7. Merrick Garland confirmed as U.S. Attorney General
- The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed Merrick Garland as the next U.S. Attorney General in a 70-30 vote, with U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) saying, “Garland’s unshakable commitment to serving his country is deeply rooted in who he is.”
- Despite receiving bipartisan support, there are still some concerns about Garland as Attorney General. U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) said, “I hope we’re not headed toward another Obama-Holder Justice Department take two.”
6. Issues with illegal immigrants at the southern border are Biden’s fault
- Southern Border coordinator Roberta Jacobson has said that the surge of migration at the southern border is not a “coincidence” that it’s happened after President Joe Biden took office and signed executive orders reversing Trump-era policies.
- Jacobson said, “Surges tend to respond to hope.” She added that after Biden was inaugurated, “There was a hope for a more humane policy after four years of pent-up demand.” She went on to say that Biden’s new policies “definitely drove smugglers to express disinformation, spread disinformation about what was now possible.”
5. Alabama House approves legislation allowing college athletes to be paid for name and likeness
- The House of Representatives in Alabama has approved the legislation sponsored by State Representative Kyle South (R-Fayette) that would allow college athletes to be paid for their names and likeness being used, as well as letting them make paid appearances.
- This bill would also allow athletes to hire agents and would create the Alabama Collegiate Athletics Commission to oversee these issues. South has been clear, though, that this bill wouldn’t actually have any “effect until NCAA passes bylaws providing for [athletic compensation].”
4. Amazon decides not to build another facility in Alabama, doesn’t say why
- A potential Amazon distribution center in Spanish Fort, Alabama, will not be built, after all. The Spanish Fort planning commission was prepared to take on zoning and road issues but Amazon delivered the news that they are pulling the plug.
- The timing might be coincidental, but the Amazon facility in Bessemer is in the middle of a highly-publicized and highly-promoted attempt to unionize. There is currently a vote going on for unionization, which will be decided on March 30.
3. Making all businesses essential
- State Representative Jamie Kiel (R-Russellville) has proposed legislation that would eliminate the distinction between “essential” and “non-essential” businesses. It has been approved by the Alabama Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee.
- Removing this definition would apply to emergency situations and prevent the state from picking which businesses have to close while others remain open. This legislation is meant to be a direct response to the decision to close some businesses early in the coronavirus pandemic.
2. Alabama is suing the U.S. Census Bureau
- Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has announced that he’s filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Census Bureau for delaying the release of population data, claiming that these delays are unconstitutional.
- The lawsuit seeks to have the bureau released Census data by the end of this month, rather than on September 30, which is the current schedule and to prevent the use of “differential privacy,” to which U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said “seems to be playing a role” in the delay of releasing data. Differential privacy is meant to add “noise” to the public data that should protect people’s privacy.
1. Coronavirus relief package passes the House
- The day before the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a 220-211 vote, with zero Republicans voting “yes.” The legislation will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk, and he’s expected to sign the package on Friday. This is the first legislative success in Biden’s presidency.
- Included in this massive funding package are $1,400 stimulus checks, an additional $1,400 for each dependent in a household and extending the added $300 per week benefits to unemployment until September 6. There will also be a “child allowance” of $300 per month paid to parents with children under six-years-old, which will be $3,600 in a year. For children up to 17-years-old, parents will receive $3,000 a year with the new child tax credit program.
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