{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"AL\" and year = 2015 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://roby.house.gov/column/new-year-strong-start", "A New Year, A Strong Start", "2015-12-30", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As the House convenes for the Second Session of the 114th Congress, it is important to get off to a strong start. Thats why Im pleased the very first bill to be considered this year is a plan to repeal Obamacare and begin the process of replacing it with healthcare policy that works.\n\nIt is past time for this law to go.Under Obamacare, many in Alabama and throughout the country lost the health plans they liked. Many have been forced to go to different doctors, to say nothing of the doctors who stopped practicing altogether. Premiums skyrocketed and many middle class families are being impacted by new taxes, fees and penalties. \n\nI wouldnt blame you for thinking, So what? The House has voted to repeal Obamacare dozens of times. Its true that my colleagues and I in the House have voted more than 50 times to repeal, defund or replace the presidents health care law. And, each time, our efforts are ultimately blocked in the Senate, where Republicans lack the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster.\n\nWhats different this time? This time our plan was carefully crafted to follow the Senates special Reconciliation rule that allows certain budget-related legislation to go through by a majority vote regardless of a filibuster. The Senate came through in late 2015 passing the Obamacare repeal reconciliation package by a vote of 52-47. That means when the House takes up and passes the measure first thing this year, we will finally send a bill repealing Obamacare to the presidents desk.\n\nSome may quibble that this is somehow an empty gesture. After all, President Obama will never sign a bill repealing his signature legislative achievement and the law that bears his name.\n\nHowever, as veteran lawmakers like Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) have pointed out, forcing a veto puts accountability for this deceptive, costly healthcare law squarely on President Obama. It also sends a clear message to the American people that, under a new president in 2017, Congress stands ready to replace this disastrous law with healthcare policies that put patients first.\n\nThats a message I believe will be well-received, especially now. Just as Obamacare mandates and penalties have started setting in, many signing up for health plans are facing higher premiums, fewer doctors and skimpier coverage,\" according to The Wall Street Journal. For those who do get coverage, the out-of-pocket expenses of actually seeing a doctor have risen dramatically in a maze of deductibles, copays, and co-insurance, the paper reports.\n\nYes, President Obama can stop our Obamacare repeal reconciliation package from becoming law this year. But, he cannot stop the growing chorus of Americans unhappy with the higher costs and broken promises of his healthcare law. Their voices are being heard in Congress, where, finally, a majority in both the House and Senate are ready to end this failed experiment and deliver better, more workable healthcare policy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/aderholt-only-alabama-republican-vote-omnibus-states-congressional", "Aderholt only Alabama Republican to vote for omnibus; State's congressional delegation weighs in on budget", "2015-12-30", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Although Congress passed a bi-partisan budget deal on Friday to avert a government shutdown, only two members of the Alabama delegation followed the leaders of their parties' call to approve the omnibus bill that funds the government until September.\nU.S. Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, and Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, were the only two \"yes\" votes for the omnibus in the House; both Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions voted against it in the Senate, as they previously indicated they would.\nThe $1.1 trillion omnibus package was a compromise hashed out by legislative leaders that includes lifting America's 30-year ban on exporting oil, funding increases for NASA, the Veterans Affairs department, federal workers, the National Institutes of Health and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (there are 12 HBCUs in Alabama.) But it also left out key Republican priorities like blocking the president's Syrian refugee resettlement plan and defunding Planned Parenthood.\nAderholt, a conservative Republican who plays a key role in the annual National Prayer Breakfast, said he voted for the bill because it continued a ban on federally monies from going to abortion except in cases of rape, incest or if the life of the mother is in danger.\n\"The bill is known more for what it is not than for what it is. While I was able to get some important language included for the pro-life movement, the bill does not contain other riders I had hoped for such as tying the president's hands on the Syrian refugees and peeling back the EPA water regulation. That is a big disappointment,\" he said in a statement. \"The good news is that this bill is the last vestiges of Speaker Boehner's style of leadership and in two weeks we will start putting together a bill that with conservative principles will pass with conservative votes.\"\nSewell cited the NIH increase and funding boosts to HBCUs and other education programs, as well as money allocated to preserve historic civil rights cites as among the reasons she was one of166 Democrats to approve the omnibus in the House. The Democrats were joined by 150 Republicans who voted \"yes,\" while 95 Republicans and 18 Democrats voted against it.\n\"This is not a perfect bill, but I am proud that both sides of the aisle were able to work out a compromise that benefits our nation, and helps us continue to grow,\" Sewell said in a statement.\nThe rest of the Alabama delegation  all Republicans  were united in their opposition to the omnibus, with most of them pointing to the Syrian refugee issue as the reason why they voted against the bill.\n\"I am outraged that the bill that passed today did not prohibit funding for President Obama to bring refugees from the Syrian conflict to America,\" said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks. \"What happened in California demonstrates that Islamic terrorists are ready and willing to use our lax immigration system to enter our country and do us harm.\"\nRep. Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope, agreed.\n\"Our nation is at war, and I could not support a government funding bill that fails to address the reality of the serious security challenges our nation his facing,\" he said in a statement. \"I was disappointed the bill did not include provisions to block any funding from going to the Syrian refugee resettlement program. For months now, I have been warning about the legitimate problems posed by this program, and this bill fails to prevent the president from bringing Syrian refugees into the United States.\"\nAlthough Shelby fought for language in the bill that is beneficial to Alabama, including a provision on rockets that affects some 850 jobs in Decatur and expanding access to red snapper on the Gulf Coast, he said the Syrian issue outweighed the positives.\nSessions echoed Shelby's sentiment on Syria and also criticized the bill for increasing the number of visas and green cards. It also did not satisfy Sessions' concerns on illegal immigration or defunding sanctuary cities.\nRep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, also cited the Decatur jobs and other provisions that would help his district as among the measures he liked in the bill, but said his economic concerns spurred him to vote against the omnibus.\n\"Financial experts have repeatedly warned Washington of America's increasing debilitating insolvency and bankruptcy if Washington does not cease its out-of-control spending habits,\" he said, adding that the bill increases the debt by \"hundreds of billions of dollars.\"\nRep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, who is in the conservative House Freedom Caucus with Brooks, also mentioned the debt as the rationale for his \"no\" vote.\n\"A spending bill should reflect the priorities of our nation,\" he said. \"This $1.1 trillion bill does not. It continues to pile debt on our children without sufficient reforms.\"\nA spokesman for Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, suggested the bill wasn't conservative enough to earn her vote.\n\"Representative Roby takes her role as a member of the Appropriations Committee seriously,\" said Todd Stacy. \"In the end, this omnibus bill does not reflect the conservative principles House appropriators worked on and fought for all year, so she voted against it.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/columns/looking-back-on-2015", "Looking Back on 2015", "2015-12-27", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "2015 was packed full of major developments for Southwest Alabama. As the year draws to a close, I thought it would be a good time to review some of the highlights.\nOne of the first votes the House of Representatives took in 2015 was on my bill to repeal Obamacare in its entirety and instead move forward with patient-centered healthcare reform that isnt run by the federal government. My bill passed the House by a vote of 296 to 186.\nAlso in February, I introduced the Real Choice for Veterans Act to help increase veteran access to private health care. The bloated VA bureaucracy is failing too many of our veterans, and I believe we shouldnt require veterans to remain stuck in this failed system. Its time we let veterans seek medical care from doctors and hospitals in their local communities.\nIn March, I hosted a Leadership Workshop in Mobile for over 500 area high school students. South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones served as our keynote speaker, and I held a town hall meeting to take questions from the students. It was a huge success.\nAlso in the spring, I introduced legislation designed to reduce the size of the federal government and cut down on unnecessary government bureaucracy. My bill, known as the Sunset Act, would require most federal agencies to be reviewed and reauthorized once every ten years. If Congress fails to authorize an agency, they would cease to exist. This would make government more efficient and accountable.\nIn June, the House passed a bill that included three of my reforms designed to get a longer Red Snapper season for our fishermen. My provisions would repeal the inflexible quotas, extend state water boundaries for each Gulf state to nine nautical miles, and remove data collection and stock assessments from federal control. I was proud to get these important provisions passed through the House.\nIn August, I traveled to Israel to visit with our strongest allies in the Middle East. We talked a lot about the Iran Nuclear Agreement and the harmful impact it would have on Israel and the world. When I returned to Washington, I voted to stop the deal from taking effect.\nAlso in August, I held a Conservative Solutions Town Hall Tour to listen to your concerns and ideas. I held over 15 town hall meetings with stops in all six counties that make up Alabamas First Congressional District. Thanks to all those who came out!\nThis fall, I was pleased to see the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I worked hard to ensure the bill included authorization to build additional navy ships at the Austal shipyard in Mobile. I remain so impressed by the work done by the men and women who work at our shipyard.\nAnd in December, Congress finally agreed on a long-term highway bill. This is the first highway bill lasting longer than two years since 2005. Having a long-term highway bill in place will allow us to move forward with important highway projects like the I-10 bridge in Mobile, Highway 98 in Mobile County, and Highway 45 in Washington County.\nAll told, in 2015 my office responded to over16,000 pieces of mail, held over 25 town hall meetings in person, over the phone, and online, took part in over 160 events throughout Southwest Alabama, and assisted over 1,000 constituents who were having issues with a federal agency.\nWe made significant progress in 2015, but more work certainly remains. Im committed to continuing to fight for our areas priorities in Congress and pushing for a smaller, more accountable federal government.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-issues-statement-tornado-damage-southwest-birmingham", "Rep. Sewell Issues Statement on Tornado Damage in Southwest Birmingham", "2015-12-26", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell released the following statement on the heavy storms and tornadoes that affected the Southwest Birmingham area on Christmas Day.\nMy heart is with those impacted by the tornado that swept across parts of Southwest Birmingham on Christmas Day. We have been through similar tragedies together, and we know what is possible when communities come together in times of need.\nI have been in touch with local officials throughout the affected area, and my staff is working with local and state officials to help assess the extent of the damage and to assist with any recovery efforts. I am especially thankful for the work that Hopewell Baptist Church, Pastor E. E. Rodgers, Commissioner Sandra Little Brown and countless others have done to provide immediate assistance to those in need.\n\"My office and I are in contact with the Governor's office and the State EMA to monitor the situation. We are working with local, state, and federal officials to bring assistance to those affected.\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/columns/america-is-still-the-light-of-the-world", "America is Still the Light of the World", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A few weeks ago, I was holding a town hall meeting on Facebook where I answered questions from my constituents. Most of the questions related to issues like local transportation projects, illegal immigration, and the fight against terrorism.\nOne question really stuck out to me though. Raymond asked me how I remain optimistic in light of so many bad things that are happening in our country and around the world. As we celebrate Christmas, I believe this is an important topic that we should all take time to reflect on.\nOur nation is facing many challenges, and I know that most Americans are understandably afraid about our national security and the direction our country is heading. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a radical terrorist regime that is focused on attacking Americans, but we cannot allow this vile enemy to change the way we live our lives. \nIf we live in fear, then these terrorist organizations win. We should all be vigilant and never hesitate to report something that seems unusual to the proper authorities, but continue to go about your lives this Christmas season as you normally would.\nI take great comfort in knowing we have remarkable men and women all across the globe who are fighting to defend the United States and the values we hold dear. These people are on ships and in various countries abroad, and they wont be able to spend time with their families this Christmas because they are busy serving our country. Lets make sure to keep them in our prayers.\nI also take comfort in our police officers and first responders who will also work throughout the holidays. These individuals put others above themselves in an effort to keep our local communities safe and secure.\nAs we go through these challenging times, I am also constantly motivated by my faith. At Christmas it is especially easy to get caught up in all these worldly events, but there is obviously something much greater than us taking place. So I am comforted by the fact that I serve an all-loving God who will continue to provide for me even when the going gets tough.\nIm also inspired by the grit and determination of the American people. Our nation has been through very difficult times before. We have faced enemies both at home and abroad, and each time we have risen to the challenge and overcome the challenges before us. I dont expect this time will be any different.\nIn August, I had the opportunity to visit Israel with some of my Congressional colleagues to learn more about the relationship between our two countries. During one of the stops, our tour guide, an Israeli citizen, made a comment that has stuck with me. He said that we, as Americans, are the light of the world and a beacon of hope for all those in despair.\nThis comment reminded me of one of my favorite Bible verses, which is John chapter one, verse five. It reads, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.\nThis Christmas, may we all try to be a light of love and hope for those in our own communities who are struggling, and may our nation continue to be a light of freedom that shines all across the globe.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/palmer-rogers-byrne-explain-votes-opposing-omnibus-bill", "Palmer, Rogers, Byrne Explain Votes Opposing Omnibus Bill", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Friday, December 18, the massive omnibus spending bill that funds the government until the end of September easily passed the US House of Representatives. US Representatives Gary Palmer (R-Hoover), Bradley Byrne (R-Montrose), and Mike Rogers (R-Saks) each separately released statements explaining why they voted no on the legislation.\nThe only members of the Alabama congressional delegation to vote yes on the legislation were Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Selma).\nCongressman Palmer said in a statement, A spending bill should reflect the priorities of our nation. This $1.1 trillion bill does not. It continues to pile debt on our children without sufficient reforms. Furthermore, it fails to include numerous policy priorities that should have been included. Recently, a veto-proof majority of the House passed legislation to strengthen the vetting of Syrian refugees. This reform should have been included in this bill, but was not. This bill also allows funds to continue to flow to Planned Parenthood and does nothing to defund Obamas unlawful administrative amnesty.\nCongressman Mike Rogers strongly opposed the bill because funding for Obamas Syrian Refugee plan was included in the legislation. Rogers said, I am outraged that the bill that passed today did not prohibit funding for President Obama to bring refugees from the Syrian conflict to America. What happened in California demonstrates that Islamic terrorists are ready and willing to use our lax immigration system to enter our country to do us harm. Now, President Obama will be able to carry out his plan to let thousands of refugees from the Syrian conflict into the US. I have no confidence that these refugees can be properly vetted by this Administration. President Obamas plan is dangerous and I will continue to fight against it.\nCongressman Bradley Byrne said that he voted against the omnibus bill, because he believed it failed to address the reality of our national security situation. Byrne said, Our nation is at war, and I could not support a government funding bill that fails to address the reality of the serious security challenges our nation is facing. I was disappointed the bill did not include provisions to block any funding from going to the Syrian refugee resettlement program. For months now, I have been warning about the legitimate problems posed by this program, and this bill fails to prevent the President from bringing Syrian refugees into the United States.\nEarlier this month, Congressman Byrne introduced HR4031, the Defund the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program Act, which would have eliminated all funding from going toward resettling Syrian refugees in the United States. Byrne also signed a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan asking that language be included in the funding bill to block the Syrian refugee program. Those pleas were ignored.\nByrne was also frustrated with the process of passing large funding bills instead of passing individual government funding bills for each area of government.\nRep. Byrne said, The problem with these massive funding bills is that they include a mixed bag of good and bad. I was pleased to see the bill include a provision to lift the decades old ban on crude oil exports, which is a positive development that will help grow the US economy. This bill just further demonstrates why we need to return to regular order where we pass individual funding bills throughout the year instead of having to pass these huge bills when we reach crisis mode. This just isnt how our government should operate.\nByrne said that this year, the House passed six individual government funding bills, but the Senate didnt pass a single appropriations bill until after the September funding deadline.\nRep. Palmer acknowledged, The bill does have a few good provisions, like lifting the ban on crude oil exports, which I have long supported. Unfortunately even this significant victory is overcome by the numerous deficiencies.\nThe bill passed the House by a vote of 316 to 113. Despite the opposition of both Senators Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions, the 2,242 page spending bill sailed through the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-no-obama%E2%80%99s-syrian-refugee-plan", "Rogers:  No to Obamas Syrian Refugee Plan", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers:  No to Obamas Syrian Refugee Plan             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Dec 18, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act.\nRogers strongly opposed the bill because funding for Obamas Syrian Refugee plan was included in the legislation.\nI am outraged that the bill that passed today did not prohibit funding for President Obama to bring refugees from the Syrian conflict to America. What happened in California demonstrates that Islamic terrorists are ready and willing to use our lax immigration system to enter our country to do us harm. Now, President Obama will be able to carry out his plan to let thousands of refugees from the Syrian conflict into the U.S. I have no confidence that these refugees can be properly vetted by this Administration. President Obamas plan is dangerous and I will continue to fight against it. Rogers said.\n - ### -", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/column/roby-weekly-column-new-va-facility-turning-point-more-improvements-needed", "New VA Facility a Turning Point, But More Improvements Needed", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "You may have seen the news that the Central Alabama VA has now opened a new 150,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art clinic on Chantilly Parkway, in Eastern Montgomery.\u00a0Our veterans deserve a world-class facility like this one,\u00a0and I\u00a0was proud to join my colleague Rep. Mike Rogers, community leaders and Veterans Affairs officials to cut the ribbon on this impressive new facility.\nThe VA\u2019s new Chantilly clinic is intended to increase access to care for\u00a0veterans who depend on the VA for medical and psychological services. \u00a0The deep and complex problems that have plagued the VA nationwide, and\u00a0particularly\u00a0in this area, are well-documented. When\u00a0I worked with whistleblowers and the press to expose major counts of malfeasance, mismanagement and cover-up within the Central Alabama VA, we knew extensive changes would have to be made and that the road to success would be a long one. But, I am encouraged by recent progress.\u00a0Badly needed staff has been hired to fill some of the gaps that have existed for years. Major headway has been made to reduce the backlog of patients waiting for appointments.\u00a0All this means more veteran patients are receiving the care they need in a timely fashion, and that\u2019s what it is all about.\nOf course, a new building will not fix all the problems with patient access by itself. As nice as it is, this new facility doesn\u2019t make the journey for care any shorter for veterans living in\u00a0Greenville, Andalusia, Troy or other areas relatively far from VA hospitals in Montgomery and Tuskegee. That\u2019s why\u00a0I\u2019m working to build a network of local\u00a0hospitals, clinics and other providers that can allow many veterans to access care right in their hometown.\nVery soon,\u00a0I will be bringing together local, regional and national VA leaders to sit down with hospital CEOs from around Alabama so we can work out an agreement to develop this community veterans\u00a0health\u00a0network.\u00a0When veterans are able to get treated by local providers, it means they\u00a0aren\u2019t forced to drive long distances to\u00a0receive care. It also means the demand at existing VA facilities is lessened so they can tend to the patients already on their rolls.\u00a0\nI\u00a0believe this commonsense, hybrid\u00a0approach\u00a0is the future of veterans health care, and\u00a0I\u2019m optimistic we can build a community veterans health network here in Alabama that can serve as a model for the nation.\u00a0\nIt is refreshing to be able to share some positive news\u00a0about\u00a0our work to improve the VA.\u00a0My staff and I will remain vigilant in making sure our veterans are receiving the care they need because that\u2019s our job.\u00a0I hope the opening of the new VA facility marks a turning point in our mission to improve VA services and make sure no veteran gets left behind.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/funding-bill-fails-to-address-national-security-concerns-byrne-says", "Funding Bill Fails to Address National Security Concerns, Byrne Says", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) today voted against a government funding bill, known as an omnibus bill, because he believed it failed to address the reality of our national security situation.\nByrne said: Our nation is at war, and I could not support a government funding bill that fails to address the reality of the serious security challenges our nation is facing. I was disappointed the bill did not include provisions to block any funding from going to the Syrian refugee resettlement program. For months now, I have been warning about the legitimate problems posed by this program, and this bill fails to prevent the President from bringing Syrian refugees into the United States. \nEarlier this month, Congressman Byrne introduced H.R. 4031, the Defund the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program Act, which would eliminate all funding from going toward resettling Syrian refugees in the United States. Byrne also signed a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan asking that language be included in the funding bill to block the Syrian refugee program.\nAdditionally, Byrne expressed his frustration with the process of passing large funding bills instead of passing individual government funding bills for each area of government.\nByrne said: The problem with these massive funding bills is that they include a mixed bag of good and bad. I was pleased to see the bill include a provision to lift the decades old ban on crude oil exports, which is a positive development that will help grow the U.S. economy. This bill just further demonstrates why we need to return to regular order where we pass individual funding bills throughout the year instead of having to pass these huge bills when we reach crisis mode. This just isnt how our government should operate.\nThis year, the House passed six individual government funding bills, but the Senate didnt pass a single appropriations bill until after the September funding deadline.\nThe bill passed the House by a vote of 316 to 113.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/alabama-delegation-votes-11-trillion-omnibus-bill", "Alabama delegation votes on $1.1 trillion Omnibus bill", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "TheU.S. House of Representativesapproved a $1.1 trillion spending bill byan overwhelming316-113vote Friday morning, wrapping up a frenzied month of legislating just in time for the lawmakers to head home for the holidays.\nThe so-calledOmnibusbill a massive year-end spending bill that incorporates legislation from the 12 appropriations subcommittees as well asreforms to the Visa Waiver program and lifting a ban on U.S. oil exports  funds the federal government through September 2016. The bill now heads over to theU.S. Senatewhere it isexpected to clear the chamberlater Friday without the support of Alabama Sens.Richard ShelbyorJeff Sessions.\nRep.Robert Aderholt(AL-04) was the sole Alabama Republican to vote for the bill. He joined 149 of his GOP peers in supportingthe measure, along with 95 Democrats including Alabamas lone Democrat, Rep.Terri Sewell(AL-07). The remainder of the seven-member delegation voted against the legislation.\nHeres what delegation members are saying about their votes:\nU.S. Rep.Bradley Byrne(AL-01):\n \n\tOur nation is at war, and I could not support a government funding bill that fails to address the reality of the serious security challenges our nation is facing. I was disappointed the bill did not include provisions to block any funding from going to the Syrian refugee resettlement program. For months now, I have been warning about the legitimate problems posed by this program, and this bill fails to prevent the President from bringing Syrian refugees into the United States.\n \nU.S. Rep.Mike Rogers(AL-03):\n \n\tI am outraged that the bill that passed today did not prohibit funding for President Obama to bring refugees from the Syrian conflict to America. What happened in California demonstrates that Islamic terrorists are ready and willing to use our lax immigration system to enter our country to do us harm. Now, President Obama will be able to carry out his plan to let thousands of refugees from the Syrian conflict into the U.S. I have no confidence that these refugees can be properly vetted by this Administration. President Obamas plan is dangerous and I will continue to fight against it.\n \nU.S. Rep.Gary Palmer(AL-06):\n \n\tA spending bill should reflect the priorities of our nation.This $1.1 trillion bill does not. It continues to pile debt on our children without sufficient reforms.\n\tFurthermore, it fails to include numerous policy priorities that should have been included. Recently, a veto-proof majority of the House passed legislation to strengthen the vetting of Syrian refugees. This reform should have been included in this bill, but was not. This bill also allows funds to continue to flow to Planned Parenthood and does nothing to defund Obamas unlawful administrative amnesty.\n\tThe bill does have a few good provisions, like lifting the ban on crude oil exports, which I have long supported. Unfortunately even this significant victory is overcome by the numerous deficiencies.\n\tThe process to get to this point was no better than the underlying legislation it produced. I hope that going forward, the process will be different.\n \nU.S. Rep.Terri Sewell(AL-07):\n \n\tMy vote was cast in favor of keeping the government operating and to continue to make critical investments agency programs that benefit all Americans. I also firmly believe that we cannot afford another shutdown and this bill provides the Federal Government with funding throughSeptember 30, 2016.\n\tThe omnibus provides much needed increases for a broad range of education programs including Head Start, Title I grants, aid to HBCUs, the TRIO and GEAR UP programs, and rural education. Providing the resources low-income families need to increase their academic success is one of my highest priorities, and this legislation is a first step in the right direction.\n\tThis is not a perfect bill, but I am proud that both sides of the aisle were able to work out a compromise that benefits our nation, and helps us continue to grow.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-opposes-omnibus-calls-return-regular-order-spending", "Palmer Opposes Omnibus, Calls for Return to Regular Order on Spending", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), a member of the House Budget Committee, voted against H.R. 2029, the \"Omnibus\" spending bill, because it doesn't abide by the budget resolution passed by the House and it failed to include necessary policy corrections.\n\n\"A spending bill should reflect the priorities of our nation,\" Palmer said. \"This $1.1 trillion bill does not. It continues to pile debt on our children without sufficient reforms.\n\n\"Furthermore, it fails to include numerous policy priorities that should have been included. Recently, a veto-proof majority of the House passed legislation to strengthen the vetting of Syrian refugees. This reform should have been included in this bill, but was not. This bill also allows funds to continue to flow to Planned Parenthood and does nothing to defund Obama's unlawful administrative amnesty.\n\n\"The bill does have a few good provisions, like lifting the ban on crude oil exports, which I have long supported. Unfortunately even this significant victory is overcome by the numerous deficiencies.\n\n\"The process to get to this point was no better than the underlying legislation it produced. I hope that going forward, the process will be different.\"\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at hiswebsiteor viaFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-votes-passage-omnibus", "Rep. Sewell Votes for the Passage of the Omnibus", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell voted for the passage of the Omnibus Appropriations bill:\nAfter a thoughtful and thorough review, I have decided to vote in favor of the Omnibus Appropriations bill. I have reservations about several provisions in the bill, but ultimately I believe that the good contained in this bill outweighs the bad. My vote was cast in favor of keeping the government operating and to continue to make critical investments agency programs that benefit all Americans. I also firmly believe that we cannot afford another shutdown and this bill provides the Federal Government with funding through September 30, 2016.\nThe omnibus provides much needed increases for a broad range of education programs including Head Start, Title I grants, aid to HBCUs, the TRIO and GEAR UP programs, and rural education. Providing the resources low-income families need to increase their academic success is one of my highest priorities, and this legislation is a first step in the right direction.\nFurthermore, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and other minority serving institutions are set to receive an additional $40 million in funding. HBCUs have created and fostered a generation of African-American professionals, and still play a vital role in educating our youth. My district is home to some of the most prominent HBCUs in the Country, and as a Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus, securing adequate funding for these institutions is critically important to me.\nI am also pleased that this bill provides funding through the Department of the Interior that will be used to preserve historic civil sites. The struggle for civil and voting rights is an integral part of American history. Our district is known as the civil rights district, and we have the potential to benefit from this competitive grant process. I fought to secure two amendments that made this funding possible in order to preserve important civil rights sites for future generations.\nThe bill includes many increases in programs that are critical to improving access to quality health care and innovative medical research. I am particularly pleased to see a much needed increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). These investments in research are essential to providing long-term stability for our research communities in Birmingham and across the state. The package recognizes that HIV and Hepatitis should be a priority by reinvesting in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the mental health crisis becomes more urgent, the deal's increased funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA) is a welcome sign of progress for the mental health community.\nThere is an urgent need to address racial health disparities in Alabama's 7th Congressional District, and I am pleased this bill recognizes that need. By funding Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), Congress has made an investment to help eliminate health disparities across a range of diseases, including: heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.\nThis is not a perfect bill, but I am proud that both sides of the aisle were able to work out a compromise that benefits our nation, and helps us continue to grow.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://brooks.house.gov/media-center/news-releases/brooks-opposes-11-trillion-spending-bill-betrays-america-s-future", "Brooks Opposes $1.1 Trillion Spending Bill That Betrays Americas Future", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mo Brooks", "B001274", "brooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) announced he will join Alabama Senators Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions by voting No on a hastily thrown together $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that further undermines America's solvency.\nCongressman Brooks stated: \nWhile I am thankful the $1.1 trillion omnibus bill increases funding for NASA's Space Launch System and America's national security, empowers Decatur's United Launch Alliance to compete for critical defense space payloads, and reduces burdensome regulations on America's farmers, these and other positive things could and should be done without increasing the risk of a debilitating American insolvency and bankruptcy, without using taxpayer money to empower President Obama to pay illegal aliens to break our laws and come to America, without increasing terrorism risks by paying Syrians to come to America, without forcing American taxpayers to pay for other peoples' abortions, and without permitting President Obama to quadruple H-2B visas so that more foreign workers can take jobs from and undermine the wages of struggling American families.\nFinancial experts have repeatedly warned Washington of America's increasing debilitating insolvency and bankruptcy risks if Washington does not cease its out-of-control spending habits. Yet Congress will once again soon be forced to vote on a bill that was drafted by a select few, that was filed at the last minute, that is 2,009 pages long, that very few Senators and Congressmen have had the time to read much less fully understand, that no one was allowed to amend on the House Floor, and that increases America's already perilous $18.8-trillion debt by hundreds of billions of dollars. America elected a Republican House of Representatives in 2010. That Republican House has successfully reduced the size of federal deficits every year it has been in control. But no longer! Absent an unexpected economic boom, this debt-ridden omnibus spending bill, coupled with increasing debt service costs from expected higher interest rates, will likely cause America's deficit to increase for the first time since 2011. That is the exact wrong way to go!\nMaking matters worse, this omnibus bill fully funds President Obama's illegal alien amnesty policies and importation of tens of thousands of Middle Eastern Muslims in America (the odds are some of whom will repay America's charity with terrorism, mayhem, and death). President Obama's effort to import 85,000 so-called refugees is at great cost to American taxpayers. In FY 2016 alone, that cost approximates $5 billion just for those 400,000 so-called refugees President Obama has imported in only five or so years. As Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions highlights, the net lifetime cost burden to American taxpayers for just the 85,000 so-called refugees President Obama seeks to import in Fiscal Year 2016 alone is a staggering $55.25 billion. This dramatic expense (paid for with money America does not have, has to borrow to get, and can't afford to pay back), compounded by the increased security and terrorism risks forced on American citizens, is unconscionable.\nThe omnibus spending bill assaults millions of unemployed and underemployed Americans by quadrupling H-2B visas offered to foreign workers, thereby flooding the labor market with foreign workers who will take scarce jobs from and suppress wages of struggling American families.\nThis omnibus spending bill is a missed opportunity. Rather than shoring up America's finances and halting out-of-control immigration policies that damage American workers, Congress handed the gavel to President Obama and funds his dangerously misguided policies for another year. Rather than instituting a deliberate, long-term budgeting process that provides certainty for job creators and minimizes America's risk of a debilitating insolvency and bankruptcy, this omnibus bill makes matters decidedly worse.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-shelby-sessions-vow-to-fight-obama-administration-s-efforts-to-cut", "Byrne, Shelby, Sessions Vow to Fight Obama Administrations Efforts to Cut the LCS Program", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) responded to reports that the Secretary of Defense is recommending cuts to the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program.\nAccording to Defense News, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has asked the Navy to reduce the planned LCS procurement from 52 to 40and then downselect to one variant by FY 2019. Navy officials are opposed to the Secretarys decision.\nCongressman Bradley Byrne, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said: The United States is threatened by multiple adversaries, from China's efforts to dominate the sea lanes in the South China Sea to Russia's initiatives in the Black Sea through its seizure of Crimea, and to Iran's attempts to choke off lanes into the Persian Gulf. Our Navy is at risk across the world and the weak and impotent Obama Administration seeks to further undermine our position with this ill-considered decision. \nMake no mistake about it, from Mobile to Marinette and from San Diego to Jacksonville, the bell has rung, and those in the Pentagon need to hear that this will not stand. Not just for our ship yards but also for our Navy and for the defense of the people of the United States of America.\n\nSenator Shelby, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: The Obama Administration has once again demonstrated that it is tone-deaf when it comes to national security with this reckless proposal. The LCS is critical to our Navys ability to respond to current and future threats across the world, and we cannot threaten our militarys ability to execute future operations with this powerful warfighter. \nNow more than ever, we must strengthen our military presence around the world  not weaken it. Let me be clear: I will fight tooth and nail against this misguided attempt to needlessly undermine the security of our nation and the American people.\n\nSenator Sessions, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: This would be a monumental error and must not stand. It would overrule the long-settled priorities of the Navy. The LCS has been a top priority for the Navy for almost 20 years, has been supported by the last six Secretaries of the Navy and every Chief of Naval Operations since Admiral Vern Clark, and has had strong bipartisan Congressional support every year. This is troubling not just for the 4,000 hardworking Austal employees in Mobile, but also for the future of our Navy and our national security. The Navy and DOD have for years praised LCS as crucial to our future naval warfighting capabilities, and a necessary component of the surface warfare community.\nThe Navy has, for many years, stated its goal of building up its capacity to 308 ships. We are currently at only 282 ships. Cutting LCS procurement to just 40 ships will make the Navys 308 ship goal impossible to achieve, as the only alternatives to LCS are far more expensive to produce and maintain. Indeed, little of the savings would be applied to other ships.\nLCS is crucial to our country's future naval capabilities, and the 52 ship requirement is essential to get our Navy to the numbers it needs. I intend to fight against this proposed reduction, and I will continue to fight for LCS.\n\nThe Independence-class variant of the LCS is built by Austal USA, which is located in Mobile, Alabama.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/us-representatives-speak-out-against-proposed-environmental-regulations", "US Representatives speak out against proposed environmental regulations", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Us Rep. Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ) has spoken out against proposed environmental regulations and criticised it for the potential effects it would have on the coal industry. He indicated that the measures put forward by the Office of Natural Resources Revenie (ONRR) would have an impact on the valuation of federal onshore oil, natural gas and coal royalties.\nThe Office of Natural Resources Revenues proposed rule is a bureaucratic nightmare that will make it impossible to produce coal on federal lands, including tribal land, Gosar stated. If implemented, this fundamentally flawed new regulation will kill jobs, result in an unconstitutional tax on coal exports and bankrupt even more American energy companies.\nGossar and US Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) have both criticised proposed changes to the Stream Protection Rule at a Department of the Interior (DOI).\nThe Stream Protection Rule was created in 1979 to protect year-round springs located near mines through the creation of buffer zones. The DOIs proposed updates to the rule may make it stricter and create a wider margin between streams and mining operations. Some estimates say it could cost up to 280 000 jobs and adversely affect the economy.\nThe Department of the Interiors new stream buffer zone rule is even more troubling and will negatively affect both surface and underground coal mines, Gosar commented. This terrible new regulation is projected to sterilide between 27% and 64% of recoverable reserves. The associated decline in annual coal production will have a direct impact on employment and risks killing between 112 757 and 280 809 mining-related jobs.\"\nCoal miners are not made-up stats, they are real people, Palmer said. The DOI needs to come to Alabama and talk to some of the coal mining families, particularly the kids, who are facing the prospect of Christmas with no presents; or young people who are withdrawing from college. Instead, the Department of the Interior has frozen out states and industry in the rule-making process.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-questions-admin-officials-terrorist-travel-too-many-holes-bucket", "Palmer Questions Admin Officials on Terrorist Travel, \u201cToo many holes in the bucket.\u201d", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Today at an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing entitled \"Terrorist Travel: Vetting for National Security Concerns,\" Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), questioned Obama Administration officials about threats from terrorists entering our country by taking advantage of our visa laws. This threat has become more urgent after the recent attack in San Bernardino, California, where one perpetrator, Tashfeen Malik, was a foreign national who was cleared to enter the U.S. by exploiting weak points in our visa laws.\n\n\"National security is the first and most important responsibility of the federal government,\" Palmer said. \"This hearing demonstrated that, when it comes to this Administration thoroughly evaluating persons seeking to come to the U.S. as refugees or with a visa, there are still too many holes in the bucket. Ensuring that people seeking entry to the US are thoroughly vetted should be one of Congress's top priorities in the next year.\"\n\nIn response to questions by Congressman Palmer, Administration officials stated that current law dictates that refugees are granted citizenship more quickly than other legal immigrants seeking citizenship.\n\nYou can watch Congressman Palmer's questions at the hearing below:\n\nhttps://youtu.be/-DHvtRgYH0c\n\nPalmer previously supported H.R. 158 the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act, which restricted access to certain high-risk individuals to visa waivers to come to the United States, and provided incentives for certain countries to provide more timely intelligence on potential terrorist threats.\n\nPalmer has also repeatedly expressed skepticism of passing any spending bill that would fund our current refugee programs without a provision ensuring that the FBI certifies that all refugees coming to America have been thoroughly vetted and not deemed to be a threat. He is also a co-sponsor of H.R. 3314, introduced by Rep. Brian Babin, which would create a pause on admitting more refugees until Congress passes a joint resolution giving the Department of Homeland Security the authority to admit refugees.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-votes-against-so-called-protecting-americans-tax-hikes-act", "Rep. Sewell Votes Against the So-Called Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Terri Sewell voted against the so-called Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, saying the massive tax bill would increase the federal deficit by $622 billion over the next 10 years.\nWhile I support a strong tax policy that provides certainty to individuals and American businesses, the permanency of many of these provisions without any offsets to fund their costs is of deep concern. This legislation includes several provisions that I strongly support like the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit, and the American opportunity tax credit. The package also provides a two-year moratorium on the medical device tax and extends the work opportunity tax credit to help employers that hire Americans who have faced significant barriers to employment.\nHowever, I am deeply concerned that passing this tax extenders package without offsetting its cost would greatly undermine our ability to make key discretionary investments in the future, hurt job creation, and lessen opportunities that make the American dream possible for millions of families across our great nation. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimates that the overall provisions contained within this bill would reduce net revenues, and increase deficits by a total of $622 billion over 10 years. We know that every dollar in lost revenue must be made up somewhere else in the budget. Far too often my Republican colleagues have sought to do this by reducing spending in critically important domestic spending programs such as infrastructure, education, social security, and healthcare.\nI carefully weighed this tax extenders package against its long-term impact on Congress' ability to help businesses create jobs and opportunities, invest in our aging infrastructure, and strengthen our national security. In the end, this bill came up short.\nThe American people deserve a more balanced bill that offsets its cost, and helps both individuals and businesses equitably across the board. Unfortunately this bill was not able to meet that objective.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-provides-books-to-local-libraries-0", "Byrne Provides Books to Local Libraries", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) recently sent a shipment of new books to the Spanish Fort Public Library in Baldwin County and the Monroeville Public Library in Monroe County.\nCongressman Byrnes office used the Surplus Books Program at the Library of Congress to provide the free books. The Surplus Books Program includes books that are not needed for the Librarys own uses, and the books can be donated to eligible organizations and institutions free of charge.\nByrne said: Our local libraries are a great asset to the community, and I am proud to support them. These are new books, which I know will make a great addition to the librarys collection. I hope all my constituents will take advantage of these books and all the fantastic resources provided by our local libaries.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/new-report-confirms-federal-government-s-poor-red-snapper-data-byrne", "New Report Confirms Federal Governments Poor Red Snapper Data, Byrne Says", "2015-12-15", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) today drew attention to a new report that outlines serious flaws with the federal governments data collection efforts, especially as it relates to Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.\nThe new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the federal government has failed to develop a comprehensive strategy to guide its data collection efforts. The report also highlights the lack of communication with stakeholders as it relates to data collection efforts.\nThe GAO report concludes that without a comprehensive strategy, (the National Marine Fisheries Service) may have difficulty ensuring that the variety of steps it is taking to improve data collection are prioritized so that the most important steps are undertaken firstFurther, without communicating the strategy and NMFS progress in implementing it, NMFS may have difficulty building trust among its stakeholders, and these stakeholders may have difficulty tracking the agencys efforts.\nByrne said: This new report from the Government Accountability Office confirms what I have been saying for years now: the federal government is doing a terrible job of counting the number of fish in the Gulf and estimating how many fish are caught. The impact from this failure of government bureaucracy is particularly harmful to our coastal communities in Southwest Alabama.\nInstead of outlining a plan to address the concerns raised in the report, it seems the National Marine Fisheries Service is asking for more federal money. Instead of feeding a flawed government agency, I believe the best course of action is to limit the involvement of the federal government and instead allow the Gulf states to be responsible for data collection and stock assessments. By making the states responsible for the data, we will have more accurate data which will lead to a longer Red Snapper season in the Gulf.\nEarlier this year, the House passed H.R. 1355, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, which included three of Congressman Byrnes reforms designed to improve data collection and lead to a longer Red Snapper season. The provisions would:\n Repeal the inflexible quotas for the Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper fishery\n\tExtend state water boundaries for each Gulf state to nine nautical miles\n\tRemove data collection and stock assessments from federal control.\n H.R. 1355 passed the House by a vote of 225 to 152 and it now awaits action in the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-elected-republican-steering-committee", "Rogers Elected to Republican Steering Committee", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers Elected to Republican Steering Committee             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Dec 14, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after being elected to the Republican Steering Committee last week by his colleagues. The Steering Committee recommends Members of Congress to serve as Full Committee Chairmen based on their background, level of expertise and seniority as well as each Members committee assignments. Rogers is the first Alabamian in the last decade to serve on the prestigious committee.\nOver the last couple of years Rogers has become increasingly concerned that regions and the South particularly, werent being fairly represented.  for example, Southeastern states only have 4 Full Committee Chairmanships out of 20 Standing House Full Committees despite making up almost one-third of the House Republican Conference.\nI am honored to have been elected to this committee, and am thrilled to have the opportunity to help ensure there is a regional balance across the board when it comes to committee chairmanships and committee assignments. Alabama and the South make up a significant portion of the House Republican Conference and deserve their fair share of assignments. I have been working with my Southern colleagues on the importance of making sure each region has a seat at the table and will bring this important initiative with me when our work begins on the committee, Rogers said.\nRogers was selected for one of six slots on the Republican Steering Committee out of 11 candidates running for the slots.\n - ### -", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/roby-speaks-va-clinic-opening", "Roby Speaks at VA Clinic Opening", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Celebrating recent progress and calling for teamwork to further improve care for veterans, U.S. Representative Martha Roby joined local, regional and national leaders at a ribbon cutting for the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care Systems new Chantilly clinic.\nThe new 150,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art clinic is intended to improve access and quality of care in a system that hasstruggled greatly. \nSpeaking to the crowd of VA employees and community partners, Roby thanked the administrators, doctors, nurses and support staff saying she hopes today is a \"turning point in the long saga of fighting to improve care for veterans.\nIm your partner in this,Roby said. \"Im your advocate in Washington for making sure you have the tools and resources you need to properly care for veterans. Im the one fighting to cut through the bureaucracy and make sure national VA leaders pay attention to Central Alabama so our veterans dont get left behind.\nAs someone who represents a district with a high concentration of veterans, I have a responsibility to fight on behalf of those who fought for us. I take that responsibility seriously, and Ill work alongside anyone who wants to be part of the solution.\nOver the last year and a half, Roby haspushed VA leaders to overhaul the Central Alabama VA systemafter the national Department of Veterans Affairs waitlist manipulation scandal came to Montgomery. Working with whistleblowers and the press, Roby worked to exposemajor instances of malfeasance and mismanagementthat resulted inthe Central Alabama VA director being the first senior manager in the country firedunder new accountability laws.\nRoby told those gathered at the ribbon-cutting ceremony that he work continues to build a community network of hospitals and providers that will partner with VA to help veterans receive care locally.\nSoon, I will be bringing together VA leaders to sit down with the hospital CEOs from around Alabama so we can talk about a partnership that helps veterans get care in their own communities.\nWhen a veteran in Troy or Greenville or Andalusia is allowed to easily access their local provider for care, it means they arent forced to drive to Montgomery or Tuskegee or here at Chantilly. It also means the demand at our VA facilities is eased up so they can properly tend to those already on their rolls. Weve had some initial conversations, and Im optimistic we can build a community veterans health care network that can be a national model for how to improve access and deal with this heightened demand.\nThe full text of Robys remarks at todays ribbon-cutting ceremony is below.\nThank you very much. I certainly share everyones excitement about the opening of this impressive facility. Our veterans deserve a world-class facility like this and it is my hope that bringing this clinic online will greatly enhance CAVHCS ability to serve veteran patients.\nI want to take a moment to thank Tom Smith and Traci Solt for the job they are doing. They have taken the reins under some pretty difficult circumstances and have gotten results. I know it isnt easy to have a congressman breathing down your neck, but they have been reliable and straightforward in communicating with me about progress, and let me tell you that alone is a breath of fresh air.\nAnd progress IS being made. I get regular updates from Tom and I have been encouraged to see the numbers improving lately. Badly needed staff has been hired to fill some of these gaps that have been there for years. All this means more veteran patients are receiving the care they need in a timely fashion, and thats what its all about. And, its because of the hard work of so many CAVHCS employees who have dedicated their careers to helping veterans. I want to thank everyone who works at CAVCHS, from the administrators and doctors to the nurses and support staff. I know that the vast majority of those who work at the VA are dedicated individuals who work hard to take care of veterans, often in some difficult, pressure-filled situations. On behalf of Alabamas 2ndCongressional District, I want you all to know how grateful I am for all you do to take care of our veterans.\nI know the last year and a half hasnt been easy. Change is never easy, but it has been necessary. Some things needed to change at CAVHCS and really the VA nationwide. We are certainly not finished pushing to make improvements. My staff and I remain will remain vigilant in making sure our veterans are receiving the care they need - because thats our job.\nBut, I hope today can be a turning point in for all of us. As Traci or Tom would probably tell you, Im your partner in this. Im your advocate in Washington for making sure you have the tools and resources you need to properly care for veterans. Im the one fighting to cut through the bureaucracy and make sure national VA leaders pay attention to Central Alabama so our veterans dont get left behind.\nVery soon, I will be bringing together local, regional and national VA leaders to sit down with the hospital CEOs from around Alabama so we can talk about building a community veterans health care network. When a veteran in Troy or Greenville or Andalusia is allowed to easily access their local provider for care, it means they arent forced to drive to Montgomery or Tuskegee or here at Chantilly. It also means the demand at our VA facilities is eased up so they can properly tend to those already on their rolls. Weve had some initial conversations, and Im optimistic we can build a community veterans health care network that can be a national model for how to improve access and deal with this heightened demand.\nAs someone who represents a district with a high concentration of veterans, I have a responsibility to fight on behalf of those who fought for us. I take that responsibility seriously, and Ill work alongside anyone who wants to be part of the solution. Thats why Im honored to be here with you today to celebrate this exciting facility. I hope this facility will give us even more momentum in our journey to ensure no veterans in Central Alabama get left behind.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/palmer-speaks-out-coal-miners", "Palmer Speaks out for Coal Miners", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tuesday, December 8 U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R from Hoover) warned that new rules to protect streams could cost 280,000 mining jobs.\nAt a a hearing on the U.S. Department of the Interiors (DOI) recently proposed Stream Protection Rule, Congressman Gary Palmer said, Coal Miners are not made-up stats, they are real people. The DOI needs to come to Alabama and talk to some of the coal mining families, particularly the kids, who are facing the prospect of Christmas with no presents; or young people who are withdrawing from college. Instead, the Department of the Interior has frozen out states and industry in the rulemaking process.\nThe Interior Dept. has recently proposed a new Stream Protection Rule, which would have significant negative effects on energy production. The original version of the rule, passed in 1979, created a buffer zone around year-round streams near mining operations. Energy advocates are warning that the new, more stringent rule would have significant negative economic effects. Estimates say it could cost up to 280,000 Americans their jobs.\nThe new 600+ page rule seeks to clearly define material damage to the hydrologic balance outside the permit area and require that each permit specify the point at which adverse mining-related impacts on groundwater and surface water would reach that level of damage. The rule would require a mine to collect adequate premining data about the site of the proposed mining operation and adjacent areas to establish a baseline for evaluation of the impacts of mining and the effectiveness of reclamation. The rule would also require that mines protect both year round as well as intermittent streams. The proposed rule is intended to ensure that land disturbed by surface coal mining operations is restored to a condition capable of supporting the uses that it was capable of supporting before mining. The proposed rule also would require revegetation of reclaimed minesites with native species unless and until a conflicting postmining land use, such as intensive agriculture, is implemented.\nCritics of the proposed rule claim that it makes it cost prohibitive to build a new surface mine and is just the latest offensive in President Barack H. Obamas (D) war on coal.\nThe period for public comment on the new rule ended on September 25, 2015.  \n\tNational Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn told a Senate oversight hearing that the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcements (OSM) so-called Stream Protection Rule is more about protecting the jobs of regulators than protecting the environment: The SPR is a massive rule in search of a purpose. OSMs own reports show minings offsite impacts are insignificant. While OSMs explanations have continually changed to justify this regulation, no explanation has ever been given for why states have been ignored in its development. Still, OSM persists in a rulemaking that has potentially devastating consequences for jobs throughout the energy supply chain as well as for the communities that must do without them and the revenue they generate.\nPresident Quinn said, A technical analysis of the impact of this rule on actual mines shows that up to 78,000 coal mining jobs could be lost  added to the 40,000 already lost just in the past three years. When coal-supported jobs in manufacturing, power plants and freight rail are included, the SPRs toll on employment rises to between 113,000 and 280,000, as one half or more of total U.S. coal reserves are potentially placed off limits to mining.\nQuinn continued, In re-writing 475 existing rules and adding new ones, OSM attempts to hijack, and interfere with, the missions of other agencies under state and federal laws. OSM shows again it does not understand these other programs, how they work or apply to mining. This rule is not about protecting streams, its all about protecting OSMs jobs at the expense of the jobs of our nations energy providers  Americas coal miners.\nCongressman Gary Palmer represents Alabamas Sixth Congressional District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/column/roby-weekly-column-major-step-taken-bolster-national-security", "Major Step Taken to Bolster National Security", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Recent terrorist activity has many Americans concerned about our security, and understandably so. Congress has the responsibility to make sure our laws and programs meant to protect our country are working as they should. One program that has been scrutinized lately is our visa system, which regulates who is allowed to visit the United States.