Alabama U.S. Senator Katie Britt was spotted having a heated conversation from the floor of the Senate chamber on Thursday.

In a video posted to social media by a Capitol Hill reporter, Britt was really letting Democrat U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) have it. Take a look:

https://x.com/metzgov/status/1946225890347630676

It’s unclear what the exchange was about, but the reporter who caught the clip speculates, “Britt is the chair and Murphy is the ranking member on the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Approps Committee, and it’s approps season, so perhaps something related to that?”

Murphy is strident on a number of mainstream liberal issues like gun control and immigration. But whatever it was that drew the ire of Britt — she clearly wasn’t backing down.

RELATED: Watch: Sen. Katie Britt puts climate activist in their place during phony selfie stunt

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz chimed in with a quip about his own experience. “Every woman I know from Alabama has this gear,” Gaetz posted. “Good for @KatieBrittforAL”.

https://x.com/mattgaetz/status/1946227398095126946

Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee on Thursday announced that Kevin Greeson, an Alabamian, died during the rioting on the U.S. Capitol Complex the previous day.

Greeson, 55, was a resident of Athens. The police chief said he was one of three people to die from separate medical emergencies during Wednesday’s turmoil. One woman was also shot and killed inside the Capitol by a police officer. (more…)

Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) has released a statement “unequivocally” condemning the rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol Building on Wednesday.

Brooks has been leading the congressional effort to challenge six states’ presidential electors, which had just begun when the chaos and violence erupted on Capitol Hill.

The North Alabama congressman in his statement outlined that, in America, the type of power he is exercising through the congressional process is the way to properly adjudicate disputes — rather than resorting to violence.

“The violence at the U.S. Capitol today is despicable, un-American, and tears at the fabric of our great republic,” Brooks said. (more…)

The United States Capitol Building on Wednesday was breached by rioters with both chambers in session. President-elect Joe Biden has called the still ongoing events “insurrection.”

All rioters and demonstrators have been urged to leave the Capitol Hill area by President Donald J. Trump, along with other national Republican figureheads, including Vice President Mike Pence and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

The members of Alabama’s congressional delegation are currently unharmed as of this writing.

Yellowhammer State elected officials, in bipartisan manner, have called for peace and order. (more…)

For young people seeking careers in public service or politics, it is often the lessons learned outside of the classroom that make the difference between success and failure. Now, one Alabama native is providing a guide to help aspiring politicos find their way.

Amos Snead, a graduate of Cherokee County High School and the University of Montevallo, now lives in Washington, D.C., where he has served on the staff of several influential members of Congress.

After his time in the public sector, he transitioned into a career in public relations work.  Snead has counted corporate and political titans across the United States as his clients. He also regularly appears as a contributor on Fox News and and is the co-founder of the popular media company FamousDC.

After hearing that Snead, a Republican, and Jaime Harrison, a Democrat from South Carolina, came together to write “Climbing the Hill,” Yellowhammer News spent a few minutes with Snead to discuss the new book. (more…)

When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution of the United States, they feared the possibility of partisanship overtaking rights-based government. To that end, they crafted a system of checks and balances designed to pit interest against interest, promoting gridlock over radical change. The founders saw legislators, presidents and judges as ambitious in their pursuit of power.

They could not have foreseen our politicians.

Our politicians aren’t so much ambitious for power as they are afraid of accountability. And so, we have a new sort of gridlock on Capitol Hill: Politicians campaign in cuttingly partisan fashion and then proceed to avoid solving just the sorts of issues on which they campaigned.
(more…)

Alabama’s newest U.S. Senator, Luther Strange, has only held office on Capitol Hill for a few weeks. That hasn’t stopped him from making history. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches, Sen. Strange is officially the tallest Senator in U.S. history.

He’s taking the distinction in stride.

“It was nice to make history when you haven’t even done anything yet,” Sen. Strange told Roll Call in an interview. ” It was kind of funny because it was a topic of conversation when I met my colleagues. There are a number of tall senators — Tom Cotton, John Thune and [Richard] Shelby all were arguing about who is the tallest senator until I got there.”

