{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"MO\" and year = 2013 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364759", "Blaine's Bulletin: Preserving Your Privacy", "2013-12-27", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As I reflect on 2013, one of the issues that seemed to be of great concern to the people of the 3rd District was the government\u2019s ever-growing presence in the private lives of American citizens. And over the course of the last 12 months, I have sought to work on your behalf to protect your privacy form the prying eyes of government.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      As I reflect on 2013, one of the issues that seemed to be of great concern to the people of the 3rd District was the government\u2019s ever-growing presence in the private lives of American citizens. And over the course of the last 12 months, I have sought to work on your behalf to protect your privacy form the prying eyes of government.\nThe first test we faced came earlier this spring when I met personally with U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) Inspector General Patrick O\u2019Carroll, Jr. That meeting confirmed there was a violation of normal agency protocol when the agency requested and received sensitive data for more than 100,000 Missouri driver\u2019s licenses and concealed carry permits. The admission was a stark one and I appreciated the quick work of the Social Security Administration, especially after it was learned that the information provided by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in the fall of 2011 was unreadable on the SSA investigator\u2019s computer and the data was destroyed.\nIt was not long after, however, that we faced another privacy challenge that resurfaced amidst a national scandal involving the Internal Revenue Service. In May, the IRS confessed that it was targeting conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status while rubberstamping similar requests from liberal groups. At the same time, it seemed clear to me the IRS was refusing to look at similar liberal groups like the Humane Society of the United States. For three years, the IRS had stonewalled my attempts to get to the bottom of constituent concerns that HSUS was involved in political and lobbying activities that were in direct violation of its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status that prohibits such activities. We are still waiting for answers on that issue and we have received assurances the IRS is finally investigating the issue.\nMore recently, I have sponsored and co-sponsored legislation dealing with the protection of your privacy. For example, I am the lead sponsor of the Protecting Education Privacy Act (PEPA) that would strengthen\u00a0federal student privacy policy and keep student records by rolling back regulatory changes made by the current administration. This legislation will keep parents minds at ease because they will have the ultimate control over whether or not third parties can access their children\u2019s information.\nI also have recently co-sponsored the USA FREEDOM Act that aims to reign in the dragnet collection of data by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other government agencies.\u00a0 The bill specifically would ensure that different authorities cannot be used to support bulk collection of information of American citizens and it increases transparency of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), among other things. Finally, I am also co-sponsoring the NSA Inspector General Act that calls for the creation of an Inspector General (IG) of the NSA and requires that both the IG and the NSA Director be appointed by the president with the consent of the U.S. Senate.\u00a0 \nThe American people are guaranteed a right to privacy and in recent years, it has become clear that those rights have been violated and continue to be under attack. This is unacceptable and I have spent the better part of the last year working to protect Americans from their government\u2019s prying eyes. As we look ahead to 2014, I will continue to support legislation that will protect your privacy and restore perhaps some of your faith and trust in the American government. With that said, I want to wish you a very Happy New Year.\nCONTACT US: As always, for those of you with Internet access, I encourage you to visit my official website. For those without access to the Internet, I encourage you to call my offices in Jefferson City (573-635-7232) Washington, Mo. (636-239-2276), or Wentzville (636-327-7055) with your questions and concerns. If you want even greater access to what I am working on, please visit my YouTube site, Facebook page, and keep up-to-date with Twitter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-hartzlers-christmas-greeting-0", "Congresswoman Hartzler's Christmas greeting", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has released the following greeting to mark the Christmas holiday:\n\u201cChristmas is certainly a time for family and friends. It\u2019s time for older Americans to relive memories of Christmas past and for younger ones to cherish the moments that will become the memories they\u2019ll cherish as they grow older. But first and foremost the focus of the season must be on the reason for the season \u2013 the birth of Jesus Christ.\nLuke\u2019s account of how the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in the field is familiar to so many of us:\n\u2018And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.\u2019\nMy wish is that the light Jesus brought to the world shines upon you this Christmas and that it shines on our men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much to keep us safe, to bring them home to us soon.\nFrom my family to yours, we wish you the merriest of Christmases.\"\nCongresswoman Hartzler and her family live on a working farm near Harrisonville in Cass County.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364758", "Blaine's Bulletin: An American Christmas", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As we prepare for Christmas, many of us return to traditions as a way to celebrate the season. Christmas in America is a unique experience and over the centuries our nation has created many unique traditions. But as a student of our nation\u2019s history, I recently came across some research that indicates that the first Christmas celebrated in the New World was observed in what many would deem an odd place.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      As we prepare for Christmas, many of us return to traditions as a way to celebrate the season. Christmas in America is a unique experience and over the centuries our nation has created many unique traditions. But as a student of our nation\u2019s history, I recently came across some research that indicates that the first Christmas celebrated in the New World was observed in what many would deem an odd place.\r\nAccording to historians, the first Christmas celebrated on land that is now part of the United States took place near Tallahassee, Fl., in 1539. The publication Discovery News reports that Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto established his winter encampment site of 1539-40 near what is now Tallahassee, where he and his men celebrated the first U.S. Christmas.\r\nBased on excavations and other historical research, the first Christmas meal would have included pork, local vegetables, fruits, seafood and possibly even turkey. Researchers also found that it was likely the first Christmas mass would have been held outside and would have been very similar to those held in a Franciscan chapel.\r\nI think it\u2019s important during this time of year, when presents and parties and all the other trappings of the season seem to consume so much of our time, that Christmas is first and foremost the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. And I find it truly remarkable that 250 years before we became a nation, Christmas was celebrated as part of the Christian faith. \r\nEven as many of our Christian traditions seem to be under attack this time of year, the teachings of the man born in Bethlehem that stress love, charity, and hope remain very much part of the American Christmas tradition. You can see it everywhere, if you look hard enough.\r\nYou see the Christmas spirit in the thousands of volunteers who participate in programs that help the less fortunate. From the Christmas Day dinners at local shelters to the Angel Trees at the malls to provide gifts for children - Americans do indeed keep the spirit of Christmas.\r\nAs much as some try to take the Christ out of Christmas, there is no denying that from centuries before we were a nation, Christmas held a very sacred meaning to those Spanish explorers who settled in Florida and celebrated the birth of Christ. Despite the best attempts of many to distance our nation from the true meaning of Christmas, it is simply impossible. It is part of American tradition and will continue to be so.\r\nOn behalf of myself, my family and my staff I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God Bless.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=176ebc75-a78b-41b4-9412-ea19b81a8274", "Senate Passes Blunt-Klobuchar Bill To Cut Red Tape For Families Who Adopt Abroad", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) today announced that the bipartisan \u201cAccuracy for Adoptees Act\u201d passed the Senate. The legislation would help families who adopt abroad correct errors to their children\u2019s birth certificates. Currently, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) does not recognize state court orders to amend a child\u2019s birth date, forcing families to seek a correction from the adoptee\u2019s country of birth or have two official birth dates for their adopted child. \u201cEvery day, American families open up their homes and their hearts to children in need from all over the world,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cThis bipartisan bill will make the transition easier for families and their adopted children by removing excessive red tape and ensuring the accuracy of their birth records.\u201d \u201cFamilies have enough hoops to jump through when adopting internationally,\u201d Klobuchar said.\u00a0 \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t be adding to that red tape by placing extra burdens on those trying to get accurate personal records for their children. I am pleased that this bill has passed the Senate, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House to ensure that this common sense legislation become law.\u201d\r\n\u201cI am extremely pleased and proud that the U.S. Senate has passed, with bi-partisan support, this commonsense legislation \u2013 placing adoptive families and children ahead of partisan politics,\u201d Donald Cofsky, President of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, said. \u201cWe owe immense thanks to Senators Blunt and Klobuchar for their dedication to adoptive families and for their tireless efforts in ushering this bill through the Senate. I cannot overstate the importance of this legislation and the positive impact that it will have on adopted children and their families.\u201d The Accuracy for Adoptees Act, which would authorize USCIS to recognize state court orders and cut red tape for adoptive families, will now head to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. Senators Richard John Barasso (Wyo.), Durbin (Ill.), Mike Enzi (Wyo.), and Mary Landrieu (La.) are also original cosponsors of the bill.  Currently, USCIS only recognizes the original birth certificates from the child\u2019s country of birth. For children who were orphaned and lacked proper medical care in their countries of birth, the ages given on their certificates may be incorrect, which only becomes apparent once the child has begun to grow up in the U.S. While a state court judge can make the decision to amend the date based on this evidence, USCIS will not recognize such an order, and federal agencies like the State Department and the Social Security Administration follow the USCIS date of birth. This results in children growing up with a discrepancy that leaves them vulnerable to identity fraud.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=9556cbf9-0f36-47db-87cb-99fc2d666027", "Senator Blunt Applauds FDA\u2019s Decision To Revise Burdensome Rules Impacting Missouri\u2019s Farm Families, Small Businesses", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 A successful bipartisan effort led by U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), and U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (Conn.), Chris Gibson (N.Y.), and Annie Kuster (N.H.), has resulted in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planning to revise regulations and seek additional comments from the public before finalizing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules. The FDA\u2019s announcement comes less than a month after\u00a0the lawmakers led a bipartisan coalition of 75 members of the House and Senate expressing concern about the impact of proposed FDA rules on farmers and businesses, which re-proposing the regulations for public comment could help alleviate. \u201cI\u2019m pleased the FDA has agreed to issue a second draft of proposed rules and give farmers and businesses the opportunity to provide additional input,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cI thank Senator Shaheen and my colleagues in the House and Senate for their work to alleviate the impact of these burdensome regulations on farm families in Missouri and nationwide.\u201d In March, the FDA issued two proposed rules implementing FSMA, a 2011 law that overhauled food safety laws to increase the safety of our domestic food supply. These rules addressed preventive controls for human food and standards for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption.  As proposed, the 1,200-page rules have left food producers and processors across the country concerned about a number of issues including those specifically surrounding facility compliance and environmental standards. The FDA\u2019s announced plan to re-propose key rule language will allow farmers and stakeholders to lend critical input toward the FDA-rulemaking process.  For more information on the letter signed by 75 members of Congress and sent to FDA on November 25, 2013, please click here.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=e2a4a41e-82a3-40a5-8199-3298ba7b9904", "Senator Blunt Applauds Bipartisan Passage Of Defense Authorization Bill", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 and applauded the inclusion of several key amendments. Blunt is one of three U.S. Senators to serve on both the defense appropriations and authorizing committees.  \u201cI\u2019m pleased that several of my amendments were included in this bipartisan legislation, which will ensure that our nation\u2019s servicemen and women have the important resources they need to protect and defend America,\u201d Blunt said. Missouri is home to almost 18,000 active duty servicemen and women, nearly 10,000 civilian employees, 25,000 reservists and members of the National Guard, and almost 29,000 additional military-related personnel. The state also has more than 125,000 civilian contract employees. Blunt introduced and co-sponsored several amendments that were passed as part of NDAA, including: \r\n \r\nBannister Federal Complex, Kansas City, Mo. Land Transfer Amendment: Blunt\u2019s amendment would authorize the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the General Services Agency (GSA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to enter into an agreement regarding the conveyance of federal property located at Bannister Road in Kansas City, Mo. and allow for an eventual title transfer and redevelopment of the site.\r\nSmall Business Contracting Amendment: Blunt\u2019s amendment protects small businesses from overly burdensome regulations when they subcontract with the Department of Defense contracts by ensuring that the Small Business Act applies to all contracts awarded using a small businesses preference no matter which agency makes the award.\u00a0\r\nArticle 32 Reform Amendment: Introduced by Senators Blunt, Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), this amendment would reform Article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to help prevent abusive questioning of victims of military sexual assault in a pre-trial setting, ensuring that victims who come forward to report sexual assault are not harassed or intimidated during pre-trial questioning.\r\nAdvanced Concept Ejection Seat for the B-2 at Whiteman Air Force Base Amendment: Introduced by Senators Blunt and Tom Udall (N.M.), this amendment directs the Air Force to complete the Advanced Concept Ejection Seat qualification on the B-2, which will benefit pilots at Whiteman Air Force Base.\r\nUrotrauma Amendment: Co-sponsored by Senators Blunt and Ben Cardin (Md.), this amendment directs the Department of Defense to address the prevention, care coordination, and research of urotrauma as a distinct entity.\r\n \r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=ef69c04c-a40c-4baa-8d5c-f2dd2d889310", "Senator Blunt Blasts Department Of Labor For Targeting Missouri Farm Families", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined U.S. Senator Mike Johanns (Neb.) and 41 of his colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor this week regarding reports that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) is overreaching its authority and circumventing Congress by imposing regulations on small farms that are exempt by law.\u00a0  As the letter notes, Congress has prohibited OSHA from targeting small farms, defined as those with fewer than 10 employees since 1976. In 2011, OSHA issued a memo announcing that the congressional prohibition does not apply to many farms because they do \u201cbasic, common, and responsible farming activities that OSHA has arbitrarily decided are non-exempt\u201d \u2013 like storing, drying, or fumigating grain.\r\n\u201cIt has come to our attention that OSHA is now interpreting this provision so narrowly that virtually every grain farm in the country would be subject to OSHA regulations,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cOSHA\u2019s interpretation defies the intent of Congress in exempting farming operations from the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.\u201d\r\nThe senators also asked Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez to direct OSHA to take the following three steps to alleviate their concern:\u00a0\r\n1)\u00a0cease all actions predicated on this interpretation, which is inconsistent with Congressional intent;\r\n2)\u00a0issue guidance correcting this misinterpretation of the law;\r\n3)\u00a0and provide a list and description of regulatory actions taken against farms with incorrectly categorized non-farming activities and 10 or fewer employees since the June 2011 memo.\r\nTo read the entire letter, please see below or click here.\u00a0\r\nDecember 20, 2013\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable Thomas E. Perez  Secretary  U.S. Department of Labor  200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.  Washington, DC 20210\u00a0\r\nWe write to you regarding reports that regulators at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have begun taking regulatory actions against farms that are specifically exempted by Congress from regulatory enforcement conducted by OSHA. Since 1976, Congress has included specific language in appropriations bills prohibiting OSHA from using appropriated funds to apply requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1976 to farming operations with 10 or fewer employees.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIt has come to our attention that OSHA is now interpreting this provision so narrowly that virtually every grain farm in the country would be subject to OSHA regulations.\u00a0 OSHA\u2019s interpretation defies the intent of Congress in exempting farming operations from the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIn viewing a farm\u2019s \u201cgrain bin operation\u201d as somehow distinct from its farming operation, OSHA is creating an artificial distinction in an apparent effort to circumvent the Congressional prohibition on regulating farms.\u00a0 The use of grain bins is an integral part of farming operations.\u00a0 Without grain bins, farmers must sell corn and soybeans immediately after harvest, when prices are usually low.\u00a0 Storing grain in bins is thus a fundamental aspect of farming.\u00a0 Any farm that employs 10 or fewer employees and used grain bins only for storage prior to marketing should be exempt, as required by law, from OSHA regulations.\u00a0\r\nA memo issued by the Director of Enforcement Programs on June 28, 2011, stated that \u201cmany of these small farm employers mistakenly assume that the Appropriations Rider precludes OSHA from conducting enforcement activities regardless of the type of operations performed on the farm.\u201d\u00a0 The memo declares that all activities under SIC 072\u2014including drying and fumigating grain\u2014are subject to all OSHA requirements (the memo did not even mention grain storage).\u00a0 There are many farms that have grain dryers on-farm to address wet harvest conditions or fumigate grain to prevent pests from ruining a crop prior to marketing.\u00a0 These are basic, common, and responsible farming activities that OSHA has arbitrarily decided are non-exempt.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWorker safety is an important concern for all of us\u2014including the many farmers who probably know better than OSHA regulators how to keep themselves and their employees safe on farms.\u00a0 If the Administration believes that OSHA should be able to enforce its regulations on farms, it should make that case to Congress rather than twisting the law in the service of bureaucratic mission creep.\u00a0 Until then, Congress has spoken clearly and we sincerely hope that you will support America\u2019s farmers and respect the intent of Congress by reining in OSHA.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nWe would ask that you direct OSHA to take the following three steps to alleviate this concern.\u00a0 First, OSHA should cease all actions predicated on this interpretation, which is inconsistent with Congressional intent.\u00a0 It is important that OSHA also issue guidance correcting this misinterpretation of the law.\u00a0 We suggest consulting with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and organizations representing farmers to assist with this guidance.\u00a0 Finally, we ask that OSHA provide a list and description of regulatory actions taken against farms with incorrectly categorized non-farming activities and 10 or fewer employees since the June 2011 memo.\u00a0 Given the nearly four decades of Congressional prohibition of OSHA enforcement against farms, this should be a simple request to fulfill.\u00a0\r\nWe would appreciate your response by February 1, 2014, to include a copy of the corrected guidance, the data regarding enforcement actions on farms, and confirmation that OSHA will cease such enforcement.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221134251/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-december-23-27-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of December 23-27, 2013", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nAs the Christmas season winds down and Missourians get ready to welcome 2014, the reality of the President\u2019s health care law is beginning to hit home for so many of us who have been forced to give up the health plans we liked and wanted to keep. Many of the new health plans we have had to enroll in are more expensive than the plans we had to abandon and require us to pay for coverage we don\u2019t need and certainly don\u2019t want.\nOf course, there\u2019s a chance many of us who thought we had enrolled in various health care plans are not actually enrolled, after all. Many Americans who signed up through the government exchanges have been incorrectly informed they enrolled in plans. If you\u2019re in this category you might be in for a big shock early in the new year when you learn that while you were informed you had enrolled, the insurance company you thought you had signed up with might know nothing about you. Bottom line \u2013 you might not have coverage!\nWe have recently learned that many of the navigators who are supposed to be guiding consumers wanting to enroll in plans have made a series of mistakes. These mistakes include giving enrollees incorrect information and failing to properly secure enrollees\u2019 personal health information, Social Security numbers, and annual incomes. We have also been told that some of these navigators have encouraged consumers to commit tax fraud by underreporting income in order to qualify for ObamaCare\u2019s health insurance subsidies.\nThis is yet another example of an unworkable law that should never have been launched before it was ready. As we begin the new year, I remain committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to end this disastrous law and to replace it with health care options that offer all Americans access to quality, affordable health coverage they want.\nOn another matter, I am pleased to share that even though Congress was not in session, negotiators from the House and Senate Agriculture Committees were at work hammering out the final details of what I hope will be a comprehensive five-year Farm Bill. There are still differences between the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill, but the principle negotiators are making significant progress and the conferees plan to vote the first full week back in January. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am committed to serving the interests of both consumers and farmers \u2013 approving a Farm Bill that provides the United States with a safe, plentiful, and affordable supply of food for many years to come. I hope to be able to share some good news with early in the new year\nFrom my family to yours, have a blessed and prosperous New Year!\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221134357/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-december-16-20-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of December 16-20, 2013", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "The final full shopping week before Christmas has been a busy one for citizens of Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District. In addition to Christmas shopping with my family, I have spent some time this week visiting with good citizens in parts of our district.\nIt was particularly meaningful for me to visit the Truman VA Hospital in Columbia. Doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals at Truman VA are working hard, this holiday season, to administer to the needs of our veterans who are confined to the hospital during the Christmas holidays.\nTruman VA provides a full continuum of excellent care in both patient and outpatient settings. This facility offers comprehensive primary care services, medical and surgical specialties, as well as behavioral health, physical and occupational therapy. It also provides pharmacy services.\nTruman VA maintains strong affiliations with the University of Missouri\u2019s School of Medicine, its Sinclair School of Nursing, its School of Health Professions, and other health-related programs. Truman VA provides training opportunities for some 900 students each year.\nThe health care professionals and trainees at Truman VA are providing a service for which simple thanks are insufficient. May God continue to help these health care providers to improve the lives of our veterans who are in need of medical services during this Christmas season.\nThis week also took me to Warsaw, where I had the opportunity to host a town hall and to hear from citizens who shared their thoughts and opinions with me. It is a blessing for me to spend time at home in Missouri\u2019s Fourth District where I can hear the common sense that seems to be so lacking in our Nation\u2019s Capital.\nThere is no doubt many Washington insiders could benefit from the Heartland logic that is found in places like Warsaw, Missouri. There is little doubt our country would be much better off listening to the insights of Mid-America. I look forward to returning after the holidays to share this wisdom with others and working for the solutions America needs and deserves.\nFinally, Christmas is approaching and our focus turns to friends and family. But it is important to keep in mind that the true focus of the season must be on the reason for the season \u2013 the birth of Jesus Christ.\nLuke\u2019s account of how the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in the field is familiar to so many of us:\n\u2018And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.\u2019\nMy wish is that the light Jesus brought to the world shines upon you this Christmas and shines on our men and women in uniform around the world to keep them safe and bring them home soon.\nFrom my family to yours, we wish you the merriest of Christmases.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=a6d6e2bb-6882-44c1-a5f7-c9fd399bd465", "Senator Blunt Introduces Bill Honoring Missouri\u2019s \u201cMonuments Men\u201d", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) introduced bipartisan legislation today awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the \u201cMonuments Men,\u201d a group of approximately 350 men and women from 13 countries who are credited with preserving, protecting, and restoring millions of pieces of artwork, sculptures, and other cultural artifacts in Europe during World War II.  Four of the Monuments Men were Missouri natives, and 10 were later employed in Missouri, including two Directors of the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, Mo. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (N.J.) and was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Kay Granger (Texas). \u201cThis bipartisan bill honors the incredible men and women of Missouri and across the world who protected millions of cultural artifacts from devastation during World War II and preserved these invaluable treasures for future generations,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cI\u2019m hopeful that this legislation will encourage more Americans to learn about the rich history of these works of art and the remarkable legacies of the Monuments Men.\u201d  Additional Background on the Monuments Men: The Monuments Men served in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section of the Western Allied military effort. They were initially charged with protecting structures, such as churches, museums, and monuments, from destruction. Their responsibilities later shifted to recovering art and artifacts stolen by Nazis across Europe. Today, there are only five living members of the Monuments Men. Works from many of Europe\u2019s major artists \u2013 including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Pablo Picasso \u2013 were plundered by the Nazis and added to their private collections. Some of the notable pieces preserved by the Monuments Men include Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s The Last Supper and Michelangelo\u2019s David. By 1951, they had recovered or restored nearly five million cultural artifacts. In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Roberts Commission to help the U.S. Army protect cultural works in Allied occupied areas. General Dwight Eisenhower told his commanders that \u201cinevitably, in the path of our advance will be found historical monuments and cultural centers which symbolize to the world all that we are fighting to preserve,\u201d and he ordered his commanders to safeguard those treasures. The story is the subject of multiple books by author Robert Edsel, the most recent of which is The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. While living in Europe, Mr. Edsel became interested in how the monuments and artwork survived the devastation of World War II. He is the Founder and Chairman of the Board for the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art. In addition, the story of the Monuments Men is gaining attention with an upcoming movie based on Edsel\u2019s book, starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Bill Murray.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=b8f75b4d-3073-408d-8e5b-3b72cf467075", "Senator Blunt Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (Ill.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), and 23 other U.S. Senators today to introduce the \u201cNuclear Weapon Free Iran Act,\u201d bipartisan legislation proposing prospective sanctions on Iran should the regime violate the interim Joint Plan of Action agreed to in Geneva or should Iran fail to reach a final agreement. \u201cDespite the White House\u2019s opposition, many of my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree that we must be more aggressive in stopping Iran from developing its nuclear weapons capabilities,\u201d said Blunt, who is one of three U.S. Senators to serve on both the defense authorizing and appropriations committees.  The legislation requires further reductions in purchases of Iranian petroleum and applies additional penalties to strategic elements of the Iranian economy, to include the engineering, mining and construction sectors. Simultaneously, it gives the Administration continued flexibility and up to one year from the conclusion of an implementing agreement to pursue a diplomatic track resulting in the complete and verifiable termination of Iran\u2019s illicit nuclear weapons program. \u201cIf Iran has not made significant progress towards their determination that they will never pursue nuclear weapons at the end of the six-month interim period, this bipartisan legislation rightly calls for more robust sanctions,\u201d Blunt concluded.  In addition to Blunt, Kirk, and Menendez, the legislation was also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Mark Begich (Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Ben Cardin (Md), Bob Casey (Pa.), Susan Collins (Maine), Chris Coons (Del.), Bob Corker (Tenn.), John Cornyn (Texas), Ted Cruz (Texas), Joe Donnelly (Ind.),\u00a0Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Mike Johanns (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.), John McCain (Ariz.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Pat Roberts (Kan.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), and Elizabeth Warner (Mass.).\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=506bd4fa-b33b-4398-acba-6936839cb30c", "Senator Blunt\u2019s Bill To Promote Religious Freedom In Middle East Passes Senate Panel", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee overwhelmingly passed U.S. Senator Roy Blunt\u2019s (Mo.) bipartisan legislation to appoint a special envoy for the purpose of promoting religious freedom among religious minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia. Under Blunt\u2019s bill, the envoy would hold the rank of ambassador and work in coordination with the Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom to monitor and combat acts of religious intolerance and incitement targeted against religious minorities in these regions.