MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama House Republicans, many of whom were elected or re-elected last November on a limited government, anti-tax platform, are poised to vote on a $150 million tax increase proposal Tuesday afternoon. Alabama’s General Fund budget shortfall, estimated to be roughly $250 million, has dominated the political conversation in Alabama so far this […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan sent a letter to the state’s elected Republican leaders Monday urging them to work together to solve the General Fund Budget shortfall without raising taxes. The letter, which was addressed to Governor Robert Bentley, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, and House Speaker Mike Hubbard, reminds […]

MOBILE, Ala. — Taking part in a state-wide mental health disability campaign event in Mobile Monday morning, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley told attendees that more than 1,000 Alabamians could lose “life-sustaining services,” if the state Legislature does not pass his proposed $541 million tax hike. “We are facing a tremendous crisis in our General Fund […]

WASHINGTON — An IRS agent from Alabama and his accomplice have been indicted for fraud and identity theft, resulting in thirty charges between the two men for conspiring to file fake tax returns. The indictments are the latest in a string of scandals to rock the agency responsible for collecting federal taxes and enforcing Obamacare. […]

Deadlines and crises sometimes force lawmakers to implement reforms and solve problems they would typically rather not tackle. Alabama should be experiencing such a moment right now. The state’s General Fund Budget is facing a $250+ million shortfall and the current fiscal year ends Sept. 30. That sure seems like a lot, but considering the […]

(Video above: First Lady Michelle Obama delivers 2015 commencement address at Tuskegee University) TUSKEGEE, Ala. — First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the 2015 commencement address at Tuskegee University, telling the crowd assembled at the historically black college that “the road ahead is never going to be easy, especially for folks like you and me.” The […]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday slammed a bill currently making its way through the Alabama Legislature that would allow teachers to help students think critically and come to their own conclusions about disputed scientific theories. The synopsis of House Bill 592, which is sponsored by a […]

Five years ago we came to Montgomery on a simple promise: to streamline state government, to cut waste, to bring efficiency and a business-like approach to state services. We went to work and we did our job. While there is still work to be done, we delivered on that promise for the taxpayers of Alabama. […]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford is currently serving a fifteen year federal felony sentence for his part in a massive corruption case that gripped the state’s most populous city a few years ago, but as his health has deteriorated recently, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL7) is renewing a call to allow for his […]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Commenting on the various budget plans recently proposed by state legislative leaders and Governor Bentley, Yellowhammer Radio host Cliff Sims issued a challenge Wednesday to Republican lawmakers. Alabama House GOP leadership on Tuesday introduced a General Fund budget compromise that would make targeted cuts, but also acquiesce to the Governor’s call for […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville) on Tuesday introduced a bill that would make it illegal for a gambling interest, or a person or agent acting on behalf of a gambling interest, to make contributions to a political candidate or to a political action committee (PAC). Such contributions are permitted under current Alabama […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As Alabama House and Senate leadership rolled out dueling pieces of gambling legislation, eleven Alabamians found out they will be splitting the winnings of a $1 million Georgia Powerball lottery ticket. WSFA reported Tuesday afternoon that a winning Quik Pik ticket was bought at a gas station in West Point, Georgia, just […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) and Ways and Means General Fund Committee chairman Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) announced Tuesday their proposal to balance the beleaguered general fund budget—a mixture of cuts, reforms, and new tax revenues. “Even before the session began, House Republicans strongly believed it was important to offer a reasonable […]

WASHINGTON — Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on immigration, is shooting back at criticism from the Wall Street Journal on his position that the President and Congress shouldn’t increase the number of immigrants—legal or illegal—with an op-ed of his own in the publication. In two WSJ editorials, the […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore Del Marsh (R-Anniston) held a press conference Tuesday with Birmingham’s Democratic Mayor William Bell to officially introduce a gambling expansion bill, the first time such legislation has received such overt Republican support in the State Legislature. Bell stood beside Marsh Tuesday in support of the bill that […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Members of the State House’s budget committee will hold hearings on two of Governor Bentley’s tax hike proposals Tuesday, including an increase in the state’s cigarette car sales and rental taxes. A public hearing on the cigarette tax increase will be held at 1pm Tuesday. Rep. Patricia Todd (D-Birmingham) is carrying the […]

WASHINGTON — After months of refusing, former Secretary of State and current presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has reportedly agreed to testify before the Select Committee to Investigate the Benghazi terror attacks. Clinton’s attorney David Kendall wrote to members of Congress Monday to inform them that she would appear before the Select Committee only once, instead […]

(Above: Bradley Byrne addresses his amendment to cut the EERE Program) WASHINGTON — Representative Bradley Byrne (R-AL1) made an impassioned plea on the House floor for the Department of Energy to abandon its Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) program, which appropriates more than $1.6 billion to subsidize renewable energy while creating punitive regulations on […]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — In a speech to the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Monday, Governor Robert Bentley (R-AL) expressed his staunch opposition to gambling legislation recently proposed in the Alabama Senate as a way to patch the General Fund budget’s $250 million shortfall. Bentley said a bill proposed by Senate leader Del Marsh last week […]

LOXLEY, Ala. — Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler (R), announced in a press conference Monday morning that he is personally filing a lawsuit to stop school boards from using taxpayer money to campaign for tax increases. Zeigler claims that, contrary to an opinion from Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, the state’s laws forbid the practice […]

DETROIT, Michigan — Ben Carson, the famed pediatric neurosurgeon who shot to stardom with a pointed speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2013, announced Sunday evening that he running for President. “I’m willing to be part of the equation and therefore, I’m announcing my candidacy for president of the United States of America,” Carson […]

There is no function of Congress more important than “providing for the common defense” of our nation. When our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, they made sure to give the Congress substantial influence over the military. Each year, Congress exerts some of that authority in a bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). […]

WASHINGTON — Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is warning his colleagues and the American people about the dangers of approving the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), an executive branch agency that would allow the President to side-step Congress when creating trade agreements. “Congress has the responsibility to ensure that any international trade agreement entered into by the […]

OPELIKA, Ala. — A Republican senator is proposing a bill that would allow Alabama cities to build out their own fiberoptic internet access, sparking a debate between municipal leaders who tout the economic development possibilities and some conservatives who view it as government encroachment on private enterprise. Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Opelika) has proposed nixing current […]