{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"MO\" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-to-override-president-s-veto-of-the-ndaa", "Congressman Cleaver Votes to Override Presidents Veto of the NDAA", "2020-12-29", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Last night, the House of Representatives voted to override the President's veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA) by a vote of 322-87. With the requisite two-thirds majority supporting the measure, the President's veto has been overridden in the House of Representatives. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of the legislation, which will provide a 3% pay raise for servicemembers, authorize and increase hazardous duty pay for servicemembers in harm's way, provide long-overdue benefits to Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange, strengthen our nation's cybersecurity, remove all names and symbols honoring the Confederacy from Department of Defense installations, and more. The NDAA will become law if the Senate also votes to override with a two-thirds majority.\nFor 59 consecutive years, the U.S. Congress has passed the NDAA to ensure the needs of our military personnel and their families are met so that they have the tools necessary to continue defending the freedoms we hold so dearly, said Congressman Cleaver. While there are certainly provisions I would have personally taken out and others I would have liked to see included, this year's NDAA is a solid compromise that provides our military members with the pay raise and hazard pay they deserve, some critical benefits that are long-overdue, and the means to protect our nation in every field from the seas to the latest cyber threats. Despite the President's latest temper-tantrum, I'm pleased we were able to pass this critical legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support.\nIncluded in this year's NDAA was the Coordinating Oversight, Upgrading and Innovating Technology, and Examiner Reform (COUNTER) Act, a bill introduced by Congressman Cleaver to update and overhaul the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), which dictates banks' responsibilities to help the government detect and root out illicit financial transactions from nefarious actors domestically and abroad.\nThe COUNTER Act would be the largest overhaul of the BSA since we cracked down on illicit financing following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, said Congressman Cleaver. This is critical to preventing money laundering and other illicit financial activity that funds nefarious actors within the United States and abroad, which has exploded with the introduction of digital banking and digital currencies. I'm proud of the work we were able to do in a bipartisan fashion that will bring our financial security infrastructure into the 21st Century and help defund the bad actors who wish to do our country harm by taking advantage of outdated safeguards.\nThe COUNTER Act would empower the U.S. Treasury Department to protect our national security and safeguard our financial systems by codifying an information-sharing program between law enforcement, financial institutions, and the Treasury Department, which will better ensure the detection and capture of illicit financial activity. In addition, the bill would close a number of loopholes that have long enabled financial crimes, positioning our national security apparatus to face the financial security challenges of tomorrow. Finally, the COUNTER Act will provide much-needed relief to small banks and credit unions by bringing outdated regulations weighing on smaller institutions into the 21st century while still reinforcing our national security.\nSome noteworthy provisions advocated by Rep. Cleaver in the FY21 NDAA include:\n Authorizing a 3% pay raise for servicemembers;\n\tProviding a long sought after health benefit for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange\n\tRemoving all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America from all military installations;\n\tExtending paid parental leave to approximately 100,000 federal civilians who were inadvertently excluded in the FY20 NDAA, including employees at the VA, TSA, FAA, and more;\n\tSetting limits on the use of Defense Department emergency construction funds to prevent future Presidents from attempting to reallocate military construction accounts for projects which Congress has declined to appropriate funds;\n\tCreates a Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense as well as a Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion for each military service;\n\tCreating a Task Force on Domestic Violence and enabling victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports outside the chain of command;\n\tCreation of an alternative fuel vehicle pilot program, which would require the Department of Defense to expand the use of hybrid and electric vehicles;\n\tRequiring the Department of Defense to submit a report on its greenhouse gas emissions from the last 10 years; and\n\tRequiring steps to ensure the Department of Defense's consumption of fossil fuels is reduced by 30% in 25 years.\n The COUNTER Act was endorsed by the following organizations: the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, Bank Policy Institute, National Association of Federal-Insured Credit Unions, Credit Union National Association, Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America, Financial Accountability & Corporate Transparency Coalition, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, One Campaign, Financial Services Forum National Association of Realtors, Institute for International Finance, American Land Title Association, and Bankers Association for Finance and Trade.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-s-statement-following-passage-of-the-cash-act", "Congressman Cleavers Statement Following Passage of the CASH Act", "2020-12-28", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Caring for Americans With Supplemental Help (CASH) Act of 2020 with overwhelming bipartisan support.\nFor months now, my Democratic colleagues in Congress have pushed for larger survival checks for working class Americans who have been devastated by the economic impact of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. Despite previous objections from congressional Republicans, it appears the holiday spirit has rubbed off on my colleagues across the aisle. I'm extraordinarily pleased they have come around to the realization that American families are in dire need of substantive direct payments and have joined House Democrats in increasing these payments from $600 to $2,000.\nWith support from the President, two-thirds of the House of Representatives, and every Democrat in the Senate, there is no excuse for the Senate Majority Leader to block this critical legislation from getting a vote on the Senate Floor.\nWhile I am certain that more relief will be needed in the coming months, which is why I have been calling for recurring payments since April, this is an important lifeline to keep families afloat until the flood of COVID-19 begins to recede across the nation. I only hope the GOP-controlled Senate will do the right thing and allow it to pass for the American people.\n###\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-for-900-billion-coronavirus-relief-package-and", "Congressman Cleaver Votes For $900 Billion Coronavirus Relief Package and Government Funding Bill", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 133, an omnibus spending bill consisting of all 12 fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, emergency coronavirus relief, and authorizations. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of the legislation, which would provide $900 billion in relief to American families, workers and small businesses that have been crushed by the simultaneous economic and public health crises caused by coronavirus.\nThis agreement should be interpreted as a down payment on the costs of recovery from the coronavirus-induced recession. It extends enhanced unemployment benefits for laid off workers, provides families with another round of direct payments, administers additional lending to struggling small businesses, grants rental and housing assistance to prevent millions from falling into homelessness, strengthens nutrition assistance programs that have been strained like never before, and equips our nation with the tools necessary to distribute the vaccines that will end this national nightmareall of which I strongly support, if not at the levels which I would prefer, said Congressman Cleaver.\nThe bipartisan, bicameral coronavirus relief package brings desperately-needed support to Missourians and the communities of the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. Congressman Cleaver advocated for several important provisions within the bill that would:\n Send direct payments to American families and workers, including another round of $600 to every adult making less than $75,000 that phases out as incomes get up to $99,000. Families will also receive an additional $600 for each child, meaning a family of four making less than $75,000 would receive $2,400.\n\tExtend enhanced unemployment benefits that would have expired with the new year. Because of efforts from House Democrats, millions of workers who have been laid off due to a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic will continue to receive an added $300 per week of unemployment benefits.\n\tProvide rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and keep their utilities on as winter arrives. The $25 billion in rental assistance also comes with an extension of the federal moratorium on evictions.\n\tSupport struggling small businesses by providing additional funding and making critical policy changes to ensure businesses most harmed by the pandemic, including minority-owned businesses, nonprofits, restaurants and live entertainment venues, get the federal assistance they need to stay afloat until the pandemic comes to an end. The package includes over $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV, and radio broadcasters, and important modifications that ensure the PPP serves the smallest businesses and nonprofits as well as independent restaurants. It also include $15 billion dedicated to live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions.\n\tDedicate PPP funding specifically for CDFIs and MDIs that are critical to supporting minority-owned and very small businesses. $9 billion will go toward emergency U.S. Treasury capital investments in CDFIs and MDIs to support lending in low-income and underserved communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. It will also provide an additional $3 billion in emergency support for CDFIs through the CDFI Fund to assist underserved low-income and minority communities.\n\tStrengthen strained nutrition assistance programs with $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure.\n\tAccelerate vaccine distribution which is critical to crushing the coronavirus, ending the pandemic, and reviving our national and local economies. $20 billion will go toward the purchase of vaccines so they can be given at no charge to those who need it as well as an additional $8 billion to implement the infrastructure and logistics needed to distribute the vaccines as quickly as possible around the country.\n\tFund education and child care needs by providing $82 billion for colleges and schools, including for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to keep child care providers open and help parents get back to work.\n\tBolster the Low Income Housing Tax Credit which helps to increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects.\n Although $900 billion is certainly no small sum, I will be the first to admit this relief package is not all the American people need in this dire momenteven if it was all we could get out of the Senate Majority Leader, said Congressman Cleaver. In the midst of an economic and health crisis that threatens 33% of Americans with eviction or foreclosure, and has already resulted in the largest surge in U.S. poverty in recorded history, it is abundantly clear that the public is drowning under the weight of this pandemic. While this is a comprehensive proposal that sends an immediate lifeline to those who are struggling to stay afloat, there is no question that more must be done.\nWe all must keep in mind that, in world history, no nation has collapsed because it acted to deliver recovery benefits to their feeble economy or financially frail citizenry, Congressman Cleaver continued. We must remember that there are lives on the other end of these decisions. I remain hopeful the incoming President and Congress will act with greater urgency in late January to further fund the needs of families and workers as well as small and minority-owned businesses. I will do everything in my power to ensure they do.\nThe bipartisan omnibus spending bill increases non-defense spending by $12.5 billion above the budget caps, allowing for greater investment in Missouri families and communities. Some critical provisions supported by Congressman Cleaver include:\n Expanding access to housing by providing $43.4 million in new targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness among families with children, unsheltered veterans, and survivors of domestic violence.\n\tTackling food insecurity by fully funding WIC, child nutrition programs, and SNAP\n\tFunding for gun violence prevention, including $25 million for federal research at the CDC and NIH into the gun violence epidemic plaguing our nation as well as $85 million for grants to improve the NICS firearms background check system.\n\tCombatting climate change by providing $2.86 billion for DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, $7 billion for DOE's Office of Science to support energy innovation, and $182 million for NOAA Climate Research.\n\tProtecting our environment with $9.24 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure clean air and water and hold polluters accountable.\n\tStrengthening rural communities with more than $730 million to expand broadband service, which will spur economic development opportunities and improved education and healthcare services.\n\tEnding surprise medical billing by ensuring Americans are only responsible for their in-network cost-sharing amounts, including deductibles, in both emergency situations and certain non-emergency situations where they can't choose an in-network provider.\n\tExtending critical public health programs, including Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Centers, and Special Diabetes Programs.\n\tHonoring our responsibilities to veterans by giving $90 billion for VA medical care, including homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and outreach, and gender-specific care.\n I'm pleased that Congress was able to come to a bipartisan agreement on the FY21 budget that will end surprise medical billing, expand investments in affordable housing and nutrition assistance, intensify our battle against climate change, fund gun violence prevention programs, and expand rural broadband, said Congressman Cleaver. However, it remains extremely frustrating that Congress continues to wait until the last minute to pass enormous omnibus bills with little time to digest such critical decisions. I'm certain that the incoming Administration will provide more direction and involvement in such important spending decisions, and I think that will be a welcome addition to future negotiations.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-and-davids-applaud-492-million-grant-for-kc-streetcar-main", "Reps. Cleaver and Davids Applaud $49.2 Million Grant For KC Streetcar Main Street Extension", "2020-12-18", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it would allocate another $49.2 million to the Kansas City Streetcar Main Street Extension project. The Main Street Extension project will be a 3.5 mile extension of the Kansas City Downtown Streetcar from the current streetcar terminus at Union Station to the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) applauded the announcement after previously advocating for such grant funding to be awarded for the project in July of this year.\nThe KC Streetcar has transformed public transportation in Kansas City and been an economic boon to our citizens and business community since it first opened to the public years ago, said Congressman Cleaver. I'm thrilled to see the FTA agree to our calls for additional federal investment so that we can continue to expand the Streetcar and make Kansas Cityand everything it has to offermore accessible to all.\nThe KC Streetcar has been a remarkable success for the Metro region  bolstering our local economy, supporting manufacturing jobs, and connecting people to opportunities across our community. I was glad to have worked alongside members of the Kansas and Missouri delegation to help secure additional funding for the KC Streetcar, so we can build on this innovative work and grow its reach even more, said Representative Sharice Davids.\nIn addition to this federal grant, the Main Street Extension Project has been awarded another $50 million Capital Investment Grant, a $14.2 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant, and a $174 million grant from the Department of Transportation's New Starts Capital Investment Grants Program, totaling over $287 million in federal investments in the last four months.\nThe current streetcar line is a two-mile track that connects all the city's downtown neighborhoods. The grant funding will go towards creating an additional 3.5 miles and 9 stations from Union Station to the University of MissouriKansas City (UMKC). Once completed, the expanded line will run from Kansas City's River Market to the Plaza and provide public transit between some of the area's largest employment centers.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-bass-introduce-the-preparing-superfund-for-climate-change", "Reps. Cleaver, Bass Introduce The Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act", "2020-12-10", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  This week, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Karen Bass (D-CA) introduced H.R. 8915, the Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act. The legislation would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to account for climate change in their plans for managing Superfund sites, which are polluted locations that contain hazardous toxic waste and other contaminants harmful to public health. U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) has introduced identical legislation in the Senate.\nAs we have witnessed natural disasters become more powerful, prevalent, and costly in recent years, it's clear that climate change is exacerbating these challenges and the damage they do to our communities, said Congressman Cleaver. Not only do we need to face the fact that climate change is happening in this very moment, but we must begin to account for its potential to release extremely toxic, dangerous materials from Superfund sites scattered across the country. This critical piece of legislation will require the EPA to plan for such scenarios and ensure neighboring communities have the protection needed to avoid a tragedy caused by lack of preparation.\nSea level rise on the coasts, 100-year river flooding and devastating fires across the west could reach several Superfund sites and send highly dangerous chemicals into our air, soil and water, said Congressmember Bass. Last year, the Government Accountability Office confirmed that Superfund sites across the country are not equipped to withstand the threat of climate change. Unless EPA takes climate into account when preparing to clean up a Superfund, we are all in danger. I urge my colleagues to support this important and urgent piece of legislation.\nThe Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act would:\n Require the potential threat to human health and the environment associated with local natural disasters and hazards due to climate change be incorporated into any plans to clean-up a Superfund site; and\n\tRequire that local natural disasters and extreme weather hazards, including any projected exacerbation or change in those disasters and hazards due to climate change, be taken into account in the periodic review of whether a clean-up plan is adequately protective.\n Last year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report concluding Superfund sites across the country are severely underprepared to weather the exacerbating threat of climate change. In the report, the GAO found that roughly 60% of Superfund sites across the nation face risks from flooding, storm surge, rise in sea level, and wildfires. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused flooding at 13 Superfund sites as well as breaches at two others. In 2018, a California wildfire burned through the Iron Mountain Mine site, causing pipes to catch fire with the potential to lead to an explosion that would have released dangerous chemicals into the neighboring communities.\nThere are currently 32 Superfund sites in Missouri20 of which were deemed vulnerable to climate change by the GAOas well as two in the Fifth District of Missouri.\nYou can find the official text of the Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-s-counter-act-passes-with-defense-authorization-bill-ndaa", "Cleavers COUNTER Act Passes with Defense Authorization Bill (NDAA)", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA) by a vote of 335-78. Included in this year's NDAA was the Coordinating Oversight, Upgrading and Innovating Technology, and Examiner Reform Act (COUNTER Act), a bill introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) to update and overhaul the Bank Secrecy Act, which dictates banks' responsibilities to help the government detect and root out illicit financial transactions from nefarious actors domestically and abroad. Congressman Cleaver voted in favor of the NDAA, which also authorizes a 3% pay raise for servicemembers, removes all names, symbols, displays, and monuments of the Confederate States of America from all military installations, and provides long-overdue health benefits for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange.\nI'm thrilled we were able to garner the bipartisan support needed to keep the COUNTER Act in the NDAA conference report, and that the legislation will help bring our financial security infrastructure into the 21st century, said Congressman Cleaver. For far too long, our national security apparatus has been limited in its ability to combat money laundering from groups and individuals who seek to take advantage of our financial system's outdated safeguards. With passage of the COUNTER Act and the FY21 NDAA, that should no longer be the case.\nI am pleased to have secured the inclusion of Representative Cleaver's COUNTER Act in the NDAA for FY 21. Representative Cleaver's legislation represents the most significant improvements to the Bank Secrecy Act since September 11th, said Chairwoman Maxine Waters. This long-overdue effort to close loopholes, strengthen enforcement, enhance information sharing, and adapt to new technologies is essential to fighting financial crime. Representative Cleaver's bill, combined with other provisions in the NDAA, will make a tangible difference in law enforcement's ability to pursue bad actors who abuse our financial system. I thank him for his leadership on this important issue.\nThe COUNTER Act would empower the U.S. Treasury Department to protect our national security and safeguard our financial systems by codifying an information-sharing program between law enforcement, financial institutions, and the Treasury Department, which will better ensure the detection and capture of illicit financial activity. In addition, the bill would close a number of loopholes that have long enabled financial crimes, positioning our national security apparatus to face the financial security challenges of tomorrow. Finally, the COUNTER Act will provide much-needed relief to small banks and credit unions by bringing outdated regulations weighing on smaller institutions into the 21st century while still reinforcing our national security.\nOther noteworthy provisions advocated by Rep. Cleaver in the FY21 NDAA include:\n Authorizing a 3% pay raise for servicemembers;\n\tProviding a long sought after health benefit for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange\n\tRemoving all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America from all military installations;\n\tExtending paid parental leave to approximately 100,000 federal civilians who were inadvertently excluded in the FY20 NDAA, including employees at the VA, TSA, FAA, and more;\n\tSetting limits on the use of Defense Department emergency construction funds to prevent future Presidents from attempting to reallocate military construction accounts for projects which Congress has declined to appropriate funds;\n\tCreates a Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense as well as a Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion for each military service;\n\tCreating a Task Force on Domestic Violence and enabling victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports outside the chain of command;\n\tCreation of an alternative fuel vehicle pilot program, which would require the Department of Defense to expand the use of hybrid and electric vehicles;\n\tRequiring the Department of Defense to submit a report on its greenhouse gas emissions from the last 10 years; and\n\tRequiring steps to ensure the Department of Defense's consumption of fossil fuels is reduced by 30% in 25 years.\n Although no legislation of this magnitude is perfect, I'm proud to support this year's NDAA because it supports our troops. This bill will provide the men and women who heroically serve our nation a long overdue pay raise; increases hazardous duty pay for those in harm's way; grants critical benefits to Vietnam veterans suffering from illnesses following exposure to Agent Orange; gives additional protections to servicemembers who have faced sexual harassment; and ensures that the Defense Department is studying and taking steps to address the impact of climate change, said Congressman Cleaver. I'm proud of the bipartisanship and compromise that allowed for Congress to pass this critical legislation, and I'm hopeful we can now carry over that same spirit of bipartisanship to bring additional relief to the American people who continue to be rocked by the coronavirus crisis.\nThe COUNTER Act was endorsed by the following organizations: the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, Bank Policy Institute, National Association of Federal-Insured Credit Unions, Credit Union National Association, Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America, Financial Accountability & Corporate Transparency Coalition, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, One Campaign, Financial Services Forum National Association of Realtors, Institute for International Finance, American Land Title Association, and Bankers Association for Finance and Trade.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-wrda-with-bipartisan-support-including-key-components-from", "House Passes WRDA With Bipartisan Support, Including Key Components From Rep. Cleavers Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act", "2020-12-09", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the final Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), which authorizes $9.9 billion in federal funds for flood control, environmental restoration, coastal protection, and other water resources projects. Major components of the Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) in the House of Representatives and Senator Roy Blunt in the Senate, were kept in this year's WRDA legislation.\nIn recent years, Missouri farmers and ranchers in my congressional district have been faced with increasingly frequent and powerful floods that have wreaked devastation on numerous communities, said Congressman Cleaver. As these communities have been forced to rebuild their lives and livelihoods time and time again, it is important for Congress to enact a proactive approach that gives flexibility to the Army Corps of Engineers so they can immediately bring relief and protect those along the Lower Missouri River. That was precisely the goal of my bipartisan proposal to address this reoccurring issue, and I'm extremely proud we were able to keep it in this year's WRDA bill, which I hope will be signed into law before the new year.\nA major provision from Rep. Cleaver's Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act that was included in WRDA is the expansion in scope of the Lower Missouri Basin Flood Risk & Resiliency Study, which would:\n Identify specific flood risk reduction solutions in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska;\n\tFree the study from traditional cost and duration limitations;\n\tAllow approved projects to proceed directly to preconstruction planning, engineering, and design;\n\tRequire additional consultation measures for any recommended actions, including solicitation of public comments;\n\tProvide $24 million over six years to help with technical assistance for disadvantaged communities with populations less than 15,000; and\n\tMandate the submission of a report to Congress with additional recommendations within the next 3 years.\n With passage of this legislation, communities up and down the Missouri River will have greater adaptability and control of efforts to address the destabilizing floods we continue to see year after year, said Congressman Cleaver. I believe that's the right approach in this circumstance, and I will continue to advocate for it until this legislation is the law of the land.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-s-negro-leagues-baseball-centennial-commemorative-coin-act", "Cleavers Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act Signed Into Law", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  The Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, a bill introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), has been signed into law by the President of the United States. The bipartisan bill directs the Department of Treasury to mint a coin to commemorate the centennial of the establishment of the Negro Leagues, which was founded in Kansas City in 1920.\nI want to thank Representative Stivers, along with Senators Blunt and Kaine, for teaming up on this effort to honor the legends of the Negro Leagues in such historic fashion, said Congressman Cleaver. Not only will this legislation appropriately commemorate the Negro Leagues for their profound impact on the nation during the Civil Rights Movement, but it will also provide substantial funding for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City to continue educating future generations on the league and the icons who helped break down the color barrier in baseball. It's a fitting way to cap off the centennial of the Negro Leagues, and I couldn't be prouder of the bipartisan effort that made this possible.\nThe coin comes at no cost to taxpayers, and the U.S. Treasury will be reimbursed for the costs of issuing the coins. After the U.S. Treasury has recouped all of its costs for designing and minting the coins, funds will be distributed to the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which was founded in 1990 in Kansas City.\nIn addition to Cleaver and Stivers, the House bill is cosponsored by 301 representatives. In addition to Blunt and Kaine, the Senate bill is cosponsored by 77 senators.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-on-non-profits-and-landlords-to-mobilize-cares", "Congressman Cleaver Calls on Non-Profits and Landlords to Mobilize CARES Act Funding to Prevent Evictions", "2020-12-08", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO.) Last week,with the CDC's eviction moratorium set to expire on December 31st,United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) called on Missouri Governor Mike Parson and the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) to expedite the implementation of the Emergency Rental Arrears Programin hopes ofavertingan impending eviction crisis. Heeding the Congressman's call, the MHDC plans to launch this rental assistance program later this week.The Rental Arrears Program, which provides one-time payments of up to six months of rental arrears directly to landlords, is in addition to the non-profit grantee program which has been assisting tenants since the onset of the pandemic. Under thenewRental Arrears Program, landlords must agree to not evicttenantsfor the next four months as we move towards winter. With nearly $30 million available in rental assistance between these two programs, including $13.3 million currently allocated to non-profits, Congressman Cleaver is encouraging both non-profits and landlords to take advantage of these critical programs.\nSince the pandemic struck the nationin mid-March,nearly 2,500 renters in the Greater Kansas City area have been faced with eviction filings. With the CDC's eviction moratorium soon to expire, this number may rise significantly in the coming months.\nIn an effort toavertsuch a crisis, CARES Act ESG funds have been and will continue to be distributed by the Missouri Housing Development Commission through two programs. The standard ESG non-profit grantee program, which has been in place since the pandemic began, allows non-profits to submit applications totheMHDC to secure funding to provide homelessness prevention services. Currently, there are $13.3 million in CARES Act ESG funds still availablethrough this programtoassist tenants struggling with monthly rent payments. Additionally, MHDC has allocatedanother$15 million in federalfunding for its Rental Arrears Program, which is designed toprevent evictions whilealleviatingthe burden of financial debt by providing one-time payments of up to six months of rental arrears to landlords who have not received rent checks in recent months.\nThe nation is in the midst of a public health crisis that has exposed how fragile the state of stability is for many Americans,said Congressman Cleaver.We must do all that we can to keep roofs over the heads of our neighbors,and this effort will require all hands on deck. If we're serious about preventing an eviction crisis, we need non-profits and landlords alike to utilize all available CARES Act funding.I want to thank the people at the Missouri Housing Development Commission for all of theirhardwork since the beginning of the pandemic aimed at keeping people in their homes. By quickly implementing the Rental Arrears Program, they will help even more tenants remain sheltered as the pandemic continues.\n  \n\tWith nearly 300,000 rental households in the Kansas City metro, we applaud Congressman Cleaver, Governor Parson, and the Missouri Housing Development Commission for expeditiously implementing the Emergency Rental Arrears Program to provide additional rental assistance to individuals and families in need.In Missouri's Fifth Congressional District alone, over 30,000 households spend more than 50% of their income on housing costs, including rent and utilities, said Geoff Jolley,Executive Director of LISC Greater Kansas City. Even despite the CDC's temporary eviction moratorium, which ends on December 31st, nearly 1,000 evictions have been filed in Jackson County since the moratorium started on September 4th. As we approach the holiday season, these funds are desperately needed to help stabilize our communities. We know that this is only one of many solutions required to assist tenants, landlords, and small businesses thru this pandemic, but additional rental assistance is a critical component.\nWe are all navigating these unprecedented times together and need to be a community of we as opposed to me,said Emmet Pierson, Jr.,President & CEO of Community Builders of Kansas City.Community Builders of Kansas City, to the maximum extent possible, works with our residents to keep them in place and not face the eviction process.\nWestside Housing Organization is working hard this holiday season to keep families in their homes. This is vital as it allows families to maintain stability in their home by ensuring their kids stay in the same school and allowing them to focus on the overall health and wellbeing of the family,said Gloria Ortiz-Fisher,Executive Director of Westside Housing Organization.It is hard enough to care for loved ones when or if f they contract COVID, but it is unfathomable to expect families to navigate eviction in the midst of a pandemic. For the sake of all humankind, let's be both humanandkind. Minimize eviction and keep families in their homes.\nIndividuals seeking rental assistance or other support are encouraged to contact the United Way 2-1-1 Assistance Center to connect with the various non-profits that receive the aforementioned funds through MHDC programs.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Haydin Brady at 202-538-4326 orHaydin.Brady@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-on-governor-parson-mhdc-to-immediately", "Congressman Cleaver Calls on Governor Parson, MHDC to Immediately Implement Program to Protect Missourians From Eviction", "2020-12-04", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  This week, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) called on Missouri Governor Mike Parson and the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) to expedite the implementation of the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (MERAP), which was funded by the CARES Act, to protect Missourians who are currently being threatened with eviction.\nIn a letter to Governor Parson, Congressman Cleaver wrote: I understand that there is significant concern that MHDC's program may not be rolled out in time to rescue the hundreds of Missouri families in the eviction pipeline and that it may take intervention from your office to close this time gap. I have every confidence that you can leverage the important tools within the state's infrastructure to meet this moment and help save these families on the verge of eviction.\nMissouri remains in the midst of a surge of coronavirus cases, and we currently rank among the top 10 states with the highest number of unpaid mortgages and rents in the country. Since March, thousands of eviction cases have been filed in Kansas City and St. Louis, while there has also been a 300% surge in the number of calls to Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri from families on the verge of losing their homes.\nIn order to avoid a tsunami of evictions and protect those who are most vulnerable, the MHDC used CARES Act funding to create the MERAP. However, there is are concerns that the program may not be implemented in time to protect families who are most at risk of eviction, which is why it is critical for the State to roll out the MERAP without further delay.\nI know that Governor Parson understands the urgency with which we must rollout this program to protect hundreds of Missouri families from being forced out of their homes as the winter approaches, said Congressman Cleaver. In order to prevent that tragedy from occurring, we need the state to use every tool in the toolbox to get this program up-and-running as soon as humanly possible. I have every confidence the Governor will do so, and I will do whatever necessary to assist in that endeavor.\nYou can find Congressman Cleaver's official letter to Governor Parson here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-blunt-kaine-stivers-negro-leagues-centennial-commemorative-coin", "Cleaver, Blunt, Kaine, & Stivers Negro Leagues Centennial Commemorative Coin Act Heads to Presidents Desk", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Steve Stivers (R-OH), along with United States Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), announced the Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act passed the Senate and is on its way to be signed by the President. The bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Treasury to mint a coin to commemorate the centennial of Negro Leagues Baseball.\nAs we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Negro Leagues, I'm ecstatic we were able to get this bill safely across home plate and on its way to the President's desk, said Cleaver. Not only will this honor the legends of the Negro Leaguessome of the greatest ballplayers to ever step on a fieldbut it will also raise significant funding for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City so that future generations can learn about the players, the history of the Negro Leagues, and their significance to the civil rights movement in America.\nI am glad this legislation is headed to the President's desk, sending an important message that the athletes' courageous efforts to end systemic racism undeniably bettered our nation, said Stivers. These Americans created a lasting impact in the fight for equality. Their unwavering commitment to making sure all Americans have equal opportunities, on and off the field, will continue to make a difference for generations to come.\nThe incredible ability, excitement, and sportsmanship that baseball icons like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, and Buck O'Neil brought to the game helped break down the barriers of segregation, said Blunt. This commemorative coin will honor the leagues' players and support the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's great work to preserve the legacy of African-American baseball and its impact on our nation's history. I'm glad we were able to get this bill through Congress and to the President's desk as we mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the leagues.\nFor forty years, the Negro Leagues offered people the chance to see some of the country's greatest ballplayers at a time when African American and Hispanic players were barred from Major League teams, including Virginia-born stars and Baseball Hall of Famers Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Pete Hill, and Jud Wilson, said Kaine. I'm proud these players and teams will be honored for their historic contributions both on the field and to our country.\nThe Negro National League was created in 1920 during a meeting of team owners at a YMCA in Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to 1920, teams barnstormed around the country playing whomever they could. The creation of the league brought some structure to the playing schedule, and other regional leagues were soon formed.\nThe coin comes at no cost to taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury will be reimbursed for the costs of issuing the coins. After the U.S. Treasury has recouped all of its costs for designing and minting the coins, funds will be distributed to the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which was founded in 1990 in Kansas City.\nIn addition to Cleaver and Stivers, the House bill is cosponsored by 300 representatives. In addition to Blunt and Kaine, the Senate bill is cosponsored by 77 senators.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-tlaib-introduce-respond-act-to-protect-federal-pensions", "Reps. Cleaver, Tlaib Introduce RESPOND Act To Protect Federal Pensions, Measure Economic Impact of Climate Change", "2020-11-17", "2020", "2020-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced the Restructuring Environmentally Sound Pensions in Order to Negate Disaster Act of 2020 (RESPOND Act) to protect federal pensions from the economic impact of climate change by establishing a Federal Advisory Panel on Climate Change within the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB). The bill would also require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue an annual report projecting and accounting for the economic costs caused by the impacts of climate change.\nClimate change is not only a long-term threat to the health of our planet, but also a current threat to Americans' retirement portfolios, said Congressman Cleaver. With the RESPOND Act, Congresswoman Tlaib and I are calling on financial regulators to examine the economic costs of a changing climate and to utilize this data to make sound investments on behalf of more than 5.5 million federal employees. As the world continues to evolve and transition from the fossil fuel industry, it only makes sense for the investment portfolios of federal retirees to do the same in order to avoid catastrophic losses in the future.\nOur federal workers do not deserve to be set up to fail by being forced to invest their hard-earned savings in corporate polluters that endanger our public health, Congresswoman Tlaib said. Communities like the ones I represent deserve to have the Federal Reserve and other financial systems address the economic costs of climate change. Lives of countless people around the world and the life of our planet depend on it. That's why I'm proud to introduce the RESPOND Act with Congressman Cleaver. I thank him for his partnership in this and look forward to working together to see this much-needed legislation is made law.\n\"Forcing federal employees to invest their savings in the fossil fuel industry threatens both the future of our planet and the bottom line for these workers saving for retirement,\" said Kelly Martin, Director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign. \"We applaud Representatives Cleaver and Tlaib for their leadership in recognizing the serious financial risks associated with the climate crisis and protecting workers from those risks.\"\n\"It is high time that the Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission properly account for the real cost of climate change on our economy, said Natalie Meban, U.S. Policy Director of 350.org. Climate change has always been the biggest economic threat to this country and our world. It is time to follow the science and know that we cannot have a healthy economy without a healthy climate.\"\nClimate change presents numerous near and long-term risks to financial systems worldwide and, in turn, pension holdings and public sector portfolios. The RESPOND Act of 2020 does just thatrespondby illuminating risks that would remain invisible without special inquiry, thereby taking another step toward protecting the underlying value of investments on which so many hard-working people depend, said Paula DiPerna, Special Advisor, Carbon Disclosure Project.\n\"The RESPOND Act will address important issues for federal pension plan and financial regulators to address climate risks and climate opportunities. We congratulate Congressman Cleaver and the other sponsors for moving this vital legislation forward,\" said Steven M. Rothstein, Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets.\nThe FRTIB currently oversees $565 billion in retirement benefits for over 5.5 million federal employees. In order to protect the pensions of these retired federal workers, the RESPOND Act would commission the FRTIB to establish a Federal Advisory Panel on Climate Change, consisting of a combination of climate finance experts and labor representatives, to conduct a thorough examination of the financial risks posed by climate change. After examining the report issued by the Panel, if the FRTIB determines pension yields would be both financially profitable and consistent with the FRTIB's fiduciary duties should they implement low-carbon investment strategies, then the FRTIB is instructed to immediately set a plan in place to transition their investment practices accordingly.\nSeparately, to ensure the federal government is doing its due diligence to fully understand and account for costs and risks of climate change, the RESPOND Act would also require the Federal Reserve and SEC to jointly issue annual reports to Congress that account for the financial risks of climate change to the American economy. Critically, this information would also be made public to financial institutions across the country as they seek to adjust their investment strategies to account for climate change, something the Federal Reserve has recently called for.\nThe RESPOND Act is endorsed by Sierra Club, Center for International Environmental Law, Ceres, 350.org, World Wildlife Fund, the Center for Biological Diversity, Catholic Network U.S., Rapid Shift Network, Earth Guardians, Mazaska Talks, Giniw Collective, Fossil Free California, Climate Hawks Vote, Texas Campaign for the Environment, and Zero Hour.\nYou can find the official text of the RESPOND Act here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-joins-missouri-kansas-delegation-to-invite-toronto-raptors-to", "Cleaver Joins Missouri, Kansas Delegation to Invite Toronto Raptors to Kansas City", "2020-10-27", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, along with U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), encouraged the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Toronto Raptors to select Kansas City as the team's host city should they seek a temporary home for the 2020-2021 NBA season.\nIf there are three things I know about Kansas City, it's that we love our jazz music, we love our barbecue, and we absolutely love our sports, said Congressman Cleaver. What we may lack in market size, we more than make up for in location, loyalty and fanatical fervor, which is why I sincerely believe Kansas City is the right choice should the Toronto Raptors need a temporary home next season. I am proud to join Mayor Lucas and my congressional colleagues in putting this stake in the ground and letting the world know: Kansas City is open, and the NBA should give us our shot.\nIn a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Toronto Raptors Ownership, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the lawmakers wrote:\nKansas City sports fans are unmatched, already providing an avid fanbase for the Chiefs, the Royals, Sportingand would be eager to extend that support to the Raptors. Our T-Mobile Center, a first-class arena located in the heart of downtown, would make a great home for the Raptors as they look to match last season's impressive winning record.\nKansas City is well-suited to host the Toronto Raptors for the 2020-2021 NBA season and our dynamic fans would be thrilled to adopt the team as our own. On behalf of our bi-state region, we thank you for your consideration of Kansas City as you move forward in the selection process.\nYou can find the lawmakers' official letter here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-applauds-75-million-grant-for-rural-broadband", "Congressman Cleaver Applauds $7.5 Million Grant For Rural Broadband Expansion in Saline County", "2020-10-22", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO) Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) applauded the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) allocation of $7.5 million to Saline County to expand broadband access. Theinvestment is part of $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program through the USDA,which is aimed at expanding broadband access and connectivity in rural areas. In March, Congressman Cleaverdelivered aletterin support of the Saline County Commission's ReConnect grant application.\nNow, more than ever, access to dependable broadband internet is vital for rural communities,said Congressman Cleaver. The economic success and growth of these communities depend on this critical access, which is why I was happy to join in supporting the Saline County Commission's recent grant application submitted to the USDA. Today, I am thrilled to report that the federal government has announced a seven and a half-million-dollar grant to the Saline County Commission. With this funding,approximatelyninety percent of Saline County will have access to quality broadband internetopening the doors to greater economic growth and providing an undeniably crucial resource to many individuals and families at a time when so many aspects of our lives are being conducted online. While I celebrate this momentous step, I am recommitted to working towards expanding broadband infrastructure to all of the rural communities that I serve.\nI want to thank our state and federal legislators for all of their support in obtaining this grant from the USDA,said Stephanie Gooden, Saline County Commissioner. Receiving this grant for Saline County will help move our county into the 21st-century when this year has proven that we need connectivity more than ever. Not only for distance learning for students but also in agriculture. I'm so happy on behalf of Saline County that Marshall Municipal Utilities is able to receive the USDA ReConnect grant, I'm thankful for the team, and I'm looking forward to implementing broadband throughout Saline County!\nWe would like to thank USDA Rural Development, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, the Saline County Commission and everyone else who supported us in this endeavor,said Jeff Bergstrom, General Manager of Marshall Municipal Utilities. With the current COVID-19 environment, there has been a spotlight put on distance work and learning. The ReConnect grants will give 90% of rural Saline County broadband internet access and allow for our students and workers to weather these types of storms in the future.\nThe grant will be used by Marshall Municipal Utilities to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure, which will connect 3,890 people, 433 farms, 63 businesses, two public schools, a fire station, and a post office to high-speed broadband internet in Saline County, Missouri.\nEmanuel Cleaver,II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone,Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, pleasecontact Haydin Brady at 202-538-4326 orHaydin.Brady@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-announces-creation-of-the-tri-chambers-of-kansas", "Congressman Cleaver Announces Creation of the Tri-Chambers of Kansas City", "2020-10-19", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced the formation of the Tri-Chambers of Kansas City, a consolidation of the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City to assist minority-, women-, and LGBT-owned small businesses in the Greater Kansas City Area. Last week, the chambers signed a joint contract to receive $250,000 in CARES Act funding to help Kansas City small businesses devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.\nAs we continue to see the economic fallout from this awful pandemic, it is abundantly clear that not enough has been done to protect diverse-owned small businesses, said Congressman Cleaver. With the formation of the Tri-Chambers and the pooling of additional resources from the CARES Act, we're hopeful that minority-, women-, and LGBT-owned small and micro businesses in Kansas City will now have easier access to the financial and legal knowledge needed to access funding from programs like the Paycheck Protection Program, which disproportionately left minority-owned businesses behind. I want to thank Kim Randolph, Carlos Gomez, and Suzanne Wheeler for their leadership in making this possible. As Congress continues to negotiate the next relief package for American families and small businesses, I will continue to push for significant, targeted funding for the small businesses who have been hit the hardest.\nFirst and foremost this funding allows us to help the small business community of Kansas City, Missouri, which is needing assistance, said Carlos Gomez, President, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City. But it is also bringing together 3 incredible organizations to leverage our resources and create synergy to be more impactful.\"\n\"We're thrilled to launch the Tri Chamber today with our friends and partners in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City and the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, said Jeff Harris, Board President, the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Today's launch is the result of years of relationship building across our diverse organizations and business communities. Our Chamber's mission is to advocate for, promote, and facilitate the success of the LGBT business community and our allies. We are confident this unique collaboration will further our mission and extend our reach and services, not only through COVID-19 but for years to come.\"\nAccording to a study from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, only 341 of the 4,677 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of over $150,000 to small businesses in Kansas City were awarded to diverse-owned small businesses, defined as minority- or women-owned. According to a study from the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, over 40 percent of Black-owned businesses; 32 percent of Latinx-owned businesses; 26 percent of Asian-owned businesses; and 25 percent of Women-owned businesses were shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, higher than the national average of 22 percent of small businesses across the country.\nCongressman Cleaver has been advocating for more support to minority-owned businesses since the beginning of the pandemic, initially calling on the Fed to include minority-owned brokers and asset managers as partners in its capital markets and liquidity programs to ensure investment and lending would reach minority communities. Cleaver also joined several members from the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to call on the Fed Chair and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to temporarily take emergency measures to support Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in their ability to serve small businesses, low- and moderate-income communities, and communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, Representative Cleaver also demanded the Treasury Department provide diversity data from the PPP and amend their guidance on the program to reaffirm the obligation that lending institutions must comply with fair lending laws.\nIt's critical for state, local, and federal entities to work together to reverse the disproportionate devastation COVID-19 has brought on minority-, women-, and LGBT-owned small businesses, said Congressman Cleaver. We believe the formation of the Tri-Chambers is a part of the solution for Kansas City, and we look forward to their work in keeping businesses afloat as we continue to battle the coronavirus.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-kennedy-release-report-following-inquiry-into-use-of", "Reps. Cleaver, Kennedy Release Report Following Inquiry Into Use of Diverse Asset Managers by College and University Endowments", "2020-10-08", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Joseph P. Kennedy, III (D-MA) released a report following their inquiry into the usage of women- and minority-owned asset management firms by college and university endowments. In July, Cleaver and Kennedy called for the twenty-five universities with the largest endowments to provide data on the asset managers administering their endowment assets as well as firm selection processes and practices.\nThis inquiry was an important first step in uncovering what kind of disparities we're seeing among asset management firms handling monumental university endowments, said Congressman Cleaver. Now that we have this data, we can see where and how some universities are succeeding in diversifying their asset managers and what challenges remain. As we look forward, we will use this report to help inform Congress on steps that need to be taken to facilitate greater diversity within an industry that has tremendous influence on the allocation of hundreds of billions of dollars in assets, and let's be clear: there is certainly room for improvement.\nThe devastating lack of diversity among asset managers in this country has denied women and people of color a path towards building wealth for generations, said Congressman Kennedy. For too long, these institutions have touted diversity among their admissions, but turned a blind eye to it with their investments. With their massive endowments, universities are uniquely positioned to not just encourage gender and racial diversity among asset managers, but demand it. Though the findings of our report are troubling, it is encouraging that many of our nation's leading colleges and universities recognize they have a role to play in solving this problem by pursuing the recommendations outlined in this report.\nThe relentless commitment by Representatives Cleaver and Kennedy in their pursuit of endowment transparency and better overall diversity and inclusion practices through strong recommendations will help steer efforts in the right direction, said Rev. Al Sharpton. For the past several years, NAN has been committed to working with institutional investors across the corporate, labor, nonprofit, foundation and endowment sectors to tackle the issue of utilization of diverse-owned asset management firms. Having congressional focus will help move the needle. As I've said before, we are facing a time of deep moral crisis in this country and leaders of all stripes must do their part to close the equity and opportunity gaps that have negatively impacted members of marginalized communities too long.\nRobert Raben, Executive Director of the Diverse Asset Managers' Initiative, said, Kudos to Congressmen Cleaver and Kennedy for leadership here; getting universities to provide data is a big deal. The next step is for the Universities to release this data, to track and report it consistently, and to dig in to why of the people of color with whom they are working in their endowments so few are Black and Latino/a.\nSome key findings highlighted in the report include:\n Different Opinions on Tracking Ownership: Colleges and universities should build consensus around standards and procedures for defining and tracking firm ownership information.\n\tVariation in Percentage of Assets Managed by Diverse-Owned Firms: Reports of assets under management with diverse-owned firms ranged from 5.1 percent to 35 percent.\n\tLack of Publicly Available Data: Only 1 responding university made information about assets under management with diverse-owned firms publicly available prior to the inquiry.\n\tAmbiguity on Future Allocations: Only 3 responding universities detailed specific targets or projections for future allocations to diverse-owned firms.\n\tVariation in adoption of diversity and inclusion practices: Some institutions have implemented more diversity and inclusion practices than others. Many respondents were found to not be tracking investments with diverse-owned firms.\n After examining the differing practices from various institutions, Cleaver and Kennedy provided ten recommendations as general principles that should be adopted and scaled industry-wide:\n Commit to asset management diversity at the highest levels of your institution;\n\tHire, promote and retain diverse professionals on the university investment team;\n\tActively promote an inclusive environment in the university investment office;\n\tUse the university investment office to further develop the next generation of talent;\n\tStrengthen relationships with diverse asset management firms;\n\tEvaluate your institution's process for sourcing asset managers to partner with;\n\tDiscus diversity and inclusion values with external asset management firms;\n\tTrack university allocations to diverse asset management firms;\n\tUse your institution's voice to positively influence the financial services industry on diversity and inclusion and other important governance issues; and\n\tPublicly disclose information about your institution's efforts.\n Colleges and Universities participating in the inquiry include: Harvard University, The University of Texas, Yale University, Stanford University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, the Texas A&M University, University of Michigan, University of California, Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, Duke University, The University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, Emory University, Cornell University, University of Virginia, Rice University, Johns Hopkins University, Vanderbilt University, University of Southern California, Dartmouth College, and The Ohio State University.\nThe only institution to refuse to provide data for the inquiry was the University of Notre Dame.\nYou can find the official report from Reps. Cleaver and Kennedy here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-for-updated-heroes-act-to-bring-relief-to", "Congressman Cleaver Votes For Updated Heroes Act to Bring Relief to Missouri Families, Workers and Small Businesses", "2020-10-02", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Last night, the House of Representatives passed an updated version of the Heroes Act. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of the $2.2 trillion legislation to bring immediate relief to American families, essential workers, small businesses, and state and local governments in Missouri and across the nation.\nIn May, the House of Representatives passed a previous version of the Heroes Act, which would have provided over $3 trillion in relief to workers, families, small businesses, state and local governments and more. In a good-faith effort to negotiate a bipartisan, bicameral agreement, the House of Representatives has re-introduced a scaled-down version of the Heroes Act, shaving over $1 trillion off of the original proposal.\nWhile the Senate Majority Leader continues to sit on his hands as the American people struggle to make ends meet, the House of Representatives has demonstrated our commitment to bringing meaningful relief to the public, said Congressman Cleaver. This legislation provides desperately-needed funding to support essential workers and small businesses, ensure health care coverage, reopen our schools, restore unemployment benefits, strengthen housing assistance, and so much more. It's time for the Senate GOP to end the political brinksmanship and pass this stimulus package.\nAn analysis using data from the Congressional Research Service, Census Bureau, and HUD estimates the updated Heroes Act would award approximately $3.75 billion in state funding for the people of Missouri, in addition to critically-needed funding for municipalities in the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. Estimated funding for these municipalities include:\n Kansas City - $241,404,825;\n\tJackson County - $189,443,434;\n\tClay County - $67,354,576;\n\tIndependence - $30,869,318;\n\tLee's Summit - $26,231,198;\n\tBlue Springs - $14,547,983;\n\tLafayette County - $8,813,967;\n\tRaytown - $6,832,420;\n\tRay County - $6,202,761;\n\tSaline County - $ 6,133,506;\n\tMarshall - $3,047,995;\n\tRichmond - $1,327,695;\n\tOdessa - $1,225,891;\n\tLexington - $1,069,178.\n The revamped Heroes Act also addresses challenges that have arisen since the House of Representative first acted in May, including:\n Additional funding to strengthen education and child care, with $225 billion for educationincluding $182 billion for K-12 schools and nearly $39 billion for postsecondary educationand $57 billion to support child care for families.\n\tStronger, targeted support for small businesses, by improving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to serve truly small businesses and struggling nonprofits, providing hardest-hit businesses with secondary loans, and delivering direct assistance for the struggling restaurant industry.\n\tFurther Aid For Airline Workers, by extending the highly successful Payroll Support Program to keep airline workers paid.\n Additionally, the Heroes Act now includes the Save Our Stages Act, a bill cosponsored by Congressman Cleaver. The legislation would provide targeted relief to independent entertainment venues, which have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdown of businesses. Considering independent entertainment venues contribute significant economic benefits to Kansas City, Congressman Cleaver has been strongly advocating for this kind of targeted assistance since May.\nThe Heroes Act also maintains critical priorities from the previous version passed 4 months ago. Some of the most notable provisions would:\n Honor our frontline heroes by providing $436 billion in assistance to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments whose budgets have been devastated by the pandemic and need additional funding to keep frontline workers like teachers, first responders, health workers, and others on payroll;\n\tSupport testing, tracing and treatment through $75 billion for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and isolation measures, including special attention to the disparities facing communities of color, ensuring every American can access free COVID-19 treatment, and supporting hospitals and providers. It would also include $28 billion for procurement, distribution and education campaigns for a safe and effective vaccine;\n\tProvide another round of direct payments to help American families cushion the blow of the coronavirus crisis, including $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per dependent;\n\tBolster housing assistance by administering tens of billions of dollars to assist renters and homeowners to make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments;\n\tRestore unemployment benefits, ensuring weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January and preventing unemployed workers from exhausting their eligibility, giving a vital safety net to the record number of Americans who are unemployed due to COVID-19;\n\tStrengthen food security by increasing the maximum SNAP benefit by 15 percent and providing additional funding for nutrition programs that help families keep food on the table;\n\tProtect American farmers and producers impacted by the coronavirus crisis through targeted support programs;\n\tSafeguard our democracy with additional resources to ensure safe elections, an accurate Census, and preservation of the U.S. Postal Service.\n As every legitimate economist has clearly stated: This is a crisis. Failure to provide critically-needed stimulus will only further exacerbate the recession we're facing and make the road to recovery harder for working class Americans. I plead with my Republican colleagues in the Senate, stop being partisan, think with your heart again, and pass the Heroes Act for the people, said Congressman Cleaver.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-receives-friend-of-farm-bureau-award-from-american-farm", "Rep. Cleaver Receives Friend of Farm Bureau Award From American Farm Bureau Federation", "2020-10-02", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  This week, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) was notified of his selection as a recipient of the Friend of Farm Bureau award by the American Farm Bureau Federation.\nIt is impossible to overstate the pivotal role farmers and ranchers play in keeping food on the table for families in Missouri and across the country, said Congressman Cleaver. That is something I learned firsthand growing up in rural Texas, and the perspective through which I seek to find bipartisan solutions that will enable American agriculture to prosper. While I've always considered the Farm Bureau a friend, it is truly humbling to be recognized for this prestigious award, and it only reaffirms my commitment to working with any and all colleagues in Congress to protect our nation's proud farmers and ranchers.\nThe Friend of Farm Bureau award is given to members of Congress who have supported Farm Bureau's position on policy issues, as demonstrated by their voting records, and who were nominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus and approved by the AFBF Board of Directors.\nSome notable actions Congressman Cleaver has taken to protect the American agricultural industry in the 116th Congress include:\n Voting for the bipartisan U.S., Mexico, Canada (USMCA) trade agreement, which would increase agricultural exports to the world by $2.2 billion;\n\tAdvocating for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to select Kansas City for the new headquarters of the Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA);\n\tHolding a hearing to examine U.S. trade policy and the negative impact of tariffs;\n\tHosting the Canadian trade consul for a community discussion in Higginsville, Missouri;\n\tCalling on the Administration to revoke tariffs and provide additional aid to farmers impacted by them.\n\tPushingfor congressional leadership to provide direct assistance to biofuels sector, which has been devastated from the COVID-19 pandemic.\n You can find the official letter from the American Farm Bureau Federation here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-hits-a-home-run-with-negro-leagues-coin-bill", "Rep. Cleaver Hits a Home Run with Negro Leagues Coin Bill", "2020-10-01", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Last Saturday, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced that the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill directing the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins commemorating Negro League baseball's 100th anniversary. Introduced by Cleaver in July of last year, the Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act is projected to raise up to $6 million for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum located in Kansas City's historic 18th & Vine district.\nI'm overjoyed to see this legislation earn a thumbs up from all my colleagues in the House, and it makes me ecstatic just thinking about the millions of dollars this bill will raise for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum back home in Kansas City, Cleaver said. This bill will help right some of the wrongs of our nation's past by honoring the players who never let prejudice or discrimination diminish their love for the game of baseball.\nBarred from joining the rosters of major and minor league baseball teams due to the color of their skin, African American ball players began forming their own professional teams in the latter half of the 1800s. By the dawn of the 20th century, efforts to establish an all-Black professional baseball league were being led by Andrew Rube Foster, a former pitcher for two African American teams who went on to manage Chicago's Leland Giants in 1907. Hoping to form a league of their own in February of 1920, Foster brought together eight independent African American baseball teams at the Paseo YMCA, located just one block away from the grounds of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in a red-brick building now recognized as the Buck O'Neil Center. From this seminal meeting emerged the Negro National League, the first successful, well-organized professional Black baseball league to take off in the United States.\nMany of the athletes who played in the Negro Leagues never received the praise and recognition they deserved, said Cleaver. The whole world knows the story of Jackie Robinson, but far fewer people know the extraordinary history and impact of the Negro Leagues.\nThe Negro National League lasted until 1931, thereby laying the groundwork for the next six African American baseball leagues that succeeded Foster's creation. At a time when Major League Baseball's race barrier was still fully intact, the Negro Leagues provided a playing field where more than 2,600 Black and Latino baseball players forged a glorious history in the midst of an inglorious era of segregation, according to Cleaver's bill. Taking the field with a sense of fervor and enthusiasm unmatched in the majors, the Negro Leagues' players soon began attracting large crowds in cities all across the United States. Unlike the teams competing, however, the stands did not reflect the racial segregation that was still being upheld even after Brown v Board. Remarkably, in an age when John Lewis was brutalized for taking a seat at a Woolworth's lunch counter, when Rosa Parks was arrested for taking a seat on a Greyhound bus, and when James Meredith was shot for taking a seat at the University of Mississippi, the Negro Leagues managed to bring fans of all races together, sitting them side-by-side to appreciate the talents of world-class athletes. Representing far more than just a game, the Negro Leagues players went to bat against the country's racial caste system, pushing America ever closer toward the founding promise that all men are created equal. Moreover, the Negro Leagues pioneered Night Baseball five years before the segregated majors began playing evening games, boosted local economies in the cities where all-Black teams competed, and introduced important innovations to the game of baseball, including batting helmets and shin guards.\nNotably, many of the brightest stars to earn their stripes in the Negro Leagues played right here in the heartland, donning the colors of the Kansas City Monarchs. Before pitching his first game for the Cleveland Indians, Leroy Satchel Paige took the mound as a Monarch. Before becoming the first Black coach in the majors and a scout for the Royals, Buck O'Neil manned first base as a Monarch. And before making history in 1947 for breaking baseball's longstanding color line with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson fielded second base as a Monarch. Standing out as the longest-running franchise in the Negro Leagues, the Kansas City Monarchs epitomized the spirit of triumph over adversity to which Cleaver draws attention in his successful bill.\nAs the birthplace of the Negro National League and the home of the league's most celebrated team, Kansas City was the ideal location for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which first opened its doors in 1990. Recognized by Congress in 2006 for being the only institution of its kind, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum preserves the history of the league, highlights its role in advancing racial progress, and promotes the values of tolerance, diversity and inclusion. The museum has welcomed over two million visitors since its inception and played a central part in the revitalization of 18th & Vine.\nIn preparation for the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Negro National League's founding, Cleaver introduced his bill to honor the Negro Leagues in July of 2019. By the time Cleaver's bill came up for a vote in the House of Representatives, it had earned an impressive 301 bipartisan cosponsors. The bill also garnered endorsements from the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Robert Manfred, along with the Major League Baseball Players Organization. Finally, on Tuesday, September 22nd, Cleaver's coin bill received unanimous support in the House of Representatives, a strong testament to the lasting legacy of the Negro Leagues, the legends it produced, and their broad impact on American society.\nNews of the bill's passage in the House was announced last Saturday during a press conference at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Joining Cleaver at the press conference was Mr. Bob Kendrick, President of the museum since 2011.\nThe Negro Leagues Baseball Museum tip our cap' to Congressman Cleaver, said Kendrick, for his tireless efforts in getting the required House of Representatives votes to move our dream of creating a commemorative U.S. Mint coin in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues another important step closer to becoming a reality.\nCleaver's bill must still be approved in the U.S. Senate before the Secretary of the Treasury begins minting coins in honor of the Negro Leagues' centennial anniversary, but lawmakers expect the bill to pass the Senate in the coming weeks. Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) are leading the bipartisan effort in the Senate.\nThe Congressional Budget Office estimates that Cleaver's bill will raise up to $6 million for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum while not costing any taxpayer dollars, as all funding will come directly from the sales of coins to private citizens. Cleaver's bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins. The commemorative coins are expected to hit the market in 2022.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-s-tree-act-passed-by-house-of-representatives", "Rep. Cleavers TREE Act Passed By House of Representatives", "2020-09-25", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, by a vote of 220-185. Included in the bipartisan legislation that would help to build a clean energy economy, support job growth, and address climate change was United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II's (D-MO) Tackling Residential Energy burdens Efficiently Act (TREE Act), which was adopted as an amendment to the original bill text of H.R. 4447. The TREE Act, which would reduce residential energy bills across the nation by planting millions of trees in low-income and urban communities, was introduced by Congressmen Cleaver and David McKinley (R-WV) this month.\nI'm thrilled we were able to get this bipartisan, common sense legislation adopted into the House of Representatives' energy package before the end of the 116th Congress, said Congressman Cleaver. With this bill, we have an opportunity to bring down utility costs, noticeably improve air quality, and rectify some of the environmental injustices that have overburdened low-income and communities of color for far too long. While we've still got some work to do to ensure it becomes law, this is an important first step towards that goal.\"\nThe TREE Act would create a cost-share grant program at the Department of Energy to provide $50 million in funding to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborhoods throughout the United States through 2025. The TREE Act's grant program would prioritize projects that:\n Provide the largest potential reduction in residential energy consumption for households with a high energy burden;\n\tAre located in a neighborhood with lower tree canopy cover and higher maximum daytime summer temperatures;\n\tAre located in a neighborhood with high amounts of senior citizens or children;\n\tWill collaboratively engage neighbors and community members that will be closely affected by the tree planting; and\n\tWill employ a substantial percentage of the workforce locally, with a focus on engaging unemployed and underemployed persons.\n According to the U.S. Forest Service, urban/community forests reduce the energy used for heating and cooling homes by more than 7 percent, resulting in approximately $7.8 billion in annual savings from reduced energy costs. The U.S. Forest Service has also found that increased tree canopy can decrease morbidity and mortality for urban populationsparticularly in areas with lower socioeconomic status where existing tree canopies tend to be the lowest.\nOrganizations endorsing the TREE Act include: the Heartland Tree Alliance, Bridging the Gap, Citizens' Climate Lobby-Kansas City, American Forests, the National Audubon Society, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Evangelical Environmental Network, the American Institute of Architects, the Trust for Public Land, and the City of Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality.\nThe TREE Act was also introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).\nYou can find the official text of the TREE Act here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-to-avert-government-shutdown-amid-coronavirus", "Congressman Cleaver Votes to Avert Government Shutdown Amid Coronavirus Pandemic and Economic Crisis", "2020-09-24", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) This week, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 8319, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act, to avoid a government shutdown in the middle of a global pandemic and economic crisis. The Continuing Resolution (CR) would extend funding for government agencies through December 11, 2020, provide billions in additional funding for nutrition assistance programs, and includes H.R. 8089, the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, which was co-introduced by Congressman Cleaver.\nFailure to fund the government in the middle of a global pandemic and economic crisis unlike anything we've seen in decades would be a catastrophic failure in leadership from the Administration and Congress, said Congressman Cleaver. While I always prefer to avoid a continuing resolution, allowing the government to shut down in the midst of these crises would only further exacerbate the challenges we face as a nation. Now that we have funded the government, including critical programs like Pandemic EBT and SNAP, our next step should be to immediately pass a stimulus package to assist families and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.