Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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284 rows where party = "Democrat", state = "AL" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-s-rural-act-signed-law | Rep. Sewells RURAL Act is Signed into Law | 2019-12-21 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. President Trump signed into law Friday the RURAL Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) to help preserve jobs and encourage infrastructure development by maintaining tax-exempt cooperative organizations' access to government grants and assistance, including FEMA disaster relief and funding to expand rural broadband. The cooperatives' tax-exempt status was threatened due to an unintended consequence of the hastily-passed GOP tax law. The legislation was included in the government funding bill that President Trump signed into law yesterday. Rep. Terri Sewell Communities across Alabama's 7thCongressional District rely on the services provided by rural electric cooperatives, including the deployment of rural broadband, energy to rebuild neighborhoods after natural disasters, and other economic development projects. Access to reliable, affordable broadband is especially important to my constituents in rural communities who rely on this connectivity for economic growth and learning. By ensuring that government grants for these services don't jeopardize the tax-exempt status of these cooperatives, the RURAL Act will preserve the ability for co-ops to continue providing these invaluable tools that boost local economies and support families across Alabama. Fred Braswell, CEO of the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives We are most thankful for Rep. Sewell for taking the lead on the Rural Act. She gets it! She clearly understands the importance of fixing this unintended consequence of the tax law and the negative impact it could have on rural areas of her district and all of rural Alabama. We thank her for her continued leadership on this. Tom Stackhouse, President and CEO of the Central Alabama Electric Cooperative When the call for help was issued by the electric cooperative industry, Rep. Terri Sewell quickly responded. She understood the need for action and sponsored the RURAL Act of 2019 to help not-for-profit cooperatives and other nonprofit organizations protect th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-calls-on-noaa-nominee-to-prioritize-fixing-weather-radar-gaps-in-alabama | Senator Doug Jones Calls on NOAA Nominee to Prioritize Fixing Weather Radar Gaps in Alabama | 2019-12-20 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today wrote to Neil Jacobs, who has been nominated to serve as Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to call attention to the gaps in weather radar capabilities in Alabama and to request a meeting on the issue before the Senate votes to confirm him. Jacobs currently serves as the acting NOAA Administrator. Senator Jones' office has worked with NOAA to bring attention to the need to expand radar coverage to areas that are not captured by NOAA's fleet of 160 Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD), particularly in Northwest and South Alabama. NEXRAD systems are no longer being built and new systems will not be ready for another 10-20 years, leaving many communities without the ability to adequately forecast and track storm systems. Alabama is particularly susceptible to damaging storms as was evidenced by the deadly tornadoes in Lee County last year. Closing radar gaps and providing better warning to communities will save lives in my state, wrote Senator Jones, who has been a strong advocate for disaster aid for Alabamians and has proposed legislation to improve preparedness. Since 2000, more than 300 Alabamians have died as a result of tornado-related injuries. Full text of Senator Jones' letter is below and a .pdf is available here. December 20, 2019 Neil Jacobs Acting NOAA Administrator National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1401 Constitution AvenueNW, Room 5128 Washington, DC 20230 Mr. Jacobs, thank you for your public service and your desire to serve as the next Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA supervises a fleet of 160 Next Generation Weather Radar(NEXRAD). NEXRAD provides coverage for much of the United States but there are gaps in this coverage that leave many communities, particularly in rural Alabama, vulnerable to fast-developing storms. This can be due to lack of coverage or due to inadequate coverage at the outer reaches of a NEXRAD system. NEXRAD sy… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-announces-2019-congressional-app-challenge-winners | Rep. Sewell Announces 2019 Congressional App Challenge Winners | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Birmingham, AL U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) is thrilled to announce Jada Wells, Alexis Perry and Ashton Young (all from RB Hudson Middle School), as this year's winners of the 2019 Congressional App Challenge. The annual challenge is open to middle and high school registrants throughout Alabama's 7th Congressional District, and is meant to encourage engagement in computer science and STEM programs. Every year, I look forward to seeing what innovative new coding creations our applicants will submit, and this year was no disappointment, said Rep. Sewell. As a proud product of the Selma City Schools, I am excited that for the second year in a row, our district winner is a Selma City Studentit is a testament to the priority that the Selma system is putting on STEM. I especially want to recognize and thank seventh grade science teacher and Robotics Club leader, Ms. Sherry Jackson, whose guidance has been instrumental in encouraging our R.B. Hudson Middle School applicants. Jada Wells, Alexis Perry and Ashton Young have all created practical, well-designed apps, using technology to address tangible needs in their daily lives. This is technology and creativity at its best, and I hope that every contestant inspired to continue to develop these practical skills, which will doubtless serve them in the years to come. In first place, Jada Wells' Bulldog Alert was built to aid substitute teachers with emergency procedures. The app was written in block code and can be viewed here. In second place, Alexis Perry's Classroom 101 was created to assist elementary school teachers by finding worksheets, books and websites for a variety of subjects. The app was written in block code and can be viewed here. Alexis Perry was last year's first place winner and attended #HouseofCode in Washington, D.C. In third place, Ashton Young's Selma Tours helps tourists find their way around the historic city of Selma, Alabama, a prominent landmark in the civil rights movement. The app was written in block code and can be viewed here. First place… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-applauds-house-passage-us-mexico-canada-trade-agreement | Rep. Sewell Applauds House Passage of U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) praised the House passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) on Thursday. As a member of the Democrat Working Group tasked with improving the deal, she worked for six months to make transformative changes to the labor, environment, access to medicines and enforcement provisions in the deal. In 2018, Alabama exported over $4 billion in goods to Canada and over $2.6 billion to Mexico. USMCA will help level the playing field for American workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses, leading to further economic growth in Alabama. It was an honor to serve as one of the eight democratic members tasked by Speaker Pelosi to negotiate with the Trump Administration to improve this trade deal. Because of House Democrats, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that the House passed today is infinitely better than the agreement that the Trump Administration handed us earlier this year, Sewell said. While not a perfect agreement, the re-negotiated USMCA is a win for Alabama manufacturers and farmers and will help level the playing field and promote economic prosperity for workers and businesses in Alabama's 7th Congressional District. Prior to our negotiations, the Trump Administration handed the House a USMCA with the same broken state-to-state dispute settlement mechanism that made the original NAFTA unenforceable, Sewell explained. The President's proposal was a total non-starter for Democrats and working Americans, so I made enforcement my top priority, closing harmful loopholes in the old NAFTA's dispute resolution mechanism that now makes the trade deal more enforceable. We also added new enforcement rules that will make it easier for our Trade Representative to dispute labor violation, especially with Mexico. Specifically, House Democrats closed enforcement loopholes and streamlined the dispute settlement system to ensure that our trading partners live up to their commitments: An enhanced state-to-state measure to settle general disputes and ensures states ca… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-bill-to-crack-down-on-robocalls-passes-congress-set-to-become-law | Senator Doug Jones’ Bill to Crack Down on Robocalls Passes Congress, Set to Become Law | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today the Senate passed broad, bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) to decrease and deter robocalls. The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month. The bill now heads to the President to be signed into law. Most people in this day and age know what it's like to have their phone go off all day long because of annoying robocalls. These calls aren't just an everyday nuisance -- they can also perpetrate scams and often prey on the elderly. Even in the divisive times we have today, we can all agree that these incessant robocalls need to end, and I'm glad Congress was able to come to a bipartisan compromise to crack down on them, Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, where he has worked to raise awareness of scams targeting the elderly and passed bipartisan legislation to protect taxpayers from being targets of tax-return fraud. The TRACED Act gives regulators more time to find scammers and levy fines for those who are caught, promotes call authentication and blocking adoption, and brings relevant federal agencies and state attorneys general together to address impediments to criminal prosecution of robocallers who intentionally flout laws. The TRACED Act would: Requires service providers to implement call authentication and blocking technologies free of charge for consumers and small businesses; Gives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the ability to step up enforcement actions against unlawful robocalls with a longer statute of limitations and increased fines in certain cases; Brings together relevant federal agencies as well as state attorneys general and other non-federal entities to identify and report to Congress on improving deterrence and criminal prosecution of robocall scams at the federal and state levels; Requires the FCC to establish partnershi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-future-act-signed-into-law-by-president-trump | Senator Doug Jones’ FUTURE Act Signed into Law by President Trump | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today released the following statement on the President's signing of his bipartisan FUTURE Act legislation to permanently renew funding for Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs). The bill also includes a first step toward simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. The legislation passed in Congress last week with overwhelming bipartisan support. Today marks the end of a 15-month effort to provide permanent, reliable funding for our HBCUs and minority-serving institutions of higher education around the country. These schools are part of the very foundation of our higher education system and serve six million talented students across the country. Permanent funding will allow them to fulfill their mission of serving their students and educating our next generation of leaders. This is just one example of how members of Congress can still work in a bipartisan way to get things done and do the right thing for the people we serve, said Senator Doug Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. READ: Alabama HBCU leaders respond to FUTURE Act passage Background: Earlier this month, Senator Jones joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to announce acompromise dealto permanently fund HBCUs and MSIs as well as take a step toward simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). That legislation was amended to strengthen privacy protections and approved in the House of Representatives by a vote of319-96. The amended bill was approved unanimously in the Senate. Before funding expired on September 30, Senator Jones took to the Senate floor tourge his colleaguesto support a vote on his legislation. The Senate failed to take action before the deadline, but Senator Jones continued to fight to renew the funding and raise awareness about the urgent need to pass this legislation. Senator Jones first proposed to pe… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-announces-funding-for-alabama-priorities-in-appropriations-package-passed-by-congress | Senator Jones Announces Funding for Alabama Priorities in Appropriations Package Passed by Congress | 2019-12-19 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today announced that dozens of his requests to fund priorities for Alabama were included in a year-end appropriations package that passed the Senate today. The two funding bills now head to the President's desk for his signature. From increased resources for our HBCUs to additional funding to prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in our deer population, there are dozens of Alabama priorities included in this bill, said Senator Doug Jones. The deal will also fund my Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Commission, end the Kiddie Tax on military families, and provide funding for heirs' property owners to resolve burdensome legal issues. I want to thank Senators Richard Shelby and Patrick Leahy, who lead our Appropriations Committee, for their bipartisan work to get this done. Key provisions championed by Senator Jones include: Ending the Kiddie Tax: As a result of the Military Widow's Tax, Gold Star spouses often put benefits in their children's names in order to collect full survivor benefits. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly raised taxes due on these benefits up to a tax rate of 37 percent, resulting in surprise tax increases of over $1,000 for many families. The inclusion of Senator Jones' bill to get rid of the Kiddie Tax will restore the previous lower tax rate on these benefits. Civil Rights Cold Case bill implementation: $2M has been allocated for National Archives and Records Administration to implement Senator Jones' Civil Rights Cold Case Collection Act, which was signed into law by the President early this year. Funding gun violence prevention research: For the first time in two decades, Congress will allocate $25M for research into the causes of gun violence in America. Senator Jones has supported this effort as a common-sense, bipartisan step to better understand and prevent acts of gun violence. Improving maternal and child health: $17M increase for programs to improve maternal and child healt… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-votes-impeach-president-donald-j-trump | Rep. Sewell Votes to Impeach President Donald J. Trump | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement Wednesday after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald J. Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress: No one comes to Congress to impeach a president. However, the President has given this Congress no choice he has put us in an untenable position. The evidence is clear and direct: The President, by his own admission, has endangered our national security and the very foundation of our democracy. He used the full power of his office to solicit intervention from a foreign government in securing dirt against his political rival, while millions of dollars in foreign aid hung in the balance. The President's transgressions did not end there. He and his administration have stonewalled Congress for months, refusing to cooperate with the House's constitutionally-mandated oversight duties. It is for these reasons, and with a profound sense of gravity and solemnity, that I support both articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. While President Trump's indefensible actions set in motion this event, my vote for impeachment is not about the President. It is about my oath to defend and protect the Constitution, uphold this democracy, and to honor the sacred trust that my constituents bestowed upon me. The President's actions, and his continued solicitation for foreign intervention in our democracy, constitute a present danger to the very foundation of our nation. To not act would set a dangerous precedent. In the United States of America, no one is above the law, not even the President. Democrat or Republican, it is time for us to pull together and show unity, sending a message to the American people that we are still a nation that is willing to fight for our democracy. The President forced the House's hand. Now, the Senate must hold President Trump to account for his betrayal of the American people. Video… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-applauds-future-act-becoming-law | Rep. Sewell Applauds the FUTURE Act Becoming Law | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) applauded Congress' passage of the FUTURE Act, legislation that permanently reauthorizes crucial mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and all Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). The bill provides these institutions with $255 million in annual funding, which will provide the stability needed for long-term planning. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) was the lead sponsor of the FUTURE Act in the Senate. The strength of HBCUs in Alabama is deeply personal for me as my parents are both proud graduates of Alabama State University. I would not be where I am today had my parents not received such a remarkable education at ASU, Sewell said. Alabama is proud to be the home of the most HBCUs in the country. The FUTURE Act will ensure that these historic institutions have the stability and certainty necessary to continue to provide quality education to future generations to come. I want to thank Senator Jones for his tireless work in the Senate to shepherd this bill into law, Sewell said. He worked diligently with Senate Republicans to get this vital legislation over the finish line. The FUTURE Act also simplifies the FAFSA by eliminating up to 22 questions. By simplifying the burdensome FAFSA form, this bill removes a significant barrier for students who need financial assistance in order to afford college. Alabama's 14 HBCUs will receive over $9.5 million annually in funding as a result of the FUTURE Act. INSTITUTION NAME AWARD AMOUNT ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY $1,150,640 ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY $1,186,262 BISHOP STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - CA $250,000 BISHOP STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - MA $761,043 GADSDEN STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE $250,000 J. F. DRAKE STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE $250,000 LAWSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE $968,943 MILES COLLEGE $872,246 … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-secures-key-wins-government-funding-packages | Rep. Sewell Secures Key Wins in Government Funding Packages | 2019-12-17 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement today following the House passage of 12 appropriations bills for fiscal year 2020 and an accompanying tax package. The appropriations package contains nearly $1.2 billion that Sewell directly worked with House appropriators to secure. The legislation the House passed today reflects a bipartisan commitment to historic preservation, rural wastewater infrastructure, education and more all important wins for Alabama's 7th Congressional District, Sewell said. We also secured funding for critical improvements to wastewater infrastructure in the district, building upon our long-term commitment to ensuring all Alabama residents have access to basic wastewater sanitation. While I am pleased that many priorities for the 7th District were included in this year's bill, I share the concerns of many of my Democratic colleagues related to the cost of this legislation and funding for the Department of Homeland Security, Sewell said. We must do more to limit funding for this Administration's destructive and cruel anti-immigrant policies. The domestic priorities and international assistance appropriations minibus, H.R. 1865, reflects conference agreements for eight appropriations bills: Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, Agriculture, Energy and Water Development, Interior-Environment, Legislative Branch, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, State-Foreign Operations, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. The national security appropriations minibus, H.R. 1158, reflects conference agreements for four appropriations bills: Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Financial Services and General Government, and Homeland Security. Key priorities Sewell secured in the legislation include: $1.45 billion for rural water and waste program loans, which is an increase of $50 million since 2019. $5 million for Sewell's Rural Septic Tank Access Act, which passed in the 2018 Farm Bill and will be used to provide grants to improve rural decentra… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/grants/guide-grants/guide-grants-issue-355-december-16-2019 | Guide to Grants Issue 355 - December 16, 2019 | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | 908 Alabama Avenue Federal Building, Suite 112 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-statement-house-judiciary-committee-vote-articles-impeachment | Rep. Sewell Statement on House Judiciary Committee Vote on Articles of Impeachment | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement today after the House Judiciary Committee approved two articles of impeachment against President Trump: Today is a somber moment in our nation's history. Given the gravity of the charges and overwhelming facts that came out of the Intelligence Committee and the discussion in the Judiciary Committee, it saddens me it was a party line vote. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-jones-cotton-merkley-reintroduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-stop-predatory-unsolicited-loans | Senators Jones, Cotton, Merkley Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Stop Predatory Unsolicited Loans | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have reintroduced bipartisan legislationthe Unsolicited Loan Act that would halt the predatory practice of mailing high-interest loans to consumers in the form of live checks. Often times, when consumers receive these checks in the mail they believe them to be from their bank or another trusted financial institution and are unaware the check is a high-interest loan. Under the Unsolicited Loan Act, this practice would be prohibited and would ensure consumers can only access loans for which they proactively applied. This legislation echoes Congress' ban on the mailing of live credit cards. We need to continue to take a stand for hard-working families and make sure we have protections in place to prevent these predatory tactics, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Many honest folks are not aware that by depositing these checks they are actually taking on a high-interest loan. Congress must act now and pass this common-sense legislation to protect consumers from this predatory scam. People should understand exactly what they're getting into when taking on debt. But many individuals don't understand that live' checks mailed directly to consumers are just high-interest loans in disguise. Congress put an end to live' credit cards decades ago, it's time to do the same with live' checks, said Senator Cotton. Families across the country have fallen victim to scams where they think they're getting a lucky windfall or refund from their bank, and instead are being lured into a high-interest loan theynever asked for,said Senator Merkley. It should be illegal to trick unsuspecting customers into loans they don't want, and that's why I'm urging my colleagues to take a stand for consumer fairness and transparency by passing the Unsolicited Loan Act. Background on the Unsolicited Loan Act Congress has long recognized consumer loans should require an applicati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-jones-cotton-merkley-reintroduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-stop-predatory-unsolicited-loans-senators-jones-cotton-merkley-reintroduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-stop-predatory-unsolicited-loans | Senators Jones, Cotton, Merkley Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Stop Predatory Unsolicited Loans Senators Jones, Cotton, Merkley Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Stop Predatory Unsolicited Loans | 2019-12-13 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have reintroduced bipartisan legislationthe Unsolicited Loan Act that would halt the predatory practice of mailing high-interest loans to consumers in the form of live checks. Often times, when consumers receive these checks in the mail they believe them to be from their bank or another trusted financial institution and are unaware the check is a high-interest loan. Under the Unsolicited Loan Act, this practice would be prohibited and would ensure consumers can only access loans for which they proactively applied. This legislation echoes Congress' ban on the mailing of live credit cards. We need to continue to take a stand for hard-working families and make sure we have protections in place to prevent these predatory tactics, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Many honest folks are not aware that by depositing these checks they are actually taking on a high-interest loan. Congress must act now and pass this common-sense legislation to protect consumers from this predatory scam. People should understand exactly what they're getting into when taking on debt. But many individuals don't understand that live' checks mailed directly to consumers are just high-interest loans in disguise. Congress put an end to live' credit cards decades ago, it's time to do the same with live' checks, said Senator Cotton. Families across the country have fallen victim to scams where they think they're getting a lucky windfall or refund from their bank, and instead are being lured into a high-interest loan theynever asked for,said Senator Merkley. It should be illegal to trick unsuspecting customers into loans they don't want, and that's why I'm urging my colleagues to take a stand for consumer fairness and transparency by passing the Unsolicited Loan Act. Background on the Unsolicited Loan Act Congress has long recognized consumer loans should require an applicati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-applauds-house-passage-hr-3-lower-drug-costs-now-act | Rep. Sewell Applauds House Passage of H.R. 3, The Lower Drug Costs Now Act | 2019-12-12 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) praised the House passage of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. The bill will bring down costs for patients and taxpayers, help level the playing field for American consumers and will allow for reinvestment in Medicare program improvements and medical innovation. I have heard from too many Alabamians who struggle to afford their prescription drug costs and who have been forced to make countless sacrifices because of the skyrocketing cost of their life-saving medications. H.R. 3 is much-needed, bold and innovative legislation that will lower drug costs for all Americans, Sewell said. The bill finally lifts the longtime ban on Medicare's ability to negotiate drug prices and makes those prices available to all Americans; institutes a new $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries; and saves taxpayers almost $500 billion over the next ten years. Those savings are reinvested in policies to improve the Medicare program and spur medical research and innovation. The absence of a cap in the current Part D design means that runaway, unlimited out-of-pocket drug costs can strip seniors of their financial stability with a single diagnosis. So, I worked with Speaker Pelosi to ensure our seniors no longer have unlimited liability for out-of-pocket costs and can pay their new $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs in equal installments over the course of a year, instead of up front, all at once. Sewell continued. I was also proud to co-author a provision in the bill to ensure seniors are enrolled in the best Medicare Part D program for their individual needs, which has the potential to save seniors thousands of dollars on out-of-pocket costs for the prescription drugs they need to stay healthy. In Alabama's 7th Congressional District, there are over 100,000 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and over 360,000 enrolled in private health insurance all of whom stand to benefit from H.R. 3. Specifically, the Lower Drug Co… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-supports-passage-national-defense-authorization-act-0 | Rep. Sewell Supports Passage of the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report | 2019-12-11 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Chair of the Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support, praised the House passage of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Sewell was also selected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in September to serve on the conference committee tasked with working out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the NDAA. The bipartisan, bicameral conference report authorizes $738 billion for defense spending for FY 2020. From the men and women serving at Maxwell Air Force Base and at the 187th Fighter Wing in Montgomery, to the shipbuilding industry in Mobile and the missile defense efforts in Huntsville, Alabama plays a major part in our national security, Sewell said. I am proud to have represented our state in conference with my colleagues. We delivered a smart, bipartisan defense bill that improves campaign election security, makes good on our promises to military widows and authorizes funding to equip, supply and train U.S. troops and support military families at home and abroad. Included in the NDAA are several provisions Sewell authored and successfully incorporated into the conference report, including: Language to improve federal campaign election security. Specifically, the legislation requires the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to work with the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to make available an advisory report on foreign counter-intelligence and cybersecurity threats to election campaigns for federal offices. Additionally, it would require the DNI work jointly to publish a summary of best practices that federal campaigns can employ to counter such threats. In the event that Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis jointly determine that a federal election ca… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-statement-new-north-american-trade-agreement | Rep. Sewell Statement on New North American Trade Agreement | 2019-12-10 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade and a member of the Democratic Working Group chosen by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to negotiate improvements to the new North American trade agreement, released the following statement today after House Democrats achieved substantial changes to the trade deal: A year ago, the Trump Administration delivered to Congress a deal that was unenforceable, inadequate and dead on arrival. House Democrats worked tirelessly to make transformative changes to the labor, environment, access to medicines, and enforcement provisions in the deal. I am particularly proud that we have made this agreement enforceable by fixing the state-to-state mechanism and adding an enhanced rapid-response enforcement mechanism for labor. At the end of the day, the Working Group demanded changes that would benefit American workers, and we delivered. Democrats are creating a paradigm shift around our country's trade policy, especially for the benefit of Alabama workers, farmers and manufacturers. This is a big win for Alabama and will help ensure workers and industry are able to compete on a level playing field. I want to congratulate Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Neal, the Working Group and House Democrats on successfully negotiating a truly transformative trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. We have been laser-focused on legislating this Congress, and this new North American Trade Agreement is no exception. A fact sheet on the wins Democrats secured in the new North American trade agreement is available here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-bill-to-permanently-renew-funding-for-hbcus-earns-final-approval-heads-to-presidents-desk-for-signature | Senator Jones: Bill to Permanently Renew Funding for HBCUs Earns Final Approval, Heads to President’s Desk for Signature | 2019-12-10 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today announced final passage of his bipartisan legislation, the FUTURE Act, to permanently renew annual funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs) that had expired in September. Last week, Senator Jones joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to announce a compromise deal to permanently fund HBCUs and MSIs as well as take a first important step to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). That legislation was amended to strengthen privacy protections and approved in the House of Representatives today by a vote of 319-96. The amended bill was approved unanimously in the Senate this evening. It now goes to the President for his signature. Before funding expired on September 30, Senator Jones took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to support a vote on his legislation. The Senate failed to take action before the deadline, but Senator Jones continued to fight to renew the funding and raise awareness about the urgent need to pass this legislation. This day has been more than a year in the making and it will be a welcome relief to the HBCUs in Alabama that serve tens of thousands of our best and brightest. Today we are sending an important message of support for our HBCUs and showing in no uncertain terms that we believe they are vital to our system of higher education, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Our legislation also makes much-needed changes to the FAFSA form and will make it easier for more students to earn a college degree. Its swift passage tonight is proof that Congress can make progress on bipartisan priorities even despite all that's going on in Washington these days. Leaders from the thirteen Alabama HBCUs that receive this annual funding responded swiftly to express their support for the FUTURE Act and to share what this progress means to their institutions: Dr. Reginald Sykes, President, Bishop State… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-champions-alabama-priorities-in-final-defense-bill | Senator Doug Jones Champions Alabama Priorities in Final Defense Bill | 2019-12-09 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The Senate and House Armed Services Committees today released the final text of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with numerous provisions and Alabama priorities secured by Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.). The annual legislation authorizes national defense objectives for the next fiscal year. The bill will now be voted on by both houses and if it passes, it will go to the President for his signature. This bill is proof that Congress is still capable of putting aside partisanship and getting things done for the American people. Providing 12 weeks of paid leave for federal employees, securing a 3.1 percent pay raise for troops, and eliminating the military widow's tax will make a huge difference in the lives of people in Alabama and across the country,said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The fact that this bill authorizes so many Alabama priorities is a testament to the importance of Alabama's role in our national defense and the quality of our servicemen and women. The final legislation includes funding for key Alabama projects like ship-building, helicopter construction, and combat vehicle upgrades. It will also authorize the U.S. Space Force and ensures strong space defense programs. And, it will support military families and children through privatized housing reforms, additional aid to schools serving military children, and inter-state licensing transfer compacts to help spouses transition their careers more seamlessly. Senator Jones'bipartisan bill to support victims of Iranian terrorismwas also included in the package. TheSupporting Victims of Iranian Terrorism Actwill allow family members at least 35 of whom live in Alabama of the victims of the1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, as well as families of 9/11 victims, to seek restitution for their loved ones' deaths by allowing them to make claims on $1.68 billion in Iranian funds that are currently being held by a Luxembourg-based firm. The bill will also establish 1… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-doug-jones-susan-collins-announce-military-widows-tax-repeal-included-in-final-defense-bill | Senators Doug Jones, Susan Collins Announce Military Widow’s Tax Repeal Included in Final Defense Bill | 2019-12-09 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.)and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine)today announced the inclusion oftheirbipartisanMilitary Widow's Tax Elimination Actin the final annual defense bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This marks a significant step in the 18-year effort to pass legislation to repeal the law that penalizes our nation's Gold Star families by preventing them from receiving the full survivor benefits for which they have earned and paid for. The NDAA will now go to the House and Senate for final consideration, where it will receive an up-or-down vote with no further amendments allowed. Legislation to repeal the widow's tax has been repeatedly introduced in the Senate for nearly two decades to roll back the law, which was enacted in 1972. Under Senator Jones' leadership, the bill has earned a record-high 78 total cosponsors in the Senate. Since introducing the bill with Republican Senator Susan Collins in March, they have worked tirelessly to garner support among their colleagues in both the Senate and House as well as makethe case on behalf of the 67,000 surviving spouses who are impacted by the military widow's tax. Most recently,Senator Jonesled an efforton the Senate floor to call for inclusion of the repeal in the final defense bill. His proposal passed by a vote of 94-0. Words cannot begin to express the gravity of this news for the tens of thousands of Gold Star families who have been hurt by this policy for four decades,said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. I am grateful to the leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees Senators Jim Inhofe and Jack Reed and Congressmen Adam Smith and Mac Thornberry who have heard our voices and are doing right by our military widows. A great deal of credit must also go to the widows themselves, so many of whom have been coming to Capitol Hill year after year to bring attention to this gross injustice on behalf of their fellow surviving spouses. Today, we can finally see t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-praises-house-passage-voting-rights-advancement-act | Rep. Sewell Praises House Passage of the Voting Rights Advancement Act | 2019-12-06 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) praised the House passage of H.R. 4, her Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill will restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by outlining a process to determine which states and localities with a recent history of voting rights violations must pre-clear election changes with the Department of Justice. Voting is personal to me, not only because I represent America's Civil Rights Districtbut because it was on the streets of my hometown, Selma, Alabama, that foot soldiers shed their blood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge so that all Americansregardless of racecould vote! Sewell said. I am so proud that, today, the House took critical steps in addressing the Supreme Court's Shelby decision and passed H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to its full strength. The Supreme Courts' 2013 Shelby County v. Holder ruling struck down Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlined the qualifications needed to determine which states are required by the Justice Department to pre-clear elections changes in states with a history of voter discrimination. Since the Shelby decision, nearly two-dozen states have implemented restrictive voter ID laws and previously-covered states have closed or consolidated polling places, shortened early voting and imposed other measures that restrict voting. The Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) seeks to restore the VRA by developing a process to determine which states must pre-clear election changes with the Department of Justice. It will also require a nationwide, practice-based pre-clearance of known discriminatory practices, including the creation of at-large districts, inadequate multilingual voting materials, cuts to polling places, changes that reduce the days or hours of in person voting on Sundays during the early voting period and changes to the maintenance of voter registration lists that adds a basis or institutes a new process for removal from the lists, where the jurisdicti… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-introduces-bipartisan-package-of-bills-to-protect-vulnerable-children | Senator Doug Jones Introduces Bipartisan Package of Bills to Protect Vulnerable Children | 2019-12-06 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) have introduced a bipartisan package of bills to protect vulnerable children. The first bill provides funding and resources for states to combat child abuse and neglect. The second piece of legislation removes barriers to adoption and helps children in need find loving, permanent families. We can all agree that keeping our children safe should be one of our country's top priorities, said Senator Jones. We need to continue to work to strengthen our child protection system and to provide resources to prevent child neglect and abuse before it happens and reduce barriers to adoption so that children in need can find loving, permanent homes. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Reauthorization Act of 2019 would reauthorize the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and strengthen the programs that the federal government provides to help states combat child abuse and neglect. The bill provides funds to improve states' child protective service systems and establishes various reporting, investigation, and response requirements. The bill also funds community-based activities and services to prevent child abuse and neglect, including family-strengthening services like parent empowerment and positive parenting education. The Adoption Opportunities Act of 2019 would provide support for projects that eliminate barriers to adoption and help children who would benefit from adoption to find permanent, loving families. This includes programs to increase the placement of children who are racial and ethnic minorities, older children, and children who are disabled. The Adoption Opportunities Act also funds pre- and post-adoption services for families and supports kinship care arrangements. The measures have been sent to the Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee for action, and the CAPTA legislation is expected to be considered next week in a HELP Committee hearing. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/video-rep-sewell-takes-house-floor-ahead-house-vote-hr-4 | VIDEO: Rep. Sewell Takes to the House Floor Ahead of House Vote on H.R. 4 | 2019-12-05 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) took to the House floor today in support of H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, an advance of the bill's consideration on Friday. The Voting Rights Advancement Act addresses the Supreme Court's Shelby County v. Holder decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The legislation will help stop the most egregious forms of recent voter suppression by developing a process to determine which states and localities with a recent history of voting rights violations must pre-clear election changes with the Department of Justice. No right is more precious to our citizenship than the right of all Americans to be able to vote, Sewell said. When Americans are not able to cast their ballots, their votes are silenced. And we, especially as elected officials, should be alarmed if any American who wants to cast a ballot is unable to cast a ballot. It's clear to me that since the Shelby v. Holder decision, so many states have now instituted voter discrimination laws. Some of them have been in the guise of voter fraud, Sewell continued. But it's not about voter fraud, it's about voter suppression, suppressing the voice of certain Americans, and that's un-American. You can watch her full remarks here and a rush transcript can be found below. Remarks on the House Floor Rep. Terri Sewell December 5, 2019 Rep. Sewell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I proudly rise to support the rule of H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019. Voting rights are primal. They are the cornerstone of our democracy. No right is more precious to our citizenship than the right of all Americans to be able to vote. When Americans are not able to cast their ballots, their votes are silenced. And we, especially as elected officials, should be alarmed if any American who wants to cast a ballot is unable to cast a ballot. What H.R. 4 does is it restores the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by giving a new coverage formula. In fact, the Roberts Court specifically said in striking down Section 4b that … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-approves-jones-bill-to-permanently-renew-federal-funding-for-hbcus-and-minority-serving-schools | Senate Approves Jones Bill to Permanently Renew Federal Funding for HBCUs and Minority-Serving Schools | 2019-12-05 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today announced the Senate passage of his legislation to permanently renew funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs). The legislation also includes a first step toward simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. Annual funding for MSIs expired on September 30, 2019. This is wonderful news for students and faculty at minority-serving institutions across the country, including the 13 schools in Alabama that receive this annual funding. After their funding expired in September this year, they can finally breathe a sigh of relief now that the Senate has passed a permanent renewal that will allow them to plan for the future for years to come, said Senator Doug Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Importantly, this legislation will also take a long-overdue first step toward simplifying the FAFSA application and removing barriers for students across the country who want to achieve their dream of a college education. This is an example of the kinds of important goals we can achieve when both sides reach across the aisle to find common ground. Without question, Title III, Part-F funding is of material importance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), said Harry L. Williams, President & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). This bi-partisan agreement to renew Title III, Part-F, assuming that the legislation is subsequently passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law by President Trump, means that Alabama's HBCUs will not suffer the loss of over $8 million in annual federal funding that is used to support these institutions' respective missions; a result that is both consequential for our schools and, more importantly, their deserving students. TMCF greatly appreciates the leadership Senator Jones has taken throughout this process and for being a committed partner in ensuring that this cri… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-votes-to-confirm-montgomerys-austin-huffaker-to-the-us-district-court-for-the-middle-district-of-alabama | Senator Doug Jones Votes to Confirm Montgomery’s Austin Huffaker to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama | 2019-12-04 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today voted to confirm R. Austin Huffaker, Jr., to serve as the U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama. Mr. Huffaker's nomination was confirmed by a vote of 89-4. Senator Jones released the following statement upon Mr. Huffaker's confirmation by the full Senate today: Throughout his confirmation process, I have been proud to support Montgomery's Austin Huffaker for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. In July, I joined my colleague Senator Shelby to recommend Mr. Huffaker's favorable consideration in the Senate Judiciary Committee and today I cast my vote in favor of his confirmation by the full Senate. Mr. Huffaker has an excellent reputation within the legal profession for his fairness, temperament and thoughtfulness. I believe he will serve with the utmost integrity on the bench and will represent Alabama with distinction. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-announces-bipartisan-solution-to-permanently-fund-hbcus-and-simplify-federal-student-aid-application | Senator Doug Jones Announces Bipartisan Solution to Permanently Fund HBCUs and Simplify Federal Student Aid Application | 2019-12-03 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce a solution to both permanently fund Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and to take a first step toward simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. Annual funding for MSIs expired on September 30, 2019. The solution proposed today by Senator Jones and his colleagues amends his FUTURE Act legislation to permanently renew $255 million in annual funding for HBCUs and MSIs, and will also simplify the FAFSA by reducing it by up to 22 questions. The amendment is paid for through reduced administrative costs achieved by allowing FAFSA applicants to give permission to the Internal Revenue Service to securely share tax return data directly with the U.S. Department of Education. The permanent renewal of federal funding is a huge win for our nation's minority-serving institutions, which have faced growing uncertainty and anxiety since their $255 million in annual funding expired in September. Instead of making tough decisions to cut programs and staff this holiday season, they can now count on permanent funding that will enable them to plan long-term and focus on their educational mission, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Senator Jones has long championed the renewal of funding for minority-serving schools and also for simplification of the burdensome FAFSA form, which has proven to be a significant barrier for students who need financial assistance in order to afford college. Last year, Senator Jones proposed an ambitious bill to permanently extend and increase federal funding for MSIs before it was set to expire on September 30 this year. In the new session of Congress this year, he proposed a bipartisan bill, the FUTURE Act, to extend the funding for two years and give Congress time to negotiate a permanent solution. As the September 30th deadline approached, a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/grants/guide-grants/guide-grants-issue-354-december-2-2019 | Guide to Grants Issue 354 - December 2, 2019 | 2019-12-02 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | 908 Alabama Avenue Federal Building, Suite 112 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-sewell-reed-degette-introduce-legislation-improve-access-diabetic | Reps. Sewell, Reed, DeGette Introduce Legislation to Improve Access to Diabetic Vision Testing | 2019-11-25 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. On Friday, U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Tom Reed (NY-23) and Diana DeGette (CO-01) introduced the Diabetic Vision Loss and Blindness Prevention Act, legislation that allows primary care physicians to perform eye tests on Medicare enrollees in an effort to encourage the early detection of diabetes-related vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of adult vision impairment in the United States and, if not found and treated early, can cause permanent vision loss, Sewell said. When it comes to our fight to improve outcomes for those living with diabetes, we need to do everything in our power to give patients the tools to stay healthy, especially for those living in rural and underserved communities without access to specialty doctors. The Diabetic Vision Loss and Blindness Prevention Act is a commonsense, bipartisan measure that will allow more Alabamians to receive critical care from their family doctors. More than 80 percent of people living with diabetes develop diabetic retinopathy which causes vision loss. However, many people are not getting tested for the disease because Medicare will only reimburse specialty doctors. I care about those struggling with diabetes, and want to ensure they have quick and efficient access to care, Reed said. There is no fair reason for diabetics on Medicare to wait to see a specialist for a simple test their family doctor has the ability to conduct. There are more than 30 million people in the U.S. living with some form of diabetes who, without the proper treatment, could start to lose their vision as a result, DeGette said. In addition to lowering the cost of insulin, we need to make sure that everyone with diabetes has access to the eye care they need to prevent one of the worst effects of this disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Americans with diabetic retinopathy, which can cause vision loss and blindness, is expected to nearly double by 2050, from 7.7 to 14.6 million. Currently, Medicare o… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-leads-push-for-epa-to-enforce-civil-rights-protections | Senator Doug Jones Leads Push for EPA to Enforce Civil Rights Protections | 2019-11-22 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) is leading a group of his colleagues in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fully enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits anyone who receives federal financial aid from discriminating when implementing programs and activities. The EPA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently made an announcement that it plans to conduct an evaluation of EPA's implementation of Title VI. Currently, OIG's evaluation is limited to organizations receiving EPA Clean Air Act funds. In a letter to EPA's Acting Inspector General Charles Sheehan, Senator Jones calls on OIG to broaden the scope of its evaluation to include all federally delegated programs under which EPA has the responsibility to enforce Title VI. The letter also poses a number of questions related to EPA's insufficient enforcement of Title VI with respect to rejection of discrimination claims, lack of transparency, lack of interagency coordination, and inadequate public outreach and community engagement. The EPA, whom these Americans entrust to treat them fairly with respect to enforcing the country's environmental laws, is failing to fulfill its mission, the senators wrote. Title VI has historically been used as an enforcement mechanism for communities seeking redress for environmental injustices. However, due to a persistent lack of adequate enforcement, minority and low-income communities continue to suffer the disproportionate adverse impacts of contaminated air, land, and water. The letter was also signed by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tom Carper (D-Del), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.),… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-announces-over-105-million-federal-grant-funding-projects-7th | Rep. Sewell Announces Over $10.5 Million in Federal Grant Funding for Projects in the 7th Congressional District | 2019-11-21 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded more than $10.5 million in federal grant funding for infrastructure, health care and education projects throughout Alabama's 7th Congressional District. In order for Alabama's 7th Congressional District to maintain a strong and vital economy, we must invest in our most valuable asset our people. Our education system, health care system and infrastructure are vital for individuals and families across our district to live and prosper and, in turn, for our economy to grow and thrive, Sewell said. I'm thrilled to announce over $10.5 million in federal grants, which represents a substantial investment in both the people and economy of the 7th District. Specifically, Sewell announced grants for the following USDA projects: A grant of $1,612,000 and a loan of $2,073,000 to continue the expansion of the water system in Perry County and provide residents with clean drinking water. A grant of $478,962 to help Stillman College implement a distance learning project in partnership with the Alabama State Department of Education. A grant of $391,983 to help the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to implement a telehealth outreach project that is expected to reach 159,000 rural residents. The project will benefit three hospitals. A grant of $359,283 for the University of Alabama at Birmingham to implement a telehealth outreach project that is expected to reach 174,831 rural residents. The project will serve four hospitals and the Marion, Pickens, Sumpter and Winston county health departments. A grant of $496,451 for Trenholm State Community College to implement a distance learning program to connect six public high schools to the college, serving 21,000 students in primarily rural areas. Sewell also announced the grants for the following HHS projects: A grant of $475,483 for UAB for cancer treatment research. A grant of $3,0… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-protect-and-increase-red-snapper-populations | Senator Jones Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect and Increase Red Snapper Populations | 2019-11-21 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) has introduced bipartisan legislation to improve the health of reef fish populations, such as red snapper, in the Gulf of Mexico. The legislation was cosponsored by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and a companion bill was recently introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Garrett Graves (R-La.) and Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). Reef fish, such as red snapper, caught and rapidly brought to the surface from deep water can suffer from barotrauma, a condition that kills fish because they cannot readjust to deep water upon release. Venting toolsand descending devicesreduce barotrauma and save fish harvested for both recreational and commercial uses. The Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices (DESCEND) Act would require commercial and recreational fishermen to keep descending devices onboard their boats. I've been fishing all my life, so I know how important it is to protect Gulf species like red snapper. The use of descending devices and venting tools is one way we can help maintain healthy populations of reef fish, which is crucial for the economy of Alabama and for ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy red snapper season, Senator Jones said. For charter fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico, fishing is more than a pastime it's our way of life. Charter fishermen such as myself have been using descending devices for some time, and we hope that this legislation will encourage the use of these devices among all sectors of the Gulf fishing community. I'm also pleased to see that this bill mandates further study into the role that descending devices and venting tools may play in reducing discard mortality and preserving the health of Gulf reef fish species, said Johnny Greene, Owner, Intimidator Charters in Orange Beach and Former Gulf Council Member. "This legislation is greatly appreciated by recreational anglers in the Gulf of Mexico who understand first-hand the frustration associated with releasing a reef fi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-introduces-legislation-incentivize-carbon-capture-projects | Rep. Sewell Introduces Legislation to Incentivize Carbon Capture Projects | 2019-11-19 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) introduced the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Extension Act (H.R. 5156), legislation that extends the Section 45Q tax credit to incentivize and make more affordable the deployment of carbon capture projects. It is critically important that Congress supports innovative approaches to reduce emissions, and carbon capture technology is essential to that fight, Sewell said. This legislation expands incentives for businesses across a range of industries to invest in state-of-the-art technologies to lower carbon emissions from existing power plants. The legislation extends the Section 45Q tax credit for one year, until January 1, 2025. The 45Q tax credit reduces the cost of investing in carbon capture technology across many industries, including electric power generation, ethanol and fertilizer production, natural gas processing, refining, chemical production, and steel and cement manufacturing. Sewell's bill was introduced Tuesday as a provision in the House Ways and Means Committee's Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act, a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change by using the tax code to extend and expand renewable energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Carbon Capture and Sequestration Extension Act is available here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-sewell-mckinley-introduce-legislation-expand-access-non-opioid | Reps. Sewell, McKinley Introduce Legislation to Expand Access to Non-Opioid Medications | 2019-11-19 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and David McKinley (WV-01) introduced the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act (H.R. 5172) today, legislation to help address barriers to non-opioid pain management for those enrolled in Medicare, thereby helping stem the opioid epidemic across the nation. Specifically, the bill would address payment disincentives for practitioners to prescribe non-opioid treatment alternatives in surgical settings by requiring CMS to place non-opioid treatments on par with other separately paid drugs and devices in Medicare Part B. Non-opioid treatments and therapies can be successful in replacing, delaying or reducing the use of opioids to treat post-surgical pain, and reduce the risk of opioid addiction, Rep. Sewell said. The NOPAIN Act would reduce disincentives for practitioners to provide patients enrolled in Medicare with non-opioid pain management, giving doctors the ability to prescribe treatments that are best-suited for their patients' needs. Currently, our healthcare payment system is unnecessarily encouraging the use of opioids," Rep. McKinley said. Our bill would ensure that CMS does not disincentivize the use of innovative non-opioid drugs and devices to treat and manage pain. While pain management for all patients should be handled individually, opioids should not be the first or only option given. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioids are the main driver of drug overdose deaths accounting for 47,600 deaths in 2017 and 130 Americans every day. Additionally, the CDC estimates that the economic costs associated with prescription opioid misuse exceeds $78 billion annually. These costs include those associated with health care, lost productivity, addiction treatment and the judicial system. Research shows that patients receiving an opioid prescription after short-stay surgeries have a 44% increased risk of opioid use. One 2018 study showed that 12 percent of patients who had a soft tissue or orthopedic operation… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-introduces-bill-to-alleviate-alabamas-teacher-shortage-crisis | Senator Doug Jones Introduces Bill to Alleviate Alabama’s Teacher Shortage Crisis | 2019-11-19 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today introduced the Classrooms Reflecting Communities Act, legislation to alleviate the teacher shortage crisis in rural Alabama and in communities across the United States. The legislation comes in response to a roundtable discussion with educators and other stakeholders that Senator Jones hosted in August at the University of Montevallo about the challenges facing Alabama's teacher workforce. In Alabama during the 2017-18 school year more than 1,700 teachers in grades 7-12 were not certified to teach the English, math, social studies, science, or special education classes to which they were assigned. In 70 Alabama schools, 10 percent or more of the teachers are working without full certification. Teacher shortages are shown to be the most severe in rural areas of Alabama. The School Superintendents of Alabama have reported that now elementary teachers are also becoming difficult to find, particularly in remote and rural parts of the state. Great teachers can make a huge difference in lives of the children they teach. We need to do everything we can to make sure that they have the resources they need in order to be successful and provide all of our children with the best education possible regardless of their ZIP code. This program will help incentivize the recruitment and retention of teachers who are invested in their communities and reflect the diversity of the students they teach, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The bill would authorize competitive grants for schools to establish a Grow Your Own program, which recruits diverse teacher candidates from the community into the teaching profession and supports them as they work to receive a teacher certification or licensure. Improving access to quality education has been one of Senator Jones' top priorities since arriving in the Senate. Among other things, he has introduced legislation to dramatically reduce the FAFSA application, fought to renew vital f… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-leads-pancreatic-cancer-senate-field-hearing-in-birmingham | Senator Jones Leads Pancreatic Cancer Senate Field Hearing in Birmingham | 2019-11-15 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM Today, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) convened a U.S. Senate Select Committee on Aging field hearing entitled, Pancreatic Cancer: Fighting the World's Toughest Cancer in Alabama and Nationally, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Witnesses included family members who have lost a loved one from pancreatic cancer, as well as the director of UAB's Pancreatobiliary Disease Center. As too many of us in this room know firsthand, pancreatic cancer takes a devastating toll on families and communities across this state and the country. So many lives are touched by cancer in general, but in particular pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease. Last yearalthough my family has had run-ins with different forms of cancer over the yearsI became one of the millions who has lost a loved one to pancreatic cancer when my dear friend, Giles Perkins, lost his life to this terrible disease. I am grateful to have Giles' wife and also a dear friend, Hillery Head, with us today to honor his memory, said Senator Jones in his opening remarks. Senator Jones continued, Unfortunately, Giles is one of many Americans and Alabamians who have lost their lives to pancreatic cancer. This year, more than 56,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The disease has one of the lowest survival rates of any form of cancer, with less than nine-percent of patients surviving five years after their initial diagnosis. In 2019, this disease is expected to claim nearly 46,000 lives across the county and over 700approximately 770in Alabama. Witnesses shared powerful testimony about the impact the disease had on their loved ones and the importance of investing in medical research: Hillery Head, who lost her husband, Giles Perkins, to pancreatic cancer: In the spring of 2016, my husband, Giles Perkins, began feeling under the weather. His health declined rapidly, and none of the antibiotics he took seemed to help. I urged him to see my primary care physician, who ran him through a battery of tests, diagnosed him w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/mark-your-calendar-open-enrollment-runs-until-dec-15 | Mark your calendar! Open enrollment runs until Dec. 15 | 2019-11-12 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | 908 Alabama Avenue Federal Building, Suite 112 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-doug-jones-mike-rounds-propose-wounded-warriors-fellowship-in-the-senate | Senators Doug Jones, Mike Rounds Propose Wounded Warriors Fellowship in the Senate | 2019-11-08 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) have introduced a resolution to establish a fellowship for wounded American veterans to hold two-year fellowships in the United States Senate. The program, called the McCain-Mansfield Fellowship, would offer each Senate office one fellowship, which would last two years. The positions could be in a Senator's state or Washington, D.C. office. We owe a great deal to the men and women who have courageously served our county, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The McCain-Mansfield Fellowship program is just one of the ways we can continue to lift up our veterans and ensure they have access to the resources and support needed to be successful in their civilian lives. America's veterans have gained valuable insight and expertise throughout their service to our nation, said Senator Rounds. Our legislation would establish a program that can help veterans use those skills to help constituents and shape important policy that impacts the heroes who wear the uniform of the United States of America. It also creates future employment opportunities for veterans once their fellowships over and makes sure that the perspectives and concerns of veterans are continually added to the Senate workforce. We have a number of veterans working in my Senate office, and I appreciate the unique perspective they bring to the job. Each year, nearly 200,000 service members transition from the military back to civilian life. This transition is widely recognized as a challenging and stressful process not only for the service members, but also for their families and, in some cases, caregivers. The McCain-Mansfield Fellowship would offer veterans with a service-connected disability the experience and exposure needed to broaden their career opportunities and contribute to a successful transition. There is already a Wounded Warriors Fellowship program in the House of Representatives, but the McCain-Mansfield Fellowship will be the first of its … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-jones-and-manchin-tour-national-carbon-capture-center | Senators Jones and Manchin Tour National Carbon Capture Center | 2019-11-08 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM Today, U.S. Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, toured the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) in Wilsonville, Alabama. The NCCC was created in 2009 by DOE to accelerate the commercialization of technologies to reduce emissions from both natural gas and coal power plants. The National Carbon Capture Center is focused on finding breakthroughs in next-generation carbon capture technologies that will reduce overall global carbon emissions, said Senator Jones. It's a great example of how the Alabama business community is help to move the green economy forward. Experts have made it clear fossil fuels are projected to be part of our energy portfolio through 2040 and focusing on carbon capture technologies is one of the most critical technologies we can invest in. Today's tour with Senator Jones was an exciting opportunity to see these important technologies up close. As Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I'm working to ensure the Department of Energy can continue to advance these technologies to commercialization because they benefit the environment while also allowing us to maintain affordable and reliable electricity in the U.S. and lead globally, Ranking Member Manchin said. In April, the senators introduced the Enhancing Fossil Fuel Energy Carbon Technology Act to expand the DOE's fossil energy research and development (R&D) objectives and establish new R&D programs for carbon capture, utilization, storage, and removal. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-senator-doug-jones-honors-the-role-of-peanuts-in-alabama-history- | VIDEO: Senator Doug Jones Honors the Role of Peanuts in Alabama History | 2019-11-05 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) took to the Senate floor today to honor the contributions of the peanut to Alabama's history. He paid tribute to the National Peanut Festival, which takes place in Dothan each year and is currently underway through November 10. He also highlighted the importance of Tuskegee University and its most celebrated professor, Dr. George Washington Carver, in popularizing peanut farming and developing over 300 products made of peanuts. It is not an overstatement to say that Dr. Carver, Tuskegee University, and the peanut helped save the economy of the South, Senator Jones said. Senator Jones continued by using the example of the important contributions of Tuskegee University and Dr. Carver to again encourage the passage of his bill to renew now-expired federal funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country. Last week, Senator Jones introduced a Senate resolution honoring the importance of peanut farming, the National Peanut Festival, and Dr. Carver's legacy to Alabama history. You can watch his full remarks here and a rush transcript can be found below. U.S. Senate Chamber November 5, 2019 Note: transcription edited for clarity SENATOR JONES: It is not often that in floor remarks we can hit a trifecta on topics that are uniquely connected, but I am fortunate to have that privilege today, and they all center around the glorious peanut. To start I want to honor the National Peanut Festival currently being held in Dothan, Alabama, which recognizes the importance of the peanut industry to the state of Alabama and the United States. Every year, Dothan hosts the nation's largest peanut festival to honor local peanut farmers and to celebrate harvest season. The festival began in 1938 and has been held annually each year, except for a five year hiatus during World War II. This year's festival is a 10 day long extravaganza with food, fun and entertainment. You name it, you can find it in Dothan during the Peanut Festival. It is one of the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-leads-bipartisan-legislation-strengthen-ambulance-services | Rep. Sewell Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Ambulance Services | 2019-11-04 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Markwayne Mullin (OK-02), Devin Nunes (CA-22) and Peter Welch (VT-AL) introduced the Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act to strengthen ambulance service providers and help ensure they are able to continue delivering critical first responder and health care services in communities across the country. Ambulance services are a vital component of our local and national health care and emergency response systems, especially in rural and underserved areas where they are often the sole provider of emergency medical services in their communities, Sewell said. The Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act of 2019 will implement critical reforms to help ensure Alabamians have access to lifesaving emergency care, no matter where they live. Emergency first responders are critical to the health and safety of our communities, Blumenauer said. Rather than continue to put a band-aid on this problem, we must find permanent solutions to our inadequate Medicare payments for ambulance services, especially for vulnerable communities and those in rural areas. Rural ambulance services save lives and provide needed care in underserved areas every day,Welch said.This bipartisan bill will ensure that patients and rural areas have access to critical ambulance services, and that these services receive fair, consistent reimbursement for their important work. It's time for Congress to permanently fix this glitch and give ambulance services the certainty they need to continue serving all Americans. Ambulance services are critically important to rural Americans who may live close to an hour away from the nearest emergency room, Mullin said. Providing this care literally means the difference between life and death for many people. As we continue to battle the closures of critical access hospitals across Oklahoma, ambulance services are more important now than ever before. We must ensure that rural Americans receive the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/jones-colleagues-introduce-the-bipartisan-creating-early-childhood-leaders-act | Jones, Colleagues Introduce the Bipartisan Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act | 2019-11-04 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.), alongside Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.), introduced the bipartisan Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act, which would ensure school leaders are able to effectively support early education teachers and provide children with high-quality early learning programs. Alabama has a nationally recognized pre-k program that is hailed for its high quality, and it's important that the educators that serve those classrooms are well-trained, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. This bipartisan legislation will encourage training to help guide kids through this crucial time in their development. The Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act would ensure principals and school leaders are able to effectively support pre-kindergarten teachers and programs, as well as assist pre-kindergarten students through the transition from pre-K through second grade. Specifically, the legislation would amend Title II of the Higher Education Act by adding provisions to encourage recipients of Teacher Quality Partnership Grants to include training on early childhood development and effective instructional leadership for children ages zero through eight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations, critical brain development occurs in a child's first years. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-leads-colleagues-in-new-push-to-renew-funding-for-minority-serving-institutions-of-higher-education | Senator Doug Jones Leads Colleagues in New Push to Renew Funding for Minority-Serving Institutions of Higher Education | 2019-11-04 | 2019 | 2019-11 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON -- Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) are leading a group of 36 of their colleagues in a new push to pass funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs). In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the senators called for the immediate passage of Senator Jones' bipartisan FUTURE Act legislation, which would reauthorize $255 million in mandatory federal funding for these institutions, which expired on September 30, 2019. The House of Representatives approved the legislation unanimously in September. HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs are an essential component of America's higher education and workforce development system, the senators wrote. Given the importance of this funding to hundreds of institutions and millions of students, we request that the Senate delay no longer and take up the bipartisan FUTURE Act immediately to avoid permanent damage to our nation's historic colleges. Senators Jones and Tester were joined in sending the letter by Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). Full text of the letter is below and a pdf is available here: … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-votes-support-resolution-provide-public-hearings-ongoing | Rep. Sewell Votes in Support of Resolution to Provide for Public Hearings in the Ongoing Impeachment Inquiry of President Trump | 2019-10-31 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) today voted to support H. Res. 660, a resolution that establishes the format for public hearings that will be conducted by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as part of the House's ongoing impeachment inquiry and authorizes the public release of the Intelligence Committee's deposition transcripts. From the outset, the Intelligence Committee has been committed to following the facts surrounding President Trump's phone call with the President of Ukraine in which, by his own admission, Trump asked a foreign leader to initiate an investigation into a political rival. Today's vote reinforces our commitment to holding the President to account for what increasingly appears to be an extreme abuse of his presidential power, Sewell said. The Committee has collected extensive evidence and testimony, and remains committed to pressing forward to expose the truth to the American people. In its investigation so far, the Intelligence Committee has uncovered a substantial amount of evidence showing President Trump betrayed his oath of office and the American people, including: The President's own words in the call record released by the White House, Ambassador Volker's text messages, testimonies provided by several witnesses, witness opening statements released publicly, including that of Ambassador Bill Taylor and Colonel Alexander Vindman, and the public admission of a quid pro quo by White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. The resolution also establishes procedures for the transfer of evidence by the Intelligence Committee to the Judiciary Committee as it considers potential articles of impeachment, and sets forth due process rights for the President and his counsel in the Judiciary Committee proceedings. In doing so, the resolution affirms the House's ongoing impeachment inquiry by directing the committees to continue their ongoing investigations under the umbrella of the inquiry to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for the House of Representati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-and-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-protect-pensions-social-security-and-medicare | Senator Jones and Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Pensions, Social Security and Medicare | 2019-10-29 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.), alongside a bipartisan group of colleagues, has introduced the Time to Rescue United States' Trusts (TRUST) Act, which would create congressional committees specifically tasked to develop legislation to restore and strengthen endangered federal trust funds, like pensions, Social Security and Medicare. This important legislation creates a bipartisan path forward that gives us the tools to we need to put our budget on the path to fiscal responsibility and upgrade our decaying infrastructure, protect pensions and Social Security benefits for retirees, and ensure that Medicare remains strong for seniors for generations to come, Senator Jones said. Without legislative action, the government's trust funds, which include Highway, Medicare Hospital Insurance, Social Security Disability Insurance, and Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, will be exhausted in the next thirteen years. The legislation was also sponsored by U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Ed Case (D-HI), William Timmons (R-SC), and Ben McAdams (D-UT) have introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. How the TRUST Act works: U.S. Treasury would have 30 days upon passage of the legislation to deliver to Congress a report of the government's major, endangered federal trust funds. Congressional leaders would appoint members to serve on Rescue Committeesone per trust fundwith the mandate to draft legislation that restores solvency and otherwise improves each trust fund program. Rescue Committees would ensure bipartisan consensus by requiring at least two members of each party to report legislation. If a Rescue Committee reports a qualifying bill for its trust fund program, it would receive expedited consideration in both chambers. While 60 votes would be required to invoke cloture for final passage in the Senate, only a simple majority would be needed f… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-senate-passes-jones-amendment-to-fund-heirs-property-program | VIDEO: Senate Passes Jones Amendment to Fund Heirs’ Property Program | 2019-10-28 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | VIDEO: Senate Passes Jones Amendment to Fund Heirs' Property Program WASHINGTON By a vote of 91-1, the Senate passed an amendment this evening introduced by Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) to help heirs' property landowners secure a clear title for their land. The amendment to the FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations bill includes $5 million to fund a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program Senator Jones secured in the 2018 Farm Bill. His provision authorized the Farm Service Agency to make loans that will help families resolve heir's property ownership and succession issues. Senator Jones took to the Senate floor immediately before the vote to encourage his colleagues to support the amendment. Watch his full remarks here. Heirs' property is land that has been informally passed down within families, often for several generations, and can lead to costly legal complications and prevent landowners from qualifying for federal assistance. Heirs' property is predominantly owned by African American farmers and producers and an estimated 60-percent of minority-owned land is projected to be heirs' property. Challenges associated with heirs' property status are the leading cause of involuntary land loss among African Americans. Landowners of heirs' property also cannot qualify for USDA loans necessary for farming, receive disaster relief funding, or use their land as collateral in private lending. More background on heirs' property and the amendment are here. Over the past year, Senator Jones has led a bipartisan effort in the U.S. Senate to help these landowners gain fair access to federal programs and to make it easier to resolve legal issues that result from their heirs' property status. In addition to the re-lending provision, Senator Jones also secured a provision in the 2018 Farm Bill to help heirs' property owners obtain a USDA farm number, which is key to accessing assistance from the agency's programs. Video of Senator Jones' speech can be found here, and a rush transcript of his remarks can be found below. U… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/its-time-year-check-out-these-faqs-about-medicare-open-enrollment | It's that time of the year! Check out these FAQs about Medicare open enrollment | 2019-10-24 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | 908 Alabama Avenue Federal Building, Suite 112 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-praises-house-passage-election-security-legislation | Rep. Sewell Praises House Passage of Election Security Legislation | 2019-10-23 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) voted Wednesday in support of H.R. 4617, the SHIELD Act (Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for A Lasting Democracy Act), legislation to protect against foreign interference in America's elections, including by foreign governments. There is nothing more fundamental to the strength of our democracy than the sanctity of our elections and defending them against foreign interference and attacks. The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election and they and other foreign entities continue to be a daily threat to our democracy, Sewell said. It is critically important that the Senate take up and pass the SHIELD Act, commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will help safeguard and ensure our elections are decided by the American people, not foreign actors. Following are key provisions of the bill: The bill creates a duty to report illicit offers of campaign assistance from foreign governments and their agents. The bill requires political campaigns, parties, and political committees like PACs and Super PACs, to report contacts that involve offers of unlawful campaign assistance by foreign governments, foreign political parties, and their agents, to authorities at the FBI and the FEC. This ensures violations can incur criminal or civil liability. The bill also requires campaigns to establish compliance mechanisms. The bill prevents foreign interference in future elections by improving transparency of online political advertisements. The SHIELD Act modernizes campaign finance law to uphold Americans' right to know who is behind election-related advertising and disinformation, including better disclosure of the sources of online political advertisements. Specifically, the bill establishes disclosure rules for online political advertising and guards against foreign interference via digital platforms.It incorporates provisions from the Honest Ads Act (H.R. 2592), which updates the rules that apply to online political advertising by incorporating … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-secures-prescription-drug-affordability-provision-hr-3 | Rep. Sewell Secures Prescription Drug Affordability Provision in H.R. 3 | 2019-10-23 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced the inclusion of a provision in H.R. 3, the Lower Prescription Drug Costs Now Act, that she authored to allow seniors enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to pay their out-of-pocket drug costs in equal installments over 12 months, rather than all at once. For many Americans enrolled in the Part D program, current plans require $10,000 or more in out-of-pocket costs every year to access a single drug that they need to treat a serious condition. H.R. 3 caps out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, and Sewell's proposal allows beneficiaries to pay their cost-sharing in equal installments throughout the year rather than all at once. Today we are advancing a historic and transformative piece of legislation that will change the lives of so many of our most vulnerable constituents for the better. As representative of a district with a high population of low-income seniors, I am particularly pleased that we are lowering out of pocket costs for seniors by capping out of pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000, Sewell said Tuesday in a Ways and Means Committee markup of the bill. The absence of a cap in the current Part D design creates a scenario where seniors can see their financial stability stripped away due to the unlimited liability they face for out of pocket costs. We fix that in this bill. I was proud to work with Congresswoman Eshoo on a provision to provide more financial certainty for the more than 100,000 seniors in Alabama's 7th Congressional District enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, Sewell said. Our provision allows beneficiaries to pay their cost-sharing in equal installments throughout the year rather than all at once. Burdensome policies that require patients to pay their deductibles in full before their Part D plans take effect create a huge barrier to financial stability for far too many. Studies show high out-of-pocket costs often lead patients to abandon therapy altogether, ra… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-introduces-bill-to-invest-in-alabama-workers-and-prepare-for-jobs-of-the-future | Senator Doug Jones Introduces Bill to Invest in Alabama Workers and Prepare for Jobs of the Future | 2019-10-22 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) has introduced legislation to increase federal investments in workforce development and training to help prepare workers for the jobs of the future.The Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Actwould ensure that American workers have the skills they need to successfully navigate the transition that will result from an increase in automation. Manufacturing jobs are the backbone of Alabama's economy. That's why it's so essential that we make sure workers have the resources and job training they need in order to prepare for the jobs of the future, Senator Jones said. This bill increases investments in American workers and provides resources for folks to learn new skills in jobs across all sectors of Alabama's economy. It has been estimated that nearly 50 percent of jobs in the United States could be at risk due to automation, and Alabama is one of the top ten states where workers are vulnerable to automation. Coosa, Conecuh, Greene, and Pickens counties are all among the top 25 counties in the U.S. that run the highest risk of losing jobs to automation over the next generation. Roughly 40 percent of Alabama's workforce falls in industry groups most at risk from automation, such as accommodation and food services, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, retail, and mining. This bill also comes as September marked the worst month for U.S. manufacturing in more than a decade, in part as the Administration's trade wars have caused deep uncertainty in the global economy. This is the latest in a series of efforts by Senator Jones to stand up for Alabama workers and to increase workforce development across the state. He has been outspoken against the Administration's tariffs that threaten Alabama jobs, and he recently hosted a forum in Gadsden on the future of Goodyear in Alabama and the economic challenges facing the state. Specifically, the Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Act would: Invest in Workforce Training: The bill would create a grant program through the Dep… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-introduces-bipartisan-bill-to-establish-disaster-health-care-service- | Senator Doug Jones Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Establish Disaster Health Care Service | 2019-10-18 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today introduced the United States Public Health Service Modernization Act of 2019. This bipartisan legislation would establish a Ready Reserve Corps within the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps to ensure vital health care jobs are adequately staffed when disasters strike the U.S. Alabama knows all too well the full spectrum of natural disasters and the devastation they can bring on our communities, especially in our most rural areas that lack immediate access to services and resources, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. When our dedicated health care workers deploy in response to these disasters, we also need to make sure we're not creating a gap in service at their home duty station. This bipartisan bill will help address that challenge by making sure adequate health care professionals are on standby to fill those positions and provide continuous quality care. The USPHA Commissioned Corps is a team of more than 6,500 full-time officers working to advance public health and disease programs across multiple federal agencies and programs. Currently, during times of national emergencies, the UPSHA Commissioned Corps Officers are relocated from their stationed roles to assist with public health emergencies. This leaves vital health care jobs at agencies vacant and poses a risk to citizens in the area who rely on those services for care. The creation of a reserve under the proposed legislation would allow duty stations to fill these vital roles when Regular Corps Officers are responding to public health emergencies. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-sewell-cox-introduce-bill-increase-access-asthma-medications | Reps. Sewell, Cox Introduce Bill to Increase Access to Asthma Medications | 2019-10-17 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and TJ Cox (CA-21) introduced the Inhaler Coverage and Access Now Act (I CAN Act) today, legislation that would require certain high deductible health plans to cover the cost of inhalers for the treatment of any chronic lung disease, including asthma. Over 400,000 Alabamians suffer from asthma. High insurance deductibles often lead these patients to delay or forego necessary medical care, increasing both the health risk for asthma sufferers and cost of care down the line, said Rep. Sewell. The I CAN Act allows asthma patients with high deductible health plans to get coverage for inhalers below their deductible, removing barriers for a needed treatment which will, in turn, result in healthier patients and lower long-term health care costs. "Everyone with asthma should have affordable access to an inhaler," said Rep. Cox. "By forcing people to pay significant out of pocket costs for preventive care like an inhaler, not only do patients have to live in fear of their next asthma episode, but we all end up paying when undoubtedly, more of these individuals end up in the emergency room. I represent California's Central Valley, where unacceptable air quality has been linked to an outsized portion of our population, especially young children, living with asthma. For them and for patients across the country with asthma, I'm proud to introduce the I CAN Act to remove barriers and increase access to inhalers." The I CAN Act will improve the health outcomes of asthma sufferers by providing patients with coverage of inhaler medication, even if the patient has not reached his or her annual deductible. The Trump Administration has increased the availability of high-deductible insurance plans that could require patients to pay thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs before their insurance coverage kicks in. Over the past five years, the percentage of covered Americans with a general annual deductible of $2,000 or more for single coverage has grown from 18% to 28%. These high d… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-joins-bipartisan-group-of-senators-in-urging-trump-to-reconsider-syria-strategy | Senator Doug Jones Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators in Urging Trump To Reconsider Syria Strategy | 2019-10-17 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today joined a bipartisan group of senators in urging U.S. President Donald Trump to reconsider his strategy to abandon our Kurdish partners and allow Turkey to invade northeastern Syria. Alongside Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Senator Jones sent a letter to President Trump imploring him to reconsider his recent military strategy in Syria. The senators wrote: We are aware that one of your goals is to reduce US involvement in long term wars in the Middle East, and many of us are supportive of those efforts. However, leaving so abruptly without protection for those partners who have been with us in the fight against ISIS is not only perilous for them, but also dangerous for us and our national security. They continued, We come to you in the sincerest bipartisan fashion because of our grave concerns about our national security and foreign policy. We hope that you will urge Turkey to end their offensive and find a way to a peaceful resolution while supporting our Kurdish partners to ensure regional stability. Senator Jones visited American troops, heads of state, high-ranking foreign leaders, diplomats, and military commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq in April as part of a Senate Armed Services Committee delegation. He has been outspoken in his opposition to the President's sudden decision to remove U.S. troops from northern Syria. Read the full letter below or click here: Dear President Trump, We write to you as bipartisan members of the Senate Armed Services Committee to implore you to reconsider the current strategy in regards to the Turkish incursion into northeastern Syria. We are confident that a structured and deliberate strategy to support our Kurdish partners while reassuring Turkey of our commitment to regional peace will earn broad support across Congress, the National Security community and the American people… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sewell-stevens-hayes-kuster-introduce-bill-reduce-prescription-drug | Sewell, Stevens, Hayes, Kuster Introduce Bill to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs for Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries | 2019-10-15 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Last week, Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) joined Reps. Haley Stevens (MI-11),Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Annie Kuster (NH-02) to introduce the Maximizing Drug Coverage for Low-Income Seniors Act (H.R. 4669). The legislation wouldimprove the Medicare enrollment process and lower out-of-pocket costs by ensuring that beneficiaries are enrolled in a Part D plan that best meets their needs. By establishing an intelligent assignment process for low-income beneficiaries, rather than the current random assignment, beneficiaries will be matched with a plan that is better suited to cover their specific medical needs. Medicare's Low-Income Subsidy program (also called Extra Help) assists low-income individuals by fully or partially covering their out-of-pocket costs under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. These subsidies reduce or cover Medicare Part D premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance. However, the current random assignment process for low-income seniors can lead to considerable differences in out-of-pocket costs. Under this bill, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would design a system that intelligently assigns beneficiaries to a plan in their geographic area that is based on their individual prescription drug needs. It would do this by taking into consideration factors like prior medication use and pharmacy preferences. This enhanced assignment process has the potential to save seniors thousands of dollars on out-of-pocket costs for the prescription drugs they need to stay healthy, while also generating savings in overall Medicare spending. In the richest nation in the world, every American should be able to afford the highest quality lifesaving medications and, yet, I have heard from too many Alabamians who struggle to afford their prescription drugs due to skyrocketing costs,said Rep. Sewell.The Maximizing Drug Coverage for Low-Income Seniors Act is smart and innovative legislation to ensure seniors are enrolled in the best Medicare Part D program for their individu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/choctaw-clarke-wilcox-and-lowndes-town-halls | Choctaw, Clarke, Wilcox and Lowndes Town Halls | 2019-10-07 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | 908 Alabama Avenue Federal Building, Suite 112 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-introduces-bill-to-reduce-number-of-maternal-deaths | Senator Jones Introduces Bill to Reduce Number of Maternal Deaths | 2019-10-02 | 2019 | 2019-10 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM U.S. Senator Doug Jones, alongside Senator Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), introduced bipartisan legislation to reduce the number of maternal deaths and improve the quality of care for moms during pregnancy and after childbirth. TheMaternal Outcomes Matter (MOM) Act of 2019establishes grant programs within the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Department to support innovation in maternal health care and train health care providers to avoid discrimination in the provision of maternal health care services. The bill also holds HHS accountable for these grants programs by requiring the department to submit a report to Congress on outcomes and bestpractices. It is absolutely appalling that here in the United States we have one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. We can and must do better, and this bill is an important first step in addressing the maternal mortality crisis and preventing future tragedies. All women in this country, regardless of race or socioeconomic background, deserve quality access to maternal care. According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 700 women die each year as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications and a majority of these deaths could have been prevented. In 2017, 41 women officially died from pregnancy or delivery complications in Alabama the second worst maternal death rate in the nation. African American women fare even worse, dying from complications at a rate of three to four times higher than white women. You can read the full text of the bill here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-announces-246526-grant-for-childcare-services-for-student-parents-at-troy-university- | Senator Jones Announces $246,526 Grant for Childcare Services for Student-Parents at Troy University | 2019-09-30 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today announced a new $246,526 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to establish a Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program at Troy University. The child care services will be available for eligible low-income student-parents studying at Troy. They will be provided at the Coleman Early Childhood and Family Engagement facility on the Dothan campus, as well as at 10 child care centers near each of the Troy University Alabama campuses. In July, Senator Jones sent a letter to the Department of Education expressing his support for the application submitted by Troy University. He has been vocal advocate for making quality education more accessible, urging Alabama universities and colleges to apply for CCAMPIS grants and supporting funding for CCAMPIS programs. Last year, Senator Jones also helped secure an additional $34 million for the CCAMPIS program in an omnibus spending bill. The University of Alabama at Birmingham later received a $776,000 CCAMPIS grant for the first time. After visiting the first and only Alabama CCAMPIS site at Northwest-Shoals Community College last year, I knew right away this was a program I wanted to support and grow. Since then, we've secured $34 million in additional federal funding for the program and added two more Alabama schools to our roster of CCAMPIS sites. Today, nearly five million college students are attending school while raising children, so it is critical we find accessible child care solutions for these students so they can stay on track to earn their degrees, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee. According to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office, approximately 20 percent of undergraduate students are parents and about half of those students left school without completing a degree program. CCAMPIS supports student-parents who are working to attain a college degree or workforce training to better provide for their families by of… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-jones-alexander-propose-major-reforms-to-the-free-application-for-federal-student-aid-fafsa | Senators Jones, Alexander Propose Major Reforms to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) | 2019-09-30 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) have announced legislation that would make long-overdue reforms to the lengthy and often intimidating process of applying for federal student aid to help pay for college. Their bipartisan proposal was included in a broader package of higher education reforms introduced by Sen. Alexander called the Student Aid Improvement Act of 2019. The senators' proposal would reduce the number of questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) from 108 to between 17-30. The FAFSA process determines what financial aid a student is eligible for, including loans, grants, and work-study opportunities, in addition to some colleges using it to determine scholarship recipients. The proposal would not impact the FAFSA application for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year, which is available Tuesday, October 1. Aside from college applications, this may be the most important form a student and their family complete before heading off to school. As a father with three children who went to college, I know firsthand how difficult and frustrating this form can be. It's no wonder so many students who might qualify for aid are intimidated from even applying. With the reforms Senator Alexander and I are proposing, we hope to fundamentally change this process and make it easier for future students to access funding that will make their dream of attaining a degree possible, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate HELP Committee. There are 20 million families, including 400,000 in Tennessee, that fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, every year. Tennessee's former Governor, Bill Haslam, told me it's the single biggest impediment to more students enrolling in Tennessee Promise, our state's free, two year college program, Alexander said. After five years of bipartisan work, it's time for Congress to finally make it easier for those families to apply for federal financial aid by simplifying the 108-question FAFSA to just 17-3… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-introduces-bipartisan-bill-to-give-patients-timely-and-safe-access-to-treatment | Senator Jones Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Give Patients Timely and Safe Access to Treatment | 2019-09-27 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.), alongside Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), introduced the bipartisan Safe Step Act of 2019. This legislation would amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to require group health plans to streamline step therapy protocols and better ensure patients are able to safely and efficiently access treatment. Step therapy is a process used by health plans to control spending on a patient's medications. Currently, when a physician prescribes a particular drug treatment for a patient, the patient's insurance company may require them to try different medications and treatments before they can access the drug originally prescribed by their physician. This protocol is known as step therapy or fail first. Due to unique medical conditions, this method could have negative impacts on patients, including delayed access to the most effective treatment, severe side effects, and irreversible disease progression. This bipartisan bill will help patients get the right treatments they need at the right time, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee. This is a commonsense proposal that will help patients avoid unnecessary delays in their care. The Safe Step Act of 2019 is also cosponsored by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Angus King (I-Maine). | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-trump-administration-s-withholding-whistleblower-report-will | Rep. Sewell: Trump Administration’s Withholding of Whistleblower Report Will Have “Chilling Effect” on Intelligence Community | 2019-09-26 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) grilled Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire Thursday on the Trump Administration's handling of the whistleblower report and secured his commitment that he would work to ensure the whistleblower can share his or her testimony directly with the Committee. Sewell said the Administration's failure to immediately deliver the whistleblower report to Congress as outlined in the law would have a chilling effect on future whistleblowers and might encourage others to refrain from delivering critical oversight information to Congress. I want to turn to what I fear may be one of the most damaging long-term effects of this whistleblower episode and that is the chilling effect that it will have on others in government who may witness misconduct, but now may be afraid to come forward to report it. Sir, I'm worried that government employees and contractors may see how important this situation has played out and decide it's not worth putting themselves on the line, Sewell said. The fact that a whistleblower followed all of the proper procedures to report misconduct and then the department of justice and the White House seems to have weighed in to keep the complaint hidden, is problematic, sir. Congresswoman, I think that's a fair assessment, Acting Director Maguire said. I don't disagree with what you've said. The Whistleblower Statute is critical to the functioning of the Intelligence Community (IC) and national security. Whistleblower reports are crucial in providing oversight of the IC because of the classified nature of most intelligence work. It is essential intelligence officers and contractors feel confident that they will be protected if they come forward with credible information to serve the best interests of American national security. Sewell went on to press Director Maguire to confirm that the whistleblower would be able to testify directly to the Committee and secured his commitment that he would work to ensure his or her appearance before the Comm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-urges-colleagues-to-do-their-duty | Senator Doug Jones Urges Colleagues to Do Their Duty | 2019-09-26 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) took to the Senate floor this evening to express his concern about the recent allegations that have come to light involving the President of the United States and the President of Ukraine. He also called on his colleagues to do their constitutional duty and to avoid the temptation to see these current events through a political lens. I hope that my colleagues, as we go forward will remember their oath, Senator Jones said. We didn't take oaths to support the President of the United States. We didn't take an oath to support the Republican Party. We didn't take an oath to support the Democratic Party. We took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States. He continued, Our duties to discharge that office are to be fair, to be impartial, to be deliberative, not political. Our duties to this office are to our constituents, to do the very best that we can in making sure that we analyze whatever is in front of us, because history will judge us. They will determine whether or not we acted with courage and conviction or whether we just simply tested the political winds, as some people are already doing. Ladies and gentlemen and colleagues, in the name of God, we have got to do our duty. We have to do our duty. We have to make sure that we fulfill our oaths, that we are not concerned about how many votes it might get us or how many votes it might lose. We have to fulfill that solemn obligation whether we know the outcome or not, whether we get pressure from a side or not, whether or not there are millions of dollars spent in TV and radio telling us to vote a certain way, in the name of God, we should do our duty and nothing less, he concluded. A rush transcript can be found below and a link to the full video can be found here. SENATOR JONES: I have to admit I haven't had a heck of a lot of sleep the last few nights and I don't think anyone has. If anyone has rested well the last few nights, it's because they're either not paying attention or they're here for the w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-votes-unanimously-to-urge-inclusion-of-military-widows-tax-elimination-act-in-final-defense-bill | Senate Votes Unanimously to Urge Inclusion of Military Widow’s Tax Elimination Act in Final Defense Bill | 2019-09-25 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate today voted unanimously to urge House-Senate National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference committee members to include Senator Jones' Military Widow's Tax Elimination Act in Congress' annual defense bill. In a vote of 94-0, the Senate approved a Motion to Instruct measure that sends a clear message to the defense bill conferees that the widow's tax fix is a top priority. Senator Jones spoke on the floor before the vote to call for support. The Senate and House versions of the NDAA are currently being reconciled in a conference committee and final legislative text is expected to be released in the coming weeks. The House has already approved the widow's tax provision in its version of the bill. Senator Jones has repeatedly engaged leadership in the House and Senate to secure support for the bill's inclusion in the NDAA, and led a letter with Republican Senator Susan Collins last month to the Armed Services Committee leadership asking them to do so. Their letter was signed by 64 of their Senate colleagues. It has been a long battle for the military spouses who have fought to fix this decades-old injustice, but today the Senate took an important step toward finally putting an end to the widow's tax, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. With this vote, we sent an unambiguous message that ending the military widow's tax is an urgent priority for this body. I am hopeful that the conference committee leaders will finally do the right thing for these families, who have given so much for our country. Legislation to repeal the widow's tax has been repeatedly introduced in the Senate over the past 18 years, but the bill has reached an unprecedented level of support under Senator Jones's leadership. With Senator Jones as the lead sponsor, the bill has earned a record-high 77 total cosponsors in the Senate. The Military Widow's Tax Elimination Act would repeal the unfair law that prevents as many as 67,000 surviving military spouses nationwide from receiv… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/calling-all-voters-national-voter-registration-day | Calling all voters! National Voter Registration Day | 2019-09-24 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | 908 Alabama Avenue Federal Building, Suite 112 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-statement-impeachment-inquiry | Rep. Sewell Statement on Impeachment Inquiry | 2019-09-24 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement Tuesday on an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump: This is a sobering moment in our nation's history, when the rule of law and constitutional duty require Congress to move swiftly to protect our national security and the integrity of our democracy. The President, by his own admission, has put Congress in an untenable position. Yesterday, the President admitted to asking the Ukrainian government to interfere with a political rival and threatened to withhold critical military aid to our ally if their government did not comply with his demand. The events surrounding the whistleblower complaint are the final straw in a series of troubling and disconcerting actions by President Trump and his administration. This failure of the Trump Administration to disclose the whistleblower complaint to Congress flies in the face of the intent of the law; the President's stunning admission shows a complete disregard for the constitutional duties he has sworn to uphold. No one is above the law, including the President of the United States of America. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-introduces-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-school-safety | Senator Jones Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve School Safety | 2019-09-24 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) introduced the bipartisan School Safety Clearinghouse Act, which would establish a federally funded and housed information clearinghouse detailing best practices for school security and design. As a result of the STOP School Violence Act, which Senator Jones cosponsored last year, many school districts now have access to state and federal funding to improve school security. The School Safety Clearinghouse Act would allow districts to make informed decisions about how to implement this funding. Children deserve to go to school and learn in a safe environment, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. School leaders should always have the resources they need in order to protect our children and their teachers. Our bipartisan bill is a smart step to get more information to communities about how they can make their schools as safe as possible. The clearinghouse would be managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and include recommendations from engineers, architects, first responders, building security experts, and mental health advocates. It would not advocate for specific technologies or tools, or impose any mandates on school districts. The legislation follows the Federal Commission on School Safety's December 2018 recommendation of a federal clearinghouse to assess, identify, and share information on school security technology and innovation. The School Safety Clearinghouse Act is also cosponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The bill text is available here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-introduces-bipartisan-gold-star-week-resolution-to-honor-the-families-of-the-fallen | Senator Doug Jones Introduces Bipartisan Gold Star Week Resolution to Honor the Families of the Fallen | 2019-09-20 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON This week, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) joined bipartisan colleagues to introduce a resolution establishing the week of Sept. 22-29, 2019, as Gold Star Families Remembrance Week to honor the families of fallen members of our Armed Forces. Gold Star Families Remembrance Week is a prelude to Gold Star Mother's Day, observed by presidential proclamation since 1936 on the last Sunday of September. There is no official date dedicated to families affected by the loss of a loved one who died in the service of the United States. Our Gold Star families have made tremendous sacrifices and it is our duty to honor and care for them, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. While this small token of our gratitude is long overdue, I hope we can come together as a nation to recognize and honor these families who have given so much to protect and defend our country. In setting aside Sept. 22-29 as a week of remembrance for Gold Star families, S.Res.313 encourages the people of the United States to perform acts of service and good will to honor the fallen, veterans, and their families. It states that, the sacrifices of the families of the fallen members of the Armed Forces and the families of veterans of the Armed Forces should never be forgotten. The Senate last year approved a similar resolution, for the first time, to mark a formal recognition of the sacrifices made by families of U.S. military service members who lost their lives in service to the nation. The new resolution continues this commemoration. The resolution is also sponsored by Todd Young (R-Ind.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Joni Ernt (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). A copy of the Gold Star Families Remembrance Week resolution is available here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-named-conferee-national-defense-authorization-act-conference | Rep. Sewell Named Conferee to National Defense Authorization Act Conference | 2019-09-18 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi named U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) to serve on a conference committee of the House and Senate versions of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) late Tuesday. NDAA conferees from the House and Senate will work together to resolve differences between the distinct defense authorization bills passed by each chamber in June. The NDAA authorizes funding to equip, supply and train U.S. troops and support military families. The bill has proudly been passed by Congress for 58 continuous years. Sewell, a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Chair of the Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support, is committed to continuing this bipartisan tradition of passing a smart defense bill that provides servicemembers with the resources they need to address and counter today's increasingly complex national security challenges. She is also hopeful conferees will include in the bill an elimination of the Military Widow's Tax, which unfairly taxes military widows and widowers' survivor benefits. The House and Senate have historically put political divisions aside to pass the NDAA, which authorizes our national defense priorities for the year and provides our troops with the resources needed to carry out their missions at home and abroad, Sewell said. I am committed to continuing this tradition and working to exclude any partisan provisions that threaten the defense and wellbeing of our nation. As representative of a state that plays such a major part in our national security, I am honored to be able to play such a significant role as a conferee this year. Included in the House-passed defense authorization bill is also a provision to eliminate the Military Widow's Tax, which prevents as many as 65,000 surviving military spouses nationwide from receiving their full Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs (VA) survivor benefits. Senator Jones has been a tireless advocate for the tax's elimination in the Senate, an… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-memorializes-discovery-of-the-clotilda-in-senate-resolution_ | Senator Doug Jones Memorializes Discovery of the Clotilda in Senate Resolution | 2019-09-18 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) has introduced a resolution in the United States Senate to memorialize the discovery of theClotilda, the last known ship to bring enslaved Africans to the United States. TheClotildaarrived in Mobile Bay, Alabama in 1860, 53 years after the United States Congress banned the importation of enslaved people in 1807. Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, some of the captives who were brought to the United States aboard theClotildasettled in the area now known as Africatown, Alabama. On May 22, 2019, the Alabama Historical Commission and a team of scientists confirmed that wreckage found in the Mobile River was theClotilda. The resolution comes as Senator Jones and his team have been actively working with local stakeholders and community leaders in Africatown to protect the remains of the ship and to memorialize the discovery in a way that best represents the historical significance of theClotilda. Senator Jones' resolution states that the discovery of the Clotilda may serve as an inflection point for meaningful conversation on both past and present injustices and that the residents of Africatown, Alabama, embody a spirit of resilience and a determination to build a better community for their own descendants. The resolution concludes that to preserve and protect the Clotilda and associated historic sites in Africatown, Alabama; and to use the discovery of the Clotilda to provide education to local, national, and international audiences about the violent history of the transatlantic slave trade; the stories of the last enslaved Africans to arrive in the United States; and the rich and unique history of the community built by the descendants of those individuals. I was very elated to hear of the Resolution that Senator Doug Jones is introducing to acknowledge and pledge support of preserving the Clotilda and developing Africatown. His initiative is consistent with what I, along with Senator Phil Williams did in the 2018 Legislative Session via a Senate Joint Resolutio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-terri-sewell-announces-nearly-34-million-preserve-african-american | Rep. Terri Sewell Announces Nearly $3.4 Million to Preserve African American Civil Rights Sites | 2019-09-17 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Alabama U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) was thrilled to announce that the National ParkService has recently awarded $3.396 million to fund the preservation of ten civil rights preservation projects in Alabama's 7th Congressional District. I have always believed that the extraordinary history of Alabama's 7thDistrict can drive economic revitalization and promote its heritage tourism to create jobs. This money is necessary, not only for the preservation of physical sites and markers, but also to preserve the history of African Americans' struggle for civil rights in the state of Alabama and that struggle's impact on our nation, said Rep. Sewell. Learning the history of our country and people allows us to better understand where our nation stands today. I am committed to ensuring that the bravery and blood, sweat and tears of the courageous Foot Soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement are never forgotten and our history will never be erased. In 2018, Congress appropriated funding for the African American Civil Rights (AACR) Grants program through the Historic Preservation Fund. In Alabama's 7th Congressional District, this year's recipients include historic churches, schools and homes that played pivotal roles in the Civil Rights Movement, as well as museums memorializing this great period of activism. Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, which served as headquarters for Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth during the planning and execution of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, was awarded $258,209. The church was bombed three distinct times, in 1956, in 1958 and in 1962. Bethel Baptist Church would like to formally thank Congresswoman Terri Sewell for her assistance in securing this grant money from the National Park Service, said Rev. Thomas Wilder, Bethel Baptist Church. This grant money will help us do much needed work on the parsonage as well as continue the work that has been done on the historic Bethel Baptist Church. Tabernacle Baptist Church in Selma, Alabama was the birthplace of the Voting Rights … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/following-unanimous-house-approval-senator-jones-calls-on-leader-mcconnell-to-bring-future-act-to-a-vote | Following Unanimous House Approval, Senator Jones Calls on Leader McConnell to Bring FUTURE Act to a Vote | 2019-09-17 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Following unanimous passage in the House of Representatives this evening, Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take action to protect federal funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities by bringing up theFUTURE Actfor a vote. Senators Jones and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the bill in May in an effort to renew $255 million in annual mandatory funding for minority-serving institutions. That funding is set to expire at the end of September. Senator Jonesspoke outon the Senate floor last week to make an urgent call for a vote on the proposal before the September 30 deadline. Tonight, the House did its job in bipartisan fashion and demonstrated in no uncertain terms its support for our HBCUs and all minority-serving institutions. These schools are a part of the very foundation of our higher education system, but they lack many of the same financial resources that predominately white schools can count on. That's why I am calling on Senator McConnell to bring the FUTURE Act up for a vote and take the next step to give these schools the certainty they need to continue serving their students and fulfill their mission,said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-urges-congress-to-immediately-extend-funding-for-minority-serving-educational-institutions | Senator Doug Jones Urges Congress to Immediately Extend Funding for Minority-Serving Educational Institutions | 2019-09-11 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to support renewed funding for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions by passing his bipartisan, bicameral Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act. At the end of the fiscal year, nearly half of all federal funds for these schools that they receive each year and have so for a long, long time, that is going to end. That's $255 million annually that they have been able to count on for well over a decade, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. That is going to come to a screeching halt if we don't act, and we need to act now. Ensuring equal access to quality education should not be a partisan issue, Senator Jones said in his closing remarks. Their graduates deserve the same quality education as any other student, and they deserve a fair shot at a successful future. In May, Senator Jones and Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the FUTURE Act to renew $255 million in annual mandatory funding set to expire at the end of this fiscal year for all minority-serving institutions, including HBCUs. The legislation would extend this funding for an additional two years. Senator Jones has long advocated for greater federal investment in our nation's HBCUs. In addition to the FUTURE Act, he has also secured a 14-percent increase in funding for HBCUs and led an effort to examine and address the disproportionate student debt burden among students of color. In February, he held an inaugural HBCU Summit at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Ala. Video of his remarks is available here and a transcript is below. U.S. Senate ChamberSenator Jones Urges Colleagues to Support FUTURE ActSeptember 11, 2019Note: transcription edited for clarity SENATOR JONES: Mr. President, I rise today almost a year ago since I first came to the Senate floor to discuss the state of our nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities an… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-to-hud-secretary-carson-new-rule-would-make-it-nearly-impossible-to-bring-housing-discrimination-cases | Senator Doug Jones to HUD Secretary Carson: New Rule Would Make it “Nearly Impossible” to Bring Housing Discrimination Cases | 2019-09-10 | 2019 | 2019-09 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today questioned Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson about his agency's move to weaken its disparate impact rule, making it significantly more difficult to prove housing discrimination claims. In the hearing, Senator Jones also cited HUD's refusal to fully enforce fair housing laws, including Carson's failure to proactively pursue secretary-initiated housing discrimination investigations during his tenure, something that recent administrations led by both parties did dozens of times over their terms in office. Highlighting the continued existence of housing discrimination today, Senator Jones also pointed to Census data showing African-American home ownership rates are down to just 40 percent, despite rising rates for other racial groups in recent years. Home-ownership among Black families is also at a lower rate today than when the Fair Housing Act of 1968 was passed. In mid-August, HUD released a proposed update to its disparate impact standard, which is a legal theory that has guided fair housing law for more than 50 years. Disparate impact refers to practices or policies that have the effect of discrimination, even if the discrimination is not explicit or intended. The Supreme Court has recognized this form of bias as prohibited under the Fair Housing Act and has re-affirmed HUD's power to enforce this standard. Video of their exchange is available here and a transcript is below: U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Hearing: Housing Finance Reform: Next Steps Q&A Exchange with Secretary Ben Carson September 10, 2019 Note: transcription edited for clarity SENATOR JONES: Mr. Secretary, while I appreciate the Administration's efforts to move forward on housing reform, I do believe that overall these reforms are going to make it harder for working-class families to achieve home ownership and potentially put the dream of home ownership out of reach. [That's] my view, open to discussions on that. But more importantly,… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-announces-bipartisan-family-farmer-relief-act-signed-into-law-by-president-trump | Senator Jones Announces Bipartisan Family Farmer Relief Act Signed into Law by President Trump | 2019-08-29 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | Birmingham, Ala. As bankruptcy rates among American farmers near record highs, Senator Doug Jones announced that bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to help family farms reorganize their debts has been signed into law by President Donald Trump. Recognizing the unique challenges that family farmers and fishers face, Congress established Chapter 12 of the U.S. bankruptcy code, which removes certain costly reorganization requirements intended for large corporations. The Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019 raises the Chapter 12 operating debt cap to $10 million, allowing more family farmers to seek relief under the program. Farming is a tough way to make a living even when everything goes right. Unfortunately, our farmers and fishers haven't had a whole lot go right for them lately from the ongoing trade war to natural disasters preventing harvesting and planting seasons. Fortunately, this new law will help family farms and fisheries across the country stay afloat and weather the toughest times, said Senator Jones. Our bipartisan legislation will relieve some of the financial pressure the American farm economy is facing today and help American farmers thrive. Several years of low commodity prices, stringent farm lending regulations and recent retaliatory tariffs have taken a toll on America's agriculture producers. Farm bankruptcy rates in many farming regions across the country are at their highest point in a decade. In some places in 2018, farm bankruptcies doubled from previous years. Debts held by farmers are nearing historic levels set in the 1980s, further financially straining farm operations. This is the latest in a series of actions that Senator Jones has taken to mitigate the damage to Alabama farmers as a result of the Trump administration's trade wars, including introducing legislation to offer financial and technical support to help farmers and producers recover losses by offering Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) to those hurt by China's retaliatory tariffs and p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-announces-200000-grant-for-new-site-medical-complex | Senator Doug Jones Announces $200,000 Grant for New Site Medical Complex | 2019-08-28 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | Birmingham U.S. Senator Doug Jones is announcing a new $200,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to establish the New Site Medical Complex in New Site, Alabama. This grant will provide funding for a 3,120 square-foot building housing a primary care clinic and private pharmacy. Tenants will include Russell Medical and Jackson Drugs. In 2018, Senator Jones sent a letter of support to ARC urging their full consideration of the New Site project. Senator Jones and his staff also worked with New Site leaders to help re-write their application in an effort to make the city more competitive for the grant money. Currently, the closest source of medical care for New Site residents is 15 miles away in Alexander City, presenting a barrier to those seeking accessible health care. Health care facilities are the lifeblood of our rural communities. Not only do they provide much-needed access to care, but they are powerful economic drivers as well, said Senators Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. I'm proud that my team and I were able to partner with the community to put them in the best position possible to secure this funding. This grant is great news for the people of New Site and Tallapoosa County. I would like to personally thank Senator Jones for his assistance in getting our ARC grant application approved, said New Site Mayor Phil Blasingame. The $200,000 grant will help us fund a building for our clinic and pharmacy for our community. The project will really improve our rural healthcare for our citizens. Senator Jones was instrumental in getting the grant application in the correct order for approval and he has been a big supporter for rural health care initiatives. Senator Jones helped make this possible. The goal of the project is to address the employment and economic disparities in Tallapoosa County, which has an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent, compared to the state percentage of 3.6 percent. In addition to the ARC funds, the town of New Site… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-report-senator-doug-jones-ranks-among-most-bipartisan-senators | New Report: Senator Doug Jones Ranks Among Most Bipartisan Senators | 2019-08-23 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM Quorum Analytics has released a new report ranking Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) among the most bipartisan members of the United States Senate. The report analyzed the bipartisan actions taken by Members of Congress so far in the 116th Congress. Of the bills Senator Jones has cosponsored this year, 47 percent are led by a Republican. Bipartisanship means more than simply reaching across the political aisle; it means finding common ground. I have always believed that in Alabama, and in America, we have far more in common than we have that divides us. As a United States Senator, I've taken that approach to a number of important issues that impact our people every day issues like health care, education, jobs, ensuring that we have the strongest possible national defense, and so many others. That is reflected in the strong bipartisan record my team and I have built in the Senate. If we can set aside the divisive partisan politics, we can work together and actually get things done, said Senator Jones. Senator Jones has also led a number of bipartisan proposals that have been signed into law, including his Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act, Rural Health Liaison Act, Fair Access for Farmers and Ranchers Act, and the Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Act. So far this year, more than half of the bills Senator Jones has introduced have earned Republican cosponsors. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-statement-israel-s-decision-block-members-congress-entering | Rep. Sewell Statement on Israel’s Decision to Block Members of Congress from Entering the Country | 2019-08-15 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement Thursday after the Government of Israel announced its decision to prevent Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from entering the country: Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to deny Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar entry to Israel is both outrageous and misguided. When I first traveled to Israel, I learned about thenation's critical importance in the region and gained unique insight into the security challenges and existential threats Israel faces. Our relationship with Israel is sacred and must be protected. Every Member of Congress should be able to share that experience firsthand, irrespective of their political views. Moreover, it is beneath the office of the presidency for President Trump to encourage foreign leaders to deny Members of Congress and American citizens entry into a foreign nation. I hope the Government of Israel will reverse its decision and allow Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar to visit and learn from our great ally. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-terri-sewell-announces-127877-grant-funding-support-opportunity | Rep. Terri Sewell Announces $127,877 In Grant Funding to Support Opportunity Zones in the Black Belt | 2019-08-14 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Black Belt, Alabama U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced today the Delta Regional Authority has recently awarded $127,877 to Opportunity Alabama in support of rural revitalization and development in opportunity zones across the Black Belt. Alabama's Black Belt is the only region in the state with five consecutive opportunity zones, areas where investors receive tax incentives to invest in low-income and undercapitalized communities. There is nothing more important to me than increasing opportunity across Alabama's 7th District, said Rep. Sewell. That is why I have fought so hard to make the Opportunity Zone program work for areas like the Black Belt, where communities will most benefit from increased economic opportunity. I am thrilled that Opportunity Alabama has been granted the funding necessary to support investment where it is needed most and ensure that investors are able to take full advantage of these opportunity zones. Opportunity Alabama will use this funding to host regional strategy development events, create eligible project pipelines, design community fact sheets and develop four regional investment prospectuses to promote opportunity zones within the Black Belt. Thanks to this SEDAP grant from the Delta Regional Authority, Opportunity Alabama will be able to extend the Opportunity Zones ecosystem we are building to some of the most distressed parts of our state, said Alex Flachsbart, Founder and CEO of Opportunity Alabama. We see tremendous potential across the Black Belt, and we are thrilled that thanks to Congresswoman Sewell's support we will have the resources necessary to bring more projects to market." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-sen-sanders-130-members-congress-urge-trump-administration | Rep. Sewell, Sen. Sanders, 130+ Members of Congress Urge Trump Administration to Reverse Food Assistance Rule | 2019-08-08 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led a group if 19 Senators and 120 U.S. Representatives urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to rescind his department's disastrous rule to restrict Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for an estimated 3.1 million Americans. This plan would disproportionately punish working families who are already struggling to put food on the table and make ends meet, the lawmakers wrote. Families with children are more likely to face food insecurity, and in 2017, the number of families facing food insecurity rose for the first time since the Great Recession. Additionally, schools rely on SNAP enrollment when determining eligibility for free school meals, so households could be penalized twice: once with the loss of household SNAP benefits and again with the loss of free school meals for children. In fact, USDA estimates 500,000 children will lose their automatic eligibility for free school meals. Sewell and Sandersalso slammed the Administration' claim that some states allow families to receive SNAP benefits who would otherwise not qualify and for which they are not entitled, explaining that fraud is virtually non-existent in the program. Families must already go through a robust vetting process to verify income eligibility. USDA's assertion that families can simply receive an informational brochure in order to qualify for SNAP is simply not true. Perpetuating this lie breeds distrust in a successful program that lifted 8.4 million people out of poverty in 2015, the lawmakers argued. In reality, fraud is virtually nonexistent in this program; just 0.2 percent of benefits mistakenly go to households with net incomes above the poverty line. Further, there are many more people who qualify for SNAP that are not enrolled in the program. USDA's resources would be better spent focusing on increasing participation among all who are eligible, rather than trying to limit participation among people who are alrea… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-jones-and-collins-lead-colleagues-in-new-push-to-repeal-military-widows-tax- | Senators Jones and Collins Lead Colleagues in New Push to Repeal Military Widow’s Tax | 2019-08-05 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON -- Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are leading a new effort to ensure that the Military Widow's Tax Elimination Act of 2019 will be included in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The senators today sent a bipartisan letterco-signed by 64 of their Senate colleaguesto the chairmen and ranking members of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees calling on them to ensure the House-passed provisions to repeal the Military Widow's Tax remain in the final version of the NDAA conference agreement. The final bill is currently being negotiated between the House and the Senate. There has never before been more bipartisan support in Congress for repealing the SBP-DIC offset. Currently, there are 75 co-sponsors of legislation to repeal the widow's tax in the Senate and 371 co-sponsors in the House, the senators wrote. We have an obligation to make sure that we are taking care of our military families who have sacrificed so much. This problem goes back decades, but this year we can finally solve it once and for all. It is our time to do our duty not only to support the brave men and women of our military, but also to support their families. If signed into law, this legislation will repeal the unfair law that prevents as many as 67,000 surviving military spouses nationwide from receiving their full Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs survivor benefits. Currently, military widows and widowers who qualify for the VA's Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) are forced to take a dollar-for-dollar offset from the Survivors Benefits Plan (SBP) benefit, even though retirees elected to pay into the program. Legislation to repeal the Military Widow's Tax has been repeatedly introduced in the Senate over the past 18 years, but has reached an unprecedented level of support under Senator Jones's leadership. With Senator Jones as the lead sponsor, the bill has earned a record-high 75 cosponsors in the Senate. In addition to encouraging continued … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-praises-cms-policy-help-alabama-hospitals | Rep. Sewell Praises CMS Policy to Help Alabama Hospitals | 2019-08-02 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today it has finalized changes under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) toincreaseMedicare reimbursement rates for Alabama's hospitals by addressing longstanding disparities in the Medicare Area Wage Index formula. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), who has worked for years to ensure Alabama's hospitals receive their fair share of Medicare reimbursement dollars by sponsoring legislation to fix this problem and meeting with CMS to urge rulemaking changes, praised the new policy. For years, I've been working with Alabama's hospitals and the delegation to advocate for increased Medicare reimbursements for Alabama's hospitals, which are currently reimbursed at the lowest rates in the country. Today's announcement is great news for Alabama's hospitals, especially those in rural areas of the state where every dollar counts, Sewell said. With over 88 percent of rural Alabama hospitals operating in the red, it is critical that we do everything we can to help our hospitals provide the services needed to keep Alabamians healthy. Recalculating the way Medicare reimburses Alabama hospitals is a crucial step in achieving that goal. The fight to improve Alabama's health care system is far from over, Sewell continued. Governor Ivey and the state legislature must put Alabamians first and partisan politics aside by expanding Medicaid to help shore Alabama's rural hospitals and improve health care affordability, access and quality across the state. Study after study shows Medicaid expansion is a life or death issue. Just last week, we learned that more than 15,000 deaths could have been prevented if all states had expanded Medicaid. Earlier this week, further analysis highlighted that rural hospitals in non-expansion states are disproportionately operating in the red and the most likely to close. These are trends we can no longer afford to ignore. Seeing as Alabama's hospitals have the second lowest margin of profitability in the country, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-speaker-pelosi-members-congress-visit-ghana-and-us-army | Rep. Sewell, Speaker Pelosi, Members of Congress Visit Ghana and U.S. Army Africa Headquarters | 2019-08-02 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Chair of the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Defense and Warfighter Support, returned from a congressional delegation led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to Ghana to hold high-level discussions with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaian Speaker Mike Oquaye and other senior government officials and visit U.S. Army Africa headquarters in Italy. The historic trip marked the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans landing in America. The delegation's trip to Ghana was deeply informative, humbling and transformative. Returning to our ancestral home with civil rights hero Congressman John Lewis was an emotional experience that I will never forget, Sewell said. So much American progress was built upon the backs of enslaved Africans brought to America 400 years ago. While the United States has come a long way, there is still much work to be done to heal and reconcile the traumas of our past. Visiting the Door of No Return,' where millions of Africans were ripped from their families and homes to sustain an inhumane and cruel practice, reinvigorated my commitment to confronting injustice wherever it exists at home and around the world. Before our visit to Ghana, the delegation met with U.S. Army Major General Roger Cloutier and top military commanders at U.S. Army Africa Command to discuss the challenges facing African nations and that threaten the safety and security of citizens around the globe and how U.S. Forces are working with leaders on the continent to address these challenges, Sewell continued. Overall, our visit to Ghana underscored the strength of U.S.-global partnerships and the importance of maintaining them in the future. Earlier this week, the Members paid respects at Cape Coast and Elmina Castles and the Door of No Return, a monument commemorating the transatlantic slave trade, to observe the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans landing in America. The delegation laid wreaths at both dungeons in remembrance… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-final-medicare-wage-index-rule-will-provide-long-overdue-relief-for-struggling-alabama-hospitals | Senator Doug Jones: Final Medicare Wage Index Rule Will Provide Long-Overdue Relief for Struggling Alabama Hospitals | 2019-08-02 | 2019 | 2019-08 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | Birmingham, Ala. U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today applauded a final rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that will update the Medicare Wage Index reimbursement formula. The formula has disadvantaged hospitals in Alabama for decades and left them to cover significant costs for uncompensated care. Last fall, Senator Jones met with CMS Administrator Seema Verma, Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) to share his serious concerns about the unfair rate and to ask for CMS to take steps to address it. This spring, he also joined the full Alabama congressional delegation in sending a bipartisan letterto Administrator Vermaurging her agency to provide relief for Alabama hospitals by increasing the reimbursement rate. Today's final rule will provide much-needed relief for Alabama's struggling hospitals by fixing the Medicare Wage Index formula. For two decades, Alabama has been fighting the unfair Medicare reimbursements and today receives a rate that is just 67 percent of the national average, said Senator Doug Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. I am grateful that after meeting with Administrator Verma, Senator Shelby, and Congresswoman Sewell last year, CMS finally heard our concerns and took action to find a solution that better serves our hospitals and rural communities. This was a top priority for me when I came to the Senate last year, and I am proud that we were able to make this long-overdue change a reality. Alabama currently has the lowest wage index according to the Alabama Hospital Association, and approximately 88 percent of Alabama hospitals are currently operating in the red and cannot cover the cost of delivering care. Thirteen hospitals in Alabama have closed their doors since 2011, seven of which were in rural areas. Senator Jones has been a vocal advocate in favor of reforming the Medicare Wage Index formula as well as expanding Medicaid, both of which would help shore up Alabama hos… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-cosponsors-new-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-access-to-rural-health-care-for-new-and-expecting-moms | Senator Doug Jones Cosponsors New Bipartisan Bill to Improve Access to Rural Health Care for New and Expecting Moms | 2019-07-31 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones today cosponsored the bipartisan Rural MOMS Act to understand the root causes of maternal mortality and to develop solutions to improve maternal care in rural America. As I've traveled around Alabama to hear directly from women and health care providers about how we can improve maternal health outcomes in the state, they consistently raise concerns about the shortages of doctors and hospitals in rural areas, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. This legislation provides real solutions by expanding care through telehealth grants, and other programs to increase the number of health care providers in rural areas, and takes important steps to address our unacceptable rate of maternal mortality in this country. TheRuralMOMSActwould: Improve Rural Maternal and Obstetric Care Databy directing the Centers for Disease Control to coordinate efforts with respect to maternal mortality and morbidity, to report on women's health conditions according to sociocultural and geographic contexts, and to emphasize research on pregnancy-related deaths. Award New Rural Obstetric Network Grantsto establish regional innovation networks to improve maternal mortality and morbidity as well as birth outcomes. Expand Existing Federal Telehealth Grant Programsto include birth and postpartum services as part of telehealth networks and to allow federal funding to be used for ultrasound machines, fetal monitoring equipment, and other pregnancy-related technology. Establish a New Rural Maternal and Obstetric Care Training Demonstrationto support training for family medicine physicians, obstetricians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, doulas, and other professionals to provide maternal care services in rural community-based settings. Report on Maternal Care in Rural Areasto identify the locations of gaps in maternity care,disparities in maternal health in rural areas by race and ethnicity,recommendations to standardize data colle… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-jones-provision-to-provide-new-funding-for-roads-and-bridges-included-in-historic-highway-bill | Senator Jones’ Provision to Provide New Funding for Roads and Bridges Included in Historic Highway Bill | 2019-07-30 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today unanimously approved the most substantial highway bill in history, called America's Transportation Infrastructure Act, which includes a new infrastructure funding program similar to legislation authored by Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.). The bill establishes a new programcalled PROTECT grantsthat would provide $1 billion each year for competitive grants and $4 billion in formula funding for improving road and bridge infrastructure, and includes provisions from Senator Jones' Be SAFE Act. Senator Jones introduced the Be SAFE Act in March in an effort to bring more federal dollars to Alabama to invest in life-saving evacuation routes and repair and improve roadways in the state's small and rural communities. The new PROTECT grants could provide a much-needed source of federal revenue for the Mobile Bay Bridge, our aging rural roads, and other vital infrastructure projects across Alabama, said Senator Jones, who has criticized recent Mobile Bay Bridge toll proposals and pledged to search for additional federal resources for the bridge. Communities that receive these grants would not only benefit from federal investments to improve, replace, or build new roads, bridges, and evacuation routesbut they could also bring a huge economic boost. I'm proud that the committee built on a program that I introduced and I look forward to seeing all the ways it could benefit Alabama communities in the future. The PROTECT grants program includes two components that were priorities for Senator Jones in making sure the program serves Alabama's small and rural communities: Funding for planning grants to help cash-strapped communities offset the high cost of technical assistance needed before they can even apply for actual infrastructure funding, which can sometimes cost as much as $40,000; A 25-percent set-aside for grants to rural communities with populations under 200,000, which Senator Jones negotiated with committee members. This will ensure that smaller Alabam… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/calling-all-job-seekers-8th-annual-job-fair-aug-8 | Calling all job seekers - 8th Annual Job Fair on Aug. 8! | 2019-07-29 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | 908 Alabama Avenue Federal Building, Suite 112 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-statement-new-trade-deal-negotiations | Rep. Sewell Statement on New Trade Deal Negotiations | 2019-07-26 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade and one of nine Democratic Members of Congress chosen by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to negotiate improvements of U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, released the following statement today following the working group's meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer: The working group is making significant progress in our negotiations with Ambassador Lighthizer.My goal has always been to ensure that Alabama manufacturers, farmers, workers and consumers benefit from changes to the current NAFTA. Today, we had a productive discussion about ensuring the new agreement is fully enforceable, which, to me, is one of the most important issues we face in negotiations with the Administration. It is critically important that NAFTA 2.0 is fully-enforceable and labor standards are raised so Alabama manufacturers can fairly compete. The Speaker and the Democratic Caucus have identified labor, the environment, access to medicine and enforcement as the four key areas of the agreement that must be improved to attract broad bipartisan support. During the July work period, we met with Ambassador Lighthizer on four separate occasions in order to articulate our principles, discuss specific concerns and propose solutions to address these concerns. The ball is now in Mr. Lighthizer's court, and we look forward to his responses and counter proposals.The working group is eager to make these critical improvements to the new agreement and expects progress to continue during the August recess. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-sewell-reed-introduce-legislation-help-finance-local-infrastructure | Reps. Sewell, Reed Introduce Legislation to Help Finance Local Infrastructure Projects | 2019-07-25 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a former bond lawyer, and Tom Reed (NY-23), both members of the House Committee on Ways and Means, introduced the Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2019, bipartisan legislation to help local governments, non-profits, schools, hospitals, universities and other entities reduce costs associated with infrastructure and development projects. When it comes to infrastructure and community revitalization projects in Alabama and across the country, the need is constant, but too often local governments and non-profit entities struggle to obtain the financing necessary to move forward with these endeavors, Rep. Sewell said. Expanding the availability of bank-qualified bonds will help local governments and nonprofits afford critical construction projects and stimulate their economies, all while providing significant savings for Alabama taxpayers. Bank qualified bonds save tax dollars, said Rep. Reed. Using local bonds keeps the control, financing and benefits of capital improvements at home to boost jobs and facilities all across Western New York. The Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2019 will expand access to low-cost capital for municipalities and non-profits. The legislation will increase the annual limit for municipal bank qualified bond borrowing from $10 million to $30 million for each and indexes this level to inflation going forward. The $10 million limit was set in 1986 and in today's dollars is not sufficient to fund most community projects, making many local projects more expensive than if they were financed under bank-qualified tax-exempt loans. The legislation also applies the bank qualified debt limit on a borrower-by-borrower basis, rather than aggregating all bank qualified bonds issued by a conduit issuer, so that schools, hospitals and other community organizations can more easily access capital. More information about Alabama projects that have been funded by tax-exempt municipal bonds is available here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-questions-special-counsel-robert-mueller | Rep. Sewell Questions Special Counsel Robert Mueller | 2019-07-24 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence interviewed Special Counsel Robert Mueller about his investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a senior member of the Committee, focused her questioning on the June 9, 2016 Trump Tower meeting between the President's son, Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law, Jared Kushner, campaign manager, Paul Manafort and at least five Russian nationals. Senior members of the Trump campaign met with the Russian delegation after being promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton. The meeting has become a central component of the Committee's counterintelligence investigation, as it is against the law for a political campaign to accept anything of value from a foreign government. Isn't it against the law for a presidential campaign to accept anything of value from a foreign government? Sewell asked. Generally, speaking, Mueller said, yes. So, to be clear, Sewell said. Top Trump campaign officials learned that Russia wanted to help' Donald Trump's campaign by giving him dirt on his opponent. Trump Jr. said he loved it.' Then he and the senior officials held a meeting with the Russians to try to get that Russian help. But they were disappointed because the dirt wasn't as good as they had hoped. Did anyone, to your knowledge, in the Trump campaign ever tell the FBI about this offer? I don't believe so, Mr. Mueller said. Sir, is it not the responsibility of political campaigns to inform the FBI if they receive information from a foreign government? Sewell continued. I would think that's something they would and should do, Mr. Mueller said. In a sweeping and systemic fashion, Russia launched an attack on the 2016 presidential election to help Donald Trump win the presidency. The Committee today highlighted multiple instances in which the Trump Campaign, including candidate Trump, knew about the attack, welcomed Russia's help and built their campaign messaging around Russia's attack. A rush tr… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-terri-sewell-praises-passage-legislation-fix-multiemployer-pension | Rep. Terri Sewell Praises Passage of Legislation to Fix Multiemployer Pension Crisis | 2019-07-24 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, the House of Representatives passed the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, more commonly known as the Butch Lewis Act, to address the nation's worsening multiemployer pension crisis. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, praised its passage. At least 10,000 workers in Alabama including Teamsters, steel workers, and mine workers in my district are at risk of losing the hard-earned benefits they have worked for throughout their lifetimes, Sewell said. Many of these workers, including those who spent decades working in our coal mines, risked their lives to provide for themselves and their families. Many sacrificed wage increases throughout their careers to pay into their pension and save for retirement. If we do not act now, an estimated 1.5 million American workers, retirees and their families will suffer as a result. Today's bill gives us the opportunity to protect American workers' retirement savings and guarantee pension benefits into the future, preserving financial security for millions. Under the proposal, private investors would be able to purchase long-term Treasury bonds backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. A new office within the U.S. Treasury Department, called the Pension Rehabilitation Administration (PRA), would administer loans to troubled pension plans using the money from the sale of the long-term bonds. These loans will allow multiemployer pension plans to remain solvent, grow their assets, and pay promised benefits. Additional assistance is also available to those plans that need it. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-and-chairman-neal-discuss-barriers-health-care-alabama | Rep. Sewell and Chairman Neal Discuss Barriers to Health Care with Alabama Stakeholders | 2019-07-23 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Birmingham, AL Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, invited Chairman Richard Neal (MA-01) to UAB Hospital Monday to meet with Alabama stakeholders about precision medicine and the state of rural hospitals. Leadership from UAB's Alabama Genomic Health Initiative, the Southern All of Us Program and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science presented on precision medicine, an approach to patient care that allows doctors to select treatments that are most likely to help patients based on a genetic understanding of their disease, and ongoing efforts to tackle health disparities across the country. Additionally, Chairman Neal and Rep. Sewell met with hospital administrators from across the 7th District and the Alabama Hospital Association to discuss solutions to address health disparities and tackle the rural hospital closure crisis. Chairman Neal has spent his entire career fighting for expanded access to quality health care and resources for medical research and innovation. I was proud to introduce him to the health care stakeholders in the 7th District who work every day to improve health outcomes in Alabama, from health disparity researchers at UAB to hospital administrators in the Black Belt. UAB is home to some of the most cutting-edge research and medical developments taking place in the world, but many rural and underserved Alabamians may never access that innovation because of cost and access barriers that we are working to address,said Rep. Sewell.Chairman Neal and I agree that every single American deserves the highest quality health care available and that universal health coverage must be a central legislative priority. As the Ways and Means Committee continues to work on these issues, Chairman Neal and I will take into consideration all that we learned from Alabama's health care stakeholders to guide the Committee's approach to these issues. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, minority populations in Alabama often have poorer access to ca… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-statement-on-confirmation-of-secretary-of-defense-mark-esper | Senator Doug Jones Statement on Confirmation of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper | 2019-07-23 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today released the following statement on his support for Mark Esper's confirmation to serve as the next Secretary of Defense: Dr. Esper is well qualified to serve as Secretary of Defense by virtue of his experience serving in the Army, his numerous positions as a Congressional staffer in both the House and Senate, his experience working in private industry, and his service in various roles at the Pentagon, including most recently as Secretary of the Army. As Secretary of the Army, Dr. Esper has demonstrated a strong commitment to the well-being and preparedness of our troops and has also shown himself to be a man of character, integrity, and intelligence. After months without a confirmed Secretary, Dr. Esper will bring much-needed stability to the Department as it works to fulfill its national security mission and maintain a strong presence in various strategic locations around the world. I believe that he will also uphold the commitment that he made to me to keep the Department of Defense apolitical and to always stand up and give his candid, honest advice to the President and other members of the administration. I'm grateful for all of the assistance that he provided me as Secretary of the Army, and I'm proud to have voted for Dr. Esper's nomination. I believe he will be an excellent Secretary of Defense. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-supports-final-passage-of-9/11-victim-compensation-fund-extension | Senator Doug Jones Supports Final Passage of 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Extension | 2019-07-23 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON -- Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today voted to pass the Never Forget the Heroes Act to permanently reauthorize the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, which provides compensation for individuals who were injured during the 9/11 attacks or debris removal efforts, and for the families of those killed in the attacks. The fund was set to stop taking new claims in December 2020. The heroic first responders who answered the call of duty after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 deserve nothing less than the full support of the United States government, said Senator Jones. These men and women are the very definition of American patriots, and our nation will forever owe them a debt of gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice. The permanent extension of this program will ensure that every survivor, first responder, and family member gets the care and compensation they are entitled to. The House of Representatives passed the Never Forget the Heroes Act last week. The bill will now head to the President's desk to be signed into law. Senator Jones had previously cosponsored similar legislation in the Senate to permanently reauthorize this program. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-doug-jones-joins-bipartisan-call-for-implementation-of-program-to-alleviate-border-crisis | Senator Doug Jones Joins Bipartisan Call for Implementation of Program to Alleviate Border Crisis | 2019-07-19 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) has joined a bipartisan group of senators in sending letters to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan and Attorney General William Barr to urge the implementation of Operation Safe Return a pilot program that uses existing law and authoritiesto rapidly, accurately and fairly determine and process credible fear claims. This is a first bipartisan step in trying to address the current crisis at our southern border. We write to urge you to use authorities in use as of June 30, 2019, to implement Operation Safe Return, a pilot program to rapidly, accurately, and fairly determine those families who have crossed the southern border that clearly do not have a valid legal claim and safely return them to their home countries,the senators wrote.Through this program, we expect that we can meet our commitments to humanitarian protections while ensuring proper efficiency, timeliness, order, and fairness in the credible fear screening process. We also expect that Operation Safe Return will help us examine current process deficiencies, identify required increases in capacity, and understand the drivers of migration. Senator Jones said the following about the letter:It's clear that there is a true humanitarian crisis happening at our southern border, and implementing Operation Safe Return is a good bipartisan step forward to address some of the most pressing challenges our immigration system faces today. This program would help make sure that the process at our border is as humane and efficient as possible. In addition to Senator Jones, the letter was signed by Senators Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas). The senators' letter can be foundhereand below. President Donald J. Tru… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-named-co-chair-ways-means-committee-s-rural-and-underserved | Rep. Sewell Named Co-Chair of Ways & Means Committees Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force | 2019-07-18 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. The Ways and Means Committee announced the creation of the Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force this week. The bipartisan task force will convene members and experts to discuss the challenges of delivering health care in rural and underserved areas and explore holistic policy options that could improve outcomes and care in those communities. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX) will lead the new effort. The group plans to hold its first meeting on Thursday, July 25. In the wealthiest nation in the world, it shouldn't matter where you live or how much money you make every American should have universal access to quality, affordable health care. I am honored to be a part of the House Ways and Means Committee's new bipartisan Rural and Underserved Health Task Force. The health access and quality issues that plague rural and underserved communities will not solve themselves over night. I look forward to working with the task force and Chairman Neal to tackle these issues and advance meaningful and transformative policies that improve medical access and address health disparities in rural and underserved communities like those I represent, said Rep. Sewell. I am proud to co-chair this important, bipartisan task force with three other Members of the Ways and Means Committee to examine effective policies and programs to remove barriers to receiving quality health care for citizens in all areas of our country, said Rep. Davis. As a doctor representing both rural and underserved areas in Congress, I know that rural patients are lacking access to medical providers. I am eager to work together to find bipartisan solutions that improve the access, quality, and cost of health care in our rural areas, said Rep. Wenstrup, D.P.M. There is no question that our country is facing a serious crisis in ensuring that rural Americans have the same access to quality care and medical services as their urban and suburban counterpart… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-doug-jones-and-tim-scott-urge-usda-to-immediately-implement-heirs-property-provisions-secured-in-2018-farm-bill- | Senators Doug Jones and Tim Scott Urge USDA to Immediately Implement Heirs’ Property Provisions Secured in 2018 Farm Bill | 2019-07-18 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) are urging the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately implement provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill that would benefit owners of heirs' property. Heirs' property is land that has been informally passed down within families, often for several generations, and can often lead to legal complications and prevent landowners from qualifying for federal assistance. The letter focuses on a provision that would allow heirs' property owners to obtain USDA farm numbers and gain fair access to the department's programs, removing a significant barrier to federal resources that African-American farmers and ranchers have long faced. Senators Jones and Scott introduced that legislation, the Fair Access for Farmers and Ranchers Act (S.3117), last year and were successful in their efforts to include it in the recent farm bill. Heirs' property overwhelmingly impacts African-American land ownership, of which 60 percent is projected to be heirs' property. Because a significant portion of U.S. minority-owned rural land was passed down through generations as heirs property, often without a legal title, these farmers and ranchers have been unable to obtain farm numbers and subsequent access to a multitude of USDA programs, the senators wrote. The inability to participate in USDA programs has not only contributed to a startling negative trend in African-American land ownership but has also hindered African-American farmers and ranchers from experiencing economic equality, the letter continues. As representatives of states that are largely considered to be ground zero for this issue, timely and efficient implementation is paramount for heirs' property owners. The letter also calls for USDA to follow through with a farm bill-mandated study about the impact of unresolved legal issues have on the ability of heirs' property owners to operate their farms and ranches. Full text of the letter can be found below and he… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-intelligence-authorization-act | House Passes Intelligence Authorization Act | 2019-07-17 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Years 2018, 2019 and 2020 to authorize funding and enable comprehensive congressional oversight of elements of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC). The bill includes key provisions aimed at understanding and countering Russian and other foreign interference in U.S. and foreign elections, countering domestic terrorism and adapting the IC to operate in a strategic environment of rapid technological change, among other important provisions. Also included in the IAA are provisions authored by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), chair of the Intelligence Subcommittee on Defense and Warfighter Support, aimed at improving federal campaign election security and improving the IC's ability to attract and retain a diverse workforce. When it comes to securing our elections, nothing less than our democracy is at stake. The Intelligence Community agrees that unless the United States acts, Russia and others will continue to attack our elections, Sewell said. Providing our federal campaigns and the public with the knowledge and resources to best protect themselves from cyber-attacks is a commonsense step to protect the integrity of our elections. This legislation also continues the Committee's longstanding and bipartisan work to promote increased diversity within the Intelligence Community's workforce, Sewell continued. Today's bill directs the Intelligence Community to expand its annual demographic hiring report by adding grade level, years of service, career category, gender identity and sexual orientation reporting categories. This change will improve the IC's ability to track how well it retains and promotes employees with diverse backgrounds. Sewell's campaign security provision would require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to work with the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to make ava… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-announces-6-million-federal-grant-local-re-entry-programs | Rep. Sewell Announces $6 Million Federal Grant for Local Re-Entry Programs | 2019-07-17 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM, AL U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded $6 million in federal grant funding to the Dannon Project. The Dannon Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Birmingham, Alabama, helps non-violent offenders who have been involved in the criminal justice system with re-entry, by providing valuable resources such as short-term training, certifications, job placement and case management, beginning six months prior to release. The grant money will be allocated to two distinct programs, with $4.5 million going to the Re-entry Project for Young Adults and $1.5 million going to Re-entry for Adults in Birmingham and Montgomery. The Dannon Project is a truly invaluable resource to the community that works to fill in the gaps left by the criminal justice system by providing practical resources and networking opportunities to our most at-risk community members, so that they have a real chance to build better lives for themselves and their families, Sewell said. I know that the Dannon Project will put this money to good use to provide hundreds of Alabamians with the tools necessary to thrive in the Birmingham and Montgomery communities. The Re-entry Project for Young Adults, which received $4.5 million, supports men and women age 18-24 in targeted low-income areas in Jefferson County and the City of Montgomery who are currently or previously justice-involved or who have dropped out of high school. A projected 563 participants will be impacted. The Re-entry Program for Adults, which received $1.5 million, supports recently incarcerated (within the last 180 days) men and women age 25 and older in targeted low-income areas of Birmingham and Jefferson County. The Dannon Project is thankful to receive these awards and for the opportunity to make an impact in each of these communities, said Dannon Project Executive Director KerriPruitt. Under both programs, enrolled participants will have the option to follow one or more of three job training tracks: Industry-Recog… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-host-8th-annual-job-fair-selma-al-august-8 | Rep. Sewell to Host 8th Annual Job Fair in Selma, AL on August 8 | 2019-07-16 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 16, 2019 CONTACT: Ellen Gomory Ellen.Gomory@mail.house.gov (205) 254-1960 Rep. Sewell to Host 8th Annual Job Fair in Selma, AL on August 8 SELMA, AL U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) will host her 8th Annual Job Fair at Wallace Community College Selma in Selma, AL on August 8, 2019. The Annual Job Fair is a chance for Rep. Sewell to bring employers and job seekers together, increasing opportunity and future economic development across the 7th Congressional District. Our annual Job Fair is one of the most important events that we host all year,said Rep. Sewell.This year, we return to the Black Belt to host our 8th Annual Job Fair. Each year we alternate between urban and rural parts of the district and this year I'm excited to be returning to my home town of Selma. I am deeply committed to providing greater economic opportunities to all of my constituents, especially those in the Black Belt, and a key component to that begins with the dignity of a job, said Rep. Sewell.We are thrilled to connect job seekers with over 70 employers from 13 industry sectors including manufacturing, hospitality, automotive, healthcare and state and local government. I remain committed to helping all of my constituents access the resources they need to secure better economic opportunities. DETAILS for 8th Annual Job Fair in Selma, AL: Thursday, August 8, 2019 What: 8th Annual Job Fair Where: Wallace Community College Selma; 3000 Earl Goodwin Pkwy, Selma, AL When: 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. The 8th Annual Job Fair in Selma, AL is free to the public. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. This year's job fair will feature over 70 employers including Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Regions Bank, the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, the State of Alabama Personnel Department, Vaughan Regional Medical Center, the Alabama Department of Corrections, Bush Hog, Coca Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., Tekpak Inc., Austal USA, GD Copper, Alabama Power and many ot… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-senator-doug-jones-commemorates-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-apollo-11-mission-and-alabamas-role-in-the-historic-mission | VIDEO: Senator Doug Jones Commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Mission and Alabama’s Role in the Historic Mission | 2019-07-16 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today spoke on the Senate floor to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and Alabama's vital role in making the mission a success. It was a remarkable feat made possible by the sheer determination and grit of the American space program and all of those who participated in it, Senator Jones said of the 1969 lunar landing. It was a unifying time. It was a unifying force at a time when America needed it. We're still building on this legacy in space in Huntsville, Alabama, Senator Jones continued. And we're going to inspire a new generation and more generations to come of Alabamians and Americans -- people all across this country -- to reach even loftier heights. Alabama played a crucial role in our country's effort to land on the Moon. The effort to build Saturn V, the rocket that launched the Apollo 11 mission, was led by Werhner von Braun out of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The success of Apollo 11 gave Huntsville national attention for its role in the Moon landing earning the city the nickname the Rocket City. Today, a replica of the Saturn V rocket stands outside the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. Senator Jones secured millions of dollars in funding for space projects based in Alabama in the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act that passed the Senate in June. He has also been an advocate for the U.S. Department of Defense to choose Huntsville as headquarters for the new Space Command mission. Video of his remarks is available here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://sewell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sewell-announces-2019-congressional-app-challenge | Rep. Sewell Announces 2019 Congressional App Challenge | 2019-07-12 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Terri Sewell | S001185 | sewell.house.gov | legacy | BIRMINGHAM, AL U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) is thrilled to participate in the 2019 Congressional App Challenge which is now open to middle and high school registrants throughout Alabama's 7th Congressional District. Registrants in Alabama will compete with students across the country, encouraging increased engagement in computer science and STEM. Winners will receive prizes, recognition and an invitation to #HouseOfCode a springtime computer science fair and reception in Washington, D.C. Registration for the Congressional App Challenge ends November 1, 2019. I love this challenge because it encourages creativity and allows students to enhance their skills in science, technology, engineering, and math, Sewell said. Today's economy is constantly evolving to reflect new advancements in technology. Encouraging students to learn coding and computer science early is crucial if we want them to remain competitive. It is always inspiring to see what students from the 7th District develop and I can't wait to see the new and innovative ideas this year's students will submit. The contest is designed to encourage all applicants to participate, not only those with an advanced understanding of coding. For that reason, the judging criteria is intentionally broad. Apps are rated based on participants' understanding of computer programming skills; the quality of the idea; and the application of the idea. Last year's winners from the 7th Congressional District, Alexis Perry, Corbyn Boyd and Diante Thomas of Hudson Middle School designed an app called Snackable," which allows students to purchase snacks from their school to help fundraise for various school activities, including R.B. Hudson's Robotics Club. Interested applicants can register now at www.congressionalappchallenge.us. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.jones.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/-senator-doug-jones-applauds-house-passage-of-the-widows-tax-elimination-act-of-2019 | Senator Doug Jones Applauds House Passage of the Widow’s Tax Elimination Act of 2019 | 2019-07-12 | 2019 | 2019-07 | Democrat | House | AL | Doug Jones | J000300 | www.jones.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON -- Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.) today released the statement below on the news that the House of Representatives has passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which included his bipartisan legislation to eliminate the Military Widow's Tax. Senator Jones has continuously engaged his House counterparts at the leadership and committee level to ensure support for the legislation and its inclusion in the House version of the NDAA. By passing this bill, the House of Representatives has taken an important step forward toward eliminating the Military Widow's Tax once and for all. It's long past time that Congress does its duty to these families and repeals this unfair law, said Senator Jones, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure this bill makes it in to the final defense bill so we can finally get this done for our Gold Star families. The bill now heads to conference committee, where the discrepancies in the Senate and House versions of the bills will be reconciled. The conference bill will then need final approval in both the Senate and the House before it can go to the President to be signed into law. Legislation to repeal the Military Widow's Tax has been repeatedly introduced in the Senate over the past 18 years, but has reached an unprecedented level of support under Senator Jones's leadership. With Senator Jones as the lead sponsor, the bill has earned a record-high of 75 cosponsors in the Senate. If signed into law, this legislation will repeal the unfair law that prevents as many as 65,000 surviving military spouses nationwide from receiving their full Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs survivor benefits. Currently, military widows and widowers who qualify for the VA's Dependency and Indemnity Compensation are forced to take prorated annuities from the Survivors Benefits Plan, even though they elected to pay into the program. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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