Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin challenges Teamsters president to fight at U.S. Senate hearing
Samantha Dietel, Alabama Reflector WASHINGTON — Sen. Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, challenged the head of the Teamsters union to a physical fight at a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday intended to showcase how labor unions are making families’ lives better. The tense confrontation at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing stemmed from acrimonious posts on social media, as well as a confrontation between the two at an earlier Senate hearing. Tuesday’s episode started after Mullin read aloud one of Teamsters chief Sean O’Brien’s posts on X, formerly known as Twitter. In the post, O’Brien had called Mullin a “greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made.” O’Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, ended the post by writing, “You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy.” “So this is a time, this is a place,” said Mullin, who has a mixed martial arts background, to O’Brien, seated at a witness table in front of him. “You want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here.” “OK, that’s fine,” O’Brien said. “Perfect.” “You want to do it now?” Mullin asked. “I’d love to do it right now,” O’Brien said. “Well, stand your butt up, then,” Mullin said. “You stand your butt up,” O’Brien said. Both men rose to their feet. Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, an 82-year-old Vermont independent, intervened and called for them to sit down. “You’re a United States senator,” Sanders told Mullin. “This is a hearing. God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress. Let’s not make it worse.” For Mullin’s remaining time asking questions of O’Brien and other witnesses, the two continued to throw verbal insults at each other. Sanders pounded his gavel and shouted over them in attempts to shut down the heated exchange. “We’re not here to talk about fights or anything else,” Sanders said. Mullin and O’Brien also had a tense moment at a previous committee hearing back in March. In another post on X, O’Brien told Mullin, “Sounds like you need to shut your mouth & get to work for the people of your state.” UAW strike Another main witness at the hearing, titled “Standing Up Against Corporate Greed: How Unions are Improving the Lives of Working Families,” was Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers. The union reached tentative agreements at the end of October with the “Big Three” automakers — Ford Motor Co., Stellantis, and General Motors. The strike began in Detroit in mid-September but expanded to more than 20 other states. “The working class needs this committee and the entire Congress to step up,” Fain said. “You all have an essential role to play, not only supporting our fights and other fights like ours but to finish the job for economic and social justice for the entire working class.” Fain spoke about the success of the UAW’s strike and the ripple effect it has had. He referenced that auto companies Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai have raised wages since the UAW agreements. “In less than seven weeks, we won justice for our members and other workers,” Fain said. Fain said the UAW’s efforts helped significantly raise wages for over 100,000 workers, improve retirement security, secure jobs and ensure workers have “a just transition” to making electric vehicles. This transition would allow autoworkers to “flow” into a new job of making batteries for electric vehicles, Fain said. Legislative efforts Sanders, who supported the UAW’s strike, highlighted his legislation — the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, otherwise known as the PRO Act — as a means to make organization easier for American workers. Ranking member Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, said the PRO Act faces opposition from his party. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, said she is working on legislation that would require the Federal Trade Commission to additionally “consider the impact of mergers on workers.” “The workers are the ones who bear the brunt of the quote-unquote ‘efficiencies’ found after a consolidation,” Baldwin said. Protecting the right to unionize Labor organizers called for more action by Congress to help U.S. workers. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union with members across diverse occupations. The largest employer in the Teamsters union is UPS, which reached a collective bargaining agreement earlier this year. This agreement raised wages and improved workplace conditions for UPS workers. “We need our elected officials to do more and do what’s right,” O’Brien told senators. Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-Communication Workers of America, said labor unions are “necessary for a stable economy, our safety, our security and our democracy.” Republican witnesses included Diana Furchtgott Roth, the director of the Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment and the Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at the Heritage Foundation, and Sean Higgins, a research fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Arlington, Virginia. The Heritage Foundation and the Competitive Enterprise Institute are both conservative think tanks. Higgins said the increased wages as a result of union strikes could increase inflation. In response, Fain later said the idea that raising wages negatively impacts the economy is rooted in “fearmongering.” Fain said when unions bargain for a contract that includes higher wages, the opposition often believes “the world’s going to end because working-class people make a livable wage, and it’s going to drive the price of vehicles up.” Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr., a Pennsylvania Democrat, said a worker’s right to unionize “is under threat.” “Every day of the week, that right is under threat across the country,” Casey said. “That right to organize is essential to building an economy that works for all Americans.” Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Tommy Tuberville opposes aid for Gaza while it is under Hamas control
