By Congessman Bradley Byrne
Each August, Members of Congress head back to their home states for a District Work Period. I use this time to travel throughout my district and interact with the people I represent in Congress.
These District Work Periods are jammed packed with multiple stops a day, plenty of time in the car, and important conversations with constituents. To help explain just how busy these weeks can be, I want to walk you through my last week on the road in Southwest Alabama.
Monday morning started off bright and early with an appearance on WABF Radio in Fairhope. It is important to spend time visiting with members of the local media to help share information about the work being done in Washington.
Next, we traveled over to Wendy’s in Spanish Fort for a roundtable discussion with leaders from local franchises. The topic of conversation focused on my new bill, the Save Local Business Act.
Then we headed up to Bay Minette for lunch with our school superintendents. With school starting back, this lunch offered an opportunity to discuss the impact federal education policy has on our local schools.
My town hall meeting in Fairhope was next on the schedule. We had a packed house, but I thought the conversation was thoughtful and productive. While we may not agree on every issue, I promise to always listen to your perspective.
Most of Tuesday was spent in Mobile. I started out speaking to realtors at the Berkshire Hathaway office in West Mobile before heading downtown to speak to the Trustmark Bank Coastal Alabama Advisory Board.
Then it was back across the street to my Mobile office for a roundtable discussion with the presidents from our local colleges and universities. These institutions of higher education are important to our local economy, so I always make time to listen to their concerns.
On Wednesday, we headed down to Bayou La Batre for a series of meetings and events. First up was a visit to Safe Harbor, a public housing authority. Then I visited two local businesses: Jubilee Seafood and Steiner Construction. The seafood and shipbuilding industry are critically important to both Bayou La Batre and our entire district, so I expressed my commitment to ensuring federal policies do not harm their operations.
Finally, I stopped by Mostellar Medical Clinic, a community health center serving Mobile and Washington counties. I was blown away by the range of services offered at the clinic, and the visit just further reaffirmed my support for community health centers.
Thursday we were back in Baldwin County for a speech to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I shared my perspective on military and veteran issues.
After a quick stop at the Tanger Outlets in Foley to listen to their ideas for tax reform, I stopped at Gulf Shores City Hall for my second town hall meeting of the week. This marked my 89th town hall meeting since being elected to Congress, and I look forward to holding more town halls later this month.
Friday morning we were up early and headed back down to Gulf Shores for a Coastal Alabama Business Chamber meeting. I gave on update on three important local priorities: the I-10 Bridge, Red Snapper, and the jobs at the Austal Shipyard. After meetings in my Summerdale office, we were wrapped up for the week.
As you can see, these District Work Periods are anything but restful. Instead, the time gives me a much needed opportunity to get out and listen to the people I represent.