Rep. Mike Rogers and colleagues comment on Russia’s de-ratification of Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
On Tuesday, Russia announced that Russia has de-ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CNTBT). Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) and senior GOP Armed Services Leadership members released a statement in response to the Russian announcement. “Russia’s ‘de-ratification’ of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty lays bare Putin’s disdain for anything that might interfere with his nuclear ambitions,” Rogers and the other Congress members wrote. “The CTBT, rejected by the Senate in 1999, is a hollow, fatally-flawed regime. Despite this obvious truth, the Biden administration continues to waste time and money looking for ways to prop up this irrelevant treaty in hopes of reducing the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. defense. The administration should not allow a single additional U.S. taxpayer dollars to go towards implementing ineffective agreements. Instead, it should focus on holding our adversaries accountable for their actions and modernizing an aging nuclear deterrent that is increasingly not fit for the growing 21st-century threats.” In addition to Rogers, the letter was also signed by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho). The House Armed Services Committee said Russia’s “de-ratification” of the CTBT is the latest in a series of Russian moves that demonstrate just how ineffective the treaty has been in curbing Putin’s nuclear ambitions. Rogers claims that Russia consistently ignores the primary purpose of the agreement, conducting multiple nuclear tests at the Novaya Zemlya Test Site to inform its development of new and novel nuclear weapons. Rogers also accused Moscow of exploiting its control of the CTBT’s International Monitoring System by deactivating radiation sensors to hide evidence of a failed test of its dangerous SKYFALL nuclear-powered cruise missile. Rogers claimed that even with these actions, the Biden administration continues to waste taxpayer money looking for ways to prop up the treaty, which failed Senate ratification in 1999. Rogers claims that these efforts have amounted to nothing more than attempts to undercut support for our Department of Defense and Department of Energy efforts to rebuild our aging deterrent as well as signal to our adversaries that we will ignore their violations of arms control agreements to the detriment of our own national security. Rogers said that the administration’s actions come at a uniquely dangerous time, highlighted by the bipartisan Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States’ conclusion that the U.S. faces “the unprecedented existential challenge of facing two nuclear-armed peer adversaries.” Rogers is in his eleventh term representing Alabama’s Third Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Barry Moore announces that he is running for a third term
On Monday, Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) qualified to run for his third term in the United States House of Representatives. Due to the recent court-ordered redistricting, Moore will face incumbent Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) in Alabama’s First Congressional District. The redrawn First Congressional District now includes the residences of both Moore and Carl within its boundaries. Moore currently represents the second congressional district, but he and half the Wiregrass were redrawn out of it. Moore told 1819 News that he qualified on Monday because it was the ninth anniversary of his not-guilty verdict in his perjury charge. “I became a conservative who was attacked by the swamp itself, but it was the Montgomery swamp at that time,” Moore told 1819 News. “That was the thing that changed the trajectory of my life that we felt we were called into this fight. That being the nine-year anniversary, we thought that was a great day to announce that we are going to continue to stay in this fight for limiting government to stop the weaponization of government against American citizens. That’s been my fight on Judiciary. That’s been my fight since I’ve been in D.C..” Moore was loosely ensnared in the state prosecutors’ effort to convict then-Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn). While Moore received a not-guilty verdict, Hubbard and three other House members were convicted of crimes. “I am a true conservative, and the system doesn’t like a true conservative,” Moore added. “This being the ninth anniversary, this is just a way to say, ‘Hey, we’re in this fight for the American people.’ Sure, we’re battle-weary some days. I mean, it wears you out, but we’re called in this fight.” Barry Moore has served two terms in the U.S. Congress from 2021 to the present. He previously served two terms in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. He grew up on a farm in Coffee County and has a degree in agriculture from Auburn University. He and his wife, Heather, started and operate a small waste management service in Enterprise. Jerry Carl is also serving his second term in Congress. He is a successful businessman and former chairman of the Mobile County Commission. The primary is on March 5, 2024. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Napoleon Bracy, Kirk Hatcher enter Democratic race for 2nd congressional district
