U.S. House passes stopgap spending bill in bipartisan vote, in crucial test for new speaker
Jennifer Shutt, Alabama Reflector WASHINGTON — The U.S. House took a broadly bipartisan vote Tuesday to fund the government into the new year, though the measure must pass the Senate by the end of the week if Congress is going to avoid a partial government shutdown. The 336-95 House vote was the first major legislative test for Speaker Mike Johnson, the Louisiana Republican who took on the role after the former speaker was ousted after passing a similar bipartisan short-term funding bill in late September. A total of 93 House Republicans voted against the bill, but enough Democrats supported it to send the measure to the Senate. In the Alabama delegation, U.S. Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville; Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, and Dale Strong, R-Madison, voted for the bill. U.S. Reps. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile; Barry Moore, R-Enterprise; Gary Palmer, R-Hoover and Mike Rogers, R-Saks, voted against it. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said Tuesday that he and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, both agree the Senate needs to pass the bill quickly to avoid a funding lapse. “If the House should pass it, and I hope they do, Leader McConnell and I will figure out the best way to get this done quickly,” Schumer said. During a press conference prior to the vote, Johnson defended his decision to move the short-term spending bill, saying it would prevent Congress from passing an omnibus spending package in mid-December before the holiday break. Republicans have repeatedly said they oppose such massive packages, which wrap together all 12 government spending bills, often on short notice. He rejected criticism from fellow GOP lawmakers that he was making a mistake and taking the wrong approach to funding the government. “We’re not surrendering, we’re fighting. But you have to be wise about choosing the fights,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to fight fights that you can win, and we’re going to, and you’re going to see this House majority stand together on our principles.” Johnson said he was optimistic that Congress would be able to pass the dozen full-year appropriations bills before the new deadlines next year, avoiding the need for another stopgap spending bill. “Part of the reason I’m confident about this is, I’ve been drinking from Niagara Falls for the last three weeks. This will allow everybody to go home for a couple of days for Thanksgiving,” Johnson said. “Everybody can cool off.” During that time, Johnson said he would get a group together to “map out that plan to fight for” conservative principles in the final set of 12 spending bills. The current fiscal year ends on September 30, 2024. “I look forward to rolling that out,” he said. “You’ll see much more of that.” Two deadlines The 32-page short-term spending bill, sometimes called a continuing resolution or CR, would fund part of the federal government through January 19 and the remainder of the annual appropriations bills through February 2. The short-term funding measure is intended to give Congress and the White House more time to negotiate the dozen full-year spending bills. But there are several pitfalls along the way. Former GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his leadership role after moving the short-term government funding bill in late September that will keep the federal government up and running through Friday. The decision by eight House Republicans and Democrats to vote to “vacate the chair” plunged the chamber into gridlock for weeks as GOP lawmakers debated who should lead the party. After nominating three Republicans who couldn’t get the votes on the floor to hold the gavel, the party finally coalesced behind Johnson. But some of the especially conservative members became frustrated this week with his decision to put the stopgap spending bill on the floor. The short-term spending bill would give the House and Senate until January 19 to work out an agreement on the Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD spending bills. The remaining eight spending bills — Commerce-Justice-Science, Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Interior-Environment, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch, and State-Foreign Operations — would have funding until February 2. The House and Senate would need to reach an agreement well before those deadlines on the total amount of spending for the current fiscal year that began back on October 1. The leaders of the Appropriations committees would then determine how much of the money goes to each of the dozen bills. Democrats have said the total spending level should match what Congress and President Joe Biden agreed to in the debt limit law this summer. But some Republicans have pressed for lawmakers to go below that level. Lawmakers sound off on spending Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson, chair of the Interior-Environment spending panel, said that leaders need to clarify the total spending number, though he expects that will ultimately match the debt limit law. “I think it will end up being that, but leadership needs to tell us,” Simpson said. Georgia Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr., the top Democrat on the Agriculture spending panel, said the total spending level for the final slate of bills that the House and Senate will negotiate in the coming weeks and months needs to adhere to the number in the debt limit law. “Some of them, particularly the MAGA Republicans, pretty much don’t agree with it. They want to cut much more drastically than is beneficial for the American people,” Bishop said. “The moderate, reasonable minds of that side think that we probably should do something that is reasonable.” Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the top Democrat on the Financial Services spending panel, said a key challenge to getting full-year bills agreed to is that “Republicans have been unable for eight or nine months to get their act together on fiscal issues.” “And we’d lost a speaker over that,” Hoyer said. “They were unable to elect speakers for some period of time, and there is still no guarantee that we know what the overall spending levels are.” Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, ranking member
