Katie Britt claims ‘Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are the putting American people last’ with border policies
Last week, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined a group of Republican colleagues to reiterate the need for strong policy changes at the U.S. southern border. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) organized the press conference. “Senator Graham, thank you for hosting this, thank you for continuing to bring attention to this,” Sen. Britt said, “And thank you for all of the gentlemen behind me who continue to work diligently to actually secure our border. That’s what the American people deserve, but unfortunately, Joe Biden refuses to give that to them. You know, when we look at this emergency supplemental, when we look at this national security supplemental, when we look at what Joe Biden sent us, he put money for the border in there. But do you know what that was? It was stuff that continues to facilitate the mass migration that we see across our border. It was yet more of a magnet to draw more and more people here.” Britt accused the mainstream media of not covering the story about human rights abuses taking place on the border. “We have both a national security and a humanitarian crisis on our border,” Sen. Britt continued. “The liberal media has decided to turn a blind eye to the fact that women are being raped on our border. That children are being recycled on our border. That we have laws that allow that to happen, and actually, that’s what some of these children are going through.” Britt said that Senate Democrats are doing nothing to address Biden’s border crisis. “Guys, when are you going to actually call it like it is and not like the liberal left wants you to? The reality is these policies are inhumane,” Britt asked. “You look at the national security threat of this. Y’all, we’ve gone through a week where we’ve had 10,000 come over the border, 10,000 come over the border, 12,000 – an all-time high – and to what Senator Thune said, Secretary Jeh Johnson under President Obama said 1,000 a day would be a crisis. We’re hitting 12 (12,000).” Britt urged Congress to address this situation finally. “We must secure our border for the safety and security of the American people,” Britt said. “I don’t want to sit across from another momma who lost their child to fentanyl poisoning. I don’t want to look out and see the travesty that occurs as a result of this. And at the end of the day, when we’re putting policies in place to ensure that we have national security, the first among all of these must be the border.” Conditions have worsened at the border, and now criminals and terrorists can slip in, disguised in the flood of people crossing the border. Britt continued, “Senator Graham asked the questions yesterday. He asked Director (Chris) Wray about this. This is the response. He said, ‘I’ve never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated all at exactly the same time.’ He followed up with, ‘I see blinking lights everywhere I turn.’ He said a heightened threat environment from foreign terrorist organizations for a whole host of reasons and obviously their ability to exploit any port of entry, including our southwest border.” “Senate Democrats and Joe Biden are putting the American people last,” Britt concluded. “We need to make sure we create deterrents. We need to make sure we create safety, and we must do more for the people here at home. They deserve it, and that is exactly what we are going to continue to fight for.” The press conference was led by Senator Graham and included Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-North Dakota), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina). Katie Britt has made the southern border a point of emphasis since she joined the Senate eleven months ago. Since President Biden took office, there have been more than 8 million illegal crossings at the southern border, including more than 1.7 million known “gotaways.” Known border crossings totaled more than 242,000 last month, another record-setting high for November. Britt is the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt demand Biden Administration protect children at border from traffickers
On Monday, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and 36 other Republican Senators in a letter calling on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to overhaul its policies regarding the treatment of unaccompanied alien children in the United States. Tuberville, Britt, and Grassley claim that ORR’s proposed rule – parts of which the agency is already enforcing – allows children to be placed in the custody of unvetted, potentially criminal sponsors and obstructs whistleblowers from reporting to Congress on abuse in the program. Tuberville, Britt, Grassley, and fellow Republicans are demanding that ORR rewrite its policies or face congressional action to overturn the finalized rule. “This Administration continues to turn a blind eye to the tragic human costs of its reckless agenda,” stated Sen. Britt in a statement. “The reality is that President [Joe] Biden’s border policies are anything but compassionate. Every single day, untold numbers of vulnerable children are being trafficked and recycled across our porous southern border. These innocent girls and boys are not living the American Dream – they’re facing an American nightmare. Meanwhile, women and men continue to be viciously trafficked by the cartels, and American families and communities continue to be devastated by the deadly fentanyl flowing into our nation. Enough is enough. It is past time to end this unprecedented humanitarian and national security crisis. Yet again, my Senate Republican colleagues and I are offering commonsense solutions to do just that.” “This Proposed Rule ignores nearly seven years of oversight conducted by Congress and the Office of Inspector General and reveals chronic foot-dragging—if not total reluctance—when it comes to protecting vulnerable children,” the Senators wrote. “It provides ample protections to government bureaucrats at the expense of children. Even more concerning, ‘the requirements being [adopted] in this proposed rule are already enforced by [the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)].’” “…ORR does not even consider a sponsor’s criminal record, current illegal drug use, history of abuse or neglect, or other child welfare concerns ‘necessarily disqualifying to potential sponsorship.’