With June winding down and the Summer in full swing, I wanted to give you a short update on what has been going on in Washington and in Alabama.
Rural Broadband Expanding in Alabama
Earlier this month, I was proud to a part of the announcement of a new partnership between Tombigbee Cooperative Freedom FIBER and Alabama Power that will expand broadband in even more parts of the 4th Congressional District.
New partnerships and fresh ways of thinking are what will close the digital divide. Expanding broadband in Alabama has been one of my top priorities in Congress and will continue to be until we have rural America connected as well as the urban and suburban areas of our country. Our families, businesses and communities all deserve fast, reliable broadband regardless of where they call home.
Supreme Court Upholds Religious Liberty
The Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision last week upholding religious liberty. The case, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, concerned a Catholic Social Services adoption program that has operated in Philadelphia for over 200 years. The city sued the Catholic agency because they do not pair vulnerable foster children with same sex couples, which is due to their deeply held religious belief on marriage. Not once was there a complaint filed against Catholic Social Services for this practice, rather the City of Philadelphia attacked a centuries old program simply because of their belief system.
The court ultimately ruled in favor of Catholic Social Services in a 9-0 decision, upholding their First Amendment right of religious freedom. This was a monumental win, and I am very pleased with the Court’s decision.
Good News in Alabama
The places and people of Alabama’s 4th Congressional District are what make this such a great community to live in. I want to take a moment and highlight some of the great stories about our district from this month that showcase how special a place it is that we call home.