Katie Britt leads Alabama delegation in letter opposing expanded critical habitat designation for endangered Rice’s whale
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) announced that she led members of the Alabama Congressional delegation in sending a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Richard Spinrad expressing the delegation’s concerns that a recent proposal by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to create a new and expanded critical habitat designation for the Rice’s whale would negatively impact the Port of Mobile. “The lack of justification for this proposal is glaring, and the inevitable, devastating consequences it would have on Alabama’s economy and the Gulf fishing industry are undeniable,” said Sen. Britt. “We implore Administrator Spinrad to reject this harmful petition that relies on unproven research and would significantly hinder operations at the Port of Mobile, which hardworking Americans rely on for goods, supplies, and materials each and every day.” “We also have significant concerns with the seriously damaging ideas in the Rice’s whale petition, which NMFS has noticed,” Britt and the Alabama delegation wrote. “The petitioners seek to stop vessel transits at night, require complete reporting of vessel plans to NMFS, and create onerous requirements for vessels to employ and utilize visual observers on all vessels. Severely curtailing operations at the Port of Mobile and strangling the commercial and recreational fishing operations off the Alabama coast, these illogical burdens would cause irreparable harm to the Alabama economy – all while current science does not demonstrate they will save any Rice’s whales.” In the letter, the Members urged NOAA not to finalize the critical habitat designation because there is a lack of scientifically supported data to adequately justify this action. They also requested that NOAA reject the proposals. “While protecting endangered species is a laudable goal, we are concerned at the lack of adequate scientific justification for NMFS’ proposed designation of additional critical habitat for the Rice’s whale,” Sen Britt and the other members of the Alabama delegation wrote. “NMFS has shown only limited studies offering indefinite scientific support to draw conclusions about the population and range of the Rice’s whale. Until sound, scientifically supported data is available, this designation should not move forward.” “As a coastal state, Alabama relies heavily on commercial activity in and out of the Gulf of Mexico,” Britt and the Congress members wrote. “In 2021 alone, the Port of Mobile generated more than $85 billion in total economic activity and more than $2 billion in tax revenue. The Port handles more than 55 million tons of commercial goods each year, reaching every state in the nation and providing clothing, tools, construction materials, automobiles, and parts that Americans rely on each and every day. In addition, Alabama’s commercial fishing operations provide more than $291 million in economic value, and recreational fishing adds another $452 million in economic value to the region. Combined, these activities directly employ more than 330,000 people in Alabama.” The proposed ten-knot speed limit and the inability to traverse the 28,000-square-mile habitat area at night to avoid hitting any whales would mean greater transit times in and out of the Port of Mobile. Thus, commercial traffic would merely move to another route and avoid Mobile. Sen. Britt was joined in sending the letter by Congressmen Jerry Carl (R-AL01), Barry Moore (R-AL02), Mike Rogers (R-AL03), Robert Aderholt (R-AL04), Dale Strong (R-AL05), and Gary Palmer (R-AL06). Although U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) was not a signatory, he has already publicly expressed his opposition to the critical habitat designation for the Rice’s whale and questioned the validity of the science behind these proposals. “Designating a Critical Habitat for the Rice’s whale throughout this expansive area will impose undue burdens and restrictions on all vessel traffic, especially in and out of the Port of Mobile in Mobile, AL,” said Sen. Tuberville. “The Port of Mobile covers over 4,000 acres, generates nearly 313,000 jobs, provides approximately $2 billion in state and local tax impacts, and $85 billion in economic value to Alabama as a whole.” Katie Britt was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Hurst: Advocating for prescription affordability
As Congress gears up for a sprint to the end of the year, I hope Senator Tommy Tuberville and Congressman Dale Strong, will stand strong against overreaching Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) reform bills, some of which are fully supported by Senator Bernie Sanders. As an Alabama State Representative, I believe PBMs are vital for managing drug costs, which saves Americans approximately $1,000 each year and ensures affordable access to medications. The Bernie Sanders-backed effort would impose stringent regulations on PBMs and expand government control within a segment of our private healthcare system, leaving the delicate equilibrium in negotiating drug prices and reimbursement rates between PBMs and pharmaceutical firms at risk. The outcome of such disruptions will inevitably be shouldered by consumers, saddling them with escalated out-of-pocket expenditures and higher drug prices. Additionally, PBMs serve as vital negotiators in healthcare and ensure that a wider range of prescription drugs remains accessible, which is particularly important for individuals with chronic conditions who rely on multiple medications for their well-being. PBMs also utilize a variety of strategies, such as audits and rebates, to ensure the safety and quality of medicines for patients, all while providing cost savings to over 275 million Americans who benefit from their services. It is of utmost importance that we refrain from allowing Senate Democrats to introduce further governmental intervention into an already competitive industry that has proven advantageous for patients. Our collective goal should be to improve healthcare affordability while ensuring patients have access to life-saving medications. I encourage our congressional delegation to oppose PBM reform efforts that amount to unnecessary, unhelpful government interference in the healthcare marketplace. Steve Hurst serves in the Alabama Legislature representing Calhoun and Talladega Counties.
