Dear John,

I wanted to reach out to update you on the latest developments in Congress.

Rep. Sewell hosts LIVE Telephone Town Hall Event

While I had hoped to hold several in-person town halls this past week, my colleagues and I have had to remain in Washington to vote on a new Speaker of the House. So instead of an in-person event, I hosted a telephone town hall to give my constituents an opportunity to talk about the issues concerning them and to update you on my work.

We discussed Alabama’s new congressional map, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the race for a new House Speaker, and the need for the U.S. to support its partners like Israel and Ukraine.

If you missed my telephone town hall, click below to listen!

First, I want to acknowledge the horrific events unfolding in the Middle East.

On October 7th, Hamas conducted a brutal terrorist attack on Israel, killing over 1,400 innocent civilians, terrorizing communities, and holding more than 200 people hostage. My heart aches for all those whose have been affected.

I condemn Hamas’ attack in the strongest possible terms. There is no justification for such despicable violence. Israel has the right to defend itself and I support the U.S. standing steadfast with Israel.

To be clear, Hamas does not represent all Palestinians, and those Palestinians should not be held responsible for Hamas’ attack. As Israel works to defend itself and its people, I believe that it is important for Israel to do everything in its power to protect the lives of innocent Palestinians who are suffering.

Last week, I co-signed a letter to President Biden emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza are met. I applaud the President for his work to open an access point between Egypt and Gaza, which is allowing a path for aid to reach Palestinians in need. I fully support his commitment of $100 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people.

On Friday, President Biden made his request to Congress for $105 billion in emergency funding, including $10.6 billion in military support for Israel, $61.4 billion in weapons and economic assistance for Ukraine, and $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine.

Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal measures of freedom, security, opportunity, and dignity. The U.S. must exercise its leadership to foster a peaceful coexistence between Israel and its neighbors.

I also want to provide an update on the race for a new House Speaker.

Just like most Americans, I am frustrated and disheartened by the dysfunction here in the House of Representatives. I firmly believe that the American people sent us here to solve problems, to work with each other, and to compromise.

For months, my Democratic colleagues and I have been calling on House Republicans to work with us for the good of the American people. But instead, Republicans have chosen to empower the most extreme members of their conference and govern crisis by crisis.

In May, House Republicans brought us to the brink of our first-ever debt default which would have destroyed our economy. And just a few weeks ago, the very same House Republicans threatened to shut down the government unless we agreed to make deep cuts to programs that Americans rely on.

Make no mistake, a government shutdown would be disastrous for the American people. It would force millions of troops to work without pay, cut off food assistance for women and children, hurt small businesses, cause travel delays, and make us less prepared to respond to disasters.

In the end, Speaker McCarthy put forward a clean resolution that would avert a shutdown and fund the government at current levels until November 17th while we work on a long-term solution. I voted YES on this measure. It wasn’t perfect, but it prevented a shutdown, avoided deep cuts, and provided critical disaster relief funding that communities in Alabama rely on, especially those in the Black Belt like Dallas, Greene, Hale, and Sumter Counties which are still recovering from the January 12th storms.

But now, as we work to avoid another potential government shutdown, House Republicans have removed their own Speaker, paralyzing the House of Representatives. This is truly a sad time for our nation. Without a Speaker, we cannot vote on bills. We cannot approve additional aid to our partners and allies. We cannot do the people’s work.

I believe that government works best when we have two functioning political parties with serious leaders focused on governing. But what is clear is that Republicans are divided amongst themselves.

Last week, Republicans nominated Congressman Jim Jordan as their Speaker designee. I had very serious concerns about Congressman Jordan's candidacy. We know that he played a lead role in President Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election and has spent his career working to slash critical programs like Social Security and Medicare. Over the years, Congressman Jordan has repeatedly demonstrated his unwillingness to work across the aisle, and his extreme and divisive approach led to several government shutdowns.

In the end, Congressman Jordan fell short of receiving the votes needed to become Speaker when at least 20 of his Republican colleagues voted against him.

My Democratic colleagues and I remain united behind Leader Hakeem Jeffries who has made history as the first African American to ever lead a major party in the House or the Senate. We as Democrats are committed to lowering costs, growing the middle class, making our communities safer, and defending our freedoms. We need reasonable Republicans to reject MAGA extremism and join us for a bipartisan path forward.

Regardless of who becomes the next Speaker, my job remains the same—I will continue to do everything in my power to bring more resources and better opportunities to the people I represent.

As always, please be sure to check in regularly with our website and social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) for updates. If you'd like to share your thoughts or concerns, you can email me here.

Today and every day, it is an honor to serve you in Congress. Take good care.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell