url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://graves.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/we-will-object,We Will Object,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Next week, your 117th United States Congress will convene for the first time. After the election of Speaker and the adoption of the Rules of Congress, theaction will quickly move to reading aloud the electoral votessubmitted by each state from this past November'selection - counting them, and declaring the vote tally for President and Vice President. During that process, the question will be put before your elected officials - does anyone object to the certificationof electoral votes of a state. We will object. Our hope is that others will join us. We don't take this decision lightly, but we must protect the integrity of each vote cast by every law-abidingMissourian. For every instance of Georgia failing to follow its own state law in verifying signatures, of Pennsylvania accepting mail ballots after the legal deadline set by its state legislature, or folks from outside Nevada casting a ballotin that state - the value of every Missourians' vote is diminished. That's not right. And we cannot simply look the other way. The right to freely cast yourvote in elections is a sacred privilegeafforded to us as Americans because of the sacrificesof the patriots who fought for that right. When that process is spoiled and abused by officials not following their own state law, it violates that right and jeopardizes the entire integrity and foundation of 'free and fair' elections. In such instances, where voting process changes are made without the consent of the voter, we know it is our duty and our obligation to serve as a backstop to protect the power of one person, one vote - to protect your vote as a Missourian. We must be able to have confidence in not only the agreement and expectation that this election would follow the law, but future ones will as well. We take the responsibilityof upholding the Constitutionseriously, and that is why we feel compelled to object to the electoral count taking place on January 6th. The reported results of this past November's Presidential election don't even pass the most basic eye test. Republicans were projected to lose seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, we gained more than a dozen. Republicans were supposed to lose control of several state legislatures, we picked up multiple. We were projectedto lose control of the United States Senate - we didn't, and we won't. All of this occurred on the same night President Trump lost? It's hard to believe. Combined with the daily reports of voting irregularities where state election laws were discarded and not followed, something doesn't add up. President Trump won over 74 million votes, Obama - 69 million. President Trump won 2586 counties, Obama - 873 counties, Joe Biden - 527 counties. The numbers, the evidence, and the abnormalities all speak for themselves. We have joined lawsuits, called for a Special Counsel and demanded accountability and integrity, now we finally get to cast our vote. We have no illusions about the outcome, at the end of the day, this is still Nancy Pelosi's House. Our only hope is that more will join us - that more will value protecting the vote of every American living in their state as much as we do fighting for yours.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3342,We Will Object,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Next week, your 117th United States Congress will convene for the first time. After the election of Speaker and the adoption of the Rules of Congress, theaction will quickly move to reading aloud the electoral votessubmitted by each state from this past November'selection - counting them, and declaring the vote tally for President and Vice President. During that process, the question will be put before your elected officials - does anyone object to the certificationof electoral votes of a state. We will object. Our hope is that others will join us. We don't take this decision lightly, but we must protect the integrity of each vote cast by every law-abidingMissourian. For every instance of Georgia failing to follow its own state law in verifying signatures, of Pennsylvania accepting mail ballots after the legal deadline set by its state legislature, or folks from outside Nevada casting a ballotin that state - the value of every Missourians' vote is diminished. That's not right. And we cannot simply look the other way. The right to freely cast yourvote in elections is a sacred privilegeafforded to us as Americans because of the sacrificesof the patriots who fought for that right. When that process is spoiled and abused by officials not following their own state law, it violates that right and jeopardizes the entire integrity and foundation of 'free and fair' elections. In such instances, where voting process changes are made without the consent of the voter, we know it is our duty and our obligation to serve as a backstop to protect the power of one person, one vote - to protect your vote as a Missourian. We must be able to have confidence in not only the agreement and expectation that this election would follow the law, but future ones will as well. We take the responsibilityof upholding the Constitutionseriously, and that is why we feel compelled to object to the electoral count taking place on January 6th. The reported results of this past November's Presidential election don't even pass the most basic eye test. Republicans were projected to lose seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, we gained more than a dozen. Republicans were supposed to lose control of several state legislatures, we picked up multiple. We were projectedto lose control of the United States Senate - we didn't, and we won't. All of this occurred on the same night President Trump lost? It's hard to believe. Combined with the daily reports of voting irregularities where state election laws were discarded and not followed, something doesn't add up. President Trump won over 74 million votes, Obama - 69 million. President Trump won 2586 counties, Obama - 873 counties, Joe Biden - 527 counties. The numbers, the evidence, and the abnormalities all speak for themselves. We have joined lawsuits, called for a Special Counsel and demanded accountability and integrity, now we finally get to cast our vote. We have no illusions about the outcome, at the end of the day, this is still Nancy Pelosi's House. Our only hope is that more will join us - that more will value protecting the vote of every American living in their state as much as we do fighting for yours.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://long.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=476,We Will Object,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Billy Long,L000576,long.house.gov,,,legacy,"Next week, your 117th United States Congress will convene for the first time. After the election of Speaker and the adoption of the Rules of Congress, theaction will quickly move to reading aloud the electoral votessubmitted by each state from this past November'selection - counting them, and declaring the vote tally for President and Vice President. During that process, the question will be put before your elected officials - does anyone object to the certificationof electoral votes of a state. We will object. Our hope is that others will join us. We don't take this decision lightly, but we must protect the integrity of each vote cast by every law-abidingMissourian. For every instance of Georgia failing to follow its own state law in verifying signatures, of Pennsylvania accepting mail ballots after the legal deadline set by its state legislature, or folks from outside Nevada casting a ballotin that state - the value of every Missourians' vote is diminished. That's not right. And we cannot simply look the other way. The right to freely cast yourvote in elections is a sacred privilegeafforded to us as Americans because of the sacrificesof the patriots who fought for that right. When that process is spoiled and abused by officials not following their own state law, it violates that right and jeopardizes the entire integrity and foundation of 'free and fair' elections. In such instances, where voting process changes are made without the consent of the voter, we know it is our duty and our obligation to serve as a backstop to protect the power of one person, one vote - to protect your vote as a Missourian. We must be able to have confidence in not only the agreement and expectation that this election would follow the law, but future ones will as well. We take the responsibilityof upholding the Constitutionseriously, and that is why we feel compelled to object to the electoral count taking place on January 6th. The reported results of this past November's Presidential election don't even pass the most basic eye test. Republicans were projected to lose seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, we gained more than a dozen. Republicans were supposed to lose control of several state legislatures, we picked up multiple. We were projectedto lose control of the United States Senate - we didn't, and we won't. All of this occurred on the same night President Trump lost? It's hard to believe. Combined with the daily reports of voting irregularities where state election laws were discarded and not followed, something doesn't add up. President Trump won over 74 million votes, Obama - 69 million. President Trump won 2586 counties, Obama - 873 counties, Joe Biden - 527 counties. The numbers, the evidence, and the abnormalities all speak for themselves. We have joined lawsuits, called for a Special Counsel and demanded accountability and integrity, now we finally get to cast our vote. We have no illusions about the outcome, at the end of the day, this is still Nancy Pelosi's House. Our only hope is that more will join us - that more will value protecting the vote of every American living in their state as much as we do fighting for yours.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hartzler-statement-cash-act,Hartzler Statement on the CASH Act,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Vicky Hartzler,H001053,hartzler.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) issued the following statement on the CASH Act. A coronavirus relief bill should be directed to helping those who have been negatively impacted by the virus. The bill passed last week accomplishes this by helping struggling businesses, families, and individuals without work due to the pandemic. It also sends $600 to every person in a household who makes under $75,000 whether or not they have been impacted by the virus. This was a reasonable compromise. Increasing these across the board payments to $2000 without even having to demonstrate a need would further America's out of control debt. With a debt of $27 trillion, our focus should remain on getting people back to work and defeating the virus.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/sen-hawley-will-object-during-electoral-college-certification-process-jan-6,Sen. Hawley Will Object During Electoral College Certification Process On Jan 6,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced he will object during the Electoral College certification process on January 6, 2021. Senator Hawley will object to highlight the failure of some states, including notably Pennsylvania, to follow their own election laws as well as the unprecedented interference of Big Tech monopolies in the election. He will call for Congress to launch a full investigation of potential fraud and election irregularities and enact election integrity measures. Democrats have previously objected during the certification process for the 2004 and 2016 Presidential elections. Senator Hawley said,""Following both the 2004 and 2016 elections, Democrats in Congress objected during the certification of electoral votes in order to raise concerns about election integrity. They were praised by Democratic leadership and the media when they did. And they were entitled to do so. But now those of us concerned about the integrity of this election are entitled to do the same. I cannot vote to certify the electoral college results on January 6 without raising the fact that some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws. And I cannot vote to certify without pointing out the unprecedented effort of mega corporations, including Facebook and Twitter, to interfere in this election, in support of Joe Biden. At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections. But Congress has so far failed to act. For these reasons, I will follow the same practice Democrat members of Congress have in years past and object during the certification process on January 6 to raise these critical issues."" Background On Previous Objections to Electoral College Vote Certification In 2005, Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones Objected to the Electoral College Votes from Ohio. Stephanie Tubs-Jones Said, I Raise This Objection Because I Am Convinced That We As A Body Must Conduct A Formal And Legitimate Debate About Election Irregularities.""(C-SPAN, 1/6/05, 3:10-3:20) Boxer views her 2005 objection as her proudest moment on the Senate floor, according to CNN.(CNN, 12/27/2020) In January 2005, 31 Congressional Democrats Voted To Reject Ohio's Electoral Votes.(CNN, 1/6/05) Nancy Pelosi Praised The 2005 Objections, Saying Democrats Were Speaking Up For Their Aggrieved Constituents During Their Only Opportunity To Have This Debate While The Country Is Listening"" Nancy Pelosi Said We Are Witnessing Democracy At Work And This Debate Is Fundamental To Our Democracy.""""