Mike Johnson is GOP’s fourth choice to be Speaker of the House
House Republicans have nominated Congressman Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) for Speaker of the House on Tuesday night after Tuesday morning’s nominee crashed and burned. Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) told Alabama Today on Saturday that he really liked Johnson. Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL05) announced his support for Johnson on the social media site X. “Since day 1 I have called for our party to unite around a conservative speaker,” Strong said. “I am proud to announce that the conference has selected Mike Johnson from Louisiana and I look forward to supporting him on the floor.” On Tuesday morning, the GOP started with nine candidates, including Alabama’s own Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06). Palmer dropped out of the race, pledging to support whoever became the Speaker of the House. The House Republican Conference then chose House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) after five rounds of voting. The ousted Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy (R-California), endorsed Emmer. Former President Donald Trump was not an Emmer fan and denounced Emmer as a “Globalist RINO” on Truth Social. More than two dozen Republican House members were refusing to support Emmer. Trump’s rebuke made it apparent that the moderate from a blue state had no chance, so he dropped out. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) explained in a post on X, formerly Twitter, why she didn’t back Emmer: his voting record. “Today I voted against Tom Emmer on all rounds of voting including the spoken roll call vote because he has a voting record I can’t support,” Green said. “He voted for Democrat gay marriage bill, voted with Democrats to overturn President Trump’s transgender military ban, voted for every penny of Ukraine funding, at one time supported the Soros national popular vote scheme, and voted to certify Biden’s 2020 election. We need a Republican Speaker that reflects the values of Republican voters that can lead our conference.” Johnson was chosen by Republicans in a conference vote on Tuesday night. He follows Emmer, Jim Jordan, and Steve Scalise as the party’s nominee. Johnson represents Louisiana’s Fourth District. He represents the nearly 760,000 residents of 16 parishes in the northwest and western regions of the state. He was first elected in 2016. In January 2021, Johnson was elected Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. Johnson also serves as a Deputy Whip for the 118th Congress. Johnson is an attorney with two decades of previous experience in Constitutional law. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and is the chairman of its Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. He also serves on the Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government and the House Armed Services Committee. Johnson is a husband and father of four. In his legal career, he was a leading defender of the right to life, religious liberty, free speech, the Second Amendment, and free market principles. He served in the Louisiana Legislature from February 2015 to January 2017, where he was appointed Vice Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on Leadership. He is the eldest son of a Shreveport firefighter who was critically burned and disabled in the line of duty. Johnson has also been a college professor, conservative talk radio host and columnist, a media spokesman for America’s largest religious liberty organizations, a constitutional law seminar instructor, and a board member for national organizations and numerous community groups and ministries. Johnson has a law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. He earned his undergraduate degree from LSU. A vote could occur as soon as Wednesday morning. Johnson needs 217 votes to win. The biggest thing Johnson has going for him is the whole absurdity of this situation. Republican House members realize that this situation does not make them look good, and they have to move on to regular business, including budgets and the President’s request for military aid for Ukraine and Israel. Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) said on X, “We have got to find consensus on a Speaker. Time is of the essence. Democrats are the only ones who benefit from this impasse.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Reps. Robert Aderholt and Dale Strong endorse Jim Jordan
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) could be the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives as early as Tuesday. A floor event is expected as early as Tuesday afternoon. Jordan is the Republican Party nominee for Speaker of the House, but will 217 Republicans vote for him? All six of Alabama’s Republican Congressmen are supporting Jordan. On Monday, Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL05) announced his support for the sometimes polarizing Jordan. “From day 1, I’ve called for a conservative Speaker who will prioritize fighting Biden’s failed policies,” Strong said on X. “From cutting spending, to securing our border— the American people want Congress to get to work. Jim Jordan is the right man to lead our conference as Speaker of the House.” Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) also publicly announced he is backing Jordan. “I told @Jim_Jordan on Friday that I fully support him to be the 56th Speaker of the House,” Aderholt announced X. Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) made national headlines on Friday when he announced his angry opposition to Jordan’s bid for the Speaker’s gavel. Less than 48 hours later, Rogers flipped his vote from never Jordan to being a supporter. On Monday, former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) came out and urged Republicans to get behind Jordan to end this chaos in Congress. “It’s one thing to get elected. It’s another thing to govern,” McCarthy said. “It’s time to get the House out of this tailspin, come together, and get America back on the right track. @Jim_Jordan can do it.” The previous nominee, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), failed to cobble together the 217 votes needed to win the seat and withdrew rather than being rejected in a floor vote. McCarthy lost 15 floor votes before being selected in June. McCarthy was ultimately toppled when eight disgruntled Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) voted with Democrats to oust McCarthy as Speaker. While Jordan appears to have united the Republican Conference, it only takes a handful of GOP holdouts to undo his bid, given the GOP’s narrow majority in the House. If he wins, it could take multiple rounds of voting for Jordan to win the Speakership. Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02), who has been an outspoken supporter of Jordan, is eager for the House to vote. “I look forward to casting my vote for Jim Jordan as the 56th Speaker of the House tomorrow,” Rep. Moore said on X Monday. “Let’s get this done and get back to work for the American people.” Congressmen Gary Palmer (R-AL06) and Jerry Carl (R-AL01) both are also publicly backing Jordan. Whoever is elected as Speaker will be immediately confronted with enormous problems within a very short period. Congress failed to pass a budget for the 2024 fiscal year, which began on October 1. The federal government is operating on a 45-day continuing resolution (C.R.). Congress has until November 14 to send either a budget or another C.R. to President Joe Biden’s desk that he will sign or face a partial government shutdown in an increasingly shaky economy. This side trip into Washington power politics has also left the armed forces in a lurch. Not only is the military operating without a budget, but both Houses have passed competing versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is stuck in a conference committee while the military faces unprecedented threats from China, Russia, and Iran. In his role as House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Jordan has been focused on investigating Biden’s administration and his son Hunter Biden’s questionable financial dealings. Those investigations and a possible impeachment of the President and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have moved to the background while the Congress has been engulfed in its power struggle. If Jordan is selected as Speaker, his role will change from being the House GOP’s chief prosecutor to its chief negotiator with the Democratic-controlled Senate and President Biden. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Scalise will be the GOP nominee for Speaker of the House
On Wednesday, House Republicans voted to nominate House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) as the next Speaker of the House. The GOP met in a closed-door session where the GOP House members voted for Scalise 113 to 99 over House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). Scalise’s candidacy now goes to the House floor for a vote of the full House. The previous Speaker, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California), was ousted last week when eight disgruntled Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) voted with House Democrats to oust McCarthy. Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL05) said in a statement following Wednesday’s GOP Caucus vote, “Now more than ever, as our conference selects a new leader, Republicans must prove to the American public we can deliver on the conservative wins they expect from us.” Border security has become a much bigger issue after Saturday’s violence in Israel showed that terrorism is still a clear and present real danger in this world. “It is crucial we choose a speaker who will prioritize border security and spending cuts as non-negotiables for the Republican Conference,” Strong said. Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) said ahead of the vote that he would vote for former President Donald Trump on the first ballot and then Jordan on each subsequent ballot. Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) was also supporting Jordan. “@Jim Jordan is the strong conservative voice we need for the future. I’ll be supporting him for Speaker,” Palmer said on the social media platform X. Scalise has secured the nomination, but the difficult part will be getting all of those Republicans to vote for him on the floor of the House because even if only Gaetz and his eight rebel legislators break away, given the razor-thin majority that Republicans hold, it would be impossible for him to receive the votes that he needs to actually be installed as the Speaker of the House. The Democrats will nominate House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) for the post. “I’ve got a long history of bringing people together, uniting Republicans, focusing on the issues that we’ve got to do to address the issues we came here to do to get our country back on track,” Scalise told Fox Business in an interview on Tuesday. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: It’s Official – Alabama will have new Congressional Districts
It’s official and final. Alabama will elect our seven-member congressional delegation under new lines next year. The federal court has spoken. The special master drawing the lines has acted, and the final omnipotent power, the U.S. Supreme Court, has concurred and confirmed the decision. It is over. The result that the plaintiffs desired has been decreed by the courts. There will be a new second majority Black Congressional district. This accomplishment has been sought for decades. Now the question becomes, can the Democrats succeed in electing a Black Democrat to this new opportunity district? It is not a slam dunk. The new district is 50% Black and 50% White. It favors a Montgomery candidate. The bulk of the population and the geographic center of the new district is Montgomery County. Montgomerians are like the rest of the state. They adhere to the well-known predilection known as “friends and neighbors” politics. That means they prefer to vote for someone from their neck of the woods, especially their county. My early prediction is that Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed will be the Democratic nominee and the favorite to win the new seat. The special master that drew the new lines attached an index to his maps that revealed that