Among the plethora of races on the ballot this year are the important seats on the Alabama Supreme Court. We have an unprecedented five out of nine seats up for election. Our Alabama Supreme Court as well as our Courts of Criminal Appeals are extremely conservative, pro-business and all Republican. This conservatism dates back to […]

Each April, Americans across the country face great frustration and inconvenience in filing their taxes. Fortunately, this Tax Day marked the last time Americans would file their taxes under the old tax code. Thanks to passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Americans will now have a simpler and fairer tax code. I was […]

Struggling. That’s what the mom right before me in line to check in late to school had written in the “reason” column. The mom who signed “struggling” had already left by the time I was signing in, but I thought, “Aww, I want to give her a hug and be her friend.” I also cracked […]

I am proud to share some exciting news for Alabama’s farmers: The House Agriculture Committee has approved the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, more commonly known as the farm bill. I am very pleased by this important step to address the challenges facing farmers across our state and country, and I look forward to […]

Sen. Ted Cruz informed Facebook chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg that his company “has blocked over two dozen Catholic pages,” noting they were prevented from posting on Facebook because “their content and brand were, quote, ‘unsafe to the community.'” None of the pages came even close to constituting hate speech. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers grilled […]

Doing the right thing isn’t always politically expedient, but a strong leader does what’s necessary regardless of her critics. Governor Kay Ivey exemplifies this kind of no-nonsense leadership. Last year, our state faced a difficult decision: should we listen to the politically-correct, out-of-state pundits or do what’s best for the future of Alabama?

“If we conservatives truly believe abortion is what we say it is — the butchering of an unborn person — then ending the practice must be our top priority.” Those were the words of Yellowhammer’s very own J. Pepper Bryars last week in an article he wrote after Congress failed, once again, to ban Planned […]

The Bible verse Isaiah 6:8 reads – Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Those words from the holiest of books have always prompted me to think of the men and women who have so […]

The recent district work period provided me valuable time on the road in Alabama’s Second District to have in-person meetings with many of the people I represent in Congress. I firmly believe that hearing directly from you and having face-to-face conversations about the issues that impact our community daily enables me to be a better […]

My brother Matt died of AIDS 26 years ago yesterday, passing away in his bed in my parents’ home in Houston. It was a benighted time for people with AIDS. There were no antiretrovirals then. There was nothing much you could do for an AIDS patient but hold his hand. And many people still thought […]

Our antiquated 1901 Constitution was designed to give inordinate power to the Legislature. During the Wallace years, the King of Alabama politics, George Wallace, usurped this power and controlled the Legislature from the Executive Branch of Government. Over the last couple of decades the Legislature has wrestled this power back and pretty much excluded the […]

When the 115th Congress kicked off last January, I immediately introduced a bill that I believe is fundamental to the future of our country: a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The premise of a Balanced Budget Amendment is pretty straightforward. The federal government should not be allowed to spend more than we take […]

If Facebook disappeared forever this afternoon, I wouldn’t exactly be upset about it. I’m astounded when I see people post loads of personal information on the site, including posts about all their travel plans, their shopping habits, their daily routines, and their family members. Long is the list of people who have been harassed by […]

Toyota/Mazda, Polaris, Remington, Hyundai, Honda, Airbus, Boeing… These are just a few of the dozens upon dozens of new and expanding industries that have chosen to locate in Alabama and provide jobs and opportunity to our citizens in recent years. It is no secret that Alabama continues to lead not only the southeast but the […]

Alabama’s construction industry is built on a foundation of customer service, integrity and work ethic. As CEO of Bailey-Harris Construction and board chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama (ABC), I have experienced firsthand the value a career in commercial construction has on our state’s economy and future leaders. Commercial construction is vital […]

It’s not easy to discuss immigration these days. Nuance is out. We’re pressured to pick a side—either you favor open borders, or you’re anti-immigrant, right? Take it from me, the grandson of four immigrants to America, that kind of polarized, either/or mindset is nonsense. I grew up nearly 60 years ago in a community in […]

April kicks off marathon season. I’m in the middle of training for the Nashville Marathon on April 28. It isn’t often that my love for long-distance running intersects with the topic I have written a book on—like transgenderism. But with the world’s most prestigious marathon happening next Monday in Boston, and with news that the Boston Athletic […]

We’ve all heard about how important it is to recruit out-of-state businesses to Alabama. As Governor, that will be a top priority of mine. That said, I’ll never forget a comment from a Birmingham CEO as we met in his boardroom. He said that every month, sitting around that table, he and his colleagues joke […]

As you may have recently seen on the news, President Trump has called for the National Guard to assist Customs and Border Patrol Agents with securing our southern border. The Trump Administration has made securing our porous southwest border with Mexico a top priority, and we cannot wait another minute to stop the influx of […]

The U.S. has a long history and a vested interest in the Baltic States. On the heels of the leaders of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia celebrating 100 years of independence with President Trump at the Whitehouse, law makers and pundits continue wringing their hands and bemoaning Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election. Meanwhile in […]

There are dramatic differences between our congressional delegation of the 1940s-1960s and our group on the Potomac today. Obviously, their partisan badges have changed, as have Alabamians. There is also a tremendous difference in power and seniority of that era versus today’s group. That bygone era of Alabama congressmen were very progressive New Deal Democrats; […]

America’s Armed Forces are made up of young men and women who bravely answered the call of service and have accepted the challenge of defending our great nation. As a Member of Congress, I have the distinct privilege each year of nominating outstanding young individuals from Southwest Alabama to attend our nation’s military service academies.  […]

As a trained military combat veteran with deployments in both Afghanistan and Iraq, I have sat through more hours of instruction, live fire exercises, and combat drills in my nearly eight years of service than I care to remember. Prior to a deployment it was essential that every soldier in my company understand what a […]

During the second and final week of Congress’ Easter district work period, I traveled throughout the Second District to visit with constituents, small business owners, and local leaders. I also had the privilege of stopping by both of the fine military installations in our district, Fort Rucker and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, for meetings with […]