\nIncluded in the CR was the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, a bill co-introduced by Congressman Cleaver to avoid federal employee furloughs at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by immediately increasing the agency's premium processing revenues. Last month, USCIS was scheduled to furlough over 13,000 of its 19,881 employees, including 2,000 of the 3,100 in the Greater Kansas City Area, which would have a devastating impact on workers and the agency's ability to provide immigration and naturalization services to American businesses and families for months, if not years, to come. While USCIS announced they would delay federal furloughs, the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act will ensure the agency has additional revenue needed to prevent furloughs of federal workers, while also providing more reliable and expanded services for premium processing applicants.\nWhile this is only a stopgap financing measure and we have more work to do to implement the guardrails needed to ensure efficiency and fiscal stability at USCIS, I'm proud we were able to put people before politics and pass this vital legislation to prevent thousands of federal furloughs, said Congressman Cleaver. As we move forward, I will continue to seek out solutions for the contractors who have been laid off due to reductions in workflow during the coronavirus so that our legal immigration system is operating at full capacity.\nOther notable provisions within the CR include:\n Extends the Pandemic EBT program, which provides resources to families with children who would have otherwise received free or reduced-price meals in school but for pandemic-related school closures or reduced attendance hours, through September 30, 2021. It also expands the program to include children at child care centers effected by COVID-19 closures and reduced attendance hours.\n\tExtends waivers for the National School Lunch Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) that were included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act until September 30, 2021.\n\tAllows states to extend administrative flexibilities for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through September 30, 2021.\n\tAllows the Food and Nutrition Service to spend at a higher rate to ensure the Summer EBT program is fully operational by May 2021.\n\tAllows the Food and Nutrition Service to spend at a higher rate to provide supplemental U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food to low-income seniors (age 60 and over) and some low-income women, infants and children.\n\tProvides further funding for the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) which provides payments for regular farm programs and the Market Facilitation Program.\n\tAllows USDA to continue requiring reports on prices, contracts, and other purchasing information from cattle, swine, and sheep packers and processors to facilitate informed marketing decisions.\n\tAllows USDA to continue to collect fees for grain inspection and weighing services, and to conduct activities related to grain export and domestic markets.\n\tExtends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through September 30, 2021.\n\tExtends funding for Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Program through December 11, 2020.\n\tExtends the Surface Transportation Program for one year.\n\tLimits any increase to Medicare Part B premiums in 2021 to approximately $4 per month.\n\tIncreases and Extending funding for the Medicare Improvement Fund through Fiscal Year 2023.\n\tDelays a scheduled $4 billion Medicaid DSH cut until December 12, 2021.\n \nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-gonzalez-unveil-bipartisan-bill-to-grant-name-image-and", "Reps. Cleaver, Gonzalez Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Grant Name, Image and Likeness Rights to College Athletes", "2020-09-24", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives and former college athletes Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) introduced the bipartisan Student Athlete Level Playing Field Act alongside Representatives Colin Allred (D-TX), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Marcia Fudge (D-OH), and Steve Stivers (R-OH). The bill grants student athletes the right to capitalize off their own name, image, and likeness while including important guardrails for the recruitment process and leveling the national playing field by pre-empting the patchwork of state laws that have been signed into law or are pending in state legislatures.\nI want to be unequivocally clear: This is a civil rights issue, said Congressman Cleaver. For far too long college athletes across the countrymany of whom are people of colorhave been denied the basic right to control their name, image and likeness. What we wanted to do from the outset was come to a bipartisan consensus that puts forth a national framework that gives college athletes the same rights every other American in the country is already afforded. That's exactly what this bill will do, and I'm proud we were able to put it together in a bipartisan way. As we know from our football days, it takes teamwork to make the dream work, and I want to thank Congressman Gonzalez for his willingness to put student-athletes first and work across the aisle in a way that will undoubtedly change lives for the better.\nI am proud to introduce bipartisan legislation with Rep. Cleaver today that delivers meaningful reforms and will make a difference in the lives of student athletes of all levels of competition across the country, said Congressman Gonzalez. This bill has strong bipartisan support, highlighting that Congress can find a way to reach a bipartisan agreement on this important issue. I look forward to working with my colleagues to keep the momentum going and continuing our bipartisan work to provide NIL rights to student athletes and improve the college athletics system that Americans across the country know and love.\nThe Student Athlete Level Playing Field Act promotes fairness for college athletes by granting student athletes the right to capitalize off their own name, image, and likeness including through contracts negotiated on their behalf by an agent. Furthermore, the bill safeguards the college athletics system as we know it by ensuring that universities cannot directly compensate student athletes from their name, image, and likeness. It also protects the recruitment process, and pre-empts existing and prospective state laws on name, image, and likeness that would create an uneven national playing field.\nI'm proud to represent many talented student athletes at colleges and universities throughout Ohio's 15th District, including The Ohio State University and Ohio University, said Congressman Stivers. I'm joining with Representatives Gonzalez and Cleaver to stand up for them, and ensure that they are rewarded for their hard work and talent.\nFor far too long corporate sponsors, universities and broadcast outlets have made money off of college sports. The ones not benefiting financially are the athletes, said Congresswoman Fudge. It is time for a change and we cannot leave it up to the NCAA. The Student Athlete Level Playing Field Act is a way to ensure that our young athletes obtain the right to capitalize off of their own name, image and likeness. This is an issue of civil rights, and it is only right that these players are compensated.\nI believe it's a matter of fairness that college athletes should be able to earn income off their own name, image, and likeness, said Rep. Davis. They put in a lot of time, training, and effort to be a part of our nation's college athletic system and deserve to be compensated for their work. That's why I'm co-sponsoring the bipartisan Student Athlete Level Playing Field Act.' Our legislation would pre-empt state laws on this issue and create one national standard for NIL policies governing student athletes. Student athletes should be entitled to earn a living off their hard work just like every other American.\nAs a former student athlete I've seen first-hand how college sports is lucrative for everyone but the players themselves, Rep. Allred said. Simply put, student-athletes, just like every other individual, should be able to financially benefit from their likeness and image. I am glad to join Congressman Gonzalez and Congressman Cleaver in this bipartisan bill to implement a national standard and ensure our student-athletes are treated fairly and not denied financial opportunities.\nAs a former Clemson football walk-on, I understand first-hand the need to create a fair system for student-athletes while maintaining the integrity and distinctiveness of college sports. I believe this bill does just that, and it does it in a way that is impartial for all athletes across the country, and not just a small group in certain states. I proudly represent both big and small athletic departments in the Third Congressional District, and I know this commonsense framework will move this issue in the right direction at these institutions, said Congressman Jeff Duncan.\n\"To help support the many student athletes who call North Jersey home, and all those throughout the country, I'm proud to help introduce this bipartisan legislation that creates one national standard and congressional oversight to help student athletes benefit from their own name, image, and likeness  to help them achieve the American dream,\" said Congressman Gottheimer. \"Our country loves to support college sports, and the student athletes and players deserve our full support too.\"\nYou can find the full bill text here and one-page policy outline here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-bipartisan-pregnant-workers-fairness-act", "House Passes Bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act", "2020-09-17", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which prohibits employment practices that discriminate against pregnant workers or job applicants and establishes a pregnant worker's unequivocal right to reasonable workplace accommodations, provided they do not impose an undue burden on their employer. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) was a cosponsor of the bill and voted in favor of passage.  \n\t  \n\tI am proud to support this bipartisan legislation because no woman should have to choose between a healthy pregnancy and financial security, said Congressman Cleaver. With women increasingly working later into their pregnancies, we need to put forth clear-cut protections that keep women safe and help to prevent unnecessary tragedies. That's exactly what this bill will do.  \n\t  \n\tThe Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would guarantee:  \n\tPrivate sector employers with more than 15 employees and public sector employers must make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers.  \n\tSimilar to the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers are not required to make an accommodation if it imposes an undue hardship on an employer's business.  \n\tPregnant workers cannot be denied employment opportunities, retaliated against for requesting a reasonable accommodation, or forced to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation is available.  \n\tWorkers denied a reasonable accommodation under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will have the same rights and remedies as those established under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These include lost pay, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorneys' fees.  \n\t  \n\tThe Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has broad support from more than 200 worker advocates, civil rights groups, and business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, ACLU, AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, NAACP, National Partnership for Women & Families, and more.  \n\t  \n\tYou can find a fact-sheet of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act here.  \n\t  \n\t  Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-mckinley-introduce-bipartisan-tree-act", "Reps. Cleaver, McKinley Introduce Bipartisan TREE Act", "2020-09-17", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and David McKinley (R-WV) introduced the Tackling Residential Energy burdens Efficiently Act (TREE Act) to increase tree planting and reduce residential energy bills across the nation. The TREE Act would create a cost-share grant program at the Department of Energy to provide $50 million in funding to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborhoods throughout the United States through 2025.\nI want to thank Rep. McKinley for his bipartisan support in introducing this piece of legislation that is vital for our urban and low-income communities, said Congressman Cleaver. By planting millions of trees in cities across the country, we have the ability to noticeably improve air quality, decrease energy consumption and bring down utility costs for communities that are disproportionately harmed by environmental degradation. That's something all Americans can agree on, and something I will continue to push for in the halls of Congress.\nBy planting millions of trees, we can improve the quality of our air, reduce residential energy bills, and create healthier neighborhoods, said Rep. McKinley. This bill will create new federal partnerships with nonprofits, utility companies, and state and local governments to help reduce carbon emissions and provide benefits to our economy.\nCitizens' Climate Lobby's Kansas City Chapter wholeheartedly supports the Tackling Residential Energy burdens Efficiently (TREE) Act and applauds Representative Cleaver for his farsighted sponsorship of this legislation, said Stephen Melton, Chapter Leader of Citizens' Climate Lobby-KC. The TREE Act, which funds urban reforestation, will help make Kansas City more livable and resilient during the coming decades of global warming and is a necessary accompaniment to our efforts to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.\nTrees are life-saving infrastructure, as this summer's record heat has made painfully clear. said Jad Daley, CEO and President of American Forests, the nation's oldest forest conservation organization. Trees shade our homes in the summer and block wind in the wintersaving billions of dollars annually in reduced residential energy bills and protecting people from the dangers of extreme weather. This bill will establish new federal partnerships with utility companies, states, cities, and towns to ensure tree equity for every neighborhood, regardless of income or race, so that these powerful benefits of trees can be enjoyed by all.\nIn Kansas City, tree planting is one of the strategies identified in its Climate Protection Plan, however, has been difficult to implement with limited financial resources, said Andy Savastino, Chief Environmental Officer of Kansas City's Office of Environmental Quality. I fully support the TREE Act and believe it would be extremely beneficial to the Kansas City community and believe it to be consistent with the mission and interest of the City's Climate Protection Plan and more recently, the City's Urban Forest Master Plan, adopted May 2020.\nThe TREE Act's grant program would prioritize projects that:\n Provide the largest potential reduction in residential energy consumption for households with a high energy burden;\n\tAre located in a neighborhood with lower tree canopy cover and higher maximum daytime summer temperatures;\n\tAre located in a neighborhood with high amounts of senior citizens or children;\n\tWill collaboratively engage neighbors and community members that will be closely affected by the tree planting; and\n\tWill employ a substantial percentage of the workforce locally, with a focus on engaging unemployed and underemployed persons.\n According to the U.S. Forest Service, urban/community forests reduce the energy used for heating and cooling homes by more than 7 percent, resulting in approximately $7.8 billion in annual savings from reduced energy costs. The U.S. Forest Service has also found that increased tree canopy can decrease morbidity and mortality for urban populationsparticularly in areas with lower socioeconomic status where existing tree canopies tend to be the lowest.\nOrganizations endorsing the TREE Act include: the Heartland Tree Alliance, Bridging the Gap, Citizens' Climate Lobby-Kansas City, American Forests, the National Audubon Society, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Evangelical Environmental Network, the American Institute of Architects, the Trust for Public Land, and the City of Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality.\nThe TREE Act was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).\nYou can find the official text of the TREE Act here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-wm-lacy-clay-d-missouri-regarding-death-dr-william", "STATEMENT BY  CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI REGARDING THE DEATH OF  DR. WILLIAM H. DANFORTH", "2020-09-17", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "STATEMENT BY \nCONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI REGARDING THE DEATH OF\nDR. WILLIAM H. DANFORTH\n\nNOTE: The following, in its entirety, is a\nFirst-person statement by \nCongressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri\n\nDr. William Danforth was an amazing individual. \n\nI first struck up a relationship with Dr. Bill while serving in the state legislatureworking with him, the late, great Frankie Freeman, and other key stakeholders to settle the desegregation case for the St. Louis Public Schools.\n\nOur friendship grew based on my support of education in general, and of course my commitment to help Washington University become one of the finest institutions of higher learning in the world.\n\nOver the years we became close, speaking to each other frequently about how we move our community forward in an enlightened way. \n\nI will miss his wisdom, his vision, and his friendship.\n\n\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ongressman-lacy-clay-epa-administrator-wheeler-celebrate-carter", "Congressman Lacy Clay, EPA Administrator Wheeler Celebrate Carter Carburetor Superfund Site Cleanup Completion  and Future Reuse with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis", "2020-09-16", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Lacy Clay, EPA Administrator Wheeler Celebrate Carter Carburetor Superfund Site Cleanup Completion \nand Future Reuse with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis\n$35 Million Superfund Cleanup Paves Way for Safer Neighborhood and Exciting Future in North St. Louis\n\nST. LOUIS-At an event with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the completion of a $35 million site cleanup at the Carter Carburetor Superfund Site in St. Louis, Missouri.EPA and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis entered into an agreement to transfer ownership of the former Carter Carburetor site property. Upon transfer of ownership, the club will partner with Gateway PGA Reach to develop a youth golf training facility at the site.\nIn 2009, I made this site a priority with the EPA and good things started to happen.With the support of the Missouri congressional delegation and the diligent work of EPA, we went to work to nail down a cleanup plan that would be paid for by the responsible parties; keep this neighborhood safe; and when completed; offer a brighter futureNot just for young people, but for everyone who lives in this historic neighborhood,said U.S. Congressman Lacy Clay (MO-01).\nI couldn't be prouder to sign this Prospective Purchaser Agreement because it opens up a tremendous future for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. Few imagined a polluted, former carburetor plant could be transformed into a golf training center for the youth of St. Louis. But with vision and teamwork it happened.\nCleaning up the Carter Carburetor site was no small task given the multiple contaminants, including PCBs, TCE, asbestos and others,said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford.The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, the community leaders and partners worked tirelessly with EPA to see this through; and, now that the site has been cleaned up the community can move forward in redeveloping the property into a tremendous community asset.\nI am grateful to the U.S. EPA, U.S. Department of Justice, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the City of St. Louis, Thompson Coburn LLP and the American Car and Foundry Company for coming together to promote the growth and development of children in the St. Louis region. BGCSTL relies on the generosity and support from a variety of public and private benefactors to help young people realize their potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Today we are witnessing the power of partnership, said Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis President Dr. Flint Fowler.\nThe Carter Carburetor site is a large former manufacturing facility, where operations over decades resulted in contamination from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and trichloroethylene (TCE). The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is located next door to the site and prior to EPA's cleanup, the Carter Carburetor site was the subject of significant community concern regarding the site's condition and the potential exposures to area children and residents.\nIn 2013, EPA entered into a $35 million settlement agreement with ACF Industries, Inc. to pave the way for the site's cleanup, building demolition, and ultimately productive reuse.Cleanup of the site began that year with the removal of asbestos and hazardous debris from buildings on the property. Demolition and removal of the buildings began in 2015. Additional waste removal work, on-site waste treatment, and other cleanup work continued into 2017. The completed cleanup will allow the property in one of St. Louis's oldest neighborhoods, a designated Environmental Justice area, to be redeveloped and returned to productive use for the community.\nEPA and ACF Industries, Inc. completed site work in May 2020. As a part of site cleanup, ACF conducted removal actions to address dilapidated buildings onsite that were heavily contaminated with PCBs and asbestos. The site will be acquired and redeveloped by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, which has long stood in the shadow of this site.In partnership with the Gateway PGA Reach organization, they will build a golf training facility for inner city youth on most of the site property.The St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority owns part of the Site (including an area where PCBs are buried and capped, which it acquired through tax default), which it hopes to develop into a pollinator park, urban prairie feature, or community garden to support the surrounding reuse.\nBackground\nThe site was placed on the Administrator's Emphasis List in the Fall 2019. Established in December 2017 in response to recommendations from EPA's Superfund Task Force, the list is comprised of sites identified by Administrator Wheeler and EPA regional offices that will benefit from the Administrator's immediate attention or action to move site cleanups forward. It serves as a mechanism to address site-specific issues that may cause delays in a site's cleanup progress. The milestones for the Carter Carburetor Site have been achieved and the site qualifies for removal from the list.\nThe latest information on the work of the Superfund Task Force is available at: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-task-force", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-co-introduces-thrive-agenda-for-economic-renewal", "Rep. Cleaver Co-Introduces THRIVE Agenda for Economic Renewal", "2020-09-15", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced his support for the Agenda to Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy, or THRIVE Agenda. Congressman Cleaver joined U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-NM), over 80 lawmakers in the House and Senate, and a coalition of grassroots groups; labor unions; and Black, Brown and Indigenous leaders from across the country to introduce the bold plan for economic renewal.\nThe THRIVE resolution lays out the unifying principles necessary to build a society that enables dignified work; increased racial, economic, gender, and environmental justice; healthy communities; and a stable climate. THRIVE is built on eight pillars, which span from creating millions of good, safe jobs with access to unions to averting climate catastrophe while investing in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.\nThe year 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have opened the eyes of the nation to the economic, racial, health, and environmental injustices that have long been interwoven into the fabric of our nation, said Congressman Cleaver. Just as the pandemic has compounded the institutional inequities in our public systems, climate change canand already doesexacerbate the burdens on Black and Brown communities across the nation. As we seek to rebuild from the public health and economic calamity caused by COVID-19, we must not settle for a return to the status quo. We should build back in a way that directly combats climate change and the inequalities we see in every industry from public health to public housing, and the THRIVE Agenda is the blueprint.\nThe promise of the American dream should be available and accessible to everyone, but right now, our country is facing crises that are fatefully intertwined: tens of millions of people are unemployed, the COVID-19 pandemic rages, racial and economic injustice are rampant , and the climate crisis is accelerating, said Congresswoman Haaland, Vice Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. I grew up in a culture that welcomes everyone, a culture in which we support each other in times of need so everyone thrives. We have an opportunity to not just recover from these interlocking crises, but to thrive by creating millions of good paying, union, clean, green jobs while building a more just, healthy, and stable economy that leaves no one behind.\nThe solutions to help rebuild from the current health and economic crisis will help combat another  the climate crisis. The THRIVE Agenda is the kind of economy-wide job and justice creation mobilization we will need, said Senator Markey. We can and must do more than simply rebuild our economy, we must transform it -- into an economy and a democracy that works for all Americans and saves the planet. We can thrive as we recover, and I thank Rep. Haaland and my Senate colleagues for their partnership on this important agenda.\nLike no other time in our nation's history, we are facing multiple intersecting and compounding crises that threaten public health, our economic future, and the health of the planet for future generations. The THRIVE Agenda puts forth a bold, transformative vision for our society, economic renewal, racial injustice, public health, and mitigating climate change. I am proud to co-lead this resolution with my House and Senate colleagues, as well as all the groups backing this effort and their tireless fight to address the long standing economic and racial inequities that have plagued us for too long, said Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.\nCOVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated many of the inequalities in our country, from racial injustices to economic inequity and exposure to pollution, said Senator Cory Booker. We still have so much work to do to stop the spread of this virus, but as we prepare for the long recovery ahead we must ensure we are laying the foundation to address climate change and build a more just country for everyone.\nTo meet this moment, we cannot accept short-term solutions that pretend our problems are siloed and don't seek to transform the systems that harm Black people, said Karissa Lewis, National Field director, Movement for Black Lives. We can't stop police from murdering Black people, without divesting from policing and investing in Black and Brown communities through secure jobs with living wages and benefits. We can't address a pandemic that is ravaging Black and Brown people without ensuring access to quality health care and the basic right of not living with or drinking toxic pollutants. Everything is connected, and we do ourselves a grave disservice by maintaining normality when momentum is on our side and the people are demanding more.\nCommunities across the country cannot afford incremental and piecemeal solutions to the dire intersectional issues we face, including the climate crisis, racial injustice, mass unemployment, and the deadly pandemic, to name a few, said Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club. Our government must rise to the moment and enact the bold, large-scale solutions outlined in the THRIVE Agenda, which lays out a forward-thinking vision that creates millions of secure jobs, supports cleaner air and a more stable climate, takes aim at racial injustice, and invests in the health of frontline communities. The Sierra Club calls on members of Congress to take immediate action and invest in a healthy, just, equitable economic recovery for all.\nBlack, brown, white, and Asian Pacific Islander working-class families are more likely to live in zip codes with hotter temperatures, dirtier air, or more polluted water, said Rocio Senz, International Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union. That's not an accident. It's the outcome of policies that force working people to suffer the worst consequences of a changing climate. As frontline service and care workers, SEIU members will fight for the THRIVE Agenda because we want policies that create a secure, livable future for our kids and grandkids.\nAs our nation confronts a global health pandemic, a recession, and as fires rage in California and a White House bent on division and fear rather than confronting the long needed reckoning with racial, environmental and economic justice, the THRIVE agenda helps lay out a plan to meet this moment, said Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers. It includes investing in equitable public education opportunities, including career and technical education pathways that prepare students for high-quality jobs of the future, and providing for the critical social, emotional academic and digital supports kids need to learn and thrive. After decades of neglecting our schools and other critical public institutions, it's clear we must put investment at the center of the agenda, and demand the federal government take action to fund our future. THRIVE contains important building blocks in our journey toward a more just and equitable future for all.\nThe THRIVE Agenda is supported by a wide array of more than 200 national and local organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers, Center for American Progress, Church World Service, Climate Justice Alliance, Color of Change, Communications Workers of America, Green New Deal Network, Indigenous Environmental Network, League of Conservation Voters, Movement for Black Lives, People's Action, Service Employees International Union, Sierra Club, Sunrise Movement, and United We Dream.\nYou can find the official text of the resolution here and a one-page overview of the THRIVE Agenda here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-applauds-142-million-grant-toward-kc-streetcar", "Congressman Cleaver Applauds $14.2 Million Grant Toward KC Streetcar Expansion", "2020-09-11", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Yesterday, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) applauded the announcement of a $14.2 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant awarded to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to extend the Kansas City Streetcar.\nThis is another major win for the KC Streetcar, the people of Kansas City, and the businesses who will benefit from additional accessibility, said Congressman Cleaver. As we've seen over the last four years, millions of riders have utilized this light-rail system to get around downtown free-of-charge to the benefit of small businesses, workers, and consumers alike. I'm proud to have supported this grant funding, and I will continue to be a strong advocate for federal investments in infrastructure in the months and years ahead.\nThe current streetcar line is a two-mile track that connects all the city's downtown neighborhoods. The $14.2 million in funding will go toward extending the streetcar line approximately .55 mile from its current terminus near 3rd Street and Grand Boulevard, across the existing Grand Avenue Bridge, to the Berkley Riverfront.\nLast month, following a letter of support from Congressman Cleaver and other local lawmakers, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a separate $50.8 million Capital Investment Grant (CIG) had been awarded to the Kansas City Streetcar Authority to further develop the KC Streetcar Mainstreet Extension project. This expansion would create an additional 3.5 miles and 9 stations from Union Station to the University of MissouriKansas City (UMKC).\nOnce the two extensions are completed, the expanded lines will run from Berkley Riverfront Park to UMKC and provide public transit between some of the area's largest employment centers free-of-charge.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-page-griffin-announce-redevelopment-agreement-save-affordable", "Clay, Page, Griffin Announce Redevelopment Agreement to Save Affordable Housing in Wellston, Missouri", "2020-09-11", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Clay, Page, Griffin Announce Redevelopment Agreement to Save Affordable Housing in Wellston, Missouri\nOver 200 units and 25% of the Population of Historic Black Suburb in St. Louis County Saved from Removal\n\nST. LOUIS, MO  Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri, St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, Wellston Mayor Nate Griffin and local officials announced today that a master development agreement has been signed to renovate and redevelop over 200 affordable housing units in the City of Wellston that had previous been slated for demolition.\nCongressman Clay, who worked closely with Senator Roy Blunt, and HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson to save the affordable housing units said that this agreement represents a new beginning for Wellston, MO, a historic Black community located just outside the limits of the City of St. Louis.\nIn remarks at today's press event, Congressman Clay said in part:\nToday's victory for these tenants, and for this historic community, is the result of a bipartisan effort over the last two years that refused to let Wellston die. \nThe people who live in this neighborhood are hard-working citizens who not only deserve safe and affordable housing; \nThey deserve the same services and amenities that anyone else would expect in a stable neighborhood\nI'm talking about shopping, transportation, accessible community healthcare and a job that they can support a family with.\nThose are the things I have always fought for and will continue to advocate for in the future.\n===\nThe most important thing that I want you to understand is that problems of inner-city development aren't caused by the people who live here.\nThey're caused by a fundamental failure of policy and development planning that wrote off predominantly Black neighborhoods as not worthy of investment and economic infusions of services and jobs.\nThat was federal policy for decades, and the vestiges of that discrimination live on today.\nWhich is why I have fought so hard against redlining in mortgages, appraisals, insurance and deliberate discrimination by some urban planners.\nAnd that battle is far from over.\nToday's victory for Wellston affirms my vision that great developers want to work in Black communities.\nAnd that enlightened local leaders are ready to work with them to make transformative change a reality.\n\nThe $30 million redevelopment agreement includes a provision that will create a new nonprofit that will eventually own all the renovated units. It is a remarkable step forward for the good people in Wellston and could not have been achieved without close, bipartisan cooperation to fight to save affordable housing.\n\n\n\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-and-blunt-host-conversation-with-community-leaders-in-kansas", "Cleaver and Blunt Host Conversation with Community Leaders in Kansas City", "2020-09-01", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and United States Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) hosted a conversation with community leaders in Kansas City, Missouri. During the conversation, participants discussed a variety of issues such as racial justice, COVID-19, and the economic impact the pandemic has had on Missouri communities.\nAs Missourians grapple with the coronavirus and the nation faces a racial reckoning unlike anything seen in decades, it is imperative that we bring Americans together to find solutions that will help move our nation forward, and that all starts with open, honest communication, said Congressman Cleaver. I want to thank Senator Blunt and everyone who participated in today's discussion for taking the time to talk candidly about some of the most pressing challenges facing Kansas City, Missouri, and the nation today. I look forward to further constructive conversations in the weeks and months ahead.\"\nI appreciated the opportunity to hear from everyone who participated in today's discussion, said Senator Blunt. Having their advice and perspective is critically important as we work together to make sure families and communities have what they need to make it through this pandemic. I hope this will be an ongoing conversation about how we can respond to the unrest in the nation by looking at what needs to be done for every person in this country to feel secure  in terms of their safety, their economic situation, and the opportunities that will be there for them and their children.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-applauds-usda-reversal-decision-to-extend-nutrition", "Congressman Cleaver Applauds USDA Reversal, Decision to Extend Nutrition Program Waivers For Kids Learning Remotely", "2020-09-01", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, following public outcry at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) decision not to extend waivers that allow the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option to operate during school closures, the USDA reversed course and announced they will extend the waivers through the fall semester. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), who publicly called for the reversal, applauded the announcement.\nMillions of American families rely on these critical nutrition programs, and they need flexibility as the nation continues to fight the coronavirus pandemic, said Congressman Cleaver. Whether they are learning in school or remotely, thousands of children in Missouri count on these programs to get them through the school day without going hungry. By extending these waivers, we can ensure that every child has the support needed to succeed in their coursework until every school can safely reopen.\nLast week, Congressman Cleaver condemned the USDA's announcement that they would allow these waivers to expire as the new school year began. Cleaver, along with over 100 other lawmakers in Congress, called on USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to immediately reverse course and extend the waivers.\nYou can find the official letter from the lawmakers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-seeks-answers-on-uscis-contractor-furloughs-in-kansas-city", "Rep. Cleaver Seeks Answers on USCIS Contractor Furloughs in Kansas City", "2020-09-01", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Sam Graves (R-MO), along with U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Pat Roberts (R-KS), called for an immediate bipartisan briefing from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on the reduction of a contract, which has led to the furloughs of roughly 800 contract employees in the agency's Kansas City offices.\nIn a letter to USCIS Deputy Director Joseph Edlow, the lawmakers wrote:\nAs you know, the National Benefit Center (NBC) has approximately 1,300 contract employees between the Missouri and Kansas facilities, and overall USCIS has 3,100 contract and federal employees in the bi-state region. Employees at the NBC conduct pre-processing steps, run background checks, and prepare applications for interviews at field offices around the country. Were it not for the hard work of these dedicated individuals, the Kansas City Metropolitan region would not have grown into the diverse community it is today and the economic impact of such a reduction will be felt for years to come.\nTo get a better understanding of how USCIS reached the decision to furlough hundreds of contract workers at the National Benefit Center (NBC), the lawmakers are requesting a briefing from the agency to detail how the determination was made to descope the contract in the Kansas City region, any changes that will be made to the responsibilities of remaining personnel, the potential impacts this change will have on application case backlogs in various application categories, and the metrics that will be used to restore the full contract level in the future.\nAt a time when millions of Americans are struggling to find work and keep a paycheck coming in every month, it is both extremely disappointing and concerning to see the USCIS make this decision without working with Congress to find a suitable solution, said Congressman Cleaver. As I understand it, there is plenty of work to be done to eliminate the backlogs at field offices and Congress has shown willingness to work with the agency to ensure its fiscal stability, so we want to know exactly how they came to this conclusion, what other options were on the table, and what can be done to immediately remedy the situation.\nThe jobs at the National Benefit Center support the livelihoods of many Kansas families and allow legal immigration applications to be processed without interruption, said Representative Davids. I am very disappointed that the USCIS would end these jobs without working with Congress on possible solutions. I hope this briefing is a step towards finding alternative solutions.