\nOur country has agreements with friendly countries like Great Britain, France and Italy allowing their citizens who pass a security background check to travel in the United States for up to 90 days. This Visa Waiver Program is important for business travel and tourism but also has an important security function. As part of the deal, partner countries agree to share critical counter terrorism information that helps American authorities identify threats and protect the homeland.\u00a0\nAmid the rise in terrorist activity, the Homeland Security Committee convened a Foreign Fighter Task Force, which found some lapses and vulnerabilities in our system. Gaps in the system could potentially allow dangerous people to exploit our relationships with friendly nations to and gain access to the United States. That\u2019s why this week the House of Representatives acted to tighten and reform security protocols by passing the\u00a0Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Prevention Act.\u00a0The bill strengthens our visa program\u2019s security with provisions to:\n terminate visa agreements with countries if they fail to share counterterrorism information;\n\tterminate visa agreements with countries if they fail to screen travelers against INTERPOL criminal and terrorism databases;\n\tdeny VWP status to those who have gone to terrorist hotspots like Syria since 2011 or those who have dual-nationality in such countries;\n\trequire all partner countries to issue and screen fraud resistant \u201ce-passports\u201d to everyone;\n\trequire annual threat assessments of high-risk VWP countries based on foreign fighter flow, visa denials and terror database matches;\n\tallow for suspension of high-risk countries until the threat has passed.\n This measure is an important step in ensuring dangerous people cannot access the United States via friendly nations by exploiting security gaps. Of course, our visa arrangement with friendly nations is important, but we need to beef up security protocols and make sure our partner countries are playing by the rules.\nMy colleague, Rep. Will Hurd, who is a former CIA operative and helped write the bill, put it best by saying\u00a0\u201cIf you get the right information to the right people, you keep terrorists on the run and off our shores.\u201d\u00a0\nThis is just one step of many that may need to be taken to make sure our authorities have the tools and information necessary to protect Americans here at home. Stay updated on the latest on my Facebook page and twitter feed @RepMarthaRoby.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/its-time-stop-epas-overreach", "It's time to stop the EPA's overreach", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is one of the most powerful and most feared regulatory agencies in the country. What was originally intended to be an agency with a relatively modest charter has become much more powerful. The EPA is now claiming unrestrained authority to issue regulations that have major negative consequences for the American economy with little or no accountability to Congress.\nAmong the most onerous examples of EPA overstepping its authority is the agency's efforts to regulate greenhouse gasses. The EPA has been aided and abetted in its crusade by a controversial 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision inMassachusetts v. EPA.According to the Supreme Court, because the definition of air pollution in the Clean Air Act is so imprecisely broad, it can be interpreted to grant the EPA the ability to regulate greenhouse gasses.\nOthers, including members of Congress, disagreed. One member, former Congressman John Dingell, D-Mich., the longest serving member of Congress in history, stated that it was never the intent of Congress to allow the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. Speaking at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, Dingell said that \"I think the Supreme Court came up with a very much erroneous decision on whether the Clean Air Act covers greenhouse gases  I was present when we wrote that legislation. We thought it was clear enough that  even the Supreme Court was not stupid enough to make that finding.\"\nHe further said that it would be \"insane that [Congress] would be talking about leaving this kind of judgment ... to a long and complex process of regulatory action,\" affecting \"potentially every industry and every emitter and every person in this country.\"\nThe debate over greenhouse gases and climate change is not the central issue. This is really about the EPA usurping the authority of Congress to make law. As Congressman Dingell explained, Congress never intended for the EPA to have this sort of massive, unchecked regulatory power over almost every kind of activity. The issue is that the authority of Congress, and consequently the right of American citizens to representation in the making of our nation's laws, is being seriously diminished by the EPA and other federal agencies.\nUnder our Constitution, Congress makes the law and is held accountable by the people through elections. The effort to restrain the EPA is more than a policy position on an issue, but a matter of fidelity to the Constitution and the clear separation of powers doctrine that is essential to the successful functioning of our government.\nTo directly address this issue in regard to the EPA's attempt to regulate greenhouse gases I have introduced the Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2015 (H.R.3880). This bill, which has more than 120 co-sponsors, would not only amend existing laws to clarify that the bureaucracy doesn't have the authority to regulate greenhouse gases. It would also serve to fortify the fact that nothing in current federal law authorizes or requires regulation aimed at fighting climate change.\nThe issue of global warming or whatever else the EPA proclaims is being affected by greenhouse gases can be legitimately debated in Congress. In fact, Congress has already taken up the issue of carbon emissions. In 2009 Congress took up the \"Cap and Trade\" bill, which passed the House but has never received a vote in the Senate. It should be noted that Democrats had overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate.\nThe EPA is not the only federal agency that is overstepping the authority of Congress. Other federal agencies have taken advantage of the failure of Congress to assert its lawmaking authority and have taken it upon themselves to legislate through regulations at a staggering rate and with enormously costly impact on our economy.\nAs the people's elected representatives, it should be one of our top priorities to reassert Congress as the originator of laws and reestablish congressional accountability for regulations issued by federal agencies by requiring a vote on the regulations that have a significant impact on the economy. By doing so, not only will the economy benefit, but representative and accountable government will be restored in the process.\nGary Palmer represents Alabama's 6th congressional district.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/palmer-epa-was-never-intended-have-much-power-they-must-be-stopped", "Palmer: EPA was never intended to have this much power; they must be stopped", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is one of the most powerful and most feared regulatory agencies in the country. What was originally intended to be an agency with a relatively modest charter has become much more powerful. The EPA is now claiming unrestrained authority to issue regulations that have major negative consequences for the American economy with little or no accountability to Congress. Others, including members of Congress, disagreed. One member, former Congressman John Dingell, D-Mich., the longest serving member of Congress in history, stated that it was never the intent of Congress to allow the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. Speaking at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, Dingell said that I think the Supreme Court came up with a very much erroneous decision on whether the Clean Air Act covers greenhouse gases  I was present when we wrote that legislation. We thought it was clear enough that  even the Supreme Court was not stupid enough to make that finding.\nHe further said that it would be insane that [Congress] would be talking about leaving this kind of judgment  to a long and complex process of regulatory action, affecting potentially every industry and every emitter and every person in this country.\nThe debate over greenhouse gases and climate change is not the central issue. This is really about the EPA usurping the authority of Congress to make law. As Congressman Dingell explained, Congress never intended for the EPA to have this sort of massive, unchecked regulatory power over almost every kind of activity. The issue is that the authority of Congress, and consequently the right of American citizens to representation in the making of our nations laws, is being seriously diminished by the EPA and other federal agencies.\nUnder our Constitution, Congress makes the law and is held accountable by the people through elections. The effort to restrain the EPA is more than a policy position on an issue, but a matter of fidelity to the Constitution and the clear separation of powers doctrine that is essential to the successful functioning of our government.\nTo directly address this issue in regard to the EPAs attempt to regulate greenhouse gases I have introduced the Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2015 (H.R.3880). This bill, which has more than 120 co-sponsors, would not only amend existing laws to clarify that the bureaucracy doesnt have the authority to regulate greenhouse gases. It would also serve to fortify the fact that nothing in current federal law authorizes or requires regulation aimed at fighting climate change.\nThe issue of global warming or whatever else the EPA proclaims is being affected by greenhouse gases can be legitimately debated in Congress. In fact, Congress has already taken up the issue of carbon emissions. In 2009 Congress took up the Cap and Trade bill, which passed the House but has never received a vote in the Senate. It should be noted that Democrats had overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate.\nThe EPA is not the only federal agency that is overstepping the authority of Congress. Other federal agencies have taken advantage of the failure of Congress to assert its lawmaking authority and have taken it upon themselves to legislate through regulations at a staggering rate and with enormously costly impact on our economy.\nAs the peoples elected representatives, it should be one of our top priorities to reassert Congress as the originator of laws and reestablish congressional accountability for regulations issued by federal agencies by requiring a vote on the regulations that have a significant impact on the economy. By doing so, not only will the economy benefit, but representative and accountable government will be restored in the process.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-and-appalachian-regional-commission-announce-368000-grant", "Rep. Sewell and Appalachian Regional Commission Announce $368,000 Grant for Workforce Development Programs for Hale County", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl announced that the Appalachian Regional Commission is providing a $368,000 grant to recruit, train, and prepare workers for Alabama's automotive industry. Shelton State Community College and the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce will administer the program that will focus on workforce development in Hale County, Alabama.\nI am thrilled that Hale County has been chosen to receive a workforce development grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. Closing the skills gap for the workforce in the 7th Congressional District of Alabama continues to be a major priority for my office, said Rep. Sewell. A strong and vibrant workforce is imperative to the growth and prosperity of Alabama's Black Belt.\n\"Creative community partnerships are the key to economic success.\" said Earl Gohl, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. \"Investing in this collaboration between Shelton State Community College and the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce will help Hale County's workforce reach its full potential and engage in a global economy.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-votes-passage-bipartisan-customs-conference-report", "Rep. Sewell Votes for Passage of the Bipartisan Customs Conference Report", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Terri Sewell issued the following statement after voting for the passage of the conference report to H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.\nThe Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act will help protect American industries, particularly steel, from unfair trade practices and give them the necessary tools to seek timely and effective remedies. American steel makers and manufacturers have been burdened by illegally traded imports for far too long, costing the industry billions of dollars a year. Steel plants across Alabama's 7th Congressional District have had to cut pay or lay off workers because foreign trading partners refuse to pay their customs duties which are intended to offset harmful subsidies and dumping. Today's vote sends a clear message to our foreign trading partners that the United States will no longer tolerate the evasion of lawfully owed duties.\nIn addition, this bill ends the import of goods made from child and forced labor, increases de minimis customs thresholds, establishes and funds the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center which will assist agencies in coordinating efforts to eliminates trade loopholes, strengthens the Treasury's evaluation of currency manipulators, and creates the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) Program to help small businesses reach new markets. While I had hoped that the conference report would have included provisions to allow injured industries and workers to request that currency manipulation be investigated as an illegal export subsidy under our current trade laws, I will continue to push for inclusion of this critical provision in future legislation.\nI look forward to the President signing this important legislation into law and continuing to work with Congress to promote enforcement measures that strengthen our nation's trade laws and ensure fair trade between our foreign trading partners. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://brooks.house.gov/media-center/news-releases/apga-awards-rep-brooks-support-fiscally-sound-energy-policies", "APGA Awards Rep. Brooks for Support of Fiscally-Sound Energy Policies", "2015-12-10", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mo Brooks", "B001274", "brooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.This week, representatives from the nonprofit American Public Gas Association (APGA) and Huntsville Utilities presented Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) with an APGA Appreciation Award for his efforts on behalf of natural gas consumers. The award was unanimously approved by the APGA board of directors and presented to Congressman Brooks in his Washington, D.C. office. \nIn June, Brooks organized a bipartisan letter signed by an astonishing 120 House colleagues, submitted to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Moniz expressing concern over the DOE's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding residential furnaces. The high initial costs associated with installation and the additional venting requirements for the condensing furnaces that would be mandated under the DOE's NPRM would push many residential customersparticularly those in warmer climates such as North Alabamato purchase and install potentially less efficient home heating alternatives. The letter made an immediate impact within the DOE and will likely lead to significant energy cost savings, especially throughout the South. \n\nRep. Brooks meets with APGA and Huntsville Utilities officials during APGA\nAppreciation Award presentation in his Washington, D.C. office.\n\nBert Kalisch, President and CEO of APGA, said, \"APGA was more than happy to award Representative Brooks with this well-deserved recognition. His work to protect America's natural gas customers is admirable and an example to all policymakers. APGA looks forward to continued work with Representative Brooks in fighting for the use of America's best energy resource and for American consumers to make their own home energy decisions.\"\nUpon initial release of the letter, Huntsville Utilities President and CEO Jay Stowe said, Huntsville Utilities appreciates the support and attention Congressman Brooks and his staff have brought to this issue. His efforts could potentially save thousands of dollars in replacement costs for our customers and people all over the country that will eventually have to address and replace aging home furnaces.\nCongressman Brooks said, I appreciate being recognized by the APGA for my work to rein in the Department of Energy, which has run amuck under this Administration. As an advocate for lowering energy costs and reducing overregulation, it's my firmly held belief that less government intervention in any market will increase innovation, and most importantly reduce costs for the American consumer.\nIn attendance at the award presentation:\nRich Worsinger (Chairman of the APGA Board of Directors Director of Energy Resources for the City of Rocky Mount, NC)  \n\tJohn Olshefski (Vice President of Customer Care  Huntsville Utilities)  \n\tDonnie Sharp (Senior Natural Gas Supply Coordinator  Huntsville Utilities)  \n\tBert Kalisch (APGA's President & CEO)  \n\tDave Schryver (APGA's Executive Vice President).\nFor photos of this event, please visit Rep. Brooks' Flickr account by clicking HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-obama-administration-broke-the-law-with-prisoner-exchange", "Byrne: Obama Administration Broke the Law with Prisoner Exchange", "2015-12-10", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to a House Armed Services Committee report on the transfer of five Taliban detainees from Guantanamo Bay in May 2014.\nByrne said: The Armed Services Committee report confirms that the Obama Administration broke the law by failing to give Congress appropriate advanced notification about the release of five senior Taliban officials from Guantanamo Bay in 2014. The Obama Administration went out of their way to hide the exchange from Congress and failed to ensure that the released Taliban prisoners did not pose a threat to the United States.\nI applaud Chairman Thornberry and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairwoman Vicky Hartzler for their steady oversight of the Taliban 5 transfer. I know they had a difficult time getting all the appropriate information, but they conducted this investigation in a first-class manner. \nUltimately, it seems clear the Obama Administration was more concerned about making national headlines and establishing a legacy than they were with following the law and protecting the American people. \nThe Armed Services Committee report included four major findings:\n The transfer of the Taliban Five violated several laws, including the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The constitutional arguments offered to justify the Department of Defenses failure to provide the legally-required notification to the Committee 30 days in advance are incomplete and unconvincing. The violation of law also threatens constitutional separation of powers.\n\tThe Committee was misled about the extent and scope of efforts to arrange the Taliban Five transfer before it took place. The Department of Defenses failure to communicate complete and accurate information severely harmed its relationship with the Committee, and threatens to upend a longstanding history and tradition of cooperation and comity.\n\tSenior officials within the Department of Defense best equipped to assess national security risks associated with the detainee transfer were largely excluded from the Taliban Five efforts. This greatly increased the chance that the transfer would have dangerous consequences.\n\tThe Department of Defense has failed to take sufficient precautions to ensure the ongoing national security risks posed by the Taliban 5 are mitigated, consistent with the Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar.\n Last year, Congressman Byrne questioned then-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel about the Taliban 5 transfer. Byrne has repeatedly expressed his belief that the Obama Administration failed to follow the law as it relates to the transfer.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-notes-pending-end-paris-talks-calls-administration-follow", "Palmer Notes Pending End of Paris Talks, Calls on Administration to Follow the Constitution", "2015-12-10", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), notes the coming end of the 21st session of the Conference of Parties, part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Paris, France, and calls on the Obama Administration to submit any agreement reached to the Senate for ratification, as required under the Constitution.\n\nThis week, Congressman Palmer gave a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives on executive overreach, including discussing the signals by the Obama Administration that it intends to attempt to work around Congress concerning an agreement pursuant to the Paris talks. You can watch the speech by clicking below:\n\nhttps://youtu.be/rhvZrIbVqQU\u200b\n\n\"As the people's elected representatives - and I want to emphasize elected Representatives and not elected bystanders - it should be one of our top priorities to reassert Congress as the originator of laws and reassert Congressional accountability for the regulations issued by federal agencies by requiring a Congressional vote on the regulations that have a significant impact on the economy.\"\n\nA full transcript of his speech is below.\n\nPalmer has been a consistent critic of executive overreach. He has recently focused on the EPA's attempts to regulate greenhouse gasses. Last month, Palmer introduced H.R. 3880, the Stopping EPA Overreach Act, which would strip the EPA of the authority to regulate so-called \"greenhouse gasses.\"\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at hiswebsiteor viaFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram.\n\nText of Speech:\n\nThank you Mr. Speaker, and I want to thank my colleague from Pennsylvania, Mr. Rothfus, and I want to commend my colleague and friend Mr. Kelley for his eloquent and passionate defense of Constitutional government.\n\nIt's not just the Administration's efforts to ratify something and bypass Congress without any input from us, but they are also making laws through agencies such as EPA. We're engaged right now in a debate over the Clean Power Plan, which is a reiteration of Cap and Trade, it's all about regulating greenhouse gasses. And they've started this process because in 2007, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, said the Clean Air Act gave the EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.\n\nNot everyone agrees with that. As you see here on the easel, I have a quote from former Michigan Representative John Dingell, and this is what he had to say about the Supreme Court's decision in Massachusetts v. EPA: \"Like most members of this committee, I think the Supreme Court came up with a very much erroneous decision on whether the Clean Air Act covers greenhouse gases. Like many of the members of this committee I was present when we wrote that legislation. We thought it was clear enough that it did not, that we didn't clarify it thinking that even the Supreme Court was not stupid enough to make that finding.\"\n\nI want to state for the record, Mr. Speaker, that I am in no way making personal references to the members of the court, particularly the five who voted for that decision. That's Mr. Dingell's opinion. But I think it's clear that it was never Congress's intent to allow the EPA to do this. The point here is, we've had a debate over regulating greenhouse gasses; we did that in 2010 in the form of the Cap and Trade bill. And Congress, with Democrat majorities in both houses, said \"No.\"\n\nAnd yet the President is intent on making the United States party to a legally binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that will have almost no measurable impact on global temperatures. The EPA has admitted that in testimony before the Science Committee. This is basically a public relations effort to encourage other nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. And as Mr. Rothfus has pointed out, the cost on the American economy, particularly low income families, will be enormous; also on single income households and senior citizens.\n\nEven the former lead author of the International Panel on Climate Change report, Philip Lloyd, who is one of the former lead authors, asserted in a new paper that there is a strong likelihood that the major portion of the observed warming is due to natural variation. If it's due to natural variation, there is little to nothing we can do about it.\n\nCongress has been bypassed by the EPA and other federal agencies for too long. It's time to stand up and reassert ourselves as the sole body empowered to make law under the Constitution. The debate over greenhouse gasses and climate change is not the central issue. This is really about the EPA and this administration usurping the authority of Congress to make law. As my friend from Pennsylvania, Mr. Kelly, explained, the issue is that the authority of Congress - and consequently the right of Americans to representation - to writes this nations laws is being seriously diminished.\n\nUnder our Constitution, Congress makes the law, and is held accountable by the people through elections. The effort to restrain the EPA is more than a policy position on an issue, but a matter of the fidelity to the Constitution and the clear separation of powers doctrine that is essential to the successful functioning of our Government. As the people's elected representatives - and I want to emphasize elected Representatives and not elected bystanders - it should be one of our top priorities to reassert Congress as the originator of laws and reassert Congressional accountability for the regulations issued by federal agencies by requiring a Congressional vote on the regulations that have a significant impact on the economy. This would have a devastating impact on the economy. By doing so, not only would the economy benefit, but the representative and accountable government will be restored in the process.\n\nI urge all my colleagues to support my friend from Pennsylvania's resolution to require that the President submit any agreement reached in Paris to the Senate for their advice and consent. I yield the balance of my time.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-sewell-and-royce-push-remove-barriers-homeownership", "Reps. Sewell and Royce Push to Remove Barriers to Homeownership", "2015-12-10", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell and Republican Congressman Ed Royce (CA-40) introduced H.R. 4211, the Credit Score Competition Act of 2015. The bill allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider alternate credit scoring models when making mortgage lending decisions.\nFannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the largest mortgage purchasers in the nation, but they rely on credit score models that don't necessarily take into account something as simple as whether borrowers have paid their rent on time. Home ownership is an integral part of the American Dream that shouldn't be out of the reach for low-income, rural, and minority borrowers who lack access to traditional forms of credit. This legislation takes an important step towards addressing this issue and helps make homeownership a reality for more Americans across the country, said Rep. Sewell.\nThe Credit Score Competition Act of 2015 allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider modern and updated credit scoring models that give more creditworthy buyers access to affordable, home mortgages. It is my hope that this critically important legislation will help make homeownership a reality for many of the hard-working men and women living in Alabama's 7th Congressional District, she added.\nBreaking up the credit score monopoly at Fannie and Freddie will assist them in managing their credit risk and avoiding the need for another taxpayer bailout,\" said Rep. Royce. The GSEs' use of a single credit score stifles innovation and affordability in the credit scoring field and bars millions of qualified homebuyers from purchasing a home.\"\nAbout the Credit Score Competition Act of 2015\nFannie Mae and Freddie Mac currently evaluate their ability to purchase a mortgage based exclusively on a consumer's Fair Issac Corporation (FICO) credit score. FICO scores are based on models and data from 1995 to 2000 that unnecessarily excludes millions of qualified borrowers.\nThe Credit Score Competition Act of 2015 enables Fannie and Freddie to use updated and alternative credit score models that are empirically derived, and both demonstrably and statistically sound. Without lowering credit standards, updated credit scoring models will allow for a more holistic evaluation of a borrowers' creditworthiness.\nMoreover, establishing and preserving a competitive credit scoring marketplace by eliminating the Fannie and Freddie FICO monopoly will also foster innovation in the field and more affordable credit score products for consumers.\nReps. Royce and Sewell, both members of the House Financial Services Committee, urge swift action from their colleagues to advance this legislation.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/local-educators-support-ESSA", "What Theyre Saying: Local Educators, Advocates Support Bill to Replace No Child Left Behind", "2015-12-09", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Local school superintendents and education advocates arespeaking out in support of the bill to finally replaceNo Child Left Behind with a law that returns decision-making back to states and local school boards where it belongs.\nSpecifically, education leaders are celebrating U.S. Representative Martha Robys (R-AL) language in the bill reining in federal overreach into state education policy decisions.\nCongress took a major step toward replacing the No Child Left Behind education law last week when the House of Representatives approved a final bill that reduces the federal footprint in education and returns decision-making back to states and local governments. The bill contains language Roby introduced and has championed prohibiting the U.S. Department of Education from using funding grants and rule waivers to coerce states into adopting its preferred policies, standards or curricula.\nThe final conference report is expected to receive a vote in the Senate today.\nHeres what theyre saying about the bill to replaceNo Child Left Behind:\nButler County Schools SuperintendentAmy Bryan:\nI am very encouraged that the reauthorization of ESEA will correct many of the problems with No Child Left Behind. Our schools and students will benefit due to greater state and local authority, increased flexibility, and fewer federal mandates.\nCovington County Schools Superintendent Shannon Driver:\nI applaud Congresswoman Robys support of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Local school systems and state boards of education have long advocated for a return to state and local control of education policy making authority.This new law will enable states and local boards of education to determine the rigorous standards they will follow and will allow states to set accountability criteria that accurately reflect the expectations of school leaders and the community as a whole.I appreciate Congresswoman Robys willingness to listen to the concerns of local education leaders as she works tirelessly to improve public education.\nDale County Schools Superintendent Donnie Bynum:\nAs a local school superintendent, I appreciate Congresswoman Robys leadership. She has taken a common sense approach to allow education decisions to be made at the state and local level. The reauthorization of ESSA is crucial to providing our schools with relief from current law, which is both broken and lacking in the flexibility we need to support student learning and achievement.\nDothan City Schools SuperintendentChuck Ledbetter, Ed. D.:\nThe House passage of ESSA is a welcome move in the right direction for federal education policy. While it isn't perfect, it is does return more of the education policy making role to the states and local school boards. It continues to emphasize education equity for all students while giving back control of how equity and excellence are achieved to those closer to the students who can make better, individualized decisions to help students learn. We appreciate Rep. Robys help in curtailing federal overreach and her willingness to support this important education bill.\nElmore County Superintendent Andre Harrison:\n  Educators at the local level have been frustrated by No Child Left Behind and other federal mandates for years, and reform is long overdue. I am glad Rep. Robys provision to stop federal coercion in education policy is in the bill. Washington bureaucrats have no business dictating decisions in Elmore County, and Im glad Rep. Roby has helped put a stop to it.\nEnterprise City Schools SuperintendentCamille H. Wright:\nAs Superintendent of Enterprise City Schools, this Act would beextremely beneficialin moving our district forward, and we are in total support of this Actas written. This Act allows for us to have local control and restricts the ability of the Secretary of Education from implementing mandates or forcing us to conform to a national curriculum.