, (R-North Carolina), John Thune (R-South Dakota), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Todd Young (R-Indiana). Swing Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins did not sign off on the legislation, and neither did any of the 52 Senate Democrats who hold the majority in the body. U.S. Representative Christopher Smith (R-New Jersey) has introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Joe Manchin pushes to delay tax credits for electric vehicles
Ratcheting up his criticism, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin on Wednesday moved to delay new tax credits for electric vehicles, a key feature of President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law. Manchin said guidelines issued by the Treasury Department allow manufacturers in Europe and other countries to bypass requirements that significant portions of EV batteries be produced in North America. The climate law, officially known as the Inflation Reduction Act, “is first and foremost an energy security bill,” Manchin said, adding that the EV tax credits were supposed “to grow domestic manufacturing and reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains for the critical minerals needed to produce EV batteries.″ Manchin’s bid to delay the tax credits surfaced as Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi visited the Washington, D.C., Auto Show on Wednesday to highlight the administration’s efforts to boost electric vehicles and related infrastructure. EV sales have tripled since Biden, a Democrat, took office two years ago, Granholm said. There are now more than 2 million EVs and 100,000 chargers on U.S. roadways, with more than $100 billion invested or pledged for EVs and their supply chains, including batteries, she said. While batteries and components have long been manufactured in China, “we’re going to bring that manufacturing home,″ Granholm told reporters. “We’re going to give Americans the chance to drive American vehicles made by American workers — and that is only going to compound as Americans start to drive these vehicles and realize how great they are,″ she said. “The demand is going to go very high. We expect that by 2030, half of all the vehicles sold in the United States will be electric.″ Granholm and the White House declined to comment on Manchin’s bill, but the measure by the West Virginia lawmaker is unlikely to gain traction in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority and have shown no inclination to reopen a bill they just passed on a party-line vote. During the midterm election campaign, Republicans criticized Biden and other Democrats for supporting electric vehicles, citing their relatively high costs and batteries made in China. Tax credits of up to $7,500 per vehicle are intended to spur EV sales and domestic production of vehicles and batteries while reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. European and Asian allies, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have criticized the rules as unfair to foreign manufacturers. While Macron applauded Biden’s efforts to curb climate change, he said during a visit to Washington that subsidies in the new law could be an enormous problem for European companies. Biden acknowledged “glitches” in the legislation but said, “there’s tweaks we can make” to satisfy allies. Manchin’s bill follows a decision by the Treasury Department to delay rules on battery contents and minerals until March while allowing the rest of the program to be implemented on January 1. The Manchin bill directs Treasury to stop issuing tax credits for vehicles that don’t comply with battery requirements. “The United States is the birthplace of Henry Ford, who revolutionized the automotive industry,″ Manchin said, calling it “shameful that we rely so heavily on foreign suppliers, particularly China, for the batteries that power our electric vehicles.″ Manchin, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, was a crucial vote in passing the climate law, which was adopted without support from any Republican in the House or Senate. He has said exemptions approved by the Treasury — including one that allows tax credits for EVs purchased for commercial use, such as leasing or ride-sharing, even if they are foreign-made — undermine the law’s intent to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign countries, including adversaries, and create jobs in the United States. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week, Manchin said he did not realize the European Union does not have a free trade agreement with the U.S. when Democrats passed the EV restrictions. He told reporters at the Capitol this week that European countries should reconsider their own policies for promoting clean energy, and the U.S. could work on a trade deal. “Whether I realized it or not, they need to hopefully get that together, and let’s get a free trade agreement,” Manchin said. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has said he has no interest in reopening the climate law, which passed after more than a year and a half of sometimes contentious negotiations. John Bozzella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry trade group, said Manchin’s bill would only add confusion to an already complicated EV tax credit that many drivers — and even some car dealers — don’t fully understand. “We want to make sure we don’t increase confusion for customers who might be confused already about what qualifies for a tax credit,” Bozzella said, “so I’m not quite sure what the value of the new legislation is.” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Despite concerns, U.S. to send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the U.S. will send 31 M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of persistent arguments that the tanks were too difficult for Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain. The U.S. decision came on the heels of Germany agreeing to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its own stocks. Germany had said the Leopards would not be sent unless the U.S. put its Abrams on the table, not wanting to incur Russia’s wrath without the U.S. similarly committing its own tanks. Biden said that in total European allies have agreed to send enough tanks to equip two Ukrainian tank battalions or a total of about 62 tanks. “With spring approaching, Ukrainian forces are working to defend the territory they hold and preparing for additional counter offenses,” Biden said in his announcement of his decision to send the tanks. “To liberate their land, they need to be able to counter Russia’s evolving tactics and strategy on the battlefield in the very near term.” The announcement ends a standoff between Germany and the United States. Biden administration officials on Wednesday sought to downplay any friction between the two countries as both unveiled their plans. Both sides had participated in “good diplomatic conversations” that had made the difference and were part of the “extraordinary shift in Germany’s security policy” over providing weapons