Barry Moore supports legislation to recover billions in stolen unemployment benefits
On Friday, Congressman Barry Moore voted in support of H.R. 1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act. This legislation, sponsored by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, would potentially recover billions in stolen unemployment benefits by providing states with incentives to investigate and recover lost funds. “Pandemic unemployment fraud might be the largest theft of tax dollars in history,” Rep. Moore said. “Almost half of the $878 billion in unemployment benefits provided by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic may have been lost to fraud. House Republicans say that they are working to recover every dollar stolen from American families. Rep. Michelle Steel issued a statement applauding the House passage of H.R. 1163. The bill seeks to recoup the estimated $400 billion in fraudulent unemployment payments by incentivizing states to pursue investigations and prosecutions to recover the stolen funds and enables them to invest in system improvements to prevent future fraud. “As we all now know, pandemic unemployment assistance funds became the source of the greatest theft of taxpayer dollars in American history,” said Rep. Steel. “Estimates put the total amount of assistance lost to fraud as high as $400 billion. California alone lost around $60 billion under the leadership of President [Joe] Biden’s Secretary of Labor nominee, Julie Su. As Californians in particular continue struggling under spiking prices and high taxes, it is absurd to force them to foot the bill for fraud committed while their elected leaders were asleep at the wheel. That is why I proudly supported the passage of the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act, which will address this unprecedented theft by incentivizing states, including California, to recover these stolen funds and providing tools to prevent future fraud. Government caused this problem, and it owes the American taxpayers a solution.” H.R.1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act will protect taxpayers by: 1)Allowing states to keep 25 percent of recovered fraudulent overpayments of federal funds. 2) Allowing states to use recovered funds to improve program integrity and fraud prevention. 3) Allowing states to keep 5 percent of state UI overpayments, conditioned on meeting data matching integrity conditions and dedicating those funds to preventing future fraud. 4) Extending the statute of limitations for criminal charges or civil actions from 5 to 10 years. H.R. 1163 now goes to the U.S. Senate for their consideration. Barry Moore is in his second term representing Alabama’s Second Congressional District. He is a small businessman who previously served two terms in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Terri Sewell joins letter urging House Republicans to raise debt ceiling with no strings attached
On Wednesday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell joined nearly 200 of her colleagues from across the House Democratic Caucus in a letter to Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy calling on Republicans to protect the full faith and credit of the United States by lifting the debt ceiling “without any extraneous policies attached.” “It is a sad day when House Republicans shamefully hold our economy hostage and threaten to default on our debt unless Congress makes deep cuts to programs that Alabamians rely on,” said Rep. Sewell. “We in Congress should never play politics with the full faith and credit of the United States of America. Republicans must join us to raise the debt ceiling—just as they did three times under the previous administration—and avoid economic collapse.” “I am a strong believer in balancing our budget,” continued Sewell. “Despite Republicans’ 2017 tax giveaway to the wealthy—which added $2 trillion to our deficit—I am proud of the historic deficit reduction that we have achieved under President [Joe] Biden. If Republicans want to address our national debt, they should start by making the wealthy pay their fair share instead of targeting veteran benefits, food assistance, and other programs that hard-working Alabama families rely on.” On Twitter, Sewell wrote, “I was serving in this very body in 2017 when Republicans added $2 trillion to our deficit to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. I will not support their plan to cut veterans benefits, food assistance, and programs families rely on. Working families should not pay the price!” Democrats on the House Budget Committee claim that the House Republicans’ debt ceiling proposal would: · Threaten access to food assistance for 17,000 people aged 50-55 in Alabama. · Eliminate preschool and childcare for at least 5,600 children in Alabama. · Increase housing costs for at least 8,800 people in Alabama. · Make college more expensive for at least 98,900 students in Alabama. · Eliminate at least three air traffic control towers in Alabama. · Cut at least 150 rail safety inspection days in Alabama. · Repeal investments in cleaner, cheaper energy. They warn that if the U.S. were to default on the debt, it would unleash global economic catastrophe and put vital government services at risk. The Democrats’ report claims that a default would cost about 6,000 jobs in Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District alone. Nationally a default could kill more than 7 million jobs. While Sewell opposed the Republicans’ spending plan, Congressman Barry Moore voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act, the House Republican plan. According to sponsors, this legislation returns total discretionary spending to fiscal year 2022 levels and eliminates $4.8 trillion in “woke, weaponized, and wasteful” spending over a decade. This legislation also rescinds unspent COVID-19 funding and defunds Biden’s 87,000-strong army of IRS agents. The Limit, Save, Grow Act is sponsored by Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (Texas). “Biden and the Democrats are spending us into bankruptcy to fund their bloated bureaucracy and acting like cutting spending will bring on the apocalypse,” said Moore in a press release. “The truth is, the Limit, Save, Grow Act saves us $4.8 trillion over ten years, and if we don’t do something to begin tackling our $31 trillion national debt, which mostly belongs to China, the livelihoods of our children and grandchildren are at risk.” The U.S. national debt is $31.7 trillion. The federal government is spending $1.42 trillion a year more than it takes in even though the U.S. is not fighting a war and unemployment is at record lows. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House passes Republican energy bill