\nOur parents are concerned about national data banks of information with their students data and national tests that are mandated. This Act allows for our district to use local or national tests that WE deem appropriate using computer-based assessment. ESSA allows us to aggregate our dollars to leverage the most for our district, reduce managerial time, and be able to focus on our jobteaching and resourcing our students.\nKudos to this bipartisan resolution. Thank you so much for listening to the people who KNOW what is needed for our children. Again, thank you, Rep. Roby, for your support and GO WILDCATS!!!\nDr. Joe Morton, former State Superintendent and Chairman and President of the Business Education Alliance of Alabama:\nThe ESEA reauthorization is allowing for less Federal government prescription and will give more control to the state and local school systems to allow them to make the decisions that best suit the needs of their community, said Joe Morton, Ph.D., chairman and President of the Business Education Alliance of Alabama. Education is not a one size fits all approach. This bill was a huge undertaking and the Business Education Alliance thanks Congressman Roby for her continued support in this effort.\nBusiness Council of Alabama President and CEO William J. Canary:\nCongresswoman Roby's language in theNo ChildLeft Behind replacement bill is common-sense. It is not the federal government's job to dictate state standards or curriculum, especially through a carrot and stick approach.The role of determining Alabama's standards should remain with the State Board of Education and their collaboration with local school systems, parents and the business community. Alabama's ability to set high standards gives our students the greatest opportunity to compete in a 21st century global workforce that requires highly-skilled workers.\nSally Smith, J.D., Alabama Association of School Boards:\nAlabama has labored for years under an onerous and misguided ESEA model. This proposal rectifies the unintended consequences, addresses key concerns and uncertainty for school systems, and provides strengthened authority on behalf of state and local governance. AASB supports ESSA returning flexibility and innovation for our state and local boards without the use of waivers and other patchwork approaches. We applaud U.S. Representative Martha Roby for her leadership in recognizing states authority to determine education standards and high expectations for students.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/roby-%E2%80%9Cstate-authority%E2%80%9D-provision-goes-president%E2%80%99s-desk", "Roby State Authority Provision Goes to Presidents Desk", "2015-12-09", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - A bill provision introduced and championed by U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-AL) to stop federal coercion in state education decisions is on its way to the presidents desk as part of a rewrite of the nations No Child Left Behind education law.\nThe bill, the Every Student Succeeds Act, passed the Senate on Wednesday. It scraps No Child Left Behind and replaces it with a new law that returns education decision-making back to states and local school boards.\nThe Roby state authority provisions strictly prohibit the federal government from using funding grants and rule waivers to coerce states into adopting its preferred standards or curricula, including Common Core. Roby has worked for two-and-half-years to build support for the provisions after U.S. Department of Education coercion on state policy became pervasive.\n \n\tThe federal government has overstepped its bounds in education policy and its past time to rein it in, Roby said. \n\tOur state authority provisionswill prevent undue influence by the federal government by taking away the Department of Educations ability to attach curriculum and assessment policy strings to special grants and waivers. Local and state leaders are best positioned to determine policies that affect Alabamas students because theyhave direct interaction with parents and teachers in their communities. Washington bureaucrats are not.\n\tI have fought for two-and-a-half years to build support for ending the federal governments coercive practices in education, andI could not be more pleased that this language is headed to the presidents desk.I hope PresidentObama will hear the outcry from parents, teachers andadministratorsthroughout this country who are fed up with federal intrusion and sign this bill into law.\n \nIn May 2013,Roby introduced the Defending State Authority Over Education Act,a standalone bill that sought to end the federal coercion on education policy that has tied the hands of state and local educators. She said at the time the true goal washaving the language included in a rewrite of No Child Left Behind,which Congress has been working on for years.\nThis year theHouseandSenatepassed different versions of a plan to replace No Child Left Behind, which led the chambers to iron out the differences in a Conference Committee. The final version of the bill reported by the Conference Committee preserved Robys strong State Authority language, and both chambers have now approved that final bill.\nThe Every Student Succeeds Act would replace the nations current law with policies that reflect a more conservative, state-driven approach to education. Specifically, the bill:\n Places new, unprecedented restrictions on the U.S. Secretary of Education, including the Roby State Authority\" language prohibiting the Secretary and his agents from using money and rule waivers to coerce policy decisions;\n\tEliminates the Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP metric and returns the responsibility for proficiency systems to the states where they belong;\n\tPhases in student mobility via a pilot program allowing Title 1 money to follow the student to the school of the parents choice, a provision that Robybelievesshould be built upon and expanded in the future;\n\tSupports the start-up, replication and expansion of high-quality public charter schools, which Alabama can now access to support its recently-enacted charter school program.\n Roby said shewould prefer the bill go much further in severing ties between federal and state governments in education, and voted to support amendments doing just that. However, the bill as it stands presents a cant-miss opportunity to reduce the federal footprint in education.\nLocal education leaders and statewide advocates have signaled strong support of theNo Child Left Behind replacement bill.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/gary-palmer-stands-coal-miners-committee-hearing", "Gary Palmer stands up for coal miners in committee hearing", "2015-12-09", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CongressmanGary Palmer(AL-06), a member of theOversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Interior, attended a hearing Tuesday on theDepartment of the Interiors (DOI) recently proposedStream Protection Ruleand took a stand against it citing how it would affect Alabama coal miners.\nPalmer claims therule, which regulates surface coal mining operations in and near streams, wouldhave significant negative effects on energy production.\nCoal Miners are not made-up stats, they are real people, Palmer said. The DOI needs to come to Alabama and talk to some of the coal mining families, particularly the kids, who are facing the prospect of Christmas with no presents; or young people who are withdrawing from college. Instead, the Department of the Interior has frozen out states and industry in the rule-making process.\nThe original version of the rule, passed in 1979, created a buffer zone around year-round streams near mining operations. According to Palmer, the new, more stringent rule would have significant negative economic effects. Estimates say it could cost up to 280,000 Americans their jobs.\nYou can watch Congressman Palmers questions at the hearing below:\nhttps://youtu.be/4squ-ihTlFo", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-supports-department-transportation-dot-investigation-alabama", "Rep. Sewell Supports Department of Transportation (DOT) Investigation into Alabama DMV Closures", "2015-12-09", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Terri Sewell issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it will investigate reduced services at driver license offices across the State of Alabama for potential discrimination against African American residents in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.\nI welcome the U.S. Department of Transportation's decision to investigate the impact of Alabama lawmakers' decision to reduce services at 34 DMV offices  a decision that has a discriminatory effect on 8 out of the 10 counties in Alabama with the highest percentage of Black registered voters. Alabama cannot balance the budget on the backs of those who can least afford it, nor infringe upon the civil rights of minorities by limiting access to the most popular form of identification used to vote.\nReducing services at these DMV offices further compounds the discriminatory impact of Alabama's pernicious photo ID law that excludes more than 250,000 Alabamians from the democratic process. The negative impact of the State of Alabama's ill-conceived decision to eliminate and reduce DMV services proves that federal oversight is still necessary.\nUnfortunately, Alabama has not yet fully learned the lessons of its painful past. It is still unlawful for state actions to result in a discriminatory effect on African Americans, irrespective of the intentions of such actions. When Alabama requires a photo ID to vote and then reduces access to the most popular form of identification because of budgetary reasons, that state decision is suspect, especially if the savings to the state are less than $100,000. This narrative reinforces old stereotypes about Alabama and harkens us back to our Jim Crow past when federal intervention was required to enforce constitutionally protected rights. It saddens me that this is still a reality in my home state today but I am glad the Obama Administration recognizes the need to investigate the discriminatory impact of state action such as the DMV closures. I fully expect Alabama officials to comply with this investigation.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/house-takes-important-step-strengthen-national-security", "House Acts to Strengthen National Security", "2015-12-08", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Taking an important step to protect the homeland amid growing security concerns, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to strengthen the visa waiver program with the passage of H.R. 158. U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-AL) today made the following statement regarding the passage of the Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act:\nCongress has a responsibility to protect this nation, and this bill is one much-needed step in the right direction. While the Visa Waiver Program is crucial to our economys trade and tourism, we need to beef up security protocol and make sure our partner countries are playing by the rules. I am pleased that the Visa Waiver Improvement Act takes necessary measures to close any gaps that exist in the current system and to ensure those entering our country are not a threat. I appreciate Chairman Candice Miller (R-MI) of the House Judiciary Committee for authoring this legislation and Chairman Mike McCaul (R-TX) and his team on the House Homeland Security Committee for their dedicated work in advancing this important bill for a vote today.\nThe Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of 38 approved countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa for 90 days, after passing a background and security check. However, given the recent terror activity across the globe, important revisions to the program were needed. The bill passed by the House ramps up security with provisions to:\n terminate VWP countries if they fail to share counterterrorism information;\n terminate VWP countries if they fail to screen travelers against INTERPOL criminal and terrorism databases;\n deny VWP status to those who have gone to terrorist hotspots, like Syria and Iraq, since 2011 or those who have dual-nationality in such countries;\n require all VWP countries to issue and screen fraud resistant e-passports to everyone;\n require annual threat assessments of high-risk VWP countries based on foreign fighter flow, visa denials and terror database matches;\n allow for suspension of high-risk countries until the threat has passed.\nThe bill passed the House by a vote of 407-19.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-co-sponsors-authorization-for-use-of-military-force-against-isis", "Byrne Co-Sponsors Authorization for Use of Military Force Against ISIS", "2015-12-08", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, today announced his support for House Joint Resolution 33, an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, sponsored by Congressman Adam Kizinger (R-IL).\nCurrently, the U.S. military is operating under an AUMF from 2002 that authorized military action in Iraq. Congressman Byrne does not believe the 2002 AUMF allows for U.S. military action in Syria, and he has repeatedly called on Congress to pass a new AUMF that gives the military the authority to defeat ISIS.\nByrne said: One of the most important things we can do to prevent terror attacks by Islamic extremists here at home is to defeat ISIS in the Middle East. In order to do that, Congress should pass an updated Authorization for Military Force (AUMF) that applies specifically to ISIS. Instead of being micro-managed by our current Commander-in-Chief, our military men and women deserve a clear and decisive strategy, and a new AUMF is an important part of that process.\nThe AUMF President Obama submitted to Congress earlier this year is woefully inadequate and fails to give our military commanders the full range of authority they need to defeat ISIS in the Middle East. Since President Obama is refusing to lead, Congress has no choice but to take the lead and authorize military action against this vile enemy.\nThis AUMF will send a message to our troops and our allies that we are committed to this fight, and it will send a message to ISIS that we will not allow their vile acts of terror to continue.\nH.J.Res. 33 is a straightforward bill that gives the President, as our Commander-in-Chief, and our military leaders the authorization they need to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Click here to read the text of the bill.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-coal-miners-are-not-made-stats-they-are-real-people", "Palmer: \u201cCoal Miners are not made-up stats, they are real people\u201d", "2015-12-08", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), a member of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Interior, attended a hearing on the Department of the Interior's (DOI) recently proposed Stream Protection Rule, which would have significant negative effects on energy production. The original version of the rule, passed in 1979, created a buffer zone around year-round streams near mining operations. The new, more stringent rule would have significant negative economic effects. Estimates say it could cost up to 280,000 Americans their jobs.\n\n\"Coal Miners are not made-up stats, they are real people,\" Palmer said. \"The DOI needs to come to Alabama and talk to some of the coal mining families, particularly the kids, who are facing the prospect of Christmas with no presents; or young people who are withdrawing from college. Instead, the Department of the Interior has frozen out states and industry in the rulemaking process.\"\n\nYou can watch Congressman Palmer's questions at the hearing below:\n\nhttps://youtu.be/4squ-ihTlFo\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at hiswebsiteor viaFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/look-ahead-strategic-forces-subcommittee-9", "A Look Ahead for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee", "2015-12-07", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A Look Ahead for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Dec 7, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, D.C.)  The House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL) will hold a hearing on Tuesday, December 08, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in 2212 Rayburn House Office Building titled, Prompt Global Strike: American and Foreign Development. There will be a classified briefing at the conclusion of the hearing.\nChairman Rogers said: We have seen Russia and China move ahead quickly on developing and testing hypersonic strike capability. Yet, U.S. programs - for which we have had requirements since 2002 - are languishing in a poorly-resourced test program. Congress and the American people must understand the implications of losing this new arms race.\nWHAT: HASC Strategic Forces Subcommittee Hearing: Prompt Global Strike: American and Foreign Development\nWHEN: Tuesday, December 08, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.\nWHERE: 2212 Rayburn House Office Building\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers%E2%80%99-reaction-president-obama%E2%80%99s-address", "Rogers Reaction to President Obamas Address", "2015-12-07", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers Reaction to President Obamas Address              \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Dec 7, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after President Obama gave a national address Sunday to discuss his strategy on ISIS and call for stricter gun control after last weeks terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California.\nPresident Obamas address Sunday night was nothing more than him taking advantage of an opportunity to mask his failed strategy against ISIS. He used the San Bernardino terrorist attack as a plea for tighter gun control measures rather than announcing a real strategy to destroy ISIS. I will fight against any effort by the Obama Administration to restrict our Second Amendment rights. President Obama must realize the true threat of violent Islamic extremism and create a strategy to destroy it at its source. The American people deserve nothing less, Rogers said.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-reminds-college-students-about-available-summer-internships-1", "Rogers Reminds College Students about Available Summer Internships", "2015-12-07", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers Reminds College Students about Available Summer Internships              \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Dec 7, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)---Congressman Mike Rogers announced today that the deadline for applying for summer internships in his offices will be February 12, 2016.\nThe internship program is designed to offer select college students a hands-on opportunity to learn about the legislative process, as well as the day-to-day operations of a Congressional office.\nTo be considered for an internship, students must submit a current resume, cover letter and short writing sample to the Congressmans intern coordinator. Please visit http://mike-rogers.house.gov/constituent-services/internships for more information, or call Rogers Washington, D.C. office at 202.225.3261.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/columns/making-congress-work-again", "Making Congress Work Again", "2015-12-06", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "If you listen to national media outlets, all you ever hear is how Congress is completely broken and dysfunctional. While that narrative is right at times, last week was a bright spot when it comes to working together and passing long-overdue reforms.\nThe House and the Senate earlier this year each passed separate bills to set policy for our nations K-12 education system and to fund our highway system, respectively. Since different bills were passed, Conference Committees made up of both House and Senate members were formed to work out the differences.\nWell last week, these Conference Committees each reached consensus and put forward two conservative, reform-focused bills that were long overdue. Lets first look at the education bill.\nAs you may know, for the last decade, our education system has been governed by a law known as No Child Left Behind. While it was written with good intentions, this law put heavy mandates and requirements on our local schools. Our education system has struggled under this heavy, top-down approach.\nAs a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I have long advocated for getting the federal government out of our local schools. I want to see local teachers, parents, and administrators given more control. Thats exactly what we accomplished last week when we passed the Every Student Succeeds Act.\nThis bill gets Washington bureaucrats out of the way and empowers local teachers, principals, and administrators. The legislation achieves these goals by reducing the federal governments role in education and restoring control back to the states and local school districts  where it belongs.\nI hear a lot from parents in Southwest Alabama who are concerned about the Common Core standards. The Every Student Succeeds Act actually includes strong language prohibiting the federal Secretary of Education from influencing or coercing states into adopting Common Core. It makes clear that it is solely a states responsibility to set academic standards and assessments. This is a huge win for educators and students.\nThe bill also repeals the one-size-fits-all federal accountability system known as Adequate Yearly Progress and allows states and school districts to set their own academic standards and testing requirements. Without these reforms, we would continue to allow the Obama Administration and the federal government to dictate education policy to the states.\nThe Every Student Succeeds Act passed the House with broad bipartisan support, and the President is expected to sign the bill.\nThe second major accomplishment last week was on a long-term highway bill. The bill, known as the FAST Act, represents the first highway bill lasting longer than two years since 2005.\nFor over two years now I have called for a new, long-term highway bill so we could move forward with important highway projects in Southwest Alabama like building the I-10 bridge, improving Highway 98 in north Mobile County, and four laning Highway 45 in Washington County.\nThe fiscally-responsible highway bill is fully paid for and rejects Democrats efforts to raise the gas tax. The bill also includes a new program for Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects, which can likely be used to help pay for the I-10 bridge project. \nThe highway bill passed the House by a vote of 359 to 65 and the Senate by a vote of 83 to 16. Just like the education bill, the highway bill was a great example of Republicans and Democrats working together in a bipartisan way.\nMany serious issues still require urgent action, but I think it is important to realize that Congress is making progress on important national priorities like strengthening our education system and improving our nations highway system.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-statement-on-president-s-address-to-the-nation", "Byrne Statement on Presidents Address to the Nation", "2015-12-06", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obamas speech tonight from the Oval Office.\nByrne said: Tomorrow is December 7th, a day that will live in infamy because our nation was attacked at Pearl Harbor by an enemy we failed to fully understand. I worry we are making the same mistake today when it comes to Islamic extremism. The President's speech tonight offered nothing new in the way of a strategy to defeat this enemy. We need a clear strategy that will ensure our enemy is defeated in the Middle East, on social media, and here at home. More political speeches won't solve the problem. We need action from our Commander-in-Chief.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-mr-president-do-not-welcome-terrorists-us", "Rogers:  Mr. President, Do Not Welcome Terrorists into the U.S.", "2015-12-04", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after learning more about the alleged shooters in the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California.\nRecent news reports have stated the female shooting suspect, Tashfeen Malik, pledged allegiance to ISIS. According to press reports, Malik applied for a K-1 visa in Pakistan in 2014 and entered the U.S. through Saudi Arabia later the same year after going through proper channels undetected by U.S. intelligence officials.\nThe cowardly terrorist attack in California was a horrific tragedy. It is terrifying that Malik, who had ISIS loyalties, made it through the U.S. Visa process undetected. Knowing this, how in the world can we trust the Obama Administrations ability to properly vet thousands of Syrian refugees? With such apparent gaps in the screening process, this demonstrates that President Obamas plan to allow refugees from the Syrian conflict in to our country is dangerous and flawed. These terrorists are finding their way into our country without our help. We just cannot further risk our national security with President Obamas plan. I will continue to fight it at every step, Rogers said.\nLast week, Rogers sent a letter to President Obama demanding no Syrian refugees be allowed in the United States after learning from media reports that a group of refugees from Syria crossed the U.S.-Mexican border into Texas and had turned themselves in to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seeking asylum.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-statement-every-student-succeeds-act", "Rogers Statement on the Every Student Succeeds Act", "2015-12-03", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers Statement on the Every Student Succeeds Act             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Dec 2, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after the House passed Conference Report S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).\nRogers opposed the legislation because it does not shrink the size and scope of the Federal governments involvement in primary and secondary education. ESSA allows the Federal government to interfere with our local educators using testing requirements, mandating approval of state plans and allowing bureaucratic coercion to influence how and what our children will be taught.\nAn education is the most valuable gift a child can receive, but placing mandates and regulations as a national one-size-fits-all approach, just does not work. Parents, teachers and local officials in East Alabama should be able to determine the best way to approach the learning process and learning pace. The Federal government has no business in the primary and secondary education system and I am disappointed the legislation passed the House of Representatives today, Rogers said.\n - ### -", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/aderholt-reminds-constituents-about-passport-renewal", "Aderholt Reminds Constituents About Passport Renewal", "2015-12-03", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Robert B. Aderholt", "A000055", "aderholt.house.gov", "aderholt", "https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04), today released a statement concerning the expected influx of passport renewals in the coming months.\n\n\"2016 will mark the 10th anniversary of the \u2018Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.' This was a measure put in place after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It requires a passport for U. S. Citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Before the act was put in place, a valid drivers license was all that was required. In early 2006, as the law went into place, many people across the country had booked vacation plans but were not aware of the new passport requirements. As you can imagine, many people had to apply for expedited passports.\n\n\"It has now been 10 years since these new requirements went into effect. Passports must be renewed every 10 years as well, so many of those people who got their first passports back in 2006 will soon need to have their passports renewed. Since the United States Department of State expects a surge in passport renewal applications, I encourage people to get out their passports and check the expiration date.\n\n\"Passports can easily be renewed. Simply visit https://travel.state.gov for more information. If you have any questions or my staff and I can assist in any way, please give one of our district offices a call. Thank you and it is my honor to serve you in Washington.\"\n\nIn Washington Congressman Aderholt serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the powerful House Appropriations Committee; he is also a member of the Committee's Defense Subcommittee, the Committee's Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, and the Helsinki Commission.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://brooks.house.gov/media-center/news-releases/brooks-votes-against-financially-irresponsible-transportation-bill", "Brooks Votes Against Financially Irresponsible Transportation Bill", "2015-12-03", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mo Brooks", "B001274", "brooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.Today, Congressman Mo Brooks voted against the financially flawed Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (FAST Act). This $280 billion transportation bill simultaneously increases America's debt by $33.1 billion over five years, raises taxes on banks and bank customers (but not enough to eliminate the bill's deficits), risks America's national security by selling America's Strategic Petroleum Reserves at likely losses to American taxpayers, and diverts gasoline and diesel taxes from highways to non-highway projects.\nAs grounds for voting against the FAST Act, Congressman Brooks stated:\nAmerica's debt will soon blow through the $19 trillion mark. Yearly deficits that had been getting better since 2010 have bottomed out and are now worsening. America's Comptroller General and the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office have repeatedly warned Congress and the White House that America's financial path is unsustainable', which means America faces a debilitating insolvency and bankruptcy if Washington does not change its out-of-control spending ways. This transportation bill worsens America's five-year deficit by at least $33.1 billion. As such, it is financially reckless and irresponsible.\nWhile the federal government must pay for needed construction and maintenance of U.S. highways and interstates, it must do so in a financially responsible way. Contrary to what financial prudence demands, this transportation bill not only risks America's financial solvency, it also undermines America's national security by foolishly selling crude oil in America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, thereby risking America's economy and national defense should there be a repeat of the 1973 oil embargo.\nHistorically, U.S. highways and interstates have been paid for with user fees, i.e., gasoline and diesel fuel taxes. This legislation also makes a radical shift by imposing $60 billion in taxes, fees, and cost burdens on banks and bank customers to help pay for America's highways.\nThis transportation bill reveals the stark reality that, sadly, Washington ignores: the federal government continues to overreachat taxpayers' expensein its scope of function. For example, Amtrak, which should be self-sufficient but instead operates at a huge taxpayer loss and is subsidized by struggling American taxpayers, will not only be subsidized by diverted road taxes but also by bank customer taxes, fees, and cost burdens.\nA transportation bill should not include wholly unrelated matters such as energy infrastructure legislation. This transportation bill does. A transportation bill should not address the unrelated expansion of lending practices. This transportation bill does. A transportation bill should not impact unrelated mortgage licensing laws. This transportation bill does.\nI cannot in good conscience support an unfocused, 1,300-page, 11th-hour bill that, while it contains some good provisions, relies on an inadequate, gimmicky hodgepodge of funding sources while diverting so much money from transportation infrastructure improvements that it fails to adequately address America's critical U.S. highway and interstate needs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/highway-bill-huge-step-forward-for-local-projects-byrne-says", "Highway Bill Huge Step Forward for Local Projects, Byrne Says", "2015-12-03", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) today praised House passage of a new, five year highway bill and outlined the impact the bill will have on local infrastructure projects, like the I-10 bridge.\nThe House approved H.R. 22, the Fixing Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, today by a bipartisan vote of 359 to 65. The bill, known as a Conference Report, is the result of negotiations between the House and the Senate after both bodies passed different highway bills earlier this year. The current highway funding bill expires on December 4th.\nThe highway bill includes a new program for Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects. These are projects that will improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of freight and people, generate national or regional economic benefits, and reduce highway congestion and bottlenecks.