… In effect, ORR accepts a sponsor’s representations almost entirely on face value,” the senators continued. “ORR’s Proposed Rule abdicates the agency’s responsibility for protecting the vulnerable children in its custody from harmful behavior by poorly vetted, potential criminals. For these services, the taxpayer paid ORR $5.5 billion in FY2022. The Proposed Rule is wholly unworkable and ORR should discard it and its current practices. If not, Congress will have no choice but to introduce a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act,” the senators concluded. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville demands State Department rescind pronouns mandate
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Sen. Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), and nine of their colleagues sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding that he rescind the State Department’s latest guidance which threatens termination if an employee refuses to use another employee’s chosen gender pronoun instead of the one that biology correctly assigned to them at birth. In the letter, the Senators highlight that the State Department guidance is potentially illegal because it “infringes upon the First Amendment rights of State Department employees, as recognized by the Supreme Court, to speak openly on matters of public concern.” The letter details how the guidance violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) “by forcing employees to choose between facing disciplinary action and complying.” The letter was also signed by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), JD Vance (R-Ohio), and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas). Budd, Tuberville, and the other Senators wrote, “We write to demand that you rescind the recent State Department guidance for employees titled “Updated Department Guidance Regarding Transgender Employees in the Workplace” (“Guidance”). We understand that you personally approved and signed the Guidance and authorized its electronic transmission via the attached, unclassified cable on your behalf to all State Department employees.” “The Guidance forces every State Department employee—without exception—to comply with any demand by another employee to use that employee’s choice of name, pronouns, or honorific. According to the Guidance, failure to comply may “contribute to a hostile work environment allegation, and constitute misconduct subject to disciplinary action, up to and including separation or removal.” This is potentially illegal for multiple reasons.” The letter continues, “First, Congress never authorized the State Department to impose such restrictions on employee speech. But even if Congress did so, this Guidance would be arguably unconstitutional. Specifically, this Guidance infringes upon the First Amendment rights of State Department employees, as recognized by the Supreme Court, to speak openly on matters of public concern and to be free from government-compelled speech, including government-compelled affirmation of contested political, social, and religious ideas. Accordingly, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently recognized that “the use of gender-specific titles and pronouns” constitutes such a matter of public concern; thus, government employees have the right to speak openly on this subject, or not to speak at all.“ “Moreover, this Guidance creates a hostile work environment for dissenting employees, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for failing to provide a religious accommodation for dissenters. Several State Department employees have voiced their concerns with this Guidance to Senators, stating that they cannot comply with this Guidance without violating their religious beliefs. Indeed, by forcing employees to choose between facing disciplinary action and complying with this Guidance, the Guidance violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which was enacted “to provide very broad protection for religious liberty.” It may even constitute a violation of the “No Religious Test Clause” of the Constitution by discriminating against those with certain religious views from holding a position within the State Department. Lastly, we understand that the State Department adopted this major policy change behind closed doors, thus preventing it from receiving any scrutiny by the press or the broader public. Such a major policy change, which threatens severe consequences against State Department employees for noncompliance, deserves rigorous, public scrutiny.” “Secretary Blinken, you have declared that “[dissent] should be and it will be welcomed” at the State Department. You have also warned that “[w]hen religious liberty is at risk” then “other freedoms are jeopardized as well.” Therefore, we call on you to adhere to your oath to uphold the Constitution and federal law, and to live up to your own public commitments, by formally and publicly rescinding this Guidance immediately.” The Senators ask for Blinken to answer a number of questions about this policy, including identifying the specific legal authority relied upon to issue this guidance. Senator Tommy 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.