if there were a congressional race within this new district that this district would have voted for the Democrat in 15 out of 17 of the last 17 elections. Therefore, the court’s desire to make a second minority Democratic district where a Democrat has a good opportunity to win has been accomplished. The entire basis of this high-profile federal case has been centered around the fact that Alabama has one Black Democratic Congressperson, Terri Sewell, and six White Republicans. One Black Democrat constitutes 14% of the state’s population. The plaintiff’s argument is that the state’s Black population is 27%. Therefore, there should be two Black Democratic congressional seats in the Heart of Dixie. The courts bought that argument and hung their hat on the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and having one seat rather than two violates and dilutes Black voters in Alabama’s voting rights. The question now becomes, what are the down-home political implications and results of these court-mandated new congressional lines? All of you who live in middle and north Alabama, which is most of you, are unaffected. The majority of the people in Alabama who live in Birmingham north are not affected. In fact, everyone north of Montgomery is unaffected. All of the commotion and redrawing has occurred in Montgomery, the Black Belt, the Wiregrass, and Mobile. Our three powerful Republican congressmen are left with basically their same districts. Republicans Robert Aderholt, Mike Rogers, and Gary Palmer, who are our centers of power in the House, have their same, if not enhanced, GOP districts. Huntsville’s freshman congressman, Dale Strong’s district is unchanged. Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s Democratic district has been favored in the drawings. She has a perfectly drawn district that pretty much mirrors her current Birmingham-based seat. She will probably be spared a Republican challenge. However, State Senator Bobby Singleton, who hails from the Black Belt, may challenge her in a Democratic primary out of spite. He wanted a district that favored him but lost to Sewell in the legislative battles over the drawing of the new Black district. The real rubber meets the road within the Republican ranks in the Wiregrass, and Mobile and Baldwin counties. The five Wiregrass counties of Covington, Dale, Geneva, Houston, and Coffee are sent to Baldwin and Mobile. Therefore, new Congressmen Jerry Carl from Mobile and Barry Moore from Enterprise/Coffee are in the same district. Moore is the odd man out in this dilemma. The majority of votes in this new district are in Baldwin and Mobile counties. Carl will be the prohibitive favorite against Moore or any other Republican. It will be a very conservative Republican district. Therefore, six of our seven seats will be in safe reelection journeys for our incumbent congressmen. Jerry Carl in the first, Mike Rogers in the third, Robert Aderholt in the fourth, Dale Strong in the fifth, Gary Palmer in the sixth, and Terri Sewell in the seventh are very safe bets for reelection in 2024. Therefore, all of the turmoil and court intervention only affects one area of the state. All the brouhaha and action will be in the newly drawn second district. It is Montgomery Democratic Mayor Steven Reed’s race to lose. He will be the favorite to win and change Alabama’s delegation in Washington from six Republicans and one Democrat to five Republicans and two Democrats. However, I would handicap that race as a 50/50 toss-up. There will be a lot of Republican dollars from Washington showered upon the Republican nominee. It will be interesting. 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.
CFD Research launches growth project at Test Center in Jackson County, Alabama
CFD Research Corp. has formally kicked off a construction project to add a new facility at its Engineering Test Center in Jackson County that will allow it to expand activities at its growing site located in Hollywood. Huntsville-based CFD Research said the new 19,000-square-foot building will support work for ongoing contracts with the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, the Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Complex, and other customers. The building will provide more than 28 additional offices, a second-high bay, a larger conference room space, and closed areas for classified meetings. The facility will expand the team’s capability to provide services, perform technology development, and enable increased test capacity. “CFD Research specializes in delivering next-level technologies, services, and products that keep us all safe, and this expansion project at its Hollywood site will help the company achieve new milestones in that critical mission,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield speaks to CFD Research Chief Executive Sameer Singhal at an event to kick off a project to add a new facility at the company’s Engineering Test Center in Jackson County. (CFD Research) Joining Canfield at a groundbreaking were U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, state Sen. Steve Livingston, Scottsboro Mayor Jim McCamy, and Nathan Lee, president of the Jackson County Economic Development Authority. “Thank you to the town of Hollywood and Jackson County for welcoming us so graciously and celebrating this groundbreaking event, and thank you to the Alabama Department of Commerce for its support,” said Sameer Singhal, president and CEO of CFD Research. “The location and proximity to our other facilities have been an ideal solution and will enable us to work more efficiently and economically.” In August 2021, CFD Research opened its 13,125-square-foot test and evaluation facility on 10.4 acres in Jackson County Industrial Park in Hollywood. In November 2022, CFD Research added 63 acres and an additional test stand four times larger than the company’s previous capability to expand its manufacturing, system integration, and test and evaluation services. CFD Research had four employees at the Testing Center when it opened. It now has 22 employees there and expects to surpass 40 employees in the near future. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with the permission of The Alabama NewsCenter.
