Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released the following statement after voting against the Democrats’ massive spending package that passed the Senate along party lines with a final vote of 51-50:

“Democrats have once again put their own agenda ahead of helping hardworking Americans. This latest tax and spend spree will further increase inflation and raise taxes on families at a time when they can least afford it. I worked with my Republican colleagues to offer commonsense amendments to this package that would cut taxes, slash regulations, stand up to China, and bolster our national security. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats shot down these proposals and forced through a bill that does nothing to improve or grow our economy. Instead, their bill provides funding for their Green New Deal policies, sends American businesses overseas, and doubles the size of the IRS, giving the agency more manpower to go after small business and the middle class.”

BACKGROUND:

During the vote-a-rama, Democrats voted against all Republicans’ efforts to provide economic relief to Americans as the country is on the verge of a recession. Senator Tuberville filed 50 amendments to the bill that offer a sharp contrast to the tax and spend agenda being advanced by the Democrats. Senator Tuberville’s amendments focused on the following areas:

• Advancing Pro-Growth Tax Policy:  Senator Tuberville offered amendments to advance a pro-growth tax policy by making permanent the Trump-era tax cuts for the middle class and establishing tax credits to encourage U.S. production of semiconductors, drugs, advanced manufacturing equipment, and the mining and processing of rare earth minerals vital to our national security. 
• Securing American Energy Independence: Senator Tuberville offered amendments to secure American energy independence by requiring approval of all pending major pipeline projects and offshore drilling permit requests. 
• Cracking Down on China: Senator Tuberville offered amendments to crack down on China by prohibiting pension funds and retirement plans from investing in companies organized or established in the People’s Republic of China. Senator Tuberville has led multiple efforts to push back against investment in Chinese-related entities, including the Prohibiting TSP Investment in China Act that would prohibit federal retirement funds from being invested in any Chinese-based entity. He also placed a hold on four nominees to the Federal Retirement Thrift Savings Board (FRTIB) until they clarified their stance on TSP investment in China-based companies. An additional amendment would prohibit higher educational institutions hosting Confucius Institutes from receiving federal funding.
• Keeping Americans Safe at Home: Senator Tuberville offered amendments to keep Americans safe at home by givinglocal and state law enforcement greater authority to arrest and detain illegal immigrants. This builds on his legislation to give state and local law enforcement inherent authority to enforce our immigration laws. Additional amendments would mandate wall construction along the southwest border, prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving taxpayer-funded legal assistance, and place fentanyl and all fentanyl analogues into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. 
• Preserving Fundamental American Values: Senator Tuberville offered amendments to preserve fundamental American values. One such amendment focused on preserving the level playing field created by Title IX by prohibiting federal funding to any institution of higher education that allows transgender individuals to participate in single-sex sports that do not correspond with their biological sex. An additional amendment would direct the Secretary of Labor to prioritize enforcement actions targeting unemployment insurance fraud and prohibit individuals convicted of unemployment insurance fraud from receiving federal entitlement benefits for a period of 10 years following conviction.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

Original source can be found here.