[T]oday we are witnessing democracy at work. This is not, as some of our Republican colleagues have referred to it, sadly, frivolous. This debate is fundamental to our democracy.""(C-SPAN, 1/6/05, 32:49-33:08) Pelosi Said Democrats Were Speaking Up For Their Aggrieved Constituents, Many Of Whom May Have Been Disenfranchised In This Process.""""The Members of Congress who have brought this challenge are speaking up for their aggrieved constituents, many of whom may have been disenfranchised in this process. This is their only opportunity to have this debate while the country is listening, and it is appropriate to do so. If there were other venues of this caliber, we would have taken that opportunity. But this is the opportunity. We have a responsibility to take advantage of it.""(C-SPAN, 1/6/05, 34:14-34:45) Pelosi Said This Is Their Only Opportunity To Have This Debate While The Country Is Listening And We Have A Responsibility To Take Advantage Of It.""(C-SPAN, 1/6/05, 34:14-34:45) Pelosi Said Do Not Talk About This As A Conspiracy Theory.'""""[P]lease do not talk about this as a conspiracy theory.' It is not about that. It is not about conspiracy; it is about the Constitution of the United States.""(C-SPAN, 1/6/05, 39:50-40:03) In 2017, At Least Seven House Democrats Sought To Object To Electoral Votes In Favor Of President Trump: Jim McGovern Said The Electors Were Not Lawfully Certified, Especially Given The Confirmed And Illegal Activities Engaged By The Government Of Russia.""(CNN, 1/6/17) Raul Grijalva Objected After North Carolina's Tally.(CNN, 1/6/17) Pramila Jayapal Objected To Georgia's Vote Certificate.(CNN, 1/6/17) Jamie Raskin Objected To 10 Of Florida's 29 Electoral Votes, Saying They Violated Florida's Prohibition Against Dual Office Holders.""(CNN, 1/6/17) Maxine Waters Objected.(CNN, 1/6/17)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-to-override-president-s-veto-of-the-ndaa,Congressman Cleaver Votes to Override Presidents Veto of the NDAA,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Last night, the House of Representatives voted to override the President's veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA) by a vote of 322-87. With the requisite two-thirds majority supporting the measure, the President's veto has been overridden in the House of Representatives. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of the legislation, which will provide a 3% pay raise for servicemembers, authorize and increase hazardous duty pay for servicemembers in harm's way, provide long-overdue benefits to Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange, strengthen our nation's cybersecurity, remove all names and symbols honoring the Confederacy from Department of Defense installations, and more. The NDAA will become law if the Senate also votes to override with a two-thirds majority. For 59 consecutive years, the U.S. Congress has passed the NDAA to ensure the needs of our military personnel and their families are met so that they have the tools necessary to continue defending the freedoms we hold so dearly, said Congressman Cleaver. While there are certainly provisions I would have personally taken out and others I would have liked to see included, this year's NDAA is a solid compromise that provides our military members with the pay raise and hazard pay they deserve, some critical benefits that are long-overdue, and the means to protect our nation in every field from the seas to the latest cyber threats. Despite the President's latest temper-tantrum, I'm pleased we were able to pass this critical legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support. Included in this year's NDAA was the Coordinating Oversight, Upgrading and Innovating Technology, and Examiner Reform (COUNTER) Act, a bill introduced by Congressman Cleaver to update and overhaul the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), which dictates banks' responsibilities to help the government detect and root out illicit financial transactions from nefarious actors domestically and abroad. The COUNTER Act would be the largest overhaul of the BSA since we cracked down on illicit financing following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, said Congressman Cleaver. This is critical to preventing money laundering and other illicit financial activity that funds nefarious actors within the United States and abroad, which has exploded with the introduction of digital banking and digital currencies. I'm proud of the work we were able to do in a bipartisan fashion that will bring our financial security infrastructure into the 21st Century and help defund the bad actors who wish to do our country harm by taking advantage of outdated safeguards. The COUNTER Act would empower the U.S. Treasury Department to protect our national security and safeguard our financial systems by codifying an information-sharing program between law enforcement, financial institutions, and the Treasury Department, which will better ensure the detection and capture of illicit financial activity. In addition, the bill would close a number of loopholes that have long enabled financial crimes, positioning our national security apparatus to face the financial security challenges of tomorrow. Finally, the COUNTER Act will provide much-needed relief to small banks and credit unions by bringing outdated regulations weighing on smaller institutions into the 21st century while still reinforcing our national security. Some noteworthy provisions advocated by Rep. Cleaver in the FY21 NDAA include: Authorizing a 3% pay raise for servicemembers; Providing a long sought after health benefit for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange Removing all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America from all military installations; Extending paid parental leave to approximately 100,000 federal civilians who were inadvertently excluded in the FY20 NDAA, including employees at the VA, TSA, FAA, and more; Setting limits on the use of Defense Department emergency construction funds to prevent future Presidents from attempting to reallocate military construction accounts for projects which Congress has declined to appropriate funds; Creates a Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense as well as a Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion for each military service; Creating a Task Force on Domestic Violence and enabling victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports outside the chain of command; Creation of an alternative fuel vehicle pilot program, which would require the Department of Defense to expand the use of hybrid and electric vehicles; Requiring the Department of Defense to submit a report on its greenhouse gas emissions from the last 10 years; and Requiring steps to ensure the Department of Defense's consumption of fossil fuels is reduced by 30% in 25 years. The COUNTER Act was endorsed by the following organizations: the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, Bank Policy Institute, National Association of Federal-Insured Credit Unions, Credit Union National Association, Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America, Financial Accountability & Corporate Transparency Coalition, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, One Campaign, Financial Services Forum National Association of Realtors, Institute for International Finance, American Land Title Association, and Bankers Association for Finance and Trade. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-highlights-covid-relief-provisions-benefiting-missouri-small-businesses,Blunt Highlights COVID Relief Provisions Benefiting Missouri Small Businesses,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) highlighted some of the small business provisions in the COVID relief package, which was signed into law this week, that he led or cosponsored to help support local Missouri businesses. Small businesses create the majority of new jobs in our country and shape the character of the communities they serve, said Blunt. Small business owners have done their part to keep people safe during the pandemic. We need to do our part to ensure they have the support they need to stay afloat, keep their employees on the payroll, and come back stronger than ever. I was proud to lead legislation reducing the tax and regulatory burden on Missouri's craft beverage industry, which supports tens of thousands of jobs and contributes billions to our state's economy. As home to thousands of world-class live entertainment venues and museums, I was also proud to support dedicated funding for independent venues that have been particularly hard hit and are at risk of permanently closing. The COVID relief package also extends and improves the Paycheck Protection Program, which has saved millions of jobs nationwide. I'm glad another round of relief is on its way to our state, and I will continue talking with small business owners to ensure they are getting the help they need. Paycheck Protection Program: The COVID relief package includes $284 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and focuses relief on the hardest hit businesses. The package expands the number of allowable and forgivable costs paid with PPP loans to provide businesses with more flexibility. The package also incorporates provisions from the Small Business Expense Protection Act, which Blunt cosponsored, to ensure business expenses paid using forgiven PPP funds are tax deductible, as well as the Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act, which Blunt cosponsored, providing for simplified loan forgiveness for PPP loans up to $150,000. The package also includes a Blunt-backed provision to expand PPP eligibility for local newspapers, TV and radio stations, and public broadcasters that produce and distribute local news and emergency information. Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act: The package includes provisions from the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, which Blunt introduced, to permanently reduce taxes and modernize regulations for brewers, cider makers, vintners and distillers. Missouri's wine industry supports nearly 30,000 jobs and contributes $3.2 billion each year to the state's economy. Missouri's beer industry is responsible for more than 57,000 direct and indirect jobs and nearly $3 billion in wages and benefits. Missouri's spirit industry is responsible for nearly 30,000 jobs and contributes $1.9 billion to the economy. Save Our Stages Act: The package includes $15 billion for independent venues, including live entertainment venues, movie theaters, museums, and zoos. The National Independent Venue Alliance estimated that 90% of all independent venues would close without additional funding.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-wont-consent-ndaa-vote-without-vote-2000-direct-assistance,"Hawley Wont Consent to NDAA Vote Without Vote on $2,000 Direct Assistance",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Tuesday, December 29, 2020 Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)announcedhe will not consent to a vote on the NDAA unless the Senate votes on $2,000 in direct assistance for working Americans. I will not consent to a vote on the bad defense bill - which should stay vetoed - unless the Senate votes on $2k #covid relief for working people Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 29, 2020 Issues",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-s-statement-following-passage-of-the-cash-act,Congressman Cleavers Statement Following Passage of the CASH Act,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Caring for Americans With Supplemental Help (CASH) Act of 2020 with overwhelming bipartisan support. For months now, my Democratic colleagues in Congress have pushed for larger survival checks for working class Americans who have been devastated by the economic impact of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. Despite previous objections from congressional Republicans, it appears the holiday spirit has rubbed off on my colleagues across the aisle. I'm extraordinarily pleased they have come around to the realization that American families are in dire need of substantive direct payments and have joined House Democrats in increasing these payments from $600 to $2,000. With support from the President, two-thirds of the House of Representatives, and every Democrat in the Senate, there is no excuse for the Senate Majority Leader to block this critical legislation from getting a vote on the Senate Floor. While I am certain that more relief will be needed in the coming months, which is why I have been calling for recurring payments since April, this is an important lifeline to keep families afloat until the flood of COVID-19 begins to recede across the nation. I only hope the GOP-controlled Senate will do the right thing and allow it to pass for the American people. ### Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3335,2020 Review,2020-12-24,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"2020 has been a year none of us will ever forget. With a number of highs, but plenty of lows, it is important that we take a quick pause to look at some of the historic moments of the last year which reminded us that America is the greatest place to live on the face of the earth. Despite constant obstruction, delays and politics fromNancy Pelosi, President Trump was still able to deliver huge accomplishments for American families and workers. Under