Bradley Byrne: Back on the road in Southwest Alabama
I always appreciate the opportunity to get out of Washington, D.C. and spend time with the people I represent in Congress. Our most recent District Work Week was unfortunately cut short by the frivolous government shutdown, but thankfully I was still able to get back to Southwest Alabama for a number of town hall meetings and other important events. It was a real treat to be able to celebrate my 100th in-person town hall meeting by holding a “100th Town Hall Tour” with stops in Chatom, Grove Hill, Jackson, Creola, East Brewton, and Frisco City. These town hall meetings are always a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from the people I represent in Congress. Many people were concerned about illegal immigration and what to do about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. I made clear my interest in boosting border security to cut down on illegal immigration, and I recommitted my promise to never support amnesty. I also heard from a number of individuals who want to see the House Intelligence Committee release a classified memo about potential abuses in some of our intelligence programs. I support the release of the memo, and I have written a letter to the Intelligence Committee asking that they make the memo public for the American people to read and evaluate for themselves. Various road and infrastructure projects also came up at the meetings, and I shared the positive news that President Donald Trump plans to make rural projects a key part of his upcoming infrastructure package. Social Security, Medicare, the VA, rural hospitals, and national security were some other hot topics. We were fortunate to have Bob Grip from Fox 10 News with us for our stops in Washington, Clarke, and Mobile counties. He will be doing a story highlighting my 100th Town Hall Tour, so I encourage you to be on the lookout for that story soon. As you may know, Bob recently announced he will be retiring at the end of the year, so I appreciated the opportunity to spend time with him. Last week, I was also able to visit some of the outstanding Pre-K programs in our area. Studies have shown that Pre-K programs increase education outcomes for students, and Alabama’s Pre-K program ranks as the best in the entire nation. So, it was very helpful to spend time in a few classrooms and see the programs in action. First, I visited the Crossroads Head Start and Pre-K programs in north Baldwin County. After a quick tour of the facility, I sat down with the kids to read a book and answer some of their questions. It did not take long for me to realize how sharp the students are and how committed their teachers are to helping the kids learn. Next, I visited Rachel Patterson Elementary School in Atmore. After a quick meeting with education leaders from Escambia County and the State of Alabama, I visited two classrooms to spend time with the students. I was able to play games with one class while reading the Dr. Seuss book “Oh the Place You Will Go” to the other class. As you can tell, it was a very eventful and productive few days back in Southwest Alabama. I have always made it a priority to get around the First Congressional District to hear directly from the people I represent and better understand the challenges they face. Ultimately, it is the people in Alabama – not those in Washington – that I work for and represent. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Bradley Byrne: A recap from the road
What do dehydrated fruits and vegetables, a new workforce training center, six town hall meetings, and the University of Alabama have in common? They were all a part of my busy week on the road in Southwest Alabama. Some of my most valuable time is spent traveling across the First Congressional District talking directly to the people I represent in Congress. With the House out of session until after the upcoming election, there have been many great opportunities to listen to the ideas and concerns of my constituents. I kicked things off Monday morning with a visit to Spring Hill College in Mobile to speak with students, tour the campus, and meet with President Christopher Puto. Spring Hill is an important part of the education system in Southwest Alabama, and its impact is felt all across the United States. Next, I headed to Mobile’s Providence Hospital to meet with community partners who serve those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We had an important conversation about the ways federal policy can help those with Alzheimer’s, as well as family caregivers. I finished the day with a Veterans Town Hall Meeting at Battleship Memorial Park. I heard from a number of veterans who are still frustrated with the quality of care they are receiving from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). I outlined my support for the new VA clinic in Mobile and explained why I believe every veteran should be given a card to receive care from private doctors and hospitals in their local community instead of being forced into the failed VA bureaucracy. On Tuesday morning, I headed to Foley to celebrate the grand opening of Bon Secour Valley Ingredients. The new operation will bring a state-of-the-art fruit and vegetable dehydration and roasting facility to Baldwin County. This is just the latest in a long line of businesses George Woerner and his family have brought to our area. After having lunch with some members of the Gulf Coast News Today team in Summerdale, I headed up to Flomaton in Escambia County for a town hall meeting. We discussed a range of topics including health care, immigration, and the role of the media in politics. On Wednesday, I headed up to Clarke County for a number of meetings and events. I started off in Grove Hill with a visit to Clarke County High School. I enjoyed speaking with some of their students and checking out the new Clarke County Regional Workforce Training Center. Next, I held a town hall meeting in Jackson. Before the meeting, I had the opportunity to honor Jackson Mayor Richard Long for his over 20 years of service to the local community. His work has made a huge impact. Next, I went over to McIntosh in Washington County for a town hall meeting. At both the town halls in Jackson and McIntosh, I took questions on Social Security, foreign policy, religious freedom, and more. On Thursday, I held two more town hall meetings, in Mobile County’s Turnerville community and Uriah in Monroe County. Questions at these meetings covered everything from the presidential election to Obamacare to workforce training. I wrapped things up in Tuscaloosa on Friday with a visit to the University of Alabama. As our state’s only member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I believe it is important to understand the challenges and opportunities facing all of our institutions of higher education. Needless to say, it was a busy but successful week on the road. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Bradley Byrne: Some good news for Southwest Alabama
