WASHINGTON, D.C. — As many folks may have seen recently in the news, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last Saturday that the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston would be used as a quarantine center for some Americans exposed to Coronavirus. I was floored when I learned of the […]

When Alabamians take the to the polls on Super Tuesday, they will either be concerned with the Democratic nominee for President of the United States or the Republican nominee for the United States Senate. More important to the future of Alabama is a constitutional amendment that would end our current model of a popularly elected […]

Did you know Alabama’s schools are ranked 52nd in math and 49th in reading? This is unacceptable. Yes on Amendment 1 takes the first step toward improving our schools. Gov. Kay Ivey has made it abundantly clear. Alabama’s failures in education are not the fault of students or our hardworking teachers, principals and superintendents. The […]

When I was growing up in Haleyville, I can remember people in July and August saying, “it’s hotter’n blue blazes outside.” Well, you could certainly describe America and Alabama’s current economic boom as being “hotter’n blue blazes.” Alabama’s economy is scorching hot, with the lowest unemployment numbers in our state’s history. One county economic development […]

The Second Amendment is under attack like never before in our nation’s history, but I am leading the fight to preserve your constitutional rights. Last year, just weeks after taking power, House Democrats passed a bill to limit the constitutional right to own guns. Their misguided legislation would do nothing to address the underlying problem […]

Illinois State Representative Camille Lilly recently sponsored a bill to restrict self-service gasoline stations. New Jersey and Oregon already ban self-service gas, although Oregon exempts rural counties. Would creating jobs for gas station attendants be good economics? There are many tasks we can either do ourselves or pay to have done. Consider food preparation. We […]

Two of the major items on Governor Kay Ivey’s 2020 agenda are finding solutions to the problem of Alabama’s overcrowded and broken prison system, and bolstering our mental healthcare system. Both are badly needed, and in some ways intersect. I understand the political challenge of getting folks excited about funding a major overhaul of something […]

The modern workplace is constantly changing, and it’s imperative that educators and facilities keep up with this rapid pace. For almost 40 years, federal funding has helped support career and technical education programs at the state and local level. Career Tech programs help connect students with rewarding careers and boost local economies by enhancing the […]

It’s hard to believe that, in 21st century America, the life of a baby more than halfway through pregnancy is considered up for debate – but it’s true, thanks in part to Senator Doug Jones and his extremist Democrat friends in Congress. In many parts of the country, even newborn infants are uniquely vulnerable to […]

This is Engineers’ Week, a week during which we honor the profession of engineering and the contributions of engineers to public safety and quality of life. Whether it’s clean water you drink; gas and electricity you use to keep warm in winter and cool in summer; medical advances that add to your quality of life; […]

A clear warning of how far to the extreme left the Democratic Party has moved is the recently introduced New Way Forward Act. This immigration bill would totally uproot the rule of law, provide amnesty for illegals here and import dangerous criminals into the United States. By allowing foreign citizens who committed serious felonies to […]

As you merge onto the Workforce Superhighway in search of that dream career, don’t venture into dead ends or get lost at malfunction junction. Instead, look for signs directing you to AlabamaWorks! There are several ways to enter the workforce superhighway and get on the right path. On-ramps include the Alabama Department of Labor’s Career […]

Throughout the years, advancements in technology have altered and changed the world we live in. Talented and bright minds are constantly pitching new ideas in industries all across the board, but it is the ability to protect these intangible creations that gives them their value. As technology has changed over time, so have the policies […]

The only two sure things in life, according to the saying, are death and taxes. Should businesses profit when one of their employees dies? They can avoid taxes, and this reduces our prosperity. I first read about “Janitors Insurance” or “Dead Peasants Insurance” in Harvard Professor Michael Sandel’s What Money Can’t Buy. Professor Sandel used […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On February 4, I was honored to be on the House Floor as President Donald J. Trump delivered one of the most moving and remarkable State of the Union addresses in American history. In a speech titled, “The Great American Comeback,” President Trump highlighted not only our booming economy and strengthened military, […]

Byrne: "It’s never too late to do the right thing. And abolishing the federal Department of Education is clearly the right thing to do."

The 2020 legislative session, which began last week, will be the second session of Governor Kay Ivey’s administration. For the second straight year, she and the legislature will be facing a major obstacle. The prison problem is the paramount issue for the year. The state must address and resolve this dilemma or the federal authorities […]

The pervasive use of online pornography is having a negative impact on our society, reaching almost every aspect of daily life and creating an unrecognized web of harm. Today’s mainstream pornography is not the magazine of past decades. Instead, it is primarily violent, rape-themed, incest-themed, sexist, racist and dehumanizing hardcore material. The large-scale use of […]

From our American press corps to major political parties, and in some cases even state and national government, American institutions appear less and less competent and trustworthy by the day. In my adult life, the first taste of it was in 2000 with the dangling-chad disaster in Florida’s general election. Granted, statewide margins had probably […]

Last week was President Trump’s best since moving into the White House. After giving a well-received State of the Union Address, the president was acquitted by the United States Senate, announced the killing of a major terrorist [and received a great jobs report. On the other hand, Democrats suffered several significant embarrassments. It began Monday […]

Have you heard that there’s a new argument which has found a previously untested Achilles heel in Roe v. Wade — and it’s being considered before the Supreme Court of Alabama? In the infamous Roe vs Wade decision, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to address the issue of when life begins. Specifically, the Supreme Court […]

In a recent op-ed, al.com columnist Kyle Whitmire made light of the passage by the Alabama Senate of a resolution proposed by State Senator Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook) declaring pornography a health crisis. He even posted a video on social media mocking the resolution. I have met Kyle on a few occasions, and I usually […]

Economic freedom allows people to buy, sell, invest and use their property to pursue life goals. Many Americans aspire to exercise this freedom to start a business. Where someone wants to open this new business makes a big difference for the burden of government licenses, regulations and taxes. The Center for the Study of Economic […]

The Coronavirus outbreak which originated in China has taken over news headlines across the world during the past few weeks. I recently attended a briefing for members of Congress on the Coronavirus, and this outbreak does raise direct concerns for us in the United States, as the virus is not currently spreading across our country. […]