Tommy Tuberville introduces amendment to secure the border and stop the flow of fentanyl
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) introduced the Border Safety and Security Act as an amendment to the SUPPORT Act. Tuberville said that it is impossible to address the drug overdose problem in the United States without addressing border security. Tuberville claimed that this legislation is needed to address the opioid crisis until the southern border is secure. HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) opposed the amendment, effectively blocking it from consideration. “I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss an issue that I believe is directly related to everything we’ve talked about in here,” said Sen. Tuberville in the hearing. “I believe it’s impossible to discuss our nation’s opioid epidemic without discussing the crisis at the southern border. You know, back in March, I introduced the Border Safety and Security Act. This legislation requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to suspend the entry of illegal immigrants into the United States until we have control of our border again – because we’ve lost it. 6.5 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended by the [Customs & Border Protection] since January 2021. In fiscal year 2023 alone, CBP seized 1,000 pounds of fentanyl at the border. Imagine how much fentanyl made it into the U.S. without being caught by law enforcement. Imagine how many lives we’ve lost – over 100,000 a year in this country – eight to ten in my state a day in Alabama, not counting the cost of health care. Mental illness – I keep hearing about people training new mental health professionals – and that’s great. If we don’t stop this drug coming across the border, we’re not gonna fix anything. We’re wasting our time.” “I’m offering this bill as an amendment to the SUPPORT Act today because I think we must take a good hard look at this,” Tuberville continued. “We’ve got to do it. Find[ing] ways to address substance abuse disorders is worthwhile and should be seriously considered by this committee. But unless we do something to address the supply, addiction will only continue and get worse. We will never get out of this epidemic without it. So, every day we leave it open, it’s becoming the biggest disaster of our lifetime. And we’re in here talking about mental health people working. It is a disaster. I’ve taught for 40 years, and I’ve never seen the influx of what’s happening. Not just in our communities but in our schools. We wonder why we have problems. It’s an absolute disgrace. Therefore, I’d like to offer and withdraw this amendment, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.” Tuberville originally introduced the Border and Security Act in March 2023 as part of his continued push to tighten border security and address the humanitarian crisis created by President Joe Biden’s immigration policies. Tuberville’s legislation puts more responsibility on the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and gives increased authority to state attorneys general in holding DHS accountable if the department fails in its duty to restrict entry and detain illegal immigrants. 2.76 million illegal immigrants crossed the southern border in fiscal year 2022 alone – that is equal to 55.1% of the population of the state of Alabama. That was followed by a record-breaking 3.2 million in fiscal year 2023 – equivalent to 64.5% of the population of the state of Alabama. The open border is also contributing to the deadly fentanyl epidemic, which kills 107,000 Americans a year. 69.5% of the deaths are males. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-45. If enacted, the Border Safety and Security Act would: · Authorize the DHS Secretary to suspend the entry of illegal immigrants at the U.S. border should the secretary determine it is necessary to do so to regain operational control of the border. · Require the secretary to suspend the entry of illegal immigrants during any period of time in which DHS cannot detain such individuals or place them in Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or a similar program. · Authorize state attorneys general to bring legal action against the DHS should the secretary fail to suspend entry without detention or use of MPP, continuing to place strain on communities, so as to obtain injunctive relief. Original cosponsors in the Senate include U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Alabama), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Mike Lee (R-Utah). The legislation is supported by the America First Policy Institute, NumbersUSA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Sen. Tuberville said he supports common-sense policies that strengthen our border and national security, like building the wall and reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy. Tuberville has spoken about his concerns on the floor of the U.S. Senate and called on the Biden administration to act. In September 2023, Senator Tuberville helped introduce the Secure the Border Act of 2023, the Senate companion passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year, commonly known as H.R. 2. It was blocked in the Senate. Tuberville has served in the Senate for three years. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission awards five integrator licenses
