Rotarian U.S. Rep Gary Palmer Provides Legislative Update and Shares Key State Projects

President Chuck Redden and Rotarian Steve Shaw with Rep. Palmer.

This week the Rotary Club of Birmingham welcomed Rotarian Gary Palmer, U.S. Representative from Alabama, as its guest speaker. Rep. Palmer shared an update on legislative activities and efforts related to issues including the economy, inflation, the war in Ukraine and relations with China. He highlighted a key bipartisan priority, the construction of a Birmingham Northern Beltline using funds allocated to complete the Appalachian Development Highway System.

"If we will work together on this, we can make this something that everybody will be pleased with," Rep. Palmer said. "It will give us a chance to really help that part of Jefferson County, develop that part of Central Alabama. It will give us a chance to make the best and highest use of Birmingham. We have some enormous opportunities."

About Rep. Gary Palmer
Gary Palmer represents Alabama’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He grew up in Hackleburg, a small town in Northwest Alabama, and now lives in Hoover. Palmer attended the University of Alabama and was the first person on either side of his family to attend college. In addition, he was a walk-on member of the football team under legendary football coach Bear Bryant. After earning a B.S. in Operations Management, he worked in the private sector for 12 years; including nine with two major engineering construction companies, before involvement with Focus on the Family lead him to start the Alabama Family Alliance which later became the Alabama Policy Institute.

Palmer served as President of the Alabama Policy Institute for 24 years. During his tenure, the Alabama Policy Institute became a full-spectrum public policy organization that engaged in virtually all policy issues that affected Alabamians. It is considered the premier conservative think-tank in Alabama.

In 2014, Palmer was elected to the 114th Congress, having never served in office before. In Congress, Palmer is focused on paying down the national debt by cutting spending; regulatory reform by reducing the number and expense of federal regulations; lowering energy costs and spurring economic growth and job creation by accessing America’s vast energy resources; and replacing Obamacare with a health care plan that puts people back in charge of their health care decisions and that will truly make health care affordable and available; and protecting life in all its forms. Palmer serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and as Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee. He is also a member of the Republican Study Committee and its Steering Committee.