Jeff Sessions, Doug Jones at odds over renaming military bases
Alabama Democrat, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, and former U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Senate-hopeful Jeff Sessions went head to head online Saturday over renaming military bases named after Confederate military leaders during the Civil War. Sessions attacked Jones first following his vote in the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) in favor of adding an amendment to a defense spending bill supporting the renaming of the bases. “@DougJones vote to remove from all military facilities and installations the names of every soldier who fought for the Confederacy betrays the character and decency of every soldier who fought for the South in that bloody and monumental war,” tweeted Sessions tweeted. .@DougJones vote to remove from all military facilities and installations the names of every soldier who fought for the Confederacy betrays the character and decency of every soldier who fought for the South in that bloody and monumental war… — Jeff Sessions (@jeffsessions) June 12, 2020 “Make no mistake, this is not a little matter. It reveals a profound deficit in his understanding of what it means to be AL’s Senator. Doug Jones’ vote seeks to erase AL’s & America’s history and thousands of Alabamians for doing what they considered to be their duty at the time.” Make no mistake, this is not a little matter. It reveals a profound deficit in his understanding of what it means to be AL’s Senator. Doug Jones’ vote seeks to erase AL’s & America’s history and thousands of Alabamians for doing what they considered to be their duty at the time. — Jeff Sessions (@jeffsessions) June 12, 2020 But Jones wasn’t taking Sessions’ attack sitting back. “Delete your account Jeff. This came out of a Republican controlled Senate committee on a strong bi-partisan vote. I know it’s tough for you to be on the right side of history when it comes to the Confederacy, but you should give it a try,” Jones retorted. Delete your account Jeff. This came out of a Republican controlled Senate committee on a strong bi-partisan vote. I know it’s tough for you to be on the right side of history when it comes to the Confederacy, but you should give it a try. https://t.co/Nuhl5LW9dx — Doug Jones (@DougJones) June 13, 2020 Sessions responded he would “never back down to the woke mob,” calling Jones’ vote an “insane attempt to erase American history.” If you and the radical left had your way, the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument would be razed to the ground. I will never back down to the woke mob—be it Republican or Democrat. This insane attempt to erase American history has to end. https://t.co/gA0H796L62 — Jeff Sessions (@jeffsessions) June 13, 2020 That’s when Jones hit back and reminded Sessions it was a bipartisan vote in the SASC. “Ok Jeff, let’s try this one more time: the vote was a bi-partisan vote of the Republican controlled Senate Armed Services Committee and dealt only with the Confederacy and the U.S. Military,” Jones tweeted. Ok Jeff, let’s try this one more time: the vote was a bi-partisan vote of the Republican controlled Senate Armed Services Committee and dealt only with the Confederacy and the U.S. Military. https://t.co/XThvOe7De7 — Doug Jones (@DougJones) June 13, 2020 Ultimately, Sessions got in the last word. “Doug, you are a radical leftist, a pawn for Chuck Schumer. You voted to impeach President Trump, reject Justice Kavanaugh, voted against an end to late-term abortions, and now you join with the woke mob to erase history. You are history,” he concluded. Doug, you are a radical leftist, a pawn for Chuck Schumer. You voted to impeach President Trump, reject Justice Kavanaugh, voted against an end to late-term abortions, and now you join with the woke mob to erase history. YOU are history. https://t.co/wtS63iSfGY — Jeff Sessions (@jeffsessions) June 13, 2020 Before the Twitter debate, Sessions issued a press release explaining his stance on the issue and why he so vehemently disagreed with Jones’ vote. “The vote by Senator Doug Jones to remove from all military facilities and installations the names of every soldier who fought for the Confederacy betrays the character and decency of every soldier who fought for the South in that bloody and monumental war, whose courage and duty reached the highest levels, on both sides,” Sessions said in the release. “Naming U.S. bases for those who fought for the South was seen as an act of respect and reconciliation towards those who were called to duty by the States. It was not then and is not now an affirmation of slavery. The slavery question had been settled by the war.” Sessions is no stranger to Alabama politics. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate for 20 years before resigning to take the U.S. Attorney General appointment in President Donald Trump’s administration. Prior to that, he served as Alabama’s Attorney General. Following his resignation as U.S. Attorney General, Sessions decided to run for his old seat in the U.S. Senate, where he’s hoping to challenge Jones in the November general election.
