We continue the Young Forwardists’ "Watchdogs of Democracy" series with an in-depth look at Senator Katie Britt from Alabama, examining her record on championing financial sanctity and enacting policies that support families. As the first female senator from Alabama receives the Outstanding New Member of Congress Award, we plan to answer the question: Does Britt’s tenure reflect the values she vowed to uphold?

Stay tuned as we bring transparency to politics, one article at a time.

There’s been a lot of discussion in the media about Senator Katie Britt. Opinion articles from Alabamian political analyst and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize John Archibald criticize her and her offices for their lack of genuine dialogue with constituents. Archibald compares Britt’s offices responding to concerned voters as “condescending fourth-grade civics lessons,” replacing true conversations with “talking points, defensive emails, lecturing and canned policy jargon.” At a time in which  worry about Social Security, NIH grants, and more pervade Alabama, he denounces Senator Britt’s ‘pandering pics’ (referencing her posing with Elon Musk while Alabamians at home worry about his cuts to American life), form letters and “opaque claims about transparency.” For voters seeking clarity on her progress toward key issues, such as fiscal responsibility and rural advocacy, a perceived lack of transparency can be disheartening. However, a deeper dive into Britt’s actual history of sponsoring legislation is necessary in order to make a judgement about the Senator’s accountability to her promises. 

Currently on her first term as a representative, Britt has co-sponsored 552 bills, and sponsored 28 bills - meaning she has only introduced 28 bills. The distinction in sponsored vs. co-sponsored is significant. It does not take much effort for a representative to place their name on a bill - they could essentially make a phone call or write a singular email - but introducing a bill requires time, research, and expertise/constituent advocacy for subsequent implementation.

Economic Development and Fiscal Responsibility: B

Additional Bills Introduced: S.639 

Senator Katie Britt sponsored bill S.639. This proposes clergy members to be permitted a two-year window to revoke their exemption and re-enter the Social Security system. The act essentially seeks to rectify the irrevocable nature of the original exemption choice by allowing a limited-time period for clergy members to opt back into Social Security and Medicare, thereby enhancing their retirement and health security. While the bill somewhat aligns with Senator Britt’s promise of economic development, it has a very limited scope. 

She also  co-sponsored the bipartisan Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2023, aiming to eliminate federal government shutdowns that disrupt essential services when Congress fails to pass spending bills on time. 

Agriculture and Rural Advocacy: B-

While Senator Britt has recently been awarded the Outstanding New Member of Congress Award recognizing “a member of Congress in… their first term and has already proven to be a reliable partner for agriculture,” Britt has not yet introduced any bills that directly support this. She has co-sponsored legislation supporting farmers and made statements “supporting sensible environmental regulations, calling for labor reform and promoting agriculture as a profession for young farmers,” but the Young Forwardists would like to see more involved, direct action pertaining to rural advocacy from Senator Britt moving forwards.

Support for Child Care: A

Additional Bills Introduced: S.846, S.847

Senator Katie Britt has actively addressed the child care crisis in the United States through bipartisan legislative efforts. Recently, she has introduced two bills that call for expanding the employer-provided child care tax credit and enhancing child care worker wages. Collaborating with Senator Tim Kaine, she also helped introduce the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act. These bills aim to enhance the affordability and accessibility of child care by strengthening existing tax credits to lower costs, as well as by increasing the supply of child care providers. Senator Britt has emphasized and brought awareness to the financial strain that limited child care access imposes on families, even sharing her personal experiences with the struggles of paying for childcare. 

Overall Grade: B+

Senator Katie Britt’s first few years in office have shown both promise and room for improvement. Her and her offices’ communication style, as criticized by some constituents, needs greater transparency and genuine engagement. As Senator Britt continues her term, we hope to see clear language from her when it comes to the specific steps she is taking to follow through on campaign promises. She has taken direct action to support accessible childcare, but we would like to see more effort across the board from her on issues such as economic security for all citizens and rural advocacy. A senator whose efforts generally support her campaign promises, but use of grandiloquence sparks debate about her productivity. Overall, when comparing Senator Britt’s campaign promises to her actions, The Young Forwardists feel that a “B+” is an accurate grading. 

Conclusion: The Watchdogs of Democracy believe in transparency for voters, accountability from politicians, and advocacy for all. Continuing to examine and criticize the kept promises - or lack thereof - from politicians will be vital to a productive democracy, so stay vigilant.