Tuberville: “We are just getting started”

WASHINGTON – As his first year in the Senate comes to close, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released the following update on his work on behalf of the people of Alabama:

“I promised the people of Alabama that their voice and values would guide my work in the Senate, and after my first year, I hope Alabamians can say they felt heard,” said Senator Tuberville. “Together – my team and I – listened to the concerns of folks back home and fought for fiscal responsibility, pushed back against the expansion of big government socialism, secured robust funding for our military, and stood up against Democrats’ anti-family agenda. But we are just getting started, and I look forward to defending conservative values and Alabama’s interests in 2022 and beyond.”

FOCUSING ON ALABAMIANS:

Prioritizing Accessibility: Senator Tuberville opened 5 office locations across the state to ensure his team is accessible to all Alabamians.
Remaining Responsive: Senator Tuberville’s state team expedited more than 475 emergency passports and completed over 1,180 constituent requests for help with a federal agency. Members of Senator Tuberville’s team held more than 2,000 constituent meetings across the state, visited all 67 counties each quarter and assisted constituents with their federal grant applications for roughly $28 million in awarded federal funding for first responders, institution, and organizations across the state.
Communicating Directly to Alabamians Through Local Media: Senator Tuberville reached more than 2,355,000 homes in Alabama through regular interviews with print, television, and radio outlets in the state.
Emphasizing Alabama’s Contributions to National Defense: Senator Tuberville toured each of Alabama’s major defense installations to receive high-level briefings on the important missions carried out in the state. Senator Tuberville met with major industry players in the aerospace and defense industries and heard from constituents in Alabama’s defense communities.
Preserving Economic Opportunities for Alabama Localities: Senator Tuberville led the effort to preserve the current Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) threshold after the Biden Administration’s Office of Management and Budget announced its plan to raise the MSA threshold in a way that would have undermined economic development and federal grant opportunities for twelve Alabama cities. Senator Tuberville’s efforts brought results for Alabama when the Biden Administration backed down from their proposal.
Calling for full public access to the U.S. Capitol: Senator Tuberville pushed Democratic Congressional Leaders to reopen the United States Capitol and congressional office buildings to the public after the complex was closed in March of 2020 due to the pandemic. Many large venues around the country are operating at fully capacity – the people’s house should be no different.

BOLSTERING DEFENSE:

Making an Impact in First Year on Armed Services Committee: Senator Tuberville fought to increase our nation’s defense budget and bolster aging weapon systems in the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act. He also fought for strategic authorizations to be included in the NDAA to build our military forces in the Pacific and to counter Chinese aggression.
Holding Leaders Accountable: Senator Tuberville was the first member of the Senate Armed Services Committee to lead the call for hearings related to the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Senator Tuberville pressed President Biden for information about rescuing Americans, green card holders, and Afghan allies stranded in Afghanistan.
Supporting Space Command: Senator Tuberville doubled down on Huntsville as the most strategic and cost-effective home for Space Command.
Pushing Back Against Military Politicization: Senator Tuberville led an effort to rid political bias in military training materials and partisan targeting of DoD platforms.
Pushing Back Against Vaccine Mandates: Senator Tuberville voiced concern to President Biden and SASC Chairman Jack Reed about the vaccine mandate’s impact on federal defense contractors. Senator Tuberville also cosponsored legislation that would prevent service members who do not take the vaccine from being dishonorably discharged.
Countering Terrorism: Senator Tuberville cosponsored a resolution calling on Secretary of State Blinken to designate the Taliban as a foreign terrorist organization

STANDING UP TO CHINA:

Prohibiting TSP Investment in China: Senator Tuberville introduced legislation to prohibit Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) funds from being invested in any entity headquartered in the People’s Republic of China.
Standing up to China’s Non-Military Threats: Senator Tubervillecalled out China’s strategy to rob and replace Americans’ intellectual property while infiltrating institutions of higher learning.
Holding China Accountable: Senator Tuberville urged the Biden Administration’s Secretary of State to retaliate against China’s decision to sanction former senior Trump Administration officials.
Combatting Chinese Influence in Agriculture: Senator Tuberville introduced the Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act to bolster the U.S. agriculture industry’s role on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and safeguard our food supply chain against bad foreign actors like China.
Bolstering Defenses in the Pacific: Senator Tuberville fought to ensure the military had sufficient funds to build a missile defense system for the American territory of Guam, which is on the front line of our competition in the Pacific.

HONORING OUR VETERANS:

Supporting Families of the Fallen Act: Senator Tuberville’s legislation to increase service members and veterans’ life insurance coverage amounts for the first time since 2005 passed the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs to go to the full Senate for a vote.
Promoting Additional Treatment Options for PTSD and TBI: Senator Tuberville introduced the HBOT Access Act to make Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) an alternate treatment option for veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), cutting red tape and allowing veterans access to all options on the table.
Emphasizing Mental Health: Senator Tuberville cosponsored the Post-9/11 Veterans’ Mental Health Care Improvement Act to expand suicide prevention efforts for service members and veterans. During National Suicide Prevention Month, Senator Tuberville brought awareness to veteran suicide.
Expanding Veterans’ Access to the COVID Vaccine: Senator Tuberville helped introduce the SAVE LIVES Act, to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to veterans and their spouses through the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. This legislation was signed into law on March 24, 2021.
Honoring the Greatest Generation: Senator Tuberville introduced a resolution, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent, to recognize the sacrifices and accomplishments of the men and women of the Greatest Generation.