\nThe National Benefit Center provides critical support to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and has a significant impact on the local economy, said Senator Blunt. USCIS' decision comes at an already extremely difficult time for these workers and their families. I hope this briefing will help inform our efforts to find a resolution to this issue as soon as possible.\nYou can find the official letter from the lawmakers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-applauds-50-million-grant-to-expand-the-kc-streetcar", "Congressman Cleaver Applauds $50 Million Grant to Expand the KC Streetcar Project", "2020-08-26", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) applauded the Federal Transit Administration's announcement of a $50.8 million Capital Investment Grant (CIG) to the Kansas City Streetcar Authority. Last month, Congressman Cleaver joined Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Sam Graves (R-MO), along with Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Josh Hawley (R-MO), to request CIG funding for the project.\nThe KC Streetcar has proven to be a tremendous success ever since the first tracks were laid, said Congressman Cleaver. In just four years, over eight million Kansas Citians have travelled between the River Market and Union Station free-of-charge thanks to the streetcar, with well over six thousand riders taking advantage of the light-rail system each day. Given the positive impact that the streetcar has had on residents and businesses throughout the city, I was happy to join fellow Members of Congress from Missouri and Kansas in supporting the Kansas City Streetcar Authority's recent grant application submitted to the Department of Transportation. Today, I am delighted to report that the federal government has announced a fifty-million dollar grant to the KC Streetcar Authority. With this funding, the KC Streetcar will significantly expand its scope, reach a greater number of Kansas Citians, and make our city more far more accessible, all while boosting the local economy. I want to acknowledge the strong support of Congressman Sam Graves in moving this project forward, and I look forward to working with him on a bipartisan basis to make sure it gets across the finish line.\nThe current streetcar line is a two-mile track that connects all the city's downtown neighborhoods. The grant funding will go towards development for the KC Streetcar Mainstreet Extension project, creating an additional 3.5 miles and 9 stations from Union Station to the University of MissouriKansas City (UMKC). Once completed, the expanded line will run from Kansas City's River Market to the Plaza and provide public transit between some of the area's largest employment centers.\nWhile the FTA has given initial approval for the project, there are several steps that must be taken, including FTA approval of a construction grant agreement, before the funds will be released.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver,II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 orMatthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-gottheimer-call-for-bipartisan-briefing-following-seizure", "Reps. Cleaver & Gottheimer Call for Bipartisan Briefing Following Seizure of Cryptocurrency Assets From Foreign Terrorist Organizations", "2020-08-26", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy (NSIDMP), and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) called for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Treasury (DOT) to immediately brief the NSIDMP Subcommittee following the seizure of millions of dollars' worth of cryptocurrency from Foreign Terrorist Organizations.\nIn a letter to the agencies, the lawmakers wrote:\nIt is vital that Members of the Subcommittee on National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy receive a briefing, at the appropriate classification level, on this action, the largest ever seizure of online terrorist financing, from the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury on this investigation.\nIn addition to an immediate briefing, the representatives are also calling for DOT to provide an assessment of how it is working to proactively confront and curtail these malign actors within our financial networks. This will further inform the Subcommittee on what legislative actions they should be undertaking to provide regulators and law enforcement the proper tools and resources to continue to address the illicit use of cryptocurrency and disrupt terrorist organizations' financial networks.\nLast year, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2514, the Coordinating Oversight, Upgrading and Innovating Technology, and Examiner Reform Act (COUNTER), a bill introduced by Congressman Cleaver that would implement a number of changes and additions to the to the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), which dictates banks' responsibilities to help the government detect and root out illegal financial transactions.\nYou can find the official letter from the lawmakers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-of-representatives-passes-delivering-for-america-act-with-rep", "House of Representatives Passes Delivering For America Act With Rep. Cleavers Support", "2020-08-22", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 8015, the Delivering For America Act, with bipartisan support by a vote of 257-150. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) was a cosponsor and voted to pass the legislation, which would provide funding for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and prevent the Postmaster General from implementing any changes to USPS operations that were not already in effect on January 1, 2020.\nThe Postal Service is a pillar of American society that should never be tainted by partisan politics, said Congressman Cleaver. Because of their dedicated service, seniors and veterans receive the life-saving medications, small businesses can affordably deliver their products to consumers, and voters can safely make their voices heard. The American people have made it unequivocally clear that they will not accept the Administration's sabotage of their Postal Service, and today the People's House did as well.\nKey provisions in the Delivering For America Act include:\n Prohibiting the Postal Service from implementing or approving any changes to the operations or service levels in effect on January 1, 2020, that would impede prompt, reliable, and efficient service.\n\t\tThe prohibition would remain in effect during the duration of the coronavirus public health emergency or January 2021, whichever is later.\n\t\t\n\tRequiring the Postal Service to treat all election mail as first-class mail.\n\tProviding $25 billion in critically-needed emergency appropriations for the Postal Servicethe level of funding recommended by the USPS Board of Governors, which is composed of 100% Trump appointees.\n Congressman Cleaver has long been a fierce advocate for the USPS. In April, Cleaver led over 120 lawmakers in urging congressional leadership to including funding for the USPS in coronavirus relief legislation. This month, Cleaver joined over 170 House colleagues in calling on the Postmaster General to reverse policies that have exacerbated a dramatic increase in delayed and undelivered mail. This week, Cleaver joined 65 lawmakers to demand Postmaster General Louis DeJoy provide information on what actions the USPS is taking to ensure the timely and accurate delivery of prescriptions to veterans.\nI'm proud to stand with the men and women of the U.S. Postal Service, as we seek to ensure their phenomenal services continue unimpeded in the months and years ahead, said Congressman Cleaver. I would urge my colleagues in the Senate to stand with us by passing this critically important legislation.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-bipartisan-house-members-join-to-introduce-emergency-stopgap", "Rep. Cleaver, Bipartisan House Members Join to Introduce Emergency Stopgap Bill to Prevent USCIS Furloughs", "2020-08-22", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), House Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO), Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Representative Peter Welch (D-VT), and Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) introduced the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act to temporarily prevent the need for furloughs by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by immediately increasing the agency's premium processing revenues.\nUSCIS is currently scheduled to furlough 13,355 (or 67%) of its 19,881 employees, including over 3,100 in the Greater Kansas City Area, on August 30, 2020. If such furloughs are implemented, they will have a devastating impact on the agency's ability to provide immigration and naturalization services to American businesses and families for many months, if not years, to come.\nThe Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act would allow the agency to halt the immediate furloughs, while providing more reliable and expanded services for premium processing applicants. The fees collected by USCIS may be used to address backlogs and adjudication delays for other applicants.\nFor the sake of more than 13,000 American workers, small businesses seeking temporary employees, and local economies that will be devastated by these furloughs, it is absolutely vital that the United States Congress come together to pass this temporary fix for an immediate crisis, said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. Since May, these employees and thousands of individuals seeking to realize the American dream have been left in limbo. It's time for us to put politics aside, pass this legislation, and ensure the USCIS continues to operate at full force.\nThis bill is not a complete solution to USCIS's current fiscal challenges. But it will provide the agency with quick access to additional revenue that will eliminate the need for immediate furloughs. At a time of record unemployment and with increasing delays in immigration adjudications, we must do everything we can to ensure that USCIS can sustain its current workforce and keep operating at full capacity, said Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren.\nThis measure though not a long-term solution to USCIS's budget problemswill provide much-needed revenue to the agency and sustain the employment of more than 13,000 individuals across the country. Too many Americans are already struggling under the weight of unemployment. As we continue to fight COVID-19 and rebuild our economy, we must ensure that this agency can continue to fully operate, said Chairman Jerrold Nadler.\nI'm proud to introduce this legislation with Rep. Lofgren that offers a bipartisan solution to address U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' current funding shortfall, Ranking Member Ken Buck said. This emergency stopgap bill authorizes USCIS to collect a premium processing fee to expedite benefit processing, which will provide the agency with additional revenue from the applicants themselves.\nHere's the bottom line: Without a quick bipartisan effort, an essential federal agency will be demoralized, legal immigration will be backlogged, and illegal immigration will surge, said Ranking Member Jeff Fortenberry, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).\nThe planned USCIS furloughs are an unnecessary disaster for Vermont workers, their families, and the local economies that rely on these jobs. This bill is an important emergency stopgap measure to protect the over 1,100 Vermonters and the more than 13,000 USCIS employees nationwide who currently face the risk of furlough. We will continue to work to change and reform the USCIS to ensure it fairly meets the needs of our immigration policies. But during this critical and challenging time, we must first prevent the furloughs which would be a devastating blow to the livelihood of Vermonters and USCIS employees across the country, said Rep. Peter Welch.\nI'm pleased to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation to stabilize USCIS. Unfortunately, USCIS is facing serious budget shortfalls that could soon require the furloughing of thousands of dedicated employees and seriously affect the essential work of the Service, such as immigration adjudication and naturalization services. Our bill will provide immediate relief to help avoid these costly furloughs and disruptions and help ensure that USCIS continues to fulfill its mission, said Rep. Jamie Raskin.\nSince USCIS first announced it would furlough nearly 70% of its workforce in May, Congressman Cleaver has been working vociferously to ensure these workers remain on payroll. In June, Cleaver and Rep. Davids called on the USCIS to put forward a plan demonstrating these jobs would remain should funding be secured. In July, Cleaver and Fortenberry introduced separate legislation that would directly appropriate $1.2 billion in emergency supplemental funding to USCIS through the end of 2020. This month, Cleaver called on Speaker Pelosi and congressional leadership to ensure any coronavirus relief package include language that would keep USCIS operational through the current fiscal year.\nYou can find a one-pager of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act here.\nYou can find a section-by-section summary of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-s-bipartisan-bill-to-prevent-uscis-furloughs-passes-house-of", "Rep. Cleavers Bipartisan Bill to Prevent USCIS Furloughs Passes House of Representatives With Unanimous Support", "2020-08-22", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 8089, the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, to temporarily prevent the need for furloughs by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by immediately increasing the agency's premium processing revenues. The legislation was introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), House Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Ranking Member Ken Buck (R-CO), Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Representative Peter Welch (D-VT), and Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD)\nAlthough this is a temporary solution to an immediate crisis, I'm thrilled we were able to garner the unanimous support needed to pass this critical legislation. It will keep over 3,000 Kansas Citians from being furloughed in the coming days and our immigration system operating at full capacity, said Congressman Cleaver. I want to thank Chairwoman Lofgren, Chairman Nadler, Ranking Members Fortenberry and Buck, and Representatives Welch and Raskin for their willingness to reach across the aisle and get something done so swiftly, and I'm hopeful the Senate will do the same.\nUSCIS is scheduled to furlough 13,355 (or 67%) of its 19,881 employees, including over 2,000 of the 3,100 in the Greater Kansas City Area, on August 30, 2020. If such furloughs are implemented, they will have a devastating impact on the agency's ability to provide immigration and naturalization services to American businesses and families for many months, if not years, to come.\nThe Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act would allow the agency to halt the immediate furloughs, while providing more reliable and expanded services for premium processing applicants. The fees collected by USCIS may be used to address backlogs and adjudication delays for other applicants.\nSince USCIS first announced it would furlough nearly 70% of its workforce in May, Congressman Cleaver has been working vociferously to ensure these workers remain on payroll. In June, Cleaver and Rep. Davids called on the USCIS to put forward a plan demonstrating these jobs would remain should funding be secured. In July, Cleaver and Fortenberry introduced separate legislation that would directly appropriate $1.2 billion in emergency supplemental funding to USCIS through the end of 2020. This month, Cleaver called on Speaker Pelosi and congressional leadership to ensure any coronavirus relief package include language that would keep USCIS operational through the current fiscal year.\nThe Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act will now go to the Senate where Congressman Cleaver hopes they will take up and pass the bill next week.\nClick tofind a one-pager, section-by-section summary, and official text of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-condemns-usda-decision-not-to-extend-nutrition-program", "Rep. Cleaver Condemns USDA Decision Not to Extend Nutrition Program Waivers For Kids Learning Remotely", "2020-08-21", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the below statement following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) announcement that they would not extend waivers that allow the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option to operate during unexpected school closures.\nThe decision from the USDAnot to extend waivers that allow the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option to operate despite unexpected school closures is deeply disappointing to me and the families of tens of thousands of children in the Fifth District of Missouri. As the coronavirus pandemic rages onwith more than 1,000 Americans succumbing to the virus daily and another 50,000 contracting it just yesterdayour nation must be prepared for the possibility that some schools may be forced continue remotely for varying periods of time. \nConsidering millions of American families rely on these critical nutrition programs to keep children from skipping meals and going hungry, it is the height of irresponsibility for the USDA to discontinue these waivers as many schools around the country remain closed. This forces parents and administrators to make an impossible choice between keeping children healthy, stopping the spread of the virus in our communities, and keeping food on the table for the most vulnerable kids. This is not an either-or situation. we canand should--extend these waivers. If the Administration refuses to do so, Congress should pass legislation that leaves them no choice. \n###\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-and-kennedy-blast-temp-agencies-profiting-off-of-ppp-0", "Reps. Cleaver and Kennedy Blast Temp Agencies Profiting Off of PPP Loans", "2020-08-21", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Weeks after introducing landmark legislation to enhance protections for temporary workers, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Joseph P. Kennedy, III(D-MA) today called on the nation's leading temporary staffing agencies to reimburse the federal government for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding awarded to the agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following reports of temp agencies profiting from the PPP, Reps. Cleaver and Kennedy are demanding the agencies either provide a complete accounting of how PPP funds were used to keep workers on payroll or otherwise repay American taxpayers.\nIn separate letters to the Personnel Staffing Group, ManpowerGroup, Labor Finders International, Gee Group, and Chartwell Staffing Services, the lawmakers wrote:\nWhile the Small Business Administration's (SBA) database claims your loan helped retain hundreds of jobs, it appears likely this number includes workers that client companies are paying you to employ. If your company is engaging in a double-dipping arrangement in which you receive payment from both client companies and the federal government, this would be contrary to the PPP's intended purpose of saving jobs. As such, we write to demand you immediately reimburse the government for any PPP money that did not directly support the intended aims of this program or otherwise provide a more transparent accounting of how your usage of this program directly benefited the workers that you employ.\nNobody likes a double-dipper, said Congressman Cleaver, especially when you are dipping into taxpayer money. The PPP was designed to uplift truly small businesses and keep American workers afloat, not for temp agencies to enrich themselves off the backs of their workers and hardworking Americans. Unfortunately, we've seen some nefarious actors use this job-saving program in ways Congress never intended just to make a quick buck. Now, they must explain themselves to the American people or return the funding immediately.\nTemp staffing agencies that already specialize in exploiting lax labor laws and eroding worker protection should not be allowed to profit off of a program built to be a lifeline for small businesses, said Congressman Kennedy. Our economic recovery must be grounded in relief for the workers who will empower it, not the corporations that profit from their labor. These agencies must answer for their decisions and prepare to reimburse the PPP program if they misused these funds.\nLast month, Congressmen Cleaver and Kennedy introduced the Restoring Worker Power Act to comprehensively overhaul federal protections for temp workers. This legislation would increase wages, strengthen workers' rights, ban predatory corporate practices, enshrine equal pay, extend health and safety protections, enact anti-discrimination measures, and increase transparency in the industry.\nClick the link to see the offical letters to Gee Group, Personnel Staffing Group, ManPowerGroup, Labor Finders International, and Chartwell Staffing Services.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-on-usda-to-provide-more-flexibility-support-to", "Congressman Cleaver Calls on USDA to Provide More Flexibility, Support to Student Nutrition Programs", "2020-08-14", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO) joined over 100 Members of Congress to call for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend important child food programs through the coming school year. Specifically, the members called for the USDA to renew waivers for families to participate in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and to waive area eligibility requirements during the entirety of school year 2020-2021.\nIn a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, the lawmakers wrote:\nSimply put, without these flexibilities, some schools will be unable to continue providing meals for students next yearIt is unconscionable that the Department would fail to utilize all of its available authority to ensure that children can continue to receive the nutritious meals they need to learn next year.\nThe SFSP and SSO were first authorized under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and have been utilized by schools and non-profits to provide meals to children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Should the Administration fail to renew these waivers and provide flexibility for these programs, some schools will be unable to continue providing meals to students next year.\nMany students depend on schools and school lunches to help them meet their nutritional needs, uncertain of where their next meal might come from, said Congressman Cleaver. During this economically and educationally turbulent time, we must ensure that students don't have to worry about hunger in addition to social studies.\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-blasts-trump-administration-attempt-sabotage-us-postal-service", "Clay Blasts Trump Administration Attempt to Sabotage U.S. Postal Service", "2020-08-13", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Clay Blasts Trump Administration Attempt to Sabotage U.S. Postal Service\nChanges Will Degrade Mail Service to Residences and Businesses, Suppress Voting Rights Ahead of November Election\nWASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri has signed on to a bipartisan letter authored by House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D) New York, and Congressman Peter King (R) New York, sent to newly installed Postmaster General of the United States Louis DeJoy, demanding that the recent damaging changes to USPS be reversed and that efforts to delay mail service cease immediately.\nPostmaster DeJoy's reckless and damaging changes have not only degraded mail service, they have put millions of postal customers across the nation at risk by slowing the delivery of prescription medications, groceries and other household necessities, said Mr. Clay. I am deeply concerned that elderly and disabled Americans, who depend on the USPS as a lifeline to the outside world, will bear the brunt of degraded and delayed mail delivery. There is also no question that the Postmaster General is actively trying to satisfy President Trump's postal paranoia by making it harder to vote by mail, a safe and secure option already used by millions of Americans, and especially appropriate during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.\nThe bipartisan letter to Postmaster General DeJoy says in-part:\nIt is vital that the U.S. Postal Service does not reduce mail delivery hours, which could harm rural communities, seniors, small businesses, and millions of Americans who rely on the mail for critical letters and packages.\nEliminating overtime and directing postal workers to leave mail on the floor of postal facilities will erode confidence in the Postal Service and drive customers away, resulting in even worse financial conditions in the future.\nTo read the full letter signed by Congressman Clay and 83 other Members of the U.S. House, please go to:\nhttps://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2020-08-06.CBM%20et%20al.%20to%20DeJoy-%20PMG%20re%20Postal%20Standards%20Changes.pdf", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-applauds-6-million-grant-to-construct-new-water", "Congressman Cleaver Applauds $6 Million Grant to Construct New Water Treatment Plant in Lexington, MO", "2020-08-10", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Lexington, MO) - United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) applauded the U.S. Economic Development Administration's (EDA) announcement of a $6 million grant being awarded to the City of Lexington to construct a new well field and water treatment plant. In February, Rep. Cleaver sent a letter to EDA Regional Administrator Angela Martinez advocating for the grant funding.\nI want to thank Mayor Aull for his partnership and efforts in bringing this funding to fruition, said Congressman Cleaver. The people of Lexington have faced severe flooding events in recent years that have been catastrophic to the community. With this funding, the city will now have the ability to build a new water treatment facility and protective infrastructure to ensure the people of Lexington have clean, reliable drinking water no matter the weather conditions. This will not only benefit the people of Lexington, but will also incentivize investment and economic activity in the community. That's what I like to call a win-win.\nCongressman Cleaver has always been an advocate for Lexington and the rural areas in his district, said Joe Aull, Mayor of Lexington.We are grateful to Congressman Cleaver for working with us to secure this $6 million grant to build a new water treatment plant.\nThe new water treatment plant and well field will be constructed in a location that will protect them from future Missouri River flood events. This will ensure that the people and businesses of Lexington will have a reliable drinking water source even during severe weather events.\nIn addition to protection from future flooding events, the new water treatment plant will be constructed near a federal Opportunity Zone. Opportunity Zones were created nationwide in 2017 to spur economic development in communities using investment incentives. As a proponent of program in Congress, Rep. Cleaver looks forward to seeing new development near the new water treatment plant in the future.\nYou can find Rep. Cleaver's letter to EDA Regional Administrator Angela Martinez here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-applauds-8-million-grant-to-modernize-kcata-bus", "Congressman Cleaver Applauds $8 Million Grant To Modernize KCATA Bus Operations Facility", "2020-08-07", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) applauded the Department of Transportation's (DOT) announcement of a $7.98 million grant being awarded to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) to modernize its regional Operations and Dispatch Center (OC). In March Rep. Cleaver sent a letter to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao urging support for the grant funding.\nPublic transportation is a critical component of everyday life in Kansas City as well as our local economy, said Congressman Cleaver. I'm thrilled to see the Department of Transportation heed our calls for this much-needed funding, and I'm thankful to KCATA for their efforts in bringing this funding to fruition. As they utilize this grant to upgrade their Operations Center, I look forward to their continued service to the people of Kansas City.\n\"Congressman Cleaver has always been an advocate for public transportation,\" said Robbie Makinen, KCATA president & CEO. \"We see the impact of his commitment reflected in the $56 million investment along the Prospect MAX corridor. We are grateful for Congressman Cleaver's and Senator Blunt's ability to deliver the critically needed funding to modernize our 1970s building, and make it fully ADA compliant. This grant will support safer, more energy efficient regional transit and a healthy workplace for our employees.\nThe OC building is a 43-year old facility that will cost taxpayers substantially less to renovate than to construct an entirely new building. The grant funding will go towards a new roof, new HVAC ductwork, making the OC fully ADA accessible and compliant, integrating new communication technology, and shifting their record system to an electronic system for greater efficiency.\nYou can find the official announcement from DOT here.\nYou can find Congressman Cleaver's letter to DOT Secretary Chao here.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-continues-push-for-uscis-funding-to-save-thousands", "Congressman Cleaver Continues Push For USCIS Funding to Save Thousands of Kansas City Jobs", "2020-08-07", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  This week, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) continued his efforts to save thousands of workers in the Kansas City region from being furloughed. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Cleaver called on congressional leadership to ensure any coronavirus relief package passed by Congress include funding to keep the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) operational through the current fiscal year and into the first part of the next fiscal year.\nIn the letter sent to Speaker Pelosi today, Congressman Cleaver wrote:\nAlthough primarily funded through fee collection, since May USCIS has been reporting a funding shortfall and planning potential furloughs of over 13,400 federal employees and contractors around the nation, potentially impacting over 3,100 in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. While the funding shortfall did not begin with the coronavirus pandemic, supplemental funding is needed to continue the important work of administering the nation's legal immigration system and to prevent further exacerbation of the current public health and economic crises.\nTo ensure the funding is protected from political manipulation, Congressman Cleaver is also calling for specific guardrails to protect this funding from being diverted for other purposes. These guardrails include:\n Prohibiting transfer authority of funds to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Patrol (CBP)\n\tRepayment of funds through premium processing applications rather than an across-the-board fee increase for all applications\n\tReforming the fee structure to improve efficiency and address processing backlogs and ensure that USCIS has sufficient funding moving forward.\n As Congress continues negotiations to bring economic relief to Americans struggling to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, it's absolutely crucial that funding for USCIS is included in any relief package passed by Congress, said Congressman Cleaver. These jobs are critical to the local economies in which these workers reside, and our legal immigration system is essential to businesses across the country who have specific short- or long-term staffing needs. Failure to keep this agency up and fully operational would be an unacceptable dereliction of duty on behalf of the U.S. Congress, and I'm hopeful congressional leadership will take note of that as negotiations proceed.\nYou can read the official letter from Congressman Cleaver here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-calls-for-investigation-into-allegations-of-misconduct-at", "Rep. Cleaver Calls for Investigation Into Allegations of Misconduct at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency", "2020-08-06", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  This week, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy, along with Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Consumer Protections and Financial Institutions, and Representative Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Chairwoman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity & Inclusion, are calling for an investigation into allegations of abuse of authority and violations of statutory responsibility at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) following reports of the agency scuttling multiple civil rights investigations.\nIn a letter to Department of Treasury Inspector General Richard Delmar and Government Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, the lawmakers wrote:\nThese concerning patterns of circumventing policies and practices to the possible material detriment of female and minority borrowers is deeply disturbing. Such extreme departures in supervisory practices on civil rights matters necessitates a thorough and complete investigation. We request the Inspector General and GAO initiate an immediate, comprehensive and timely investigation into these allegations.\nAccording to a report from Pro Publica, the OCC has shelved at least six investigations into allegations of possible redlining and discrimination. In each case career officials at the OCC have uncovered discriminatory practices, which violated federal law and regulation, and provided recommendations of fines and/or other penalties only to be overruled by senior management to protect financial institutions.\nThe substance and pervasiveness of these allegations are extremely concerning, and it's important for the IG and GAO get to the bottom of what's occurring at the OCC immediately, said Congressman Cleaver. We cannot allow discriminatory practices in financial institutions to go unchecked, and we certainly can't allow the cops on the beat to look the other way when they encounter wrongdoing. I look forward to a comprehensive and timely report so that we can ensure the laws on the books are being enforced and consumers are working on a level playing field.\nYou can find the official letter from the lawmakers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-wm-lacy-clay-d-missouri-regarding-us-department-0", "STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI  REGARDING U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE  EXPANSION OF OPERATION LEGEND TO ST. LOUIS.", "2020-08-06", "2020", "2020-08", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI\nREGARDING U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE\nEXPANSION OF OPERATION LEGEND TO ST. LOUIS.\n\nNOTE: The following, in its entirety, is a first-person statement by Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri\nST. LOUIS, MO - While I welcome additional funding from the Department of Justice to help St. Louis fight violent crime, federal law enforcement officers must not infringe on the rights of non-violent citizens in my community as was seen repeatedly in Portland, Oregon. Excessive force will not make St. Louis safer. Changing the culture of policing and restoring the trust of the community with local law enforcement will.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-of-representatives-passes-wrda-bill-including-key-provisions-from", "House of Representatives Passes WRDA Bill, Including Key Provisions From Rep. Cleavers Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act", "2020-07-30", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7575, the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), which provides authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to carry out water resources development projects and studies. Included in this year's WRDA legislation are key provisions from The Lower Missouri River Flood Protection Program Acta bill introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) in the House of Representatives and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) in the Senateto protect communities in Missouri consistently harmed by flooding.\nCommunities up and down the Missouri River, including the Fifth District of Missouri, have been ravaged by historic floods on a seemingly annual basis, said Congressman Cleaver. I'm proud we were able to garner enough bipartisan support to get some critical provisions from my legislation included in this year's WRDA bill that will enable these communities to move forward with projects to protect their lives and livelihoods.\nA key component included in WRDA from Cleaver's legislation is the expansion in scope of the Lower Missouri Basin Flood Risk & Resiliency Study, which would:\n Identify specific flood risk reduction solutions in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska;\n\tFree the study from traditional cost and duration limitations;\n\tAllow approved projects to proceed directly to preconstruction planning, engineering, and design;\n\tRequire additional consultation measures for any recommended actions, including solicitation of public comments;\n\tProvide $24 million over six years to help with technical assistance for disadvantaged communities with populations less than 15,000; And\n\tMandate the submission of a report to Congress with additional recommendations within the next 3 years.\n Times have been hard for farmers and rural communities in recent years, and it's made even more difficult when they have to rebuild from flooding year after year, said Congressman Cleaver. These communities understand the challenges in front of them, and they know what it's going to take to make the fixes necessary to protect themselves. This legislation will make it easier to move forward with projects that will do just that.\nYou can find a fact-sheet with more information on WRDA here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/representative-cleaver-leads-call-for-congress-to-support-nonprofits-in", "Representative Cleaver Leads Call for Congress to Support Nonprofits in Next Coronavirus Relief Proposal", "2020-07-30", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) led nearly 70 lawmakers in a bipartisan call for congressional leadership to provide relief to nonprofits devastated by the coronavirus-induced economic crisis.\nIn a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Congressman Cleaver wrote:\nAs you know, it is profoundly clear that more needs to be done to meet the evolving economic crisis. We request that any final legislative package include the meaningful relief for nonprofits expressed in the Heroes Act while going further to provide for loan forgiveness for these frontline service providers.\nCleaver's push to bring relief to nonprofits comes after the Federal Reserve released the terms of its Main Street Lending Program (MSLP) for nonprofits, which entail numerous financial restrictions that make the loan program unfeasible for most nonprofit organizations engaged in the fight against COVID-19. To ensure nonprofits are not left behind during the current economic crisis, Cleaver is calling on the next COVID-19 relief package to include a mandate that the Federal Reserve offer a low-cost loan option tailored to the unique needs of nonprofit organizations and backstopped by the Treasury Department to allow the loan to be forgiven solely for mid-sized nonprofits who have been eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program.\nAccording to a report released by Johns Hopkins University, an estimated 1.6 million job losses occurred at nonprofits between March and May of this year, representing roughly 13% of all nonprofit jobs in the United States. As the third-largest employer in the private sector, they are a vital component of the American economy. In Kansas City, nonprofits make up over 14% of the city's GDP and 11.3% of the total workforce, making them a key economic driver in the Fifth District or Missouri in addition to their service to some of the most vulnerable communities in Missouri. Rep. Cleaver understands the dire need for Congress to assist these organizations as they seek to retain and rehire employees.\nWhile it is very disappointing the Main Street Lending Program, as implemented, will not be a helpful option for many nonprofits, Congress can still ensure these vital organizations are not left behind, said Congressman Cleaver. Nonprofits not only support the most underserved communities across the country, but they are critical to the economic recovery of the nation. As we face the largest economic contraction in our country's history, Congress must support these organizations providing frontline assistance. I'm thankful to each and every one of my colleagues who have joined me in this bipartisan effort to protect American nonprofits, and, as Congress seeks to bring relief to the American people during this catastrophic crisis, we will keep fighting to ensure nonprofits are included.\nYou can find the official letter from Rep. Cleaver with a list of co-signers here.