On Tuesday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) met, ranked applicants, and voted to award medical cannabis business licenses to five integrated facility applicants. The state authorizes a holder of an integrated facility license to cultivate, process, transport, and dispense medical cannabis all in-house without having to rely on other businesses in the supply chain. Rex Vaughn is the chairman of the AMCC. “First, I thank all of the integrated facility applicants for their diligent efforts throughout this lengthy licensing process,” Vaughn said. “Second, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how much I appreciate the commitment and hard work of each Commissioner as we have navigated through this phase of the program. The result of these efforts has led to the award of licenses to entities who the Commission has determined are well-suited to serve patients through Alabama’s medical cannabis program.” The license awards went to: Trulieve AL, Inc. Sustainable Alabama, LLC Wagon Trail Med-Serv, LLC Flowerwood Medical Cannabis, LLC Specialty Medical Products of Alabama Following this award of licenses, the procedural timelines associated with the post-award licensing process will begin along with the pre-issuance site inspections. AMCC staff will be performing onsite inspections over the next few days. Those applicants awarded a license will have 14 days to submit the appropriate license fee. Any applicant denied a license has 14 days to request an investigative hearing before the Commission for reconsideration of said denial. Since the statute limits the AMCC to a maximum of five integrator licenses that it can give, reversing their decision on a denied applicant would mean taking a license from one of the awardees – a procedure that is fraught with litigation ramifications. Only doctors who have had special medical cannabis training will be allowed to make recommendations for medical cannabis to their patients. Under the rules promulgated by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, physicians who want the authorization to make medical cannabis recommendations may begin the certification process to recommend medical cannabis to patients after business licenses have been issued. For a patient to qualify for medical cannabis, the patient must have at least one of the qualifying conditions and be recommended for medical cannabis by a certified physician to purchase any cannabis product. The qualifying conditions are limited to autism spectrum disorder; cancer-related pain or nausea; Crohn’s Disease; depression; epilepsy or conditions causing seizures; HIV/AIDS-related nausea or weight loss; panic disorder; Parkinson’s Disease; persistent nausea; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); sickle cell anemia; spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury; Tourette’s Syndrome; a terminal illness; or conditions causing chronic or intractable pain. No smokable product or raw plant product may be legally sold in the state of Alabama. Food products such as cookies or candies will also not be allowed. The Commission hopes that the first lawful Alabama-grown medical cannabis will be available this spring. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: The legend of Senator John Sparkman
In my 2015 book, Of Goats and Governors: Six Decades of Colorful Alabama Political Stories, I have a Chapter entitled “Alabama’s Three Greatest Senators.” I chronicle the lives and accomplishments of Richard Shelby, Lister Hill, and John Sparkman. Last week, we gave you the history of Lister Hill. This week, we will give you a brief story of the legacy of the great John Sparkman. Hill and Sparkman served as a tandem in Washington for more than 20 years and were respected giants on Capitol Hill. Our Hill-Sparkman team was unsurpassed in power and prestige from 1946 to 1970. They were admired not only in Alabama and the South but throughout the nation. They were powerful and extremely effective for our state but also portrayed a good image as erudite southern gentlemen. John Sparkman served an amazing 32 years in the United States Senate from 1946 through 1978. He served 12 years in the U.S. Congress from Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley prior to being elected to the Senate. He made his presence known as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, which at the time oversaw housing for America. Furthermore, he was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1952. John Sparkman is the Father of the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. His legacy lives on today with the growth and aerospace prominence of our Rocket City. Our fastest-growing and most economically prosperous metropolitan area began its presence in the 1960s because of John Sparkman. In fact, the city should probably be referred to as Sparkmanville rather than Huntsville. Senator Sparkman was not born into privilege like Senator Hill. Sparkman was born and raised on an unpretentious tenant farm near Hartselle in Morgan County. He had ten brothers and sisters. In 1917, by making a cotton crop and netting $75.00, he was able to enroll in the University of Alabama. At Alabama, he was editor of the “Crimson and White,” and like Senator