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) joined their colleagues in sending a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) urging him to reject President Joe Biden’s request for up to $9 billion in humanitarian assistance to Hamas-controlled Gaza. “We are writing to demand that, during Israel’s existential war against Iran’s terrorist proxies, you reject the billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance requested for Gaza as part of President Biden’s $106 billion aid package,” Tuberville and Blackburn wrote. “As you know, sending aid to the Palestinians in Gaza is akin to funneling aid directly to Hamas. The President’s decision to allocate additional funding, in addition to the $100 million in aid previously announced, will inevitably end up in the hands of a genocidal Palestinian terrorist organization that has evidenced its desire to destroy the Jewish state.” “Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East,” the Senators wrote. “As such, it is perplexing why the President would ask Congress to enable the United States to inadvertently fund Hamas’ terror campaign against Israel. As we’ve seen in the past, this so-called “humanitarian aid” will likely be channeled through international organizations, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). This is not speculation — just last week, we saw reports that Hamas stole fuel and medical equipment from UNRWA, which the organization initially admitted but then subsequently denied. UNICEF medical kits were even found on the bodies of Hamas terrorists from the horrific October 7th attack. For over a decade, Hamas has stolen aid from UNRWA intended for the Palestinian people, and the organization has a well-documented history of antisemitism. For example, UNRWA distributes educational materials that teach Palestinian children to hate Jews and which glorify acts of terrorism.” “Sending aid to the Palestinians would be a gift to Hamas, the same group that slaughtered over 1,400 Israelis and abducted over 200 hostages, including Americans,” the Senators wrote. “We implore you to ensure the U.S. does not send aid that will only strengthen Hamas’ ability to murder more Jews. This is the time to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our closest ally in the Middle East as they fight for their very existence.” The letter was also signed by Senators Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Mike Braun (R-Indiana). Tuberville has announced his support for Israel in their war against Hamas. Last week, Coach Tuberville joined legislation to provide $14.3 billion in aid to Israel. “Hamas needs to be totally wiped out,” Tuberville said recently on a television appearance on Fox Business Channel’s Larry Kudlow program. Tuberville and the other Senators argue that while Hamas occupies and rules Gaza, any aid to Gaza will be used by Hamas to feed its fighters and equip them for their war effort against Israel. There are 2.3 million Palestinians in the 140 square mile Gaza Strip, and their entire economy is based on receiving foreign aid from the outside world. Thousands of Gaza residents have already been killed in the fighting between Israel and Hamas. A refugee camp was bombed on Tuesday, killing Hamas fighters but also civilians who are casualties of the war between Israel and Hamas. In October, the White House said in a press release, “Civilians are not to blame and should not suffer for Hamas’s horrific terrorism. Civilian lives must be protected, and assistance must urgently reach those in need. We will continue to work closely with partners in the region to stress the importance of upholding the law of war, supporting those who are trying to get to safety or provide assistance, and facilitating access to food, water, medical care, and shelter.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. can track the aid. “The overwhelming majority of assistance so far is getting to people who need it, and we need more,” he said. “The needs are desperate.” Tuberville has represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate since his election in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt opposes rescheduling of marijuana
Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) was one of 14 Republican members of Congress to join in a letter to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration chief Anne Milgram expressing their opposition to federal rescheduling of marijuana. While the State of Alabama is in the process of issuing licenses to farmers to grow marijuana and for doctors to recommend it to their patients, it remains a Schedule 1 narcotic with no medicinal value, according to the federal government. There is momentum to change that. The Biden Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services has released a letter urging that marijuana be federally rescheduled, a move that Aderholt opposes. Aderholt said that he opposes the move even if it is politically popular. “I am proud to join @PeteSessions and @SenatorLankford in a letter to Administrator Milgram. As Chairman of the Approps Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, I share the concern that our nation’s drug policies should not be set based on popular opinion.” Eight Republican U.S. Senators and six Republican members of the House of Representatives declared the Department of Health and Human Services’ August 29 recommendation to move marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act part of an “irresponsible” “pro-pot agenda.” They urged that marijuana remain listed among the most dangerous drugs. The letter was sent to Milgram because the decision is now up to her and federal attorneys to consider relevant questions of law and policy in a review of the recommendation by Health and Human Services (HSS). Chey Garrigan is the founder and CEO of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association. Garrigan said that marijuana does have documented health benefits and maintains that there are Alabamians who would benefit from medical marijuana. “Congressman Robert Aderholt can have an opinion,” Garrigan said. “Where is the data that backs up why he is against it?” “Any effort to reschedule marijuana should be based on proven facts and science – not popular opinion, changes in state laws, or the preferred policy of an administration,” the Republicans, led by Republican Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) and Representative Pete Sessions (R-Texas) wrote in the September 11 letter to the DEA. “Current research, science, and trends support the case that marijuana should remain a Schedule 1 drug.” Lankford, Aderholt, and Sessions were joined by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Sen. Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), Sen. M. Michael Rounds (R-South Dakota), Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-Georgia), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Rep. Chuck Edwards (North Carolina), and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Kentucky). Even though Oklahoma has over 7,000 marijuana farms and businesses, Lankford argued in a recent column that marijuana has not befitted Oklahomans. “Drug cartels—from not just south of the border, but also Asia—are now deeply ingrained across Oklahoma, operating grow facilities that ship marijuana across the country,” Lankford wrote. “Oklahomans often now wake up to read the news about the latest execution-style murder, human trafficking, or prostitution at a grow facility in rural Oklahoma. In January 2023, the Tulsa World reported that about 2,000 licenses for medical marijuana were being investigated because they were suspected of having been either obtained unlawfully or were covering up an operation to sell on the black market. Oklahoma is now the top source for black market marijuana in the nation. So much for the argument that widening legal access to a drug gets rid of the illicit market.” President Joe Biden launched the first federal administrative review of marijuana’s legal status last October, calling current federal policy a “failed approach.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville joins Republicans urging Defense Department to halt sales of border wall materials
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and all the Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a letter to the Department of Defense to halt the sale of border wall construction materials. The letter, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, was in response to reports that the Defense Department was moving quickly to dispose of the unused border wall materials before the provisions of Wicker’s FINISH It Act could be implemented. “We are deeply disappointed to learn that rather than using construction materials that were purchased to secure the southwest border for that purpose, the Department of Defense has begun auctioning these materials off for other purposes,” the senators wrote. “These auctions represent a brazen attempt to circumvent the FINISH IT Act, which was included in both the House and Senate FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act.” As ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, Wicker worked with Republicans to insert the legislation, which would force the administration to allow the materials to be used to complete sections of the southern border wall, in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA passed the Senate with a broad bipartisan majority and the provisions of the FINISH It Act were also included in the House-passed version of the NDAA. However, Congress has not passed the final conference committee version of the NDAA. The Senators believe Austin and the Defense Department are taking the opportunity to auction all the unused border wall materials for scrap metal while Congress is still on its August recess. The Senators are calling to halt further auctions of border wall materials and requesting detailed information on the current sales. The letter calls for the administration to direct the Department of Defense Inspector General to investigate Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Melissa Dalton for her failure to provide Congress with accurate and timely information about the use of these border wall construction