Military base cuts affect schools, target ranges, and maintenance facilities
The Pentagon will cut funding from military projects like schools, target ranges and maintenance facilities to pay for the construction of 175 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, diverting a total $3.6 billion to President Donald Trump’s long-promised barrier. Projects in 23 states, 19 countries and three U.S. territories would be stalled or killed by the plan, though just $1.1 billion in cuts would strike the continental U.S., according to a list released Wednesday by the Pentagon. Almost $700 million would come from projects in U.S. territories, with another $1.8 billion coming from projects on overseas bases. Trump’s move would take the biggest step yet in delivering on his promise to build a wall to block immigrants from entering the country illegally. But it may come at the expense of projects that the Pentagon acknowledged may be difficult to fund anew. Capitol Hill Democrats, outraged over Trump’s use of an emergency order for the wall, promised they won’t approve money to revive them. A senior defense official told reporters the Pentagon is having conversations with members of Congress to urge them to restore the funding. The official agreed that the department has “a lot of work ahead of us,” considering that Congress has given no guarantee it will provide money for the defunded projects. The official was not authorized to discuss the details publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity. In addition, new stretches of fencing proposed along the Rio Grande and through a wildlife refuge in Arizona promise to ignite legal battles that could delay the wall projects as well.The military base projects facing the chopping block tend to address less urgent needs like new parking at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and a variety of small arms ranges at bases in Wisconsin and Oklahoma. But a “cyber ops facility” in Hampton, Virginia, and the expansion of a missile defense field at Fort Greeley, Alaska, face the ax, too. Trump has so far succeeded in building replacement barriers within the 654 miles of fencing built during the Obama and Bush administrations. The funding shift will allow for about 115 miles of new pedestrian fencing in areas where there isn’t any now. “The wall is being built. It’s going up rapidly,” Trump said Wednesday. “And we think by the end of next year, which will be sometime right after the election actually, but we think we’re going to have close to 500 miles of wall, which will be complete.” New stretches of fencing are sure to spark legal battles with angry landowners and environmentalists. The Pentagon plan also fuels the persistent controversy between the Trump administration and Congress over immigration policies and the funding of the border wall. “It doesn’t take any input from the local communities. It will take away from the private property rights,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar, Democrat-Texas. “We are going to do everything we can to stop the president.” Cuellar suggested Democrats will look at a must-pass funding bill this month — required to prevent a government shutdown Oct. 1 — to try to take on Trump. But a more likely venue for the battle could be ongoing House-Senate negotiations over the annual Pentagon policy measure. Lawmakers who refused earlier this year to approve nearly $6 billion for the wall must now decide if they will restore the projects that are being used to provide the money. “To pay for his xenophobic border wall boondoggle, President Trump is about to weaken our national security by stealing billions of dollars from our military,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democrat-Florida, who chairs a key military construction panel. “The House of Representatives will not backfill any projects he steals from today.” One of the Senate’s most endangered Republicans in the 2020 election, Arizona Sen. Martha McSally, reported that her state is getting nicked for just $30 million from a project that was being delayed anyway. Georgia, where two potentially competitive Senate races loom next year, would be spared entirely, though powerful Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican-Kentucky, himself facing re-election, would lose a $63 million middle school at Fort Campbell. “We need to secure our border and protect our military; we can and should do both,” McSally said. “I went to the mat to fight for Arizona projects and succeeded.”Elaine McCusker, the Pentagon comptroller, said the now-unfunded projects are not being canceled. Instead, the Pentagon is saying the military projects are being “deferred.” Congress approved $1.375 billion for wall construction in this year’s budget, same as the previous year and far less than the $5.7 billion that the White House sought. Trump grudgingly accepted the money to end a 35-day government shutdown in February but simultaneously declared a national emergency to take money from other government accounts, identifying up to $8.1 billion for wall construction. The transferred funds include $600 million from the Treasury Department’s asset forfeiture fund, $2.5 billion from Defense Department counterdrug activities and now the $3.6 billion pot for military housing construction announced Tuesday. The Pentagon reviewed the list of military projects and said none that provided housing or critical infrastructure for troops would be affected, in the wake of recent scandals over poor living quarters for service members in several parts of the country. Defense officials also said they would focus on projects set to begin in 2020 and beyond, with the hope that the money could eventually be restored by Congress. The government will spend the military housing money on 11 wall projects in California, Arizona and Texas, the administration said in a filing Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union. The most expensive is for 52 miles (84 kilometers) in Laredo, Texas, at a cost of $1.27 billion. The Laredo project and one in El Centro, California, are on private property, which would require purchase or confiscation, according to the court filing. Two projects in Arizona are on land overseen by the Navy and will be the first to be built, no earlier
The Latest: Donald Trump says he’s in ‘no hurry’ to strike Iran
The latest on The United States and Iran’s tensions over the shoot-down of a massive U.S. drone (all times local): 8:10 p.m. President Donald Trump says he abruptly called off the military strikes on Iran Thursday because the likely deaths of 150 Iranians would have been out of proportion to the shootdown of an unmanned American surveillance drone. He is also indicating he still hopes for talks with Iranian leaders rather than any escalation of military conflict. Trump says he is “in no hurry,” adding that increasingly severe sanctions meant to push Iran to the nuclear negotiating table are “biting” the Iranian economy. Iran, though, is showing no public inclination to negotiate. It is unclear whether Trump, who says the U.S. military had been “cocked and loaded” to hit Iran, is considering new military options. 4:15 p.m. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says Iran’s financial sector will soon face penalties if it doesn’t work to stop evading international guidelines designed to combat money laundering. Mnuchin says Iran has not taken steps to comply with the guidelines. As a result, he says, branches and subsidiaries of financial institutions based in Iran will be subjected to increased oversight. Mnuchin spoke Friday in Orlando, Florida, at a meeting of the Financial Action Task Force. That is a global organization started in 1989 that works to stop money laundering, financing of militant networks and other threats to the integrity of the international financial system. The task force says Iran has until October to make progress toward compliance before additional counter-measures will be taken. 2 p.m. The U.N. says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ message to the United States and Iran is to avoid anything that would escalate the current tense situation and “to have nerves of steel.” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at U.N. headquarters Friday that “the secretary-general firmly believes in the need for dialogue between the parties involved as probably the best way to defuse tension and to avoid any escalation.” Dujarric said the U.N. has been in contact with the parties at various levels and is passing the same message in public and it is in private, “which is to avoid any escalation.” Dujarric announced that Guterres will be attending the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, next week but said he didn’t know yet if the secretary-general would meet there with U.S. President Donald Trump. Tensions have escalated dramatically since Iran downed a large U.S. drone which it said violated its airspace. The U.S. said the unmanned drone was in international airspace. 1:35 p.m. Diplomats say the United States has asked for a closed Security Council meeting on Monday on recent developments regarding Iran and the latest tanker incidents. Two well-informed diplomats confirmed the U.S. request on Friday and said the closed consultations are likely to take place on Monday afternoon. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The request follows Iran’s downing of a large U.S. drone which it said violated its airspace. The U.S. said the unmanned drone was in international airspace. The United States launched a retaliatory strike Thursday night which President Donald Trump said he canceled 10 minutes before it was to take place because he learned there could be 150 deaths. The United States has also blamed Iran for using mines in the latest attacks on tankers in the Persian Gulf — which Tehran denies.—Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations. 1:20 p.m. President Donald Trump says he called off a planned retaliatory strike on Iran after deciding the likely death toll on the ground wouldn’t be “proportionate” to the shoot down of a U.S. drone. Trump tells NBC News in an interview Friday that he was informed that about 150 Iranians would be killed by the strikes. Trump says: “I didn’t like it. I didn’t think it was proportionate.” The president offered a similar explanation on Twitter earlier Friday. The president also says he never gave a final order for the operation, and that U.S. military airplanes were not yet in the air but that they would have been “pretty soon.” 1:10 p.m. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says any “hostilities” with Iran “must not be initiated without the approval of Congress.” The California Democrat said in a statement Friday that “We are in an extremely dangerous and sensitive situation with Iran.” She spoke after President Donald Trump confirmed that he had ordered, then canceled, a retaliatory strike after Iran downed an unmanned American drone. A spokesman for Pelosi said the House speaker, second in line to the presidency, had not been notified of Trump’s plans. At the White House a day earlier, Democratic leaders had warned Trump that “hostilities must not be initiated without the approval of Congress,” according to Pelosi. She called for de-escalating the conflict and advancing American interests. 12:50 p.m. President Donald Trump has discussed escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The White House says the leaders spoke Friday, the day after Trump confirmed that he canceled a military strike against Iran on Thursday after Iran downed a U.S. drone that it says was operating over Iranian airspace. The U.S. says the drone had been flying over international waters when it was attacked. Saudi Arabia and Iran are regional enemies. Trump has been stepping up a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. Trump and bin Salman also discussed the kingdom’s role in ensuring stability in the Middle East and in the global oil market. Trump has blamed Iran for recent attacks on oil tankers moving through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. 12 p.m. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was not told of President Donald Trump’s aborted plan to strike back at Iran for shooting down a U.S. drone. A spokesman for Pelosi said Friday she was not given a heads-up about the military action. Pelosi is second in line to the presidency behind Vice President Mike Pence. Trump on Friday tweeted that the U.S. was “cocked and
Bradley Byrne: Caring for the brave in the Land of the Free
It has been years in the making, but finally the veterans of our area will be able to get the care they have long deserved. On Monday, March 18th, I had the honor of participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new VA Outpatient Clinic located in Tillmans Corner. Many veterans from Southwest Alabama were on hand to witness the ceremony and tour the new facility. As someone who has deep respect and appreciation for our veterans, it was very exciting to watch the veterans tour their new facility. My brother, Dale, was a veteran, who served in the Alabama National Guard, so I know the importance of caring for those who have given so much of themselves to our country. Just before I was elected to my first term in Congress, Dale passed away. His legacy has always been something that has driven me every day to fight for our military members, both past and present. I couldn’t help but think about Dale as we were cutting the ribbon on that new VA clinic. I am so proud of the hard work over the past two decades to reach this point. Work on this project dates back multiple Congressmen and shows just how complicated and frustrating the government bureaucracy can be. As soon as I took office in Washington, I began pushing for the construction of this new VA facility. I held meetings and sent letters demanding a better clinic for our veterans. Thanks to the efforts of many people, we now have a clinic that truly reflects how we feel about our veterans. Our area is home to over 50,000 veterans. They have served our nation honorably, and they are deserving of everything we have to give them. Shouldn’t we, as a grateful nation, be able to give them the very best? Thankfully, the new clinic is state-of-the-art, modern, and offers several services that won’t require veterans to drive to the VA hospital in Biloxi. The new, 65,000 square feet clinic is conveniently located right off I-10 in Tillmans Corner. This location should be easy for local veterans to access, and the clinic has adequate public parking. The new clinic provides space for primary care, audiology and speech pathology, education, eye clinics, mental health, patient advocacy, radiology, Veterans’ Service Organizations, and women’s health. The region’s primary inpatient facility is still in Biloxi, but this new outpatient clinic in Mobile represents a huge improvement for our veterans. Service in the military is so much more than just a job. It is a dedication to support and defend the Constitution and the people of the United States, both at home and abroad. That service is immeasurable, and I am humbled to represent so many of those who have fought for our freedoms. There is still much work to be done to make life better for veterans. So far this year, I have thrown my support behind fifteen bills focused on making life better for veterans, military families, or active duty service members. Many of those bills have to do with getting veterans and their families the services, benefits, and recognition they have literally fought for. There is a great quote from Elmer Davis, a renowned news reporter and civil servant during World War II who knew the importance of informing the public of what service in the military really meant: “This will remain the land of the free so long as it is the home of the brave.” As long as we remember to take care of the brave, we will remain the land of the free. Bradley Byrne represents Alabama’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Doug Jones: Ending the Military Widows Tax is the right thing to do
As Americans, we all appreciate and support our troops and their families. Right? Of course we do. We fly the flag, hold parades in their honor, and praise these brave Americans – and their spouses and children – for their sacrifices on our behalf. We commit to serve them in return by promising quality health care, educational support and other earned benefits. So that’s why I was so shocked to learn recently that something completely reprehensible is happening to some of our military widows – and that is that they are being denied the survivor benefits they paid for and earned. This injustice is happening to as many as 65,000 surviving spouses – including more than 2,000 Alabamians – of military service members who were killed in action or died as the result of a service-related cause. Essentially, the problem is this: the federal government is trying to save a few bucks by ripping off military widows whose families paid extra to opt in to an additional life insurance plan. All military spouses whose loved ones die from service-related causes are able to collect full survivor benefits. Military families can also choose to pay extra into an additional insurance plan offered by the Defense Department – just like the kind of policy you or I would buy to ensure our loved ones were taken care of after we’re gone. The problem is that, right now, the government doesn’t let spouses collect their full benefits from both programs. Instead, they subtract the annuity from the basic survivor benefits these folks are entitled to. These grieving families – who paid out of pocket for an extra benefit – are penalized. This is the so-called “Widow’s Tax.” This doesn’t just apply to active-duty families, either. This applies to anyone who has a service-related death. In Alabama alone, there are more than 60,000 Department of Defense retirees whose families could be impacted by the widow’s tax if the retiree were to pass from a service-related reason. I understand we’ve got to be careful stewards of taxpayer dollars, but give me a break. This is a benefit these families paid for. If they’re not getting the money, it begs the question: who is? No surviving spouse should be faced with this kind of unexpected and completely unfair cut to the benefits they thought they could count on. No surviving spouse should have to fight for what their families are owed – in the wake of a family tragedy, no less. No surviving spouses should have to mount a massive lobbying effort in the capital of this great country to get folks to understand that this is wrong and we need to fix it. Instead, they should be focusing on beginning to heal and find strength in their families. They should be given the space and time to grieve. It is absolutely shameful that our federal government would treat our military families this way. And that’s why I’ve introduced a bipartisan bill called the Military Widows Tax Elimination Act of 2019. It has almost 40 cosponsors in the Senate – and that number is growing by the day. This legislation been introduced in previous sessions of Congress, but it has yet to pass – in large part because of concerns about its cost. While I certainly understand that, we’re talking about something these families have paid for on their own account. These folks are being robbed of the benefits that they thought they could count on. I’m grateful that our bill has support from the Gold Star Wives of America, VFW, the Military Officers Association of America, the National Military Family Association, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and more than 30 other military families and veterans associations that are members of the The Survivors Coalition. In fact, several Gold Star Wives visited me in the Senate this past week to show their support for this bill in person. We have a fundamental responsibility to honor our promises to the families of the brave people who give up their lives for our country. I’m hopeful that we can right this wrong and finally pass the Military Widows Tax Elimination Act. It’s just the right thing to do. Doug Jones is an American attorney, former prosecutor and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Alabama since 2018.