Hill, he was elected President of the Student Body at the Capstone. At the same time, he worked his way through school, shoveling coal and feeding furnaces. After graduating from the University of Alabama School of Law, he practiced law in Huntsville for 12 years before being elected to Congress in 1936. Like Hill, he supported President Theodore Roosevelt’s New Deal. The passage of the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”) Act was a tremendous boost for his North Alabama Tennessee Valley district. The TVA Act transformed North Alabama. In 1946, he had served his North Alabama congressional district well for over a decade and was elected to the U.S. Senate. Senator John Bankhead had died in office, and Sparkman won the seat handily with strong backing of labor unions who were in their heyday in Alabama politics. Senator Sparkman rose to power and prominence in the Senate. He made his mark as the father of federal housing for the poor. He became Chairman of the very powerful Senate Banking Committee, as well as its Housing Subcommittee. Sparkman was the author of practically every major housing bill since World War II and is also known as the father of the Small Business Administration. He was also the ranking majority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. For more than two decades, John Sparkman and Lister Hill served together as a team, the most powerful and respected tandem in Washington. While some Southern Senators were making racist speeches on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Hill and Sparkman refused to race bait. They preferred to quietly bring home the bacon to Alabama with dignity. They had a team approach to helping Alabama, and their voting records on major issues that faced the nation were identical. Both men served as president of the student body of the University of Alabama, and both were products of what is known as the political machine at the University of Alabama. John Sparkman was a giant in the United States Senate and an icon in Alabama political history. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Auburn and Birmingham startups take home top honors at latest Alabama Launchpad finale
Two startup companies emerged from a field of 10 finalists to earn a combined $75,000 in non-dilutive funding in the Alabama Launchpad, Cycle 3 2023, competition. Auburn-based Autonoma, founded by Will Bryan, claimed $50,000, winning the early-seed stage competition. Autonoma creates autonomous vehicle (AV) simulation and validation tools. Combining an AV simulator with high-bandwidth, low-latency wireless communications, the technology allows a real vehicle to “see” a virtual environment around it. This allows for a safer transition from simulation to on-road operation and is much cheaper and more efficient than current validation methods. “I think the real value I’ve gotten is the advice and mentorship I’ve gotten from the Launch advisors throughout this process,” Bryan said. “Their decades of experience will provide even more than a check does, and winning Alabama Launchpad really will help us accelerate our next stage of growth.” DevClarity, based in Birmingham and co-founded by Will Blackburn and Peter Inge, won the concept-stage prize of $25,000. The company is an AI-powered platform for proactive developer management. With DevClarity, developers are able to maximize and streamline operations while optimizing resource allocation. “We started this company because we’ve led development teams before, and we’ve seen the difficulties in doing so,” Blackburn said. “We’ve seen developers leave Birmingham, and Alabama in general, and we’ve seen tech layoffs recently,” Blackburn added. “We truly believe DevClarity can play a role in creating better, more attractive teams, keeping talent here, and avoiding layoffs in the future. This capital gives us a full quarter of runway, with developer help, so that we can mature the platform while we raise seed capital.” A program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA), Alabama Launchpad partnered with Innovate Alabama to host last week’s finale at Birmingham’s Innovation Depot. During the Launchpad cycle, all 10 finalist companies received two months of intensive mentorship, through both one-on-one and group session training, with startup founders and business experts in preparation for the final judging panels. The early-seed stage companies were evaluated by three judges: Taylor Peake, founder and president of MotionMobs; Maayan Gordon, managing partner at RTG Group Inc. and founder of Maayan Gordon Media; and Ben Wallerstein, CEO and co-founder of Whiteboard Advisors. “It’s incredibly difficult, looking at these amazing companies coming through Alabama Launchpad who have been vetted and mentored,” Peake said. “To rip off one of the other judge’s statements, in full agreement, I feel like this decision was harder than the selection committee for the College Football Playoffs.” The three judges evaluating the concept-stage competition were: J. Wesley Legg, president and COO at Founders Advisors; Martha Underwood, founder of Prismm; and Bryan Stewart, founder and CEO of HDO Health. “To have a front seat to the innovative companies that are in Alabama doing amazing things is rewarding and proof and evidence that Alabama’s open for