{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"MO\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://hartzler.house.gov/newsletters/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-new-years-2015", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of New Year's, 2015", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nA busy and productive year is drawing to a close and I would like to share some of the highlights from 2014. It was a year of reaching out, listening to, and responding to the concerns of the good citizens of Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District. I would like to share just a few of this year\u2019s memorable moments.\nA number of the year\u2019s events were tied to the defense of our nation. With tensions mounting in the Middle East, I joined several of my House Armed Services Committee (HASC) colleagues on a fact-finding mission to the region, visiting Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Morocco \u2013 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and President Abdel al-Sisi of Egypt. In each country we visited, we also met with United States Embassy staff and U.S. Defense officials.\nAmong the many issues we discussed was terrorism, in general, and the march of ISIL toward an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East. I shared these concerns with MO-4 citizens at a series of presentations in Harrisonville, Sedalia, and Waynesville. These events were well-attended as residents of our district are rightly concerned about the terrorist threats to our homeland and to Americans abroad and they wanted to hear the latest.\nI have spoken of the great pride we all have in the men and women serving at Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood. This summer I had the privilege of speaking, via telephone, to members of the 442nd Fighter Wing deployed to Afghanistan. What these Airmen did was so important to the troops on the ground - and I thanked them for the job they were doing. The crews spent precious time away from their families, and were looking forward to the return home. I was honored to be invited to take part in the \u201cwelcome home\u201d celebration. It was rewarding to see these Airmen reunited with their families. We cannot thank them enough for their service and their sacrifice.\nStill with defense matters in MO-4, I had the opportunity to welcome Secretary of the Air Force Rebecca James to Whiteman Air Force Base. I also welcomed Chief of Army, General Ray Odierno, to Fort Leonard Wood. I am honored to represent the district that is home to these fine military installations and to represent the interests of the brave men and women stationed there and serving our country.\nOn another matter, I took on a number of social issues affecting our district and our country. In Columbia, our Summit on Human Trafficking helped increase awareness of this horrific crime. All too often, many of us think of human trafficking as something that takes place only in big cities or in other countries when, in fact, this appalling crime is taking place right in our own backyard. This forum followed House approval of a series of bills aimed at preventing or eliminating the spread of trafficking and protecting the victims of this crime against humanity. Many of these victims are pre-teens and young teenagers, with 80 percent of the victims being female. My hope is that the information shared at this summit will help educate and take awareness and prevention to the next step so someday we do not have this abomination occurring in our country.\nI later took a step toward improving child welfare in our state and throughout the nation by hosting a Congressional Listening Tour for Children, in Columbia, with fellow Member of Congress Karen Bass (D-CA), children\u2019s services experts, and community leaders. The goal of our time in Columbia was to highlight both the positive aspects and challenges of the child welfare system here in Missouri. Participants shared their on-the-ground experiences and their perspectives on the best practices and concerns with our child welfare system. An issue of this importance crosses political lines, and my Democratic colleague as well as other participants share my interest in promoting adoption, encouraging family permanency, and stopping child trafficking.\nThis year also included a number of events that we are doing on an annual basis. The third annual Lebanon Job Fair was a success for unemployed Missourians as well as those looking to advance their careers. I was pleased to help bring together employers and those looking for work through the Job Fair and to see some hired that day. It is a tangible action I can take, in addition to legislative action in Washington, to help the good people I am privileged to represent by facilitating the job search process.\nThe fourth Missouri Business Conference at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg once again brought together small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and students with experts on business success. Five issue-specific panels featured more than two dozen entrepreneurs\u00a0who have lived the vision of starting a business and offered their insights.\nThe University of Central Missouri was also the host location for my inaugural Veterans Summit. The goal was to provide veterans with timely information on issues they care about such as how to overcome the challenges of reintegration after deployment, strengthening the family, and succeeding in the workplace. At the same time, we wanted to connect veterans with the many resources they have earned and deserve. Panels hosted by experts included discussion of personal, emotional, spiritual, family and career issues of returning veterans; continuing education and career opportunities for returning veterans; and discussion of VA health care and benefits.\nState Fair Community College in Sedalia hosted the Fourth District\u2019s inaugural Youth Leadership Summit. More than 200 students from 48 high schools were able to participate in this all-day event and have the opportunity to hear from dynamic speakers who shared tips for success in school and in reaching their goals. I am hopeful the time spent will help MO-4 students reach their potential and help make a difference in their communities and schools. I look forward to seeing the great things they are going to do in the future and am glad I could be a small part of it.\nAn \u201cAll-of-the-Above\u201d Energy Tour and our annual Farm Tour rounded out this year\u2019s ambitious schedule of events throughout our district.\nOn a personal note, I was honored to have been chosen to deliver the commencement address to students graduating from the University of Missouri\u2019s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). My message to these young people as they go forward is that they have been blessed with a world class education \u2013 and the world is going to need them. These graduates will advance the cause of feeding the world while protecting our resources as they work together and speak with one voice, advocating the positive message of agriculture and embracing wise use of technology. I was proud to be there on this historic day in the lives of these young people.\nFinally, I would like to close with a few quick facts and figures from 2014. During the year, I sponsored or co-sponsored several bills, including 14 which were signed into law; 1,240 constituents were helped by our caseworkers \u2013 with issues including veterans\u2019 benefits, Medicare questions, visa and passport applications, and many more; More than 655 tours of the U.S. Capitol were given to MO-4 citizens who visited us this year; and 155,970 letters and emails were sent to constituents.\nMy desire is to provide the best representation and service possible for the good people of our district. While we have done much, there is much more to accomplish in 2015. I look forward to working with you to move our district forward, to get America back on track, and to make a difference in the lives of the families in our district. Together, with the Lord\u2019s help, we can do it.\nHave a blessed and happy New Year!\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/senators-press-army-secretary-on-retirement-benefits", "Senators press Army secretary on retirement benefits", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators press Army secretary on retirement benefits \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Saturday, November 29, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Kristina Wong\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            A bipartisan group of senators is urging the Army to immediately reverse a policy that would force some officers to lose as much as $1,000 per month in retirement benefits.\r\nSen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), along with 13 other senators, urged Army Secretary John McHugh in a letter this week to reverse a policy where officers being asked to retire would do so at their highest enlisted rank if they spent fewer than eight years as an officer.\u00a0\r\nMurray and Isakson say the policy is unfair to those who have been selected for retirement under budget cuts, but are just short of the eight years.\u00a0\r\nThe senators say this would affect a \"significant number of captains and majors who are former non-commissioned officers.\"\r\nThis year, the Army required 19,000 captain and majors to go through early separation boards. Of those, the Army is scheduled to involuntarily cut 1,188 captain and 550 majors, according to the News Tribune.\r\n\r\nThe Army reached a post-9/11 peak of 570,000 troops in 2010, and is scheduled to go down to as few as 420,000 under defense budget cuts by 2019.\u00a0\r\nMurray and Isakson wrote that many of the soldiers who will be affected had answered the Army's call for more officers as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ramped up.\u00a0\r\n\"Many are being retired at enlisted ranks they have not held in years. This is particularly disturbing because had they ignored the Army\u2019s call for officers most would have been promoted at least once more and been eligible to retire at a higher enlisted rank,\" they said.\u00a0\r\n\u201cTo demote these soldiers in retirement is an injustice that devalues their service and will materially disadvantage them and their families for the rest of their lives,\" they added.\u00a0\r\nThe letter was also signed by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Bernard Sanders (D-Vt.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).\u00a0\r\n\"We strongly urge you to take the necessary steps to rectify this situation in order to allow these soldiers to retire at the rank they have earned and appropriately honor their service to our nation,\u201d Murray and Isakson wrote.\u00a0\r\nDefense officials have been urging members of Congress to reverse or relieve the defense cuts imposed by the 2011 Budget Control Act, which doubled planned defense cuts of $500 billion over 10 years.\u00a0\r\nThe cuts were proposed by the White House as way to force lawmakers to agree on tax and spending reform to, but they failed and the cuts kicked in last year.\u00a0\r\nHowever, Defense officials also say military benefits have become too expensive, and exceed those for civilian workers, and need to come down either way.\u00a0\r\nLawmakers have so far been unable to overturn the cuts, with members of both parties opposing lifting the cuts, replacing them with cuts elsewhere, or lifting cuts on other domestic spending too.\u00a0\r\nThe issue of military benefits is highly contentious, and has been holding up the Armed Services Committees' finalization of a 2015 defense bill. House lawmakers oppose an increase of military insurance co-pays and a reduction housing allowances, but senators favor them.\u00a0\r\nLawmakers expect to tackle the issue when a commission on military benefits finishes recommendations in February, and when the Pentagon submits its 2016 budget request in March.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/boys-girls-state-teaches-valuable-lessons", "Boys, Girls State teaches valuable lessons", "2014-12-28", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Boys, Girls State teaches valuable lessons \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, November 28, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Bradee Williams\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            This year, nearly 2,000 boys and girls were chosen for Boys State and Girls State, a program for gifted students at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, including 11 students from Smith-Cotton High School.\r\nAlec Wilkin, Blake Allee-Lightfoot, Keelly Jones, Ethan Yazell, Steven Bradbury, Bradley Burton and Derek Patton were chosen to participate in Boys State, while Shelbi Davis, Kendall Ott, Rachel Dement and Sarah Hughes were picked for Girls State, which is hosted a week later. The students are chosen based on their leadership, academics and character. The program, which has been run by the American Legion for 75 years, gives students the opportunity to build and run their own government for a week in the hallways of the UCM campus. The goal at the end of week is to win Model City, honoring whichever city has been deemed the best.\r\nThe students choose classes to attend, select jobs and make laws for their respective cities, learning from first-hand experience how governments are run. They also get the chance to listen to speeches by important Missouri governmental figures, such as Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt. The students, selected by their high school counselors, vote for the leaders of their government chosen out of a pool of previous attendees. These include a governor, a vice chairman, a secretary of state and other members of an official board. The candidates belong to either the Federalist or the Nationalist parties, which are assigned to them before they arrive along with the cities they represent.\r\n\u201cI really understand the importance of everyone\u2019s vote. Every individual has something to say, and sometimes it comes down to what each person thinks,\u201d said senior Steven Bradbury, who was in charge of the state fair and was the athletic director for his city. The athletic director organizes the sports teams\u2019 competitions against the 15 other cities in Boys State. There are five sports to choose from, ranging from basketball to Frisbee, which everyone is required to participate in. Bradbury also acknowledged the hard work he put into making his city is something to be proud of.\r\n\u201cSometimes I would work so hard during the day that I would go to sleep at 2 a.m.,\u201d he said. \u201cThen I would get up early the next morning and start all over again. We all just really wanted to be the best.\u201d\r\nShelbi Davis, a senior at Smith-Cotton, was one of the girls chosen to participate in Girls State. She was assigned to be on highway patrol, securing the \u201chighways\u201d against traffic violators. She said, \u201cI learned to work with different types of people, and that\u2019s something that will benefit me in the future.\u201d Sarah Hughes was in the House of Representatives and had the opportunity to go to the capital in Jefferson City and discuss bills and legislation.\r\nBlake Allee-Lightfoot and Bradley Burton were other senior participants. At Boys State, Allee-Lightfoot ran his own business, Light-Horn Credit Inc., and was appointed county chairman.\r\n\u201cIt was a great experience,\u201d he said, \u201cI was glad to be part of such a great group of people.\u201d\r\nBurton was the capital police chief and the election judge. He said of the program, \u201cIt gives you an outlook on how the real world is and gives you the knowledge you need to succeed for the rest of your life.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/airport-bill-one-of-296-obama-signs", "Airport Bill One of 296 Obama Signs", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Airport Bill One of 296 Obama Signs \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Saturday, December 27, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Keith E. Domke\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            It\u2019s never happened before, and it may never happen again.\r\nAn actual act of Congress and the signature of the sitting president of the United States enacted a law centered on and only on St. Clair.\r\nAnd, when people look hard enough back on the 113th session of Congress, they will see that the Franklin County community forever is linked with golfer Jack Nicklaus and the passenger pigeon.\r\nPresident Barack Obama\u2019s signing of Senate Bill 2759 climaxed a December that featured both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives first approving the bill before it was forwarded to the leader of the free world.\r\nThe bill authorizes the closure of the St. Clair Regional Airport.\r\nIt states that it is \u201ca bill to release the city of St. Clair from all restrictions, conditions and limitations on the use, encumbrance, conveyance and closure of the St. Clair Regional Airport.\u201d\r\nAdditional language in the bill provides details regarding the closure process and the transfer of assets, revenues and equipment as well as the monetary value of the property and the worth of the unamortized federal grants turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration.\r\nThe legislation was a stand-alone bill, meaning nothing else was attached to it. It was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill and cosponsored by Sen. Roy Blunt, both of Missouri. U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer worked it through the House.\r\nA review of the 113th Congress provided by The Associated Press showed the airport closure bill was one of 296 signed into law by Obama before Christmas, the second-lowest total for any two-year Congress in records dating to the 1940s.\r\nThe session that President Harry S. Truman dubbed the \u201cdo-nothing Congress\u201d of 1947-48 enacted more than 900 laws.\r\nLeaving the Capitol before the holidays, outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said that lawmakers should have achieved more, \u201cbut that\u2019s what we got.\u201d\r\nDuring the session, each party accused the other of scuttling bills for political purposes ahead of November\u2019s elections, which gave Republicans firm control of the House and Senate in 2015.\r\nBut, the St. Clair airport bill wasn\u2019t one of those. In fact, it passed with no trouble in both chambers.\r\n\u201cIt may come as a surprise to many Missourians, but a municipality such as St. Clair cannot close an airport which it owns and operates without permission from the federal government,\u201d Luetkemeyer said in a press release when it was announced that the House passed the bill.\r\nThe Associated Press reported that though Obama signed scores of bills into law in the days leading up to Christmas as the session came to a close, they were mostly minor. One of the two mentioned was honoring golfer Jack Nicklaus with a Congressional Gold Medal for his \u201cexcellence and good sportsmanship.\u201d Another actually was recognizing the 100th anniversary of the extinction of passenger pigeons.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jasonsmith.house.gov//media-center/weekly-capitol-report/capitol-report-the-year-ahead", "Capitol Report: The Year Ahead", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Jason Smith", "S001195", "jasonsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The House and Senate will officially be sworn in for their\u00a0next term in January and there is a lot of work to be done. In the next Congress, I will be working with a larger House majority and new Senate majority, and we\u00a0will hit the ground running on day one\u00a0to\u00a0provide relief to Americans throughout the country, especially in rural America.\nWith the House and Senate\u00a0finally\u00a0working together, I anticipate many more bills going to the president\u2019s desk. He has been able to hide behind the Democrat-dominated Senate for\u00a0far too long. With\u00a0good bills and\u00a0conservative solutions coming to the president\u2019s desk, he will soon have to decide if he is\u00a0more interested in moving\u00a0America\u00a0forward\u00a0or continuing his \u201cmy way or the highway\u201d style.\nOne of the first bills we\u00a0plan to\u00a0send the president will be a repeal of Obamacare. Though\u00a0it is unlikely\u00a0the president\u00a0will\u00a0repeal his namesake bill, Republicans in the House and Senate will have many opportunities to send the president legislation that will fix some of the most disastrous portions of the law. I continue to hear\u00a0story after story of\u00a0folks\u00a0being dropped from their plans, their premiums skyrocketing, and businesses\u00a0laying\u00a0off employees just to comply.\u00a0In the 114th\u00a0Congress we\u00a0are going to work diligently to repeal this atrocity and offer people some relief.\u00a0Hopefully our president will also be interested in alleviating the burdens that Obamacare has produced.\nI am also working to make The SCRUB Act another bill that comes across the president\u2019s desk in the 114th\u00a0Congress.\u00a0I'm hearing more and more stories of government\u00a0regulations strangling businesses as I travel throughout the district. They are facing potential\u00a0EPA regulations on every puddle of water, new ozone standards not even national forests can achieve, and the list goes on. This flood of regulations makes it difficult to do business, but The SCRUB Act offers some hope for relief. The SCRUB Act would identify and eliminate outdated and ineffective regulations. It would create a bipartisan commission to review regulations and make recommendations for repeal. The bill has also been introduced in the Senate, and I am committed to getting it passed and sent to the president for signature.\nOur tax code is entirely too long and complex. Working to make the tax code fairer and simpler has been a long-standing goal of mine and is a priority of the\u00a0Ways and Means\u00a0Committee I will be serving on next Congress. I am pushing to make rural issues a priority when it comes to the tax code. For example there is an equipment depreciation credit which allows individuals to deduct the cost of the equipment they use on their farms and in their businesses from their taxes. It was just extended for the 2014 tax year, but making it permanent will give folks more certainty in planning for the future. Reforming the individual income tax is also important, because that is how 96 percent of farms are taxed. With a tax code as difficult to understand as ours, it\u2019s no wonder that more than three in five Americans pay for help preparing their taxes.\nThere is a lot of work to be done in the next Congress. The priorities I am pursuing in the 114th\u00a0Congress are the priorities of our district and rural America. We are going to have to make up for lost time while more than 387 House solutions, including almost 50 jobs bills, have been stuck in the Senate, but I have confidence we can get it done.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398511", "Blaine's Bulletin: Looking Ahead to the 114th Congress", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "With the new year right around the corner, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about pieces of legislation that I am excited to reintroduce and regulations that I will continue to monitor and combat that are coming down from the administration.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      With the new year right around the corner, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about pieces of legislation that I am excited to reintroduce and regulations that I will continue to monitor and combat that are coming down from the administration.\r\nSince I\u2019ve been in Congress, I have been a strong advocate for more transparency in the federal government. So often I hear from you wondering what stage certain agencies are at in a particular rule-making process or you need clarification of what exactly a proposed rule means. With the hundreds of proposed rules coming monthly out of the administration, I wanted to introduce legislation that would require agencies to create a plain language summary to provide more transparency and clarity.\r\nSpecifically, my legislation, the Providing Accountability through Transparency Act would require each government agency, in providing notice of a rule making, to include a link to a 100 word plain language summary of the proposed rule. Government agencies have a habit of creating long-winded rules that don\u2019t make sense unless you are an expert in that field. My legislation would require a short summary and states the agency must provide a web link at regulations.gov to make it accessible so Americans can easily find and understand the proposed rule.\r\nOne rule in particular that I have closely monitored is out of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and would require costly new standards for wood burning stoves and heating systems that would effectively prohibit the manufacture and sale of 85 perfect of wood burning heaters currently on the market. Earlier this year, I introduced legislation that would halt this attempt by the EPA called the Wood Stove Regulatory Relief Act. \r\nThe final rule from the EPA is supposed to be announced early next year. With nearly 90 percent of wood stove manufacturers that operate as small businesses and with many homes in the 3rd District that use wood burning stoves as the primary source of heat, it is my hope this proposed rule is reversed.\r\nLastly, another piece of legislation that will help Americans in our rural areas is the Mobile Mammography Promotion Act. My legislation would increase access to breast cancer screening by providing relief from the federal fuel excise tax for \u201cmammovans,\u201d vehicles designed exclusively to provide mobile mammography services that travel to underserved areas. I have sponsored this legislation for the past two Congresses and it is my hope that in the 114th Congress, this bill will make it to the House floor so that regular mammography screenings become a reality for those many underserved individuals.  It is my hope the 114th Congress can put a halt to many of the regulations that are burdening our nation\u2019s small businesses and families and we can work together to address not only the topics just discussed but all of your priorities as well.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/a-possible-ferguson-solution-cameras-on-cops", "A possible Ferguson solution: Cameras on cops", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A possible Ferguson solution: Cameras on cops \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Wednesday, November 26, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Michael Doyle\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON\u00a0\u2014 The Ferguson fallout will include more police officers nationwide wearing cameras as part of their uniforms.\r\nLawmakers like Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., are talking about federal funding. Researchers are digging into data about costs and benefits. Cities that already have equipped police with cameras are fielding questions from those that are considering it.\r\n\u201cThe officers have welcomed them, and I think the community has, too,\u201d April R. Harris, treasurer of the Greensboro Police Foundation in North Carolina, said in an interview Wednesday, recalling that \u201cbefore we had the cameras, we had here in Greensboro a couple of police situations where it was, \u2018He said, she said.\u2019\u201d\r\nThe Greensboro Police Foundation raised more than $100,000 to purchase the cameras for the city\u2019s police department. While the fundraising drive was a success, the need for it also underscored one of the challenges ahead: the cameras can be costly.\r\nThe cameras\u2019 use, moreover, can open up unanticipated conflicts. Harris noted, for instance, that there are now questions about whether the video taken by a camera worn by an officer amounts to a personnel record that\u2019s exempt from public release.\r\nThere\u2019s no doubt, though, that the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson is prompting much more interest in the cameras that can capture an ambiguous encounter.\r\n\u201cSince Ferguson, the agencies will look more closely to see, \u2018How can we make this happen?\u2019 but also, \u2018How can we do it right?\u2019\u201d Lindsay Miller, senior research associate at the Police Executive Research Forum, said in an interview Wednesday.\r\nMiller, co-author of an extensive Justice Department-funded study of police cameras, noted that, even before Ferguson, the cameras often first deployed \u201cin smaller and mid-sized agencies\u201d have in the last year or two been adopted by larger agencies.\r\nCharles Katz, an Arizona State University criminology associate professor, agreed Wednesday that the Ferguson incident will accelerate the use of body-worn cameras.\r\nNo good public estimate exists for how many law enforcement agencies currently deploy officers with cameras. The agencies that do use them vary widely in size and sophistication. The two-officer police department in Miller\u2019s hometown in rural Missouri uses body-worn cameras, and so, as part of a test run, does the Los Angeles Police Department.\r\nThe Police Executive Research Forum study included a survey with responses from 254 law enforcement agencies, 63 of which reported using body-worn cameras.\r\nThe analysts identified tangible benefits that include better documentation of evidence, increased police accountability and a reduction in the use of force.\r\nA yearlong study of the Mesa Police Department in Arizona, for instance, found that camera-wearing officers had 40 percent fewer public complaints, and 75 percent fewer use-of-force complaints, than they had without wearing cameras. Camera-wearing police in Rialto, Calif., had an 88 percent reduction in citizen complaints.\r\nBut with the benefits come costs and questions.\r\nIndividual cameras can cost in the range of $800 to $1,200, although TASER International markets an \u201cultra-durable on-officer camera\u201d for $399. Thirty-nine percent of agencies responding to the Police Executive Research Forum survey identified price as a primary reason for not ordering the cameras.\r\nPrivate fundraising, akin to what happened in Greensboro, has been one solution. The Los Angeles Police Department raised nearly $1.3 million in private funds for officer cameras, which began as a pilot project last January. Another solution could be federal aid, of the sort being suggested by McCaskill.\r\n\u201cShe is specifically looking at options for prioritizing federal resources that go to local police departments, so that body cameras come first, before other equipment,\u201d McCaskill spokeswoman Sarah Feldman said in an interview Wednesday, stressing the idea is \u201cnot a mandate.\u201d\r\nOther questions, beyond funding, include:\r\n\u2013 How much discretion will individual officers have to turn off the cameras for certain particularly sensitive encounters, such as meetings with informants or during work at crime scenes?\r\n\u2013 How will the privacy interests of victims be protected, and how will those privacy interests be balanced against the public\u2019s?\r\n\u2013 How will the video recording of encounters change the behavior of citizens and officers alike?\r\nThe questions are prompting states and municipalities to come up with different answers, on policies ranging from how long video recordings are stored to who has a say in the video recording.\r\nPennsylvania legislators, for instance, passed earlier this year a law waiving the previous requirement that police obtain consent before video recording another person. In some other states, the old two-party consent rules still apply.\r\nPolice unions, too, weigh in, and sometimes voice resistance. In New York City last year, the Patrolmen\u2019s Benevolent Association pushed back against U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin\u2019s order that the city initiate a pilot program equipping officers with cameras in selected precincts.\r\nThe pilot program has begun, though union leaders maintain that mandated use of body cameras is a workplace condition that should be negotiated as part of an overall labor contract. Scheindlin insisted on trying the cameras as part of a ruling that struck down the city\u2019s controversial stop-and-frisk policy.\r\n\u201cThe recordings should also alleviate some of the mistrust that has developed between the police and the black and Hispanic communities,\u201d Scheindlin wrote, adding that \u201cvideo recordings will be equally helpful to members of the NYPD who are wrongly accused of inappropriate behavior.\u201d\r\nRead more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/11/26/248308_a-possible-ferguson-solution-cameras.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/national-status-for-liberty-memorial-is-expected-to-be-a-boon", "National status for Liberty Memorial is expected to be a boon", "2014-12-26", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "National status for Liberty Memorial is expected to be a boon \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, December 26, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Matt Campbell\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            The long-sought designation of Kansas City\u2019s Liberty Memorial as official national memorial to the Great War was, ironically, tucked into a war-spending bill.\r\nThe must-pass bill approved this month finally capped a legislative effort that had been stalled for years.\r\n\u201cWe\u2019re just grateful they were able to find an appropriate bill to hang it onto to get the thing passed,\u201d said Matt Naylor, president and CEO of the National World War I Museum. \u201cIt speaks to the ingenuity of the Congress people.\u201d\r\nThe rise in stature is expected to greatly enhance the museum\u2019s ability to court fundraisers, to expand a national advisory board and to attract visitors and traveling exhibits.\r\n\u201cThis enables us to have conversations with prospective funders on a national scale that might otherwise see us as a more parochial or regional museum,\u201d said Naylor. \u201cThis is potentially a very good thing for us.\u201d\r\nMemorial leaders had a successful fundraising event in New York recently and are planning future events.\r\nLiberty Memorial already had the designation of being the \u201cnational museum\u201d for World War I. Now it can add \u201cnational memorial\u201d to its title as well. The monument\u2019s board will explore whether to tweak the museum\u2019s logo or brand.\r\nThe designation was sponsored by local U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver, Sam Graves and Kevin Yoder and by Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt.\r\n\u201cThis designation honors the courage and sacrifice of all those who served in World War I,\u201d McCaskill said in a statement. \u201cIt\u2019s my hope that the Liberty Memorial\u2019s new, national status \u2014 which finally matches its national significance \u2014 shines a spotlight on the site\u2019s unique and extraordinary historical value.\u201d\r\nThe legislation was a compromise with backers of a separate memorial in Pershing Park in Washington, D.C. Both may now call themselves national memorials. But Kansas City\u2019s is far larger and has by far the most extensive collection of materials from World War I in the country.\r\nThe memorial also is home base for the national commission established to commemorate the centennial of the war. Attendance to the war museum here already is up about 30 percent over last year, and attendance at exhibits and programs is up about 500 percent.\r\nLiberty Memorial officials expect even more attention in coming years with the centennial of the United States\u2019 entry into the war.\r\nNext summer, the Australian War Memorial will send an exhibit of war art to Kansas City. It will be the first time the museum in Canberra has sent part of its collection overseas.\r\nThe national designation for Liberty Memorial will make more opportunities like that possible.\r\n\u201cThis will enable us to bring other exhibitions and programs to the museum and memorial that otherwise may not come to the United States, or certainly to the Midwest,\u201d Naylor said.\r\n  Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article5025201.html#storylink=cpy\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/newsletters/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-christmas-2014", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of Christmas, 2014", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nAs 2014 draws to a close, Team Hartzler is saying \u201cfarewell\u201d and \u201cgood luck\u201d to a dear friend who has been an integral part of our operation since we began in January of 2011. As the MO-4 Special Events Coordinator, Donna Spickert coordinated many of our annual events, including the Missouri Business Conference in Warrensburg, the Veterans Summit in Warrensburg, the Lebanon Job Fair, and the annual process by which students are nominated for the U.S. Service Academies. Donna\u2019s public service began in 1989, working for such notables as Senator John Ashcroft, Senator Jim Talent, and Congressman Kenny Hulshof. I have known Donna since my days as a State Representative in Jefferson City in the 1990s and have thoroughly enjoyed having her as part of our team for the last four years. Donna and Terry are looking forward to enjoying their retirement, hopping into the car and visiting their grandchildren when the travel bug strikes.\nBest wishes, Donna. I thank you for all your hard work and wish you and Terry a very lengthy, fruitful, and active retirement.\nThis is Christmas week when Christians throughout our country and around the world celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a time that gives us hope and fills our hearts with joy.\nLuke\u2019s account of how the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in the field that special night sums up the good news we celebrate:\nAs we gather with our families and pray for our men and women in uniform both at home and abroad, we are reminded that the light Jesus brought to the world is needed now more than ever. My wish this Christmas is that this light shines upon you and our brave troops around the world, bringing you comfort and peace while bringing them home quickly and safely.\nFrom my family to yours, we wish you the merriest of Christmases. God bless.\nHave a blessed Christmas with friends and family,\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-hartzler-releases-christmas-greeting", "Congresswoman Hartzler releases Christmas greeting", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) has released the following Christmas greeting:\n\u201cChristmas is a time for family and friends to gather, enjoy the time together, reminisce about old memories and make new ones. As we reflect on 2014 and look ahead to 2015, it may be easy to get lost in the trials and tribulations of our day-to-day lives.\u00a0 We must keep in mind that, as Americans, we have much to be grateful for this holiday season.\u00a0 But first and foremost, we must remember the reason for a celebration such as Christmas \u2013 the birth of Jesus Christ.\nLuke\u2019s account of how the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in the field that special night is familiar to so many of us:\n\u2018And 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\nAs we gather with our families and pray for our men and women in uniform both at home and abroad, we are reminded that the light Jesus brought to the world is needed now more than ever.\u00a0 My wish this Christmas is that this light shines upon you and our brave troops around the world, bringing you comfort and peace while bringing them home quickly and safely.\nFrom my family to yours, we wish you the merriest of Christmases. God bless.\u201d\nCongresswoman Hartzler serves on the House Agriculture, Armed Services, and Budget Committees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/senators-query-rideshare-services-lyft-uber-on-privacy", "Senators query rideshare services Lyft, Uber on privacy", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators query rideshare services Lyft, Uber on privacy \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Tuesday, December 23, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Mike Snider\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Ridesharing services Lyft and Uber are picking up more attention from the U.S. Senate.\r\nSenators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) sent letters to both companies raising concern about their privacy and data security policies.\r\nTheir letters, released today but dated Dec. 19, raised the same issues that Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) raised with Uber in the wake of reports that Uber executive Josh Mohrer tracked a reporter's Uber rides without her permission.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSenator blasts Uber for weak response to spy scandal\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAnother press report that the senators' letter references includes a Uber job applicant having access to the company's database of customer records.\r\n\"Such allegations, if true, appear contrary to Uber's claim that it has a 'strict policy prohibiting all employees at every level from accessing a rider of driver's data' with exceptions for a 'limited set of legitimate business purposes,' and the allegations raise questions about Uber's enforcement of its own policies,\"\u00a0their letter says.\r\nAlso noted by the senators: media reports that Uber's \"God View,\" which tracks consumers' real-time locations, is easily accessible to employees and, regarding Lyft, that a company spokeswoman had access to customers' travel logs.\r\nBoth companies were asked to have a top official brief the Commerce Committee on data security practices and privacy. McCaskill chairs the consumer protection subcommittee, while Nelson chairs the science and space subcommittee.\r\nThe senators also asked for information on the companies' public and internal policies pertaining to their practices on privacy policies, third party data sharing, consumer data retention and notification and data breach protections.\r\nUber did not immediately return a request for comment on the senators' requests. But Lyft provided the following statement: \"We share Senator McCaskill and Senator Nelson's commitment to consumer privacy and look forward to responding to their letter to discuss this important issue. The respect and rights of our users are at our core as a company, and we have continued to upgrade our existing privacy safeguards to enhance user protection.\"\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/fight-against-isis-gets-independent-watchdog-as-mccaskills-wartime-contracting-reforms-kick-in", "Fight Against ISIS Gets Independent Watchdog as McCaskill’s Wartime Contracting Reforms Kick-in", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Fight Against ISIS Gets Independent Watchdog as McCaskill\u2019s Wartime Contracting Reforms Kick-in \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator\u2019s landmark legislation that overhauled wartime contracting practices requires  designation of Inspector General to guard against waste, fraud, abuse of taxpayer dollars overseas \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 23, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Nearly two years to the day after Congress passed into law Senator Claire McCaskill\u2019s sweeping overhaul of wartime contracting practices, military action against the so-called \u201cIslamic State,\u201d or ISIS, is triggering those reforms to ensure accountability and oversight of the effort.\u00a0\r\nMcCaskill\u2019s wartime contracting reforms, the most substantial overhaul of how the federal government contracts during wartime since World War II, gained final approval in December 2012 after a sustained six-year effort. That effort made good on a campaign pledge McCaskill issued in 2006.\r\nOne provision of the Comprehensive Contingency Contracting Reform Act requires the designation of a lead Inspector General to guard against waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars in overseas military contingencies\u2014and requires that Inspector General to make regular reports to Congress.\r\nThe Defense Department announced this week that Jon T. Rymer, the Pentagon\u2019s Inspector General, will serve as the lead inspector general for Operation Inherent Resolve, and that Rymer will submit biannual reports to Congress, with the first to be delivered in April.\r\n\u201cThis is exactly the kind of accountability and oversight that\u2019s needed to protect taxpayer dollars when America takes military action\u2014especially after the stunning waste we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan,\u201d said McCaskill, a former prosecutor and Missouri State Auditor. \u201cAs the critical mission against ISIS is executed, these reforms should help strengthen Americans\u2019 confidence that our resources are being used effectively and efficiently.\u201d\r\nMcCaskill\u2019s legislation has improved contracting practices and accountability across the federal government by:\r\n \r\nElevating oversight responsibility, improving management structures, expanding planning requirements, and reforming contracting practices during overseas contingency operations;\r\nRequiring departments and agencies to assess contracting risk in overseas contingency operations and reduce unnecessary reliance in areas including private security contracting;\r\nEstablishing responsibilities for Inspectors General to oversee all aspects of overseas contingency operations;\r\nImproving the contracting process through greater transparency, competition, and professional education; and\r\nInstituting additional provisions for accountability by contractors and the federal government, including limits that require proof that development projects are sustainable, prior to providing funding for such projects in overseas contingencies.\r\n \r\nMcCaskill\u2019s wartime contracting provisions build upon recommendations issued in 2011 by the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, created through legislation passed in 2007 by McCaskill and former Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, and modeled after President Harry Truman\u2019s crusade to combat the wasteful war profiteering that occurred during World War II. In its final report to Congress, issued after three years of investigation, the Commission found that the U.S. had squandered up to $60 billion through waste and fraud on contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/wartimecontracting to learn more about McCaskill's work to reform wartime contracting practices.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-nelson-raise-concerns-over-uber-and-lyft-privacy-policies", "McCaskill, Nelson Raise Concerns Over Uber & Lyft Privacy Policies", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill, Nelson Raise Concerns Over Uber & Lyft Privacy Policies \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senators demand answers from ride-sharing companies on privacy protection, data securities practices \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 23, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Bill Nelson have sent letters to the CEOs of ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft, raising concerns about the companies\u2019 privacy policies and demanding answers on current privacy and data security practices.\r\n\u201cSome media reports have suggested that Uber lacks responsible data-security practices and potentially disregards the protections articulated in its privacy policy,\u201d the Senators, both senior members of the Commerce Committee, wrote in their letter to Uber. \u201cFor example, the press has reported that the general manager of Uber\u2019s New York operations tracked and accessed a reporter\u2019s travel logs on multiple occasions, though the reporter never consented to being tracked or having her data accessed. According to another press report, an individual interviewing for a job at Uber reportedly had access to the company\u2019s database of customer records, including actual travel records of Uber riders. Such allegations, if true, appear contrary to Uber\u2019s claim that it has a \u2018strict policy prohibiting all employees at every level from accessing a rider of driver\u2019s data\u2019 with exceptions for a \u2018limited set of legitimate business purposes,\u2019 and the allegations raise questions about Uber\u2019s enforcement of its own policies.\u201d\r\nThe Senators also expressed concern with media reports that Uber\u2019s \u201cGod View\u201d of customer\u2019s geolocation and other data is easily accessible to staff across the company, as well as media reports that a Lyft spokeswoman had access to customers\u2019 travel logs.\r\nMcCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, and Nelson, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Science and Space, requested Uber and Lyft provide companies of all public and internal polices pertaining to their practices on privacy policies, third party data sharing, consumer data retention and notification, data breach protections, and other policies.\r\nThe Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the Federal Trade Commission, which since 2002 has brought more than 50 enforcement actions against companies that have put consumers\u2019 data at risk or failed to honor the terms of their privacy policies.\r\nThe Senators\u2019 letters to Uber and Lyft can be found HERE and HERE.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/newsletters/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-november-17-21-2014", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of November 17-21, 2014", "2014-12-21", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nThis week, the House approved important legislation to ease the Environmental Protection Agency burdens on American job creators by reducing red tape and increasing accountability. We passed three bills: the\u00a0EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act, H.R. 1422, to establish board member qualifications; the\u00a0Secret Science Reform Act, H.R. 4012, to prohibit the EPA from finalizing a regulation unless the public has access to the data used; and the\u00a0Promoting New Manufacturing Act, H.R. 4795, which would bring much-needed transparency to the EPA permitting process.\nThese bills will aid American job creators by allowing businesses to grow without fear of overregulation from environmental extremists. The EPA continues to burden small businesses with red tape, and I am pleased to work toward stopping these unnecessary and unjustified regulations that hamper job creation and wage growth.\nThe Environmental Protection Agency needs accountability, and these common sense bills will work toward that end. These bills ensure transparency by making all scientific and technical information used by the EPA available to the public before agency action. Americans have the right to know the information used to make these burdensome rules, and Congress has a responsibility to make sure all agencies operate in a way that serves the best interests of all Americans. I now call on the Senate to take up and pass these important bills.\nI am a firm believer that the federal government\u2019s primary role should be to provide for a strong national defense. In that light, I recently had the chance to speak with CNN\u2019s Carol Costello about the administration\u2019s response to the threats coming from ISIL and the Middle East.\nI also had the opportunity to attend the Reagan National Defense Forum last weekend. This forum brings together leaders in the defense community \u2013 including Members of Congress, civilian officials, military leaders, and Department of Defense officials \u2013 to address the health of our national defense and discuss policies that strengthen our military for the future. I was privileged to be one of a handful of Representatives to attend with such defense leaders as Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, former Secretaries of Defense Leon Panetta and Robert Gates, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral James Winnefeld, Jr., and many others. I was grateful to hear such esteemed voices discuss important issues such as the ongoing threats abroad, reform measures to reduce red tape in the Pentagon, and the role of cyber in 21st Century warfare.\nAt the same time, it was a real honor to attend such a forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. President Reagan was a true leader who believed, as I do, that peace is achieved through\u00a0strength\u00a0\u2013 that a strong military is key to deterring conflict around the world. This principle is extremely relevant now as we find ourselves facing numerous national security threats while still binding the hands of our military through disastrous defense cuts from sequestration.\u00a0Our current path is unacceptable. I will continue to work to make defense a key priority in the new Congress and beyond.\nOn another note, I am disappointed that President Obama has chosen to bypass Congress in his rush to implement immigration reform. Our Constitution requires that Congress write the laws and the President execute those laws. Americans are divided on how to address immigration reform, but President Obama\u2019s action can only harm efforts to bring Americans together to reach consensus on this important matter. In the coming weeks, the House will be discussing options to reinstate Congressional authorities. I welcome your feedback on how our nation should proceed on this important issue.\nMeanwhile, I am always happy when constituents come to visit me in Washington and I am pleased that I had a visit this week from a senior-level agriculture policy class from the University of Missouri. The students were in Washington for three days to meet with legislators, Agriculture Committee staff, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and agriculture industry officials.\nWe discussed a number of important issues ranging from the effects of the 2014 Farm Bill and well-founded concerns with the EPA\u2019s Waters of the United States rule. The rule would extend Clean Water Act jurisdictional authority over dry creeks and ditches \u2013 some of which are wet only when it rains \u2013 creating complicated compliance issues for farmers in Missouri and throughout the country. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have been working to stop this onerous rule. The public comment period has concluded with the EPA receiving more than a quarter-million comments. I urge the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers, which will work toward finalizing the rule, to exercise common sense when establishing the ground rules for implementing the rule.\nI also want to share information on scholarship opportunities with the U.S. Naval Academy, the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), and commissioning in the Navy and Marine Corps.\u00a0 An information session is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25th at 5:30 pm at the Liberty Memorial\u2019s National World War I Museum at 100 West 26th Street in Kansas City. Representatives will be on hand to discuss the admissions process, nominations, appointments, prep programs, summer programs, and much more. This is a valuable opportunity for any 8th to 11th grade students interested in attending the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis or attending one of more than 50 NROTC colleges and universities. To RSVP for this event contact: Commander Jack Rush, U.S. Navy (Retired) at\u00a0jack.rush@1973.usna.comwith name and number of persons attending. I want to extend best wishes to all students who are interested in serving our country.\nFinally, as we enter the holiday season, I would like to wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving. This is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends and give thanks to God for all He has given us. Let us thank the brave men and women of our Armed Forces as they fight to preserve our freedoms here and abroad. May we always be a grateful nation.\nHappy Thanksgiving!\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/liberty-memorial-bestowed-national-world-war-i-memorial-designation", "Liberty Memorial bestowed national World War I memorial designation", "2014-12-21", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Liberty Memorial bestowed national World War I memorial designation \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Sunday, December 21, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Chris Oberholtz\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -\u00a0The Liberty Memorial in Kansas City has gained national status after President Barack Obama signed legislature Friday officially recognizing the landmark.\r\nThis comes after the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would designate it as the nation's World War I Museum and Memorial.\r\nOther monuments with that status include the National World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.\r\nThe legislation passed the House of Representatives in May and passed the Senate on Dec. 12 as part of the National\u00a0Defense\u00a0Authorization Act.\r\nThe legislation provides an additional designation for the museum, which was deemed as \"America's National World War I Museum\" by Congress after President George W. Bush signed the legislation in 2004.\r\n\"Having two United States presidents sign legislation to recognize the National World War I Museum and Liberty Memorial is incredibly special,\" museum president Matthew Naylor said. \"We not only view this as recognition of the museum, but also as a tribute to the 80,000-plus Kansas City area residents who established the museum and Liberty Memorial after World War I as well as those who have generously supported the museum throughout the years.\r\nNaylor said several members of Congress from the area supported the effort, including senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt and representatives Emanuel Cleaver, Sam Graves and Kevin Yoder.\r\nBoth Blunt and McCaskill serve on the Senate Armed\u00a0Services\u00a0Committee and pushed for the provision in this year's annual defense bill.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jasonsmith.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-jason-smith-highlights-the-need-to-finish-the-floodway", "Congressman Jason Smith Highlights the Need to Finish the Floodway Project", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Jason Smith", "S001195", "jasonsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Jason Smith sent a letter to President Obama condemning new opposition to the St. John\u2019s Bayou and New Madrid Floodway Project, and calling for the project\u2019s completion. Congressman Smith wrote to answer letters sent to President Obama Tuesday by environmental groups and \u201clocal leaders\u201d calling for the president and the EPA to exercise an obscure \u201cClean Water Act Veto\u201d to kill the project.\n\u201cIf President Obama vetoes the St. John\u2019s/New Madrid Floodway project it will erase the efforts of generations of Southeast Missourians who have worked to complete this project since Congress authorized it in 1954. This project is vital to protect the lives and property of the people who live and work in my district.\u00a0 It is obvious that people in Illinois have been lied to about this project by outsiders who aren\u2019t from the region and who would like to see all of the flood plain on both sides of the river revert back to bird and fish habitat.\u201d \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\nThe letter to President Obama said in part:\n\u201cI recently reviewed several letters that were written to you [Tuesday] by \u201clocal leaders\u201d who \u201coppose the New Madrid Levee.\u201d The vast majority of these \u201clocal leaders\u201d do not live in the affected area, or are not from Missouri. The \u201clocal leaders\u201d that are from Missouri all appear to be from the Kansas City Area, and are certainly not from the Southeast Missouri Bootheel.\u201d\nIt went on to say:\n\u201cI ask that you not interfere by derailing this project that has finally begun to show some momentum. Concerns from individuals in Southern Illinois who believe that somehow this project will endanger them with flooding are unfounded and not based in science. The Corps of Engineers has repeatedly determined that this project creates no additional risk of flooding to upstream or downstream communities.\u201d\nThe full text of Congressman Smith\u2019s letter to the president can be found here.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jasonsmith.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-jason-smith-praises-extension-of-section-179-expensing", "Congressman Jason Smith Praises Extension of Section 179 Expensing", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Jason Smith", "S001195", "jasonsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Jason Smith praised the extension of Section 179 expensing in the tax code which includes valuable savings for individuals and businesses that had expired at the beginning of this year. Now that the president has signed the House bill, these savings will be available when individuals and businesses file their tax returns for 2014.\n\u201cI have been working for six months to extend Section 179 expensing at the full level for another year.\u201d said Congressman Smith. \u201cWhile this legislation only extends Section 179 for the 2014 tax year, I have co-sponsored, and the House has passed, stand-alone legislation to make Section 179 permanent.\u201d\n\u201cOur farmers and businesses rely on Section 179 to deduct the cost of the equipment they use on their farms, and in their business, from their taxes. Without action the Section 179 deduction would have been decreased this year by 95 percent, and businesses and farmers would have had higher tax bills than they expected. I am pleased that the Senate and the president finally saw fit to pass and sign this piece of House legislation to save our farmers and businesses money on their tax bills this year \u2013 money they can reinvest into growing their operations and hiring new people.\u201d\n\u201cWithout further action on valuable tax provisions like Section 179, we will be in the same situation next year, as this legislation only applies for the 2014 tax year. I am hopeful that we will be able to pass a permanent solution next Congress.\u201d\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jasonsmith.house.gov//media-center/weekly-capitol-report/capitol-report-fighting-for-rural-missouri", "Capitol Report: Fighting for Rural Missouri", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Jason Smith", "S001195", "jasonsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Last week the House made important progress on an issue I have been fighting since I got to Washington \u2013 protecting our farmers and landowners from intrusive federal regulations.\nSince I have been in office, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers have been scheming to take away our property rights. We know this from their actions. First, they proposed the National Blueway designation for the White River Watershed that would have created \u201cbuffer zones\u201d keeping farmers from using their land. Then they proposed the incredibly damaging \u201cWaters of the United States\u201d rule that threatens to regulate every drop of water on our property. It could also require federal inspectors to approve how farmers and landowners use every collection of water on their property, no matter how small. Now we have their latest action, the dangerous \u201cinterpretive rule\u201d regarding exemptions to Section 404 \u201cdredge and fill permits.\u201d\nSection 404 of the Clean Water Act requires a permit before dredged or fill material may be discharged into waters of the United States, unless the activity is exempt from Section 404 regulation. Traditionally, agricultural activities have been exempt, but on March 25, 2014, the EPA and the Corps of Engineers released an \u201cinterpretive rule\u201d that called into question the current exemption for farm ponds and irrigation ditches. Last week, included in the spending measure Congress passed, there was a directive to the EPA and the Corps requiring them to withdraw the \u201cinterpretive rule.\u201d The old agricultural exemptions to Section 404 permit requirements will, for now, remain in force. Additionally, the bill included a provision preventing the Army Corps or the EPA from releasing a new \u201cinterpretive rule\u201d in 2015.\nWhen I talk to folks throughout the district, I consistently hear how important it is that we continue to fight this. If the agriculture exemption were no longer an option, obtaining the proper permit would be outrageously expensive and time consuming. One study found that obtaining a \u201cnationwide\u201d general permit under Section 404 took, on average, 313 days at a cost of $28,915. Even worse, obtaining an individual permit under Section 404 took, on average, 788 days at a cost of $271,000.\nWe must remain vigilant watching over the EPA and the Corps to ensure that they do not continue to erode property rights through executive rulemakings. We beat them on the Blueways system. We beat them on the \u201cinterpretive rule\u201d that would have opened the door to regulate farm ponds and irrigation ditches. Now we must to continue to beat back the \u201cWaters of the United States\u201d rule that would be so destructive in potentially allowing EPA regulation of every accumulation of water on our land.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://long.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=552", "Long Secures Commitment from Forest Service to Hold Open House on Controlled Burn in Barry County", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Billy Long", "L000576", "long.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Billy Long secured a commitment from the U.S. Forest Service to hold an open house early next year for constituents to address their concerns and comment on the Forest Service\u2019s controlled burn of 17,000 acres in Mark Twain National Forest in Southwest Missouri.  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMany residents in Southwest Missouri were unaware of the Forest Service\u2019s plan for a controlled burn and have expressed concerns with the agency\u2019s proposal.\u00a0 I am glad area residents will have the opportunity to express their concerns to Forest Service officials in January.\u00a0 It is important the Forest Service hear the concerns of area residents and work to address them before moving forward with the controlled burn,\u201d Long said.  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Forest Service is in the process of preparing for a controlled burn in the Butler Hollow portion of the Mark Twain National Forest in Barry County that involves over 17,000 acres.\u00a0 Long secured the commitment from the Forest Service to hold the open house after the agency declined to extend the public comment period for the burn, which ends on December 22nd.\u00a0 Southwest Missourians have expressed concerns about the project.\u00a0 The Forest Service\u2019s open house in January will allow concerned citizens to comment on the project, which will have the same merit as the comments submitted during the public comment period.  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Forest Service will announce the date and time for the open house in early January 2015.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://long.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=553", "Long Urges Corps Grant 90 Day Extension for Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation to Comply with Deadline", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Billy Long", "L000576", "long.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Rep. Billy Long today sent a letter to Col. Courtney W. Paul with the U.S. Army Corps (Corps) of Engineers Little Rock District urging a 90 day extension for the Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation (ORHF) to determine repayment of funds.\u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs you are well aware, I believe the Corps has dramatically mismanaged its handling of its relationship with the ORHF. This was a mutually beneficial partnership which had a very bright future, that served Table Rock Lake and the surrounding area exceedingly well, and had been approved by the highest levels of the Corps leadership,\u201d Long said in a letter to Col. Paul.\u00a0\u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long believes the Corps made the wrong decision when they determined groups who made cooperative management lease agreements could no longer keep the user fees collected to maintain parks.\u00a0 This decision impacts groups like the ORHF who manage areas around Table Rock Lake.\u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long believes the user fees would have been managed with more efficiency and accountability if they remained in the local communities.\u00a0  Text of letter sent to Col. Paul:   Dear Colonel Paul:  This letter comes in regard to the current situation regarding the Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation (ORHF) and the United States Corps of Engineers (Corps).  As you are well aware, I believe the Corps has dramatically mismanaged its handling of its relationship with the ORHF. This was a mutually beneficial partnership which had a very bright future, that served Table Rock Lake and the surrounding area exceedingly well, and had been approved by the highest levels of the Corps leadership. The puzzling and frankly, wrongheaded, decision by unknown parties within the Corps to determine that this previously approved partnership was somehow illegal remains a great frustration to all.   However, setting aside the general lack of merit in shuttering this partnership, it has now come to my attention that the Corps has established a deadline of January 5, 2015 for the ORHF to determine repayment of funds to the Corps. Despite the treatment that the ORHF has received in the past year from the Corps, they remain committed to resolving this matter in a fashion that is acceptable to all involved. This timeframe will be exceedingly difficult to allow for them to give the matter due diligence for multiple reasons, least of which is that many board members are busy with holiday travel and activities.   I understand that the ORHF board has requested an extension of ninety (90) days from the January 5 deadline in order to fully give this issue the attention it deserves. This strikes me as a very simple and fair request, and I cannot stress how strongly I urge the Corps to grant this extension and work in a transparent and equitable manner with the ORHF moving forward.   Thank you very much for your consideration of this request by the ORHF. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns.  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398510", "Blaine's Bulletin: The CRomnibus", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As I sat down to write the annual Christmas bulletin, I decided to instead address two topics. While this time of the year is very joyous and festive from coast to coast, I will spend most of this column addressing the spending bill that Congress recently passed. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      As I sat down to write the annual Christmas bulletin, I decided to instead address two topics. While this time of the year is very joyous and festive from coast to coast, I will spend most of this column addressing the spending bill that Congress recently passed. \r\nEach year, it is the job of Congress to fund the government. Earlier this year, the House passed seven appropriations bills, to fund different aspects of the government with bipartisan majorities. By the time the House finished the seventh of these bills, the Senate had not yet taken up a single one, and it became clear that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had no intention of bringing any appropriations bills to the floor prior to the election. So, it came down to the end of the 113th Congress to craft a spending bill to fund the government. As mentioned above, the House tried to pass individual bills through regular order, but in the end, this is the hand we were dealt.\r\nThe bill that has now passed both the House and Senate and\u00a0was recently signed\u00a0by the president\u00a0through September 30, 2015 except for the Department of Homeland Security, which is only funded until late February. This means that the new Republican majority in the Senate will be able to join House Republicans in confronting the president\u2019s executive actions on immigration in early 2015, without the threat of a government shutdown on the table. One of my top priorities heading into the 114th Congress will be working to block the president\u2019s unconstitutional, emperor-like, executive order rampage. \r\nBesides the Department of Homeland Security funding, which will expire in February, the rest of the bill had a number of significant provisions in it, which would not have been possible had Congress just decided to temporarily kick the can down the road once again through a short-term continuing resolution of current funding.\u00a0 The Internal Revenue Service was slashed by $345.6 million below Fiscal Year 2014 and it cut the funding for the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) staff to 1989 levels. Also, there is no new funding for the president\u2019s health-care law. In fact, it cuts $10 million from the Independent Payment Advisory Board. While $10 million is a great first start, next session that is one area that Congress will target to fully defund. The bill also prevents taxpayer bailout of the ACA Risk Corridor Program and maintains all existing pro-life policy and funding provisions. In addition it blocks the UN Arms Trade Treaty and prevents the EPA\u2019s attempt to regulate certain farm ponds and irrigation ditches under Waters of the United States. Another provision that is important for Missourians is it provides funding for national defense, including 15 EA-18G Growler that are built in the state. \r\nThis time of year is a time to reflect but also look ahead to what the new year will bring. In Washington, I hope it brings a more functional Congress. I am ready to get to work on reforming the tax code, a balanced budget amendment, chipping away at the president\u2019s health-care law, and reining in the volatile regulations that are coming out of the administration on a daily basis. \r\nI sincerely hope everyone has a few days to rest and relax with your loved ones and friends. Take a moment and enjoy the traditions or create new ones with your children and family and reenergize and get ready for the new year. Lastly, take a moment and remember the teachings that emphasize love, charity and hope \u2013 and how special it truly is this time of year. \r\nOn behalf of myself, my family, and my staff I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God Bless.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/clay-applauds-presidential-task-force-21st-century-policing", "Clay Applauds Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 19, 2014 \nMEDIA CONTACT:\nSTEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029\n\nClay Applauds Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing \nUrges Panel to Review Use of Force, Address Diversity Gap, Recommend Independent Investigations & \nProsecutions of Fatal Police Shootings\nWASHINGTON. DC Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri praised yesterday's White House announcement of the formation of an urgent presidential task force on 21st Century policing. The task force, which will be chaired by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey and former Assistant U.S. Attorney General Laurie Robinson, will conduct hearings in Washington and across the nation to engage citizens in honest and sometimes difficult conversations about how to reconnect local law enforcement to the communities they serve, and how to make best policing practices the norm in more departments. They are to report back to the President in 75 days.\nI want to thank President Obama for forming this urgent task force to address the root causes of mistrust, the use of excessive force, a lack of diversity and a failure of accountability that occurs in far too many local police departments,said the Congressman. And I'm especially proud that the President has appointed Brittany Packnett, one of my outstanding former congressional staffers, to serve on this panel.\nMr. Clay added, If we're serious about bridging the gulf of mistrust that exists in far too many communities between local police and the citizens that they are sworn to protect, then this task force must have the courage to drill down to the root causes of why persons of color are often subjected to excessive force by police. My hope is that the panel will also examine whether in the case of a fatal police shooting, the investigation should immediately be transferred for independent review and possible prosecution. That would be a giant step towards restoring credibility and transparency in communities who too often fear the very officers who should be providing them with a sense of peace and security.\n\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/colbert-says-farewell-with-a-little-help-from-washington", "Colbert says farewell with a little help from Washington", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Colbert says farewell with a little help from Washington \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, December 19, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Alexandra Jaffe\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            (CNN)\u00a0-- Comedian Stephen Colbert bid farewell on his final show Thursday night with the help of a pantheon of celebrities, including Washington notables and dignitaries.\r\nEveryone from National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, CNN's own Jake Tapper \u2014 and even former President Bill Clinton, tweeting \u2014 appeared during the 23-minute finale, all singing \"We'll Meet Again\" along with Colbert.\r\nHere's our unofficial list of other members of the Washington political and pundit class that helped send off Colbert on Thursday night:\r\nFormer New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer\r\nFormer Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee\r\nMissouri Sen. Claire McCaskill\r\nNew Jersey Sen. Cory Booker\r\nNew York Mayor Bill de Blasio\r\nD.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton\r\nFormer President Bill Clinton \u2014 texting\r\nUN Ambassador Samantha Power\r\nArmy Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno\r\nFormer secretary of State Henry Kissinger\r\nHuffington Post founder Arianna Huffington\r\nVice founder Shane Smith\r\nJournalist Matt Taibbi\r\nCommentator Andrew Sullivan\r\nCNN anchor Jake Tapper\r\nNBC News anchor Tom Brokaw\r\nCBS News anchor Charlie Rose\r\nYahoo news anchor Katie Couric\r\nFormer NBC anchor David Gregory\r\nCNN anchor Christiane Amanpour\r\nCNN commentator Jeff Toobin\r\nNPR host Terry Gross\r\nNew York Times columnist Thomas Friedman\r\nNew York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof\r\nNew York Times columnist Paul Krugman\r\nNew York Times columnist Maureen Dowd\r\nPresidential biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin\r\nAmericans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist\r\nActivist Gloria Steinem\r\nNIH Director Francis Collins\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/half-of-dr-ozs-medical-advice-is-baseless-or-wrong-study-says", "Half of Dr. Oz’s medical advice is baseless or wrong, study says", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Half of Dr. Oz\u2019s medical advice is baseless or wrong, study says \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, December 19, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Terrence McCoy\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            It\u2019s not hard to understand what makes Dr. Oz so popular. Called\u00a0\u201cAmerica\u2019s doctor,\u201d syndicated talk-show host Mehmet Oz speaks in a way\u00a0anyone can understand. Medicine may be\u00a0complex. But with\u00a0Dr. Oz, clad in scrubs and crooning to millions of viewers about \u201cmiracles\u201d and \u201crevolutionary\u201d breakthroughs, it\u2019s often\u00a0not. He somehow makes it fun.\u00a0And people can\u2019t get enough.\r\n\u201cI haven\u2019t seen a doctor in eight years,\u201d the New Yorker\u00a0quoted\u00a0one viewer telling Oz. \u201cI\u2019m scared. You\u2019re the only one I trust.\u201d\r\nBut is that trust misplaced? Or has Oz, who often peddles miracle cures for weight loss and other maladies, mortgaged medical veracity for entertainment value?\r\nThese questions have hammered\u00a0Oz for months. In June, he was\u00a0hauled in front\u00a0of Congress, where Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) told him he gave people false hope and criticized his segments as\u00a0a \u201crecipe for disaster.\u201d Then last month, a study he widely trumpeted lauding coffee bean weight-loss pills\u00a0was retracted\u00a0despite Oz\u2019s\u00a0assertions\u00a0it could\u00a0\u201cburn fat fast for anyone who wants to lose weight.