By Nancy Hewston, BCA Vice President for Communications, Strategic Information and Federal Affairs

Today marks the final day of Congressman Jo Bonner's ten and a half years representing Alabama's First District. He is leaving to become vice chancellor of the University of Alabama System. While there is not a more perfect fit for the University, his retirement leaves big shoes for his successor to fill.

Over the past decade, Congressman Bonner has been a tireless advocate for economic development, leading the effort to recruit several significant economic projects to the state, a fact that led the Business Council of Alabama to present him the "Governor Bob Riley 'Building a Better Alabama' Award" in 2012.

As a former staffer in his Washington office, I know first-hand his unwavering dedication to the people of Alabama's First Congressional District. As his press secretary, I quickly learned that his priority was not being in the spotlight or on the news each night, it was always what was best for the First District and for Alabama, a rare quality among many of today's politicians.

As the news of his retirement has sunk in over the past several weeks, I keep finding myself reflecting on the time I spent working in his office. And, I won't say - working for him - because every time I or someone else on his staff would say it that way, he would so quickly jump in to say we worked "with" him. It is that humility and diplomacy that defines both Jo Bonner and the office of the First Congressional District under his leadership.

The Business Council of Alabama has joined hundreds of other groups in endorsing a U.S. Chamber of Commerce letter to the U.S. House urging immigration reform as the only option to help the economy recover.

"Failure to act is not an option," the Chamber letter states. "We can't afford to be content and watch a generation-old immigration system work more and more against our overall national interest. Instead, we urge Congress to remain mindful of the clear benefits to our economy if we succeed, and work together and with us to achieve real, pro-growth immigration reform."

The Tuesday letter was addressed to U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The letter signed by more than 400 industry and business groups was copied to all U.S. House members. "We are united in the belief that we can and must do better for our economy and country by modernizing our immigration system," the letter states.

The BCA supports efforts to reform immigration policy to strengthen our national security, including increasing protection of our borders, while providing a supplemental workforce for American business and industry. Alabama's foremost voice for business, the BCA is a non-partisan statewide association representing the interests and concerns of nearly 1 million working Alabamians through its member companies and its partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama. The BCA is Alabama's exclusive affiliate to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.

The Chamber letter says that immigration reform will speed up U.S. economic growth and help to sustain growth. "Done right, reform will also serve to protect and complement our U.S. workforce, generating greater productivity and economic activity that will lead to new innovations, products, businesses, and jobs in communities across the U.S," the Chamber said.

The House Judiciary Committee has approved the Regulatory Flexibility Improvement Act of 2013 that is supported by the Business Council of Alabama and the National Association of Manufacturers. The NAM sent a letter that was signed by the BCA to members of Congress urging support of H.R. 2542 sponsored by U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills. The committee approved the bill on a voice vote.

Bachus said the legislation, which previously had passed the House, to promote job creation and bring more accountability. "The regulatory overreach that we have been seeing from Washington is holding back the strong economic recovery that Americans need," said Bachus, chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law.

Bachus's bill would modernize the three-decade-old Regulatory Flexibility Act that requires federal agencies to openly account for the impact of regulations on small businesses. NAM said agencies interpret important terms of the existing law independently and can often avoid many of the law's requirements. "This bill would streamline and make uniform those determinations of when the RFA would apply to a rule," NAM said.

The Hill reports that House Republicans are drafting legislation that would cut $40 billion from the federal food stamp program over 10 years, nearly double the $20.5 billion in cuts that were in the farm bill legislation that failed on the House floor in June. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., formed a working group and wants to pass the food stamp bill with only Republican votes. The deeper cuts are meant to attract conservatives who felt the $20.5 reduction was too low, the Hill reported.

The bill would remove the ability of states to get a waiver that requires qualifying able-bodied adults without dependents to get a job. Lawmakers estimate this would affect nearly 4 million able-bodied adults without dependents in 40 states. "This population of food stamp recipients has grown dramatically in recent years from 6.6 percent of the recipient population in 2007 to 9.7 percent in 2010," a fact sheet on the proposal says.

The new legislation may surface in September prior to a farm bill conference between the House and Senate. The House narrowly passed a farm bill but separated the food stamp segment from it. The Senate version cuts $4 billion from food stamps. Democrats said the prospect of a new bill with more spending cuts would exacerbate any compromise possibility. The current farm bill expires Oct. 1.

Bonner is lauded by his hometown newspaper    

Mobile Press-Register (Marshall 8/1) "Here is the amazing thing about Jo Bonner: He knew exactly what he was getting into when he first ran for election back in 2002, having served for years as U.S. Rep. Sonny Callahan's chief of staff. But he also knew he could hit the ground running, knew that his experience and political acumen could mean a lot for south Alabama - even if it also meant sacrifice for himself and his young family. And the past 10 years have certainly meant a lot for the people of Alabama's First Congressional District, for us.

"Jo Bonner played a huge role in the Air Force tanker competition between EADS and Boeing, which EADS won against all odds before Boeing successfully challenged the Pentagon's decision. He was instrumental in landing the Airbus jet factory taking form at Brookley Field today. He was in the thick of the fight that resulted in Austal's contracts for magnificent aluminum warships under construction today along the Mobile River. Impeccably well-mannered and diplomatic, Bonner labored quietly behind the scenes rather than in the media glare.

"But not always. After the Deepwater Horizon disaster, he latched onto BP executives and Claims Administrator Ken Feinberg like a pit bull straight from hell. He never let go. There's no doubt that unrelenting pressure from Bonner, both in the media and in Congressional hearings, sped up that claims process, and led to the RESTORE Act that will be funding coastal projects for years to come. Here is a man who is wise and principled, who worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for residents of south Alabama.

"He has been that rarest of politicians, not a self-promoter, not a show-boater, but a true believer in public service. And he made the last 10 years all look easy, which is why so many of you want to succeed him. If you wind up being that lucky winner, may you have the energy and grace, the gumption and grit to get up to D.C."

Bonner's last report to constituents 

(Editor's Note: Qualifying dates for the congressional seat are August 3 - 5. Governor Robert Bentley set the special primary election for Sept. 24, and if needed a special primary runoff for Nov. 5. If no special primary runoff is needed, the special general election will be Nov. 5. If a special primary runoff is needed, the special general election will be Dec. 17. All third-party, independent and/or minor party candidates seeking to qualify as candidates in the election must file the appropriate paperwork with the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 24.)

Obamacare defunding sought 

The Hill's Healthwatch (Viebeck 7/25) "A growing group of congressional Republicans is pushing leaders to defund ObamaCare in the next government spending bill, setting the stage for a showdown in September, when the current continuing resolution expires. Twelve Senate Republicans sent a letter Thursday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) declaring they would not support a government funding bill unless it excludes funds for the healthcare law.

"And 66 House Republicans, more than one quarter of the conference, have signed on to a similar letter from Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) urging Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) not to allow votes on a government funding bill unless it chokes off money for the Affordable Care Act. Supporters see these efforts as their last chance to cripple healthcare reform before its major provisions take effect in October. But the government will shut down after Sept. 31 unless the House, Senate and the White House reach an agreement on another continuing resolution or appropriations bill.

"We believe the only way to avert disaster is to fully repeal ObamaCare and start over with a more sensible, practical approach to reforming our healthcare system," the senators wrote to Reid."

House votes to give Congress power over costly regulations 

The Hill Goad (8/2) "Taking direct aim at executive branch power, the House on Friday approved legislation requiring Congress to sign off on the most costly federal regulations. The Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act passed 232-183 in a vote that went largely along party lines, hours before the House was to adjourn for its August recess. Under the bill, both chambers of Congress would have to sign off on any federal rules that carry an annual price tag of $100 million.

"The legislation, designed to create a new hurdle that regulations would have to clear before taking effect, reflects the Republican view that rulemaking at federal agencies has run amok. The result, they charge, is a torrent of new regulations that have saddled businesses with unnecessary red tape and compliance costs. 'Throughout the president's administration, a flood of major new regulations have been burying Americans' job creators and households at record levels,' Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) said moments before the vote.

"Democrats and pro-regulation groups argued that the bill is an attack on the government's authority to enact rules that protect the safety, health and financial well-being of the American people. It faces a difficult road forward in the Senate, where Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has introduced a companion bill. The White House has threatened to veto the bill, were it to pass Congress.

"Still, business groups were watching closely. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce put lawmakers on notice that it was considering including the vote on an annual scorecard ranking Congressional members on their support for businesses. The legislation was among a series of bills taken up this week as part of House Republicans' 'Stop Government Abuse' week, an initiative they intend to tout during the five-week recess."