business,” Underwood said. “There is a talent pipeline here, and larger companies can come here to access people and resources to scale. People think Alabama is not the place to come to because of the history here, but when they come here and see programs like Alabama Launchpad and high-tech companies, like DevClarity and Autonoma, they realize their perception was wrong. Alabama is the place to build,” Underwood said. Alabama Launchpad, the state’s longest-running pitch competition, has now funded 117 Alabama startups since its inception in 2006. Over the past 16 years, Launchpad has awarded more than $6 million in non-dilutive funding to the winning companies, which today have an estimated combined post-money valuation of more than $1 billion and employ more than 1,300 people. They include growing companies like TaxxWiz, CHONEX, Vulcan Line Tools, Immediate, and more. Alabama Launchpad is conducted in partnership with Innovate Alabama, which implements programs and policies that support Alabama’s innovation ecosystem. Through these efforts, Innovate Alabama empowers entrepreneurs, business owners and students to build a business, a career and a life in Alabama. Launchpad is also funded in part by grants from the Alabama Department of Commerce and Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, as well as private foundations, including Truist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s Caring Foundation, and Wells Fargo. Launchpad is a program of EDPA, a private, nonprofit organization that supports business recruitment and expansion efforts in Alabama. Launchpad Cycle 1 2024 applications will open on Jan. 2. To learn more, click here. Innovate Alabama is Alabama’s first statewide public-private partnership focused on entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation with a mission to help innovators grow roots in Alabama. Innovate Alabama was established to implement the initiatives and recommendations set forth by the Alabama Innovation Commission to help create in Alabama a more resilient, inclusive and robust economy to remain competitive in a 21st-century world. Learn more about Innovate Alabama at innovatealabama.org. A version of this story originally appeared on the Alabama Launchpad website. Republished with the permission of The Alabama News Center.
AG Steve Marshall: Private individuals can’t bring Section 2 Voting Rights Act claims
Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector The Alabama Attorney General’s office argued in a motion filed last week in a Louisiana congressional redistricting case that private individuals cannot bring actions under a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. In a motion signed on by 12 Republican-led states, including Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall argued to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act does not give private individuals the right to sue, or uphold an individual’s right to obtain monetary damages for claims of intentional discrimination. “There is no Section 2 liability unless ‘it is shown that’ members of a protected class ‘have less opportunity’ not just ‘to elect representatives of their choice’ but also ‘to participate in the political process,’” the motion argued. The argument rests on a recent 8th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion by Judge David Stras, appointed by former President Donald Trump, which argued that Congress only gave attorney generals the right to claim damages under the Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The attorney general’s office did not return a request for comment Monday. The argument, if upheld by the federal courts, would severely limit future challenges under Section 2, which bans voting and election practices that discriminate by race. NAACP Legal Defense Fund Deuel Ross, the organization representing plaintiffs who challenged both Louisiana and Alabama’s maps, said in a phone interview that Louisiana’s case won’t impact the Allen v. Milligan case decision in Alabama, the challenge that led to the court-ordered redrawing of Alabama’s congressional map, as Alabama is in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Ross said the argument Marshall raised does not have merit, and that it should be rejected. “We’ll see what happens in the 5th Circuit, but the court has already rejected that argument; there’s Supreme Court precedent rejecting that argument,” Ross said. “And in the Alabama case, specifically, because it’s not in the 5th Circuit, anything that happens in the 5th Circuit won’t directly impact the Alabama case.” The case, Robinson v. Ardoin, is similar to Allen v. Milligan. Plaintiffs in the Louisiana case are challenging a map with just one majority-Black district lawmaker, adopted despite a federal district court order. Louisiana’s Black population exceeds 30%, which the court said merits a second Black district out of six total. Marshall’s argument cites a 1971 Supreme Court case, Whitcomb v. Chavis, that states “that [B]lacks enjoyed full access to the political process, and thus held that the ‘failure of the ghetto to have legislative seats in proportion to its population emerges more as a function of losing elections than of built-in bias …’” The 1971 case, the motion argued, “explained that ‘[participation] in the political