President Trump's leadership, and in the face of a worldwide pandemic, our nation experienced record setting economic growth -- median household incomes hit the highest level ever seen, manufacturing jobs grew at the fastest rate in three decades, and unemployment was down at record lows. Apart from liberal lockdown states, our economy is now bouncing back faster than anyone could have imagined from the Coronavirus pandemic. And the reason is simple, jobs, wages, families, and small business were all thriving because of the tax and regulatory relief delivered under President Trump in his first 3 years in office. Things like the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which resulted in the lowest tax rate on small businesses in more than 80 years and more take home pay for middle and low income workers, joined with unprecedented regulatory relief that saved families thousands of dollars finally has American families growing their own pockets instead of Washington's. We also saw huge wins on the global stage this year. From renegotiating bad trade deals that hurt American workers, to holding China accountable for stealing American intellectual property - thePresident has consistently shown that he is willing to go to bat for the American worker. He has also delivered for our allies the Abraham Accords negotiated by President Trump this year marked the largest breakthrough in Israeli-Arab relations in generations. The establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Morocco is a massive step towards lasting peace in the Middle East that cannot be overstated. For this accomplishment, President Trump received three separate Nobel Peace Prize nominations. It should come asno surprise the mainstream media has declined to report on that. The President has also fulfilled his commitment to continue to keep Americans safe. Earlier this year, the White House announced that over four hundred miles of border wall have now been constructed. Additionally, the President has refused the left's radical calls to defund the police, he has stood up to those who wanted to try and physically tear down giants of American history and he has successfully rebuilt our military by giving our men and women in uniform the largest pay increases seen in a generation, while also giving them the resources to safely do their job. There is no doubt that aspects of this year have also been tough for many Americans, but President Trump has risen to the challenge and fought this COVID virus without decimating our economy like so many called for. Despite the naysayers in the media, Operation Warp Speed has delivered a safe and effective vaccine faster than anyone believed possible. As we distribute millions of doses of vaccines every week to the most vulnerable, thanks to President Trump, I believe more strongly than ever that the rest of America needs to join us here in Missouri where we have been open for business since the Spring. It's time to end the blue state lock downs, shutdowns and mandates, and asking Missourians to foot the bill - neither is the American way. While it might not seem like it at first, 2020 has given us so much to be thankful for. And when we all hear and see with our own two eyes the widespread instances of voter fraud, intimidation, manipulation, machine error and lack of signature verification which plagued last month's elections, we know there is more to the story. Just this week I let President Trump know of my support for him to appoint a special counsel to get to the bottom of what really took place. I will continue to fight for the truth to ensure this election was transparent, fair, and most importantly, accurate.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/joy-peace-hope-love,"Joy, Peace, Hope, Love",2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"After what has been an incredibly difficult year, we enter a season that is supposed to be marked by joy, peace, hope, and love. Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our health, our schedules, and our lives. The 24-hour news cycle and our social media feeds seem to easily consume us, driving our attention away from what's really important this, and every Christmas. So how do we manage to pull joy, peace, hope and love out of a year that has drawn out the opposite? While there are rays of hope, it can be easy to throw up our hands and say all is lost. All is not lost. I'll admit, it's an odd year to say, be joyful. It can be done, though. It could be a reunion with family members we haven't seen for a while, the health of those around us, or the anticipation of a new grandchild. While it might take searching for the little things this year, I'm confident that those little things may be most important after all. No matter what your celebration looks like this year, it is my hope that you take time to unplug, turn off the TV, put down the phone, and press forward with a focus on what is important in life. May we find a little peace in turning down the noise. In the midst of it, don't forget that there are those who don't get the option of taking a break. Our healthcare workers, first responders, and millions of others know what it's like to work on holidays. This year will be even more difficult. Don't forget them as you celebrate. If anyone's daily work has been marked by love this year, it's them. As different as our celebrations might be this time around, as difficult as the last 8 months might have been, there is hope on the horizon through the work that our doctors, scientists and others have done to make a path forward and get things back on track. Yet, please don't miss where we ultimately find our hope. It's in the reason for why we celebratethe birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This season, may you take time to look for and find the joy, peace, hope and love that this season offers. Merry Christmas! Sam Graves",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400450,Blaine's Bulletin: Christmas 2020,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"As we begin celebrating Christmas, I always like to reflect on the year behind us. In many ways 2020 was a year worth forgetting, but through it all we have seen extraordinary displays of generosity of spirit, sacrifice, kindness and grace. Communities rallied around their local businesses to help save their hometown favorites from having to close their doors and lay off workers. Teachers adapted to an entirely new way of teaching and went above and beyond to make sure each and every student had what they needed and didn't fall behind. And the American medical community of doctors, nurses, first responders, hospital staff, scientists and vaccine trial volunteers did everything in their power to get our nation healthy in record time. America is truly the greatest country in the world, and the past year is a perfect example of how we rally around one other, especially when times get tough. The Christmas season is one of hope, something this country needs a little extra dose of this year. Despite the frustrations and disappointments we have experienced, we do have plenty of reasons to be hopeful. Missouri is coming back fast, and vaccines have begun safeguarding our frontline medical workers and most vulnerable population. Small businesses are eligible for another round of PPP aid which means more families will be able to provide for their loved ones, and everyday we're one step closer to every teacher and student returning to the classroom without fear. This is also the season of giving, and while it's often easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of finding the perfect gifts, material presents seem a bit less important this year. With unemployment still too high and food banks not receiving their usual donations, giving to your favorite charity will likely be the most important gift you can give this year. While Jackie and I may be guilty of focusing a little too much on our grandchildren, our family also focuses on the teachings of Jesus and practice his lessons of giving to those in need. This Christmas will likely look a little different for some of us without the usual parties, parades, visits with Santa Claus or big festive church services. But following a year like we've had, I think this could be the perfect time to spend time with family, count our blessings, and look forward to next year. Thanks to the genius of our medical community and the courage of our workers, life as we know it should be returning to normal soon. This Christmas is a great opportunity to hold loved ones dear and remember what we're thankful for. This year I am especially thankful for family, health and the ability to continue serving you in Congress. On behalf of my family, I wish you a safe, happy, healthy and Merry Christmas!",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-cardin-secure-long-term-extension-of-job-creating-new-markets-tax-credit-program,"Blunt, Cardin Secure Long-Term Extension of Job-Creating New Markets Tax Credit Program",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Ben Cardin (Md.) announced the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program has been extended for five years with a $5 billion annual authorization. The NMTC program promotes investment in underserved communities by providing a 39 percent federal tax credit over seven years for businesses or economic development projects in areas with poverty rates of at least 20 percent, or median incomes at or below 80 percent. The NMTC extension was included as part of the FY21 government funding bill. The New Markets Tax Credit program has a proven record of creating jobs and spurring economic growth in communities where it's needed most, said Blunt. In Missouri, NMTC has supported over 400 businesses and economic revitalization projects, bringing in a total of $4.3 billion in new investments. The NMTC program has helped build new affordable housing and childcare facilities, created thousands of jobs, and expanded access to social services. I'm glad we were able to secure a long-term extension for this bipartisan program, which will support economic development and create new jobs in underserved communities. The New Markets Tax Credit has broad bipartisan support in Congress because of its demonstrated ability to drive investment in some of the most vulnerable communities in the country. In Maryland, the program has been integral to many community development projects from an affordable housing project in Baltimore to a multicultural center for low-income families in Langley Park, said Cardin. With a new five-year extension, the NMTC will continue to spur investment and economic development in underserved communities for years to come. In December 2019, Blunt and Cardin secured a one-year extension with a $1.5 billion allocation increase for the NMTC program, which was originally authorized in 2000 as part of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act. According to the Treasury Department, every $1 in NMTC tax credits leverages $8 in private-sector investment. Direct NMTC investments have generated more than 1,000,000 jobs and $90 billion in capital from other sources, all of which was invested in communities with high poverty and unemployment rates.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400448,"Luetkemeyer: TDR, CECL Provisions to Aid in Continued Economic Healing",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) released the following statement regarding the extension of two critical CARES Act provisions in today's COVID-19 relief package. The bill includes a delay in the capital requirements of the Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) accounting standard and the suspension of Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR) classifications until January 1, 2022. Extending the regulatory relief provided by the CARES Act, specifically the suspension of TDR classifications and CECL, is crucial to our economic recovery. In order for small businesses to fully recover, lenders must have the necessary flexibility to work with their customers without interference from regulators. While larger forbearance efforts are needed, and CECL must be completely eliminated, the provisions in this bill will go a long way toward helping businesses get back on their feet,said Luetkemeyer. Background: On July 31, 2020 Congressman Luetkemeyer introduced the bipartisanFinancial Institutions Forbearance Act, which extends the TDR provision in the CARES Act and allows depository institutions to modify loans directly impacted by COVID-19 without being forced by regulators to classify the loans as impaired. Earlier this month, Congressman Luetkemeyer was joined by 35 Members of Congress in sending a letter urging Congressional leadership to extend the Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR) provision included in the CARES Act to January 1, 2022 which was agreed to in today's bill. The full letter can be foundHERE. In May, Congressman Luetkemeyer led a bipartisan letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin urging the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) to provide a complete moratorium on CECL until January 1, 2022. The full letter can be foundHERE. In July, Congressman Luetkemeyer introduced theEliminating CECL Accounting Standard Act. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400449,Luetkemeyer on COVID Relief and Government Funding Bill,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) released the following statement regarding the COVID-19 relief and end of the year funding legislation. We have faced a year of adversity like most of us have never experienced, but we are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. The COVID-19 bill will provide crucial support for small business and includes resources for the dissemination of vaccines that prioritize our health care workers and most vulnerable. Our economy will soon be able to fully and safely reopen allowing Americans to return to work, students to return to their classrooms nationwide and businesses to once again be able to pay their employees a full paycheck. The appropriations portion of this package delivers on several Missouri-specific priorities that I fought to be included to benefit the Third District and our state. While this bill like most government funding packages is far from perfect, it delivers major wins for both Missouri and the nation. Small businesses nationwide have endured more than their fair share of loss in 2020. Fortunately, more help is finally on the way. The bill provides more than $280 billion to restart and strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program to give struggling small businesses the relief they so desperately need. In order to make the loan forgiveness process less burdensome and less expensive, a streamlined process for all PPP loans up to $150,000 will be implemented this time around. The program will also be specifically targeted to the industries and businesses that have been most affected by the economic decline and has added protections to ensure those who do not need the support do not get it. Lastly, it prevents small businesses that have received PPP funds from being taxed for accepting help. Missouri and National Priorities Include: Nearly $20 billion in health care funding for vaccine production, and $8.75 billion for distribution to give all Americans who want to receive the vaccine the ability to do so for little or no money. Broadband deployment program to provide increased broadband infrastructure in rural and underserved communities in Missouri and across the country. Assistance for farmers and ranchers whose operations have been impacted by the pandemic and increased funding for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Increased telehealth funding to ensure all Missourians have access to health care no matter their zip code. Reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act which provides for the maintenance of and new projects on our waterways like the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Includes a provision similar to my bill, the Vested Employee Pension Benefit Protection Act which fixes current law to ensure certain construction and building trade workers in our area have access to their earned retirement benefits. Support for the Education Stabilization Fund which provides emergency funding for our nation's schools and universities. Support for the motorcoach and school bus industry which supports countless jobs in the Third District and has been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic. Relief for entertainment venues and movie theaters who have been unable to operate or employ workers for months. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-for-900-billion-coronavirus-relief-package-and,Congressman Cleaver Votes For $900 Billion Coronavirus Relief Package and Government Funding Bill,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 133, an omnibus spending bill consisting of all 12 fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, emergency coronavirus relief, and authorizations. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of the legislation, which would provide $900 billion in relief to American families, workers and small businesses that have been crushed by the simultaneous economic and public health crises caused by coronavirus. This agreement should be interpreted as a down payment on the costs of recovery from the coronavirus-induced recession. It extends enhanced unemployment benefits for laid off workers, provides families with another round of direct payments, administers additional lending to struggling small businesses, grants rental and housing assistance to prevent millions from falling into homelessness, strengthens nutrition assistance programs that have been strained like never before, and equips our nation with the tools necessary to distribute the vaccines that will end this national nightmareall of which I strongly support, if not at the levels which I would prefer, said Congressman Cleaver. The bipartisan, bicameral coronavirus relief package brings desperately-needed support to Missourians and the communities of the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. Congressman Cleaver advocated for several important provisions within the bill that would: Send direct payments to American families and workers, including another round of $600 to every adult making less than $75,000 that phases out as incomes get up to $99,000. Families will also receive an additional $600 for each child, meaning a family of four making less than $75,000 would receive $2,400. Extend enhanced unemployment benefits that would have expired with the new year. Because of efforts from House Democrats, millions of workers who have been laid off due to a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic will continue to receive an added $300 per week of unemployment benefits. Provide rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and keep their utilities on as winter arrives. The $25 billion in rental assistance also comes with an extension of the federal moratorium on evictions. Support struggling small businesses by providing additional funding and making critical policy changes to ensure businesses most harmed by the pandemic, including minority-owned businesses, nonprofits, restaurants and live entertainment venues, get the federal assistance they need to stay afloat until the pandemic comes to an end. The package includes over $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV, and radio broadcasters, and important modifications that ensure the PPP serves the smallest businesses and nonprofits as well as independent restaurants. It also include $15 billion dedicated to live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. Dedicate PPP funding specifically for CDFIs and MDIs that are critical to supporting minority-owned and very small businesses. $9 billion will go toward emergency U.S. Treasury capital investments in CDFIs and MDIs to support lending in low-income and underserved communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. It will also provide an additional $3 billion in emergency support for CDFIs through the CDFI Fund to assist underserved low-income and minority communities. Strengthen strained nutrition assistance programs with $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure. Accelerate vaccine distribution which is critical to crushing the coronavirus, ending the pandemic, and reviving our national and local economies. $20 billion will go toward the purchase of vaccines so they can be given at no charge to those who need it as well as an additional $8 billion to implement the infrastructure and logistics needed to distribute the vaccines as quickly as possible around the country. Fund education and child care needs by providing $82 billion for colleges and schools, including for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to keep child care providers open and help parents get back to work. Bolster the Low Income Housing Tax Credit which helps to increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects. Although $900 billion is certainly no small sum, I will be the first to admit this relief package is not all the American people need in this dire momenteven if it was all we could get out of the Senate Majority Leader, said Congressman Cleaver. In the midst of an economic and health crisis that threatens 33% of Americans with eviction or foreclosure, and has already resulted in the largest surge in U.S. poverty in recorded history, it is abundantly clear that the public is drowning under the weight of this pandemic. While this is a comprehensive proposal that sends an immediate lifeline to those who are struggling to stay afloat, there is no question that more must be done. We all must keep in mind that, in world history, no nation has collapsed because it acted to deliver recovery benefits to their feeble economy or financially frail citizenry, Congressman Cleaver continued. We must remember that there are lives on the other end of these decisions. I remain hopeful the incoming President and Congress will act with greater urgency in late January to further fund the needs of families and workers as well as small and minority-owned businesses. I will do everything in my power to ensure they do. The bipartisan omnibus spending bill increases non-defense spending by $12.5 billion above the budget caps, allowing for greater investment in Missouri families and communities. Some critical provisions supported by Congressman Cleaver include: Expanding access to housing by providing $43.4 million in new targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness among families with children, unsheltered veterans, and survivors of domestic violence. Tackling food insecurity by fully funding WIC, child nutrition programs, and SNAP Funding for gun violence prevention, including $25 million for federal research at the CDC and NIH into the gun violence epidemic plaguing our nation as well as $85 million for grants to improve the NICS firearms background check system. Combatting climate change by providing $2.86 billion for DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, $7 billion for DOE's Office of Science to support energy innovation, and $182 million for NOAA Climate Research. Protecting our environment with $9.24 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure clean air and water and hold polluters accountable. Strengthening rural communities with more than $730 million to expand broadband service, which will spur economic development opportunities and improved education and healthcare services. Ending surprise medical billing by ensuring Americans are only responsible for their in-network cost-sharing amounts, including deductibles, in both emergency situations and certain non-emergency situations where they can't choose an in-network provider. Extending critical public health programs, including Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, Teaching Health Centers, and Special Diabetes Programs. Honoring our responsibilities to veterans by giving $90 billion for VA medical care, including homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and outreach, and gender-specific care. I'm pleased that Congress was able to come to a bipartisan agreement on the FY21 budget that will end surprise medical billing, expand investments in affordable housing and nutrition assistance, intensify our battle against climate change, fund gun violence prevention programs, and expand rural broadband, said Congressman Cleaver. However, it remains extremely frustrating that Congress continues to wait until the last minute to pass enormous omnibus bills with little time to digest such critical decisions. I'm certain that the incoming Administration will provide more direction and involvement in such important spending decisions, and I think that will be a welcome addition to future negotiations. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/graves-votes-favor-covid-relief-small-businesses-and-hospitals,Graves Votes in Favor of COVID Relief for Small Businesses and Hospitals,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) released the following statement after the House passed the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal: While the Paycheck Protection Program expired back in August, the COVID-19 pandemic clearly hasn't ended. In some ways, things have become even more difficult for many Americans, said Graves. This relief bill is desperately needed right now, providing targeted assistance to struggling small businesses and working families while speeding up vaccine distribution and the development of more treatment options. Simply put, it gets help where we need it now and sets America up for a faster return to normal, to get businesses back open and folks back to work. The Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal does the following: Reopens the highly successful Paycheck Protection Program for a second round of applications and provides $284 billion in additional funding for struggling small businesses Makes eligible 501c6s, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), housing cooperatives, newspapers, broadcasters, and radio stations Repeals the CARES Act provision that requires PPP borrowers to deduct their EIDL Advance from their PPP loan forgiveness amount Codifies federal rules that ensure churches and faith-based organizations are eligible for PPP loans Provides $20 billion dollars to restart and extend the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance Grant for small businesses in low-income communities Creates a process for existing EIDL Advance grantees that received less than $10,000 dollars to reapply for the difference between what they received and the maximum EIDL Advance Grant of $10,000 dollars Provides a $600 one-time economic impact payment to qualifying adults and children with safeguards to prohibit illegal aliens from receiving payment Temporarily extends a number of unemployment programs created by CARES Act that expire Dec. 31, 2020 Provide unemployed individuals an additional $300 per week for 10 