\u00a0In addition to working with foreign governments and relevant multilateral organizations, the envoy would coordinate these efforts with the Secretary of State. To read the bill, click here. \u201cThe continued violence we\u2019ve witnessed against Coptic Christians and other civilians in the Middle East is deeply disturbing and defies the religious freedoms that Americans hold dear,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cI\u2019m pleased the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed this important bipartisan legislation, and I urge Majority Leader Reid to allow a vote to demonstrate to leaders in the region that the United States takes religious freedom seriously,\u201d Blunt continued. Blunt\u2019s legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (Mich.) and 18 other U.S. Senators. U.S. Representative Frank Wolf (Va.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.  In October 2013, Blunt joined U.S. Senators Bob Corker (Tenn.) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) in a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry noting recent reports of more frequent, targeted attacks against Coptic churches and individuals in Egypt \u201cwarrants a clear U.S. response.\u201d In August\u00a02013, Blunt reiterated his calls for Congress to pass bipartisan legislation aimed at promoting and protecting religious freedoms throughout the region.  Blunt serves as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. He is also one of three U.S. Senators serving on both the defense authorizing and appropriations committees.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=6b56432b-3620-43d0-ac3a-d513d47d8389", "Senator Blunt Co-Sponsors Resolution To Protect Missourians\u2019 Military Retirement Pay", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), co-sponsored a \u201csense of the Senate\u201d resolution to address the disproportionate military pay provision in the budget that would reduce the cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment for military retirees under the age of 62.  The resolution, which was introduced today by U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), states that retirees from the Armed Forces should not unfairly bear the burden of excessive government spending, and the Senate should seek alternatives to the current military retirement provisions in the budget legislation currently being considered. With this resolution, the Senate agrees to address the reduction of military retirement pension before it goes into effect in December of 2015.  \u201cI\u2019m voting against final passage of the budget today, in part because it hurts the brave servicemen and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting America,\u201d said Blunt, who is one of three U.S. Senators to serve on the defense authorizing and appropriating committees. \u201cSo many active duty and retired military men and women in Missouri have made sacrifices to serve our country, and we owe it to them \u2013 as well as their families \u2013 to keep our promise.\u201d The legislation is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (Ga.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), John McCain (Ariz.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Susan Collins (Maine), and Rob Portman (Ohio).\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=6f64b2eb-6a54-4527-831c-cbcf4edbc96e", "Senator Blunt Joins Colleagues To File Amicus Brief On EPA\u2019s Overreach Implementing GHG Permits", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (Okla.), senior member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Senators\u00a0Deb Fischer (Neb.),\u00a0Jerry Moran (Kan.), and Pat Roberts (Kan.) this week in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court regarding\u00a0Utility Air Regulatory Group v. United States Environmental Protection Agency\u00a0(EPA).\u00a0\u00a0In the amicus brief, the Senators ask that the Supreme Court remand the D.C. Circuit Courts of Appeals decision that upheld the EPA's authority to require permits for greenhouse gases (GHG) under the Clean Air Act.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe EPA has time and time again stretched the Clean Air Act to continue their war on affordable energy for families and job creators in states like Missouri,\"\u00a0said Blunt.\u00a0\u201cThe Obama Administration continues to sidestep Congress by forcing the regulation of greenhouse gases through the Clean Air Act \u2013 even though the Act\u2019s authors have said it was never meant to be used for that purpose. These regulations punish our nation\u2019s most vulnerable families who are hurt the most by high energy bills. I will continue to fight against the Obama Administration\u2019s burdensome regulations and promote smart policies that encourage more American energy and more American jobs.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe EPA's expansive power under the Obama Administration has resulted in overregulation that is stalling economic growth and opportunity in the United States,\u201d\u00a0said Inhofe. \u201cThe Clean Air Act (CAA) was never designed to regulate greenhouse gases, and former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson even admitted in 2009 that these costly regulations alone will not move the needle on climate change. The EPA has had flagrant disregard for the facts and have implemented rules that are stifling job creation and innovation. I\u00a0urge the Supreme Court to give our brief the utmost attention and to return a decision that reigns in big government and benefits the American people.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis Administration has abused its authority under the Clean Air Act to expand rules controlling greenhouse gas emissions,\"\u00a0said Fischer.\u00a0\u201cI hope the Supreme Court will recognize the limits of the law and rein in EPA before its regulatory overreach causes even more damage to our economy.\u201d\r\n\u201cThroughout this administration, a pattern of overreach by federal agencies has resulted in the implementation of laws and regulations never contemplated by those in Congress,\u201d\u00a0said Roberts.\u00a0\u201cThis is why I proudly joined my colleagues yesterday in filing an amicus brief which correctly argues that use of Prevention of Significant Deterioration permits to regulate GHG\u2019s from stationary sources of emissions runs counter to clear congressional intent. It is critically important that the Supreme Court understand this and remand the lower court\u2019s previous decision.\u201d\r\nThe amicus brief is available by clicking here and lays out two arguments:\u00a0\u00a0\r\n1. Tailpipe rules do not trigger Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permits because PSD permits are limited in their scope to National Air Ambient Quality Standard (NAAQS) regulations. Greenhouse Gases (GHG) have not been designated as a NAAQS pollutant; therefore, requiring these permits is not permissible.\r\n2. Congress has, on numerous occasions, introduced and considered a large number of bills proposing to regulate GHG emissions from stationary sources in a wide variety of ways, yet none of the bills contemplated regulation of stationary sources through traditional PSD permits. This absence of legislative proposals to use PSD as a mechanism to regulate GHG supports the conclusion that requirements for stationary sources that emit greenhouse gases to obtain CAA permits are not triggered based on EPA\u2019s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles. It also supports the conclusion that EPA\u2019s interpretation of the Act is contrary to Congressional intent.\r\nThe Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for February 24, 2014.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=8dd40964-e8d5-4c36-91d9-7a275ac3c1a5", "Senators Blunt, Stabenow Join Glenn Close To Urge Congress To Pass Excellence In Mental Health Act", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Actress Glenn Close joined U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) for a press conference today to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan \u201cExcellence in Mental Health Act,\u201d which was approved by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee last week.  Close is the founder of Bring Change 2 Mind, which works to end the stigma and discrimination against those living with mental illness. The Senators were also joined by mental health advocates, veterans, and law enforcement officials who support the bill. Click here for a high-resolution photo. \u201cApproximately one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder each year nationwide, according to the National Institute of Mental Health,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a model that works to solve these important problems, and passing this bipartisan provision out of committee is an important step forward. Now is the time for Congress to act.\u201d  \u201cMental health issues touch every family in some way. Our bipartisan bill expands access and improves quality of care so people can get the treatment they need and live healthy, successful lives,\u201d said Stabenow. \u201cWe had a major victory last week, we\u2019ve got tremendous momentum, and we\u2019re going to keep working hard until this bill gets done.\u201d \u201cIt is critical that people come out and talk about mental illness to reduce the stigma surrounding those living with mental illness,\u201d said Close. \u201cThis legislation is so important in the effort to expand access to mental health services and improve the quality of treatment available.\u00a0 With reduced stigma and discrimination, and increased access to quality care, people living with mental illness can get the treatment they need.\u201d\r\nAdditional Background Information: \r\n \r\nLast Thursday, a version of the \u201cExcellence in Mental Health Act,\u201d authored by Blunt and Stabenow, passed in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee as an amendment to the so-called \u2018doc-fix\u2019 legislation (the SGR bill). The amendment will set up demonstration programs across the country to improve mental health care quality and expand access to mental health treatment.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIn February 2013, Blunt and Stabenow introduced the Excellence in Mental Health Act to help fix the fragmented mental health system by offering current Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) a chance to obtain the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic designation.\u00a0\r\nThe bill establishes criteria for certified community behavioral health clinics to ensure the providers cover a broad range of mental health services \u2013 including 24-hour crisis care, increased integration of physical, mental and substance abuse treatment so they are treated simultaneously rather than separately, and expanded support for families of people living with mental health issues. Certified clinics providing this care could then get reimbursed from the government the same way that traditional health centers can.\u00a0\r\nIn addition to Blunt and Stabenow, the Excellence in Mental Health Act is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators including U.S. Senators Mark Begich (Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Susan Collins (Maine), Chris Coons (Del.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), Barbara Mikulski (Md.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.).\u00a0\r\nThe Excellence in Mental Health Act is supported by more than 50 mental health organizations, veterans organizations and law enforcement organizations including: the National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs\u2019 Association, American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Council for Behavioral Healthcare, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Mental Health America, National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Give An Hour, among many others.\u00a0\r\n \r\nBlunt has also co-sponsored a number of mental health bills in the Senate, including:\u00a0\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe \u201cMental Health First Aid Act of 2013,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Mark Begich (Alaska) and Kelly Ayotte (N.H). The bill authorizes the launch of a demonstration program to support mental health first aid trainings nationwide to help more Americans identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illnesses and addiction disorders.\r\nThe \u201cJustice and Mental Health Collaboration Act,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Al Franken (Minn.) and Mike Johanns (Neb.). The bipartisan bill would help make communities safer by improving access to mental health services for people in the criminal justice system who need treatment. The bill also focuses on giving law enforcement officers the tools they need to identify and respond to mental health issues, and includes a 5-year reauthorization of the \u201cMentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act\u201d\u00a0(MIOTCRA), continuing support for mental health courts, and crisis intervention teams.\r\nAnd the \u201cMental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and reauthorizes and improves programs related to awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental health conditions.\r\n \r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/updating-you-budget-and-fiscal-situation-washington", "Updating you on the budget and fiscal situation in Washington", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On December 12, 2013, the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Budget Act by a vote of 332-94. The Bipartisan Budget Act would set overall discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion\u2014about halfway between the Senate budget level of $1.058 trillion and the House budget level of $967 billion. The legislation includes dozens of specific deficit-reduction provisions, with mandatory savings and non-tax revenue totaling approximately $86 billion. The agreement would reduce the deficit by $23 billion without raising taxes. Additionally, the bill would provide $63 billion in sequester relief over two years, split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. Under this proposal, defense spending would receive an additional $22 billion in FY \u201814 and $10 billion for FY \u201915. The sequester relief is fully offset by savings elsewhere in the budget.\nThis agreement will provide certainty by averting a government shutdown in January. This is good for all Americans as it breaks Washington\u2019s pattern of lurching from crisis to crisis. It is not everything we want, but it strengthens our military readiness while cutting spending, and that is good for America.\nFully offset savings in this agreement are achieved through:\n Capping government contractors\u2019 salaries to $487,000.\n\tBlocking prisoners from receiving government checks, such as unemployment benefits.\n\tReducing the risks of Social Security fraud.\n\tReforms to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.\n\tIncreases on Transportation Security Administration fees and simplifying how fees are assessed, which saves the federal government $12 billion over 10 years.\n\tReducing payments to student-loan debt collectors to save $6 billion over 10 years.\n\tIncreasing federal-employee contributions to their retirement program by 1.3 percentage points. This proposal affects new employees hired after December 31, 2013.\n Lastly, one of the most controversial ways in which this agreement achieves savings is through reforms to military retiree pensions. I share the many concerns that have been expressed over this provision. The budget agreement provides for a lower annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index). The COLA would be inflation minus 1 percentage point starting with the adjustment in December 2015 \u2013 until the retiree reaches age 62. At age 62, the retired pay would be calculated as if each prior year\u2019s COLA had been the full CPI. This \"catchup provision\" will ensure that at age 62 the retiree's pension returns to where it would have been without the COLA reduction. And after age 62, the COLA itself would be the full CPI to fully protect retirees from inflation over the long-term. Again, it is important to note that no military retiree age 62 and over will see any reduction in their pension.\nIncremental changes to compensation generate uncertainty and are corrosive to the all-volunteer military. If we are going to change compensation,\u00a0I would prefer\u00a0it\u00a0to\u00a0be done at one time in a transparent manner that considers the entire spectrum of compensation. By impacting the pensions of current military retirees while grandfathering current civilian employees, this particular provision represents an imbalance that I expect the\u00a0Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (an independent panel studying military compensation that should complete its work in May 2014) and the Armed Services Committee\u00a0to reexamine in the coming years.\nI am not happy with everything in the bill, with the changes to military pensions being at the top of the list. However, Chairman Ryan deserves to be congratulated for reaching an agreement when no one else could.\u00a0This agreement will\u00a0provide our military with some near-term relief from sequestration and\u00a0give them the ability to plan for the next\u00a0two years. The restored funding can be used to improve readiness, increase flight-training hours, purchasing new equipment, and help our troops on the front line.\nWhile the agreement falls short of securing everything I would like to have in the budget, with divided government in Washington it is a step in the right direction. There are only a few things Congress should be doing according to the Constitution, and one of them is to provide for the common defense. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a strong supporter of our men and women in uniform, I am pleased that this budget safeguards our national defense and restores $30 billion in previously reduced national defense funding.\nRest assured, I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress continues discussing ways to reduce our deficit and keep our military strong. I count it a privilege to be your voice in Congress. Thank you for the honor of serving you.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=9fd9c3d3-2096-4c44-8706-4e85609fc40d", "Columbia Daily Tribune: Sen. Blunt learns about local food bank", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ashley Jost \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tFood insecurity and the increased need to serve the working poor were among the issues U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt heard about in a visit to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri on Monday afternoon.\r\nBlunt spent about 15 minutes talking with volunteers, employees and executives from the food bank before touring the facility and helping assemble a few Buddy Packs, packages of food sent home with children in need so they have something to eat over the weekend when they're not in school.\r\n\r\nBlunt toured the Ozark Food Bank in Springfield earlier in the day.\r\n\r\n\r\nLocal food bank Executive Director Peggy Kirkpatrick said all politicians have a standing invitation to see what the operation does and learn about who it's serving.\r\n\r\n\r\n\"I think it's important to understand what is really happening with their electorate,\" she said. \"When they are out somewhere else, it's easy to get removed from day-to-day needs of your constituency.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nKirkpatrick said the food bank is seeing an \"astronomical increase\" in people with jobs needing assistance. The organization has given out 22 percent more food compared to last year, Kirkpatrick said. Last year's distribution was 128 million pounds of food.\r\n\r\n\r\nDuring the meeting with food bank employees and Blunt, Kirkpatrick said the biggest challenge is getting people back to work. Blunt, a Republican, said the answer to the jobs issue is in private-sector job creation.\r\n\r\n\r\nAfter the tour, Blunt lauded the food bank's partnerships with corporate donors. Much of the food comes from Wal-Mart, General Mills and other distributors.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe food bank acts as a wholesaler for 131 organizations, Kirkpatrick said. She expressed concerns that there isn't enough incentive for more companies to donate to the food bank, though the need is great in rural areas.\r\n\r\n\r\n\"Metropolitan poverty and rural poverty are two different things,\" she said, adding that in metropolitan areas, there are not-for-profit organizations more likely and able to help.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=5f67cabc-6991-4ca5-9e69-89d6caae1df0", "Springfield News-Leader: Blunt says food safety rules will overburden farmers", "2013-12-14", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Deirdre Shesgreen \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., is among those fighting for changes to new federal food safety rules, saying the proposed requirements could be \u201cseverely detrimental\u201d to farmers of produce and even force some out of business.\r\nThe issue pits fruit and vegetable growers against food safety advocates amid ongoing federal efforts to reduce deadly outbreaks of food-borne illnesses.\r\nAt the center of the fight is a sweeping food safety law, which Congress passed in 2010 after a spate of high-profile food recalls. These included lettuce contaminated with E. coli bacteria that sickened more than two dozen people, and eggs tainted with Salmonella that made approximately 1,900 people ill.\r\nRegulators with the Food and Drug Administration are now implementing the law, the Food Safety Modernization Act. Earlier this year, the FDA issued draft rules for farmers who grow fruits and vegetables that are typically eaten raw or unprocessed, such as lettuce, apples, and tomatoes.\r\nThe rules don\u2019t apply to produce that\u2019s typically cooked, such as potatoes, or that will be processed in a way that kills bacteria. The rules would also not apply to farms with less than $500,000 a year in sales.\r\nThe FDA\u2019s produce proposal, first issued in January, has sparked a backlash from farmers and Congress. Some smaller and organic farmers have been particularly vocal in their criticism, saying the rules could disproportionately affect operations that use more sustainable farming methods.\r\nBlunt is the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the FDA. He joined a bipartisan coalition of 75 lawmakers who are now pressing the FDA to go back to the drawing board on the food safety rules.\r\nThe issue has shattered traditional party lines, with Blunt and other conservatives joined by liberals such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont. In a Nov. 25 letter, Blunt and the other lawmakers said the FDA\u2019s proposal could impose a steep new burden on the agriculture sector.\r\n\u201cAfter hearing many reservations from our farmers and businesses, we are concerned that the rules as currently proposed, and the heavy cost of complying with them, will force some producers and processors to shutter their operations,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\r\nLawmakers have taken issue with several of the FDA\u2019s pending provisions. They cited, for example, an FDA rule that would require farmers who use raw manure on their crops to wait nine months before harvesting from those fields \u2014 to make sure any bacteria hasn\u2019t survived to contaminate the crops. Organic farmers are more likely to use manure because they shun chemical products. Another contentious proposal would mandate that farmers who use untreated surface water on their crops test that water frequently for bacteria.\r\nSome farm groups say the FDA\u2019s goal is good but the rules go overboard.\r\n\u201cWe want to do what\u2019s right. Everybody cares about food safety,\u201d said Garrett Hawkins, national legislative programs director at the Missouri Farm Bureau. But for many farmers, it will be too hard to comply with this rule, he said.\r\n\u201cMost farmers don\u2019t have an environmental manager . . . taking care of all the paperwork and testing,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to keep the plants alive and have produce to market to consumers.\u201d\r\nHe said the full impact on Missouri farmers is unclear. But there\u2019s no question that fruits and vegetables are a significant portion of the state\u2019s agriculture sector \u2014 from peaches and apples to cabbage and cucumbers.\r\nAccording to the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s last census, conducted in 2007, the state\u2019s farmers produced $61 million in vegetable crops and another $4.3 million in fruits, nuts, and berries.\r\nHawkins said farmers should not shoulder the entire burden of making sure food is safe. \u201cWe believe it\u2019s a shared responsibility with those who are involved in food preparation and service,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to look beyond the farm gate.\u201d\r\nBut food safety advocates say the proposed rules are vital to reducing food-related illnesses and averting deaths.\r\n\u201cWhat\u2019s at stake is whether or not we\u2019re going to continue to have 48 million people get sick every year from contaminated food,\u201d said David Plunkett, a senior food safety attorney the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group.\r\nThe proposed FDA rules \u201creally hit the mark,\u201d Plunkett said. \u201cThey would result in a safer product\u201d for consumers.\r\nThe FDA took public comments on the rules through Nov. 22, and the agency is sifting through them now. The agency is expected to issue final regulations in 2015.\r\nPlunkett said FDA officials have to determine whether the complaints are coming from \u201cfarmers who just don\u2019t want to comply because they don\u2019t like regulations, or farmers who have raised legitimate concerns about how these rules will affect their ability to continue farming in a sustainable fashion.\u201d\r\nSome of the concerns may be legitimate, he said, but \u201cthere\u2019s a strong mood in the farm community that they just want to be left alone. They don\u2019t want to be regulated.\u201d\r\nBut Blunt and the other lawmakers have asked the FDA to reopen the rules for additional comment and issue a second draft before moving to finalize anything.\r\n\u201cEnhancing the safety of our food supply can be accomplished without burdening farms and small businesses with excessive regulations that make it difficult for them to expand and diversify their operations,\u201d Blunt said. Re-drafting the rules and allowing a second round of public comment \u201cwill minimize unintended consequences for producers in Missouri and nationwide,\u201d he said.\r\nAn FDA spokeswoman, Shelly Burgess, said she could not comment on the request for another round of work on the rules. \u201cThe comment period closed on Nov. 22, and we are now reviewing those,\u201d Burgess said.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-hartzler-applauds-approval-vital-national-security-legislation", "Congresswoman Hartzler applauds approval of vital national security legislation", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) is applauding approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 to defend our country and to adequately fund America\u2019s men and women in uniform. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.\n\u201cThis important piece of legislation provides the needed resources for America to protect itself and to protect Americans in dangerous parts of the world by supporting and protecting this country\u2019s warfighters and military families,\u201d said Hartzler. \u201cThe NDAA not only protects America today, but prepares our nation for future threats, and does so by controlling costs and making wise choices. To that end, our legislation prohibits the Department of Defense from initiating another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). It also maintains the prohibition against transfer of suspected terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to the United States and the prohibition on construction of detention facilities for terrorists in the United States.\u201d\n\u201cI am pleased that the bill will provide Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force base with the resources they need to protect our country,\u201d added Hartzler. \u201cFort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base, combined, will benefit from more than $100 million in military construction funds approved as part of the base bill.\u201d\nAlso included in the bill is a prohibition on making additional A-10 aircraft retirements before December 31, 2014. This proactive step will allow Congress time to conduct oversight and to consider what actions to take on any force structure changes the Air Force may propose in Fiscal Year 2015.\n\u201cPremature divestment of the A-10 by the Air Force would create a dangerous close air support capability gap that could unnecessarily endanger American service members in future conflicts,\u201d said Hartzler.\nCongresswoman Hartzler, whose district is home to Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood, serves on the House Armed Services Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/hartzler-and-house-take-step-right-direction-approval-budget", "Hartzler and House take a step in the right direction with approval of budget", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) and the House have approved a budget that begins the task of reducing the federal deficit while safeguarding national security by reinstating some of the scheduled defense cuts.\n\u201cThis budget bill reduces the deficit by roughly $23 billion without raising taxes,\u201d said Hartzler. \u201cThe agreement falls short of securing everything I would like to have in the budget, but with divided government in Washington, it is a step in the right direction.\u201d\nIn addition to reducing the deficit, this budget provides our national defense with $30 billion more over the next two years \u2013 reversing some of the sequester\u2019s arbitrary across-the-board cuts that negatively impact our military,\u201d continued Hartzler. \u201cAs a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a strong supporter of our men and women in uniform, I am pleased that this budget safeguards our national defense, which is one of the primary responsibilities of the federal government.\u201d\n\u201cThis agreement will provide certainty by averting a government shutdown in January,\u201d added Hartzler. \u201cThis is good for all Americans as it breaks Washington\u2019s pattern of lurching from crisis to crisis. It is not everything we want, but it strengthens our military readiness while cutting spending, and that\u2019s good for America.\u201d\nCongresswoman Hartzler serves on House Budget and Armed Services Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364060", "Blaine's Bulletin: Seeking Regulatory Reform", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After spending 30 years in the financial services industry, I have seen many individuals achieve the American dream through hard work and dedication. These individuals weren\u2019t alone through their journey; many also had the help of local financial institutions like community banks and credit unions. However, those hometown institutions are now being overwhelmed by increasingly burdensome regulations, many of which stem directly from passage of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      After spending 30 years in the financial services industry, I have seen many individuals achieve the American dream through hard work and dedication. These individuals weren\u2019t alone through their journey; many also had the help of local financial institutions like community banks and credit unions. However, those hometown institutions are now being overwhelmed by increasingly burdensome regulations, many of which stem directly from passage of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. \r\nI hear often from these local institutions about how they are frustrated with this law. While these small institutions were not part of the financial problem, they have been roped into the solution by this law. As a result, Dodd-Frank is drowning them under hundreds of new rules and mandates, leaving them struggling to keep up. And this combination of endless new regulations and an increasingly hostile examination environment is lethal. Since January 2007, 484 banks in the United States have failed. The most recent data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission shows that the total number of banks in the nation has fallen below 7,000, the lowest number since at least 1934. \r\n\u00a0Most of the institutions that are disappearing are our small community banks, those that serve neighborhoods and our small towns in every corner of the country. These are the institutions that make loans to families they\u2019ve known for generations, that sponsor little league teams, provide scholarships to students, and make over one half of the small business loans in our country. These are the institutions that help their communities thrive and their customers realize the American dream. \r\nAs a member on the Financial Services Committee, I hear regularly from these institutions that are weighed down with these federal regulations that are promulgated by bureaucrats who have no real-world experience in the industry. They don\u2019t foresee the unintended consequences of their actions, and could seemingly care less. \r\nI believe we have to take action and advance through both the House and the Senate common-sense legislative reforms that will provide relief to these institutions. I have introduced the Community Lending Enhancement and Regulatory (CLEAR) Relief Act that contains several provisions that would help community banks and credit unions foster economic growth and better serve their communities through targeted regulatory relief. This bill would provide, among other things, an increase in the Federal Reserve\u2019s Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement threshold, Qualified Mortgage status for loans originated and held in portfolio by institutions and relief from certain costly escrow requirements.\r\nWe must demand common-sense and responsibility from federal regulators so that we can return to a time when examiners worked with community banks and credit unions, not against them. The current landscape is grim, but it is my sincerest hope that Congress can make progress on this front, not just for the benefit of the institutions but for the communities they serve and allow our citizens to continue to realize the American dream.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221134459/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-december-9-13-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of December 9-13, 2013", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nWith Christmas just weeks away and Americans shopping for family and friends, Congress was at work, trying to complete some important legislation for the people of this country.\nFirst and foremost, Congress has approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 to defend our country and to adequately fund America\u2019s men and women in uniform. The bill now goes to the Senate.