Military aims to help Alabama ease its teacher shortage
he military is aiming to ease Alabama’s shortage of teachers. Military officials are leading two efforts designed to increase the number of teachers in the state’s public schools, The Montgomery Advertiser reported. “In order to replace teachers that are retiring and those that are choosing not to go into the field, it’s almost becoming a crisis to find good, qualified teachers in Alabama, especially where we are,” said James Carter, superintendent in rural Greene County. About 15 percent of its teacher positions in the district are open, the Montgomery newspaper reported. “There’s not a lot of people that want to come and live in areas that are isolated from the urban centers,” Carter said. One of the initiatives designed to help schools like his is a Department of Defense program that was established in 1993 as a means to ease transition of military service members into civilian life. The program has put more than 20,000 veterans into classrooms nationally. The program used to be administered by the Department of Education. Stillman College became the education department’s first community partner in Alabama to handle the Troops to Teachers program. The college chose to focus its efforts on staffing Greene and Hale counties schools, and in October 2018, it was awarded a $400,000 grant to do so, the newspaper reported. Military veterans who go through the program are offered a stipend to cover the costs of education courses and licensing fees. They also get an incentive bonus for those that sign a three-year contract in a hard-to-staff school, up to a combined $10,000. “I think it can be a game-changer for the Black Belt and these schools,” said Derwin Dubose, executive director of military and veteran programs at Stillman. The college, he said, felt it was imperative to serve Stillman’s local communities. “We are looking forward to working with Stillman and the Troops to Teachers program,” Carter said. “We are certainly hoping this will give us a head start on next year’s recruiting, and we can utilize some of their experiences, and they can serve as role models for our students here.” There are also legislative efforts aimed at certifying former Community College of the Air Force instructors to teach in K-12 schools. “CCAF’s faculty development programs are closely aligned with the learning theory and instructional strategies found in colleges of education. The state recognizing CCAF’s teacher training program would allow qualified airmen to begin teaching without sacrificing GI Bill benefits or paying out of pocket for an additional education credential,” Dubose wrote in a letter to Gov. Kay Ivey’s office this month. Dubose and other Air Force leaders are meeting with the education department and the governor’s office in early February to discuss the legislation’s details and potential. Republished with permission from the Associated Pressto
Bradley Byrne: Supporting our military, repaying our veterans
One of the highest honors from my time in Congress has been the many interactions I’ve had with members of our nation’s armed forces and our veterans. Throughout the long history of the United States, countless Americans have served our country honorably in the military. Many made the ultimate sacrifice. There is no greater way to say “thank you” to our fighting men and women and our veterans than by ensuring they are taken care of both during and after their service, with the most up-to-date weapons systems and funding to carry out their missions, and with commonsense solutions to veterans issues. I am proud to once again serve on the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, and Subcommittee on Strategic Forces. These are two important roles that directly impact the state of Alabama and our country. My work on the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee is important to the 4,000 people working at Austal shipyard in Southwest Alabama and the 2,000 Alabamians who work at Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi. These two shipyards are crucial to the U.S. Navy’s goal of a 355-ship fleet. My work on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee is crucial for Alabama as many of the missile defense systems are designed and built in places like Huntsville and Troy. Having of a strong missile defense program is obviously vital to the security of our entire nation. Not only is it necessary to take care of our service members while they are on active duty, but it is our responsibility to care for our veterans as well. A career of service never ends for members of the armed forces, and we cannot fail them. One of the ways I am continuing to advocate for our veterans is by supporting policies that will get them the benefits they deserve. For example, I am proud to support the Retired Pay Restoration Act to ensure all military retirees with service-connected disabilities get their military retirement and disability payments concurrently. Currently, veterans with under a 50% service-connected disability rating have their disability pay deducted from their retirement pay, even though they are completely different benefits. I will continue to fight for this legislation until our veterans get all of their disability and retirement compensation. I continue to fight for veterans who were exposed to the toxic herbicide, Agent Orange, during the Vietnam War. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act allows the thousands of veterans of the Vietnam War who served in “blue-water” Navy posts off Vietnam’s shoreline to receive benefits for this service connected disability. And last Wednesday, I joined 20 of my colleagues in sending a letter to the Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery and the Secretary of the Army to allow American flags to be carried by visitors in Arlington Cemetery. It only makes sense that in one of the most sacred places in the United States Americans should be able to represent their patriotism openly and clearly through the display of an American flag. It is just a small way we can express our gratitude for those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom our flag represents. Ensuring our service members can adequately defend and protect our nation both at home and abroad, taking care of our veterans, and honoring those who have given their all is the least we can do as Americans. Alabama’s role in the defense of our nation, both past and present, is something we should all take immense pride in, and I am glad to know that our great state is paving the way for a safer world and a stronger America. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