He added that, since making his debut on Capitol Hill, he’s even been given a “tall” lectern that used to belong to former Senator. He’s now staying at the apartment of the tallest member of Congress, Maryland Rep. Tom McMillen, who stands at 6 feet 11 inches until he gets an apartment.

“It’s the two tallest guys — the tallest guy in history, plus me. It’s great because his house has got tall everything,” he said.

Former Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming previously held the record, standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall. When he heard that his title had been taken from him, he seemed caught off guard.

“What son of a b**** did that?” he jokingly asked a reporter with Roll Call.

After learning more about Sen. Strange, he seemed happy to step aside.

“Oh, Jesus. Well, tell him he’s got me beat hands-down. Not only was I 6 feet 7 inches, but I’m shrinking. Now that I’m 85, I’ve shrunk to 6 feet 5 inches. I’m willing to relinquish that title with great energy and spirit,” Simpson said.

On Tuedsay, a disabled Alabama veteran delivered a powerful testimony to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

The moving moment came from David Riley, a Mobile native and National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

Riley’s military career included service with the Army and the Coast Guard, where he contracted septic shock pneumococcus sepsis. After falling into a coma, he awoke to find that all four limbs and some internal organs had been amputated due to his infection.

“As the realization of what had occurred settled over me, I felt despair at the loss of my limbs. I could not imagine how the rest of my life would have any value or happiness,” Riley told the committee. “I know that I am not the first person, nor will I be the last, whose life was permanently changed by a traumatic injury or illness incurred in military service; but at the time it was hard to find any perspective or maintain any hope. This pivotal moment is when DAV entered my life.”

He has since become a leading advocate for disabled veterans, and used his platform to urge Congress to take further action that would improve care for servicemen and women who have experienced similar health-related hardships.

“As long as there is a need for a military, there will be a need for DAV, the VA and other organizations dedicated to caring for those who served. And history shows, sadly, that this need is not likely to go away,” he said.

The priorities that Riley suggested to the Senate panel for consideration included revamping the current “choice” healthcare program available to vets, streamlining VA processes and budgeting, and reforming accountability and transparency practices.

Rep. Bradley Byrne was on hand at the meeting to introduce Riley.

“It is a distinct honor to represent someone like David Riley, a person who has given so much to his country and is now continuing to serve his fellow veterans,” Rep. Byrne said.

Rep. Byrne is sponsoring a bill that would expand private healthcare access to all veterans under the current VA Choice Program, which is currently only available to those who have waited longer than 30 days for care from a VA hospital or live more than 40 miles away from a VA facility.

You can watch Riley’s testimony here, which begins around the 33 minute mark.

Former U.S. Attorney General is surprising many in Democrat circles by seemingly defending Alabama’s Jeff Sessions, who has been labeled as an enemy of the left. Holder’s message: Give the new A.G. a chance.

During a speaking event at the University at Buffalo last week, Holder disagreed that Sessions carried extreme positions.

“It seems you ought to give people a chance, unless they’re wholly unqualified,” Holder said, according to the Buffalo News. “He may end up surprising us and he maybe will say, ‘This is who I always was,’ and I may end up saying, ‘Well I’ve seen growth then.'”

Unlike others on the left, Holder did not oppose then-Senator Sessions’ nomination as Attorney General. He added that he planned to be “sparing” in criticism.

“I know how tough the job is,” he said. “I know how tough the decisions are.”

Since President Trump announced Sessions as his pick to lead the Justice Department, he had been pelted by debunked attacks questioning his record on civil rights. During the Buffalo event, Holder repeated some of the accusations against Sessions, claiming that he thought the newly-sworn in Attorney General might cross “some red lines” on voting rights.

Prior to being voted in as Attorney General by his Senate colleagues, African-American Alabamians from both sides of the aisle were quick to testify in favor of Sessions’ character.

Jesse Seroyer, a former U.S. Marshall from Montgomery, was one witness who described Sessions as willing “to do what was right for all the people of Alabama.” During a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill, he described the former Alabama Senator’s dedication to fairness, and pushed back against those who painted Sessions in a negative light based solely off news reports.