to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February, said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to describe the new tank package before the announcement. The $400 million package announced Wednesday also includes eight M88 recovery vehicles — tank-like tracked vehicles that can tow the Abrams if it gets stuck. Altogether, France, the U.K., the U.S., Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden will send hundreds of tanks and heavy armored vehicles to fortify Ukraine as it enters a new phase of the war and attempts to break through entrenched Russian lines. The U.S. tanks will be purchased through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which means it will take some time for the Ukrainian forces to receive the tanks and be able to deploy them on the battlefield. The Pentagon plans soon to begin training Ukrainian forces on the system outside of Ukraine. The U.S. has thousands of Abrams in stock. Still, it does not have “excess stock,” said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. He said Ukraine’s military will have to go through significant preparation to learn to operate, maintain and sustain the Abrams. It’s a process that will take some months. Using the assistance initiative funding route, instead of dipping into the existing U.S. stockpile, means it is unlikely the tanks will be available to Ukraine before Russia’s anticipated spring offensive. Kirby declined to pinpoint when the Abrams will be delivered but said the German-made Leopards are expected to make their way to Ukrainian forces more quickly. The deployment also suggests that the U.S. and allies are girding to support Ukraine for a long war that shows no signs of coming to an end. Doug Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, said the U.S. stock includes both the older variants and newer M1A2 Abrams variants, and when a “new” tank is needed, it starts with an older hull. “We don’t produce any tanks from scratch anymore,” Bush said. “We have a large stock of older M1s that we use as seed vehicles. Were we to ever run out of those, sure, we would build new. But right now, no matter which option we go, we don’t have to build completely new.” The Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, called Berlin’s decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine “extremely dangerous” and said it “shifts the conflict to a new level of confrontation.” Biden insisted the decision to provide the tanks should not be seen as an escalation by Russia. “It is not an offensive threat to Russia,” he said. “There is no offensive threat to Russia. If Russian troops return to Russia, where they belong, this war would be over today.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applauded Biden for the “powerful decision to provide Abrams,” declaring on Twitter that “the free world is united as never before” in the 11-month-old war. Until now, the U.S. had resisted providing its own M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicles. Washington believes it will be more productive to send the German Leopards since many allies have them, and Ukrainian troops will need less training than on the more difficult Abrams. Biden, in an exchange with reporters, bristled at the notion that Germany, which had declined to provide tanks until the U.S. agreed to provide its Abrams, forced his hand. “Germany didn’t force me to change (my) mind,” Biden said. “We wanted to make sure we were all together.” For the Abrams to be effective in Ukraine, its forces will require extensive training on combined arms maneuver — how the tanks operate together on the battlefield — and on how to maintain and support the complex, 70-ton weapon. The Abrams tanks use a turbine jet engine to propel themselves that burns through at least two gallons a mile (about 4.7 liters a kilometer) regardless of whether they are moving or idling, which means that a network of fuel trucks is needed to keep the line moving. “When they get there, we want to make sure that they fall on ready hands, and that the Ukrainians know how to use them, they know how to keep them running, and they’ve got the supply chain in place for spare parts and supplies, and anything else they need so that they can be more effective on the battlefield,” Kirby said. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Ron DeSantis leads PredictIt’s 2024 general presidential election market
As of January 23, 2023, PredictIt’s 2024 presidential market shows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leading at $0.31, followed by President Joe Biden at $0.29, former President Donald Trump at $0.21, and California Governor Gavin Newsom at $0.12. No other candidate has more than a $0.10 share price. The share price, which rises and falls based on market demand, roughly corresponds to the market’s estimate of the probability of an event taking place. Trump is the only candidate of this group to have officially announced his presidential campaign. The Democratic presidential primary market shows Biden leading the pack at $0.52. Two other candidates have a share price at or above $0.10: California Governor Gavin Newsom is at $0.20, and Vice President Kamala Harris is at $0.11. DeSantis currently leads in the Republican presidential primary market at $0.38, followed by Trump at $0.32. No other candidate has a share price at or above $0.10. PredictIt is an online political futures market in which users purchase shares relating to the outcome of political events using real money. Each event, such as an election, has a number of contracts associated with it, each correlating to a different outcome. Services such as PredictIt can be used to gain insight into the outcome of elections. Due to action from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, PredictIt may halt trading on February 15, 2023. Republished with the permission of The Center Square
Grasslands institute gets $495K grant for Cumberland Plateau
The Southeastern Grasslands Institute is developing a grasslands conservation plan for the Cumberland Plateau in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, thanks to a $495,000 federal grant. The money from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will help SGI prioritize habitat needs for at least 185 species of conservation concern, according to a news release from the institute at Austin Peay State University. Those species include at least 125 grassland plants and at least 60 animals that make grasslands their homes. Dwayne Estes, the institute’s co-founder and executive director, said the 14-million-acre (5.6-million-hectare) Cumberland Plateau has a rich history of forest conservation. “Sadly, sparsely wooded, grassy ecosystems of the Plateau have received comparatively little focus even though they covered as much as 40% of the Plateau landscape and support the overwhelming majority of species of conservation concern,” Estes said. Many native grasslands have disappeared over the past century due to fire suppression and the demise of large grazing animals, according to the release. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