\nOrganizations supporting the letter include: Alliance for Strong Families and Communities; Alzheimer's Association; American Alliance of Museums; American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; American Heart Association; American Lung Association; Americans for the Arts; The Arc of the United States; Association of Art Museum Directors; Association of Zoos and Aquariums; Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; Ducks Unlimited; ETS; Goodwill Industries International; Habitat for Humanity International; Independent Sector; JDRF; Jewish Federations of North America; League of American Orchestras; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; Lutheran Services in America; Lyric Opera of Chicago; March of Dimes; National Council of Nonprofits; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; The Nonprofit Alliance; PATH; Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America; United Way Worldwide; YMCA of the USA; and YWCA USA.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-joins-roundtable-on-neighborhood-safety-announces", "Congressman Cleaver Joins Roundtable on Neighborhood Safety, Announces Partnership Between AdHoc Group Against Crime and Ring", "2020-07-27", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) joined with the AdHoc Group Against Crime, a Kansas City nonprofit promoting healing and justice, and Ring to announce a new partnership to promote and increase community safety measures in Kansas City. To inaugurate the partnership, Ring and AdHoc will launch a program to donate 750 Ring Video Doorbells to local residents in Kansas City neighborhoods troubled by crime. The devices will be given to Kansas Citians who voluntarily apply to participate and will include free installation and a Ring Protect Basic subscription for the life of the devices.\nThe people of Kansas City want to see community leaders work together to create a safer environment for everyone, said Congressman Cleaver. By teaming up with Ring and utilizing the latest technologies, AdHoc and I believe this community partnership will foster a higher level of comfort on the part of people who are living in neighborhoods where criminal acts are occurring far too frequently. As these resources begin to be distributed, I look forward to further discussions with Kansas Citians on additional ways in which we can make our community safer.\nAdHoc Group Against Crime is proud to partner with Ring. This initiative is an example of various sectors i.e. business, government, community organizations, and local neighborhoods coming together to increase safety through the use of technology, said Damon Daniel, President of AdHoc Group Against Crime. AdHoc's mission is to be a community resource for violence prevention and intervention for individuals, families and communities impacted by crime and violence. This partnership helps strengthen our constant efforts to be a bridge that leverages resources to our community.\nAt Ring, we believe that when communities work together, safer neighborhoods become a reality,\" said Leila Rouhi, President of Ring. \"Engaging and working with local community groups is an important part of our mission, and Ring is proud to work with AdHoc, and organization that has uplifted the Kansas City community for many years. We look forward to supporting this important organization and providing Kansas City residents with security and peace of mind in their homes.\"\nAfter receiving input from various local stakeholders, including Congressman Cleaver and Neighborhood Presidents, Ring and AdHoc hosted a virtual roundtable to announce the creation of the video doorbell program and to discuss how technology can play a positive role in community safety. Congressman Cleaver participated in the roundtable along with several local leaders, including Damon Daniel, President of AdHoc; Marquita Brockman-Taylor, President of Santa Fe Neighborhood; and Jackson County Executive Frank White.\nOverview of Video Doorbell Program:\n 750 Ring Video Doorbell devices will be donated at no cost to residents.\n\tThe devices will be distributed to residents in select neighborhoods who voluntarily apply to participate in the program.\n\tThe installation costs associated with the device will be covered by Ring.\n\tA free Ring Protect Basic video recording subscription will be provided for the life of the device at no cost to residents.\n\tResidents who obtain devices will not be forced to register them with police.\n To learn more about the AdHoc and Ring partnership as well as to apply for a donated device, you can find more information here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-wm-lacy-clay-d-missouri-regarding-death", "STATEMENT BY  CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI  REGARDING THE DEATH OF  CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS (D) GEORGIA", "2020-07-18", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "STATEMENT BY\nCONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI\nREGARDING THE DEATH OF\nCONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS (D) GEORGIA\n\nNOTE:\nThe following in its entirety, is a first-person statement by\nCongressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri\n\nFifty-five years ago, John Lewis marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge into American history. He was beaten, bloodied, but not broken; and his sacrifice propelled the passage of the Voting Rights Act.\n\nJohn wore his humanity and decency on his sleeve and he never became bitter about the systemic racism he was born into or the vicious racial violence that he stared down time after time with the power of his dignity and non-violent civil disobedience.\n\nCongressman John Lewis has been called home to take his rightful place of eternal honor beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,; Malcom X; Frederick Douglass; Nelson Mandela and all the brave souls who sacrificed so much for the cause of civil rights.\n\nHe believed in the promise of America, and that Black Americans would gain their full measure of freedom and take a seat at the table of power that guides our democracy.\n\nAs John said in his own words:\n\nDo not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.\n\nAmerica has lost a champion for freedom, and I have lost a dear friend. The Clay family has known John Lewis for over 50 years and we send our deepest sympathies to his family at this hour of great loss for them and our nation. May his memory always be a blessing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-wm-lacy-clay-d-missouri-regarding-us-senator-josh", "STATEMENT BY  CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI  REGARDING U.S. SENATOR JOSH HAWLEYs REQUEST TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO INVESTIGATE  ST. LOUIS CIRCUIT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY GARDNER", "2020-07-18", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "STATEMENT BY\nCONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI\nREGARDING U.S. SENATOR JOSH HAWLEY's REQUEST TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO INVESTIGATE \nST. LOUIS CIRCUIT ATTORNEY KIMBERLY GARDNER\nNOTE:\nThe following in its entirety, is a first-person statement by\nCongressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri\n\nI am appalled that Missouri's junior U.S. Senator would attempt to interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation in the City of St. Louis by asking our racist, incompetent President and his failed Attorney General; who has long-since surrendered any allegiance to the rule of law; to misuse the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division by intervening in this case.\nThe Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice was created to investigate and defend the rights of African Americans and other minorities who have been subjected to generations of racially-fueled violence, police misconduct, and voter suppression. It was not created to harass and interfere with local law enforcement. And it was not created to allow federal elected officials to interfere with local law enforcement by inflaming racial divisions to advance their own political agendas.\nSt. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner is conducting a proper, ongoing investigation into the potentially tragic incident that occurred on Portland Place in St. Louis' Central West End. I am fully confident that she will apply the facts and the law, without prejudice, to reach a proper decision.\nThe rights of non-violent protestors are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and should never be subject to the threat of deadly force, whether by individuals or by the police.\nThe young Americans who are on the streets in St. Louis and across the nation deserve constitutional policing and a government as good as they are. I stand with them.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-speaks-with-justice-department-about-robert-courtney-confirms", "Cleaver Speaks With Justice Department About Robert Courtney, Confirms Release Is Still Under Review", "2020-07-17", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) spoke with Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs Stephen Boyd and the warden of Federal Correction Institution (FCI) Englewood regarding the pending release of convicted felon Robert R. Courtney. During the phone call, Congressman Cleaver relayed the outrage among the Kansas City community at the potential release of Courtney and his belief that the decision should be immediately reversed. Officials on the call assured Congressman Cleaver that Courtney would not be released from prison today and that his release was still under review.\nRobert Courtney is a man who took advantage of public trust to commit abhorrent crimes that led to pain and suffering of hundreds, if not thousands, of Kansas Citians, said Congressman Cleaver. There are those in prison who have committed victimless crimes and are at high-risk of COVID-19 complications that, understandably, should be released for home confinement. However, Mr. Courtney is not one of these individuals. His crimes should disqualify him from early release, and I'm hopeful as the Justice Department undergoes further review of this case they will come to the same conclusion.\nAdditionally, Rep. Cleaver, along with Sam Graves (R-MO) and U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), sent a letter urging U.S. Attorney General William Barr to block the early release of Courtney, who was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment for diluting as many as 98,000 prescriptions, including cancer treatment medication, over the course of nearly a decade.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nCourtney's crimes are heinous. As shown by the heart wrenching victim impact statements enclosed with this letter, he inflicted a steep physical and emotional toll upon his victims for personal financial gain. He acted without consideration for the theft of his victims' health and quality of life, and his actions can be described as no less than purposefully evil. Courtney should serve the entirety of his sentence as penance for his crimesboth against his victims and against the public trust in medical care.\nThe members' letter also includes several statements from victims whose health and quality of life have been significantly impacted by his crimes. You can read the official letter from the lawmakers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-kennedy-introduce-restoring-worker-power-act", "Reps. Cleaver & Kennedy Introduce Restoring Worker Power Act", "2020-07-17", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  As millions of temporary workers face unemployment, lost wages and reduced hours as a result of COVID-19, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO) and Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) today introduced the Restoring Worker Power Act to comprehensively overhaul federal protections for temp workers. In recent years, corporations have become increasingly reliant on temp worker staffing agencies precisely because lax regulations allow for workplace discrimination and exploitation. This legislation would increase wages, strengthen workers' rights, ban predatory corporate practices, enshrine equal pay, extend health and safety protections, enact anti-discrimination measures, and increase transparency in the industry.\nOver the last decade, Corporate America has become increasingly aware that they can exploit their workforces for higher profits by taking advantage of temporary workers and labor loopholes, said Congressman Cleaver. Every worker in America deserves equal pay for equal work, and the federal government cannot allow temp workers to be an exception. The time has come for a temp workers Bill of Rights, and I'm proud to introduce this legislation with Rep. Kennedy, which would boost wages and benefits, increase protections, and help restore the power balance between working class Americans and corporate executives.\nTemporary workers battled daily against discrimination, wage theft, workplace abuse, and predatory corporations, said Congressman Kennedy. But long before COVID-19 shook our economy to its core, temp workers were intentionally carved out of policies meant to enshrine economic justice, which has left them vulnerable to the worst actors in our society. Through the Restoring Worker Power Act, we can immediately give hardworking Americans a raise, while extending worker rights and workplace protections.\"\nThe Restoring Worker Power Act will:\n Ensure temporary workers are paid the same as directly-hired employees.\n\tEnsure temp workers receive basic information regarding their work assignments such as work hours, rate of pay, and the contact name of their worksite employer.\n\tProhibit temp staffing agencies from charging temporary workers for performing background checks and drug tests.\n\tEnsure temp workers receive the same basic safety training as other employees, require that temporary workers are made aware of injury reporting guidelines, and inform temporary workers of hazards associated with their worksite in an effort to lower high rates of injury among temporary workers.\n\tProhibit the use of forced arbitration agreements and non-compete agreements by temporary staffing agencies and host employers.\n\tLimit the use of conversion fees that hinder the future job prospects of temporary workers by either prohibiting host employers from hiring temporary workers directly or requiring the host employer to pay the staffing agency a fee.\n\tAddress discrimination in the temporary staffing agency industry.\n\tRequire temp staffing agencies to register with the Department of Labor and publish critical data of each agency's employment practices.\n\tEliminate the 500 employee cap in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that shields temporary staffing agencies from providing critical paid family and medical leave during the pandemic.\n Regardless of how a business structures its relationship with its workers, work should be a place where everyone is treated equitably and with respect, said Laura Padin, senior staff attorney with the National Employment Law Project. For decades, however, corporations have sought to create categories of workerssuch as temp workersthat are excluded from these basic principles, in order to rid themselves of obligations to the workers who are central to the success of their business. This legislation is a crucial first step toward change. It holds temp agencies, as well the companies that contract with them for labor, accountable for working conditions they control, and it gives temp workers the tools they need to improve their workplaces.\n\"This bill provides millions of \"essential\" workers the equal pay for their equal work that they deserve now, and a fair chance to turn their temporary positions into stable, long-term employment moving forward, said Dave DeSario, Director of Temp Worker Justice, the national organization for temporary workers. \"This is the first comprehensive federal bill to attempt to bring fair pay, safe workplaces, and a path to permanent work for the millions of people working in temporary jobs across the country. Temporary workers are paid an average of 41% less for the same work, are twice as likely to be injured, and can be kept in so-called 'temporary' jobs for years. This bill can be celebrated by the millions of Americans working through temporary staffing agencies in healthcare, warehousing, manufacturing, and throughout the economy. The promise of temp-to-perm jobs fails to deliver for 93% of temp workers. This bill provides the fairness that workers expect, and ensures a clear path to permanent work for those who have earned it. This bill is a win-win for temporary workers and the companies where they are placed on the job. It provides fairness for workers while they are temporary, and a path to permanent work that allows employers to develop and keep the best talent.\"\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-kennedy-demand-diversity-among-university-endowment-asset", "Cleaver, Kennedy Demand Diversity Among University Endowment Asset Managers", "2020-07-10", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) today raised concerns about the lack of diversity among asset managers of university endowments. In a letter to the twenty-five universities with the largest endowments, Cleaver and Kennedy demanded answers about their equal opportunity practices and firm selection processes.\nCiting a study showing that firms owned by women and minorities manage just 1.3 percent of the assets in the $69 trillion asset management industry, the lawmakers pushed the universities to prioritize women and minority-owned asset management firms.\nColleges and universities have long advertised themselves as bastions of inclusion, while most have failed to invest a single cent of their enormous endowments with asset management firms that reflect the same diversity of their campuses, said Congressman Cleaver. We believe these twenty-five institutions have an opportunity to be leaders in changing the culture of this $69 trillion industry. As our nation seeks to dismantle systems of injustice, the time has come for them to really put their money where their mouth is.\nUniversities that tout diversity among their student body should prioritize investing their massive endowments with diverse asset manager firms, said Congressman Kennedy. Entrusting minority and women-owned firms with tens of millions of dollars isn't just about empowering and elevating those firms, it's about hiring firms with a proven record of success. These twenty-five universities hold more than $200 billion in endowments and can change the face of asset management if they choose to do so.\nThe letter was sent to the following universities: Harvard University, The University of Texas, Yale University, Stanford University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, The Texas A&M University, University of Michigan, University of California, University of Notre Dame, Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, Duke University, The University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, Emory University, Cornell University, University of Virginia, Rice University, Johns Hopkins University, The Vanderbilt University, University of Southern California, Dartmouth College, and The Ohio State University.\nYou can read the official letter from the lawmakers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/chairman-cleaver-holds-committee-hearing-dedicated-to-protecting-worker", "Chairman Cleaver Holds Committee Hearing Dedicated to Protecting Worker Pay During COVID-19 Pandemic", "2020-07-09", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy, held a hearing entitled Paycheck Security: Economic Perspectives on Alternative Approaches to Protecting Workers' Pay During COVID-19. The hearing examined the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the federal response to date, and policy approaches the government can take to protect workers moving forward.\nThe hearing comes as Democrats in the House of Representatives are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up the Heroes Actwhich passed the House of Representatives in Mayand pass this next stimulus package to stabilize the economy and bring relief to American families.\nChairman Cleaver invited several leading economists to testify on the state of the American economy, including Nobel Laureate Dr. Joseph Stiglitz, who noted, if we follow Herbert Hoover and don't provide the assistance the economy needs, then we're setting ourselves up for another Depression.\nYou can watch a recording of the hearing here and read Chairman Cleaver's opening statement below.\nIn February, before a pandemic was declared and the economic livelihood of Americans was placed in peril, I sent a letter asking the White House, Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve how they planned to prevent a crisis from occurring due to COVID-19. \nI asked them what their strategy was to help protect American health and the national economy. It was months until that letter I wrote with Chairmen Meeks, Green and Clay would receive a response. Unfortunately, by that time it was clear, at least to me, that there was no plan. Because we did not plan, we have become a part of the virus' plan. \nCongress was forced to take unprecedented steps to rescue our economy and provide emergency assistance to American families and front-line workers through the CARES Act. \n We provided nearly every American money to feed their families.\n We rushed resources for COVID-19 testing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to hospitals.\n We created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) as a short-term lifeline to keep small businesses alive and their employees on the rolls.\nJust last week, we heard from Chairman Powell that the CARES Act was able to provide direct help to people, businesses and communities and made a critical difference. \nIt prevented the kind of mass layoffs and evictions that threatened millions and millions of Americans.Despite that significant bill, it has become profoundly clear that our initial response will not be enough and was not administered the way we intended. \nThe U.S. has suffered the largest increase in unemployment of any major economy on the planet. The unemployment rate was over 13% in May and more than 16% after accounting for various measurement issues and closer to 20% when workers with reduced hours are included. \nAdditionally, the clock is ticking on the expiration of many provisions of the CARES Act as economists and public health experts are telling us that the outlook is getting worse. This week, in a report written by Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi, he highlighted that the prospects are high that we will suffer what may well be considered an economic depression. \nHis analysis leverages Federal Reserve and Congressional Budget Office research that initially assumed COVID-19 would be tapering off and double-digit unemployment would persist into next year. \nHowever, with a resurgence of COVID-19 around the United Statesin Florida, Texas, Georgia and my home state of Missouribusinesses are being forced to shutter again driving a possible second round of economic catastrophe. \nThroughout the course of the crisis, both the economic and health consequences of COVID-19 has fallen disproportionately on low- and middle-income families and communities of color. \nThe Inspector General for the SBA highlighted that the CARES Act required rural, minority and women-owned businesses be prioritized for PPP loans, but based on their analysis, they were not. \nBy mid-April, 440,000 black business owners had shuttered their company for good  a 41% plunge. By comparison, 17% of white-owned businesses closed during the same period of time. \nThe New York Times successfully sued the CDC to release COVID-19 information based on ethnicity and race and learned last week that Blacks and Latinos were three times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 and twice as likely to die. \nWhen you combine these facts with data from the Brookings Institute that low income communities of color are more likely to serve as essential front-line workers with higher rates of exposure, this second dangerous wave could be cataclysmic for the working poor in our country. \nThe remedy that Mark Zandi prescribed in his report, which is echoed by the Federal Reserve Chairman, many of our witnesses here today, and even by president Trump, is simple. \nThere is a need for more Congressional action that places employees first. \nThe HEROES Act which passed out of the House in May and is waiting in the Senate will go a long way in preventing the kind of catastrophe that leading economists are predicting. \nFurther, a bill sponsored by my friend Congresswoman Jayapal, the Paycheck Recovery Act of 2020, would go a long way in aiding those who need it most. \n###\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is availablehere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/helsinki-commissioners-emanuel-cleaver-gwen-moore-alcee-hastings-and", "Helsinki Commissioners Emanuel Cleaver, Gwen Moore, Alcee Hastings, and Marc Veasey Lead Call for Comprehensive Action to Address anti-Black Racism Abroad", "2020-07-09", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  In a bicameral letter to the President of the European Commission, the Black members of the Helsinki Commission along with 35 other Members of United States Congress, including the Congressional Black Caucus Chair and other Helsinki Commissioners, call for a sweeping plan of action following the European Parliament's Juneteenth Day resolution supporting protests against racism and police brutality. The letter also urges an immediate inquiry into an altercation involving a Black Member of the European Parliament and a Belgian police officer. In response, the Commissioners released the following statements:\nRecently, we have seen a troubling rise in racism and police brutality around the world, said Helsinki Commissioner Emanuel Cleaver. I'm comforted to see the European Parliament and the people of Europe standing with Americans as we seek to abolish the systemic racism that has plagued our planet for far too long. As we stand united in the face of this age-old foe, now is the time for concrete action to root out racism in every corner of the globe.\nI am encouraged by the European Parliament's resolution supporting protests against racism and police brutality. I would like to see these efforts built upon with meaningful and comprehensive action that addresses the widespread racism and discrimination Black Europeans and people of African descent experience on a day-to-day basis, said Helsinki Commissioner Gwen Moore.\nSince convening the 2009 Black European Summit at the European Parliament, it is heartening to see the growing solidarity of this resolution and the opportunity it presents for joint U.S.-EU commitments to end systemic racism, said Helsinki Commission Chairman Alcee Hastings.\nI applaud the European Parliament's resolution that denounces anti-black racism and police brutality, said Helsinki Commissioner Marc Veasey. We must work together as a global community to create comprehensive solutions that will finally dismantle the systemic oppression that has caused too many Black and Brown lives to be lost.\nYou can read the full text of the official letter here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaer is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-fortenberry-introduce-emergency-funding-legislation-to-save", "Reps. Cleaver & Fortenberry Introduce Emergency Funding Legislation to Save Thousands of USCIS Jobs", "2020-07-09", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) announced they will introduce a bill to provide $1.2 billion in emergency supplemental funding to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) through the end of 2020. The USCIS, which administers the nation's legal immigration system and processes millions of immigration applications and thousands of international adoptions each year, is normally funded through fees it collects from applicants. USCIS announced that it would run short of funds and will begin furloughing more than 13,400 employeesincluding over 3,100 workers in the Greater Kansas City Areain August should Congress fail to appropriate emergency funding.\nAs millions of American workers and small businesses continue to feel the economic devastation of COVID-19, it's imperative that Congress come together to prevent over 13,400 unnecessary job losses and allow USCIS to continue processing legal immigration applications that have been waiting for months or longer, said Congressman Cleaver. Although I want to see policy changes made at USCIS, during the compounding public health and economic crises, preserving jobs and processing applications for workers and companies that have been waiting for months must be the first step.\nI want to thank Congressman Fortenberry for his willingness to work on a bipartisan basis to keep these workers on payroll and USCIS open for business. While Congress continues to negotiate with USCIS, we will fight vociferously to have this emergency funding approved before August.\n\"The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service has a quiet but important presence in Lincoln. Hundreds of its hard-working employees, through no fault of their own, received notices of possible furlough due to coronavirus. We're working on a bipartisan solution to fix the problem,\" said Rep. Fortenberry.\nYou can read the official text of the draft legislation here.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-joins-fellow-democrats-calling-for-trump", "Congressman Cleaver Joins Fellow Democrats Calling For Trump Administration to Immediately Release Children with their Families from ICE Detention", "2020-07-06", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) - United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO) has joined the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and 79 fellow lawmakers in demanding the release of all parents and children being held in immigration and family detention centers by July 17. This comes following a recent order from District Court Judge Dolly Gee of the Central District of California, which required Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release all children held for more than 20 days at Karnes, Dilley and Berks detention facilities. In the letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Matthew Albence, the lawmakers expressed their concern for children and parents exposed to unsafe living conditions as a result of ICE's inability to take the necessary precautions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Judge Gee observed in her ruling that these facilities are now on fire due to ICE's failure to ensure the basics, and because of COVID-19 outbreaks in each facility's surrounding area.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nSince the COVID-19 crisis started, Members of Congress, advocates, attorneys, and doctors have continuously urged ICE to use its authority to release detained families. We know the Administration has a history of separating thousands of children from their parents. Family separation should never be this country's policy, the Members wrote. We call upon ICE to act with compassion and release families together. Once these families are free from detention, together, we urge ICE to commit to a permanent policy of family unity and to seek alternatives to family detention including release on recognizance or community-driven support - in every case.\nFamily separation should never have become policy in the first place, said Rep. Cleaver. Now, with COVID-19 running rampant and ICE unable to protect the men, women and children detained in these facilities, it's more important than ever that these children are released with their families. We will continue to push this Administration to keep families together and end the traumatic, inhumane policy of family separation.\nYou can find the official letter from lawmakers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-calls-for-sanctions-on-russian-federation-following", "Rep. Cleaver Calls for Sanctions on Russian Federation Following Revelations of Bounties on U.S. Troops", "2020-07-06", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, called for the Trump Administration to immediately impose sanctions on the Russian Federation following reports of Russia funding terrorist organizations to murder American and allied service members in Afghanistan. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Rep. Cleaver also calls for the Administration to implement sanctions against Russia that were passed by Congress in 2014 and are long overdue. The letter was co-signed by four other Financial Services Subcommittee chairmen, including Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Al Green (D-TX), Bill Foster (D-Il), and Brad Sherman (D-CA).\nIn the letter, Rep. Cleaver wrote:\nAs more information is revealed with each passing day, we are forced to question why this administration has not acted or spoken out in defense of our citizens. Worse still, the President has advocated in support of this dangerous regime for membership into the G-7. These reports, whether taken individually or together, highlight the utter insufficiency of the Trump administration's current posture vis a vis Russia and its aggressive and nefarious intentions. As we continue to investigate these developments, it is imperative that you use the tools Congress has provided to defend our country.\nThe actions taken by Russia and the GRU warrant a significant and swift reprisal from the current Administration, said Congressman Cleaver. It's imperative that we make it unequivocally clear that this kind of aggression and any attempt to harm American troops will not be tolerated. Not only must the President implement sanctions that are long overdue from previous hostilities, we must now enact more serious and substantial sanctions to deter any future attempts by Russia to threaten U.S. and allied servicemembers.\nYou can find the official letter from Rep. Cleaver here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-for-patient-protection-affordable-care", "Congressman Cleaver Votes For Patient Protection & Affordable Care Enhancement Act", "2020-07-02", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Last night, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 1425, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, House Democrats' new legislation to build on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to lower health costs and prescription drug prices. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 234-179 and comes less than one week after the Trump Administration filed a brief asking the Supreme Court to strike down the entirety of the ACA.\nMy Democratic colleagues and I are keenly aware that we were swept into the House Majority in 2018 in no small part due to demands that Congress lower drug costs and protect healthcare for the American people, not take it away, said Congressman Cleaver. With this legislationand since the commencement of the 116th Congresswe are working adamantly to strengthen and build upon the Affordable Care Act, which will drive down drug costs and ensure that millions more of our fellow Americans have sufficient, affordable health care.\nThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act will make several reforms to current health care law that will lower prescription drug prices and expand access to healthcare, including:\n Increasing the ACA's affordability subsidies to be more generous and cover more middle-class families. For the first time, no person will have to pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for a benchmark silver plan in the ACA marketplaces, and many Americans will see their premiums cut in half or more:\n\t\tA family of four earning $40,000 would save nearly $1,600 in premiums each year.\n\t\t\tA 64-year-old earning $57,420 would save more than $8,700 in premiums each year.\n\t\t\tA single adult with income of $31,900 would see premiums cut in half.\n\t\t\tAn adult earning $19,140 would see premiums cut to zero, saving $800 dollars a year.\n\t\t\n\tNegotiating for lower prescription drug prices by delivering the power to negotiate lower drug prices so that Americans no longer have to pay more for our medicines than Big Pharma charges for the same drugs overseas. According to projections from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), drugs subject to negotiation will see price reductions of up to 55 percent.\n\tExpanding coverage by pressing Medicaid expansion hold-out states with new carrots and sticks to adopt coverage for the 4.8 million Americans cruelly excluded from coverage, while restoring the outreach and advertising funding that the Trump Administration has slashed to prevent Americans from learning about the affordable health coverage available to them under the ACA.\n\tCombating inequity in health coverage faced by communities of color by expanding more affordable coverage to vulnerable populations and fighting the maternal mortality epidemic by requiring states to extend Medicaid or CHIP coverage to new mothers for a full year post-partum.\n\tCracking down on junk plans & strengthening protections for people with pre-existing conditions by reversing the Trump Administration's expansion of junk health insurance plans that do not provide coverage for essential medical treatments and drugs and that are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing medical conditions.\n Missouri families are pleading with Congress to take decisive action on the out-of-control rise in prescription drug prices, especially during a global pandemic, Congressman Cleaver continued. I'm proud to support this legislation, which will expand health care, lower prescription drug costs, and strengthen the ACA for years to come. Now, I call on my colleagues in the Senate to listen to the American people and pass this bill.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-votes-for-transformational-sustainable-house-infrastructure", "Rep. Cleaver Votes For Transformational, Sustainable House Infrastructure Legislation", "2020-07-02", "2020", "2020-07", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Last night, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, which passed by a vote of 233-188. The bill would invest more than $1.5 trillion in modern, sustainable infrastructure while creating millions of good-paying jobs, combatting the climate crisis, and addressing disparities in urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the country\nFor decades now, Missourians have watched as Congress has neglected our decrepit national infrastructure and allowed it to fall deeper and deeper into inefficiency and disrepair, said Congressman Cleaver. Now, as tens of millions of Americans are seeking employment, Congress has an opportunity to invest in sustainable, 21st century infrastructure that will create millions of good-paying jobs, support our nation's recovery from the coronavirus crisis, and reinforce our efforts to combat climate change. This isn't just good policy, it's responsible governing for American workers and future generations.\nThe Moving Forward Act would:\n Provide a nearly $500 billion investment to rebuild and reimagine the nation's transportation infrastructure by fixing our crumbling roads and bridges, improving safety, reducing gridlock, and putting the U.S. on a path toward zero emissions from the transportation sector by cutting carbon pollution; investing in public transit and the national rail network; building out fueling infrastructure for low- and zero-emission vehicles; and deploying technology and innovative materials.\n\tInvest in schools with the Reopen and Rebuild America's Schools Act, which funds $130 billion in school infrastructure targeted at high-poverty schools with facilities that endanger the health and safety of students and educators. This investment will help students safely get back to school and create more than 2 million jobs to help workers get back to work.\n\tDeliver affordable high-speed broadband Internet access to all parts of the country by investing $100 billion to promote competition for broadband internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities, prioritizing those with persistent poverty. Gets children connected to remote learning, closes broadband adoption and digital skills gaps and enhances payment support for low-income households and the recently unemployed.\n\tInvest over $100 billion into our nation's affordable housing infrastructure to create or preserve 1.8 million affordable homes. These investments will help reduce housing inequality, create jobs and stimulate the broader economy, increase community and household resiliency in the face of natural disasters, improve hazardous living conditions, and increase the environmental sustainability of our housing stock.\n\tAddress structural challenges and upgrade child care facilities by leveraging a 5-year, $10 billion federal investment to generate additional state and private investments in making sure that child care settings are safe, appropriate, and able to comply with current and future public health directives.\n\tProtect access to safe drinking water by investing over $25 billion in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and other programs to ensure all communities have clean drinking water and to help remove dangerous contaminants like PFAS from local water systems.\n\tModernize our energy infrastructure for a clean energy future by investing more than $70 billion to transform our electric grid to accommodate more renewable energy, expand renewable energy, strengthen existing infrastructure, help develop an electric vehicle charging network, and support energy efficiency, weatherization, and Smart Communities infrastructure.\n\tModernize the nation's health care infrastructure by investing $30 billion to upgrade hospitals to increase capacity and strengthen care, help community health centers respond to COVID-19 and future public health emergencies, improve clinical laboratory infrastructure, support the Indian Health Services infrastructure, and increase capacity for community-based care.\n\tModernize and strengthen the United States Postal Service by investing $25 billion to modernize postal infrastructure and operations, including a zero emissions postal vehicle fleet, processing equipment and other goods.\n\tPromote new renewable energy infrastructure by incentivizing the development of wind and solar on public lands and building a workforce for offshore wind.