Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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574 rows where party = "Democrat", state = "MO" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| 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 | legacy | Senators press Army secretary on retirement benefits Saturday, November 29, 2014 By: Kristina Wong 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. Sen. 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. Murray 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. The senators say this would affect a "significant number of captains and majors who are former non-commissioned officers." This 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. The 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. Murray 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. "Many are being retired at enlisted ranks they have not held in years. This is particularly disturbing because had they ignored the Army’s call for officers most would have been promoted at least once more and been eligible to retire at a higher enlisted rank," they said. “To demote these soldiers in retirement is an injustice that devalues their service and will materially d… | 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 | legacy | Boys, Girls State teaches valuable lessons Friday, November 28, 2014 By: Bradee Williams 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. Alec 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. The 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. “I really understand the importance of everyone’s vote. Every individual has something to say, and some… | 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 | legacy | Airport Bill One of 296 Obama Signs Saturday, December 27, 2014 By: Keith E. Domke It’s never happened before, and it may never happen again. An 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. And, 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. President Barack Obama’s 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. The bill authorizes the closure of the St. Clair Regional Airport. It states that it is “a 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.” Additional 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. The 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. A 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. The session that President Harry S… | 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 | legacy | A possible Ferguson solution: Cameras on cops Wednesday, November 26, 2014 By: Michael Doyle WASHINGTON — The Ferguson fallout will include more police officers nationwide wearing cameras as part of their uniforms. Lawmakers 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. “The officers have welcomed them, and I think the community has, too,” April R. Harris, treasurer of the Greensboro Police Foundation in North Carolina, said in an interview Wednesday, recalling that “before we had the cameras, we had here in Greensboro a couple of police situations where it was, ‘He said, she said.’” The Greensboro Police Foundation raised more than $100,000 to purchase the cameras for the city’s 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. The cameras’ 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’s exempt from public release. There’s 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. “Since Ferguson, the agencies will look more closely to see, ‘How can we make this happen?’ but also, ‘How can we do it right?’” Lindsay Miller, senior research associate at the Police Executive Research Forum, said in an interview Wednesday. Miller,… | 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 | legacy | National status for Liberty Memorial is expected to be a boon Friday, December 26, 2014 By: Matt Campbell The long-sought designation of Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial as official national memorial to the Great War was, ironically, tucked into a war-spending bill. The must-pass bill approved this month finally capped a legislative effort that had been stalled for years. “We’re just grateful they were able to find an appropriate bill to hang it onto to get the thing passed,” said Matt Naylor, president and CEO of the National World War I Museum. “It speaks to the ingenuity of the Congress people.” The rise in stature is expected to greatly enhance the museum’s ability to court fundraisers, to expand a national advisory board and to attract visitors and traveling exhibits. “This enables us to have conversations with prospective funders on a national scale that might otherwise see us as a more parochial or regional museum,” said Naylor. “This is potentially a very good thing for us.” Memorial leaders had a successful fundraising event in New York recently and are planning future events. Liberty Memorial already had the designation of being the “national museum” for World War I. Now it can add “national memorial” to its title as well. The monument’s board will explore whether to tweak the museum’s logo or brand. The designation was sponsored by local U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver, Sam Graves and Kevin Yoder and by Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt. “This designation honors the courage and sacrifice of all those who served in World War I,” McCaskill said in a statement. “It’s my hope that the Liberty Memorial’s new, national status — which finally matches its national significance — shines a spotlight on the site’s u… | 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 | legacy | Senators query rideshare services Lyft, Uber on privacy Tuesday, December 23, 2014 By: Mike Snider Ridesharing services Lyft and Uber are picking up more attention from the U.S. Senate. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) sent letters to both companies raising concern about their privacy and data security policies. Their 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. Senator blasts Uber for weak response to spy scandal Another press report that the senators' letter references includes a Uber job applicant having access to the company's database of customer records. "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," their letter says. Also 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. Both 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. The senators also asked for information on the companies' public and internal policies pertaining to their practices on privacy policies, third party data… | 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 | legacy | Fight Against ISIS Gets Independent Watchdog as McCaskill’s Wartime Contracting Reforms Kick-in Senator’s landmark legislation that overhauled wartime contracting practices requires designation of Inspector General to guard against waste, fraud, abuse of taxpayer dollars overseas Tuesday, December 23, 2014 WASHINGTON – Nearly two years to the day after Congress passed into law Senator Claire McCaskill’s sweeping overhaul of wartime contracting practices, military action against the so-called “Islamic State,” or ISIS, is triggering those reforms to ensure accountability and oversight of the effort. McCaskill’s 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. One 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—and requires that Inspector General to make regular reports to Congress. The Defense Department announced this week that Jon T. Rymer, the Pentagon’s 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. “This is exactly the kind of accountability and oversight that’s needed to protect taxpayer dollars when America takes military action—especially after the stunning waste we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said McCaskill, a former prosecutor and Missouri State Auditor. “As the critical mission against ISIS is executed, these reforms should help strengthen Americans’ confidence that our resources are being used effectively and efficiently.” McCaskill’s legislation has improved contracting practices and accountability across the federal go… | 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 | legacy | McCaskill, Nelson Raise Concerns Over Uber & Lyft Privacy Policies Senators demand answers from ride-sharing companies on privacy protection, data securities practices Tuesday, December 23, 2014 WASHINGTON – 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’ privacy policies and demanding answers on current privacy and data security practices. “Some media reports have suggested that Uber lacks responsible data-security practices and potentially disregards the protections articulated in its privacy policy,” the Senators, both senior members of the Commerce Committee, wrote in their letter to Uber. “For example, the press has reported that the general manager of Uber’s New York operations tracked and accessed a reporter’s 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’s database of customer records, including actual travel records of Uber riders. 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.” The Senators also expressed concern with media reports that Uber’s “God View” of customer’s 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’ travel logs. McCaskill, 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 … | 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 | legacy | Liberty Memorial bestowed national World War I memorial designation Sunday, December 21, 2014 By: Chris Oberholtz KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - The Liberty Memorial in Kansas City has gained national status after President Barack Obama signed legislature Friday officially recognizing the landmark. This comes after the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would designate it as the nation's World War I Museum and Memorial. Other monuments with that status include the National World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The legislation passed the House of Representatives in May and passed the Senate on Dec. 12 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The 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. "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. Naylor 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. Both Blunt and McCaskill serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee and pushed for the provision in this year's annual defense bill. … | 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 | legacy | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 19, 2014 MEDIA CONTACT: STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029 Clay Applauds Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing Urges Panel to Review Use of Force, Address Diversity Gap, Recommend Independent Investigations & Prosecutions of Fatal Police Shootings WASHINGTON. 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. I 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. Mr. 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 wit… | 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 | legacy | Colbert says farewell with a little help from Washington Friday, December 19, 2014 By: Alexandra Jaffe (CNN) -- Comedian Stephen Colbert bid farewell on his final show Thursday night with the help of a pantheon of celebrities, including Washington notables and dignitaries. Everyone 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 — and even former President Bill Clinton, tweeting — appeared during the 23-minute finale, all singing "We'll Meet Again" along with Colbert. Here's our unofficial list of other members of the Washington political and pundit class that helped send off Colbert on Thursday night: Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker New York Mayor Bill de Blasio D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton Former President Bill Clinton — texting UN Ambassador Samantha Power Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno Former secretary of State Henry Kissinger Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington Vice founder Shane Smith Journalist Matt Taibbi Commentator Andrew Sullivan CNN anchor Jake Tapper NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw CBS News anchor Charlie Rose Yahoo news anchor Katie Couric Former NBC anchor David Gregory CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour CNN commentator Jeff Toobin NPR host Terry Gross New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof New York Times columnist Paul Krugman New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd Presidential biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist Activist Gloria Steinem NIH Director Francis Collins … | 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 | legacy | Half of Dr. Oz’s medical advice is baseless or wrong, study says Friday, December 19, 2014 By: Terrence McCoy It’s not hard to understand what makes Dr. Oz so popular. Called “America’s doctor,” syndicated talk-show host Mehmet Oz speaks in a way anyone can understand. Medicine may be complex. But with Dr. Oz, clad in scrubs and crooning to millions of viewers about “miracles” and “revolutionary” breakthroughs, it’s often not. He somehow makes it fun. And people can’t get enough. “I haven’t seen a doctor in eight years,” the New Yorker quoted one viewer telling Oz. “I’m scared. You’re the only one I trust.” But is that trust misplaced? Or has Oz, who often peddles miracle cures for weight loss and other maladies, mortgaged medical veracity for entertainment value? These questions have hammered Oz for months. In June, he was hauled in front of Congress, where Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) told him he gave people false hope and criticized his segments as a “recipe for disaster.” Then last month, a study he widely trumpeted lauding coffee bean weight-loss pills was retracted despite Oz’s assertions it could “burn fat fast for anyone who wants to lose weight.” Sen. 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) And now, his work has come under even greater scrutiny in the British Medical Journal, which on Wednesday published a study analyzing Oz’s claims along with those made on another medical talk show. What they found wasn’t reassuring. The researchers, led by Christina Korownyk of the University of Alberta, charged medical research either d… | 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 | legacy | Here’s What Experts Say About the Advice on Dr. Oz and The Doctors Friday, December 19, 2014 By: Alice Park Many Americans get their health advice not from their doctor, but from daytime television. But how good are those recommendations? Reporting in the BMJ, Canadian researchers analyzed two medical TV talk shows—The Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors—and 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. “The bottom line message is for people to be really skeptical about the recommendations made on these medical television shows,” says study co-author Christina Korowynk, associate professor of family medicine at the University of Alberta. “They 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.” They 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—how much the conclusion was supported by the studies—and believability, which included the quality, number and type of study. On average, Korownyk’s 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 reco… | 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 | legacy | Missouri’s Senator McCaskill part of Stephen Colbert sendoff Friday, December 19, 2014 By: Mike Lear Missouri’s senior U.S. Senator, Claire McCaskill, was among the dozens of other elected officials, comedians, singers, actors, and a couple of Muppets on the finale of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” last night. The 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. McCaskill and the other guests sang “We’ll Meet Again” in one of the show’s final segments. She had been a guest on the program at least twice. Along with a picture, McCaskill tweeted, “So much fun to be a part of an amazing group asked by [Colbert] to sing him off his last show. Gonna miss that jerk.” Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| 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 | legacy | GOP likely to court moderate Democrats in Senate Thursday, December 18, 2014 By: Nicole Guadiano WASHINGTON — 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. They 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. Most 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. "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." Sen. 