If you turn on the national news, it is easy to grow discouraged. From ongoing terrorism issues to the sluggish economy, our nation continues to face a wide range of serious challenges. That said, here in Southwest Alabama, we have had a decent run of positive news lately. I want to highlight some of the encouraging developments that impact every community in our area. I received word last week that the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development office is starting a Community Facilities Relending Program to benefit rural areas in Southwest Alabama and Northwest Florida. United Bank, headquartered in Atmore, will serve as a lender for the program, and they will be able to issue up to $40 million in loans to local communities. This program targets rural areas with high and persistent poverty rates. Funds from the loan program can be used on a range of essential community facilities or equipment including healthcare facilities, town halls, courthouses, child care centers, fire departments, police vehicles, libraries, food pantries, and more. This is certainly good news as many of our rural communities will be eligible to apply for these low-interest loans. Baldwin County received some good news a few weeks ago when the Economic Development Administration announced a $846,583 grant for the Daphne Innovation and Science Complex (DISC). The DISC project is an important tool to help spur growth in the technology and science industries around Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The Economic Development Administration also announced grants for the City of Atmore to construct an industrial access road and for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to renovate and modernize the former Threaded Fasteners building. The Poarch Creek Band of Indians in Escambia County was recently awarded a grant from the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Administration. The over $33,000 grant will help with emergency preparedness efforts. In Clarke County, work has started on a new workforce training facility in Grove Hill. This facility is a major step in the right direction when it comes to encouraging vocational education and making sure students are gaining the skills they need to get a good-paying job. We also received some good news from the Secretary of the Navy. He announced in September that a future Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) will be named the USS Mobile. This is a well-deserved honor for the City of Mobile, where the Independence-class of the LCS is built. I have been urging the Navy to name a ship after our great city for some time, so I was pleased to see the announcement finally made. Another piece of good news relates to our local oyster industry. I was able to have an amendment successfully included in the Water Resources and Development Act when it passed the House a few weeks back. My amendment calls for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform a Gulf Coast Oyster Bed Recovery Assessment. Our oyster industry along the Gulf Coast has taken a real hit in recent years, and I believe it is important for the Army Corps to work with the Gulf states on developing a plan to improve our oyster beds. These are just a few instances of positive news for our area. Of course, these developments alone will not be enough. I am committed to continuing to advocate for Southwest Alabama every chance I get. Thanks to our outstanding people, our area has unlimited potential, and I am excited to keep working on your behalf. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Bradley Byrne: A better way forward
From health care to national security, people are worried about the direction our country is headed. That is certainly what I hear at my town hall meetings in Southwest Alabama, but the same is true all around the United States. According to Real Clear Politics, 65 percent of Americans believe our country is headed in the wrong direction. When you are frustrated, it is simple to spend all your time complaining about what is wrong. In other words, it is easy to be against something. But we can’t just spend all our time complaining and talking about why we are frustrated. We must rise above that temptation. Instead, we need to counter the current policies with ideas of our own. The American people are better off when there is a battle of ideas. With this in mind, House Republicans recently released what we are calling a “Better Way” agenda. This agenda offers an alternative to the “Washington-knows-best,” big government policies that have wrecked our country over the last eight years. Our platform focuses on six main areas, so I want to take a minute to discuss our plan and explain why I believe it offers a “Better Way.” Poverty: Our nation’s welfare system needs to put a real focus on work instead of just throwing more money toward government programs. We must do more to help Americans gain the skills they need to get a job instead of encouraging government dependency. National Security: We have to get serious about defeating radical Islamic terrorism, and that means having a strategy to defeat our enemies overseas. We must also protect the homeland by securing our borders and closing loopholes in our broken immigration system. It is also important that we don’t lose sight of new, evolving threats like cyberattacks. The safety and security of the American people must always be the top priority. The Economy: It is time we roll back costly regulations that are only driving up costs for American families. We must also focus on making energy more affordable by pursuing an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy. Innovation needs to be encouraged instead of punished. Finally, we need to put an end to Wall Street bailouts once and for all. The Constitution: We have to make sure the Constitution is being followed, and that means restoring the powers of Congress. We must hold government agencies accountable and do everything we can to encourage efficiency and effectiveness across the federal government. Most importantly, Congress must get back to using our “power of the purse.” Health Care: First, Obamacare must go, but we need to replace it with patient-centered reforms based on free-market principles. We need to give patients more choices by allowing for health insurance to be sold across state lines. We must also strengthen Medicare for our nation’s seniors while also preserving the program for the next generation. Tax Reform: We need to completely rewrite the tax code so it is simpler and fairer for every family. Under our plan, everyone’s taxes would come down, and most people could fill out their taxes with a simple post card form. These reforms will also boost the economy and make it easier for small businesses to create jobs. This is just a quick look at our “Better Way” agenda. You can learn more online at Better.gop. I also realize that our agenda won’t be put in place overnight. Some of the reforms will take longer than others, but at least now we have put forward a bold agenda for the path forward. There is a “Better Way,” and I am committed to making it a reality. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