weeks from December 26, 2020-March 14, 2021 Extends and phases-out Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which is a temporary federal program covering self-employed and gig workers, to March 14 through April 5, 2021 Extends the tax credit through March 2021 for employers that continue to offer paid sick and family leave to their employees Provides billions to speed up vaccine distribution, increase COVID-19 testing, help out our health care providers, and expand telehealth services Helps save rural hospitals by letting them become a new Rural Emergency Hospital, which gives them the Medicare funding and flexibility to offer health care services their community needs. More specifically, the policy creates a new, voluntary Medicare payment designation that allows struggling Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) or small, rural hospitals with less than 50 beds to convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). This would preserve beneficiary access to emergency medical care in rural areas that would otherwise be left with nothing if their CAH or rural hospital closed. Extends the time period, from December 30, 2020 to December 31, 2021, in which State and local recipients of the existing U.S. Treasury distributed CARES Act Sec. 5001 Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) can make eligible pandemic expenses. This allows more of the already distributed $150 billion in CARES Act funds to be utilized. Gives colleges and schools $82 billion to assist with reopening for in-person learning Provides additional money for grants to childcare centers to help providers safely reopen Helps farmers with $13 billion for direct payments, purchases, and loans to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic $7 billion for increasing broadband internet access, including $300 million for building out rural broadband The bill also funded the government through the next year and included the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), a bill initially introduced by Graves earlier this year. The bill also includes $1.375 billion in new funding for building the wall and for additional border security and enforcement. Gravesalso voted in favor of the Families First Coronavirus Response Actwhich was signed into law on March 18, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, and Economic Security (CARES) Act which was signed into law on March 27, 2020, and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act which was signed into law on April 24, 2020.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/graves-votes-favor-covid-relief-small-businesses-and-hospitals,Graves Votes in Favor of COVID Relief for Small Businesses and Hospitals,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,graves,https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) released the following statement after the House passed the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal: ""While the Paycheck Protection Program expired back in August, the COVID-19 pandemic clearly hasn't ended. In some ways, things have become even more difficult for many Americans,"" said Graves. ""This relief bill is desperately needed right now, providing targeted assistance to struggling small businesses and working families while speeding up vaccine distribution and the development of more treatment options. Simply put, it gets help where we need it now and sets America up for a faster return to normal, to get businesses back open and folks back to work."" The Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus & COVID Relief Deal does the following: Reopens the highly successful Paycheck Protection Program for a second round of applications and provides $284 billion in additional funding for struggling small businesses Makes eligible 501c6s, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), housing cooperatives, newspapers, broadcasters, and radio stations Repeals the CARES Act provision that requires PPP borrowers to deduct their EIDL Advance from their PPP loan forgiveness amount Codifies federal rules that ensure churches and faith-based organizations are eligible for PPP loans Provides $20 billion dollars to restart and extend the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance Grant for small businesses in low-income communities Creates a process for existing EIDL Advance grantees that received less than $10,000 dollars to reapply for the difference between what they received and the maximum EIDL Advance Grant of $10,000 dollars Provides a $600 one-time economic impact payment to qualifying adults and children with safeguards to prohibit illegal aliens from receiving payment Temporarily extends a number of unemployment programs created by CARES Act that expire Dec. 31, 2020 Provide unemployed individuals an additional $300 per week for 10 weeks from December 26, 2020-March 14, 2021 Extends and phases-out Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which is a temporary federal program covering self-employed and gig workers, to March 14 through April 5, 2021 Extends the tax credit through March 2021 for employers that continue to offer paid sick and family leave to their employees Provides billions to speed up vaccine distribution, increase COVID-19 testing, help out our health care providers, and expand telehealth services Helps save rural hospitals by letting them become a new Rural Emergency Hospital, which gives them the Medicare funding and flexibility to offer health care services their community needs. More specifically, the policy creates a new, voluntary Medicare payment designation that allows struggling Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) or small, rural hospitals with less than 50 beds to convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). This would preserve beneficiary access to emergency medical care in rural areas that would otherwise be left with nothing if their CAH or rural hospital closed. Extends the time period, from December 30, 2020 to December 31, 2021, in which State and local recipients of the existing U.S. Treasury distributed CARES Act Sec. 5001 Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) can make eligible pandemic expenses. This allows more of the already distributed $150 billion in CARES Act funds to be utilized. Gives colleges and schools $82 billion to assist with reopening for in-person learning Provides additional money for grants to childcare centers to help providers safely reopen Helps farmers with $13 billion for direct payments, purchases, and loans to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic $7 billion for increasing broadband internet access, including $300 million for building out rural broadband The bill also funded the government through the next year and included the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), a bill initially introduced by Graves earlier this year. The bill also includes $1.375 billion in new funding for building the wall and for additional border security and enforcement.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/12/21/2020/blunt-announces-missouri-ag-infrastructure-priorities-in-fy2021-legislative-package,"Blunt Announces Missouri Ag, Infrastructure Priorities in FY2021 Legislative Package",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Appropriations Committee, announced that several Missouri priorities were included in the following FY2021 funding bills: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. The bills are part of the larger government funding package that Congress is expected to consider shortly. As a national transportation hub, the investments we make today to modernize Missouri's roads, bridges, rail networks, and waterways will save taxpayer dollars and provide a stronger foundation for economic growth for years to come, said Blunt. Missouri's deteriorating roads and bridges cost drivers about $8 billion a year, according to a recent study. This bill provides resources for programs that have funded critical infrastructure projects, whether it's building a new bridge along I-70, updating inland waterway locks and dams, or bringing broadband to families, farmers, and businesses in rural communities. The legislation also prioritizes funding for programs that help strengthen Missouri's role as a leader in ag production and research. I will continue advocating for programs and policies that will position our state to take advantage of the great economic opportunities that lie ahead. Following are the Missouri priorities included in the legislation: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies: Agricultural Research:The bill provides $3.3 billion to support agricultural research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This investment will support research, education, and extension activities at the University of Missouri, Missouri State University, Northwest Missouri State University, Lincoln University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ARS facility in Columbia, Mo. o Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: The bill includes $435 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, a $10 million increase over FY2020. o Policy Research Centers: The legislation provides $8 million for policy research cooperative agreements. This investment will assist with the analysis of national and international projections of agricultural markets and the rural economy. o Livestock Genetic Research: The bill includes over $1.5 million for ARS to conduct livestock genetic research. o Missouri River Research: The bill includes resources for ARS to initiate Missouri River Basin Water Resource Management Research. Farm Service Agency (FSA):The legislation includes nearly $1.16 billion for various farm, conservation, and emergency loan programs that Missouri farmers and ranchers rely upon, an increase of $21 million above the FY2020 enacted level. The bill also prohibits the closure of FSA county offices. Natural Resources Conservation Service:The bill provides $833 million for conservation operations and technical assistance to help farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners conserve and protect their land. o Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program: The measure includes $175 million for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program. Additionally, the bill includes $10 million for the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project.Blunt has led efforts to secure funding for the East Locust Creek Project to address severe water shortages in North Central Missouri. The East Locust Creek Reservoir service area includes Mercer, Putnam, Schuyler, Grundy, Sullivan, Adair, Livingston, Linn, Macon, and Chariton counties. Rural Development:The legislation provides over $3.2 billion for Rural Development programs and activities, including infrastructure, community development, rural housing, and water programs. o Rural Broadband: The bill includes $635 million for the ReConnect Pilot Program. The program targets areas that currently lack access to broadband and includes provisions that prevent overbuilding existing infrastructure. Over the past two years, Missouri has received nearly $200 million in funding through theBlunt-backed program, amounting to about 20% of all the support provided nationwide. The bill also includes $65 million for Distance Learning/Telemedicine and Broadband grants that will help expand access to modern, high-speed internet services in rural areas. Blunt has led efforts to end the digital divide that has left about one-third of rural Missourians without access to broadband. o Water and Electric Infrastructure: The measure includes nearly $1.45 billion for rural water and waste program loans, $463 million for water and waste grants, and over $1 billion in grants and loans for rural business and industry programs that promote small business growth in rural areas. o Goodfellow Relocation: The bill includes $45.8 million to support the Goodfellow facility relocation in St. Louis, Missouri. Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies: Federal Highway Administration:The legislation includes $48 billion for the Federal Highway Administration, including $1.1 billion for roads, tunnels, and bridges through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program, which has funded critical infrastructure projects in Missouri including theRocheport Bridge. U.S. Maritime Administration:The legislation includes $11 million for the Marine Highway Grant Program, which helps states like Missouri maximize the efficiency of waterborne transportation. The bill also includes language allowing inland ports to be eligible for the Port Infrastructure Development Program. BUILD Grants:The measure includes $1 billion for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grants, previously known as TIGER Grants. This program has also funded critical infrastructure projects in Missouri, including the Rocheport Bridge, the Buck O'Neil Bridge in Kansas City, the port loop track terminal at the SEMOPort, the South Main Corridor Improvement Project in Maryville, the new rail industrial park in Sedalia, a multi-use bicycle and pedestrian path in Springfield, the Kansas City Streetcar Main Street Extension project, the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project, the Bella Vista Bypass in McDonald County, the replacement of the Champ Clark Bridge over the Mississippi River in Louisiana, Mo., and the replacement of the Route 47 Bridge over the Missouri River in Washington, Mo. Contract Towers: The measure fully funds the contract tower program at $172.8 million. There are five airports in the state that depend on the contract tower program, including Joplin, Columbia, Branson, Jefferson City, and St. Joseph. In October, Blunt commended the U.S. Department of Transportation after it announced that the Jefferson City Memorial Airport will be eligible to receive a 100% federal subsidy to cover the costs of operating the contract tower program. Essential Air Service: The bill fully funds the Essential Air Service program at $141.7 million. The Essential Air Service program provides resources to small and rural airports to ensure that travelers can connect with larger airports. The Essential Air Service provides support for airports in Cape Girardeau, Waynesville-St. Robert, Joplin, and Kirksville. Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:The legislation provides more than $7.7 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, which is $145 million above the FY2020 enacted level. The funding will support vital flood control and navigation projects across Missouri and the nation. Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP):The bill includes language that advances the NESP, which authorizes the modernization of seven locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi River. Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Program:The legislation provides $9.4 million for operation and maintenance work activities, including critical structure maintenance for navigation. Lower Missouri River: The bill includes language that urges the Corps to work with state and federal agencies and stakeholders to identify authorities and opportunities for the development of a more comprehensive, system-wide plan for flood control in the Lower Missouri River Basin. Blunt has also introduced legislation, cosponsored by all of the senators from the lower Missouri River basin states, that would overhaul the Corps' process for managing projects along the lower Missouri River system. Inland Waterways Trust Fund:The bill makes full use of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund revenues. The bill also ensures the resources inland navigation operators put into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund are used for construction and modernization of our nation's locks and dams. Mississippi River and Tributaries Project:The legislation includes $380 million for the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project, providing vital funding for the Corps to fulfill its flood control and navigation missions. Delta Regional Authority (DRA):The bill provides $30 million for the DRA with a focus on infrastructure development in rural areas, including $15 million for flood control, public infrastructure, and transportation improvements. The DRA provides infrastructure, health care, and economic development assistance to 29 counties in Southeast Missouri. Small Ports:The legislation includes $65 million for the dredging of small ports, including those in Missouri located on the Mississippi River. Kansas City National Security Campus:The bill provides more than $4 billion for the Infrastructure and Operations account at the National Nuclear Security Administration. This funding is essential to the operation of the Kansas City National Security Campus, and will help ensure the safety, security, reliability, and effectiveness of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: National Park Service (NPS):The measure provides nearly $2.68 billion for the operation of the National Park System, which is almost $111 million above the FY2020 enacted level. In addition, the bill includes more than $8.3 million in dedicated funding for new responsibilities at existing parks and newly authorized park units in the NPS, including the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park.The bill also provides funding for land acquisition for the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park through the Land & Water Conservation Fund. Blunt helped lead efforts in Congress to establish the Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park, which became a part of the NPS this year. Blunt participated in the ceremony celebrating the establishment of the park in November. Water Infrastructure:The bill includes more than $2.76 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan funds, which help states and localities improve water infrastructure. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS):The legislation provides more than $1.5 billion for the FWS.The bill includes funding for important programs including $46 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, $25 million for combatting invasive species like Asian Carp, and a $9 million increase for the Recovery Challenge Grant Program.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-announces-missouri-priorities-included-in-defense-military-construction-and-va-funding-bills,"Blunt Announces Missouri Priorities Included in Defense, Military Construction & VA Funding Bills",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today announced that several key Missouri and national priorities were included in the FY2021 Defense and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding bills. The bills are part of the larger government funding package that Congress is expected to consider shortly. Congress has an obligation to ensure our nation's service members have the support they need to carry out their missions and keep Americans safe, said Blunt. This bill prioritizes resources to support the important role that Missouri's defense installations play in our national security, including funding for the B-21 that will be based at Whiteman Air Force Base, further construction of the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency West headquarters in St. Louis, and additional funding for the new hospital at Fort Leonard Wood. The bill also begins a new program to establish partnerships between the Department of Veterans Affairs and public research universities to further the discovery and application of precision medicine therapies. I'm hopeful that the University of Missouri's NextGen Precision Health Initiative will become part of that program. From keeping our promises to America's veterans, to maintaining the U.S. military's strategic edge, to responding to the evolving threats we face, this bill directs resources to where they are critically needed and I look forward to getting it to the president's desk. Following Are Key Blunt-Backed Missouri and National Priorities Included in the Defense and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Funding Legislation: Military Pay Raise: The legislation provides a military pay raise of 3%. Fort Leonard Wood: The bill includes: o $40 million in additional funding for further construction of a new hospital at Fort Leonard Wood, which will replace the current General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital. In June 2020, Blunt celebrated the groundbreaking for the new hospital. (these two will be sub-bullets, but it's too difficult to do in this format) o $10 million in additional research funding for advanced technology for maneuver support and protection to directly benefit the training at Fort Leonard Wood. o $1.3 million in additional funding for operational energy research that will be conducted at Fort Leonard Wood. NGA St. Louis: The bill provides full funding of $119 million for further construction of the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) West headquarters in North St. Louis. The bill also provides $10 million that can be used to support the rapidly evolving geospatial intelligence mission in St. Louis. In November 2019, Blunt attended the groundbreaking ceremony and has long led efforts to ensure the resources are in place to complete the construction of the NGA West headquarters. Rosecrans Air National Guard Base: The legislation provides nearly $265.6 million in funding for C-130H modernization, such as propellers and engines, to meet Air National Guard intra-theater airlift mobility requirements. Rosecrans Air National Guard Base is the nation's premier Air National Guard training center for Advanced Airlift Tactical Training. Whiteman Air Force Base: The measure provides robust resources for the B-2 program and the A-10 wing replacement program. In addition, the bill provides nearly $2.85 billion in research funding for the B-21, a next generation Air Force bomber that is currently under development. In March 2019, the U.S. Air Force announced that Whiteman Air Force Base will be the second base to receive the B-21 bomber, which will replace the B-2 beginning in the mid-2030's. Innovative Veteran Research: The legislation includes language to establish a five-year, $50 million Department of Veterans Affairs research partnership program with public research universities to further the discovery and application of precision medicine therapies. The University of Missouri's NextGen Precision Health Initiative will be eligible to apply for the program. F-15EX: The bill includes funding for 12 F-15EX aircraft, which are manufactured in St. Louis, Mo., to meet the U.S. Air Force's air superiority needs. Super Hornets: The legislation provides funding for 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, which are manufactured in St. Louis, to meet the U.S. Navy's tactical aviation shortfall. The legislation also includes $137 million in additional funding to fulfill one of the U.S. Navy's top unfunded requests for Super Hornet spare engines to improve mission readiness. Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program (DCIP): The measure includes $60 million in funding for DCIP infrastructure projects. Fort Leonard Wood has previously benefited from the DCIP program, which aims to improve the quality of life for service members and their families. Lake City Army Ammunition Plant: The measure includes increased funding for Army industrial facilities. Blunt has long championed additional funding, including over $177 million in additional funding in the past, to provide critical support to modernize facilities like Lake City Army Ammunition Plant near Independence, Mo. U.S. Navy MQ-25: The bill provides robust funding for the U.S. Navy MQ-25 program. In 2018, the U.S. Navy awarded Boeing the contract for the MQ-25, an unmanned aircraft that would embark on a carrier to conduct aerial refueling. Boeing subsequently announced that the MQ-25 will be built in St. Louis. U.S. Air Force T-7: The legislation includes strong funding for the U.S. Air Force T-7 program. The T-7 trainer, which was designed in St. Louis and will be built there, is a two-seat trainer aircraft that would replace the decades-old T-38 trainer currently in use by the U.S. Air Force. Munitions and Defense Equipment: The bill includes additional procurement funding for critical defense needs, such as F-35 battery development and modernized body armor, along with broad support for munition requests, such as JDAMs, Small Diameter Bombs, and Tomahawk missiles, all of which have production operations in Missouri. Research Investments: The measure provides research funding for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Department of Defense. This funding will support research and development initiatives at the University of Missouri, Missouri State University, and among defense industry leaders across the state. The bill also provides increased funding to continue groundbreaking medical research, which will save lives, reduce disability, and decrease the economic burden of traumatic injury. Impact Aid: The bill includes $70 million in additional funding for Impact Aid assistance to benefit Whiteman and Fort Leonard Wood area schools. Department of Defense Supplemental Impact Aid Assistance is critical to local school districts impacted by the presence of federally-owned land.