Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The regular media call between U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-AL, and members of the Alabama press was delayed by a few minutes Thursday as the senator was casting his vote on amendments to the Iran War Powers resolution, a bipartisan resolution aimed at reining in President Donald Trump’s authority to take military action in Iran without congressional approval.

Once he made it to the phone, Jones stated that he would support the resolution, stating that the president shouldn’t be allowed to unilaterally commit U.S. service members to longterm conflicts.

Jones celebrated passage of the resolution later in the day, saying it “sends a strong message.”

Jones also touted a bipartisan measure he introduced, the Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects (HELP) Act, which, according to a press release from Jones’ office, would “expedite the start of certain hazard mitigation and community safety projects after natural disasters while grant applications await federal assistance.”

Additionally, Jones discussed a bill he introduced alongside U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-AL, who is carrying the measure in the House, to make additional federal funding available for families to repair and replace failing wastewater systems.

Jones said the bill, named the Decentralized Wastewater Grant Act of 2020, builds on the provisions included in the 2018 Farm Bill.

For his part, Jones is optimistic that the measure will be passed by the Senate.

Elsewhere in the call, Jones stated that he was preparing for the upcoming Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Summit, which he called a “great opportunity to shine a spotlight” on the great work being done in HBCUs across Alabama.

The summit will feature a career fair for students, as well as a panel of “amazing women” leading some of Alabama’s HBCUs and more.