It is hard to acknowledge that 2019 has come to an end, and a new year is upon us. Not only are we stepping into a new year, but we are moving into a new decade. We have seen a significant surge in development for Alabama, and the effects can be found as far as each corner of the state. With this new decade comes a fresh opportunity for greater growth and development across our state.
As I take a moment to look back on the year of 2019, I am reminded of all the many accomplishments we made this year in Congress. The House of Representatives passed several critical pieces of legislation that greatly impacted our nation and the state of Alabama including: a disaster relief package that included aid for Wiregrass communities affected by Hurricane Michael, NDAA for Fiscal Year 2020 to support our defense, USMCA to bring trade negotiation improvements with our neighboring trading partners and a spending package to keep the government funded throughout the year.
Focusing closer on Alabama, our state saw a great amount of successes this past year. The Alabama Department of Labor announced that the state reached a record low unemployment rate. From November 2018 to November 2019, Alabama’s unemployment rate fell from 3.8% to 2.7%, which was the largest drop across the country. We witnessed extreme job growth and development across the state, along with the announcement of the creation of thousands of new jobs for Alabamians.
We are fortunate to experience this remarkable time in our state’s history. Aside from our stable economy and major economic growth, Alabama recently celebrated 200 years of statehood. I was proud to attend festivities commemorating this memorable time in our Capital City, and these events brought Alabamians from North Alabama all the way down to the Wiregrass together in celebration.
With the end to another significant year in Congress, I am quick to remember what an honor and privilege it has been to represent Alabama’s Second Congressional District for the past nine years. I want to thank the people of the Second District for trusting me to serve them and be their voice here in Washington. I am grateful for this unique platform that allows me to dedicate my efforts to serving the needs of my constituents. The cares and concerns of our District are guiding principles for every decision I make in Congress. I look forward to continuing to serve my constituents in this new year, and I am hopeful to see the excellent progress we will continue to make together in our state.
Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