\nByrne said: Todays passage of a long-term highway bill is a long overdue development in our efforts to grow the economy and improve infrastructure throughout the United States. The bill is a huge step forward in our efforts to build a new I-10 bridge in Mobile and to make other highway improvements in Southwest Alabama, like Highway 98 in north Mobile County and Highway 45 in Washington County. \nThis is a conservative highway bill that is fully paid for and rejects Democrats efforts to raise the gas tax. I applaud Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster for his work on this bill, and I look forward to continuing to push our nations highway system forward.\nThe FAST Act represents a major breakthrough for highway funding in Washington, and it will be the first highway bill lasting longer than two years since 2005. The lack of long-term funding certainty made it very difficult for large scale transportation projects across the country to move forward.\nThe FAST Act is fully paid for without raising the gas tax or any taxes. The bill also:\n Refocuses programs on national priorities;\n\tIncreases flexibility for states and local governments to better address their infrastructure needs;\n\tStreamlines environmental review and project approval processes;\n\tPromotes innovation; and\n\tEnsures a strong commitment to highway safety.\n Click here to learn more about the FACT Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-votes-passage-long-term-transportation-bill", "Rep. Sewell Votes for Passage of the Long-Term Transportation Bill", "2015-12-03", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Terri Sewell issued the following statement after voting for the passage of the bipartisan conference report on H.R. 22, Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act).\nBy making smart, strategic investments in our aging infrastructure, Congress will create more good-paying jobs for Americans. In order to continue to compete in today's global economy we must have a first class transportation system that creates jobs, attracts industry, and enables American companies to better transport goods. Today's passage of the FAST Act was an important step towards achieving those goals.\nThe U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 25 percent of Alabama's roads are in poor or mediocre condition, and that those roads cost motorists an average $141 in extra vehicle repairs. I am pleased that this bill provides $281 billion in much needed funding to repair and maintain our nation's highway, transit, and transportation safety programs over the next five years.\nThis bill also reauthorizes the critically important Export-Import Bank for four years. America cannot lose its competitive edge in an increasingly global marketplace. At no cost to taxpayers, the Export-Import Bank has helped American businesses better compete abroad. For nearly 20 years, the Export-Import Bank has created or sustained 1.5 million private sector jobs.\nIn these recovering economic times, job creation will undoubtedly remain my number one priority. This long term transportation bill will be a catalyst for increased economic vitality and development. I look forward to the President signing this bipartisan bill which provides long-term certainty for essential projects and helps put more Alabamians back to work.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/report-washington-giving-back-christmas-across-east-alabama", "Report from Washington:  Giving Back for Christmas Across East Alabama", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, D.C.)Each year before Christmas, I like to take the opportunity to highlight some of the great things the folks across East Alabama are doing for each other.\nOur state is filled with people who give back to their communities and towns by helping those who need it the most.\nThe Tuskegee Fire Department collects Toys for Tots, Tuskegee municipal employees adopt families through DHR for Christmas and the Macon County Ministers Council provides for needy families.\nIn Randolph County, the Pilot Club provides toys for the less fortunate.\nThe Christian Service Center in Chambers County provides food, clothing and gifts for the needy.\nIn St. Clair County, a mom who was having a bad day was slipped a $100 bill and a Bible verse. She shared the story on social media in hopes of finding the good Samaritan, but has promised to pay it forward.\nPell City police officers have been working hard to help raise money and have toys donated for families in their area.\nAlabama Childhood Food Solutions which covers Talladega County, helps provide food for children from low income families. These children receive free breakfasts and lunches at school, but dont know where their next meal will come from on weekends or holidays.\nIn Lincoln, the Toys for Tykes program is underway to ensure needy children in the area have gifts.\nThe Cleburne County Toys for Tots Program has been collecting toys since before Halloween, so there should be some very happy faces Christmas morning.\nIn Pike Road, the town is hosting a supplies drive for Veterans for the sixth year in a row. The items will be delivered to Veterans in the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS) at both Montgomery and Tuskegee.\nIn Anniston, at the Regional Medical Center (RMC), employees at the hospital are purchasing toys and gifts for the children of needy employees of RMC.\nThis is just a small sampling of some of the wonderful ways East Alabamians are giving back to those less fortunate during the holidays. I wish you all a blessed and Merry Christmas season.\nI want to hear from you on this or any issue. Please sign up for my e-Newsletter at www.mikerogers.house.gov, like me on Facebook at Congressman Mike D. Rogers, follow me on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram at RepMikeRogersAL, on Tumblr at www.repmikerogersal.tumblr.com and subscribe to my YouTube page at MikeRogersAL03.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-we-must-protect-rights-unborn", "Rogers:  We Must Protect the Rights of the Unborn", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers:  We Must Protect the Rights of the Unborn             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Dec 2, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after sending a letter to House Leadership with 119 of his colleagues to include several pro-life initiatives in the end of the year spending bill.\nThe letter states, As the end of the year spending bill is crafted, we respectfully ask for the inclusion of policies that will protect unborn children from the violence of abortion. In addition to retaining all existing pro-life riders (such as the Hyde amendment, Smith amendment and Helms amendment) pending House Appropriations bills contain many new and desperately needed pro-life initiatives which we encourage you to include in the end of the year package.\nAs a Christian and a father of three, life is very precious to me. After hearing about the horrific actions of Planned Parenthood earlier this year, we need to ensure we are doing all we can to protect the lives of the unborn. I will continue to fight for this important cause, Rogers said.\n  -#-#-#-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/states-take-back-education-authority-%E2%80%9Cno-child-left-behind%E2%80%9D-replacement", "States Take Back Education Authority in No Child Left Behind Replacement", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congress took a major step toward replacing the No Child Left Behind education law Wednesday as the House of Representatives approved a final bill that reduces the federal footprint in education and returns decision-making back to states and local governments.\nIn a significant accomplishment for U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-AL), the bill contains language she introduced and has championed prohibiting the U.S. Department of Education from using funding grants and rule waivers to coerce states into adopting its preferred policies, standards or curricula.\nI have fought for two-and-a-half years to build support for this idea, and now that strong language has a real chance of becoming law,Roby said.\nThis is a big win for parents, teachers, administrators and anyone who has been frustrated by the federal intrusion in education policy. It isnt just important for the current issues we know about. Its also important for the next pet policy the Secretary of Education favors. Maybe thats next year or five years from now, but I want to take away their ability to improperly coerce states once and for all, and thats what my language does.\nIn May 2013, Roby introduced the Defending State Authority Over Education Act, a standalone bill that sought to end the federal coercion on education policy that has tied the hands of state and local educators. She said at the time the true goal was having the language included in a rewrite of No Child Left Behind, which Congress has been working on for years.\nThis year the House and Senate passed different versions of a plan to replace No Child Left Behind, which led the chambers to iron out the differences in a Conference Committee. The final version of the bill reported by the Conference Committee preserved Robys strong State Authority language. Having passed by the House, the bill awaits final approval in the Senate, which could take a vote as soon as next week.\nThe Every Student Succeeds Act would replace the nations current law with policies that reflect a more conservative, state-driven approach to education. Specifically, the bill:\n Places new, unprecedented restrictions on the U.S. Secretary of Education, including the Roby State Authority\" language prohibiting the Secretary and his agents from using money and rule waivers to coerce policy decisions;\n\tEliminates the Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP metric and returns the responsibility for proficiency systems to the states where they belong;\n  Phases in student mobility via a pilot program allowing Title 1 money to follow the student to the school of the parents choice, a provision that Robybelievesshould be built upon and expanded in the future;\n\tSupports the start-up, replication and expansion of high-quality public charter schools, which Alabama can now access to support its recently-enacted charter school program.\n Roby said shewould prefer the bill go much further in severing ties between federal and state governments in education, and voted to support amendments doing just that. However, the bill as it stands presents a cant-miss opportunity to reduce the federal footprint in education.\nThe Wall Street Journal calls this bill 'the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century. As aconservative, thats pretty exciting. Sure,I would have preferred we go much further in severing federal ties in education.However, it would be foolish to sacrifice all the many good, important gains made in this bill simply because it doesnt have everything I want. Thats especially true when killing this bill would mean leaving No Child Left Behind in place as it is.\n\nThe bill passed by a vote of 359 to 64.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://brooks.house.gov/media-center/news-releases/brooks-votes-against-federal-intrusion-local-k-12-education", "Brooks Votes Against Federal Intrusion in Local K-12 Education", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mo Brooks", "B001274", "brooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.Today, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) voted against reauthorizing No Child Left Behind (S. 1177) . . . legislation that continues federal government intervention in local K-12 education policy for another four years, through FY2020.\nCongressman Brooks stated, The federal government has no business dictating to local and state governments how to operate their K-12 schools. Federal K-12 education mandates not only undermine the quality and cost of local education, they also distract federal officials from their primary responsibilities of national security, the economy, balancing the budget, and the like. The No Child Left Behind Reauthorization Act that passed the House today, without my vote, continues the quagmire of federal government intervention in local education policy for years to come. While the No Child Left Behind Reauthorization Act takes meager steps in the right direction, it retains annual testing requirements, funds pet education projects of federal lawmakers, and creates even more new and intrusive federal education programs that will be very difficult to eliminate in the future.\nBrooks continued, The No Child Left Behind Reauthorization Act continues to divert local school funding from the classroom to costly and unnecessary central office reporting bureaucracies that do not help teach a single student a single thing. Federal compliance paper pushers are a huge waste of talent and scarce school resources that could be put to better use in the classroom. It is one thing for the federal government to help K-12 with no strings attached' funding (something that benefits K-12); it is another thing for Washington to drive up education costs by mandating how local schools operate.\nBrooks concluded, Over the past 14 years, students, parents, teachers, and policymakers on both sides of the aisle have witnessed the complete failure of No Child Left Behind. It makes no sense to continue federal government involvement in education matters that are best left in the hands of parents, students, and local and state education elected officials and experts. Rather than further entrenching No Child Left Behind's failed policies that daily strangle local K-12 education efforts, Congress should refuse to reauthorize No Child Left Behind and let it die a much needed natural death.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-supports-bill-to-limit-federal-role-in-k-12-education", "Byrne Supports Bill to Limit Federal Role in K-12 Education", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL), a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, today voted in favor of a bill to update our nations K-12 education policy by limiting federal involvement and empowering individual states and school districts. The bill passed on a strong vote of 359 to 64.\nOver the past two years, Congress has been working on a replacement for No Child Left Behind, which has set K-12 education policy since 2002. Last week, House and Senate education leaders introduced the Every Student Succeeds Act. This bipartisan legislation is a result of negotiations after the House and the Senate passed separate education bills earlier this year.\nByrne said: For too long, our nations education system has failed under a heavy, top-down system of mandates and requirements set by Washington bureaucrats and special interest groups. The Every Student Succeeds Act changes that by getting Washington out of the way and empowering our local teachers, principals, and administrators. \nThis legislation achieves these goals by reducing the federal governments role in K-12 education and restoring control over education back to the states and local school districts  where it belongs.\nCongressman Byrne has heard from a number of constituents concerned about the Common Core standards, so he was pleased the Every Student Succeeds Act includes provisions to prevent the Secretary of Education from coercing states into adopting Common Core.\nByrne said: This bill expressly prohibits the Secretary of Education from influencing or coercing states into adopting Common Core. The bill makes clear that it is solely a states responsibility to set academic standards and assessments. These restrictions on the federal Secretary of Education are unprecedented and will end the Secretarys ability to influence education policy through executive fiat and conditional waivers.\nThe Wall Street Journal called the Every Student Succeeds Act the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century. The legislation is supported by the National Parent Teacher Association, National School Boards Association, the School Superintendents Association, the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council for American Private Education, the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and many other organizations more.\nSpecifically, the bill would make a number of important reforms including:\n Repeals the one-size-fits-all federal accountability system known as Adequate Yearly Progress;\n\tProhibits the secretary of education from dictating national education policy;\n\tRepeals 49 ineffective federal education programs;\n\tProvides school districts with the authority to set their academic standards and testing requirements;\n\tRemoves the burdensome highly qualified teacher mandate;\n\tPreserves the right of states to opt-out of federal education programs;\n\tPrevents any federal interference in private or home schools; and\n\tStrengthens charter school and magnet school programs to offer greater school choice.\n Click here to learn more about the Every Student Succeeds Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/alabama-republicans-block-epa-regs-obama-returns-climate-summit-paris", "Alabama Republicans block EPA regs as Obama returns from climate summit in Paris", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The same day President Barack Obama returned to the United States from a climate change conference in Paris, Republican members of Alabamas congressional delegation unanimously voted to block proposed regulations that are at the heart of the Presidents environmental agenda. The House adopted two resolutions previously passed by the Senate that block Environmental Protection Agency rules limiting carbon emissions from both new and existing power plants. Such rules have alreadyhad a direct impact in Alabama, wherecoal-fired plants have been retireddue to the costs of upgrading them to comply with more stringent Federal mandates.\nThe White House has already vowed to veto the resolutions, but Republicans are hoping to send a message to the international community that American leadership is not likely to fulfill whatever promises President Obama makes in Paris. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), who chairs the House Energy and Power Subcommittee, summed up that sentiment by saying We want the world to know that there is disagreement with the President on this issue.\nThe economic impact of the regulations would be so significant that Congress was able to use a special procedure in their efforts to block them. The Congressional Review Act creates an expedited procedure by which Congress can vote to disapprove of regulations that have an economic impact of more than $100 million. The EPAs New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Clean Power Plan (CPP) regulations far exceed that number. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates the rules could result in a loss of approximately 224,000 jobs per year nationwide and increase electricity rates for American homes and businesses by $289 billion per year. Electricity rates in Alabama could rise by as much as 20 percent,according to one study.\nAlabama Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL6), who has been a relentless critic of the EPA, said Tuesday that Congress must use its authority to roll back the agencys ever-expanding reach.\nThe EPAs regulations on power plants are well beyond the authority Congress delegated to the agency, Palmer said, If the President vetoes these resolutions and these regulations are allowed to stay in place, they will significantly increase energy costs for millions of American households and will be particularly hard on low-income families and senior citizens.\nIn addition to these resolutions of disapproval, Congress should affirmatively remove the EPAs ability to regulate so-called greenhouse gasses, authority Congress never granted to the agency in the first place, he continued. That is why I have introduced H.R. 3880,The Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2015, which would permanently remove the ability of the EPA to pass these kinds of regulations.\nRepublicans, many of whom have been longtime critics of the U.N., are also threatening to block $500 million the President pledged to contribute to the U.N.s so called Green Climate Fund. Obama shot back this week, saying the United States would absolutely meet our commitments. He also told world leaders he was confident his successor would be a Democrat and continue to address the issue of climate change as a top priority.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/obama-attends-un-talks-congress-undoes-his-global-warming-agenda-read-more", "As Obama Attends UN Talks, Congress Undoes His Global Warming Agenda", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As President Barack Obama meets with world leaders at Paris United Nations summit, House lawmakers passed legislation to undo a key part of the presidents global warming agenda Tuesday.\nHouse lawmakers passed resolutions to repeal the Environmental Protection Agencys so-called Clean Power Plan. House passage of the anti-EPA resolutions comes just two weeks after the Senate passed the Congressional Review Act resolutions to repeal federal rules on power plants.\nThe EPAs regulations on power plants are well beyond the authority Congress delegated to the agency, Alabama Republican Rep. Gary Palmer said in a statement of the votes.\nRepublicans and some Democrats have vehemently opposed the Clean Power Plans sweeping mandate that power plants cut carbon dioxide emissions over the next 15 years. The EPA aims to cut 32 percent from the power sector as part of Obamaspledge to the United Nationsthat the U.S. would reduce emissions 26 to 28 percent by 2030.\nObama hopes the Clean Power Plan and other regulations will show the world the U.S. is serious about tackling global warming, thus galvanizing support for an international treaty to cut CO2 emissions.\nBut both chambers of Congress have now passed CRA resolutions to undo the very rules Obama argues bolster Americas credibility on global warming. Obama is likely to veto the bills, but Republicans argue such legislative actions should show the world these regulations may not stay in place very long.\nIf the president vetoes these resolutions and these regulations are allowed to stay in place, they will significantly increase energy costs for millions of American households and will be particularly hard on low-income families and senior citizens, said Palmer, whos introduced his own billto rein in the EPAs ability to impose sweeping regulations.\nThe Clean Power Plan is also beingchallenged in federal court by 26 statesand dozens of business groups and unions who want to see the regulation thrown out. During Obamas Monday appearanceat U.N. climate talks in Paris, he once againurged countries to cut emissionsor saddle future generations with a less hospitable climate.\nSubmerged countries. Abandoned cities. Fields that no longer grow, Obama warned in his Paris speech Monday. Political disruptions that trigger new conflict, and even more floods of desperate peoples seeking the sanctuary of nations not their own.\nObama even called for a legally-binding climate agreement despite promises from a Republican-controlled Senate to veto any international global warming treaty the administration brings before them for approval.\nBut Obamas call for a legally-binding treaty comes after Secretary of State John Kerry said such a treatywont be legally-binding Kerry then backtracked somewhat to argue a treaty would be both legally binding and non-legally binding.\nA new Senate Republican white paper, however, argues the U.N. treaty will likely bebased on political commitments from President Obama serving to boost his environmental legacy, rather than advance the interest of the American people who do not consider climate change an important issue.\nAbsent approval by the Senate, any deal announced at COP-21 will be little more than a press release, with no binding accountability or enforcement mechanisms in place, Republicans on the Senate environment and public works committee wrote. Such an agreement is also limited in duration as the next Administration could change its pledge.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-supports-greater-birmingham-ministries-and-alabama-naacp", "Rep. Sewell Supports Greater Birmingham Ministries and Alabama NAACP Lawsuit", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Terri Sewell issued the following statement after the Greater Birmingham Ministries and the Alabama NAACP filed a federal lawsuit against the State of Alabama, challenging the state's repressive photo ID law.\n\"I fully support the federal lawsuit filed by the Greater Birmingham Ministries and the Alabama NAACP, challenging the photo ID law in our state. I have repeatedly argued that Alabama's photo ID law is a renewed assault on voting rights. The restrictive law is little more than a solution in search of a problem. The reality is that voter fraud is rare. Requiring a photo ID law to vote has done more harm in limiting voter access to the ballot box than actually exposing incidents of fraud.\nThe Alabama photo ID law is reminiscent of our Jim Crow past. It restricts the voting rights of more than 250,000 Alabamians who do not have a photo ID. Many of the disenfranchised are African-Americans, low-income individuals, senior citizens, and the disabled. There is no denying that requiring a photo ID adds another barrier to voting and thus limits the ability to American citizens to exercise their fundamental right to vote.\nI applaud the efforts of the Alabama NAACP and the Greater Birmingham Ministries in challenging Alabama's photo ID law. I am a proud Alabamian and acknowledge the progress we have made. Unfortunately, the photo ID law coupled with the DMV closures and the violations to the Motor Voter law further undermines our state's ability to move beyond our painful past. I introduced the Voting Rights Advancement Act in June to stop the renewed assault on voting rights, and to restore preclearance for states like Alabama where new barriers to voting threaten to silence the most vulnerable voices in our electorate. The need for this lawsuit is evidence that Alabama cannot run away from its painful past, and we must vow to never repeat it. The need for this lawsuit indicates that progress is elusive, and that we must be ever vigilant in our fight to protect the right to vote and honor the sacrifices that were made by the courageous Foot Soldiers of the Voting Rights Movement.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-votes-passage-every-student-succeeds-act", "Rep. Sewell Votes for Passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act", "2015-12-02", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Terri Sewell issued the following statement after voting for passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, a bipartisan, bicameral agreement that replaces the current, outdated No Child Left Behind Act.\nTonight, I voted in favor of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaces the outdated No Child Left Behind Act. While this bill is not perfect, its passage represents great progress for students, teachers, and communities in the 7th Congressional District of Alabama and across the nation.\nAs the daughter of two long-time educators and the proud product of Selma public schools, my commitment to public education is profoundly personal. The journey I now take as Alabama's first black Congresswoman is a testament to the power of public education.\nAs we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of passage of the landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act, I am pleased this reauthorization ensures that funds will continue to be directed to the school districts and communities that most need them. The bill reduces the amount of standardized testing in schools and empowers educators to have a stronger voice in classroom decisions. The Every Student Succeeds Act is a promising improvement over current law as this bill protects the millions of minority, disabled, and disadvantaged students we were sent here to represent.\nThis bill is worthy of President Obama's signature, and I look forward to seeing what is in store for our nation's schools and students under this bill. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that our federal dollars are being spent on high-quality education for all students, regardless of race, socio-economic status or zip code.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-introduces-bill-to-cut-down-on-public-housing-abuse", "Byrne Introduces Bill to Cut Down on Public Housing Abuse", "2015-12-01", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) introduced legislation today that would ensure accountability in public housing by cracking down on the number of over-income families who live in taxpayer-subsidized public housing.\nA recent report from the Department of Housing and Urban Developments Inspector General found that 25,226 over-income families nationwide live in public housing. The report found 812 cases of over-income residents in Alabama, which ranks as the fourth highest in the United States. A local news report also exposed an individual living in public housing in Mobile who makes over $100,000 a year.\nByrnes bill, known as the Public Housing Accountability Act (H.R. 4133), would require income verification upon application for public housing and then once every year to ensure that families are indeed low-income and eligible for such services. Families would also be required to undergo income verification if their income changes by an amount that is estimated to result in an increase of 10 percent or more in annual adjusted income.\nIf a person is found to be over-income, they will have 30 days to submit an appeal or vacate the dwelling. If an appeal is filed, it must be reviewed within 30 days. If a person is still found to be over-income, they must vacate within 30 days.\nByrne said: There is far too much fraud and abuse within our nations welfare programs. Thats why I have introduced the Public Housing Accountability Act, which will help prevent over-income families from residing in taxpayer funded public housing. Public housing is a critical resource for many of our nations poorest families, and we are doing them a disservice by allowing such blatant abuse of the system. It is time Congress gets serious about reforming our nations welfare programs to ensure they are both efficient and effective, and my bill is a step in the right direction.\nThe Inspector Generals report also found that a number of families were on a waiting list to receive public housing while over-income families took up spots. For example, in the New York City Housing Authority, there are at least 10,000 over-income families living in public housing while over 300,000 families are on a waiting list.\nThe Public Housing Accountability Act has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-supports-resolutions-disapproving-overreaching-epa-regulations", "Palmer Supports Resolutions Disapproving of Overreaching EPA Regulations", "2015-12-01", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL) supported S.J. Res 23 and S.J. Res 24, which are aimed at stopping the EPA's New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Clean Power Plan (CPP) regulations that will have significant negative effects on the economy. These resolutions are brought pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, which creates an expedited procedure by which Congress can vote to disapprove of regulations that have an economic impact of more than $100 million. The Senate has already passed these resolutions.\n\n\"The EPA's regulations on power plants are well beyond the authority Congress delegated to the agency,\" Palmer said, \"If the President vetoes these resolutions and these regulations are allowed to stay in place, they will significantly increase energy costs for millions of American households and will be particularly hard on low-income families and senior citizens.\n\n\"In addition to these resolutions of disapproval, Congress should affirmatively remove the EPA's ability to regulate so-called greenhouse gasses, authority Congress never granted to the agency in the first place. That is why I have introduced H.R. 3880, The Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2015, which would permanently remove the ability of the EPA to pass these kinds of regulations.\"\n\nThe EPA's New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) requires new power plants to meet CO2 emissions standards using technology that is not commercially viable and is not being used by any commercial-scale coal-fired power plant in the U.S. The Clean Power Plan (CPP) requires existing power plants to make massive, unattainable cuts to carbon emissions that will cause large increases in the price of energy.\n\nPalmer introduced The Stopping EPA Overreach Act in November. It currently has 122 co-sponsors.\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at hiswebsiteor viaFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-issues-statement-commemorating-60th-anniversary-montgomery", "Rep. Sewell Issues Statement Commemorating  the 60th Anniversary of Montgomery Bus Boycott", "2015-12-01", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Terri Sewell issued the following statement in honor of the 60th Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.\nSixty years ago today, Rosa Parks took a bold stand against racial discrimination by refusing to give up her seat on a public bus. Her quiet, dignified courage sparked a city-wide boycott of the Montgomery bus system that broke the very will of a City heavily steeped in segregation. She inspired a civil rights movement that changed a nation.