\u201d\r\n\r\nSen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) questioned TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz about his claims that certain products are \"miracle\" workers during a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing on June 18, 2014 (Senator Claire McCaskill via YouTube)\r\n\r\nAnd now, his work has come under even greater scrutiny in\u00a0the British Medical Journal, which on Wednesday\u00a0published a study\u00a0analyzing Oz\u2019s claims along with those made on another medical talk show. What they found wasn\u2019t reassuring. The researchers, led by Christina Korownyk of the University of Alberta, charged medical research either didn\u2019t substantiate \u2014 or flat out contradicted \u2014 more than half of Oz\u2019s recommendations. \u201cRecommendations made on medical talk shows often lack adequate information on specific benefits or the magnitude of the effects of these benefits,\u201d the article\u00a0said. \u201c\u2026 The public should be skeptical about recommendations made on medical talk shows.\u201d\r\nThe study is part of an ongoing debate about\u00a0medicine on television. There\u2019s clearly a market for doctor talk shows. \u201cThe Dr. Oz Show\u201d ranks in the top five talk shows in the United States, bringing in a haul of roughly 2.9 million viewers per day. And the talk show \u201cThe Doctors,\u201d also studied in the paper, nets around 2.3 million viewers per show. These days, Oz considers\u00a0disease in terms of marketability. Cancer, he\u00a0told\u00a0the New Yorker, \u201cis our Angelina Jolie. We could sell that show every day.\u201d\r\nBut some doctors have\u00a0expressed\u00a0alarm\u00a0at\u00a0Oz\u2019s willingness to sell it. \u201cAlthough perhaps not as \u2018sexy\u2019 as Dr. Oz would like, the public needs more information about the effects of diet as a whole on cancer risk,\u201d\u00a0commentedone paper titled \u201cReality Check: There is no such thing as a miracle food\u201d in the journal of Nutrition and Cancer. It lambasted\u00a0Oz\u2019s assertion that endive, red onion and sea bass can decrease the likelihood of ovarian cancer by 75 percent.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cMehmet is now an entertainer,\u201d New York doctor Eric Rose\u00a0told\u00a0the New Yorker. \u201cAnd he\u2019s great at it. People learn a lot, and it can be meaningful in their lives. \u2026 [But] sometimes Mehmet will entertain wacky ideas \u2014 particularly if they are wacky and have entertainment value.\u201d\r\nOz, for his part, said\u00a0he\u2019s only trying to give people all the options out there. He said\u00a0data shouldn\u2019t stop patients from testing out things like raspberry ketone \u2014 a\u00a0\u201cmiracle in a bottle to burn your fat\u201d \u2014 even if it\u2019s never been tested on people,\u00a0according\u00a0to Slate.\u00a0\u201cI recognize that oftentimes they don\u2019t have the scientific muster to present as fact,\u201d Oz\u00a0said\u00a0at a U.S. Senate hearing, adding that he \u201cpersonally believes in the items I talk about in my show.\u201d \u201cBut, nevertheless, I give my audience the advice I give my family all the time. I give my family these products, specifically the ones you mentioned. I\u2019m comfortable with that part.\u201d\r\nBut researchers with the British Medical Journal weren\u2019t nearly so\u00a0comfortable. They selected 40\u00a0episodes from last year, identifying 479 separate medical recommendations. After paging through the relevant medical research, they found evidence only supported 46 percent of his recommendations, contradicted 15 percent and wasn\u2019t\u00a0available\u00a0for 39 percent.\r\nThe study was not without its limitations, however.\u00a0The researchers conceded it was difficult to parse \u201cwhat was said and what was implied.\u201d And some\u00a0of the recommendations were extremely general \u2014 \u201csneezing into your elbow prevents the spread of germs\u201d \u2014 and consequently difficult to find\u00a0in medical research, let alone substantiate.\r\nStill, the article was\u00a0a\u00a0withering assessment of Oz and the whole doctor talk show business. \u201cConsumers should be skeptical about any recommendations provided on television medical talk shows, as details are limited and only a third to one half of recommendations are based on believable or somewhat believable evidence,\u201d the paper\u00a0said. \u201c\u2026 Decisions around healthcare issues are often challenging and require much more than non-specific recommendations based on little or no evidence.\u201d\r\nBut Oz considers\u00a0himself an iconoclast trying to shake up a stodgy medical community. \u201cMuch of medicine is just plain old logic,\u201d he told the New Yorker. \u201cSo I am out there trying to persuade people to be patients. And that often means telling them what the establishment doesn\u2019t want to hear: that their answers are not only the answers, and their medicine is not the only medicine.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/heres-what-experts-say-about-the-advice-on-dr-oz-and-the-doctors", "Here’s What Experts Say About the Advice on Dr. Oz and The Doctors", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Here\u2019s What Experts Say About the Advice on Dr. Oz and The Doctors \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, December 19, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Alice Park\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Many Americans get their health advice not from their doctor, but from daytime television. But how good are those recommendations?\r\n\r\nReporting in the\u00a0BMJ, Canadian researchers analyzed two medical TV talk shows\u2014The Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors\u2014and found that only 46% of the recommendations on The Dr. Oz Show and 63% on The Doctors were supported by evidence. 15% of advice given on Oz and 14% of advice on The Doctors contradicted the available published evidence in journals.\r\n\u201cThe bottom line message is for people to be really skeptical about the recommendations made on these medical television shows,\u201d says study co-author Christina Korowynk, associate professor of family medicine at the University of Alberta. \u201cThey should look for more balanced information to be presented, and understand that they need all of that information in order to make an informed decision.\u201d\r\nThey measured 80 major recommendations made on the two shows from January to May 2013 against evidence gleaned from published studies in medical databases. They looked at both consistency\u2014how much the conclusion was supported by the studies\u2014and believability, which included the quality, number and type of study.\r\nOn average, Korownyk\u2019s group found that both shows mentioned how the advice might specifically help a person in only about 40% of the recommendations, and they mentioned the amount of benefit, another aspect of useful health advice, in less than 20% of recommendations. (Harms were mentioned in less than 10% of the recommendations, and costs in less than 15%). She says that without such information on how much benefit and harm a particular recommendation might have, it\u2019s hard for people to make informed choices about whether the advice is right for them.\r\nKorownyk and her colleagues aren\u2019t the first to cast doubt on the quality of advice given on the shows. In June a\u00a0Senate subcommittee heard testimony from Oz\u00a0on false advertising of weight loss claims and Sen. Claire McCaskill queried the doctor about the statements he made on the show. \u201cI do personally believe in the items that I talk about on the show,\u201d he said at the hearing. \u201cWe have to simplify complicated information. We have to make the material seem interesting and focus on the \u2018wow\u2019 factor.\u201d\r\nRepresentatives for The Doctors said in a written statement to TIME: \u201cThe Doctors was never contacted about the study or the article. Our producers and doctors all do their due diligence to make sure information provided on the show is sound, relevant and timely\u2014often debunking the myriad of medical myths that abound in the media and across the internet.\u201d\r\nMembers of The Dr. Oz Show wrote: \u201cThe Dr. Oz Show has always endeavored to challenge the so-called conventional wisdom, reveal multiple points of view and question the status quo. The observation that some of the topics discussed on the show may differ from popular opinion or various academic analyses affirms that we are furthering a constructive dialogue about health and wellness.\u201d\r\nKorownyk acknowledges that the exact impact of television health advice isn\u2019t clear, since the study didn\u2019t investigate how many of the recommendations people adopted and whether they had an effect on their health. But the advice is clearly reaching people. \u201cWhat we\u2019d love to see is a process on these shows where the evidence is reviewed in a critical manner, and presented in a balanced, objective way so the audience can understand,\u201d she says. \u201cAs physicians, we are moving toward that, and we\u2019d love to see the broader television personalities doing the same sort of thing.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/missouris-senator-mccaskill-part-of-stephen-colbert-sendoff", "Missouri’s Senator McCaskill part of Stephen Colbert sendoff", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Missouri\u2019s Senator McCaskill part of Stephen Colbert sendoff \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, December 19, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Mike Lear\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Missouri\u2019s senior U.S. Senator, Claire McCaskill, was among the dozens of other elected officials, comedians, singers, actors, and a couple of Muppets\u00a0on the finale of Comedy Central\u2019s \u201cThe Colbert Report\u201d\u00a0last night.\r\nThe show, centered on a fictional conservative anchorman played by Stephen Colbert, is ending its 9-year run. Colbert is about to become the host of the Late Show after David Letterman leaves in May.\r\nMcCaskill and the other guests sang \u201cWe\u2019ll Meet Again\u201d in one of the show\u2019s final segments. She had been a guest on the program at least twice.\r\nAlong with a picture, McCaskill tweeted, \u201cSo much fun to be a part of an amazing group asked by [Colbert] to sing him off his last show.\u00a0 Gonna miss that jerk.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/cromnibus-isn-t-perfect-but-gains-for-limited-government-are-real", "CRomnibus isnt perfect, but gains for limited government are real", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Friends,\n\u00a0\nThis message is long but well worth the read.\n\u00a0\nI\u2019d like to talk directly to you about our vote last week in the United States House of Representatives regarding the government funding bill, the so-called \u201cCRomnibus.\u201d It is important that the people of the 2nd District and Missouri have a full explanation of what is in the bill, the benefits it contains not only for the people of Missouri, but for smaller, more limited government in general and why I voted \u201cyes.\u201d\n\u00a0\nRecognizing that our government spends too much, when Republicans took Control of the House in 2011, they began making significant cuts and reforms to government. And last week\u2019s CRomnibus continued those reforms by cutting spending even further and sending the federal government back to 2009 spending levels. Overall, with this budget, Republicans will have reduced discretionary spending by $176 billion in just four years. \u00a0Additionally, the CRomnibus funds all agencies of the federal government through September 2015, except for the Department of Homeland Security which is tasked with enforcing our immigration laws.\n\u00a0\nThe bill funds Homeland through February 27th, so we can have a specific debate on the President\u2019s executive amnesty. \u00a0The President has not issued an order yet, but he is preparing to act \u2013 and so are we in the United States Congress. We will fight the President on his plan to grant amnesty to millions and we will have a full and thorough debate worthy of an issue of this magnitude. But we must fight when we have the troops to fight. \u00a0In January, Republicans will control the U.S. Senate with 54 votes and the U.S. House with 247 votes. It is foolish to begin this struggle now with limited strength when we know reinforcements are on their way \u2013 so we will fight in January and February and we will hold this President accountable for his executive amnesty threat. \u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe CRomnibus also contains two major victories against the onerous government agencies that have been wreaking havoc on farmers, small businesses and Americans for several decades: \u00a0the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).\u00a0\n\u00a0\nFrom last year\u2019s budget, we cut the EPA\u2019s funding by yet another $60 million. In all, since Republicans took over the House, the EPA\u2019s budget has been slashed by 21% sending that over-reaching agency back to 1989 staffing levels. Additionally, written into the law is a provision that prevents the Army Corps of Engineers from regulating water sources previously covered by the state, such as farm ponds and irrigation ditches. This is a big deal for Missourians in many ways, as they try to open up shopping centers and build new roads across the state. \u00a0I have heard about this particular challenge time and time again from farmers and business owners in and around the 2nd District.\n\u00a0\nThe IRS has been reduced to historic funding lows as well. \u00a0We have now reduced the IRS budget by $345 million, bringing it below 2008 levels. Even better, the bill that the President signed this week will actually place into law a prohibition against actions that his own IRS took when they targeted conservatives groups based on their beliefs. This bill prohibits the IRS from targeting groups for scrutiny based on their political views or targeting citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights. Additionally, it bars the White House from ordering the IRS to determine the tax-exempt status of an organization \u2013 getting rid of any political targeting.\n\u00a0\nThese two gains against the EPA and IRS are historic and by definition reduce government, force it to operate more efficiently and remove politics from these agencies. But there is so much more.\n\u00a0\nThe CRomnibus protects farmers and other commodity producers by amending a provision in Dodd-Frank that required them to put down excessive collateral to get a loan, expand their businesses and hire workers. This is no big-bank bailout as liberals have hailed. This is getting the government off of your back so you can purchase financial products that help your business manage periods of market volatility, which allows you to subsequently produce goods and create jobs.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe CRomnibus is also a major victory for pro-life causes. The bill maintains all current pro-life protections and includes two new major pro-life provisions: \u00a0the bill requires Obamacare plans to tell customers if they provide abortion services; the bill requires the Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights to address complaints of violations of conscience protection. This President is no defender of pro-life causes \u2013 but this President signed this bill into law, strengthening pro-life laws!\n\u00a0\nThe CRomnibus also contains provisions important not only to our local economy, but also to our national security. You have heard me time and time again talk about the E/A-18G Growler aircraft and its important role in the local economy and for national security. I, along with many of my colleagues, fought for 12 Growlers to be included in this budget, but in the end, we received 15 as a result of our hard work and a testament of the need for these fighter jets in our global engagements.\n\u00a0\nThe jobs, long term stability and the investment in the local economy from this aviation defense project cannot be oversold: 13,000 jobs, at least $640 million in annual economic impact to the St. Louis area, support from 91 Missouri suppliers and, now, because there are 15 instead of 12 Growlers, the production line will be up and running through 2018. Like I said, these are major achievements for the area and cannot be discounted. Last week I talked about it online HERE. \u00a0I will continue to work hard in order to make sure our troops abroad have the support of Growlers and F-18 Super Hornets in the sky above them in the future. \u00a0\n\u00a0\nI can go on and on and on about the achievements of this bill, which are many. From prohibiting the Department of Energy from forcing manufacturers to stop producing incandescent light bulbs to eliminating important funding to the Department of Education used to coerce states into adopting Common Core initiatives to prohibiting the transfers of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States, the CRomnibus is not a perfect bill, but it is a good bill and one with many conservative achievements that limit the size of government and limit the intrusiveness of government. \u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe unified Republican Congress that will be sworn in on January 6th will continue to build on the gains from the last several years. The American people are counting on the Republican Congress to hold this President accountable for his unpopular and unconstitutional actions \u2013 and hold him accountable we will. \u00a0\n\u00a0\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\nAnn Wagner\nMember of Congress\n\u00a0\nP.S. Please read this article in US News and World Report this week detailing other important achievements in the CRomnibus by clicking HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-st-joseph-news-press-graves-reflects-tenure-committee-chair", "ICYMI: St. Joseph News-Press: Graves reflects on tenure as committee chair", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Sam Graves", "G000546", "graves.house.gov", "graves", "https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "December 17, 2014\n\nKen Newton\n\nSt. Joseph News-Press\n\nA fundamental problem exists for small businesses trying to abide by federal regulations, Congressman Sam Graves believes.\n\nBecause of their lack of personnel, the companies might not even realize they're out of compliance.\n\n\"They don't have the resources to have a division or department that's devoted to regulatory compliance,\" the North Missouri lawmaker said Tuesday. \"They have to depend on themselves to figure out what has to be done.\"\n\nMr. Graves, a Tarkio Republican, made the remark while discussing his four-year tenure as chairman of the U.S. House Small Business Committee. Because of party rules, he has term-limited out of that leadership position.\n\nBut he looks back on the time as productive in terms of legislation passed and raising the level of awareness in Congress about issues dealing with small businesses.\n\n\"Even where it might not be a primary area of jurisdiction for the Small Business Committee, we pushed other committees of relevance into the argument,\" Mr. Graves told the News-Press in an interview.\n\nRegulation by federal agencies proved a particular area of interest during his chairmanship, and Mr. Graves would describe many of the executive edicts as \"onerous\" and \"over the top.\"\n\nIn January 2013, his committee launched a website called \"Small Biz Reg Watch,\" where business owners could follow changes in federal regulations. This served as a complement to the committee's \"Open Mic,\" through which people could share their experiences in dealing with the federal government.\n\n\"We hear about things that small businesses are facing that either don't make sense or rise to the level of ridiculous,\" the chairman said. \"It's been eye-opening just to see what small businesses are going through, in some cases that we don't even know about.\"\n\nSmall businesses also feel the pinch of uncertain tax policy, Mr. Graves said. He noted that making permanent a reasonable threshold for Section 179 expensing and bonus depreciation provisions would allow companies to expand, improve their equipment and strengthen their inventory.\n\nInstead, small businesses look from year to year without knowing about future levels in these tax areas, he said.\n\n\"With this short-term extension process we continue to go through, it makes it very tough for them to be able to plan,\" the lawmaker said.\n\nMr. Graves said his chairmanship also gave him a fresh perspective on the way legislation gets passed. The Republican worked closely with Democratic Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu, his counterpart in the Senate, in guiding the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research Program.\n\nIn addition, the representative from a largely rural area said he had a good working relationship with the committee's top Democrat, Rep. Nydia M. Vel\u00e1zquez, who represents a district in New York City.\n\n\"Nydia and I couldn't be farther apart in terms of demographics of our districts and, obviously, political philosophies,\" he said, \"but I listened to what she had to say and she listened to me, and we were able to come up with good legislation.\"\n\nMr. Graves, going into his eighth House term, will serve on the House Armed Services Committee during the next session and awaits an official announcement on a chairmanship on a subcommittee on another panel.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:44:12Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/gop-likely-to-court-moderate-democrats-in-senate", "GOP likely to court moderate Democrats in Senate", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "GOP likely to court moderate Democrats in Senate \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Thursday, December 18, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Nicole Guadiano\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON \u2014 Democratic Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware said Republicans have asked to work with him next year on a wide range of issues. And Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has noticed that her GOP colleagues \"are all being very nice\" to her.\r\nThey and other moderate Senate Democrats expect to be in high demand as Republicans prepare to take over the Senate in the next Congress and will need Democratic allies to push their agenda.\r\nMost Senate bills require 60 votes to overcome the threat of a filibuster. Republicans will claim 54 votes next year, six shy of that mark. As a result, they're seeking help from moderate Democrats on issues such as transportation, tax reform, trade and energy.\r\n\"It will be the way that we can maybe bring compromise together in very effective ways,\" said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. \"So I'm counting on some of them.\"\r\nSen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said he thinks moderate Democrats will agree that \"we've got to lighten the burden that's costing millions of jobs in over-regulation.\"\r\n\"I think they got that message in the results of this election,\" Inhofe said.\r\nDemocrats lost nine Senate seats in November's elections. That includes seats held by four Democrats who resigned and five moderates who were defeated. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana was the latest to go down when she lost a Dec. 6 runoff election.\r\nCome January, there will be about a dozen moderate Democrats left in the Senate, down from at least 18 in 2011. Those who remain include former governors who are used to finding paths to compromise.\r\n\"If we want to get something done, we know one thing,\" said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a former governor. \"The formula for success is not what we just came off of, the four years I've been here.\"\r\nProgressives fear that, even in smaller numbers, moderate Democrats can do big damage to the advancement of a populist economic agenda by voting to help cut entitlement benefits, pass trade deals that move jobs overseas or cut taxes for corporations.\r\n\"The worst possible thing for Democrats going into 2016 would be if we paper over the differences with Republicans by only focusing on small-bore, lowest common denominator ideas, or even worse, if Democrats help pass unpopular right-wing ideas into law, hiding what Democrats really stand for,\" said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.\r\nModerate Democrats may be willing to work on trade deals, tax reform or budget deals, said Matt Bennett, spokesman for the centrist think tank Third Way. But they're not going to vote for \"veto bait,\" such as a repeal of the Affordable Care Act or sanctioning President Obama for his executive order on immigration, he said.\r\n\"There are places where you could see Democratic moderates really trying to find ways to say yes, but they're not going to compromise their principles to do it,\" Bennett said.\r\nSen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said the opportunity for getting things done with Republicans diminishes \"if the fringe over there tends to pull them to the right.\"\r\nRepublicans and Democrats should be able to work together on legislation to fund long-term transportation projects, strengthen U.S. cyber defenses, lower corporate tax rates and break barriers to exports, Carper said.\r\nHe said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., also has spoken with him about pairing Republican-backed legislation to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline with bipartisan energy conservation legislation.\r\n\"There are going to be plenty of opportunities for people \u2014 both Democrats and Republicans \u2014 to serve as a bridge in the new Congress to pull folks toward the center,\" Carper said. \"Otherwise, we'll never get anything done.\"\r\nWhile in the majority, Senate Democrats have relied on support from moderate Republicans, such as Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of only three Senate Republicans who voted to pass the 2009 economic stimulus package. During the White House effort to build support for the bill, Vice President Biden repeatedly called Collins on her cell phone when her signal kept fading as she traveled through Maine.\r\nCollins said moderate Democrats will play a key role helping to shape legislation in the next Congress.\r\n\"Judging from what I experienced, I would say they'll be very much in demand,\" she said.\r\nContributing: Deirdre Shesgreen and Christopher Doering\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/president-names-packnett_--local-activist-and-educator----to-task-force-on-policing", "President Names Packnett -- Local Activist And Educator -- To Task Force On Policing", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Names Packnett -- Local Activist And Educator -- To Task Force On Policing \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Thursday, December 18, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Jim Howard\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Brittany Packnett says she\u2019s made a career of \u201clistening intently and intensively\u201d to the needs of young people.\u00a0 The former third-grade teacher, current Ferguson activist and\u00a0executive director of Teach for America in St. Louis\u00a0will now put her listening and leadership skills to use as a member of President Barack Obama\u2019s task force on 21st-century policing.\r\nPacknett says her first priority will be to \u201cstand with and help speak for\u2026 disenfranchised young people, young people of color, often living in low-income communities that we serve through Teach for America, who have a voice that deserves to be heard because they want to be able to live into the fullness of their potential.\u201d\u00a0\r\nShe says she\u2019s thankful to the president and others involved in her selection to the task force for listening to people from \u201cFerguson and around the country who have been active in this work.\u201d She says she\u2019s also thankful to represent those interests and the interests of the community\u2019s children.\u00a0 \u201cI see it as an opportunity to begin the important work of setting forth a more just community in our future.\u201d\r\nPacknett, who just turned 30, says it\u2019s important that the task force have a voice from the St. Louis area.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve seen that this is an issue that touches all corners of the country, but most certainly we\u2019ve seen Ferguson and St. Louis be a flash point. So as St. Louis is my hometown, I\u2019m looking forward to also bringing that perspective as well\u201d to the task force.\r\nU.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., praised Packnett\u2019s selection. \u201cAs a young woman, a St. Louis County native and an educator, she has the leadership skills and commitment to help find national solutions to these systemic issues,\u201d said McCaskill.\r\nThe task force will conduct its first listening session in Washington, D.C., next month.\u00a0 The president is asking for its recommendations by March 2.\u00a0\r\nTwo decades of community policing\r\nThe Justice Department\u2019s Community Oriented Policing Services office, also known as COPS, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Besides two decades of experience, the office has access to an almost unending list of research and articles on what works and what doesn\u2019t work in policing.\u00a0 Additionally, it can mobilize a network of law enforcement professionals to aid local departments at almost a moment\u2019s notice, as it did with Ferguson immediately after the Michael Brown shooting.\u00a0\r\nSo, with all of that experience and scholarship available, what more can a task force operating under a 90-day window really do?\r\nRon Davis, the director of the COPS office and the task force's executive director, says that even with all of that experience and research available, the task force still has important things to do: \"to identify what (COPS programs) are doing, what we\u2019re not doing, to identify the gaps and to make the kind of recommendations that are actionable, that we can actually move on.\u201d\r\nIn addition to COPS and the task force, the Justice Department also provided nearly $5 million in grant funding earlier this year for a national initiative to bridge the divide between local communities and their law enforcement agencies. The consortium will work with five communities to look at several aspects of community policing.\u00a0 The lessons learned from these communities will be made available to communities and law enforcement professionals across the country. The pilot sites are to be announced next spring.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-backed-security-clearance-bill-clears-the-senate", "McCaskill-backed Security Clearance Bill Clears the Senate", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill-backed Security Clearance Bill Clears the Senate \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senators\u2019 bipartisan legislation would increase accountability in background check process \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 18, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 The U.S. Senate this week gave unanimous approval to the Security Clearance Accountability, Reform, and Enhancement Act, bipartisan legislation backed by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill aimed at better protecting the country\u2019s secure facilities and sensitive information by strengthening accountability in background checks.\r\n\u201cWhen it comes to conducting background checks on the individuals who handle America\u2019s most secure secrets and institutions, there is no room for error,\u201d said McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial & Contracting Oversight and former Missouri State Auditor. \u201cConsidering the kinds of threats we face as a nation, security clearance background checks must be conducted with the utmost level of oversight, integrity, and accountability.\u201d \u00a0\r\nThis legislation would direct the Office of Personnel Management to terminate or place on leave any employee that is involved in intentional misconduct affecting the integrity of background investigations, including falsification, fraud, or other serious misconduct. Individuals employed or contracted by the Office of Personnel Management that are intentionally involved in such misconduct would also be debarred or suspended.\r\nAdditionally, the legislation would direct the President to review and update guidance for agencies to: (1) determine whether a position requires a security clearance; (2) implement such guidance, including quality controls; and (3) review (at least every five years) and, if necessary, revise the designation of a position as requiring access to classified information or secure government facilities.\r\nFollowing the systemic problems with the security clearance background check process highlighted by security leaks from contractor Edward Snowden and the tragic shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, McCaskill revealed that USIS, the company responsible for conducting the background investigations for both Snowden and Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis, was under criminal investigation. After McCaskill questioned the fact that USIS had two separate contracts with the federal government\u2014one to conduct background investigations, the other to oversee background investigations conducted by contractors, including USIS itself\u2014the federal government stopped allowing private contractors to oversee their own work in security clearance background checks.\r\nMcCaskill has led additional efforts to bring accountability to the security clearance process, including two other related pieces of bipartisan legislation. The first\u2014 the Security Clearance Oversight Reform (SCORE) Act\u2014became law in October of 2013. This legislation allows the Inspector General of Office of Personnel Management to use resources from the agency's $2 billion Revolving Fund to more thoroughly investigate cases where the integrity of the background check process may have been compromised.\r\nThe second bill, would require OPM to implement an automated search of public records and databases on every individual with a security clearance at least twice, at random times, every five years. As it stands now, once a person obtains a security clearance no additional reviews of that person's background are conducted until their security clearance is renewed. Depending on the level of security clearance, that interval could be up to 5, 10, or even 15 years.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/accountability to learn more about McCaskill's fight to strengthen accountability.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-packnett-brings-terrific-perspective-to-presidential-commission", "McCaskill: Packnett Brings ‘terrific perspective’ to Presidential Commission", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill: Packnett Brings \u2018terrific perspective\u2019 to Presidential Commission \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator praises naming of Brittany Packnett, Executive Director of  St. Louis Teach For America, to President\u2019s Task Force on 21st Century Policing \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 18, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today praised the selection of Brittany Packnett\u2014the Executive Director of Teach For America in St. Louis\u2014to serve on President Obama\u2019s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. McCaskill released the following statement:\r\n\u201cBrittany is going to bring a terrific perspective to this commission\u2014and can help bridge this panel\u2019s goals, with the important work being done by the Ferguson Commission. As a young woman, a St. Louis County native, and an educator, she has the leadership skills and commitment to help find national solutions to these systemic issues.\u201d\r\nPacknett is currently Executive Director of Teach For America in St. Louis, a position she has held since 2012. Packnett is also a member of the Ferguson Commission in Missouri.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/national-guard-addresses-mccaskill-concerns-with-mental-health-contracts", "National Guard Addresses McCaskill Concerns with Mental Health Contracts", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "National Guard Addresses McCaskill Concerns with Mental Health Contracts \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator applauds Guard progress on oversight, service improvements for psychological health support services \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 18, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is praising the National Guard\u2019s efforts to improve mental health services for Guard members and improve management and oversight of its psychological health contracts\u2014successfully addressing concerns she raised last year over inadequate services and poor accountability.\r\nMcCaskill sent a letter to General Frank Grass, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, after receiving an update that the Guard is successfully addressing her concerns that management and oversight of contracts may have resulted in inadequate mental health care services, and the failure to properly transfer patient files.\r\n\u201cI was pleased to learn that the National Guard is now addressing many of the deficiencies in contract management and oversight by converting [Directors of Psychological Health] contracted positions to federal positions,\u201d McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial & Contracting Oversight and former Missouri State Auditor, wrote in the letter. \u201cThe National Guard\u2019s psychological health program has informed the Subcommittee that, after a review of the program, they have found that converting contract positions to federal positions would provide advantages over the current contracted structure, as well as provide projected cost savings of between $6 million and $7 million per year across the program\u2026 It is encouraging that the National Guard is performing cost benefit analyses of their contracted programs and finding savings for taxpayers while also increasing the services they will be able to provide to members of the National Guard.\u201d\r\nFull text of today\u2019s letter is available HERE and below:\r\nDear General Grass:\r\nI am writing in regards to my June 19, 2013, request regarding contracts for the coordination of mental health services at Air National Guard Wings and National Guard bases across the country.\u00a0 I thank you for your July 31, 2013, response and the subsequent briefings your office provided to my staff.\r\nAs you are aware, in March 2013, the National Guard awarded a $200 million firm-fixed-price contract for psychological health support services at National Guard bases, including Air National Guard Wings, to Goldbelt Glacier Healthcare Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Goldbelt Inc., an Alaska Native Corporation, and National Sourcing Inc.\u00a0\u00a0 The Subcommittee received information showing that the National Guard\u2019s management and oversight of the contract may have resulted in inadequate mental health care services for members of the National Guard.\u00a0 According to this information, it appeared that the National Guard failed to ensure proper transfer of patient files from a previous contractor which may have left ongoing cases vulnerable.\u00a0 It also appeared that the responsibilities of the Directors of Psychological Health positions had been reduced, which may have affected the level of service and care that National Guard members received.\u00a0\r\nI was pleased to learn that the National Guard is now addressing many of the deficiencies in contract management and oversight by converting these contracted positions to federal positions.\u00a0 The National Guard\u2019s psychological health program has informed the Subcommittee that, after a review of the program, they have found that converting contract positions to federal positions would provide advantages over the current contracted structure, as well as provide projected cost savings of between $6 million and $7 million per year across the program.\u00a0\u00a0 The National Guard has also found that converting the contracted workforce to a federal workforce will, \u201cprovide increased capability versus contracted providers,\u201d as well as, \u201cenhance provider stability and longevity.\u201d \u00a0It is encouraging that the National Guard is performing cost benefit analyses of their contracted programs and finding savings for taxpayers while also increasing the services they will be able to provide to members of the National Guard.\r\nAs the National Guard continues to expand the psychological health program, I ask that you continue to keep my staff informed of your progress.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/accountability to learn more about McCaskill's fight to strengthen accountability.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=17e65fe6-c819-4f22-9475-355a3c5b524a", "Senate GOP Leaders: Americans Deserve To Know Impact Of King v. Burwell Decision", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Vice Chairman of the U.S. Senate Republican Conference, joined U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee Chairman John Barrasso (Wyo.) and their fellow Senate Republican leaders, including Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Whip John Cornyn (Texas), and Conference Chairman John Thune (S.D.) in calling on the Obama Administration to inform Americans how an upcoming Supreme Court case of King v. Burwell could potentially affect their out of pocket share of premiums, tax liabilities, and coverage options.  \u00a0  In a letter to Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell, the Senators wrote:\u00a0   \u00a0  \u201cObamacare\u2019s tax credits were important for the administration since they obscure the true cost of the law\u2019s many mandates and regulations by passing these expenses to taxpayers. Although the tax credits in federal exchanges may therefore be the Administration\u2019s preferred policy, they are unambiguously inconsistent with the law. Already, two lower courts have concluded that the IRS rule is \u2018not in accordance with the law.\u2019\u2026Without the tax credits, millions of people will be confronted with Obamacare\u2019s true cost and will face much higher premiums. Some could see their coverage cancelled. It is imperative that people understand this risk as they contemplate signing up for coverage.\u201d  \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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   The Senate leaders specifically requested that Secretaries Lew and Burwell use their departments\u2019 Fiscal Year 2016 budget submission to inform Congress and the American people of how the Administration plans to respond to a possible Supreme Court ruling that finds IRS's tax credit rule is at odds with the law.  \u00a0  The full leadership letter is included below:\r\nDecember 17, 2014  \u00a0  The Honorable Jacob J. Lew  Secretary  Department of Treasury  1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.  Washington, D.C. 20220  \u00a0  The Honorable Sylvia M. Burwell  Secretary   U.S. Department of Health & Human Services  200 Independence Avenue SW  Washington, D.C. 20201  \u00a0  Dear Secretary Lew and Secretary Burwell:  \u00a0  On November 7th, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of King v. Burwell. The issue before the Court is whether the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rule extending tax credits under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to people purchasing coverage in states that do not establish and operate their own exchange is legal. While PPACA, commonly referred to as Obamacare, instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish exchanges in states that opted not to create their own, the law only allows the tax credits for people purchasing coverage in an \u201cExchange established by the State.\u201d We write to ask about the Administration\u2019s preparations in the event the Court agrees with the plaintiffs that the IRS rule at question is improper and inconsistent with the statute.  \u00a0  Obamacare\u2019s tax credits were important for the administration since they obscure the true cost of the law\u2019s many mandates and regulations by passing these expenses to taxpayers. Although the tax credits in federal exchanges may therefore be the Administration\u2019s preferred policy, they are unambiguously inconsistent with the law. Already, two lower courts have concluded that the IRS rule is \u201cnot in accordance with the law.\u201d Based on a plain reading of the law, IRS\u2019s decision to extend the tax credits to federal exchanges increases taxes and spending by hundreds of billions of dollars beyond what Congress authorized.  \u00a0  The Supreme Court ruling could eliminate the tax credits in states that participate in the federal exchanges. Moreover, the tax credits could end immediately after the ruling. Obamacare would then require many credit recipients to repay some or all of the credit amount already received. Without the tax credits, millions of people will be confronted with Obamacare\u2019s true cost and will face much higher premiums. Some could see their coverage cancelled. It is imperative that people understand this risk as they contemplate signing up for coverage.   \u00a0  On December 9, 2014, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Marilyn Tavenner testified that the administration does not plan to inform federal exchange enrollees that they could face much higher tax bills and higher premiums next year should the Court find that the IRS was improperly providing the tax credits.\u00a0 Without this information, many families could turn down more-secure coverage options (e.g., through a different employer) in favor of less-secure Obamacare coverage. We urge you to reconsider this position and to ensure that these Americans have all available information as they make decisions about health insurance coverage next year.  \u00a0  We also are concerned that the IRS\u2019s interpretation of the law may be inappropriately subjecting individuals and businesses to excessive taxes and mandates. Since the tax credits trigger the tax penalties under the law\u2019s employer mandate and individual mandate, the IRS\u2019s rule extends those penalties to people and employers in states that opted not to create a state exchange. One expert estimated that 57 million people residing in states participating in the federal exchanges would otherwise be exempt from these mandates.   \u00a0  Furthermore, while the Administration has decided not to inform people about the potential ramifications of King, the administration has protected insurers, at their request, from a ruling that strikes down the IRS rule.\u00a0 According to an October report, at the request of insurers, the contracts between CMS and insurers \u201cinclude a new clause assuring issuers that they may pull out of the contracts, subject to state laws, should federal subsidies cease to flow. \u2026 The language in the clause says that CMS acknowledges that the issuer has developed its products for the FFM \u2018based on the assumption that (advanced payment tax credits) and (cost-sharing reduction payments) will be available to qualifying (e)nrollees.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 In the House hearing, Administrator Tavenner testified that CMS negotiated these contracts with insurers over the summer and that every contract has the same clause.\u00a0 It is troubling that the administration decided to protect insurers from a King ruling that restricts the law\u2019s tax credits to state exchanges while at the same time failed to inform people enrolled or considering enrolling in federal exchanges of the potential consequences of such a decision.   \u00a0  Given the enormity of the financial stakes involved, we request that you use your department\u2019s fiscal year (FY) 2016 budget submission to inform Congress of how the Administration plans to respond to a possible ruling in King that recognizes that the IRS\u2019s rule is at odds with the law. We also urge you to inform all current federal exchange enrollees and all visitors to HealthCare.gov about the King suit and how a ruling against the administration could affect them. Finally, please provide information on any actions that the Administration is preparing to ensure that people inappropriately subjected to Obamacare\u2019s individual and employer mandates and associated tax penalties are not punished further.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=18db2774-ee95-4f66-944a-cd1aaffe2e97", "Senator Blunts Statement On President Obamas Cuba Announcement", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "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 response to President Barack Obama\u2019s announcement today that he plans to change the United States\u2019 policy toward Cuba:\r\n\u201cI oppose this move, and I believe it is a mistake. It\u2019s hard \u2013 if not impossible \u2013 to normalize relations with a Castro-led Cuba. And I don\u2019t see anything in the president\u2019s announcement to persuade me otherwise.\r\n\u201cUnder this administration\u2019s foreign policy agenda, our friends are concerned and our adversaries are encouraged. We\u2019ll see how far the president wants to go with his Cuba proposal, but I have no confidence in this move based on his foreign policy record thus far.\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=756c10b2-897e-47ff-bc80-432d388ff8ce", "Senator Blunt Joins Cruz, Cornyn On Amicus Brief Against President Obamas Executive Amnesty", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined an amicus brief led by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (Texas) and co-signed by U.S. Senator John Cornyn (Texas) in support of a lawsuit brought by the State of Texas against President Barack Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty. The brief is also co-signed by a number of members from the U.S. House of Representatives.\r\nLast weekend, Blunt also voted in favor of a constitutional point of order offered by Cruz and U.S. Senator Mike Lee (Utah) against the president\u2019s executive amnesty.\r\n\u201cI agree with the president\u2019s previous 22 comments that he didn\u2019t have the authority to take this action on immigration. I voted with Senator Cruz this weekend to show my disapproval for the president\u2019s executive amnesty, and I am proud to co-sign this amicus brief with Senators Cruz and Cornyn against President Obama's lawless immigration power grab,\u201d said Blunt.\r\n\u201cAs Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate next year, I will continue to fight against this administration\u2019s blatant disregard for the law and the Constitution,\u201d Blunt continued.\r\nIn its lawsuit challenging the president\u2019s executive action, the State of Texas argues that President Obama\u2019s executive amnesty violates federal immigration law and usurps Congress\u2019 constitutional authority to set immigration policy.\r\nThe amicus brief, filed by the American Center for Law and Justice, makes clear that the president\u2019s executive action \u201cchanges the law and sets a new policy, exceeding [the president\u2019s] constitutional authority and disrupting the delicate balance of powers.\u201d\r\nIn addition to Blunt, Cruz, and Cornyn, the brief was signed by U.S. Representatives Diane Black (Tenn.), Dave Brat (Va.), Jeff Duncan (S.C.), John Fleming (La.), Randy Forbes (Va.), Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Trent Franks (Ariz.), Bob Goodlatte (Va.), Trey Gowdy (S.C.), Morgan Griffith (Va.), Vicky Hartzler (Mo.), Tim Huelskamp (Kans.), Mike Kelly (Pa.), David McKinley (W.Va.), Jeff Miller (Fla.), Alan Nunnelee (Miss.), Pete Olson (Texas), Ted Poe (Texas), Bill Posey (Fla.), Tom Price (Ga.), Phil Roe (Tenn.), Adrian Smith (Neb.), Lamar Smith (Texas), and Rob Wittman (Va.).\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://lacyclay.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-congressman-wm-lacy-clay-d-missouri-regarding-president-10", "STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI REGARDING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ACTIONS TO RESTORE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND EASE ECONOMIC RESTRICTIONS WITH CUBA", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "William Clay", "C001049", "lacyclay.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 17, 2014 \nMEDIA CONTACTS:\nSTEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029 \n\nSTATEMENT BY \nCONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI REGARDING \nPRESIDENT OBAMA'S ACTIONS TO REESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS \nAND EASE ECONOMIC RESTRICTIONS WITH CUBA \n\nNOTE: The following is a \nfirst-person statement from\nCongressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri\n\nI applaud President Obama's decision to replace our failed, 50-year isolation policy against Cuba. \nHis actions to restore diplomatic relations and to ease significant economic restrictions are smart, strategic, and long-overdue. \nBy establishing normalized diplomatic and financial relations with Cuba, President Obama has also opened the door to grow American jobs by greatly enhancing agricultural exports and trade in life sciences technology which are critical to economic growth in the St. Louis region and across Missouri.\nHaving traveled to Cuba myself on a diplomatic mission, I can attest to the fact that even though they still suffer harsh oppression from the current regime, the Cuban people long to restore their historic friendship with the United States. \nI am convinced that the best way to advance human rights and political freedom in Cuba is to increase our direct engagement, and I am hopeful that Congress will build on today's historic announcement by acting to end the economic embargo that was imposed in 1961. \nThat failed policy has done nothing to advance freedom or strengthen our national security, but it has caused innocent people to suffer for generations. \nRemoving it would be in the best interests of the American and Cuban people.\"\n\n\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cleaver.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-announces-success-in-keeping-southwest-airlines", "Congressman Cleaver Announces Success in Keeping Southwest Airlines Route from Kansas City to Washington, D.C.", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KANSAS CITY, MO \u2013 Congressman Cleaver is pleased to announce that yesterday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled their intent to allow Southwest Airlines to permanently operate a route from Kansas City International Airport (MCI) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The airline had previously been running a daily nonstop flight between the two cities on a temporary basis, since February 1, 2014. Frontier Airlines had previously operated this route before its sale in January.\nCongressman Cleaver, along with other Members of the Missouri and Kansas Congressional Delegation, wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in March in support of Southwest\u2019s application to maintain the slot on a permanent basis. In addition, the Congressman personally spoke to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and emphasized his strong support of the route.\n\u201cThis is a great victory for the entire region, because this is a connection to our nation's capital for the constituents of Missouri's Fifth District, and for the entire region,\u201d Congressman Cleaver stated. \u201cSouthwest\u2019s MCI-DCA service is clearly in the public interest, providing additional options for travelers and a greater number of available seats between the two cities and connecting across the nation.\u201d\nMore than 2.4 million people who reside and work in the Kansas City metropolitan area can now rely on this daily, nonstop service. Southwest currently utilizes a 143-seat Boeing 737-700 aircraft for the route, providing approximately fifty percent of the seats in this market in just one daily roundtrip flight. The Congressman looks forward to the ease with which Missourians and Kansans can travel to our nation\u2019s capital on a permanent basis.\nEmanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri\u2019s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and also serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus.\nFor more information: John Jones \u2013 john.jones2@mail.house.gov (202) 225-4535", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/new-federal-budget-bill-lets-political-parties-cash-in", "New federal budget bill lets political parties cash in", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "New federal budget bill lets political parties cash in \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Tuesday, December 16, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Lindsay Wise\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON A provision in the $1.1 trillion omnibus budget bill that President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law this week will open up new sources of cash for the nation\u2019s two political parties.\r\nEleven paragraphs added to the bill as a last-minute rider increase the amount individuals can donate to national parties by almost tenfold, to $1.5 million per two-year election cycle. The previous limit was $194,400.\r\nThe money can be deposited only in accounts designated for specific purposes, such to finance a presidential nominating convention, renovate a party\u2019s headquarters or defray expenses related to election recounts and \u201cother legal proceedings.\u201d\r\nParties will have to disclose the names of anyone who contributes to the accounts.\r\nAdvocates of the rider say it will get taxpayers off the hook for paying for political conventions and increase accountability in political fundraising. But those who oppose the change complain that it will open the floodgates of big money in elections.\r\n\u201cElections are supposed to be battles of ideas, not playgrounds for wealthy special interests to buy the loyalty of politicians,\u201d said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who voted against the spending bill last week in protest.\r\n\u201cSince the Supreme Court gutted our campaign finance laws, we\u2019re left with a situation where those special interests have a growing ability to try to buy a government to their liking,\u201d McCaskill said in a statement. \u201cThat\u2019s why now is not the time to be giving millionaires and billionaires even more influence over campaigns.\u201d\r\nThe rider blows up one of the few remaining campaign contribution limits, said Robert Weissman, the president of Public Citizen, a liberal advocacy group and research center in Washington.\r\n\u201cThe sums of money involved have nothing to do with empowering regular Americans in any way,\u201d Weissman said. \u201cThis is only about the parties\u2019 ability to solicit donations from the super-rich.\u201d\r\nPublic Citizen, League of Women Voters and several other advocacy groups sent a letter to the president, urging him to veto the spending bill to halt what they describe as \u201cthe most corrupting campaign finance provisions ever enacted.\u201d But the White House has said he won\u2019t.\r\nObama isn\u2019t very happy about some aspects of the spending bill, but he thinks the overall legislation is a better deal than he could get in the next Congress, both houses of which will be controlled by Republicans, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday aboard Air Force One.\r\n\u201cSo the president made a tactical decision to go ahead and support this piece of legislation,\u201d Earnest said.\r\nObama campaigned for president on a platform that included tightening campaign-finance laws, but he hasn\u2019t followed through on that pledge, Weissman said.\r\n\u201cThis administration really hasn\u2019t done anything at all to improve the campaign spending corruption of our democracy. And they said they objected to this, but they permitted it to go through,\u201d he said. \u201cThey even pushed for votes for the bill to go through.\u201d\r\nBoth Democrats and Republicans stand to benefit from easing the limits on contributions to their national committees. The change will affect the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, as well as each party\u2019s campaign committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate.\r\nAn infusion of cash might be especially handy for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which ended the November midterm elections $20 million in debt. Officials at the committee have denied that they were involved in inserting the campaign finance rider into the omnibus, as did the DNC and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.\r\nPolitico and other news organizations have reported that the language was drafted by a Democratic attorney from Seattle, Marc Elias, at the behest of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who they said negotiated the addition of the rider with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Elias\u2019 firm has represented the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.\r\nAlthough no one accepts public responsibility for the rider, its unlikely origins can be traced to the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, named for a 10-year-old girl who died of cancer.\r\nObama signed that measure into law last year. It allots $12.6 million annually for pediatric cancer research at the National Institutes of Health. The cost was covered by ending public funding for political conventions.\r\nMembers of Congress complained at the time the research bill passed that it was \u201cpurely symbolic\u201d and in reality did nothing to increase the amount of money available to support biomedical research.\r\nLast week, however, Boehner pointed to the Gabriella Miller bill as the reason it was necessary to add the controversial campaign-finance rider to the omnibus bill.\r\n\u201cThis provision was worked out in a bipartisan way to allow those who are organizing political conventions to raise the money from private sources as opposed to using taxpayer funds,\u201d Boehner said.\r\nDemocratic lawmakers such as McCaskill and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, who balked at the rider, found themselves in rare agreement with tea party activists, who usually support looser campaign-finance restrictions. In this case, however, those activists are worried that easing just the contribution limits for national campaign committees will give an unfair advantage to the establishment wings of both parties.\r\nThe omnibus rider won\u2019t \u201ccreate a level playing field for candidates who are outside the Beltway,\u201d David N. Bossie, the president of the political action committee Citizens United, said in a statement.\r\n\u201cWhat congressional leaders are doing is what they do best: protecting incumbents and the two-party system,\u201d Bossie said.\r\nRNC Chairman Reince Priebus argues that the rider will have the opposite effect, increasing fairness in political fundraising.\r\n\u201cLately, we\u2019ve seen an influx of money into organizations that have no contribution limits; some don\u2019t have to disclose their donors to the public,\u201d Priebus wrote in a recent USA Today opinion piece. \u201cBecause of Congress\u2019 vote, some of the money that might have gone to those organizations could instead go to the national parties, in a completely transparent process.\u201d\r\nPriebus apparently is referring to the so-called dark money that \u201csuper\u201d PACs and other groups can accept from unnamed contributors, unlike the national parties, which must release donors\u2019 names publicly.\r\nMore than 1,200 super PACs spent a total of $346 million on midterm elections in 2014.\r\nLesley Clark contributed to this report.\r\nRead more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/16/5388913/new-federal-budget-bill-lets-political.html#.VJGKkyvF-JE#storylink=cpy\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/opinion-sex-assault-in-the-military", "Opinion: Sex Assault in the Military", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Opinion: Sex Assault in the Military \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Tuesday, December 16, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            To the Editor:\r\nRe \u201cMilitary Sexual Assault Unresolved\u201d (editorial, Dec. 8):\r\nYour editorial questions my opposition to the Military Justice Improvement Act in the Senate. It isn\u2019t just my prosecutorial experience informing my opposition to the bill; after testimony from hundreds of witnesses, acongressionally created expert panel\u00a0\u2014 majority civilian, majority women \u2014 rejected the bill because it would do nothing to reduce assaults or retaliation against survivors.\r\nYou focus on this bill but don\u2019t mention 36 major reforms that recently became law to protect victims and hold military commanders accountable, or a new slate of reforms in this year\u2019s defense bill. You also don\u2019t mention that rape is a vastly underreported crime anywhere it occurs, not just in the military.\r\nYour editorial dismisses new data showing significant progress, with fewer incidents and rising confidence from victims, with one in four victims now reporting, up from one in 10.\r\nThere is an honest policy disagreement regarding which changes will better support survivors and increase accountability. The historical data supports our recent reforms, and the recent data shows that we are making meaningful progress.\r\nCLAIRE McCASKILL  Washington, Dec. 11, 2014\r\nThe writer, a former sex-crimes prosecutor, is a United States senator from Missouri and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/video/view/ksdk-mccaskill-congratulates-missouri-florists-for-bringing-white-house-holiday-decorations-to-life", "KSDK: McCaskill Congratulates Missouri Florists for Bringing White House Holiday Decorations to Life", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today congratulated Kim Brannan and Jenn Thomasson, St. Louis-based florists of Stems floral shop, on their coveted role in bringing Christmas cheer to the White House.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/hartzler-tapped-head-armed-services%E2%80%99-oversight-and-investigations-subcommittee", "Hartzler Tapped to Head Armed Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R \u2013 Mo.) last week was selected to chair the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in the 114th Congress.\u00a0\n\u201cI am extremely humbled to be selected by Chairman Thornberry to lead the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee in the 114th Congress,\u201d Hartzler said.\u00a0 \u201cI look forward to working with Chairman Thornberry as we work to make sure that our armed forces remain the best in the world.\u00a0 I have the privilege of representing the men and women of Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood, and since being elected to Congress, I have made the wise use of taxpayer dollars and a strong national defense my top priorities.\u00a0 I am eager to continue this work by providing key oversight to the Department of Defense and our national security.\u201d\n\u201cVicky has been a proven leader on the Armed Services Committee since she first joined,\u201d Chairman Thornberry added.\u00a0 \u201cHer tireless passion for securing a strong national defense will provide valuable oversight to our armed forces and Department of Defense, shaping a much stronger, more effective force.\u00a0 The coming year will be demanding, but I am confident Vicky\u2019s leadership will be a valuable asset to our leadership team.\u201d\u00a0\nThe Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee conducts studies and investigations across the jurisdiction of the House Armed Services Committee, including inquiries into allegations of waste, fraud, abuse, and wrongdoing and inefficiencies within the Department of Defense. Members and staff conduct comprehensive oversight studies of major programs and issues and produce reports for the Committee and DOD providing recommendations and improvements of these programs.\nCongresswoman Vicky Hartzler, daughter of a U.S. Army Reservist, represents Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District in the House of Representatives.\u00a0 She serves on the House Armed Services, Budget, and Agriculture Committees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398509", "Luetkemeyer Gets One Step Closer to Ensuring Medal of Honor for WWI Veteran", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After passage of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes language to ensure Sergeant William Shemin is eligible to receive the Medal of Honor, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer had the following statement:\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      After passage of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes language to ensure Sergeant William Shemin is eligible to receive the Medal of Honor, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer had the following statement:\r\n\u201cLate last week, the Senate passed the NDAA which included language that specifically states the president may award the Medal of Honor to Sergeant William Shemin for his acts of valor during World War I. For years I have worked to ensure Sergeant Shemin is rightfully awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions fighting for our nation. It is so important that we provide brave Jewish American veterans like Sergeant Shemin the opportunity to receive the recognition they may not have been afforded because of potential discrimination at the time. I want to thank Senator Roy Blunt for including the language in the NDAA and I look forward to receiving notice that the president has signed this bill into law so we can begin the last step. It is my hope that the president swiftly signs this legislation and moves forward with posthumously awarding Sergeant Shemin the Medal of Honor.\u201d\r\nSergeant Shemin passed away in 1973, but his daughter, Elsie Shemin-Roth, a resident of Labadie, Missouri and a constituent of Luetkemeyer\u2019s, has passionately worked on behalf of her father\u2019s military legacy. After meeting with Shemin-Roth, Luetkemeyer secured passage of language in the Fiscal Year 2012 NDAA that provides for reviews of the service records of Jewish World War I veterans who may not have received the awards they deserved for extraordinary acts of military service, due to discrimination at the time. Since then, and the Pentagon has completed a review of Sergeant Shemin\u2019s records connected to Sergeant Shemin\u2019s service, and, most recently, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recommended that the president should posthumously award Sergeant Shemin the Medal of Honor. This year\u2019s NDAA includes a technical correction that will allow the process that was started several years ago by Luetkemeyer to move forward without delay.\u00a0 The president must now decide whether to award Sergeant Shemin the Medal of Honor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=2c82e67e-8987-4d0f-b2fb-f8e70fb20050", "Senator Blunt Highlights St. Louis Arch In Bipartisan Omnibus", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) helped secure report language that was passed by Congress this week to highlight the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Mo. The language was included in the omnibus appropriations bill, which was approved by the U.S. Senate this weekend.\r\n\u201cThe Gateway Arch attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world each week and helps support businesses and jobs in and around the St. Louis area,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased these important provisions were included in the final bipartisan bill so that we can continue to support the St. Louis Gateway Arch and benefit the economic health of the region.\u201d\r\nThe bill includes two areas of report language relating to the public-private partnership at the St. Louis Gateway Arch. One is specific to the Arch and specifically addresses the CityArchRiver organization. The other encourages public-private partnerships at the U.S. National Park Service (NPS).\r\nThe specific report language includes:\r\n  \u2022\u00a0Jefferson National Expansion Memorial: The CityArchRiver project has raised significant private donations for the Gateway Arch. The Service is expected to exercise the maximum flexibility with respect to the recognition of private donors. The Service is further urged to engage with all stakeholders to reach agreements on donor recognition which will help to facilitate the raising of private funds while protecting the values of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.\r\n  \u2022\u00a0Park Partnerships: The Committees continue to support ongoing public-private partnerships which leverage federal dollars and promote the efficient management of park resources. Such partnerships are fundamental to the long-term fiscal and administrative health of the Service. There is merit in the Service partnering with qualified entities to cooperatively finance and manage improvements to park facilities and programs. Efforts made by the Service thus far to expand partnerships are commendable, but more can be done. The Department and the Service are urged to continue reassessing recent policy interpretations and review procedures to promote the greater use of partnerships that have historically proven beneficial to national parks and partners.\r\nSenator Blunt also encouraged the Committee to highlight the importance of public-private partnerships, which was included in separate report language. To read Blunt\u2019s op-ed from May 2014 on the St. Louis Arch and public-private partnerships, 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=84e08ef3-8d0d-464c-8057-0f90355f185d", "Senator Blunt Rejoins Senate Intelligence Committee In 114th Congress", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) announced today that he will rejoin the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the 114th Congress. The Committee is responsible for overseeing and funding the nation\u2019s intelligence activities. Blunt previously served on the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2011 and 2012. He also previously served as a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the U.S. House of Representatives.\r\nBlunt will depart the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services in January 2015. He will continue to retain his positions on the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations; the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee. Blunt also serves as a member of the defense appropriations subcommittee.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to rejoin the Senate Intelligence Committee at a time when the nation continues to face real threats from enemies who wish us harm,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cI look forward to building on my experience working on these issues in the House and Senate. I also plan to stay fully engaged in the discussion surrounding the relocation of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and working to ensure that facility stays in Missouri.\u201d\r\n\u201cI\u2019ve been honored to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee for the past two years and to work on a number of critical issues facing our servicemembers and their families in Missouri and around the world,\u201d Blunt continued. \u201cThis year, we\u2019ve successfully advanced the discussion surrounding military mental health care, and ensured that military assets like the A-10 and Growlers, which are critical to jobs in Missouri, will continue to receive important federal resources. I intend to stay engaged on all of these issues and others that impact Missourians.\u201d\r\nClick here to read Blunt\u2019s recent statement on critical priorities that were included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015. Click here to read Blunt\u2019s statement on key defense priorities that were included in the passage of the omnibus this weekend.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=a52b3713-6b98-4939-b22d-820d2a7512fb", "Senator Blunt Applauds Key Agriculture Priorities In Passage Of Omnibus", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) applauded the U.S. Senate\u2019s passage of key agriculture priorities that were included in the omnibus this weekend. Blunt, who currently serves as Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, led the efforts to secure several key priorities that were included in the final legislation.\r\n\u201cAgriculture is the number one industry in Missouri and is responsible for roughly 16 percent of our state\u2019s workforce. Nationwide, the agriculture industry supports more than 16 million jobs, and the programs in this bill impact the lives of every person, every day, across America,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cI\u2019m pleased we were able to provide more certainty for our nation\u2019s farmers and ranchers so they can continue working to feed the country and the world.\u201d\r\nAgriculture Highlights In The Bill: \u2022\u00a0Supports Critical Competitive and Formula Agricultural Research Programs: Competitive research funded through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative is increased to $325 million and formula funding for land-grant, historically black, Hispanic, and Native American colleges and universities is maintained at the Fiscal Year 2014 level. In addition, the agriculture division of the omnibus maintains funding for capacity building at non-land-grant colleges of agriculture. Several Missouri institutions directly benefit from agricultural research funding including the University of Missouri, Missouri State University, Lincoln University, Washington University, the University of Central Missouri, Northwest Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State University, Truman State University, and the Danforth Plant Science Center.\r\n\u2022\u00a0Maintains the Support for Farm Bill Implementation: The legislation fully funds the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at $1.2 billion and rejects the administration\u2019s proposal to close 250 county offices and eliminate 815 county staff positions nationwide. Missouri has over 99,000 farms that rely on the FSA to assist them as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to implement a Farm Bill that advanced the most significant changes to farm programs in a generation. The legislation directs FSA to conduct a comprehensive workload analysis based on new Farm Bill requirements before proposing further restructuring of the agency footprint.\r\n\u2022 Fully Funds Mandatory Inspection Requirements: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is fully funded to meet federal requirements of providing in-plant inspection of all domestic processing and slaughter establishments that prepare meat, poultry, and egg products for sale or distribution into commerce \u2013 a total of approximately 6,427 facilities in all 50 states. There are approximately 148 meat, poultry, and egg processing facilities in Missouri that rely on FSIS inspectors to maintain operations.\r\n\u2022\u00a0Grants Flexibility to Assist Schools Struggling to Meet New School Meals Standards: The legislation allows states to grant targeted exemptions from new, 100 percent whole grain-rich requirements for those schools that are having difficulty procuring products that meet the requirements, either for financial reasons or because of student acceptance. Local schools sought this regulatory relief after experiencing difficulty procuring products that meet the new standards.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=f81e343d-6e06-4877-be6c-5aa4c837878b", "Senator Blunt Praises Key Defense Priorities In Passage Of Omnibus", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) applauded the U.S. Senate\u2019s passage this weekend of key defense priorities, which were included in the bipartisan omnibus agreement that is heading to President Barack Obama\u2019s desk. Blunt, who serves as a member of the defense authorizing and appropriations committees, led several key priorities that were included in the final legislation. \u201cI\u2019m very pleased this bill funds important defense priorities for Missouri jobs, including $337 million to keep the Air Force\u2019s A-10 Warthog flying this fiscal year, and $1.46 billion for 15 additional Growler aircraft, which are built in St. Louis,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cThe legislation also commits important resources for the operations to fight ISIS and ensures our servicemen and women have the resources they need to protect America.\u201d Missouri is home to more than 17,000 active duty servicemen and women, more than 8,000 civilian Department of Defense employees, and more than 20,000 reservists and members of the National Guard. Blunt currently serves as a member of both the defense appropriations and authorizing committees. Additional Highlights:\r\n \r\nArmy Emergency Management Training Center: Directs the Secretary of the Army to report to the congressional defense committees by no later than June 2015, the feasibility of consolidating homeland defense functions across Army installations to better support the consequences management and homeland defense missions and of establishing an Emergency Management Training Center to facilitate comprehensive doctrine, training, and leader development for Installation Emergency Management and Defense Support to Civil Authorities.\r\nC-130 Fielding Plan: Directs the Air Force to develop a modernization, recapitalization and fielding plan for the current C\u2013130 fleet that addresses the most recent Quadrennial Defense Review requirement that the Air Force maintain 300 intra-theater lift aircraft and addresses the recommendations of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force.\r\nMilitary Batteries: States that the committee \u201crecognizes the critical nature of high quality batteries to power military wheeled and tracked vehicles in austere, demanding environments\u2026understands that utilizing batteries based on decades-old design poses potential risks to equipment and personnel, and that the Army has increased use of batteries based on modern designs that deliver improved performance in tactical environments.\u201d\u00a0The report language directs the Secretary of the Army to provide with the fiscal year 2016 budget submission a report detailing safety incidents by different types of battery models used.\r\nFort Leonard Wood General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital (GLWACH) Language in the Milcon/VA Report: Expresses that the Committee \u201cis concerned that the Future Years Defense Program\u2026 proposes indefinite deferral of\u2026 the Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, hospital replacement project\u2026 to fiscal year 2020 or later.\u201d\u00a0The report goes on to emphasize that \u201cthe Surgeon General of the United States Army testified\u2026 that this hospital replacement project is the Army\u2019s top priority for medical military construction projects\u2026 the existing hospital at Fort Leonard Wood last underwent a major renovation nearly 40 years ago\u2026\u201d and that \u201cthe Committee strongly encourages the Department to prioritize and restore medical military construction projects within the FYDP submitted for fiscal year 2016.\u201d\r\nReport Requirement on the Resettlement Plan for Iranian Dissidents: Provision includes a) \u201ca description of measures taken to improve the security and welfare (including quality of life and access to medical care) of residents at Camp Liberty; b) an analysis of attacks against such dissidents since February 2009, including whether any weapons or training provided by the US were used in the attacks, and safeguards to ensure that no such weapons or training are used in the future; and c) options for the resettlement of Iranian dissidents outside Iraq, including in the United States.\u201d\r\n\u00a0Preserves National Guard Apache Helicopter Force Structure: Prohibits the Army from transferring Apache attack helicopters stationed in Missouri (and seven other states) out of the National Guard and into the active component Army during Fiscal Year 2015.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/area-lawmakers-make-mark-on-budget-policy-bills_--growler-funding-sexual-assault-prosecution", "Area Lawmakers Make Mark On Budget, Policy Bills -- Growler Funding, Sexual Assault Prosecution", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Area Lawmakers Make Mark On Budget, Policy Bills -- Growler Funding, Sexual Assault Prosecution \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Monday, December 15, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Jim Howard\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Were area members of Congress to sum up this session in a single word, that word would most likely be \u201cGrowler.\u201d\u00a0 The funding for 15 of Boeing\u2019s high-tech E/A 18G Growlers, which are built in St. Louis, is included in the $1.1 trillion government funding package approved by the Senate over the weekend.\r\nSupport for the Growler is the one thing most frequently mentioned by Missouri lawmakers.\u00a0 That bipartisan support helped secure nearly $1.5 billion to keep the Growler going through the end of 2017.\r\nU.S. Sens. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., serve on the Armed Services Committee, with Blunt also serving on the Appropriations Committee. While Blunt voted for the omnibus funding plan, McCaskill voted against the final bill, even though she has long supported the Growler.\r\nMcCaskill voted against the final package because of two provisions in the bill. One rolled back protections for what some consider risky practices on Wall Street, and the other sharply increased the amount wealthy donors can give to political parties.\u00a0\r\nBlunt, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., all voted for the bill, but Durbin accused House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, of giving \"a taxpayer handout to Wall Street just in time for the holidays.\" He said, he voted for the measure because it included \"dozens of job-creating Illinois projects.\"\r\nU.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, said the annual economic impact of the Growler\u2019s construction on the state\u2019s economy is $640 million.\u00a0 Besides Boeing's 15,000 local employees, Wagner said nearly 100 local employers in the supply chain also benefit from Growler production.\r\nEarlier this year, Wagner along with U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-University City, sent a letter to their congressional colleagues to back the construction of additional Growlers for the Navy. The plane\u2019s advanced electronics allow the Growler to disrupt enemy radar and jam a wide spectrum of radio communications and electronic equipment.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Warthog has its fans\r\nU.S. Rep. Vickie Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Congress also approved $337 million to keep the A-10 Warthog flying through 2015, albeit with potentially reduced flying time. Hartzler, who has Whiteman Air Force Base in her district, is one of the many members of Congress fighting efforts by the Air Force to ground the plane.\r\nThe Air Force wants to shift maintenance personnel from the A-10 to the new F-35, but Hartzler, other members of Congress and a significant number of service members strongly back the Warthog as the only plane that provides close-cover support to U.S. ground troops.\r\nBlunt said says that funding for the plane is safe for now, but its fate \u201cin the coming fiscal year will continue to be an open debate.\u201d\u00a0 The Air Force did not return phone calls requesting comment.\r\nAs part of a compromise to keep the A-10 flying and help the Air force shift personnel to support the F-35, Hartzler said, the Air Force is getting an additional $350 million.\u00a0 She also said that the Government Accounting Office will study what if any alternatives there are to the A-10.\r\nGuns, butter, manufacturing and tourism\r\nAccording to information provided by Blunt\u2019s office, the funding package also includes more than $4 billion in appropriations for ammunition for all branches of the military.\u00a0 Some\u00a0 that funding will go to the Lake City Ammunition Plant in Independence, Mo., which supplies conventional ammunition to all military services, other government agencies and U.S. allies for training and combat purposes.\r\nSpeaking to reporters a few days before the Senate vote, Blunt also pointed to agriculture research funding that he pushed, as benefiting Missouri. More than $4 billion is being allocated to the two largest Agriculture research agencies: the Agriculture Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.\r\nTwo other measures co-sponsored by Blunt include legislation to boost innovation in manufacturing by funding a network of public, private and academic \u201chubs\u201d across the country.\u00a0 A second bill re-authorizes the so-called \u201cBrand USA\u201d public-private partnership to increase spending by foreign tourists visiting the U.S. In 2013, Blunt said, under Brand USA, more than a million more foreign visitors spent $3.4 billion.\r\nDurbin identified several provisions important to the Metro East area, including $23 million to help fight crime and drug activity in East St. Louis public housing and money toward design and construction of potential levees in the East St. Louis and Wood River areas. Durbin also sponsored language in the bill to require third-party oversight of the Army Corp of Engineers while they work to fix the Wood River levee.\u00a0\r\nNational Defense Authorization Act\r\nEvery year Congress passes the National Defense Authorization Act.\u00a0 The measure sets funding levels for everything from pay and benefits to how much the Pentagon may spend on military operations along with establishing congressional policy priorities for the military.\r\nLast year McCaskill sponsored sweeping changes in how the military deals with sexual assault cases. A Pentagon report released earlier this month showed that reporting of such cases is up and that victims of sexual assault are significantly more satisfied with how commanders are handling their cases.\r\nThis year\u2019s bill includes several more sexual assault reforms sponsored by McCaskill, along with several other provisions. The additional measures addressing sexual assault include:\r\n \r\nEliminating the \u201cgood soldier\u201d defense in must sexual assault cases\r\nAllowing victims the ability to express a preference as to whether their cases will be tried in military or civilian court\u00a0\r\nAllowing survivors to challenge their discharge or separation from service\r\nExtending sexual assault protections to the Military Service Academies\r\n \r\nOther of McCaskill's provisions prohibit tax dollars from funding certain infrastructure projects in Afghanistan.\u00a0 To receive U.S. funding, projects greater than $1 million would have to be sustainable and subject to annual audits and inspections.\r\n\u201cFor too long, we\u2019ve been spending millions of dollars on projects in Afghanistan that can\u2019t be responsibly secured or maintained,\u201d McCaskill said.\r\nAnother provision backed by McCaskill would require health insurance for service members and their families to cover breast-feeding equipment, support and counseling.\u00a0 Such coverage is available in most private health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.\r\nPOW/MIA recovery and accounting efforts will be assigned to a single agency under the Pentagon rather than dispersed across several agencies. McCaskill said this provision would address mismanagement and a lack of accountability.\r\nFinally, Blunt, McCaskill and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, sponsored companion measures in the NDAA, to designate Liberty Memorial in Kansas City the country\u2019s official World War I Museum and Memorial.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/bill-upping-status-of-world-war-i-museum-advances", "Bill upping status of World War I museum advances", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bill upping status of World War I museum advances \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Monday, December 15, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's Liberty Memorial in Kansas City is one step closer to gaining ramped up national status.\r\nThe U.S. Senate last week passed legislation that would designate the landmark as the nation's World War I Museum and Memorial.\r\nBoth Sens. Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee and pushed for the provision in this year's annual defense bill.\r\nThe bill now heads to the House for approval.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/blunt-going-back-on-intelligence-committee-mccaskill-ranking-on-aging", "Blunt going back on Intelligence Committee; McCaskill ranking on Aging", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Blunt going back on Intelligence Committee; McCaskill ranking on Aging \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Monday, December 15, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Chuck Raasch\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON \u2022\u00a0Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., is returning to the Senate Intelligence Committee while Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., will be the top-ranking Democrat on the Aging Committee in the new Congress that convenes next year.\r\nRepublicans announced their committee assignments today, Democrats did so last week.\r\nHere is a rundown:\r\n\u2022\u00a0Blunt. Besides the Intelligence Committee, Blunt will serve on the committees on Appropriations; Commerce, Science and Transportation; and Rules and Administration. Blunt previously was on Intelligence, and has been a critic of the committee Democrats' decision to release a report condemning the U.S. for using torture in the treatment of terrorism suspects in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.\r\n\u2022\u00a0McCaskill. On top of the Aging Committee, she will be on Armed Services; Commerce; and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.\r\n\u2022\u00a0Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. will be on Appropriations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Aging.\r\n\u2022Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. has drawn Appropriations; Judiciary; and Rules.\r\nDurbin and Blunt are also in their respective party's leadership. Durbin will be minority whip, the second-ranking position behind the Minority Leader Harry Reid in the 114th Congress.\r\nBlunt will remain the fifth-ranking Republican as vice chair of the Republican Conference, and his party will be in control of the Senate in 2015.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/missouris-blunt-gets-spot-on-intelligence-committee-mccaskill-named-top-democrat-on-aging-panel", "Missouri’s Blunt gets spot on Intelligence Committee, McCaskill named top Democrat on Aging panel", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -\u00a0Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri on Monday landed a spot on the secretive Senate committee that oversees the nation\u2019s intelligence agencies.\r\nBlunt will give up his seat on the Senate\u2019s Armed Services committee, but will remain on the committees on appropriations, commerce and rules. Blunt also serves on the defense appropriations subcommittee.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to rejoin the Senate Intelligence Committee at a time when the nation continues to face real threats from enemies who wish us harm,\u201d said Blunt, who previously was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2011 and 2012.\r\n\u201cI look forward to building on my experience working on these issues in the House and Senate,\u201d he said. \u201cI also plan to stay fully engaged in the discussion surrounding the relocation of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and working to ensure that facility stays in Missouri.\u201d\r\nBlunt\u2019s fellow senator from Missouri, Democrat Claire McCaskill, was named to the top Democratic position on the Senate\u2019s Special Committee on Aging.\r\nDemocrats\u2019 loss of Senate control means that McCaskill will step down from the leadership of two subcommittees on consumer protection and financial oversight. But she indicated in a statement Monday that the new assignment as ranking Democrat on the Aging committee will enable her to continue to fight consumer scams, many of which target seniors.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m eager to continue our work to protect consumers and seniors, to make sure Congress is living up to the promises we\u2019ve made to them, and to help ensure their government is working for them,\u201d McCaskill said.\r\n  Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article4502201.html#storylink=cpy", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-congratulates-missouri-florists-for-bringing-white-house-holiday-decorations-to-life", "McCaskill Congratulates Missouri Florists for Bringing White House Holiday Decorations to Life", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Congratulates Missouri Florists for Bringing White House Holiday Decorations to Life \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator helped St. Louis-based florists, Kim Brannan and Jenn Thomasson, secure spot on the White House holiday decorating team  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 15, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today congratulated Kim Brannan and Jenn Thomasson, St. Louis-based florists of Stems floral shop, on their coveted role in bringing Christmas cheer to the White House.\u00a0\r\n\u201cKim and Jenn created a beautiful display,\u201d McCaskill said. \u201cIt makes me so happy to know that we helped them bring their design talent and St. Louis flair to the White House this holiday season. I\u2019m very proud of them both.\u201d\r\nSenator McCaskill\u2019s office worked with Kim and Jenn to help them secure a spot on the White House holiday decorating team. The Ladue mother-daughter pair were two of 80 designers selected from a pool of over 1,000 applicants.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-named-to-top-democratic-spot-on-senate-aging-committee", "McCaskill Named to Top Democratic Spot on Senate Aging Committee", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Named to Top Democratic Spot on Senate Aging Committee \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator pledges to use new post to continue bolstering protections for seniors, consumers  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 15, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today released the following statement after Senate leadership announced that she has been named to the top Democratic position on the Senate Special Committee on Aging in the next Congress:\r\n\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to working closely with my friend Senator Susan Collins, and I\u2019m eager to continue our work to protect consumers and seniors, to make sure Congress is living up to the promises we\u2019ve made to them, and to help ensure their government is working for them.\u201d\r\nThe Aging Committee\u2019s purview over all issues related to older Americans gives McCaskill a powerful new perch from which to combat scam artists targeting seniors\u2014and all consumers\u2014as well as a broader position with which to protect Social Security and Medicare.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/consumers to learn more about McCaskill's fight to protect consumers.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=8726b2b5-e5c0-42cd-8743-52880d11638e", "Congress Passes Senator Blunts Bipartisan Bill To Boost Jobs, Support Travel & Tourism", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congress approved legislation last night introduced by U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) to help boost jobs by supporting international tourism to the United States. The \u201cTravel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act\u201d was included in the bipartisan omnibus agreement, which was approved by the U.S. Senate yesterday and is heading to President Barack Obama\u2019s desk. Blunt previously introduced the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The bill reauthorizes Brand USA, a public-private partnership that enhances tourism in Missouri and nationwide. In 2013, Brand USA generated 1.1 million additional international visitors who spent an estimated $3.4 billion,\u00a0strengthening local businesses and stimulating economic growth.\r\n\u00a0\u201cTravel and tourism are important to jobs in Missouri and nationwide, and Brand USA has produced great results attracting more visitors to the United States,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cI introduced this bill several times in the House, and I\u2019m pleased that Senator Klobuchar and I were able to get a five-year extension included in the omnibus so we can continue to promote increased international travel to the U.S. and bring revenue and jobs to communities across the nation.\u201d\u00a0\r\nAdditional Background Information:  In April 2014, Klobuchar and Blunt introduced the bipartisan \u201cTravel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act\u201d to reauthorize Brand USA through 2020. The House companion bill was introduced by U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis (Fla.) and Peter Welch (Vt.).  Brand USA is funded by international visitors and private contributions \u2013 not U.S. taxpayers. Half of its budget comes from the private sector through cash and in-kind contributions. The rest of the budget \u2013 up to a maximum of $100 million \u2013 is funded by a nominal fee assessed on visa-free international visitors screened by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Brand USA can only collect up to $100 million from ESTA fees paid by foreign travelers visiting the U.S., and amounts collected in excess of the cap are returned to the U.S. Treasury to help reduce the deficit. The\u00a0legislation\u00a0has 40 additional co-sponsors in the Senate.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=96451d00-69c5-4cc4-979a-e961e395d06b", "Congress Approves Brown-Blunt Manufacturing Bill In Omnibus", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio) applauded the U.S. Senate\u2019s passage last evening of the \u201cRevitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act\u201d (RAMI). The bipartisan legislation was included in the appropriations omnibus bill, which is now headed to President Barack Obama\u2019s desk. \u201cI\u2019m pleased Congress passed this common-sense, bipartisan bill to boost manufacturing and create jobs in Missouri and nationwide,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cSupporting innovation and manufacturing in America will help us continue to compete in a global economy. I look forward to building on this success in the new Congress and working with my colleagues to pass policies that encourage more economic opportunity and jump-start good-paying jobs for workers in Missouri and nationwide.\u201d \u201cMade in the USA is here to stay with this bill. This bill focuses our nation\u2019s strengths toward a common goal: revitalization of American manufacturing and innovation,\u201d Brown said. \u201cWhen American manufacturing moves to other countries, we don\u2019t just lose production \u2013 we lose innovation. A Network for Manufacturing Innovation would foster public-private partnerships that give small businesses, industry leaders, and research institutions the tools they need to compete on a global scale. These regional, industry-led hubs will leverage local expertise and will create thousands of high-paying, high-tech manufacturing jobs for American workers. We\u2019ve seen it work in Youngstown, now it\u2019s time to advance this effort nationwide.\u201d Blunt and Brown originally introduced a version of the bill in the Senate in August 2013, which passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation by voice vote in April 2014. U.S. Representatives Tom Reed (N.Y.) and Joe Kennedy (Mass.) introduced a companion version of the bill in the House, where it passed in September 2014. The bill would strengthen American innovation and position the United States as the global leader in advanced manufacturing by establishing a Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NMI). For more information on the bill, please click here. According to the Missouri Department of Economic Development, nearly 10 percent of Missouri's workforce is currently employed in manufacturing. Aerospace and transportation equipment are the two largest advanced manufacturing sectors in Missouri. Missourians Applaud The Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act: \r\n \r\n\u201cWe are grateful to Senator Blunt for his leadership and support of manufacturing in Missouri and across the country. This legislation will help chart a new course to support Made-in-America manufacturing in the technology sector and help prevent losing U.S. manufacturing jobs,\u201d said Dr. Terry Brewer, founder and CEO of Brewer Science headquartered in Rolla, Mo. \r\n\u201cSustained economic security depends on both scientific breakthroughs and the ability to successfully translate those discoveries into real products. This legislation recognizes the critical roles that universities, government, and industry play in the creation of new materials, the development of new processes, and the education of a highly-skilled workforce,\u201d said Mark Wrighton, Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.\r\n\u201cThe Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act will help us to build on the work we are already doing with local universities and community colleges to ensure that we are as competitive internationally and create as many high-paying manufacturing jobs as possible,\u201d said Don Nissanka,\u00a0 CEO of Exergonix, a manufacturer of energy storage systems and a company focused on building the Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee\u2019s Summit, Mo.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThese NMI hubs would allow and encourage collaboration from design to full implementation of innovative ways to manufacture complex products to meet our future needs. Universities like ours across the nation are ready and willing to work in lock-step and with industry to do what will be required for our manufacturing capabilities to continue to be at a world-class level,\u201d said Dr. K. Krishnamurthy, Vice Provost for Research at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Mo.\u00a0\r\n\u201cManufacturing is the cornerstone of American economy and this legislation is an important step toward its revitalization\u2026. This issue is of particular importance to America\u2019s community colleges as we play a key role in the training of employees for manufacturing and are home to great innovation in collaboration with our local universities, industries, and local, state and federal governments,\u201d said Dr. Hal Higdon, Chancellor at Ozarks Technical Community College\r\n \r\n\u00a0Background On The Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act:\r\n \r\nThis bipartisan bill will leverage federal resources with non-governmental know-how in a broad assortment of manufacturing sectors that Americans and people all over the world will come to rely on in the future.\r\nThe legislation is designed to bring together industry, universities and community colleges, federal agencies and all levels of government to accelerate manufacturing innovation in technologies with commercial applications. It would establish public-private institutes to leverage resources to bridge the gap between basic research and product development.\r\nSenators Blunt and Brown worked together to pass a bipartisan amendment to the FY14 Senate Budget aimed at supporting the creation of a network of manufacturing innovation hubs. The Brown/Blunt FY14 Budget amendment was supported by a number of organizations, including:\r\nNational Association of Manufacturers (NAM)\r\nAssociation for Manufacturing Technologies (AMT)\r\nSEMI North America\r\nUS Conference of Mayors\r\nAssociation of Public and Land Grant Universities\r\nCouncil on Competitiveness\r\nInternational Economic Development Council (IEDC)\r\nAmerican Society for Engineering Education\r\nUnited Auto Workers (UAW)\r\nAssociation of American Universities\r\nSemiconductor Industry Association\r\nAmerican Auto Policy Council\r\n \r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/after-year-of-the-recall-auto-watchdog-needs-an-enforcer", "After 'Year of the Recall' Auto Watchdog Needs an 'Enforcer'", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After 'Year of the Recall' Auto Watchdog Needs an 'Enforcer' \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Sunday, December 14, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Paul A. Eisenstein\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Barring a last-minute hitch, Mark Rosekind is about to step in as the nation's top auto safety regulator. He'll be filling a post that has been empty for the better part of 2014 -- a year that has seen some of the biggest safety controversies in automotive history.\r\nA scientist by training and, since 2010, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, Rosekind is expected to be approved by the Senate as the next director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In that post, he will be dealing with a slew of major issues, including the ongoing recalls of defective Takata airbags and General Motors ignition switches.\r\nIt has been a record year, with about 700 auto-related recalls covering almost 60 million vehicles - nearly twice the previous peak set in 2004. Some of the defects have resulted in deaths to drivers and passengers. NHTSA has been sharply criticized for its handling of several high-profile recalls, including for GM and Takata, even as its modest budget has stretched its resources to the limits.\r\n\"2014 is, without a doubt, the year of the recall,\" said Mike Rozembajgier, a vice president at Stericycle, a company that has worked with various automakers on handling safety-related service actions.\r\n The 'Enforcer' \r\nRosekind has told Senators hearing his nomination that NHTSA needs to become \"the enforcer,\" taking a much tougher approach to safety and, in particular, moving faster on recalls when safety problems become apparent.\r\n\"I've been concerned with the slowness across all of the agency's recalls,\" Rosekind told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee earlier this month, adding that \"NHTSA needs to be the enforcer.\"\r\nNHTSA has been without a permanent administrator since David Strickland announced he would depart the agency a year ago. His stand-in, David Friedman, became caught up in a swirl of problems that critics say he never could fully get a handle on, starting with the announcement by GM last February that it would recall 2.6 million vehicles because of defective ignition switches now linked to 38 deaths.\r\n\"When you see trouble in the forecast you have to confront it immediately, and NHTSA didn't do that,\" said Joan Claybrook, a former NHTSA Administrator during the Carter Administration who has remained active in the auto safety field.\r\nPart of the problem, Claybrook stressed, is a lack of funding; the agency has been given only $140 million annually for its enforcement budget. There are currently just nine NHTSA investigators to pore through the 75,000 safety complaints it has so far received this year, with another 16 who can follow up in the field. The staff at NHTSA's safety investigation office has been stalled at 50, with a budget flat at $10 million, for the past decade.\r\nIn a year marked by intense political bickering on Capitol Hill, the breadth of the automotive safety problems facing NHTSA has led to some unusual bipartisanship. A budget deal reached by Congress this month will give the agency $11 million in additional funding, bringing its 2015 budget to $830 million. But that is still $13 million less than the White House wanted.\r\n New tech is needed \r\nCash isn't the only challenge NHTSA faces. \"We need to increase not just the people, but also the technology\" the agency uses, Rosekind testified. It is, for one thing, looking to do a better job of linking out to automakers who must, by law, report safety-related issues. And it needs to improve its public side, among other things making it easier for motorists to report problems and track down recalls that impact the vehicles they own.\r\nDuring last week's hearings, Senator Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat and staunch safety advocate, lamented that NHTSA \"is neither feared nor respected\" by the auto industry. Observers say that as the agency's new chief, Rosekind will have to strike a delicate balance. He needs to show automakers that lapses won't be tolerated, while also being willing to listen to their perspective on safety issues.\r\n\"It's hard to predict\" how Rosekind will work with the industry, said a cautious Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor Co.'s President of the Americas. \"One of the things we're looking for is to work together to take care of our customers so they have safer vehicles - and confidence in those vehicles.\"\r\nWhile Rosekind will take over a battered, criticized and overworked NHTSA, Stericycle's Rozembajgier says the crises of the last year actually create the potential for all sides \"to work together in an efficient manner.\"\r\nSafety advocate Claybrook cautiously agrees, adding that \"people are coming together\" around the problem. She also believes that Rosekind is the right choice for the job because he will bring a scientist's understanding of the basic problems NHTSA will face, while also having some real world business experience. And Rosekind learned about the politics of Washington in his job with the NTSB.\r\nDon't expect things to slow down for the new NHTSA chief. NHTSA is still battling with Takata over the ongoing airbag recall. And tighter enforcement seems likely to keep the rate of recalls, in general, higher than they have been over the past decade. If approved by the full Senate, as now seems guaranteed, Mark Rosekind will need to use the holiday break to gear up for a tough year ahead.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/the-113th-congress-had-positives-for-the-st-louis-region-members-say", "The 113th Congress had positives for the St. Louis region, members say", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The 113th Congress had positives for the St. Louis region, members say \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Sunday, December 14, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Chuck Raasch\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON\u00a0-- Think\u00a0Congress\u00a0has its critics? Some of the fiercest have just left the building, closing the door on the republic's 113th version of the people's houses.\r\n\"Do-nothing,\" Rep.\u00a0William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, groused. \"We wasted a lot of time and capital with the American people. It is a sad legacy.\"\r\nOne of \"the least productive and the most needlessly obstructed\u00a0Congress(es) in the history of the country,\" said Sen.\u00a0Roy Blunt, R-Mo.\r\nOne \"riddled with partisan politics and dysfunction and obstructionism,\" added Sen.Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.\r\nBut the\u00a0Congress\u00a0that began with leadership challenges to Republican House Speaker\u00a0John Boehner; cost one of his top lieutenants (Majority Leader\u00a0Eric Cantor) his job; was marked halfway by a government shutdown, and ended with right- and left-wing revolts and a kitchen-sink spending bill that even the people who voted for it said had major flaws, may also have opened the door for more legislative action in 2015.\r\nThe massive\u00a0$1.1 trillion\u00a0spending bill that passed both Houses in the final hours of the 113th survived with bipartisan support, setting a 10-month course for most of the current year's spending questions. That clears the decks for more traditional debate over federal agency-by-agency spending decisions, when Republicans take control of the\u00a0Senate\u00a0for President\u00a0Barack Obama's\u00a0last two years in office.\r\nThe one exception: That kitchen-sink spending bill was written in a way that almost certainly guarantees a fight early next year over Obama's controversial immigration reform executive order.\r\nRepublicans, now in control of both sides of the\u00a0Congress, have promised to return to more \"regular order\" of passing spending bills for the 2016 budget that have been abandoned in the partisan rancor of the Obama years.\r\nSo in that way, the scorned 113th was a prelude for legislative action on everything from immigration to health care, under more sharply drawn partisan lines as the country heads toward the 2016 presidential election.\r\nBut local members of congress say the session produced several positive elements:\r\n--It expedited the planning process for water projects important for commerce and recreation on the rivers that flow through\u00a0St. Louis\u00a0and the region.\r\n--It furthered the transformation from direct government price support payments to more of a crop insurance model for farmers, cutting projected future spending, protecting taxpayers, and making sure farmers get more \"skin in the game,\" in the words of Rep.\u00a0Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, who helped write the legislation.\r\n--That new farm bill included more than\u00a0$2.4 billion\u00a0for agricultural research, important to the region's agribusiness and universities.\r\n--Congress\u00a0reformed the way the military handles sexual assault allegations, an effort led by McCaskill and others. \"We have changed forever the ability of victims to be protected and supported,\" she said, \"and that is a huge, huge get.\" She'll push for similar reforms on sexual assault on college campuses in 2015, and her bill has bipartisan support.\r\n--The 113th\u00a0Congress\u00a0expanded mental health coverage, an initiative led by Blunt and others. He says the reforms address long-ignored needs to equate mental and physical health in insurance and treatment.\r\n--It produced international promotion legislation for tourism that Blunt, a sponsor, said will benefit the region.\r\n--And it resuscitated an airplane built in a St. Louis\u00a0Boeing\u00a0plant -- the EA 18 Growler -- that was on the\u00a0Navy's\u00a0endangered list at the beginning of the year. As one of its last acts,\u00a0Congress\u00a0designated\u00a0$1.46 billion\u00a0to keep the line open for 15 more planes.\r\n\"This is huge\" for the region's economy and the country's defense, said Rep.\u00a0Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin. She used her position as a new member of House Republican leadership to push for its inclusion under strict spending limits enacted by theCongress.\r\nWagner's elevation to Republican leadership in the House was one of the\u00a0Missouridelegation's notable story lines in 2014. Depending on the outcome this week of a disputed\u00a0Arizona House\u00a0race, the\u00a0GOP\u00a0in 2015 could have its largest House majority since\u00a0Herbert Hoover\u00a0was president in 1929.\r\nConcurrently in 2015, Blunt and Sen.\u00a0Dick Durbin, D-Ill.\u00a0-- both members of their party's\u00a0Senate\u00a0leadership -- will switch positions. Blunt's party will now run committees and the flow of legislation, Durbin's will assume the minority role.\r\nRepublicans have vowed to return to more \"regular order\" in the way\u00a0Congressdoes its business -- what Blunt calls \"the constitutional, public way of doing business.\"\r\nThat is likely to produce more legislative action, but also more potential Obama vetoes. It will also provide a clearer ideological debate between two branches of government, and between Democrats, who in the final days of the session saw revival of their liberal wing under Sen.\u00a0Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; and Republicans, who will control both houses for the first time under Obama.\r\n\"What we will be able to do with the Republican\u00a0Senate\u00a0is put bills on the president's desk,\" predicted Rep.\u00a0John Shimkus, R-Collinsville. \"Part of\u00a0Sen. Reid'sfailure was in trying to protect his\u00a0Senate\u00a0majority, in not moving legislation.\" Under those circumstances, he said, \"it was tough to have that public policy debate about the role of government -- what we should, what we shouldn't be doing.\"\r\nMany remain dubious that this new\u00a0Republican Congress\u00a0will produce legislation that Obama will sign, and votes to repeal Obamacare would certainly lead to a veto and more images of a government that is fighting old battles and isn't working.\r\nBut Republicans have identified low-hanging fruit that could be considered early in 2015, might pass presidential muster, and would challenge the public expectation that the\u00a0GOP Congress and Obama\u00a0will be locked in perpetual gridlock for the next two years.\r\nOne is a change to Obamacare, authored by Davis, that House Republican leaders have identified as an early legislative goal in 2015. The \"Hire Our Heroes Act\" would exclude veterans from the employer mandate threshold of providing health care if those veterans already are covered under military or\u00a0Veterans Administrationhealth care.\r\nDavis said it has bipartisan support, addresses high veteran unemployment, and adheres to a \"piecemeal\" strategy of trying to improve Obamacare even as Republicans concurrently move to repeal it.\r\n\"I am not really worried about the legacy of this\u00a0Congress, because frankly when you look at the polling, people don't like either party in\u00a0Congress,\" Davis said. \"...That doesn't mean that we have to throw our hands up in the air and stop doing our job.\"\r\nMcCaskill said she believes her side will listen to any possible improvements to Obamacare, but old divisions run deep.\r\n\"I have said from Day One that I am at the table if we can improve the bill, make it simpler, make it better for people, make it less cumbersome for employers in this country,\" she said. \"I want to help improve the bill. I have not yet had a partner that wants to do that across the aisle.\"\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/congress-st-clair-airport-can-close", "Congress: St. Clair Airport Can Close", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congress: St. Clair Airport Can Close \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Saturday, December 13, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Keith E. Domke\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            The city was given a huge, early Christmas present topped with a big red bow this week by the 113th session of the United States Congress when both legislative chambers passed the bill that closes the St. Clair Regional Airport.