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Decades of bad immigration policies have undermined our laws and led to the worst conditions at our border we’ve ever seen. U.S. Border Patrol agents have apprehended a staggering 56,278 unaccompanied minors this fiscal year. The Department of Health & Human Services, tasked with housing the largest number of children in its history, had 13,200 minors in custody this month, and they warn they will soon run out of funding for the year. Yet Democrats refuse to support funding relief. Even the liberal New York Times Editorial Board has called f...
For most of the history of our country, it was widely accepted, as I firmly believe now, that life begins at conception, that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image. The thought of prematurely ending a pregnancy was considered in stark, unreconcilable contrast to the principles of our founding of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Support for the rights of the unborn was not a partisan political issue. The taking of an innocent life created by God was wrong and always would be. How times have changed! Since Roe v. W...
It is fitting that last week, now-former Special Counsel Robert Mueller announced his resignation and return to private life and his shuttering the office of the Special Counsel. Just the day before his announcement, I filed a bill to get some real transparency from those who undertook this costly, wasteful, and pointless investigation and to ensure that something this unnecessary never happens again. I have read the entire Mueller Report cover to cover, and it’s clear to me there was no collusion and no obstruction. Even with access to the f...
War-time letters throughout our nation’s history can offer us a window into the personal sacrifices of our fighting men and women. Perhaps one of the most famous was by Major Sullivan Ballou of the Second Rhode Island Infantry, written just before the First Battle of Manassas in the Civil War. In it, he talks of his love for his wife, Sarah, and his deep devotion to the cause for which he is fighting. He also expresses his worries and fears over the coming engagement and his sorrow that, were he not to return home, he will miss his sons growing...
Last week I had the great experience to join my colleagues in a little friendly competition at the Congressional Clays Competition hosted by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. It was great to express our Second Amendment rights with some healthy rivalry, but it reminded me of those in this country who cannot express this right freely. Our Founding Fathers enshrined the right to keep and bear arms in our nation’s Constitution. Throughout our history, we have seen the importance of the Second Amendment for people to make a living, to pro...
Since Democrats took control of the House of Representatives, they have turned a blind eye to infanticide, promoted overregulation of American businesses, and sought socialist measures in the United States, oftentimes at the expense of the taxpayer. They have also made it clear that they stand for open borders by ignoring the ongoing crisis at the southern border. In the past five months, we have read story after story of illegal immigrants taking advantage of our weakened border and broken immigration system to commit horrendous, preventable...
Last week, I was honored to address a group of newly naturalized citizens of the United States. It was an experience that gave me the opportunity to reflect on a question as old as our nation itself: “What does it mean to be an American?” In the United States, we don’t define citizenship as being part of the dominant ethnic group. And we do not define citizenship as being part of the dominant religion or hound out those with whom we disagree. Nor are we defined as the subjects of a monarch or strongman dictator. Indeed, we Americans belie...
A handful of stories in Washington generally get about 90 percent of the media’s attention. Don’t get me wrong, many of those stories are important, but much of my time in Washington is also focused on getting things done for Alabama that don’t make the front page. This week we got a big win on just one of those many issues. Over the last ten years, Alabama has seen a string of hospitals close. Today, 88 percent of our rural Alabama hospitals are operating in the red. This is unsustainable and represents a major challenge. When a rural hospi...
As the weather continues to warm and summer temperatures approach, I am reminded of the incredible natural beauty that lies here in Alabama. For many schools throughout Southwest Alabama, April marked Spring Break for students and teachers, and so many families take advantage of that time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors throughout our state. As a hunter and outdoorsman, I know the importance of managing our wildlife areas and natural resources—private, family-owned and public lands—to ensure they are around for our children and gra...
For those of us who are Christians, this week is the most important and holiest of the year. We begin the week remembering Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, walk with Him through his last teachings in the Temple, watch the last supper with His disciples, sadly witness His arrest and trial before the Sanhedrin and Pilate, view with tears his torture and crucifixion, and sorrow over his death and burial - only to wake up on Easter Sunday to the miracle of His Resurrection. There is so much meaning in this week that it is hard to pull o...
This week will mark one hundred days Democrats have held power in the House of Representatives in Washington. I considered listing tangible Democrat achievements so far this Congress, but that would result in a blank page. Instead, all Democrats have managed to do in fourteen weeks is obstruct what is best for the American people, pander to their far-left base, and, generally, nothing constructive. Luckily, some in their own party are starting to realize that it is time to get to work and get things done for hardworking Americans. Rep. Kurt...
