Tuberville says Biden Administration continues to roll out the welcome mat for illegal immigrants
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) is sounding the alarm about the problems at America’s southern border, and he is intensifying his attacks on the Biden Administration’s handling of the border situation. Tuberville told Alabama reporters recently that illegal immigration is costing American taxpayers as much as $450 billion every year. Sen. Tuberville made his comments during a phone conference with the gathered members of the Alabama press corps. “The Biden Administration is continuing to roll out the welcome mat at the southern border for illegal immigrants,” Sen. Tuberville said. “October was another record month for Illegal border crossings.” In October, 188,788 people were intercepted illegally entering the United States. “Thirteen people were caught on the terrorist watch list.” Sen. Tuberville continued. “A report earlier this week estimated that the open border is costing American taxpayers as much as $450 billion every year.” The recent report by the House Committee on Homeland Security claims that the southern border crisis costs American taxpayers around $451 billion per year for services, including healthcare, education, and law enforcement for the record number of aliens who have crossed the border illegally under the Biden administration. Six hundred fifty-nine people on the suspected terrorist list have already been apprehended trying to enter the United States – this is already a record high – and that does not include November or December numbers. “There have been at least 6.5 million illegal border crossings since Joe Biden took office, and that doesn’t even include the number of gotaways,” Tuberville continued. “We don’t know who these people are or where they are headed. This is a threat to our national security. We can’t let this continue. That’s why I am supporting legislation in the Senate to finish the wall and close the loopholes in our immigration system.” Tuberville is continuing his work to combat Biden’s Border Crisis by joining Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and 22 other colleagues in introducing the Southern Border Transparency Act. The legislation would force the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase its data reporting about illegal immigrants entering the country, providing greater transparency to the American people. Tuberville has urged that the border wall on the southern border be finished and that Trump administration reforms in the immigration process be reintroduced to deal with the worsening border crisis. Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville joins legislation to hold VA employees accountable
Recently, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) told Alabama reporters he has joined as a co-sponsor for the Restore VA Accountability Act. “I also Announced my support for new legislation to bring back accountability at the VA,” Tuberville told Alabama press corps reporters in a phone conference. “Under President [Barack] Obama, there was a national scandal. VA facilities in Phoenix and elsewhere had long lines for veterans to get care – then they covered it up and at least 40 veterans even died. It was an absolute disgrace, so President Trump signed a bipartisan bill to fire VA employees who weren’t doing their jobs.” Recently, the Biden Administration settled a class action lawsuit brought by the fired employees and agreed to give them their jobs back. “More than 4,000 VA employees across the country were fired, but now the Biden Administration is ignoring that law,” Sen. Tuberville explained. “They have reached a settlement to give these people their jobs back. They’re even giving them back pay. It is outrageous to the American taxpayer. It’s going to mean worse care for our veterans, so I am supporting legislation to give VA leaders the power they need to hold people accountable. Our veterans deserve the best care we can provide.” Sponsors say that the legislation would restore accountability for the VA while protecting whistleblowers. Specifically, the legislation would: · Ensure VA decisions supported by substantial evidence are upheld on appeal. · Negate the requirement for a performance improvement plan prior to disciplinary action. · Unlock expedited removal, demotion, or suspension authority for use with all categories of VA employees. · Align the disciplinary authority for unsatisfactory VA managers and supervisors with the process currently in place for members of the Senior Executive Service. The passage of the VA Accountability Act of 2017 allowed the VA to cut through cumbersome bureaucratic processes and paperwork to more easily hold bad employees accountable and fire them in an expedited manner. The Biden VA decided it would no longer utilize Section 714 authority as of April 3, 2023. This allowed many of the 4,000 VA workers dismissed from their duties with cause to return to their positions. In March, VA Secretary Denis McDonough testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee that “Section 714 wasn’t really helping us necessarily manage our workforce as much as it was getting us in front of federal judges and in front of administrative bodies.” McDonough stated, “In all cases, we do think we have what we need to manage our authorities outside” the 2017 law. Tommy Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Holidays can be a stressful time of the year