CFD Research expands their facility in Hollywood, Alabama
Last week, CFD Research Corporation held a groundbreaking ceremony for an additional facility at its Engineering Test Center in Hollywood, Alabama. The company said that the new 19,000-square-foot building will support work for ongoing contracts with the Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC), the Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), and other customers. Sameer Singhal is the President and CEO of CFD Research. “Thank you to the town of Hollywood and Jackson County for welcoming us so graciously and celebrating this groundbreaking event, and thank you to the Alabama Department of Commerce for its support,” said President Singhal. The location and proximity to our other facilities has been an ideal solution and will enable us to work more efficiently and economically.” Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “CFD Research has grown exponentially in two years.” “The company offers highly-skilled career opportunities in manufacturing, system integration, and test and evaluation services,” Jones said. “CFD Research’s 19,000 square foot facility in Jackson County further enhances north Alabama’s role in supporting the Department of Defense and national security.” Greg Canfield is the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “CFD Research specializes in delivering next-level technologies, services, and products that keep us all safe, and this expansion project at its Hollywood site will help the company achieve new milestones in that critical mission,” said Secretary Canfield. The building will provide more than 28 additional offices, a second-high bay, larger conference room space, and closed areas for classified meetings. This facility will expand the team’s capability to provide services, perform technology development, and enable increased test capacity. In August 2021, CFD Research opened its 13,125-square-foot test and evaluation facility on 10.4 acres in Jackson County Industrial Park in Hollywood, AL. In November of 2022, CFD Research added another 63 acres of property to the facility and an additional test stand that is four times larger than CFD Research’s previous capability to expand the company’s manufacturing, system integration, and test and evaluation services. CFD Research started with just four employees at the Testing Center when it opened in 2021. It has grown to 22 employees presently. CFB anticipates surpassing over 40 employees in the near future. US Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL05) headlined the ceremony. “It was a pleasure visiting Jackson County this week,” Rep. Strong said. “I started the day celebrating CFD Research’s expansion at the industrial park in Hollywood.” State Senator Steve Livingston, Scottsboro Mayor Jim McCamy, and Nathan Lee, President of the Jackson County Economic Development Authority, were also in attendance. CFD Research Corporation specializes in engineering simulations, advanced prototypes, and innovative designs for aerospace, defense, life sciences, materials, energy, and other industries. CFD Research uses its software and experimental capabilities to develop new hardware concepts, innovative designs, and superior solutions for its customers with lower risk, reduced costs, and less time. CFD Research has grown steadily and profitably every year since its inception in 1987. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Alabama is in for a congressional shakeup
Being elected to Congress is like having a guaranteed job for as long as you want. They serve two-year terms, and the reelection rate is 96%. All you have to do is vote the party line and not commit murder, and you are there for life. The path to reelection to most political offices is to have money and name identification, and this is especially true in Congressional races. All seven of our congressmen are considered in safe seats. We have six Republicans and one lone Democrat in our Alabama delegation to the Potomac. The districts as currently drawn are designed for six Republicans and one Democrat. A three-judge federal panel made up of two Republican-appointed judges and one Democrat appointee judge made the decision over two years ago that Alabama should have a second Black Democratic seat. They hung their hat and robe on the fact that one Black Democratic seat is not sufficient in Alabama, given that one seat comprises only 14% of the black population and Alabama has a 27% Black population. Thus, Black Democrats should have two rather than one Democratic seat in the Heart of Dixie. This decision has been upheld by none other than the United States Supreme Court. Therefore, folks, it is about to happen. My prediction over a year ago was that the Courts or their appointed cartographer would draw a second minority district. I further continue with my prognosis that the Court will act very soon, probably within the next few weeks, to ignore the legislature’s partisan plan in favor of the Milligan/Plaintiffs Plan. The result will be the new Congressional lines for the next decade. The Milligan/Plaintiffs Plan is perfectly drawn and expertly designed to comply with the Court’s decree. This plan creates a second minority district centered around all of Montgomery, the Black Belt, and the Black voters in Mobile. The new second minority district will appropriately be Alabama District 2. The old Second District that Republican Barry Moore sits in will be dissolved. The Whites in the five Wiregrass counties will be sent to the Mobile/Baldwin Republican district held by Jerry Carl. Under the Milligan/Plaintiffs Plan, Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s district is beautifully drawn for her. It is essentially the same as her current district. It will be 55% Black. The new Second District will be 50% Black. The Republicans will contest this new district and may prevail. However, the odds favor a Black Democrat. My guess is when the dust settles in November 2024, Alabama’s Congressional makeup will be five Republicans and two Democrats. This change has been brewing for over a