\nThis important piece of legislation provides the needed resources for America to protect itself and to protect Americans in dangerous parts of the world by supporting and protecting this country\u2019s warfighters and military families. The NDAA not only protects America today, but prepares our nation for future threats, and does so by controlling costs and making wise choices. To that end, our legislation prohibits the Department of Defense from initiating another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). It also maintains the prohibition against transfer of suspected terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to the United States and the prohibition on construction of detention facilities for terrorists in the United States.\nI am pleased that the bill will provide Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force base with the resources they need to protect our country. Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base, combined, will benefit from more than $100 million in military construction funds approved as part of the base bill.\nAlso included in the bill is a prohibition on making additional A-10 aircraft retirements before December 31, 2014. This proactive step will allow Congress time to conduct oversight and to consider what actions to take on any force structure changes the Air Force may propose in Fiscal Year 2015. Premature divestment of the A-10 by the Air Force would create a dangerous close air support capability gap that could unnecessarily endanger American service members in future conflicts.\nOn another important matter, the House and Senate have agreed on a budget that begins the task of reducing the federal deficit while safeguarding national security by reinstating some of the scheduled defense cuts.\nThis budget bill reduces the deficit by roughly $23 billion without raising taxes. The agreement falls short of securing everything I would like to have in the budget, but with divided government in Washington, it is a step in the right direction.\nIn addition to reducing the deficit, over the next two years this budget restores $30 billion in previously reduced national defense funding \u2013 reversing some of the sequester\u2019s arbitrary across-the-board cuts that negatively impact our military. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a strong supporter of our men and women in uniform, I am pleased that this budget safeguards our national defense, which is one of the primary responsibilities of the federal government.\nThis agreement will also provide certainty by averting a government shutdown in January. This is good for all Americans as it breaks Washington\u2019s pattern of lurching from crisis to crisis. It is not everything we want, but it strengthens our military readiness while cutting spending, and that\u2019s good for America.\nOn another important matter, House and Senate negotiators have made significant progress on a comprehensive Farm Bill, but winter weather in Washington, D.C. and last minute policy changes prevented the Congressional Budget Office from providing the cost analysis the negotiators needed to complete work on the Farm Bill before the end of the year. I am optimistic that the House and Senate will be taking up the Farm Bill once Congress returns in early January and provide a five-year farm bill that saves taxpayers billions of dollars and provides a safety net for farmers during times of extreme weather or catastrophic market failure. This week, the House passed a short, one-month long extension of the current bill to ensure certainty for consumers and farmers in Missouri as negotiators iron out the final differences.\nFinally, I was privileged this week to present Texas Congressman John Carter with petition signatures collected from Missourians who support his Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act, H.R. 3111, which I co-sponsor.\nIt\u2019s a bill to have the Fort Hood attack declared what it is; a terrorist attack. The fact is that during his trial former Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan acknowledged his jihadist actions as he killed or wounded soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas in November of 2009. I was recently given the signatures of more than 100 veterans at an event in Sedalia. They join me in the desire to have the despicable action declared an act of terror so that the Purple Heart Medal is presented posthumously to those killed as well as to the survivors of this horrendous action. I pray justice will be served and the victims and their families will receive the benefits they deserve.\nHave a great week.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/event/benton-county-town-hall", "Benton County Town Hall", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Hartzler to host town hall in Warsaw\nCongresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) will visit Warsaw on Thursday, December 19, 2013 to host a town hall forum to provide an update on legislative issues and to hear the concerns of Benton County citizens.\nWhat: Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler hosts town hall forum\nWhen: Thursday, December 19, 2013 \u2013 9:45amCT\nWhere: Harbor Village, 17571 North Dam Access Road, Warsaw, MO 65355", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://long.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=470", "Long Statement on Budget Vote", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Billy Long", "L000576", "long.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Rep. Billy Long issued the following statement after voting no on the budget legislation: \r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI could not support this budget because not only does it break the budget caps Congress agreed to in 2011, it promises spending cuts down the road that may not happen.\u00a0\u00a0While this budget agreement does contain some good reforms, such as targeting waste and fraud in some government programs, those good intentions were not enough to support the overall bill.\u00a0\u00a0As a former small business owner I understand the importance of budgeting, but our country can no longer afford to keep putting off the tough choices that need to be made to get our nation\u2019s spending and debt under control.\u00a0 I will continue to fight for the hardworking taxpayers who are telling me Washington must get serious about addressing our nation\u2019s fiscal mess. We need to make the tough decisions now to fix this mess for our children and grandchildren.\u201d\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364242", "Luetkemeyer Statement on House Passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) on the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) on the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act:\r\n\u201cWhile this agreement is not perfect, Chairman Ryan did the best job he could in a divided government.\u00a0 Though I would like to see more progress made on cutting spending and reforming government programs, the Bipartisan Budget Act contains approximately $23 billion in deficit reduction, does so without raising taxes on American families, and exchanges temporary cuts for permanent cuts.\u00a0In addition, by cutting spending in a smarter way, we will prevent our men and women in uniform from bearing a disproportionate share of budget reductions in the next two years. On top of this, for the first time in years the federal government will finally operate not on a continuing resolution, but on an actual budget, just as Missourians do at home. A budget gives us the chance to cut, eliminate and reform specific programs and agencies while a continuing resolution lets the administration spend money on autopilot.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364294", "Luetkemeyer Backs Farm Bill Extension While Work Wraps Up on Comprehensive Plan", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Luetkemeyer Backs Farm Bill Extension While Work Wraps Up on Comprehensive Plan \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 12, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        As part of his commitment to protecting American farmers, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) today voted for a short-term Farm Bill extension which extends through January 31, 2014, most provisions of current farm policy until work is completed on a comprehensive Farm Bill. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      As part of his commitment to protecting American farmers, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) today voted for a short-term Farm Bill extension which extends through January 31, 2014, most provisions of current farm policy until work is completed on a comprehensive Farm Bill. \r\n\u201cAs Congress continues to complete its work on a larger Farm Bill, I felt it was important that we pass this extension in order to provide a sense of continuity to American farmers and ranchers until a final agreement can be hammered out early next year, \u201c Luetkemeyer said. \u201cWe are much closer to finishing the Farm Bill than ever before but it\u2019s important that we get it right while also ensuring that during tough economic times we don\u2019t impose increased hardships on our farm communities.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364297", "Luetkemeyer Praises Boeing Decision to Bring Technology Center to Missouri, Creating Jobs", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) today praised Boeing\u2019s decision to establish a technology research center in Missouri that the company said would create 300-400 new jobs in the St. Louis area. The announcement is not related to Missouri\u2019s efforts to land a production facility for the company\u2019s 777X jetliner.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) today praised Boeing\u2019s decision to establish a technology research center in Missouri that the company said would create 300-400 new jobs in the St. Louis area. The announcement is not related to Missouri\u2019s efforts to land a production facility for the company\u2019s 777X jetliner.\r\nThe company said it will restructure its Boeing Research & Technology organization, the company's central research-and-development unit, through the establishment of research centers in Huntsville, Ala.; Southern California; St. Louis; North Charleston, S.C.; and Seattle. \r\nBoeing said the new research centers will consolidate technology development of strategic importance to Boeing over the long-term \u2013 up to 30 years into the future. They will be chartered to accelerate technical capability in specific fields and enhance and build networks of collaboration with university, industry and government research centers around the world.\r\n\u201cI am extremely pleased that Boeing will be establishing a technology research center in St. Louis and by doing so will create 300 to 400 new jobs for Missourians,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cMissouri has a long partnership with Boeing and we look forward to building on that partnership with this new technology research center.\u201d\r\nThe Boeing announcement can be found at http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2013-12-12-Boeing-Realigns-Research-Technology-Unit-for-Growth-and-Productivity", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-the-passage-of-the-ryan-murray-budget-deal", "Wagner Statement on the Passage of the Ryan-Murray Budget Deal", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO) today issued the following statement after the House passed, in bipartisan fashion, the Ryan-Murray budget deal:\n\"While this deal is far from perfect, it is a small step in the right direction towards enacting the House Republican Budget which will balance our budget in ten years,\" said Rep. Ann Wagner. \"This two-year budget will provide more certainty to the American people and prevents a government shutdown. It will also help restore our military readiness and modernization to defend the United States from threats around the world. Most importantly, this budget reduces the deficit, does not raise taxes, and locks in permanent mandatory spending reductions and reforms. It's time we stop governing from crisis to crisis and restore regular order to get the job done for the American people.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-the-passage-of-the-ryan-murray-budget-deal", "Wagner Statement on the Passage of the Ryan-Murray Budget Deal", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO) today issued the following statement after the House passed, in bipartisan fashion, the Ryan-Murray budget deal:\n\"While this deal is far from perfect, it is a small step in the right direction towards enacting the House Republican Budget which will balance our budget in ten years,\" said Rep. Ann Wagner. \"This two-year budget will provide more certainty to the American people and prevents a government shutdown. It will also help restore our military readiness and modernization to defend the United States from threats around the world. Most importantly, this budget reduces the deficit, does not raise taxes, and locks in permanent mandatory spending reductions and reforms. It's time we stop governing from crisis to crisis and restore regular order to get the job done for the American people.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=059633d1-202f-4156-88b2-f5fbf0ea628e", "Senate Committee Approves Blunt-Stabenow Plan To Improve Mental Health Care", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The U.S. Senate Finance Committee today approved the bipartisan \u201cExcellence in Mental Health Act,\u201d introduced by U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) to expand access to community mental health services and strengthen the quality of care provided.\r\n\u201cThis is an important step forward as we work to fix America\u2019s mental health policies,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a model that works to solve these important problems. It\u2019s time for Congress to act.\u201d\r\nThe bill was included as an amendment to the so-called \u201cdoc fix\u201d (SGR) bill that permanently reforms the way doctors are reimbursed by Medicare. The version of the Excellence in Mental Health Act voted for in committee today would establish pilot programs in 10 states to strengthen and improve access to care.\r\n\u201cStrengthening mental health services isn\u2019t partisan. It is an important issue that touches all of our families in some way,\u201d said Stabenow.\u00a0\u201cOur bipartisan bill expands access to care and improves quality of care so people living with mental illness can get the treatment they need. Instead of merely talking about this issue in the wake of tragedies, it is time for Congress to finally take action.\u201d \r\nBackground Information: \r\nIn February 2013, Blunt and Stabenow originally introduced the Excellence in Mental Health Act, to address the nation\u2019s fragmented mental health system by offering current Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) a chance to obtain the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic designation. The bill establishes criteria for certified community behavioral health clinics to ensure the providers cover a broad range of mental health services - including 24-hour crisis care, increased integration of physical, mental and substance abuse treatment so they are treated simultaneously rather than separately, and expanded support for families of people living with mental health issues.\r\nIn addition to Blunt and Stabenow, the Excellence in Mental Health Act is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators including U.S. Senators Mark Begich (Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Susan Collins (Maine), Chris Coons (Del.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), Barbara Mikulski (Md.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.).\r\nThe bill is supported by more than 50 mental health organizations, veterans organizations and law enforcement organizations including: the National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs\u2019 Association, American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Council for Behavioral Healthcare, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Mental Health America, National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Give An Hour, among many others.\u00a0\r\nBlunt has also co-sponsored a number of mental health bills in the Senate, including:\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe \u201cMental Health First Aid Act of 2013,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Mark Begich (Alaska) and Kelly Ayotte (N.H). The bill authorizes the launch of a demonstration program to support mental health first aid trainings nationwide to help more Americans identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illnesses and addiction disorders.\r\nThe \u201cJustice and Mental Health Collaboration Act,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Al Franken (Minn.) and Mike Johanns (Neb.). The bipartisan bill would help make communities safer by improving access to mental health services for people in the criminal justice system who need treatment. The bill also focuses on giving law enforcement officers the tools they need to identify and respond to mental health issues, and includes a 5-year reauthorization of the \u201cMentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act\u201d\u00a0(MIOTCRA), continuing support for mental health courts, and crisis intervention teams.\r\nAnd the \u201cMental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and reauthorizes and improves programs related to awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental health conditions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=29f3f766-8000-400a-ad4a-47b409b64d69", "Senator Blunt, Colleagues Introduce Bill To Support Advocacy Centers For Child Abuse Victims", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Chris Coons (Del.), co-chairs of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, and U.S. Senators Jeff Sessions (Ala.) and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday to reauthorize the \u201cVictims of Child Abuse Act\u201d (VOCAA), which provides funding for Children\u2019s Advocacy Centers that serve child victims of violent crimes and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable. Though the success of these federal-state and public-private partnerships have earned them broad bipartisan support, Congressional authorization for Children\u2019s Advocacy Centers lapsed in 2005, and most recently the President\u2019s proposed budgets for 2013 and 2014 have zeroed out federal funding. The VOCAA Reauthorization Act of 2013 would restore funding for Children\u2019s Advocacy Centers and strengthen oversight of this critical program. \u201cThere are 22 Child Advocacy Centers located in Missouri, which serve around 7,000 of our state\u2019s most vulnerable children each year by coordinating the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cThis bill allows Child Advocacy Centers in Missouri and across the country to continue to provide a safe haven for child abuse victims and helps law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.\u201d Background on the Bill:  Children\u2019s Advocacy Centers employ a multi-disciplinary team of trained professionals to conduct forensic interviews of children who have been victims of abuse. These interviews are designed to be admissible in court, preventing children from being re-traumatized by having to tell their stories multiple times. The VOCAA Reauthorization Act of 2013 would increase authorization levels for Children\u2019s Advocacy Centers for the first time since the VOCAA was enacted in 1990. Acknowledging current fiscal constraints, this moderate increase, from $20 million to $22.5 million, is still below an amount that would keep pace with inflation and population growth. The reauthorization would also strengthen the programs through enhanced accountability provisions, non-profit requirements and limitations on conference expenditures. Missouri Supporters: Vince Hillyer, President and CEO, Great Circle, Columbia, Mo.: \u201cWe support this act as we are accountable for high standards and best practices to provide services that best meet the needs of children who are victims of child abuse. As Great Circle moves towards a trauma-informed practice, the Child Advocacy Centers are the first step in helping addressing the tremendous trauma that children suffer when they are victims of sexual abuse. The work that the Child Advocacy Centers provide establish the foundation for the investigation of the trauma at one site, establishes findings of the victim\u2019s investigation and networks with the next step in healing, to agencies like Great Circle.\u201d Jan Stock, Executive Director, Rainbow House Child Advocacy Center, Columbia, Mo.: \u201cThis Act has provided a voice for abused children across our nation. Acknowledgement of abuses against children has prompted research on the impact of abuse, treatment modalities have been developed that most effectively deal with the trauma, prevention strategies continue to evolve, and there is now more awareness of the signs and symptoms so that entire communities are able to do their part.\u201d Joyce Estes, Executive Director, Northwest Missouri Children's Advocacy Center: \u201cAs the Executive Director of the Children's Advocacy Center in St. Joseph, I can testify as to how important this is. Every year we see more and more children here for forensic interviews and for trauma focused therapy for child victims of sexual abuse. Any increase in funding will be appreciated.\u201d Kim Inman Williams, MA Executive Director Beacon Health Center/ SEMO Network Against Sexual Violence: \u201cIn 2012, Beacon/NASV served approximately 700 children through sexual/physical assault exams, forensic interviews, victim advocacy, mental health counseling and case management. Funding through our VOCA grant each year is imperative for the continuation of such programs in the 10 county areas served by our three locations. These services help to assure timely intervention in an affordable and accessible manner. As an agency and as individuals supporting the mission of protecting the children of Missouri, we fully support [Senator Blunt\u2019s] efforts at gaining reauthorization of the Victims of Child Abuse Act.\u201d\u00a0  Barbara Brown-Johnson, Executive Director, Child Advocacy Center, Inc., Springfield, Mo.: \u201cAs an agency whose only client is abused children, we are keenly aware of the need for the Victim of Child Abuse Act funds\u2026. The Department of Justice, as well as others, has invested in evaluation research on the impact of this CAC model, and the findings have been consistent \u2013 improved services for children while eliminating unnecessary duplication of services, proof that this public-private partnership works.\u201d Eric Zahnd, Platte County, Mo. Prosecuting Attorney: \u201cIn my opinion, Child Advocacy Centers are among the most important organizations serving to protect children. My office works with our local CAC on a regular basis. Without their expertise in cases we prosecute, many child predators would not be behind bars today. It would be extremely beneficial to the children of our nation for Senator Blunt to reauthorize the act.\u201d Mark Richardson, Cole County, Mo. Prosecuting Attorney: \u201c[Child Advocacy Centers\u2019] interviews of child victims conducted by trained forensic interviewers have made it much easier for law enforcement investigators, juries and judges to find the truth in child assault and sexual assault cases.\u00a0 As a result, there is a higher rate of conviction and sentences of imprisonment for the most vile criminals who prey on our most defenseless citizens \u2013 our children.\u201d  Christopher K. Limbaugh, Cape Girardeau County, Mo. Prosecuting Attorney: \u201cChild victims are the most vulnerable of the population. While many victims of crime are subject to traumatic offenses, children suffer more so given that the offenses committed against them occur during the formative years of their lives. The programs supported by the Victims of Child Abuse Reauthorization Act are a vital tool in the investigation of offenses against children and essential to the successful prosecution of those perpetrators. The Reauthorization of this Act, sponsored by Senator Blunt, will continue to provide law enforcement personnel and child advocates resources to put those who prey on children in prison and off Missouri streets.\u201d Andy Anderson, Boone County, Mo. Sheriff's Dept. Cyber Crimes Task Force Coordinator: \u201cChild advocacy centers in Missouri and around the country must be funded to maintain the professional standard we now enjoy. We owe it to the children and families who have become victims of such horrific crimes to make the investigative process professional and compassionate as possible. I have been investigating crimes against children for 26 years so I started way before child advocacy centers were available. I understand the difficulties victims faced during investigations before they were established. We have come too far to take a backward step now. Child advocacy centers help investigators conduct a better investigation and serve the children well by reducing the number of their interviews and provide them a safe child friendly environment where they can get through a very difficult task.\u201d John Jordan, Sheriff, Cape Girardeau County, Mo.: \u201cI fully support Senator Blunt in his effort to secure funding in the Victims of Child Abuse Reauthorization Act of 2013. This is a noble and very much needed program that has and will continue to protect countless children who are victims of sexual and physical abuse. Being able to have safe environments for children who have been victimized, is paramount to their future physical and mental healing. I commend Senator Blunt for his support of this important legislation.\u201d\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=c80a0a11-d09a-44ff-a75a-1a1a9ade921e", "Springfield News-Leader: Management of Mark Twain forest concerns lawmakers", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "News-Leader Staff \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tU.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Strafford, and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, met with Kathleen Atkinson, the eastern regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service, regarding concerns over controlled burns and timber management in the Mark Twain National Forest.\u00a0\r\n\u201cForestry is an important economic engine in rural Missouri, and many families and local businesses rely on the Mark Twain National Forest for resources including timber, wood products, agriculture, and recreation,\u201d Blunt said.\u00a0\r\n\u201cCongressman Smith and I are working with the forest service to ensure that timber harvest remains a management priority and that the utility of controlled burns is thoroughly examined, so the Mark Twain National Forest can continue to benefit our state.\u201d\u00a0\r\nChristian County contains 52,260 acres of land set aside for the Mark Twain National Forest. It is home to three campgrounds and recreation areas and an 80-mile trail system for ATVs, mountain biking and hiking.\u00a0\r\nThe forest service uses the burns to control growth of trees and vegetation in the expansive national forest, which stretches over hundreds of square miles in southern Missouri. The Mark Twain National Forest website listed nearly 56,000 acres scheduled for prescribed burns in fiscal 2013.\u00a0\r\nLogging and timber industries in Missouri employ more than 32,000 people and contribute $5.7 billion each year to the state's economy, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.\u00a0\r\nThe department\u2019s website says Missouri is a national leader in the manufacture of forest products like charcoal, barrels, and red-cedar gift items.\u00a0\r\n\u201cRoy and I have both toured areas of the Mark Twain where \u2018controlled burns\u2019 have inadvertently destroyed harvestable timber,\u201d Smith said.\r\n\u201cWe would like to see a management strategy from the forest service that prevents harvestable timber from being destroyed, and also ensures that local governments and school districts will continue to benefit as much as possible from timber sales.\u201d\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363769", "SEC Championship Game", "2013-12-07", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SEC Championship Game \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Jefferson City,\r\n        December 7, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) on the Missouri Tigers\u2019 SEC Championship loss to the Auburn Tigers today in Atlanta:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      JEFFERSON CITY _ Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) on the Missouri Tigers\u2019 SEC Championship loss to the Auburn Tigers today in Atlanta:\r\n\u00a0\u201cToday, the Missouri Tigers lived up to being from the Show-Me State by showing the nation they are a team with a bright future after giving it their all against the Auburn Tigers. By winning the SEC Eastern Division in only their second year in the league, these Tigers\u00a0have represented themselves, their school and their state with dignity and humility.\u00a0I also would like to thank Coach Pinkel and his entire coaching staff for leading this team of young men to the championship game and I look forward to seeing what more they can accomplish in their yet-to-be determined bowl game. I would also like to congratulate the Auburn Tigers for their victory today as they prepare to represent the SEC in their final game of the season.\u201d\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363641", "Blaine's Bulletin- Supporting Small Business", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cEntrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States\u201d \r\n\u2013 President Ronald Reagan\r\n\r\nPresident Reagan\u2019s words reflect my own long-held belief as a former small businessman that small businesses are the backbone of our nation. Small businesses are where ideas and innovations are not only brought to life but are nurtured into American success stories that create jobs and economic opportunities. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      \u201cEntrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States\u201d \u2013 President Ronald Reagan \r\nPresident Reagan\u2019s words reflect my own long-held belief as a former small businessman that small businesses are the backbone of our nation. Small businesses are where ideas and innovations are not only brought to life but are nurtured into American success stories that create jobs and economic opportunities. And as Vice Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, I remain concerned that in order to preserve the economic building blocks produced by small businesses we must ensure that burdensome regulations and job-killing taxes do not become walls to prosperity. \r\nAs taxpayers, we all know the tax code is confusing. In fact, it\u2019s so confusing that individuals and small businesses combined spend more than six billion hours and more than $100 billion every year trying to understand and comply with the tax code. With that in mind, the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this year announced they were going to take on the task of overhauling the tax code to make it simpler and fairer for hard-working Americans. \r\nWhile I fully support a reformed tax code, it was critical for me to bring to the committee\u2019s attention how reform could affect small businesses in a very specific way. \u00a0Last month, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and I sent a bipartisan letter to the committee urging committee members to consider the negative effects of proposed reforms that would limit accounting flexibility for small businesses and farmers across America. \r\nThe proposed Tax Reform Act of 2013 would expand the use of cash accounting from businesses with gross receipts that do not exceed $5 million to those with gross receipts that do not exceed $10 million, it would also limit the use of cash accounting for certain pass-through entities, farmers, and personal service corporations that have historically paid their taxes using the simple and appropriate manner of cash accounting. This is important because pass-through entities account for more than 90 percent of all business entities in the United States. \r\nThe fact is America is long overdue for a simpler and fairer tax code. However, cash accounting is critical for small businesses and it\u2019s important to make sure the committee will consider the negative effects that would limit accounting flexibility.\r\nWith my history in small business and my current responsibilities on the Small Business Committee, I am deeply committed to preserving the health of America\u2019s small businesses. It is a proven fact that small businesses provide a majority of the jobs in this country, generally about 60 to 80 percent, to be more precise.\r\nIn this economic climate, it is crucial that we support these businesses rather than place obstacles before them.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363434", "Luetkemeyer Highlights Missouri\u2019s Capabilities in Face-to-Face Meeting with Boeing CEO", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a face-to-face meeting today with Boeing CEO W. James McNerney, Jr., U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) had the opportunity to discuss many important issues to the St. Louis area and the state of Missouri including the potential for a new production facility for the company\u2019s 777X jetliner.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      In a face-to-face meeting today with Boeing CEO W. James McNerney, Jr., U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) had the opportunity to discuss many important issues to the St. Louis area and the state of Missouri including the potential for a new production facility for the company\u2019s 777X jetliner.\r\n\u201cI was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Mr. McNerney in my office today to discuss among other issues the many advantages of having the 777X jetliner built in St. Louis,\u201d Luetkemeyer said, whose district includes hundreds of Boeing workers and related suppliers. \u00a0\u201cSt. Louis has a strong work ethic, history as a home to Boeing, proximity to major transportation corridors, and the presence of more than 700 Boeing suppliers already in the region. Landing this project in St. Louis would create high-paying, high-quality jobs throughout the state and provide a significant economic boost. I am pleased that Boeing will be considering Missouri as the future home of this state-of-the-art aircraft.\u201d\r\nIn a separate letter to McNerney in support of a state-wide effort to bring the project to St. Louis, Luetkemeyer reiterated and made it clear - the region has a proven history of success when it comes to the state\u2019s commitment to Boeing over the years.