\nThe Montgomery Bus Boycott stands as a powerful testament of the will of a disenfranchised people to work collectively to achieve extraordinary social change. While we commemorate the progress that has been made, we must also recommit ourselves to the fight for equal justice. We must remain vigilant in the struggle for voting rights, criminal justice reform, and economic equality.\nWe cannot take for granted the battles endured by those who came before us, nor can we neglect our own responsibilities to ensure liberty and justice. The struggle continues, and each of us must do our part to further the cause of human and civil rights for all Americans.\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/look-ahead-strategic-forces-subcommittee-8", "A Look Ahead for the Strategic Forces Subcommittee", "2015-11-30", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, D.C.)  The House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL), and the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade will hold a joint hearing on Tuesday, December 01, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. in 2118 Rayburn House Office Building titled, Russian Arms Control Cheating: Violation of the INF Treaty and the Administrations Responses One Year Later.\nChairman Rogers said: Almost one year since the Administration testified that it was considering military options to respond to Russias violation of the INF treaty, we have seen little action. The recently enacted National Defense Authorization Act will compel such responses, which the White House has been holding up. It is imperative that Putin understands his aggression will be met with a strong American response, even in the face of the Presidents reluctance.\nWHAT: HASC-HFAC Joint Subcommittee Hearing: Russian Arms Control Cheating: Violation of the INF Treaty and the Administrations Responses One Year Later\nWHEN: Tuesday, December 01, 2015 at 3:30 p.m.\nWHERE: 2118 Rayburn House Office Building\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers%E2%80%99-statement-60th-anniversary-montgomery-bus-boycott", "Rogers Statement on 60th Anniversary of Montgomery Bus Boycott", "2015-11-30", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers Statement on 60th Anniversary of Montgomery Bus Boycott             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Nov 30, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following comments in honor of the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus.\nIt has been 60 years since a woman named Rosa Parks sat in quiet protest on a Montgomery city bus instead of giving up her seat. Little did she know that her quiet act of defiance would help spark the Civil Rights movement. She was a great Alabamian and helped change the state for the better. I join Montgomery and Alabama in celebrating Rosa Parks and her legacy today, Rogers said.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-dhs-secretary-no-syrian-refugees", "Rogers to DHS Secretary:  No Syrian Refugees", "2015-11-30", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers sent a letter to Jeh Johnson, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week after learning from media reports that a group of refugees from Syria crossed the U.S.-Mexican border into Texas and had turned themselves in to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seeking asylum.\nRefugees who are arrested or turn themselves in to Customs officials may be able to file an asylum claim and remain in the U.S. pending deportation proceedings. Because of this, Rogers has serious concerns that any refugees able to make it to the United States will bypass the refugee vetting process and instead use the asylum process to stay in the country. Not thoroughly vetting each individual could put our homeland and Americans in serious danger.\nThe letter states, This message must be reinforced by the immediate return of all refugees to their most recent country of residence by any means possible after a thorough security screening. Refugees should be returned to the country from which they tried to enter the US, such as Mexico, if they cannot be returned to their home country. It is imperative that our neighbors know they cannot be complicit in the flow of refugees to Americas doorstep. The notion of the US border as a goal line for refugees will only create a broader humanitarian problem and endanger our national security. The asylum process often releases asylum seekers into the country on their own recognizance and that will only serve to intensify concerns that the refugee population is being introduced into the United States without proper vetting.\nRogers added, After the recent terrorist attacks and warnings of more, the United States must be diligent in ensuring we keep out those who wish us harm and do our best to protect our national security. President Obamas reckless plan to allow thousands of Syrian refugees into our country could put us in danger. We must make sure we are very watchful of any manner in which these refugees may try to enter the U.S.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congress-authorizes-national-computer-forensics-institute-hoover-al", "Congress Authorizes National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, AL", "2015-11-30", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington D.C. \u2013 U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL) is pleased that Congress passed H.R. 3490, the NCFI Authorization Act, which fully authorizes The National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, Alabama.\n\n\"The National Computer Forensics Institute is a one-of-a-kind facility that trains scores of officers, prosecutors and judges from all 50 states in cyber-security, and has graduates from hundreds of agencies,\" Palmer said. \"I am pleased that the House supports its full authorization.\"\n\nPalmer previously noted his co-sponsorship of H.R. 3490. The bill was approved in the House today by a voice vote.\n\nYou can watch Palmer's floor speech on the bill here:\n\nhttps://youtu.be/iGGFkflSOEY\u200b\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at hiswebsiteor viaFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:30:58Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/columns/standing-up-for-small-business", "Standing Up for Small Business", "2015-11-29", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us, the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season has officially started. From shopping for presents to finalizing your travel plans, the next few weeks are sure to be busy.\nMany of you likely tried to get a head start on shopping last Friday, but did you know that Saturday was also a special day for shopping?\nLast Saturday marked Small Business Saturday. This is a day set aside to support our nations small businesses and to highlight the vital impact they have on our economy. Small Business Saturday is a relatively new tradition, but it has really taken off over the last few years.\nSince our nations founding, entrepreneurs and innovators have built our economy up through small businesses. These small businesses are very important to our economy. In fact, half of all working Americans who have a job in the private sector are working at a small business.\nFrom boutique clothing stores to ship repair companies to candle shops, Southwest Alabama is home to a wide range of small businesses. During my time in Congress, I have made it a top priority to visit these businesses in Southwest Alabama to learn more about the challenges they face.\nSadly, I quickly realized that small businesses are drowning in costly regulations and a confusing maze of red tape. Since 2008, more small businesses have closed than have opened. Thats why I have made it a priority over the last two years to push for legislation that cuts back regulations, gets Washington out of the way, and allows small businesses to flourish.\nFor example, the tax code is far too confusing and complicated for our small businesses. I believe we should simplify the tax code and make it easier for all Americans. It shouldnt require countless hours and hundreds of dollars to do your taxes each year. A fairer, simpler tax code would go a long way toward getting the federal government off the back of our small businesses.\nThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) isnt the only federal agency making life harder for small businesses. There is also the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA), which puts excessive compliance requirements on small businesses that simply dont make sense. Regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are also driving up energy costs and making it harder for small businesses to get ahead. It seems like every day the Obama Administration is putting out a new, costly regulation.\nIn the House, we have an entire committee devoted to fighting back against these regulations and supporting our nations small businesses. Chairman Steve Chabot (R-OH) and the House Small Business Committee work diligently to advance legislation designed to make life easier for our small businesses.\nThis year alone, the House has passed a number of bills designed to support small business. In February, the House passed H.R. 527, the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act. This bill would require the federal government to conduct detailed cost analysis of proposed regulations and ensure small businesses have input before regulations are released.\nAnother example of a House-passed small business bill is the Small Business Investment Company Capital Act of 2015, which would boost the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC). The SBIC is a public-private partnership that helps new small businesses gain access to equity and financing.\nIn Congress, I am committed to being an outspoken advocate for small businesses as we work to get Washington bureaucrats out of the way. You can also do your part. As you check items off your Christmas list, dont forget to spend time shopping at small businesses in your local community. They are the real backbone of our economy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/column/va-%E2%80%9Ctakeover%E2%80%9D-bill-gets-hearing", "VA Takeover Bill Gets Hearing", "2015-11-23", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As someone who represents a district with a high concentration of veterans, an important part of my job in Congress is making sure national Department of Veterans Affairs leaders pay attention to Alabama and remain focused on improving the long-troubled Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System.\nWe certainly got their attention last year. Working with courageous whistleblowers and the press, we were able to expose major instances of misconduct, negligence and cover-up that led to the director of the Central Alabama VA being the first manager terminated for cause under the new VA reform law.\nThat was just over a year ago, and since then, our efforts to work with VA leaders to overhaul the system and improve access to care have been frustrating to say the least.Out of this frustration came an important lesson: we cannot depend on a broken bureaucracy to fix itself. I believe one major problem is that for a year we had been asking for VA leaders to intervene at this troubled system, rather than requiring them to. I believe its time to change that, which is whyIfiledlegislation that would compel top VA officials to intervene and take over failing VA medical centers.\nIts called the Failing VA Medical Center Recovery Act,and it offers the VA new tools to turn around the worst of our health care centers. Further, it puts responsibility for doing so squarely on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.\nI recently presented my VA \"takeover\" bill before a hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health, whereIdiscussed the legislation with fellow lawmakers, representatives from the VA and other interested groups. Not surprisingly, some entrenched in the system werent welcoming to a bill that disrupts the status quo. Still, I appreciate their willingness to engage, and I remain hopeful that they will embrace this legislation as a powerful new tool for improving veterans health care services.\nI am willing to work with anyone who truly wants to improve the VA through this proposal or others. But, let me tell you what Im not willing to do: Im not willing to let my bill become a victim of the VAs culture of complacency. Minor tweaks here and there arent going to cut it. We need wholesale change, and the veterans I represent know it.\nI am cautiously optimistic about the future prospects for the Central Alabama VA. The numbers have been improving in recent months and a new, permanent director will soon be selected to bring needed stability. Im working to bridge the gap between the VA and the local medical community to make sure we have a strong network of local providers where veterans can access care quickly and without driving long distances. I will keep you updated on this progress as we go.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/columns/we-must-address-syrian-refugee-crisis", "We Must Address Syrian Refugee Crisis", "2015-11-22", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On November 13, humanity paused as we learned of a string of terror attacks in Paris, France. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, which killed over 125 innocent people. These men and women were simply heading to a sporting event, enjoying dinner at an outdoor caf, or watching a concert. Common activities we all take part in.\nOne of the most alarming facts from the Paris terror attacks was the fact that one of the attackers entered Europe through the refugee process. This follows up on the Islamic States stated goal of embedding terrorists in the refugee process. This is especially concerning because President Barack Obama recently announced that the United States would be taking in over 10,000 Syrian refugees.\nAs soon as I heard the Presidents announcement earlier this year, I immediately sought more information about the screening process Syrian refugees must undergo before entering the United States. I sent a letter to the Department of State requesting additional information. I also took part in a classified briefing to learn more about the vetting process and what sources our intelligence agencies use to make determinations about allowing refugees into the United States.\nAfter receiving this information, it became clear that we lack the ability to properly screen Syrian refugees. The issue is not that the screening process is not thorough enough, but instead we simply lack the information needed to screen these individuals. The screening system depends on the United States having certain information that we can only get from people and assets on the ground in the home country. We do not have those resources in Syria.\nFBI Director James Comey testified last month about the difficulty with screening Syrian refugees. He noted that if we dont know much about somebody, there wont be anything in our data. He ultimately concluded that he could not give an absolute assurance that theres no risk associated with allowing Syrian refugees into the United States.\nI want to be very clear: I support the decades-old refugee program and believe it has always been an important part of our nation. The reality is that this particular population has such a heightened threat associated with it that we must block Syrian refugees at this point in time.\nLast Monday, I sent a letter to President Obama demanding he stop the Syrian refugee resettlement program. Despite my letter and an outpouring of opposition from the American people, the President made clear that he would move forward with allowing Syrian refugees into our country.\nThats why I introduced a bill last week that would defund the Syrian refugee resettlement program altogether. I believe using the power of the purse gives us the best chance to stop Syrian refugees from entering the United States.\nLate last week, the House voted on a bill that would essentially halt the Syrian refugee program for at least two years. President Obama threatened to veto the bill, but the House responded by approving the bill by a veto proof margin.\nThis bill is just the first of many actions by the House of Representatives to respond to the Syrian refugee crisis. I am committed to doing everything in my power to stop Syrian refugees from entering the United States.\nUltimately, the United States is at war, whether President Obama wants to acknowledge it or not. We are at war with the Islamic State and their radical Islamic ideology. In times of war, difficult decisions have to be made and serious precautions must be taken. That is the case when it comes to allowing Syrian refugees to enter the United States.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://brooks.house.gov/media-center/news-releases/brooks-calls-appropriators-support-critical-weather-program", "Brooks Calls on Appropriators to Support Critical Weather Program", "2015-11-20", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mo Brooks", "B001274", "brooks.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) led a bipartisan letter to the House Appropriations Committee, urging them to support sufficient funding in FY16 for the Polar Follow On (PFO) program. The PFO program helps make certain America gets the weather prediction satellites it needs on a timely basis. A critical component of our nation's ability to accurately predict potentially devastating weather systems that affect the Gulf Coast region, such as hurricanes and large weather systems that can possibly lead to tornados and floods, may not be available in the future if funding for FY16 is not secured.\nIn a letter to House colleagues, Congressman Brooks stated, Polar-orbiting satellites provide 94 percent of the data used in global weather forecast models, which are critical to accurate weather forecasting. Data collected from the sensors and instruments on polar-orbiting satellites are used to produce weather forecasts and prediction models that help us to get people out of harm's way before a disaster hits, as well as help us accurately locate the areas hardest hit so that disaster relief efforts can be directed to those in greatest need.\nBrooks continued, Funding for PFO is needed in FY16 to ensure the timely construction of these weather forecasting satellites that are critical to our ability to better prepare for potentially devastating weather events that are all too common in the Gulf Coast region. Without funding for PFO in FY16, these polar orbiting satellites may be delayed and the risk of a future gap in polar coverage may result. We cannot afford to let any gap occur which will force us to rely on older technologies that cannot provide us with the data that is most able to deliver accurate predictions of potentially disastrous weather events. The lives and property of our constituents are too important for us to let this happen.\nText of the letter to the House Appropriations Committee follows:\nDear Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Honda,\nAs fellow Representatives from Gulf Coast states, we want to thank you for supporting the Fiscal Year 2016 President's budget request for the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). This funding is needed to ensure a more accurate weather forecasting system that is critical to our ability to better prepare for potentially devastating weather events that are all too common in the Gulf Coast region.\nWe are also writing to you to solicit your support for FY16 funding of the essential Polar Follow On (PFO) portion of the JPSS program. The FY16 President's budget request for PFO was $380 million, and the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee passed their version of the FY16 CJS Appropriations bill with funding set at $135 million. However, your mark contained no funding for PFO in FY16, and we are deeply concerned that this will result in the assumption of serious capability and cost risk to the JPSS mission.\nThere are no satellites funded in the JPSS constellation following JPSS 2, and manufacturing needs to commence now to address this important concern. Funding for PFO in FY16 will result in the lowest possible cost as it will allow for the start of a cost-effective instrument block buy and the continuity of critical engineering and production teams. In addition, funding in FY16 is indispensable to eliminating the risk of a potential gap in polar satellite weather forecasting coverage. Most importantly for the Gulf Coast region, PFO funding in FY16 will eliminate the potential for reduced accuracy in our weather forecasting capability. There is simply no suitable alternative to JPSS weather data.\nThe Gulf Coast states will continue to be among the primary beneficiaries of PFO funding and the JPSS system. JPSS employs unique capabilities to accurately track powerful weather systems such as hurricanes and large weather systems that may lead to tornados and floods. These forecasts provide the much needed notice for our communities to prepare for these events. In addition, the data derived from the JPSS satellites will also help in disaster recovery efforts as it will allow for precious resources to be more efficiently directed to affected areas. As you know, all of these weather events have particularly devastating effects on the region. The Gulf Coast has seen a disproportionate amount of death and destruction from massive weather events over the last several years, and we urgently need the JPSS system to remain on track by funding PFO in FY16.\nAs fellow representatives from Gulf Coast states, we strongly urge that you allow for funding of PFO in FY16 as the appropriations process moves forward. Additionally, we respectfully request that PFO be addressed as part of the Continuing Resolution since contracting and work need to commence early in the next fiscal year, for all of the reasons stated above.\nRespectfully,\nRep. Mo Brooks (AL)\nRep. Charles Boustany (LA)\nRep. Bradley Byrne (AL)\nRep. Patrick Murphy (FL)\nRep. Mike Rogers (AL)\nRep. Ron Desantis (FL)\nRep. John Mica (FL)\nRep. Bill Posey (FL)\nRep. Cedric Richmond (LA)\nRep. Alan Grayson (FL)\nRep. Randy Weber (TX)\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-house-response-syrian-refugee-crisis", "Rogers on House Response to Syrian Refugee Crisis", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers on House Response to Syrian Refugee Crisis             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Nov 19, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed legislation in response to the Syrian refugee crisis.\nI strongly oppose President Obamas reckless plan to allow thousands of refugees from Syria and regions controlled by ISIS into the U.S. ISIS is currently using the refugee crisis as a pipeline to move Islamic terrorists into Europe. Especially after the attacks in Paris, we cannot and will not risk our national security for the sake of misplaced compassion and allow this Islamic terrorist pipeline to reach the United States.\nThis bill is the first step in the process to halt the Administrations actions. Additionally, I plan to oppose any funding for President Obamas refugee program when Congress considers the years final appropriations bill in December, Rogers said.\nH.R. 4038 passed the House by a vote of 289 to 137, a veto proof majority of members voting today, and supported by the entire Alabama Delegation.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/house-takes-important-first-step-mitigate-risks-syrian-refugee-resettlement", "House Takes Important First Step to Mitigate Risks of Syrian Refugee Resettlement", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  The House of Representatives took an important first step to mitigate the national security risks presented by President Obamas plan to allow as many as 10,000 Syrian refugees to resettle in the United States in 2016.\nH.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act of 2015, seeks to ensure ISIS terrorists cannot infiltrate the country through the refugee resettlement program by suspending the admission of Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the United States until the nations top security officials can certify the integrity of the background checks and are able to declare each refugee, individually, do not pose a threat to the United States.\nThe bill halts the resettlement of any and all Syrian and Iraqi refugees until:\n The Director of the FBI certifies the background investigation of each refugee; and\n\tCongress receives certification from the Secretary of Homeland Security with the unanimous concurrence of the Director of theFederal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of National Intelligence that the refugee(s) are not athreat.\n U.S. Representative Roby (R-AL) supported the legislation alongside a unanimous Alabama delegation, saying the bill was an important first step toward making sure national security isnt compromised.\nMore measures will likely be necessary to stop President Obamas plans to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees here, but I believe todays vote, less than a week after the Paris attacks, was an important first step. This strong, bi-partisan vote sends a clear message to President Obama that we have to take these risks seriously.\nRoby said President Obamas recent rhetoric about those concerned with resettlement security risks as \"recruiting tools for ISISwas shameful and not helpful.\nPresident Obama's rhetoric about the Syrian refugee situation is pretty shameful and really isn't helping matters at all. He has predictably taken to attacking and belittling anyone who doesn't agree with him rather than acknowledging and dealing with the actual problem at hand.\nWe know terrorists based in Syria and Iraq have said they would actively game the refugee resettlement process to infiltrate western countries.Common sense Americans are rightfully concerned about this, and our Commander-in-Chief ought to be as well.\"\nThe bill passed by a strong bi-partisan vote of 289-137, a virtual veto-proof majority. It now goes to the Senate, where many promising proposals have languished lately, Roby acknowledged.\nThere is no question we have had difficulty getting the Senate to pass or even vote on goodlegislationlately. But,Ibelieve the overwhelming, bi-partisan support in theHouse is a good indication of how strongly Americans feel about this.Imoptimisticthat momentum will carry into the Senate. We really cant afford to play political games with this.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/aderholt-statement-vote-protect-homeland", "Aderholt Statement on Vote to Protect the Homeland", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Robert B. Aderholt", "A000055", "aderholt.house.gov", "aderholt", "https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04), today release a statement on his vote in favor of toughening restrictions on Syrian and Iraqi refugees seeking admittance to the United States.\n\n\"This bill provides protection for the American people. It appears that the President opposes this bill because it is tough and establishes some tough criteria for any Syrian or Iraqi to be granted refugee status in our country. Some have asked why Congress would do something like this. We do not lock the doors of our homes at night because we hate the people outside but because we love the people within.\n\n\"It is important to note that one of the reasons we have a Syrian refugee crisis in the first place is due to the President's policies in the Middle East and how they simply have not worked. Two years ago when he referred to ISIS as the \"JV Squad,\" he made it clear his administration underestimated the threat of this group.\n\n\"There is concern that the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security would not do an adequate job in vetting these refugees unless more guidelines are imposed. Currently the public is very skeptical of the Department of Homeland Security along with the Department of State. There needs to be more oversight by Congress.\"\n\nIn Washington Congressman Aderholt serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the powerful House Appropriations Committee; he is also a member of the Committee's Defense Subcommittee, the Committee's Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, and the Helsinki Commission.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:30:58Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fight-to-stop-syrian-refugees-is-just-starting-byrne-says", "Fight to Stop Syrian Refugees is Just Starting, Byrne Says", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today regarding his vote in support of H.R. 4038, the American SAFE Act of 2015.\nByrne said: Im committed to doing everything in my power to stop the Syrian refugee resettlement program. The bill that passed the House today would require the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence to all certify that each individual refugee does not represent a security threat before any refugee can be allowed into the United States. As some Democrats point out, this bill would delay the Syrian refugee process for at least two years. \nTodays bill is just the start of a larger response to the Syrian refugee crisis. I will continue to push the House to pass my bill, which would defund the Syrian refugee resettlement program and ensure no Syrian refugees enter the United States. The national security of the American people must always be our top priority.\nH.R. 4038, the American SAFE Act of 2015, would require the Secretary of National Security, the Director of the FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence all unanimously certify that a refugee does not represent a security threat. The bill passed by a veto-proof vote of 289 to 137.\nWhile traveling overseas, President Obama issued a veto threat on the bill.\nByrne said: While President Obama is issuing veto threats from halfway around the world, the Peoples House is focused on listening to our constituents and keeping the American people safe. It is inexcusable for the President to threaten to veto a bill which would help keep the American people safe.\nCongressman Byrne has been a leading voice in Congress against allowing Syrian refugees into the United States. Yesterday, Congressman Byrne introduced H.R. 4031, the Defund the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program Act of 2015. This bill would eliminate all funding from going toward resettling refugees from Syria. Congressman Byrne believes defunding the program gives Congress the best opportunity to actually halt the Syrian refugee resettlement program.\nOn Monday, Byrne sent a letter to President Obama demanding he halt the Syrian refugee resettlement program. He has also co-sponsored H.R. 3573, the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act, which would give Congress the power to block any refugee resettlement plan and would require Congress to approve any plan before refugees can arrive in the United States.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/american-safe-act-2015-alabama-house-delegation-unanimous-halting-obamas", "American SAFE Act of 2015: Alabama House delegation unanimous in halting Obama's Syrian refugee plan", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Alabama's House delegation was unanimous in voting to put plans for the U.S. to take in Iraqi and Syrian refugees on hold for at least two years on Thursday, helping the lower chamber reach a veto-proof majority against President Barack Obama. The legislation passed by a vote of 289-137.\nU.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, who usually votes against the rest of the delegation's six Republican members on controversial policies, said in a statement that she wants a strong screening process for refugees. She said her vote doesn't mean she's closed to the idea of eventually admitting the asylum seekers.\n\"To be clear, the recent terrorist attacks [in Paris] should not cause us to live in a state of fear nor abandon our humanitarian values. While our nation's security remains the top priority, the displacement of millions of Iraqis and Syrians ravaged by the cruelties of war is an international crisis that demands we do our part,\" she said. \"As Americans, it is against our shared value of human rights to do nothing for those seeking asylum. My support for this bill in no way diminishes my commitment to those shared values. However, I am convinced that our current refugee vetting process can be more effective. While the United States cannot turn our backs on refugees, we must have a more stringent screening process.\"\nU.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, said he intends to vote against a related bill that defunds all of the president's refugee programs.\n\"I strongly oppose President Obama's reckless plan to allow thousands of refugees from Syria and regions controlled by ISIS into the U.S. ISIS is currently using the refugee crisis as a pipeline to move Islamic terrorists into Europe,\" he said in a statement. \"Especially after the attacks in Paris, we cannot and will not risk our national security for the sake of misplaced compassion and allow this Islamic terrorist pipeline to reach the United States.\"\nU.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope, who introduced a bill Wednesday to defund Obama's proposal, also cited security concerns for his vote.\n\"Today's bill is just the start of a larger response to the Syrian refugee crisis. I will continue to push the House to pass my bill, which would defund the Syrian refugee resettlement program and ensure no Syrian refugees enter the United States,\" he said in a statement. \"The national security of the American people must always be our top priority.\"\nU.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, said the bill \"provides protection for the American people.