Brooks Sends Ivey Economic Committee Recommendations

By Jackson Blaze Staff (Photo by Bob Gathany | al.com via AP)

Washington, DC— Monday evening, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) transmitted to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey her request for recommendations by Alabama’s 5th Congressional District Advisory Committee for reviving Alabama’s economy. Formed at Governor Ivey’s request, the group evaluated the economic effects of Governor Ivey’s “Stay-at-Home Order” and made recommendations on how to best minimize economic damage by reviving Alabama’s economy.

The Advisory Committee represents all of the 5th District’s counties and includes representatives from small and large businesses, the manufacturing sector, agriculture, medicine, local chambers of commerce, defense and space, the legal profession, banking, and Alabama legislators.

Though led by Congressman Brooks, the direction and recommendations of the Advisory Committee are those of the Committee. Each Advisory Committee member had the right to submit, and call for a vote on, any proposal.

The Advisory Committee’s recommendations are based on roll call votes of each recommendation that passed by a majority vote. Proposals that did not receive majority support are not included in the report.

In particular, and amongst other recommendations, the Advisory Committee called on Governor Ivey to immediately repeal and rescind all State of Alabama stay at home orders that have played a major role in strangling Alabama’s economy.

Congressman Brooks stated, “Tennessee Valley residents are extraordinarily concerned, and even somewhat fearful, of the COVID-19 Pandemic and are angry about how the Pandemic has been handled by all levels of government. There are no winners in the battle between a strong economy and minimal loss of life to COVID-19. If we do everything possible to minimize COVID-19 deaths, the economy collapses and we risk even more people dying because of the fallout from that economic catastrophe. If we return economic activity to what it once was, then COVID-19 deaths will undoubtedly increase. In sum, Alabama and America are forced to make the best of a bad situation.”

Congressman Brooks continued, “Alabama has two options. We can live under government dictate, where a burgeoning nanny state regulates, ‘for our own good, because we are not smart enough to know better’, the minutiae of our lives (even to the point of dictating when we can visit our children, grandchildren, parents and siblings, and how far apart we must be when we do so). Or we can have a government that is a partner and advisor, that gives its best advice but defers to citizens the liberty and freedom of making their own decisions on how to best balance the conflict between COVID-19 safety and the income needed to support family life. I am proud that, in the Tennessee Valley, our Advisory Committee members chose to respect liberty, freedom, and the right of individual citizens to do what they believe is best to protect and promote their own lives.”