Tommy Tuberville says Biden Administration is ignoring Supreme Court ruling on student loan cancellation
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) blasted the Biden administration as the U.S. Department of Education moves forward with debt cancellation negotiations despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that the plan is illegal and unconstitutional. Tuberville joined four of his colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, reminding him of the plan’s unconstitutionality and of the monetary burden the plan would place on millions of taxpayers who did not receive four-year degrees or who paid for their own education. “Your choice to conveniently exclude the interests of taxpayers who paid their loans, did not take student loans, or did not attend college removes any pretenses of fairness from this panel,” Tuberville and the other senators wrote. “The 87 percent of Americans with no student loan debt have no input, instead they are left with the $400 billion projected price tag of the program—or over four times the Department of Education’s fiscal year 2023 budget.” “We are gravely concerned that the Department is undertaking a blatant political process with a predetermined outcome to achieve one of the President’s campaign promises at all costs,” the Senators wrote. Joining Senators Tommy Tuberville and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in introducing the letter are U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and presidential candidate Tim Scott (R-South Carolina). “At the rate this administration is burning through taxpayer cash and borrowing money, Americans will be paying off Biden-era economic decisions for generations,” Sen. Grassley said. “The president must shift gears and start cutting costs.” According to information provided by Grassley’s office, the 2023 deficit of $1.7 trillion is 76 percent greater than the CBO had projected when President Joe Biden took office. Absent an accounting anomaly stemming from the Biden administration’s failed attempt to ram through its unconstitutional student debt transfer plan, the recorded deficit would have been over $2 trillion. The Senators assert that using the regulatory process this way “not only makes a mockery of negotiated rulemaking under the [Higher Education Act] but also of the separation of powers.” In August 2022, President Biden announced he would use his executive emergency powers to forgive billions of dollars in student loans by adding the debt to the national debt, requiring taxpayers to pay for other people’s student loans over the coming decades. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the President has no authority to make such an appropriation without being first passed as an act by Congress. Thus, the President’s plan was unconstitutional. Following the Supreme Court’s decision that the President did not have that authority, the U.S. Department of Education announced its intention to pursue an “alternative path to debt relief.” The department later announced it would be holding discussions to find a workaround to the SCOTUS ruling. As part of this process, the Department of Education assembled a 14-person panel to negotiate a new proposed rule to force taxpayers to pay for other people’s student loans. The agency’s selections excluded the 87 percent of taxpayers who have either already paid off their loans, did not take out loans, or chose not to attend college. If the Biden administration finalizes its latest student debt transfer plan, individuals belonging to those groups will incur the estimated $ 400 billion cost for other people’s student loans. Tuberville has repeatedly warned of the dangerous impacts of the Biden administration’s student loan plan, which could cost taxpayers as much as $559 billion over the next ten years. A non-partisan student loan expert has warned the plan could cost $1 trillion. “Left-wing activists have fundamentally shifted higher education to become a vehicle to further their political agenda — and now they’re set on [forcing]American taxpayers to pay for the overpriced indoctrination and taking athletic opportunities away from those who have worked so hard to compete,” said Tuberville. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt cosponsors bipartisan bill to permanently end budget brinkmanship
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined a bipartisan group of 11 colleagues as a co-sponsor of Senator James Lankford’s (R-Oklahoma) Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2023. This legislation would permanently end the practice of shutting down the federal government and disrupting critical services if Congress fails to enact spending bills by the start of the next fiscal year. Under the bill’s provisions, if Congress does not enact all 12 appropriations on time, an automatic 14-day Continuing Resolution (CR) would be triggered and keep funding at the previous fiscal year’s levels. If there is no resolution at the end of two weeks, automatic 14-day CRs would go into effect on a rolling basis until either all appropriations bills are enacted or a long-term CR is enacted. “The American people are tired of seeing critical government services being held hostage while Congress irresponsibly pushes to pass massive spending bills at the last minute,” said Sen. Britt. “Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to keep paying the price for this budgetary political brinksmanship. This commonsense bill would ensure we have a fail-safe mechanism in place that will take these drastic options off the table, so members of the Senate and the House have time to draft the best bills possible in a transparent, accountable, and judicious manner.” While the federal government is operating under the automatic CRs, the legislation would require Congress to meet