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the Lowering Energy Costs Act. Congressmen Gary Palmer, Barry Moore, and Jerry Carl released statements following the passage of the Republican high-priority legislature. “This is a vote to provide solutions to high energy costs and to end Biden’s energy crisis,” said Rep. Palmer. “H.R. 1 will reduce home energy costs for American families and enhances our national security. It includes two provisions that I drafted, one prohibits unelected bureaucrats from banning natural gas stoves, and the other repeals the $27 billion EPA’ slush fund’ for green advocacy groups. This vote is a win for the American people.” “Energy costs are one of the biggest drivers of inflation. Inflation has risen to 6.5% since President Biden took office because of reckless spending, massive regulation, and higher energy costs,” Palmer continued. “President Biden’s policies have also made our country more reliant on foreign adversaries, like China, instead of using the abundant natural resources we have here. Thankfully, the bi-partisan H.R. 1 is a step in the right direction. The Senate needs to take up this important legislation without delay.” “American families are struggling to make ends meet amidst skyrocketing gas, grocery, and electric prices due to Biden’s inflation crisis,” said Rep. Moore. “With this legislation, House Republicans will hold him accountable for his war on American energy by forcing him to unleash American energy production and lower energy costs for working families. President Biden doesn’t have a plan to lower the painful prices you’re paying at the gas pump or the grocery store checkout, but House Republicans do.” “Proud to have worked on The Lower Energy Costs Act to bring Americans some relief at the pump and end our reliance on foreign countries to meet our energy needs,” Carl wrote on Facebook. H.R.1 was sponsored by Congressman Steve Scalise. “For the last two years, President [Joe] Biden and his extremist friends in Washington have waged a war on American energy, and hard-working families across the country are paying the price,” said Rep. Scalise. “Gas and utility costs have skyrocketed to record highs, with the average American paying over 40 percent more for gas at the pump since President Biden took office. Voters gave Republicans the majority in Congress to stop this radical anti-American energy agenda and to take action that will lower prices, and House Republicans listened. I am proud to introduce today H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, to cut red tape and increase energy production here at home so we can lower energy costs and stop our dependence on hostile foreign countries for our energy and minerals. With today’s introduction of the Lower Energy Costs Act, we will show the country how to end the war on American energy, become energy independent again, and lower costs for hard-working families who are struggling under the weight of President Biden’s radical agenda.” H.R.1 now goes to the Senate, where it will need support from Democrats for any hope of reaching the President’s desk. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Barry Moore predicts Donald Trump indictment means he “will get more support than he has ever had”
On Friday, Congressman Barry Moore appeared on Newsmax’s National Report with Shaun Kraisman and Emma Rechenberg to discuss the indictment of former President Donald Trump. Moore predicted that Trump would get more support because of the indictment. “He is going to get support he didn’t know he had,” Moore said. “I think you are going to see a unifying – not just the base for Donald Trump, but the Republican Party because the American people realize that there is more at stake now than just whether you like Donald Trump or not. American liberty is at stake. Trump is the tip of the spear, and he has said many times that the only thing between them and you is me, and now they are coming after him. This DA in New York has just mobilized the whole rest of the country.” Moore predicted that the indictment of Trump would backfire on Democrats in the coming election. “That DA might get reelected,” Moore said. “Mr. [Alvin] Bragg might get reelected, but I think it backfires in the rest of the country because we see this as just another Russia Russia, another impeachment impeachment, another Ukraine Ukraine – all of that stuff that we were told that President Trump did that is so horrible – the investigation into his tax returns.” “I think it is going to backfire on the Democrats, and we are going to see a turnout like we have never seen,” Moore said. “I don’t think they can cheat enough to win this time.” When Moore was in the Alabama State Legislature, he was indicted on perjury charges. Moore was ultimately found not guilty by a jury, but he said that that indictment helped his re-election campaign in 2014. “No, not at all,” Moore said. “After I was indicted, and it was for political purposes, that following weekend, we had more volunteers than we’ve ever had in the campaign – and it was just people who knew we were fighting for the American people even at the state level. This will motivate people to mobilize and vote, and [Trump] will get more support than he has ever had.” New York State Supreme Court Judge Sol Wachtler famously said in 1985 that prosecutors have so much influence on grand juries that