Barry Moore on Homeland Security

Committed to securing benefits for military families

Sponsored tax credit for hiring unemployed veterans

Analysis by Alabama Today: Incentive to Hire Veterans Bill: raises the tax credit for businesses that hire unemployed veterans from $1000 to $2000 as well as extends the credit to businesses that hire combat veterans, even if they are not unemployed at the time of hiring.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 95-0-7, Roll #576 on Mar/1/2018; State Rep. Barry Moore sponsored and voted YES; Passed Senate 27-0-7, Roll #595 on Mar/6/2018; Signed by Gov. Kay Ivey on Mar/26/2018.

Create state crime of "theft of valor" for profit

Birmingham News analysis: Alabama has a new law making it a crime to use false claims of military honors or medals in exchange for money, food, lodging or other benefits. Just claiming to have been a decorated soldier is not enough to trigger a prosecution, the person has to also seek or receive a benefit using the claim. The Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that a man who falsely claimed he'd won the Medal of Honor could not be found guilty of a crime under the 2005 Stolen Valor Act. The court cited the 1st Amendment's guarantee of free speech.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 33-0-2, Roll #466 on 4/14; Passed House 100-0-5, Roll #422 on 4/16; State Rep. Barry Moore voted YES; Signed by Gov. Bentley on 4/16.

Strongly supports strong military, according to AFA survey.

The AFA inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military'? Self-description: (American Family Association helps produce iVoterGuides): "Grounded in God; rooted in research"; they "thoroughly investigate candidates"; when they cannot "evaluate with confidence, they receive an 'Insufficient' rating" (& we exclude)

Voted against combating Islamophobia.

H.R.5665: Combating International Islamophobia Act: This bill establishes within the Department of State the Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia and addresses related issues. The bill requires annual reports to Congress about human rights and religious freedom in foreign countries to include information about Islamophobia, such as:

1. acts of physical violence or harassment of Muslim people,
2. instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote hatred or incite violence against Muslim people, and
3. actions taken by a country's government to respond to such acts. The office shall coordinate and assist in preparing these portions of the reports.

Rationale to vote NO (Rep. Zeldin, R-NY, 12/14/21)::: Lee Zeldin, one of two Jewish Republicans in Congress, announced that he will vote against H.R. 5665, a partisan resolution: "Rep. Ilhan Omar's bill that is supposed to combat Islamophobia does not even define 'Islamophobia'. In fact, the way the bill is worded intentionally plays into Omar's calculating game that any criticism about any topic relating to her, even if it has absolutely nothing at all to do with her religion, could be defined as 'Islamophobia'. That is absurd and I will vote 'no'!"

Rationale to vote YES (NY1.com, 12/15/21)::: "Our country's commitment to defending freedom of religion and belief goes back centuries, and the Administration strongly believes that people of all faiths and backgrounds should be treated with equal dignity and respect around the world," a statement of support issued by the White House read. The bill comes after Republicans in Congress have targeted the three Muslim members of Congress as members of a "jihad squad."

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 219-212-3 on 12/14/2021, Roll no. 448)' introduced in Senate on 12/15/21 and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations; no further Senate action during 2021.