By Staff
Two major announcements which could have enormous impacts on economic development in southwest Alabama were made last week.
On Wednesday, ThyssenKrupp, one of the world's largest technology companies, announced that Alabama is one of two finalists for its new state-of-the-art steel and stainless steel manufacturing and processing facility to be located in the United States.
ThyssenKrupp will be investing $2.9 billion to establish this North American facility. According to the company, the construction phase is expected to generate approximately 29,000 jobs and create approximately 2,700 jobs when fully operational. An additional 38,000 to 52,000 indirect jobs are also expected to be created over the course of a 20-year period.
And on Thursday, Northrop Grumman announced their intention to bid on building the new Air Force tanker.
My commitment towards the warfighter and the taxpayer receiving the best tanker for the money remains unchanged. Competition is vitally important to the process and may be the only way we can guarantee that the warfighter and the taxpayer are receiving the best tanker for the money.
Throughout the process, we have come to know two world-class industrial giants, Northrop Grumman and EADS, and it is obvious they like what they see in our community; we will certainly be pulling for the Northrop Grumman team as hard as we can.
Committee Assignments for the 110th Congress
Committee assignments for the 110th Congress have now been finalized, and I will continue to serve on the Committees on Agriculture, the Budget, and Science and Technology, on which I have served throughout my tenure in Congress. This Congress, I will also serve on the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, also known as the Ethics Committee, and the Republican Policy Committee.
I have also been named ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee's Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee.
I am extremely honored to continue serving on the Agriculture, Budget, and Science Committees, and I am appreciative of the confidence the members of the Steering Committee have demonstrated in me by appointing me to these prestigious committees.
The Budget, Science, and Agriculture panels are vital to many of the most important aspects of today's economy, and with the topic of ethics being at the forefront of so many discussions in Washington, I am humbled that my peers would appoint me to the House Ethics Committee.
The Committee on the Budget is responsible for establishing appropriate budget totals for the government, while the Committee on Science and Technology is responsible for programs ranging from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to the National Weather Service and marine conservation and energy development.
Jo Bonner represents south Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Committee on Agriculture is charged with the authorization of projects in areas ranging from conservation and commodities to specialty crops and livestock, and the Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee is responsible for areas including agency oversight, special investigations, food stamps, and forestry.
The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has jurisdiction over matters relating to the Code of Official Conduct. I am the first member of the Alabama delegation to serve on a congressional Ethics Committee since U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) served in 1999. Additionally, U.S. Sen. Howell Heflin (D-AL), served as chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee for four Congresses.
The Republican Policy Committee provides the forum for members to develop legislative initiatives and establish party policies, a more important responsibility now that Republicans are in the minority.
In addition to these assignments, I will continue to serve as an assistant on the Republican Whip Team, a position to which I was named by Republican Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) as an incoming freshman.
Town Hall Meeting Reminder
As I mentioned here last week, I will be holding a series of town meetings throughout the First Congressional District beginning on Wednesday, February 21, 2007, and continuing through Friday, February 23, 2007.
The times and locations for these meetings are as follows:
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.