by Jemma Stephenson, Alabama Reflector Two Democratic state legislators have entered the race for Alabama’s new 2nd Congressional District, and a third said Monday he will decide whether to get in in the next 10 days. Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, said in an interview Monday that he will run for the seat. The district stretches from the Mississippi border to the Georgia line and includes Montgomery and much of the Black Belt. “We have an opportunity in this district, for these counties represented, to impact a whole host of issues,” said Hatcher. Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, said in a statement Monday he would also run for the new seat. “This is our time, our time to have a seat at the table built on the backs of those who, my entire lifetime, had been disregarded by their Congressional representatives due to their voting record or area code,” the statement said. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, said in a phone interview Monday he would make a decision about the race before Nov. 9. The new 2nd Congressional District, created by a federal court order at the beginning of October, has a Black Voting Age Population (BVAP) of about 48.7%. With patterns of racial polarization in voting in Alabama, where white Alabamians tend to support Republicans and Black Alabamians tend to support Democrats, the seat is considered a pick-up opportunity for Democrats. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, is currently the only Democrat in Alabama’s seven-member U.S. House delegation. Hatcher, the director of Project Head Start in Montgomery, said he wanted to be an advocate for additional educational resources and for the military bases within the district. Hatcher also said he wants to get more “equity” when it comes to infrastructure issues. “I’m one of those individuals who’s not going in to upset the apple cart,” he said. “I go in to see what works.” Hatcher was elected to the Alabama House in 2018. He won election to the Alabama Senate in 2021 and was re-elected in 2021. Alabama Political Reporter first reported Hatcher’s candidacy. Hatcher said Monday he had the support of Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who had been seen as a top candidate for the race. Reed told Al.com’s Mike Cason earlier this month that he was considering a run. Adam Muhlendorf, a spokesman for Reed, said Monday the mayor had no comment on his congressional plans. Bracy, a member of the Alabama House since 2010, touted his legislative leadership, including his prior service as chair of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus in 2013. “At the heart of progress is education, healthcare, economics, and workforce development,” Bracy’s statement said. “And in communities where poverty is still real and economic development is scarce, we have watched the world grow around us while feeling the strain of disinvestment with no one to stand in the gap.” Bracy did not provide further comment beyond the statement. Daniels, who has touted his connections with Bullock County, said he had a track record of delivering programs around the state, including a bill passed in the Republican-controlled Legislature this spring to exempt overtime pay from income tax. He also cited work on behalf of Democratic candidates around the state. “What have you done to make an impact? That’s what voters want to know,” he said. Other figures may jump into the race. Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, said Monday that she was still exploring a candidacy, but she had not decided. She has filed with the FEC due to technicalities around her exploratory committee. Former Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Pike Road, said Monday he is still considering a run in the district. U.S. Rep Barry Moore’s chief of staff confirmed to Al.com’s John Sharp that he would be running in the new 1st Congressional District, setting up a primary battle with current U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile. The new map drew Moore, currently the U.S. representative for the 2nd Congressional District, into the 1st Congressional District. Brewbaker said that Moore’s decision “clears the way for me to run in the 2nd.” “But until I qualify, I don’t want to make an official announcement because you never know what God has for a person,” he said. One other candidate confirmed their candidacy Monday. Phyllis Harvey-Hall said in a phone interview Monday that she is running to be the “people’s candidate” and pointed to her previous runs in the district. Hall’s concerns included women’s healthcare and autonomy, as well as hospitals in rural areas. “So I’m running to be a people’s candidate, the voice and someone that’s going to fight for the things that we need today,” she said. Federal Election Commission filings also show that Harvey-Hall filed on Oct. 18, Terrell Anderson filed in April, and Austin Vigue filed in 2022. The Democratic primary for the seat will take place in March. Editor Brian Lyman contributed to this report. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence.Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Tommy Tuberville applauds NOAA decision rejecting Biden Administration’s 10 knots per hour Gulf of Mexico speed limit
On Monday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) released a statement applauding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) announcement that it has formally denied a petition from non-government organizations to establish a mandatory 10-knot speed limit and other vessel restrictions on ship traffic in the Gulf of Mexico to protect whales, Sen. Tuberville said that this particular regulation was part of a laundry list of concerns raised by Sen. Tuberville. Most of the others are still being pushed by the Biden Administration, including the controversial Critical Habitat designation of 28,000 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico. Tuberville said these would be burdensome restrictions on the oil and gas industry. The announcement came after Senator Tuberville sent two letters and penned an op-ed column urging that Alabamians write NOAA and ask for denial of the petition. “I was glad to see the NOAA come to their senses and reject this part of the Biden Administration’s overreaching regulatory agenda in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go. Designating a Critical Habitat for the Rice’s whale throughout this expansive area would impose undue burdens and restrictions on all vessel traffic, especially in and out of the Port of Mobile in Mobile, AL. The Port of Mobile covers over 4,000 acres, generates nearly 313,000 jobs, provides approximately $2 billion in state and local tax impacts, and $85 billion in economic value to Alabama as a whole. I will continue to fight back against Joe Biden’s attempts to make us reliant on our enemies for energy when we can be producing it right here in the United States, and especially in Alabama.” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) agreed. “I am happy to say that NOAA heard our request and today rejected the nonsensical Rice’s whale petition pushed by far-left activists,” Sen. Britt said. “This proposal would have significantly impeded operations at the Port of Mobile, damaged Alabama’s economy, and harmed commercial and recreational fishing operations off the Gulf Coast.” Scientists in 2021 determined that the Rice’s Whale is a genetically distinct species from the much more common Bryde’s whale. The two species are identical, but the songs sung by the Rice’s whale are distinctly different from the songs sung by the 100,000 Bryde’s whale. This is attributed to a different bone structure in their nasal passages. Scientists also note that there are differences in the two species genetically. According to NOAA, there are approximately 51 Rice’s whales left in existence, deeming them critically endangered and in need of certain protections covered by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Rice’s whales are located in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico between 100- and 400- meters in depth. Tuberville’s office says the specific locations and habitat of the 51 whales are still unclear, citing the need for more scientific research and analyses on the whales’ existence. Most tend to be in the Gulf, more towards the Florida peninsula. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service website, only “a single Rice’s whale was observed in the western Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Texas.” In September, the Gulf Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261 (GOM Lease Sale 261) Final Notice of Sale was posted, as required under the Inflation Reduction Act, but with over 6.3 million acres removed from the sale due to the potential presence of the Rice’s whale. Sen. Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020, defeating incumbent Sen. Doug Jones (D-Alabama). Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Livingston elected new Senate Majority Leader, replacing Clay Scofield
On Monday, Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed (R-Jasper) announced that State Senator Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro) had been elected the new Senate Majority Leader, replacing Sen. Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville), in a meeting of the Republican state senators. “The process of electing Senator Livingston was efficient and effective,” Reed said. “The Republican Caucus emerged with a united decision, and we look forward to continuing to lead Alabama toward guaranteeing the state is a better place to live, work, and raise a family. I am excited about the transformative work we are doing and the goals we will achieve throughout our third quadrennium of leadership.” Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) congratulated Livingston on his election. “In addition to being one of my closest friends for many years, Steve Livingston has been a mentor of mine since the first moment I joined the House and a strong leader whose example I respect deeply,” said Ledbetter. “Sen. Livingston is a man of strong convictions and conservative beliefs, and he will lead his colleagues with the fairness, strength, and common sense that are his trademarks.” As was reported by Alabama Today, Sen. Scofield resigned from the Senate on Monday. “I have resigned from the Senate to become the Executive Vice President of the Business Council of Alabama,” Scofield wrote in a letter. This decision was one of the hardest that I have ever had to make, and with any decision of this magnitude, I involved a lot of prayer and talked it over with family and friends. If I didn’t love serving you, the decision would have been easy. It’s a dream job with an organization whose mission I strongly believe in. I have always supported policies that make Alabama more business-friendly because if we have healthy businesses, they can create more high-paying jobs. As President Ronald Reagan said: “I believe the best social program is a job.” This new job will allow me to continue my mission to make Alabama the most business/job-friendly state in the nation. “I also want to thank Senator Scofield for his unwavering dedication to the state of Alabama during his term as Majority Leader and tenure in the Alabama Senate,” Reed said. “After entering the Senate together nearly 14 years ago, Senator Scofield has proven himself to be an enduring friend, an exceptional leader, and a true champion for the people of Alabama. We wish Senator Scofield well in his future endeavors.” The Majority Leader is the second most powerful member of the Senate, behind the President Pro Tem. Next would be the Senate Rules Committee Chairman – Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia). Livingston represents Jackson, Dekalb, and Madison counties in the Alabama Senate, To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Reps. Gary Palmer, Anthony D’Esposito introduce ‘Bring Americans Home Act’
Following reports that the State Department was forcing American citizens to pay for their flights out of harm’s way in Israel, Congressmen Gary Palmer (AL-06) and Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04) introduced the “Bring Americans Home Act.” Palmer stated, “Americans are currently stuck in a war zone because President [Joe] Biden has displayed weak leadership around the globe. The United States government should be there to help. Instead of helping, the response of the State Department has been to send these stranded Americans a bill.” Palmer continued, “This is unacceptable. The Biden Administration is willing to pay for illegal immigrants to fly anywhere around the country but is unwilling to help Americans in need. We must care for our citizens and help them get home safely in an emergency. This is why Congressman D’Esposito and I introduced the Bring Americans Home Act. We believe Americans should not foot the bill for the misplaced priorities and poor leadership in the White House.” Palmer is the head of the House Republican Policy Committee. He represents Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District and has already announced that he is running for re-election next year.