We all have that relative who insists on loudly expressing their political views at the Thanksgiving table and picking on anyone who dares dispute them. Some people have not gotten over perceived or actual transgressions from years past and never miss an opportunity to rehash what went wrong then – even if that was decades ago. There are stressors in every family, and the holidays can be pretty stressful, even in the best of times. These, however, are not the best of times. Psychologists warn that these holidays may be among the most stressful we have experienced recently. Part of the issue is inflation and economic affairs. Anybody who wants to work is working. Wages are up, but nobody under 50 remembers three straight years of inflation this bad. Interest rates have not been this high in a long time, and the stress on people to pay their monthly bills is starting to grow. There are homes across this country that put that Thanksgiving meal on a credit card and are wondering how they will pay the bills for this. How are they going to pay for Christmas? The typical Thanksgiving meal has never been costlier. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) said Monday on X that the cost of the Thanksgiving meal is 25% higher than it was in 2019. “Americans will pay 25% more for their Thanksgiving dinner than in 2019. Bidenomics continues to devastate our hardworking citizens, especially during the holidays,” Tuberville stated. Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) said, “This year will be the most expensive Thanksgiving in history thanks to Bidenomics. Turkey prices are up 7.2%. Sugar prices are up 8.8% Frozen vegetable prices are up 10.7%.” The economics of the moment are what they are, but foreign affairs are weighing on the minds of many Americans. The United States is technically not at war; this is only the second year since 2020 where that was the case, but this certainly does not feel like peace either. The drums of war have not been louder in most of our lifetimes. Our support for Ukraine has cost us billions of dollars, and those costs are rapidly climbing. Taiwan is building its armed forces up for a likely confrontation with China. Israel is asking for more U.S. military aid in its existential war with Hamas and Hezbollah. It is not going to be a peaceful Christmas for American troops deployed in the Middle East, where Iranian-backed militants are launching increasingly more intense attacks on those American troops. The Pentagon announced that the fourth round of American retaliatory air strikes have followed. Sen. Tuberville is warning that U.S. munitions stockpiles are rapidly depleting, and arms makers can’t keep up with the demand. As tensions rise between the U.S. and Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, World War III is being discussed as a possibility in some circles, and it is affecting people’s stress levels. JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said recently, “This may be the most dangerous time this world has seen in decades.” It is a real possibility, particularly in military families or families with teens and twentysomethings, that this might be one of the last Thanksgivings for a while where someone is not deployed somewhere fighting for the American way of life. Psychologists warn that you should be aware that other family members and friends may be stressing over these issues. While the readers of Alabama Today are well-informed – others are not as keenly aware of what perilous times we may be living in. The Thanksgiving dinner table and family gatherings over the holiday might not be the best of times to discuss any of this, especially knowing that some people may already be stressed about the situation. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senate plots to break Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military nominees
Democrats on the Senate Rules Committee advanced a resolution on Tuesday that would allow the Senate to override U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Alabama) nine-month hold on military promotions. Tuberville spoke at length with Alabama reporters on Wednesday about this development. “What’s happening now, that I have been about nine or ten months of holds on admirals and generals – flag officers, the Democrats have said we are just going around Coach,” Sen. Tuberville said. “We are going to go to the Rules Committee (and) pass a new rule that we can go around him, and for the next year and a half, we won’t have holds from the minority part of the Senate. That will probably happen in maybe around the first of December. It did come out of committee. It did come out of the rules committee, so now they will have the vote in the next couple of weeks to go around me.” Senate rules require 60 votes to change the rules, meaning that with a 51 to 49 split, Democrats need Republican support to pass the rule change. “They have got to have nine Republicans,” Tuberville said. “I can’t imagine nine Republicans siding with the Democrats. Number one against pro-life. Number two against executive overreach and then siding with the Democrats on anything because they don’t side with us on anything.” The resolution was led by Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island and independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. The rule would temporarily change the process, allowing for the nominees to be approved en masse, letting the chamber more quickly vote on the promotions that Tuberville has slowed with his opposition. It would require the support of all Democrats and independents and at least nine Republicans. Several GOP Senators have expressed their frustrations with Tuberville over this publicly. It remains to be seen if there are nine of them willing to stand with Democrats and risk backlash from the pro-life movement over it to pass the rule change. Several Republican Senators have become frustrated with Tuberville’s intransigence on this and have spent hours on the Senate floor criticizing him on this topic – hours that could have been spent confirming military promotions simply by bringing a petition to override Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-New York) stranglehold on the Senate calendar. Tuberville said he has had no assurances from his Republican colleagues that they will not cross over and vote with Democrats on this rule change. “I have not been assured,” Tuberville said. “I think there is going to be some people on the Republican side that say that we need to get this over with and not hold up these promotions. We don’t need to do that because it is not affecting readiness at all. I do have a couple of things that I am working on maybe to avoid this to get this over with before a vote happens. Right now, the Republican Party is going to have to decide whether they are going to be pro-life or vote for this resolution to pass to go around me. It is disturbing sometimes. I am not establishment. I vote for the people of Alabama, and I hope the