\"\n\"It appears that the president opposes this bill because it is tough and establishes some tough criteria for any Syrian or Iraqi to be granted refugee status in our country,\" Aderholt said. \"Some have asked why Congress would do something like this. We do not lock the doors of our homes at night because we hate the people outside but because we love the people within.\"\nThe other members of Alabama's congressional delegation who supported the bill were: Reps. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery; Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville; and Gary Palmer, R-Hoover.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/mo-brooks-gary-palmer-take-epa-s-new-25-billion-year-ozone-regs", "Mo Brooks, Gary Palmer take on EPAs new $25 billion per year ozone regs", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Alabama Congressmen Reps.Mo Brooks(AL-05) andGary Palmer(AL-06)joined fellow House lawmakers Thursday inintroducing a joint resolution thewould permanently block theEnvironmental Protection Agencys (EPA) recently finalized$25 billion per year ozone regulations.\nAn updated studycommissioned by theNational Association of Manufacturersprojects thenew EPA mandate will reduce the United StatesGDP by $1.7 trillion from 2017 to 2040 and kill 1.4 million jobs per year.\nThe EPA has not been able to identify how the proposed standards will be met, Palmersaid in a March in a Science, Space, and Technology committee meeting regarding the new rules. This sounds like shoot first, ask questions later rule-making.\nThe EPAs proposed regulations would impose a limit of 65-70 parts per billion (ppb) for ozone, down from the current level of 75 ppb.\nTheJoint Resolution,H.J.RES.74, is the House version of a Senates resolutionS. J. Res. 25introduced by Sen.Jeff Flake(R-AZ) Wednesday.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/palmer-supports-stopping-cfpb-auto-loan-regulations", "Palmer Supports Stopping CFPB Auto Loan Regulations", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wednesday, November 18 U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R from Hoover) announced his support for H.R. 1737, the Reforming CFPB Indirect Auto Financing Guidance Act.This bill would revoke the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus (CFPB) 2013 auto lending guidance bulletin, which has hampered the availability of indirect auto loans (loans facilitated by car dealers).\nCongressman Palmer said in a statement, The CFPB is an agency with very little accountability, to Congress or even the President.Because of this, it should come as no great surprise that its power is being abused.Congress should take action to stop these kinds of damaging regulations that hurt the consumers.\nH.R. 1737 was sponsored by Representative Frank Guinta (R from New Hampshire).The Reforming CFPB Indirect Auto Financing Guidance Act of 2015 would repeal a CFPB bulletin from 2013 that was designed to pressure lending institutions into eliminating the availability of auto financing discounts.\nNational Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) President Peter Welch said in a statement, Consumers have the right to obtain auto financing at discounted rates, and those rights should be protected, not threatened.There is bipartisan support in Congress to require the CFPB to consider how harmful its guidance could be to consumers, and we applaud Reps. Guinta and Perlmutter for their leadership on this issue.\nEighty-eight Democrats joined 244 Republicans in voting for the bill.All the Republican members, who voted, voted yes and all 96 no votes were Democrats.\nThe bill now goes to the Senate.President Barack H. Obama (D) opposes the legislation and could veto it if it reaches his desk.The bill restores the ability of dealerships to offer discounts to consumers.The CFPB made that illegal because discounts are discriminatory.The Obama Administration said in a statement that it opposes the bill because the CFPB guidance helps ensure customers are not charged disproportionately higher prices for auto loans because of their race, color, religion or other characteristics that should have no bearing on loan decisions.\nSeveral banks have been fined millions of dollars by the CFPB for allowing dealerships to have this discretionary authority.\nWelch said, The CFPB is clearly trying to eliminate a consumers ability to receive a discount on credit in the showroom.It is reasonable for Congress to ask for minimal due process to protect consumers.\nThe dealer compensation method in question is known as dealer reserve. Dealer reserve is the retail margin that is included in the consumers cost, or interest rate, on an auto loan to cover the dealerships cost in arranging it. Lenders typically cap the reserve at 2 or 3 percentage points and pay it to the dealership in a lump sum.\nH.R. 1737 would also require the Bureau to follow a transparent process - including providing for a public comment period, consulting with the agencies that share jurisdiction over the indirect auto financing market, and disclosing its testing methodologies - prior to issuing any future guidance related to indirect auto credit.\nRep. Palmer believes that the CFPB lacks accountability and is prone to abuse its authority so has previously co-sponsored a bill to repeal the CFPB entirely.The CFPB was created by the controversial Dodd Frank Act during Obamas first term, when Democrats held overwhelming majorities in both Houses of Congress.\nCongressman Palmer represents Alabamas Sixth Congressional District.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-supports-bill-increasing-accountability-federal-reserve", "Palmer Supports Bill Increasing Accountability for the Federal Reserve", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), supported H.R. 3189, The Fed Oversight Reform and Modernization (FORM) Act. This bill increases transparency at the Federal Reserve, requiring the organization to explain its decisions, while protecting it from excessive politicization. It would also place tighter controls on the Federal Reserve's ability to conduct bailouts.\n\n\"Our government is founded on the idea of checks and balances,\" Palmer said. \"Under the Obama Administration, the Federal Reserve has gained additional powers without additional checks. This bill would increase checks and balances on the Federal Reserve and ensure it works in a less arbitrary fashion, creating more predictability and more transparency, while still allowing for a monetary policy that is not unduly influenced by politics.\"\n\nAmong other things, this bill would require the Federal Reserve to generate a monetary policy rule that would show why a particular monetary policy is being adopted. This would provide greater predictability and understanding among the public. It would also reform emergency lending powers (a.k.a. \"bailouts\") by limiting them to when an \"unusual and exigent circumstances exist that pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States,\" which is stricter than the current standard. It also requires five out of seven members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and nine out of twelve District Federal Reserve Bank Presidents, approve of an action before authorizing any emergency lending.\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at his website or via Facebook,Twitter, or Instagram.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:30:58Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-supports-bill-strengthen-refugee-screening-process-while", "Rep. Sewell Supports Bill to Strengthen Refugee Screening Process While Still Aiding Humanitarian Crisis", "2015-11-19", "2015", "2015-11", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 4038American SAFE Act of 2015:\nWhile I remain committed to the U.S. refugee resettlement program, as a Member of Congress the safety and security of the American people is my first priority. The horrific terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut not only shake our very conscience but should also cause us to evaluate and re-examine our own security measures and protocols. I am convinced that we must be more vigilant in our refugee screening and vetting processes. The bill seeks to strengthen the screening process by prohibiting refugees from Syria and Iraq from being admitted into the United States without a more comprehensive background check and by adding government certification to our already robust security screening protocol.\nTo be clear, the recent terrorist attacks should not cause us to live in a state of fear nor abandon our humanitarian values. While our nation's security remains the top priority, the displacement of millions of Iraqis and Syrians ravaged by the cruelties of war is an international crisis that demands we do our part. As Americans, it is against our shared value of human rights to do nothing for those seeking asylum. My support for this bill in no way diminishes my commitment to those shared values. However, I am convinced that our current refugee vetting process can be more effective. While the United States cannot turn our backs on refugees, we must have a more stringent screening process.\nMy vote today is reflective of the fact that there are no perfect or easy solutions to the challenges we face in fighting terrorism and combating ISIS. Yet it is clear to me, that we must evaluate our national counterterrorism strategy and policies continuously to ensure that we are doing everything within our power to protect the American people and to defeat and destroy ISIS and all terrorists that seek to do us harm.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-obama-taking-equipment-law-enforcement-weakens-our-security", "Rogers to Obama:  Taking Equipment from Law Enforcement Weakens Our Security", "2015-11-18", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers to Obama:  Taking Equipment from Law Enforcement Weakens Our Security             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Nov 17, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers sent a letter to President Obama today after learning the Calhoun County Sheriffs office will lose their two armored vehicles known as M113s.\nUnder Obamas Executive Order, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) must reclaim some surplus military equipment provided under the 1033 program to law enforcement, including the armored vehicles in Calhoun County.\nThe letter states, Your action will do nothing but make our law enforcement officials more vulnerable during the performance of their duties at a time when violent crime and terrorism present a clear threat to public safety.\nRogers added, Less than a week after the horrific attacks on civilians in Paris, it seems more urgent than ever to ensure our law enforcement have the best equipment we can provide to counter any attack. It is just baffling to me that the president would weaken the possible security and safety of our local citizens.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-introduces-bill-to-defund-syrian-refugee-resettlement-program", "Byrne Introduces Bill to Defund Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program", "2015-11-18", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, today introduced legislation that would defund the Syrian refugee resettlement program and help keep the American people safe.\nH.R. 4031, the Defund the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program Act of 2015, would eliminate all funding from going toward resettling refugees from Syria. Congressman Byrne believes defunding the program gives Congress the best opportunity to actually halt the Syrian refugee resettlement program.\nByrne said: The reality remains that we cannot adequately screen individuals coming into the United States from Syria, so we must use every legislative tool at our disposal to stop the Syrian refugee resettlement program. I strongly believe our best chance for success is to use the power of the purse to cut off funding to the program, and my bill would achieve that goal.\nThe top priority of the federal government is to keep the American people safe, and we should never lose sight of that goal. Despite what President Obama may believe, our nation is in a state of war and that requires major precautions to be taken.\nFor weeks, Congressman Byrne has spoken out about the clear national security threat posed by allowing a mass influx of Syrian refugees into the United States. Byrne sent a letter to the State Department on September 17 requesting additional information about the screening process Syrian refugees must undergo. He also attended a classified briefing to learn more about the screening process.\nBased on what he learned in the briefing and after receiving a response from the State Department, Byrne sent a letter to President Obama on Monday demanding he halt the Syrian refugee resettlement program. \nByrne is also a co-sponsor of H.R. 3573, the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act. The bill would give Congress the power to block any refugee resettlement plan and would require Congress to approve any plan before refugees can arrive in the United States.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/paris-talks-not-going-impact-climate-change-climate-scientist-says", "Paris talks 'not going to impact' climate change, climate scientist says", "2015-11-18", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A Cato Institute climate scientist told a House committee Wednesday the climate change talks in Paris at the end of the month won't change our climate's current path.\nPaul Knappenberger, the assistant director for the Center for the Study of Science at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, told the House Science, Space and Technology Committee that the plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions put forth by countries attending the talks are going to be close to the status quo.\n\"It's not going to impact the direction the climate is going to go in the future, although I believe there will be some economic impact,\" Knappenberger said. \"But, again, many countries are not pledging much more than business as usual anyway.\"\nThe United Nations Conference on Climate Change is scheduled to start Nov. 30 and run through Dec. 11.\nAnalysis of the plans set forth by many of the countries attending the conference show the plans would limit the rate of global warming to 2.7 degrees Celsius. While that's an improvement, it's above the 2 degrees Celsius increase many scientists believe can't be breached to stop the many predicted disastrous effects of climate change.\nThe hearing, titled \"The Administration's Empty Promises for the International Climate Treaty,\" mostly focused on criticisms of the Clean Power Plan. The regulation is the key part of the U.S. plan for the Paris talks.\nChairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said the plan itself is a political ploy that won't do enough to stop climate change, the existence of which Smith doubts. He said the links between extreme weather and global warming are unfounded and reiterated his belief that government scientists manipulated historical data to prove global warming.\n\"The American people should be suspicious of the motives of the administration as it continually impedes congressional oversight of agency actions tied to its extreme climate agenda,\" Smith said.\nMany of the Republicans on the committee said the Clean Power Plan, which requires states to cut greenhouse gas emissions by one-third by 2030, would end up costing electricity ratepayers more than it would help them with health benefits.\nRep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., said no matter how much the United States limits its fossil fuel use, developing countries in other parts of the world will continue to burn coal for power as they expand. He pointed to India and China as examples of countries that will expand their coal use in the coming decades while the United States tries to limit its emissions. Many climate scientists blame the greenhouse gases emitted from the burning of fossil fuels for driving manmade climate change.\nPosey accused President Obama and his administration of being cold to low-income families who would have to pay more to keep their lights on or heat their homes.\n\"It's just not reality and it's hard to understand why they seem to have no problem making life more difficult for American families,\" he said, \"and especially making life more difficult for those in America and around the world who can least afford it. I just don't understand why they want to harm them.\" Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy admitted the point of the Clean Power Plan is to encourage other nations to limit their emissions and to strengthen the U.S. bargaining position in Paris.\n\"It seems like it's a massive public relations program. It really seems like it's a political program,\" he said.\nRep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., dismissed the idea that the Clean Power Plan won't have a real impact on global emissions.\nShe pointed to the United States' position as the world's second-biggest carbon emitter and argued that emission cuts from the United States would have a large impact on the effects of climate change.\n\"If we were just to go to the 2025 levels with the reduction targets set in place we would reduce our carbon emissions by about 20 percent. If we were to go out to the 2050 time frame we would reduce their emissions about 60 percent,\" Edwards said. \"This would have a measurable impact on temperatures and climate change.\"\nNo member of the Obama administration or EPA testified at Wednesday's hearing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-supports-stopping-flawed-auto-loan-regulation-hurts-consumers", "Palmer Supports Stopping Flawed Auto Loan Regulation that Hurts Consumers", "2015-11-18", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), supported H.R. 1737, Reforming CFPB Indirect Auto Financing Guidance Act. This bill would revoke the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) 2013 auto lending guidance bulletin, which has hampered the availability of indirect auto loans (loans facilitated by car dealers), particularly to the most vulnerable. Using a flawed model that bases decisions on what loans are authorized using nothing more than last names and zip codes, CFPB's enforcement has led to rising costs for consumers. The bill was supported by a wide, bipartisan majority.\n\n\"The CFPB is an agency with very little accountability, to Congress or even the President,\" Palmer said. \"Because of this, it should come as no great surprise that its power is being abused. Congress should take action to stop these kinds of damaging regulations that hurt the consumers.\"\n\nBecause the CFPB lacks accountability and is prone to abuse its authority, Congressman Palmer previously co-sponsoreda bill to repeal the CFPB entirely.\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at his website or via Facebook,Twitter, or Instagram.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:30:58Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/alabama-lawmakers-want-syrian-refugee-program-halted", "Alabama lawmakers want Syrian refugee program halted", "2015-11-17", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In the face of Fridays terrorist attacks in Paris, Alabamalawmakers are taking a stand against continuedSyrian refugee immigrationto the United States fearing a similar terrorist plot in the U.S.\nReports claim at least one of the terrorists involved in the Paris attacks had slipped into the country with refugees fleeing the chaos in Syria.\nFrance has already shut its borders after terrorists killed at least 129 people on Friday, and several other countries in the European Union are reassessing their immigration protocols.\nMeanwhile, a daily flowof refugees fleeing a civil war in Syria continues.\nAccording to the United Nations, the civil war has displaced more than four million people since 2011 with refugees fleeing to neighboring Middle Eastern countries and Europe.\nSince the wars inception, the United Stateshas taken in 2,187 of the refugeesand PresidentBarack Obamahas announced plans to take in an additional 10,000 in the next 12 months.TheU.S. State Departmentsaid the refugees would be spread across the country.\nIn the last calendar year, 1,928 Syrians relocated to the United States. While none settled in Alabama according to theRefugee Processing Center, 104 settled in Florida, 59 in Georgia and another 35 in Tennessee.\nHeres what Alabama lawmakers have to say about taking in additionalSyrian refugees:\nU.S. Rep.Bradley Byrne(AL-01):\n \n\tWe have no greater responsibility as a federal government than to ensure the safety and security of the American people. It is clearly in the best interest of the American people to halt theSyrianrefugeeresettlement program.\n \nU.S. Rep.Martha Roby(AL-02):\n \n\tAs many as 10,000 Syrian refugees are reportedly about to start showing up in the United States in 2016 per President Obamas directive. Are we really this naive? At least one of the Paris attackers came into that country via similar means, and ISIS has said they would actively try to game the refugee resettlement process to infiltrate western countries.\n\tThis is not about keeping Syrians out of our state or even our country. We all hate what these people are going through and want to help them how we can. But amid the direct security threat facing our country from radical Islamic terrorism, we simply cannot risk our security by allowing thousands of Syrian refugees to resettle here, especially without a robust screening and security process in place. Thats just common sense, and I fear our president is too blinded by his worldview to see it.\n\tReturning to Washington this week I will be speaking out about this and getting answers on behalf of the people I represent.\n \nU.S. Rep.Mike Rogers(AL-03):\n \n\tI am very concerned about President Obamas plan. Bringing any Syrian refugees to the United States could potentially put Americans and our homeland in serious danger. The Paris attacks suggest that ISIL is using the refugee situation as an opportunity to move around locations to spread terror. I am not willing to put compassion over our national security in this instance.\n \nU.S. Rep.Robert Aderholt(AL-04):\n \n\tReports in the media indicate that at least one of the bombers in France was a recently admitted refugee. I am very concerned about whether our Administration has plans to seriously vet this proposed increase of Syrian refugees to the U.S. I support Governor Bentleys actions.We need to be helping persons like the Yazidis and the Assyrian Christians who have been targeted for murder by ISIS. This should not be a general economic exodus from the Middle East.\n \nU.S. Rep.Mo Brooks(AL-05):\n \n\tIts quite clear that Barack Obama and the White Househave absolutely no idea how to confront the Islamic State Junior Varsity team, as Barack Obama likes to call them. And that incompetence and ineptitude in the White House is risking American lives and has already cost untold thousands of lives around the planet.\n\tIf I were to sum up Barack Obamas on the Syrian refugees, the word that comes to mind is masochism. But thats not really fair to masochists because they only injure themselves. Barack Obama is surrounded by Secret Service, hes protected. Hes not putting himself at risk, hes putting Americans at risk.\n \nU.S. Rep.Gary Palmer(AL-06):\n \n\tThe State Department needs to his the pause button on this before we admit any new Syrian refugees. It is absolutely critical that we know who is coming in here.\n\tI think we ought to encourage other Middle Eastern countries to take those refugees. I think the assimilation process will be much easier. I understand there are differences between the various sects in Islam, but they should step up and take a much bigger role in this.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-obama%E2%80%99s-syrian-refugee-plan", "Rogers on Obamas Syrian Refugee Plan", "2015-11-16", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers on Obamas Syrian Refugee Plan             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Nov 16, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today on the Obama Administrations Syrian refugee plan after Fridays terrorist attacks in Paris.\nI am very concerned about President Obama's plan. Bringing any Syrian refugees to the United States could potentially put Americans and our homeland in serious danger. The Paris attacks suggest that ISIL is using the refugee situation as an opportunity to move around locations to spread terror. I am not willing to put compassion over our national security in this instance.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/press-release/roby-statement-syrian-refugee-resettlement", "Roby Statement on Syrian Refugee Resettlement: 'Are we really this naive?'", "2015-11-16", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-AL) today made the following statement regarding Syrian refugee resettlement in the United States following the Paris terrorist attacks:\n\nAs many as 10,000 Syrian refugees are reportedly about to start showing up in the United States in 2016 per President Obama's directive. Are we really this naive? At least one of the Paris attackers came into that country via similar means, and ISIS has said they would actively try to game the refugee resettlement process to infiltrate western countries.\n\nThis is not about keeping Syrians out of our state or even our country. We all hate what these people are going through and want to help them how we can. But amid the direct security threat facing our country from radical Islamic terrorism, we simply cannot risk our security by allowing thousands of Syrian refugees to resettle here, especially without a robust screening and security process in place. That's just common sense, and I fear our president is too blinded by his worldview to see it.\n\nReturning to Washington this week I will be speaking out about this and getting answers on behalf of the people I represent.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-announces-november-staff-community-office-hours-0", "Byrne Announces November Staff Community Office Hours", "2015-11-16", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Staff members from the Office of Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-1) will hold office hours in each of the six counties that make up Alabamas First Congressional District between November 17 and November 19.\nThe staff members will be on hand to help constituents with problems they may be experiencing with federal agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Medicare, and Social Security. Staff members can also assist constituents who need help applying for or receiving a United States passport.\n\nBaldwin County\nTuesday, November 17\n8:30  9:30 am: Bay Minette City Hall\n10:00  11:00 am: Loxley Town Hall\n1:00  1:45 pm: Foley City Hall\n2:00  3:00 pm: Gulf Shores City Hall\n3:30  4:30 pm: Orange Beach City Hall\n\nWednesday, November 18\n9:00  10:00 am: Magnolia Springs Town Hall\n10:30  11:30 am: Fairhope City Hall\n1:30  2:30 pm: Daphne City Hall\n3:00  4:00 pm: Spanish Fort City Hall\n\nClarke County\nWednesday, November 18\n10:00  11:00 am: Grove Hill Town Hall\n11:30 am  12:30 pm: White Smith Memorial Library in Jackson\n\nEscambia County\nTuesday, November 17\n9:30  10:30 am: Atmore City Hall\n11:00  12:00 pm: Brewton City Hall\n\nMobile County\nThursday, November 19\n11:00 am  12:00 noon: Citronelle Town Hall\n3:00  4:00 pm: Dauphin Island Town Hall\n\nMonroe County\nTuesday, November 17\n2:00  3:00 pm: Monroeville City Hall\n\nWashington County\nWednesday, November 18\n2:30  3:30 pm: Washington County Public Library, Chatom\n\nThursday, November 19\n9:30  10:30 am: McIntosh Town Hall\nFor more information on visits to Clarke, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe and Washington counties, constituents should contact Congressman Byrnes Mobile office at 251-690-2811.\nFor more information on visits to Baldwin County, constituents should contact Congressman Byrnes Baldwin County office at 251-989-2664.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-demands-president-obama-halt-syrian-refugee-program", "Byrne Demands President Obama Halt Syrian Refugee Program", "2015-11-16", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) today sent a letter to President Barack Obama demanding he stop the refugee resettlement program for Syrian refugees due to national security concerns.\nReports indicate that at least one of the attackers in the Paris terror attacks had entered France through the refugee process. The Islamic State has repeatedly indicated they will attempt to embed terrorists in the refugee process.\nFor weeks, Congressman Byrne has sought more information about the screening process Syrian refugees must undergo before being allowed to enter the United States. He sent a letter to the State Department requesting more information and recently attended a classified briefing about the screening process. Despite the information, he believes the screening process is not strong enough to adequately protect the American people.\nIn his today letter, Byrne demands that President Obama halt the Syrian refugee resettlement program and vows to work with his colleagues in Congress to block the program. Byrne is a co-sponsor of H.R. 3573, the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act. The bill would give Congress the power to block any refugee resettlement plan and would require Congress to approve any plan before refugees can arrive in the United States.\nA transcript of Congressman Byrnes letter can be found below.\nByrne said: Mr. President:\nI write to you today to demand that you halt the refugee resettlement program for anyone from Syria. Recent events have demonstrated that groups like the Islamic State are using the refugee process to enter other countries. \nOn September 17, I sent a letter to the Department of State requesting more information on the screening and vetting process for Syrian refugees. I also requested and received a classified briefing to discuss the screening process. While I appreciate your Administration responding to my requests, the information I received failed to ease my concerns about the potential of Islamic State fighters embedding themselves in the refugee process. \nIt is now widely reported that at least one of the attackers responsible for the recent Paris terror attacks entered the country through the refugee process. We must do everything we can to prevent a similar attack from taking place here in America. \nI will also be working with my colleagues in Congress on a full legislative response to the Paris terror attacks and the refugee crisis. In the meantime, I demand you halt the Syria refugee resettlement program. \nWe have no greater responsibility as a federal government than to ensure the safety and security of the American people. It is clearly in the best interest of the American people to halt the Syrian refugee resettlement program.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/rep-palmer-stands-epa-overreach", "Rep. Palmer Stands Up To EPA Overreach", "2015-11-16", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Gary Palmer has introduced legislation aimed at combatting the EPAs aggressive and controversial regulation of greenhouse gasses.H.R. 3880, the Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2015, has already garnered significant Congressional support with 107 original cosponsors. Rep. Palmers bill is the latest in a series of Congressional attempts to fight the Obama Administrations attempt at a federal takeover of the electrical grid.\nObamas carbon regulation will require states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Energy bills will skyrocket from the ensuing loss of affordable and reliable electricity. While Obamas carbon rule will hurt all Americans, it willespecially affect minorities and the poor, who spend a higher percentage of their income on utility bills. The carbon rule could result inthousands of premature deathsbecauseregulatory costs reduce peoples ability to protect their healthby forcing people to spend money on complying with the regulation and less on things that protect their health. All of this pain will be for naught, as the regulation does nothing to impact the climate: using the EPAs own climate model, the rule would producea mere 0.02 degrees Celsiuschange in global temperatures.\nFurther, the carbon rule amounts to afederal takeover of the electricity grid. Under the current system, states are in charge of regulating electricity markets. They choose what mix of electricity generation works best for their unique situation, and respond to market factors when producing electricity. Thus, Americans enjoy some of the most affordable and reliable electricity in the developed world. Obamas carbon rule will undermine the electrical system that Americans have come to enjoy and depend on for affordable, reliable power. As the 24 states that sued EPAexplained(26 states counting those that filed separate suits), the regulation unlawfully expands the federal governments regulatory power over electricity production and consumption in nearly every State. Attempting to take over the electric grid under the auspices of greenhouse gas regulations is an affront to state sovereignty and the Constitution.\nWhile the courts have determined that EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, there is considerable debate regarding whether that was ever the intent of Congress. In fact, former Energy & Commerce Committee chairman Congressman John Dingell (who helped write the Clean Air Act)saidthat the Supreme Court came up with an erroneous decision on whether the Clean Air Act covers greenhouse gases. Like many of the members of this committee I was present when we wrote that legislation, and we thought it was clear enough thatwe didnt clarify it, thinking that even the Supreme Court was not stupid enough to make that finding.