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An impassioned voice for the issues that matter to all Alabamians
Born in Huntsville and raised in Selma, Terri Sewell is a child of Alabama. She is the daughter of a former high school basketball coach and a retired high school librarian. Both her father and mother held careers in the Selma public school system, and through their example of dedication to service to community, Terri learned that if you work hard at the things you are passionate about, anything is achievable.
A Fighter Alabama Can Count On
Terri Sewell is the proud product of Alabama’s rural Black Belt and has spent her life fighting for Alabama communities. From her time as one of the only black public finance lawyers in Alabama, when she delivered financing for new campus facilities at Alabama State University, Tuskegee University, and Stillman College, to her work as Congresswoman for Alabama’s 7th District, Terri Sewell has delivered results every step of the way.
From Alabama, For Alabama
A native of Selma, Alabama, Terri is the daughter of Nancy Gardner Sewell, a high school librarian, and the late Coach Andrew A. Sewell, a math teacher and Selma High head basketball coach. Growing up, Terri went to public school in Selma. She was elected student council president, named homecoming queen, and graduated as the first black valedictorian of Selma High School.
With the help of federal student aid and academic scholarships, Terri was able to put herself through college at Princeton University, where she graduated with honors. Then she received a master’s degree in Politics with honors on scholarship from Oxford University in England and earned her law degree from Harvard Law School. While she began her legal career in New York City, it was the lure of home and family that led Terri to return to Birmingham, AL, where she became the first black woman partner at a local law office.
Strengthening Alabama’s Workforce
Terri first ran for Congress at the height of the recession in 2010, and she made it a top priority to give Alabamians the opportunities needed to get back to work. As a Congresswoman, Terri started an annual Job Fair to connect local employers with Alabama job seekers. She also founded a training program in her congressional office, Project R.E.A.D.Y., which helps prepare job seekers in her district for employment opportunities in a competitive workforce.
In Congress, Terri has fought for smart economic investments in Alabama’s 7th District through tax incentives, infrastructure development, smart trade policies, and small business support. She has secured more than $11.5 billion in federal grants for her district since taking office in 2011, including: $30 million in TIGER grants for public transportation in Birmingham; a $6 million Department of Labor grant for jobs training awarded to establish Innovate Birmingham; $13 million in Historic Preservation grants for civil right sites from the National Park Service; and more than $62.5 million for water and sewer improvements in the Black Belt. Congresswoman Sewell has also led efforts on rural broadband investment and measures to encourage greater private investment in apprenticeships and our workforce development pipeline.
Putting Constituent Services First
Every year, Congresswoman Sewell hosts numerous community events throughout Alabama’s 7th district, including annual town hall meetings in each of the 14 counties in her district, listening to constituents so she can take their concerns back to Congress. Since she was first elected, Congresswoman Sewell has hosted more than 620 town hall meetings, job fairs, issue forums, grant workshops, veteran fairs, EPA meetings, Project R.E.A.D.Y. skills training, industry tours, and other events in the district.
Getting to the bottom of constituent casework and helping Alabama residents receive the federal benefits they have earned is a top priority for Congresswoman Sewell. As the U.S. Representative for Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, Congresswoman Sewell has helped constituents recover more than $22 million in veterans’ benefits, Social Security payments, and other federal awards since taking office.
Building on a History of Empowerment
As the Member of Congress representing Alabama’s civil rights district, Congresswoman Sewell has been a passionate champion for recognizing and honoring the sacrifices of those freedom fighters who served as powerful agents of change. Since she was first elected in 2011, Congresswoman Sewell has helped secure more than $13 million in Historic Preservation Grants through the National Park Service (NPS) for historic sites in Alabama’s 7th District.
Congresswoman Sewell was honored that her first piece of successful legislation recognized the “Four Little Girls” who tragically lost their lives during the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963. The Congressional Gold Medal bill, which is the highest civilian honor Congress can give, passed unanimously in both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on May 24, 2013 at a special signing ceremony in the Oval Office. In September 2015, on the 50th Anniversary of this tragic event, the American people, through their elected representatives, finally paid tribute to the “Four Little Girls” by bestowing them with a Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony held in our nation’s Capitol.
Congresswoman Sewell also sponsored a Congressional Gold Medal bill honoring the Foot Soldiers, whose courageous march from Selma to Montgomery led to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Congresswoman Sewell’s bill honoring the Voting Rights Foot Soldiers passed both the House and the Senate and was signed into law by President Obama while en route to Selma, AL, on March 8, 2015, for the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march.
A Lifetime of Leadership
Presently serving in her 7th term, Congresswoman Sewell sits on the exclusive House Ways and Means Committee and brings to the committee her more than 15 years of experience as a securities and public finance attorney. Currently, she sits on three subcommittees: the Subcommittee on Health; the Subcommittee on Trade; and the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare.
