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Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson’s Statement on the Shooting Near a HBCU

Below is a press release from Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson.

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Chair of the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, released the following statement following the racially motivated shooting near Edward Waters University (formerly Edward Waters College) in Jacksonville, Florida that claimed the lives of three Floridians:

“I’m filled with grief and outrage over the heartbreaking tragedy in Jacksonville, Florida. It is unconscionable that we must again mourn the loss of three innocent lives from another racially motivated mass shooting.

“Let me be clear: white supremacy is a poison that continues to permeate our society. The Dollar General store incident near Edward Waters University, a historically Black university, is a harsh reminder of the ongoing racial prejudice being fueled nationwide.

“This is the painful truth: racism plagues our state, and it’s time to confront it head-on.

“We can’t shy away from this harsh reality. The authorities have rightly called this heinous act racially motivated, a term that should jolt us into action. We cannot turn a blind eye to the hate that powers such acts of violence. The dehumanization of Black people has hit a breaking point. We must declare an emergency and demand accountability. When those in power peddle hate, we must respond. Divisive rhetoric ignites hatred and empowers those with violent intent. 

“But it goes beyond hate. Gun violence demands action. Comprehensive gun control by leaders is crucial to prevent recurring tragedies. It’s time to act decisively for lasting change. Now is a time for unity, empathy, and solidarity, not discord. My plea is simple: end hate and the violence it spawns. Stand united against racism and prejudice. Every life holds immense value, and the victims deserve our unwavering commitment to justice.”

Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt Speaks at League of Municipalities Meeting

Below is a press release from Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt.

The Alabama League of Municipalities held a luncheon Thursday at The Brewers Cooperative in Guntersville where Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) gave an overview of what’s been going in in Washington so far this year.

Aderholt began by discussing the historic House speaker vote at the start of the new legislative session where Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was elected speaker after 15 rounds of voting, the most in 100 years.

He then talked about the contentious debt ceiling vote, where, for weeks, Democrats and Republicans were in a political standoff to try and get concessions in the funding bill.

“In the end, we were able to get some success,” Aderholt said. “We were able to get a $1.5 trillion dollar cut that will take place over the next 10 years. Many of us would have liked to have seen more.”

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Aderholt will be in a similar situation when he heads back to Washington. He said the committee has until the end of September to pass 12 appropriations bills to fund the federal government’s operations.

“That is an issue that we have to deal with on a yearly basis,” he said. “All 12 bills correspond to some agency department in the federal government… When we come back in September, that will be the first order of business to make sure all 12 of those appropriation bills are passed so we can keep the government open come October 1.”

Aderholt said if the committee fails to pass the bills by the September 30 deadline, the government could shut down, meaning any government employee would not get a paycheck until the bills are passed. However, Aderholt said the committee could pass a continuing resolution if needed to avoid the shutdown while they work out the details of the 12 bills.

“We’re on a good path, but obviously we’ve got a lot of work to do when we return,” he said.

Aderholt then spoke about the uncertainty of Alabama’s redistricting map currently being litigated to determine if the newly drawn district containing a nearly 40% minority population will satisfy the U.S. Supreme Court, and he briefly discussed how the Alabama delegation is not giving up its fight to bring U.S. Space Command to Huntsville instead of Colorado.

“I’m working from an appropriation standpoint trying to make sure no funds are being put toward Colorado Springs until we can get a real direct answer from the president, who decided to make a political decision instead of one on the merits,” he said.

Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves’ statement on Scalise’s Cancer Diagnosis

BATON ROUGE, LA – U.S. Congressman Garret Graves released the following statement:

“We’re rooting and praying for one of Louisiana’s finest – Steve Scalise. He’s battled like hell before, and I have no doubt he will beat cancer and recover. Our State and country stand behind him, his wife Jennifer, and his family.”

Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins Issues Statement on Steve Scalise Cancer Diagnosis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) issued the following statement on Majority Leader Steve Scalise:

Steve Scalise is one of the most courageous men I’ve ever known. He’ll beat cancer, because the Lord has blessed him with everything he needs to beat cancer, including a devoted, loving Wife and a beautiful family. Becca and I are confident Steve will fully heal, and our prayers for my Brother and his family will be constant.”

West Virginia Congresswoman Carol Miller’s Statement on the Economic Impact of the New River Gorge National Park

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Below is a press release from West Virginia Congresswoman Carol Miller.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) released the following statement on the 2022 National Park Visitor Spending Effects report, released by the National Park Service last week. The report highlighted the New River Gorge’s generation of $9.1 million of economic output and over 1,000 new jobs for West Virginia.
 
“The New River Gorge showcases the best of West Virginia,” said Congresswoman Miller. “When the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Designation Act was introduced, I was confident in how the new designation would promote tourism while protecting West Virginia’s abundant resources. From its natural beauty to the positive economic impact, the United States is better off having the New River Gorge as a national park.”
 
