Like you, I am horrified by the revolting public executions of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff by Islamic extremists. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of these young Americans as they try to cope with unimaginable grief. These murders, as well as the appalling violence toward children and the elderly, are an unmistakable sign that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIS, has grown stronger in the absence of American leadership. ISIS extr... READ MORE
Over the last two weeks I have visited dozens of farms and ranches and listened to hundreds of farmers on my second annual Eighth Congressional District Farm Tour. Agriculture in South-Central and Southeast Missouri is incredibly diverse. If fact, we grow everything except citrus and sugar. While the crops we grow and the livestock we raise are diverse, every farmer I talked to in the last two weeks brought up the same topic: the EPA war on rural America. No other federal agency pushes more intr... READ MORE
Smith’s comments come after Noranda announced 200 layoffs at New Madrid facility Today, Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), issued the following statement after Noranda Aluminum announced 200 layoffs at the company’s New Madrid facility. “With over 900 employees, Noranda is a huge part of Southern Missouri’s rural economy. The 200 jobs eliminated today were good-paying and came with benefits. Tonight, 200 families will have to decide how they are going to make ends meet. I will continue to work wit... READ MORE
Agriculture is the number one industry in Missouri. Our Eighth Congressional District is home to a great variety of agricultural interests. Our district is one of the most diverse agriculture districts in the country growing everything except sugar and citrus fruits. In the fertile Missouri Bootheel we grow cotton, rice, corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts and even raise catfish. In stark contrast to the Bootheel stand the Ozark Foothills where we have cattle, dairy and timber producers. This week an... READ MORE
Today, Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) sent a letter to Secretary of the Army John McHugh and General Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff of the Army, highlighting the importance of Fort Leonard Wood. Smith’s letter is part of a preemptive effort to fight potential operations and personnel cuts during the Army’s Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment (SPEA). Click HERE to read Smith’s letter opposing operations and personnel cuts at Fort Leonard Wood “As the military strives to become le... READ MORE
Like you, I have watched and read news reports on the surge of unaccompanied children from Central America who are arriving in record numbers in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. These young people are making this dangerous passage through Mexico assisted by smugglers and then entering the United States. Make no mistake about it, the crisis at our southern border is directly connected to President Obama’s refusal to enforce current immigration laws. On July 31, 2014 the House of Representatives wa... READ MORE
In June the Department of Veterans Affairs released an audit that detailed an alarming number of American veterans who were not receiving the care they have so fully earned. According to the audit, 57,000 veterans had been waiting more than 90 days for their first VA appointment. Worse yet, the audit found that 64,000 veterans had fallen through the cracks completely and never received an appointment with a VA doctor after requesting one. This is a national disgrace and our veterans deserve bett... READ MORE
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO – Today, Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) celebrated the passage of Amendment 1, the Right to Farm. Before his election to the United States House of Representatives in June 2013, Smith was the original sponsor of the Right to Farm legislation in the Missouri General Assembly. ""I couldn't be happier with the success of the Right to Farm Amendment. Missouri farmers now have protection from outside interest groups written into our state constitution,” said Smith. “When I proposed... READ MORE
This week the House of Representatives authorized a lawsuit against President Obama for his failure to faithfully execute laws passed by Congress. While the President has largely ignored the lawsuit and even called it a “stunt,” this is no joking matter. The lawsuit is needed to preserve the separation of powers clearly outlined in our Constitution. No person, not even the President of the United States, is above the law. This lawsuit is a check on the President’s disregard for laws enacted by C... READ MORE
Today, Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) voted in support of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014. The bipartisan legislation makes much needed reforms to the VA healthcare system. The legislation passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 420-5 and is now headed to the United States Senate where it is expected to receive broad bipartisan support. “Our veterans deserve the best care possible. No veteran should be forced to wait months to see a doctor or have to drive ... READ MORE