processes’ meant those activities most common to voters: being ‘allowed [1] to register or vote, [2] to choose the political party they desired to support, [3] to participate in its affairs[,] … [4] to be equally represented on those occasions when legislative candidates were chosen,’ and [5] not be ‘regularly excluded from the slates of both major parties.’” The United States Supreme Court in September denied Alabama’s request to stay a lower court decision directing a special master to draw new state congressional maps to remedy Voting Rights Act violations, opening the door to Alabama having two congressional districts with majority or near-majority Black populations. A three-judge panel in 2022 ruled that Alabama’s 2021 congressional map violated the Voting Rights Act by packing Black voters into a single congressional district. The panel, citing the racial polarization of voting in Alabama — where white Alabamians tend to support Republicans and Black Alabamians tend to support Democrats — ordered the state to draw a second-majority Black district or “something quite close to it.” After the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling last June, the Alabama Legislature in July approved a new map that created a 7th Congressional District in western Alabama and Birmingham with a BVAP of 50.65%, and a 2nd Congressional District in southeastern Alabama with a BVAP of less than 40%. Plaintiffs said that map did not address the court’s orders, and the three-judge panel agreed earlier this month. U.S. Circuit Judge Stanley Marcus and U.S. district judges Anna Manasco and Terry Moorer ordered special master Richard Allen to draw new maps, accusing legislators of ignoring their initial ruling. The state appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the ruling would lead to “racial stereotyping” and violated their own redistricting principles. Alabama’s attorneys also made efforts to sway Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who joined most but not all of the court’s decision in June upholding the lower court ruling. The Alabama attorney general’s office frequently cited Kavanaugh’s opinion in a case banning affirmative action in college admissions, suggesting that plaintiffs and the lower court wanted to use “affirmative action” in the redistricting process. Marshall’s office ended the brief by concluding that Black Americans have the same voting rights as their white counterparts, and that vote dilution can only occur when people are prevented from participating in the political process. “The district court’s contrary rule is circular with no offramp,” the motion stated. “’[D]emands for outcomes’ will persist even decades ‘follow[ing] the cutting away of obstacles to full participation.’” Plaintiffs in the Louisiana case had not responded to Marshall’s brief as of early Monday evening. 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.
Rep. Bob Good elected chairman of House Freedom Caucus
Virginia Republican Congressman Bob Good was elected to lead the House Freedom Caucus in a closed-door vote late Monday evening. Good is replacing conservative Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., who is stepping down. He takes command of the approximately three dozen-member caucus in January. The Virginia congressman has been known to march to the beat of his own drum, including his involvement in ousting former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. earlier this year. Good was one of eight Republican members who crossed the aisle to vote against McCarthy, the only Republican from the commonwealth to do so. Good also broke ranks with many in the caucus by endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in his presidential bid against former President Donald Trump in the Republican primary. Trump has remained a popular figure among caucus members, often characterized as MAGA Republicans by those on the left. Good’s chairmanship vote was not without some controversy within the conservative caucus. Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, announced he would not seek reelection to the caucus board following the recommendation that Good lead the group. Davidson reportedly sent a letter to colleagues voicing his concern as to the direction of the caucus. “I am concerned that our group often relies too much on power (available primarily due to the narrow majority) and too little on influence with and among our colleagues. This approach is not a strong foundation for success,” Davidson wrote in the letter, according to published reports. “For me, these concerns culminate with the Board’s recommendation that Bob Good serve as the next Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.” Despite Davidson’s grim outlook on the news of Good’s chairmanship and the caucus, Good steered clear of any mention of infighting. He praised Perry’s work while focusing on the mission of the caucus. “It is my privilege and honor to serve as the next House Freedom Caucus chairman,” Good said in a statement. “I thank Rep. Perry for his outstanding leadership of the caucus, and I look forward to building on the work he has done and continuing the fight to reduce government spending, secure our borders, and defend our constitutional freedoms.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