every day, including weekends, and members of Congress could not use any official funds for travel. They also could not consider any other measures other than appropriations bills. The travel restrictions would also apply to congressional staff and officials from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Lankford said that restraint is needed to balance the budget. Lankford said, “To put this in context, with the record revenue that’s coming in this year at about $4.8 trillion, if we were spending the same this year as we did in 2018, a short five years ago. If we were spending the same this year as we were in 2018 prior to COVID, we would have a $700 billion surplus this year rather than an almost $2 trillion deficit—this year—because the record amount of revenue coming in this year compared to what our spending was five years ago, we would have been in surplus this year. But we’re not, and it’s at $1.5 trillion over that. We have a very serious issue. We should have very hard conversations about our revenue, about our spending, about the direction that we’re actually heading, and about how do we get out of a $33 trillion debt.” In addition to Senator Britt, co-sponsors of Senator Lankford’s bill include Senators Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Angus King (I-Maine), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming). Senator Britt is also a co-sponsor of Senator Braun’s No Budget, No Pay Act. That legislation would bar members of Congress from getting paid until they passed a budget. President Joe Biden has not submitted a balanced budget since entering the White House. Katie Britt was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022. She serves on the Appropriations Committee tasked with passing each of the 12 appropriations bills. CRs go around the committee by a handful of powerful Senators who craft the CR with the White House to keep the government funded. Often, those CR writers are able to insert earmarks and other language into a CR or omnibus spending bill that is never vetted by committee. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt condemns Biden Administration decision to allow Iranian President to visit the U.S.
On Monday, the Biden Administration announced that it will allow Iranian President Ebrahim Raisa to enter the United States for the United Nations General Assembly meeting. U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) released a statement critical of the decision. “This disgraceful decision is the latest in a long line of dangerous appeasement by the Biden Administration,” Sen. Britt said. “Just two days ago, Iran reportedly expelled several senior International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from the country. Now, President [Joe] Biden is sending a clear message to the world that the United States of America tolerates terrorism. On the very same day that the Biden Administration hands $6 billion to the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, the President chooses to allow the unapologetic leader of this ruthless regime into our country. This weakness endangers our national security, insults the Americans and allies struck by Iranian-backed terrorism across the globe, and abandons oppressed people in Iran who hunger for liberty, peace, and safety. We achieve peace through strength, not placation. The safety and security of all Americans is gravely imperiled by President Biden’s continued blunders on the global stage,” said Senator Britt. Five Americans who were freed by Iran as part of a prisoner exchange deal arrived in Qatar on Monday. The five American dual citizens were falsely convicted and imprisoned in Iran. They are now on their way home. The deal cost $6 billion in seized oil sales and the release of five Iranians convicted of nonviolent crimes. Sen. Britt opposed that deal on the grounds that paying out funds for hostages simply encourages bad actors to take more hostages. Britt said that the deals with Iran are appeasement. Last week, Senator Britt joined a group of four Republican colleagues in sending a letter reproaching President Raisi’s visit last month to the home of Asadollah Assadi. Assadi was sentenced to twenty years in prison by Belgium for his role in a bomb plot. The letter expressed concern over President Raisi’s record of publicly tolerating terrorism and continued threats against American officials and urged the Biden Administration to deny visas to President Raisi and his staff at UNGA. Joining Senator Britt in sending the letter were U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Ted Budd (R-North Carolina). To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt calls Biden Administration $6 billion payout to Iran “shameful”
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) released a statement condemning the deal with Iran after the Biden Administration formally notified Congress that it will unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets and release five Iranians currently detained by the United States in exchange for the return of five Americans currently being held captive. “The deal itself is shameful enough. But the Biden Administration choosing today of all days to notify Congress that the President is handing $6 billion to the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world just adds insult to injury,” Senator Britt wrote. “This irresponsible, weak appeasement sends a terrible message across the globe and only incentivizes further hostage-taking in the future. There is no doubt that President Biden’s actions once again endanger our national security and dishonor the sacrifice of American men and women who have fought valiantly for our country.” “If we’re paying a billion dollars per kidnapped individual, then you’re going to see more kidnappings,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). “That’s why you don’t negotiate with terrorists; that’s why you don’t negotiate with kidnappers. The idea of basically paying to release, in this effect, a hostage is a terrible idea.” “It’s ridiculous for US to be blackmailed into paying $6B for hostages which will help indirectly finance the number 1 foreign policy of Iran: terrorism,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote. “Last time it was $1.7B traded for hostages next time it will probably be $10B the price keeps going up & up.