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 efforts to impeach President Trump.

Even more have spoken out against commonsense initiatives to fund border security and lower taxes.

It seems that the new Democrat majority has gone so far out there that they, like Alice, have gone “Through the Looking Glass” into a world of topsy-turvy nonsense for which the United States will reap the consequences.

Rest assured, though, that in spite of this atmosphere of negativity I will continue to advocate for the American people. To give you an insight into how I will accomplish that, below are just a few of my priorities this year.

Strong leadership will be needed to support traditional family values, conservative principles, and to stand up for President Trump and his “drain the swamp agenda.” I will seek to provide this leadership in opposition to Speaker Pelosi’s liberal priorities that are out of line with Alabama values.

Advocating for sound national security policy is vital for the safety of the American people. Regardless of Democrat obstruction, I will continue to fight for a border wall and increased security measures along our southern border to keep Americans safe.

Rebuilding our military is essential for the safety and security of the United States both at home and abroad, and Alabama is vital to our country’s national defense efforts. I will focus on ensuring Alabama’s service members, military installations and suppliers receive proper attention from the Pentagon and resources necessary for them to fulfill their important missions.

I will also ensure that the needs of Alabama’s large veteran population are met and continue to advocate to give our veterans better care both inside and outside of the VA system.

Although the economy is improving throughout Alabama, our rural communities continue to struggle, and our agriculture community faces many challenges. I will support sound federal investment in Alabama’s rural communities in areas like agriculture, broadband, healthcare and infrastructure to continue their revitalization.

The core element of economic development is leadership. I will continue to provide that leadership for Southwest Alabama to marshal resources, advocate for Alabama workers and foster a climate of business development in our great state.

Another element of this priority is developing Alabama’s workforce and providing for our diverse educational institutions. We must remain committed to building and training a workforce to meet the needs of the 21st Century economy.

A key bipartisan goal of this Congress will be to work with the President on an infrastructure package. Starting with the I-10 bridge, Alabama has a variety of infrastructure needs that should benefit from any such package. I will continue to see that the infrastructure needs of the state are properly accounted for and that attention is also given to projects in rural areas.

Every day I take immense pride in representing the people of our state and the people of our great nation. I will always take my role to heart because you depend on it, and I will always take the interests of Alabamians to the Floor because we cannot let the insanity of the left negatively impact the course of the United States.

U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne is a Republican from Fairhope.