In the 118th Congress, Congresswoman Sewell was appointed to the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Administration where she serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Elections.
Congresswoman Sewell previously sat on the distinguished House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence charged with the oversight of our national security. There, she served as Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support, charged with the oversight of collection and timely dissemination of Department of Defense intelligence with respect to support of all military operations.
In her short time in Congress, Sewell has held several leadership positions, including Freshman Class President in the 112th Congress. In the 116th Congress, she was selected by the Democratic Whip, James Clyburn, to serve as a Chief Deputy Whip, and currently sits on the prestigious Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus. Congresswoman Sewell is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus where she is Co-Chair of the Voting Rights Task Force. She is a Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition’s Health Care Task Force; Co-Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus; Vice Chair of the Congressional HBCU Caucus; and Co-Chair of the Rural Caucus.
In 2022, Congresswoman Sewell was elected Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors where she proudly oversees the foundation’s acclaimed internship, fellowship, and scholarship program as well as its Annual Legislative Conference (ALC).
An impassioned voice for the issues that matter to all Alabamians
Job Creation/Economic Development
Creating good-paying jobs and building ladders of economic opportunity within our communities is my top priority
To support the highest number of good jobs for our district and our state, I have led initiatives to help our largest job creators like Alabama Power, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, International Paper, Westrock and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) grow, thrive and expand.
I have used my position on the Ways and Means Committee to drive new economic development in underserved parts of our district with tax incentives, smart federal investments, favorable trade policies and small business support. Since I was first elected, I have helped cut the average unemployment rate in Alabama’s 7th District by more than half, from 13.9% in 2011 to 6.6% in 2017.
It is essential that we begin preparing our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. I have led efforts on rural broadband investment and measures to encourage greater private investment in apprenticeships and our workforce development pipeline.
I will continue to work to expand technology deployment to close the digital divide in our rural areas and increase investment in workforce development so Alabamians will be prepared to take advantage of new economic opportunities.
Veterans
A voice for our service members, veterans and military families
I am committed to ensuring that every veteran, service member, and military family has access to the support they have earned through their service to our country. That is why, each year, I host a Veterans Resource Fair, where veterans can find assistance with VA benefits, transportation resources, health screenings, housing options, mental health services, and more. Whether our veterans need assistance receiving benefits at the VA or they’re simply looking for opportunities to engage with the community, my annual resource fair is an opportunity to connect them with organizations and service officers who are ready to help.
In Congress, I have fought for bipartisan legislation to reform the Veterans Administration, including solutions that increase transparency at the VA and allow veterans access to private doctors. No veteran who has put his or her life at risk for the security of our nation should be denied timely and quality care by the VA. In addition to supporting bipartisan legislative reforms like the Veterans’ Access, Choice and Accountability Act, I have offered my own legislative amendments specifically focused on delivering cutting-edge care to veterans living in rural communities.
With my support, Congress passed the historic Honoring Our PACT Act which President Joe Biden signed on August 10, 2022. The law provides the largest expansion in veterans health care benefits in three decades, ensuring that veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances during their service can access the treatment they need.
While these legislative victories take an important step forward in our work to reform the VA, I believe we still have work to do ensuring that our veterans and military families have access to the care and benefits they have earned. I promise to keep fighting for all those who have bravely served our country.
Infrastructure
Smart investments in infrastructure give Alabama a competitive edge in today’s global economy
If we want to build a competitive workforce in today’s economy, we have to bring our national infrastructure up to speed by making smart investments in our housing, transportation, water, energy and internet infrastructure.
Throughout my time in Congress, I have helped secure a $20 million TIGER Grant for Birmingham and the BJCTA Bus Rapid Transit system. Just this year, I helped secure a $50 million CHOICE Communities Grant to build more affordable housing in the Smithfield, College Hills, and Graymont neighborhoods. And in Alabama’s rural Black Belt, I have helped communities win tens of millions of dollars for water and sewer improvements.
In 2021, I was proud to be the only Member of Congress from Alabama to vote in favor of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure in nearly a century to rebuild our roads and bridges, improve our public transportation, and so much more.
As a Member of the Ways and Means Committee, I fought hard to ensure that the infrastructure law included targeted investments to clean up our water and sewer systems throughout the Black Belt and expand access to high-speed internet for every Alabamian.
By making the right investments, we can connect students, workers, doctors, farmers and all Americans with the resources and opportunities they need for success.
Healthcare
All Americans deserve access to quality, affordable healthcare
I am a strong believer that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. As extremists continue their assault on the Affordable Care Act, our fight for access to affordable, quality care is more important than ever.
Over the past year, I have met with patients, doctors, hospital administrators and constituents to hear about the challenges they face and to find common sense solutions for strengthening our healthcare system. Constituents and providers agree that we can’t go back on the promise of the Affordable Care Act. Instead, Congress should focus on improving our healthcare system by reducing costs and increasing coverage.
