As of today, the national average price for a gallon of gas is $3.67. In 2009, that same gallon of gas would have cost just $2.35. As the summer sets in, gasoline prices are continuing to rise with the summer temperatures. At a time when our economy is struggling, higher gas prices will put a huge burden on working families trying to make ends meet. The rising cost of gas not only affects Missourians at the pump, it will also drive up the cost of goods and services. This week the House of Repres... READ MORE
Nothing kills jobs and hurts our economy in rural Missouri more than regulations from bureaucrats in Washington. With each passing day federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Labor create more and more rules that are forced on individuals, small business owners and farmers who are struggling to make ends meet. At a time when our economy needs to grow, regulations are holding back innovation and the American entrepreneurial spirit. Too much burdensome and i... READ MORE
Today, the House Judiciary Committee approved H.R. 4874 the Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2014, or SCRUB Act, sponsored by Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO). Smith filed the SCRUB Act in an effort to fight ineffective and intrusive federal regulations that are holding back private sector job creation and economic growth. “Regulations from Washington are hurting job growth and keeping our economy from growing. Studies have estimated that every Americ... READ MORE
Yesterday, Congressman Jason Smith held a conference call with members of his Veterans Advisory Board to discuss issues with the Department of Veterans Affairs and recent reports of veterans not receiving timely access to care. The Veterans Advisory Board consists of at least two members from each one of the 30 counties in the Eighth Congressional District. Smith gave a brief legislative update to the group and then opened the call for members of the Advisory Board to share their concerns. “Imm... READ MORE
America’s veterans bravely put themselves in harm’s way to defend our freedoms. Once our veterans return home they should never have to worry about receiving the benefits they have earned. This week the Department of Veterans Affairs released an audit detailing alarming numbers of American veterans who are not receiving the care they have so fully earned. As your representative in the United States House of Representatives, I am working every day to ensure our veterans and their wellbeing is a p... READ MORE
Today, Congressman Jason Smith called on the Veterans Administration (VA) to provide more timely care to America’s veterans while announcing his support for the Veterans Access to Care Act. Smith’s comments come after the release of a VA audit that found more than 57,000 U.S. military veterans have been waiting 90 days or more for their first VA medical appointment. The audit also found an additional 64,000 veterans have completely fallen through the cracks and have never received an appointmen... READ MORE
With the summer season now upon us many families are enjoying the outdoors. We are blessed to have tremendous recreation opportunities in the Eighth Congressional District that are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. As you think about planning a family vacation or weekend outing, I would encourage you to consider some of the local businesses and parks we have right here in South Central and Southeast Missouri. This week I spent time visiting tourist attractions in our region. Tourism in Misso... READ MORE
In May we celebrate Small Business Week and the many entrepreneurs who take risks in pursuit of the American Dream. Small businesses help tell the story of our Eighth Congressional District. Many of these businesses provide unique goods and services that cannot be found in other stores. Still others are passed from one generation to the next and become cornerstones of our local communities. Too often, Washington gets in the way of success for small businesses in Missouri. The Small Business Admi... READ MORE
On Thursday, May 22nd, Congressman Jason Smith sent a bi-partisan letter that he helped lead with 177 of his colleagues to Gina McCarthy, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Congressman Smith’s letter asks that when EPA’s new rule on emission standards for existing power plants is released, the comment period be extended to 120 days “Having just recently released rules that would place a de-facto ban on the construction of new coal-fired power plants, the EPA is alre... READ MORE
By now many of you have undoubtedly read news reports of the ObamaCare call center in Wentzville, Missouri where government-contracted employees had so little work to complete that they actually played games like Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit while on the clock. Some workers grew tired of the games and simply opted to nap on the job. All of these workers were hired thanks to a five-year, $1.2 billion contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The workers were hired to process... READ MORE