We should celebrate, not shame, a ready military
On New Years Eve the twitter account for the U.S Strategic Command @US_Stratcom tweeted a message that has garnered headlines throughout the world New Years day. A tweet they later apologized for calling “in poor taste.” The sentiment of the message was clear, our military is ready for war if ever needed. How and why would that offend anyone? There are grave threats to our national security from countries and entities around the world who would love to see our nation fall and its people targeted. Our military’s ability and willingness to defend us, if and when they’re needed, is something to be celebrated. Not something to be ashamed of. For those who believe otherwise, you’re missing the point. It is those on the front lines willing to give their lives to protect our lives who make it possible for you to sit behind a computer or phone screen and whine and complain about how the reality of their jobs. To the naysayers “offended” by a show of might: May 2019 bring you some perspective on the safety and rights that are often taken for granted in our great country. In the meantime, thank you to each of the servicemen and women and their families.
Doug Jones introduces legislation force VA to pay student veterans missing benefits
Alabama U.S. Sen. Doug Jones taking action in hopes of righting yet another wrong made by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). On Tuesday, he joined his colleague Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) in introducing legislation that would force the VA to pay an estimated 360,000 veterans benefits that were overlooked due to technical errors. Money, Jones says the veterans are entitled to, but did not receive because of the VA’s own error. When the VA failed to implement the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, many student veterans did not receive the full benefits they are entitled to. The bipartisan Fix Immediately Outstanding Underpayments for Student Veterans Act would establish a VA commission at the VA to audit monthly stipends to student veterans and force the VA to pay back students who have been underpaid.Additionally this legislation will ensure the VA does not take back money from students they overpaid through their error. “When young men and women step up to serve our country in uniform, we make a solemn promise to have their backs when they come home,” said Jones. “We commit to provide them the tools needed to re-enter civilian life and to earn an education that will enable them to serve our communities in new ways. When I heard that thousands of veterans in Alabama and across the country were being underpaid – or not paid at all – for their GI Bill benefits and that the VA might not make them whole, I was appalled. While I’m glad the VA has since begun to reverse course, action from Congress is needed to make sure that these veterans receive what they’re owed.” Gardner believes VA is failing students by not providing a plan to pay them back the missing money quickly. “The VA let these veterans down and this cannot be tolerated,” added Gardner. “First, the VA made a mistake and did not properly pay student veterans the money they are entitled to; and now the VA is failing in their responsibility again by not providing a plan to pay those students back quickly. Most problems Congress addresses are complicated and do not have one ‘right’ answer. This is not one of those issues. To me, it’s pretty clear what the right thing to do is: Congress must act to ensure our student veterans receive every penny they are entitled to.” Last Friday, Jones sent a letter to the senior VA leader overseeing GI Bill benefits seeking answers from the VA about the situation. Jones also joined his colleagues last week in a bipartisan letter, led by Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), calling on the VA Inspector General to launch an investigation into allegations that the VA would not be reimbursing veterans for any missed or underpaid benefits. Read Jones’ letter below:
Bradley Byrne: Words cannot express our gratitude
One hundred years ago, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the world’s largest, deadliest, and costliest war to that date drew to an end. The guns that boomed over field and forest in Europe fell silent. World War I was over. Over 116,000 Americans had lost their lives. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson issued a statement to the nation in celebration of the first Armistice Day, expressing his thoughts on the war’s end: “To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.” In 1938, twenty years after the Armistice, Congress formally recognized Armistice Day as a national holiday “dedicated to the cause of world peace.” Unfortunately, the “war to end all wars” was only the precursor to an even deadlier, costlier war. The next year, World War II broke out across Europe, a war that would cost the lives of over 400,000 American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. For a particular Alabamian and veteran of WWII, the celebration of Armistice Day was not quite recognition enough for the service and sacrifice of veterans who had served, not just in WWI, but for all those who had worn the uniform of our nation. Raymond Meeks, a native of Birmingham, brought the idea of a national Veterans Day, to be held on what was then Armistice Day, to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Gen. Eisenhower greatly supported this idea, and in 1947 Weeks led the first national celebration of Veterans Day right here in Alabama. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed into law the formal celebration of Veterans Day here in the United States, dedicated to the memory of all those who served our country in the armed forces. To this day, words cannot express our gratitude for that service. Today, as I serve in Congress, it is an incredible honor to know that I am able to represent a free people thanks to the service, dedication, and sacrifice of our veterans. That is why I advocate so strongly for our nation’s veterans. We need to provide them with proper access to educational and workforce opportunities, we must work towards a health care system that actually gets them the care they need, and we must help them get the benefits they earned. Just this year, I voted to provide greater funding for programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), positive reforms to the G.I. Bill, and better access to career and technical education for veterans to reenter the civilian workforce. Additionally, my office has helped to resolve hundreds of cases for veterans and their families right here in Southwest Alabama. Service in the military is so much more than just a job. It is a dedication to support and defend the Constitution and the people of the United States, both at home and abroad. That service is immeasurable, and I am humbled to represent so many of those who have fought for our freedoms. The words of President Eisenhower on the first official Veterans Day stand as a charge for today: “Let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting and enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.” • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Bradley Byrne: Fighting for those who fight for us
When we go to bed at night, whether we think about it or not, we are safe knowing that our servicemen and women stand at the ready throughout the world; ready to defend our nation, our values, and us here at home. But, without the appropriate funding, our military does not have the necessary equipment and resources to get the job done. I am proud to report, thanks to the steadfast work and advocacy of us defense hawks in Congress, we have passed a bill fully funding our nation’s military on time for the first time since 2008. Not only this, but as of October 1st, roughly 75% of our government is funded for the coming year. We can truly say that as we move toward the end of the year, we are both better off now and stronger for the future. On Friday, President Donald Trump signed into law the Fiscal Year 2019 Defense and Labor-HHS-Education funding bill, which authorizes a record $716 billion to go toward our fighting men and women in the upcoming year. Part of this defense funding package includes 93 new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, 142 Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, and 13 Navy ships. Additionally, our troops will see the largest pay increase in nearly a decade. And, we have managed to do all of this without a temporary continuing resolution. This means that our nation’s military will have the funding certainty they have repeatedly asked for. So how will this impact Alabama? The U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker in the Wiregrass will benefit from the new Apache and Black Hawk helicopters as they continue to train our men and women in combat flight and air superiority to support of our ground troops. Some of the 93 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, as well as several other aircraft under the bill, will likely see service at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. This base is home to Air University, a division of the Air Education and Training Command, and these new planes will potentially serve with and in support of the 908th Airlift Wing and 187th Fighter Wing stationed there. The bill sets aside critical funding for missiles to be built and utilized by the team at Redstone Arsenal in north Alabama as they carry out critical Army and Missile Defense Agency programs. And closer to home here in Southwest Alabama, our very own Austal USA in Mobile will benefit from funding for three new Littoral Combat Ships and one new Expeditionary Fast Transport ship, ensuring continued work for the 4,000 men and women who work at the shipyard. These ships represent the next step as we strive for a 355-ship Navy fleet and an even stronger and more capable fighting force. On top of all these projects and plans, perhaps even more important is making sure the people who operate these systems are responsibly taken care of into the future. That is why we have made sure to include a pay raise in this year’s funding. For those who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, it only makes sense to pay them what they deserve. No price can ever be put on the sacrifices they make. As your representative in Congress, I am constantly fighting for the betterment of all Alabamians and all Americans. The members of the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Marines who live and work in Alabama should rest easy knowing that I will always fight for those who fight for us. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Richard Shelby: Senate works to rebuild America’s military in third appropriations minibus