materials. The Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans have pledged to never consent to a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy until the senators’ concerns are addressed. The DOD’s combat support branch, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), confirmed to reporters with Power Corridor last week that the Pentagon is now moving ahead with the sale of the leftover materials, many of which have been sitting for years in piles on government and private land out West. The items up for auction this week are “excess border wall materials that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers turned over to the DLA for disposition and are now for sale,” a DLA spokesperson said. Leading the liquidation is Gov Planet, an online auction marketplace run by publicly traded Canadian company Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. This week, Gov Planet began posting photos on its website and social media of large sections of the unbuilt wall, understood to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Sens. Tuberville and Wicker were joined by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), and Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri). Tuberville stated that he supports common-sense policies that strengthen our border and national security, like building the wall and reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy. Senator Tuberville has spoken about his concerns on the floor of the U.S. Senate and called on the Biden administration to act. Tuberville has made multiple visits to the southern border to bring attention to the border situation. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville and GOP Colleagues urge Joe Biden to negotiate on debt limit
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined U.S. Senator Mike Lee and dozens of Republican colleagues in calling for fiscal responsibility and spending control measures in debt ceiling negotiations. Tuberville joined a GOP letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declaring broad Republican opposition to any debt ceiling legislation that lacks significant spending control measures. “It is now clear that Senate Republicans aren’t going to bail out Biden and Schumer. They have to negotiate,” said Sen. Lee. “I thank my colleagues for joining my effort to emphasize this point in the clearest possible terms.” “The Senate Republican conference is united behind the House Republican conference in support of spending cuts and structural budget reform as a starting point for negotiations on the debt ceiling,” wrote the senators. “This trajectory must be addressed with fiscal reforms.” The letter emphasizes the GOP senators’ united front with the House Republican conference, advocating for spending cuts and structural budget reforms as prerequisites for any negotiation on raising the debt ceiling. “Dear Leader Schumer, The Senate Republican Conference is united behind the House Republican Conference in support of spending cuts and structural budget reform as a starting point for negotiations on the debt ceiling. Our economy is in free fall due to unsustainable fiscal policies. This trajectory must be addressed with fiscal reforms. Moreover, recent Treasury projections have reinforced the urgency of addressing the debt ceiling. The House has taken a responsible first step in coming to the table with their proposals. It is imperative that the president now do the same. As such, we will not be voting for cloture on any bill that raises the debt ceiling without substantive spending and budget reforms,” the Senators wrote. Senators Tuberville, Britt, and Lee, current signatories include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Ted Cruz, Mike Crapo, Ted Budd, Mike Braun, James Lankford, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, M.D., Ron Johnson, James Risch, Eric Schmitt, Rick Scott, John Cornyn, Kevin Cramer, Markwayne Mullin, Roger Wicker, Steve Daines, Lindsey Graham, John Barrasso, Deb Fischer, Tim Scott, John Hoeven, Thom Tillis, and J.D. Vance. The debt limit — commonly called the ‘debt ceiling’ — is the highest amount the government can borrow under federal law. The federal government hit the debt limit in January 2023. Since then, the U.S. Treasury has employed ‘extraordinary measures’ to continue making payments on debt and new expenses. According to the U.S. Treasury, the United States is on track to exhaust those measures and run out of financial liquidity in a matter of weeks, meaning the federal government would no longer be able to make all of its payments. The debt is continuing to rise. The debt ceiling will have to be increased in the coming weeks. Democrats have advocated for an increase in the amount of money the federal government is allowed to borrow without any reduction in federal spending. Republicans say they will not support any debt ceiling increase without significant reductions in spending. President Biden has repeatedly refused to negotiate a debt ceiling deal with Republicans even though the GOP controls the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 — a debt ceiling increase paired with spending cuts — on April 26, 2023. In Fiscal Year 2022, federal tax revenue hit a record high of $4.9 trillion. However, in the same year, the federal government had a deficit of more than $1.38 trillion even though the country is not at war and the economy is at full employment. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt believes Alabama taxpayers do not want taxes paying for elective abortions
United States Senators Katie Britt and Roger Wicker joined 45 other Senators in introducing the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. This legislation would establish a single, government-wide standard to permanently prohibit the flow of federal funding for abortion. “The vast majority of Alabamians do not want their hard-earned dollars funding elective abortions in California and New York,” Britt stated. “The Hyde Amendment has saved an estimated 2.5 million lives – approximately half the population of Alabama,” said Sen. Britt. “Sadly, radicals in the Democratic Party continue to trumpet their calls for abortion at any time, for any reason. They have now targeted the long-standing, bipartisan Hyde Amendment, annually passed by Congress since 1976, which ensures federal taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions. It is time to make the Hyde Amendment and its lifesaving protections permanent so the far-left does not attempt to hold the nation hostage every year. The vast majority of Alabamians do not want their hard-earned dollars funding elective abortions in California or New York. I will continue to fight to defend life, support parents, grow opportunities for hardworking families, and preserve the American Dream for our children and our children’s children.” “Most Americans do not want their hard-earned tax dollars being used for abortion-on-demand, but our current patchwork of regulations has brought years of uncertainty,” stated Sen. Wicker. “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would simplify federal rules, ensuring that American tax dollars are never used for the destruction of innocent, unborn life.” This legislation would make permanent the restrictions on funding for elective abortion and elective abortion coverage, including the Hyde Amendment, which currently relies on yearly approval. It would also eliminate Obamacare’s taxpayer subsidies for elective abortion coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges through refundable tax credits. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) also co-sponsored the legislation. “Millions of hardworking Americans believe that life begins at conception and don’t want their taxpayer dollars inadvertently funding abortions,” said Sen. Tuberville. “As a Christian and as a conservative, I share their belief that every life is sacred and every American has a right to life. That’s why I’m proud to sign on to this legislation that will solidify abortion funding restrictions that have been in place for decades and better protect the unborn.” Britt, Tuberville, and Wicker joined Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis, (R-North Carolina), John Thune (R-South Dakota), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Todd Young (R-Indiana). With Democrats in control of the Senate, it is unlikely that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will allow this bill to even be introduced on the Senate floor. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville supports bill to permanently ban taxpayer funding for abortions
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined 45 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act to establish a permanent prohibition on federal funding for abortion. Tuberville said in a statement, “Every life is sacred.” “Millions of hardworking Americans believe that life begins at conception and don’t want their taxpayer dollars inadvertently funding abortions,” said Sen. Tuberville stated. “As a Christian and as a conservative, I share their belief that every life is sacred and every American has a right to life. That’s why I’m proud to sign on to this legislation that will solidify abortion funding restrictions that have been in place for decades and better protect the unborn.” “Most Americans do not want their hard-earned tax dollars being used for abortion-on-demand, but our current patchwork of regulations has brought years of uncertainty,” Sen. Roger Wicker said. “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would simplify federal rules, ensuring that American tax dollars are never used for the destruction of innocent, unborn life.” The bill seeks to change 40 years of inconsistent policies that have regulated federal funding for abortion. It would make funding restrictions permanent for abortion and elective abortion coverage, including the Hyde Amendment, which requires annual approval. The legislation would also eliminate taxpayer-funded subsidies for elective abortion coverage currently offered on Affordable Care Act exchanges through refundable tax credits. Tuberville, Wicker, and Britt joined Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis, (R-North Carolina), John Thune (R-South Dakota), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Todd Young (R-Indiana). Swing Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins did not sign off on the legislation, and neither did any of the 52 Senate Democrats who hold the majority in the body. U.S. Representative Christopher Smith (R-New Jersey) has introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt and Republican leadership urge Joe Biden to invest in American energy
