Rep. Aderholt talks federal appropriations and local partnerships at ALM luncheon

While back in state for August recess, U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt visited with local and regional leaders at an Alabama League of Municipalities (ALM) congressional luncheon last week in Guntersville to offer updates on his work in Washington and solidify partnerships at home.

Aderholt (R-Haleyville) spoke to the importance of being fiscally responsible while collaborating with Senate lawmakers and local leaders to bring federal funding back to the district and state. As Chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, Aderholt spoke candidly about the challenges Congress faces in passing all 12 appropriations bills before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. With just weeks left, Aderholt acknowledged the difficulty of meeting the deadline.

“We have a hard deadline of passing those 12 appropriation bills by September 30. So far this year, we have passed all 12 out of our committee, which is actually ahead of the game in many ways, and we passed five on the floor of the House. We have seven still to go,” he said. ”To be honest, between now and September 30, we’re going to have a very difficult time passing all those individual bills. So what we will do, as usual, is pass a continuing resolution to bridge us over until we can get all the bills together.”

Aderholt said the Alabama delegation has fostered a partnership together that others have not in Washington. “We can’t do anything in the House without the Senate, and the Senate can’t do anything without the House. It takes us both working together,” he said, thanking U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery).

The veteran congressman also expressed a commitment to helping small towns and cities in his district secure federal funding through community projects, which are crucial for driving economic development in areas with limited local budgets.

Beyond the appropriations process, Aderholt raised urgency around Congressional action to secure the Southern Border and forecasted the stakes of the 2024 election.

“Over the last four years, we’ve seen approximately 10 million aliens – illegal aliens – that have come across our border. There’s probably another 2 million or so that have escaped that we don’t know about. And out of the ones that have been apprehended, there’s been 350 at least, that have been on terrorist watch list. So that is something that I take seriously,” Aderholt said.

“I know that you take seriously your own communities, and we have got to make sure the federal government addresses that issue, and hopefully we get back to Washington, I hope that there’ll be pressure on Congress truly act, especially on this administration, that we need to put partisan politics behind this.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming November general election, Aderholt said that control of the House and Senate could hinge on just a few key races.

“The House, Senate and the President is all up for grabs. The House, as I mentioned, we’re all up for reelection right now. We have a four-seat majority in the House of Representatives. There’s 435, seats up, there’s only about 20 or 25 that are really what I would consider toss-up races.”

“The Senate as you know, is controlled by the Democrats of one seat. But obviously that is one of those things that with [U.S. Senator Joe Manchin] seat now flipping Republican, and most likely that’s going to go Republican — I don’t see West Virginia voting for a Democrat for their Senate. Then that puts it 50-50. So whoever picks up one seat after the West Virginia seat will control the Senate.”

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270