rest of our delegation would vote for their state, and if they did that, they would vote against the Democrats.” One reporter asked if Tuberville’s holds were pro-life versus the military. Sen. Tuberville objected to that verbiage. “These holds are not pro-life versus military,” Tuberville answered. “The Republicans – all Republicans – we’re pro-life, and we’re also for the military. The Democrats are not for either. They are definitely not for the life of the unborn, and they really don’t support the military like Republicans do, so let’s go down that avenue.” Tuberville remains staunchly opposed to the Pentagon’s abortion policy, which allows servicemembers and their families stationed in states where abortion is restricted to take time off and be reimbursed for travel expenses for the procedure. Critics say his tactic of holding up the promotions threatens military readiness and unfairly punishes service members. “I am doing what is right for the people of Alabama and the American people, and hopefully my Republican colleagues stick with me on that,” Tuberville concluded. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and every other Republican on the committee voted against the resolution, though they have told reporters that they are still trying to find a solution with Tuberville. The body could bring the nominations as part of regular order as the Founders intended, or the Defense Department could reverse the controversial policy change prompting Tuberville’s hold in the first place. Democrats are unwilling to compromise on either point and have rejected a plan in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives’ version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would override the Defense Department policy that created this conflict. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Carl, Tuberville, and Britt offer condolences for Rosalynn Carter
On Sunday, the Carter Center announced that former First Lady Rosalynn Carter had died. She was 96. Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) said on the social media site X: “Tina and I are thinking of and praying for President Jimmy Carter, plus the many family and friends of First Lady Rosalynn Carter. May she rest in peace.” U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) said on X: “First Lady Rosalynn Carter dedicated her life to service – particularly as a mental health advocate. Much of her work shapes how we address today’s mental health crisis. My prayers go out to President Carter and the Carter family.” U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) said on X: “Rosalynn Carter lived an incredible life that was wholeheartedly devoted to serving others. She leaves behind a legacy of grace, grit, and goodwill. Our thoughts and prayers are with President Carter and their loved ones.” She is survived by former President Jimmy Carter. President Carter served as President from 1977 to 1981. Carter, at age 99, is the longest-lived President in American history. The former President has been in hospice care for the past several months. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden released a statement on the Passing of Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. “First Lady Rosalynn Carter walked her own path, inspiring a nation and the world along the way,” the Bidens wrote. “Throughout her incredible life as First Lady of Georgia and the First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn did so much to address many of society’s greatest needs. She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for every person; and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities.” “Above all, the deep love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership, and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism,” the Bidens continued. “She lived her life by her faith. Time and time again, during the more than four decades of our friendship – through rigors of campaigns, through the darkness of deep and profound loss – we always felt the hope, warmth, and optimism of Rosalynn Carter. She will always be in our hearts. On behalf of a grateful nation, we send our love to President Carter, the entire Carter family, and the countless people across our nation and the world whose lives are better, fuller, and brighter because of the life and legacy of Rosalynn Carter. May God bless our dear friend. May God bless a great American.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Wee hours U.S. Senate drama: GOP colleagues on the floor battle Tommy Tuberville blockade
Ashley Murray, Arizona Mirror WASHINGTON — After a marathon day and late-night vote to avert a Thanksgiving government shutdown, four U.S. Senate Republicans held the floor until the wee hours Thursday, urging their Alabama colleague to lift his months-long objections to hundreds of U.S. military nominations. Sens. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Todd Young of Indiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina asked for unanimous consent on two stalled nominees and spoke on the matter until nearly 4 a.m. Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah objected to both on behalf of GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, speaking at length in defense of the minority party’s right to block nominations as leverage and about his own opposition to the Pentagon’s abortion policy that Tuberville is protesting. Lee’s objections meant the nominations remained stalled. This was the second time Tuberville’s Republican colleagues brought nominees to the floor to challenge the Alabama senator’s tactic, showing how frustration has bubbled to the surface in his own party. Pentagon officials warn that Tuberville’s freeze on promotions is disrupting the military’s chain of command. Until Nov. 1, only Democratic senators had asserted opposition on the floor. Tuberville has objected to unanimous voice vote approval of military generals and flag officer promotions since early 2023, and now Senate Republicans are on the defense against a Democratic-led resolution that could allow the chamber to hold roll call votes on the nominees en masse, potentially saving weeks to months of precious Senate floor time. Here’s what the senators had to say early Thursday morning: Sullivan Prior to speaking out against Tuberville on the floor this month, the Alaska senator joined him in collecting cloture petition signatures to bring top generals, including the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the floor for successful votes. But Sullivan, a colonel in the U.S. Marines Corps Reserve, said Thursday that he and fellow GOP lawmakers who are now protesting Tuberville’s strategy have “received hundreds of text messages, emails from military families saying, ‘Thank you for having our back. Somebody has our back.’” “So we told them, we’re gonna do that, as we’re moving into Thanksgiving, my colleagues and I, we’re gonna keep our word to our military.” “During the last two weeks, we’ve all worked hard together. Sen. Tuberville is here, Sen. Lee’s on the floor. We’re all working hard trying to resolve this. We have ideas … But the backlog grows. Right now, when the Armed Services (Committee) reports out the next batch of military (nominees), it will be 450 one-, two-, three- and four-star generals.” The latest figures from the Pentagon state 359 nominees are stalled, and the list could grow to between 650 and 850 by year’s end if Tuberville continues his blockade. “This is a huge readiness challenge and a huge moral challenge,” Sullivan said. Tuberville was present at times but did not speak on the floor during the nearly four-hour period. Ernst The Iowa senator said Thursday morning she “led on the effort to overturn this (Biden administration) policy.” Ernst, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, twice attempted but failed to insert language into this year’s annual defense authorization bill to ban the Pentagon’s recent abortion policy. “So, again, I am pro-military and pro-life,” she said. “I also do not relish that I am standing on the floor this (morning) as we try to bring these nominations forward, but I understand the national security risks that are out there and the detriment to readiness as we continue to hold over 450 of the finest men and women that have served their nation honorably under the flag of our nation and our uniform.” “So I will go through one by one. I have a binder full of nominees, and I do hope our colleague from Alabama will allow us to bring them up one by one for a voice vote.” Graham Graham suggested a legal strategy against the Biden administration as a way for Tuberville to change course and smooth out the military’s chain of command this year. “How do you right wrongs? You don’t create another wrong. I want to right the wrong of having abortion paid for by public taxpayer dollars from the defense coffers. I think it not only violates the Hyde Amendment, it’s just bad policy. Count me in, Coach (Tuberville), I’m with you on that, Mike (Lee). You say it’s illegal. I tend to agree with you. Go to court.” “One way you right a wrong in America if you think a law is broken, you actually bring a lawsuit, and I think we found a way talking to (attorney) Jay Sekulow to bring a lawsuit challenging the defense policy of President Biden using taxpayer dollars to pay for transportation costs from DoD funds to perform abortions,” Graham said. Sekulow is chief counsel of the Christian-based American Center for Law and Justice, and specializes in religious liberty and anti-abortion litigation, according to his website. The Biden administration and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin maintain the policy is legal, and the Department of Justice in 2022 delivered an opinion concluding the policy does not violate the Hyde Amendment. The policy, announced in February, grants service members time off and travel reimbursement when seeking an abortion in states where it remains unrestricted. The Pentagon policy was authorized after last year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling. Roughly 80,000 active-duty female service members are stationed in states where legislatures enacted full or partial bans, according to RAND. Young The Indiana senator asked to take up and confirm by unanimous consent two nominees Thursday morning, Capt. Kurtis A. Mole to rise to a rear admiral of the Navy, and Capt. Thomas J. Dickinson also for a promotion to rear admiral. Lee objected both times. “There are now tens, tens of Americans watching us on C-SPAN 2, captivated I know by the presentation this (morning),” Young said. “I think they’re perhaps divided. Some may look upon these proceedings and think what
Katie Britt says Basel III Endgame proposal ‘undermines proven strength of U.S. banking sector’
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) warned about what she believes would be the harmful effects of implementing the Basel III Endgame proposed rule recently issued jointly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The “Basel III endgame” is a proposal for stricter bank capital requirements aimed at ensuring the stability of big banks. Proponents believe that the proposal would modify large bank capital requirements to better reflect underlying risks and increase the consistency of how banks measure their risks. The changes would implement the final components of the Basel III agreement. The proposal would apply to banks with $100 billion in assets or more and to smaller firms with “significant” trading activities. Sen. Britt made her remarks as a participant in a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing that featured testimony from the heads of four federal regulators with respective jurisdictions spanning the financial sector. The witnesses were the Vice Chair for Supervision of the Federal Reserve, Michael Barr; the Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Martin Gruenberg; the Chair of the National Credit Union Administration, Todd Harper; and the Acting Comptroller of the Office of Controller of the Currency Michael Hsu. All four witnesses testified to the strength of the U.S. banking sector. Sen. Britt stated her view that the proposed rule, together with other rulemaking proposals – she views as reckless, risks severely weakening the financial sector, making it much harder for Main Street to get the capital that it needs due to the proposed punitive bank capital requirements. Britt noted that American