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week issued the sanction waiver to allow the frozen Iranian funds to move from South Korea to Qatar, which Iran could then use. “I determine that it is in the national security interest of the United States to waive the imposition of sanctions … with respect to foreign financial institutions under the primary jurisdiction of Germany, Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, and Switzerland that are notified directly in writing by the U.S. government, to the extent necessary for such institutions to engage in transactions occurring on or after August 9, 2023,” Blinken wrote. Last month, Senator Britt joined a group of 25 Republican colleagues in demanding answers from the Biden Administration about the specifics of the proposed deal with Iran. Katie Britt was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 after working as an attorney, the President and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), and as former Senator Richard Shelby’s chief of staff. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt and colleagues demand answers after Biden Administration hands over $6 billion to Iran
On Monday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined a letter by Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and 24 of her Republican colleagues in demanding answers from the Biden Administration about the approximately $6 billion reportedly paid to Iran in exchange for Americans wrongfully being held as political hostages by the Iranian regime. “Handing $6 billion to the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism is a reckless and disastrous decision that threatens the lives of Americans and our allies across the globe,” said Senator Britt. “Once again, the Biden Administration has chosen to appease our adversaries and set a dangerous precedent. President [Joe] Biden’s weakness will only embolden hostile actors to engage in further aggression around the world. We must achieve peace through strength, and I will always fight to hold this Administration accountable for putting American families at risk.” In a letter to Secretaries Antony Blinken and Janet Yellen, the senators wrote, “When the Obama administration released $400 million in liquidated assets to Iran in 2016, we warned that this dangerous precedent would put a price on American lives. Seven years later, the current administration is providing a ransom payment worth at least fifteen times that amount to the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, in yet another violation of the United States’ long-standing ‘no concessions’ policy. In the release of Executive Order 14078 on July 19, 2022, the White House admitted that ‘terrorist organizations, criminal groups, and other malicious actors who take hostages for financial, political, or other gain—as well as foreign states that engage in the practice of wrongful detention, including for political leverage or to seek concessions from the United States—threaten the integrity of the international political system and the safety of United States nationals and other persons abroad.’ The release of such a significant sum to the Iranian regime runs entirely counter to that claim and will only serve to encourage additional hostage-taking for financial or political gain.” Joining Senators Britt and Scott on the letter were Senators Jim Risch (R-Wisconsin), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) After more than two years of quiet negotiations, Iran has released five Iranian American dual citizens into house arrest, according to original reporting by the New York Times – quoting officials at the State Department and the National Security Council. “This is just the beginning of a process that I hope and expect will lead to their return home to the United States,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday. “There’s more work to be done to actually bring them home. My belief is that this is the beginning of the end of their nightmare.” The prisoners are Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharghi, and Morad Tahbaz, who had all been jailed on unsubstantiated charges of spying, as well as two others whose families have withheld their names. One of the unnamed Americans is a scientist, and the other is a businessman, according to sources. In addition to releasing the $6 billion in seized oil funds, the U.S. has agreed to hand over imprisoned Iranians as part of the prisoner swap. Britt and her colleagues had objected to paying the ransom before the deal had been finalized. Britt was elected to the Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Lawmakers prepare for farm bill battle