\r\n\u201cThe St. Louis area is home to men and women who embody the unparalleled Midwestern work ethic. Additionally, St. Louis has had the opportunity to serve as a faithful home to Boeing and Boeing precursors since James McDonnell incorporated the McDonnell Aircraft Company in 1939, and today is fortunate to count Boeing Defense, Space and Security as a hometown business,\u201d Luetkemeyer wrote. \u201cYou undoubtedly recognize the talent of Missouri\u2019s Boeing aerospace employees, and I can assure you that those individuals and our State\u2019s broader workforce are able and ready to meet the growing demand for Boeing commercial aircraft.\u201d\r\nEarlier this week, Luetkemeyer and other members of the congressional delegation participated in a conference call with state officials to discuss Missouri\u2019s current efforts to bring the 777X project to St. Louis. The group agreed to work together across party lines to enhance efforts already underway.\r\n\u201cWe have a bi-partisan commitment from members of the Missouri congressional delegation to do everything we can, as a group and individually, to show Boeing that St. Louis would be the best possible location for its production facilities and I look forward to working in the months ahead to make this possible,\u201d Luetkemeyer said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=a2249d73-6119-47e9-9f09-e25b4c9242e8", "Joplin Globe: Working web site won\u2019t help \u2018Obamacare,\u2019 senator says", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "JOPLIN, Mo. \u2014 A working web site will not spell the end for problems with the federal Affordable Health Care Act, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt told a Joplin crowd on Wednesday.\r\nSpeaking at a breakfast sponsored by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, the senator said he was surprised at the many problems encountered with the roll out of the web site for the program.\r\n\u201cI didn\u2019t expect the web site not to work \u2014 that\u2019s the easy part,\u201d Blunt said.\r\nHe said the coverage will not succeed because he does not believe young, health people will buy in and because of elements cited as benefits by supporters, such as the coverage requirement for those with pre-existing medical conditions.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m sympathetic, but you have to be realistic. Allowing pre-existing conditions doesn\u2019t make sense,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s like being able to buy homeowner\u2019s insurance after your house is on fire. So costs have to cover expenses for people who are already sick.\u201d\r\nHe said that puts the price out of reach for young people who have no incentive to buy insurance when they are young and healthy, especially if they know they can get it when they\u2019re sick. He said he is getting calls from constituents who are frustrated because they are learning \u2014 despite the administration\u2019s claims \u2014 that they can\u2019t keep their current insurance if they like it, and that they may not be able\u00a0 to keep their doctor.\r\n\u201cIn Missouri, the largest health network is through Barnes Jewish (Hospital in St. Louis) but coverage for treatment there isn\u2019t available through the insurance company that\u2019s providing most of the coverage in the state,\u201d he said.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363240", "Luetkemeyer Leads Missouri River Delegation on Improving Management Efforts", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) and the Missouri delegation sent a letter to the House and Senate Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) conferees made up of House and Senate negotiators seeking to improve management of the Missouri River.   \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) and the Missouri delegation sent a letter to the House and Senate Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) conferees made up of House and Senate negotiators seeking to improve management of the Missouri River.\u00a0 \u00a0\r\n\u201cIn sending this letter to WRDA conferees, the entire Missouri delegation has united around three important concepts: we want a transparent, results-based strategy for mitigation on the Missouri; we want to uphold the ability of residents, business and municipalities to utilize Missouri River waters without being charged by the federal government; and we want to make sure the Corps is properly maintaining our vital navigation channel,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cWRDA is our primary opportunity to make these substantive changes to management of the Missouri River, and I am very pleased to be joined by the delegation in this important effort.\u201d\r\nEarlier this year, Luetkemeyer and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), who is serving on the WRDA conference committee, successfully included language in the House version of WRDA regarding mitigation.\u00a0 The delegation letter to WRDA conferees seeks to maintain this language, while also expressing support for a concept championed by Senator John Hoeven (R-ND). \r\nSpecifically, the House language would require the Corps to provide more information about its mitigation efforts on the Missouri River and also asks to provide an inventory of all conservation lands along the river. The Senate language would prohibit the Corps from charging residents, companies and municipalities for water out of the reservoirs upstream. \r\nNOTE: A copy of the letter that was sent to the WRDA conferees is attached.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/wagner-responds-to-president-obamas-speech-on-obamacare", "Wagner Responds To President Obama's Speech on ObamaCare", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement in response to President Obama's speech on ObamaCare this afternoon:\n\"After millions of Americans lost their health plans and millions more are getting ready to receive cancellation letters in the mail under ObamaCare - there is nothing the President can say to restore his credibility to the American people. Every day I hear from far too many hardworking families in the 2nd District who have seen their premiums skyrocket, their health insurance cancelled, who have been forced to change their doctors, and have seen their hours cut back at work. The simple truth is - there is no speech grand enough, no talking point clever enough, and no carefully staged campaign event big enough to make ObamaCare work for the American people.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-responds-to-president-obamas-speech-on-obamacare", "Wagner Responds To President Obama's Speech on ObamaCare", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement in response to President Obama's speech on ObamaCare this afternoon:\n\"After millions of Americans lost their health plans and millions more are getting ready to receive cancellation letters in the mail under ObamaCare - there is nothing the President can say to restore his credibility to the American people. Every day I hear from far too many hardworking families in the 2nd District who have seen their premiums skyrocket, their health insurance cancelled, who have been forced to change their doctors, and have seen their hours cut back at work. The simple truth is - there is no speech grand enough, no talking point clever enough, and no carefully staged campaign event big enough to make ObamaCare work for the American people.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=4c19d97c-d291-414d-8bbd-ca84e1de289c", "Senator Blunt, Rep. Smith Fight To Protect The Mark Twain National Forest", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0\u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) and U.S. Representative Jason Smith (Mo.) met with Kathleen Atkinson, the Eastern Regional Forester for the U.S. Forest Service, this week regarding concerns over controlled burns and timber management in the Mark Twain National Forest. Click here for a high-resolution photo of the meeting.\r\n\u201cForestry is an important economic engine in rural Missouri, and many families and local businesses rely on the Mark Twain National Forest for resources including timber, wood products, agriculture, and recreation,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cCongressman Smith and I are working with the Forest Service to ensure that timber harvest remains a management priority and that the utility of controlled burns is thoroughly examined, so the Mark Twain National Forest can continue to benefit our state.\u201d\r\n\u201cRoy and I have both toured areas of the Mark Twain where \u2018controlled burns\u2019 have inadvertently destroyed harvestable timber,\u201d said Smith. \u201cWe would like to see a management strategy from the Forest Service that prevents harvestable timber from being destroyed, and also ensures that local governments and school districts will continue to benefit as much as possible from timber sales.\u201d\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=fdf25502-b23d-427f-a7e9-433cf630f02f", "Senators Blunt, McCaskill Urge Boeing To Bring New Aircraft Project, Jobs To St. Louis", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.) today sent a letter to The Boeing Company, urging them to consider the State of Missouri\u2019s proposal for consideration to build the new 777X Airliner in St. Louis, Mo.\r\nIn the letter, the Senators highlight several of Missouri\u2019s positive attributes, including the state\u2019s skilled workforce, \u201ctremendous partnerships that exist between the business community and education entities,\u201d and major transportation modes, which allow businesses to benefit from global access and remain competitive in the international marketplace.\r\n\u201cThe more than 15,000 Boeing employees already in the State of Missouri are a great example of the skill, commitment, innovation, and tremendous work ethic that exists in Missouri,\u201d the Senators wrote.\r\n\u201c\u2026 The Boeing Company already has a history and strong foundation to build upon in our state. We are confident that choosing Missouri for the 777X long-haul aircraft would be a strong, long-term investment for The Boeing Company,\u201d the Senators continued.\r\nTo view Blunt\u2019s statement on Boeing\u2019s 777X airliner project from November 21, 2013, please click here.\r\nTo read the entire letter, please see below or click here.\r\nDecember 3, 2013\r\nMr. W. James McNerney, Jr.  Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer  The Boeing Company  100 N. Riverside Plaza  Chicago, Illinois 60606 Dear Mr. McNerney:\r\nWe are pleased to know that The Boeing Company has requested the State of Missouri to submit a proposal for your consideration on where to build your 777X long-haul aircraft.\u00a0 Without a doubt, Missouri is the right location to select.\r\nThe Boeing Company knows firsthand that Missouri has a dynamic and well-supported workforce. Missouri businesses benefit from the tremendous partnerships that exist between the business community and education entities.\u00a0 These partnerships result in a skilled workforce for today and tomorrow.\u00a0\u00a0 The more than 15,000 Boeing employees already in the State of Missouri are a great example of the skill, commitment, innovation, and tremendous work ethic that exists in Missouri.\u00a0 In addition, these employees can attest that Missouri is a great place to live and work.\u00a0\r\nMissouri businesses are strong, growing, and competitive in the international marketplace.\u00a0 Besides our tremendous workforce, we are ideally situated with a major airport, strong rail and highways, and a river transportation system.\u00a0 All of these transportation modes allow businesses in Missouri to reach across the globe with ease.\u00a0 An even stronger Boeing presence in Missouri would be welcomed and would continue to benefit from our global access.\u00a0\r\nYou know the strengths and great benefits of Missouri because The Boeing Company already has a history and strong foundation to build upon in our state.\u00a0 We are confident that choosing Missouri for the 777X long-haul aircraft would be a strong, long-term investment for The Boeing Company.\r\nMissouri has a track record of success in building airplanes and wants to build more.\u00a0 We look forward to hearing your decision and would be glad to tell you more about why our home state is the right place to build the 777X.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=7756da04-cb96-4b0d-bdcb-243696136356", "Springfield News-Leader: In leadership, Sen. Blunt focuses on old ties, new tools", "2013-12-01", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Deirdre Shesgreen \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON \u2014 On Sept. 28, with three days to go before funding for the federal government dried up, the Senate was shuttered and quiet. But Sen. Roy Blunt made his way to the Capitol anyway.\r\nThe Missouri Republican spent that Saturday shuttling from one House GOP office to another, meeting with his former colleagues and their aides to see whether there was some way to avert a government shutdown.\r\nHe was trying to revive a moribund proposal \u2014 crafted by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., but rejected by tea party hard-liners \u2014 to combine a short-term spending bill with a second proposal to defund the Affordable Care Act. The Senate's Democratic majority could then decouple the two and send only the funding legislation to Obama for his signature \u2014 keeping the government open and keeping the health law funded.\r\nBlunt did not make much headway that day. But his efforts highlight his role in the Senate Republican leadership \u2014 that of a seasoned tactician who works behind the scenes.\r\nTwo years ago, the freshman senator won a close race to become vice chairman of the Senate GOP conference, the No. 5 leadership slot.\r\nThe job used to involve taking minutes at the Senate Republicans' weekly meetings, but that task is a relic of a different political era. Today, Blunt said, \"you largely can define (the vice chair job) the way you want to and the way you think the members would like for you to.\"\r\nBlunt has picked two main venues to exert influence. One seems like a natural fit \u2014 using his 14 years in the House to improve coordination between that chamber's Republican majority and the Senate's GOP minority.\r\nHis other focus is less obvious: The 63-year-old has become a social media maven, nudging his Republican colleagues to sign up for Twitter, start using Instagram, and update their Facebook pages.\r\n\"Every (Republican) senator is now on Twitter, which wasn't the case two years ago,\" Blunt said proudly.\r\nBlunt regularly attends a weekly leadership news conference with Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. And he shows up frequently on the Sunday talk shows as a GOP spokesman on everything from Obamacare to Syria. But the Missouri Republican seems content to mostly cede the media spotlight to others and wield his clout more discretely.\r\n\"He's not been an out-front, rousing spokesperson for the Republican Party,\" said Kenneth Warren, a political science professor at St. Louis University. \"He's always liked to lead in the background \u2026 (and) he commands respect mostly for what he says behind closed doors.\"\r\nAt the GOP's weekly closed-door strategy sessions, Blunt hands out a list of the most popular topics on Twitter, at least when it comes to Congress and politics. He urges senators to look at what other lawmakers are doing on social media and emulate successful strategies.\r\nAnd he's brought in digital experts to school senators on the best social media strategies. This summer, for example, Blunt asked Katie Harbath, Facebook's politics and government outreach manager, to talk to Senate staffers about the most effective ways to use Facebook to reach voters.\r\nShe told them to make their postings \"authentic\" \u2014 not just regurgitated press releases \u2014 and to post photos that give their followers a behind-the-scenes sense of what it's like to be a senator. Harbath said Blunt was quick to realize \"the power of social media\" and has made sure it's a priority in his own office and with his colleagues, too.\r\nBlunt said he wanted to help Senate Republicans become better social media users because it's an easy, efficient way for lawmakers to communicate with their constituents. And they can have more dynamic exchanges with voters than they used to with regular mail, he said.\r\n\"Every senator is seeing (social media) as more and more important to the way they campaign,\" he said. But sometimes they drop those efforts once they've won their elections, he said.\r\nStill, for all his talk about Twitter, Blunt is better known as an old-guard, establishment Republican with a knack for insider politics. He's served in leadership for 14 of the 17 years he's been in Congress \u2014 starting in the House with his stint as chief deputy whip in 1999.\r\nBlunt won his race for the Senate post despite efforts by outside groups to cast him as the establishment candidate and his opponent, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, as a fresh-faced outsider who would bring tea party views to the leadership table. Blunt made his experience in the House and his institutional expertise his main campaign pitch \u2014 saying he would be able to make sure the GOP was in lock step from one side of the Capitol to the other.\r\nThe debate over defunding health care reform put that promise to the test, since it exposed a deep GOP rift. Blunt and many other Republican senators saw the efforts to tie extending funding for the government to killing Obamacare as a losing strategy. They fretted that Republicans would shoulder the blame for a government shutdown.\r\n\"I did try to tamp that down,\" Blunt said of the GOP split, by pressing his House counterparts to take a different path. Those efforts fizzled when the shutdown began, he conceded, and for weeks, the main storyline was GOP disarray.\r\nStill, Blunt kept up his outreach to House Republicans \u2014 it was something he was doing regularly anyway, as part of his efforts to make sure Republicans in the House and Senate aren't working at \"cross purposes.\"\r\nHe said he spends at least a few minutes every workday talking to a House Republican \u2014 sometimes it's Cantor or House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and sometimes it's a committee chairman.\r\nIt's a way \"to get caught up on where they are and what they're trying to do and see how that might result in actual legislation,\" Blunt said. He delivers that information, along with his Twitter reports, at the weekly Senate GOP meetings.\r\n\"Every week there's some topic that otherwise Republican senators would just simply not know\" their House counterparts were trying tackle, he said.\r\nBlunt's job gives him a hand in shaping the broader GOP agenda, as one of the leaders helping to plot political strategy and define the party's priorities.\r\n\"He's involved in most of the major issues that come up,\" said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who served in leadership until 2011 and is a close adviser to McConnell. \"He arrived with more experience than most senators have after a couple of terms, so he's an adult at the leadership table and in our conference discussions.\"\r\nAlexander said Blunt may not be as visible as some other leaders, but that should be seen as a good thing.\r\n\"You learn pretty quickly in the Senate that you don't provide much leadership by getting between some other senator and the camera,\" he said. Blunt is \"content to work quietly and as a result (he) is more effective.\"\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-thanksgiving-message", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Thanksgiving message", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has issued the following Thanksgiving message:\n\u201cOn Thanksgiving Day, Americans join loved ones to celebrate and to thank our Creator for the blessings we enjoy living in the greatest nation on earth.\nMany of us learned, as children, that the first Thanksgiving was observed at Plymouth following the harvest of 1621. The Pilgrims had endured a perilous first year and were grateful for God\u2019s provision and faithfulness.\nWe also learned that the first Thanksgiving recognized by the U.S. government came during the Civil War when President Lincoln issued a proclamation in October of 1863, reminding all of us that our nation\u2019s many blessings \u2018should be solemnly reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people.\u2019\nThis year marks 150 years since he penned those words, yet their truth remains. We have been blessed with fruitful fields, industry and technology second to none, strong communities, caring neighbors, unparalleled opportunity, and the gift of freedom. A loving and Almighty God has blessed this nation and its people.\nAs we gather this Thanksgiving Day with family and friends, let us give thanks to God for all He has given us. Let us also thank the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces whose sacrifices preserve our freedoms and allow us to enjoy God\u2019s bounty.\u201d\nCongresswoman Hartzler, who represents Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District, serves on the House Agriculture, Armed Services, and Budget Committees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362909", "Luetkemeyer Bill Would Ensure Privacy of Students Under Threat from New Regulations", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In an effort to strengthen  federal student privacy policy and keep student records secure, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) has introduced the Protecting Education Privacy Act (PEPA) which would enhance protections for students by rolling back regulatory changes made by the administration to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      In an effort to strengthen\u00a0 federal student privacy policy and keep student records secure, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) has introduced the Protecting Education Privacy Act (PEPA) which would enhance protections for students by rolling back regulatory changes made by the administration to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u201cDuring the past few years Americans have been overwhelmed with news about government agencies invading their personal information,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cMy legislation will keep parents\u2019 minds at ease because they will have the ultimate control over whether or not third parties can access their children\u2019s information.\u201d\r\nIn December, 2011, the Department of Education made significant changes to regulations to FERPA that diminished the privacy protections of the law and opened up access to student records to new entities that were never intended to have access. These records include private information ranging from test scores, attendance records, social security numbers, and sensitive health information. \r\nLuetkemeyer\u2019s legislation would empower parents by giving them more control over who has access to their child\u2019s information; ensure that any entity deemed as an \u201cAuthorized Representative\u201d of an education agency with access to student records must be under the direct control of the agency; and create a prohibition on the use of student records for commercial purposes.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362939", "Blaine's Bulletin- Keeping My Commitment to Becoming Energy Independent", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "There I was coming off the ladder after spending a few hours putting up the Christmas lights at home in St. Elizabeth when I took a moment to consider all the extra energy demands of the holiday season. Along with all the lights and displays that stretch our power grid, Americans across the country make thousands of extra trips this time of year, especially to visit relatives that may not be close by. \r\nBut Americans are getting an early gift this year, with gas prices in Missouri are hovering at or slightly above $3 which is below the national average and news coming out of the International Energy Agency (IEA) about the future of American oil production. In fact, according to press reports, the IEA reported earlier in November that our country will surpass Russia and Saudi Arabia as the world\u2019s top oil producer by 2015, and will be close to energy self-sufficiency in the next two decades, amid booming output from shale formations. The U.S. will overtake Russia, currently the biggest oil producer, in 2015 as it taps rock and shale layers in North Dakota and Texas with the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.\r\nThis is good news because as American production goes up, so does our country\u2019s economic fortunes including job creation and a variety of industries. One only has to look at the prosperity of a state like North Dakota to understand the significant impacts of energy production on local economies and beyond. This domestic energy production also insulates our nation somewhat from being at the mercy of those countries in the Middle East that don\u2019t like us all that much but still sell us oil to help finance their own corrupt and anti-American regimes.\r\nAs a supporter of an all-of-the-above energy policy, I believe that we must continue to build on these successes, despite the best attempts of the current administration to get in the way with burdensome regulations and waffling on important policy decisions. For example, why we are still waiting on a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline is beyond me. I also continue to be involved in fighting the Environmental Protection Agency overreach when it comes to burdensome regulations that ultimately will drive up the cost of electricity. At the end of the day, the war on coal being waged by the federal government continues on a daily basis and we must fight that battle.\r\nDespite these government shortcomings, the House of Representatives passed, with my support, legislation to keep the energy production momentum going. First, we passed the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act that streamlines the permitting process for onshore oil and gas exploration on federal lands, allowing for more certainty around oil and gas leases and reforms the judicial review process surrounding oil and gas exploration. We also passed the Protecting States\u2019 Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act that will allow states to continue regulating hydraulic fracturing rather than the federal government.\r\nAnd finally the House responded by passing the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act that puts in place a timeframe for approval of new natural gas pipeline projects by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other agencies.\u00a0 Moreover, if a federal agency fails to approve or deny a permit within the set timeframes provided in the bill, the permit is deemed to be approved. We are fortunate to live in a country where we have access to so many energy resources and those circumstances certainly allow us to do so many wonderful things, including celebrating the Christmas season. We must remain committed to becoming energy independent so that future generations will never fear being at the mercy of hostile countries for our energy supplies. We are on the right track and the future is, well, bright.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362977", "Luetkemeyer and House Colleagues Urge for Small Business Accounting Flexibility in Tax Reform Act", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) has co-authored a bipartisan letter to the House Ways and Means Committee commending its members for their hard-work and dedication to tackling much needed tax reform and urging them to consider the negative effects of proposed changes that would limit accounting flexibility for small businesses and farmers across America.  \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) has co-authored a bipartisan letter to the House Ways and Means Committee commending its members for their hard-work and dedication to tackling much needed tax reform and urging them to consider the negative effects of proposed changes that would limit accounting flexibility for small businesses and farmers across America. \u00a0\r\n\u201cCash accounting is critical for small businesses and our nation\u2019s farmers and ranchers to manage their yearly tax burden,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cAmerica is long overdue for a simpler and fairer tax code and I applaud the House Ways and Means Committee for taking on the task. It is very important to consider the proposed change of limiting the use of cash accounting and its effect it will have on small businesses that drive our local economies.\u201d \r\nWhile the proposed Tax Reform Act of 2013 would expand the use of cash accounting from businesses with gross receipts that do not exceed $5 million to those with gross receipts that do not exceed $10 million, it would also limit the use of cash accounting for certain pass-through entities, farmers, and personal service corporations that have historically paid their taxes using the simple and appropriate manner of cash accounting. Pass-through entities account for more than 90 percent of all business entities in the United States.\r\nNOTE: Attached is the letter that Luetkemeyer and 70 other members of the House sent to the House Ways and Means Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=25bc7fc2-59c6-4772-9a3d-9b7d9cfe684e", "St. Joseph News-Press: Blunt greets high-court decision to hear religious freedom case", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ken Newton \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tMissouri Sen. Roy Blunt hailed the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to hear a case regarding the contraceptive mandate of the Affordable Care Act.\u00a0\r\nThe high court granted a \u201cwrit of certiorari\u201d in the case pitting Kathleen Sebelius, the cabinet secretary overseeing health-care reforms, and Hobby Lobby Stores, an Oklahoma-based company claiming provisions in the new law violate religious principles.\u00a0\r\nMr. Blunt has continually advocated the position that the Affordable Care Act forces some companies to act in ways contrary to their owners\u2019 religious beliefs. Last year, he introduced the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, calling the mandates a violation of First Amendment rights of faith.\u00a0\r\nThe Republican lawmaker said Tuesday that the Senate\u2019s failure to act on his and other legislation regarding religious freedom guaranteed that the Supreme Court would be called upon to decide the matter.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe (Health and Human Services) mandate is an enormous government overreach, and it violates Americans\u2019 constitutional rights,\u201d Mr. Blunt said in a statement. \u201cEmployers should not be forced to choose between giving up their business for their faith or giving up their faith for their business.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe federal agency appealed the case from the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which held that the private businesses could make claims under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and had established \u201ca likelihood of success\u201d in proving their rights had been burdened by the contraceptive-coverage requirement.\u00a0\r\nVarious interest groups staked out their own claims on learning of the high court\u2019s granting of a hearing.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe choice about whether to use birth control should be between a woman and her doctor, and no boss should be able to interfere,\u201d said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.\u00a0\r\nShe added, \u201cIf the Supreme Court rules in favor of the corporations, the ruling will open the door to businesses denying coverage, based on their owners\u2019 personal beliefs, for a whole host of other medical procedures to which their employees are entitled.\u201d\u00a0\r\nDavid Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, which has a store in St. Joseph, said his family finds encouragement in the court\u2019s decision to hear the case.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis legal challenge has always remained about one thing and one thing only: the right of our family businesses to live out our sincere and deeply held religious convictions as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution,\u201d he said in a statement.\u00a0\r\nSupreme Court documents framed the constitutional argument this way: \u201cThe question presented is whether (the religious freedom law) allows a for-profit corporation to deny its employees the health coverage of contraceptives to which the employees are otherwise entitled by federal law, based on the religious objections of the corporation\u2019s owners.\u201d\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=3c330ff5-3cb8-490b-87ca-42a2dc7c590f", "Senator Blunt\u2019s Response To Supreme Court\u2019s Decision To Take Up HHS Mandate", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement today in response to the Supreme Court\u2019s decision to take up the controversial Health and Human Services\u2019 (HHS) health care mandate, which violates Americans\u2019 religious freedoms:\r\n\u201cBy failing to protect religious freedom, the Senate guaranteed that the courtswould have to act. I'm pleased the Supreme Court has decided to hear thisimportant case. The HHS mandate is an enormous government overreach and it violates Americans' constitutional rights.\u00a0 Employers should not be forced to choose between giving up their business for their faith or giving up their faith for their business.\u201d\r\nToday\u2019s Supreme Court decision comes after new polling showed 59% of  Americans oppose the mandate requiring religious individuals, faith-based  institutions, and businesses cover services that violate their deeply-held  religious beliefs.\u00a0\r\nTo read more about Senator Blunt\u2019s work protecting religious freedom in health care, click here.\u00a0\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221115518/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-november-25-29-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of November 25-29, 2013", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nThis Thanksgiving week, an in-district work week, gave me an opportunity to visit with constituents in Sedalia to listen to their concerns.\nA visit to Bothwell Regional Health Center gave me a chance to see the new Cancer and Cardiovascular Center and hear about the great new care options for people in our district. I was impressed and glad to see such a wonderful facility helping so many families in our area. Bothwell Regional Health Center is the second largest employer in Pettis County \u2013 providing valuable health care services to citizens of Pettis and neighboring counties. I am so pleased that this quality care is available to them.\nI also appreciated the opportunity to hear from health care professionals regarding some of the impact they are feeling and will continue to feel from the President\u2019s health care law. Hospital administrators informed me they had estimated the Affordable Care Act would cost them $22 million over seven years. Renewed estimates now put that cost at approximately $35 million \u2013 much of it due to huge reductions in Medicare reimbursement under the new law. This will be a challenge for many hospitals to navigate unless the law can be changed, and is one of the reasons I believe this law needs to be repealed and replaced with a better system that lowers costs while increasing access for all. In the meantime, I commend all the dedicated professionals at Bothwell Regional and wish them much success with their new facility.