decade. Black voters have argued that having a Black population of 27% calls for two seats under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Finally, after the 2020 census, Black plaintiffs sought relief from our federal courts. It was clear that the growth in the Black population in the Montgomery area would allow for a congruent, clearly defined second minority district. When you include Montgomery with the 12 rural overwhelmingly Black and Black Belt counties and draw in most of the Black voters in Mobile, it becomes possible. The three-judge panel agreed and gave the state a two-year reprieve because the 2022 elections based on the 2020 census were already ongoing. You could tell from the original decision to stay the case due to the timing of the 2022 elections that the Supreme Court was interested in revisiting this Alabama scenario. They did, and they ruled and sent it back to the three Alabama judges to uphold. The three-judge panel is going to rule on the final district lines any day now. The lines that the Judges deliver to Alabama soon will favor a second minority district for our state. This Supreme Court case is far-reaching. It will also change the partisan makeup of other Southern states like Louisiana, Georgia, and North Carolina. The Supreme Court knew what they were doing. They knew they were using Alabama as a guinea pig and plowing new ground in the South under the Voting Rights Act. Our Alabama Congressional delegation is looking at a shakeup in 2024. However, it will not affect our power and influence in the U.S. House. Our three Republican powers in Congress, Robert Aderholt, Mike Rogers, and Gary Palmer, will be unaffected, and our two Republican newcomers, Jerry Carl and Dale Strong, will have enhanced Republican districts. Terri Sewell will be entrenched as a Democratic leader in the House. See You next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Dale Strong insists that the fight for Space Command Headquarters is not over
In July, President Joe Biden made the decision to override military planners and the nonpartisan process that decided that national security would be better served by relocating Space Command headquarters (SPACECOM) from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Red Stone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. On Thursday, Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL05) sent an email to constituents saying that this fight is not over. There will be a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, Space Command Commander General James Dickinson, and Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman will have to testify before the Committee on the Space Command basing decision. “I’m excited to tell you that the next steps related to Space Command are starting to materialize,” Rep. Strong said. “I am fighting the Biden Administration’s corruption and reckless spending from all angles, and President Biden’s decision to award Space Command to the blue state of Colorado is no different.” “Following the July announcement from the White House that the President decided to keep Space Command in Colorado, I sent Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) a letter requesting the committee bring Secretary Kendall and General Dickinson to testify “at the earliest opportunity” regarding the basing decision,” Strong continued. “I am writing today to let you know that Chairman Rogers has agreed with my request, and announced a hearing in the House. I wasn’t kidding when I said this is far from over. Our next step is to bring these military leaders before the Committee to answer questions under oath.” “The findings of the Defense Department’s robust basing process, and two separate and independent investigations supporting the Department’s initial selection of Redstone, were completely ignored when the fifth best location in Colorado was chosen to host the Space Command headquarters,” Strong stated. “The way the Biden administration and Department of Defense leadership has handled the Space Command situation is something that should worry every American. Inserting pure politics into the Defense Department’s basing process does untold damage to our national security, threatens the credibility of the DOD, and sets a dangerous precedent for all future military decisions. I’ve certainly got a lot of questions I’m ready to ask, and I hope you will tune in.” “In May, I opened a Congressional investigation into the Biden administration’s shameful delay to finalize the permanent basing decision for U.S. Space Command,” Rep. Rogers said. “When the Secretary of the Air Force finally made a decision, he upheld his predecessors’ decision to base U.S. Space Command in Huntsville, Alabama. President Biden then usurped the Air Force Secretary’s authority and named Colorado Springs the permanent basing site for U.S. Space Command in order to improve his political standing for next year’s re-election.” “I have invited Secretary Kendall, General Dickinson, and General Saltzman to testify to the House Armed Services Committee in a public hearing,” Rogers explained. “We will get answers on President Biden’s political manipulation of the selection process.” Strong is serving in his first term representing Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District. He previously served the people of Madison County as head of the County Commission. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Legislators react to Space Command decision, denouncing it as a ‘political move’