\nCiting the EPAs lack of explicit statutory authority to regulate greenhouse gases, Rep. Palmers bill confronts Obamas carbon regulations head on. The bill explicitly looks to nullify both the EPAs proposed carbon rules for new sources and for existing sources, both of these regulation will have enormous negative impacts for all Americans. Additionally, Rep. Palmer prescribes limitations on future rules promulgated by the EPA, requiring the EPA to consider any impacts their rules will have on employment. If the rule has a negative impact on jobs it cannot be implemented, unless approved by Congress and the President.\nRep. Palmers bill seeks to prevent the EPA from regulating carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Undercurrent law, the EPA has virtually unfettered authority in determining what exactly constitutes an air pollutant, and thus can be regulated by the EPA. Rep. Palmers bill includes language that tightens the EPAs authority by excluding carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases, from being considered air pollutants, and thus not subject to EPA regulation. This will help rein in the EPA from its continued abuse of power, and protect Americans from further job-killing and costly rule-making.\nRep. Palmer has taken a strong stand against the EPA and its abusive regulatory agenda by introducing H.R. 3880. The strong support behind this bill sends a strong message that the U.S. Congress is not supportive of Obamas climate agenda and will not capitulate to the Administrations demands leading up to and resulting from the Paris climate talks.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/columns/supporting-our-nation-s-veterans", "Supporting Our Nations Veterans", "2015-11-15", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Last week we celebrated Veterans Day, and we honored the men and women who have served in the United States military. These are the individuals who throughout our nations history have put country above themselves.\nI had the honor of attending a number of Veterans Day ceremonies in Southwest Alabama. One of the events I took part in was a ceremony at Daphne High School. One of the speakers asked anyone who had a veteran in their family to stand. Every single person in the room rose to their feet. It was quite the eye opening moment.\nHere in Southwest Alabama, we are so fortunate to be home to over 50,000 veterans, and my office has made veterans issues one of our top priorities. In fact, over eighty percent of the constituent work done in my office is related to issues with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\nUnfortunately, the VA is leaving far too many veterans behind. The broken bureaucracy at the VA has resulted in secret waiting lists, poor medical care, and veterans literally dying while they wait for care. Despite major reforms and new leadership, the problems dont seem to be improving. That is unacceptable.\nWe shouldnt keep sending veterans into the VA health care system and expecting different results. Instead, I think we need to consider fundamentally changing the way we care for our nations veterans.\nLast year, Congress created the VA Choice Card program, which was designed to increase veteran access to private medical care. Unfortunately, the VA has interpreted the law in a way that is very narrow and does not apply to most veterans.\nThats why I introduced H.R. 1096, the Real Choice for Veterans Act. This bipartisan legislation has support from all across the country, including co-sponsors from 19 different states. It would expand the VA Choice Card program and ensure that more Americans have access to private care.\nI dont think we need to stop there. I think we need to give every veteran, regardless of where they live, a VA insurance card and allow them to seek care from their local communities instead of traveling miles out of the way to receive care. The VA would cover the cost for the medical care and reimburse the medical provider, in the same way the Choice Card currently works.\nBy creating competition and allowing veterans to use doctors in their local community, I think our veterans would get much better care. I also think it could save the taxpayer money by scaling back the massive VA bureaucracy and getting the federal government out of the health care business.\nIn addition to expanding access to private health care, I believe we must also focus on helping veterans integrate back into the private sector after their military service is complete. We should simplify the certification process for certain skills that a veteran may have from their military service. We shouldnt force veterans to take costly training classes when they already mastered the skills during their military service.\nWe must also do more to encourage businesses to hire and promote veterans. It is a shame that so many veterans have a hard time finding work when they possess unique skills and character traits that can only be gained through military service.\nUltimately, there is no greater responsibility of the Congress than to take care of our nations veterans. We should never forget the courage, sacrifice, dedication, and unselfish nature of all those who have served our country.\nLets not just set aside one day every year to honor our nations veterans. I hope you will join me in committing to support our local veterans each and every day. It is the least we can do.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-court%E2%80%99s-ruling-against-obama-amnesty-plan", "Rogers on Courts Ruling Against Obama Amnesty Plan", "2015-11-13", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers on Courts Ruling Against Obama Amnesty Plan             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Nov 13, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after a Federal courts ruling this week against the Obama Administrations plan to defer deportation and grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants currently in the U.S.\nPresident Obama has no respect for the law, and his amnesty plan is just another blatant example of how he tries to circumvent the Constitution and Congress to get what he wants. I am pleased the court ruled against the Obama Administrations plan and will continue to fight to protect our Constitution and keep the balance of power for the Executive branch in check.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://byrne.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/byrne-to-hold-senior-citizen-resource-fair-and-town-hall-meeting", "Byrne to Hold Senior Citizen Resource Fair and Town Hall Meeting", "2015-11-12", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Bradley Byrne", "B001289", "byrne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) will hold a Senior Citizens Resource Fair and Town Hall Meeting on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Connie Hudson Mobile Regional Community Center in Mobile. The town hall portion of the event is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.\nThe Resource Fair will include representatives from the Social Security Administration, Medicare, Department of Veterans Affairs, Area Agency on Aging, and others. Free legal counseling for living wills and durable power of attorney will also be available. Congressman Byrne held a similar event in Baldwin County last year.\nThis town hall meeting will mark Congressman Byrnes 52nd in-person town hall since being elected to Congress in 2013.\nWhat: Senior Citizens Resource Fair and Town Hall Meeting\nWho: Congressman Bradley Byrne\nWhen: Thursday, November 12, 2015; 9:30 a.m. CT to 12:30 p.m. CT\nWhere: Connie Hudson Mobile Regional Community Center; 3201 Hillcrest Road; Mobile, AL 36695", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/palmer-discusses-speaker-changes-alabama-republican-assembly", "Palmer Discusses Speaker Changes with Alabama Republican Assembly", "2015-11-12", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Monday, November 9 U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R from Hoover) addressed the Alabama Republican Assembly at their annual membership recruitment meeting at Levees in Northport.\nCongressman Palmer said that we have just witnessed, Historic changes in the House. John Boehner was the first Speaker in the United States House to resign not for a health issue or a scandal.\nRep. Palmer was critical of conservative action groups that, Have made a boatload of money taking credit for things they have had nothing to do with. Palmer said that some groups who fill up our email boxes asking for money are taking credit for toppling former Speaker Boehner (R from Ohio) and preventing Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R from California) from becoming Speaker. They didnt have squat to do with it.\nPalmer said, It was never about John Boehner personally. I actually like John. He was a good man, but not a good leader.\nCongressman Palmer described Boehner as, A whole lot more liberal than most of us (in the House Republican Caucus.). Palmer said that Boehners resignation, Surprised me. I knew he was going to resign but thought it would be the end of the year.\nPalmer said that he and the other members of the conservative Freedom Caucus were blamed for Boehner leaving and at the first closed door meeting of the House Republican Caucus, Literally people got up and cussed us. They called us names you do not say in public. They were mad because we had derailed their gravy train. Boehner had a network of donors in and around Washington D.C. that he used to reward those members who voted with him with and they, Ran everything from the top down.\nRep. Palmer said We are the peoples House. We are the folks that are supposed to be making the laws. The way things were being run we were reduced to bystanders.\nPalmer said that Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was considered for Speaker. Palmer works out with McCarthy in the Capital gym. Kevin called me on Sunday afternoon and asked me what he should do. I told him, This is a suicide mission. Whoever the next speaker is, will last 14 months maybe two years. Later that week he announced he had withdrawn from the race. It was not about a scandal. There are, Groups saying they drove him out. That is not true.\nPalmer complained of the old leadership, They were making deals and bringing bills to us at midnight and told us too vote on it in two days, up or down. We dont even know who the negotiators were. It all came to head on the trade bill. 34 of us made a commitment that we would vote against the rules. The leadership had to go across the aisle and get Democrats to vote for the rules to proceed.\nPalmer said that the leadership, Threatened us. They removed one guy from a subcommittee chairmanship. The rest of the caucus is mad at us. But 20 became 30, 30 became 40, 40 became 50, 50 became 60. Boehner resigned.\nPalmer said, We had a two hour conference. I dont say a lot in conference, but Palmer did this time. Palmer said that he told his fellow Republican Congress members that he could see how discouraged everybody is. They are not able to do their job. They go home and get beat up. We have an Extraordinary opportunity to get this house in order. I dont want to go home in ten years and have people say that I was in Congress for the last ten years. I would like to go home and have people say I was in the greatest Congress this country has ever seen. Whether that happens or not is up to us. I still believe that this country is the smartest country in the world. The 247 Republicans in the Congress are some of the smartest people in the country. We just havent marshalled them together to get things done. We need to have somebody who can communicate to the American people. We need to create a narrative.\nRep. Palmer said that Rep. Paul Ryan (R from Wisconsin) spent an hour and a half with the Freedom Caucus and we laid out what needed to be done. He agreed. There will be no more retribution. There will be no more secret negotiations with the White House and the Senate. That crap is going to stop. I believe Paul. I have a good relationship with Paul. Paul lives in his office. I live in my office. Kevin lives in his office. About 60 of us live in our offices.\nPalmer said, Understand that we are going to win some and we are going to lose some, but we will all have input.\nPalmer said however, It will all be for naught if we dont elect a Republican President.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/alabama-delegation-honors-america-s-veterans-veterans-day", "Alabama delegation honors Americas veterans this Veterans Day", "2015-11-11", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "There are19.3 million veteransliving in the United States and409,997 of themcall Alabama home.\nToday, in honor of Veterans Day, members of the Alabamacongressional delegation are paying tribute totheir selfless service and sacrifices.\nHeres what the Alabama delegation is saying in honor of Veterans Day:\nU.S. Sen.Richard Shelby:\n \n\tToday I proudly join my colleagues and Americans across the country in paying tribute to our nations veterans and their families. Without the selfless sacrifices of the courageous men and women in uniform, the freedoms we enjoy as Americans would not be possible.\n\tOn Veterans Day and every day, we must remember that freedom comes at a great price, and that we owe our active duty and retired servicemen and women a debt of gratitude. Our veterans unwavering commitment to defending security and prosperity should never be forgotten.\n \nU.S. Rep.Bradley Byrne(AL-01):\n \n\tSo on this Veterans Day, and every day, may we never forget the courage, sacrifice, dedication, and unselfish nature of all those who have served our country.\n\tAnd to all our veterans and their families: on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your service and God bless the United States of America.\n\t\n \nWatch Rep. Byrnes full statement below:\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfp-QfAuWEU\nU.S. Rep.Martha Roby(AL-02) via Facebook:\n \n\tVeterans Day is a time to pause and honor those who have served in uniform to protect this nation and the freedoms we enjoy. It is a special day when we make sure to say thank you to our friends, neighbors, family members  and those weve never even met  for their service to our country.\n\tGod bless you and thank you for your service.\n \n\n\tU.S. Rep.Robert Aderholt(AL-04) via Facebook:\n\t \n\t\tThank you veterans for your service to our nation.\n\t \n\nU.S. Rep.Gary Palmer(AL-06):\n \n\tI want to wholeheartedly express my appreciation to each and every one of our veterans, both in Alabama and throughout America. Our national anthem calls the America the land of the free and the home of the brave. A popular rephrasing of that is that America is Land of the freebecause ofthe brave. It remains free because brave citizens choose to join our armed forced and serve their country sacrificially.\n \nU.S. Rep.Terri Sewell(AL-07):\n \n\tToday we salute the selfless sacrifices of our nations 21 million veterans. These patriots have kept our nation safe while defending our nation at home and abroad. They have served our country with distinction, and we should honor them for their bravery and courage with actions  not simply words.\n\tCongress must continue to support and provide critical resources to the Veterans Administration (VA) to ensure that our veterans have access to quality health care, good-paying jobs, affordable housing, and opportunities to continue their education. We should not deny the very liberties they fought to protect, nor deny them any benefits they so fittingly deserve.\n\tI am committed to ensuring that we honor the promises that were made to these American heroes. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to them and their families by vowing to make sure they succeed. They deserve nothing less.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/alabama-s-leaders-honor-our-veterans", "Alabamas Leaders Honor Our Veterans", "2015-11-11", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "America exists because brave patriots 240 years ago were willing to pay the price to fight and win the Revolutionary war. Whether it was fighting the English, Indians, pirates, Mexico, Spain, our own Southern States, Germany, Italy, Japan, Chinese Communists, North Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Al Qaeda, the Taliban, ISIS, etc., generation after generation of brave Americans have stood up to defend the flag, the Constitution, and these United States. We honor them one day a year on the anniversary of Armistice Day, the day that World War One ended. Today we remember that day as Veterans Day.\nAlabama Governor Robert Bentley (R) said on Twitter, One of Alabamas greatest assets is our veterans. Approximately 8 percent of Alabamas population serves in the military.\nUS Representative Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) said in a recent email to constituents, I'm looking forward to attending Veterans Day observances in Prattville this week, and I encourage you and your family to look for a ceremony or parade to attend in your neck of the woods.\nCongresswoman Roby continued, It is my honor to represent a district that is home to two of our nation's finest military installations, thousands of active duty and reserve personnel and nearly 15,000 military retirees. Working on behalf of our nation's military and supporting veterans is a top priority of mine and continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of my job.\nUS Representative Gary Palmer said, I want to wholeheartedly express my appreciation to each and every one of our veterans, both in Alabama and throughout America. Our National Anthem calls America the land of the free and the home of the brave. A popular rephrasing of that is that America is Land of the free because of the brave. It remains free because brave citizens choose to join our armed forced and serve their country sacrificially.\nYesterday, November 10, was also the anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps.\nUS Senator Richard Shelby (R) said on Facebook, Happy 240th Birthday to the United States Marine Corps.\nUS Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) said yesterday, Today marks the 240th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. To the few and the proud, were thankful for your dedication and loyalty in serving our country. Happy Birthday, Marines!\nAlabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan said, Happy 240th birthday to the few, the proud, the Marines. My father was sent a telegram as he was at Parris Island when I was born - 'Mother and baby girl are fine.' Our military miss so many moments so we can have them peacefully. Hoorah forever- Semper Fi for life.\nRep. Roby said, No matter what, I will continue to fight to properly fund the military so our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to meet global threats. And, I will fight to make sure those who serve are treated right when they return home. It has been over a year now since our efforts to expose corruption within the Central Alabama VA began, but more work remains to ensure veterans receive the care they need and deserve. I'm moving forward soon with legislation to require specialized leaders within the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide direct oversight to and take over the worst VA medical facilities. I'm also working to build a partnership between the VA and local hospitals that will streamline access to care, particularly in rural areas. Stay tuned for updates on both of these very soon.\nGovernor Bentley said on Twitter, AlaVetNet is working to address ways to streamline the access and delivery of services to our returning military members and their families.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/veterans-day-alabama-lawmakers-express-gratitude-those-who-have-served", "On Veterans Day Alabama Lawmakers express gratitude for those who have served in the military", "2015-11-11", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  As thousands of Alabamians gather today to commemorate and celebrate the military men and women who have served the United States with honor. Its more than a day off from work, or a parade bedecked with red, white, and blue banners. Veterans Day is a time for all Americans to reflect on the ways we can serve those who served us.\nIn that spirit, many Alabama lawmakers have released statements expressing their gratitude for the nations veterans.\nSenator Richard Shelby (R):Today I proudly join my colleagues and Americans across the country in paying tribute to our nations veterans and their families. Without the selfless sacrifices of the courageous men and women in uniform, the freedoms we enjoy as Americans would not be possible.\nOn Veterans Day and every day, we must remember that freedom comes at a great price, and that we owe our active duty and retired servicemen and women a debt of gratitude. Our veterans unwavering commitment to defending security and prosperity should never be forgotten.\nCongressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL1):Today we celebrate Veterans Day, and we honor the men and women who have served in the United States military.\nThese are the individuals who throughout our nations history have put country above themselves.\nAs humans, it seems like we are programmed to avoid any situation that would put us in danger. Thats why there is something truly remarkable about the men and women in our military who choose to run toward danger. These American heroes arent afraid of a challenge; when faced with adversity, they simply push themselves harder and reach even higher.\nDespite their service and sacrifice, the Department of Veterans Affairs is leaving far too many veterans behind. The broken bureaucracy at the VA is failing our veterans, and reform is desperately needed.\n(listen to the rest of Rep. Byrnes remarks here.)\nCongresswoman Martha Roby (R-AL2):Today we celebrate and honor the men and women who have courageously and selflessly served in the Armed Forces.\nOn this Veterans Day, I encourage you to take a moment to thank not only those who have worn the uniform, but their families as well. We can never thank our soldiers and their families enough for the great sacrifices they make daily on our behalf, but today is a special opportunity for our nation to pause and express our sincere gratitude.\nI remain committed to fighting in Congress to ensure veterans receive the care that they need and deserve. In fact, my bill to overhaul the accountability process for VA medical centers is before the Veterans Affairs Committee next week, a hopeful step towards a final vote.\nIts truly an honor to represent so many who have served this country in uniform and to work on their behalf.\nCongressman Gary Palmer (R-AL6):I want to wholeheartedly express my appreciation to each and every one of our veterans, both in Alabama and throughout America, Palmer said. Our national anthem calls the America the land of the free and the home of the brave. A popular rephrasing of that is that America is Land of the freebecause of the brave.It remains free because brave citizens choose to join our armed forced and serve their country sacrificially.\nCongresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL7):Today we salute the selfless sacrifices of our nations 21 million veterans. These patriots have kept our nation safe while defending our nation at home and abroad. They have served our country with distinction, and we should honor them for their bravery and courage with actions  not simply words.\nCongress must continue to support and provide critical resources to the Veterans Administration (VA) to ensure that our veterans have access to quality health care, good-paying jobs, affordable housing, and opportunities to continue their education. We should not deny the very liberties they fought to protect, nor deny them any benefits they so fittingly deserve.\nI am committed to ensuring that we honor the promises that were made to these American heroes. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to them and their families by vowing to make sure they succeed. They deserve nothing less.\nThis story may be updated.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-issues-statement-observance-veterans-day", "Rep. Sewell Issues Statement in Observance of Veterans Day", "2015-11-11", "2015", "2015-11", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) released the following statement in commemoration of Veterans Day:\nToday we salute the selfless sacrifices of our nation's 21 million veterans. These patriots have kept our nation safe while defending our nation at home and abroad. They have served our country with distinction, and we should honor them for their bravery and courage with actions -- not simply words.\nCongress must continue to support and provide critical resources to the Veterans Administration (VA) to ensure that our veterans have access to quality health care, good-paying jobs, affordable housing, and opportunities to continue their education. We should not deny the very liberties they fought to protect, nor deny them any benefits they so fittingly deserve.\nI am committed to ensuring that we honor the promises that were made to these American heroes. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to them and their families by vowing to make sure they succeed. They deserve nothing less.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/palmer-applauds-our-veterans", "Palmer Applauds Our Veterans", "2015-11-10", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Gary J. Palmer", "P000609", "palmer.house.gov", "palmer", "https://palmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "For Immediate Release\n\nWashington D.C. \u2013 Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL) joins Americans all over the country celebrating our nation's veterans this Veterans Day, and offers the following statement:\n\n\"I want to wholeheartedly express my appreciation to each and every one of our veterans, both in Alabama and throughout America,\" Palmer said. \"Our national anthem calls the America the \u2018land of the free and the home of the brave.' A popular rephrasing of that is that America is \u2018Land of the free because of the brave.' It remains free because brave citizens choose to join our armed forced and serve their country sacrificially.\"\n\nFor any additional questions, contact:\n\nCliff Smith, (202) 225-4921, clifford.smith@mail.house.gov\n\nU.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Science, Space and Technology. Visit Palmer online at his website or via Facebook,Twitter, or Instagram.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:30:58Z"], ["https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-visit-cuba-united-states-agriculture-secretary", "Rep. Sewell to Visit Cuba with United States Agriculture Secretary", "2015-11-10", "2015", "2015-11", "Democrat", "House", "AL", "Terri Sewell", "S001185", "sewell.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Terri Sewell is joining U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on a Congressional delegation to Cuba to discuss opportunities to expand agricultural trade.\nI am excited to join Secretary Vilsack for this historic visit to Cuba. This visit builds on the trade summit I hosted in Montgomery earlier this year with U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman. Given Alabama's growing trade interests, I look forward to meeting with members of Cuba's Ministry of Agriculture and discussing ways to further expand trade with Cuba. Alabama exported approximately $32.8 million in food products to Cuba in 2014, according to the Foreign Trade Division of the U.S. Census Bureau. With renewed U.S. diplomatic relations in Havana, my hope is that Alabama will derive huge economic benefits that have been fostered by existing trade relationships with Cuba.\n\"Access to foreign markets and fair trade policies that benefit American workers are necessary components that will help Alabama exporters to continue to thrive and spur new job creation. President Obama took historic steps to chart a new course for U.S.-Cuba relations when he restored diplomatic relations between our two countries. This will undoubtedly serve as a catalyst for increased trade and investment opportunities in Cuba for Alabama businesses, especially those in our agriculture sector.\"\nSenator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Representative Suzan DelBene of Washington, and Representative Kurt Schrader of Oregon are participating in the Cuba trip. The Congressional delegation is leaving Washington, D.C. on Wednesday and will return on Saturday.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://mikerogers.house.gov/press-release/rogers-rejection-keystone-xl-pipeline", "Rogers on Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline", "2015-11-06", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Mike Rogers", "R000575", "mikerogers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rogers on Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline             \n      \n      \n      \n      \n      \n        \n        \n                                                  \n              Nov 6, 2015      \t\t        \t    \n               \n      \t                   \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (WASHINGTON, DC)Congressman Mike Rogers made the following statement today after President Obama rejected the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline.\nWith the rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline, the Obama Administration once again stands in the way of job creation. With instability in the Middle East, North American energy is exactly what this country needs, but instead Obamas policy agenda includes rejection of both reliable energy and American jobs. I am extremely disappointed, but not surprised, that this Administration is playing politics with our countrys economy.\n -###-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://roby.house.gov/column/fighting-alabama-agriculture", "Fighting for Alabama Agriculture", "2015-11-06", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Martha Roby", "R000591", "roby.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As the Representative for Alabamas Second Congressional District, I believe my first job is to listen to those I represent and work on their behalf in Congress. Thats why before each vote I take, I first ask, How are the people I represent affected? And for me, the districts and Alabamas interests will always come first.\nThe 2015 budget deal did not put Alabamas interests first, in a number of ways, and thats why I voted no. There were several reasons I could not support this deal that was passed by the House and Senate. To name a few, the top-down process by which the bill was conceived was all wrong, and I believe we could have charted a much stronger fiscal course.\nBut, more specifically, I could not support the budget deal because of the way it broke faith with the agriculture community and gutted the crop insurance program by $3 billion.As someone who worked hard back in 2012 and 2013 to pass a good, conservative Farm Bill that actually saves money,I remember what a big deal it was when we ended direct farm payments and moved to a more conservative, sustainable crop insurance program. It was a needed reform, but it only worked because the agriculture community knew it could count on a reliable risk management program to keep an otherwisevolatileindustry stable.\nNot everyoneI work with in Congress represents a district with such a large agricultural footprint. WhatI try to explain to them is that when you mess around with the crop insurance program, you arent just affecting farmers who put the seed in the ground. Youre affecting the ones who sell the seed, who build the equipment to cultivate and harvest the crop, and those who help process the goods to their final products. That farming dollar turns over many times, and there is an entire agriculture supply chain that is affected by farm policies set by Congress.To come in and change the rules in the middle of the game is unfair, andI wont stand for it.\nNow the focus goes to fixing the problem. I have co-sponsored the Crop Insurance Restoration Act authored by my colleague Rep. David Young of Iowa to undo this irresponsible action. Im also looking forward to working alongside with Rep. Robert Aderholt, my fellow Alabamian and chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, to ensure proper crop insurance levels are restored on the Appropriations side. Remember you can always follow this and other important issues on my Facebook page and website, roby.house.gov.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 853, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "AL", "p2": "2015"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 748, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL&year=2015&party=Republican", "selected": false}, {"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 105, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL&year=2015&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 853, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=AL&year=2015", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "AL", "label": "AL", "count": 853, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2015", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "2015", "label": "2015", "count": 853, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2015-11-06,http~3A~2F~2Froby~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fcolumn~2Ffighting-alabama-agriculture", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=AL&year=2015&_next=2015-11-06%2Chttp~3A~2F~2Froby~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fcolumn~2Ffighting-alabama-agriculture&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 156.7988379392773, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}