\r\nNow, it\u2019s up to President Barack Obama and whether he is going to play Santa\u2019s chief elf or Mr. Scrooge as to whether the bill becomes law.\r\nThe U.S. House of Representatives late Tuesday afternoon approved S.B. 2759 after it had cleared the Senate last week. The House had the legislation on its docket as part of its general session and didn\u2019t take long to pass it by a voice vote.\r\nAll that is necessary now for the bill to become law is Obama\u2019s signature.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s not a done deal yet, but what\u2019s happened has given us hope,\u201d Mayor Ron Blum told The Missourian on Wednesday. \u201cThis has been a cooperative effort by a large number of people.\r\n\u201cWe\u2019ve actually had an act of Congress occur for a positive thing in St. Clair. It\u2019s incredibly good news. We can now start to really plan our future.\u201d\r\nState Rep. Dave Hinson of St. Clair called The Missourian from Washington, D.C., shortly before 5 p.m. on Tuesday with the news. Hinson was in the nation\u2019s capital on other business when he heard the bill would be brought up in the U.S. House, so he attended the session.\r\n\u201cIt passed the House today,\u201d Hinson said of the bill. \u201cIt\u2019s cleared its hurdles.\u201d\r\nHinson said there was no debate on the bill before it passed on a voice vote. The same thing happened in the Senate late last week, he said.\r\nHinson said he believed there should be no objection by Obama. He also said it is his understanding that the president has 10 business days to act on the bill after it has passed both chambers. That would give him until Dec. 23.\r\nOnline information about the bill states it was passed by both chambers in identical form, adding that it goes to Obama who can either sign it or veto it.\r\nU.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt cosponsored S.B. 2759, \u201cA bill to release the city of St. Clair from all restrictions, conditions and limitations on the use, encumbrance, conveyance and closure of the St. Clair Regional Airport.\u201d\r\nU.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer worked the bill through the House.\r\n\u201cIt may come as a surprise to many Missourians, but a municipality such as St. Clair cannot close an airport which it owns and operates without permission from the federal government,\u201d he said. \u201cA few years ago, local officials of St. Clair asked members of the Missouri delegation for help to facilitate authorization to close the airport. I am pleased that the House and Senate have now both passed legislation ... to allow the city to pursue its own efforts to improve the local economy once federal taxpayers are made whole.\u201d\r\nSt. Clair has been trying for years to close the airport located on the north side of the city and use the 80-acre parcel for much-needed retail development. City officials had been working with the FAA and MoDOT on the closure process.\r\nWithout the bill, permission would have had to be granted by the FAA because the city obtained and used federal grants to make improvements at the facility as late as 2006.\r\n\u201cSt. Clair has been financially burdened with maintaining and operating this struggling airport year after year, and closing it will allow the city to move forward with economic development plans supported by the local community,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cThis legislation ensures the city will pay back any taxpayer dollars that were put into the airport and will transfer any salvageable airport and aviation equipment back to the state.\u201d\r\nThe airport has operated in the red every year since the city started keeping track of its specific revenue and expenses several years ago. Today, only five tenants rent hangar space there.\r\nThe bill releases the city of St. Clair from all restrictions, conditions and limitations on the use of conveyance and closure of the regional airport. It would allow the city to close the airport once it pays back any previously received FAA funds and transfer all salvageable equipment to MoDOT for the improvement of Missouri aviation.\r\n\u201cThe city of St. Clair is very supportive of this effort, including the mayor, city council, school board and local Chamber of Commerce,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u00a0\u201cIn addition, the Missouri Department of Transportation has indicated closure of the airport will not have an adverse impact on aviation in the state.\u201d\r\nThe Missourian also has supported closure of the facility through editorials and columns.\r\n\u201cWe now can move forward,\u201d Blum said. \u201cI think what we\u2019re doing here will help St. Clair in the future. We have the opportunity to lay a path for long-term success.\r\n\u201cWe didn\u2019t give up. We\u2019ve shown our true character. We\u2019re giving ourselves the opportunity to have a bright future.\u201d\r\nThe mayor said that McCaskill has been the true workhorse in helping the city get this bill through both chambers and to the president.\r\nHistory\r\nEarlier this fall, the bill was introduced into the Senate\u2019s Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and was\u00a0\u201cordered to be reported without amendment favorably.\u201d\r\nThe bill originally was filed on July 31. The committee sent it to the full Senate in September.\r\nAdditional language in the bill provides details regarding the closure process and the transfer of assets, revenues and equipment as well as the monetary value of the property and the worth of the unamortized federal grants turned over to MoDOT and the FAA.\r\nCity officials have been going back and forth with FAA and the MoDOT officials on the closure process. MoDOT has stated it does not oppose closure.\r\nIn May, after two years and several decision deadline extensions, the FAA ruled the city of St. Clair was not in violation of its federal obligations in regards to its regional airport as alleged in a complaint filed by one of the tenants. The complaint, filed by airport tenant Jim DeVries of Pacific on behalf of himself and other current and former tenants, was dismissed.\r\nDeVries and other current and former tenants have filed several complaints with the FAA and have tried other means relating to the airport in an attempt to keep it open.\r\nThe Missourian tried to reach DeVries for comment. He would not respond. He also had not posted anything on his personal blog, which he calls \u201cThe St. Clair Airport Blog,\u201d since the bill was passed.\r\nDeVries often uses his blog as ammunition to ridicule the city and make accusations.\r\nShortly after the bill was moved through to the full Senate, a post appeared on DeVries\u2019 airport blog that had a Frederick, Md., dateline on it. It stated that, \u201cThe Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and three other general aviation groups have urged key members of the U.S. Senate to forgo legislation that could close St. Clair Municipal Airport and instead follow established FAA procedures for the potential closure of airports that have accepted federal grants.\u201d\r\nThe post quoted a Sept. 16 letter from AOPA President Mark Baker. The AOPA website stated that in addition to Baker, the presidents of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, National Business Aviation Association and National Air Transportation Association signed the letter.\r\nAbout a month ago, DeVries posted on his blog that the airport bill \u201cis probably dead.\u201d\r\n\u201cIf this passes, it\u2019s a win for St. Clair and a win for aviation in general,\u201d Blum earlier told The Missourian. \u201cFunding is tight for everyone. Allowing us to close our airport will allow us to work on bringing in some much-needed retail development. It also will benefit the FAA and MoDOT because it will mean one less airport for them to worry about as far as funding.\r\n\u201cI think it\u2019s a good deal all the way around.\u201d\r\nMore than a year ago, an amendment attached to a U.S. Transportation Bill allowed for closure of the airport, but it died after no action was taken on it. Blunt and McCaskill had co-sponsored Amendment 1801 which was worded almost identically to this year\u2019s bill.\r\nBlunt Press Secretary Genny Carter told The Missourian at the time that the amendment was offered, but \u201cnever made pending and never voted on before the THUD (Transportation, Housing and Urban Development) bill had cloture filed.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe cloture vote failed and consideration of the bill itself was stopped,\u201d Carter said. \u201cSo the amendment is filed, but no action was taken on it.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-votes-against-spending-bill", "McCaskill Votes Against Spending Bill", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Votes Against Spending Bill \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator slams secretive, last-minute provision that \u2018further opens the floodgates of big money\u2019 in elections \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSaturday, December 13, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill tonight voted against a $1 trillion \u201comnibus\u201d spending bill, citing a secretive, last-minute addition to the bill that would \u201copen the floodgates\u201d for huge financial donations from wealthy contributors to political parties and committees. McCaskill released the following statement:\r\n\u201cThis just isn\u2019t the way to govern. This bill includes important provisions for causes I support, like a boost to the E/A-18 Growler production line, critical for airborne electronic attack, and certainty for our military and veterans. But now is not the time to further open the floodgates of big money in our elections with a secretive, last-minute provision that got little or no public debate. We should be working to limit money in politics, not giving millionaires and billionaires even more influence over political parties.\u201d\r\nThe $1 trillion omnibus spending bill would allow for a huge increase in the amount of political contributions that wealthy individuals can make toward political parties.\r\nMcCaskill also cited discomfort with provisions on financial reform that \u201ccould once again find taxpayers bailing out Wall Street\u2019s bad bets\u201d\u2014and others that could allow for a process whereby the pensions of millions of retirees across the country could be dramatically reduced.\r\nVisit\u00a0mccaskill.senate.gov/accountability\u00a0to learn more about McCaskill's fight to strengthen accountability.\u00a0\r\n\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cleaver.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-introduces-body-camera-legislation", "Congressman Cleaver Introduces Body Camera Legislation", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Emanuel Cleaver", "C001061", "cleaver.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The \u201cCam Act\u201d Requires State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies Who Receive DOJ Grants Have Their Officers Wear a Body Camera.\u00a0\r\n\r\nCongressman Emanuel Cleaver, II has introduced The \"Camera Authorization and Maintenance Act of 2014\" or the \"CAM Act,\" a bill to encourage police officers to wear a body camera.\r\n\r\n\"This legislation is important to any and all members of the public who encounter a law enforcement officer, and it is important for the officers themselves,\" said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II. \"The goal is to increase transparency, protect the rights of all parties involved, and to provide better evidence for any police investigation, both for the citizens and the officers.\"\u00a0The bill would:\r\n\r\n Require that all state and local law enforcement agencies who receive Department of Justice grants have their officers wear a body camera.\u00a0\r\n\tCreate a grant program to help agencies purchase the equipment.\u00a0\r\n\tSet guidelines for the use of body cameras.\r\n\tCreate a task force to study and make recommendations on community policing and to determine protocol in body camera training.\u00a0 The task force is also required to study the effectiveness of the usage of body cameras one year after implementation of the policy and the impact that citizen review boards could have on police misconduct.\r\n\tProvide for a report on the Department of Defense 1033 program.\r\n Due to the impending end of the 113th Congress, this legislation will be reintroduced in the 114th Congress.\r\n\r\nEmanuel\u00a0Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri\u2019s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and also serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available\u00a0here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/newsletters/view-capitol-congresswoman-vicky-hartzlers-newsletter-week-december-8-12-2014", "View From the Capitol - Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's Newsletter for the Week of December 8-12, 2014", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Good Day,\nFirst and foremost I want to say it was truly a blessing to meet and thank the families of the 442nd Fighter Wing of Whiteman Air Force Base this past weekend at their Welcome Home Celebration. Over 1,700 airmen and their families came out to celebrate the return of these brave men and women from tours of duty in Afghanistan. I am so proud to represent Whiteman and all of the noble heroes that serve there.\nOn another note, in DC this week, the House approved legislation to fund most federal government operations while protecting American taxpayers from federal overreach.\u00a0 This bill gives the American people access to essential government functions through the end of Fiscal Year 2015 while only funding the Department of Homeland Security through February of next year \u2013 allowing a wholly Republican-controlled Congress to address the president\u2019s executive actions on immigration at the beginning of the next session of Congress.\u00a0 Moreover, this legislation contains substantial spending cuts, translating to\u00a0$165 billion less than when George W. Bush was in office!\nI am pleased that this bill prioritizes many of the important items my colleagues and I have been working on for many months.\u00a0 This package provides for a strong national defense, works to protect Americans from overregulation, and keeps the Executive branch in check.\nSome key highlights impacting Americans and Missourians alike include:\nThis bill\u00a0protects our military and veterans\u00a0by:\n Prioritizing funding for essential readiness programs, ensuring maximum preparedness;\n\tIncluding funding to prevent the retirement of the A-10 and for the production of 15 new EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft made in St. Louis, Missouri; and\n\tProviding\u00a0$2.5 billion for processing VA disability claims\u00a0to end the backlog, and rescinding $41 million in performance bonuses at the VA.\n This bill\u00a0protects our farmers and small businesses from overregulation\u00a0by:\n Cutting EPA funding by $60 million \u2013 this is the fifth consecutive year of cuts, totaling a\u00a021% reduction since FY2010\u00a0\u2013 and prohibiting regulation of farm ponds and irrigation ditches through the Waters of the United States rule;\n\tCutting the IRS funding by $345.6 million, which is\u00a0$1.5 billion below the president\u2019s requested levels, and prohibiting the targeting of groups based on ideology\n\tReducing regulations on commercial trucking, weight limits, driver hours, and hazmat permitting.\n This bill\u00a0protects Missourians from big-government overreach\u00a0by:\n Providing\u00a0no new funding\u00a0for Obamacare and holds the line on those agencies tasked to implement Obamacare;\n\tKeeping\u00a0all\u00a0existing pro-life provisions and introducing three new provisions including requiring Obamacare plans to tell customers if they provide abortion services; and\n\tProhibiting the administration from using funds to limit gun owners\u2019 Second Amendment rights, providing\u00a0no money\u00a0for the UN arms trade treaty, and prohibiting the EPA from regulating the lead content in hunting and fishing tackle.\n As I mentioned earlier, this bill also allows the Congress to address the controversial immigration issue by funding the Department of Homeland Security only through the end of February.\u00a0 President Obama\u2019s executive order on immigration clearly violated the separation of powers by bypassing Congress.\u00a0This must be stopped.\u00a0 The new Congress that will be sworn-in next month will be in a position to enact strong border enforcement measures and to direct funding for immigration as it sees fit, ensuring the will of the people is respected.\u00a0 I look forward to that opportunity.\nFor the section-by-section summary of the funding bill, visit the Appropriations Committee website\u00a0here.\nFinally, Congress moved toward improving the lives of children with disabilities by approving the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. Individuals with disabilities face severe financial struggles, yet they do not have access to the same financial planning tools available to other Americans.\u00a0 This legislation aims to lift this burden by allowing for the creation of tax-free savings accounts for children and family members with disabilities \u2013 empowering them to save for qualified expenses, such as college, health care, and housing.\u00a0 For millions of Americans growing up with disabilities, this will open the door to opportunities that may not have been viable otherwise.\u00a0 The ABLE Act is a real, common sense solution that will provide the opportunity for a better life for millions of Americans.\nHave a great week.\nVicky", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/press-release/hartzler-and-house-approve-measure-fund-national-security-protect-taxpayers-and-rein-0", "Hartzler and House approve measure to fund national security, protect taxpayers, and rein in bureaucratic overreach", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) and the House have approved legislation Thursday to fund most federal government operations while protecting American taxpayers from federal overreach. This bill gives the American people access to essential government functions through the end of Fiscal Year 2015 while only funding the Department of Homeland Security through February of next year \u2013 allowing a wholly Republican-controlled Congress to address the president\u2019s executive actions on immigration at the beginning of the next session of Congress.\n\u201cI am pleased that this bill prioritizes many of the important items my colleagues and I have been working on for many months,\u201d Hartzler said. \u201cThis package provides for a strong national defense, works to protect Americans from overregulation, and keeps the Executive branch in check.\u201d\n\u201cThis bill also allows the new Congress address the controversial immigration issue,\u201d Hartzler continued.\u00a0 \u201cPresident Obama\u2019s executive order on immigration clearly violated the separation of powers by bypassing Congress. This must be stopped.\u00a0 The new Congress that will be sworn-in next month will be in a position enact strong border enforcement measures and to direct funding for immigration as it sees fit, ensuring the will of the people is respected.\u00a0 I look forward to that opportunity.\u201d\nSome key highlights impacting Americans and Missourians alike include:\nThis bill protects our military and veterans by:\n Prioritizing funding for essential readiness programs, ensuring maximum preparedness;\n\tIncluding funding to prevent the retirement of the A-10 and for 15 new EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft made in St. Louis, Missouri; and\n\tProviding $2.5 billion for processing VA disability claims to end the backlog, and rescinding $41 million in performance bonuses at the VA.\n This bill protects our farmers and small businesses from overregulation by:\n Cutting EPA funding by $60 million \u2013 this is the fifth consecutive year of cuts, totaling a 21% reduction since FY2010 \u2013 and prohibiting regulation of farm ponds and irrigation ditches through the Waters of the United States rule;\n\tCutting the IRS funding by $345.6 million, which is $1.5 billion below the president\u2019s requested levels, and prohibiting the targeting of groups based on ideology\n\tReducing regulations on commercial trucking, weight limits, driver hours, and hazmat permitting.\n This bill protects Missourians from big-government overreach by:\n Providing no new funding for Obamacare and holds the line on those agencies tasked to implement Obamacare;\n\tKeeping all existing pro-life provisions and introducing three new provisions including requiring Obamacare plans to tell customers if they provide abortion services; and\n\tProhibiting the administration from using funds to limit gun owners\u2019 Second Amendment rights, providing no money for the UN arms trade treaty, and prohibiting the EPA from regulating the lead content in hunting and fishing tackle.\n Having been approved by the House, the funding bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration. For the full text of the funding bill, click here.\nCongresswoman Hartzler represents Missouri\u2019s Fourth Congressional District in the House of Representatives.\u00a0 She serves on the House Armed Services, Agriculture, and Budget Committees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=0eaa482d-e503-44e9-a9d8-833f84ae326a", "Senator Blunt Applauds Inclusion Of Key Provisions For Missouri In Passage Of NDAA", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), who serves as a member of the defense authorizing and appropriations committees, applauded the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2015. The bill, which will now head to the president\u2019s desk for signature, originally passed out of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee mark-up in May 2014. Blunt introduced and co-sponsored several amendments and key provisions that were included in the final legislation passed by the U.S. Senate today.\r\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s servicemen and women and their families make tremendous sacrifices every day to protect our freedoms. The passage of this bill is important to ensure they have the resources they need and the care they deserve,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cI\u2019m very pleased that several provisions that are important for Missouri were included in the final bipartisan bill.\u201d\r\nMissouri is home to more than 17,000 active duty servicemen and women, more than 8,000 civilian Department of Defense employees, and more than 20,000 reservists and members of the National Guard. Blunt also included several important amendments in last year\u2019s legislation.\r\nBlunt introduced and co-sponsored a number of amendments and key provisions included in the final FY15 NDAA bill, including:\r\n \r\nGrowler Aircraft: The bill authorizes an additional $450 million for Growler aircraft. It also includes an effort led by Blunt to allow the U.S. Navy to work with Boeing to extend F-18 deliveries through 2017. In July 2014, the Senate defense appropriations bill included $1.3 billion for 12 additional Growler aircraft. The omnibus appropriations bill for FY15 includes $1.46 billion for 15 additional aircraft, meeting some of the Navy\u2019s demand for additional aircraft. Approximately 15,000 people work at the plant that manufactures Growler and Super Hornet aircraft in St. Louis, Mo.\r\nMilitary Mental Health: As part of Blunt\u2019s continued efforts to improve access to quality behavioral health treatment for all Americans, the bill includes a provision he originally introduced in committee mark-up directing the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide its plan to implement recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) regarding the mental health treatment of service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and their families.\r\nCaring for America\u2019s Heroes: The bill includes language from Blunt\u2019s amendment, which was originally introduced in committee mark-up, and mirrors language from the bipartisan \u201cCaring for America\u2019s Heroes Act\u201d to bring mental health treatment in line with the way physical injuries are treated under TRICARE.\r\nBehavioral Health Report Under TRICARE: Blunt advocated for a provision requiring the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report to the defense committees on the impact of behavioral health in the military.\r\nAir Force C-130 Aircraft Fielding Plan: The bill includes a provision submitted by Blunt and U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (Mo.) as an amendment during committee mark-up that directs the U.S. Air Force to provide its full fielding plan for the C-130J aircraft. In March 2014, Blunt and McCaskill visited Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph, Mo., which is home of the 139th Airlift Wing. Blunt led a letter with McCaskill and 17 other Senators encouraging Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (Mich.) and Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (Okla.) to address the C-130 issue during the committee\u2019s mark-up of the NDAA.\r\nWorld War I History Museum Designation: The amendment introduced by Blunt and McCaskill officially designates the Liberty Memorial of Kansas City at America\u2019s National World War I Museum as the \u201cWorld War I Museum and Memorial.\u201d In April 2014, Blunt joined McCaskill and U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver (Mo.) to introduce it as a stand-alone bill.\r\nMilitary Voting Amendment: Blunt and U.S. Senator Angus King (Maine) offered an amendment during the committee mark-up that requires DoD to designate offices on military installations for the purpose of providing voter (and absentee voter) assistance services.\r\nMedal of Honor for WWI Veteran William Shemin: The bill includes a provision that Blunt championed to award posthumously the Medal of Honor to Sergeant William Shemin for his actions in combat against an armed enemy near Bazoches, France in 1918. Shemin was originally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. U.S. Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer (Mo.) championed the provision in the U.S. House of Representatives.\r\nRare Earth and U.S. Military Capability: Blunt\u2019s amendment, originally offered during the committee mark-up, directs GAO to complete a report no later than one year after enactment regarding rare earth materials extracted, processed, and refined from secure sources of supply used to develop and produce advanced technologies in support of DoD requirements.\r\n \r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/levin-says-farewell-to-senate", "Levin says farewell to Senate", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Levin says farewell to Senate \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, December 12, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Todd Spangler\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0In speech after speech this morning, U.S. senators stood to praise the 36-year career of Michigan\u2019s Carl Levin, referring to him as a \u201csenator\u2019s senator\u201d who taught many of them how a legislator should act and cheering a bipartisan approach many said should be a model for the chamber.\r\n\u201cI will think of Carl Levin fondly one way: his shoulders slightly stooped, his hand grasping a piece of paper, him walking quickly toward me with his head down, peering over his ubiquitous glasses saying, \u201cClaire, have you read the language?\u201d said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., becoming emotional as she recounted her time with Levin on the Senate Armed Services Committee.\r\n\u201cHe understands the hazards of a misplaced comma. He understsands the danger of using an \u2018and\u2019 insteadf of an \u2018or,\u2019\u201d said McCaskill. \u201cHe understands that is the essence of our work \u2014 that we craft language that lives up to our purpose and ideas.\u201d\r\nIt was just one of a series of remembrances for Levin, a Democratic former Detroit City Council president first elected to represent Michigan in 1978. Retiring after six 6-year terms, Levin, 80, delivered his farewell speech from the floor, urging colleagues to reject soundbite politics and \u2014 as he has done in the past \u2014 encouraging both parties to protect the political minority in the chamber.\r\nCalling minority protections \u201cthe singular hallmark\u201d of the Senate, he urged the chamber to turn back a precedent set by the Democratic majority he is part of last year to hamper minority filibusters on presidential nominations, saying it violated the Senate\u2019s set process for changing the rules.\r\n\u201cProtections of the minority make the Senate more than just a place to slow things down,\u201d he cautioned. \u201cThose protections make it a place where we work things out. It is those protections which produce compromise.\u201d\r\nFor Levin\u2019s colleagues \u2014 including many of the who supported that change \u2014 it was yet another reminder of the Michigan Democrat\u2019s standing in the Senate and as chairman of the Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which has continued to churn out bipartisan products despite a hyperpartisan atmosphere.\r\nSen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., called him the \u201cbest lawyer in the entire Senate,\u201d saying when Levin \u201cgives you his word, that\u2019s it. You don\u2019t worry.\u201d Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and a member of the Armed Services Committee, called Levin \u201ca remarkable leader\u201d who runs perhaps \u201cthe best run committee\u201d in the Senate or House.\r\n\u201cWhy can\u2019t the rest of the Senate work the way the Armed Services Committee works?\u201d asked Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, and a junior member of the committee. \u201cThe reason is because we don\u2019t have enough Carl Levins.\u201d\r\nSen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, said simply that if someone was asked what the headline of today\u2019s proceedings was it would be, \u201cMr. Integrity retires from the Senate.\u201d\r\nIt seemed even to get to always composed Levin, reacting after the speeches and, earlier, with his voice cracking as he concluded his own farewell address and noticed his older brother, U.S. Rep. Sandy Levin, D-Royal Oak, sitting in the chamber nearby and his family sitting in the gallery.\r\nLevin is Michigan\u2019s longest-serving U.S. senator ever but his accomplishments far outdistance his longevity. While remaining a staunch liberal, he has been an indefatigable supporter of the state\u2019s dominant auto industry and charted a reputation for bipartisanship in producing annual defense authorizations and running investigations into corporate wrongdoing.\r\nNot only has he fought successfully against Pentagon overspending through the years, he has been part of congressional inquiries into the causes of the 2008 financial crisis, abusive credit card practices, the Enron scandal, offshore tax havens and more. Just this week, his work in trying to get to the bottom of treatment of detainees after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was noted in an Intelligence Committee report criticizing harsh interrogation techniques used by the CIA.\r\nLevin, in a farewell speech that saw him praise his staff, said he and wife Barbara will stay in Michigan. He said congressional gridlock created by partisan politics was not part of his decision to retire and he departs with \u201cunabashed confidence\u201d in the Senate\u2019s ability to persevere.\r\nSaying he hoped the next Congress would attack the \u201cgrowing gap in our society between a fortunate few and the vast majority of Americans whose fortunes have stagnated or fallen,\u201d he called for improvements to education, worker training and research which should be paid for \u201cby closing egregious tax loopholes that serve no economic purpose.\u201d\r\nHe decried the soundbite journalism practiced off the floor of the Senate, saying it only seems to exacerbate polarization in Washington. Comments uttered offhand to a reporter in a hallway, he said, \u201clead too often to less thoughtful discourse and that has helped drive rhetorical wedges between us.\u201d\r\nBut he reserved his strongest comments for the Democratic majority\u2019s use of the so-called nuclear option last year which broke the filibuster on presidential nominations. While Levin said there is no question any president regardless of party should be able to get their nominations confirmed, bypassing the regular process for changing the rules damages the nation and should be overturned..\r\n\u201cThat precedent will not serve the country well in the future. It leaves the minority with no protection, diminishing the unique role of the Senate,\u201d he said, hoping it will be changed next year.\r\nSeveral senators stepped forward to hug Levin as he concluded his speech, including Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who will become Michigan\u2019s senior senator with Levin\u2019s departure. She noted he \u201coutlasted disco and the Soviet Union\u201d and said Levin\u2019s \u201cheart is in Detroit, where he was born and raised\u201d and still lives.\r\n\u201cEverywhere you look,\u201d she said, \u201cyou see evidence of Sen. Carl Levin\u2019s hard work\u201d from the riverfront in Detroit and funding for the M-1 Rail along Woodward Avenue to coastal and maritime preserves along the Great Lakes. \u201cYou have given so much and we are grateful,\u201d she said.\r\nSeveral other senators spoke, Republican and Democrat alike. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont called him \u201cperhaps the greatest intellect\u201d in the Senate. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland noted Levin was such a stickler for detail he sometimes sent him notes correcting typographical errors in his bill drafts.\r\nIowa Sen. Tom Harkin, who is also retiring, recounted their long friendship and hoped they could remain close friends despite \u201call the times the (University of Iowa) Hawkeys beat the Wolverines in the future.\u201d\r\nIt was McCaskill\u2019s speech, however, which set the emotional tone for the morning, coming from a tough-as-nails former prosecutor who serves with Levin on Armed Services.\r\n\u201cThis is a senator\u2019s senator. There are no sharp elbows. There is no harsh rhetoric. ... Carl is methodically doing the grind it out work of the Senate. ... He has taught me more than I can ever say. And we will try to live up to the ideal he has set for all of us.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/national-wwi-museum-at-liberty-memorial-receives-designation-from-congress", "National WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial receives designation from Congress", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "National WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial receives designation from Congress \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Friday, December 12, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial will soon be designated as the National World War I Museum and Memorial.\r\nThe designation comes after the U.S. Senate passed a bill as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, according to a news release.\u00a0\r\nThe bill recognizes Liberty Memorial as a World War I memorial, similar to other nationally recognized memorials such as the National World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.\r\nThe bill now moves to the White House where it awaits a signature from President Barack Obama.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis recognition from Congress is a tribute to the foresight and dedication of the 80,000-plus Kansas City area residents who took the initiative to establish and build the Liberty Memorial and Museum shortly after the end of World War I,\u201d National World War I Museum President and CEO Dr. Matthew Naylor said in a news release. \u201cWe are grateful to each of the members of Congress, including local Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt and Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, Sam Graves and Kevin Yoder, for leading this effort to officially recognize Liberty Memorial.\u201d\r\nThis is the memorial's second official recognition from Congress. The first designation came in 2004 and deemed the museum \"America's National World War I Museum.\"\u00a0\r\nThe National World War I Museum holds the most diverse collection of WWI objects and documents in the world, according to the news release.\r\nThe museum is also celebrating the\u00a0Centennial commemoration of World War I\u00a0and is hosting special events. For a full list, visit theWorld War I Museum\u2019s website\u00a0.\u00a0\r\nClick here to read the full news release.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/bill-shaped-by-mccaskill-for-nations-defense-passes-into-law", "Bill Shaped by McCaskill for Nation’s Defense Passes into Law", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bill Shaped by McCaskill for Nation\u2019s Defense Passes into Law \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t McCaskill\u2019s national defense and security priorities included in annual defense bill  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate\u2019s passage of the annual defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act:\r\n\u201cThis is a win for our national security. In a time of constantly-evolving threats and priorities, we need a responsible, thorough framework for our country\u2019s defense. This legislation further builds on our sweeping, bipartisan reforms that are changing how the military handles sexual violence, it fixes the Pentagon\u2019s troubled POW/MIA recovery efforts, it guards against tax dollars being spent on Afghan infrastructure without any oversight, and it finally gives official designation to Kansas City\u2019s Liberty Memorial. I\u2019m pleased my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have gotten it across the finish line, and I look forward to the President signing it.\u201d\r\nMcCaskill successfully won the inclusion of a number of her national security priorities into the legislation, including:\r\n \r\nProvisions of the Victims Protection Act\u2014a bipartisan package of additional reforms to supplement the sweeping changes passed into law by Congress last year on how the military justice system handles sexual violence. The Victims Protection Act\u2014sponsored by McCaskill along with Republican Senators Kelly Ayotte and Deb Fischer\u2014will:\r\n\r\nEliminate the \u201cgood soldier\u201d defense for servicemembers accused of sexual assault under most circumstances,\r\nAllow victims formal input on whether their case is tried in military or civilian court,\r\nAllow survivors to challenge their discharge or separation from service,\r\nStrengthen the role of the prosecutor in advising commanders on going to court-martial,\r\nBoost accountability of commanders for setting appropriate command climate,\r\nAnd extend protections to the Military Service Academies\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\nFixing POW/MIA recovery efforts:\r\n\r\nEstablishes a single Pentagon agency responsible for handling POW/MIA recovery and accounting efforts, which McCaskill discovered had been plagued by mismanagement and a lack of accountability\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\nTerminating funding for unsustainable Afghan infrastructure projects:\r\n\r\nProhibits taxpayer funding from being used on projects in Afghanistan that cannot be overseen by American personnel\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\nAlong with Senator Roy Blunt, securing World War I memorial status for Kansas City\u2019s Liberty Memorial:\r\n\r\nSuccessfully designates the Liberty Memorial as the country\u2019s official World War I Museum and Memorial\r\nEstablishes a World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC, and authorizes the World War I Centennial Commission to improve and develop the site\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\nRequiring TRICARE\u2014health insurance provided to members of the military and their families\u2014to cover breastfeeding equipment, such as breast pumps, along with support and counseling, as required by most private health plans under the Affordable Care Act\r\n \r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/accountability to learn more about McCaskill's fight to strengthen accountability.