banks regularly pass the Federal Reserve’s “stress tests,” proving these institutions are well-capitalized. In her line of questioning, Senator Britt noted the lack of a thorough justification and economic analysis cited in the proposal, as well as the fact that federal financial regulators have not considered the combined impacts of other concurrent proposals, specifically the long-term debt proposal and debit fee caps. Vice Chair Barr stated he would “welcome public comment” on both proposals and would be “happy to include [the analysis] in improving the rule.” “Since your last appearance before this committee in May, banks of all sizes have yet again proven their strength and ability to withstand unexpected volatility,” Britt asked. “In fact, quickly, I would like to just go down the row, and each of you, please answer with yes or no. Do you believe that the U.S. banking system at large is strong? Vice Chair Barr, we’ll start with you.” “Yes, I do,” Barr answered. “Yes, Senator,” Gruenberg replied. ‘Yes,” said Harper. “Yes,” answered HSU. “Great, thank you,” Britt continued. “So, for the record, all of you believe the U.S. banking sector is strong. Yet, over the last several months, we’ve seen a wholesale attempt to fundamentally alter our banking system. Not only do your agencies’ recent proposed rules undermine the proven strength of our banking sector, but they risk making it weaker, and it is Main Street America that will ultimately be punished. I have spoken directly with dozens of banks and credit unions of all sizes. It is clear that your proposed rules are so wide-reaching that they leave no financial institution untouched.” “Even more concerning, it’s apparent that the lack of effort from you as regulators to engage these institutions is startling,” said Britt. “Along with the absence of any stated rationale for making these key decisions, I want to start with the Basel Endgame rule. Let me follow up on a question that Senator Rounds asked. Vice Chair Barr, how long did your fellow board members have to review the proposed rule prior to it being issued?” “They had an extensive period of time,” Barr answered. “I’ll get you the exact number of days, but it was many, many weeks, I believe…well, anyway, I don’t want to guess. I’ll tell you the exact number of days for the record, but it was many weeks to review.” “Many weeks. So many weeks would be longer than two, then?” Britt asked. “Correct,” Barr replied. “OK, so your colleague, Governor (Lisa) Cook, testified in this committee on July 12 that she had not yet seen the Basel III proposal. … [J]ust two weeks later, the proposal was rolled out,” Britt said. “So, does that mean that your colleagues had less than two weeks to actually review the rule, or was she mistaken in that testimony?” “Each governor can decide how much they want to engage in the process,” Barr answered. “But she had been given the opportunity and then chose not to, I guess?” Britt continued. “I can’t speak specifically to what Governor Cook chose to do, but every governor was given the opportunity to meet with staff and to be briefed on the proposal in detail,” Barr responded. “OK, well, the rule assumes that banks are significantly undercapitalized for operational risk but yet cites no evidence to support this assumption,” Britt queried. “Not only are these risks already accounted for in stress testing, but the new standardized approach is not tailored to the varying business models of various banks. Vice Chair Barr, would you say you’ve done a thorough analysis to understand the impacts of the proposed operational risk requirements and what they would have on availability of mortgages on small businesses, small business loans, and retail credit to consumers?” “Thank you, Senator. The analysis goes into detail on these items,” Barr answered. “As I suggested, with respect to credit risk, whether that’s for mortgages or small businesses or consumers, just the combination of the credit risk proposal and operational risk is very, very small in relation to current rules.” “So, obviously, that is a yes, in the way that I view this, the Basel proposal is over a thousand pages with fewer than 20 pages dedicated to actual economic analysis,” Britt said. “Also absent is a study of the combined impacts of other concurrent proposals, like the long-term debt proposal and debit fee caps, despite the
Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt warn Biden Administration proposal would limit credit access for Americans
On Monday, Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined Senator Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and 36 other Senators in a letter urging the Federal Reserve (Fed), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to withdraw the Basel III Endgame capital rule proposal. Tuberville and colleagues warn that the over one-thousand-page proposed rule setting new capital requirements for borrowers would limit credit access for millions of Americans. The Senate Banking Committee is set to hear testimony from the financial regulators on Tuesday, where Republicans will press the regulators on what they consider to be regulatory overreach that fails to consider downstream impacts on everyday Americans. Tuberville wrote on X, “Biden’s bank capital rule will hurt main street by making it harder for Americans to get loans. The rule undermines economic growth and makes it harder for working folks to get ahead.” “We have serious concerns that, as proposed, Basel III will restrict billions of dollars in capital from those who need it most, resulting in costlier and more limited access to credit for millions of Americans,” the letter states. “This would create severe, adverse impacts on the entire U.S. economy, from everyday American consumers to the small businesses that are the backbone of our economy.” “Ultimately, these large increases in capital have not been shown to be evidentially based as the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC have failed to provide proper analysis or data to justify their merits, particularly around the costs they will impose throughout all sectors of the economy,” the Senators wrote. “In fact, we have heard widespread concerns regarding the negative impacts that Basel III could have not only on affordable housing but on mortgage lending writ large, small business lending, and consumer lending. In addition, it would limit the availability of access to credit cards and home equity lines of credit.” “This proposal will ultimately put U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage globally and could force U.S. companies to search for access to financial services from abroad, rather than here at home,” the Senators continued. “Moreover, the proposal disproportionately harms companies that are not publicly listed, who happen to be middle market, private entities, and our millions of small businesses across the country. Each of these potential consequences would have major ramifications alone, but taken in totality, they pose significant harm throughout the economy, particularly in the face of current economic headwinds and tightening credit conditions.” In their letter to the Fed, FDIC, and OCC, the signers argue the capital proposal lacks proper economic analysis and will result in costlier and more limited access to credit for Americans, hurting the U.S. economy. The Senators concluded, “As American consumers continue to struggle with persistently high inflation, reduced access to affordable homeownership, and a slowing economy driven by the reckless spending of the Biden administration, any proposed changes to our bank regulatory framework must be based on demonstrable benefits and needs, not pre-determined agendas which will only serve to harm the economy and consumers alike. Accordingly, we urge you to withdraw the Basel III Endgame proposal as written and urge the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and the OCC to operate in a more transparent and justified manner.” The “Basel III endgame” is a proposal for stricter bank capital requirements aimed at ensuring the stability of big banks. Proponents believe that the proposal would modify large bank capital requirements to better reflect underlying risks and increase the consistency of how banks measure their risks. The changes would implement the final components of the Basel III agreement. The proposal would apply to banks with $100 billion in assets or more and to smaller firms with “significant” trading activities. Senator Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville, and Senate colleagues introduce bill to force Administration to make catch-and-release data public
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) recently joined Senators Tommy Tuberville and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in legislation to require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to accurately report how it is handling migrants encountered at the border and ensure the American people have a complete, timely accounting of the number of migrants being released into the United States by the Biden Administration. The three Senators joined over 20 of their Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the Southern Border Transparency Act. “Republicans are offering solution after solution to President [Joe] Biden’s border crisis, which recently shattered a new record of eight million illegal border crossings since this Administration took office,” said Senator Britt. “The American people deserve accurate, timely information on how this Administration is abdicating its obligation to secure our homeland and keep our communities and families safe. This legislation would further expose the fact that President Biden’s reckless catch-and-release policies have manufactured the largest humanitarian and national security crisis at the border in United States history.” “The Biden administration is trying to hide the fact that it’s created the worst border crisis in American history,” said Sen. Tuberville. “For nearly three years, we’ve had record numbers of illegal immigrants and deadly drugs pour across our southern border with no accountability. Some of these illegal entries are on the terrorist watchlist—and we have no idea where they are in the U.S. American lives are at stake. It’s past time for us to know who is coming across our border and why Joe Biden is allowing them to stay here illegally on the taxpayer dime. I’m proud to help support this targeted legislation that ensures Joe Biden can’t hide anymore.” “The Biden administration has gone to great lengths to hide record levels of illegal immigration at the southern border, but Americans deserve to know exactly how many migrants are being released into our country,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would shine a bright light on President Biden’s catch-and-release practices and reveal the devastating consequences of this administration’s unlawful actions.” “This Administration has left our Southern border wide open, our nation is threatened.” Sen. Tuberville said recently. “This Administration’s failure to secure our border is a deep vulnerability that only invites future threats from various terrorist groups.” According to information provided by Sen. Britt’s office, the Biden administration’s strategy for handling the influx of migrants at the border has been to funnel them into unlawful parole programs or other mechanisms that lead to their release into the interior of the United States, including the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan parole program, an expanded Central American Minors program that now includes adults, and the likely widespread use of parole at Ports of Entry (POEs). These migrants are eligible for work authorization, and there is limited visibility into whether they ultimately depart the United States. Right now, there is only limited public data available on the total number of people who have been released into the U.S. under some of these programs, whether they are even making asylum claims before they are released, what screenings are taking place, or whether these migrants ever depart the United States. The Southern Border Transparency Act would require DHS to fully report on how it is handling migrants encountered at the border, including: Earlier this year, the Biden administration acted without Congressional consent to create programs that allow for hundreds of thousands of migrants to be paroled and released into the United States annually. The Biden Administration defends its record on the southern border and maintains that there is no crisis. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville gets three more military officers confirmed by Senate
