7 Things: Trump ready to veto stimulus bill, Ivey lobbies for Space Force command in Huntsville, Alabama could keep a congressional seat and more …

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December 23, 2020

7. When to expect a stimulus check in Alabama

With the coronavirus relief package passed, another round of stimulus checks is set to be distributed. This time, the checks are for $600 per person for those making less than $75,000 per year. Those who have direct deposit with the IRS already set up could receive their checks before December 31.
Anyone who doesn’t receive direct deposit payments for tax returns through the IRS will be waiting until after January 15, 2021, to receive their stimulus checks. It’s expected that this round of checks will be distributed faster than the first.

6. Shelby praised for spending bill

U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) is receiving praise from Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson and the Alabama State Port Authority for his work in supporting Coastal Alabama, as reflected in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget.
Stimpson said that Shelby’s “continued support benefits not just Mobile but our whole region and the entire State of Alabama.” Through this spending bill, Stimpson wanted to highlight how Shelby has been supporting improving the Port of Mobile and the Downtown Mobile Airport.

5. Holiday warning from UAB

Infectious disease expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Dr. Michael Saag is warning people about holiday gatherings, saying that many cases they’re finding right now originated around Thanksgiving gatherings, even though there has been no Thanksgiving surge.
Saag is advocating for people to cancel any holiday plans or travel plans that they have for Christmas to limit possible exposure to the coronavirus, unlike coronavirus taskforce member Deborah Birx did on Thanksgiving. Saag said, “If we all collectively have the same type of exposures that we did over Thanksgiving, we can expect a doubling of the cases that we have now.”

4. So Trump’s border policy isn’t all that bad

President-elect Joe Biden is already looking at how he can do away with the immigration policies that were put in place by President Donald Trump. Biden has said that it’s not going to be done “on day one,” though.
Instead, Biden is looking at a period of six months to repeal immigration policies. Otherwise, a faster repeal could result in ending “up with 2 million people on our border.” Biden said he’s going to work on a “much more humane policy on family unification. …It requires getting the funding in place, including just asylum judges, for example.”

3. Alabama may not lose a congressional seat after all

There were fears that Alabama would lose a congressional seat as the 2020 Census results would come in, but it is possible that Alabama will keep all seven of its congressional seats barring a shift in the count. Also at play is a decision to exclude illegal aliens from the count, which the Supreme Court has not finished weighing in on.
According to a recent estimate, Alabama will be able to hang on to its seventh congressional seat with about 6,000 people to spare. A previous estimate had Alabama losing the seat. This is not the end of this process, but Alabama’s holding firm would be part of positive results for Republican states who will gain congressional seats and Electoral College votes.

2. Ivey talks with Pentagon about Space Command headquarters

Governor Kay Ivey announced that she’s spoken with Pentagon officials “to pitch why AL should be home to Space Command HQ,” as Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville is one of six finalists being considered.
Ivey spokesperson Gina Maiola said that Ivey “reminded them that our state is leading in the defense industry and provides all of the essential elements to meet the needs for the permanent home to Space Command.” Ivey also highlighted the work that our state has already done to be military family-friendly.

1. Trump ready to veto the coronavirus stimulus bill

Congress passed a large spending deal that included coronavirus stimulus this week. President Donald Trump is not very happy with them, and is threatening to veto the stimulus. Trump, who wants more money for Americans, said, “I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is ready to up the dollar amount given to most Americans, but Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is ready to call Congress back on December 29 to override the veto, which should be pretty easy given the large margin it passed by in both chambers of Congress.