Alabama has a treasure in Richard Shelby. He is not only the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Alabama history; he is also the most successful U.S. Senator in Alabama history. During his illustrious tenure, Senator Shelby has chaired the Senate Banking Committee, Intelligence Committee, and Rules Committee. However, his current perch as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee is unparalleled.
He has brought home the bacon during his five six-year terms like no one in history. In his sixth six-year term, in addition to chairing the Appropriations Committee, he has also retained the Chairmanship of the Subcommittee on Defense Appropriations. It is through this channel that he has pumped immense federal money into the Heart of Dixie in last year’s budget alone. It is staggering. It is almost unimaginable.
In the Fort Rucker budget alone, Senator Shelby carved out an additional $95 million for future vertical lift research, which will help accelerate development of helicopters flown at Fort Rucker; $10 million to upgrade Navy MH-60 Seahawk helicopters; $1 billion for THAAD missiles: $111 million for long-range anti-ship missiles; $306 million for JAG missiles; $484 million for Hellfire missiles, which are made in Troy and used for training at Fort Rucker; $254 million for Javelin missiles for the Army and Marine Corps; and $663 million for Joint Air-Surface Standoff missiles, which recently made their debut in strikes on Syria in response to Syria's use of chemical weapons.
Senator Shelby has bestowed a wealth of grants on UAB for medical research over the years. However, he recognizes the possibility of explosive growth in the Huntsville area. The Redstone Arsenal is reaping the rewards of Senator Shelby’s influence. The amount of money our senior senator is putting into North Alabama is mind-boggling: in terms of Army research, $11 billion for instruments in transformational technologies to address future Army needs; $10.4 billion for missile defense; $664 million for hypersonic research; $184 million for Directed Energy; $306 million for Cyber Research; and $200 million for Space Launch vehicles.
Of all the things that Senator Shelby has procured for Alabama, specifically the Huntsville area, his Hallmark legacy may be securing the placement of one of the largest FBI facilities in America. Huntsville will eventually be second only to Washington D.C. for the FBI.
The FBI’s investment in Huntsville could reach $1 billion. Initially, 1,350 jobs will be transferred from Washington to North Alabama. The Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville already includes a U.S. Army Base as well as NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Folks, these 1,350 to 1,500 FBI jobs all pay more than the average Alabama salary. The Huntsville metro area is poised to grow more size-wise and economically than any area of America in the next decade in no small part to Sen. Richard Shelby.
He has almost four years left on his 6th term, 44 months to be exact. He is in excellent health, physically and mentally. Most Alabamians hope and pray he runs again in 2022. However, he will be 88 then.
If Senator Shelby does not run, who might follow him? Shelby might be involved in picking his successor. He is convinced that someone young should be his heir. He realizes the importance of youth and how it predicates future seniority.
First on most lists is Alabama Rep. Bill Poole, who like Shelby, hails from Tuscaloosa. He is only 42-years-old but has served in the legislature for nine years, most of his time as Chairman of the House Education Budget Committee. He is the most respected member of the House. His adroit handling of the infrastructure package had many long-time State House observers labeling him as a future governor or U.S. Senator.
Another name to remember is 37-year-old Katie Boyd Britt. She is Shelby’s former Chief of Staff and current CEO of the Business Council of Alabama.
No comments:
Post a Comment