In the News
'We were all in it together'
By Alexandra Jaffe and Jonathan Easley | Roll Call | September 6, 2011
Tina Tate
“Get your people out of there.”
On 9/11, Tina Tate found herself in the midst of journalists rushing to report on breaking news and the breaking news itself.
Alabama delegation cool to President Obama's plans
By Mary Orndorff | The Birmingham News | September 8, 2011
WASHINGTON -- Most of Alabama's largely Republican congressional delegation was unimpressed with President Barack Obama's speech tonight.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, said he did not buy Obama's commitment to creating jobs by spending money to construct roads and bridges and modernize schools.
"While I appreciate the President addressing Congris this eveing on one of thoe most critical issues our country is facing, I think what is m issing is the realizataion trillions of dollars of stimulous spending simply did not work"
For more info, click here.
House approves bill allowing duty-free access to U.S. market
By Pete Kasperowicz | The Hill | September 7, 2011
The House on Wednesday evening approved legislation that retroactively authorizes the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, which expired in February and lets specified goods from more than 120 countries enter the U.S. duty-free. The bill was brought up under a suspension of House rules, usually reserved for noncontroverisal bills, and was approved by voice vote.
Senate Dems' funding move dares GOP to insist on FEMA offsets
By Erik Wasson | The Hill | September 6, 2011
Senate Democrats on Tuesday moved forward with legislation providing $6 billion in new funding for relief from Hurricane Irene and other disasters, all but daring Republicans to insist the money be offset with other spending cuts.
Organizers bringing Walk of Flags to Cullman
By Loretta Gillespie | Cullman Times | September 6, 2011
Safe Room Problem Must Be Figured -- Soon
Times-Journal | September 5, 2011
The Times-Journal's Lindsay Slater reported last week that it remains to be seen whether a "temporary" safe room will remain on the Plainview School campus after portable classrooms are gone.
The back story on this: The Federal Emergency Management Agency agreed to pay the majority of the cost for safe rooms - essentially buildings made of reinforced concrete - at four Alabama schools affected by the April 27 tornado outbreak.
Battle over disaster aid brewing in Congress
By Andrew Taylor | MSNBC | August 30, 2011
WASHINGTON (AP) — A political battle between the tea party-driven House and the Democratic-controlled Senate is threatening to slow money to the government's main disaster aid account, which is so low that new rebuilding projects have been put on hold to help victims of Hurricane Irene and future disasters.
FEMA funding faces now familiar congressional wrangling
By Xuan Thai and Tom Cohen | CNN | August 31, 2011
Washington (CNN) -- As rescuers raced Tuesday to free people trapped by floodwaters caused by Hurricane Irene, Washington politicians bickered over how to pay for it.
The same budget arguments that nearly brought the first government default in history earlier this month now raise questions about whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency will have enough money to deal with Irene's aftermath.
Fema's Budget Disaster
By David Stone and Laura Colarusso | The Daily Beast | August 27, 2011
It’s been a busy year for America’s disaster agency, and that may soon spell disaster for its budget.