President Trump agreed to reopen the government three weeks ago and gave Congress the opportunity to finally address the security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border. Unfortunately, the solution Congress came up with this week fell short of securing the border and was wholly inadequate to provide for the safety of American citizens. When I was digging into the details of the spending bill, I found numerous landmines that I couldn’t support. The ‘agreement’ contained just over $1 billi... READ MORE
This week I was incredibly honored to be asked to escort the President of the United States into the U.S. House Chamber to address a Joint Session of Congress and update American citizens on the strength of their country. I was amazed that in the moments just before walking in to give his speech to the country, President Trump leaned over to me and remarked how much he enjoyed spending time with Missourians over the past year and can’t wait to come back. We then walked onto the House Floor, and ... READ MORE
People in southern Missouri always tell me they wish their federal government budgeted more like a family farm or small business – operating within its limits, balancing its books, and only rewarding employees when they do well. I couldn’t agree more. It’s why one of the first bills I introduced when I came to Congress was a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution. Families in Missouri have to live within their means, and so should the federal government. This week Speaker Pe... READ MORE
This week the U.S. House of Representatives under Speaker Pelosi’s leadership reached a new low. The obstruction to President Trump has threatened the livelihoods of the men and women who protect us, left our border unsecure, and now resulted in the postponement of a right given to our President in the U.S. Constitution – the State of the Union address. This week, Speaker Pelosi became the first Speaker of the House in history to prevent the President of the United States from delivering the Sta... READ MORE
Life is precious. It’s fragile, vulnerable, and must be protected. When our founding fathers established a new, free land, they wrote that our God-given rights would be protected in the United States of America. And the most crucial of these rights is the right to life. Hundreds of thousands of people in the United States ventured to Washington, D.C. this week and marched to defend the most essential of our human rights. I was impressed and inspired by the thousands of young people of the pro-li... READ MORE
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Unfortunately, the ongoing debate over border security has been marked with insanity for years, but especially now with Nancy Pelosi in charge of the U.S. House of Representatives. Speaker Pelosi publicly said that building a physical barrier on our southern border would be “immoral.” I believe allowing criminals and drugs to flow into our country uninhibited is immoral. Illegal border crossi... READ MORE
This week was the beginning of the 116th Congress, and from the first day it was clear the U.S. House of Representatives is heading in a greatly different direction. A new Speaker of the House, new governing rules, and new members ensure the next two years will be a bumpy ride – buckle up. I wasn’t sure if Nancy Pelosi would have the votes to become Speaker after the midterm elections. Dozens of Democrats running for office in 2018 promised the American people they would support new leadership a... READ MORE
A new year and a new Congress are just around the corner. Nancy Pelosi will become Speaker next week, and its uncertain if she’ll want to work with President Trump on common ground for the American people, or if she will use her power to obstruct the president and fight him on behalf of her friends running for president. Despite the uncertainty in Congress, I closed 2018 how I have spent much of the year – meeting with folks in southern Missouri and holding public forums so I can hear thoughts a... READ MORE
No matter how you spend the holidays, I hope this Christmas season brings peace and goodwill into your life. Inspired by the perfect savior given to imperfect people, many will find the ‘Christmas Spirit’ in their hearts and take care of the needy, volunteer at food shelters, sing Christmas carols to their neighbors, attend religious services, and find ways to spread cheer into the world. All of the acts of kindness and generosity around the world remind me that the child born in Bethlehem has t... READ MORE
American security is bigger than petty politics. In a televised Oval Office meeting with President Trump this week, both Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer admitted that the country needs stronger border security. So why are they fighting him on one-tenth of one-percent of government spending for border security? Terrorists, drug smugglers, human traffickers, and criminal gang members don’t target their victims based on political party. The 10 terrorists per day prevented by the Department of Homela... READ MORE
