Shelby, Sessions differ on earmarks

U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions are not on different sides of many issues, but they voted differently on whether they should ban federal earmarks for two years.
During a meeting of Senate Republicans, Shelby expectedly voted against the measure.
Sessions was a co-sponsor of the measure that Republican senators approved on Tuesday that they believe is necessary to reduce the much-criticized government spending, according to the Associated Press.
Shelby, the senior senator from Tuscaloosa, said the ban would not save taxpayer money and would give the Obama administration more spending authority.
Shelby is well-known for directing hundreds of millions in federal money to projects in Alabama through earmarks.
"He is proud of funding he's brought back to Alabama for math, science, and engineering education, as well as for meritorious projects that will improve law enforcement and crime prevention, promote national security, and continue our nation's space exploration activities," Shelby spokesman Jonathan Graffeo wrote in an e-mail to the Associated Press.
Sessions told The Birmingham News that earmarks are a way for senators to pull together votes for measures they are pushing.
"You want this for your state? We'll put it in there, but you have to vote for the bill, and it might be a budget-busting bill," he said.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Roby selects chief of staff

Congresswoman-elect Martha Roby of Montgomery has selected a senior staffer for U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions as her chief of staff.
Roby, a Republican who defeated Democratic freshman U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright in the Nov. 2 election, named Stephen Boyd as her chief of staff on Friday.
Boyd, an Alabama native, is currently the communications director for Sessions. He will manage the Washington, D.C., and Alabama offices for Roby in the 2nd District, which stretches from Autauga and Elmore counties down to the Florida border in southeast Alabama. He will help oversee the legislative agenda and constituent services.
Boyd was chief spokesman for Sessions and managed his state and national communications. With Sessions as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Boyd handled communication efforts for Republicans on a number of high-profile issues including the appointment of two justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Bright scores better than other Democrats on Club for Growth report

Freshman U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright of Montgomery scored better than any other Democrat on a scorecard from the Club for Growth, which supports low-tax, pro-growth Republicans who want limited government.
He also scored better than about two dozen Republicans including two Alabama Republicans, Rep. Mike Rogers of Saks and Rep. Parker Griffith of Huntsville. He also finished well ahead of Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham.
Bright was in the middle of the pack among Alabama's seven congressmen.
Rep. Jo Bonner of Mobile finished ahead of the pack with a score of 90 percent.
Bright, with a score of 64 percent, was one of only three Democrats in Congress with a score of 50 percent or higher. The other Democrats are Rep. Gene Taylor of Mississippi and Rep. Walt Minnick of Idaho.
Bright ranked 155th among the 435 members of the House.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, for example, scored a 7 percent. Some members, including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island and Rep. John Conyers of Michigan scored 0.
Alabama's two U.S. senators, Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby, finished with strong scores.
Sessions had a 100 percent score while Shelby had an 83 percent.
The Club looked at lawmakers' records on "pro-growth policies" including reducing income tax rates, repealing the death tax, limited government through limited spending, social security reform with personal retirement accounts, free trade, lawsuit abuse, tort reform, education choice, and regulatory reform and deregulation.
Members who refused earmarks were also awarded points.
The lawmakers who score 90 percent or higher receive the Defender of Economic Freedom award.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen