7. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) took to the Senate floor to rally Republican support for her Child Care Availability and Affordability Act, a bipartisan effort she claims modernizes tax credits to ease the “crushing” cost of childcare, referencing a $122 billion annual economic hit and statistics like 59% of non-working parents eager to return if affordable care existed. She positioned the legislation as a pro-family, pro-Main Street solution that empowers parents and small businesses without expanding entitlements. Britt is urging action now that the GOP holds both congressional chambers and the presidency, a call bolstered by endorsements like the Bipartisan Policy Center Action and her prior family-focused bills such as the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed Act. While Britt’s pitch seems to have support, childcare is a complex and partisan chaos, leaving its passage uncertain despite the apparent support.
6. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure in Columbia University’s anti-Israel protests and encampments, into custody at his university-owned apartment on the Upper West Side, acting on a State Department order to revoke his student visa and green card, despite attorney Amy E. Greer’s assertion that he’s a lawful permanent resident, not a visa holder, leading her to file a habeas corpus petition challenging the arrest’s validity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorsed the action, vowing to deport Hamas supporters, echoing President Donald Trump’s recent threats against foreign students involved in campus unrest and his administration’s $400 million funding cut to Columbia for failing to curb antisemitism. Yet Greer and CAIR decry it as an attack on First Amendment rights, noting Khalil faces no formal charges despite Columbia’s claims of his role in unauthorized events and social media posts glorifying Hamas. The lack of disclosed evidence linking Khalil to deportable offenses, beyond protest activity, and ICE’s silence fuel skepticism about the arrest’s legal grounding, positioning it as a test case for Trump’s deportation agenda versus constitutional protections.
5. The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, revealed that the Small Business Administration disbursed $312 million in 5,593 loans to children 11 or younger during the COVID-19 pandemic, each flagged with incorrect Social Security numbers, as part of a broader effort that also saw $333 million loaned to borrowers over 115, including a 157-year-old. President Donald Trump, in his recent speech to Congress, criticized millions of implausible Social Security recipients, like a 360-year-old, tying it to waste that DOGE aims to cut, with Musk targeting $1 trillion in savings as he told House Republicans, evidenced by terminating a $10.3 million Agriculture contract among 162 others for $90 million saved. While DOGE and the SBA pledge quick action, the startling claims lack specifics on how children accessed these funds or their use, suggesting either massive fraud or data errors, yet the narrative’s credibility hinges on unshown evidence, risking overstatement without deeper verification amidst Musk’s high-stakes efficiency drive.
4. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) told Yellowhammer News she secured assurance from the Trump administration that the Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery, a historic civil rights site briefly flagged by the U.S. General Services Administration as “non-core” before the list’s retraction, will stay off the revised list, refuting closure fears driven by the Department of Government Efficiency and amplified by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (R-N.Y.) at Selma’s bipartisan Jubilee turned partisan rally. Britt, the only Montgomery-based member of Alabama’s congressional delegation, framed this as part of her advocacy for civil rights history, seen in her hosting of the Faith & Politics Institute’s pilgrimage with U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Montgomery) and others, and her prior intervention to preserve Tuskegee Airmen lessons against what she calls “malicious compliance.” However, the GSA’s initial listing and quick backtrack raise questions about DOGE’s process clarity.
3. The Alabama Republican Party unveiled plans for a Trump Victory Dinner on April 3 at the BJCC North Exhibition Hall in Birmingham, spotlighting Donald Trump Jr. as the keynote speaker to celebrate President Donald Trump’s decisive 2024 election triumph, as some make Donald Jr. a candidate for 2028. Billed as a showcase for Don Jr.’s take on the Trump family legacy and the administration’s nascent second term, the event builds on prior ALGOP engagements with Lara Trump and President Trump. However, its reliance on familial star power and vague “special guests” suggests a focus on rallying the base rather than broadening appeal, with success hinging on turnout at a premium price point. The announcement positions Don Jr. as a “passionate defender of conservative values,” a claim rooted in his public persona, but the article offers no specifics on his planned remarks or policy focus, leaving the dinner’s substance open to interpretation as either a strategic kickoff or a celebratory echo chamber, depending on execution and attendance.
2. State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), representing an area with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, said Alabama’s Legislature has pre-written gambling options ready to assemble, but a simple lottery bill would dangerously expand gambling statewide without resolving illegal sports betting or navigating federal class three gaming laws, a concern rooted in his prior vote against a wider bill. He dismissed a lottery-only fix as inadequate, arguing it neither curbs the “moral” crisis of uncontrolled sports gaming nor boosts state finances. Instead, he is calling for a detailed package that’s repeatedly stalled due to lack of bicameral agreement, reflecting his district’s complex gaming ties. Albritton’s push for a “better” solution over a popular lottery underscores a principled stand, yet risks clashing with voter sentiment favoring immediate action, leaving the Legislature’s ability to bridge this gap uncertain as his focus on control over expansion challenges the feasibility of a quick, narrow win.
1. Should U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) pursue Alabama’s governorship in 2026, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall stands out as a formidable Senate candidate with high name recognition and a proven ballot record, as does Public Service Commission President Twinkle Cavanaugh’s advantage of running while retaining her current post and deep conservative ties and U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia) brings congressional clout and local popularity from Madison County to the mix. Cliff Sims, a Wiregrass native with Trump administration experience and a new consulting venture alongside former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), might jump in with Trump’s backing, though his fundraising capacity remains a question, unlike Caroleene Dobson, whose recent congressional primary loss in Alabama’s 2nd District raises questions. The speculative list, sparked by Tuberville’s potential exit, assumes Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth’s gubernatorial focus, but a Tuberville entry into the Senate could mean Ainsworth runs for the Senate.
Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast on WVNN at 10 p.m.