“I did not learn these things from a political press conference or any website. I know Jeff Sessions as the man,” he continued.

“The citizens deserve a good and honest person whose going to give all he has to ensure that everyone is treated equally and fairly under the law. But his goodness as a man, and his honesty as a man speaks for itself,” he added.

Sessions served in the United States Senate since 1997, and prior to that was a US Attorney and Alabama Attorney General. He was the first U.S. Senator to endorse now-President Donald Trump in the 2016 election, and was confirmed for the post on February 8.

Since President Donald Trump took office, Capitol Hill has been moving at a fast-and-furious pace implementing new reforms. Among his campaign promises was a measure that would place term limits on members of Congress, and one Alabama representative has announced his support for the measure.

As the co-sponsor of a new resolution that would cap the service of U.S. Congressmen, Mobile-area Representative Bradley Byrne doesn’t mind placing term limits on himself. In a statement, he said that he was “pleased to see President Trump make this a major piece of his campaign agenda.”

“Seats in Congress are owned by the people, not the elected officials,” Rep. Byrne said. “Our Founding Fathers never expected individuals to make a career out of Congressional service, and term limits will allow us to keep fresh blood and ideas in the halls of Congress.”

The legislation, sponsored by Congressman Raul Labrador (R- Idaho), would allow House and Senate members to serve no more than twelve years in either chamber. The resolution would not be retroactive upon its enactment.

Before the bill could be implemented as a Constitutional Amendment, it would first require approval in Congress followed by a ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures.

During his campaign, President Trump heavily pushed the need for set term limits on those in Congress.

“We’re going to put on term limits, which a lot of people aren’t happy about, but we’re putting on term limits,” President Trump told 60 Minutes in November. “We’re doing a lot of things to clean up the system.”

Rep. Mo Brooks is also among twelve co-sponsors of House Joint Resolution 50.

Negotiators on Capitol Hill unveiled a giant 1,582 page, $1.1 trillion government funding bill this week, which would fund the government for the remainder of the current fiscal year and put an end to all the government shutdown talk. The House of Representatives passed the bill today by a vote of 359-67.

Both Republicans and Democrats praised the bill, which typically means that the American people will see little — if any — progress in reining in government spending. When cuts happen, one side or the other make noise because one of their favored areas got hit.

However, it is no doubt a positive that Congress is returning to so-called “regular order” and actually passing spending bills. And it’s noteworthy that the package is $164 billion less than President George W. Bush’s last discretionary budget.

So what does it all mean for our state?

As Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, our very own Senator Richard Shelby served as the top Republican negotiator on the Senate side.

Here are 7 things in the Omnibus Spending Bill that might actually impact your life right here in Alabama:

COLAs are back and military folks got a pay raise

The bill repeals the recently enacted cut to cost of living adjustments, or COLAs for disabled military retirees and survivors. This is good news for Alabama’s huge population of military retirees and survivors. U.S. military personnel and civilian federal workers also got a 1 percent pay raise.

Sen. Jeff Sessions said he was glad to see retired vets being better taken care of in this deal, but insisted there’s still more that could be done.

“I was pleased that the House-Senate package includes a provision restoring the pensions for disabled veterans, after we called attention to the fact that wounded warriors would be impacted by the budget deal,” Sessions said. “However, the deal fails to restore pension payments for millions of active duty and retired military personnel and leaves more than 90 percent of the original reductions in place. For a currently-serving officer nearing retirement, this cut could exceed $120,000 in pension payments, reducing the cost-of-living adjustments by more than 60 percent.”

Sessions said he believes there are better ways to save money and suggested closing a tax credit loophole that illegal immigrants take advantage of.

“Unfortunately, Leader Reid and his conference blocked my effort to implement this fix during the budget debate in December,” Sessions said. “I hope the majority will allow us to make this fix and stop shielding these illicit tax payments. In order to end annual deficits all of us will have to tighten our belts, but our military personnel must not disproportionately bear the burden.”