Alabama U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, on Thursday delivered remarks on the Senate floor regarding the consideration of H.R. 6157. This bill packages two Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations measures – Department of Defense; and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies – which are the eighth and ninth funding bills to be processed by the full Senate this year. Both of the measures included in the appropriations package were passed by the full committee with near-unanimous support. “The package before the Senate makes essential investments to accelerate the rebuilding of America’s military and provides our men and women in uniform with the largest pay increase they have seen in nearly a decade. Further, it supports increased funding to advance medical research and fight the opioid epidemic,” said Shelby. “I am proud to present this legislation to my colleagues and urge their strong support. With the continued cooperation of my colleagues, I am confident that we will continue to get our work done in a deliberate and timely manner.” Watch Shelby’s floor speech below: Senator Shelby’s full remarks, as prepared, are as follows: Today the Senate begins debate on an appropriations package that is absolutely essential to the strength and security of this nation. The package before the Senate marries the two largest fiscal year 2019 appropriations bills: Defense and Labor-HHS-Education. Each of these bills carries the near unanimous support of the Appropriations Committee. The Chairman of the Labor-HHS Subcommittee, Senator Blunt, and his Ranking Member, Senator Murray, worked together to produce a strong bipartisan bill that balances many competing priorities. I commend these senators for their hard work and thank them for their continued efforts. Soon, Senators Blunt and Murray will come to the floor to discuss the particulars of the Labor-HHS division of this package, so I’m not going to get into the details of that bill. But, as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I want to provide my colleagues with an overview of the funding it contains for America’s military. Secretary Mattis – a decorated general who commands deep respect on both sides of the aisle – has warned that ‘failure to modernize our military risks leaving us with a force that could dominate the last war, but be irrelevant to tomorrow’s security.’ We cannot allow that to happen. We must rebuild America’s military. We have to defend this nation. Mr. President, I am pleased to report that this bill takes a big step in that direction. This package contains $607 billion in base defense funding. It also provides an additional $67.9 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations. The fiscal year 2018 Defense Appropriations bill, enacted earlier this year, contained the largest increase in military spending in 15 years. The bill now before the Senate does even better by providing an additional $16 billion above the fiscal year 2018 level. This funding sustains U.S. force structure and improves military readiness. It also provides critical resources for a wide range of priorities that are essential to maintaining our technological superiority in an increasingly complex and competitive national security environment. The bill includes substantial investments in the areas of basic research, hypersonics, directed energy, artificial intelligence, microelectronics, missile defense, cybersecurity, and our test and evaluation infrastructure – among many other priorities. Just as important, the package before the Senate provides our men and women in uniform with the largest pay increase they have seen in nearly a decade, and they certainly deserve it. As we debate this bill over the coming days, the sacrifices of these brave men and women should be top of mind for each of us. In light of their sacrifices, it is our duty to ensure they are the best prepared and the best equipped military in the world. The American military is the most feared fighting force the world has ever known. This bill ensures that continues to be true. That is how we defend this nation. I want to thank the Vice Chairman of the Defense Subcommittee, Senator Durbin, for his valuable input in crafting this bill. Together, I believe we have produced a balanced bill that meets the Pentagon’s objectives and includes the contributions of Senators from both sides of the aisle. I am proud to present this legislation to my colleagues and urge their strong support. In closing, I want to recognize the Vice Chairman of the full Appropriations Committee, Senator Leahy, and the Leaders on both sides, Senators McConnell and Schumer. At the outset of this appropriations cycle, the four of us met and agreed to work together in an effort to return the Senate to regular order. Since that time, the Appropriations Committee passed all 12 bills before the July 4th recess, all with strong bipartisan margins. The first time that’s been done in 30 years. The first minibus contained three bills and passed the Senate by a vote of 86 – 5. It is now in conference with the House. The second minibus contained four bills, two of which had not seen the light of day on the Senate floor in many years – Interior and FSGG. That package passed by a vote of 92 – 6. Hopefully it will soon be in conference as well. By August, the Senate had passed more appropriations bills than the House. That had not happened in 20 years. None of this would have been possible without the partnership of Vice Chairman Leahy and the leadership of Senators McConnell and Schumer. I thank each of them once again. But our work continues. We now have an opportunity to extend the success we have generated. It has been more than a decade since the Senate passed a Labor-HHS appropriations bill. And it has been a dozen years since the President was able to sign a Defense appropriations bill into law before the end of the fiscal year. These two records must be broken. We must not only provide the resources necessary to rebuild our military,