In 2022, we did just that. With my support, Congress successfully capped the cost of insulin at $35 per month for seniors. For the first time in history, we beat the special interests and allowed Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for our seniors. In the coming months, our provisions to cap out-of-pocket prescription drug prices will take effect, helping our seniors afford the medications they rely on.
There is lots more work to be done. In the House of Representatives, I’m leading legislation to expand access to cancer screenings, save rural hospitals in the Black Belt, and ensure seniors can access Telehealth services. I am also an advocate for permanently funding the Children’s Health Insurance Program, one of the most important healthcare programs for families in our state.
From Birmingham to Selma to Montgomery and the Black Belt, I believe that every family deserves access to care they can afford.
Education
Our children deserve access to a world-class public-school system that invests in the success of our youngest generation
As the proud product of Selma’s public schools and the daughter of lifelong educators, I have made our fight for public education a top national priority. No investment is more fundamental to our future than our investment in our schools, our teachers and our students.
We need to make sure kids get the right start by investing in early education programs. In Alabama’s 7th District, I have fought for local control of Head Start and full funding for our Head Start centers.
In Congress, I have introduced legislation to close tax loopholes used by wealthy donors to turn a profit off donations to private academies. At a time when our public schools and teachers are struggling to come up with the funds they need to run our classrooms, there is no room for tax giveaways that divert taxpayer dollars away from our public schools.
Alabama’s 7th District is also home to some of the most prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the country. These historic institutions are a modern-day pipeline for minority leaders in the public and private sectors. As Vice Chair of the bipartisan HBCU Caucus, I have fought tirelessly for funding to strengthen and preserve our HBCUs.
Historic Preservation
The historic sites of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District are national treasures which must be preserved
The story of Alabama’s 7th District is the story of our fight for civil rights and voting rights for all Americans. By preserving that story and sharing it with the public, we can cultivate a stronger understanding of our nation’s history and generate economic growth here at home.
From the Edmund Pettus Bridge to the 16th St. Baptist Church, I have led the fight to bring federal preservation efforts and investment home to Alabama. My office has helped historic sites right here in Alabama win more than $13 million in Historic Preservation Grants through the National Park Service. In our state’s rural Black Belt, I have led the fight to save Selma’s historic federal courthouse and to secure funding for the Selma Interpretive Center.
In Congress, I introduced legislation, supported by the entire Alabama congressional delegation, urging the creation of a national civil rights monument in Birmingham. As one of his final acts in the White House, President Obama followed our recommendation and used his executive power to create the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument.
I have also introduced and passed amendments to the federal budget, increasing funding for historic preservation efforts on HBCU campuses by $40 million. Alabama’s 7th District is home to some of the most prominent HBCUs in the country, and I will continue fighting to preserve the civil rights and voting rights sites at these historic institutions.
Together, it is our job to protect the historic sites of Alabama’s 7th District. The future of our district depends on our fight to preserve its history.
Voting Rights
Building a stronger democracy where all Americans have a fair voice
Since John Lewis led a march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge 58 years ago, Alabama’s 7th Congressional District has led our nation in the fight for voting rights. Today, our battle for the ballot is far from over.
Across the country, state and local lawmakers are using new voter suppression strategies to keep working families and historically marginalized people from having a fair voice in our elections. From strict ID requirements, to gerrymandering, to polling place closures, these tactics are designed to silence the voices of American voters.
Our elections should be free and fair, which is why I am leading the fight to restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA). In the House, I am the author and lead sponsor of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill to restore the VRA, which has the support of more than 200 representatives as well as citizen groups across the country. As co-chair of the Commission to Protect American Democracy, I have also worked to expose Trump’s fake claims of voter fraud in the 2016 elections for what they are.
Generations of Alabamians fought, bled and died for our right to vote, and we have an obligation to remember and honor their story. I was honored that my first piece of successful legislation recognized the “Four Little Girls” who tragically lost their lives during the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963. The Congressional Gold Medal bill I introduced passed unanimously in both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on May 24, 2013. I also sponsored a successful Congressional Gold Medal bill honoring the Foot Soldiers, whose courageous march from Selma to Montgomery led to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. My bill honoring our Civil Rights and Voting Rights Foot Soldiers was signed into law by President Obama on March 18, 2015.
Seniors
Fighting to protect and strengthen Social Security
An essential part of the American Dream is being able to have a stable and comfortable retirement. I believe that should be within reach for every Alabamian.
That is why I am a co-chair of the Expand Social Security Caucus, a group of Democrats who have committed to protecting and expanding Social Security benefits. Social Security is a promise to our nation’s workforce that no one gets left behind, and millions of Americans rely on Social Security to better support themselves in retirement.
I also use my position on the Ways and Means Committee to protect Medicare benefits for our seniors and to look for ways to secure private retirement savings for those that have invested a lifetime working toward financial security.