\nMy Sedalia visit gave me an opportunity to call on State Fair Community College\u2019s (SFCC) President, Dr. Joanna Anderson. She comes with a wealth of experience in community college leadership and a heart for Missouri higher education as she is originally from Missouri. SFCC is a public, non-profit college that offers high quality education to more than 5,000 students \u2013 primarily at the Sedalia campus but also with classes offered in Boonville, Clinton, Lake of the Ozarks, Warsaw, Eldon, and at Whiteman Air Force Base. State Fair Community College has agreements with four-year schools that ensure credit earned at SFCC transfers to those institutions, as well. It is a wonderful asset to the community.\nAt the Pettis County Courthouse in downtown Sedalia, the 40 & 8 Honor Society of Veterans presented me with a petition urging me to do what I can to ensure that the brave service members who were victims of the 2009 terrorist attack by U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood, Texas, receive the benefits they have earned. The petition reads, in part: \u201cWe the undersigned members of Voiture 333, 40 & 8 Honor Society of Veterans, Sedalia, Missouri, petition and urge you to actively support any and all legislative efforts \u2026 to re-classify the Fort Hood attack to what it was \u2013 a terrorist attack / combat action, and to properly award the Purple Heart Medal to the victims (posthumously) and survivors of this horrendous attack, thus ensuring their proper current, and future, veterans benefits commensurate with their service and sacrifice in a combat action during a time of war, and undoing this erroneous and unjust classification of \u2018workplace violence\u2019 by the Department of Defense.\u201d\nThere is no doubt this was an act of terrorism. It is only appropriate that the victims of this horrific act, committed by a man who acknowledged engaging in an act of jihad, receive the benefits they have so justly earned. I have co-sponsored H.R. 3111 to address this injustice and look forward to taking their petitions back to Washington to help secure the bill\u2019s passage.\nIt was an honor to meet with so many veterans who came out on a cold day in Sedalia to ask for justice. I am committed to working with my congressional colleagues to have this terrorist act re-classified as an act of war. We owe these Fort Hood heroes no less.\nBefore leaving Sedalia, I spoke to the Sedalia Rotary Club, sharing an update on important legislation in Washington. Among the issues raised by Rotary Club members was the progress of the Farm Bill. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of a House-Senate conference committee that is trying to iron out the differences in the two chambers\u2019 versions of this important legislation. I remain cautiously optimistic that an agreement can be reached before the end of the year to protect both consumers and farmers while maintaining America\u2019s safe, plentiful, and affordable food supply.\nFinally, Americans throughout our country are joining family and friends this Thanksgiving weekend to celebrate and to thank our Creator for the blessings we enjoy living in the greatest nation on earth.\nMany of us learned, as children, that the first Thanksgiving was observed at Plymouth following the harvest of 1621. The Pilgrims had endured a perilous first year and were grateful for God\u2019s provision and faithfulness.\nWe also learned that the first Thanksgiving recognized by the U.S. government came during the Civil War when President Lincoln issued a proclamation in October of 1863, reminding all of us that our nation\u2019s many blessings \u201cshould be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people.\u201d\nThis year marks 150 years since he penned those words, yet their truth remains. We have been blessed with fruitful fields, industry and technology second to none, strong communities, caring neighbors, unparalleled opportunity, and the gift of freedom. A loving and Almighty God has blessed this nation and its people.\nAs we gather this Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends, let us give thanks to God for all He has given us. Let us also thank the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces whose sacrifices preserve our freedoms and allow us to enjoy God\u2019s bounty.\nHave a great week.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=dc2644e5-0dd6-4032-a786-5c022608d3b7", "Blunt, Colleagues Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Coalition Calling For Changes To FDA Proposed Rules", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), and U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (Conn.), Chris Gibson (N.Y.) and Annie Kuster (N.H.) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers in requesting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issue a second draft of regulations for public comment before issuing final Food Safety Modernization rules. In a letter co-signed by 75 members of Congress, including 42 Republicans and 33 Democrats or Independents, the bipartisan coalition expressed concerns about the impact of proposed rules on farmers and businesses that an additional comment period could help alleviate.\r\n\u201cDespite your agency\u2019s efforts to engage with stakeholders during the rulemaking process, we remain concerned about the ambiguity surrounding many aspects of these proposed rules,\u201d the letter said.\r\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cWe believe the rules as currently proposed would result in a multitude of unintended consequences that would be severely detrimental to national, regional and local agriculture.\u00a0 By seeking additional input through second proposed rules for public comment before final rules, we believe that producers\u2019 concerns can be addressed and unintended consequences can be greatly mitigated.\u201d\r\nThe FDA recently issued two proposed rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a 2011 law that overhauled food safety laws to increase the safety of our food supply. The rules address preventative controls for human food and standards for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption.\u00a0 As proposed, the 1,200-page rules have left food producers and processors across the country concerned about a number of issues surrounding facility compliance, environmental standards, among others.\r\nTo read the entire letter, please see below or click here.\r\nNovember 22, 2013 The Honorable Margaret Hamburg, M.D.  Commissioner  U.S. Food and Drug Administration  10903 New Hampshire Avenue  Silver Spring, MD 20993\r\nDear Commissioner Hamburg:\r\nWe appreciate the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) efforts to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the agency\u2019s willingness to seek input and guidance from producers and processors, which is of great value to our constituents.\u00a0 We are confident that the rulemaking process for the proposed Produce Safety Rule and the Preventive Controls Rule (Docket Nos. FDA-2011-N-0920 and FDA-2011-N-0921) will bolster the overall process of the law\u2019s implementation.\r\nDespite your agency\u2019s efforts to engage with stakeholders during the rulemaking process, we remain concerned about the ambiguity surrounding many aspects of these proposed rules.\u00a0 In order to improve the law\u2019s implementation, we are writing to request that the FDA propose and submit second proposed rules for public comment before issuing the final rules.\r\nAfter hearing many reservations from our farmers and businesses, we are concerned that the rules as currently proposed, and the heavy cost of complying with them, will force some producers and processors to shutter their operations.\u00a0 Food producers and processors in our states are concerned with a number of issues, including:\r\n \r\nThe testing frequency required for certain agricultural waters;\r\nRestrictions placed on the usage of biological soil amendments;\r\nCompliance issues at mixed-use facilities;\r\nNew requirements that conflict with existing conservation and environmental standards and practices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture;\r\nThe limiting definitions used in the rule for \u201cfarm,\u201d \u201csmall business\u201d and \u201cvery small business\u201d; and\r\nThe lack of consideration of the complexity of various farm ownership entities.\u00a0\r\n \r\nWe believe the rules as currently proposed would result in a multitude of unintended consequences that would be severely detrimental to national, regional and local agriculture.\u00a0 By seeking additional input through second proposed rules for public comment before final rules, we believe that producers\u2019 concerns can be addressed and unintended consequences can be greatly mitigated.\r\nWe appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your response.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362452", "Blaine's Bulletin- An Act of Kindness Out of Lincoln County", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Thanksgiving is a time to pause, reflect and be thankful for the many blessings in our lives; a country full of opportunities, a loving family and special friends. Over the course of my travels around the district, I am able to meet many wonderful people with inspirational and sometimes tragic stories to tell. The following story should be inspirational to all. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Thanksgiving is a time to pause, reflect and be thankful for the many blessings in our lives; a country full of opportunities, a loving family and special friends. Over the course of my travels around the district, I am able to meet many wonderful people with inspirational and sometimes tragic stories to tell. The following story should be inspirational to all. \r\nNathan, a 15-year-old from Elsberry, and his story came to my attention when I had the opportunity to meet with him and other Future Farmers of America (FFA) members from Elsberry. That was in August, so this story has stuck with me for quite some time. It is a story that begins with an awful tragedy and ends with an act of complete and utter kindness. It is also a story that shows how impactful a single selfless act can have on a community and the people in it. \r\nJillian Ann Young was a National Merit Scholar and a cheerleader, but Nathan and Jillian had forged their friendship in the FFA, as so many young people do. But that friendship forever changed on March 4, 2013, when Jillian was killed in an automobile accident on her way to school.\r\nFollowing her passing, the Jillian Young Foundation was created to provide college scholarships to students from Elsberry with financial need displaying academic excellence, strong citizenship and character and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to society. \r\nAnd that\u2019s where Nathan decided to make a difference, even though he wasn\u2019t sure if he could.\r\nNathan decided that at this year\u2019s Lincoln County Fair, he\u2019d donate every penny he earned from the auction of his hog to the Jillian Young Memorial Scholarship. As with most young people showing livestock, Nathan sent letters seeking potential buyers and made it clear where the proceeds from the sale of his animal would go. But early returns were not encouraging, even though his parents told him to keep his head held high. Perhaps something would work out, they assured him.\r\nBehind the scenes, as Nathan focused on getting his hog ready, Nathan\u2019s parents, as well as his advisor Jason Vandivort, enlisted the help of folks in the community to spread the word about Nathan\u2019s promise to honor his friend. When the day finally arrived for Nathan to show his hog, something seemed different to him than it had in the past when he showed an animal. It was as if, Nathan has said, that someone was holding his hand in that ring. \r\nAnd then the bids began and they kept going higher and higher. Far above the $6 a pound that was typical for a hog like Nathan\u2019s and, by the time it was over, the winning bid for Nathan Stone\u2019s hog at the 2013 Lincoln County Fair was a whopping $31 a pound. Some say that the $8,600 Nathan raised was a fundraising record at the Lincoln County Fair. But Nathan wasn\u2019t interested in records. After expenses, which he had to be talked into taking, Nathan was able to contribute $7,800 to the Jillian Young Memorial Scholarship. Nathan was later given the hog back, where he sold it on the market and donated those funds as well.\r\nThe story of Nathan and Jillian is one that makes me thankful to represent such wonderful folks. There are so many stories of selfless acts throughout the 13 counties that I represent, and this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for those folks who make the 3rd District such a wonderful place to live and to represent in Congress. On behalf of myself, my family and my staff, I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and a Blessed and Joyous Christmas season.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=179e90c0-519d-4207-840b-d02198b0875d", "Washington Times (Blog): GOP Sen. Roy Blunt: I suspect Senate now changed 'in fundamental ways forever'", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "David Sherfinski \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSen. Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican, said Democrats\u2019 push to end filibusters for most presidential appointments is a bad precedent in a body that was supposed to serve as a model for the world as an example of how a democracy protects the rights of a minority.\r\n\u201cThey decided to change the rule,\u201d Mr. Blunt said on MSNBC\u2019s \u201cThe Daily Rundown.\u201d \u201cI suspect that changes the Senate in fundamental ways forever.\u201d\r\n\u201c[W]hen one side decides they\u2019re going to do whatever they want to do all by themselves, there is a usual long-term price to pay,\u201d he added.\r\nHe said that during his eight years serving as chief deputy whip or whip in the House, there were just two bills passed he could remember that some Democrats didn\u2019t vote for.\r\n\u201cOne is we had little majorities, but two is we tried to look for ways that let this be something that everybody had to have some skin in the game, and it mattered whenever those things became law,\u201d he said.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221065209/http://hartzler.house.gov/letter/bicameral-bipartisan-letter-secretary-defense-and-chairman-joint-chiefs-support-10-program", "Bicameral, bipartisan letter to the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in support of the A-10 program", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Harrisonville  \n      1909 North Commercial Street        Harrisonville, MO 64701        Phone: 816-884-3411        Fax: 816-884-3163         Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9:00am-5:00pm.\nPlease call my Harrisonville office if you would like to arrange an appointment for another time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221065248/http://hartzler.house.gov/letter/letter-secretary-air-force-and-air-force-chief-staff-defending-10-thunderbolt-which-based", "Letter to the Secretary of the Air Force and Air Force Chief of Staff defending the A-10 Thunderbolt, which is based at Whiteman Air Force Base", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Harrisonville  \n      1909 North Commercial Street        Harrisonville, MO 64701        Phone: 816-884-3411        Fax: 816-884-3163         Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9:00am-5:00pm.\nPlease call my Harrisonville office if you would like to arrange an appointment for another time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221134710/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-november-18-22-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of November 18-22, 2013", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nThis week, the U.S. House took important steps to secure America\u2019s energy future, approving three common sense bills promoting widely shared energy policy goals.\nThe Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Act - H.R. 1965 - combines several bills aimed at expanding offshore energy production as well as streamlining government roadblocks and bureaucratic red tape that block and delay American energy production and job creation. The bill would reform the leasing process for oil and natural gas projects on federal lands to eliminate unnecessary delays. Additionally, it would ensure funds are available for efficient wind and solar permitting.\nThe Protecting States\u2019 Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act \u2013 H.R. 2728 \u2013 will help promote American jobs and energy creation by limiting regulations from the Administration on hydraulic fracturing, a process used to extract oil and natural gas. The legislation prohibits the Interior Department from enforcing hydraulic fracturing regulations in any state that already has regulations and recognizes states\u2019 authority to regulate this type of activity. How important is this form of energy extraction? According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. holds more than half of the world\u2019s oil shale resources \u2013 six times Saudi Arabia\u2019s proven resources and enough to provide the United States with energy for the next 200 years. A 2012 report from the economic consulting firm HIS Global Insight found unconventional shale oil and gas alone support more than 1.7 million jobs, which is expected to increase to 3 million jobs as soon as 2020. The fact is that increased energy production will result in lower energy prices and cost savings through less expensive goods and services.\nThe Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act \u2013 H.R. 1900 \u2013 is a bipartisan effort to expedite the federal review process for natural gas pipeline permit applications. It amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve or deny a permit application for a natural gas pipeline project within 12 months of the filing of that application. Furthermore, it will require the agency responsible for issuing a federal license or permit to take action within 90 days of FERC issuing its final environmental document regarding a project. Currently, energy producers are waiting an average of 307 days for permits to drill on approved federal lands. Compare this to the 12-15 days to get permits for drilling on approved state lands. There is no reason for these lengthy delays.\nThe House took action this week to make your federal government more accountable by addressing those disturbing videos we have seen of IRS employees partying in lavish surroundings on the taxpayers\u2019 dime. The Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act of 2013 \u2013 H.R. 2061 \u2013 establishes government-wide data standards for the Treasury Department regarding federal expenditures. Specifically, the legislation sets limits and transparency for conference and travel spending by federal employees. This bill prohibits federal agencies from paying for the travel expenses for more than 50 employees of that agency to attend any international conference unless the attendance is in the national interest. Lastly, at the beginning of each quarter, federal agencies will be required to post a report on each conference that costs more than $10,000 for which the agency paid travel expenses during the preceding three months \u2013 with agencies prohibited from spending more than $500,000 to support any single conference.\nIn an area of great concern, you might have heard reports that the Obama Administration is close to an agreement to suspend sanctions against Iran in exchange for a six-month freeze of Iranian enrichment activities. The simple truth is that it was implementation of economic sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table in the first place. Relieving sanctions without a guarantee that Iran will end its nuclear program is foolish. The U.S. must not rush into any deal without first guaranteeing the security of America and its allies in the region \u2013 particularly Israel. All indications are that Iran has no intention of halting its pursuit of nuclear weapons. The United States must maintain robust sanctions until Iran is ready to change course.\nOur office continues to hear stories from citizens of Missouri\u2019s Fourth District regarding the negative impact of President Obama\u2019s health care law. I shared some of their stories in a video this week that urges the Senate to take up and pass House-approved legislation that would allow citizens across the country to keep their health plans. A link to that video is included in this week\u2019s newsletter.\nOn another matter, I was honored this week to have been presented the 2013 ALOT Agricultural Leader of the Year award. ALOT \u2013 Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow - is a two-year leadership program, attracting Missouri adults from across the state, representing rural and urban areas, full-time farmers and agribusinesses, media, and financial representatives.\nIt means a great deal to me to be honored by this group as ALOT\u2019s mission is to provide leadership experiences that will make a positive difference to the future of agriculture and rural communities in Missouri and beyond. As a lifelong farmer who now serves on the House Agriculture Committee, I am committed to promoting agriculture in Missouri and throughout our country. I look forward to updating you on Congress\u2019 biggest agricultural responsibility, passing a Farm Bill, and sharing with you that negotiators from the House and Senate worked this week to reach agreement on this critical legislation to maintain America\u2019s safe, affordable, and plentiful food supply.\nHave a great week.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=bf725974-c3ff-45a0-b156-5ca70dea985f", "Senator Blunt: St. Louis Ideally Situated For New Boeing 777x Project", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0\u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement today after learning that Boeing could be considering St. Louis, Mo. as a possible location to open the assembly line for its new 777x Airliner: \u201cThe St. Louis region is home to a skilled workforce with deep roots in the aviation industry and is an ideal production site for Boeing\u2019s new 777x aircraft project. I\u2019m pleased that Boeing is considering St. Louis as a top contender for this initiative, and I\u2019ll be working hard to make the case to our friends at Boeing that St. Louis is the best place to build this aircraft.\u201d\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://long.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=469", "Long Promotes Stable Families with Adoption Promotion Act", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Billy Long", "L000576", "long.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Billy Long believes all children deserve the opportunity to grow up in a loving and stable family and is leading this effort with his Adoption Promotion Act.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI support policies which encourage adoption and promote stable families.\u00a0 Each year women all across our country find themselves facing a decision about whether to carry their unborn child to term and how to provide for that child once the child has been born.\u00a0 We owe it to women in our nation, especially to those who are most vulnerable to make sure that they are truly receiving the information they need about all their options for their child.\u00a0 Women and their children deserve our support to help them find a chance at life, love, and an opportunity for a great future and that is what my legislation promotes,\u201d Long said.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long\u2019s Adoption Promotion Act, H.R. 3539, would ensure that all women who access family planning services provided with Title X funding are given pregnancy options counseling which includes professional adoption counseling.\u00a0 When a woman feels she is unable to care for her child, for whatever reason, it is vital that she knows she still has an option to provide her child with life and a good, loving future through adoption.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Adoption Promotion Act would also provide for the collection of data on the effectiveness of pregnancy options counseling and adoption counseling so that we can make sure that women are receiving the most effective counseling possible for their child.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362304", "Luetkemeyer Seeks Answers from FEMA about Flood Insurance Issues During Hearing", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement after the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing titled \u201cImplementation of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Act: Protecting Taxpayers and Homeowners\u201d:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement after the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance held a hearing titled \u201cImplementation of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Act: Protecting Taxpayers and Homeowners\u201d:\r\n\u201cAs Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, and with hundreds of miles of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and the Lake of the Ozarks in the 3rd District, I welcomed the opportunity to hear from the witnesses, particularly Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate. I have heard from many of my constituents who are saddled with serious problems stemming from the National Flood Insurance Program. In light of that, I have requested that senior FEMA officials visit the 3rd District and to re-examine the Missouri floodplain maps. As a result of today\u2019s hearing, Administrator Fugate has agreed to my request that he and FEMA leadership meet with representatives from the housing and insurance industries in an effort to improve communication and address the concerns that plague the program. It is my hope that, as a result of this hearing, and after talking with Administrator Fugate, there will soon be greater accountability in the program and solutions for those in the 3rd District.\u201d\r\nNOTE: A video of Luetkemeyer during the hearing today is available on his YouTube page at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7cZg4UlwH4&feature=youtu.be.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=61d75b4c-93d8-438c-bfa2-997ddf745f7f", "Senator Blunt Introduces National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Amendments", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) introduced a number of floor amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014 this week. Blunt is currently one of three U.S. Senators to serve on both the defense appropriations and authorizing committees. \u201cOur men and women in uniform and their families make tremendous sacrifices to protect our freedoms,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cI hope the Senate will have the opportunity to vote on these important amendments as we move forward with this bill and work to give our Armed Forces the resources they need to meet their critical mission of defending our nation.\u201d Blunt introduced a number of amendments, including: \r\n \r\nBannister Federal Complex, Kansas City, Mo. Land Transfer Amendment: Blunt\u2019s amendment would authorize the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the General Services Agency (GSA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to enter into an agreement regarding the conveyance of federal property located at Bannister Road in Kansas City, Mo. and allow for an eventual title transfer and redevelopment of the site.\r\nAmendment to Appoint a Special Envoy in Near East and South Central Asia: Blunt\u2019s amendment would appoint a special envoy for the purpose of promoting religious freedom among religious minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia. The envoy would hold the rank of ambassador and work in coordination with the Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom to monitor and combat acts of religious intolerance and incitement targeted against religious minorities in these regions.\u00a0 In addition to working with foreign governments and relevant multilateral organizations, the envoy would coordinate these efforts with the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State.\r\nSmall Business Contracting Amendment: Blunt\u2019s amendment protects small businesses from overly burdensome regulations when they subcontract with the Department of Defense contracts by ensuring that the Small Business Act applies to all contracts awarded using a small businesses preference no matter which agency makes the award.\u00a0\r\nAfghanistan Anti-Corruption Amendment: Blunt\u2019s amendment would require the Defense Department and State Department to address in a meaningful way the lack of a comprehensive, measurable anti-corruption strategy in Afghanistan.\u00a0 Specifically, the amendment prohibits funds from being obligated or expended on new Request For Proposal agreements with the Afghanistan government or any third party in Afghanistan until the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense submit to the Senate Armed Services Committee a comprehensive, coordinated strategy for United States anti-corruption efforts in Afghanistan, including goals, objectives, and measurable outcomes.\r\nArticle 32 Reform Amendment: Introduced by Senators Blunt, Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), this amendment would reform Article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to help prevent abusive questioning of victims of military sexual assault in a pre-trial setting, ensuring that victims who come forward to report sexual assault are not harassed or intimidated during pre-trial questioning.\r\nA-10 Warthog Amendment: Introduced by Senators Blunt and Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), this amendment would limit the ability of the Air Force to retire the A-10 until the Air Force certifies that the F-35A achieves Full Operational Capability and exists in the fleet in sufficient quantity to replace the retiring A-10s. It also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to confirm that the Air Force certification is comprehensive, fully supported, and sufficiently detailed. For more information on this amendment, please click here.\r\nAmendment to Remove Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan from Tier III Terrorist Organizations: Introduced by Senators Blunt and John McCain (Ariz.), this amendment would remove the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) from Tier III terrorist organizations. KDP and PUK have been classified by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as Tier III group terrorist organizations for U.S. immigration law purposes, which is contrary to the cooperative and friendly relationship between Kurdistan and the United States. Surprisingly, the Executive Branch does not have the authority to remove entities labeled as Tier III terror groups from that designation. Only Congress can grant a group exclusive relief as it did in 2008 when it acted to remove the African National Congress (ANC) from the list.\r\nAdvanced Concept Ejection Seat for the B-2 at Whiteman Air Force Base Amendment: Introduced by Senators Blunt and Tom Udall (N.M.), this amendment directs the Air Force to complete the Advanced Concept Ejection Seat qualification on the B-2, which will benefit pilots at Whiteman Air Force Base.\r\nUrotrauma Amendment: Co-sponsored by Senators Blunt and Ben Cardin (Md.), this amendment directs the Department of Defense to address the prevention, care coordination, and research of urotrauma as a distinct entity.\u00a0\r\n \r\nBlunt also introduced or co-sponsored amendments that were included in the base bill and passed during the committee mark-up in June 2013. For more information, please click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=a8520022-f532-4145-9ef8-7add68c2f1f4", "Blunt, Ayotte Introduce Measure To Ensure Troops Have Necessary Close Air Support", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) this week introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) aimed at preventing the U.S. Air Force from prematurely retiring the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The Senators are concerned that a premature divestment of the A-10 Thunderbolt II by the Air Force would create a dangerous close air support capability gap that could unnecessarily endanger American service members in future conflicts.\u00a0 The 442nd Fighter Wing is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.\r\nThe amendment, which is also being co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Mike Crapo (Idaho), would prevent the Air Force from retiring any additional A-10s until the Air Force certifies that it has a sufficient number of fully operationally capable F-35As to replace the retiring A-10s and to meet combatant commander close air support requirements. The amendment also requires the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) to verify the Air Force\u2019s certification.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWhile the Air Force confronts difficult budget decisions, we believe the Air Force must protect programs that are central to our nation\u2019s combat readiness, as well as the safety of our service members in harm\u2019s way,\u201d said Blunt, Ayotte, McCaskill, and Crapo in a joint statement. \u201cWhen our ground forces call for help, our nation must be prepared to answer and to provide the best possible close air support. A premature divestment of the A-10 before its replacement has achieved full operational capability would put our troops at increased risk, and we are not prepared to accept increased risk for our soldiers and marines because of a potential misallocation of budget cuts.\u201d\r\nThe National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) endorsed the Blunt-Ayotte amendment on Monday saying,\u00a0\u201cSenator Ayotte and Senator Blunt are right on target,\u201d said retired Major General Gus Hargett, the NGAUS president. \u201cFor years, our ground troops have enjoyed the world's best close-air-support aircraft. It has allowed them to accomplish their missions and return home safely. Anything less should be unacceptable to a nation that supports its troops. We urge senators to co-sponsor and support the Ayotte-Blunt Close Air Support amendment (#2063).\u201d\r\nLast week, a bipartisan, bicameral group of U.S. Senators and Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, expressing similar concerns regarding the potential divestment of the A-10.\r\nDuring a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on November 7, General Raymond Odierno, the Army Chief of Staff, testified, \u201cThe A-10 is the best close air support platform we have today\u2026 it's performed incredibly well in Iraq and Afghanistan.