There is an old expression that goes, “the worst day of fishing beats the best day of working.” As an avid fisherman myself, I can certainly understand the feeling behind that saying. But, sometimes, fishing is the worst thing to be doing, especially when there is important work to be done. This past week, in the wake of the Mueller report finally being completed, Democrats hung the “Gone Fishin’” sign outside the Capitol. Not satisfied that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had reported that there was no collusion between President Trump’s c...
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...
Last week, I was honored to host some of our local mayors, city councilmembers, and city officials from Southwest Alabama in Washington to hear about what they do every day for our communities. I am a firm believer that the best people to run our towns and our communities are not the bureaucrats in Washington or the federal government. The best people to do that are the people who live, work, and play in the same place as their neighbors they represent. That is why I come home to Southwest Alabama every weekend, to be in touch with the people...
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question is probably the single most-asked question of any child throughout the world. Here in the United States, many children are able to achieve their dreams through hard work, dedication, and a quality education. But, for some here in our own country, hard work and dedication are not enough when it comes to circumstances out of their control like where they live or how much their family makes. Too many students find themselves stuck in failing schools. Every child has boundless individual pot...
This past week, Democrats in Congress again launched an attack on our Constitution and the rights we cherish as Americans. This time, they came after the Second Amendment and our right to bear arms. H.R. 8, the latest Democrat-led gun control bill does absolutely nothing to prevent criminals or violent persons from getting their hands on firearms. What H.R. 8 does do is violate the Constitutional rights of millions of Americans, ignores the mental health crisis behind actions of mass violence, and limits the Constitutional rights of millions...
Growing up, my parents taught me the basic values of fairness and following the rules. I think these values were common in households all across our state and country. In today’s society, those two basic values need to be applied to the ongoing debate about illegal immigration. In terms of fairness, we have people who are going through the legal process to enter our country, which takes time and effort, only to have people skip that entire process and just walk across our border illegally. That goes against the basic value of fairness. Also, w...
Before the new Congress began at the start of this year, I made a prediction: with the new Democrat majority, we could expect crazy season from the left, with Democrat members taking every chance they could to undermine President Trump. I don’t claim to have a crystal ball, but I think I hit the nail on the head in this case. So far in just the first month and a half of the 116th Congress, the Democrat Party has become the Obstructionist Party: they have stood in the way of strong national security measures, our American values, and P...
Last week, President Trump gave the State of the Union address to the nation. I can say that in all my time in Washington, this was the best State of the Union I have had the honor of attending, and it seems most Americans agree. The President’s message was clear: if we stop with the political games and focus on solutions, American Greatness knows no bounds. By supporting President Trump’s clear and bold agenda, the American people will be stronger, safer, and more prosperous. He began by charging us to choose greatness in all that we do as...
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 m...
Over the last several weeks, we saw a prime example of how our government is broken. A portion of the federal government shut down, the Coast Guard went without pay as they completed their dangerous missions, and Democrat Members of Congress refused to negotiate after several efforts and deals were offered. It is clear that Congress and the federal government are broken. Something must be done to make our government operate more effectively, and I have a few ideas of how we can fix our broken system. The United States is a country wholly...
I am proudly pro-life. Millions of Americans are as well. The sanctity of human life is immeasurable, and the countless Americans who feel the same way should not have their voices silenced or their opinions rebuked in the mistaken claim of freedom of choice. Since I have been in Congress, I have consistently stood up for the unborn, and I continue to stand up for life. I am proud of the hundreds of Alabamians, most of them young people, who this past weekend took a stand for life in our nation’s Capital as part of the annual March for Life. T...
It is time for the Democrat leaders in Washington to stop posturing when it comes to border security and end the government shutdown. The old expression “get the show on the road” is very apt in this situation. But, truth be told, the show is already on. There is no better way to describe the Democrat strategy right now than as a show, playing to their audience. The Democrats have lost touch with what matters to Americans outside of their bubble. They continue to play to the far-left base of their party in order to placate the loudest voi...
With 2018 behind us, it is time to start looking at what you can expect from Washington in 2019. Under Republican leadership, we in Congress aimed to make America better off, and thanks to our many victories through conservative policies, we accomplished that goal. Under Democrat control, there is no telling what craziness will come out of the House of Representatives. We have already seen this past week the extent House Democrats will go to in undermining our President, with one going as far as to use profanity at an event in describing her...
11 was a landmark year in many ways for Alabama and the United States. From defense funding to town halls, agriculture to Red Snapper, there was much to celebrate this year and much to anticipate in the next. Join me as we take a look back at the past year. I kicked things off in January by celebrating my 100th Town Hall Meeting in Grove Hill. I always enjoy meeting the folks in our area and hearing about the issues that matter most to them. This year, I hosted 25 town hall meetings throughout Southwest Alabama. We made real strides in 2018...