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." "I think they got that message in the results of this election," Inhofe said. Democrats 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. Come 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. "If we want to get something done, we know one thing," said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a former governor. "… | 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 | legacy | President Names Packnett -- Local Activist And Educator -- To Task Force On Policing Thursday, December 18, 2014 By: Jim Howard Brittany Packnett says she’s made a career of “listening intently and intensively” to the needs of young people. The former third-grade teacher, current Ferguson activist and executive director of Teach for America in St. Louis will now put her listening and leadership skills to use as a member of President Barack Obama’s task force on 21st-century policing. Packnett says her first priority will be to “stand with and help speak for… 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.” She says she’s thankful to the president and others involved in her selection to the task force for listening to people from “Ferguson and around the country who have been active in this work.” She says she’s also thankful to represent those interests and the interests of the community’s children. “I see it as an opportunity to begin the important work of setting forth a more just community in our future.” Packnett, who just turned 30, says it’s important that the task force have a voice from the St. Louis area. “We’ve seen that this is an issue that touches all corners of the country, but most certainly we’ve seen Ferguson and St. Louis be a flash point. So as St. Louis is my hometown, I’m looking forward to also bringing that perspective as well” to the task force. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., praised Packnett’s selection. “As a young woman, a St. Louis County native and an educator, she has the leaders… | 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 | legacy | McCaskill-backed Security Clearance Bill Clears the Senate Senators’ bipartisan legislation would increase accountability in background check process Thursday, December 18, 2014 WASHINGTON – 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’s secure facilities and sensitive information by strengthening accountability in background checks. “When it comes to conducting background checks on the individuals who handle America’s most secure secrets and institutions, there is no room for error,” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial & Contracting Oversight and former Missouri State Auditor. “Considering 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.” This 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. Additionally, 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. Following 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… | 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 | legacy | McCaskill: Packnett Brings ‘terrific perspective’ to Presidential Commission Senator praises naming of Brittany Packnett, Executive Director of St. Louis Teach For America, to President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing Thursday, December 18, 2014 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today praised the selection of Brittany Packnett—the Executive Director of Teach For America in St. Louis—to serve on President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. McCaskill released the following statement: “Brittany is going to bring a terrific perspective to this commission—and can help bridge this panel’s 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.” Packnett 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. ### Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | National Guard Addresses McCaskill Concerns with Mental Health Contracts Senator applauds Guard progress on oversight, service improvements for psychological health support services Thursday, December 18, 2014 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is praising the National Guard’s efforts to improve mental health services for Guard members and improve management and oversight of its psychological health contracts—successfully addressing concerns she raised last year over inadequate services and poor accountability. McCaskill 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. “I 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,” McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial & Contracting Oversight and former Missouri State Auditor, wrote in the letter. “The National Guard’s 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… 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.” Full text of today’s letter is available HERE and below: Dear General Grass: I am writing in regards to my June 19, 2013, request regarding contracts for the coordination of mental health s… | 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 | legacy | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 17, 2014 MEDIA CONTACTS: STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029 STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI REGARDING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ACTIONS TO REESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND EASE ECONOMIC RESTRICTIONS WITH CUBA NOTE: The following is a first-person statement from Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri I applaud President Obama's decision to replace our failed, 50-year isolation policy against Cuba. His actions to restore diplomatic relations and to ease significant economic restrictions are smart, strategic, and long-overdue. By 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. Having 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. I 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. That failed policy has done nothing to advance freedom or strengthen our national security, but it has caused innocent people to suffer for generations. Removing it would be in the best interests of the American and Cuban people." -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 | legacy | KANSAS CITY, MO – 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. Congressman 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’s 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. “This 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,” Congressman Cleaver stated. “Southwest’s 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.” More 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’s capital on a permanent basis. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline… | 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 | legacy | New federal budget bill lets political parties cash in Tuesday, December 16, 2014 By: Lindsay Wise 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’s two political parties. Eleven 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. The money can be deposited only in accounts designated for specific purposes, such to finance a presidential nominating convention, renovate a party’s headquarters or defray expenses related to election recounts and “other legal proceedings.” Parties will have to disclose the names of anyone who contributes to the accounts. Advocates 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. “Elections are supposed to be battles of ideas, not playgrounds for wealthy special interests to buy the loyalty of politicians,” said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who voted against the spending bill last week in protest. “Since the Supreme Court gutted our campaign finance laws, we’re left with a situation where those special interests have a growing ability to try to buy a government to their liking,” McCaskill said in a statement. “That’s why now is not the time to be giving millionaires and billionaires even more influence over campaigns.” The rider blows up one of the few remaining campaign contribution limits, said Robert Wei… | 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 | legacy | Opinion: Sex Assault in the Military Tuesday, December 16, 2014 By: U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill To the Editor: Re “Military Sexual Assault Unresolved” (editorial, Dec. 8): Your editorial questions my opposition to the Military Justice Improvement Act in the Senate. It isn’t just my prosecutorial experience informing my opposition to the bill; after testimony from hundreds of witnesses, acongressionally created expert panel — majority civilian, majority women — rejected the bill because it would do nothing to reduce assaults or retaliation against survivors. You focus on this bill but don’t 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’s defense bill. You also don’t mention that rape is a vastly underreported crime anywhere it occurs, not just in the military. Your 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. There 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. CLAIRE McCASKILL Washington, Dec. 11, 2014 The writer, a former sex-crimes prosecutor, is a United States senator from Missouri and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. Print Email Tweet | 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 | 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 | ||
| 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 | legacy | Area Lawmakers Make Mark On Budget, Policy Bills -- Growler Funding, Sexual Assault Prosecution Monday, December 15, 2014 By: Jim Howard Were area members of Congress to sum up this session in a single word, that word would most likely be “Growler.” The funding for 15 of Boeing’s 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. Support for the Growler is the one thing most frequently mentioned by Missouri lawmakers. That bipartisan support helped secure nearly $1.5 billion to keep the Growler going through the end of 2017. U.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. McCaskill 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. Blunt, 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." U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, said the annual economic impact of the Growler’s construction on the state’s economy is $640 million. Besides Boeing's 15,000 local employees, Wagner said nearly 100 local employers in the supply chain also ben… | 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 | legacy | Bill upping status of World War I museum advances Monday, December 15, 2014 KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's Liberty Memorial in Kansas City is one step closer to gaining ramped up national status. The U.S. Senate last week passed legislation that would designate the landmark as the nation's World War I Museum and Memorial. Both 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. The bill now heads to the House for approval. Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | Blunt going back on Intelligence Committee; McCaskill ranking on Aging Monday, December 15, 2014 By: Chuck Raasch WASHINGTON • Sen. 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. Republicans announced their committee assignments today, Democrats did so last week. Here is a rundown: • Blunt. 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. • McCaskill. On top of the Aging Committee, she will be on Armed Services; Commerce; and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. • Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. will be on Appropriations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Aging. •Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. has drawn Appropriations; Judiciary; and Rules. Durbin 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. Blunt 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. Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri on Monday landed a spot on the secretive Senate committee that oversees the nation’s intelligence agencies. Blunt will give up his seat on the Senate’s Armed Services committee, but will remain on the committees on appropriations, commerce and rules. Blunt also serves on the defense appropriations subcommittee. “I’m pleased to rejoin the Senate Intelligence Committee at a time when the nation continues to face real threats from enemies who wish us harm,” said Blunt, who previously was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2011 and 2012. “I look forward to building on my experience working on these issues in the House and Senate,” he said. “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.” Blunt’s fellow senator from Missouri, Democrat Claire McCaskill, was named to the top Democratic position on the Senate’s Special Committee on Aging. Democrats’ 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. “I’m eager to continue our work to protect consumers and seniors, to make sure Congress is living up to the promises we’ve made to them, and to help ensure their government is working for them,” McCaskill said. 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 | legacy | McCaskill Congratulates Missouri Florists for Bringing White House Holiday Decorations to Life Senator helped St. Louis-based florists, Kim Brannan and Jenn Thomasson, secure spot on the White House holiday decorating team Monday, December 15, 2014 WASHINGTON – 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. “Kim and Jenn created a beautiful display,” McCaskill said. “It 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’m very proud of them both.” Senator McCaskill’s 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. ### Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | McCaskill Named to Top Democratic Spot on Senate Aging Committee Senator pledges to use new post to continue bolstering protections for seniors, consumers Monday, December 15, 2014 WASHINGTON – 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: “I’m looking forward to working closely with my friend Senator Susan Collins, and I’m eager to continue our work to protect consumers and seniors, to make sure Congress is living up to the promises we’ve made to them, and to help ensure their government is working for them.” The Aging Committee’s purview over all issues related to older Americans gives McCaskill a powerful new perch from which to combat scam artists targeting seniors—and all consumers—as well as a broader position with which to protect Social Security and Medicare. Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/consumers to learn more about McCaskill's fight to protect consumers. ### Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | After 'Year of the Recall' Auto Watchdog Needs an 'Enforcer' Sunday, December 14, 2014 By: Paul A. Eisenstein 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. A 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. It 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. "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. The 'Enforcer' Rosekind 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. "I've been concerned with the slowness across all of the agency's recalls," Rosekind told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee earlie… | 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 | legacy | The 113th Congress had positives for the St. Louis region, members say Sunday, December 14, 2014 By: Chuck Raasch WASHINGTON -- Think Congress has 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. "Do-nothing," Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, groused. "We wasted a lot of time and capital with the American people. It is a sad legacy." One of "the least productive and the most needlessly obstructed Congress(es) in the history of the country," said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. One "riddled with partisan politics and dysfunction and obstructionism," added Sen.Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. But the Congress that began with leadership challenges to Republican House Speaker John Boehner; cost one of his top lieutenants (Majority Leader Eric 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. The massive $1.1 trillion spending 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 Senate for President Barack Obama's last two years in office. The 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. Republicans, now in control of both sides of the Congress… | 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 | legacy | Congress: St. Clair Airport Can Close Saturday, December 13, 2014 By: Keith E. Domke 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. Now, it’s up to President Barack Obama and whether he is going to play Santa’s chief elf or Mr. Scrooge as to whether the bill becomes law. The 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’t take long to pass it by a voice vote. All that is necessary now for the bill to become law is Obama’s signature. “It’s not a done deal yet, but what’s happened has given us hope,” Mayor Ron Blum told The Missourian on Wednesday. “This has been a cooperative effort by a large number of people. “We’ve actually had an act of Congress occur for a positive thing in St. Clair. It’s incredibly good news. We can now start to really plan our future.” State 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’s capital on other business when he heard the bill would be brought up in the U.S. House, so he attended the session. “It passed the House today,” Hinson said of the bill. “It’s cleared its hurdles.” Hinson 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. Hinson said he believed there should be no objection by Obama. He also said it is his understanding that the president has 10 business days … | 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 | legacy | McCaskill Votes Against Spending Bill Senator slams secretive, last-minute provision that ‘further opens the floodgates of big money’ in elections Saturday, December 13, 2014 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill tonight voted against a $1 trillion “omnibus” spending bill, citing a secretive, last-minute addition to the bill that would “open the floodgates” for huge financial donations from wealthy contributors to political parties and committees. McCaskill released the following statement: “This just isn’t 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.” The $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. McCaskill also cited discomfort with provisions on financial reform that “could once again find taxpayers bailing out Wall Street’s bad bets”—and others that could allow for a process whereby the pensions of millions of retirees across the country could be dramatically reduced. Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/accountability to learn more about McCaskill's fight to strengthen accountability. ### Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | The “Cam Act” Requires State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies Who Receive DOJ Grants Have Their Officers Wear a Body Camera. Congressman 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. "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." The bill would: Require that all state and local law enforcement agencies who receive Department of Justice grants have their officers wear a body camera. Create a grant program to help agencies purchase the equipment. Set guidelines for the use of body cameras. Create a task force to study and make recommendations on community policing and to determine protocol in body camera training. 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. Provide for a report on the Department of Defense 1033 program. Due to the impending end of the 113th Congress, this legislation will be reintroduced in the 114th Congress. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and also serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here. | 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 | legacy | Levin says farewell to Senate Friday, December 12, 2014 By: Todd Spangler WASHINGTON – In speech after speech this morning, U.S. senators stood to praise the 36-year career of Michigan’s Carl Levin, referring to him as a “senator’s senator” who taught many of them how a legislator should act and cheering a bipartisan approach many said should be a model for the chamber. “I 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, “Claire, have you read the language?” said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., becoming emotional as she recounted her time with Levin on the Senate Armed Services Committee. “He understands the hazards of a misplaced comma. He understsands the danger of using an ‘and’ insteadf of an ‘or,’” said McCaskill. “He understands that is the essence of our work — that we craft language that lives up to our purpose and ideas.” It 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 — as he has done in the past — encouraging both parties to protect the political minority in the chamber. Calling minority protections “the singular hallmark” 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’s set process for changing the rules. “Protections of the minority make the Senate more than… | 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 | legacy | National WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial receives designation from Congress Friday, December 12, 2014 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. The designation comes after the U.S. Senate passed a bill as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, according to a news release. The 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. The bill now moves to the White House where it awaits a signature from President Barack Obama. “This 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,” National World War I Museum President and CEO Dr. Matthew Naylor said in a news release. “We 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.” This 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." The National World War I Museum holds the most diverse collection of WWI objects and documents in the world, according to the news release. The museum is also celebrating the Centennial commemoration of World War I and is hosting special events. For a full list, visit theWorld War I Museum’s website . Click here to read the full news release. … | 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 | legacy | Bill Shaped by McCaskill for Nation’s Defense Passes into Law McCaskill’s national defense and security priorities included in annual defense bill Friday, December 12, 2014 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate’s passage of the annual defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act: “This 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’s defense. This legislation further builds on our sweeping, bipartisan reforms that are changing how the military handles sexual violence, it fixes the Pentagon’s 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’s Liberty Memorial. I’m 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.” McCaskill successfully won the inclusion of a number of her national security priorities into the legislation, including: Provisions of the Victims Protection Act—a 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—sponsored by McCaskill along with Republican Senators Kelly Ayotte and Deb Fischer—will: Eliminate the “good soldier” defense for servicemembers accused of sexual assault under most circumstances, Allow victims formal input on whether their case is tried in military or civilian court, Allow survivors to challenge their discharge or separation from service, Strengthen the role of the prosecutor in advising commanders on going to court-martial, Boost accountability of commanders for setting appropriate command climate, And extend protections to the Mili… | 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 | legacy | Column: Honoring the Sacrifice of our POW and MIA Heroes Friday, December 12, 2014 FOR PUBLICATION A column by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (539 words) As we prepare to close the books on another year, it’s 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. Truly honoring the sacrifices of our troops, however, requires more than just gratitude, it requires action. We’ve 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. But 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. Now, we’re changing that. Nearly two years ago, I discovered that efforts to recover the estimated 83,000 Americans who remain prisoners of war or missing in action—POW/MIA—were in disarray. The Pentagon’s 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. After waging a nearly two-year battle, we’ve finally achieved needed changes. This week, Congress gave final approval to my bipartisan legislation—which now heads to the President’s desk—directing the Secretary of Defense to create a single, streamlined agency to oversee these POW/MIA-recovery efforts. My legislation, which was included in this year’s 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. I felt passionately about getting this right, because the status quo was unacceptable, and was unwor… | 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 | legacy | McCaskill, Blunt Secure World War I Memorial Status for Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial Missouri Senators’ efforts to honor WWI memorial with national designation pay off Friday, December 12, 2014 WASHINGTON – Missouri’s U.S. Senators McCaskill and Blunt today announced that they have successfully included a provision in this year’s annual defense bill that designates Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial as the nation’s “World War I Museum and Memorial.” “This designation honors the courage and sacrifice of all those who served in World War I,” said McCaskill, who is the daughter of a WWII veteran. “It was an honor to work with Senator Blunt to get this done. And it’s my hope that the Liberty Memorial’s new, national status—which finally matches its national significance—shines a spotlight on the site’s unique and extraordinary historic value.” “Missourians 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,” said Blunt. “I’m very pleased that with the passage of this important bill, the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City will get the recognition it deserves nationwide.” Both Senators are members of the Armed Services Committee. This provision — which adds to the Museum’s 2004 designation as “America’s National WWI Museum” — 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. The World War I Museum and Memorial contains the world’s most diverse collection of WWI objects. In 2014, the museum ranked as one of the top 25 museums in the United States according to… | 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 | 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 | ||
| 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 | legacy | Hannibal elementary school gets computers thanks to federal program Thursday, December 11, 2014 HANNIBAL, Mo. (WGEM) - Some 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. The computers were donated through a federal program promoting technology in the classroom. "We have two of the computers being utilized in our fourth grade classrooms," Business Manager Rich Stilley said. "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." Officials with the district say they've formatted the computers to be compatible for student programs. Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | McCaskill Plan to End Funding for Unsustainable Afghan Infrastructure Projects Included in Annual Defense Bill Senator’s provision to cut taxpayer funding for wasteful Afghan Infrastructure Fund is one step closer to becoming law Thursday, December 11, 2014 WASHINGTON – This year’s 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. “For far too long we’ve been spending millions of dollars on projects in Afghanistan that can’t be responsibly secured or maintained,” said McCaskill, a former Missouri State Auditor. “I 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—our roads and bridges in particular—where it’s sorely needed.” The 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. McCaskill 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 fo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| 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 | legacy | Fighting sexual assault on campus Wednesday, December 10, 2014 By: Eboni Williams 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. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, said campus sexual assault rates increased 50% from 2009 to 2012. This year the Obama administration has tried to pressure universities to give victims better support. A White House task force issued recommendations under the heading Not Alone. A 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. In 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 … | 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 | legacy | McCaskill: Obama climate change plan is too aggressive Wednesday, December 10, 2014 By: Deirdre Shesgren WASHINGTON – Sen. Claire McCaskill is pushing the Obama administration to give states more time and flexibility to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. In 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. McCaskill 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. The draft environmental rule — unveiled in June as the cornerstone of Obama's climate change initiative — calls for a 26 percent reduction in carbon emissions from the nation's power plants by 2020 and a 30 percent reduction by 2030. Power plants are the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., generating about 38 percent of heat-trapping gases. For 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 — which generates 83 percent of its energy from coal-fired power plants — 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. EPA 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 plan… | 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 | legacy | McCaskill's book party giveaway: Signed copies of 'Gone Girl' Wednesday, December 10, 2014 By: Judy Kurtz WE HEAR: Guests at Sen. Claire McCaskill’s annual “Chili, Books & Beer” get-together will be going home with a bookworm’s dream: a copy of Gone Girl personally signed by author Gillian Flynn. The Missouri Democrat’s 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. While Gone 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’s home state, ITK hears that the lawmaker wanted to provide her colleagues with some fun, non-legislative reading. Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | Senators: Don't let Rolling Stone article get in way of fixing 'broken' system Wednesday, December 10, 2014 By: Allie Grasgreen It didn’t take long for Rolling Stone’s 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. McCaskill (D-Mo.) said she’s “saddened and angry” by the magazine’s “bad journalism,” 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. “This is not a crime where you have rampant false reporting or embellishment,” McCaskill said. “Our problem is victims are too frightened to come forward. … I want to make sure we overcome [the article] and don’t allow it to slow our determination to make sure victims have every support they need.” McCaskill testified briefly, alongside Gillibrand, at the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism hearing exploring the role of law enforcement in campus sexual assaults. The 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. “I refuse to let this one story become an excuse for Congress not to fix a broken system,” Gillibrand said. McCaskill 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… | 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 | legacy | On New EPA Rule—McCaskill Leads Colleagues in Pursuing Commonsense Adjustments to Protect Consumers With feedback from Missouri consumers and employers, McCaskill presses environmental agency to alter timeline Wednesday, December 10, 2014 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is leading a group of moderate Senators today in an effort to protect consumers from unreasonable utility rate hikes—expressing concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon pollution from the country’s 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. “Numerous stakeholders in our states have raised various important concerns related to the proposed rule,” the Senators wrote. “Among 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.” The Senators’ letter continues: “We 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.” McCaskill said she recognizes the need to address the emission of carbon pollution but expressed concern that the EPA’s 2020 timeline does not accurately reflect the… | 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 | legacy | Blunt, McCaskill push Postal Service to delay closure of local mail center Tuesday, December 9, 2014 By: Deirdre Shesgren WASHINGTON – Missouri'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. The 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. But the push for another delay -- led by Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Roy Blunt, R-Mo., among others -- faces long odds. The 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. The 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. But that legislative effort has stalled. And in the meantime, USPS officials began a