SUPPORTING OUR AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY:

Prioritizing the needs of Rural America: Senator Tuberville questioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary about support for rural communities and the Biden Administration’s plan to hire and maintain the workforce of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Alabama, which supports farmers and rural communities across the state.
Supporting Peanut Famers: Senator Tuberville advocated on behalf of peanut farmers and pushed for the reduction of restrictive trade barriers.
Putting Farmers First: Senator Tuberville advocated for the importance of agriculture policies that are in the best interests of farmers and do not place undue burdens on Alabama’s largest industry.
Pushback to Changing the Navigable Waters Protection Rule: Senator Tuberville helped introduce legislation to codify existing rules related to water regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) so that the Biden Administration cannot overburden landowners with stringent water rules.
Maintaining Current Tax Structure for Family Farms: Senator Tuberville called out President Biden’s proposed tax hikes which would be harmful to Alabama’s farmers.
Expanding Broadband in Rural Communities: Senator Tuberville introduced amendments to expand broadband resources in rural communities during the Senate floor debate on the infrastructure bill.
Increasing Lending Opportunities in Rural America: Senator Tuberville cosponsored legislation to allow banks to more easily and cheaply lend capital to farmers, landowners, and other Americans living in rural communities.

SECURING OUR NATION’S BORDERS:

Empowering Law Enforcement Act: Senator Tuberville introduced legislation to give state and local law enforcement inherent authority to enforce our immigration laws, while also extending the 180-day detainment period to the time necessary for removing dangerous criminal aliens.
Requiring Illegal Immigrants to be Assigned a Court Date: Senator Tuberville introduced legislation to require the Department of Homeland Security to issue a Notice to Appear (NTA) in court prior to releasing from detention any illegal immigrant who has entered the country. Senator Tuberville joined the call for DHS Secretary Mayorkas to provide an explanation for the decision to release thousands of illegal immigrants into the country without a NTA for formal removal proceedings in immigration court.
Getting a Firsthand Perspective: Senator Tuberville personally traveled to the Texas-Mexico border and called on President Biden to take immediate action to address the border crisis.
Protecting American Taxpayer Dollars: Senator Tuberville helped introduce legislation to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for settlement payments to illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. at any point since the beginning of 2017 and were detained.
Raising Questions about the Humanitarian Crisis: Senator Tuberville pressed U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Xavier Becerra on the administration’s vetting procedures regarding placement of unaccompanied minors and their failure to establish a COVID-19 process for testing and mitigation. Senator Tuberville demanded answers of Secretary Mayorkas regarding why U.S. citizens are subject to stricter COVID-19 reentry standards than illegal immigrants.

PROMOTING AN ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE COVID STRATEGY:

Fighting for Alternative COVID Treatments: Senator Tuberville was a lead sponsor of the Treatment Restoration for Emergency Antibody Therapeutics (TREAT) Act to prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing policies that restrict hospitals and other healthcare facilities from ordering and receiving COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments directly from manufacturers and distributors.
Pushing back against the Federal Takeover of Distribution of Lifesaving Treatments: Senator Tuberville was a vocal opponent of the decision by the Biden administration to allow HHS to seize control of the supply chain delivering life-saving monoclonal antibody treatments to all 50 states and territories, pressing Secretary Xavier Becerra about the logic behind the decision. Senator Tuberville dug deeper to inquire about the joint decision between HHS and DoD to award a $142 million contract to KPMG for the promotion and marketing of monoclonal antibody treatments after the administration ramped down production of the treatments.

SAFEGUARDING EDUCATION:

Prioritizing Education: Senator Tubervilleplaced an emphasis on opportunity through education and on prioritizing STEM and technical training over traditional pathways.
Promoting Choice and Eliminating Bureaucracy: Senator Tubervillehelped introduce the CHOICE Act, a bill to allow low-income families with children in grades K-12 to use federal education funds for the educational opportunities that best fit their needs. Senator Tubervillehelped introduce the Head Start Improvement Act which would eliminate bureaucracy in the Head Start program by giving money directly to states through block grants.
Advocating for HBCUs: Senator Tuberville introduced a resolution recognizing the week of Sept. 6 as HBCU week, and spoke in support of HBCUs on the Senate floor.
Increasing Opportunities: Senator Tuberville cosponsored the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act to make short-term education, certificate, and training programs more affordable.
Protecting Title IX: Senator Tuberville pressed the Biden Administration on protecting women athletes’ Title IX rights.

FIGHTING FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY:

Addressing Inflation: Senator Tubervillevoiced concerns about rising prices and the impact of inflation on Americans resulting from Democrats’ reckless tax and spend spree.
Safeguarding Small Businesses and Family Farms: Senator Tuberville cosponsored legislation to permanently repeal the death tax, which forces many families to sell their family business, farm, or ranch to be able to pay the required tax.
Protecting Americans’ Financial Privacy: Senator Tuberville was the first U.S. Senator to introduce a bill to prohibit a Biden administration proposal that would have allowed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to require financial institutions to report individuals’ financial transaction data over $600. Senator Tuberville and Alabama bankers and credit union representatives criticized the IRS snooping plan, and the Senator took to the streets to ask Americans what they thought about the administration’s dangerous IRS proposal. Senator Tuberville put Democrats on record for supporting this IRS power grab by calling for unanimous consent of all Members of the Senate to pass his bill; Democrats objected.

PRESERVING AMERICAN VALUES:

Supporting Law Enforcement: Senator Tubervillepassed an amendment to reduce or eliminate federal law enforcement funding to local governments that support defunding their police forces.
Encouraging Americans to Return to Work: Senator Tuberville helped introduce legislation to incentivize job seekers to take available opportunities in the workforce.
Highlighting Adoption: Senator Tuberville helped introduce a resolution to designate November as National Adoption Month and spoke about the importance of a stable and loving home.
Upholding the Sanctity of Life: Senator Tuberville signed on to a friend of the court brief in support of the Mississippi law prohibiting elective abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

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