North Alabama folks get bump in NASA funding

NASA has an almost $3 billion impact on Alabama’s economy, but it has been a big target for cuts by the Obama Administration. Both Sen. Richard Shelby and Rep. Mo Brooks, have been big advocates for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), which is built in Huntsville.

Included in this week’s omnibus legislation is $1.9 billion for the Space Launch System. This figure is approximately $200 million above the President’s request in the budget he submitted to Congress. Of the $1.9 billion for SLS, $1.6 billion is for development of rocket systems at Marshall Space Flight Center in North Alabama.

“I am pleased that this legislation includes the funding necessary to continue the great work underway in Huntsville on the Space Launch System,” Sen. Shelby said. “If we are to maintain our leadership role in human space flight, we must continue to make SLS a top priority in NASA’s budget. I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that it is.”

Mobile’s getting a new federal courthouse

The bill provides $69.5 million to construct a new federal courthouse in Mobile and to renovate the existing courthouse, which was built from 1932-1934. Combined with the $49 million that is remaining from previously appropriated courthouse funding for Mobile, the total project cost will be $118.5 million. The total design and construction work is expected to take 5 1/2 years.

Another step toward widening the Port of Mobile

The report accompanying the omnibus bill directs the Corps of Engineers to study the widening and deepening of Mobile harbor. This is a necessary, preliminary step under the Corps’ regulations before the work can be undertaken.

Sen. Shelby has in the past discussed his 10-12 year plan of making Mobile a world center of trade and commerce by making its port wide enough and deep enough to handle the world’s largest ships.

“Mobile can be one of the top five ports in the country,” Shelby said today. “Its economic potential is limitless. I am pleased that this legislation provides for the next critical step in that direction.”

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) gets funding

The president requested and received $1.7 billion for the procurement of 4 Littoral Combat Ships, which are built in Mobile.

Alabama Tea Party groups get a small victory

The omnibus specifically instructs the IRS not to use any funds to “target citizens of the United States for exercising any right guaranteed under the First Amendment.”

It’s remarkable that those words even need to be included in a bill, and it’s a far cry from justice being served in the targeting cases that have already taken place. However, it’s a small victory for Alabama groups like the Wetumpka Tea Party who were targeted by the IRS for their political beliefs.

Environmental groups escape unscathed

Attempts by Republicans to drastically cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency were unsuccessful. The federal agency that implements heavy-handed mandates and regulations on businesses all over the country has long been reviled by conservatives. And recent efforts by Alabama-based environmental groups to speed up the process of shutting down coal plants have really put the EPA front and center in the state. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange back in December challenged the EPA’s power to halt economic development. The fights will continue on the state level, but the EPA’s federal funding remains intact for now.

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, has introduced legislation that would limit President Obama’s ability to approve the placement of Russian monitoring stations (GLONASS) on U.S. soil.

As Yellowhammer reported last month, the U.S. State Department under the leadership of Secretary of State John Kerry wants to allow Russia to build these facilities in the United States.

U.S.-based monitoring stations would vastly improve GLONASS, Russia’s version of the American Global Positioning System (GPS), the satellite network that guides American missiles to their targets with pinpoint precision.

The U.S. intelligence community and armed services committee members on Capitol Hill believe that assisting with the Russian system would leave the United States susceptible to spying and strengthen Russia’s long-range weapons capabilities.

“Locating Russian-controlled monitoring stations in the United States creates the risk that Russia could locate electronic intelligence gathering equipment in those ground stations,” Rogers’ office said in a release last week.

“It is unconscionable to me that the State Department would consider allowing Russia to locate these capabilities on our soil,” Rogers said. “Any one of my kids would have no problem seeing the risks.”

Rogers, who serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, got his legislation put in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014.

“I am pleased I was able to ensure this legislation included in the NDAA,” Rogers said.

The provision would be in effect until 2019, ensuring this protection lasts until President Obama leaves office.

The House passed the NDAA last week. It now awaits approval in the Senate.

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims