SUMMARY: A 13-year-old girl named Braylon, who has autism, is inspiring others through her book series “The Awesome Kid.” Diagnosed at age 3, she faced challenges in communication and social acceptance. With early intervention, Braylon learned to express herself, leading to her writing a book titled “Brooklyn’s First Day of School,” which addresses her experiences with bullying and the importance of acceptance. Now an accomplished young author, Braylon has published multiple books and aims to encourage others on the autism spectrum to embrace their journeys. She also recently joined her school basketball team, showcasing her growing confidence.

At the age of three Brailynn Camille’s mom says that she could barely put a sentence together.

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by Jennifer Shutt, Alabama Reflector
April 4, 2025

WASHINGTON — The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released an analysis Friday showing the budget resolution Republicans plan to adopt later this month would allow Congress to add up to $5.8 trillion to the deficit during the next decade.

The organization wrote the reconciliation instructions included in the budget would allow GOP lawmakers to draft a bill later this year that could outpace the deficit impact of many big-name laws enacted during the last two administrations.

“A $5.8 trillion deficit-increasing bill would be unprecedented,” the analysis states. “It would add 14 times as much to the deficit than the bipartisan infrastructure law ($400 billion), more than three times as much as American Rescue Plan ($1.8 trillion), three times the 2020 CARES Act ($1.7 trillion), and nearly four times the original score of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ($1.5 trillion). In fact, it would add more to the deficit than all four of these major laws combined.”

That deficit impact, CRFB wrote, “would be the equivalent of adding a large new welfare program to the federal deficit.”

No Democratic votes needed

Republicans in Congress must adopt a budget resolution in order to use the complex reconciliation process to pass many of their core campaign promises.

The special legislative pathway will let the GOP enact changes without needing the support of Democrats to get past the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.

The largest deficit increase within the package would come from extending the 2017 GOP tax law, about $4.5 trillion in deficits, and likely making other changes to the U.S. tax code, about $1.5 trillion.

House Republicans want to try to offset some of that $6 trillion total in new deficits by cutting about $1.5 trillion in federal spending, though exactly how they’d do that remains under discussion.

Centrist Republicans in Congress have raised concerns about the House’s instructions calling on the Energy and Commerce Committee to find at least $880 billion in spending cuts.

That panel oversees Medicare and Medicaid and couldn’t reach that level of spending cuts without making some substantial changes to one or both of the programs.

GOP leaders and President Donald Trump have repeatedly said they won’t touch Medicare, leaving Medicaid, the state-federal program for lower-income people, as the likely source of the funding cuts.

Senate GOP approach

Senate Republicans wrote themselves a much lower threshold for cutting government spending in the budget resolution —  a $4 billion minimum from four different committees across the 10-year budget window.

The Senate instructions, CRFB wrote in its analysis, “would allow a reconciliation bill that is nearly as large as the largest federal spending programs.

“A bill adding $5.8 trillion to deficits would be more than three-quarters (77 percent) as large as all projected Medicaid spending. It would equal 69 percent of base defense spending over the same time period, including being three times as large as projected spending dedicated to the Army. It would even equal half of all net spending on Medicare and a third of all spending on Social Security.”

CRFB wrote that Congress should change its course now.

“Instead of passing a bill with an historically large deficit impact, lawmakers should use this opportunity to rein in borrowing with a fiscally responsible package that can set the stage for a permanent package of thoughtful tax extensions and budget savings that grows the economy and improves our debt outlook.”

The Senate is expected to vote sometime this weekend to approve the compromise budget resolution and send it back to the House for final approval.

Once both chambers vote to adopt it, they can formally begin writing, debating, amending and voting to approve the reconciliation package. 

Last updated 1:26 p.m., Apr. 4, 2025

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

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by Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector
April 4, 2025

The Alabama House of Representatives Thursday approved a bell-to-bell cell phone ban for students in public schools.

HB 166, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, passed the chamber 79-15. It requires local school boards to adopt a policy to store student cell phones during class hours. Hulsey said during a floor debate on Thursday that the devices could be stored in a device like a Yondr Pouch or a shoe organizer.

“The majority of the schools already participating in this are storing the cell phones in the classroom in various ways,” Hulsey said.

Yondr Pouches are an expensive option compared to a $10 plastic over-the-door shoe organizer. Pike Road Junior High School Principal Christy Wright showed the Senate Education Policy Committee how the school implements a ban in February. The $30 Yondr Pouches at Pike Road were purchased with a grant.

According to the bill, cell phones can be stored in a locker, car or other storage device so long as the device is not on the student’s person. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of U.S. high school teachers say that cellphone distraction is a major issue in their classrooms. 

Democratic representatives were concerned about how a student would access their phones in an emergency. Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, said that with school shootings a constant threat, a child should be able to contact their parents. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were 332 school shootings in 2024. There have been 52 in 2025 so far. 

“We as a body need to protect our kids since we will not pass a bill to keep guns away from our school children,” Drummond said.

Drummond has sponsored bills over the last several years that would effectively require parents to safely store firearms at home. The bills would also have allowed parents to be charged with misdemeanors if a child brought an unsecured weapon to school. But the legislation has not moved. A House committee killed Drummond’s latest version of the bill in February. 

Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, brought up another potential event that could develop at school where a child may need to contact their parents. He said a student could need a change of clothes in the middle of the day.

“It’s not a situation where it’s life or death, it’s not like somebody is coming in for a school shooting,” he said. “I just think it’s overreaching.”

According to the bill, a student can have access to their phones under three exceptions: if they study under an Individualized Education Plan that allows it; for teacher-approved instruction and for medical purposes.

Hulsey claimed that there is data that shows that cell phone bans cause improved test scores, retained information and students’ mental health. Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, said she would like to see that data.

“I’ve just not seen the preponderance of students playing games while the teacher is trying to teach, the room being disrupted and out of order,” she said. “I would just like to see that data at some point.”

Alabama Department of Mental Health Commissioner Kimberly Boswell said in February the mental health of students would improve under the ban. Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, echoed that and supported the legislation on the House floor Thursday.

“It’s going to make a difference,” Collins said.

The House approved an amendment that removed punishments on schools that do not comply. Hulsey said she wished that was still in the bill but would bring a bill in a few years after seeing compliance. There is a survey required in the legislation to monitor compliance.

“I haven’t passed a bill yet that I’ve loved every single thing about it,” Hulsey said. “All of it takes compromise to move the needle a little bit.”

Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, said that enforcement could be difficult without sanctions.

“We need to put some teeth into this bill,” Warren said. “If we don’t we’re going to be in the same position next year as we are this year.”

The legislation moves to the Senate. Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, has filed a companion bill in that chamber.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

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