they could even “indict a ham sandwich.” To emphasize Wachtler’s famous maxim, Rep. Moore’s office handed out ham sandwiches on Friday. “We have got them in the office that says: ‘Indict this,’” Moore said. “I am inviting everyone to come by. You can indict your ham sandwich. You can do whatever you want to do, but we’re rallying behind President Trump today with ham sandwiches.” Moore released a statement on Thursday denouncing Trump’s indictment. “The arrest of President Trump demonstrates more than ever how the Democrats have weaponized the government against the American people,” Moore said. “As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I am committed to holding the Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney accountable by requesting to review all documents in this case and working to ensure that federal funds are not used on this political witch hunt.” Barry Moore is in his second term representing Alabama’s Second Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama legislators respond to Donald Trump indictment
On Thursday, the political world was turned upside down by the indictment of former President Donald Trump. Congressmen Gary Palmer, Barry Moore, Dale Strong, and Mike Rogers, along with Senator Tommy Tuberville, all issued statements denouncing the actions of the Manhattan District Attorney as a political prosecution. The indictment was announced Thursday that a Manhattan grand jury had voted to indict President Trump. The indictment was sealed, so the specific charge or charges are not publicly known. “What we are seeing is the attempted political assassination of a former President. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s spurious legal case should never have been entertained, and his flagrant abuse of the justice system is leading the nation down a very dark and dangerous path,” Rep. Palmer wrote on Facebook. “A path where one side weaponizes the law to attack their political opponents inciting more distrust of our judicial system and undermining the future of our democracy. For the good of the nation, this case should immediately be thrown out.” “This is a dark day in American history,” said Rep. Moore in a press release. “The arrest of President Trump demonstrates more than ever how the Democrats have weaponized the government against the American people. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I am committed to holding the Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney accountable by requesting to review all documents in this case and working to ensure that federal funds are not used on this political witch hunt.” “I am deeply disturbed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s pursuit of bogus charges against President Trump,” Rep. Rogers said. “Should he choose to go through with indicting President Trump, it would be a slap in the face to the American judicial system and an absolute disgrace. This drawn-out political witch hunt is another example of the radical Left’s weaponization of the law against President Trump and conservatives. Moreover, violent crime in New York has skyrocketed under Bragg’s watch, and one of America’s most richly historic cities has descended into mayhem. Instead of pursuing sham charges, Bragg should either focus his time on protecting New Yorkers from violent criminals or resign immediately.” “Indicting a former President is an unprecedented step, and it’s a threat to our democracy,” Sen. Tuberville wrote on Twitter. “Stop the witch hunt now.” “This is nothing more than a political witch hunt and an abuse of office by the Manhattan District Attorney,” said Rep. Strong on Twitter. “We must not stand for the politicization of our nation’s justice system to influence elections.” Speculation is that the charges are related to an alleged payoff made to former porn star Stormy Daniels before he was elected president. Trump is expected to turn himself in and appear in court on Tuesday at 2:15 p.m., according to the Washington Post. Trump is the clear Republican frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. It is not known how Thursday’s indictment will affect Trump’s campaign. An indictment merely means that the state has made an accusation. Trump, like every American accused of a crime, is presumed to be innocent until he is convicted of a crime by a jury of his peers. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Bipartisan congressional caucus forms to address fentanyl crisis
Labeling the smuggling of illicit fentanyl into the U.S. from Mexico “a national crisis,” a group of lawmakers has formed a bipartisan caucus to address the issue. Led by Republican California Reps. Ken Calvert and Darrell Issa and Democratic Reps. Joe Neguse of Colorado and Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, the Bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus was formed to “coordinate with members from both sides of the aisle to combat the nationwide spike in fentanyl-related overdoses and drug poisonings.” The group says it will work with federal and state law enforcement and “to educate the public and the Congress, in cooperation with prevention and awareness groups to better understand the ongoing threat of fentanyl in communities across America.” “Fentanyl is devastating the lives of Americans in every corner of our country. With fentanyl-related deaths climbing every year, we need new solutions to stop this alarming trend,” Calvert said. “This is not a partisan issue – it’s a national crisis.” Rather than pledging to end the fentanyl crisis, Calvert said he hoped the caucus would “educate Americans on the dangers of fentanyl and provide real solutions that will stop the destruction of this deadly drug.” “Fentanyl is not a new danger. But the deadly threat it poses has now reached every corner of our country, and no community is being spared,” Issa said. “The stakes could not be more clear: If we don’t win the fentanyl fight, we’re not going to just lose my community or my neighbor’s. Or any one of my colleagues. We’re going to lose this country. This caucus