This week thousands of law enforcement officers from around the country came to Washington, DC to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. As part of the memorial ceremonies, 252 names will be added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Wall and among them three officers from Missouri killed in the line of duty last year. Tragic events are something that stick with many of us, they mark our lives, and recall memories that we struggle with. Yet, often our law enforcement officers and ... READ MORE
Congressman Jason Smith Capitol Report Prescription Pain: Killers May 13, 2016 America is facing an epidemic of opioid addiction that is sadly killing 78 people every day. Statistically, the chances are greater that you know someone who has been affected by opioid abuse than not. In fact, 1 in 5 Americans have a family member who’s suffered from addiction to prescription painkillers. The harsh reality is that the epidemic has reached every single state and region of our country. The faces of opi... READ MORE
Congressman Jason Smith (MO-8) issued the following statement today after a U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary M. Collyer ruled in House v. Burwell that the Obama Administration unlawfully funded parts of Obamacare without an appropriation from Congress. “Today’s decision was a victory for the American people. It is a legal recognition of the excessive attempts this administration has made to manipulate and circumvent the balance of power between Congress and the Executive Branch. Over twenty t... READ MORE
U.S. Rep. Jason Smith’s Reducing Poverty through Employment Act advanced by the Ways and Means Committee H.R. 2966 empowers states to help families escape poverty Today, the Ways and Means Committee advanced Congressman Jason Smith’s bill, H.R. 2966, the Reducing Poverty through Employment Act, during a committee markup. Smith’s bill creates a new core purpose under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to explicitly recognize that the best way out of poverty is employment. ... READ MORE
Congressman Smith Announces Annual Art Competition Winner Macie Werner’s artwork to be displayed in U.S. Capitol for one year Cape Girardeau, MO – The halls of the U.S. Capitol could be looking a little brighter in the near future and all thanks to a local high school student. Macie Werner from Jackson High School was selected as the winner of the 30th Annual Eighth Congressional District Art Competition and will represent Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District in the U.S. Capitol. Submissions... READ MORE
Congressman Jason Smith Capitol Report Small Business, Big Impact May 6th, 2016 We all like an underdog. The written off school team that still plays with heart, the whistle-blower that stands up to do the right thing, or the small business owner that takes a risk and bets on themselves. We don’t always recognize these “underdogs” in our community, but it is their resilience, perseverance, and ultimate success that forms the backbone of so many of our communities in Southeast and south central M... READ MORE
Congressman Smith Introduces Bill to Repeal Latest Assault on Rural America Legislation would repeal another Obama Administration rule targeting livestock feed and water medications U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08) introduced H.R. 5140, the VFD Repeal Act. The legislation would repeal the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) regulation set to go into effect January, 1st of 2017. The regulation was created without Congressional oversight and would dramatically change the process of receiving and administ... READ MORE
Congressman Jason Smith Capitol Report A Harvest of Regulations April 29th, 2016 Growing up in rural Missouri you learn that farming is not a job, but a way of life and that American farmers are the back bone of our nation. Farmers work hard to provide the necessities and staples in our lives like food and clothing and without them our economy would come to a grinding halt. Here in Missouri, agriculture is still the number one industry and southeast and south central Missouri are the engines tha... READ MORE
Congressman Jason Smith Capitol Report Liberty From IRS Slush April 22nd, 2016 As the owner of a small business and our family farm, tax season has always been a stressful time for me. Unfortunately, the frustration over taxes doesn’t stop with just paying them, but continues when learning how those taxpayer dollars are then spent. Earlier this week I had an opportunity to question IRS Commissioner John Koskinen face to face to get to the bottom of how exactly the IRS was spending the funds they... READ MORE
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Jason Smith’s bill, H. R. 4885, the IRS Oversight While Eliminating Spending (OWES) Act by a bipartisan vote of 245-179. Smith’s bill provides Congress and the American public with greater oversight and transparency with regards to how the IRS is spending valuable taxpayer resources. During debate on the House Floor, Smith commented, “This bill is about liberating the folks of Missouri along with all Americans from the IRS. It is about... READ MORE