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/column-honoring-the-sacrifice-of-our-pow-and-mia-heroes", "Column: Honoring the Sacrifice of our POW and MIA Heroes", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Column: Honoring the Sacrifice of our POW and MIA Heroes \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tFOR PUBLICATION\r\nA column by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill\r\n(539 words)\r\nAs we prepare to close the books on another year, it\u2019s important to take stock of the freedom and security we too often take for granted, and pay tribute to the men and women who fight every day to make that possible.\r\nTruly honoring the sacrifices of our troops, however, requires more than just gratitude, it requires action. We\u2019ve got more work to do to uphold the sacred promises we make to our men and women in uniform, and ensure our veterans receive the highest quality honor and care when they return home.\r\nBut many of those veterans, dating back to wars almost half a century ago, never came home. And the efforts to recover them have not been worthy of their sacrifice.\r\nNow, we\u2019re changing that.\r\nNearly two years ago, I discovered that efforts to recover the estimated 83,000 Americans who remain prisoners of war or missing in action\u2014POW/MIA\u2014were in disarray. The Pentagon\u2019s recovery efforts were a web of systemic mismanagement and overlapping bureaucracies, lacking coordination and leadership, resulting in a complete mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. Tens of thousands of families did not know the status of search efforts, or the likelihood that their loved ones would one day be recovered.\r\nAfter waging a nearly two-year battle, we\u2019ve finally achieved needed changes. This week, Congress gave final approval to my bipartisan legislation\u2014which now heads to the President\u2019s desk\u2014directing the Secretary of Defense to create a single, streamlined agency to oversee these POW/MIA-recovery efforts.\r\nMy legislation, which was included in this year\u2019s annual defense bill, makes one single agency responsible, with one federal official in charge, where previously, there had been neither. With no one in charge, no one was held accountable.\r\nI felt passionately about getting this right, because the status quo was unacceptable, and was unworthy of our troops. When I led a Senate hearing to demand answers from officials in charge of our POW/MIA recovery efforts, they described disagreements about jurisdiction, organization, and even the central question of how many personnel are still unrecovered.\r\nBut my frustration with these officials was nothing compared to the shock I felt when reports surfaced that the Pentagon was staging phony \u201carrival\u201d ceremonies for POW/MIAs using military props and remains that had already been returned to the U.S. As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I couldn\u2019t imagine how painful these revelations must be for families \u2014 many of whom have fought for decades to recover the remains of loved ones who were lost overseas. These families deserve nothing less than complete honesty from the government their loved ones fought for.\r\nAll this was an unpleasant reminder of the unconscionable mess I found years ago at Arlington National Cemetery, where records were incomplete and lost, oversight was non-existent, and in some cases, the remains of our war heroes weren\u2019t even buried in the right location.\u00a0\r\nBut as with the situation at Arlington\u2014as anyone who knows me can tell you\u2014when I\u2019m upset, I don\u2019t sit around and complain. I forge solutions, fight for accountability, and find a way to fix a broken system. And when it comes to the men and women who have sworn to protect us, I\u2019ll never stop fighting for them.\r\nU.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is the daughter of a World War II veteran and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-blunt-secure-world-war-i-memorial-status-for-kansas-citys-liberty-memorial", "McCaskill, Blunt Secure World War I Memorial Status for Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill, Blunt Secure World War I Memorial Status for Kansas City\u2019s Liberty Memorial \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Missouri Senators\u2019 efforts to honor WWI memorial with national designation pay off \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Missouri\u2019s U.S. Senators McCaskill and Blunt today announced that they have successfully included a provision in this year\u2019s annual defense bill that designates Kansas City\u2019s Liberty Memorial as the nation\u2019s \u201cWorld War I Museum and Memorial.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis designation honors the courage and sacrifice of all those who served in World War I,\u201d said McCaskill, who is the daughter of a WWII veteran. \u201cIt was an honor to work with Senator Blunt to get this done. And it\u2019s my hope that the Liberty Memorial\u2019s new, national status\u2014which finally matches its national significance\u2014shines a spotlight on the site\u2019s unique and extraordinary historic value.\u201d\r\n\u201cMissourians are deeply proud of our World War I heroes, and America's National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial is the only museum in the United States that is dedicated to honoring these heroes and telling the important story of this war,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cI\u2019m very pleased that with the passage of this important bill, the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City will get the recognition it deserves nationwide.\u201d\r\nBoth Senators are members of the Armed Services Committee.\r\nThis provision \u2014 which adds to the Museum\u2019s 2004 designation as \u201cAmerica\u2019s National WWI Museum\u201d \u2014 increases the historic significance of the Liberty Memorial, elevating its status in the same vein as other nationally recognized sites such as the National WWII Memorial. Additionally, the bill establishes a WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, D.C. and authorizes the World War I Centennial Commission to improve the site and develop and build additional commemorative elements.\r\nThe World War I Museum and Memorial contains the world\u2019s most diverse collection of WWI objects. In 2014, the museum ranked as one of the top 25 museums in the United States according to TripAdvisor, and was recently recognized by USA Today as one of the top 10 museums that \u201cbring military history to life.\u201d\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/video/view/mccaskill-bids-farewell-to-colleague-and-armed-services-committee-chair-senator-carl-levin", "McCaskill Bids Farewell to Colleague and Armed Services Committee Chair, Senator Carl Levin", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senator Clarie McCaskill bid farewell to retiring Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, who she called her \"mentor\" in his role as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. A committee...", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://long.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=551", "Long Supports Spending Bill Cutting and Restricting EPA and IRS Activities", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "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 yes on the cromnibus spending bill, which reins in the EPA, IRS and funds the Department of Homeland Security through February 2015:   \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI support the effort to rein in the EPA and the IRS.\u00a0 \u00a0The regulations coming out of the EPA are a threat to jobs and a growing economy.\u00a0 This budget agreement cuts $60 million from the EPA, which translates into a 21 percent reduction since Fiscal Year 2010.\u00a0 This agreement also prohibits this job killing agency from regulating farm ponds and irrigation ditches.\u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Obama administration was caught trying to use the IRS to silence its opponents.\u00a0 This budget agreement cuts this agency by $345.6 million, which is below Fiscal Year 2008 funding levels.\u00a0 The IRS is prohibited by this agreement from targeting organizations based on their beliefs or for exercising their First Amendment rights.  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe House will finally have a partner next year in the Senate.\u00a0 I look forward to both chambers taking action to rein in this overreaching executive\u2019s actions on immigration.\u00a0 The president needs to enforce the laws on the books as he is required to by the Constitution.\u201d  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/house-passes-spending-bill-with-growler-funding", "House Passes Spending Bill with Growler Funding", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today Congresswoman Ann Wagner released the following video statement on the passage of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, which included funding for 15 EA-18 G Growlers\u20143 more than officials had previously anticipated:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=0094f5ed-6265-48cb-a18d-5bec7d8cb4f7", "Senator Blunt Applauds Passage Of Bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Including Missouri River Study", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), who serves as a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, applauded the inclusion of a Missouri River Study in the bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2015 and 2016. The bill passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate this week. Blunt worked to get the \u201cReport Reconciling Maintenance and Operational Priorities on the Missouri River\u201d included in the bill.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Missouri River is an essential asset to our state\u2019s economy and competitiveness, as well as our nation\u2019s security,\u201d Blunt said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased this important Missouri River Study was included in the bill, and I look forward to the report addressing several critical issues. Specifically, I hope to learn more about the consistent failure of the Coast Guard to accurately find and mark a safe channel with buoys and to properly schedule maintenance for cutter boats in accordance with the Missouri River navigation season.\u201d  Language in the bill states that no later than one year after the law is enacted, the Coast Guard Commandant will provide a report outlining a course of action to reconcile general maintenance priorities for cutters with operational priorities on the Missouri River. The report will be submitted to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/sam-graves-statement-passage-government-funding-bill", "Sam Graves Statement on Passage of Government Funding Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Sam Graves", "G000546", "graves.house.gov", "graves", "https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Congressman Sam Graves made the following statement after voting to fund the government through fiscal year 2015.\n\n\"By passing today's spending measure, we have averted a government shutdown, while also allowing for action to be taken to address the President's executive amnesty early next year when we will finally have a working partner in the U.S. Senate,\" said Rep. Graves. \"This legislation contains many positive provisions for the people of North Missouri, such as reining in the EPA's ability to infringe on private property rights of farmers and ranchers, prioritizing the Army Corps of Engineers funding for navigation and flood control, and increasing pay for our military service members,\" he continued.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, provides $1.013 trillion for the federal government. This is consistent with the Ryan-Murray Agreement's caps of $521 billion for defense and $492 billion for non-defense spending. H.R. 83 fully funds 11 of the 12 regular Appropriations bills through September 30, 2015, and funds the Department of Homeland Security under a Continuing Resolution (CR) until February 27, 2015.\n\nHighlights:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:44:12Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/hannibal-elementary-school-gets-computers-thanks-to-federal-program", "Hannibal elementary school gets computers thanks to federal program", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hannibal elementary school gets computers thanks to federal program \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Thursday, December 11, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            HANNIBAL, Mo. (WGEM) -\u00a0Some Hannibal students at Eugene Field Elementary now have more technology to help them in the classroom.The school accepted five used HP Compaq computers from U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. \u00a0The computers were donated through a federal program promoting technology in the classroom. \u00a0\r\n\"We have two of the computers being utilized in our fourth grade classrooms,\" Business Manager Rich Stilley said. \u00a0\"One in the library, we have another one that is centrally located for staff and students to use in studying and we have one in our special ed department.\"\r\nOfficials with the district say they've formatted the computers to be compatible for student programs.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-plan-to-end-funding-for-unsustainable-afghan-infrastructure-projects-included-in-annual-defense-bill", "McCaskill Plan to End Funding for Unsustainable Afghan Infrastructure Projects Included in Annual Defense Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Plan to End Funding for Unsustainable Afghan Infrastructure Projects Included in Annual Defense Bill \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator\u2019s provision to cut taxpayer funding for wasteful Afghan Infrastructure Fund  is one step closer to becoming law \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 This year\u2019s annual defense bill will include provisions by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill to prohibit taxpayer funding from use by the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund, and to prohibit unsustainable projects that cannot be overseen by American personnel.\r\n\u201cFor far too long we\u2019ve been spending millions of dollars on projects in Afghanistan that can\u2019t be responsibly secured or maintained,\u201d said McCaskill, a former Missouri State Auditor. \u201cI think Americans today will have a little more confidence in how their taxpayer money is being spent if we can get that money back from halfway around the world and use it on infrastructure\u2014our roads and bridges in particular\u2014where it\u2019s sorely needed.\u201d\r\nThe provisions come after sustained pressure from McCaskill on the Obama Administration to prevent waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars on unsustainable infrastructure projects in Afghanistan. The legislation prohibits funding for construction projects in Afghanistan greater than $1 million that cannot be audited and physically inspected by US government personnel or designated representatives, and necessitates a determination that the project has been coordinated with the government of Afghanistan and that adequate arrangements have been made for project sustainment.\r\nMcCaskill this summer penned a letter to the U.S. Agency for International Development demanding answers on the cost and sustainability of the Tarakhil power plant, which has cost the U.S. more than $300 million, and generated less than 3% of the power it was built to produce. McCaskill also quizzed General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, on concerns raised by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction regarding the dwindling oversight of taxpayer-funded projects in the country as the U.S. drawdown of troops continues.\r\nEarlier this year, McCaskill\u00a0called for action\u00a0from the State Department to implement safeguards over contracts to stop the waste of tax money. The Inspector General's report came nearly one year after McCaskill had\u00a0formally requested\u00a0that the office review the contracts.\r\nLast year, McCaskill introduced a Senate budget resolution to end funding for the projects and redirect those resources for use in construction of roads in the United States.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/accountability to learn more about McCaskill's fight to strengthen accountability.\u00a0\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jasonsmith.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-jason-smith-votes-to-improve-veterans-affairs-treatment-of", "Congressman Jason Smith Votes to Improve Veterans Affairs Treatment of PTSD", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Jason Smith", "S001195", "jasonsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, the House passed a bipartisan bill to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs response and treatment to wounded warriors with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.\nH.R. 5059, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, will help prevent veteran suicides which occur at twice the rate of the civilian population. It provides more access to mental health care for veterans and improves recruitment of mental health professionals to cut wait times.\n\u201cThe men and women of our military have enough to worry about when they are deployed, they should never have to worry about their health care when they return,\u201d said Congressman Jason Smith. \u201cThese men and women have often served multiple tours of duty spending years away from home. This legislation is one building block to help our returning veterans get the care they deserve.\u201d\nThe bill is named in honor of Marine Cpl. Clay Hunt, a Purple Heart recipient who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cpl. Hunt was diagnosed with PTSD and worked to increase awareness about depression. Tragically, Cpl. Hunt took his own life in 2011 at just 28 years old after delays in receiving mental health care through the VA.\nThis bill is part of an ongoing effort to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and improve the care our veterans receive.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398507", "Luetkemeyer Urges FDIC Chairman to Act Swiftly in Investigating Involvement in Operation Choke", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) today sent a letter to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin Gruenberg to follow-up on yesterday\u2019s meeting regarding the agency\u2019s involvement in Operation Choke Point. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) today sent a letter to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin Gruenberg to follow-up on yesterday\u2019s meeting regarding the agency\u2019s involvement in Operation Choke Point. \r\nThe letter from Luetkemeyer reiterates the importance of the FDIC conducting a full review of senior staff members who have, with the Chairman\u2019s approval, clearly committed wrongdoing.\r\n\u201cThere is neither doubt nor denial that numerous members of your senior staff have allowed personal and political views to interfere with the important work of the FDIC,\u201d Luetkemeyer stated in the letter. \u201cTheir actions have not only called into question their ability to appropriately carry out their duties, but also have exposed your entire agency to what many of your staff would refer to as significant \u2018reputational risk.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\r\nIn addition, Luetkemeyer urges Chairman Gruenberg to use his authority to alter and improve the FDIC\u2019s examination process in an effort to create more transparency and reign in these \u201cvigilante activists\u201d FDIC examiners and senior staff. Luetkemeyer\u2019s latest legislation targeted at Operation Choke Point, the Financial Institution Customer Protection Act, includes language that would dictate that federal banking regulators cannot suggest, request or order a financial institution to terminate a banking relationship unless the regulator has material reason. Moreover, the legislation states clearly that \u2018reputational risk\u2019 alone is not reason to order account terminations. \r\n\u201cI appreciate Chairman Gruenberg\u2019s willingness to meet and it is my sincere hope he acts swiftly to bring punitive measures against FDIC staff members that have violated public trust,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cI will continue to hold the FDIC accountable for its actions and wrongdoing, which is why I requested a meeting with Chairman Gruenberg and Vice Chairman Tom Hoenig during the second week of January so they can report back to me and I can hear firsthand the progress made in bringing Operation Choke Point to an end once and for all. If the FDIC has not made substantial headway on these efforts, I will pursue new legislation to ensure this behavior does not happen again.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=bd567fb7-c572-43eb-a639-251afbfa6fe5", "Senator Blunt Criticizes Costly Federal Regulations, Discusses Real Impact For Missourians", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor today about several of the Obama Administration\u2019s costly regulations that hurt Missouri families, farmers, and businesses. Blunt highlighted his support for U.S. Senator Rand Paul\u2019s (Ky.) bill, the \u201cREINS Act,\u201d which would require Congress to approve every new major rule proposed by the executive branch that has an annual economic impact of $100 million or more. Blunt also discussed his introduction of the \u201cENFORCE the Law Act,\u201d which would help ensure the president upholds his constitutional obligation to \u201ctake care that the laws be faithfully executed.\u201d\r\nClick here to watch Senator Blunt's remarks.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/sam-graves-statement-being-appointed-serve-house-armed-services-committee", "Sam Graves Statement on Being Appointed to Serve on the House Armed Services Committee", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Sam Graves", "G000546", "graves.house.gov", "graves", "https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Congressman Sam Graves made the following statement after being appointed to serve on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).\n\n\"It is an honor to have the support of my colleagues in being appointed to the House Armed Services Committee. Missouri has a substantial military footprint including Whiteman's Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood Army Base. Additionally, I have the honor of representing the Air National Guard's 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph, as well as the largest provider of small-arms ammunition to our Armed Forces, ATK Manufacturing.\"\n\n\"I look forward to joining my colleagues on the committee as we work to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, address the impact of the President's sequester on our military, and advance needed reforms in the coming year. My commitment to the people of north Missouri is to continue to advocate on behalf of our nation's military and the well-being of those who so bravely serve.\"\n\nABOUT HASC\n\nThe House Committee on Armed Services is responsible for overseeing the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, defense policy generally, as well as military resources, and military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:44:12Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/fighting-sexual-assault-on-campus", "Fighting sexual assault on campus", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Fighting sexual assault on campus \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Wednesday, December 10, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Eboni Williams\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Congress is grappling with how to combat sexual assault on college and university campuses, and held a Senate hearing Tuesday on the Campus Accountability and Safety Act (CASA). The focus: the relationship between local police departments and school authorities, amid a rising tide of statistics indicating sexual violence on campuses is growing.\r\nSen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, said campus sexual assault rates increased 50% from 2009 to 2012.\r\nThis year the Obama administration has tried to pressure universities to give victims better support. A White House task force issued recommendations under the heading\u00a0Not Alone.\r\nA spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently provided CBS News with a list of 90 colleges and universities that, as of Nov. 26, 2014, have open sexual violence investigations under Title IX, the federal civil rights statute that prohibits sex-based discrimination including via harassment or violence. Although Columbia University in New York City is not on the list, it became a focus of media attention after undergraduate Emma Sulkowicz launched a protest called Carry that Weight. Sulkowicz has pledged to carry a mattress with her everywhere she goes on campus until the man she says sexually assaulted her is no longer at the school.\r\nIn August, Columbia responded with a new \"Gender-Based Misconduct Policy.\" A school spokesperson says the policy makes Columbia the national leader in addressing gender-based misconduct in higher education, alth0ugh some activists say it doesn't go far enough. Among the main features: an increase in the number of full-time employees for the school's Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center from 3 staffers to 9, plus the addition of a second such center to expand reach; round-the-clock access via telephone to professionally trained staff and peer advocates; and mandatory training of freshmen about issues of consent and bystander response .\r\nThe process by which the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) handles complaints stemming from sexual assault cases on college campuses is long and specific. First, the OCR decides whether to open an investigation at all. If does so, it then interviews the parties involved in a given case, reviews documentary evidence, and begins making site visits. If a school is found in violation of Title IX, it is given a chance to negotiate a so-called voluntary resolution agreement. Ultimately, if a school resists all recommended remedies, the Department of Education has the authority to terminate all of its federal funding.\r\n\"The most important aspect of the DOE complaint isn't the potential for financial punishment, but is really the media microscope the filing puts the school under,\" says one former university student who spoke on condition of anonymity because she is a named complainant in a current federal filing. She went on to say that the complaint shines a harsh spotlight that can tarnish a school's brand, and that can provide a strong incentive to enact policies that are rooted in prevention and support for victims of sexual violence.\r\nCBS News asked Liz Roberts, Program Director for Safe Horizon -- a U.S. agency serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape -- what changes she wanted to see for victims on college campuses. She said most important is that victims want to be believed when they come forward. Roberts said a feeling of powerlessness is a huge part of the experience of being a victim of sexual violence, and so what's needed most are policies that let survivors decide how to proceed. Schools should not tell the accusers what to do, Roberts said, but instead give them the tools to make informed decisions. \"Having policies....that place victims' safety at the center\" is Roberts' paramount concern.\r\nLast week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the State University of New York (SUNY) has adopted a uniform sexual assault prevention and response policy for its campuses, one of the first states to do so, according to a release obtained by CBS News. It says the policy provides for a singular definition of consent, statewide training of campus police and administrators, and a confidentiality and reporting protocol.\r\nThe proposed federal legislation weighed by the Senate this week, and co-sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), aims to create incentives for schools to protect their students by establishing training standards for campus personnel, developing an annual nationwide survey about students' experience with sexual violence, and increasing fines for violations -- i.e., each violation of the federal Clery Act, which requires public disclosure of crime statistics by colleges, would carry a penalty up to $150,000, versus the current $35,000.\r\nHorizon director Roberts, who is also the agency's deputy CEO, shares the belief that the focus of policies regarding sexual assault on college campuses should be less about punishing a school, and more about ensuring the safety of every student. She says that in the government's effort to address the problem, what is often lost is the survivor's voice.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mccaskill-obama-climate-change-plan-is-too-aggressive", "McCaskill: Obama climate change plan is too aggressive", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill: Obama climate change plan is too aggressive \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Wednesday, December 10, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Deirdre Shesgren\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Sen. Claire McCaskill is pushing the Obama administration to give states more time and flexibility to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.\r\nIn a letter to Washington's top environmental regulator Wednesday, McCaskill, D-Missouri, said utility companies cannot realistically meet the initial targets set out in the president's proposed \"Clean Power Plan,\" which aims to curb global warming.\r\nMcCaskill joined with four other moderate Democrats in urging the Environmental Protection Agency to nix incremental, state-specific goals for reducing carbon emissions and instead allow states to reach the final requirements at their own pace.\r\nThe draft environmental rule \u2014 unveiled in June as the cornerstone of Obama's climate change initiative \u2014 calls for a 26 percent reduction in carbon emissions from the nation's power plants by 2020 and a 30 percent reduction by 2030.\r\nPower plants are the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., generating about 38 percent of heat-trapping gases.\r\nFor each state, the EPA proposal sets an annual emissions target that the state must hit, starting in 2020 and continuing through 2030. Under the proposal, Missouri \u2014 which generates 83 percent of its energy from coal-fired power plants \u2014 would have to achieve a 21 percent reduction in carbon emissions per megawatt hour of electricity by 2030, with interim targets in the decade leading up to that final goal.\r\nEPA officials said each state's rate reductions were set based on what's feasible given its current energy mix. As it's currently drafted, the plan could force Missouri's coal-fired power plants to dramatically change the way they operate, for example, by improving efficiency, switching to natural gas or closing.\r\nMcCaskill's push comes after months of criticism of the climate change proposal from congressional Republicans. Among the most vocal, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said the president's plan will hike Missourians' electricity bills and stifle the economy. He and others have said they will try to block the plan from taking effect.\r\n\"Senator Blunt has been very vocal in his opposition to this gross government overreach, and he is calling on the EPA to withdraw the rule entirely,\" said his spokeswoman, Amber Marchand. \"He believes the Obama administration has a responsibility to stop all activity surrounding the rule until the EPA adequately studies the impact to ratepayers and shares that information with Americans publicly.\"\r\nMcCaskill and other Democrats are seeking to tweak the plan, not kill it. They say the plan is \"front-loaded\" and doesn't give utility companies enough time to make infrastructure investments and other upgrades necessary to reduce emissions.\r\n\"It results in a requirement for steep reductions that would occur in as little as six months after EPA has approved the state plans,\" states the letter, signed by Sens. McCaskill, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota.\r\n\"Each state should have the responsibility of developing its own glide path, in its EPA approved state plan, necessary for achieving its final goal by 2030,\" the Democrats' letter says. \"In so doing, each state could shape the contour of its glide path to attaining its 2030 goal based on its own unique circumstances and limitations.\"\r\nDavid Doniger, director of the climate and clean air program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, said the McCaskill letter reflects complaints from the power sector.\r\n\"The standard line from industry is 'Don't do this to me \u2014 or if you are going to do it, do it later, not now,\" he said.\r\nDoniger said while McCaskill's push is not as aggressive as the GOP attacks, it would still dramatically weaken the EPA plan. If left to their own devices, he said, states \"wouldn't do anything until very late in the game, if at all.\"\r\nAnd unraveling the interim targets, he said, would undermine the Obama administration's efforts to get other big carbon-emitting countries, such as China, to reduce their emissions.\r\n\"We need near-term action to directly address the threat to the climate and to create this positive cycle with other countries who we're trying to get to cooperate,\" he said.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mccaskills-book-party-giveaway-signed-copies-of-gone-girl", "McCaskill's book party giveaway: Signed copies of 'Gone Girl'", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill's book party giveaway: Signed copies of 'Gone Girl' \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Wednesday, December 10, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Judy Kurtz\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WE HEAR: Guests at Sen. Claire McCaskill\u2019s annual \u201cChili, Books & Beer\u201d get-together will be going home with a bookworm\u2019s dream: a copy of\u00a0Gone Girl\u00a0personally signed by author Gillian Flynn.\r\nThe Missouri Democrat\u2019s bipartisan shindig is a yearly gathering of the members of her 2006 Senate class. The chili and beer part of the evening comes with a side of literary chitchat, as each guest arrives equipped with his or her favorite book of the year to exchange.\u00a0\r\nWhile\u00a0Gone Girl, a 2012 novel that was adapted into a thriller flick starring Ben Affleck earlier this year, takes place in a fictional town in McCaskill\u2019s home state, ITK hears that the lawmaker wanted to provide her colleagues with some fun, non-legislative reading.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/senators-dont-let-rolling-stone", "Senators: Don't let Rolling Stone article get in way of fixing 'broken' system", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators: Don't let Rolling Stone article get in way of fixing 'broken' system  \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Wednesday, December 10, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Allie Grasgreen\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            It didn\u2019t take long for Rolling Stone\u2019s disputed article describing an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia to come up at a Senate hearing on campus sexual assault Tuesday that featured testimony from Sens. Claire McCaskill and Kirsten Gillibrand.\r\nMcCaskill (D-Mo.) said she\u2019s \u201csaddened and angry\u201d by the magazine\u2019s \u201cbad journalism,\u201d which she said is a setback for survivors of sexual violence. She and others at the hearing also called for more robust and accommodating institutional support for young women and men like Jackie, the young woman profiled in the magazine article, published last month.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cThis is not a crime where you have rampant false reporting or embellishment,\u201d McCaskill said. \u201cOur problem is victims are too frightened to come forward. \u2026 I want to make sure we overcome [the article] and don\u2019t allow it to slow our determination to make sure victims have every support they need.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\nMcCaskill testified briefly, alongside Gillibrand, at the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism hearing exploring the role of law enforcement in campus sexual assaults.\r\nThe senators worked together on the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, which would increase protections for students and hold colleges more accountable for addressing and preventing crimes.\r\n\u201cI refuse to let this one story become an excuse for Congress not to fix a broken system,\u201d Gillibrand said.\r\nMcCaskill told the few senators in the room that she wants feedback on the legislation, which she and Gillibrand announced in July alongside several bipartisan co-sponsors. McCaskill said she hopes to introduce the bill and move it toward passage next year.\r\nIn his opening remarks, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse stressed the importance of police involvement in campus violence against women. When law enforcement gets involved in such cases, Whitehouse said, it sends an important societal signal that violence against women is treated as a crime.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m concerned that law enforcement is being marginalized when it comes to the crime of campus sexual assault,\u201d Whitehouse said. \u201cI\u2019m concerned that the specter of flawed law enforcement overshadows the harm of marginalized law enforcement.\u201d\r\nSen. Chuck Grassley added that he hopes lawmakers move soon to pass the Campus Safety and Accountability Act, of which he is a co-sponsor.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s high time to make sure a crime is a crime wherever it\u2019s committed,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cWhen it\u2019s treated universally the same way, we\u2019ll see less rape on campus.\u201d\r\nColleges need to do a better job of communicating to students their options regarding law enforcement, Whitehouse suggested, or risk permanent mistrust in the system among victims who won\u2019t be willing to come forward because they\u2019re uncertain about the repercussions.\r\n\u201cMarginalizing the men and women who are trained professionals in the task of investigation is a move in the wrong direction,\u201d Whitehouse said. \u201cIf we don\u2019t increase and improve the role of the criminal justice system in these cases, victims will pay the price.\u201d\r\nOn a panel following McCaskill and Gillibrand\u2019s testimony, one practitioner insisted that campus adjudication processes should be integrated with \u2013 not separate from \u2013 police investigations. In all cases, she and other witnesses said, the victim\u2019s wishes and well-being should be at the center of decision-making.\r\n\u201cCampus-based adjudications don\u2019t work,\u201d said Peg Langhammer, executive director of the Day One sexual assault and trauma center in Rhode Island. \u201cPolice need to be involved, but it has to be a team approach.\u201d\r\nThe CASA requires colleges to sign memoranda of understanding with local law enforcement to clarify roles and responsibilities. That provision should provide for better and more uniform fact-finding, investigations and adjudication on campuses, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, another of the bill\u2019s co-sponsors.\r\n\u201cThe lack of a process with integrity and accuracy is what discourages a lot of survivors from coming forward,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cI think that the University of Virginia experience \u2026 should intensify and increase our determination to make this process worthy of the courage of survivors that do come forward.\u201d\r\nIt\u2019s unclear what actually happened to Jackie, whose story formed the centerpiece of the Rolling Stone article, Blumenthal said. But whatever happened should \u201credouble our determination\u201d to review and improve campus processes, he said.\r\nGillibrand said that regardless of any conflicting points in Jackie\u2019s account, many key facts \u2013 such as administrators allowing self-declared perpetrators to remain on campus \u2013 are not in dispute.\r\n\u201cIt has never been about this one school and it is painfully clear that colleges and universities across the country have a real problem,\u201d she said. \u201cI hope this story will not ultimately overshadow the stories of thousands of brave women and men.