is needed now as we tell the truth, develop solutions, and save lives.” When announcing its formation, the caucus didn’t call on the president or Secretary of State Antony Blinken to declare Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and 21 attorneys general have repeatedly done. Last September, Abbott issued an executive order designating the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and any similarly situated Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations” under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. He also requested President Joe Biden do likewise, the second time he’d made the request since April 2021. In his September 21, 2022 letter, Abbott said since then, “There was no action, no response.” He’s still received no response, his office has told The Center Square. Last week, Blinken told Congress he’d consider designating cartels as FTOs. Two weeks prior, the White House said it didn’t have any intention of doing so. Republican U.S. Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Roger Marshall of Kansas introduced the Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act, which Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said will “do the job Biden refuses to do – protect the American people.” The caucus also hasn’t demanded the president designate fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, as 18 attorneys general have done led by Moody. Fentanyl poisoning remains the leading cause of death among adults between the ages of 18 and 45. Two milligrams, the weight of a mosquito, is lethal. In fiscal years 2021 and 2022, CBP agents confiscated enough fentanyl to kill nearly 5 billion people. Since March 2021, Texas Operation Lone Star officers have seized over 373 million lethal doses of fentanyl. Florida law enforcement officers in a few month’s time last year seized enough fentanyl to kill everyone in Florida. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has issued several public alerts warning Americans about the dangers of fentanyl. Most recently it issued another public alert about the “sharp increase in the trafficking of fentanyl mixed with Xylazine,” an animal tranquilizer referred to on the streets as “Tranq.” It did so after the FDA, CDC, and multiple state agencies issued warnings about Xyzaline being detected in an increasing number of illicit drug mixtures and a growing number of overdose deaths nationwide. “Xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said. DEA has so far seized Xylazine and fentanyl mixtures in 48 of 50 states. Caucus members also include Angie Craig (D-MN), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-TX), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Don Bacon (R-NE), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Andre Carson (D-IN), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Bob Latta (R-OH), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Barry Moore (R-AL), David Valadao (R-CA), and Robert Aderholt (R-AL). Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Barry Moore votes in favor of legislation forcing Biden Administration to examine inflationary policies
On Wednesday, Congressman Barry Moore voted in favor of H.R. 347, the Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation (REIN IN) Act sponsored by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. This legislation would force President Joe Biden, through the Office of Management and Budget and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, to produce statements examining the inflationary impacts of the President’s major executive orders that exceed more than $1 billion in annual budgetary effects before they are enacted. “President Biden’s failed economic policies continue to fuel massive inflation that hurts American families,” said Rep. Moore. “These families deserve to know how much Biden’s policies, such as the student loan bailout or Green New Deal regulations, will truly cost them at the grocery store and the gas pump. House Republicans said we will hold Biden accountable in this new Congress, and this legislation will help us fulfill that promise.” “Every hardworking family is forced to pay more for almost everything due to Joe Biden’s failed economic policies. Instead of reversing course, Joe Biden and his administration have doubled down on their Far-Left tax and spend agenda that has continued to exacerbate this inflation crisis,” said Rep. Stefanik. As hardworking families in New York’s 21st District and across the nation are forced to pay the price for Democrats’ out-of-control spending, I am working to hold this administration accountable and rein in the policies that fuel devastating inflation, which is a tax on every family. Already, the new Republican majority is working to fulfill our commitment to America and create an economy that is strong, which begins with this critical check to rein in the Biden Administration’s reckless policies fueling inflation.” Congresswoman Stefanik is the House Republican Conference Chair. Stefanik, House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, and House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer introduced the REIN IN Act. “The new Republican House majority is committed to honoring the promise we made to the American people to stop the reckless spending that ignited and continues to fuel inflation, which has risen 14.3 percent since President Biden took office,” said Rep. Smith. “That’s exactly why we’re fighting to hold President Biden accountable for his radical executive actions that will cost taxpayers over one trillion dollars and counting and has thrown more fuel on the inflation fire. I’m proud to join Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Financial Services Chairman Patrick McHenry in introducing this legislation to require some much-needed transparency on the hidden costs being passed on to working families because of Joe Biden’s executive actions.” “From energy to groceries, Democrat-induced inflation is making everyday life unaffordable for families across western