\u201d\u00a0\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=74f27208-2c19-4563-83a8-b8d8eaca2a0e", "Senators Blunt, Warner Introduce Legislation To Reduce Underutilized Federal Property", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Mark Warner (Va.) introduced legislation to reduce the number of underutilized and excess federal properties, which could save taxpayers $9 billion over the next 10 years. Sens. Lindsay Graham (S.C.), Dean Heller (Nev.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Rob Portman (Ohio), and Roger Wicker (Miss.) are also original co-sponsors of the Civilian Property Realignment Act (CPRA). Representative Jeff Denham (Calif.) introduced companion CPRA legislation in the House earlier this year.\r\n\u201cWith limited resources, the federal government needs to explore opportunities for cost savings,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation seizes on the opportunity to save billions of taxpayer dollars over the next decade by simply consolidating and maximizing the footprint and use of federal buildings and facilities.\u201d\r\n\"This proposal will require us to carefully review our federal real estate holdings and look for opportunities to downsize,\" Warner said. \"By taking a businesslike approach to our current inventory, and aggressively looking for ways to consolidate and dispose of unneeded real property, we can sell properties we no longer need, and save taxpayer money by reducing maintenance and operations costs for years to come.\"\r\nThe federal government is the largest property owner and manager in the U.S., with more than one million buildings, structures, and land parcels. Real property management has been on the Government Accountability Office\u2019s (GAO) high-risk list since 2003, and GAO has estimated that the federal government could save billions through improvements. CPRA establishes an independent commission, comprised of real estate management experts, charged with reviewing the federal property portfolio and developing recommendations for consolidation or disposal. The commission will issue a report recommending individual leased or government owned properties that should be consolidated or disposed of to produce the best value for the taxpayer. Upon approval by the President, the recommendations will be submitted to Congress, which will have 45 days to pass a resolution of disapproval. If no such resolution is passed, the Commission\u2019s recommendations will gain full legal force.\r\nThe Civilian Property Realignment Act will:\r\n \r\nEstablish an independent commission to downsize federal real estate.\u00a0 The commission will have seven members appointed by the President and Congress to independently evaluate the federal real estate portfolio and develop recommendations twice a year for 10 years.\r\nDevelop disposal and consolidation plans with expedited review.\u00a0 The recommendations developed by the commission will be reviewed by the President within 30 days and Congress will have 45 days to disapprove the proposal. Agencies will have up to 3 years to carry out the recommendations.\r\nMitigate stakeholder interests and reduce red tape.\u00a0 The legislation will streamline the existing processes that have prevented downsizing and realignment in the past that will generate long-term savings.\r\nImprove data quality on federal properties.\u00a0 This legislation will create a complete and accurate inventory of federal properties, including building condition, annual operating costs of excess properties, value, and utilization.\r\nProvide Congressional transparency for the Federal Real Property Profile. Provide access for Congressional Committees of jurisdiction and legislative support agencies to real property data to support greater accountability.\r\nRequire $9 billion in savings from reductions in federal real property over 10 years.\u00a0 The legislation sets an aggressive savings target from the sale and consolidation of federal real property.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221134745/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-november-11-15-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of November 11-15, 2013", "2013-11-16", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nThis week, the U.S. House approved H.R. 3350 \u2013 the Keep Your Health Plan Act \u2013 to provide Americans the option of keeping the health plans they currently have. This is needed because, after the Affordable Care Act went into effect, more than 3.5 million Americans, according to the Associated Press, received health plan cancellation notices. Studies estimate up to 15 million Americans could lose their coverage over the next year due to the new law. This is devastating to the hundreds of families in our district who no longer have health insurance. Clearly, the promise of \u201cIf you like your health care plan, you can keep it\u201d has proven to be unfounded.\nFurthermore, the website, when it works, presents security risks for many users. And many of those who have been able to obtain quotes on replacement policies are getting \u2018sticker shock\u2019 as they learn the costs of their premiums will rise more than 100 percent in some cases. Many of the policy cancellations or exorbitant increases are due to the bill\u2019s mandates that force consumers to purchase coverage they don\u2019t need and don\u2019t want. Our bill will allow plans currently available on the individual market to be offered next year. I urge the Senate to quickly follow the lead of the House in serving the American people by passing this critical piece of legislation and sending it to the President.\nThe House also approved H.R. 2655, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2013, which would require courts to impose appropriate sanctions on attorneys, law firms, or parties filing frivolous lawsuits and to require them to compensate parties injured by these frivolous lawsuits. Under current law, courts may, but are not required to impose such sanctions. Too many family businesses are subjected to frivolous lawsuits that result in layoffs or company closings. No legitimate action would be prevented by this legislation, but it would help to limit the frivolous lawsuits that have the effect of greatly benefitting trial attorneys at the expense of job creators and American workers.\nOn another matter, I had the privilege of leading my colleagues in a Special Order \u2013 a series of short speeches from the House floor on a given topic \u2013 on religious freedom in the U.S. military. Members of the United States Armed Forces, like other Americans, enjoy a First Amendment right to religious freedom. But these rights are slowly being eroded. Some recent examples of religious intolerance include:\n Army Reserve Equal Opportunity trainers referencing \u201cEvangelical Christianity\u201d and \u201cCatholicism\u201d as examples of religious extremism along with the KKK, Al Qaeda, and Hamas;\nA Christian chaplain being ordered to remove a religious column he had written which simply detailed the history of the phrase \u201cthere are no atheists in foxholes;\u201d\nAn Air Force officer being told that, after 18 years, he could no longer keep a Bible on his desk because it might \u201coffend\u201d someone;\nThe Air Force Academy removing a poster portraying the words of the Academy oath because it ends with the phrase \u201cso help me God\u201d and announcing the final phrase will now be optional for cadets, even though the phrase has been a part of oaths since the Continental Congress instituted it in 1776; and\nSoldiers like Sergeant Phillip Monk being relieved of their duties because of their support of traditional marriage.\n This coercion, intimidation, and outright assault on our military\u2019s freedom of religion has got to stop! Religious freedom includes not only a service member\u2019s beliefs; his or her action and speech are also protected by the First Amendment. An individual\u2019s faith is inseparable from the way in which he or she lives and acts. Service members must be permitted to express, share, and act upon their faith without repercussions. Rest assured, I will continue to be a strong voice on behalf of this vital right.\nHave a great week.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://long.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=468", "Long Supports Bipartisan Effort to Help Americans Impacted by Broken Health Care Promise", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Billy Long", "L000576", "long.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Billy Long voted today in support of the Keep Your Health Plan Act.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMillions of Americans are sadly finding out that President Obama\u2019s repeated promise if you like your plan you can keep your plan is not true.\u00a0 This common sense legislation is about addressing the concerns hardworking Americans have with the president\u2019s health care law and giving them choices when it comes to their health care options.\u00a0 President Obama should honor the promise he repeatedly made to the American people,\u201d Long said.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long is an original cosponsor of the Keep Your Health Plan Act.\u00a0 The legislation simply allows for health care plans currently available on the individual market to continue next year, providing millions of Americans whose plans have been cancelled the opportunity to keep their policies in 2014.\u00a0 The legislation also ensures Americans keeping their plans would not face a penalty under the law\u2019s individual mandate.\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361516", "After Millions Lose Health Plans, Luetkemeyer Votes in Support of the Keep Your Health Plan Act", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After Millions Lose Health Plans, Luetkemeyer Votes in Support of the Keep Your Health Plan Act \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 15, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) on his support for the Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013 that allows health plans currently available on the individual market to continue next year, providing Americans the opportunity to continue to enroll in those plans they currently enjoy:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) on his support for the Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013 that allows health plans currently available on the individual market to continue next year, providing Americans the opportunity to continue to enroll in those plans they currently enjoy:\r\n\u201cThe president spent nearly four years promising hard-working Americans they would be able to keep their health insurance under Obamacare and when that turned out not to be the case, I felt it was critical to vote for legislation that would allow health plans currently available on the individual market to continue next year. It is now apparent to most Americans that Obamacare is collapsing under its own weight and I remain hopeful that the Senate will bring this to the floor immediately and ultimately require the president to do the right thing and sign this into law.\u201d \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361634", "Blaine's Bulletin- Americans Deserve More than Another Promise from the President", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A lot has been said and written in recent weeks about the president\u2019s 2009 speech to the American Medical Association in which he pledged that: \u201cWe will keep this promise to the American people. If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health-care plan, you\u2019ll be able to keep your health-care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.\u201d\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      A lot has been said and written in recent weeks about the president\u2019s 2009 speech to the American Medical Association in which he pledged that: \u201cWe will keep this promise to the American people. If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period. If you like your health-care plan, you\u2019ll be able to keep your health-care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.\u201d\r\nIt\u2019s a pledge the president repeatedly made when the bill became law in early 2010 and has been his calling card until recently when it became clear the promise to the American people was an empty one. Even as recently as Sept. 26, 2013, he said: \u201cThe first thing you need to know is this: If you already have health care, you don\u2019t have to do anything.\u201d Despite all the chatter about this broken promise, folks like you are demanding action and I am pleased to say that lawmakers, from both sides of the political aisle and in both chambers of Congress, are starting to finally get it. The House and Senate both have bills that would allow Americans to keep their health insurance policies in the face of Obamacare, no matter what. \r\nThe president, under pressure from the American public and a growing number of his own supporters, sought to re-cast his comments about keeping your health insurance on Nov. 4, 2013 when he claimed: \u201cIf you had one of these plans before the Affordable Care Act came into law and you really liked that plan, what we said was you can keep it \u2013 if it hasn't changed since the law passed.\" \u00a0Again feeling the pressure, the president on Nov. 14 announced that he would pursue an administrative fix to allow Americans whose policies were cancelled under Obamacare to keep their current policy. First, the president does not have the authority to unilaterally change a law, but Americans also deserve more than another promise from the president about fixes. What Americans deserve is for their elected representatives to take action on the issue. \r\nThat is why, on Nov. 15, my House colleagues and I passed a bill called the Keep Your Health Plan Act that allows health plans currently available on the individual market to continue next year, providing Americans the opportunity to continue to enroll in the plans that they currently enjoy. The House passed this legislation first but the Senate is also poised to consider its version of the bill. What is remarkable about the Senate position is that Democrats Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mark Pryor of Arkansas are cosponsoring the Senate proposal known as the Keeping the Affordable Care Act Promise Act.\r\nThe health-care website continues to malfunction, plans offered on the exchanges are unaffordable and have limited networks of doctors and hospitals, millions of Americans are still losing the insurance coverage they were promised they could keep despite the new promise, and premiums for working families are skyrocketing.\u00a0 While I have heard many of your personal stories, I would like to hear about more so please email ObamacareStory.MO3@mail.house.gov to share your story with me.\r\nIt has become increasingly clear that my belief that Obamacare would collapse under its own weight is coming to fruition and the best way to protect Americans is to pass the legislation allowing people to keep their health insurance just like the president had first promised and has now agreed to. I am hopeful that when all is said and done and the House and Senate have done their jobs, the president will give the American public what it wants and start following the appropriate process of creating a law. Mr. President, you are not Congress and you do not make laws, so do the right thing and sign our bill into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361369", "Luetkemeyer: Anemic Obamacare Enrollment Totals Show That Law is an Epic Failure", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Luetkemeyer: Anemic Obamacare Enrollment Totals Show That Law is an Epic Failure \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 14, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services released the latest Obamacare enrollment numbers:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services released the latest Obamacare enrollment numbers:\r\n\u201cThe fact that fewer than 800 Missourians and fewer than 30,000 Americans have \u201cselected\u201d a health plan through the federal Obamacare health exchange makes it clear that the president\u2019s signature piece of legislation is an epic and costly failure. I wouldn\u2019t doubt that more pitches were thrown by the St. Louis Cardinals during the World Series than there are Missourians who have signed up for the federal exchange. This is about more than a broken website; it is about a broken law in which millions of Americans have lost their health coverage and millions more are losing access to their physicians. I look forward to voting on Friday in favor of legislation that would allow Americans to keep their health care coverage, something the president promised but failed to deliver. With leading Democrats fleeing Obamacare, it\u2019s time for the president to admit that Obamacare is a failure and end this political charade.\u201d\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361470", "Luetkemeyer Says President\u2019s Administrative Fix Isn\u2019t the Solution to Obamacare Failure", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Luetkemeyer Says President\u2019s Administrative Fix Isn\u2019t the Solution to Obamacare Failure \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        November 14, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement after the president today announced a so-called administrative fix to Obamacare:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement after the president today announced a so-called administrative fix to Obamacare:\r\n\u201cFour years after first promising hard-working Americans they would be able to keep their health care and their doctors, the president has offered an administrative fix that falls short of offering a long-term solution to the health care\u00a0crisis confronting the nation. In order to repair the serious damage already inflicted by Obamacare, we must change this law through the legislative process, and that is why I plan to vote tomorrow for the Keep Your Health Plan Act. This bill would allow health plans currently available on the individual market to continue next year, providing Americans the opportunity to continue to enroll in the plans that they currently enjoy. We cannot count on another presidential promise to undo the damage to our health care system, but instead must allow the elected representatives of the American people to do that.\u201d\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=eb5b0037-aceb-432e-b765-9974f7c6d8f4", "Jefferson City News-Tribune: Blunt rips ObamaCare Failure", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Olivia Ingle \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tPresident Barack Obama said Thursday there\u2019s no doubt that millions of Americans are frustrated about receiving cancellation notices from their health insurance companies, especially when the president promised they could keep their health insurance from the individual market if they liked it.\r\n\u201cThe bottom line is people had insurance that they thought met their needs and they could afford to pay for,\u201d said U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. \u201cNow they\u2019re finding out that the insurance available to them (through the health insurance marketplace) is more expensive than they need, and in many cases has lots of elements to it that they know they don\u2019t need.\u201d\r\nObama said the cancellation notices are currently one of two issues with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the other being making sure the marketplace website, healthcare.gov, works the ways it\u2019s supposed to.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s fair to say that improvements will be noticeable,\u201d Obama said.\r\nHe said state insurance commissioners will continue to have the power to decide what plans can and can\u2019t be sold in their states.\r\nChris Cline, Missouri\u2019s Insurance department spokesman, said the department is reviewing today\u2019s announcement and the impact it will have on insurance companies and Missouri consumers.\r\nBlunt believes Obama\u2019s solutions are \u201ctoo little, too late,\u201d and \u201cwill never be as easy as they sound.\u201d\r\n\u201cThere\u2019s lots of obstacles still in the way and even if you got over all those obstacles, you\u2019d be back to the exact same problem a year from now,\u201d Blunt said.\r\nHe said he will continue to fight the Affordable Care Act, a law that he calls an \u201cObamacare train wreck.\u201d\r\n\u201cI still think there will be a point when the Administration looks back to the good ol\u2019 days when the only problem they had was trying to explain why the website wouldn\u2019t work, as opposed to trying to explain why this structure just simply won\u2019t work,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen the president now decides that he\u2019s going to redefine policies and try to make the law agree with what he over and over again said it would do, it creates a big problem.\u201d\r\nU.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, believes the ACA needs to be changed through the legislative process.\r\n\u201cWe cannot count on another presidential promise to undo the damage to our health care system, but instead must allow the elected representatives of the American people to do that,\u201d he said.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=7acb1545-99b5-4969-9727-313ea989f8ae", "Blunt, Murray, Franken, Grassley Lead 28 Colleagues Urging Administration To Support American Biodiesel Industry", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), Patty Murray (Wash.), Al Franken (Minn.), and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) led 28 of their Senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter urging the Obama Administration to support the American biodiesel industry in its upcoming 2014 regulatory proposal for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).\u00a0\r\nCurrent projections indicate that the industry will produce 1.7 billion gallons of biodiesel in 2014, continuing its pattern of exceeding annual RFS targets. In light of this production estimate, the Senators urged the Administration to carefully consider its 2014 biodiesel targets, which, if decreased or left stagnant at 2013 levels, could cost thousands of American jobs and significantly impact confidence in industry investments.\r\n\u201cBiodiesel has exceeded RFS targets in each year and is clearly poised to do so again in 2013. The industry has had impressive growth, going far beyond initial expectations just five years ago, and is supporting 62,160 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact. Biodiesel is improving our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported petroleum diesel, diversifying fuel supplies and creating competition in the fuels market,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cSetting the 2014 biodiesel volume requirement at reduced levels could have severe impacts on the domestic biodiesel industry. Further, a continuation of 2013 levels paired with any reduction in advanced biofuels targets could similarly negatively impact the industry.\u201d\r\nThe following Senators also signed on to the letter: Senators Mark Pryor (Ark.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Angus King (Maine), Jack Reed (R.I.), Tim Johnson (S.D.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mike Johanns (Neb.), Tom Harkin (Iowa), Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.), Bob Casey (Pa.), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Tom Udall (N.M.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Susan Collins (Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), and Richard Blumenthal (Conn.).\r\nTo read the entire letter, please click here.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=a2b527e3-93b8-40b6-8f7b-f13914ca928d", "Senator Blunt: President Obama Is Doing The Least He Could Possibly Do To Help Americans", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after President Barack Obama delivered remarks on the Affordable Care Act:\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is literally the least the president could do in the wake of his broken promises. Unfortunately, millions of Americans will still find themselves facing fines without any realistic way to get health insurance as the president essentially shifts the blame to states and insurance companies. \u201cAmericans deserve better than the ObamaCare train wreck, which is why I'm still fighting to replace this disastrous law with a system that puts patients and doctors in charge of their own health care -- not Washington bureaucrats.\u201d\r\nYesterday, the Obama Administration released initial enrollment numbers for ObamaCare showing that fewer than 800 Missourians have successfully signed up for the president\u2019s health care plan.\r\nSenator Blunt spoke on the Senate floor this week and last week to share stories from Missourians impacted by ObamaCare and losing their health care plans despite President Obama\u2019s promise that if you like your plan you can keep it.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=f438cf89-9c4f-4f0c-ab74-1ca2f2df30c7", "Ten Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Create Infrastructure Financing Authority", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 A bipartisan coalition of ten U.S. Senators introduced legislation today to establish a new infrastructure financing authority to help states and localities better leverage private funds to build and maintain the nation\u2019s outdated infrastructure. The \u201cBuilding and Renewing Infrastructure for Development and Growth in Employment\u201d (BRIDGE) Act, helps to address the nation\u2019s alarming investment shortfall in maintaining and improving our transportation network, water and wastewater systems and energy infrastructure. The legislation would provide an additional financing tool for states and localities which can create new jobs here at home while also increasing our nation\u2019s economic competitiveness.\r\n\u00a0\u201cInfrastructure has long been an integral part of our economy. Successful transportation systems connect people and communities, and businesses large and small, and the jobs they create, rely on a strong infrastructure network to connect with their customers,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will provide a new tool to help finance infrastructure projects, create jobs, and ensure America\u2019s global competitiveness in the 21st century.\u201d\r\nThe BRIDGE Act, introduced by lead sponsors Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Mark R. Warner (Va.), is cosponsored by Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Dean Heller (Nev.), Chris Coons (Del.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Roger Wicker (Miss.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.) and Mark Kirk (Ill.).\r\nAmerica currently spends roughly two percent of its GDP on infrastructure -- about half what it did 50 years ago. By comparison, Europe spends around 5%, and China spends 9% of GDP on infrastructure. According to the World Economic Forum\u2019s Global Competitiveness Report, the United States currently ranks 19th among 148 developed countries in overall infrastructure compared to our global competitors.\r\nTo begin addressing this shortfall, the BRIDGE Act will establish an independent, nonpartisan financing authority to complement existing U.S. infrastructure funding. The authority would provide loans and loan guarantees to help states and localities fund the most economically viable road, bridge, rail, port, water, sewer, and other significant infrastructure projects.\u00a0 The authority would receive initial seed funding of up to $10 billion, which could incentivize private sector investment and make possible up to $300 billion in total project investment. The authority is structured in a way to make it self-sustaining over time.\r\nA summary of the BRIDGE Act legislation is available here.\u00a0 Comments from a broad variety of stakeholders and industry experts are available here.\r\nKEY PROVISIONS:\r\n\u00a0The BRIDGE Act includes broad eligibility for funding:\r\n \r\nProjects would have to be at least $50 million in size, and be of national or regional significance to qualify. Five percent of the Authority\u2019s overall funding would be dedicated to projects in rural regions, and rural projects would be required to be $10 million in size.\r\n \r\n\u00a0The BRIDGE Act addresses current gaps in infrastructure financing:\r\n \r\nThe Authority would finance no more than 49 percent of the total costs of the project in order to avoid crowding out private capital. Loans and loan guarantees would be subject to modest additional fees, which will allow the Authority to quickly become self-sustaining over time.\r\n \r\n\u00a0The BRIDGE Act establishes independent, non-partisan operations: \r\n \r\nHaving project finance experts in-house will help states and localities go toe-to-toe with private sector partners to ensure that taxpayers are getting good value for our investments through public-private partnerships.\u00a0The Authority would operate independently of existing federal agencies, led by a Board of Directors with seven voting members and a CEO, all of whom would be required to demonstrate proven expertise in financial management and be confirmed by a vote of the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-obamacare-enrollment-numbers-for-october", "Wagner Statement on ObamaCare Enrollment Numbers for October", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement in response to the administration releasing data on October enrollments through the federal health insurance exchange:\n\u201cTime and time again - President Obama promised the American people, \u2018if you like your health care plan you can keep it.\u2019\u00a0 We now know this was a blatant falsehood to win an election, and the only victims are those millions of Americans that have lost their coverage through no fault of their own.\u201d\n\u201cEvery day I hear from hardworking families around the 2nd District who have had their health insurance changed or cancelled, been forced to change their doctors, had their hours cut back at work, and have seen their premiums skyrocket. These hardworking families don\u2019t care about partisan politics; they are simply concerned about how they are going to make it to the 15th and 30th each month and pay their bills on time.\n\u201cWhile the Administration claims this is just a minor setback, these absurdly low enrollment numbers are emblematic of a much larger problem: ObamaCare is unworkable, unsustainable, and unaffordable for the American people.\u00a0 It is time we realize that no matter how many tech experts President Obama hires to fix his $600 million dollar plus taxpayer-paid website \u2013 it will never stop ObamaCare from hurting the American people.\n\u201cAs your Representative - I will never stop fighting until ObamaCare is replaced with free-market based solutions that expand access without destroying our economy and lowering the quality of our care.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-obamacare-enrollment-numbers-for-october", "Wagner Statement on ObamaCare Enrollment Numbers for October", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement in response to the administration releasing data on October enrollments through the federal health insurance exchange:\n\u201cTime and time again - President Obama promised the American people, \u2018if you like your health care plan you can keep it.\u2019\u00a0 We now know this was a blatant falsehood to win an election, and the only victims are those millions of Americans that have lost their coverage through no fault of their own.\u201d\n\u201cEvery day I hear from hardworking families around the 2nd District who have had their health insurance changed or cancelled, been forced to change their doctors, had their hours cut back at work, and have seen their premiums skyrocket. These hardworking families don\u2019t care about partisan politics; they are simply concerned about how they are going to make it to the 15th and 30th each month and pay their bills on time.\n\u201cWhile the Administration claims this is just a minor setback, these absurdly low enrollment numbers are emblematic of a much larger problem: ObamaCare is unworkable, unsustainable, and unaffordable for the American people.\u00a0 It is time we realize that no matter how many tech experts President Obama hires to fix his $600 million dollar plus taxpayer-paid website \u2013 it will never stop ObamaCare from hurting the American people.\n\u201cAs your Representative - I will never stop fighting until ObamaCare is replaced with free-market based solutions that expand access without destroying our economy and lowering the quality of our care.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=8282a996-3260-417f-ada7-0e5a463fed5d", "Senator Blunt's Statement On ObamaCare Enrollments", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after the Obama Administration released initial enrollment numbers for ObamaCare:\r\n\"Fewer than 800 Missourians have successfully signed up for the president's health care plan while millions of Americans are being forced to lose their current coverage. That's appalling, and it simply confirms what we already knew: ObamaCare is a train wreck. \r\n\"President Obama should keep his promise to the American people and make the health care system work again \u2013 a system that for most people was working a year ago, and for a whole lot of people, won\u2019t be working a year from now.\"\r\nSenator Blunt spoke on the Senate floor today and last week to share stories from Missourians losing their health care plans despite President Obama\u2019s promise that if you like your health care plan you can keep it. At the Senate Republican Leadership Stakeout today, Blunt highlighted the story of a young Missourian with a pre-existing condition, who is one of many in the high risk pools that will be terminated under ObamaCare.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-hartzler-honors-americas-veterans-veterans-day", "Congresswoman Hartzler honors America's veterans on Veterans Day", "2013-11-11", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has issued the following Veterans Day statement:\n\u201cOn this day America pays tribute to our men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much to keep this country free. Since its origins as Armistice Day marking the end of World War I, November 11th has been a day for Americans to honor their countrymen and women who have served at home and abroad.\nAs the daughter of a U.S. Army Reservist, I learned at an early age of the importance of this day. Now, as a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, I interact with our men and women in uniform and I couldn't be prouder if the valiant work they are doing for all of us. \nIt is because of the selfless actions of our patriots in uniform that our country has remained free throughout the years. Today, Americans from all walks of life join to say \u2018thank you\u2019 to all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces and to their families who have shared many of the sacrifices. May God bless our veterans and may He continue to bless the United States of America.