The last U.S. major spending package on agricultural issues, known as the “farm bill,” is set to expire in September. Lawmakers and interest groups are already wrangling to legislate the new major funding bill as the deadline approaches. The bill, which passed in 2018, is set to largely expire Sept. 30 of this year. The new authorization will likely include spending on environmental and climate issues, and trade, possibly topping a trillion dollars. “With so many new members of Congress that have never gone through a Farm Bill process before, it’s important that farmers and ranchers connect with lawmakers to help them understand how important and wide-ranging the impacts of the Farm Bill are,” Matt Hargreaves from the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, told The Center Square. “And it’s really more than ‘just’ a farm bill, as it impacts nutrition for many in critical need; it represents national security by ensuring a safe and affordable domestic food supply.” Experts expect the bill to last about 5 years, though a one-year extension would be possible as well, especially if lawmakers are unable to strike a deal and want to push the issue down the road. However, that would also put the vote close to election day, something many lawmakers will not be inclined to do. “One of the things I’m hearing from farmers is we need a five-year farm bill, not a one-year extension,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Sen. Grassley said he tells farmers that it is on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s agenda. “Farmers need certainty,” he added. Former President Donald Trump signed the farm bill in 2018, the “Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018,” which reauthorized nearly $900 billion in spending. The farm bill is a sweeping piece of legislation covering a range of technical issues and specified grant programs, and more. Hargreaves raised of few of the Utah Bureau’s key priorities, including a push to reinstate the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency risk protection insurance for the lamb industry. He also raised rural broadband, environmental issues as well as increased funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)” and “provisions to support more active management of our national forests and funding and tools to eradicate invasive species.” These priorities highlight the broadness and technical nature of much of the spending, which also gives lawmakers and special interests a lot for which to contend. Some components of the farm bill lend themselves to more partisanship, such as food stamp funding and climate and environmental issues. Ultimately, Democrats were able to save the food stamp program from major cuts in the farm bill last time around after back and forth with Republicans. Meanwhile, food prices continue to rise in the U.S. As The Center Square previously reported, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released its Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation, that consumer prices rose a little more than 3% in the previous 12 months. However, food prices have soared in recent years, with many food products doubling or tripling the already high inflation rate. For instance, according to BLS data for urban consumers, the price of white bread rose 10.7% in from July of 2022 to July of 2023: The federal spending in the farm bill will likely have a major impact on food prices. Notably, processed foods can contain an array of agricultural products, like wheat or corn. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville to participate in press conference on student loans and skyrocketing tuition costs
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville on Wednesday led the introduction of the Graduate Opportunity and Affordable Loans (GOAL) Act. Sen. Tuberville was joined at Wednesday’s press conference by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in a joint press conference. “I spent almost 40 years in this business of education,” Sen. Tuberville said. “In that time, I have seen the cost of college go up, and the quality of education go down.” Tuberville said that the growing student debt is having a crippling effect on students. “Many are putting off owning a home and starting a family,” Tuberville said. “Debt is a problem.” Tuberville and the other Senators said that unlimited federal student loans have allowed colleges and universities to raise tuition, gaming the system. “All they have done is raise the cost for students whether they have loans or not,” Tuberville said. Tuberville explained that the legislation would tell student borrowers the likelihood of graduation from a program at that school, the amount of debt that program will cost, and the likely salary of the position that they will get once they finish the program. Tuberville said that this would force schools to bring down costs and compete for students. “This is just one step in restoring sanity,” Tuberville stated. The Republican Senators introduced a package of five bills, including Tuberville’s. “We need to pass all of this legislation today,” Tuberville said. “We are here today to lower costs for students, parents, and taxpayers.” “We could name this the Save College Education for the Middle-Class Act,” Tuberville said. “Education is not free. We have to pay for it,” “Education should not be a big business, but it is,” Tuberville. “We should put our nose to the grindstone, and everyone should have to pay for their own,” Tuberville said. Tuberville represents Alabama on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, where he is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Children and Families. Sen. Tuberville says that he is committed to lowering costs for students, parents, and taxpayers. Tuberville has repeatedly called on the Biden administration to address the root causes of rising tuition costs and the student loan crisis. From 1980–2020, the average cost of college attendance nearly tripled, rising 169%, much faster than inflation overall, which rose by just 26%. At the same time, federal student aid increased by 57%. According to a 2017 study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, expanding student loans increased college tuition by roughly the same amount: 60%. Tuberville has steadfastly opposed President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. Earlier this year, Senator Tuberville cosponsored and voted