North Carolina and the country,” said Rep. McHenry. “President Biden’s inflationary executive actions have fueled the economic pain facing all Americans. The REIN IN Inflation Act will deliver on House Republicans’ commitment to rebuilding an economy that’s strong by adding much-needed transparency and reining in the inflationary actions of the Biden Administration. I’m proud to reintroduce this critical legislation with Chairwoman Stefanik and Chairman Smith.” “Americans need relief from historic inflation that’s harming their pocketbooks and livelihoods,” said Comer. “House Republicans are holding the Biden Administration accountable for their reckless inflation-inducing government spending and providing solutions for the American people. The REIN IN Inflation Act provides transparency about the Biden Administration’s unilateral executive actions that are fueling inflation. I thank Conference Chairwoman Stefanik for leading this effort to deliver results for the American people.” President Biden has defended his handling of the economy. “Today, we’ve got some good news — good news about the economy,” President Biden said in January. “For the sixth month in a row, inflation has come down. Measured over the last 12 months, it has fallen 6.5 — to 6.5 percent. That’s down from 7.1 percent the month before. It’s down from 9.1 percent this summer. Inflation is now at its lowest level since October of 2021. When we look at the — at the — just the last three months, we see that inflation fell to 1.8 percent on an annualized basis. It’s down from more than 11 percent in the first three months of last year.” “So, the data is clear: Even though inflation is high in major economies around the world, it is coming down in America month after month, giving families some real breathing room,” Biden continued. “And the big reason is falling gas prices. My administration took action to get more oil onto the market and bring down prices. Now, gas is down more than $1.70 from its peak. And that adds up to a family with — a typical family with two vehicles to a savings of $180 a month, every single month, that stays in their pockets instead of being spent at the pump. Food inflation is slowing as well. Last month, we saw the smallest increase in food prices in almost two years. And much of that increase was due to the avian flu outbreak, which has driven up the egg prices around — in the United States.” Barry Moore is in his second term representing Alabama’s Second Congressional District. Moore is a small businessman, a veteran, and an Auburn University graduate. He served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. He and his family live in Enterprise. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Barry Moore visits Yuma, Arizona to learn about the southern border crisis first hand
U.S. Congressman Barry Moore participated in the House Judiciary Committee’s first field hearing of the 118th Congress dealing with the border situation. The hearing was held in Yuma, Arizona, where Moore and his Republican colleagues were able to observe the border situation firsthand. The hearing featured three witnesses: Jonathan Lines, a county supervisor in Yuma County; Sheriff Leon Wilmot; and Dr. Robert Trenschel, president and CEO of Yuma Regional Medical Center. Moore’s questions focused on the humanitarian crisis created by the flood of humanity crossing the U.S. southern border. 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses – most of them from drugs that were smuggled across the U.S. southern border with Mexico. “In Alabama recently, I was told that in Birmingham we seized enough fentanyl to kill every man, woman, and child in my entire state, so this may be affecting border communities, but it’s a crisis for our entire nation,” Moore said of the fentanyl crossing the border in large quantities. Moore discussed the high costs that some traffickers have charged people worldwide to cross the U.S. southern border. “We actually seized some Chinese nationals, [said] a Sheriff’s Department in Texas, and it was $80,000 each,” Moore said. “Folks, they’re not coming here to do us any favors, just so you know.” Moore discussed the benefits, including cell phones, being issued to migrants paid for by American taxpayers. “We are actually, with taxpayer dollars, trafficking children, and we’re paying to get them here on American taxpayer dollars, and putting them in God knows what and God knows where,” Moore said. Moore expressed his concerns about the vast numbers of unaccompanied minor children our government has lost after transporting them to unverified and unvetted people and places throughout our country. “We’ve lost 20,000 children. [Alejandro] Mayorkas said himself in a hearing he does not know where 20,000 of these children are, and that’s just staggering to me,” Moore said. Moore appeared Thursday on Newsmax’s National Report with Shaun Kraisman and Emma Rechenberg live from the southern border near Yuma, Arizona. “The people of Yuma have a story to tell,” Moore said. “The number of encounters they’ve had over the last three years, the difference in what the Trump administration was doing for this community and what’s going on now under the current administration is a remarkable difference. It’s a stark difference in how we handle the southern border.” Moore said that President Joe Biden should visit Yuma. “If nothing else, it would show he actually puts America first. We have a president who globe-trots around the world trying to solve other nations’ problems and denies and ignores the problems right here in our very own country, whether it’s East Palestine or the U.S. southern border,” Moore said. “These are things that this administration could lead on, and they’ve turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to the American people and the crises we face here in this country.” Moore said that if the American people knew what was happening at the border, they would be upset. “A closed border is a compassionate border,” Moore said. “We cannot address immigration reform in this country until we close this southern border and get a handle on what’s going on down here.” Moore is a member of the House Judiciary Committee. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has ordered the Committee to hold hearings on the border crisis to draw attention to the problem. Moore said that Democrats were invited to attend the field hearing; but chose not to. Barry Moore is in his first term representing Alabama’s Second Congressional District. Moore previously served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Barry Moore introduces legislation to help farm-raised fish producers
On Tuesday, Congressman Barry Moore introduced the Bringing Aquaculture Indemnities to Speed (BAITS) Act. This legislation would help farm-raised fish producers who suffer considerable loss without triggering a disaster payment have options to recoup some of their assets. Moore believes this legislation will help grow America’s aquaculture sector. “Farm-raised fish operations put affordable, healthy protein options on the table in the state of Alabama and across America,” said Moore. “Providing these operations with more risk management options will help current producers thrive, but also encourage industry growth by enticing more producers to get involved in aquaculture.” The BAITS Act would allow fish farmers to protect themselves and their operations from unavoidable loss. Farm-raised fish producers suffer considerable death loss without triggering a disaster payment and should have options to recoup their assets without experiencing total, disastrous loss. Farm-raised producers cite uninsured death loss via avian depredation as a significant driver of profit and stock loss. As U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programming exists now, farm-raised fish producers do not have sufficient programmatic support to manage this risk. Currently, the United States ranks eighth in the world for aquatic commodity production, most of which comes from the south. Alabama is sixth in the nation in terms of the total value of aquaculture products sold. Alabama produces $99,000,000 a year in aquaculture products from just 120 farms with a combined 17,591 acres of water. Most of AlAlabama’sish and mollusk production is from freshwater farms. Alabama trails only California, Virginia, Louisiana, Washington, and Mississippi. In Mississippi, the nation’s largest aquaculture producer, 176 fish farmers with a combined 39,561 acres of water produce $215,790,000 worth of aquaculture products for consumers. Wild-caught fish is increasingly incapable of meeting the global demand for seafood. Thus, more and more of the seafood we consume comes from fish farmers – both freshwater and saltwater. Aquaculture products include food fish, sport fish, baitfish, and ornamental fish, as well as mollusks, crustaceans, and other miscellaneous aquaculture products. Most of AlAlabama’squaculture is in the form of catfish. In 2020, the U.S. farm-raised catfish industry produced 324 million pounds of catfish from 59,305 acres of water. Alabama produced 94 million pounds of catfish in 2020 from 16,146 acres of water, which represents 33 percent of all catfish produced in the United States. Still, total Alabama catfish production has steadily declined since peaking in 2004. This decline is due to several factors, including foreign competition, aging farmers, and rising grain prices, but risk management is a significant part of that equation. MoMoore’segislation seeks to grow this industry and produce America-raised affordable protein for American consumers by providing U.S. farm-raised fish producers with the same risk management mechanisms mainstream commodities enjoy. Moore says that amendments to existing USDA programs are in order. The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is a USDA Farm Service Agency disaster assistance program designed to protect livestock producers from losses due to an eligible adverse weather event, disease, or attack in excess of normal mortality. The focus of this legislation revolves around the latter loss conditions: eligible disease and attack scenarios. Eligible disease claims can be filed if livestock contracts a disease transmitted by vectors where vaccination or acceptable management practices are not available in excess of normal mortality rates. Usually, migratory predatory birds, most of which are protected by federal law, are often responsible for these losses. Eligible attack claims can be filed if livestock is attacked in excess of normal mortality by animals reintroduced by the Federal government or federally protected. Avian predators are specifically included in this programming. MoMoore’segislation would add farm-raised fish as an eligible species under LIP, giving fish farmers the ability to protect themselves against eligible loss conditions via disease transmission and avian depredation. Moore is serving in his second term representing the people of Alabama’s Second Congressional District. Moore previously served from 2010 to 2018 in the Alabama House of Representatives. He and his family live in Enterprise. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Our congressional delegation has garnered good committee assignments