\n\tPromote investments in our communities by spurring private investment through the tax code, through a revitalized Build America Bonds program, expansions of Private Activity Bonds, and significant enhancements to the New Markets Tax Credit and the Rehabilitation Tax Credit.\n The American people are clamoring for an innovative, bold, and long-term approach as Congress looks toward the future, Congressman Cleaver continued. On behalf of my constituents in the Fifth District of Missouri, I am proud to support the Moving Forward Act, which would send over $800 million to be invested in our great state and provide the nation with a sustainable path forward in the coming decades. I implore my colleagues in the Senate to listen to the people, take up this legislation, and send it to the President's desk.\nA fact sheet on the Moving Forward Act is available here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/with-rep-cleavers-support-house-democrats-pass-transformational-george", "With Rep. Cleaver's Support, House Democrats Pass Transformational George Floyd Justice In Policing Act", "2020-06-26", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Last night, The United States House of Representatives passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, Democrats' bold, transformative legislation to reimagine the culture of policing in America with unprecedented reforms to curb police brutality, end racial profiling, eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement, and build greater trust between law enforcement and our local communities. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) was a cosponsor and voted in favor of the legislation, which passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 236-181.\nThe American people have made it unequivocally clear that the time has come for major, concrete reform to address the systemic racism that has plagued our nation's policing system for generations, said Congressman Cleaver. Thanks to the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus, this legislation delivers the transformational change Americans are seeking from Congress. It increases transparency, holds law enforcement accountable, and, ultimately, will save lives.\nThe George Floyd Justice In Policing Act will take numerous key steps to achieve the structural change needed to combat America's history of police brutality and racial injustice, including:\n Banning all chokeholds;\n\tBanning no-knock warrants in drug cases;\n\tEnding racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling;\n\tEliminating the qualified immunity doctrine that has long been a barrier to holding police officers accountable for wrongful conduct;\n\tEstablishing a National Police Misconduct Registry to improve transparency and prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave one agency from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability;  Requiring data collection, including mandatory body cameras and dashboard cameras;\n\tEstablishing new standards for policing and the Public Safety Innovation grants for community-based organizations to help reimagine policing in their communities.\n Our nation was founded on the fundamental promise of equal justice under the law, and, for far too long, we have failed to live up to that promise. I am proud to support this legislation, which will take the necessary steps to protect the persecuted and reestablish trust between law enforcement and our local communities, Congressman Cleaver continued. Now is not the time for congressional timidity. Now is the time for congressional action. Should the Administration and U.S. Senate fail to listen to the American people's call for action, I have little doubt the people will take action themselves come November.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-praises-move-1000-usdaemployees-contaminated-goodfellow-federal", "Clay Praises Move of 1000 USDA Employees from Contaminated Goodfellow Federal Complex to Metropolitan Square Building in Downtown St. Louis", "2020-06-25", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Clay Praises Move of 1000 USDA Employees from Contaminated Goodfellow Federal Complex to Metropolitan Square Building in Downtown St. Louis\nLong Struggle Results in Victory for At-Risk Federal Employees\n\nWASHINGTON, DC -Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri announced today that after a four-year struggle to move endangered federal workers from the highly contaminated Goodfellow Federal Complex in North St. Louis, 1000 employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be relocated to the Metropolitan Square Building at211 N. Broadway in downtown St.Louis, the city's tallest building. The move will be completed by September of 2021. Mr. Clay, Missouri's Senior Democrat in Washington, has worked closely with the General Services Administration, the Public Building Service, and the American Federation of Government Employees to finally get these valued federal employees out of harms way.\nNo one should have to choose between serving their country or sacrificing their health,said the Congressman.Since I became aware of the obvious unabated environmental hazards at this site and the terrible healthcare toll this has inflicted on so many federal employees; my goal was to first get these dedicated workers out of harms way, and then if possible, retain these good federal jobs for St. Louis. Today's announcement by the GSA achieves both of those goals.\nFor years, federal employees at the Goodfellow Complex have complained of unusual medical problems including high rates of certain cancers. The toxic contamination was confirmed in 2016 following an investigation by OSHA, which listed 83 hazardous substances present at the site. In a follow-up report the Inspector General of the GSA cited the Public Building Service for Failing to adequately protect tenants, contractors and visitors from known hazards, despite having spent more than $1.9 million between 2002 - 2018 on at least 33 studies that identified numerous environmental hazards.\nThe Goodfellow Federal Complex, which dates back to 1941, was originally part of the massive St. Louis Army Ammunition Plant. It was converted to civilian use in 1966.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-for-senate-to-take-up-legislation-protecting", "Congressman Cleaver Calls for Senate to Take Up Legislation Protecting Dreamers", "2020-06-23", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Following the Supreme Court's landmark decision rejecting the Trump Administration's illegal effort to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) is again calling for passage of legislation that would protect DACA recipients from deportation. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Rep. Cleaver, along with over 100 other House lawmakers, is urging the Senate Majority Leader to schedule a vote on H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, which passed the House of Representatives more than a year ago and would give Dreamers a path to citizenship.\nWith Republicans in the majority, the United States Senate has failed to challenge the most anti-immigrant President in modern history. It is not too late to change course, the Members wrote. As Majority Leader you can immediately schedule a vote in the Senate for the American Dream and Promise Act. It would be an American tragedy to deport DACA recipients who are saving lives in the midst of this pandemic.\nThe time has come for the U.S. Congress to bring certainty to the nearly 700,000 Dreamers whose lives have been in limbo since this Administration attempted to illegally rescind the DACA program, said Congressman Cleaver. These are people who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis; who have grown up in this great nation; and who are American in every single way except for on paper. The Senate must end their obstruction of the Dream and Promise Act and allow Dreamers the path to citizenship that they justly deserve.\nWhile DACA is just one part of our nation's broken immigration system, the bipartisan support it commands make it a great first step toward comprehensive immigration reform that has eluded Congress for years, Congressman Cleaver continued. It is long overdue that both parties sit down and find a bipartisan compromise that puts people first and addresses our country's immigration woes because the current system is not working for the economy, for businesses, or for workers and families that want to be a part of the American dream.\nYou can find the official letter to Senator McConnell with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-missouri-delegation-urge-president-trump-to-support-disaster", "Rep. Cleaver, Missouri Delegation Urge President Trump to Support Disaster Declaration for Areas Impacted by Severe Weather", "2020-06-22", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, the entire Missouri congressional delegation, including U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II, Sam Graves, Wm. Lacy Clay, Jason Smith, Billy Long, Vicky Hartzler, Ann Wagner, and Blaine Leutkemeyer, as well as U.S. Senators Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley, sent a letter urging President Trump to support Governor Mike Parson's request for a federal emergency disaster declaration for 19 counties impacted by severe storms and tornadoes in early May. The disaster declaration is a necessary step in order for these counties to access critically important federal resources for recovery efforts.\nState and federal assessment teams have observed damage to electric power systems and public infrastructure as a result of the storms; State Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials have estimated that more than $9.3 million in damages are eligible for federal assistance. This event has compounded the financial stress that already encumbers the state due to COVID-19, the delegation wrote. We respectfully request your prompt action to ensure that these communities receive the immediate support needed to respond to the disaster.\nThe delegation's official letter to President Trump can be found here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-and-davids-demand-information-on-allegations-of", "Reps. Cleaver and Davids Demand Information on Allegations of Discrimination at KCVA", "2020-06-19", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) demanded documentation from the Kansas City Veterans Administration (KCVA) Medical Center following allegations of a pattern of discrimination against Black employees at the facility. Specifically, the Members of Congress are calling for all documented complaints and how they were handled going back ten years, as well as all information on applicant scoring protocols and the altering of scores to eliminate minority candidates in particular.\nIn a letter to KCVA Director David Isaacks, the lawmakers wrote:\nOver the past several months, employees have raised concerns that have formed a pattern we simply cannot ignore. Our offices have brought some to your attention over the last few months through formal inquiries, but many more employees have been affected and it's on behalf of all of them and the veterans they serve that we write you today.\nAccording to recent reports to both congressional offices, African American employees were asked by management to take part in a living museum in which they portray historic figures, including former slaves and rappers, to celebrate Juneteenth. It was also noted that an Associate Director on a staff conference call proposed ordering friend chicken and watermelon as catering for the event. To make matters worse, when staff have the courage to report wrongdoing within the facility, they face retaliation rather than the wrongdoer being held accountable.\nThe disturbing reports our offices have received from Black employees and veterans at the Kansas City VA are unacceptable, said Congressman Cleaver. No American veteran and at no work place in this country in the year 2020 should an employee be discriminated against for the color of their skin or retaliated against for standing up to this dehumanizing behavior. It's important that the leadership at the facility take the steps needed to root out this kind of conduct, and that starts with being transparent and turning over documented complaints.\nThe Kansas City VA is an essential resource for thousands of veterans across Kansas and Missouri, and it should be a place where they can receive medical care and services without fear of discrimination. The same is true for KCVA employees, whose work to care for our nation's heroes is essential, especially during the COVID pandemic. I've been extremely concerned to hear about discriminatory practices towards employees and veterans at the KCVA. They must be transparent and release information about these complaints right away, said Rep. Davids.\nYou can find the official letter from Reps. Cleaver and Davids to the KCVA Director here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-leads-congressional-call-for-facebook-to-strengthen-policies", "Rep. Cleaver Leads Congressional Call For Facebook to Strengthen Policies In Order to Limit Violence and Paid Political Disinformation", "2020-06-12", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), joined by 17 colleagues in the House of Representatives, delivered a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calling on the tech company to revise its policies governing the incitement of violence and political micro-targeting on its platform. Rep. Cleaver and his colleagues are also seeking more information on Facebook's current policies governing these issues, how they reached these policy decisions, and how they intend to enforce the lackadaisical policies going forward.\nFacebook's hands-off approach and failure to take responsibility for the disinformation and violent rhetoric that gets trafficked on their websitethat they profit from every dayis doing considerable damage to democracies around the world and even their staff has had enough, said Congressman Cleaver. The First Amendment is a sacred right that every American possesses, but it does not give politicians and nefarious actors the right to spread violence, lies and misleading claims on a public platform to individuals who are especially susceptible to disinformation.\nIn the letter, Congressman Cleaver wrote:\nOn May 29, 2020, In your function as CEO, you articulated Facebook's determination not to remove a post which other social media platforms, and a large number of Facebook employees, agreed incited violence and directly violated Facebook's Community Standards.' Further, we understand that hundreds of your employees, uncomfortable with your inaction, organized a walkout on Monday June 1, 2020. We share their disappointment with your response. This highlights a possible negligent obfuscation of responsibility to your team, your shareholders, and your users. It also underscores a likely pattern of practice in failing to appropriately balance free speech against public safety and the general welfare of users. This failing is also reflected in Facebook's practices around microtargeting and misinformation.\nLast month, following several Presidential posts regarding false claims about mail-in voting and stating when the looting starts, the shooting starts, the social media platform Twitter added warning labels to several tweets from the President that were either inaccurate or had the potential to incite violence. However, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the decision to not do anything about the same misleading and violent messages on his company's platform despite their clear violation of the Community Standards.\nOver 400 Facebook employees stages a walk out over the company's violation of its own standards and on Monday, June 8, 2020, a number of content moderators at Facebook expressed their solidarity in the walkout saying, we would walk out with youif Facebook would allow it. They noted their frustration as the employees responsible for enforcing Facebook's policy position. These employees said, We can't walk out, but we cannot stay silent.\nWhile Twitter, Google, and Snap have become more stringent in their policies on disinformation and violent rhetoric in recent years, Facebook has held firm in its position that the company has no responsibility to inform their users of political disinformation or shield them from the President's incitement of violence on the company's platform. Facebook announced earlier this year they would not ban political advertisements and would not begin the practice of fact-checking political advertisements, which can be micro-targeted to reach increasingly smaller, more specific groups of like-minded individuals. Considering Facebook is the world's largest social media conglomerate, with over 1 billion users globally, this allows for the drastic dissemination of disinformation with frightening ramifications for democracies around the world.\nIn the letter, Rep. Cleaver addresses this issue:\nMicro-targeting empowers advertisers to exploit such division by 1) allowing them to profile and target users who are most sensitive to particular identity threats, 2) enabling targeted messages to travel in an environment with few checks, 3) allowing targeted ads to land in media spaces where their claims and messages are less likely to be challenged, and 4) interfacing on a platform that is designed in ways to favor the spread of information triggering quick and emotionally intensive responsesWe are of the belief that Facebook's failure to limit political micro-targeting already works to the favor of those who pay your company to run hyper-partisan and divisive advertisements regardless of their factual accuracy.\nFacebook can no longer shirk responsibility for allowing this kind of manipulation to take place on their platform. Congressmen Cleaver continued. The time has come for Facebook to, at the bare minimum, live up to the standards they themselves have put forward. If they cannotor will notmake the changes necessary to this keep this modern-day public square from becoming blatant disinformation, manipulation and violent incitement, I believe Congress will need to step in.\nYou can find Rep. Cleaver's letter with a list of cosigners here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-davids-push-to-save-thousands-of-kc-area-jobs-at-federal", "Reps. Cleaver & Davids Push to Save Thousands of KC-Area Jobs at Federal Agency Amid Potential Layoffs", "2020-06-12", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05) and Sharice Davids (KS-03) continue the push to save Kansas City area jobs after news broke in May of potential layoffs for 1,000 contract workers at the National Benefits Center due to coronavirus-related revenue shortfalls, which would be among the largest mass layoffs in the Kansas City area. Should the Agency fail to receive critically-needed funding, over 1,000 additional federal employees in the region could be laid off as well. As the representatives fight for federal funding, they are calling on the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services (USCIS) to put forward a plan demonstrating these jobs will remain should funding be secured.\n44 million Americans have filed jobless claims in the last 3 months, and the Greater Kansas City Area has not been spared of the financial pain growing throughout the country, said Congressman Cleaver. We cannot allow thousands Kansas Citians to unnecessarily lose good-paying jobs amongst this economic backdrop. As Congresswoman Davids and I continue working within Congress to find funding and keep these workers employed, it's important that the USCIS put forward a plan that shows unequivocally their intention to maintain these jobs for the foreseeable future. With a satisfactory plan in place, I'm hopeful we can convince Congress to supply the funding these workers desperately need.\nAt a time when so many Kansans have lost their job security and are facing enormous financial strain, Congress must do everything we can to prevent what would be massive and devastating layoffs at a major employer in the Kansas City area. I'm committed to working with Congressman Cleaver, as well as congressional leaders and the committees of jurisdiction, to protect these vital jobs and the livelihoods of families across the region, said Rep. Davids. \nCleaver and Davids have been in discussion with congressional leadership and the committees of jurisdiction since the news became public in mid-May as they advocate for emergency funding for USCIS, which oversees the National Benefits Center and the National Records Center, in order to protect jobs at the agency.\nThe National Benefits Center and National Records Center have offices in Lee's Summit and Overland Park.\nYou can find the official letter from Reps. Cleaver and Davids to the USCIS here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-joins-congressional-democrats-to-introduce-transformative", "Rep. Cleaver Joins Congressional Democrats to Introduce Transformative Police Reform Legislation", "2020-06-09", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, Congressional Democrats introduced the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, an historic piece of legislation that would transform the nation's policing policies and begin to create structural reform in the United States Justice System. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) joined with over 200 House and Senate Democrats to support the legislation as an original cosponsor, which was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.\nIn the past week the American people have made one thing abundantly clear: The time for change has come, said Congressman Cleaver. I've heard from countless Missourians of all stripes who want to see substantive changes to our system of justice which has disproportionately harmed the Black community for decades. With this piece of legislation, we are taking the initial steps needed to create concrete changes that will lead to a more just and equitable system for all.\nFollowing the murder of George Floyd by officers from the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25, civil demonstrations began throughout the United States. Last week, demonstrations were held in every state in the union, even sparking protests in other nations around the globe, with activists demanding systemic changes to the U.S. justice system. The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 is the first comprehensive legislative package introduced by the CBC and Congressional Democrats following the outpouring of calls for reform.\nThe Justice in Policing Act of 2020 would:\n Hold police accountable in our courts by reforming qualified immunity so that individuals are not entirely barred from recovering damages when police violate their constitutional rights; improving the use of patterns and practices investigations at the federal level; and incentivizing states to create independent investigative structures for police involved deaths through grants\n\tImprove transparency by collecting better and more accurate data of police misconduct and use-of-force, including a National Police Misconduct Registry to prevent problem-officers from changing jurisdictions to avoid accountability; and mandating state and local law enforcement agencies to report use of force data, disaggregated by race, sex, disability, religion, and age.\n\tImprove police training and practices by ending racial and religious profiling; mandating training on racial bias and the duty to intervene; banning no-knock warrant in drug cases; banning chokeholds and carotid holds; requiring federal uniformed police officers to wear body cameras; and lowering the standard to evaluate whether law enforcement use of force was justified.\n\tMake lynching a federal crime\n The public is sick and tired of turning on the nightly news to see yet another African American killed at the hands of law enforcement, Congressman Cleaver continued. We cannot continue to kick the can down the road as more Black men and women fall victim to police brutality and racial profiling. The American people are pleading for comprehensive, common sense reforms, and, as their representatives in the United States Congress, it's time that we heeded their calls.\nYou can find the text of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 here and a fact-sheet on the bill here.\nIn addition to Congressman Cleaver, co-sponsors of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 in the House of Representatives are Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), John Lewis (D-GA), Alma Adams (D-NC), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Collin Allred (D-TX), Nanette Barragn (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Ami Bera (D-CA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Anthony G. Brown (D-MD), Julia Brownley (D-CA), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Tony Crdenas (D-CA), Andre Carson (D-IN), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), David N. Cicilline (D-RI), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Susan Davis (D-CA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Antonio Delgado (D-NY), Val B. Demings (D-FL), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jess Chuy Garca (D-IL), Sylvia R. Garca, (D-TX), Al Green (D-TX), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Deb Haaland (D-NM), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Denny Heck (D-WA), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Henry C. \"Hank\" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Bill Keating (D-MA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-MA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Annie Kuster (D-NH), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Brenda L. Lawrence (D-MI), Al Lawson (D-FL), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL), Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Scott Peters (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Stacey E. Plaskett (D-V.I.), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), David E. Price (D-NC), Jamie Raskin, (D-MD), Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Linda Snchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL), Bobby Scott (D-VA), David Scott (D-GA), Jose Serrano (D-NY), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Donna Shalala (D-FL), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Adam Smith (D-WA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Norma Torres (D-CA), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Trone (D-MD), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Nydia Velzquez (D-NY), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Frederica Wilson (D-FL) and John Yarmuth (D-KY).\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/speaker-nancy-pelosi-congressman-lacy-clay-senator-kamala-harris-and-0", "Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Lacy Clay, Senator Kamala Harris and Congressional Black Caucus Introduce Justice in Policing Act of 2020", "2020-06-08", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Lacy Clay, Senator Kamala Harris and Congressional Black Caucus Introduce Justice in Policing Act of 2020\nSweeping Police Reform Act Includes Key Clay Legislation to Make Use of Deadly Force a Last Resort, Require an Independent Prosecutor For All Police Killings,\nTransform Training Standards for All Local Law Enforcement\nWASHINGTON, DC -Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) California, Congressman Lacy Clay (D) Missouri, Senator Kamala Harris (D) California; Senator Cory Booker (D) New Jersey and Judiciary Committee Chairman Congressman Jerry Nadler (D) New York joined Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Congresswoman Karen Bass (D) California and members of the CBC to introduce the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 this morning at the U.S. Capitol.\nThis remarkable legislative proposal advances a long and arduous process that I have been pursuing since the Ferguson uprising to make a course correction in our democracy to finally address centuries of oppression and unequal treatment of African Americans by law enforcement, said Mr. Clay. I'm very proud that three of my top police reform priorities are included in this landmark bill, including: Making the use of deadly force the last resort for law enforcement; mandating an independent prosecutor in all instances of police killings; and requiring all new and existing police officers to undergo transformative training to address racial bias, cultural awareness, deescalation tactics, and the pervasive use of excessive force with non-white subjects. It may take generations to achieve all of this, but our bill is a powerful, bold step forward to move American society to a new normal for both race relations and policing.\nHighlights of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 include:\n Holding police officers accountable in the courts by reforming qualified immunity.\n\tImproving transparency of local law enforcement by collecting more accurate and timely data of police use of force and misconduct.\n\tImproving police training and practices by ending racial and religious profiling;\n  Mandating training on racial bias and the duty to intervene;\n\tBanning no-knock warrants in drug cases;\n\tBanning chokeholds and carotid holds;\n\tChanging the standard to evaluate whether law enforcement use of force was justified from whether the force was reasonable to whether the force was necessary;\n\tLimiting the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement;\n\tRequiring federal uniformed police officers to wear body cameras; and\n\tRequiring state and local law enforcement to use existing federal funds to ensure the use of police body cameras.\n  Makes lynching a federal crime.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/joint-statement-congressman-wm-lacy-clay-d-missouri-and-congressman", "JOINT STATEMENT BY  CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI AND CONGRESSMAN EMANUAL CLEAVER, II (D) MISSOURI  REGARDING U.S. SENATOR ROY BLUNTs SUPPORT OF DEPT. OF JUSTICE INQUIRIES INTO THE POLICE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD", "2020-06-05", "2020", "2020-06", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "JOINT STATEMENT BY\nCONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI AND CONGRESSMAN EMANUAL CLEAVER, II (D) MISSOURI\nREGARDING U.S. SENATOR ROY BLUNT's SUPPORT OF DEPT. OF JUSTICE INQUIRIES INTO THE POLICE MURDER OF\nGEORGE FLOYD\n\nST. LOUIS, MO  KANSAS CITY, MO Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (D) Missouri today issued a joint statement regarding U.S. Senator Roy Blunt's support of their calls for the U.S. Department of Justice to launch inquiries into the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN.\nThe following, in its entirety, is first-person from Congressman Clay and Congressman Cleaver:\nWe are very pleased that Senator Blunt strongly supports our call for Attorney General William Barr to order the U.S. Department of Justice to launch both a Patterns & Practices inquiry and a Civil Rights inquiry into the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.\nThe same standard that applied in Ferguson should apply in Minneapolis too, and we hope that it leads to the kind of fundamental reforms via a consent decree as was achieved in Ferguson that transformed their police department and city government.\nGeorge Floyd was another in the long list of unarmed Black citizens who were denied their humanity, their dignity and their lives by racially driven deadly force exercised by local police without justification.\nWe cannot allow this utter contempt for Black lives and rejection of our common humanity to continue without consequences for not just the alleged murderer and other officers who stood by and did nothing to stop this crime, but by exposing and reforming the culture of police violence against persons of color that allowed this murder to happen.\n\n\n -30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-wm-lacy-clay-d-missouri-regarding-police-murder", "STATEMENT BY  CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI  REGARDING THE POLICE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD", "2020-05-30", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "STATEMENT BY \nCONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI\nREGARDING THE POLICE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD\n\nST. LOUIS, MO  Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri made a special statement today regarding the police murder of George Floyd and the systematic racism and excessive force by some local police officers which led to another tragic death of an unarmed, Black citizen.\n\nThe following are excerpts from the Congressman's live remarks delivered at the Urban League's Drive-thru Food Distribution community event in North St. Louis County.\n=============================================================================================\n\nFirst, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to George Floyd's family. It's clear that he was a beloved man who lived his life for others. Like most of you, I am angry beyond words about his murder by a Minneapolis police officer.\n\nThat videotape taken by a brave bystander has revealed to White Americans what Black Americans have witnessed for decades\nRacially driven, excessive force applied by some police officers who view Black citizens as something less than human.\n\nThe video doesn't lie, and the whole world is watching.\n\nGeorge Floyd was not resisting arrest.\n\nHe was resisting strangulation.\n\nAnd while the police officer who pressed his knee into Mr. Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes has been arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter\n\nThe three other officers, who stood by and did absolutely nothing, and the medic who made no effort to save his life, must be charged as accessories to this tragic crime.\n====\n\nGeorge Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery , Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner and our own Mike Brown too. The list of broken black bodies at the hands of local law enforcement keeps growing.\n\nAnd the hate and systematic racism that allows this violence to keep happening has never been fully confronted.\n\nWe need full Justice Department Patterns & Practices and Civil Rights Investigations in Minneapolis.\n\nI hope they result in the same kind of sweeping consent decree that we achieved in Fergusonwhich totally transformed the local government and the police department.\n\nUnless White America finally sees, respects, and is willing to defend our humanity as Black peopleas much as their own\n\nOur country will never healand our nation will never be whole.\n\nMy question to my white brothers and sisters is just this\n\nWhen do the promises of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness apply equally to people who look like me, instead of just people who look like you?\n\nAnd I want to speak directly to my white allies in the progressive movement who regularly expect Black leaders to stand with you to advance your core agenda\n\nWill you stand with us now, or will you remain silent in the face of this evil?\n\nBlack Americans are sick and tired of being systematically deprived of our humanity and dignity by a deeply engrained culture of racially driven excessive force by some police officers who repeatedly make it clear that some lives are worth less than other lives in this country.\n\nThat is an ugly, inescapable truth that every American needs to hear, and then commit to change.\n\nIf George Floyd had been white,\n\nWould he have died on the street like an animal, begging for mercy while he struggled to breathe?\n\nYou already know the answer.\n\nSo, I pray for George Floyd and his family, and for the soul of our nation as well.\n\nI hope the pain that we feel today can lead us to a future where systematic racism is replaced by universal respect and equality for all.\n\nVIDEO LINK OF CONGRESSMAN CLAY's STATEMENT\n\nhttps://www.facebook.com/CongressmanClayMO1/videos/650126302237334/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-davids-and-axne-announce-legislation-to-establish-missouri", "Reps. Cleaver, Davids, and Axne Announce Legislation to Establish Missouri River Flood Prevention Program", "2020-05-22", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Cindy Axne (D-IA) announced bipartisan legislation to establish a flood prevention program to protect Midwestern communities along the lower Missouri River system. The Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act would modernize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' methods for managing water resource projects along the Missouri River system and require the implementation of a system-wide approach to projects in order to reduce flood risk and increase flood protection along the lower Missouri River.\nMy congressional districtand districts all along the lower Missouri Riverhave witnessed historic floods in recent years that only seem to be increasing in intensity and the havoc they wreak on our local communities, said Congressman Cleaver. We need a wide-ranging, proactive approach that mitigates the potential for overwhelming flooding along the Missouri River, and we need it now. I'm pleased to introduce this bipartisan legislation, along with Reps. Davids and Axne, which will give the Army Corps of Engineers the flexibility and tools they need to protect these communities from the devastating floods they have faced time and time again in recent years.\nI'm proud to join my colleagues, Reps. Cleaver and Axne, in providing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the ability to swiftly address long-term Missouri flood risk in a sustainable way. Those of us that live along the river know all too well the terrible impact flooding has on our communities -- and it's only getting worse. It's my hope the House can consider this bipartisan legislation immediately and deliver much needed relief to our area, said Representative Davids.\nSouthwest Iowa is still rebuilding after devastating floods last year destroyed communities and uprooted lives, said Rep. Axne.Throughout this recovery process, I have heard countless times on the need for a new approach to flood management. I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to address the needs of our constituents and give the Army Corps of Engineers a greater ability to protect communities along the lower Missouri river.\nThe Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act allows for a more streamlined, efficient approach to how the Army Corps plans for and manages water resource projects along the Missouri River. Specifically, the legislation would:\n Require the Secretary of the Army to develop a system plan to reduce flood risk and improve flood resiliency;\n\tRequire the Secretary of the Army to administer a program to study, design, and construct water resources development projects, and modify completed water projects, in order to provide flood protection to affected communities;\n\tFollowing development of a project feasibility report, provide authority for the Secretary of the Army to construct projects where the federal share does not exceed $75 million and the project fits within the system plan;\n\tRequire congressional authorization for projects where the federal share exceeds $75 million. The federal cost-share for feasibility reports and construction would be 80%;\n\tRequire consultation with applicable federal and state agencies, tribes, and stakeholders;\n\tAnd direct program authority to encompass 735 miles of the Missouri River from Sioux City, Iowa, to the mouth of the river.\n Original co-sponsors of the bill also include Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Steve Watkins (R-KS), and Don Bacon (R-NE).\nA Senate version of the bill was introduced by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) in March. You can find the official text of the Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-applauds-usda-approval-of-request-for-pandemic-ebt-funds-for-mo", "Cleaver Applauds USDA Approval of Request For Pandemic EBT Funds for MO Families", "2020-05-19", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) approval for Missouri to access the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), a program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The program will assist families impacted by COVID-19 who already utilize EBT to receive an increase in funds and allow those who do not currently participate to sign-up for the program as an alternative to school districts' food distribution programs.\nIt is of the utmost importance that we do everything we can to ensure food access for school children that would otherwise not receive a nutritious meal.  said Congressman Cleaver\nNo matter how dire the situation may be, we cannot forget about those who are vulnerable to food insecurity during these moments of crisis. I applaud the USDA for working with us to approve access to this vital program. \nLast month, Congressman Cleaver sent a letter to the Secretary of the USDA, Sonny Perdue, to approve Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (MO DESE) request to mobilize the P-EBT program.\n\nYou can find Congressman Cleaver's official letter here.\n\n---\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Juan Ramiro Sarmiento at 816-842-4545 or Ramiro.Sarmiento@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-supports-the-heroes-act-to-bring-immediate-relief-to", "Rep. Cleaver Supports The Heroes Act To Bring Immediate Relief To Missourians and Local Communities", "2020-05-15", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted for The Heroes Act, the latest emergency coronavirus relief proposal to address the continued public health crisis and bring desperately needed support for struggling families and essential workers. The bill includes funds for testing and tracing measures, key support for frontline workers, and strengthened financial assistance for the American people.