\u201d\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/on-new-epa-rulemccaskill-leads-colleagues-in_pursuing-commonsense-adjustments-to-protect-consumers", "On New EPA Rule—McCaskill Leads Colleagues in  Pursuing Commonsense Adjustments to Protect Consumers", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On New EPA Rule\u2014McCaskill Leads Colleagues in  Pursuing Commonsense Adjustments to Protect Consumers \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t With feedback from Missouri consumers and employers, McCaskill presses environmental agency to alter timeline \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 10, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is leading a group of moderate Senators today in an effort to protect consumers from unreasonable utility rate hikes\u2014expressing concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon pollution from the country\u2019s power plants, and telling the agency to protect Missouri consumers and employers by making commonsense changes to the content and timeline of the proposed rule.\r\n\u201cNumerous stakeholders in our states have raised various important concerns related to the proposed rule,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cAmong those are several common themes that we have heard repeatedly and believe must be addressed in the final rule. These concerns relate to the initial reduction obligations the electric power sector must meet by 2020, the short timeframes required for states to develop their implementation plans, and the treatment of cross border renewable resources.\u201d\r\nThe Senators\u2019 letter continues: \u201cWe recognize that climate change is a significant global threat that requires serious action to be taken at both the national and international levels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In order to best achieve these goals, however, changes must be made to the current proposal. Although numerous stakeholders have raised a wide range of issues that need to be addressed in the final rule, we are highlighting these three concerns as priorities to be addressed so that greater flexibility can be incorporated, thereby minimizing negative impacts on electric reliability and consumer rates across the country.\u201d\u00a0\r\nMcCaskill said she recognizes the need to address the emission of carbon pollution but expressed concern that the EPA\u2019s 2020 timeline does not accurately reflect the lead time needed for necessary infrastructure investments and upgrades. She urged that each state should have the responsibility of developing its own more flexible path\u00a0to achieve the final goal by 2030. McCaskill also asked that the comprehensive evaluation of reliability impacts be conducted after state plans are finalized, as well as expressed concerns about how the proposed rules credit renewable energy generation across state lines, an issue of special concern to Missouri given the amount of wind energy the state purchases from Kansas.\u00a0\r\nMcCaskill has consistently served as an independent voice on issues of energy security. She is a longtime supporter of the swift approval and construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, recently voting again to approve the project\u2019s construction. Earlier this year, McCaskill called on President Obama to implement an explicit timeline for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline permit, highlighting the repeated delays in the approval process over the last several years. McCaskill was also a strong supporter of Ameren Missouri and Westinghouse on their application to design and build a modular nuclear unit for export in Missouri.\r\nFull text of today\u2019s letter is available HERE and below:\r\n\r\nDear Administrator McCarthy,\r\nWe are writing to express some of our concerns regarding the EPA\u2019s proposed Clean Power Plan (CPP) designed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the nation\u2019s power plants.\u00a0\r\nNumerous stakeholders in our states have raised various important concerns related to the proposed rule.\u00a0 Among those are several common themes that we have heard repeatedly and believe must be addressed in the final rule.\u00a0 These concerns relate to the initial reduction obligations the electric power sector must meet by 2020, the short timeframes required for states to develop their implementation plans, and the treatment of cross border renewable resources.\u00a0\r\nFirst, we have concerns that the CPP as proposed, under which emission reductions are front loaded by assuming that building blocks one and two directly affecting fossil-fueled electric generating units will be fully implemented by 2020, does not accurately reflect the lead time needed for necessary infrastructure investments and upgrades.\u00a0 In fact, it results in a requirement for steep reductions that would occur in as little as 6 months after EPA has approved the state plans. \u00a0\u00a0\r\nFor example, the re dispatch of natural gas combined cycle generation up to a 70 percent capacity factor will require a substantial additional build out of transmission infrastructure and natural gas pipeline capacity.\u00a0 Similarly, outages of individual electric generating units will be required so that coal fired power plants can be upgraded to achieve improvements in generating efficiency.\u00a0 And, as generation is taken off the grid, additional electric transmission lines and infrastructure will need to be built in order address voltage and other grid management concerns.\r\nIn order to minimize the costs to consumers and potential reliability concerns, as recently highlighted in a report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the final rule must provide adequate time for the design, permitting, and construction of such large scale capital intensive infrastructure.. To address this concern, we urge the elimination of initial 2020 targets in the final rule.\u00a0 Rather each state should have the responsibility of developing its own glide path, in its EPA approved state plan, necessary for achieving its final goal by 2030.\u00a0 In so doing, each state could shape the contour of its glide path to attaining its 2030 goal based on its own unique circumstances and limitations.\u00a0 In developing its glide path, the state would establish enforceable milestones for phasing in the reductions during the interim period, and demonstrate that such measures will achieve the final goals. This approach would preserve the overall reductions achieved by the Clean Power Plan, while enhancing the state flexibility that is already a part of EPA\u2019s proposal.\r\nFurthermore, the CPP provides for ambitious deadlines for states to develop and submit plans to achieve CO2 emission reduction targets under the CPP, further exacerbating the issues discussed above.\u00a0 The proposed rule gives states only 13 months from the issuance of a final EPA rule to prepare and submit their plans to EPA, with the possibility of only a one year extension for individual state plans and a two-year extension for multi state plans.\u00a0 These brief timelines will not allow for the full regional and national analysis as multiple states change key portions of the energy generating infrastructure in ways the will have many complicated and interconnected outcomes.\r\nTo assure the reliability of the electric grid, NERC and the various other regional transmission authorities must have an opportunity to evaluate the state plans.\u00a0 Due to the interconnections of the electricity grid across state boundaries, a comprehensive evaluation of potential reliability impacts can be accomplished only after all state plans are finalized, so the impact of each respective state on its neighboring states can be considered.\u00a0 This is challenging to accomplish on the ambitious proposed schedule while maintaining strong electric reliability and reasonable cost to consumers and businesses.\r\nFinally, we have heard concerns about how the proposed rules credit renewable energy generation across state lines.\u00a0 Given the uneven distribution of easily exploitable renewable energy resources across the nation, much of the renewable generation built in one state has been incorporated into the rate base of another state. While multi-state implementation plans could moderate this issue there are other significant hurdles that would prevent states from entering such compacts.\u00a0 Therefore, the final rule needs to incorporate a mechanism to account for the renewable energy credits that have been included in rates of utilities located across state lines.\r\nWe recognize that climate change is a significant global threat that requires serious action to be taken at both the national and international levels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.\u00a0 In order to best achieve these goals, however, changes must be made to the current proposal.\u00a0 Although numerous stakeholders have raised a wide range of issues that need to be addressed in the final rule, we are highlighting these three concerns as priorities to be addressed so that greater flexibility can be incorporated, thereby minimizing negative impacts on electric reliability and consumer rates across the country. \u00a0\r\nThank you for your consideration of this important request.\r\n\r\nMcCaskill\u2019s letter was also signed by Senators including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/event/bates-county-staff-listening-post-3", "Bates County Staff Listening Post", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) announces a 4th Congressional District Listening Post has been scheduled for December 16th, 2014 in Butler, Missouri.\nEach Listening Post held throughout the 4th District is hosted by a member of Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s staff and is intended to provide citizens the opportunity to discuss matters of importance to them. Hartzler staff member Zack Brown will meet with constituents and report back to the Congresswoman.\nAll citizens are invited to attend.\nWhat: Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler Listening Post\nWhere: Bates County Courthouse, 1 North Delaware, Butler, MO 64730\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 (First Floor Hallway)\nWhen: December 16th, 2014 \u2013 9:00 am CT \u2013 10:00 am CT\nFor further information contact Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s Harrisonville office at (816) 884-3411.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/event/henry-county-staff-listening-posts-1", "Henry County Staff Listening Posts", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) announces a 4th Congressional District Listening Post has been scheduled for December 16th, 2014 in Clinton, Missouri.\nEach Listening Post held throughout the 4th District is hosted by a member of Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s staff and is intended to provide citizens the opportunity to discuss matters of importance to them. Hartzler staff member Zack Brown will meet with constituents and report back to the Congresswoman.\nAll citizens are invited to attend.\nWhat: Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler Listening Post\nWhere: Henry County Courthouse, 100 West Franklin, Clinton, MO 64735\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 (First Floor Hallway)\nWhen: December 16th, 2014 \u2013 1:30 pm CT \u2013 2:30 pm CT\nFor further information contact Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s Harrisonville office at (816) 884-3411.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hartzler.house.gov/event/vernon-county-staff-listening-post-3", "Vernon County Staff Listening Post", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Vicky Hartzler", "H001053", "hartzler.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) announces a 4thCongressional District Listening Post has been scheduled for December 16th, 2014 in Nevada, Missouri.\n\t\t\t\tEach Listening Post held throughout the 4thDistrict is hosted by a member of Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s staff and is intended to provide citizens the opportunity to discuss matters of importance to them. Hartzler staff member Zack Brown will meet with constituents and report back to the Congresswoman.\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\t\tAll citizens are invited to attend.\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\t\tWhat:Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler Listening Post\n\t\t\t\tWhere:Vernon County Courthouse, 100 W. Cherry Street, Nevada, MO 64772\n\t\t\t\tWhen:December 16th, 2014 \u2013 11:00 am CT \u2013 12:00 pm CT\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\t\tFor further information contact Congresswoman Hartzler\u2019s Harrisonville office at (816) 884-3411.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398505", "Luetkemeyer Meets with FDIC Chairman to Demand Explanation on Operation Choke Point", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) today met with Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin Gruenberg about the agency\u2019s involvement in Operation Choke Point. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) today met with Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin Gruenberg about the agency\u2019s involvement in Operation Choke Point. \r\nYesterday, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee released a report regarding the FDIC\u2019s involvement in Operation Choke Point. Included in the report are more than 7,500 pages of information, including internal memorandum and emails. The information in the report indicates that FDIC staff blatantly targeted specific industries despite FDIC officials reporting to Congress that industries have not been and would not be targeted. \r\n\u201cAfter reviewing the FDIC report from the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I can confirm that our worst fears have been validated,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cThe report clearly shows that senior members of the FDIC lied to me, to Congressional staff, to other Members of Congress, and in testimony to several House Committees. Not only that, the communications contained in the report show that the FDIC is inserting personal views into banking supervision, which is unethical and completely unacceptable. I have urged Chairman Gruenberg to take prompt action, including but not limited to a thorough review of each FDIC staff member implicated in the report. Throughout my more than 35 years in the banking industry, I have always had the utmost respect for the FDIC and the manner in which it carries out its mission. That respect has been greatly diminished. Congress and the American people have lost faith in the FDIC and will not tolerate this behavior. It is time for Chairman Gruenberg to take action and report back the findings to Congress in order to restore the integrity of the FDIC.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398506", "Luetkemeyer Supports Legislation to Remove Federal  Red Tape and Allow the Closure of St. Clair Airport", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After years of  local officials seeking permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to close St. Clair Regional Airport, today U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) and the House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow the city to close the airport once all obligations to federal taxpayers have been repaid. \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      After years of \u00a0local officials seeking permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to close St. Clair Regional Airport, today U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) and the House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow the city to close the airport once all obligations to federal taxpayers have been repaid. \r\n\u201cIt may come as a surprise to many Missourians, but a municipality such as St. Clair cannot close an airport which it owns and operates without permission from the federal government. A few years ago local officials of St. Clair asked members of the Missouri delegation for help to facilitate authorization to close the airport. I am pleased that the House and Senate have now both passed legislation introduced by Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt to allow the city to pursue its own efforts to improve the local economy once federal taxpayers are made whole,\u201d Luetkemeyer said. \u201cSt. Clair has been financially burdened with maintaining and operating this struggling airport year after year and closing it will allow the city to move forward with economic development plans supported by the local community. This legislation ensures the city will pay back any taxpayer dollars that were put into the airport and will transfer any salvageable airport and aviation equipment back to the state.\u201d\r\nLast week, the Senate passed S.2759 which would release the city of St. Clair from all restrictions, conditions, and limitations on the use of conveyance and closure of the regional airport. It would allow St. Clair to close the airport once they pay back any previously received FAA funds and transfer all salvageable equipment to the Missouri Department of Transportation for the improvement of Missouri aviation. Moreover, the city of St. Clair is very supportive of this effort, including the mayor, city council, school board, and local chamber of commerce. In addition, the Missouri Department of Transportation has indicated closure of the airport will not have an adverse impact on aviation in the state.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://wagner.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/wagner-responds-to-the-senate-intelligence-committee-report", "Wagner Responds to the Senate Intelligence Committee Report", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Ann Wagner", "W000812", "wagner.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congresswoman Ann Wagner issued the following statement after the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released the \"Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program:\" \u201cAs a former United States Ambassador, the safety and security of Americans, especially those that are overseas, should always be our top priority.\u00a0 The Senate Intelligence Committee's decision to release this report to the public threatens the lives of diplomats, military personnel and all Americans around the globe, and irreparably damages our relationships with our allies.\u00a0\u00a0 While these enhanced interrogation techniques should be seriously examined by lawmakers and officials with top security clearances, the mass publication of this highly partisan and subjective report will only foment more instability around the globe and put our national security at risk.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=52449075-001e-40a0-910c-5fc7852a27a6", "Senator Blunt Discusses Senate Democrats Intelligence Report", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 During the Senate Republican Leadership Stakeout today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) discussed his opposition to the publication of the Senate Democrats\u2019 intelligence report.\r\nBlunt, who served as a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence when the report was written, stated that no Republican members on the committee were consulted.\r\nClick here to watch Senator Blunt's remarks.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/blunt-mccaskill-push-postal-service-to-delay-closure-of-local-mail-center", "Blunt, McCaskill push Postal Service to delay closure of local mail center", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Blunt, McCaskill push Postal Service to delay closure of local mail center \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Tuesday, December 9, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Deirdre Shesgren\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            WASHINGTON \u2013\u00a0Missouri's two U.S. senators have asked the U.S. Postal Service to delay closing 82 mail processing facilities -- including one in Springfield scheduled to shutter next month.\r\nThe Springfield mail processing center has been spared once before -- it was targeted for closure last year but got a temporary reprieve after the Postal Service postponed some consolidations. As many as 200 workers at the Springfield facility could be forced to relocate or lose their jobs if the agency goes through with its current plans.\r\nBut the push for another delay -- led by Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Roy Blunt, R-Mo., among others -- faces long odds.\r\nThe postal service is in the midst of a dramatic downsizing, as officials seek to adjust to a big drop-off in mail volume and other financial pressures that have put the agency in the red. A self-funded government agency, the USPS has suffered from declining revenue in stamp sales and other services, as more consumers use email and the Internet to communicate.\r\nThe Postal Service's cutbacks have faced stiff resistance in Congress, with lawmakers from rural states calling mail service a lifeline for their constituents. McCaskill and others have tried to pass a sweeping postal reform bill that would help the agency save money without slashing services.\r\nBut that legislative effort has stalled. And in the meantime, USPS officials began a broad restructuring, closing about 300 facilities since 2006.\r\nThe second phase of the consolidation is set to start in January and will involve the closure of as many as 82 mail processing and distribution centers around the country -- including the Springfield facility and one in Cape Girardeau.\r\nIn Springfield, workers have already started bracing for bad news. Chris Bentley, executive board president of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, said the transfer of Springfield's mail processing operations to a Kansas City facility would cost jobs and hurt consumers.\r\n\"We wish that people would take us off the chopping block altogether,\" Bentley said. \"We want all the postal workers in Springfield to be able to stay there and keep doing a good job.\"\r\nIn a Dec. 1 letter, McCaskill, Blunt, and 28 other senators urged Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to hold off on the consolidations, saying the agency has not adequately examined the impact the closures would have. They pointed to a report by the Postal Service's inspector general, which found that USPS did not complete federally mandated feasibility studies.\r\nWithout that information, the lawmakers said, \"it's impossible to fully understand the effects of consolidation decisions or adequately inform local customers or consider issues important to them.\"\r\nBlunt, the only Republican who signed the letter, said the closure of one center could \"have the impact of overwhelming the facility you move to,\" among other problems.\r\nJohn LaBombard, a spokesman for McCaskill, said if the Postal Service agrees to another delay, it could give lawmakers a new window to pass a reform bill that would improve the agency's financial calculations.\r\n\"If the USPS postpones the closures for a few months and we can get moving on postal reform early (in the) next Congress, we may be able to get the USPS to further postpone the closures until there is some legislative clarity,\" he said.\r\nSue Brennan, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service, said officials are working on a response to the Senate letter. But she suggested that agency officials were not eager to wait for promised legislative action.\r\n\"With major volume decreases in first-class mail, the Postal Service has significant excess capacity in its network and cannot sit idly by and do nothing,\" Brennan said. \"The Postal Service firmly believes that the operational changes being implemented are necessary. In the process, the Postal Service has sought to minimize impact to customers and employees.\"\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/campus-sexual-assaultmccaskill-rallies-colleagues-support-for-bipartisan-bill", "Campus Sexual Assault—McCaskill Rallies Colleagues’ Support for Bipartisan Bill", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Campus Sexual Assault\u2014McCaskill Rallies Colleagues\u2019 Support for Bipartisan Bill \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator discusses the importance of reforms to protect students, strengthen accountability and  transparency for institutions, law enforcement;  Addresses recent controversy surrounding Rolling Stone coverage of alleged gang rape at UVA \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today testified before the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism on her legislation to combat sexual assaults on college campuses\u2014a bipartisan effort to protect and empower students, and strengthen accountability and transparency for institutions and law enforcement. \u00a0\r\n\u201cWhat we can do is make sure that information now provided to survivors in the military is available to young women and men who are assaulted on college campuses,\u201d said McCaskill, a former courtroom prosecutor of sex crimes. \u201cSo they know what their choices are at the moment of reporting. So they understand what the consequences are if they decline to go to the hospital, or if they decline to talk to law enforcement, that they are taking on a chance that justice will never truly be obtained in terms of holding their perpetrator accountable. So it\u2019s in that framework that we\u2019ve tried to work out a bill that will strengthen the support services for victims. A victim who is assaulted on a Friday night needs to know, on that Friday night, where she can call and where she can go for confidential support and good information, which we hope gives her the encouragement to make the choice to move forward in the criminal justice system.\u201d\r\nView video and high-resolution photos of today\u2019s testimony HERE and HERE.\r\nMcCaskill responded to the recent controversy surrounding Rolling Stone\u2019s retraction of a story on an alleged assault at the University of Virginia, saying: \u201cI am saddened and angry about the bad journalism in Rolling Stone concerning an alleged gang rape at the University of Virginia. I am saddened and angry because it is a setback for survivors in this country. This is not a crime where you have rampant false reporting or embellishment. This is a crime that is the most underreported crime in America and will remain so. And our problem is not victims coming forward and embellishing, our problem is victims are too frightened to come forward.\u201d\r\nIn July, McCaskill and a bipartisan group of Senators introduced the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, to take aim at sexual assaults on college and university campuses by protecting and empowering students, and strengthening accountability and transparency for institutions\u2014including establishing stiff penalties for non-compliance with the legislation\u2019s new standards for training, data and best practices.\r\nMcCaskill called the legislation, \u201ca truly bipartisan bill\u2026 all of us look forward to introducing it and moving it forward toward its passage next year\u2026\u201d and thanked co-sponsor Senator Gillibrand, who also testified, \u201cfor her passion and her focus on this issue,\u201d saying when united, the two are \u201ca force to be reckoned with.\u201d\r\nRhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the chairman of the Subcommittee, praised the Senators\u2019 efforts on the issue, saying, \u201cSenators McCaskill and Gillibrand have worked tirelessly to shed a light on the scourge of sexual assault on our college campuses and in our military. Senators McCaskill and Heller are lead cosponsors and worked very, very hard, along with Senators Gillibrand and Grassley and others, on legislation that makes comprehensive changes in the area of campus sexual assault. We hope this hearing will help inform their work.\u201d\r\nRead a copy of McCaskill\u2019s \u2018Sexual Violence on Campus\u2019 report\u00a0HERE.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-bill-requiring-tricare-to-cover_breastfeeding-services-included-in-defense-bill-", "McCaskill Bill Requiring TRICARE to Cover  Breastfeeding Services Included in Defense Bill", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Bill Requiring TRICARE to Cover  Breastfeeding Services Included in Defense Bill  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator\u2019s provision to provide members of the military and their families  coverage consistent with private sector is one step closer to becoming law \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 This year\u2019s annual defense bill will include a provision by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill to require TRICARE\u2014health insurance provided to members of the military and their families\u2014to cover breastfeeding equipment, such as breast pumps, along with support and counseling, as required by most private health plans under the Affordable Care Act.\r\n\u201cAs someone who was a single, working mother, I know firsthand the importance of comprehensive, affordable healthcare for new moms,\u201d said McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. \u201cI\u2019m proud we\u2019ll be able to get this commonsense legislation one step closer to the finish line, so that new mothers in the military and military spouses can have access to the same high standard of services we\u2019ve achieved in the civilian sector under the health care law.\u201d\r\nMore than 50 medical, family, and healthcare groups, including the National Women\u2019s Law Center, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Nursing endorsed McCaskill\u2019s legislation. Full text of their letter can be found HERE. The National Military Family Association has also endorsed the bill.\r\nCurrently, as part of breastfeeding support, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires insurance plans to cover breast pump rental or provide breast pumps for new moms, as well as lactation counseling and support.\r\nWith TRICARE, members of the military and military spouses have been left to pay the full costs out of pocket for these services. TRICARE benefits are not subject to the mandates of the ACA that affect private health insurance plans. As such, when the Health Resources and Services Administration determined that breastfeeding equipment and support should be covered by health insurance companies under the provisions of the ACA, this requirement did not extend to TRICARE.\u00a0\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/healthcare to read highlights of McCaskill\u2019s fight to improve our nation\u2019s healthcare system.\u00a0\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-meets-with-attorney-general-nominee-", "McCaskill Meets with Attorney General Nominee", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Meets with Attorney General Nominee  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator sits down with Loretta Lynch \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today met with United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and nominee for Attorney General of the United States, Loretta Lynch.\r\n\u201cOur nation\u2019s top lawyer is a critical post,\u201d McCaskill said. \u201cAs the events that unfolded over the past few months in Ferguson highlighted, the position of Attorney General is an important backstop in our nation\u2019s legal system and can positively reinforce Americans\u2019 trust in the rule of law amid intense legal controversies. I\u2019m impressed by Ms. Lynch\u2019s qualifications and confident in her ability to fulfill the duties of U.S. Attorney General.\u201d\r\nClick HERE for a photo of today\u2019s meeting.\r\nLoretta Lynch, who holds a B.A. and J.D. from Harvard University, currently serves as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York where she has successfully prosecuted numerous cases of corruption in the public and private sectors. Prior to her current post, Ms. Lynch was a partner at Hogan & Hartson, a drug and violent crime prosecutor, and chief assistant to the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York.\r\n\u00a0###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-plan-to-fix-pow/mia-recovery-efforts-included-in-defense-bill", "McCaskill Plan to Fix POW/MIA Recovery Efforts Included in Defense Bill", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Plan to Fix POW/MIA Recovery Efforts Included in Defense Bill \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Once law, Senator\u2019s proposal will create single POW/MIA agency to ensure accountability of efforts \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Following a nearly two-year effort, this year\u2019s annual defense bill will include a plan by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill that directs the Secretary of Defense to designate a single organization to handle POW/MIA accounting efforts. \u00a0\r\n\u201cThis is a critical step in the right direction,\u201d said McCaskill, the daughter of a World War II veteran. \u201cFor too long our country\u2019s POW/MIA recovery efforts have been stymied by mismanagement and a lack of oversight. These crucial reforms will centralize a currently decentralized process and hopefully allow the accounting mission to proceed more effectively and efficiently than it has in the past.\u201d\r\nMcCaskill, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been at the forefront of the fight to address systemic mismanagement of the Pentagon's POW/MIA recovery efforts.\r\nIn May, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved McCaskill\u2019s plan to strengthen POW/MIA recovery efforts by establishing a single agency responsible for those efforts, with one federal official in charge. The amendment to this year\u2019s annual defense bill\u2014which follows a similar recommendation\u00a0by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel\u2014addresses the key deficit identified by the Government Accountability Office and McCaskill, which is that there was no one agency or official in charge to coordinate and be held accountable for POW/MIA recovery.\r\nThis is the first official step in restructuring POW/MIA accounting following\u00a0McCaskill's investigation last year into the troubled recovery efforts.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/veterans to read highlights of McCaskill\u2019s work to deliver for our veterans.\u00a0\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/photos/campus-sexual-assaultmccaskill-rallies-colleague-support-for-bipartisan-bill", "Campus Sexual Assault—McCaskill Rallies Colleague Support for Bipartisan Bill", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today testified before the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism on her legislation to combat sexual assaults on college campuses\u2014a bipartisan effort to protect and empower students, and strengthen accountability and transparency for institutions and law enforcement.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/video/view/campus-sexual-assaultmccaskill-rallies-colleagues-support-for-bipartisan-bill", "Campus Sexual Assault—McCaskill Rallies Colleagues Support for Bipartisan Bill", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today testified before the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism on her legislation to combat sexual assaults on college campuses\u2014a bipartisan effort...", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398504", "Luetkemeyer Introduces the \"Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act\"", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Blaine Luetkemeyer", "L000569", "luetkemeyer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Luetkemeyer Introduces the \"Providing Accountability Through Transparency 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        December 8, 2014\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        Continuing his efforts to shine light on regulations from the executive branch, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) introduced legislation that would require agencies to create a plain language summary of proposed rules to provide more transparency and clarity.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Continuing his efforts to shine light on regulations from the executive branch, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) introduced legislation that would require agencies to create a plain language summary of proposed rules to provide more transparency and clarity.\r\n\u201cGovernment agencies have a habit of creating long-winded and convoluted rules that, frankly, don\u2019t make sense unless you are an expert in that field. My legislation would simply require agencies to create a short, plain language summary and a web link to make it accessible so that all Americans can easily find and understand the rules being proposed by the administration,\u201d Luetkemeyer said.\r\nThe legislation, the \u201cProviding Accountability through Transparency Act,\u201d would require each government agency, in providing notice of a rule making, to include a link to a 100 word plain language summary of the proposed rule. \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"], ["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mccaskill-cia-report-would-never-happen-in-north-korea-or-china", "McCaskill: CIA report 'would never happen in North Korea or China'", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill: CIA report 'would never happen in North Korea or China' \r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                Monday, December 8, 2014\r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            \r\n                  \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Martin Matishak\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            The release of a report on CIA enhanced interrogations techniques \"would never happen\" in less open and accountable nations, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said on Monday.  \u00a0  The assessment, which could be released as soon as Monday, \u201cexposes what the world already knows, and that is that the United States engaged in torture,\u201d McCaskill said during an interview with CBS.\r\n\u201cBut my feeling about this is that this is a gut-check moment for our democracy. The world knows we tortured. But does the world know yet that we'll hold up our values and hold our government accountable?\u201d she said.  \u00a0  McCaskill added that the report \u201cwould never happen in North Korea or China or Russia. But in the United States, we hold our government accountable. And I think that process is so important, so fundamental to our democracy that it's essential that this report comes out.\u201d  \u00a0  She stressed that the White House and Congress must have authority over the CIA.  \u00a0  \u201cNow, if this report doesn't come out, then we all need to get comfortable with the fact that in America, the CIA has no oversight,\u201d McCaskill warned.  \u00a0  The report is the result of a probe by the Senate Intelligence Committee into the CIA\u2019s enhanced interrogations during the George W. Bush administration.  \u00a0  The Obama administration and many within the intelligence community have been scrambling in advance of its pending release out of fear for potentially violent blowback around the world.  \u00a0  McCaskill, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the public would ultimately decide whether the report\u2019s release is a \u201clearning moment for us.\u201d  \u00a0  She said the incoming panel chairman, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), himself a prisoner of war in Vietnam, has been \u201cup front about how important it is that we get beyond this ever happening again in terms of using torture.\" In addition, the report itself \u201cwill help us all understand whether or not the torture was effective,\" according to McCaskill.\r\n            \r\n             \r\n            \r\n            \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1495, "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 \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "MO", "p1": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 921, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014&party=Republican", "selected": false}, {"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 574, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1495, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "MO", "label": "MO", "count": 1495, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 1495, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MO", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-12-08,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emccaskill~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Flatest-headlines~2Fmccaskill-cia-report-would-never-happen-in-north-korea-or-china", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MO&year=2014&_next=2014-12-08%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Emccaskill~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Flatest-headlines~2Fmccaskill-cia-report-would-never-happen-in-north-korea-or-china&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 178.76893281936646, "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"}