Congressman Robert Aderholt joined House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), HEAT Co-Chairs Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-South Carolina) and Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), and 126 other members in a letter led by Whip Scalise to President Joe Biden urging the President to reverse what the GOP calls “his anti-American energy policies. “President Biden has no plans, or desire, to lower energy costs for the long term,” Rep. Aderholt warned on social media after Biden made his pre-election final release of America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves. “Instead, he releases oil from our emergency supply to try and bring them down ahead of the election. Basically, a gimmick. We need more American energy and a real energy plan. Not an election gimmick.” Congressman Mike Rogers agreed with Aderholt’s assessment of the release four weeks before the election. “Biden is depleting our Strategic Petroleum Reserve (which is reserved for emergency situations) for political gain,” Rogers wrote on Facebook. The GOP members of Congress urged Biden to issue a five-year offshore oil and natural gas leasing plan after Interior Secretary Deb Haaland let the previous five-year plan expire. “We write to express our deep concern with your ongoing war on American energy. Unfortunately, since taking office, you have fulfilled your campaign promises to shut down American oil and gas production,” Scalise et. al. wrote. “As a result, America is no longer energy independent, and our nation is less secure. In order to reduce the dramatically higher energy costs your actions have placed on hard-working families, we strongly request you reverse course and work with us to unleash American energy. Specifically, we ask you to take immediate action by issuing a five-year leasing plan that includes regular annual lease sales in America’s offshore areas.” “Undermining oil and gas production has severe consequences,” the GOP Congressmembers wrote. “For example, Europe is in a full-blown energy crisis, and we are seeing the same issues manifest in California with their governor telling people to turn thermostats above 78 degrees, avoid using appliances, and limit charging electric vehicles when they get home from work, all while he mandated a ban on fossil-fuel cars. Europe and California should both serve as a cautionary tale against the devastating anti-fossil fuel policies your administration is currently pursuing. To be clear, already sky-high energy prices will likely worsen unless you immediately reverse course and drastically increase exploration, leasing, and production of oil and natural gas here at home. And keep in mind your extremist policies are hurting low and middle-income families the hardest.” The letter urges President Biden to immediately announce a new offshore leasing plan and unleash American energy production. The GOP lawmakers claim that driving more investment into United States’ energy sector would lower gas and electricity prices for struggling families and guarantee a steady flow of American energy into the future. “We’ve seen the future of Biden and [Nancy] Pelosi’s reckless Green New Deal policies play out in Europe with mushrooming energy costs, and allowing the same devastating fate for American families would be unconscionable,” Scalise said in a statement. “Instead of begging OPEC and Russia to increase oil production, I have called on President Biden to look to places like offshore Louisiana and Port Fourchon in my district so we can unleash American energy, create good jobs, and lower costs for hard-working families.” Democrats and some environmentalists claim that increased exploration and production of American fossil fuels could have deleterious effects on the world’s climate. The letter was also signed by Republican Policy Committee Chairman Gary Palmer and Alabama Reps. Jerry Carl and Barry Moore. Aderholt has represented Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District since 1996. He faces Democratic nominee Rick Neighbors and Libertarian Johnny Cochran in the November 8 general election. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Robert Aderholt supports protecting pharmacists’ First Amendment rights regarding prescriptions for elective abortions
Congressman Robert Aderholt announced that he has become a co-sponsor of a bill to protect the First Amendment rights of pharmacists when choosing whether or not to fill prescriptions for elective abortions. The Pharmacist Conscience Protection Act H.R. 8820 was introduced by Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Georgia), Diana Hashbarger (R-Tennessee), and Blake Moore (R-Utah). Reps. Carter and Harshbarger are both pharmacists. It is co-sponsored by 26 House Republicans. The legislation comes after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance warning pharmacists that they could be in violation of federal civil rights laws if they do not fill such prescriptions. “Pharmacists should not be forced to surrender their First Amendment rights of religious freedom because of radical policies from the Biden Administration,” said Congressman Aderholt. “It’s unfortunate that we need conscience protections like these, but it’s the only way to keep the overbearing Biden Administration from forcing private citizens to violate strongly held convictions.” “Your first amendment rights don’t go away when you put on a white coat,” said Rep. Carter. “This legislation will ensure that pharmacists are able to make the medical decisions that are best for the health of the mother, the life of the child, and the integrity of their practice without threats from non-medically trained bureaucrats. Medical decisions should be made between doctors, pharmacists, and patients – not the federal government.” “I will not stand by and let the Biden administration use an extremist and unlawful agenda of taxpayer-funded abortions through birth to persecute pharmacists who have religious, moral, or conscience objections to the intentional killing of unborn children through abortion,” stated Rep. Harshbarger. “As a licensed pharmacist for more than 30 years, I have always followed the precept of first doing no harm. I will always stand up for the lives of unborn children and will always defend health practitioners who believe the same. Pharmacists and other health professionals should never be punished for their moral beliefs in protecting life, or be threatened or forced to facilitate abortions against such beliefs. I call on the Biden administration to immediately withdraw this outrageous assault on pharmacists’ conscience rights, and to stop treating the Constitution like its own political chew-toy!” “Conscience protections prevent discrimination and ensure Americans in the healthcare sector are not forced to violate their beliefs,” said Rep. Moore. “As the Biden Administration takes steps to undermine the conscience rights of pharmacists, I am proud to join Congressman Buddy Carter and Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger in introducing the Pharmacist Conscience Protection Act which would ensure pharmacists can refuse to provide abortion drugs without repercussion. Pharmacists, along with other medical and healthcare workers, should never be coerced into participating in abortions, and this bill is an important step in supporting medical professionals who have deep convictions about practicing life-affirming medicine.” The text reads in part, “In General.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Government, and any person or entity that receives Federal grants, contracts, or financial assistance, including any State or local government, may not penalize, treat adversely, retaliate against, or otherwise discriminate against a specified health care provider, or take any action that has such effect, on the basis that the specified health care provider does not or declines to store or fill a prescription, or make a referral, for a drug that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to cause an abortion or that the specified health care provider in good faith believes may be used to cause an abortion.” Other co-sponsors are Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), David McKinley (R-WV), Ken Buck (R-CO), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Mary Miller (R-IL), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Bill Posey (R-FL), Greg Steube (R-FL), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Brian Babin (R-TX), Dan Webster (R-FL), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Randy Weber (R-TX), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Don Bacon (R-NE), Robert E. Latta (R-OH), and Andrew Clyde (R-GA). Aderholt is in his thirteenth term representing Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gary Palmer demands cost analysis of Build Back Better legislation
Congressman Gary Palmer and several colleagues have sent a letter to Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip Swagel. The group has requested cost analysis of the Democrats’ Build Back Better legislation. In a press release, Palmer stated, “The nation will have to build back from the brink of bankruptcy, should this legislation ever become law. Although the Democrats are pretending to scale back on a number of the unwarranted programs in it, we have no idea what the true price tag is for these policies that would fundamentally undermine our Republic and move us one step closer to socialism.” According to a recent article from the House Committee on the Budget Chairman John Yarmuth, the Build Back Better Act “aims to make an investment of $1.75 trillion in family care, health care, and combatting the climate crisis.” However, Palmer argues that the initiative will cost more than what is being stated. “I have seen more than one or two budget gimmicks during my time in Congress, and this package is full of them,” Palmer continued. “For instance, the legislation partially funds programs and pretends they will come to an end, even though the clear intention is to make them permanent. This is why we have requested that the CBO Director conduct a true analysis, so that Congress and the American people have a real understanding of just how much this monstrosity will cost. Independent groups have consistently said this bill is not paid for and will increase the deficit. This analysis will expose all of the bill’s budget gimmicks and hopefully end this misleading effort to run our country over the fiscal cliff.” The letter states, “H.R. 5376, as it is currently drafted, contains cherry-picked program expirations and phase-out periods that are meant to circumvent congressional scoring procedures. These provisions are disingenuously meant to hide the true costs of these policies and their burden on Americans today and for generations to come. It is of paramount importance that before Congress collectively acts on this legislation, it has an accurate understanding of what the effects of this legislation would be if its policies became permanent law.” The letter was also signed by Reps. Vern Buchanan, Greg Steube, Pete Stauber, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Jack Bergman, David Rouzer, Tracey Mann, Mary E. Miller, Tedd Budd, Markwayne Mullin, Jody Hice, Eric Crawford, David McKinley, and Andy Biggs.