for legislation to stop the U.S. Department of Education’s rule to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for every borrower making less than $125,000 per year. Borrowers who received federal Pell Grants would receive an additional $10,000 in debt transference from President Biden’s Executive Order. “Joe Biden’s student loan giveaway is illegal,” Coach Tuberville said. “It’s bad economics. It’s bad education policy, and it’s just plain wrong. It encourages our students to take out more debt, and it encourages colleges and universities to raise prices. Joe Biden’s student debt handout costs taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars and drives up inflation. This is an absolutely reckless policy, and I’m going to do everything I can to stop it.” The plan, which Congress voted to overturn via Congressional Review Act resolution, is expected to cost American taxpayers $400 billion. President Biden vetoed the bipartisan resolution. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision in a case challenging the Biden administration’s unlawful student loan cancelation scheme later this month. Tuberville’s office pointed out that the vast majority of the American people do not have graduate degrees or even college degrees. Nearly nine in ten Americans have no student debt, and the majority of all student debt is held by Americans in the top 60% of income. Tommy Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020. He is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. Tuberville spent four decades as an educator and coach – most notably as the head football coach at the University of Mississippi, Auburn University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Cincinnati. He was also the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami, and at Texas A&M. Prior to his political campaign, he was a sports broadcaster. Tuberville is a native of Arkansas and resides in Auburn. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt and colleagues introduce the Back the Blue Act
On Monday. U.S. Senator Katie Britt joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, and 37 Republican colleagues to introduce the Back the Blue Act. The announcement coincided with the annual observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week. This legislation will strengthen existing laws that protect police officers, increase the criminal penalties for individuals who target law enforcement, and expand the tools that police can use to protect themselves. “Today, we honor the courageous law enforcement officers who have valiantly made the ultimate sacrifice,” Sen. Britt said. “Every single day, the brave men and women of law enforcement go above and beyond to serve and protect our communities. It is essential that we not only support our police, but we respect the rule of law in our country. I’m proud to join Senator Cornyn and my colleagues in introducing the Back the Blue Act, and I will always stand with our police officers in Alabama and across the country.” “The Back the Blue Act adds stiff, mandatory penalties and makes it a federal crime to kill – or attempt to kill – a law enforcement officer, a federal judge, or a federally funded public safety officer,” Sen. Cornyn said. “We must make it absolutely clear that violence against them will not be tolerated. In honor of National Police Week, we honor the brave men and women who protect us, we pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and we commit to doing everything in our power to ensure that they have all the resources they need to keep our people safe.” “Today marks the start of National Police Week,” Sen. Tuberville said on Twitter. “America’s brave men and women in blue wake up every day prepared to sacrifice their own safety in service to their fellow Americans. It is more important than ever that we show our support. To all who protect and serve, thank you.” In addition to Senators Britt, Tuberville, and Cornyn, this legislation is cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), and Senators Ted Cruz, Thom Tillis, Rick Scott, Jerry Moran, Mike Braun, Kevin Cramer, Marsha Blackburn, John Boozman, Deb Fischer, Shelley Moore Capito, Mike Crapo, Marco Rubio, Jim Risch, Pete Ricketts, Steve Daines, John Barrasso, James Lankford, Cindy Hyde-Smith, John Kennedy, Tom Cotton, John Thune, John Hoeven, Ted Budd, Josh Hawley, Tim Scott, Bill Hagerty, Roger Marshall, Bill Cassidy, Joni Ernst, Chuck Grassley, Todd Young, Eric Schmitt, Cynthia Lummis, and Roger Wicker. The Back the Blue Act has been introduced in Congress multiple times since 2017. Senator Britt is also a cosponsor of Senator Braun’s Thin Blue Line Act, which expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in capital punishment determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responders. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Katie Britt: Hit the ground running in first 100 days, but just getting started
