Reopening the Economy

I'm sure many of you watched President Trump's news conference Thursday evening where he announced his phased approach for reopening the economy.  Since March, I have said that we must ensure the American economy does not completely collapse during this crisis, and it's time to really think about the best ways to approach this. However, it can't be underscored enough how vital it is that safety remain the number one priority. Before we all get back to business it must be clear and evident that opening doors will not lead to another surge of the virus.

Business Owners in the 4th District​​​​​​​ Weigh-in 

Once safety is ensured, then it is time to start getting folks back to work. I am grateful to be participating in Governor Ivey's Task Force that is studying this very issue, and as a part of my work on this I sent out a survey to business owners in our district. It's clear that people want to get back to work as soon as possible, and although the numbers are preliminary, I think they represent the broader feeling of our community.​​​​​​​

Severe Weather

In the middle of this pandemic, severe storms struck our district last weekend, with tornadoes touching down and torrential rain causing widespread flooding.  Fortunately, there were no deaths or serious injuries reported as a result of the storms, but there was damage across the district. I was pleased to see that even while emergency managers are having to deal with COVID-19, they still were able to step up and guide us through this severe weather outbreak.  In times like this please pray for your neighbors in our district and extend a helping hand where you can. I also post about severe storms coming to the district on my Twitter and Facebook pages, and you can follow those for up to date information.

There is also a chance of another round of severe weather this coming Sunday.  So, please keep an eye on the weather Sunday and into Monday morning.

2020 Census

The deadline for filling out your 2020 Census has been postponed due to COVID-19. If you have not completed yours yet, this is great news because you've got more time! Please make sure to fill out your 2020 Census, as it is vital to our state to get an accurate count of our population. The data from the Census is used when determining funding for things like hospitals, critical infrastructure, schools, emergency services, and so much more. You can complete your 2020 Census by clicking this link. Make sure to fill yours out today!  ​​​​​​​

Apollo 13 Anniversary​​​​​​​

Hailed a "successful failure", the Apollo 13 mission was bound for the Moon but would never get there. Due to equipment failure, the astronauts aboard had to abort the mission and desperately try and return home. Thanks to the brilliant minds at NASA, including engineers here in Alabama, a tumultuous six days in space concluded with the safe return of three brave souls. Today marks the 50^th Anniversary of Apollo 13 landing safely in the South Pacific Ocean.

50 years later, NASA is working to return to the Moon, sending men and women where no one has been since 1972. However, the Moon is no longer the only target we have our eyes on in space. Mars will be the next step, and one day NASA will carry mankind further than we have ever gone before. The amazing men and women working in Huntsville and North Alabama are helping to make this a reality, and when the first step is taken on the Red Planet, Alabama will be a part of its imprint.

I hope you have a great weekend, and please stay in touch.