7. Has any of this money gone towards dealing with the coronavirus?
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Coronavirus relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act were reportedly used toward “under/unemployed oral historians” for research relating to anti-racism and “Latinx” history. Reportedly, $87.8 million has been given to “nearly 300 cultural and educational institutions to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, retain and rehire workers, and reopen sites, facilities, and programs.”
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There were also funds given to the Oral History Association to develop a program, “Diversifying Oral History Practice: A Fellowship Program for Under/Unemployed Oral Historians.” At the time of the Rescue Plan passage, President Joe Biden argued that the $1.9 trillion plan was needed due to the “immediate crisis.” He added, “[C]ritics say my plan is too big, that it costs $1.9 trillion. So that’s too much. Well, let me ask them: What would they have me cut? What would they have me leave out?”
6. Buttigieg to set racist highways right or something
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Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Birmingham on Thursday to announce a new infrastructure program called “Reconnecting Communities.” The $1 billion program is meant to change racially dividing roads and improve transportation.
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Buttigieg stated, “This is not an exercise in blame or guilt. It is a reckoning with simple realities and an insistence that the future will be better than the past. Recognizing where taxpayer dollars isolated people or caused damage, and using new resources to fix it, that’s not divisive. What’s divisive is a highway or railway or interchange that is dividing people from where they need to be in their community and fixing it will make a whole community better off.”
5. Ketanji Brown Jackson been sworn in
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In the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been sworn in as the most recent justice. The day has been called “historic” by some, as Jackson is the first black female justice on the court.
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Jackson stated, “I accept the solemn responsibility of supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States and administering justice without fear or favor, so help me God. I am truly grateful to be part of the promise of our great Nation.”
4. U.S. Supreme Court ends Remain in Mexico policy
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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the “Remain in Mexico” policy originally put in place by former President Donald Trump. The court voted in a 5-4 decision, with Justices Stephen Beyer, Sonia Sotomayor, John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan voting in favor of ending the policy.
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Governor Kay Ivey said that the end of the policy “is contributing to the full-blown crisis at the Southern Border and is having devastating effects on both U.S. citizens and migrants…While the federal government has refused to secure the Southern Border, states like Texas, Alabama and our neighbors have stepped up to provide resources. We will continue our fight to demand action from our government.”
3. State Senate District 27 race still isn’t over
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Despite the Republican primary election taking place on May 24, the State Senate District 27 race between Auburn City Councilman Jay Hovey and State Senator Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) is still not decided. After a vote from an unregistered voter was counted, resulting in the race being called a tie, the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) has now decided to rehear arguments on the issue.
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The hearing on the election is taking place this morning. This comes after it was confirmed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) confirmed that the voter was unregistered the day of the primary. Hovey said he was “very pleased that the Party granted our request to reconvene.” Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill also commented on the election, saying that Hovey had “the most legal votes cast.”
2. Biden supports ending the filibuster, too bad for him
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In an effort to pass a federal law legalizing abortion, President Joe Biden said at the NATO summit in Spain that he would support ending the filibuster. Biden made the comments during a press conference, describing the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as “outrageous.”
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Biden went on to say, “I believe we have to codify Roe v. Wade in the law, and the way to do that is to make sure that Congress votes to do that. And if the filibuster gets in the way, it’s like voting rights, we should require an exception to the filibuster for this action.” Biden’s hopes were immediately dashed by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Az.)
1. Bibb County sheriff’s deputy has passed away
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After being shot in the line of duty, Bibb County sheriff’s deputy Brad Johnson has passed away. Johnson was shot by convicted felon Austin Patrick Hall. Deputy Chris Poole was also shot during the chase of Hall and has been released from the hospital.
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Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said, “Alabama feels the heavy loss of another law enforcement hero who gave his life while putting his sworn duty to protect the public ahead of his own personal safety.” Marshall went on to add, “My Office is closely scrutinizing the policies that allowed for a violent offender, like Hall, to walk free. The justice system failed these officers and I will do everything in my power to ensure that doesn’t happen again.”
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