For the past several decades, Alabama’s power has been centered around the U.S. Senate – primarily because of Richard Shelby’s immense power and influence. During Senator Shelby’s 36-year tenure, he chaired the Intelligence, Banking, and Rules Committees. However, he became immensely powerful his last six years as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Shelby practically moved Washington to Alabama when it came to bringing home procured earmarked funds to the Heart of Dixie. We received more federal funding than any state in America. National publications labeled Shelby the Greatest Pork King in federal history, surpassing the late Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Less we forget, Shelby also had a very respected and tenured wingman in Senator Jeff Sessions, who served with distinction for 20 years in the Senate. They were a great team. In the halls of Congress, and especially in the U.S. Senate, seniority equates to power, and we had it. However, we who follow Alabama politics have been cautioning you that our day of reckoning would arrive in January 2023, when Richard Shelby retired from the Senate, and that day has arrived. Alabama will never be able to raid the federal vault like Shelby has done. Fortunately, as he was walking out the door, he brought so much largesse home with him that it will take other states ten years to catch up. Under the U.S. Senate seniority system, it will take young Katie Britt about ten years before she will have any impact and influence in the Senate. Katie Britt took office with zero years seniority, and that places her 99th in seniority status in the U.S. Senate. Our senior U.S. Senator, Tommy Tuberville, has two years seniority. That places him 89th in seniority in the 100-member Senate. However, we have several members of our U.S. House delegation who are garnering some seniority and are emerging as powerful members of the lower body. Therefore, for at least the next decade, our power in Washington will be in the U.S. House of Representatives. Jefferson/Shelby 6th District Congressman Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) has been instrumental in helping to garner extremely good committee assignments for our six Republican members of Congress. Palmer, who is a quiet, policy-issues congressman, was the founder and leader of the Alabama Policy Institute prior to going to Congress. Therefore, it was apropos that he would gravitate to the 30-member Republican Party Steering Committee. This committee has emerged as a powerful entity in the past decade. They essentially chose the House Committee Assignments along with Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Congressman Gary Palmer will serve as Chairman of the House GOP Policy Committee. He will also retain his position on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This committee has jurisdiction over healthcare, which is vital to UAB – the heart and soul of the 6th District. Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) is our senior Congressman. He got to Washington at a very young age. He is now only 57 years old and has 28 years seniority. He is one of the cardinals on the House Appropriations Committee and is now chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Resources. This committee will be very important to Alabama because of the biomedical research going on in Birmingham and Huntsville. If the Republicans maintain their majority into 2025, Aderholt is in line to become Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Saks/Anniston) has emerged as Chairman of the House Armed Service Committee. This is a very important coup for Alabama and an impressive appointment for Mike Rogers. The U.S. Military has a very large footprint and importance in the Heart of Dixie. Defense dollars dominate Alabama’s economy. In addition to Rogers, two of our newest members of Congress have scored seats on the Armed Services Committee – Representative Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) and Representative Dale Strong (R-Huntsville). Both Carl and Strong are bright stalwart stars for our congressional delegation. They have also become close friends and allies. In addition to garnering a seat on the Armed Services Committee, Jerry Carl has been placed on the Appropriations Committee. He will be a workhorse for his coastal Alabama district. Freshman Congressman Dale Strong’s appointment to the Armed Services Committee is a great feather for Strong, given the importance of the Redstone Arsenal and the immense amount of defense dollars in Huntsville. Representative Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) landed an appointment to the prestigious Judiciary Committee. Alabama’s lone congressional Democrat, Representative Terri Sewell, will retain her position as Chief Deputy Whip within the Democratic caucus. Sewell will also continue to serve on the powerful and prestigious House Ways and Means Committee. The paradigm of our power in Washington has moved to the U.S. House of Representatives. 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.
Federal disaster aid increases to 100% for January 12 tornadoes
President Joe Biden authorized an increase for the FEMA Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures by local government following the January 12th Storms. The emergency protective measures have been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for a 30-day period of the State’s choosing within the first 120 days of the incident period. This is in response to a letter submitted by Senator Katie Britt, Representative Terri Sewell, and the entire Alabama Delegation urging the President to increase the federal cost share for FEMA public assistance from 75% to 100%. The Alabama congressional delegation had asked the administration for the amended disaster declaration. “I am beyond thankful to President Biden for this GREAT NEWS! From the beginning, President Biden has worked swiftly to respond to our calls by expediting the major disaster declaration for the State of Alabama,” said Sewell. “Now, with this critical increase in FEMA Public Assistance, I am confident that we will build back stronger than before. I thank Governor [Kay] Ivey and my colleagues in the Alabama Congressional Delegation for their support throughout this process. These critical resources will not only allow us to expedite the cleanup of all the properties destroyed by the storm, but our communities will also have the opportunity to build back stronger and to create a better future for the people of Alabama.” “These crucial funds will help Alabama families, small businesses, and communities rebuild and recover. I am grateful for the President’s continued support of an expedited and robust federal disaster response to assist our state’s people,” said Britt. “We are forever indebted to the incredible first responders, law enforcement officers, and volunteers who have