On Monday, President Joe Biden formalized what most political observers already knew when he announced that he was going to block Space Command from coming to Alabama. To Alabama legislators, the decision seems to have been made for political reasons, as the President needs Colorado’s electoral college votes to have any realistic chance of surviving next year’s presidential election. No Democrat has carried the state of Alabama in a presidential race since 1976, and Biden has no chance of being competitive in conservative Alabama. Biden said that U.S. officials believe that keeping the command in Colorado Springs will avoid a disruption in readiness that moving would cause. U.S. officials told The Associated Press that Biden was convinced by the head of Space Command, Gen. James Dickinson, who argued that moving his headquarters now would jeopardize military readiness. A number of Alabama leaders noted their displeasure at Biden’s decision to keep Space Command in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs was fourth behind Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Nebraska, and San Antonio, Texas. Space Command was formed in 2019. The command was temporarily based in Colorado, and Air Force and Space Force leaders initially recommended it stay there. In the final days of his presidency, Donald Trump decided it should be based in Huntsville. Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) said, “Not only is it outrageous, but also unfortunate for the American people to hear that the Secretary of the Air Force allowed politics to circumvent his, and the Department of Defense’s, own basing selection process that determined Huntsville, Alabama as the preferred location of SPACECOM.” “Over and over again, the legitimate process proved that Alabama was the right choice for SPACECOM HQ,” said Rep. Aderholt. “Unfortunately for this nation this decision is the latest chapter in the long saga of the Biden Administration’s failing national security record, and I know the majority of the American people feel the same way. As a nation, we must do better.” Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) said, “The Administration’s decision to keep Space Command in Colorado bows to the whims of politics over merit. Huntsville won this selection process fair and square based on the merits. In three separate reports, Huntsville reigned victorious, whereas Colorado did not come in second or even third. This reversal is as shameful as it is disappointing.” “I expected more from the Biden Administration,” said Sewell. “A decision of this magnitude should not be about red states versus blue states, but rather what is in the best interest of our national security. To be clear, the Alabama Congressional Delegation stands united in opposition to this decision.” Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) said, “This decision made by the Biden Administration is unacceptable,” said Rep. Palmer. “When making decisions, the administration has continuously put politics over what is best for the nation. The Department of Defense determined that Huntsville, Alabama, was the best location for Space Command long ago. Instead, they are picking Colorado, the fifth best option by their very own report. Not only is this decision another broken promise and the result of political gamesmanship, but it jeopardizes our nation’s national security and sets a dangerous precedent for future decisions made solely based on political preference.” “Over two and a half years ago, the Air Force chose Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville for the headquarters of Space Command over 59 other cities on the basis of 21 different criteria,” explained U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama). “As soon as Joe Biden took office, he paused movement on that decision and inserted politics into what had been a fair and objective competition—not because the facts had changed, but because the political party of the sitting President had changed.” “The Biden Administration has been talking a lot about readiness over the past few months, but no Administration has done more to damage our military readiness in my lifetime,” Sen. Tuberville said. “They’ve politicized our military, destroyed our recruiting, misused our tax dollars for their extremist social agenda, and now they are putting Space Command headquarters in a location that didn’t even make the top three. They are doing this at a time when space is only becoming more important for national security.” Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) said, “Huntsville, Alabama was chosen to be the headquarters of U.S. Space Command because it was the strongest location and investigations by the DoD IG and GAO have upheld this decision. Yet, the Biden administration decided to make Colorado Springs, Colorado, which came in fifth in the Selection Phase, the location of the headquarters for U.S. Space Command. It’s clear that far-left politics, not national security, was the driving force behind this decision.” Both Houses of Congress had just passed their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with the Senate only finishing their version late on Thursday. Congress then left for its August recess. “It is also shameful that the Administration waited until Congress had gone into recess and already passed next year’s defense budget before announcing this decision,” Tuberville said. “The top three choices for Space Command headquarters were all in red states—Alabama, Nebraska, and Texas. Colorado didn’t even come close. This decision to bypass the three most qualified sites looks like blatant patronage politics, and it sets a dangerous precedent that military bases are now to be used as rewards for political supporters rather than for our security.” U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) said, “President Biden has irresponsibly decided to yank a military decision out of the Air Force’s hands in the name of partisan politics. Huntsville finished first in both the Air Force’s Evaluation Phase and Selection Phase, leaving no doubt that the Air Force’s decision to choose Redstone as the preferred basing location was correct purely on the merits. That decision should have remained in the Air Force’s purview. Instead, President Biden is now trying to hand the Gold Medal to the fifth-place finisher. The President’s blatant prioritization of partisan political considerations at the expense of our national security, military modernization, and force readiness is a disservice and a dishonor to his oath of office as our nation’s Commander-in-Chief. Locating the permanent Space Command Headquarters on Redstone Arsenal