\u201d\nCongresswoman Hartzler proudly serves on the House Armed Services Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360601", "Blaine's Bulletin- Recognizing National Women's Small Business Month", "2013-11-08", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As vice chairman of the House Small Business Committee, I hear daily from folks struggling to navigate crippling federal regulations and other forms of government interference that are hampering small businesses\u2019 success, growth, and hiring capabilities. In the wake of National Women\u2019s Small Business Month in October, I wanted to take a moment to recognize those female small business owners that put in the long hours and hard work that it takes to make a business a success.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      As vice chairman of the House Small Business Committee, I hear daily from folks struggling to navigate crippling federal regulations and other forms of government interference that are hampering small businesses\u2019 success, growth, and hiring capabilities. In the wake of National Women\u2019s Small Business Month in October, I wanted to take a moment to recognize those female small business owners that put in the long hours and hard work that it takes to make a business a success.\r\nThere are several enlightening facts regarding women and small businesses. First, the U.S. ranks among the top nations in the world when it comes to female entrepreneurship. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau\u2019s 2007 Survey of Business Owners, women owned 7.8 million businesses and accounted for almost 30 percent of all businesses nationwide. And a study by the National Women\u2019s Business Council found that patent and trademark ownership by women has increased by approximately 34.72 percent from 2009 to 2010. \r\nI have said time and again that America\u2019s small businesses are the engines of job creation, employing about half of all private sector employees. From 1999-2000, small businesses accounted for 75 percent of all new jobs created and have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years. In this economic climate, it is crucial that we support these businesses, which continue to create jobs and serve as the backbone of our economy, rather than place obstacles before them. \r\nI have heard from numerous small business owners, including those run by women, which support efforts to streamline the tax code and reduce the bureaucracy that small business owners have to deal with. I am proud to co-sponsor of the Tax Code Termination Act which would terminate the Internal Revenue Code after December 31, 2017 and would also declare that any new federal tax system should be a fair and simple system that applies a low rate to all Americans. Additionally, as the House Committee on Ways and Means moves forward with its tax reform efforts, particularly those that directly affect small businesses and those that file as pass-through entities, I remain engaged and active in supporting their efforts while voicing the concerns of small businesses. \r\nI also would encourage folks to remember that Small Business Saturday takes place this year on November 30. First observed in 2010, Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to patronize brick and mortar businesses that are small and local, many of which are run by very capable women.\r\nAs vice chairman of the Small Business Committee, I will continue to protect the livelihoods of business owners and employees including those women who continue to fight the odds and succeed as small business owners. Having seen first-hand the hard work and dedication of my wife, daughters, and female employees, I know that these ladies and the millions of others in America are vital to the success of our economy and communities. That is why I am happy to recognize occasions such as National Women\u2019s Small Business month and remain committed to supporting the successes of women in any profession they choose.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=2027ab02-c09d-4d73-ab84-253ae9f5f72c", "Jefferson City News-Tribune: Blunt: Changes needed for health care plan to work", "2013-11-08", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bob Watson \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tNever a fan of the federal health care law commonly called \u201cObamacare,\u201d U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt told Missouri reporters again Thursday morning he thinks \u201cthe biggest enemy of Obamacare would be Obamacare.\u201d\r\nDuring a telephone news conference, the Missouri Republican wondered if the continuing comments about problems with the national website, www.healthcare.gov, and the Obama administration\u2019s sometimes faltering efforts to get it working correctly are \u201cmaybe, an indication of how many other unanticipated problems there are out there.\u201d\r\nHe noted many people are complaining that their current policies are being canceled, with much more expensive replacement coverage.\r\n\u201cI\u2019ve asked Missourians to visit our website, Blunt.Senate.gov, to share their stories,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cAnd, if their stories are good, I want them to share those, too.\r\n\u201cIf they\u2019ve really found a plan that is a better plan for them, that saves money, I\u2019d like to hear about it.\u201d\r\nSome supporters of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) have said the insurance industry is responsible for the problems with canceled coverage and higher-cost replacements.\r\nBut, Blunt said: \u201cThe regulation itself that actually was designed to implement the law set an unreasonable expectation. \u2026 It was a system that was designed to fail.\u201d\r\nHe said insurance companies shouldn\u2019t be blamed or victimized.\r\n\u201cThe two fundamental flaws here are the idea that you just get your insurance from a regular carrier, irrespective of your current health situation,\u201d Blunt said, \u201cand that, somehow, that would be made up for by lots of young, healthy people buying insurance at higher rates than they\u2019ve ever seen before \u2014 and a penalty that\u2019s not high enough to, frankly, drive behavior.\u201d\r\nFrom the beginning, President Barack Obama and the health care law\u2019s supporters have said its chief goal is getting people insured who aren\u2019t covered now.\r\nBut Blunt and others have argued that Congress should have passed measures to improve the current health care system.\r\n\u201cI think it\u2019s wrong to say that the current health care system was serving every need we needed to serve,\u201d he explained. \u201cBut it would be right to say it was the best health care system in the world \u2014 and let\u2019s be sure we don\u2019t lose that as we move forward.\u201d\r\nHe\u2019s been saying since before Congress passed the current, controversial ACA in 2010 that \u201cthe more competitive that (health care) market could be, the better off we could be. You know that I\u2019ve advocated, for at least six or seven years now \u2026 that you should be able to buy any insurance policy that you could find, that was available.\r\n\u201cIf you could find it on the Internet and it was approved by any state, you should be able to have that as one of your options \u2014 we could have expanded the marketplace rather than contracted and further defined the marketplace.\u201d\r\nBut the insurance industry \u201calways fought that because they liked the restricted, state-by-state marketplace,\u201d he said.\r\nOther reforms Blunt and other Republicans couldn\u2019t get added to the health care law included \u201cmedical liability reform, buying across state lines, more transparency, fair tax treatment (and) high risk pools that serve more people.\u201d\r\nWhere the ACA mandates policies cover a multitude of needs, including hospitalization, maternity coverage and mental health services, Blunt said people should be able to choose the kind of coverage they want and need.\r\n\u201cIf you define the coverage in ways that make it so expensive that people don\u2019t have it, have you achieved the goal or not? And I\u2019d say the answer is, no you have not achieved the goal,\u201d he explained.\r\nBecause of the continuing problems with the current law, he added, \u201cI believe there will be a significant number of people two years from now who don\u2019t have coverage, who had coverage (now). And the fault of that will be the so-called Affordable Care Act.\u201d\r\nBlunt said that, as more people get concerned about the law\u2019s problems, \u201cThere is a chance here that what may happen (is) that there is a real opportunity to look at this all over again \u2014 and that would be the better thing to do.\u201d\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=9ebf11a2-9f45-4dbc-ad66-e0b9e7a47d8e", "St. Joseph News-Press: Blunt says nation could see a manufacturing revival", "2013-11-08", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ken Newton \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tAs part of their character, Americans like to make things, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt believes. And Congress can play a role in encouraging that attribute.\r\nThe Missouri Republican, after touring a manufacturing facility in St. Joseph on Friday, said public policies related to energy, regulation, taxes, infrastructure and health care can lead to private-sector job creation.\r\nHis home state stands to be a beneficiary, he added.\r\n\u201cI think we\u2019re on the edge of a real potential for a manufacturing revival in the country,\u201d Mr. Blunt said. \u201cWhere we live, right here in the transportation hub of the country, can be a focal point of that.\u201d\r\nThe lawmaker visited with employees at Altec Industries, which markets its aerial lift trucks and other equipment to more than 100 countries. The privately held company employs more than 500 people locally.\r\nMr. Blunt discussed with executives there the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, legislation he has introduced with Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat.\r\nAmong other things, the bill looks to leverage private and public resources in a way that increases technical innovation. It also would provide a bridge between research and product development.\r\nAccording to the proposed law, manufacturing contributed $1.8 trillion to the American economy in 2011 and accounted for 47 percent of the nation\u2019s exports.\r\n\u201cAll of us want to see an economy that has a strong manufacturing component,\u201d the senator said. \u201cIt\u2019s crazy to buy things from another economy if you can make them competitively in your economy.\u201d\r\nThe legislation also acknowledges the need for skilled production workers, scientists, researchers and engineers, noting that the United States, in one study, ranked 27th out of 29 developed countries in the percentage of students who get bachelor\u2019s degrees in science and engineering.\r\nMark Wegel, a spokesman for Altec, said this proves a concern for the company, which demonstrated for Mr. Blunt some of the robotics and laser technology being utilized at the St. Joseph facility.\r\n\u201cWe\u2019re not seeing that pool of engineering talent that companies like Altec need,\u201d Mr. Wegel said.\r\nSteve Johnston, director of the Community Alliance of St. Joseph, called it important for Mr. Blunt to see the work of Missouri manufacturing and hear the concerns of those in this economic sector.\r\n\u201cThe senator\u2019s visit allows (Altec officials) to talk about issues in Washington that directly affect their business, not only in the United States but worldwide,\u201d he said.\r\nMr. Blunt said that a revitalized manufacturing base builds on \u201ca sense of who we are as a country, that making things continues to be important.\u201d\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221115627/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-november-4-8-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of November 4-8, 2013", "2013-11-08", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nThis was an in-district work week for Members of the U.S. House \u00a0\u2013 an opportunity for representatives of the people to spend time visiting citizens in their districts. I want to share a couple of my visits in Missouri\u2019s Fourth District this week.\nI was invited to visit the Caterpillar High Performance Molded Products plant in Boonville and met with several of the good people who work there. The facility, which opened its doors in March of 1992, provides employment for citizens of Cooper County, employing more than 200 people. The skilled workers at this Caterpillar plant produce multiple product lines consisting of power transmission, suspension, vibration isolation, and sealing application components. Caterpillar is environmentally conscious, as well. The company is one of the world\u2019s largest remanufacturers with its facilities recycling 97-99 percent of material that comes through the door.\nAmerica\u2019s manufacturing industry is crucial to kick-starting our economy. I am committed to helping companies like Caterpillar to cut through the burdensome government red tape that stifles businesses and to help reduce government obstacles that stand in the way of manufacturers and small businesses expanding their markets. The simple truth is that by opening new markets for American-made goods we help lower prices for consumers and create higher-paying jobs for American workers. This begins with addressing job-destroying government overregulation.\nI also visited Central Methodist University in Fayette to meet CMU President Dr. Roger Drake, who became the 26th President of Central Methodist in July of this year.\nDr. Drake is committed to providing each CMU student with a quality learning experience. With Dr. Drake\u2019s academic and business experience, I am confident Central Methodist and its faculty, staff, and students will be well served for years to come.\nOther education-related stops this week included a visit to Columbia College, where I met with Interim President Dr. Terry B. Smith to tour a new science facility, and a visit to Boonslick Technical Education Center in Boonville.\nMy travels also took me to the Howard County Electric Co-Op in Fayette, where I heard first hand of some of the concerns of electric cooperatives in our district and in our state. Federal government regulations are creating onerous burdens for these companies. The people at the Howard County Electric Co-Op want to continue providing electricity to the citizens they serve and are hoping they will be allowed to do so without counter-productive federal government overregulation.\nOn a related note, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held an important listening post in Lenexa, Kansas, to hear input from citizens of EPA Region 7 \u2013 which includes Missouri \u2013 on the EPA\u2019s proposed rule on source performance standards for new power plants.\nWhile I was unable to attend this meeting, I submitted a statement outlining my concerns regarding what I see as a government overreach that will cripple the coal industry and will lead to higher energy costs for hard-working citizens and businesses in Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District. As I stated in my comments to the EPA, the proposed rule would create a de facto ban on building any new coal fired power plants in the U.S. by requiring the use of Carbon Capture and Storage technology. This technology has not been commercially proven in any state, and the small pilot projects that have taken place are in states and parts of the world with drastically different geological formations than the state of Missouri. The EPA must set realistic expectations and standards that can be met by states in a way that is not economically damaging to local ratepayers and small businesses.\nThe fact is that Missouri derives more than 80 percent of its energy from coal. With this in mind, I would encourage the EPA to work with utilities to provide standards based on realistic expectations and provide states with a great amount of flexibility when meeting EPA standards. It is wrong for a federal government agency to force its unrealistic standards and added costs on the people the agency is supposed to serve. I will continue to fight for citizens of Missouri\u2019s Fourth District against what amounts to an unreasonable government attack on an industry that affords our district with affordable energy to keep people warm in the winter and cool in the summer months.\nHave a great week.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-hartzlers-statement-transfer-iranian-american-pastor-saeed-more", "Congresswoman Hartzler's statement on the transfer of Iranian-American Pastor Saeed to a more dangerous prison in Iran", "2013-11-05", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has released the following statement regarding Iran\u2019s transfer of Iranian-American pastor Saeed Abedini to a more brutal and dangerous prison than the one he has been unjustly held in for more than a year:\n\u201cIt is deplorable for Iranian authorities to transfer Pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen whose only crime is practicing his Christian faith, to a prison that houses violent inmates. It calls into question the claims of Iran\u2019s President Rouhani that he wants to be more open to the West. If he does, indeed, wish to extend an olive branch to the West, President Rouhani could demonstrate this by removing Pastor Saeed from this dangerous prison, dropping the trumped up charges, and setting him free. I urge President Obama to use his influence with the new Iranian regime to call for the safe return of this man who has now been placed in a life-threatening situation. I continue to pray for Pastor Saeed\u2019s safety and release.\u201d\nCongresswoman Hartzler serves on the Agriculture, House Armed Services, and Budget Committees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/hartzler-public-statement-epa%E2%80%99s-proposed-rule-source-performance-standards-new-power", "Hartzler Public Statement - EPA\u2019s Proposed Rule on Source Performance Standards for New Power Plants", "2013-11-05", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cMissouri is a unique and diverse state, and the economy has been built on hard work, proper use of the state\u2019s natural resources, and affordable, reliable energy.\u00a0 The EPA\u2019s proposed rule on source performance standards for new power plants has raised serious concerns among ratepayers, utilities, and small businesses in my district.\u00a0 My main concern with these proposed regulations remains focused on Missouri\u2019s need to produce affordable and reliable electricity.\u00a0\n\u201cAs we continue on the path toward economic recovery, I am very concerned these regulations, would create a de facto ban on building any new coal fired power plants in the U.S. by requiring the use of Carbon Capture and Storage technology.\u00a0 This technology has not been commercially proven in any state, and the small pilot projects that have taken place are in states and parts of the world with drastically different geological formations than the state of Missouri. It is crucial for the EPA to set realistic expectations and standards that can be met by all states in a way that is not economically damaging to local ratepayers and small businesses.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cMissouri utilities and electric cooperatives have remained committed to working with the EPA, local stakeholders, and university researchers to decrease sulfur and other air pollutant emissions, diversify renewable energy sources, and invest heavily in energy efficiency upgrades on the supply and demand side of the business.\u00a0 For example, the Missouri Electric Cooperatives has recently brought online 600 megawatts of wind energy and will add another 150 megawatts by the end of 2014; Ameren UE has been working to earn a DOE grant with various stakeholders to develop commercially viable Small Modular Nuclear Reactors by 2025; and the University of Missouri recently installed the largest 100 percent biomass-fired boiler on a university campus in the U.S., which reduced the University\u2019s fossil fuel use by more than 25 percent.\n\u201cWhile Missouri utilities continue to diversify their energy portfolios to include more renewable sources like wind, solar, and nuclear, the state continues to derive over 80 percent of its energy from coal.\u00a0 States will need regulatory flexibility to meet these standards, and utilities should be credited for recent steps taken to decrease emissions and restructure their energy.\n\u201cI would encourage the EPA to work with utilities across the U.S. to provide standards based on realistic expectations and provide states with the maximum amount of flexibility when meeting the final standards. \u00a0Flexibility should include but not be limited to exempting biomass emissions from the standard, allowing a utility to average their requirement emissions across their entire fleet, and ensuring the technologies required are proven and commercially viable.\u00a0\n\u201cIn conclusion, it is vitally important that these new regulations are reasonable and implemented over a workable time period so impacts of ratepayers and small businesses will be minimal.\u00a0 It is small businesses in my district that create the jobs that are lifting us from this recession and the middle class Americans struggling to make ends meet that will feel the greatest impact from any onerous and over prescriptive regulation.\u00a0 With the fragile recovery, Missouri cannot afford additional costly regulation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=b7275b34-8923-4c15-a2b5-776b2f7ada38", "St. Joseph News-Press: Missouri senators introduce bill addressing sexual assault cases", "2013-11-05", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ken Newton \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tA bipartisan group of U.S. senators, including both of those from Missouri, has taken a new tack in addressing the issue of sexual assaults in the military.\r\nSens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, a Democrat and a Republican, put their names Tuesday on the Article 32 Reform Act. The title refers to an information-gathering provision of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.\r\nThe change in the law would limit Article 32 probes to questions of probable cause, aiming to prevent abusive treatment of military sexual assault survivors before their cases go to trial.\r\n\u201cThese aggressive, commonsense reforms will ensure that the process does not discourage survivors from coming forward, and that survivors\u2019 rights are also strengthened and solidified,\" said Ms. McCaskill, a former county prosecutor who has been a Senate leader in addressing issues of military sexual assaults.\r\nThe Democrat previously introduced legislation to offer protections for assault victims and to strip commanding officers of their authority to dismiss court-martial convictions of sexual offenders. This legislation speaks specifically to the Article 32 process.\r\nShe thanked her Missouri colleague for joining the list of sponsors, which also includes Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.\r\n\u201cSexual assault in the military is simply intolerable, and there\u2019s no reason these victims should be re-victimized during pre-trial investigations,\u201d Mr. Blunt said, adding that the proposed law's provisions would keep assault victims from becoming \"the target of unwarranted and abusive questioning.\u201d\r\nThe legislation arises in the aftermath of reports this fall that a female attending the U.S. Naval Academy had been questioned for about 30 hours after she accused three fellow midshipmen of raping her.\r\nThe questions, part of an Article 32 process, centered on her previous sexual history, reports said.\r\n\u201cIt is time to abolish the practice of allowing defense attorneys to conduct a mini-trial before they ever get to a court-martial,\u201d said Nancy Parrish, president of an advocacy group called Protect Our Defenders.\r\nDefense Department officials estimate that about 26,000 cases of unwanted sexual contact occurred last year, with roughly 3,400 sexual assaults reported. Read more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=78fc5f9b-9f16-4ba3-b416-9ffc9960d110", "Blunt, McCaskill Open New Front in Battle Against Military Sexual Assaults", "2013-11-05", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Missouri U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.)\u00a0and Claire McCaskill (Mo.)\u00a0today introduced bipartisan legislation that would open a new front in the battle to curb sexual assaults in the U.S. military.\r\n\u201cSexual assault in the military is simply intolerable, and there\u2019s no reason these victims should be re-victimized during pre-trial investigations,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation will help to ensure that Article 32 hearings focus on determining whether there is probable cause as originally intended, while protecting alleged sexual assault victims from becoming the target of unwarranted and abusive questioning.\u201d\r\n\u201cEveryone who\u2019s looked at the Article 32 process agreed that it\u2019s unnecessarily harsh for survivors and that it has become an overly broad tool that has expanded beyond its original function.\u201d said McCaskill, a former courtroom prosecutor of sex crimes. \u201cThese aggressive, commonsense reforms will ensure that the process does not discourage survivors from coming forward, and that survivors\u2019 rights are also strengthened and solidified. I\u2019m delighted to have Senator Blunt\u2019s help as we move to institute these historic reforms.\u201d\r\n\u201cArticle 32 preliminary hearings should not subject victims to hours of questioning in an attempt to degrade, humiliate and discredit them,\u201d said Anu Bhagwati, Service Women's Action Network executive director and former Marine Corps captain.\r\n\u201cIt is time to abolish the practice of allowing defense attorneys to conduct a mini-trial before they ever get to a court-martial,\u201d said Nancy Parrish, President of Protect Our Defenders, \u201cWe need to reign in the Article 32 process and restore it to its appropriate role as a hearing to determine whether there is probable cause to recommend proceeding to General Courts-Martial.\u201d\r\nThe Senators\u2019 legislation\u2014cosponsored by colleagues including Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)\u2014would amend Article 32 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to help prevent abusive treatment of sexual assault survivors in a pre-trial setting. Recent media reports detailed the case of a female Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy who was subjected to roughly 30 hours of intimidating and invasive questioning by attorneys representing her alleged assailants during an Article 32 proceeding\u2014a pre-trial investigation required under the UCMJ before a case can be referred to a general court-martial.\r\nThe Article 32 Reform Act would make meaningful reforms to ensure that victims who bravely come forward to report sexual assault are not harassed and intimidated during Article 32 proceedings.\r\nSpecifically, the bill would limit the scope of Article 32 proceedings to the question of probable cause to help prevent abusive and unwarranted questioning of sexual assault survivors. It would also require Article 32 proceedings to be presided over by a military lawyer whose rank is equal to or higher than the trial counsel and the defense counsel. In addition, the bill would require Article 32 proceedings to be recorded and a copy of the recording and a transcript to be made available to all parties, and the survivors and survivors\u2019 counsel, upon request. The bill also includes a provision that would prevent crime victims from being forced to testify at Article 32 proceedings.\r\nAccording to the Department of Defense, an estimated 26,000 cases of unwanted sexual contact occurred in the military last year, but only 3,374 sexual assaults were reported. Equally concerning is that many sexual assault survivors who do report these crimes drop out of the process before their cases even make it to trial. In fact, the Judge Advocate General for the U.S. Air Force, Lieutenant General Richard Harding, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in March that nearly 30 percent of sexual assault survivors who had originally agreed to help prosecute their alleged offenders changed their minds before trial.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/event/columbia-open-house", "Columbia Open House", "2013-11-04", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) announces a 4th Congressional District Open House has been scheduled for Boone County in Columbia.  \n\tEach Open House is hosted by members of Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s staff and is intended to provide citizens the opportunity to discuss matters of importance to them.\nHartzler staff members will meet with constituents and report back to the Congresswoman.\n  \n\tAll citizens are invited to attend.\n  \n\tWhat: Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler Open House\n  \n\tWhere: Columbia District Office, 2415 Carter Ln., Ste. 4, Columbia, MO 65201\n  \n\tWhen: Thursday, November 14, 2013 from 5:00 pm \u2013 6:00 pm\n  \n\tFor further information, contact Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s Columbia office at (573) 442-9311.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=359975", "Luetkemeyer Announces Veterans Benefits Workshop to Assist with VA Claims Process", "2013-11-04", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For the second time this year, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) will host a Veterans Benefits Workshop to better help 3rd Congressional District residents who have served our country better understand requirements for filing service-related claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      For the second time this year, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) will host a Veterans Benefits Workshop to better help 3rd Congressional District residents who have served our country better understand requirements for filing service-related claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\r\nThe workshop, at which Luetkemeyer will lead a discussion and staff will be on hand to assist veterans, will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Monday, November 25, at the Troy City Hall Municipal Center, 800 Cap Au Gris, in Troy, Mo. Entrance for parking will be at Cap Au Gris.\r\nThe workshop will provide free advice and guidance for those that need assistance when filing their veterans claims applications, completing necessary documents as well as understanding how the VA processes claims. A variety of veterans\u2019 service organizations will be on hand including representatives from the following groups: American Legion; Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Missouri Veterans Commission, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW); Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center \u2013 St. Louis; and lawyers from the Missouri Bar Association.\r\n\u201cWe have had great success serving veterans with these workshops in the past and we are looking forward to meeting with another group of folks to ensure that they have the information they need to receive the service they deserve from the VA,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \r\nThe workshop is the third overall hosted by Luetkemeyer, with the first held in Washington, Mo., in 2012 while the second was held in Jefferson City earlier this year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=edea6af8-6c5b-4be2-b630-b1654319ec9e", "Missourinet: Blunt introduces cyber security measure", "2013-11-02", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Jessica Machetta \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tU.S. Senator Roy Blunt says recent cyber attacks by criminals, foreign intelligence and military services, as well as terrorists have shown the need for the United States to implement new reporting requirements.\r\nBlunt has partnered with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to introduce the Cyber Security Public Awareness Act, a bill Blunt says would improve public awareness of cyber security threats. The new reporting requirements would apply to federal agencies charged with monitoring and responding to cyber threats.\r\nBlunt says cyber attacks have increased in frequency and efficacy, resulting in billions of dollars of intellectual property lost, millions of Americans\u2019 identities stolen, increased vulnerability of critical infrastructure to sabotage, and intrusions into sensitive government networks. But, he says, reliable information about cyber attacks and cyber risks remains largely unavailable to consumers, businesses, and policy makers.\r\n\u201cCyber breaches are a serious and growing \u200ethreat to our country\u2019s security, and this bill will give us a greater understanding of the number of threats and the tools available to repel them,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to partner with Senator Whitehouse as we work to improve awareness of the danger of cyber attacks on our nation\u2019s government and private sector networks.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe cyber threat posed to American corporate and government networks and to individual users of the internet is enormous and unrelenting,\u201d said Whitehouse, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism.\u00a0 \u201cYet too many Americans remain in the dark about the severity and nature of this threat.\u00a0 This legislation will allow us to better arm ourselves with the basic knowledge needed to protect our nation\u2019s vital assets and our privacy.\u00a0 I particularly thank my lead cosponsor Senator Blunt for his assistance.\u201d\r\nGraham agrees, saying Congress has failed to forge a workable cyber security framework to protect the United States against a fast-growing national security and economic threat.\r\nBlumenthal says cyber attacks mare making America less safe, and new reporting requirements for federal agencies would better protect the U.S. from hackers who wish to do harm.\r\nThe bill also includes provisions to enhance awareness of threats against our nation\u2019s critical infrastructure, Blunt says, as well as publicly traded businesses, and individual internet users.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=357090", "Blaine's Bulletin- Honoring Our Men and Women on Veterans Day", "2013-11-01", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Among the most moving events I\u2019ve had the privilege and honor of attending as your representative in Congress have been those associated with our veterans. As we prepare to observe Veterans Day on November 11, I am reminded how deeply moving these events are and that they provide me with added inspiration when I return to Washington to work on veterans\u2019 issues.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Among the most moving events I\u2019ve had the privilege and honor of attending as your representative in Congress have been those associated with our veterans. As we prepare to observe Veterans Day on November 11, I am reminded how deeply moving these events are and that they provide me with added inspiration when I return to Washington to work on veterans\u2019 issues.