Government

U.S. House Votes to Impeach President Trump

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives on the evening of Dec. 18 adopted two articles of impeachment against President Trump. The articles now go to a trial in the Senate, where a two-thirds vote for conviction on either article would remove Trump from office. The votes were largely along party lines, and Alabama’s representatives followed that pattern. The state’s lone Democrat, Rep. Terry Sewell, voted for both articles; and the other members of the delegation, all Republicans, voted no. Read more.

by Voterama in Congress

President Donald Trump Impeached

President Donald Trump has been impeached. The U.S. House of Representatives this evening voted 230 in favor, 167 against and 1 present, with 3 members not voting, to pass an article that alleges abuse of power. House members then voted 229 for, 198 against and one present, with 3 members not voting, to pass a second article alleging obstruction of Congress. The case will go to the Senate for trial. Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell, D-7, voted for Article I, alleging abuse of power, and Article II, alleging obstruction of Congress. Alabama Reps. Bradley Byrne, R-1, Martha Roby, R-2, Mike Rogers, R-3, Robert Aderholt, R-4, Mo Brooks, R-5, and Gary Palmer, R-6, voted against Article I and Article II. You can find the complete list of votes on impeachment Article I here You can find the complete list of votes on impeachment Article II here BirminghamWatch will be updating this story this evening.

by BirminghamWatch

Jefferson County Commission to Search for New Chief Financial Officer

At their Dec. 17 work session, Jefferson County Commission members discussed the plan for replacing John Henry, the county’s chief financial officer, who is leaving for a new position in Washington, D.C. Travis Hulsey, county director of revenue, will oversee the Finance Office while the position is vacant. The Human Resources Department will conduct a six-week national search to recruit candidates for the position. Read more.

by Cheryl Slocum

Birmingham City Council Settles Suit With One Self-Storage Developer, Extends Moratorium

The council voted unanimously to extend the city’s moratorium on new self-storage developments by 90 days. But it also voted to settle a lawsuit from one developer, paying out up to $125,000 and allowing construction on a self-storage facility near Vulcan Park to continue. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Five Points South Wins Entertainment District Designation

The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to name Five Points South an “entertainment district,” making it one of only three areas in the city where it’s legal to drink alcohol in public. The effort was spearheaded by the Five Points Alliance, a consortium of neighborhood business owners and residents. John Boone, the alliance’s vice president, told the council that the ordinance would help the alliance with planning large community events, such as the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and Taste of Five Points food festival. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Congress OKs Military Budget That Includes Jones’ Repeal of Widow’s Tax, Sends It to Senate

KEY VOTES AHEAD The House will vote on articles of impeachment against President Trump this week and may take up a U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact. The Senate will consider the 2020 military budget and judicial nominations. UPDATED WITH SENATE VOTE:WASHINGTON – The House last week approved a $738 billion military policy budget (S 1790) for fiscal 2020 that included a repeal of the so-called “widow’s tax,” sponsored by Sen. Doug Jones, R-Ala. The “widow’s tax” affects spouses of military men and women who were killed or disabled on active duty or during training. It prevents them from collecting the full amount for which they are eligible under a death benefit and a retirement program, even when retired service members elected to pay into that program. The rules affect an estimated 67,000 surviving military spouses, 2,000 of them in Alabama, Jones stated in a press release. Jones scheduled a press conference for Monday morning at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport to celebrate approval of the repeal. The Senate still has to take up the conference report on the military budget this week, but it is expected to pass the Senate in a bipartisan vote. Read more.

by Voterama in Congress

Jones Gives House of Representatives Shade About “Partisan Bickering” Over Impeachment

Sen. Doug Jones has had a busy week in the United State Senate, and members of his chamber traditionally tend to be subdued in any remarks they make publicly about “the other body,” the House of Representatives. But the Alabama Democrat couldn’t resist getting in a little dig at the House, where an investigation into articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump has been dominating headlines and time on cable news channels. “I really wish that, rather than tuning in to partisan bickering over in the House of Representatives, that the people had been watching the Senate floor this week and last week to see what all we have done in a bipartisan way, and the accomplishments we have done in spite of everything going on,” Jones said at the beginning of a teleconference with Alabama reporters Thursday. Read more.

by Robert Carter

Calming Fears: Jefferson County and UAB Officials Work to Dispel Rumors About New Health Care Authority

The due diligence phase of Jefferson County’s move toward a health care authority was fraught with misinformation, including the rumor that current employees were going to be let go. “The staff there is doing such a great job, but we need more,” said David Randall, president of the Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority. “I think the initial panic was, ‘We’re going to get fired.’” Nothing could be farther from the truth. “No, please stay because we need you,” said Randall, a senior vice president of strategic planning and business development at UAB. “I think if anything there was a gap in that we need to add more individuals. (Cooper Green staffers are) doing a great job, lifting a heavy load with the staff that they have. I mean amazing.” Leaders from UAB and Jefferson County met with media Wednesday to provide an update on the move toward a university health care authority, including trying to dispel misinformation about the action. County manager Tony Petelos repeated his point that the county is not getting out of the business of health care for its poor population. Rather, he said, the day-to-day operation of the hospital-turned-clinic is being handed over to medical professionals who are better suited for the task. Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Birmingham Spreading Word Against Human Trafficking Ahead of World Games

When the World Games comes to Birmingham in 2021, it’s projected to bring with it $256 million in economic impact, thanks to an estimated influx of 100,000 athletes and sports fans. But at Tuesday’s meeting of the Birmingham City Council, officials said they were working to prevent a potential unintended consequence of that influx: an uptick in human trafficking. The council voted Tuesday to pass a resolution calling for a communitywide awareness campaign against human trafficking. The measure, spearheaded by District 6 Councilor Crystal Smitherman and Mayor Randall Woodfin, calls for “comprehensive education of (city) staff and the implementation and enforcement of a zero-tolerance policy of any act that may support human trafficking.” Read more.

by Sam Prickett

House Passes Sewell-Backed Bill to Restore Voting Preclearance Requirements

WASHINGTON – Here's how area members of Congress voted on major issues during the legislative week ending Dec. 6. HOUSE Restoring Key Part of Voting Rights Act: The House on Dec. 6 voted, 228 for and 187 against, a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, to restore the 1965 Voting Rights Act’s “preclearance” requirements, which were invalidated by the Supreme Court in 2013. Preclearance under Section 5 of the law requires states and localities with histories of systemic voting discrimination to obtain advance approval of proposed changes in voting laws from the Department of Justice or a District of Columbia federal court. Read more.

by Voterama in Congress