The members of the U.S. House of Representatives elected in November were sworn in Thursday. While Republicans controlled the House for the previous four Congresses, the Democrats are back in control for the 116th Congress.
U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) was sworn-in to her fifth term serving Alabama’s Second District in the U.S. House of Representatives, taking the oath:
“I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
“I am honored and deeply humbled to represent Alabama’s Second District in Congress and serve as a voice for our shared conservative priorities,” Representative Roby said. “With every vote I cast, my guiding principle is that Alabama always comes first. From supporting Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base and Fort Rucker to improving veterans’ health care and advancing smart agriculture policy, I will continue to fight for the issues that impact Alabamians.”
Representative Roby most recently served on the Appropriations Committee and the Judiciary Committee. Committee assignments for the 116th Congress have not yet been made.
“It was a great honor and privilege to stand on the House floor for the third time and pledge to support and defend the U.S. Constitution,” Congressman Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) said. “I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Alabama’s Sixth District in Washington and pursuing sound policies for the good of the country during the 116th Congress. There is much to do over the next two years and I am eager to get back to work.”
Congressman Palmer represents Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District. Palmer was recently elected as Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee for the 116th Congress, represents Jefferson, Shelby, Chilton, Coosa, Blount, and Bibb counties.
“As the 116th Congress begins its work, I am deeply honored to again have the opportunity to serve the people of Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District,” said Congressman Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville). “As a Congressman, I have fought hard to defend the foundational principles that have made America the greatest nation in world history. I will continue to fight for those values in the face of stiff and majority-controlling Socialist Democrats in the 116th Congress. In particular, I will work to rein in out-of-control Washington spending, secure America’s borders and elections, defend free-enterprise policies from a strong and dangerous but naïve Socialist agenda, while also promoting strong national security and technological advancement NASA promotes for the benefit of all. The prosperity and freedom of America’s future generations is at stake. I appreciate the trust citizens of the Tennessee Valley have placed in me, and I look forward to a fifth term in the U.S. House.”
Because Democrats now have the majority, the new Speaker of the House will be Nancy Pelosi (D-California).
“I am deeply honored to represent the constituents of Alabama’s 7th District here in the House,” Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Selma) said. “As Dems take the majority, we have work to do advancing priorities from wage growth to infrastructure investment to affordable health care. Let’s get to work!!”
The new Democratic majority is changing the House rules.
“It is the first day of the new Democrat controlled House of Representatives, and one of their first votes will be to make it easier to raise your taxes.” Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-Montrose) said. “Under Republican leadership, Congress lowered taxes for Americans. Under Democrat leadership, they are making it easier to raise them. I will always fight for lower taxes, not higher taxes.”
Congressman Bradley Byrne represents Alabama’s First Congressional district.
The federal government is currently in a partial government shutdown while President Donald J. Trump (R) demands that any future government funding bill or budget include money to build a border wall.
“National stats are alarming, but stories like this are too close to home,” Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Saks) said referring to news that a criminal illegal immigrant had raped a juvenile girl in Shelby County. “We need to #BuildtheWall NOW! I will continue to stand with Donald J. Trump to fight for our national security and the safety of all Americans and folks across Alabama.”
Democrats however have different priorities and building a border wall is not among them and they now have the votes.
“Tonight, the new Democratic majority in the House took its first votes, and we voted to reopen government,” Rep. Sewell said. “We passed a bipartisan package of bills passed by the Republican Senate before the shutdown – no taxpayer money for a wall, but funding to strengthen border security. Let’s end this shutdown!!”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has already said that the Senate will not consider a funding bill that the President will not sign.
The Dean of the Alabama House Delegation is Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) who is now serving in his twelfth term.
Republicans have a six to one majority in the Alabama House delegation.