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) got three more military officers confirmed by the Senate. Tuberville obtained the 16 signatures needed for a successful cloture petition for the nomination of Lieutenant General Christopher Mahoney to be the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. The United States Senate confirmed this nomination, as well as the nominations of Admiral Lisa Franchetti to be Chief of Naval Operations and General David Allvin for Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Sen. Tuberville spoke with the Alabama press corps before the vote on the three military nominations. “Putting a hold on these admirals and generals has put a lot of pressure on the White House and Senator [Chuck] Schumer himself and Chairman Reed of the Armed Services Committee,” Tuberville told Alabama reporters. “We all have to remember that this is a two-way street. I am fighting for the Constitution. I am fighting that the American people and taxpayers do not have to pay for anything to do with abortion. We had a very good abortion policy that had no problems being worked with for the last 35 years, but this White House decided to change it and go around the Constitution to force the American taxpayers to pay for something involved in abortion, and I am not standing for it. I don’t represent the people up here. I represent the people of Alabama. I am pro-life, and the people that sent me here expect me to get things done in that way. I am confident in General [Karsten] Heckl that he can get the job done waiting for our commandant who unfortunately had a serious health illness in the last few days. I don’t know the direction that that is going to go, but I have filed a petition with Chuck Schumer to put an assistant commandant on the floor. We did that. Hopefully, we will vote on it in the next two days to move that up the ladder, but again, I am showing Chuck Schumer how to do his job. I have said all along that we could be doing these. They have refused to do it. They have refused to work with the American people, and they have put us in a tough situation.” Since February, Senator Tuberville has imposed a blanket hold on senior military promotions over his opposition to the Biden Administration’s taxpayer-funded abortion-related travel policy which Tuberville says is illegal. Sen. Tuberville has repeatedly said that if the Pentagon reverses its policy, he will lift his hold and agree to give unanimous consent to the promotions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) can bring any of these nominations to the floor for a vote individually. As Tuberville has twice demonstrated, any of the 100 U.S. Senators can write up a cloture petition, and if they can get the 16 signatures necessary those nominations can be forced to the floor according to Senate rules. Tuberville pointed out that the Department of Defense’s authority to fund abortions is governed by 10 U.S.C. 1093, which limits abortions to cases of rape, incest, or pregnancies that threaten the life of the mother. These rules apply to both service members and their spouses and dependents. Given this provision, the Department of Defense has averaged fewer than 20 abortions per year, with 91 abortions at military facilities occurring between 2016 and 2021. According to a third-party study cited by officials, the number of abortions subsidized by the Department of Defense under the new policy could increase to 4,100 annually — 205 times the number of abortions performed in recent years. Acting on the orders of President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a memorandum on February 16, 2023, announcing the formal implementation of the abortion policy to fund travel and paid time off for service members and their dependents seeking an abortion, despite existing law – even though Congress never authorized this policy. It is counter to the policy that was previously in place under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Tuberville had threatened to put the hold on promotions in place if the administration implemented the proposed policy change without a vote of Congress. On February 16, 2023, Senator Tuberville followed through with his pledge to hold all general and flag officer nominations on the Senate floor. Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville says he will continue pro-life stance even in face of Republican criticism
On Thursday, several GOP moderate Senators went to the Senate floor to chastise U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) for his blocking of military promotions over the Pentagon’s abortion policy. Tuberville defended his stance. “I want to start by thanking my colleagues for their service in the Armed Forces of the greatest country ever,” Tuberville said. “There is no institution in this world I honor more than the United States military. I am thankful to every veteran in this country. I also want to note that I respect my colleagues’ strong pro-life voting record. The Republican party has been the pro-life party for half a century. We ought to be proud that we stand for life. We stand for the most vulnerable of our society, the unborn. I know my colleagues here share that conviction. The disagreement we’re having today is about tactics.” “So let me explain why I’m doing this – how we got here and where we go from here. Nine months ago, the Pentagon announced that they would start using our taxpayer dollars to facilitate abortion,” Tuberville continued. “Let me say that one more time. Nine months ago, the Pentagon announced by memo that they would start using our taxpayer dollars to facilitate abortion. The Pentagon is now paying for travel and extra time off for service members and their dependents to get abortions. Congress never voted for this. We also never appropriated the money for this. There is no law that allows them to do this. In fact, there is a law that says they can’t do this. One more time – there is a law that says they can’t do this – created in this room. It’s 10 USC section 1093. It says the only time the Pentagon can spend taxpayer dollars on abortion is in cases of rape, incest, and threat to the health of the mom.” “So, this is a policy that is illegal and immoral,” Tuberville concluded. “This is about life. And it’s also about the rule of law. It’s about our Constitution. It’s about whether we make laws at the Pentagon or whether we follow the Constitution. This is also about the integrity of our military. The only thing in this world I honor more than our military is the Constitution. We all swore to uphold the Constitution. I also feel very strongly about the obligation to uphold it every day in this room. I cannot simply sit idly by while the Biden Administration injects politics in our military, again, injects politics in our military from the White House, and spends taxpayers’ dollars on abortion.” “The only power that a senator in the minority has is to put a hold on a nomination,” said Tuberville. “The only thing. I’m not the first person to do this. Holds on nominations happen all the time. Holds on military nominations have happened many, many, many, many times before. Typically, they don’t last this long because the administration will work with a senator until the issue is resolved. But that has not happened this time—zero negotiation. Abortion is the most important thing to the Democrats that they have, and they won’t negotiate it. One more time, abortion is the most important thing that Democrats have, and they will not negotiate. This has been going on for nine months. Every day this continues is a day that Democrats think abortion is more important than the nominations in our military.” Tommy Tuberville has represented Alabama in the United States Senate since 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jared Norrell: Creating better access to health care should be top priority for Alabama lawmakers
As an advocate who is helping to foster and build the next generation of strong leaders in our state, it troubles me to see the ever-increasing cost of health care burdening families more and more each year. We must fix our complex, costly health system now, or it will be left to the next generation of young people. Without stronger solutions to repair the system and lower the cost of care for families, Alabamians will be surely hindered from reaching their full potential. We all want a stronger foundation for vibrant and successful communities in Alabama. This is the principal aim of Southern Preparatory Academy, where I serve as president. We are helping our future leaders succeed, grow, and learn how to serve others. But as we all saw very starkly during the COVID-19 pandemic, limited access to affordable health care quickly became an obstacle to growth for countless people in our state. Moving forward, creating better access to health care at an affordable cost should be a top priority for our Alabama lawmakers. When examining our healthcare industry, Alabamians consider access to care as one of their top health concerns, specifically in rural towns and for other populations that are disproportionately held back by a lack of healthcare providers. A lack of providers in certain areas often leads to increased out-of-pocket costs, as well as extra travel expenses and logistics. Alabamians are facing an increasingly fragile, complex, and expensive healthcare system that is becoming more financially overwhelming. Increased consolidation among large hospital systems is one trend that is driving patient prices even higher. There are several negative side effects of hospital consolidation that families and patients should be aware of – namely, a hike in medical costs due to new ownership of certain medical facilities through consolidation. When large hospitals buy up independent practices and small labs or treatment centers, they bump up the prices of regular appointments and treatments, even though the delivery of service itself has not changed. Understandably, patients are confused and frustrated when they see their bills go up unexpectedly after a doctor’s appointment. Alabamians of all ages and backgrounds need access to quality and affordable care options. Not only does our state have a high prevalence of multiple chronic conditions compared to the rest of the country, but our residents also have higher rates of obesity and premature deaths. We also know that our state has higher levels of income inequality. Put together, all these factors are worsening the chasm in public health as thousands of Alabamians cannot afford the quality health care they need. Lack of transparency in hospital billing only intensifies the public health battles we are already grappling with in our state. I am glad to see that there is a solution to address unfair hospital billing in Congress. The Facilitating Accountability in Reimbursements Act (FAIR) in the House and the Site-based Invoicing and Transparency Enhancement Act (SITE) in the Senate would implement fair billing practices that reflect the service received – not the location or ownership of the facility. Remarkably, fair billing policies – which can lead to site-neutral payment reforms like those in the SITE Act – are projected to reduce national health expenditures by as much as $672 billion. It is up to our leaders like Representative Terri Sewell and her fellow Alabama Representatives in Washington to propel the FAIR Act forward in the House, and for Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville to follow suit with the SITE Act. I am a fervent believer in investing in the next generation to build a stronger, more secure future in our state and across the country. This effort needs the support of collective voices – educators, students, veterans, patients, healthcare professionals, and more. Affording health care is imperative for all of us. We must ensure people can utilize our healthcare system to take care of themselves and their families now and in the future. Solutions today to improve our healthcare system are critically important for tomorrow’s success. Jared Norrell is a retired Lt. Colonel from the United States Army and the former President of Southern Preparatory Military Academy in Camp Hill, Alabama.
