2025

Dear John,

It has been a busy month for me and my team! In an effort to keep you informed, we put together this newsletter on our work in February 2025.

Keep reading to hear about the progress we've made on your behalf.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell

FIGHTING BACK AGAINST TRUMP'S HEALTH CARE CUTS

This month, President Trump and House Republicans released their budget proposal which slashes funding for health care, food assistance, and other vital services in order to give a $2 trillion tax cut to the very wealthy.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk and his minions are firing tens of thousands of federal workers and attempting to freeze the funding our communities rely on.

Let me be clear—This is a betrayal of Alabama families.

On February 20, I hosted a community roundtable in Tuscaloosa to speak directly with my constituents about how Trump's cuts would hurt Alabamians.

We heard from the leader of a local community health center, the director of the Tuscaloosa Housing Authority, and a union representing federal workers.

As our guests shared, these cuts will be devastating for the people of our state. They will put the health care of more than 1 million Alabamians at risk, threaten access to affordable housing, cut off food assistance for hungry families, and even hurt the VA facilities that serve our veterans.

I voted NO on House Republicans' budget, and I will continue to speak out against this injustice. Rest assured, we will not let them defund the services you rely on without a fight.

Have you or your family been impacted by the Trump Administration's cuts or attacks on federal workers? I want to hear from you!

Share your story with me here.

LEGISLATING, LITIGATING & MOBILIZING

Earlier this month, I convened an Emergency Telephone Town Hall in response to the lawless actions of President Trump and Elon Musk.

I was joined by Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse and the President of the American Federation of Government Employees, Everett Kelley.

We spoke with more than 20,000 people in our district about how Democrats are legislating, litigating, and mobilizing to fight back against this administration.

Listen to the full town hall here.

Here's some of what we're doing to fight back:

• I led a letter to the Acting IRS Commissioner demanding information on Elon Musk's invasion of Americans' privacy. We requested specific details on what information has been accessed, how many times it has been accessed, and for what purpose it is being used.
• I joined House Democrats to put forward the Taxpayer Data Protection Act which would stop Elon Musk from accessing your personal taxpayer information.
• More than 70 cases have been filed challenging the Trump Administration's executive orders and agency actions.

We will continue to keep you informed of the latest developments. 

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the extraordinary contributions African Americans have made to this nation and the world.

As Alabama's first Black Congresswoman, a native of Selma, and the representative of Alabama’s Civil Rights district, I know that I stand on the shoulders of so many giants who courageously fought, bled and died to make our society more just and inclusive. I take very seriously my responsibility preserve and advance their legacy.

That's why this month, I introduced legislation to create a new federal holiday honoring one of Alabama's Civil Rights heroes—Mrs. Rosa Parks.

Our bill would designate December 1st as "Rosa Parks Day," commemorating her historic arrest in Montgomery, Alabama. In fact, it would become the first federal holiday to honor a woman!

At a time when some seek to erase our history and roll back our progress, it has never been more critical for us to protect the stories of the Movement.

Honoring Rosa Parks with a new federal holiday will ensure that her bravery and heroism live on in American history forever.

Watch our press conference here.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO NEW CANCER SCREENINGS

This month, I reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to cancer screenings for our nation's seniors.

Our bill would ensure that new early detection blood tests are covered by Medicare and accessible to our seniors once they are FDA-approved. It will help us catch cancer earlier and save lives.

The fight against cancer is very personal to me, just like it is for so many Americans. In July 2020, I lost my dear colleague, John Lewis, to cancer. And less than a year later, I lost my beloved mother too.

In an effort to turn my pain into purpose, I made a commitment to do all that I can to expand access to cancer screenings and increase funding for cancer research.

I am especially grateful that the bill's Republican sponsor, Congressman Jodey Arrington, named the bill after my mother—the late Nancy Gardner Sewell. I know that her legacy will live on in the millions of Americans whose lives will be impacted by this legislation.

We're working hard each day to get this bill passed and signed into law!

RETURNING STOLEN CHECKS TO TAXPAYERS

On February 12, the Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed our legislation to return stolen checks to taxpayers.

I've heard from many constituents who have struggled to receive their tax returns through the mail.

In the event that a return is lost or stolen, our legislation would allow the IRS to issue a replacement via direct deposit.

It is a common sense measure that will help numerous Alabamians receive the money they are owed.

CONNECTING WITH CONSTITUENTS

In February, we continued our annual Congress in Your Community Tour through Alabama's 7th Congressional District.

We made stops in Tuscaloosa, visiting important community organizations like the Maude Whatley Health Center, the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, and the Benjamin Barnes YMCA.

Meanwhile, my staff participated in events throughout our district including the Jimmie Lee Jackson Day program in Marion and the Black History Month celebration at the Safe House Museum in Greensboro. 

Our team also attended the ribbon-cutting of Alicia's Coffee at the historic A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham.

Stay tuned—We look forward to visiting a city near you!

INTERN IN MY OFFICE

Team Sewell is looking for outstanding college students and recent graduates to serve as interns in our Washington D.C. and district offices for the summer of 2025!

Our interns are in integral part of our team. They help us research legislation, communicate with our constituents, and other important tasks, all while learning about the inner workings of a congressional office.

Our D.C. interns get to attend policy hearings and briefings on Capitol Hill and our district interns get to attend a variety of community events throughout the 7th congressional district.

Be sure to apply by March 28th to be considered!

To check your eligibility and submit your application, click here.

LENDING A HELPING HAND

Ms. Tonya Davis from Center Point had been struggling to access her Social Security benefits since September 2021. She was in dire need of assistance.

After she contacted our office last month, our team quickly reached out to the Social Security Administration on her behalf.

Within three weeks, our office helped Ms. Davis secure more than $32,000 in backlogged benefits owed to her by the federal government.

My office stands ready to assist with your federal needs. To get help with a federal agency, visit my website here or reach out to one of our district offices.

NOTE: Ms. Davis' name has been changed out of respect for her privacy.

To keep up with my work, please be sure to check in regularly with our website and social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). If you'd like to share your thoughts or concerns, you can email me here.

It is an honor to serve you in Congress. I look forward to hearing from you soon!