\nAs I hear from more and more Missourians and small businesses, one thing is abundantly clear: they need major relief immediately, said Congressman Cleaver. We're witnessing an economic and public health crisis like I've never seen before, and we need a response that matches the scale of the challenge at hand. The American people and small businesses across the country have done their part to stem the spread of COVID-19. Congress and the Administration cannot fail to do ours by coming to the aid of workers and businesses who are hanging on by a thread.\nThe Heroes Act brings much-needed support to Missouri and our local communities with robust funding to cover coronavirus-related revenue losses and pay our frontline health care workers as well as police, fire, transportation, EMS, teachers and other vital workers who keep us safe and are in danger of losing their jobs.\nAn analysis prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) estimates the Heroes Act will provide more than $4.1 billion in state funding for the people of Missouri in 2020 as well as $5.2 billion in 2021, in addition to urgently needed funding for communities in the Fifth District of Missouri. These estimates based on current population levels include:\n Kansas City  $562,514,052 over two years;\n\tJackson County  $395,356,323 over two years;\n\tClay County  $140,564,688 over two years;\n\tIndependence  $58,404,034 over two years;\n\tLee's Summit  $26,713,121 over two years;\n\tBlue Springs  $19,295,751 over two years;\n\tLafayette County  $18,394,185 over two years;\n\tRaytown  $14,313,828 over two years;\n\tMarshall  $6,385,509 over two years;\n\tOdessa  $2,568,225 over two years;\n\tLexington  $2,239,914 over two years.\n The Heroes Act also includes a $90 billion fund to support state and local public education, including $1.6 billion for Missouri communities. This funding will help restore state and local fiscal support for elementary, secondary and public higher education. It can be used to meet a wide range of urgent needs, including summer learning, afterschool programs, distance learning, and emergency financial aid for college students as well as coordination with public health departments to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.\nIn addition to resources for our state and local governments, the Heroes Act provides transformative, wide-ranging support to protect the lives and livelihoods of Missourians and the American people:\n Provides strong support for our heroes: Our health care and essential workers have been on the frontlines of this crisis, risking their lives to keep our communities safe and healthy. This bill establishes a $200 billion Heroes fund to ensure that essential workers across the country receive hazard pay for their sacrifices.\n\tPuts money in the pockets of American families and workers: One direct payment to Missouri families and a few months of enhanced unemployment insurance for laid off workers simply isn't enough to match the scale of the current economic crisis. The Heroes Act provides a second round of direct payments to families up to $6,000 per household, new payroll protection measures to keep 60 million workers connected with their jobs and extends weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January.\n\tSupports small businesses: Strengthening the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) is critical to keeping thousands of small businesses alive in Missouri. This legislation ensures PPP funding reaches underserved communities, nonprofits, and responds flexibly to small businesses by providing $10 billion for COVID-19 emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.\n\tEnsure capable testing, tracing and treatment: In order safely reopen our communities, something we all wish to happen as soon as possible, we have to have a science-based approach and ensure that every American can access free treatment. This bill provides $75 billion towards ramping up the production of testing and contact tracing capabilities as well as ensuring free treatment for every American infected by COVID-19.\n\tProtects the Postal Service: Missouri seniors, veterans, and rural communities rely on the Postal Service to affordably deliver life-saving medications and important documents through the mail. The Heroes Act protects and preserves the United States Postal Service (USPS) by providing $25 billion to keep the institutionwith its more than 600,000 workersup and running.\n\tProvides further support for Missourians and all Americans, including for:\n\t\tHealth security  Over 27 million Americans have lost health insurance after being laid off from work. The Heroes Act administers COBRA subsidies and a special enrollment period in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges for those without insurance.\n\t\t\tWorkplace security  Unfortunately, we've seen essential workers in Missouri forced to work in unsafe and vulnerable conditions. By requiring OSHA to ensure that all workplaces develop science-based infection control plans and preventing employers from retaliating against workers who report problems, we can keep Missouri workers safe from unnecessary infections.\n\t\t\tHousing security  In April, nearly one-third of American renters couldn't pay their rent. With $175 billion to assist renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related costs, we can ensure Missourians can keep a roof over their head.\n\t\t\tFood security  Food banks are seeing lines longer than ever before. This bill affords a 15% increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs that help families keep food on the table.\n\t\t\n\tProtects our democracy: It's important that every American maintain their right to vote without risking their personal safety and that every Missourian is counted in the 2020 Census. This bill provides resources to ensure safe, accessible elections and an accurate Census.\n I've talked to countless health care officials, small business owners, and laid off workers, and the need for federal assistance couldn't be more urgent, continued Congressman Cleaver. The pain is palpable and the despair is distressing. We have all witnessed the devastating repercussions of this virus, and American families are pleading for our help right now. With this legislation we honor the sacrifices of our nation's heroes and the American people, bring immediate relief to those who have been hardest hit, and take one step closer to defeating this horrible disease.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-applauds-passage-historic-heroes-act", "Clay Applauds Passage of Historic Heroes Act - Bold Emergency Legislation Will Provide Critical Help to States and Local Governments, Hazard Pay for Essential Workers, Urgent Help for Homeowners and Renters", "2020-05-15", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Clay Applauds Passage of Historic Heroes Act\nBold Emergency Legislation Will Provide Critical Help to States and Local Governments, Hazard Pay for Essential Workers, Urgent Help for Homeowners and Renters\n\nWASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri applauded today's passage of H.R. 6800 (The Heroes Act) in the U.S. House. Mr. Clay, who chairs the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development & Insurance, worked closely with Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D) California to insert new emergency help for homeowners and renters into the over $3 trillion legislative package.\nThe scope and power of this emergency funding bill will quickly reach right down to the state and local government levels to help them ensure no interruption in absolutely vital public services like education, police, fire protection and paramedics that could be cut without this urgent legislation, said the Congressman. Mr. Clay added, This legislation helps working families who are suffering job loss, through no fault of their own, with making the mortgage or rent payments. Working people need real relief now, not later. And they should not have to worry about keeping a roof over their heads during this pandemic. I'm also especially pleased that I was able to include some top priorities from the Financial Services Committee in the bill like creating a $100 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program to help struggling families and $75 billion in direct Homeowner Assistance to help working families hold onto their homes by providing emergency help with mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance, utilities and other housing-related costs. The Heroes Act also expands foreclosure and forbearance relief for homeowners and multifamily property owners under the CARES Act to ALL mortgages, not just federally-backed loans, and it ensures that homeowners can request forbearance for up to a year after the enactment of this bill. We were also able to expand the moratorium on evictions for all renters for six months.\nCongressman Clay also strongly supports provisions in the Heroes Act to provide another round of direct payments to individuals, $75 billion to expand COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, and a $25 billion infusion to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service can maintain universal delivery without interruption.\n\nHIGHLIGHTS OF THE HEROES ACT\n\n $75 billion for expanded COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and treatment.\n \n Nearly $1 trillion for state & local governments to maintain vital public services like police, EMS, Fire Protection, public education and public transportation.\n \n A new $200 Billion Heroes Fund to provide hazard pay for healthcare workers, transit workers, truck drivers, first responders, postal workers, grocery workers, and other essential employees.\n \n A second round of direct payments to families, up to $6000 per household\n \n Extension of $600 per week emergency federal unemployment benefits until January 2021.\n \n $100 billion to support operations of frontline healthcare providers including hospitals and community health centers.\n \n Strengthens the Paycheck Protection Program to ensure that PPP reaches underserved communities by creating a set-aside of 25% of existing funds to be used exclusively by small businesses with 10 or fewer employees.\n \n Expands the PPP Forgivable Loan Period from eight weeks to twenty-four weeks.\n \n Provides Student Loan Debt Relief by eliminating up to $10,000 in debt for distressed federal borrowers and provides a temporary suspension of payments for all federal student loan borrowers without penalty until September of 2021.\n \n Boosts maximum SNAP benefits by 15% through September 30, 2021.\n \nTo learn more about all provisions of the Heroes Act, please go to:\nhttps://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6800?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22HR+6800%22%5D%7D&s=1&r=1", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressmen-cleaver-williams-lead-bipartisan-call-to-support-live", "Congressmen Cleaver & Williams Lead Bipartisan Call To Support Live Entertainment Venues During Coronavirus Crisis", "2020-05-14", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Roger Williams (R-TX) led a bipartisan effort to support the live entertainment industry, which has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to Congressional leadership, Cleaver and Williams, along with 91 other members of Congress, called for a targeted legislative action to support the industry as Congress continues negotiations on the next emergency relief bill.\nLive entertainment venues were among the first to close as the coronavirus seeped into our society, and, sadly, they will be among the last to fully reopen to the public as we seek to stem the spread of this deadly virus, said Congressman Cleaver. Kansas City is well-known for its jazz bars and live music venues, which are a critical driver of our local economy, as they support musicians, event workers, and small businesses in surrounding areas. One study estimated that for every $1 spent on a ticket, a total of $12 in economic activity was generated, showing just how important these venues are to local economies across the nation. I'm proud to join Congressman Williams in a bipartisan effort to support these venues in their time of need and hope we can bring them some relief in the next stimulus package.\nLive music serves as a cultural hub for communities across our nation, especially right here in Austin, Texas. As businesses have had to close down due to government mandates, it has become clear that independent venues will be some of the last to reopen and return to normal operations. The venues play a crucial role in our societal identity while generating billions of dollars into our economy and supporting local 25th District businesses  it is of the utmost importance we provide relief for these pillars in our communities, said Congressman Williams.\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-applauds-inclusion-of-renters-assistance-bill-in-latest", "Rep. Cleaver Applauds Inclusion of Renters Assistance Bill in Latest Coronavirus Relief Proposal", "2020-05-13", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Yesterday the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), released the latest emergency coronavirus relief package, entitled the Heroes Act. Included in the legislative package was the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020, a bill introduced by United States Representative Denny Heck (D-WA) and originally co-sponsored by Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO).\nIn the month of April, nearly one-third of American renters couldn't pay rent due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus, said Congressman Cleaver. These are folks who, at no fault of their own, are at risk of losing shelter should the Administration and United States Congress fail to act. Not only would this leave millions of Americans without a roof over their head, but the economic impact could lead to a chain reaction that would further devastate the American economy. I'm happy to see the Speaker include this critical legislation in the Heroes Act, which would provide $100 billion in rental assistance to Americans who are in dire need of help, and I will continue to push for housing relief for American families as we debate this legislation.\nThe Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020 would provide $100 billion to:\n Help families and individuals pay their rent and utility bills to keep a roof over their head;\n\tSupplement funding for households in urban and rural communities;\n\tHelp rental property owners of all sizes continue to cover their costs, including the costs of necessary maintenance to ensure residents' health and safety;\n\tAnd help the economic recovery by stabilizing the rental housing market, something that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis.\n You can find a one-pager on the Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act here and the official text here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-green-waters-clay-beatty-introduce-fair-housing-resolution", "Reps. Cleaver, Green, Waters, Clay & Beatty Introduce Fair Housing Resolution", "2020-05-07", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  This week, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Al Green (D-TX), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), and Joyce Beatty (D-OH) introduced H. Res. 946, recognizing April as Fair Housing Month.\n52 years ago, the Civil Rights Movement, led by icons such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, reached its apex when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act into law, said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. Whilst this landmark legislation and the Civil Rights Movement furthered our nation's progress toward equality for all, the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated vividly the inequalities our nation still faces in regards to housing, health care, and economic mobility. This resolution is in honor of the men and women who fought for true justice under the law; a reminder of the work unfinished; and a call for unified action to eliminate the disparities laid bare for all to see during the current public health crisis.\nThe Fair Housing Act was the culmination of efforts orchestrated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who ardently supported fair housing and envisioned a society free of discrimination. Unfortunately, Dr. King was assassinated before he could see this landmark legislation enacted, but on April 11, 1968  a week after his assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act into law, said Congressman Al Green. In honor of the 52nd anniversary of this monumental step toward establishing equal opportunity in housing for all Americans, I and my colleagues in CongressRepresentatives William Lacy Clay, Emanuel Cleaver, and Joyce Beattyhave introduced a Fair Housing Resolution.\nI am pleased to join Subcommittee Chair Green in commemorating the Fair Housing Act and the month of April as Fair Housing Month, said Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters. In 1968, Congress passed the Fair Housing Act to make housing discrimination illegal based on protected classes that include race, color, sex, religion, national origin, familial status, and disability. Unfortunately, 52 years later, housing discrimination and segregation continue to persist at alarming rates. In 2018 alone, there were over 31,000 housing discrimination complaints filed in the United States, the highest level ever reported by the National Fair Housing Alliance since it began compiling national complaint data 25 years ago. As Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, I am fighting every day to strengthen and protect fair housing regulations in this country and provide relief for communities through equitable allocation of federal funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.\nYou can find the official text of H. Res. 946 here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-fudge-lead-fellow-lawmakers-urging-hhs-usda-dol-to-provide", "Reps. Cleaver, Fudge Lead Fellow Lawmakers Urging HHS, USDA & DOL to Provide Protections For Workers in Meat Processing Plants", "2020-05-01", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, on International Workers Day, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Marcia Fudge (D-OH), and 46 Members of Congress called on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide transparency and guidance to ensure workers are protected as they continue to operate in meat processing facilities. This effort comes after an Executive Order classifying these plants as critical infrastructure, forcing them to remain in operation.\nIn a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, DOL Secretary Eugene Scalia, and HHS Secretary Alex Azar, Cleaver and Fudge wrote:\nNeither the Executive Order nor the subsequent press release issued by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) contain information about coordination between federal agencies to provide PPE or plans to increase coronavirus testing for plant employees and the surrounding communities. Over 6,500 employees at meat processing plants have either tested positive or gone into self-quarantine, and 20 workers have died since the start of the pandemic, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.\nRecently, Saline County has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, with many connected to outbreaks in meat processing plants. While Kansas City and St. Louis have seen the highest number of total cases, Saline County now holds the highest per capita rates in the state at 788 cases per 100,000 residentsmore than seven times the rate of infection in Kansas City (108 per 100,000), according to the New York Times. In Saline, both Conagra and Cargill maintain meat processing plants in Marshall, Missouri. Conagra has confirmed at least 42 of their 700 employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and Cargill has confirmed cases, but declined to cite the total number.\nThese processing plants are extraordinarily susceptible to outbreaks of COVID-19 due to the confined spaces in which workers perform their duties, said Congressman Cleaver. An outbreak in one of these plants can lead to spike in cases in our rural communities at-large, where populations tend to lean disproportionately toward individuals most vulnerable to complications from coronavirus.\nI understand these facilities are critical to the food supply chain, but the safety of workers must always come first. Forcing these facilities to remain open without sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) or protocols to ensure workers can maintain proper social distancing will put workers' lives and rural communities at risk, not to mention the very real possibility that the plants will be unable to function efficiently without healthy workers.\nThe meat packing industry has been devastated by COVID-19, with infection hotspots appearing in processing plants across the country, said Rep. Fudge. While the security of our food supply is critical to keeping Americans fed during this crisis, forcing workers to choose between their jobs and their safety is reckless and irresponsible. If frontline food workers are to remain on the job, the Administration needs to put forward a clear plan for how it plans to protect and adequately compensate these workers.\nCleaver and Fudge are asking the Secretaries to provide transparency to Congress and the public on the following:\n What guidance has been shared with meat processing plants regarding the steps they need to undertake to ensure worker health and safety before reopening or the steps they must undertake immediately to ensure worker health and safety if they are currently operating?\n\tHow is the federal government coordinating with meat companies, employees, state and local health departments, and local communities?\n\tWhat is the plan and timeline for distribution of PPE for all plant employees and will these supplies be sourced from the states' supply or the federal stockpile? Will there be continued deliveries of PPE while the DPA is invoked for these processing plants to ensure all employees are adequately protected?\n\tAs part of the DPA and any forthcoming guidance, will companies be required to retrofit plants and/or modify shifts and other practices in order to ensure compliance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommended social distancing?\n\tWhat enforcement mechanisms will be put in place to ensure OSHA and CDC guidance is adhered to at individual plants?\n\tWill there be a hotline or other mechanism for employees to report violations?\n\tWill increased testing be provided at these plants for symptomatic and asymptomatic employees, including contact tracing? Is there sufficient testing capacity to regularly test all employees, whether or not they are symptomatic?\n You can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-meeks-lead-call-for-ig-investigation-into-reports-of", "Reps. Cleaver, Meeks Lead Call For IG Investigation Into Reports of Misconduct at CFPB", "2020-05-01", "2020", "2020-05", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Monetary Policy, and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Consumer Protections & Financial Institutions, along with 17fellow lawmakers, including United States Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), called for an investigation into potential criminal misconduct at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).\nIn a letter to Mark Bialek, Inspector General of the CFPB and Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office, Cleaver and Meeks wrote:\nWe write to express our deep concern regarding allegations of possible violations of law and policy by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in changes to its payday lending rule. These detailed claims include possible political manipulation and influence aimed at undermining consumer protection, which strikes at the core function of the CFPB. We request that the Office of Inspector General and Government Accountability Office review these troubling allegations and take any other appropriate action to determine whether abuse of authority or other official misconduct occurred.\nIn 2017, under the leadership of Obama-appointed Director Richard Corday, the CFPB initially finalized a payday lending rule that included provisions mandating underwriting from payday lenders. In 2019, under the leadership of Trump-appointed Director Kathleen Kraninger, a revised notice of proposed rulemaking was released rescinding these mandatory underwriting provisions as well as the date of rule implementation.\nOn April 29, 2020, The New York Times published a 14-page internal memo, reportedly authored by former CFPB economist Jonathan Lanning, detailing potential political influence on the rulemaking process with the intention of undermining consumer protections in the CFPB's attempts to revise its payday lending rule. The leaked memo offers a specific chronology of internal thinking, supplemented with cited instances of alleged misconduct by CFPB officials.\nThe American people want a federal government that makes decisions grounded in science and based in the best interests of the public. This detailed memo shines a disturbing light into what appears to be political, backdoor dealing within the CFPB, an institution we crafted to serve American consumers and inherently be apolitical, said Congressman Cleaver. The claim that they possibly deceived Members of Congress, distorted data, and intentionally misinterpreted economic analysis warrants a complete and thorough investigation from the Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office. If indeed they did mislead the United States Congress, that, in the words of Mr. Lanning, is actually a really big deal.'\nThis Administration's intention to undermine the CFPB, and the key role it plays in protecting consumers from abusive and predatory financial practices has been evident from the start, Congressman Meeks said. However, the revelations from the internal memo highlight the extent to which President Trump's CFPB leadership went to these ends, including distorting data and pressuring career staff to misrepresent market realities. As Chairman of the Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions Subcommittee, I have held a series of hearings on the unbanked, underbanked, and the abusive practices of the payday industry. Working with my colleagues in Congress, I will continue to investigate the actions of the CFPB, and urge the Inspector General, the Comptroller General, and the Department of Justice to investigate this matter.\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-and-fellow-homeland-security-committee-democrats-call-on-hhs", "Cleaver and Fellow Homeland Security Committee Democrats Call on HHS Inspector General to Investigate Healthcare Disparities Intensified by COVID-19", "2020-04-30", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, joined Democratic membership of the committee in requesting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) examine healthcare disparities exposed by the Coronavirus Pandemic.\nLawmakers urged the OIG to probe HHS's efforts to eliminate socioeconomic, racial and ethnic healthcare disparities and provide recommendations to address them moving forward.\nThe pandemic has further exposed existing racial and socioeconomic disparities that remain entrenched across all facets of our society: education, criminal justice, employment, transportation, politics, and health. Most urgent are the healthcare disparities that place historically disadvantaged communities at greater risk of adverse outcomes for individuals with COVID-19.  Said Congressman Cleaver. \nIt is long overdue for our nation to seriously address these glaring inequities. They are the legacy of generations of institutional exclusion that are now being exacerbated by a global pandemic. We must first provide relief to those communities being devasted by Coronavirus, but also sustain a sense of urgency in addressing these disparities.\n\nYou can find the official letter here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Juan Ramiro Sarmiento at 816-842-4545 or Ramiro.Sarmiento@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-joins-140-colleagues-urging-federal-communications-commission", "Cleaver Joins 140 Colleagues Urging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to Coordinate With Other Federal Agencies to Inform Low-Income Families They Can Receive Broadband Services", "2020-04-30", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Representatives Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight and Department Operations, and Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, along with 140 colleagues in both the House and Senate, in urging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to work directly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure that the millions of Americans who are now eligible for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) or Medicaid due to job loss or reduction in income are informed that they are also eligible for the FCC's Lifeline program. The Lifeline program is the primary federal program charged with helping low-income families obtain broadband and telephone services.\nNon-essential businesses and schools have closed across the country to limit the spread of the coronavirus, leaving families to rely on the internet now more than ever to access public benefits, search for employment, learn from home, or access telehealth services. The need is greatest among low-income households forced to stretch limited resources to try to keep up with monthly expenses and put food on the table during the public health crisis. For these vulnerable populations, the FCC's Lifeline program can help struggling families afford basic internet and telephone connectivity at a time when they need it most  but only if they know about it, the lawmakers wrote.\nWhile we understand that the FCC has traditionally issued guidelines for states and telecommunications providers to advertise the Lifeline program, given the critical role of internet connectivity during the coronavirus pandemic, we urge the FCC to coordinate directly with USDA and HHS as well as states and stakeholders to help ensure people in need are informed about their eligibility for the Lifeline program.\nAs schools and businesses do their best to maintain optimum efficiency at home, it's more important than ever that we ensure every American has access to broadband, said Congressman Cleaver. A child shouldn't have to go to McDonald's to do their school work, and a worker shouldn't be forced to choose between their health and their job because they don't have access to the internet at home. This is why I have been pushing for investments in expanding broadband and will continue to do so.\nThe letter is supported by Public Knowledge, the National Consumer Law Center, United Church of Christ, OC Inc., and Third Way.\nThe COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that connectivity is more important than ever. I've called for the FCC to coordinate with agencies that administer services that determine eligibility for the Lifeline program to ensure low-income communities learn about the critical Lifeline program. Americans cannot afford for the government to work in silos, and I'm thankful for the leadership of Senator Klobuchar, Senator Durbin, Congresswoman Fudge, and Congresswoman Eshoo to make sure more Americans know about this essential program in our social safety net, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said.\nThe Lifeline program provides critical connectivity for those who need it most. Informing consumers about their Lifeline eligibility is a necessary step to help close the digital divide and is clearly something we should continue doing even after the pandemic ends. We are grateful for the leadership of Senators Klobuchar and Durbin and Representatives Fudge and Eshoo on this issue, said Chris Lewis, President and CEO, Public Knowledge.\nFull text of the letter with a list of co-signers can be found here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-midwest-house-members-send-bipartisan-letter-supporting-0", "Cleaver, Midwest House Members Send Bipartisan Letter Supporting American Pork Producers", "2020-04-30", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Jim Hagedorn (R-MN), Dusty Johnson (R-AL), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and 48 additional members sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting improvements to pork producer aid offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Additionally, the letter requests support by opening up existing programs for pork producers.\nThe supply chain for pork producers is increasingly strained due to the ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak. Pork processing plants and other food service industry closures across the country have reduced processing capacity by hundreds of thousands of hogs per day, and slashed prices by over 33%. The aid producers are projected to receive under CFAP is not commensurate with losses incurred, and additional rules are imposed that could limit the benefits of the program to the agriculture community.\n\"I've always said that rural and urban America have a symbiotic relationship. They benefit one another and neither can survive without the other said Cleaver. Pork producers have always done their best to help American families keep food on the tableand now, in their time of need, Congress and the Administration cannot fail to reciprocate that support.\"\n\"Pork producers are in the midst of a crisis, said Emmer. By no fault of their own, they are feeling the impact of a slowdown in the food service industry and supply chain disruptions due to plant closures. I applaud all of the Administration's recent efforts to support the agriculture community. However, more must be done to help our producers facing these dire situations. Now more than ever, they need our immediate attention and assistance.\"\n\"Our pork, beef and poultry producers are stepping up to meet their critical role in maintaining America's food supply, even during this pause in our economy that has created historically low demand and commodity prices. said Hagedorn. Congress and the USDA must work together to fund key programs to reimburse farmers - who are on the brink due to no fault of their own - and sustain agriculture and our rural way of life. We appreciate our farmers, processors, truckers, grocery store folks and all who keep America fed with an array of quality choices at affordable prices.\"\n\"Our pork producers have been forced to take drastic measures because of COVID-19, said Johnson. Most Americans can't comprehend the economic and emotional toll. Congress and USDA need to figure out a solution swiftly, otherwise, our supply chain can expect dire consequences down the road.\"\n\"The drastic shift in demand and closure of meat packing plants due to the coronavirus has put substantial stress on our hog farmers' supply chain, said Hartzler. As consumers, we sometimes forget all the steps that take place between the farm and the table and these disruptions have put many of our farmers and ranchers in a terrible place. Our supply chain can and will adapt yet adapting takes time and farmers cannot wait as they are trying to move thousands of hogs. Additional resources from the Department of Agriculture will be critical to helping the American farmer survive and be able to continue supplying plenty of safe domestic food products for the American people.\"\n\"As a result of COVID-19 challenges, U.S. pork producers are in dire straits through no fault of their own. Industry economists conservatively estimate that hog farmers will lose a collective $5 billion for the remainder of the year. All pork producers are hurting and immediate action is imperative, said National Pork Producers Council President Howard A.V Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. The USDA aid package does not begin to address the losses incurred by producers and many generational family farms will go bankrupt without immediate financial aid with no payment limitations. We thank Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) for helping ensure U.S. pork producers continue to provide an uninterrupted supply of affordable, high-quality protein to America's kitchens.\"\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-midwest-house-members-send-bipartisan-letter-supporting-1", "Cleaver, Midwest House Members Send Bipartisan Letter Supporting American Pork Producers", "2020-04-30", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Jim Hagedorn (R-MN), Dusty Johnson (R-AL), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and 48 additional members sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting improvements to pork producer aid offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Additionally, the letter requests support by opening up existing programs for pork producers.\nThe supply chain for pork producers is increasingly strained due to the ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak. Pork processing plants and other food service industry closures across the country have reduced processing capacity by hundreds of thousands of hogs per day, and slashed prices by over 33%. The aid producers are projected to receive under CFAP is not commensurate with losses incurred, and additional rules are imposed that could limit the benefits of the program to the agriculture community.\n\"I've always said that rural and urban America have a symbiotic relationship. They benefit one another and neither can survive without the other said Cleaver. Pork producers have always done their best to help American families keep food on the tableand now, in their time of need, Congress and the Administration cannot fail to reciprocate that support.\"\n\"Pork producers are in the midst of a crisis, said Emmer. By no fault of their own, they are feeling the impact of a slowdown in the food service industry and supply chain disruptions due to plant closures. I applaud all of the Administration's recent efforts to support the agriculture community. However, more must be done to help our producers facing these dire situations. Now more than ever, they need our immediate attention and assistance.\"\n\"Our pork, beef and poultry producers are stepping up to meet their critical role in maintaining America's food supply, even during this pause in our economy that has created historically low demand and commodity prices. said Hagedorn. Congress and the USDA must work together to fund key programs to reimburse farmers - who are on the brink due to no fault of their own - and sustain agriculture and our rural way of life. We appreciate our farmers, processors, truckers, grocery store folks and all who keep America fed with an array of quality choices at affordable prices.\"\n\"Our pork producers have been forced to take drastic measures because of COVID-19, said Johnson. Most Americans can't comprehend the economic and emotional toll. Congress and USDA need to figure out a solution swiftly, otherwise, our supply chain can expect dire consequences down the road.\"\n\"The drastic shift in demand and closure of meat packing plants due to the coronavirus has put substantial stress on our hog farmers' supply chain, said Hartzler. As consumers, we sometimes forget all the steps that take place between the farm and the table and these disruptions have put many of our farmers and ranchers in a terrible place. Our supply chain can and will adapt yet adapting takes time and farmers cannot wait as they are trying to move thousands of hogs. Additional resources from the Department of Agriculture will be critical to helping the American farmer survive and be able to continue supplying plenty of safe domestic food products for the American people.\"\n\"As a result of COVID-19 challenges, U.S. pork producers are in dire straits through no fault of their own. Industry economists conservatively estimate that hog farmers will lose a collective $5 billion for the remainder of the year. All pork producers are hurting and immediate action is imperative, said National Pork Producers Council President Howard A.V Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. The USDA aid package does not begin to address the losses incurred by producers and many generational family farms will go bankrupt without immediate financial aid with no payment limitations. We thank Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) for helping ensure U.S. pork producers continue to provide an uninterrupted supply of affordable, high-quality protein to America's kitchens.\"\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-midwest-house-members-send-bipartisan-letter-supporting-2", "Cleaver, Midwest House Members Send Bipartisan Letter Supporting American Pork Producers", "2020-04-30", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Jim Hagedorn (R-MN), Dusty Johnson (R-AL), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and 48 additional members sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting improvements to pork producer aid offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Additionally, the letter requests support by opening up existing programs for pork producers.\nThe supply chain for pork producers is increasingly strained due to the ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak. Pork processing plants and other food service industry closures across the country have reduced processing capacity by hundreds of thousands of hogs per day, and slashed prices by over 33%. The aid producers are projected to receive under CFAP is not commensurate with losses incurred, and additional rules are imposed that could limit the benefits of the program to the agriculture community.\n\"I've always said that rural and urban America have a symbiotic relationship. They benefit one another and neither can survive without the other said Cleaver. Pork producers have always done their best to help American families keep food on the tableand now, in their time of need, Congress and the Administration cannot fail to reciprocate that support.\"\n\"Pork producers are in the midst of a crisis, said Emmer. By no fault of their own, they are feeling the impact of a slowdown in the food service industry and supply chain disruptions due to plant closures. I applaud all of the Administration's recent efforts to support the agriculture community. However, more must be done to help our producers facing these dire situations. Now more than ever, they need our immediate attention and assistance.