This week as Missourians celebrate 197 years of statehood, we rejoice our rich history and heritage as a land of growth and free expedition. Our slice of God’s country, appropriately located in the heartland of America, has been at the heart of American history, adventure, and producing quality American-made goods enjoyed by the entire world. Missouri has been my family’s home for seven generations, and I want to preserve our beautiful state as a gateway to opportunity and free living for future... READ MORE
America, in her earliest days, was founded as a safe haven for religious people. After our founding fathers fought a revolution and established this liberty, many Europeans fled persecution of their faiths and suffered a long, perilous pilgrimage to America to find free land. A land of people united in establishing a country unlike any other seen before, a union of free states governed by people with the freedom to live according to their own individual conscience and religious beliefs. Religiou... READ MORE
Our nation owes a massive debt of gratitude to the veterans who have fought to protect our country and its freedoms. As I accompanied President Trump this week on Air Force One for his fourth trip to Missouri since becoming president, I saw how devoted he is to fight on their behalf so every veteran receives the best possible treatment upon returning home. I spent some quality time with the president and saw his deep love for both the state of Missouri and the men and women who have served in un... READ MORE
For Missourians, agriculture is the heart of our communities. The country roads of southeastern and south central Missouri weave together 19,000 farms, home to some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. This week I’m kicking off a thirty-county swing to hear firsthand from the farmers and ranchers – big and small – who drive Missouri’s economy and feed the world. The thirty counties I am blessed to represent are rich with every farm imaginable. From the soybean fields in the Bootheel to t... READ MORE
One of the most important decisions a president will ever make is who to nominate to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court of the United States. Our country places a tremendous amount of responsibility on the nine men and women of the Court, and these justices shape the direction of the country for decades after their confirmation. Retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, and he served on the bench for 29 years after President Reagan left the ... READ MORE
Liberal extremists are taking their open borders strategies to new lengths with their latest rally cry to completely eliminate the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE). Extremist calls to “abolish ICE” – sometimes without even understanding what the brave men and women who enforce U.S. immigration laws do – should send shivers down the spines of Americans everywhere. The men and women of ICE work within the Department of Homeland Security and are responsible for removing public safet... READ MORE
This Fourth of July, Americans all over the world will join together to celebrate our 242 years of independence. The freedoms we enjoy every day came at a great cost to many and are worthy of grand celebration and appreciation. As I think of the brave patriots who put it all on the line for us in 1776, I am proud and fortunate to be an American and humbled to represent the area in Missouri where seven generations of my family have called home. America’s hard fight for independence is an inspirin... READ MORE
Jobs are open, wages are up, unemployment is down, and Americans are optimistic about the future. The country has come a long way in the six months since President Trump signed historic tax cuts, which I was proud to send to his desk. The best is yet to come, but the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is doing wonders for the pocketbooks and paychecks in Southern Missouri. That’s because the new tax code prioritizes farmers, families, and workers first – removing the Washington roadblocks that have held them... READ MORE
The single greatest responsibility for public officials is the safety and security of the people they represent. In the 500 days that President Trump has occupied the Oval Office, he has been hard at work to make America a more secure country. He has reasserted American leadership on the world stage, his policies have created a secure economy, and he is standing up to threats to our country at the border and across the globe. In order to have a secure America, you need to secure the country from... READ MORE
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jason Smith (MO-08) hosted Missouri students participating in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Twenty-eight students from Southern Missouri met Congressman Smith on the U.S. Capitol steps and asked him how their government works and the best methods to advocate for the causes they believe in. “Advocacy from young folks like yourselves is so effective in having your voice heard,” said Congress... READ MORE