\r\nOur district offices in Missouri have dealt with a total of 77 cases related to veterans since January, 2013 on a variety of topics including benefits, aid and attendance claims, obtaining medical records and the awarding of previously earned medals. And I am extremely proud to say our staff has had great success in helping to resolve these various issues on behalf of our 3rd Congressional District veterans. Additionally, we have already held one Veterans Workshop in Jefferson City earlier this year and will be in Troy, Mo., this November 25 for another in which we make resources available to help folks navigate the often confusing federal system. These Veterans Workshops, which we began last year, have proven to be extremely successful, both in terms of the number of veterans who attend and by the number of veterans\u2019 organizations that participate.\r\nTo be sure, I am very troubled by recent reports that show two-thirds of all pending disability claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have been waiting more than 125 days. Even more troubling, these reports come among others that indicate the VA has not met internal benchmarks towards its goal of eliminating the backlog by 2015. I recently voted for H.R. 2189 that establishes a commission or task force to evaluate the backlog of disability claims of the VA. I also supported legislation establishing a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration within the VA to enable the department to focus on veterans\u2019 transition to civilian life; a bill requiring the VA Secretary to provide an appeals form along with any benefits denial notification; and legislation extending the term of a special veteran students advisory committee for two years.\r\nThe VA is a large bureaucracy in which our veterans often get lost. Congress must ensure that the VA has the resources it needs to function properly and the Administration must ensure that we have the best talent and leadership running the department. To that end, in this year\u2019s House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, we increased funding for the VA by $2.1 billion over last year\u2019s enacted level. This includes ample funding for the paperless claims process system and the digital scanning of health records, two functions designed to help eliminate the backlog of claims. In addition, the bill calls for rigorous reporting requirements to track the efficiency of each regional office on claims processing.\r\nThough we are currently operating on a continuing resolution while the House and Senate discuss long term funding issues, I am dedicated to ensuring that any long-term budget deal includes proper funding to address the claims backlog and other VA programs. At the end of the day, as Americans, we owe our veterans a debt that must be paid for their service. They put their lives on the line to stand up to our enemies, both foreign and domestic, so the least we can do is provide them with the resources to maintain their quality of life. Please know that I will continue to not only honor our veterans but to work on their behalf as your representative in the United States Congress. God bless our veterans and God bless the United States of America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=883d9962-f966-4926-8113-90be93e1c35b", "Senators Introduce Legislation To Promote Public Awareness Of Cyber Security", "2013-11-01", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced the Cyber Security Public Awareness Act of 2013.\u00a0 The bill would improve public awareness of cyber security threats by instituting new reporting requirements for federal agencies charged with monitoring and responding to cyber threats.\r\nIn recent years, cyber attacks by criminals, foreign intelligence and military services, and terrorists have increased in frequency and efficacy.\u00a0 These incursions have resulted in billions of dollars of intellectual property lost, millions of Americans\u2019 identities stolen, increased vulnerability of critical infrastructure to sabotage, and intrusions into sensitive government networks.\u00a0 However, reliable information about cyber attacks and cyber risks remains largely unavailable to consumers, businesses, and policy makers.\u00a0\r\n\u201cCyber breaches are a serious and growing \u200ethreat to our country's security, and this bill will give us a greater understanding of the number of threats and the tools available to repel them,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to partner with Senator Whitehouse as we work to improve awareness of the danger of cyber attacks on our nation\u2019s government and private sector networks.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe cyber threat posed to American corporate and government networks and to individual users of the internet is enormous and unrelenting,\u201d said Whitehouse, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism.\u00a0 \u201cYet too many Americans remain in the dark about the severity and nature of this threat.\u00a0 This legislation will allow us to better arm ourselves with the basic knowledge needed to protect our nation\u2019s vital assets and our privacy.\u00a0 I particularly thank my lead cosponsor Senator Blunt for his assistance.\u201d\r\n\u201cSo far Congress has failed to forge a workable cyber security framework to protect the United States against a fast-growing national security and economic threat,\u201d said Graham.\u00a0 \u201cOur cyber-networks remain dangerously vulnerable to outside attack and are the repeated targets of foreign governments\u2019 efforts to steal the fruits of our intellectual and business efforts.\u00a0 This bill is a great step towards understanding this problem so that Congress can adequately and appropriately address it.\u201d\r\nBlumenthal said, \u201cEvery day the United States is under attack by individuals wishing to steal sensitive information from the American government and corporate information systems, as well as the home networks of individual internet users. As a result of these cyber attacks, intellectual property is lost, identities are stolen, and America is less safe. By instituting new reporting requirements for federal agencies charged with reviewing and responding to cyber attacks, this legislation will help us better protect our country and constituents from hackers wishing to do harm. Cyber security is national security, and Americans should be in the know about the real threats we face.\u201d\r\nThe Cyber Security Public Awareness Act would require national security and law enforcement agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, and Justice, to submit reports to Congress on attacks on federal networks, investigations of cyber crime, and other impediments to appropriate public awareness of common cyber security threats.\u00a0 The bill also includes provisions to enhance awareness of threats against our nation\u2019s critical infrastructure, publicly traded businesses, and individual internet users.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221135009/http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-october-28-november-1-2013", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of October 28-November 1, 2013", "2013-11-01", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nAmerica lost a true patriot this week with the passing of my predecessor and respected friend, former Congressman Ike Skelton. I have appreciated our conversations over the past two and a half years and the commitment we shared to see Missouri's 4th District prosper. I am thankful for Ike's tireless efforts on behalf of our men and women in uniform and know our country is safer as a result of his unwavering leadership.\nThe day following Ike\u2019s passing, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon best summed up how Ike, who had previously chaired the committee, was viewed by military men and women. Buck said: \u201cIt was always difficult to have a conversation with Ike in public because our troops were always stopping him to thank him, to have their picture taken with him, or to let him know how his service had made theirs better. Ike was always humble when he met them. There is no tribute we can offer that can ever match the gratitude of those men and women.\u201d\nMy thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. I am thankful for the opportunity to have known him and know the country is safer as a result of his efforts.\nOn a related note, the House approved several pieces of legislation this week that will benefit veterans.\nH.R. 2189 establishes a commission or task force to evaluate the backlog of disability claims of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This is a problem I have been focusing on since my time began in the House. Many veterans in Missouri's 4th District have been waiting far too long for determination on their claims. This task force will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of those claims at the VA and give priority in the claims process to veterans who are older than 70, are terminally ill, have a life-threatening illness, are homeless, were awarded the Medal of Honor, or who are former prisoners of war. I am hopeful this will help address this long-standing issue.\nThe House also approved H.R. 2011 - the Veterans\u2019 Advisory Committee on Education Improvement Act, reauthorizing the Veterans\u2019 Advisory Committee on Education through December of 2015, and modifying the composition of the Committee to include veterans of recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This committee is involved with education and training programs for veterans. Committee members advise the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on existing education benefit programs and services, while recommending needed new education benefit programs and services.\nWe passed H.R. 1742 \u2013 the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act \u2013 to make sure severely disabled veterans are not penalized for receiving VA benefits when applying for in-home aid, Section 8 or public housing rental assistance.\nThe final veterans\u2019 bill we passed this week was H.R. 2481 \u2013 the Veterans Economic Opportunity Act of 2013. It establishes the Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration to manage the GI Bill, Home Loan Guarantee and Rehabilitations and Employment programs.\nWe owe our veterans and their families so much. I urge the Senate to quickly approve these common sense ideas to improve the lives of our veterans and to send these bills to President Obama.\nLastly, I had the honor this week of meeting a Korean War veteran who was one of three brothers to have proudly served our country. 84-year-old Gene Boyd served in Korea after his two brothers, 85-year-old Charles Boyd and 83-year-old Raymond Boyd, served during World War II. I met with Gene, his wife Pat, and their three daughters in St. Robert, near Fort Leonard Wood. Gene\u2019s family members are so proud of him and were eager to share so many wonderful memories.\nThe three brothers were orphaned at an early age, went their separate ways, and happily were able to reconnect in their later years. Gene and Raymond live in Richland while their brother, Charles, now lives in the State of Washington. All three are headed to Washington, D.C. next week to visit the World War II Memorial, and had requested that I meet with them there. I will not be in Washington during their visit, but I wanted to thank them on behalf of a grateful nation. I was so honored to have met with Gene and, while his brothers were unable to attend our meeting, I thank all three of these heroes for their service to our country.\nHave a great week.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=61b33c1d-fc90-4b77-adec-ed2c92c2bb7b", "St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Op-Ed): Preserve St. Louis-built fighter jet innovations for our troops", "2013-10-31", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Roy Blunt \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSince World War II, the United States military has maintained the most powerful force the world has ever seen. This unprecedented military power kept us safe during the Cold War and eventually brought the Soviet Union to its knees; it is enabling us to track down and defeat terrorists halfway around the globe, and it keeps the peace today by forcing rogue regimes to think twice before they make a single move.\r\nWe owe our troops a debt of gratitude for preserving this peace through strength each and every day. But we also owe them something else: a commitment to provide them with the tools they need to execute their critical mission defending America. For years, America\u2019s aerospace industry has kept our military force on the cutting edge, armed with technologies no other nation can match.\r\nToday, we are forced to make difficult federal budget decisions. However, those decisions should not put Washington at risk of breaching this sacred promise. In an environment where cost and schedule overruns are too common, the F/A-18 is a model defense program; delivered on-cost and ahead of schedule, it has the lowest per-hour operating cost of any aircraft in the Department of Defense\u2019s inventory and continues to evolve to defeat threats and incorporate innovative capabilities. The latest proposed evolution, the Advanced Super Hornet, will affordably meet the full spectrum of current and future threats.\r\nUnfortunately, without additional orders from the Pentagon, Super Hornet production may end in 2016. This decision would guarantee a production gap for at least three years, when the Navy\u2019s new Joint Strike fighter is set to begin production at a full rate. This is more than just a disturbing bit of military trivia. It could lead to a shortfall in Navy fighter jets, leaving many American aircraft carriers without combat aircraft \u2014 like a bow without arrows.\r\nHeadquartered in Berkeley and as one of the largest employers in the St. Louis area with 15,000 workers, Boeing\u2019s Defense, Space and Security division represents a critical component of both our national security and the local economy. If the Super Hornet production line ends, there will be an impact on 90,000 workers who contribute to the program in St. Louis and nationwide, and there will be a loss of $6 billion that the program contributes annually to America\u2019s economy. It could launch a \u201cbrain drain\u201d in tactical aviation as experienced personnel transition to other industries. That loss could cripple the ability of the defense industry to design and produce the next generation of programs like the Long Range Strike Bomber to follow the B-2, or the Navy\u2019s next advanced strike fighter planned to be produced in the middle of this century.\r\nClosing the F/A-18 line would also leave a sole-source fighter jet industrial base, with no competition to bring down costs or to generate innovative technology breakthroughs. This is not how the U.S. has stayed at the forefront of military technology. And it would be a serious mistake to change our approach now.\r\nFor these reasons, the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which I serve, included funding to encourage the Navy to keep the F/A-18 line open next year and beyond. I will continue to fight for this as we finalize a budget. Even at a time of shrinking DOD budgets, we must find a way to preserve our industrial base, so workers in St. Louis and around the country can continue to support our military with the best fighter jets in the world now and well into the future. This commitment is essential to our men and women in uniform as well as to global security.\r\nU.S. Sen. Roy Blunt is a Republican from Springfield, Mo.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=b08a34dd-8d22-4b7e-abdc-59b43b98f03a", "Senators Blunt, Stabenow Call For Action On Bipartisan Mental Health Bill On 50th Anniversary Of JFK\u2019s \u2018Community Mental Health Act\u2019", "2013-10-31", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), lead sponsors of the bipartisan \u201cExcellence in Mental Health Act,\u201d today issued the following statement marking the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy signing the \u201cCommunity Mental Health Act,\u201d the last bill he signed before his assassination: \u201cThe Community Mental Health Act, and President Kennedy\u2019s vision that those living with mental illness should have access to humane and effective treatment in their communities, changed our country\u2019s mental health services forever. While we have come a long way, there is still much work to be done to remove the stigma surrounding mental health and ensure that people living with mental illness have access to quality treatment. Our bipartisan Excellence in Mental Health Act continues President Kennedy\u2019s vision and expands access to treatment while strengthening mental health services. On today\u2019s 50th Anniversary of the Community Mental Health Act, we again call on Congress to act to strengthen America\u2019s mental health services.\u201d In February 2013, Blunt and Stabenow introduced the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which addresses the nation\u2019s fragmented mental health system by offering current Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) a chance to obtain the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic designation.  President Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Act on October 31, 1963. The bill established community mental health centers as an alternative to the institutionalization of people living with mental illness. The legislation revolutionized the nation\u2019s mental health care services. However, community mental health has faced deep cuts and many people living with mental illness still do not have access to the care they need. One-third of those with mood disorders do not receive treatment of any kind in a given year, and fewer than half of those with severe mental disorders receive any treatment. Twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day. With at least 25 percent of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing some type of mental health condition, Community Mental Health Centers are expected to soon be serving hundreds of thousands of additional veterans.  In addition to Blunt and Stabenow, the Excellence in Mental Health Act is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators including U.S. Senators Mark Begich (Alaska), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Susan Collins (Maine), Chris Coons (Del.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), Barbara Mikulski (Md.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.). Senator Blunt has also co-sponsored a number of mental health bills in the Senate, including:\r\n\u2022\u00a0The \u201cMental Health First Aid Act of 2013,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Mark Begich (Alaska) and Kelly Ayotte (N.H). The bill authorizes the launch of a demonstration program to support mental health first aid trainings nationwide to help more Americans identify, understand, and respond to the signs of mental illnesses and addiction disorders. \u2022\u00a0The \u201cJustice and Mental Health Collaboration Act,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Al Franken (Minn.) and Mike Johanns (Neb.). The bipartisan bill would help make communities safer by improving access to mental health services for people in the criminal justice system who need treatment. The bill also focuses on giving law enforcement officers the tools they need to identify and respond to mental health issues, and includes a 5-year reauthorization of the \u201cMentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act\u201d (MIOTCRA), continuing support for mental health courts, and crisis intervention teams.\r\n\u2022\u00a0And the \u201cMental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2013,\u201d which was introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and reauthorizes and improves programs related to awareness, prevention, and early identification of mental health conditions.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/weekly-column?ContentRecord_id=9f4a37d4-e28f-4020-b20b-eebb3aa3b83f", "St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Preserve St. Louis-built fighter jet innovations for our troops", "2013-10-31", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Roy Blunt \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSince World War II, the United States military has maintained the most powerful force the world has ever seen. This unprecedented military power kept us safe during the Cold War and eventually brought the Soviet Union to its knees; it is enabling us to track down and defeat terrorists halfway around the globe, and it keeps the peace today by forcing rogue regimes to think twice before they make a single move.\r\nWe owe our troops a debt of gratitude for preserving this peace through strength each and every day. But we also owe them something else: a commitment to provide them with the tools they need to execute their critical mission defending America. For years, America\u2019s aerospace industry has kept our military force on the cutting edge, armed with technologies no other nation can match.\r\nToday, we are forced to make difficult federal budget decisions. However, those decisions should not put Washington at risk of breaching this sacred promise. In an environment where cost and schedule overruns are too common, the F/A-18 is a model defense program; delivered on-cost and ahead of schedule, it has the lowest per-hour operating cost of any aircraft in the Department of Defense\u2019s inventory and continues to evolve to defeat threats and incorporate innovative capabilities. The latest proposed evolution, the Advanced Super Hornet, will affordably meet the full spectrum of current and future threats.\r\nUnfortunately, without additional orders from the Pentagon, Super Hornet production may end in 2016. This decision would guarantee a production gap for at least three years, when the Navy\u2019s new Joint Strike fighter is set to begin production at a full rate. This is more than just a disturbing bit of military trivia. It could lead to a shortfall in Navy fighter jets, leaving many American aircraft carriers without combat aircraft \u2014 like a bow without arrows.\r\nHeadquartered in Berkeley and as one of the largest employers in the St. Louis area with 15,000 workers, Boeing\u2019s Defense, Space and Security division represents a critical component of both our national security and the local economy. If the Super Hornet production line ends, there will be an impact on 90,000 workers who contribute to the program in St. Louis and nationwide, and there will be a loss of $6 billion that the program contributes annually to America\u2019s economy. It could launch a \u201cbrain drain\u201d in tactical aviation as experienced personnel transition to other industries. That loss could cripple the ability of the defense industry to design and produce the next generation of programs like the Long Range Strike Bomber to follow the B-2, or the Navy\u2019s next advanced strike fighter planned to be produced in the middle of this century.\r\nClosing the F/A-18 line would also leave a sole-source fighter jet industrial base, with no competition to bring down costs or to generate innovative technology breakthroughs. This is not how the U.S. has stayed at the forefront of military technology. And it would be a serious mistake to change our approach now.\r\nFor these reasons, the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which I serve, included funding to encourage the Navy to keep the F/A-18 line open next year and beyond. I will continue to fight for this as we finalize a budget. Even at a time of shrinking DOD budgets, we must find a way to preserve our industrial base, so workers in St. Louis and around the country can continue to support our military with the best fighter jets in the world now and well into the future. This commitment is essential to our men and women in uniform as well as to global security.\r\nU.S. Sen. Roy Blunt is a Republican from Springfield, Mo.\r\nRead more here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=357082", "Luetkemeyer Statement on Secretary Kathleen Sebelius\u2019 Testimony on Obamacare Failure", "2013-10-30", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Luetkemeyer Statement on Secretary Kathleen Sebelius\u2019 Testimony on Obamacare Failure \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        October 30, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        A week after joining more than 30 House colleagues calling for her resignation in a letter to President Obama, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement following Sebelius\u2019 testimony today before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      A week after joining more than 30 House colleagues calling for her resignation in a letter to President Obama, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) issued the following statement following Sebelius\u2019 testimony today before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce:\r\n\u201cSecretary Sebelius did absolutely nothing to ease Americans\u2019 concerns about this program\u2019s myriad failures since it was launched on Oct. 1 which raises further concern about continued implementation of the law. \u00a0Secretary Sebelius\u2019 carefully choreographed testimony insults the intelligence of the American people, and the Administration\u2019s announcement of a six-week delay in the requirement to purchase health-care coverage before incurring a penalty is unfair and way too little, way too late. I again call on the president to request Secretary Sebelius\u2019 immediate resignation. It is my intention to continue to support a full repeal of this law or, at the very least, a one-year delay of it for the individuals and families who are being held to a different standard than businesses by the Administration.\u201d\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-vicky-hartzler-comments-passing-former-congressman-ike-skelton", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler comments on the passing of former Congressman Ike Skelton", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has offered the following statement on the passing of former Congressman Ike Skelton:\n\u201cI am deeply saddened at the passing of my predecessor and respected friend, Ike Skelton. I have appreciated our conversations over the past two and a half years and the commitment we shared to see Missouri's 4th District prosper. I am thankful for Ike's tireless efforts on behalf of our men and women in uniform and know our country is safer as a result of his unwavering leadership. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://long.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=467", "Long Legislation Seeks Fairness for Americans Already Impacted by Health Care Law, Delays Individual Mandate", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Billy Long", "L000576", "long.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Billy Long is leading the effort to ensure those already hurt by the president\u2019s health care law are given a one year break from the law\u2019s individual mandate.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPresident Obama promised if you like your current health care plan you could keep it, but many people are finding out this is simply not true.\u00a0 Across the country, hundreds of thousands of people are beginning to receive notices from their health insurance carriers that the coverage they currently enjoy will be terminated at the end of their current plan year because of the president\u2019s health care law. These same people will be penalized if they do not find new coverage.\u00a0 This is simply not fair, and my legislation would give individuals and families whose health insurance is being terminated a one-year break from the law\u2019s individual mandate.\u00a0 It is becoming clear that portions of the president\u2019s health care law are harming consumers nationwide.\u00a0 My legislation is about providing fairness for individuals and families, giving them the same break the Obama administration gave to big business,\u201d Long said.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long\u2019s Fairness for Lost Coverage Act would simply grant a one-year exemption from the law\u2019s individual mandate to those whose individual or employer-sponsored coverage is being terminated.\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356928", "Luetkemeyer Votes to Address Veterans Administration Case Backlog", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As part of his ongoing efforts to serve our veterans, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) has supported a series of bills including a measure empowering a task force to examine the growing backlog of disability claims waiting to be processed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      As part of his ongoing efforts to serve our veterans, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) has supported a series of bills including a measure empowering a task force to examine the growing backlog of disability claims waiting to be processed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). \r\n\u201cIt is troubling that the men and women who serve our country are facing a bureaucratic backlog that is denying them access to the benefits they deserve, and that is why we must restore accountability and efficiency into the process,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cWith Veterans Day right around the corner, there is no better time than now for Congress to pass these important, bipartisan bills for our nation\u2019s heroes.\r\nThe House passed a total of four veterans related bills this week. The three other pieces of legislation are: H.R. 2481, which would establish a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration within the VA and would enable the department to focus on veterans transition to civilian life; H.R. 1405, which would require the VA Secretary to provide an appeals form along with any benefits denial notification; and H.R. 2011, which would extend the term of a special veteran students advisory committee for two years.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-passage-of-the-retail-investor-protection-act-0", "Wagner Statement on passage of the Retail Investor Protection Act", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The United States House of Representatives today approved Congresswoman Ann Wagner\u2019s (MO-2) the Retailer Investor Protection Act in strong bipartisan fashion.\u00a0 Congresswoman Wagner issued the following statement after the passage of this legislation:\n\u201cI am pleased that the United States House of Representatives approved the Retail Investor Protection Act today with a strong bipartisan vote.\u00a0 \n\u201cThis legislation will preserve and increase lower and middle income Americans' access to affordable investments. \u00a0\u00a0It will also ensure that retail investors \u2013 families and individuals around the country \u2013 are not harmed by misguided regulations coming out of Washington. Today\u2019s vote is an important step in that direction, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation in the Senate.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-the-passing-of-chairman-ike-skelton", "Wagner Statement On The Passing Of Chairman Ike Skelton", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement upon learning of the passing of former Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO):\n\u201cI am truly saddened to learn of the passing of a great Missourian, Ike Skelton.\u00a0 He was a true giant of Missouri history, tireless defender of Veterans and a man of great integrity who was a consistent voice for the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.\u00a0\n\u201cHis service and commitment to serving others will never be forgotten, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.\u201d\n##", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-passage-of-the-retail-investor-protection-act-0", "Wagner Statement on passage of the Retail Investor Protection Act", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The United States House of Representatives today approved Congresswoman Ann Wagner\u2019s (MO-2) the Retailer Investor Protection Act in strong bipartisan fashion.\u00a0 Congresswoman Wagner issued the following statement after the passage of this legislation:\n\u201cI am pleased that the United States House of Representatives approved the Retail Investor Protection Act today with a strong bipartisan vote.\u00a0 \n\u201cThis legislation will preserve and increase lower and middle income Americans' access to affordable investments. \u00a0\u00a0It will also ensure that retail investors \u2013 families and individuals around the country \u2013 are not harmed by misguided regulations coming out of Washington. Today\u2019s vote is an important step in that direction, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation in the Senate.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-statement-on-the-passing-of-chairman-ike-skelton", "Wagner Statement On The Passing Of Chairman Ike Skelton", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement upon learning of the passing of former Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO):\n\u201cI am truly saddened to learn of the passing of a great Missourian, Ike Skelton.\u00a0 He was a true giant of Missouri history, tireless defender of Veterans and a man of great integrity who was a consistent voice for the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.\u00a0\n\u201cHis service and commitment to serving others will never be forgotten, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.\u201d\n##", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 487, "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": "Republican", "p1": "MO", "p2": "2013"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=MO&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 487, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2013", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=MO&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 487, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=MO&year=2013&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=MO&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "MO", "label": "MO", "count": 487, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2013", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=MO&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "2013", "label": "2013", "count": 487, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=MO", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2013-10-29,http~3A~2F~2Fwagner~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Fwagner-statement-on-the-passing-of-chairman-ike-skelton", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=MO&year=2013&_next=2013-10-29%2Chttp~3A~2F~2Fwagner~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Fwagner-statement-on-the-passing-of-chairman-ike-skelton&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 286.75194596871734, "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"}