devoted countless hours, as well as their talents and resources, to these valiant efforts. My office will remain actively engaged with local, state, and federal partners throughout the recovery process.” Congressman Barry Moore said, “I’m pleased that our request for 100 percent federal share for debris removal and protective measures as a result of the terrible January 12th storms has been granted by FEMA. If you need assistance, apply online at https://DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.” “I want to thank President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Congresswoman Terri Sewell, Coach Tommy Tuberville, Senator Katie Britt, and Governor Kay Ivey for working together with the City of Selma, Dallas County and the entire tornado destruction area to provide the 100% reimbursement declaration,” said Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. said in a statement. “This is truly a blessing for Selma. Thank you and I thank God for ‘favor’.” 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 Cost Share relates only to public assistance provided to governmental entities and does not include individual assistance. Uninsured individuals in the designated areas who have been impacted by the January 12th storms still must apply for individual assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by visiting the FEMA website. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Barry Moore cosponsors resolution calling for end of Ukraine aid
Congressman Barry Moore was one of ten cosponsors of a controversial Ukraine Fatigue resolution introduced by Congressman Matt Gaetz calling for an end to military and financial aid to Ukraine and calling for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace deal ending the war. “The only person earning an easier buck than Ukrainian war profiteers is Hunter Biden’s art dealer,” said Rep. Moore on Twitter. Congress should support @RepMattGaetz’s resolution and end taxpayer-funded blank checks to Ukraine.” Moore was the only member of the Alabama delegation to join the resolution calling for an end to military aid for Ukraine – which is fighting off a massive invasion by Russia. The other nine cosponsors are Rep. Andy Biggs, Rep. Lauren Boebert, Rep. Paul Gosar, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Rep. Thomas Massie, Rep. Mary Miller, Rep. Ralph Norman, and Rep. Matt Rosendale. “President Joe Biden must have forgotten his prediction from March 2022, suggesting that arming Ukraine with military equipment will escalate the conflict to ‘World War III,’” Rep. Gaetz said. “America is in a state of managed decline, and it will exacerbate if we continue to hemorrhage taxpayer dollars toward a foreign war. We must suspend all foreign aid for the War in Ukraine and demand that all combatants in this conflict reach a peace agreement immediately.” Moore has had a history of being skeptical of military aid for Ukraine. On January 20, Moore joined a letter led by Rep. Dan Bishop and Senator J.D. Vance to President Biden’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young demanding a “full crosscutting report” to Congress that includes “U.S. government-wide expenditures for Ukraine and ‘countries impacted by the situation in Ukraine’ since Feb. 24, 2022.” “With an ever-growing federal budget and national debt, Alabamians deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent – or misspent – on a war between Ukraine and Russia,” said Moore. “I am proud to join Rep. Dan Bishop and Senator J.D. Vance to demand answers and transparency from the Biden administration on these huge outlays of American taxpayer dollars.” In the 117th Congress, Moore signed a resolution led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green requesting an audit of all American taxpayer dollars sent to Ukraine. “I was in Ukraine before Afghanistan fell, and at that point in time, the parliament was extremely concerned about [American] energy policy and how we were allowing Putin to basically move the [Nord Stream 2] Pipeline and start production,” Moore said in November. “Even then, parliament saw the issue, but when I got here and started talking to other members, the same group of people here gave Trump such a hard time about a few billion dollars at the U.S. southern border.” “As fentanyl and drugs and illegals poured across our southern border, a few billion dollars, four billion, was just a little too much money,” Moore continued. “And now we are looking at $40 billion one week, $14 billion the next week with little to no oversight. Ukraine is a young democracy, and we are sending American taxpayer money over there with no oversight. It creates problems, it creates corruption, it’s not good for the American taxpayer or the American people.” Gaetz and Moore’s position is not shared by even many Republicans. Congressman Mike Rogers, who chairs the powerful House Armed Services Committee, has been a vocal proponent of military aid for Ukraine. “Now is the time for the Biden and Scholz governments to follow the lead of our U.K. and Eastern European allies – Leopard 2 tanks, ATACMS, and other long-range precision munitions should be approved without delay,” Chairman Rogers said. The United States is providing Ukraine with over $100 billion in aid – including M1 Abrams main battle tanks, Lancer anti-tank missiles, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, Stryker combat vehicles, Stinger surface-to-air missiles, Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS), 155 mm Paladin self-propelled artillery systems, and other weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now asking the United States and allies to provide Ukraine with modern jet fighters, including F16s. Zelensky has been meeting with European leaders this week and appears to be close to a deal with EU members on fighter jets. There is wide speculation that in the coming weeks that Russia will launch a massive new offensive in the war. Moore is in his second term representing Alabama’s Second Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