Daniel Sutter: Google on trial
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust case against Google over its dominance of online search is unfolding. This marks the first tech industry antitrust trial since Microsoft a quarter century ago. Does Google unfairly dominate online search? With a market share of between 86 and 96 percent, Google is certainly dominant. Microsoft’s Bing is a distant second, between 3 and 9 percent. But, Google does not meet the economics definition of monopoly, which requires a single seller. This is significant because some economic models yield vigorous competition with just two sellers in a market. Economics judges market performance against the consumer satisfaction standard, so market share alone never condemns a company. A 90 percent share because consumers judge Google’s product as the best is not a problem. That we now say “Google It” suggests considerable consumer satisfaction. Some criticisms of Google exist and suggest that it may not serve customers that well. For instance, companies pay to be at the top of the search results or divine from Google’s algorithm how to be selected first. Conservatives allege a political bias. Economists instead focus on barriers to competition, although disagreement exists over what exactly constitutes problematic barriers. Superior performance based on experience is a contentious barrier. Google’s search engine became so good because so many people used it, setting a high bar for rivals. I do not consider this a barrier because other companies’ search engines should be capable of similar learning. Barriers created by a dominant firm are problematic. The DOJ’s case consequently focuses heavily on Google’s $10 billion a year deal with Apple to be the default search engine on the Safari browser. The DOJ contends that this reduces competition by thwarting rivals like Bing or Yahoo and possibly preventing Apple from developing its own search engine. The ease of changing the search default is a major weakness of the DOJ’s argument. Bing is the default on many devices, but users switch to Google. As economist Thomas Hazlett argues, there’s good evidence that many folks just like Google. Research demonstrates the importance of default settings even when switching costs are low, boosting the DOJ case. For instance, many people never reallocate funds in their 401k. The persistence of default settings, however, is a general aspect of life. And remember that Bing is often the default. Let’s also consider Apple’s choice to make Google their default. Choosing not to satisfy customers on any element of design, quality, or cost opens the door for competitors. Apple most likely believes users prefer Google. Samsung decided to stay with Google over Bing earlier this year. Google’s dominance has not prevented entry into the market. DuckDuckGo was founded in 2008, long after Google was dominant. DuckDuckGo has attracted significant funding and differentiates itself by prioritizing privacy. The Google litigation is part of the Biden Administration’s aggressive antitrust policy. FTC chair Lina Khan embodies this activism. Unfortunately, aggressive antitrust enforcers have not performed well. My favorite antitrust folly was the FTC blocking a merger between Blockbuster and Hollywood Video in 2005, which it feared would dominate the home video market. The FTC missed that the transition to streaming would bankrupt both companies within six years. In fairness, Blockbuster also missed on streaming, choosing not to buy Netflix in 2000. But bureaucrats’ lack of vision gets coercively imposed on markets. Professor Hazlett offers a great example. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) blocked cell phone development for four decades! The technology emerged after World War II, but the FCC failed to see the value and make any electromagnetic spectrum available until 1970. Cell phones only emerged after 1982. Politics also plagues antitrust policy. Campaign contributions ensure favorable treatment for politically connected firms. Laissez-faire may not be the best imaginable policy, but it almost certainly outperforms political antitrust. America Online, Netscape, and MySpace were all once giants. Consumers ultimately prevail in free markets. A company maintaining a large market share in the face of competition must serve customers better than government-directed competition. Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.