Background:

  • In October 2019, Congresswoman Miller introduced the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Designation Act which would redesignate the New River Gorge National River as a National Park and Preserve.
  • Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
  • In December 2020, language to make the New River Gorge a national park was included in end of year funding and signed into law by President Trump, creating the 63rd national park.

Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath Hosts Telephone Town Hall with HHS, CMS, FTC, and AARP

Below is a press release from Georgia Congresswoman Lucy McBath.

Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-07) hosted a telephone town hall for residents of Georgia’s Seventh Congressional District. The event featured presentations from Antrell Tyson, Regional Director for Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Region IV; as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and AARP. Over 5,000 residents participated in the evening’s conversation.

“Tonight was yet another wonderful opportunity to hear the concerns of my fellow citizens and share resources that bring value and peace of mind,” McBath said. “I want to thank each of our presenters from tonight’s conversation for making sure that our community is equipped with helpful information about their health and overall wellbeing—we are lucky to have so many wonderful public servants who are serving here in Georgia. If any Seventh District resident needs help with the issues we discussed this evening, or any other federal issue, I encourage you to contact my office. We are here to help you.”          

“Healthcare for all is a national priority for the Biden-Harris Administration,” said HHS Region IV Director Tyson. “As Regional Director for HHS, I am pleased to join Congresswoman McBath and our community partners who are committed to helping increase access to affordable healthcare and informing Georgians about the Medicaid renewal processes currently underway. My office is here to help all consumers get the healthcare they need. This is especially true for vulnerable populations such as seniors who are often targets for fraud. This opportunity to speak directly to constituents, in addition to the ongoing efforts of our community partners, is vitally important to the health and well-being of all Georgians.”

Ensuring access to quality, affordable health care remains one of McBath’s top priorities. As a champion for the historic Inflation Reduction Act, McBath is responsible for helping to drive down health care costs for families in Georgia and across the country. To contact McBath’s Duluth district office, call (470) 773-6330 or visit mcbath.house.gov/help.

Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, MBL Convene Roundtable Discussion with Local Black-Owned Small Businesses

Below is a press release from Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan.

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and the Metropolitan Business League (MBL) convened a roundtable discussion with a Biden-Harris Administration official and local Black-owned businesses in honor of National Black Business Month.

During the roundtable discussion, Congresswoman McClellan engaged with Black business owners and listened to their concerns and challenges. They voiced concerns around a lack of access to capital and the need for increased federal resources.

“Small businesses play a vital role in our local communities, generate billions of dollars in economic impact, and employ over 1.6 million Virginians across the Commonwealth,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “To celebrate National Black Business Month and Black entrepreneurs in Virginia, I was proud to partner with the Metropolitan Business League to host this roundtable discussion. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect Black-owned businesses with SBA officials and the federal resources made available by the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress.”

“The significance of Congresswomen McClellean joining us in partnership to help advance small, women, and minority owned businesses is immeasurable. It builds trust in those we serve, proves her commitment to accountability, and bridges the gap for accessibility to resources needed to help those business succeed,” said Micah White, Vice President for Business Development at the Metropolitan Business League.

Congresswoman McClellan also underscored House Republicans’ proposed funding cuts to the Small Business Administration (SBA) advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee’s FY2024 Financial Services Subcommittee funding bill. The bill includes: 

  • $823.1 million for SBA, a decrease of $72.4 million below FY2023 levels and $163.5 million below the requested amount for FY2024.
  • $299.3 million for SBA’s Entrepreneurial Development Programs, a decrease of $20.8 million below FY2023 levels and $20.8 million below the requested amount for FY2024.

“Small businesses, especially women- and minority-owned small businesses, face serious challenges like a lack of access to capital, affordable childcare options, and other operational difficulties,” continued Congresswoman McClellan. “Despite this, House Republicans are proposing devastating cuts to critical federal programs upon which our small businesses rely. They deserve better. I will continue fighting in Washington to ensure our small businesses owners have the resources and support they need to succeed.”

Congresswoman McClellan and MBL’s Micah White were joined by SBA’s District Director Carl Knoblock, small business owners, and local business advocates.

View photos from the event here

Florida Congressman Cory Mills Introduces Articles of Impeachment for Sec. of Defense 

Below is a press release from Florida Congressman Cory Mills regarding U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

Rep. Cory Mills (FL-07) formally introduced a resolution in the House to impeach Lloyd James Austin III, Secretary of Defense, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

“High-level officials in this administration blatantly ignored intel that Americans and our allied partners in Kabul would be left behind in harm’s way unless the U.S. corrected course in our withdrawal,” said Rep. Mills. 

“As a result, nearly 200 people, including 13 American servicemembers, were murdered at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan two years ago. Because of this clear dereliction of duty, today I am introducing articles of impeachment for Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.”

“It’s not enough for Congress to hold committee hearings. We must start taking real action to address the complete failure of this administration.”

“Tomorrow marks two years to the day that we lost 13 of our brave servicemembers. The fact that it has been two entire years without any member of this administration being held accountable is unfathomable. That changes today.”