Today, Congressman Jason Smith led a letter with his colleagues to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urging the immediate opening of the Mississippi River to unnecessarily delayed barge traffic delivering agricultural harvests to market. “While construction improvements to the river are important, undertaking construction that shuts down the river during the harvest season is impeding the ability of farmers to get their products to market,” said Congressman Jason Smith. “I urge the Corps to work... READ MORE
For months I’ve been telling you about how detrimental the new Waters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency regulation would be to our way of life, and now there’s something we can do to stop it. The federal government is accepting comments on this new proposed rule through Friday, Nov. 14. As your congressman, I am submitting comments to explain just how damaging this federal overreach would be to our area, and I encourage you to submit comments as well. This new rule would expan... READ MORE
We have heard a lot about partisan gridlock lately, but the truth is that over the past two years the House of Representatives passed hundreds of bills that would improve the lives of Americans. We've passed bills to put Americans to work, get energy costs down, and ease burdens on businesses. But where are those bills now? They’re stuck in the Senate. The 387 bills stuck in the Senate are the solutions America needs to prosper and the solutions Americans have been demanding. Take the American E... READ MORE
As we work to stop the spread of Ebola, I have urged the Obama administration to do everything in its power to help protect the American people from this deadly virus. To date, over 9,000 people have contracted Ebola worldwide and more than 4,500 have died. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not properly prepare hospitals for incoming cases of Ebola, and I worry hospitals are still not prepared to handle an epidemic in this country. Only after two of our medical professionals wer... READ MORE
These days we not only need to protect our privacy from online hackers but from the federal government. The bulk data collection done by the National Security Agency unmasked earlier this year poses a threat to our civil liberties. National Cyber Security Awareness Month reminds us that the government needs to honor our constitutional right to privacy. It also reminds us that there are bad actors in the online world, and we need to take necessary precautions to protect our privacy. I have worked... READ MORE
Each October, America celebrates National Manufacturing Month. This is an opportunity to reflect upon the rich history of American manufacturing and look at where it is headed. Two hundred years ago, immigrants from all over the world moved to America to work in factories during the Industrial Revolution, and today, American manufacturing is still a world leader. According to the Manufacturing Institute, “The U.S. manufacturing sector is so huge that if it were its own country, it would rank as ... READ MORE
When I talk to individuals throughout the district, many have heard about the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempt to use 40–plus–year–old laws to close coal power plants, regulate puddles of water and restrict how children can help on family farms. This week, I am focusing on how another 40–year–old law, the Endangered Species Act, is increasingly used to erode private property rights, restrict how farmers use their land and water, and could destroy Missouri’s timber industry. Most everyon... READ MORE
It has been more than SIX YEARS since backers of the Keystone XL Pipeline first submitted an application to the U.S. State Department to begin construction. This crucial project would build needed infrastructure while creating thousands of jobs and promoting energy independence. Congress demanded action; President Obama should not make us wait. In 2012, President Obama made it clear that he would rather please environmentalists than create jobs in America when he rejected the Keystone XL Pipelin... READ MORE
This week, the United States House of Representatives passed the “Jobs for America Act” to grow our economy and put Americans back to work. This package of bills included proposals to provide our farmers and small business owners with needed tax relief, and reduce unnecessary regulations. For the 2014 tax year, unless the “Jobs for America Act” or something like it passes, the amount of equipment that farmers and small businesses can expense like tractors, heavy machinery, or computer software, ... READ MORE
Last fall, millions of Americans and families right here in Missouri had their health insurance plans cancelled despite repeated promises from President Obama that if you liked your health plan, you would be able to keep it. Now, millions more with employer-sponsored coverage are also facing plan cancellations because their plans do not meet ObamaCare’s requirements. In response to this problem, this week the House passed H.R. 3522, the “Employee Health Care Protection Act.” This bill would help... READ MORE
