The coronavirus pandemic revealed health care heroes in our midst. I am proud to work with many of them at Southern Research. Since the pandemic began, our scientists – who have been studying viruses like COVID-19 for many years – have worked nonstop to combat the virus. Scientists at Southern Research have made substantial contributions […]

There has always been a disconnect between Washington D.C. and working-class Americans, but under the Biden administration, that divide is deepening. Every week, it becomes more apparent: Congressional Democrats do not have Americans’ best interests in mind. Their reckless policies have brought the roaring economy we saw under the Trump administration to a screeching halt. […]

2020 was a challenging year for the tourism and hospitality industry. As a result of the pandemic, travel came to a near halt, jobs were either lost or put at risk and tourism revenue plummeted. As the pandemic lets loose on its grip and the public returns to dining out, traveling and becoming more active, […]

I’m a firm believer that when the President of the United States – whether they’re a Democrat or a Republican – does well, the American people benefit. Regardless of party, we should all pray for guidance, wisdom and leadership from our president, as well as all elected officials. Unfortunately, as I look back over President […]

So, what can be read in five minutes in a column that was said in a 30-minute, seven-page speech – the State of the State address given by the governor? Here is my Cliffs Notes version. For those who never used them before, it is a short, condensed version of a much longer book or […]

The massive “Build Back Better” spending bill (BBB) being considered by Congress includes a proposed tax credit for electric vehicles (EVs) that discriminates against Alabama auto workers. Specifically, BBB would provide the opportunity for an additional $4,500 in electric vehicle tax credits on top of a broad-based tax credit of up to $7,500 and another […]

As automobile manufacturers across the globe announced significant investments in electric vehicles (EV) in recent years, it became increasingly important for Alabama leaders to take action to remain competitive as a top automobile manufacturing state. Mayors and county commissioners across the state are also looking for assistance to get charging infrastructure to attract EV drivers […]

China is the most devious and all-encompassing threat facing the United States today. With communist China’s influence throughout the world being so pervasive, the defense of our great nation is not to be compromised or shortchanged in any way. There is no second place when it comes to a fight for our freedom. If we […]

One vision of utopia includes the conversion of weapons of war into farming implements. The Bible anticipates a time when swords will be beaten into plowshares, and spears will become pruning hooks. But sometimes in our modern world, it happens that bitter enemies with blood on their respective hands wake up and realize that compromise […]

The House returns to Washington this week to begin the second session of the 117th Congress. Last year was a jam-packed legislative year as the Democratic majority rammed through quite a bit of terrible legislation in the House. Thankfully, the Senate blocked or slowed down the majority of the junk passed by the House. A […]

This session is likely to be a sensitive one for most legislators. For at least 23 of them, it is their last session and for the rest, it is an election year. One must wonder what the legislators spending their last session will place their priorities on. The ones up for election must be careful […]

2021 proved to be another challenging year due to COVID-19, although life did more resemble normal. Bad events can blind us to the ways life is getting better, and several innovations are improving life. Let’s start with messenger RNA (mRNA), employed in the Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines. mRNA is one of the building blocks […]

Something is rotten in Vermont. Ben & Jerry’s, perhaps the state’s most iconic global brand, decided in July to embrace and participate in the global discriminatory and antisemitic movement to Boycott, Divest from, and Sanction (BDS) the State of Israel. Alabama should reject the hatred at the core of Ben & Jerry’s decision and the […]

“If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made.” That is a quote too often used and attributed to Otto von Bismarck: In other words, the legislative process, though messy and often times unappetizing to some, can produce palatable results for all. Regardless of which political flavor you prefer, the […]

A few short years ago, my wife Tina and I watched our son return from active combat in Afghanistan, and we noticed he struggled to deal with the complicated Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. I told Tina if I ever had a chance to improve this system and do more for our nation’s veterans, […]

Last week, President Joe Biden signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual defense policy bill which gained final approval in Congress earlier this month. In a boon for South Alabama’s shipbuilding industry, the bill includes authorization for almost $600 million to procure two Expeditionary Fast Transport ships – known as the EPF […]

New Year’s resolutions originated over 4,000 years ago with the ancient Babylonians. They had the first documented New Year’s celebrations. During Akitu, a vast 12-day religious festival, in mid-March, the Babylonians crowned a new king and/or re-committed their allegiance to the existing king. Their celebration included making promises to “the gods” to return anything they […]

As has been my custom for 18 years, I like for my yearend column to be a remembrance of Alabama political figures who have passed away during the year. We lost some good ones this year. We lost our oldest past governor, John Patterson in June. Governor Patterson passed away at age 99 at his […]

So this past week it finally happened. I caught COVID. I don’t know which one for sure I caught, but my educated guess is it was indeed Omicron. I caught it while I was down in Florida for Christmas vacation and was the first one in my family group to catch it. I started feeling […]

Next Monday marks exactly one year since I was sworn in to represent Alabama’s First District in the 117th Congress. It’s hard to believe a year has passed by already, but I’m proud of the work we’ve done this past year, and I am excited to continue serving in 2022. Although serving in a Democrat-controlled […]

Legendary State Senator Jimmy Holley has decided to not seek reelection to the State Senate next year after 44 years in the legislature. He will be missed in the State Senate. For the past decade, Holley has become a mentor and confidante for incoming state senators, especially the members of this quadrennium’s freshman class. Senator […]

Americans have recently begun waking up to the disastrous consequences of bail reform efforts that are being led by progressive district attorneys across the nation. The case of Darrel E. Brooks in Wisconsin is just the latest, if not most tragic, example. He ran over his girlfriend with a car in early November, but despite […]

The Christmas season is an especially busy season for virtually everyone. Whether it’s travelling to see family and friends, preparing for countless holiday parties, or making sure you’ve purchased the perfect gifts for all your loved ones, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of the season and lose sight of the meaning […]

The Pilgrims’ first Christmas in the new world was remarkable, but not for the reasons you’d think. On December 25, 1621, exactly 400 years ago, William Bradford, the governor of the Plymouth Colony, prohibited the celebration of Christmas. But he wasn’t a Scrooge or a Grinch; he was simply following his religious conviction. He believed […]