Today marks my 100th day in office as U.S. Senator for the great state of Alabama. To say that this responsibility is an honor of a lifetime would be an understatement. I continue to be humbled by the people of Alabama’s trust, confidence, and prayers, and as your Senator, I am working to make you proud every single day. Alabama sent a mom to the U.S. Senate to actually get things done, and I am happy to report that I hit the ground running immediately to do just that. From the minute I was sworn into office on January 3, I took the fight for faith, family, and freedom to Washington, D.C., as my team and I have been laser-focused on advocating for our people, our liberties, our values, and our interests. While we are off to a fast start, these past 100 days have also made it crystal clear, we have a lot more work ahead of us. In my first week as your Senator, I traveled to the Del Rio Sector of the U.S.-Mexico border in my first official trip to witness President Joe Biden’s border disaster firsthand. What I witnessed on that trip was gut-wrenching and reaffirmed that we truly have an unprecedented national security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border. This trip was an important opportunity for me to listen to and learn from the people who are facing this every single day, from boots-on-the-ground law enforcement officers to courageous survivors of the cartels’ human and drug trafficking. Following this trip, I joined Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) in introducing the “Stop Taxpayer Funding of Traffickers Act” to ensure human and drug traffickers are not subsidized by hardworking American taxpayers while these criminals await prosecution and conviction. In February, I joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and a bicameral congressional delegation to visit the epicenter of fentanyl trafficking in the San Diego Border Sector, where we also met with Border Patrol Council leaders. We then traveled to Mexico City to hear from top leaders in the Mexican military about the latest tactics being used by cartels and other criminals to avoid detection, capture, and prosecution while trafficking lethal drugs through Mexican territory and international waters to the United States. Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex.) also afforded me the opportunity to visit the border for a third time in March in the Rio Grande Valley sector in Texas, where we heard about the 488% annual surge in Chinese nationals attempting to illegally enter our country. Taking what I learned and experienced across my visits, my team and I worked hard to formulate and introduce tangible solutions in a package of four pieces of legislation aimed at sealing and securing our nation’s southern border, keeping American communities and families safe, and ultimately ending the ongoing crisis. This legislation includes the “Keep Our Communities Safe Act” to close Obama-Biden catch-and-release policies, the “Asylum Abuse Reduction Act” to fix America’s broken asylum process, and the “WALL Act” to complete building the wall on the southern border. I have cosponsored nine additional bills related to border security, including Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-Tenn.) Stop Taxpayer Funding of Traffickers Act; Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 and Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act; Senator Ted Budd’s (R-N.C.) Build the Wall Now Act; Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) No Coyote Cash Act and Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act; Senator Mike Lee’s (R-Utah) Stopping Border Surges Act; Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) Border Safety and Security Act; and Senator John Kennedy’s (R-La.) Fairness in Fentanyl Sentencing Act of 2023. In addition to those nine bills, I have cosponsored 60 pieces of legislation thus far in the 118th Congress. This is the most of any United States Senator in this timeframe, underscoring the urgency with which my team and I have approached this incredible responsibility. These five dozen pieces of legislation span a wide range of pressing issues facing hardworking Alabamians – they would bolster American energy independence, lower taxes, combat inflation and our runaway national debt, slash burdensome red tape, safeguard the sanctity of life, uphold the rule of law, protect the ability of girls and young women to compete in sports, defend the right to work, support our tremendous law enforcement officers, strengthen our supply chains, fortify Americans’ retirement savings, hold elected officials accountable to the people, advance election integrity, stand up for our family farmers, and much more. Already, 13 of these measures passed the Senate, including three that reached President Biden’s desk. One of my top priorities, especially as the ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, has been to stand up to the Biden Administration’s dangerously weak national security policies. There is no doubt that the Chinese Communist Party is our greatest geopolitical and national security threat, and everything they do is as our adversary. From stealing our intellectual property and spying on our children through TikTok, to buying up American farmland near military installations and engaging in unfair trade practices that undercut Alabama steelmakers and shrimpers, we must hold the CCP accountable. Defending hardworking Americans and protecting our homeland is not a responsibility I take lightly, which is why I have joined my colleagues in introducing five pieces of legislation holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for their continued aggression. This includes cosponsoring a bipartisan resolution condemning the unlawful incursion into the United States airspace by the People’s Republic of China high-altitude surveillance balloon, and the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act, introduced by Senator Tuberville, which would crack down on the CCP’s growing ownership of U.S. farmland and agricultural companies. I have also cosponsored the Cutting-off Communist Profiteers (CCP) Act, prohibiting any former U.S. presidential appointees from knowingly representing, aiding, or advising the Chinese Communist Party or Chinese military companies, and the Protecting America from Spies Act, targeting Chinese Communist Party spies that are committing espionage toward American technology firms and businesses. Most recently, I joined Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) in introducing the “Not One More Inch or Acre Act,” legislation that would prevent any Chinese national or entity from owning American land. I believe that the