\"\n\"Our pork, beef and poultry producers are stepping up to meet their critical role in maintaining America's food supply, even during this pause in our economy that has created historically low demand and commodity prices. said Hagedorn. Congress and the USDA must work together to fund key programs to reimburse farmers - who are on the brink due to no fault of their own - and sustain agriculture and our rural way of life. We appreciate our farmers, processors, truckers, grocery store folks and all who keep America fed with an array of quality choices at affordable prices.\"\n\"Our pork producers have been forced to take drastic measures because of COVID-19, said Johnson. Most Americans can't comprehend the economic and emotional toll. Congress and USDA need to figure out a solution swiftly, otherwise, our supply chain can expect dire consequences down the road.\"\n\"The drastic shift in demand and closure of meat packing plants due to the coronavirus has put substantial stress on our hog farmers' supply chain, said Hartzler. As consumers, we sometimes forget all the steps that take place between the farm and the table and these disruptions have put many of our farmers and ranchers in a terrible place. Our supply chain can and will adapt yet adapting takes time and farmers cannot wait as they are trying to move thousands of hogs. Additional resources from the Department of Agriculture will be critical to helping the American farmer survive and be able to continue supplying plenty of safe domestic food products for the American people.\"\n\"As a result of COVID-19 challenges, U.S. pork producers are in dire straits through no fault of their own. Industry economists conservatively estimate that hog farmers will lose a collective $5 billion for the remainder of the year. All pork producers are hurting and immediate action is imperative, said National Pork Producers Council President Howard A.V Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. The USDA aid package does not begin to address the losses incurred by producers and many generational family farms will go bankrupt without immediate financial aid with no payment limitations. We thank Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) for helping ensure U.S. pork producers continue to provide an uninterrupted supply of affordable, high-quality protein to America's kitchens.\"\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-midwest-house-members-send-bipartisan-letter-supporting-american", "Cleaver, Midwest House Members Send Bipartisan Letter Supporting American Pork Producers", "2020-04-30", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Jim Hagedorn (R-MN), Dusty Johnson (R-AL), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and 48 additional members sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting improvements to pork producer aid offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Additionally, the letter requests support by opening up existing programs for pork producers.\nThe supply chain for pork producers is increasingly strained due to the ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak. Pork processing plants and other food service industry closures across the country have reduced processing capacity by hundreds of thousands of hogs per day, and slashed prices by over 33%. The aid producers are projected to receive under CFAP is not commensurate with losses incurred, and additional rules are imposed that could limit the benefits of the program to the agriculture community.\n\"I've always said that rural and urban America have a symbiotic relationship. They benefit one another and neither can survive without the other said Cleaver. Pork producers have always done their best to help American families keep food on the tableand now, in their time of need, Congress and the Administration cannot fail to reciprocate that support.\"\n\"Pork producers are in the midst of a crisis, said Emmer. By no fault of their own, they are feeling the impact of a slowdown in the food service industry and supply chain disruptions due to plant closures. I applaud all of the Administration's recent efforts to support the agriculture community. However, more must be done to help our producers facing these dire situations. Now more than ever, they need our immediate attention and assistance.\"\n\"Our pork, beef and poultry producers are stepping up to meet their critical role in maintaining America's food supply, even during this pause in our economy that has created historically low demand and commodity prices. said Hagedorn. Congress and the USDA must work together to fund key programs to reimburse farmers - who are on the brink due to no fault of their own - and sustain agriculture and our rural way of life. We appreciate our farmers, processors, truckers, grocery store folks and all who keep America fed with an array of quality choices at affordable prices.\"\n\"Our pork producers have been forced to take drastic measures because of COVID-19, said Johnson. Most Americans can't comprehend the economic and emotional toll. Congress and USDA need to figure out a solution swiftly, otherwise, our supply chain can expect dire consequences down the road.\"\n\"The drastic shift in demand and closure of meat packing plants due to the coronavirus has put substantial stress on our hog farmers' supply chain, said Hartzler. As consumers, we sometimes forget all the steps that take place between the farm and the table and these disruptions have put many of our farmers and ranchers in a terrible place. Our supply chain can and will adapt yet adapting takes time and farmers cannot wait as they are trying to move thousands of hogs. Additional resources from the Department of Agriculture will be critical to helping the American farmer survive and be able to continue supplying plenty of safe domestic food products for the American people.\"\n\"As a result of COVID-19 challenges, U.S. pork producers are in dire straits through no fault of their own. Industry economists conservatively estimate that hog farmers will lose a collective $5 billion for the remainder of the year. All pork producers are hurting and immediate action is imperative, said National Pork Producers Council President Howard A.V Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. The USDA aid package does not begin to address the losses incurred by producers and many generational family farms will go bankrupt without immediate financial aid with no payment limitations. We thank Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) for helping ensure U.S. pork producers continue to provide an uninterrupted supply of affordable, high-quality protein to America's kitchens.\"\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-for-plan-to-protect-workers-in-meat-processing", "Congressman Cleaver Calls For Plan to Protect Workers in Meat Processing Plants", "2020-04-30", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Following an Executive Order classifying meat processing plants as critical infrastructure that will force them to remain in operation, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) has called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide a plan that ensures workers can safely operate in these facilities.\nIn a letter to Regional Administrator Paul Taylor, Cleaver wrote: Maintaining our food supply chain is critical to the food security of all Americans and to the continued operation of our food producers. However, it cannot be at the expense of worker health and safety, and indeed the supply chains are not sustainable without healthy and safe workers.\nRecently, Saline County has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, with many connected to outbreaks in meat processing plants. While Kansas City and St. Louis have seen the highest number of total cases, Saline County now holds the highest per capita rates in the state at 788 cases per 100,000 residentsmore than seven times the rate of infection in Kansas City (108 per 100,000), according to the New York Times. In Saline, both Conagra and Cargill maintain meat processing plants in Marshall, Missouri. Conagra has confirmed at least 42 of their 700 employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and Cargill has confirmed cases, but declined to cite the total number.\nThese processing plants are extraordinarily susceptible to outbreaks of COVID-19 due to the confined spaces in which workers perform their duties, said Congressman Cleaver. An outbreak in one of these plants can lead to spike in cases in our rural communities at-large, where populations tend to lean disproportionately toward individuals most vulnerable to complications from coronavirus.\nI understand these facilities are critical to the food supply chain, but the safety of workers must always come first. Forcing these facilities to remain open without sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) or protocols to ensure workers can maintain proper social distancing will put workers' lives and rural communities at risk, not to mention the very real possibility that the plants will be unable to function efficiently without healthy workers.\nCongressman Cleaver is asking the Region 7 FEMA Administrator to answer questions such as:\n What is the plan and timeline for distribution of PPE for employees at the plants in Region VII?\n\tWill these supplies be provided by the states or by the federal government?\n\tWill companies be required to retrofit plants and/or modify shifts and other practices in order to ensure CDC and OSHA recommended social distancing?\n\tWhat enforcement mechanisms will be put in place to ensure these guidelines are adhered to at individual plants?\n\tWill there be a hotline or other mechanism for employees to report violations?\n\tWill increased testing be provided at these plants for symptomatic and asymptomatic employees?\n \nYou can find the official letter from Congressman Cleaver here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-meeks-and-sen-harris-call-for-emergency-measures-for-cdfis", "Reps. Cleaver, Meeks, and Sen. Harris Call for Emergency Measures for CDFIs and MDIs", "2020-04-28", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), along with Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 5 other lawmakers, delivered a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin asking that temporary emergency measure be taken to support Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in their ability to serve small businesses, low- and moderate-income communities, and communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats recently succeeded in negotiating funds be set aside for small community banks, MDIs and CDFIs in the recent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) replenishment, giving truly small businesses and minority business owners better access to the PPP program through small community banks and CDFIs.\nIt's clear that low-income communities and communities of color have been hit hardest by the coronavirus and remain extraordinarily vulnerable as the economic burden continues to mount, said Congressman Cleaver. It's critical that Treasury and the Fed assist these communities with a commensurate response to the challenge at hand, and I'll keep fighting to make sure they do.\nThe official letter with a list of co-signers is available here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-for-irs-to-extend-economic-impact-payment", "Congressman Cleaver Calls For IRS To Extend Economic Impact Payment Filing Deadline For Americans With Dependents", "2020-04-24", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), along with Representative Michael Kelly (R-PA), led 53 lawmakers in a bipartisan letter encouraging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to extend its deadlines to allow families with dependents to receive the full amount of their Economic Impact Payment. The deadline for Americans to file their information with the IRS was Wednesday, April 22.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nIf we fail to get this lifeline to these children, we will be depriving them of the food and sustenance they need to make it through this crisis. This cohort of constituents disproportionately represent those most vulnerable to the coronavirus and, consistent with available guidance and best practices, every effort should be made to assist these families.\nAccording to recent reporting, approximately one million children may be deprived of the $500 payment intended to assist families in the CARES Act if they failed to complete an online form by noon this past Wednesday. However, the IRS sent out a special alert notifying the public of this deadline only two days before it expired. The notice required Social Security recipients and retirees caring for children to complete an online form under an unreasonable deadline and on a website with varying degrees of technical difficulties for many Americans.\nWe cannot shortchange families struggling to put food on the table because of an arbitrary and unnecessary deadline that was only publicly announced by the IRS two days prior, said Congressman Cleaver. For even one child to be deprived of this funding would be shameful, but the potential for one million is utterly unconscionable.\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signershere.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-supports-emergency-coronavirus-appropriations-bill", "Congressman Cleaver Supports Emergency Coronavirus Appropriations Bill To Bring Relief To Missouri Hospitals and Small Businesses", "2020-04-23", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)  Today, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, with United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voting in favor of the legislation. The bill will provide over $350 billion in small business loans, $10 billion in small business grants, $75 billion for hospitals and health care providers across the country, and $25 billion to ramp up testing needed to reopen the country. It will now go to the President's desk to be signed into law immediately.\nAs another 4.4 million workers filed jobless claims this week, 1 in 6 Americans have now lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, said Congressman Cleaver. While no bill of this magnitude is perfect, It is impossible to understate the extent of the challenge we're facing as a nation, and today's legislation is critical to helping small businesses bridge the gap until we can begin to reopen the economy. Now, Congress must immediately begin discussions to bring relief to state and local governments, provide additional food assistance to struggling families, stimulate the economy through investments in infrastructure, fund the Postal Service, and provide additional lending to small businesses in urban and rural communities.\nH.R. 266 follows the path set by the bipartisan CARES Act with significant support:\n For small businesses: It strengthens the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by providing $310 billion in additional funding.\n\t\t$30 billion is reserved for community-based lenders, small banks and credit unions and another $30 billion will be guaranteed for medium-sized banks and credit unions, which will help small businesses in underserved rural and urban communities receive the funding they need to survive.\n\t\t\tDemocrats were also able to secure an additional $50 billion in small business lending through SBA disaster loans, totaling over $350 billion in small business loans.\n\t\t\tAnother $10 billion will be given to small businesses through SBA disaster grants, which will not have to be repaid.\n\t\t\tIncluded in the small business lending are strong protections to ensure that our nation's farmers have access to this vital assistance.\n\t\t\n\tFor hospitals and health care workers: The bill provides $75 billion to ensure hospitals and frontline health care workers can obtain life-saving Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The Administration has also agreed to significantly lower the interest rate on advance payments, lengthen the repayment schedule, and distribute payments from general revenues not the Hospital Insurance Fund.\n\tFor American workers and the economy: Congress has secured $25 billion for testing, which is critical to reopening the economy and resuming our lives.\n Unfortunately, the Administration refused to provide more relief for state and local governments who are on the front lines of this crisis and desperately need an infusion of funding to ensure EMTs, firefighters, police officers, teachers, and other critical workers have the resources needed to help us through this crisis. However, as Congress immediately begins discussion on the next phase of coronavirus relief, Congressman Cleaver will fight to have this funding included in the next package.\nIt's extremely frustrating that the Administration and Senate Majority Leader would rather allow our states and cities to go bankrupt than help them through this crisis, Congressman Cleaver said. Our health care, EMS, police, fire, and other critical workers are putting their lives in danger every day to protect our citizens, but we can't provide them funding and resources needed to safely do their jobs? That's wrong, and something Democrats must insist be included in the next relief package.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-tlaib-beatty-omar-urge-treasury-big-banks-to-combat-banking", "Reps. Cleaver, Tlaib, Beatty, Omar Urge Treasury, Big Banks To Combat Banking Discrimination Against Muslim Americans As Economic Crisis Continues", "2020-04-23", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) called on the Department of Treasury, as well as three of the largest banks in the U.S., to modernize anti-money laundering regulations to combat banking discrimination against Muslim Americans. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on American workers and the broader economy, charitable organizations and accessible banking are more important than ever. In letters to financial regulators, including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf, and Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, the members of Congress are urging Treasury and big banks to end biased practices that have led to discrimination against Muslim Americans and organizations\nCOVID-19 and the havoc it's wreaking on our economy doesn't discriminate against Democrat or Republican; Black or White; Muslim or Jewish; and the economic hardship will not be confined to any one region, race, or religious following, said Congressman Cleaver. As reports have indicated, our nation is likely facing the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, and we're going to need all hands on deck to climb out of the hole we find ourselves in. We cannot afford to deny individuals or charitable organizations the ability to access critical banking services that will undoubtedly help our local communities because of their name or country of origin. It's not just wrong, it's self-sabotage.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nBanking as a charity/nonprofit and banking while Muslim' are not crimes and must stop being treated as such. As elected officials, it is our responsibility to amplify the voices of those who feel powerless in the face of big banks and regulators. We are therefore advocating for a more inclusive financial system, and we reject the notion that there is a binary choice between creating financial inclusion and protecting our financial system from abuse by illicit actors.\nThe letter provided one example of an organization that has suffered as a result of banking while Muslim. LaunchGood, a crowdfunding platform focused on serving the Muslim community, which was warned by WePayand its financial partner, Chase Bank, that they would be losing their services because they had perceived LaunchGood to be a high-risk organization. Most recently, Muslim groups rallied to raise a whopping $500,000 for coronavirus relief grants via LaunchGood, further highlighting the need for federal financial regulators and banks to act as the lawmakers are urging.\nYou can find the official letter to financial regulators here, as well as the official letter to Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of America here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-says-paycheck-protection-program-and-healthcare-enhancement-act", "Clay Says Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act Will Focus $60 Billion in Forgivable Loans for Smaller, Unbanked Businesses through Community-Based Lenders", "2020-04-23", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri, Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing,Community Development and Insurance, praised passage of the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act which was approved today in the U.S. House by an overwhelming bipartisan vote.\nToday's action will immediately target $60 billion in forgivable SBA loans to smaller, cash-based and frequently unbanked businesses in urban areas who were largely shut out of the first round of emergency loans by including smaller, community-based lenders in the program,said the Congressman.I'm especially pleased that the $60 billion set aside out of the $370 billion small business lending package will be distributed through Community Development Financial Institutions, Minority Depository Institutions, community banks, credit unions, certified development companies and micro lenders. These smaller financial institutions function at the neighborhood level in underserved communities and they have the ability to process the loans and get minority-owned small businesses the help they need to keep their doors open during this pandemic.\nThe Congressman continued,This interim emergency funding package also provides hospitals and community healthcare centers with $75 billion to purchase badly needed personal protective equipment to keep our healthcare heroes safe and it also provides $25 billion to expand critical COVID-19 testing which is essential to restoring both public health and our economy. This bill is a positive step forward, but Congress still has much work remaining to fully address the terrible damage that this pandemic has inflicted on working families, small businesses, and state & local governments.  \n\t\nHighlights of the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act include:  \n\t\n For small businesses:Strengthens the Paycheck Protection Program with $310 billion in additional funding, with $30 billion reserved for community-based lenders, small banks and credit unions and $30 billion for medium-sized banks and credit unions.  Expands small business support beyond PPP by securing $50 billion for SBA disaster lending, translating into more than $350 billion in loans, and $10 billion in SBA disaster grants.\n\t\n\tFor hospitals and health care workers:Provides $75 billion to the healthcare frontlines, including Personal Protective Equipment.The Administration has also agreed to key improvements to be made in CARES 2, including significantly lowering the interest rate on advance payments, lengthening the repayment schedule and distributing payments from general revenues not the Hospital Insurance Fund.\n\t\n\tFor all Americans:Provides $25 billion for testing, which is the key to reopening the economy and resuming our lives.The Administration has agreed to a national strategic testing policy that will focus on increasing domestic testing capacity including testing supplies.\n For more information on this interim emergency legislation, please go to:\nhttps://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/266?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Paycheck+Protection+Program+and+Healthcare+Enhancement+Act%22%5D%7D&s=1&r=3", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-cleaver-applauds-fhfa-reversal-following-push-from-lawmakers", "Rep. Cleaver Applauds FHFA Reversal Following Push From Lawmakers", "2020-04-22", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced it would offer cash-strapped mortgage servicers much-needed financial relief by limiting the obligations servicers must pay to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on missed payments from single-family loans. Additionally, the FHFA announced they would support homeowners and mortgage lenders by also approving the purchase of single-family mortgages in forbearance that meet specific eligibility criteria. The FHFA's reversal comes following calls to support mortgage servicers from United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Al Green (D-TX), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY). These changes will allow families in need to take advantage of mortgage forbearance while preserving the stability of our housing market.\nThis is a critical win for homeowners across the nation, said Congressman Cleaver. By providing relief to servicers that originate 60% of America's mortgages and hold over half of them, the FHFA is protecting American borrowers from having to bear the cost of a possible failure at a time when most American families are just trying to stay afloat. I am pleased to see the FHFA come to their senses, and I want to thank Congressman Clay, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing, for his immediate efforts to address this untenable situation.\nIn a letter to FHFA Director Mark Calabria last week, following public statements denouncing relief for servicers from the Director, the lawmakers urged Director Calabria to change course and give mortgage servicers, who process millions of mortgage payments every month, urgently need relief.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nWe are concerned that your comments inappropriately undermine the gravity of the situation at hand, and that FHFA's response would ultimately cause significant market disruption and harm to borrowers as we have seen historically when servicing rights were transferred in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis.\nYou can find the official letter from the representatives here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-and-clay-urge-usda-to-protect-snap-wic-beneficiaries-during", "Reps. Cleaver and Clay Urge USDA To Protect SNAP, WIC beneficiaries During COVID-19 Pandemic", "2020-04-22", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO) delivered a letter to Secretary Sonny Perdue of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), calling on Secretary Perdue to protect Missourians by supporting the Missouri Department of Social Services' request for a waiver that would allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplement Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) beneficiaries to receive groceries by delivery.\nLow-income Americans who rely on SNAP and WIC benefits are being disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more must be done to protect them during this crisis, said Congressman Cleaver. As many of these individuals are cashiers, janitors, and other essential workers who cannot remain at home, we must find other ways to limit their exposure to this deadly virus. Allowing SNAP and WIC beneficiaries to have their groceries delivered is a common sense way to protect critical workers who are on the frontlines of this public health emergency. I look forward to the Secretary's swift approval.\nYou can find Congressman Cleaver's official letter here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-leads-lawmakers-urging-funding-for-usps-in-next", "Congressman Cleaver Leads Lawmakers Urging Funding For USPS In Next Coronavirus Relief Package", "2020-04-17", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  As Congress continues negotiations on the fourth phase of emergency coronavirus relief for the American people, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) led over 120 lawmakers in urging congressional leadership to include funding for the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the final legislation.\nThe USPS is one of the oldest institutions in the United States, connecting Americans across the country with quality service at a reasonable cost for over two centuries, said Congressman Cleaver. It's critical in linking rural and urban American; to individuals who receive life-saving medications through the mail; to the hundreds of thousands of workers who need their paycheck now more than ever. To allow the USPS to go bankrupt during a global pandemic would be among the greatest derelictions of duty I've seen in my time in Congress.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nPresident Trump's own bipartisan Postal Service Board of Governors has asked for the Postal Service to be provided $50 billion in emergency grants and appropriations as well as access to $25 billion in borrowing authority. We encourage Congress and the Administration to quickly act in approving this or a commensurate level of funding to provide real relief for our Postal Service. Without significant support on this level, they will not be able to weather this storm.\nThe USPS currently employs more than 650,000 Americans across more than 31,600 retail locations around the country, while handling 48% of the world's mail. Sadly, the Postal Service's financial outlook was already dire before the coronavirus crisis due to a 2006 law that required the Agency to prefund 75 years worth of retiree health benefits over 10 years, something no other federal agency is or has been required to do. As the COVID-19 pandemic has grinded the American economy to a halt, the USPS has been hit particularly hard, with projections showing it could go bankrupt by June without federal intervention. In order to prevent communities across the country from losing vital goods and services, Congressman Cleaver will continue to push for the administration and congressional leadership to include funding for the USPS in the next coronavirus relief package.\nYou can find the official letter with a list of co-signers here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-pressley-meeks-call-on-treasury-to-provide-diversity-data", "Reps. Cleaver, Pressley, Meeks Call On Treasury To Provide Diversity Data From Paycheck Protection Program", "2020-04-17", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kamala Harris (D-CA) and over 80 of their fellow lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate, have called on the Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration (SBA) to require lenders to report on the demographics of any lending from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza, the members of Congress are also requesting the SBA and Treasury amend their guidance on PPP to reaffirm the obligation that lending institutions must comply with fair lending laws.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nCongress authorized the Paycheck Protection Program to provide financial support and stability to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet we continue to hear from minority-owned businesses that they face structural barriers to acquiring these loans. To ensure equitable access to this program, the U.S. Small Business Administration must ensure that minority-owned businesses are not shut out of this program and require lenders to report on the demographics of PPP lending.\nThe members are specifically calling for the data to include information on loan applications and outcomes, disaggregated along racial and ethnic lines.\nMinority-owned businesses accounted for half of all new businesses created in the last decade, said Congressman Cleaver. They are a critical component to the American economy, and any failure to stabilize these locally-owned businesses will result in a significant weakening of the national economy as a whole. It's crucial that we ensure fair lending laws are being followed by PPP lenders to ensure these businesses survive the economic calamity we've found ourselves in. I look forward to working with Treasury and SBA make sure that happens.\nYou can find the official letter here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-meeks-beatty-urge-fed-to-partner-with-minority-owned-firms", "Reps. Cleaver, Meeks, & Beatty Urge Fed to Partner With Minority-Owned Firms As It Implements Economic Response Programs", "2020-04-13", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Joyce Beatty (D-OH) issued a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell calling on the Fed to include minority-owned asset managers and broker deals as partners in the implementation of its capital markets and liquidity programs.\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote:\nDiversity and inclusion are central to the economic resilience of the American economy, and this must be reflected in the manner in which the Administration implements stimulus activities, and in the firms with which the Fed conducts its market activities. Pleaseconfirm how you plan to incorporate these recommendations in the manner in which the Fed continues to use market intervention to sustain the economy and mitigate the negative impacts to the broader economy of the global pandemic.\nThe Fed has responded to the coronavirus pandemic with urgency and bold action required to help the American economy weather this raging storm, said Congressman Cleaver. However, we want to ensure equitable distribution of these vital lending programs to minority-owned firms because they're facing the same headwinds as everyone else, and, historically, tend to be overlooked. As the Fed continues to help businesses across the nation bridge the gap to the other side of this crisis, I look forward to further discussions to protect minority-owned firms.\nYou can find the official letter here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-calls-on-hhs-to-prioritize-rural-hospitals-after-voting-for", "Cleaver Calls on HHS to Prioritize Rural Hospitals After Voting for Relief Measures", "2020-04-10", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "April 10, 2020\n\n(Kansas City, MO)  On Thursday, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), along with Reps. Robert Latta (R-OH), TJ Cox (D-CA), and Jack Bergman (R-MI), led thirty of their fellow members of Congress in sending a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, enumerating concerns regarding the $100 billion in assistance for hospitals and health care providers. As COVID-19 threatens to close hundreds of rural hospitals across the nation, it is imperative that these funds are equitably distributed. Congressman Cleaver, who voted in favor of these funds included in the CARES Act, provided his recommendations to Secretary Azar, which include establishing rural-conscious benchmarks in the allocation process and prioritizing facilities most in need of this support.\n\nCongressman Cleaver continues to advocate for desperately needed aid at every phase of the federal response  including the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and upcoming relief legislation  for farmers, small towns, and rural communities impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic and economic downturn. He voted in favor of all three relief acts.\n\nThis is first and foremost, a public health crisis and as such, we must safeguard critical health care infrastructure in our rural communities where hospitals are already experiencing overwhelming financial challenges.  said Congressman Cleaver.\n\nWe have also taken significant steps to provide desperately needed relief for farmers, rural businesses, and families. But this will not be enough, and more must be done in the coming days and weeks to close the gap. Our nation faces one of the most challenging situations in American history and it is not only our responsibility, but also our duty, to ensure we protect all Americans, regardless of where they live.\n\nYou can find the official letter here.\n\nCARES Act Provisions: \n\nFarmers and Ranchers\n $9.5 billion dedicated disaster fund to assist farmers experiencing financial loss as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.\n\t$14 billion to fund the Farm Bill's farm safety net through the Commodity Credit Corporation\n\tInclusion of farmers and agricultural and rural businesses in the Small Business provision which provides up to $10 million in low interest, business interruption loans. These loans can be forgiven if used for payroll, rent, mortgage, rent or utility bills.\n\t$3 million for the USDA Farm Service Agency to increase capacity in order to serve increased demand by farmers.\n Small Towns and Rural Communities\n $1 billion in guaranteed loans to help rural businesses during the economic downturn.\n\t$100 billion to hospitals, health care providers, and facilities, including rural areas.\n\t$25 million for telemedicine tools to assist rural patients access medical care.\n\t$100 million for high speed internet expansion in small towns and rural communities.\n\tOver $70 million to help the U.S. Forest Service serve rural communities and reduce the spread of coronavirus through personal protective equipment for first responders and cleaning of facilities.\n Consumers and the Food Supply Protection \n $55 million for inspection and quarantine at our borders to protect against invasive pests and animal disease.\n\t$33 million for overtime and temporary food safety inspectors to protect America's food supply at meat processing plants.\n\t$45 million to ensure quality produce and meat reaches grocery stores through increased support for the Agricultural Marketing Service.\n\t$1.5 million to expedite EPA approvals of disinfectants needed to combat the pandemic.\n \nFood Access for Families\n $15.8 billion for food assistance changes made in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Republicans and the Trump Administration blocked additional funding to expand benefits for children, families, and seniors.\n\t$9 billion to fund child nutrition improvements made in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.\n\t$450 million for food banks to provide additional resources for food and distribution.\n\t$100 million for food distribution in Tribal communities to provide facility improvements, equipment upgrades, and food purchases.\n \n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Juan Ramiro Sarmiento at 816-842-4545 or Ramiro.Sarmiento@mail.house.gov", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/following-push-from-rep-cleaver-jpmorgan-chase-announces-improved", "Following Push From Rep. Cleaver, JPMorgan Chase Announces Improved Diversity and Inclusion Practices", "2020-04-09", "2020", "2020-04", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Kansas City, MO)  Last week, Gordon Smith and Daniel Pinto, Co-Presidents and COOs for JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), issued a memo to JPMC employees announcing initial steps the bank will take to foster a more diverse and inclusive atmosphere at the largest bank in the United States. These newfound policies come after a months-long internal investigation conducted by the bank following calls for an investigation from United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Al Green (D-TX).\nI'm pleased to see the nation's leading banking institution investigate these credible allegations of discrimination, while taking initial steps to correct any fundamentally flawed practices that may have led to this kind of unacceptable behavior, said Congressman Cleaver. I think this is an opportunity for JPMorgan Chase to be a leader among financial institutions in demonstrating why policies that promote diversity and inclusion aren't just morally correct, but advantageous business decisions as well. This is an important first step along that path, and I look forward to additional reforms and increased transparency within the company in the near future.\nFive initial steps JPMC announced it will take include:\n Bolstering hiring systems to build a more robust pipeline of diverse talent\n\tInstituting required firmwide Diversity & Inclusion training\n\tIncreasing the diversity of the businesses we partner with firmwide\n\tEnhancing employee feedback process\n\tMaking it easier for customers to access products and services\n The bank also announced over the next 30 days, each business will review their current strategies and contribute a plan to bring this to life and each business will be held accountable.\nLast December, reported allegations of race-based discrimination within JPMorgan Chase came to light. Congressmen Cleaver and Green immediately sent a letter calling for the bank and financial regulators to investigate whether or not these reports were isolated incidents or a pattern of discriminatory behavior. The lawmakers also called for the bank to answer a series of questions, and the bank provided illuminating data about their workforce. Cleaver is hopeful that this announcement from JPMC's Co-Presidents is a first step with additional policies and transparency to come.\nYou can find the initial letter from Reps. Cleaver and Green here.\n\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matthew Helfant at 202-225-4535 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 140, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "MO", "p2": "2020"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 140, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 118, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO&year=2020&chamber=House", "selected": false}, {"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 22, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO&year=2020&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "MO", "label": "MO", "count": 140, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 140, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2020-04-09,https~3A~2F~2Fcleaver~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Ffollowing-push-from-rep-cleaver-jpmorgan-chase-announces-improved", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MO&year=2020&_next=2020-04-09%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fcleaver~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Ffollowing-push-from-rep-cleaver-jpmorgan-chase-announces-improved&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 426.9824121147394, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}