Border challenges, need for ICE cooperation evident, says House speaker
By Alan Wooten | The Center Square Challenges at the southern border and the need for sheriffs to cooperate with ICE were key takeaways for North Carolina Rep. Tim Moore on Friday. Moore, the Republican North Carolina House of Representatives speaker from Cleveland County, said in a statement Monday, “Headlines fail to capture the reality of the crisis at our southern border.” He was briefed in Texas by its Department of Public Safety. “There is an urgent need for policy change at the state and federal level, including a requirement that sheriffs fully cooperate with ICE officials and a greater effort to crack down on sanctuary cities,” he said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “It’s time for Washington to wake up and finally crack down on illegal immigration and border crossings that have reached crisis levels under the Biden administration.” Moore could soon be announcing a run for a spot in Washington he says needs to awaken. He has said he will not seek a 12th term in the state House. He’s served a record five of them as leader of the chamber. Border crossings total more than 10 million since the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Only nine states have more population. Official U.S. Customs and Border Protection data includes 3.2 million apprehensions in fiscal 2023 (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30); 2.7 million in fiscal 2022; 1.9 million in fiscal 2021; and 471,954 in the nine months Biden was in office in fiscal 2020. Combined, official apprehensions total 8.4 million. Those figures exclude gotaway data, which Customs and Border Protection does not report publicly. Sources in the Border Patrol have told The Center Square a minimum estimate for gotaways since January 2021 is nearly 1.7 million. Former Customs and Border Protection Chief Mark Morgan told The Center Square gotaway data could exceed 1 million in fiscal 2023. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Florida warns another company over its Israel policies
By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor The state of Florida has placed another company, Morningstar-Sustainalytics, on its list of “Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel.” The company, which rejects the accusation, has 90 days to respond or be subjected to Florida’s divestment and contract prohibitions. Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and CFO Jimmy Patronis, all trustees of the State Board of Administration (SBA), made a joint announcement after they placed Morningstar-Sustainalytics under continued examination in August for its “controversial research methodology which categorizes companies as a risk for supporting Israeli interests in Judea and Samaria.” The SBA then had a meeting on Oct. 25 about the “environmental, sustainable, governance” (ESG) corporate governance research, ratings and analytics firm. As of June 30, the Florida Retirement System held 26,343 shares of Morningstar’s stock worth $5.9 million, Pensions & Investments reports. “Florida will hold companies accountable for discriminating against Israel,” DeSantis said in a joint statement. “We will continue to invest in companies that provide Floridians with the best return on investment and not companies that utilize arbitrary ESG metrics to advance a BDS agenda.” “Our actions on Morningstar-Sustainalytics should put the rest of the world on notice,” AG Moody said. “Florida will not stand by while companies use their economic power to attack Israel.” Morningstar issued a statement in response, saying, “Morningstar does not support the anti-Israel BDS campaign; it never has, and it never will.” Last year, the company faced similar scrutiny from a range of Jewish groups, including the Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League, and the American Jewish Committee, among many others over its ESG products. Of the many concerns raised was language it used in its products, referring to the West Bank in Israel as “Occupied Palestinian Territory” or “occupied territory.” Israel, as a sovereign nation, doesn’t occupy any “territory” and has a right to defend itself from terrorists whose stated goal is to kill Jews and destroy Israel, DeSantis has argued. After a months-long engagement process with the organizations, Morningstar said it committed to “further fortifying” its ESG “research and ratings against any concerns of anti-Israel bias” and “strongly reinforces the fact that we repudiate the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions campaign.” It also agreed to adopt all recommendations made by an independent investigation into its anti-Israel bias allegations and commit to take specific actions. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis issued a warning to all companies doing business in Florida, saying, “Let me be clear – If you want to do business with the State of Florida, you cannot support BDS policies against Israel, or you will face the consequences.” The announcement came after Florida has taken unprecedented action to support its Jewish population, including expanding law enforcement resources statewide, shutting down pro-Hamas student organizations on state college and university campuses, and flying roughly 700 Americans to Florida who were stranded in Israel. Florida is the only state to bring home stranded Americans from Israel. Florida has cracked down on companies involved in the BDS movement before. In 2019, it added Airbnb to its Scrutinized Companies List. Airbnb then reversed its policy and was taken off the list. In 2021, Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, was added to the list and remains on it. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