broad restructuring, closing about 300 facilities since 2006. The 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… | 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 | legacy | Campus Sexual Assault—McCaskill Rallies Colleagues’ Support for Bipartisan Bill 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 Tuesday, December 9, 2014 WASHINGTON – 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—a bipartisan effort to protect and empower students, and strengthen accountability and transparency for institutions and law enforcement. “What 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,” said McCaskill, a former courtroom prosecutor of sex crimes. “So 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’s in that framework that we’ve 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.” View video and high-resolution photos of today’s testimony HERE and HERE. McCaskill responded to the recent controversy surrounding Rolling Stone’s retraction of a story on an alleged assault at the University of Virginia, saying: “I 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… | 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 | legacy | McCaskill Bill Requiring TRICARE to Cover Breastfeeding Services Included in Defense Bill Senator’s provision to provide members of the military and their families coverage consistent with private sector is one step closer to becoming law Tuesday, December 9, 2014 WASHINGTON – This year’s annual defense bill will include a provision by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill to require TRICARE—health insurance provided to members of the military and their families—to cover breastfeeding equipment, such as breast pumps, along with support and counseling, as required by most private health plans under the Affordable Care Act. “As someone who was a single, working mother, I know firsthand the importance of comprehensive, affordable healthcare for new moms,” said McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. “I’m proud we’ll 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’ve achieved in the civilian sector under the health care law.” More than 50 medical, family, and healthcare groups, including the National Women’s Law Center, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Nursing endorsed McCaskill’s legislation. Full text of their letter can be found HERE. The National Military Family Association has also endorsed the bill. Currently, 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. With 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 sh… | 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 | legacy | McCaskill Meets with Attorney General Nominee Senator sits down with Loretta Lynch Tuesday, December 9, 2014 WASHINGTON – 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. “Our nation’s top lawyer is a critical post,” McCaskill said. “As the events that unfolded over the past few months in Ferguson highlighted, the position of Attorney General is an important backstop in our nation’s legal system and can positively reinforce Americans’ trust in the rule of law amid intense legal controversies. I’m impressed by Ms. Lynch’s qualifications and confident in her ability to fulfill the duties of U.S. Attorney General.” Click HERE for a photo of today’s meeting. Loretta 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. ### Print Email Tweet | 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 | legacy | McCaskill Plan to Fix POW/MIA Recovery Efforts Included in Defense Bill Once law, Senator’s proposal will create single POW/MIA agency to ensure accountability of efforts Tuesday, December 9, 2014 WASHINGTON – Following a nearly two-year effort, this year’s 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. “This is a critical step in the right direction,” said McCaskill, the daughter of a World War II veteran. “For too long our country’s 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.” McCaskill, 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. In May, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved McCaskill’s 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’s annual defense bill—which follows a similar recommendation by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel—addresses 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. This is the first official step in restructuring POW/MIA accounting following McCaskill's investigation last year into the troubled recovery efforts. Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/veterans to read highlights of McCaskill’s work to deliver for our veterans. ### Print Email Tweet | 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 | 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—a 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 | 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—a bipartisan effort... | 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 | legacy | McCaskill: CIA report 'would never happen in North Korea or China' Monday, December 8, 2014 By: Martin Matishak 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. The assessment, which could be released as soon as Monday, “exposes what the world already knows, and that is that the United States engaged in torture,” McCaskill said during an interview with CBS. “But 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?” she said. McCaskill added that the report “would 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.” She stressed that the White House and Congress must have authority over the CIA. “Now, 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,” McCaskill warned. The report is the result of a probe by the Senate Intelligence Committee into the CIA’s enhanced interrogations during the George W. Bush administration. 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. McCaskill, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the public would ultimately decide whether the report’s release is a “learning moment for us.” She said the i… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mccaskill-on-torture-report-gut-check-moment | McCaskill on torture report: 'Gut check moment' | 2014-12-08 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | McCaskill on torture report: 'Gut check moment' Monday, December 8, 2014 By: Lucy McCalmont Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday that she supports the upcoming public release of a Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA interrogation practices, calling it a “gut check moment.” “It exposes what the world already knows and that is that the United States engaged in torture, but my feeling about this is that this is a gut check moment for our democracy,” the Democrat said on “CBS This Morning.” McCaskill said the release of the report is “essential” in holding the government and specifically the CIA accountable. “This report would never happen in North Korea, or China or Russia,” she added. “If it doesn’t come out, then we all need to get comfortable with the fact that in America, the CIA has no oversight.” Others, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, have warned that release of the report could lead to violence in countries around the globe. The report details the CIA’s treatment of detainees in a program set up by President George W. Bush after the 9/11 attacks. The White House said last week that it “welcomed the news” that the long-delayed report will be made public this week, despite confirmation from the State Department that Secretary of State John Kerry called Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein to discuss his own concerns over the timing and possible fallout from the report’s release. Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mccaskill-release-cia-torture-report | McCaskill: Release CIA torture report | 2014-12-08 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | McCaskill: Release CIA torture report Monday, December 8, 2014 By: Chuck Raasch WASHINGTON • On CBS "This Morning," Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said that a report on whether the CIA tortured al Qaida suspects should be released publicly as a "gut-check moment" to show that Americans hold their government accountable. But her Missouri counterpart, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said late Monday the release would be "unhelpful and unnecessary." Some, including the head of the House Intelligence Committee, have warned that release of the 480-page report, set in the coming days by Senate Democrats, could incite violent reactions around the world. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., told CNN on Sunday that it was a "terrible idea" and that allied governments around the world and U.S. intelligence said release of the details "will cause violence and death." Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who will relinquish that position when Republicans take control in January, is in favor of releasing the report. McCaskill said this morning that the report "exposes what the world already knows. And that is that is that the United States engaged in torture." She added: "This report would 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 is essential that this report comes out." She said that "if this report doesn't come out, we all need to get comfortable with the fact that in America, the CIA has no oversight." Other Senate Democrats, including Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., have long called for release of the report. Durbin wrote this letter to the CIA in March after allegations … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/missouri-lawmakers-tout-bill-for-world-war-i-coin | Missouri lawmakers tout bill for World War I coin | 2014-12-08 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Missouri lawmakers tout bill for World War I coin Monday, December 8, 2014 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Some Missouri lawmakers are touting a bill headed to President Barack Obama that would create a commemorative coin honoring veterans of World War I. The legislation approved by Congress this past week is meant to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the war, which lasted from 1914 to 1918. It's sponsored by Missouri Sens. Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill, as well as U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and lawmakers from other states. The National World War I Museum is located in Kansas City. Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/senate-removes-judge-from-office- | Senate removes judge from office, Dec. 8, 2010 | 2014-12-08 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Senate removes judge from office, Dec. 8, 2010 Monday, December 8, 2014 By: Andrew Glass On this day in 2010, for the first time in more than two decades, the Senate voted to oust a federal judge. All 96 senators present found Louisiana District Judge G. Thomas Porteous guilty of having betrayed the legal profession by soliciting cash payments from attorneys with business before his court. This was one of four articles of impeachment that had been brought against Porteous by the House. Some senators supported Porteous on the other three articles, with 27 voting in his favor on the one concerning meals, trips and car repairs that he was accused of receiving from a bail bondsman. The senators also voted 94-2 to disqualify him from holding future federal office. Since a quorum is required at all times for impeachment deliberations to proceed, at least half of the Senate’s members sat in the chamber during the lame-duck session for nearly the whole day. After the Senate had rendered its verdict, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who had chaired the impeachment investigation, said: “The fact that we set aside everything that we were doing and came together and sat as a Senate and listened to the arguments and deliberated extensively about this impeachment should be reassuring to every American.” Porteous had been nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton in 1994. He had been suspended with pay since 2008. In a statement, Porteous said, “I am deeply saddened to be removed from office, but I felt it was important not just to me but to the judiciary to take this fight to the Senate…. While I still believe these allegations did not rise to the level of impeachable offenses as a constitutional matter, I understan… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/column-united-they-stand_--on-this-issue | Column: United They Stand . . . On This Issue | 2014-12-07 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Column: United They Stand . . . On This Issue Sunday, December 7, 2014 By: Bill Miller Sr. It was refreshing to see that Missouri’s two U.S. senators are united in the issue of urging the U.S. Postal Service to delay the planned consolidation of up to 82 USPS mail processing centers, including two in Missouri. Sens. Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in “demanding” a delay in the consolidation. Of note is the word “demanding.” The letter was sent to USPS after the agency’s inspector general found that the Postal Service failed to fulfill its obligations to adequately study the impact of the consolidation and failed to inform the public of those impacts. The consolidation is bound to impact mail service, which already has delay problems, such as the time it takes for even first class mail from St. Louis to reach Franklin County. Service is especially slow for second class periodicals. We don’t blame the local postal employees. The majority of them are doing the best they can with the resources they have to handle the mail, which is heavier at this time of the year. It is not only on this issue that our two U.S. senators have been united. Since one is a Republican (Blunt) and the other is a Democrat (McCaskill), they have set aside party differences on policies to do what is best for their constitutents. Now if President Barack Obama would try to work with members of Congress on pressing issues, there would be progress. President Obama has a high level of conceit in that he believes he always is right, but now more and more he is having trouble making a decision. He worries about his place in history rather than working to solve the nation’s problems. Now there are some peop… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://cleaver.house.gov//media-center/ec-from-dc/ec-from-dc-december-5-2014 | EC from DC - December 5, 2014 | 2014-12-05 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Emanuel Cleaver | C001061 | cleaver.house.gov | legacy | CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER HELPS LEAD THE WAY FOR CHANGE Trust must exist between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. It is imperative. This week has shown there is much work that must be done. In fact, the last few months have shown that. And perhaps no one knows that better, than those of us in Missouri. In the weeks and months that followed the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, I worked, along with Congressman Clay, who represents that area, and others, to initiate a change in law enforcement. I believe a fundamental shift needs to take place in moving away from a military-style response, and toward a more community-based, proportionate-response, style of policing. I was very pleased this week, when the President announced his desire to strengthen community policing as well, and improve mutual trust between those charged with protecting the public, and citizens. President Obama released the Administration's Review of Federal Support for Local Law Enforcement Equipment Acquisition. A very long name but a goal that is summed up pretty quickly. All members of law enforcement deserve the best tools and training available. This is critical in order for them to serve our communities, and to protect those of us living in them. However, we should not turn our cities into war zones. The President's voicing of his intentions and priorities was an important first step, and I am honored and encouraged that many of those priorities are ones I have championed for many months. The White House has provided several examples of potential improvements, including: ensuring that all equipment available for acquisition by law enforcement agencies has a legitimate civilian law enforcement purpose; including training requirements that address appropriate use and deployment of equipment; broadening transparency of the 1033 and other agency equipment repurpose programs; and requiring police officers to wear body cameras. In August of this year, Congressman Clay and I wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Ch… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/ebola-drives-interest-in-more-biomedical-research | Ebola Drives Interest in More Biomedical Research | 2014-12-05 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Ebola Drives Interest in More Biomedical Research Friday, December 5, 2014 By: Emily Ethridge Lawmakers are using the Ebola outbreak to call for a broader investment in biomedical research and public health funding to avoid scrambling to respond to a specific disease. Top appropriators from both parties say they are committed to investing in biomedical research, particularly the National Institutes of Health. But the parties have not agreed on how to boost that funding, and lawmakers also have criticized some of the government’s public health preparations. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee funding the Department of Health and Human Services, has introduced a bill (HR 5797) that would provide $5 billion for the Public Health Emergency Fund. The fund is meant to hold resources that the HHS secretary can distribute when a public health emergency is declared, but it has been funded only twice since its establishment in 1983, according to DeLauro’s office. “The Public Health Emergency Fund has been largely ignored, and that needs to end,” DeLauro said in a statement. “Not using every resource available to deal with issues like H1N1, Ebola, or Enterovirus D68 is an abdication of our responsibilities.” In the Senate, Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., called for hearings into whether HHS’s Project Bioshield is failing to properly identify and respond to threats. The program is aimed at speeding the development, acquisition, and availability of medical countermeasures for a variety of threats. McCaskill said the project has been too focused on anthrax, and not prepared enough for influenza and other infectious diseases. In addition, lawmakers have questioned why more hospitals… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://cleaver.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-keeps-national-spotlight-on-kansas-city | Congressman Cleaver Keeps National Spotlight on Kansas City | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Emanuel Cleaver | C001061 | cleaver.house.gov | legacy | Kansas City - Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II, Missouri's Fifth District Representative, is bringing further national recognition to our area, and to the groundbreaking work being done at the Liberty Memorial and National World War I Museum. For years, the Congressman has successfully led the effort to get the appropriate designation for the Liberty Memorial – soon to be known as America's National World War I Museum and Memorial. Now - by way of an update -- Congressman Cleaver's designation effort, which is part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed the House of Representatives, by a vote of 300-119. The NDAA is now on its way to the Senate. Spearheaded by Congressman Cleaver, the 112th Congress also established the WWI Centennial Commission. The Commission is planning, developing, and executing programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. The provision that passed today also broadens the scope of that Commission, which will increase its depth, and continue growing national awareness about the museum -- and all it has to offer. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and also serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/-more-work-needed-to-end-us-military-sexual-assault-hagel | More work needed to end U.S. military sexual assault: Hagel | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | More work needed to end U.S. military sexual assault: Hagel Thursday, December 4, 2014 By: David Alexander (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Thursday the Pentagon had made "real progress" in combating sexual assault in the U.S. military but needed to take further action to ensure victims were not subjected to retaliation when they reported the crime. Releasing preliminary findings from the Defense Department's annual report on military sexual assault, Hagel said the Pentagon's three-year crackdown on sex crimes was "beginning to have an impact." An anonymous biennial survey released with the department's report to President Barack Obama showed a drop of more than 25 percent in total cases of unwanted sexual contact over the past two years, to 19,000 cases in 2014 compared with 26,000 in 2012. The total number of sexual assaults actually reported to authorities by U.S. troops rose 8 percent to 5,983, compared with 5,518 the previous year. Officials said the figures showed military personnel were becoming more confident about filing complaints over sexual assault, which is widely underreported. But Hagel said more than 60 percent of women who reported a sexual assault in 2014 "perceived some kind of retaliation, often in the form of social retaliation by co-workers or peers." The findings drew mixed reaction from lawmakers in Congress. Senator Claire McCaskill, a former sex crimes prosecutor, said the figures showed a positive trend, with fewer total incidents and higher reporting by victims. But she added, "We have to do more on retaliation." Representative Jackie Speier, who has sought more aggressive reform, said the 2014 data showed "a hostile culture for survivors remains the rule, not the excep… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/as-congress-winds-down-growler-military-sexual-assault-on-agenda | As Congress winds down, Growler, military sexual assault on agenda | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | As Congress winds down, Growler, military sexual assault on agenda Thursday, December 4, 2014 By: Chuck Raasch WASHINGTON • As Congress wraps up 2014, two defense-related issues of local interest were in the headlines here Thursday. • The House passed, 300-119, a $585 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that recommends that five EA-18 Growlers made in St. Louis be added to the Navy's fleet, but members of Missouri's congressional delegation say action in Congress next week could bump that number to 12. The Boeing-made Navy planes, which are designed to jam enemy electronics ahead of invading ground and air troops, were on the Navy's chopping block, a victim of the sequestration budget limits instituted by Congress. The Navy said it needed 22 more, but couldn't fit them in its 2015 budget. But the NDAA recommends five additional ones, at $450 million, be built. And the Appropriations Committee earlier this year said it found $975 million for 12. Depending on how negotiations on a short-term budget blueprint go before Congress adjourns next week, that could be the amount that survives. The Sen also has to pass the defense act. "We will see what happens with the budget deals next week and what the Senate says," said Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. "I am feeling fairly optimistic that we will get 12." She said under the Appropriations spending, Boeing would make two Growlers a month and that it would extend the current construction program through 2017. Members of Missouri's delegation have promoted the plane as a big jobs bill for the St. Louis region as well as an important weapons system. Te only member of the St. Louis-area delegation to vote aga… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/claire-mccaskill-numbers-on-military-sexual-assaults-going-the-right-way | Claire McCaskill: Numbers on military sexual assaults going the right way | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Claire McCaskill: Numbers on military sexual assaults going the right way Thursday, December 4, 2014 By: Steve Kraske Sexual assaults in the military: down. Reports of incidents: up. “Exactly the combination we’re looking for,” said Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill as new legislation on military sexual assaults that she sponsored takes hold. The U.S. military on Thursday is expected to issue a new report on the latest assault statistics. Those stats are expected to show the combination McCaskill outlined. “Assuming news accounts are correct — reporting of assaults being up and incidents of assault being down are exactly the combination we’re looking for,” McCaskill said in a statement. “I’m sure there’s more work to do, and I’m anxious to hear how victims feel about the services and support offered to them when they report an assault.” Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article4271726.html#storylink=cpy Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/fighting-fraud-against-seniors | Fighting fraud against seniors | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Fighting fraud against seniors Thursday, December 4, 2014 In her ongoing effort to protect seniors from scam artists, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill last week questioned prepaid debit card companies and retail stores on their role in preventing consumers — particularly seniors — from falling victim to phone scams in a hearing in the Senate Special Committee on Aging. While in the past, the committee and McCaskill’s Consumer Protection Subcommittee have heard from law enforcement, regulators and phone companies, McCaskill used this hearing to shed light on the role of the private sector in stopping fraudsters from using prepaid debit products or wire transfer services to trick consumers into sending them money. “The use of prepaid products to help scammers defraud customers is rising year to year,” McCaskill said. “So while the prepaid debit card companies aren’t the problem, because they are the front lines — interacting directly with the consumer — they are in an ideal position to be a part of the solution.” McCaskill, chairman of the Senate Consumer Protection Panel, pressed witnesses on the level of industry-wide coordination of best practices and standards to combat fraud at the point of sale, the degree to which private companies collaborate with law enforcement and the extent to which consumers are protected from fraud when they buy prepaid products. McCaskill previously chaired a hearing on phone scams — or “robocalls” — and next month plans to introduce legislation designed to combat robocalls by strengthening enforcement authorities, better preventing the falsification of caller ID information to commit fraud, and encouraging telecommunications providers to more aggressively implement technologies to stop fraudulent calls from reaching consumers in the first place. As much as $649 m… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/house-nears-passage-of-585b-defense-bill | House nears passage of $585B defense bill | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | House nears passage of $585B defense bill Thursday, December 4, 2014 By: Donna Cassata The House on Thursday headed toward passage of a $585 billion defense policy bill that gives President Barack Obama the authority to expand U.S. military operations against Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria. The sweeping legislation authorizes spending for the nation's defense, from construction of ships, planes and war-fighting equipment to a 1 percent pay raise for the troops, while maintaining the prohibition on transferring terror suspects from the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States. The bipartisan legislation traditionally garners strong support, but several lawmakers complained that they were barred from a fresh vote on authorizing military force. In an effort to expedite the bill in the lame-duck session, leadership allowed no amendments. "These wars deserve a debate," said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. "We're getting more deeply involved in the war in Iraqand Syria." If passed as expected, the measure heads to the Senate, where Republicans are divided over the inclusion of unrelated provisions expanding wilderness areas in the West. Proponents of the bill hope to finish the bill next week and send it to Obama for his signature. This year, work on the bill has added poignancy as the chairmen of the Armed Services committees in the Senate and House are retiring. Democrat Carl Levin is leaving after representing Michigan for 36 years in the Senate; California Republican Howard "Buck" McKeon is stepping down after a 22-year career in the House. The bill is named for both men. The overall legislation endorses Obama's latest request to Congress in the 4-month-old war against Islamic State militants w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/pentagon-reports-on-sexual-assaults-mccaskill-looks-for-improvements | Pentagon Reports On Sexual Assaults; McCaskill Looks For Improvements | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Pentagon Reports On Sexual Assaults; McCaskill Looks For Improvements Thursday, December 4, 2014 By: Jim Howard The Pentagon is set to release its first report today on the effectiveness of more than 30 reforms aimed at curbing sexual assaults in the military. Congress approved the measures last year at this time and President Barack Obama signed them into law in January. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., one of the sponsors of the legislation, said she’s hoping the report shows an increase in the number of reported sexual assaults because that would indicate confidence in the reforms on the part of victimized service members. Ultimately, the goal is for the military to see fewer incidents of sexual violence. McCaskill also wants to see “whether or not they feel they have been served appropriately and protected appropriately as they try to hold their perpetrators accountable.” Even before the release of the report, McCaskill told Missouri reporters Wednesday that work needs to be done. “We’ve got to continue to look at ways to improve the process and the rules around sexual assault and the uniform code of military justice, and we also have to look to make sure the reforms are working,” McCaskill said. Every year Congress passes the National Defense Authorization Act for the coming year. Known as the NDAA, it establishes policy priorities for the Pentagon, as well as establishing funding levels for everything from troop strength to pay and benefits for active members of the military. Just as with last year’s reforms, McCaskill’s new language is contained in the NDAA. The House is expected to take up the measure as early as today, with senators voting on the legislation next week. McCaskill’s office released… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/pentagon-sexual-assault-claims-drop-among-military-women | Pentagon: Sexual assault claims drop among military women | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Pentagon: Sexual assault claims drop among military women Thursday, December 4, 2014 By: Rowan Scarborough and Jacqueline Klimas Sexual assaults in the military are down and victims are more likely to report the crime, according to the latest numbers released Thursday that advocates say show recent changes are beginning to make a dent in what had become a crisis for the Pentagon. Figures released by the Rand Corp., an independent government-supported research center, estimated that 20,000 men and women in the military’s 1.3 million active force said they were the victims last year of sexual assault — a catchall term that encompasses unwanted sexual contact, or attempts, up to and including rape. Both men and women reported fewer assaults, Rand said. Meanwhile, about 25 percent of victims said they reported the crime, up from just 10 percent two years earlier. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who has made stamping out sex crimes a top priority, declared at a press briefing that the military has seen “measurable progress” but “we still have a long way to go.” While overall reporting increased, it remained low among men, only 10 percent of whom reported the crime, suggesting “we have a long way to go in fighting the cultural stigmas that discourage reporting among men,” Mr. Hagel said. Rand reported one surprise. Its survey’s intrusive questioning found that there were “more penetrative assaults than previously thought.” Nearly half of women (4,214) who said they were assaulted, and one-third of men (3,850), were victims of “penetrative” attacks, the report said. Lawmakers largely praised the report, saying that it showed the military was listening to outrage among those on Capitol Hill, though they acknowledged ther… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/this-is-what-it-looks-like-when-women-come-out-of-the-shadows | This Is What It Looks Like When Women Come Out of the Shadows | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | This Is What It Looks Like When Women Come Out of the Shadows The reason for optimism amid more reports of military sexual assault Thursday, December 4, 2014 By: Eliza Gray It could be easy to get discouraged reading about the Pentagon survey Thursday that found reports of sexual assault in the American military are on the rise. But a closer look at the numbers gives reason for optimism: There are more reports of assault because more women are reporting those assaults rather than staying silent. “This is a remarkable change in terms of victims being willing to talk to people in the military about what happened to them,” Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), one of the key advocates of military sexual assault reform in Washington, said Thursday afternoon at a news conference with fellow lawmakers. Reported assaults hit 5,983 in the 2014 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, up 8% from last year and up from 3,604 in 2012. But the proportion of service members who said they were assaulted decreased by roughly 27%. Among those who were assaulted, one in four reported it, a sharp increase from one in 10 in 2012. MORE: The sexual assault crisis on America’s campuses Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes in the U.S. because of the stigma survivors face. Raising the rates of reporting, therefore, is a key goal as reformers look to hold perpetrators accountable and reduce the number of assaults. That was true for Congress when it passed a number of reforms to the military’s handling of sexual assault over the last several months. And the rise in reports, along with promising responses from victims about being satisfied by the way their cases were handled, indicates a shift in cul… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/photos/mccaskill-ayotte-fischer-levin-hold-press-conference-reacting-to-military-report-on-sexual-assaults | McCaskill, Ayotte, Fischer, Levin Hold Press Conference Reacting to Military Report on Sexual Assaults | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill, Kelly Ayotte, Deb Fischer, and Carl Levin held a press conference today to react to a new report that show a drop in the number of sexual assaults in the U.S. military, combined with an increase in the number of victims coming forward to report such assaults. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/video/view/mccaskill-ayotte-fischer-levin-react-to-military-report-on-sexual-assaults | McCaskill, Ayotte, Fischer, Levin React to Military Report on Sexual Assaults | 2014-12-04 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill, Kelly Ayotte, Deb Fischer, and Carl Levin will hold a press conference today at approximately 2:45pm ET to react to a new report that media accounts say will... | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/auto-safety-nominee-wants-finer-data-tools | Auto Safety Nominee Wants Finer Data Tools | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Auto Safety Nominee Wants Finer Data Tools Wednesday, December 3, 2014 By: Matthew L. Wald WASHINGTON — President Obama’s choice to lead the nation’s top auto safety agency told a Senate committee on Wednesday that the agency, long criticized for failing to spot defects in cars, now faces so many consumer complaints that it has trouble keeping up. “We’re not even talking about connecting the dots, we’re just talking about the overload of having that many,” said Mark R. Rosekind, at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee. The number of annual complaints made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recently jumped to 75,000 from 45,000, or about 60 percent, he said, with only nine people to analyze them. And there are only 16 field investigators, he said. But Dr. Rosekind added that the problem was not just the number of data analysts, and he pointed to other industries that may offer innovative ways to interpret the data. For example, he said that aerospace and food safety organizations have well-developed ways for spotting problems among masses of data; government needs to take advantage of advanced technology like that, he said. Dr. Rosekind’s nomination comes at a time of uncertainty and turmoil at the agency, which has been without a permanent leader for nearly a year. The safety agency faces an internal review of its operations by the Transportation Department, its parent agency, as well as an investigation by that department’s inspector general. At the same time, the auto industry has increasingly become engulfed in a safety crisis, spurred by revelations that General Motors failed for more than a decade to a disclose a dangerous defect in millions of older cars that it ha… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mccaskill-building-trust-between-police-community-is-a-national-problem | McCaskill: Building Trust Between Police, Community Is A National Problem | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | McCaskill: Building Trust Between Police, Community Is A National Problem Wednesday, December 3, 2014 By: Jim Howard For months following Michael Brown’s shooting, the national and international media have focused on Ferguson and the St. Louis region. But when the White House held meetings earlier this week to discuss questions raised by the shooting and the decision not to indict the police officer who shot Brown, it did not invite any elected, community, faith or law enforcement leaders from Missouri. The president did meet briefly with several young activists from the St. Louis area and other parts of the country, but one participant says the president mostly listened and did not respond directly to their stories. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., does not see the omission of Missouri leaders from the meetings as a slight. While area leaders do have much to share the rest of the country, McCaskill said she believes the White House is deliberately trying to broaden the current focus on policing and race away from recent events in Ferguson and onto a broader national conversation. “They’ve gotten an awful lot of input from St. Louis and Ferguson and they have not had as much input from the rest of the country that also has a serious problem,” said McCaskill. She also said the White House was trying to “take some of the pressure off the people in Ferguson and St. Louis, by making the country realize, this isn’t just about buildings burning in Ferguson… last week, but this is a much broader question.” McCaskill added that “most of the people who are going to be key in working on this issue have spent a lot of time with the people of Ferguson.” Specifically, McCaskill said that Ron Davis, the director of the Just… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/nfl-brass-admits-it-made-crucial-mistake | NFL brass admits it made 'crucial mistake' | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | NFL brass admits it made 'crucial mistake' Troy Vincent testifies before Senate committee Wednesday, December 3, 2014 By: Sara Fischer WASHINGTON (CNN) —During a surprisingly emotional appearance before a congressional panel on Tuesday, Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, admitted the league made a "crucial mistake" in its initial punishment of Ray Rice and got choked up when describing his commitment to improving their policies. "I've committed my life, worked for the last 20 years as an advocate against domestic violence in an effort to keep others from experiencing this lifetime pain," Vincent said, his voice strained. "I relate to the twenty million victims -- survivors -- of domestic violence, sexual abuse, in every community across our great nation." Under pointed questioning from Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, and Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, who serve on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, before which Vincent appeared, the NFL executive admitted the league should have acted sooner in punishing the Baltimore Ravens running back. Rice was seen in two separate videos assaulting his then-fiancee, now wife, Janay Rice. The NFL initially handed down a two-game suspension for the star, before deciding to rethink the punishment and suspend him indefinitely. "I don't think there was a need for a second video to impose a proper discipline," Vincent told Thune, the committee's top Republican. "We failed in that particular area ... we made a critical mistake." The first video, posted by TMZ in January, shows Rice dragging the unconscious Janay out of a hotel elevator. The second video, released in September, sh… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/nominee-pledges-tough-approach-to-auto-safety | Nominee Pledges Tough Approach to Auto Safety | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Nominee Pledges Tough Approach to Auto Safety Nominee Pledges Tough Approach to Auto Safety Wednesday, December 3, 2014 By: Siobhan Hughes WASHINGTON— Mark Rosekind, nominated to be the top U.S. auto-safety regulator, pledged to lawmakers on Wednesday that he would bring a “fresh set of eyes” to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aiming to turn the page on a difficult period for the agency. The Senate is racing to confirm Mr. Rosekind, a fatigue scientist, before Congress adjourns for the year amid frustration that the agency missed multiple opportunities to identify safety defects. NHTSA for years either overlooked or failed to grasp evidence identifying a deadly ignition-switch defect in General Motors Co. vehicles, according to a congressional report that was released earlier this year. A new crisis emerged more recently amid revelations of exploding Takata Corp. air bags that are used in millions of vehicles. Many lawmakers believe the car industry simply doesn’t take NHTSA seriously. “If confirmed, you have my commitment that I will maintain an aggressive focus on continuing to improve NHTSA’s safety record,” Mr. Rosekind told the Senate Commerce Committee. “To this task, I will bring a fresh set of eyes and a different perspective honed over the years as a safety professional and manager.” Senators appeared generally receptive to Mr. Rosekind but cautioned that he’s taking on an agency with a big task at a time when a spate of deadly defects has rattled the industry and its regulators. “If you are not feared and respected, then you cannot do a good job,” Sen. Claire McCaskill (D., Mo.), who chaired the hearing, told the nominee. Drawing on his experie… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/pro-sports-under-new-pressure-on-domestic-violence | Pro sports under new pressure on domestic violence | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Pro sports under new pressure on domestic violence Wednesday, December 3, 2014 Major league sports faced new pressure from Congress to clamp down on domestic violence. Officials from the top four professional leagues and their players associations testified Tuesday at a Senate hearing where senators expected a better turnout, CBS News' Nancy Cordes reports. The committee's ranking Republican member was critical of all four leagues for not sending their commissioners to the hearing. The NFL's executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent, was there instead of commissioner Roger Goodell. Vincent became emotional during his testimony on a topic that, for him, hits close to home. "I relate to the 20 million victims, survivors, of domestic violence," Vincent said. Vincent said abuse was a way of life growing up -- his mother was beaten as he and his brother watched. The former all-pro cornerback now works in the league's front office and admitted they made mistakes in how they handled the discipline of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Rice punched his then-fiancee in a casino elevator and was originally suspended two games. The league made that suspension indefinite after video of the incident surfaced. Just last week, Rice won his appeal and was reinstated to the NFL. "We've accepted the criticism we've received, and we are committed to being part of the solution," Vincent said. But the problem is not isolated to football. Vincent was joined by representatives from the NBA, MLB and NHL, as well as their players unions. Each talked about what they are doing to curb violence off the playing field. Sen. Claire McCaskill voiced her frustration that while individual teams have taken action against baseball players who were charged with abuse -- the league has not. "Major League Bas… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/reports-of-unwanted-sexual-contact-in-military-drop-27 | Reports of unwanted sexual contact in military drop 27% | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Reports of unwanted sexual contact in military drop 27% Wednesday, December 3, 2014 By: Tom Vanden Brook WASHINGTON — The number of troops reporting unwanted sexual contact dropped 27% to 19,000 in 2014 compared with 2012, according to Pentagon figures obtained by USA TODAY. The statistics for overall reporting are based on an estimate of the total military population. They are called overall prevalence reports. Meanwhile, the number of troops reporting sexual assaults jumped 63% over the same period to 4,608 from 2,828 in 2010. Despite the lower numbers of unwanted contact, 62% of women who experienced and reported unwanted sexual contact — anything from groping to rape — said they had been retaliated against, most saying they felt social retaliation from peers or co-workers. Moreover, in 2010, almost the same number of troops — 19,300 troops — reported unwanted sexual contact as in 2014. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the statistics indicated deep-seated problems that require reform. She has advocated reforms that would remove commanders' authority over sexual assault cases. "Let me be clear, a estimate of 20,000 cases of sexual assault and unwanted sexual contact a year in our military, or 55 cases a day, is appalling, and remains at 2010 levels," Gillibrand said in a statement. "There is no other mission in the world for our military where this much failure would be allowed. Enough is enough, last December the President said he would give the military and previous reforms a year to work and it is clear they have failed in their mission." The lower number of reported unwanted sexual contact indicates the military has begun to turn the tide on the crisis, according to a senior Defense Department official … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/senators-mccaskill-blunt-to-postal-service-postpone-planned-closings-of-mail-facilities | Senators McCaskill, Blunt to Postal Service: Postpone Planned Closings of Mail Facilities | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Senators McCaskill, Blunt to Postal Service: Postpone Planned Closings of Mail Facilities Wednesday, December 3, 2014 Missouri U.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, along with a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues, has demanded a delay in the planned consolidation of up to 82 U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail processing facilities after the USPS Inspector General found the Postal Service failed to fulfil its obligations to adequately study the impact of the consolidations, and failed to inform the public of those impacts. “We strongly urge the USPS to delay implementation of any mail processing consolidations until feasibility studies are completed and there has been adequate time for public comment and consideration of those comments,” the senators wrote. “Completed feasibility studies should include service standard impacts worksheets based on the revised service standards expected to be published on Jan. 5, 2015. There is no reason that the USPS cannot delay its consolidations to provide time for the public to see and comment on the service standard worksheets. It is only fair to allow the process to unfold in this way, and the USPS gains little by deciding to continue the consolidation process on its current, arbitrary time line.” The letter was signed by more than 20 senators. Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/defense-bill-includes-mccaskill-ayotte-fischers-additional_reforms-to-continue-curbing-sexual-assaults-in-the-us-military | Defense Bill Includes McCaskill-Ayotte-Fischer’s Additional Reforms to Continue Curbing Sexual Assaults in the U.S. Military | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Defense Bill Includes McCaskill-Ayotte-Fischer’s Additional Reforms to Continue Curbing Sexual Assaults in the U.S. Military After last year’s defense bill enacted historic reforms to the military justice system, supplemental reforms in the bipartisan Victims Protection Act take a step closer to final passage Wednesday, December 3, 2014 WASHINGTON – One year after Congress passed into law sweeping changes to how the military justice system handles sexual violence, the U.S. Senate and House will soon vote on a bipartisan package of additional reforms sponsored by U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), and Deb Fischer (Neb.). The current version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act will include provisions of the Senators’ bipartisan Victims Protection Act—a set of policies to supplement those that were already enacted in last year’s annual defense bill. The Victims Protection Act would: Eliminate the “good soldier” defense for servicemembers accused of sexual assault under most circumstances, Allow victims formal input on whether their case is tried in military or civilian court, Allow survivors to challenge their discharge or separation from service, Strengthen the role of the prosecutor in advising commanders on going to court-martial, Boost accountability of commanders for setting appropriate command climate, And extend protections to the Military Service Academies. The Victims Protection Act received unanimous approval in the Senate earlier this year, but had not yet received consideration in the U.S. House. The Senate and House will vote on the final negotiated version of the defense bill—including these new reforms—in the coming days. The Pentagon is also presenting a report this week to President Obama on progress combatting sexual violence in the ranks. “A year ago, a sexual assault survivor in the U.S. military faced a daunting landscape, but things are different now,” said McCaskill, a former courtroom prosecut… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/initial-reports-sexual-assaults-down-reporting-of-crimes-up-mccaskill-this-is-exactly-the-combination-were-looking-for | Initial Reports: Sexual Assaults Down, Reporting of Crimes Up— McCaskill: ‘This is exactly the combination we’re looking for’ | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Initial Reports: Sexual Assaults Down, Reporting of Crimes Up— McCaskill: ‘This is exactly the combination we’re looking for’ Senator reacts to news accounts that military will show incidents of sexual violence have dropped while rate of victims coming forward has gone up Wednesday, December 3, 2014 WASHINGTON – Initial news accounts tonight indicate that a comprehensive report to be issued tomorrow by the U.S. military will show a drop in the number of sexual assaults combined with a rise in the number of victims willing to come forward to report such crimes. U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, a former courtroom prosecutor of sex crimes and senior member of the Armed Services Committee released the following statement: “Pending the report’s public release tomorrow, assuming news accounts are correct—reporting of assaults being up and incidents of assault being down are exactly the combination we’re looking for. I’m sure there’s more work to do, and I’m anxious to hear how victims feel about the services and support offered to them when they report an assault.” Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/violence to learn more about McCaskill's fight to curb sexual violence. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-backs-bipartisan-effort-to-protect-military-families-from-financial-abuse | McCaskill Backs Bipartisan Effort to Protect Military Families from Financial Abuse | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | McCaskill Backs Bipartisan Effort to Protect Military Families from Financial Abuse Senator joins 39 Senate colleagues in support of plan to close loopholes in the Military Lending Act Wednesday, December 3, 2014 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill has joined a bipartisan group of 40 Senators in a letter of support sent to the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding a plan to better protect troops and their families from financial abuse. The letter, sent to U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, expresses strong support for the proposed new rule to help prevent lenders from charging excessive fees and taking advantage of military families. Congress originally passed the Military Lending Act (MLA) following a 2006 Pentagon report that found that “predatory lending undermines military readiness, harms the morale of troops and their families, and adds to the cost of fielding an all-volunteer fighting force.” This law capped the annual interest rates for consumer credit to service members and their dependents at 36% while giving Defense Department the authority to define what loans should be covered. In 2007, the Department implemented regulations that narrowly applied to only three types of loans: (1) one-time payday loans for less than $2000, (2) closed-end vehicle title loans of fewer than 181 days, and (3) tax refund anticipation loans. In the proposed changes to the MLA, first announced in September, DOD seeks to close existing loopholes in the current MLA rule. Today’s letter voices strong support for the proposed rule, arguing that the changes strike a better balance between protecting service members and their families while maintaining access to good credit. “As our service members are asked to take on even more tasks in defense of our nation, we should take every opportunity to protect them and their families here at home, especially from unscrupulous lenders,” the Senators wrote. “We strongly support the proposed MLA rule and urge that the final … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-to-auto-safety-nominee-agency-must-be-feared-and-respected- | McCaskill to Auto Safety Nominee: Agency Must Be ‘feared and respected’ | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | McCaskill to Auto Safety Nominee: Agency Must Be ‘feared and respected’ After GM ignition switch and Takata airbag recalls, Senator questions transportation expert and nominee Dr. Mark Rosekind on better oversight for safety agency Wednesday, December 3, 2014 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today questioned Dr. Mark Rosekind, who has been nominated to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on how the agency can better exercise authority and oversight of the auto industry, in light of ignition switch problems at General Motors and airbag malfunctions at Takata that have both been linked to a number of consumer deaths. “It’s become fairly clear to me in the hearings we’ve had on both the ignition switches at GM and the Takata hearing, that these companies are way more afraid of a civil lawsuit than they are of NHTSA,” said McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance. “And I think it’s really important that you keep that at the top of your list, in terms of priorities. If you are not feared and respected, then you cannot do a good job policing the safety of automobiles in this country. You have to be feared and respected. And I don’t think NHTSA is feared or respected at this point.” McCaskill also questioned Carlos Monje Jr., nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at the Department of Transportation, on how to improve the safety of crude oil moving by rail, and communication with first responders in the event of an accident in a major metropolitan area. “Kansas City and St. Louis are the second and third largest freight rail hubs in the country. And obviously we are very aware of the increase in the movement of crude by rail across our country. It is one of the reasons I support the [Keystone] pipeline, because I think that product is going to move, we’re not going to stop it from coming out of the ground. So the question is, how do we move it a way that is most saf… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/photos/mccaskill-to-auto-safety-nominee-agency-must-be-feared-and-respected | McCaskill to Auto Safety Nominee: Agency Must Be ‘feared and respected’ | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today questioned Dr. Mark Rosekind, who has been nominated to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on how the agency can better exercise authority and oversight of the auto industry, in light of ignition switch problems at GM and airbag malfunctions at Takata that have both been linked to a number of consumer deaths. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/video/view/domestic-violence-in-professional-sportsmccaskill-grills-league-representatives | Domestic Violence in Professional Sports—McCaskill Grills League Representatives | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill grilled representatives from the four major sports leagues on the rate of domestic violence in professional sports, and whether the leagues are adequately protecting... | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/video/view/mccaskill-to-auto-safety-nominee-agency-must-be-feared-and-respected | McCaskill to Auto Safety Nominee: Agency Must Be ‘feared and respected’ | 2014-12-03 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today questioned Dr. Mark Rosekind, who has been nominated to lead the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on how the agency can better exercise authority. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://cleaver.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-announces-another-achievement-to-honor-america-s | Congressman Cleaver Announces Another Achievement to Honor Americas Involvement in World War I | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Emanuel Cleaver | C001061 | cleaver.house.gov | legacy | The American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, introduced by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05) and Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), and cosponsored by 301 other Members, passed the House today by a vote of 418 to 3. “This bill allows us to pay tribute to the end of World War I battlefield hostilities while honoring the memory, service, and sacrifice of over four million outstanding Americans,” stated Congressman Cleaver. “The year 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice with Germany, ending World War I battlefield hostilities. It’s taken far too long for us to adequately honor the more than four million men and women from the United States who served during World War I. Now is the time to pay our tribute.” Video of Congressman Cleaver speaking in favor of the bill on the House Floor is available here. The legislation, H.R. 2366, directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of this centennial. The United States has used commemorative coins to memorialize its significant conflicts, including the Civil War, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Until now, no coin existed to honor the brave veterans of World War I. Funds raised from the sale of the coins will support the World War I Centennial Commission. Led by Congressman Cleaver, the 112th Congress established the WWI Centennial Commission to plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. The commission has not been authorized any federal taxpayer dollars and is funded through donations and potential coin sales. In addition to the American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, Congressman Cleaver secured passage of an amendment to designate the Liberty Memorial at America's National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the “National World War I Museum and Memorial.” The amendment will redesignate Pershing Park in Washington, DC as the “National World War I Memorial.” The amendment, part of the Natio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/column-the-militarys-report-card | Column: The Military's Report Card | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Column: The Military's Report Card Tuesday, December 2, 2014 By: U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill This week, one year after historic reforms were signed into law, we find out if more survivors of sexual assault are coming forward and if the number of assaults is going down. One year ago, a sexual assault survivor in the U.S. military faced a daunting landscape. Resources for survivors were limited. There was nobody whose job it was to fight for victims' interests. If a survivor had the courage to come forward, they were subjected to an often-invasive pre-trial process in which every aspect of their personal lives could be aired. Their attacker might be convicted, only to receive a slap on the wrist -- or even have his conviction thrown out entirely by a military commander. Things are different now. Historic reforms in last year's defense bill mean commanders have been stripped of the ability to overturn convictions, and are being held accountable under rigorous new standards. Every victim who reports an assault now gets their own independent lawyer to protect their rights and fight for their interests -- a reform with no parallel in the civilian justice system. Civilian review is now required if a commander decides against a prosecution when a prosecutor wants to go to trial. Dishonorable discharge is now a required minimum sentence for those convicted. It is now a crime for any servicemember to retaliate against a victim who reports a sexual assault. And the pre-trial Article 32 process has been reformed to better protect survivors. When President Obama signed our reforms into law one year ago, a healthy policy debate was still ongoing in the Senate over whether some additional reforms -- or even an alternate system… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/ferguson-activists-get-their-say-in-the-oval-office-obama-announces-plans-for-reform | Ferguson Activists Get Their Say In The Oval Office; Obama Announces Plans For Reform | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Ferguson Activists Get Their Say In The Oval Office; Obama Announces Plans For Reform Tuesday, December 2, 2014 By: Jim Howard Ashley Yates’ meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office Monday began with a Twitter feed about a dead body in the street. That was Aug. 9, and her curiosity led her to where others were gathered near Michael Brown’s body. “And that led from there to trying to seek some answers and the next day being tear-gassed for the very first time,” she said in a phone interview Monday night. Yates, who says she’s been “tear-gassed” seven or eight times since, is a co-founder of Millennial Activists United. Of the many groups protesting the shooting death of Michael Brown, MAU is one of the most recognized. She joined a handful of other young activists, including several from St. Louis, in a meeting with Obama where she says he paid close attention as they recounted their life experiences. “He mainly wanted to listen. … He didn’t really have too much to say in direct response” to the personal stories from the group, “but he did take them into account and he did make it clear that he heard us,” Yates said. On the grand scheme of things Yates says she and others are “fighting for black liberation at large. We are fighting for black equality and to make sure that we are treated as the American citizens that they say we are.” But she also says that it is important to stay grounded in such a big effort and to remember individually who they are also fighting for on a smaller scale. For Yates, one of those people is her 7-year-old cousin, Aryion. “He’s a tall kid for 7. He’s a slender, tall kid with a haircut and complexion close to the president’s and he’s an amazing young athlete. He loves to… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/pentagon-report-on-mccaskill-sexual-assault-revisions-due-this-week | Pentagon report on McCaskill sexual assault revisions due this week | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Pentagon report on McCaskill sexual assault revisions due this week Tuesday, December 2, 2014 By: Chuck Raasch WASHINGTON • A Pentagon report on military sexual-assault reform that is due any day could tell much about future battles over the issue involving Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. The report is expected to tell how the military has implemented reforms in a McCaskill-sponsored bill, passed last year, aimed at strengthening alleged victim rights and toughening offenders' sentences. But a bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday, arguing that change has not come fast enough in the military, decided to try one last time in this Congress for further reforms. Those senators, led by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, want to attach their proposed changes to the Defense Authorization bill that is working its way through Congress. But the possibility of amendment is remote with Congress winding down its business. Gillibrand's proposal would remove commanders from having a say in deciding whether to prosecute members of the military for sexual assault, leaving that decision to military prosecutors. At a press conference, the senators brought as their ally they former chief prosecutor for the U.S. Air Force. Retired Col. Don Christensen, who just recently became president of a sexual-assault survivors group called Protect Our Defenders, said that commanders are sometimes "enablers." and should be left out of prosecutions. Defenders say commanders should be involved as part of the military's chain of command. McCaskill did not respond to this new push by Gillibrand. The two senators have clashed over the best way to tackle military sexual assault reform during the current Congress, but they also have partnered on a separate push to … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/senate-committee-puts-spotlight-on-domestic-violence | Senate Committee Puts Spotlight on Domestic Violence | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Senate Committee Puts Spotlight on Domestic Violence Tuesday, December 2, 2014 By: Steve Eder WASHINGTON — With deepening concerns about domestic violence among professional athletes, members of a United States Senate committee on Tuesday chastised the four major sports leagues for failing to police their players and falling short in supporting victims. The problem, the members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation said, has come into sharp focus in the nearly three months since video surfaced of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée in a hotel elevator. The senators called on the leagues and player associations — which were represented at the packed hearing — to be tougher addressing domestic violence and to do more for victims. “When a celebrity athlete is charged with committing domestic violence, it uniquely reverberates through society in unique ways,” said Senator Jay Rockefeller, Democrat of West Virginia, the chairman of the committee. The hearing came five days after an arbitrator overturned the National Football League’s indefinite suspension of Rice, calling it “arbitrary.” The ruling marked the latest setback for N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who has faced widespread criticism in light of the Rice case for not doing enough to curb domestic violence. The league has pledged to overhaul its personal conduct policy. Last month, The New York Times reported in a two-part series that N.F.L. teams often have close relationships with local law enforcement agencies, which can favor the player and isolate victims. Further, The Times reported on how victims can feel trapped, in part, by the close team culture and the emphasis on avoiding distractions. Both the players and the leagues cam… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/us-senators-call-for-delay-in-consolidating-usps-facilities | U.S. Senators Call for Delay in Consolidating USPS Facilities | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | U.S. Senators Call for Delay in Consolidating USPS Facilities Tuesday, December 2, 2014 By: Michele Skalicky Missouri's U.S. Senators are calling for the USPS to delay consolidating mail processing facilities. Republican Roy Blunt and Democrat Claire McCaskill joined a bipartisan group of colleagues Monday to demand the delay of the planned consolidation of the facilities, two of which are in Missouri. They sent the letter after the USPS Inspector General found that the Postal Service failed to fulfill its obligations to adequately study the impact of the consolidations and failed to inform the public of those impacts, according to a news release from Blunt's office. They're asking that feasibility studies be completed and that the public to have enough time to comment before a decision is made. According to the letter, "There is no reason that the USPS cannot delay its consolidations to provide time for the public to see and comment on the service standard worksheets. It is only fair to allow the process to unfold in this way, and the USPS gains little by deciding to continue the consolidation process on its current, arbitrary timeline." A Springfield processing center is among two Missouri facilities facing consolidation.That move, which will shift operations to Kansas City, is scheduled for April 2015. Last month, A USPS spokesperson did not indicate how many jobs would be affected Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/domestic-violence-in-professional-sports_-mccaskill-grills-league-representatives- | Domestic Violence in Professional Sports - McCaskill Grills League Representatives | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Domestic Violence in Professional Sports - McCaskill Grills League Representatives Senator: for pro athletes and leagues, ‘with great power and influence comes great responsibility’ ‘Professional sports must do a better job of setting an example to young people and to victims’ Tuesday, December 2, 2014 WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today grilled representatives from the four major sports leagues on the rate of domestic violence in professional sports, and whether the leagues are adequately protecting victims and holding perpetrators accountable. “The bright light of public attention needs to be turned on at a very high wattage at a problem that exists in the shadows in a very dark and scary place,” said McCaskill, a former sex crimes prosecutor. “With great power and influence comes great responsibility… professional sports must do a better job of setting an example to young people and to victims of domestic violence, who face very difficult decisions as they struggle with holding their abusers accountable.” McCaskill continued: “There has been little or no effort to independently get the facts, rather just use the predictable outcome that very few who are abused will have an adequate support… to come forward and hold their abuser accountable. And so by and large professional sports teams have relied on the failure of the criminal justice system to get convictions as their excuse as to why very few players have been held accountable.” At today’s hearing, McCaskill posed a number of questions to representatives from the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League—on whether the leagues are adequately addressing, punishing, and adjudicated cases of domestic violence. “What we really have to do here is look to see what you are doing independently to investigate these cases, and independently determine what the facts are, because that’s how the NFL got in trouble. Because Roger Goode… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://cleaver.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-applauds-president-obama-s-decision-to-strengthen | Congressman Cleaver Applauds President Obamas Decision to Strengthen Community Policing | 2014-12-01 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Emanuel Cleaver | C001061 | cleaver.house.gov | legacy | Today, President Obama released the Administration’s Review of Federal Support for Local Law Enforcement Equipment Acquisition. This review is part of a broader effort to strengthen community policing and fortify the trust that must exist between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. “In the weeks and months since the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, I have worked, along with Congressman Clay, to spur a fundamental shift in local law enforcement, away from military-style response and toward a community-based, proportionate-response style of policing,” stated Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II. “Our local police officers and law enforcement deserve the best tools and training available to protect and serve our communities. But we should not turn our cities into warzones. Today’s announcement is a positive first step, and I am encouraged to hear that many of the most important priorities we have championed will move forward. Additionally, I am pleased and proud to see that the White House has included, as examples, many of the recommendations and strategies Congressman Clay and I put forth this past August.” The White House has provided several examples of potential improvements, including: ensuring that all equipment available for acquisition by law enforcement agencies has a legitimate civilian law enforcement purpose; including training requirements that address appropriate use and deployment of equipment; broadening transparency of the 1033 and other agency equipment repurpose programs; and requiring police officers to wear body cameras. On August 21, 2014, Congressman Cleaver and Congressman Clay authored a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel calling for a review of the 1033 program. On August 22, 2014, Congressman Cleaver and Congressman Clay met with Secretary Hagel to discuss in depth the militarization of local law enforcement. The conversation, which was productive and positive, addressed urgent concerns about the militarization of local law enforce… | 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-9 | STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI REGARDING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ACTIONS TO REFORM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY SURPLUS TRANSFER PROGRAMS | 2014-12-01 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | William Clay | C001049 | lacyclay.house.gov | legacy | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2014 MEDIA CONTACTS: STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029 STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN WM. LACY CLAY (D) MISSOURI REGARDING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ACTIONS TO REFORM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MILITARY SURPLUS TRANSFER PROGRAMS AFTER THE TRAGEDY IN FERGUSON, MO NOTE: The following is a first-person statement from Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri I applaud President Obama for his administration's prompt and extensive review of the Pentagon's 1033 military surplus transfer program and other similar programs that convey surplus equipment to local law enforcement agencies. The preliminary findings of that review, as requested by myself and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D) Missouri shortly after the police killing of Michael Brown, Jr., substantiate many of our most urgent concerns about these programs, including repeated transfers from multiple federal agencies without coordination; inadequate training for local law enforcement agencies who receive the surplus equipment; and little or no oversight over how the equipment is used in the field. This past August, I personally witnessed thousands of my unarmed constituents who, while peacefully exercising their constitutional rights, were targeted by local police wielding military sniper rifles equipped with night-vision scopes. That should not happen in America. Some of the preliminary recommendations announced today include: Ensuring that all equipment available for acquisition by law enforcement agencies has a legitimate civilian law enforcement purpose; including training requirements that address appropriate use and deployment of equipment; and broadening transparency of the 1033 and other agency equipment repurpose programs. I also strongly support the President's plan to create a $75 million matching fund to help local enforcement agencies equip their officers with body cameras. If widely implemented, that single change would not only establish real transparency when force is used during a police incident, it would also substa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mccaskill-blunt-call-for-delay-in-usps-consolidation | McCaskill, Blunt Call for Delay in USPS Consolidation | 2014-12-01 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | McCaskill, Blunt Call for Delay in USPS Consolidation Monday, December 1, 2014 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Missouri Senators are calling for a delay in the planned consolidation of up to 82 U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail processing facilities, including one in Springfield, Mo. U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, along with other colleagues, sent a letter to the USPS Inspector General after it was announced the Postal Service failed to fulfill its obligations to adequately study the impact of the consolidations and failed to inform the public of those impacts. "We strongly urge the USPS to delay implementation of any mail processing consolidations until feasibility studies are completed and there has been adequate time for public comment and consideration of those comments," the Senators wrote in the letter. "Completed feasibility studies should include service standard impacts worksheets based on the revised service standards expected to be published on January 5, 2015.” “There is no reason that the USPS cannot delay its consolidations to provide time for the public to see and comment on the service standard worksheets,” the letter continues. “It is only fair to allow the process to unfold in this way, and the USPS gains little by deciding to continue the consolidation process on its current, arbitrary timeline." To read a copy of the letter, click the link above. Along with Blunt and McCaskill, the letter was signed by the following Senators: Tim Johnson of South Dakota Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts Sherrod Brown of Ohio Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken of Minnesota Bob Casey of Pennsylvania Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota Mary Landrieu of … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/missouri-senators-weigh-in-on-us-postal-service-consolidations | Missouri senators weigh in on U.S. Postal Service consolidations | 2014-12-01 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Missouri senators weigh in on U.S. Postal Service consolidations Monday, December 1, 2014 By: Erin Ragan Both of Missouri's senators on Monday sent a letter to the U.S. Postal Service requesting a push back of consolidations for mail processing facilities. The planned consolidations of up to 82 mail processing centers across the country will affect two Missouri facilities -- one in Cape Girardeau and one in Springfield -- in the spring. U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill were included in a group of senators who sent the letter to the postmaster general Monday, in which the senators allege the postal service is not following its own guidelines for evaluating service standards and considering issues for local customers. The postal service, according to a news release from McCaskill's office, "failed to fulfill its obligations to adequately study the impact of the consolidations, and failed to inform the public of those impacts." The senators base their argument on a report issued by the office of the USPS inspector general, which found the postal service did not complete service standard impact evaluations and worksheets as part of area mail processing feasibility studies. The worksheets, according to the senators, provide the public with an understanding of the consolidations and their potential effects, and can mean an opportunity for people to weigh in on changes. "There is no reason that the USPS cannot delay its consolidations to provide time for the public to see and comment on the service standard worksheets," the senators wrote in the letter. "It is only fair to allow the process to unfold in this way, and the USPS gains little by deciding to continue the consolidation process on its current,… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/latest-headlines/mo-senators-call-for-usps-to-delay-consolidations | MO senators call for USPS to delay consolidations | 2014-12-01 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | MO senators call for USPS to delay consolidations Monday, December 1, 2014 MISSOURI (KFVS) - Some Missouri senators have called for USPS to delay a planned consolidation of up to 82 U.S. Postal Service mail processing facilities, including two in Missouri. Senators Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill joined a group of their colleagues in sending a letter. It was sent after the USPS inspector general found the postal service failed to fulfill its obligations to adequately study the impact of the consolidations and failed to inform the public of those impacts. You can click here to read a copy of the letter. Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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