Terri A. Sewell

Rep. Sewell Statement on Announcement of Special Session of Alabama Legislature

Position: Rep. Sewell opposes Alabama's special legislative session to redraw congressional districts, arguing it would dilute African American voting power and violate the Voting Rights Act. She pledges to defend the existing court order against redistricting.

Birmingham, AL — U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement regarding Governor Kay Ivey's announcement of a special session of the Alabama Legislature to dilute the voting power of African American voters: "Alabama Republicans are wasting no time eliminating representation for African Americans in our state. Despite Black voters making up nearly one-third of Alabama's electorate, Republican state leaders are desperate to revert us back to a map that silences our voices, dilutes our power, and denies us a fair seat at the table. "This corrupt move runs counter to everything John Lewis and civil rights leaders marched, fought, and bled for. It threatens to roll back centuries of hard-fought progress and demonstrates exactly why the protections of the Voting Rights Act were needed in the first place. "The court order barring Alabama from redrawing its map still stands, and our litigating partners are ready to vigorously defend it. We will not take this sitting down. Our communities are prepared to organize, mobilize, and demand the fair representation that we as Alabama voters deserve. Permalink: https://sewell.house.gov/2026/5/rep-sewell-statement-on-announcement-of-special-session-of-alabama-legislature

Rep. Sewell Votes NO on Republicans' Partisan Farm Bill that Slashes Food Assistance

Position: Rep. Sewell opposes H.R. 7567 because it includes a $187 billion cut to SNAP over five years, which she characterizes as harmful to food-insecure families. She also criticizes the bill's endorsement of tariffs and trade policies she believes harm farmers and increase food costs.

Washington D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) voted against H.R. 7567, also known as the Farm Bill, which cements Republicans' $187 billion cut to SNAP—the largest cut to food assistance in history—for the next five years. "Despite our successful efforts to secure provisions that would benefit rural Alabama, House Republicans have made it impossible for me to support this Farm Bill by continuing their cruel cuts to SNAP," said Rep. Sewell. "At a time when so many Alabama families are already struggling with rising grocery costs, I cannot support a bill that would continue take food out of the mouths of hungry children, seniors, and veterans. Moreover, this version of the Farm Bill rubberstamps Trump's reckless tariffs and his war on Iran which are hurting Alabama farmers and contributing to the soaring price of food, energy, fertilizer, and farming equipment." "I hope that my Senate colleagues will remove these cruel cuts to food assistance so that I can support a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill that meets the needs of Alabama's farmers and working families," continued Sewell. Rep. Sewell secured a number of key wins for Alabama, including provisions to: Permalink: https://sewell.house.gov/2026/4/rep-sewell-votes-no-on-republicans-partisan-farm-bill-that-slashes-food-assistance

Rep. Sewell Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Gutting the Voting Rights Act

Position: Rep. Sewell opposes the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais that weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. She calls for Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore full VRA protections and ensure equal voting rights for Black and minority voters.

Washington D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act: "Today's decision is a devastating blow to American democracy and a death sentence for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The right-wing Supreme Court has not only turned its back on decades of precedent and ignored the intent of Congress and the will of the people, but it has weakened the foundational principle safeguarding fair representation for Black and minority voters. "For decades, Section 2 has been the essential tool that allowed minority voters to challenge discriminatory maps and defend our right to meaningful political power. By gutting it, the Court has made it easier for bad actors to discriminate and harder for us to fight that discrimination in court. The decision is a gift to President Trump and his voter suppression scheme, making it easier for Republicans to steal congressional seats by diluting the voices of Black and minority voters. "As the representative of Alabama's 7th District—a district whose very existence was secured through the Voting Rights Act—I know firsthand what is at stake. This decision will determine whether communities like ours can elect leaders who understand their lived experiences and fight for their needs. Its impact will not be confined to one state or one election cycle. It will shape who gets heard in our democracy, who gets counted, and whose voice gets left behind. "The attacks on our voting rights are coming from every angle. Now more than ever, communities across the nation must mobilize and vote like we've never voted before. If the Court won't protect the rights of Black and minority voters, Congress must act. We must revise and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore the full protections of the VRA. And we must reaffirm, through action, that every American deserves an equal voice in our democracy. "The right to vote is the lifeblood of our democracy. In the spirit of John Lewis, we will continue to make 'Good Trouble' until the promise of democracy is real for all." Permalink: https://sewell.house.gov/2026/4/rep-sewell-statement-on-supreme-court-ruling-gutting-the-remaining-protections-of-the-voting-rights-act

Rep. Sewell Presses HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Comments Suggesting Black Children Should Be “Re-Parented”

Washington D.C. — Today, during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) questioned Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about his previous comments suggesting that Black children with ADHD should be "re-parented." Sewell pressed the Secretary to clarify and account for those remarks, which he now falsely denies. In her opening, Sewell noted that the Secretary has made "a number of outlandish and frankly disturbing comments—both before and during [his] tenure as Secretary of Health and Human Services." Sewell cited a 2024 interview in which Kennedy discussed ADHD diagnoses among Black children and suggested that some should be "re-parented." When asked directly about his comments, Kennedy falsely denied making them despite publicly accessible online footage. Sewell pressed Kennedy about his qualifications, noting that he is not a board-certified physician, has no medical degree, and has never parented a Black child. She underscored the implications of his comments, stating that despite this lack of medical training, he appeared to suggest "that the federal government should take Black children away from their families, re-parent them, and send them off to 'wellness farms' instead of providing them with evidence-based medical care." Sewell reminded the Secretary of our nation's "long and painful history of separating Black children from their families," from slavery to Jim Crow to modern child-welfare disparities. She emphasized that Black children are still removed from their homes at disproportionately high rates, often due to systemic bias rather than actual harm. "For you to suggest that Black families are not capable of raising their own children is deeply offensive," Sewell said. Sewell also implored the Secretary to consider the impact of his words given the enormous power he yields. "When you suggest re-parenting Black children, when you sow doubt about the safety of vaccines, and when you promote unproven statements that have no basis in science, you endanger the lives of everyone across this nation." Sewell concluded, "I expect, and the American people expect, that you choose your words with sincereness and with seriousness—the seriousness that your position demands. American lives are at stake, and it's time that you start acting like it, sir." Click play to view the video or follow this link https://youtu.be/qS___l6XzM4?si=fg_-5RmqDl9AuRbC Permalink: https://sewell.house.gov/2026/4/rep-sewell-presses-hhs-secretary-robert-f-kennedy-jr-on-comments-suggesting-black-children-should-be-re-parented

Rep. Sewell Hosts Rural Health Roundtable in Demopolis During National Public Health Week

Demopolis, AL — Today, in observance of National Public Health Week, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) convened a Rural Health Roundtable at Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis, bringing together hospital administrators, clinicians, and health system leaders from across Alabama's 7th Congressional District to discuss the mounting pressures facing rural health care providers—pressures intensified by recent federal cuts to key health care programs. Additional photos and videos are available here. Among those in attendance were Whitfield Regional Hospital CEO Doug Brewer, Greene County Health System CEO Rodgerick Williams, J. Paul Jones Rural Emergency Hospital CEO Jessica McGraw, Hill Hospital Rural Health Clinic Manager Darla Spencer, Grove Hill Hospital CEO Allen Jordan, DCH Health System CEO Katrina Keefer, Hale County Hospital CEO Shay Cherry, and Rural Health Medical Program CEO Keshee Dozier-Smith. The discussion underscored the growing strain on rural hospitals, many of which are operating on razor-thin margins while serving aging populations, large geographic areas, and communities with limited access to specialty care. Participants detailed challenges ranging from workforce shortages and rising operating costs to the threat of service reductions or closures if federal support continues to erode. "Rural hospitals are on the front lines in caring for our most vulnerable Alabamians," said Rep. Sewell. "When federal funding is cut, it's not just numbers on a spreadsheet. It's maternity wards closing, emergency rooms understaffed, and families forced to drive hours for basic care. I'm fighting to make sure our rural providers have the resources they need to stay open and serve every patient who walks through their doors." During the roundtable, Rep. Sewell highlighted two pieces of legislation she is leading to strengthen rural health care infrastructure and expand access to care: On Wednesday morning, Sewell also visited DaVita Kidney Care in Demopolis where she spoke with patients and providers about the importance of preserving the accessibility of dialysis services in rural Alabama. Sewell will continue working with local providers, state partners, and national rural health organizations to advance solutions that protect access to care for rural families. Permalink: https://sewell.house.gov/2026/4/rep-sewell-hosts-rural-health-roundtable-in-demopolis-during-national-public-health-week

During National Public Health Week, Reps. Sewell and Kustoff Introduce the Bipartisan Save Struggling Hospitals Act

Position: The representatives support legislation to reform Medicare payment formulas to account for cost pressures in rural and lower-wage hospitals, including permanent restoration of wage index adjustments to improve hospital financial viability and access to care.

Washington D.C. — Today, during National Public Health Week, U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and David Kustoff (TN-08) introduced the bipartisan Save Struggling Hospitals Act, legislation to fix Medicare payment formulas that do not account for the cost pressures facing hospitals in rural and lower-wage areas. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and are leading companion legislation in the Senate. "Alabama has endured some of the most devastating hospital closures in the nation. Each one leaves families traveling farther for care, mothers delivering babies without nearby maternity units, and seniors losing access to the doctors they've trusted for decades," said Rep. Sewell. "The introduction of the Save Struggling Hospitals Act could not come at a more critical moment. By strengthening the financial foundation of vulnerable hospitals, this bill offers a lifeline to communities that have consistently been asked to do more with less. It will help hospitals keep their doors open so that patients get the care they need, regardless of their ZIP code." "Access to health care should not depend on a person's ZIP code," said Rep. Kustoff. "Many rural hospitals are held back by outdated payment policies that fail to account for the challenges they face. I am proud to introduce this legislation to support these hospitals so they can keep their doors open and continue serving patients who depend on them every day." Hospitals in Alabama and across the country serve as a critical point of care, but many continue to face challenges due in part to wage index calculations that do not reflect local economic conditions. Recent data show over 40 percent of rural hospitals are operating at a loss, with more than 400 at risk of closure, underscoring the need for targeted, responsible reforms. Under current law, Medicare's payment structure can leave hospitals in certain regions at a disadvantage, undercutting its intent to support access to care across all communities. From fiscal years 2020 through 2024, Medicare included a policy to help address this imbalance, but it has since been removed, creating renewed uncertainty for hospitals that rely on it. The Save Struggling Hospitals Act permanently restores the wage index adjustment, helping ensure these hospitals are treated more fairly within the system. Permalink: https://sewell.house.gov/2026/4/during-national-public-health-week-reps-sewell-and-kustoff-introduce-the-bipartisan-save-struggling-hospitals-act

Rep. Sewell Votes for Bipartisan Legislation to Defend Vulcan Against Mexican Government's Illegal Attacks

Washington D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) voted in favor of the Defending American Property Abroad (DAPA) Act, narrowly-tailored legislation that would protect the Birmingham-headquartered Vulcan Materials Company against continued attacks by the Government of Mexico. The bill passed the House today by a bipartisan vote of 247 to 164. "I am proud to support the Defending American Property Abroad Act," said Rep. Sewell. "Since 2018, the President of Mexico used a number of illegal tactics to intimidate Vulcan Materials and their workers, including a military seizure of Vulcan-owned property in Mexico. I have worked closely with Vulcan in recent years as we pursued all diplomatic and legislative options, and I am glad the bill today passed with broad bipartisan support. I will continue to fight for all the workers in my district who have suffered from illegal trade actions by foreign nations." On May 5, 2022, the Mexican government illegally shut down Vulcan's operations via military force. In March of 2023, the Mexican government invaded and occupied Vulcan's property again to benefit CEMEX, a private Mexican company. On September 23, 2024 President López Obrador decreed the property a Naturally Protected Area (NPA) on September 23, 2024, precluding Vulcan from using its property for productive purposes. Now, the Government of Mexico is utilizing baseless criminal charges to re-invade Vulcan's property and potentially seize Vulcan's assets. Shepherding the DAPA Act through the House is the latest in a series of steps taken by Rep. Sewell and her Alabama colleagues to defend Vulcan against attacks by the Mexican government. Rep. Sewell previously led Alabama's House delegation in a letter to Mexico's Foreign Relations Secretary Alicia Bárcena demanding a remedy to their illegal invasion and warning of consequences. Click play to view the video or follow this link https://youtu.be/5664aS7GVx4?si=95-yjescBfUDtqPe Permalink: https://sewell.house.gov/2026/3/rep-sewell-votes-for-bipartisan-legislation-to-defend-vulcan-against-mexican-government-s-illegal-attacks