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-highlights-critical-investments-in-fy2021-labor-health-and-human-services-and-education-funding-bill,"Blunt Highlights Critical Investments in FY2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Funding Bill",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS), today announced key priorities that were included in the fiscal year 2021 Labor/HHS funding bill. The bill is the product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations and is part of the larger government funding bill Congress will consider shortly. This bill provides resources for critical programs that impact the lives of nearly every American from educating students and providing workforce development opportunities to improving health care and paving the way for new treatments and cures, said Blunt. This bill includes the sixth consecutive significant increase for the National Institutes of Health. As we have seen first-hand this year, medical research is key to responding to diseases we have fought for years, like cancer and Alzheimer's disease, as well as novel viruses like COVID-19. The bill continues our commitment to fighting the opioid and stimulant epidemic, which is unfortunately on the rise during the pandemic. The bill provides funding for education and early childhood programs, from helping hardworking families afford high-quality early childcare, to investing in Career and Technical Education, to making college more affordable. Finally, as our economy continues its recovery, the bill focuses investment in workforce programs, like the apprenticeship program, to ensure Americans can compete in a global economy. In addition to funding a range of health, education, and workforce programs, the bill includes resources to prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and improper payments in the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. Since becoming chairman, over the last six years Blunt has led the effort to reprioritize funding within the Labor/HHS bill, including eliminating 30 programs representing over $1 billion in annual savings. Key Priorities Funded in the Bill: Supporting Groundbreaking Medical Research and Expanding Access to Health Care Services, Including Mental and Behavioral Health Care: National Institutes of Health (NIH): The bill includes a $1.25 billion increase for NIH. Since Blunt became chairman of the Labor/HHS subcommittee in 2015, NIH funding has increased by $12.85 billion, or nearly 43%. According to data from United for Medical Research, NIH funding supported nearly 476,000 jobs and more than $81 billion in economic activity nationwide in FY2019. In Missouri, NIH funding supported $1.6 billion in new economic activity and more than 9,000 jobs. Through December 1, 2020, Missouri institutions received $670.8 million in NIH funding for 1,351 grants. From 2015-December 1, 2020, NIH funding to Missouri institutions increased by $199.2 million or 42.2%. Ending the HIV Epidemic: $443.3 million, an increase of $132.3 million, to support the president's HIV initiative and other high priority HIV efforts to reduce the number of new HIV infections by 90% in 10 years. The majority of these resources will be targeted to 48 counties and seven states, including Missouri, for prevention, diagnoses, research, and response activities. Missouri received over $4.5 million in fiscal year 2020 for these efforts. Opioid Epidemic: $4 billion, an increase of $85 million, to combat the opioid epidemic. Funds are targeted toward improving treatment and prevention efforts; finding alternative pain medications; workforce needs, especially in our rural communities; and treating behavioral health. Importantly, the bill gives states flexibility to use opioid response funds on stimulants across multiple government programs. Preliminary 2020 numbers show that the challenges of this year are likely to increase the number of opioid-involved deaths, emphasizing the need to continue these critical investments. Under Blunt's leadership, funding for health-related opioid programs has increased by $3.7 billion. Mental Health: As a critical part of both combating opioid abuse and ensuring safety in our schools and communities, the bill provides $4 billion, a $188 million increase, for mental health research, treatment, and prevention, including: o Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics: $250 million, an increase of $50 million, for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. In 2018, Blunt targeted funding to community clinics that provide a comprehensive approach to mental health care treatment. To date, Missouri clinics have received $26 million in funds from this program. Blunt has led efforts to expand access to mental health care, including through his Excellence In Mental Health Act, which created a pilot program in Missouri and seven other states to advance progress toward treating mental health like all other health. The bill also extends the Excellence program for three years. The program was extended and expanded to two additional states in the Blunt-backed CARES Act; o Mental Health Block Grant Crisis Set-Aside: $35 million for a new mental health block grant set-aside which will support state efforts to build much needed crisis systems to address the needs of individuals in mental health crisis in a high quality, expeditious manner. The development of these services will promote 24/7 access to well-trained mental health professionals in the time of acute mental health crisis; o Project AWARE: $107 million, a $5 million increase, for the Project AWARE program that supports coordination between schools and state mental health agencies to increase awareness of mental health among school-aged kids, train school personnel on detecting and responding to mental health issues, and connect school-aged kids and their families with needed services. Within this funding, the bill provides $12.5 million, an increase of $2.5 million, to address areas that have experienced civil unrest; o Mental Health Awareness Training: $24 million, an increase of $1 million, for Mental Health Awareness Training in which Missouri was one of the first adopters; o Suicide Programs: $102 million, an increase of $12 million. This increase provides support to the suicide lifeline and grants to help identify and help those at risk of suicide; o Behavioral Health Workforce: $150 million, an increase of $11 million, to support Behavioral Health Education and Workforce Training programs and Mental and Behavioral Health programs. Funding includes $29.7 million for the Mental and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Workforce Training Demonstration for grants to train professionals to provide SUD and mental health treatment; o Pediatric Mental Health Access Grants: $10 million for Pediatric Mental Health Access Grants to expand access to behavioral health services in pediatric primary care settings; and o National Institute of Mental Health: $2.1 billion for mental health research at NIH, an increase of $60.7 million. Public Health Preparedness: $4.1 billion, a $58 million increase, for programs that help America's communities and hospitals prepare for, respond to, and recover from public health and medical disasters and emergencies. These events include natural disasters, pandemic diseases, and man-made threats. This includes $6 million to support the pediatric pandemic network to prepare for and respond to global health threats. Since FY2015, the committee has increased public health preparedness funding by $1.3 billion, or 46%. Alzheimer's Research and Care: The bill increases investments in groundbreaking Alzheimer's research and caregiver support for one of America's most costly and prevalent diseases. The cost of caring for people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia is expected to increase from $305 billion this year to $1.1 trillion by 2050, with Medicare and Medicaid paying roughly 70% of the total cost. The bill provides: o $3.1 billion for Alzheimer's disease research, an increase of $300 million. Under Blunt's chairmanship, there has been nearly a five-fold funding increase for Alzheimer's research; o $15 million, an increase of $5 million, for the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act to create a national public health infrastructure to increase early detection and diagnosis and support prevention efforts; and o $27.5 million, an increase of $1 million, for expanding direct services through the Alzheimer's disease program at the Administration for Community Living. Community Health Centers: $1.68 billion for Community Health Centers, an increase of $57.3 million. The bill also reauthorizes funding for CHCs for three years. As co-chair of the Community Health Center caucus, Blunt previously introduced legislation to reauthorize and increase mandatory funding for the program. There are more than 300 sites in Missouri, with Missouri health centers receiving over $115 million in federal grant funding to serve a total of more than 606,000 patients a year. Medical Student Education: $50 million for Medical Student Education for states with the highest projected primary care physician shortages in 2025. Funding will provide supplemental grants to both the University of Missouri and University of Missouri-Kansas City. Pediatric Pandemic Network: $10 million for a new regional pediatric network made up of children's hospitals to prepare for and respond to global health threats. Rural Health: $329.5 million for Rural Health Care programs, an increase of $11.2 million. The obstacles faced by patients and providers in rural communities are unique and often significantly different from those in urban areas. Funding for rural health care programs has more than doubled under Blunt's chairmanship. o Delta States Network Rural Development Network Grant: $24 million, an increase of $2 million, to continue a program to help underserved rural communities in the Delta identify and better address their health care needs. This includes $12 million for the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development (DRCHSD) program, which started under Blunt's chairmanship, to help small rural hospitals improve their financial and operational stability. Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital in Hayti, Mo., and Iron County Hospital in Pilot Knob, Mo., have participated in the DRCHSD program since December 2017 and Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. has participated since October 2019. Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME): $350 million, a $10 million increase, for the CHGME program, which protects children's access to high quality medical care by providing freestanding children's hospitals with funding to support the training of pediatric providers. In Missouri, Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and St. Louis Children's Hospital received more than $13 million last year in combined funding from this program. This funding level represents an increase of $85 million for CHGME under Blunt's chairmanship, or 32%. Promoting State and Local Flexibility in Education, From Birth Through College and Career: Head Start: $10.7 billion, an increase of $135 million, to help all Head Start programs keep up with rising costs, maintain enrollment, and continue to provide high-quality services for children and families. Missouri Head Start programs receive more than $167 million annually and provide high-quality early childhood services to 15,000 children and their families. Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG): $5.9 billion, an increase of $85 million. Over the last three years, funding for CCDBG has more than doubled, which has helped improve the safety and quality of child care programs, including increasing provider payment rates, and expand working families' access to high-quality child care. Missouri receives over $106 million from the CCDBG annually. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): $13.8 billion, an increase of $181 million, to support the educational needs of students with disabilities, which includes an increase of $3.5 million for preschool grants and an increase of $4.9 million for grants for infants and families. Missouri received approximately $262 million from these programs for this school year. Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies: $16.5 billion, an increase of $227 million, for grants to school districts to help all children meet challenging state academic standards. Missouri received approximately $260 million in Title I funding for this school year to support schools with a significant number or percentage of low-income students. Impact Aid: $1.5 billion, an increase of $15 million. Missouri school districts receive approximately $28 million to help compensate for the presence of federal activities and land, including lost revenue. STEM and Computer Science Education (CSE): $67 million, an increase of $2 million, in targeted STEM education funding, including specifically prioritizing CSE. 21st Century Community Learning Centers: $1.3 billion, an increase of $10 million, for before- and after-school programs. Career and Technical Education State Grants: $1.3 billion, an increase of $52 million. Missouri received approximately $25 million to support CTE programs across the state this school year. Charter Schools Program: $440 million, the same as the FY2020 level, to help support the creation, replication, and expansion of high-quality charter schools. Pell Grants: For the fourth year in a row, the bill increases the maximum Pell Grant award, an increase of $150, or 2.4%, for the 2021-22 school year, from $6,345 to $6,495. Approximately 90,000 students receive over $350 million in Pell Grant funding to attend Missouri colleges and universities. The bill continues support for year-round Pell Grants, which help students complete post-secondary education programs faster and enter or re-enter the workforce sooner. Blunt successfully led efforts to restore eligibility for year-round Pell Grants in the FY2017 omnibus appropriations bill. TRIO: $1.1 billion, an increase of $7 million, to help low-income and first generation students get into college and succeed when they are there. Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSI): Includes an increase of $32 million for programs specifically targeted at strengthening HBCUs and MSIs. Preparing America's Workforce: Career Pathways: $10 million to continue an initiative at the Department of Labor to improve career pathways for students that can lead to the full-range of post-secondary college and career options. Rural Postsecondary Education and Economic Development Program: $10 million for a new initiative to improve postsecondary access and completion among rural students by providing services for students from middle school through college, and promoting partnerships between school districts, institutions of higher education, and regional economic development organizations. Apprenticeship Opportunities: $185 million, an increase of $10 million, for the Apprenticeship Program to expand flexible and effective workforce training opportunities. Veterans' Employment and Training (VETS) Programs: $316 million, an increase of $5 million, for VETS programs. Funding supports veterans in the transition assistance program as they move into the civilian workforce and helps homeless veterans attain skills for meaningful employment. o The bill continues to provide the Department of Labor with the necessary resources to carry out Blunt's HIRE Vets Act, which established a tiered recognition program within the Department of Labor to award employers based on their contributions to veteran employment. Seven employers in Missouri received a HIRE Vets Medallion in 2019, and seven employers were recognized in 2020. Rural Workforce Training Initiative: $35 million, an increase of $5 million, to continue the Workforce Opportunity in Rural Communities program started in 2018 under Blunt's chairmanship to provide reemployment and training assistance in the Delta and Appalachian regions. This year, Blunt recognized three Missouri grant recipients for their awards totaling more than $3.5 million. Workforce Training Programs: $2.85 billion, an increase of $25.5 million, for state workforce training programs. These funds are distributed by formula to states and localities to meet each state's unique job training and reemployment needs. Missouri received $35.6 million for training and employment services grants in 2020. Youth Workforce Training Programs: The bill increased funding for programs that provide at-risk youth with the opportunity to gain educational and occupational skills: o Youth Training Grants to States: $921 million, an increase of $8 million; o Job Corps: $1.75 billion, an increase of $5 million. Missouri has three Job Corps centers located in Excelsior Springs, Puxico, and St. Louis; and o YouthBuild: $96.5 million, an increase of $2 million. Missouri has four current YouthBuild grantees located in Columbia, St. Joseph, and St. Louis. Reducing Fraud, Waste, and Abuse of Taxpayer Dollars: Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments: $200 million to conduct enhanced, in-person assessments to accelerate the reemployment of Unemployment Compensation recipients to reduce the duration of their time receiving benefits and the likelihood of exhausting benefit coverage. These actions also help protect the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund by reducing improper payments. This program has been shown to save $2.60 for every $1.00 spent. Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control (HCFAC): $807 million, an increase of $21 million, is provided by utilizing the cap adjustment in the Budget Control Act. For every $1.00 spent on HCFAC, $2.00 is recovered by the U.S. Treasury. This will create over $10.2 billion in savings to the Treasury over 10 years. Preventing Social Security Disability Fraud, Abuse, and Improper Payments: $1.6 billion is provided to support periodic reviews to ensure that individuals receiving Social Security disability benefits are still eligible under program rules. This funding is estimated to save approximately $9 billion over 10 years for the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. Other highlights of the bill include: Adoption Opportunities: $44 million, an increase of $2 million, to help remove barriers to adoption and find permanent homes for children, particularly children with special needs. AmeriCorps: $455 million, an increase of $27 million, for AmeriCorps State and National grants and $225 million, an increase of $4 million, for AmeriCorps Seniors programs. Last year, more than 1,300 AmeriCorps and 3,500 Senior Corps members helped address local needs in schools and communities across Missouri, including responding to natural disasters. Blunt has also cosponsored legislation to expand national service programs to help the nation respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention: $61 million, an increase of $5 million, to support community-based efforts to prevent child abuse. Family Violence and Prevention Services: $182.5 million, an increase of $7.5 million, to provide services and temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence, and $13 million, an increase of $1 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): $3.75 million, an increase of $10 million, to help low-income households with home heating and cooling costs. Runaway and Homeless Youth Program: $137 million, an increase of $4.4 million, for services and temporary shelter for homeless youth.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-highlights-missouri-law-enforcement-first-responder-priorities-in-fy2021-funding-bill,"Blunt Highlights Missouri Law Enforcement, First Responder Priorities in FY2021 Funding Bill",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, announced several Missouri priorities he worked to include in the following FY2021 funding bills: Homeland Security; Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies; and Financial Services and General Government. The bills are part of the larger government funding package that Congress is expected to consider shortly. The pandemic has shined an even brighter spotlight on the incredible, life-saving work our first responders do every day, said Blunt. This bill invests in programs and policies to support police and fire departments, including grant programs that help departments purchase equipment, conduct training, and hire personnel. The bill maintains our focus on the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases. It supports improved coordination between local, state, and federal law enforcement to better combat major drug-trafficking organizations. And, in addition to our continued support for the drug-free communities programs and drug-court programs, the bill makes a new investment in an initiative to help address the root causes of recidivism. In a tight fiscal environment, these are all areas where smart, targeted federal investment goes a long way toward supporting state and local agencies and the important work they do to make our communities stronger and safer. Following are the Missouri priorities included in the funding bills: Homeland Security: Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Program (SAFER) and Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG): The bill provides $360 million each for the SAFER and AFG programs, $5 million above FY2020 levels. The SAFER program provides funding to hire firefighters, and the AFG program provides equipment to firefighters. Both programs help Missouri first responders fill gaps to provide firefighters with resources to support their communities. This year, and in previous years, Blunt sent a letter to the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee advocating for the SAFER and AFG programs. Nonprofit Security Grant Program: The legislation provides $90 million for Urban Area Security Initiative grants, a $40 million increase above FY2020 levels. The bill also includes $90 million for nonprofit organizations, a $50 million increase above FY2020 levels. Blunt is a longtime supporter of the Nonprofit Security Grant program, which provides financial support to nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist attack, such as religious and cultural centers, for physical security enhancements. Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies: Victims of Child Abuse Program: The legislation provides $30 million for the Victims of Child Abuse program, a $3 million increase over FY2020. Blunt's bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA) was signed into law in 2018. The bill provides funding for children's advocacy centers that serve child abuse victims and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable. Missouri children's advocacy centers served over 9,000 children in 2019. John R. Justice (JRJ) Program: The legislation provides $2 million for the JRJ program, which provides loan repayment assistance for state public defenders and state prosecutors who agree to remain employed as public defenders and prosecutors for at least three years. The JRJ program eases the financial burden facing new attorneys who want to pursue careers in public service. Reducing Recidivism: The legislation provides $4 million to fund grants to academic partners who can design and test models to expedite judicial review for technical violations of supervision, while linking individuals who commit technical violations to evidence-based services that address the root causes of recidivism. A successful study in St. Louis County, Mo., showed that it is possible to reduce unnecessary delay in reinstatement of probation after technical violations and thus the social and economic costs of that delay. Regional Innovation (RI) Program: The bill provides $38 million, a $5 million increase from last year's level, for the RI program, which provides operational support for local innovators and entrepreneurs to commercialize new ideas and technologies. The grants, administered by the Economic Development Administration, help translate innovative ideas into local job growth. Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): The bill provides $150 million, a $4 million increase over FY2020, for MEP. MEP is a public-private partnership operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in collaboration with centers in all 50 states. MEP serves as a bridge to other organizations and federal research labs focused on enhancing the manufacturing community. Missouri Enterprise in Rolla is part of the MEP program. Financial Services and General Government: Drug-Free Communities Program: The legislation provides $102 million for the Drug-Free Communities Program, an increase over FY2020. This program helps fund community-based coalitions that work to prevent youth substance use. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA): The bill includes $290 million for the Blunt-backed HIDTA program, a $5 million increase over FY2020. HIDTA is an effective and innovative initiative that provides critical assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in combatting major drug-trafficking organizations across the country. Midwest HIDTA is located in Kansas City, Mo., and supports HIDTA law enforcement initiatives in six states. Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation: The legislation provides $2 million for the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation, an increase over FY2020. The Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the sole federal memorial to President Truman supporting graduate education for young people committed to careers in public service. Washington University in St. Louis is one of seven schools with more than one 2020 Truman Scholar. In addition, Missouri is one of 10 states with more than one 2020 Truman Scholar.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-led-funding-bill-provides-6th-consecutive-increase-for-life-saving-cost-saving-nih-research,"Blunt-Led Funding Bill Provides 6th Consecutive Increase for Life-Saving, Cost-Saving NIH Research",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS), today announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has received $42.9 billion in the fiscal year 2021 Labor/HHS appropriations bill, a $1.25 billion increase over last year's level. The bill is the product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations and is expected to be considered by Congress shortly. This year has reinforced the importance of a federal investment in the National Institutes of Health, said Blunt. As we have faced a global health pandemic, NIH and its framework of 476,000 researchers across the country have been a critical part of our response efforts. At the same time, these scientists have had to continue with their day jobs working on research to prevent cancer, fight other infectious diseases, and identify ways to detect disease at its early stages. NIH-funded research continues to benefit the lives of all Americans. Blunt previously secured five consecutive funding increases for NIH, bringing the six-year total increase to $12.85 billion, or 42.7%, under Blunt's subcommittee chairmanship. Blunt continued, In my home state of Missouri, several institutions are working on COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tests. Missouri researchers continue to be at the forefront of our most important discoveries, from working to combat the COVID-19 global pandemic, to developing a blood test for Alzheimer's disease, to discovering a potential new treatment for liver cancer. As we have seen firsthand this year, fundamental research and having the infrastructure and scientists in place is a critical component to our health response. That starts with sustained, predictable increases in NIH funding. It is one of the most important investments the federal government can make. According to data from United for Medical Research, NIH funding supported nearly 476,000 jobs and more than $81 billion in economic activity nationwide in FY2019. In Missouri, NIH funding supported $1.6 billion in new economic activity and more than 9,000 jobs. Through December 1, 2020, Missouri institutions received $670.8 million in NIH funding for 1,351 grants. From 2015- 2020, NIH funding to Missouri institutions increased by $199.2 million or 42.2%. Following Are Several of the Key NIH Investments Included in the Labor/HHS Bill: $3.1 Billion for Alzheimer's Disease Research: The bill includes $3.1 billion for Alzheimer's disease research, a $300 million increase from last year's level. Currently, Medicare and Medicaid spend $195 billion caring for those with Alzheimer's, making it the most expensive disease in America. Since Blunt became subcommittee chair five years ago, Alzheimer's disease research funding has nearly quadrupled, increasing from $631 million to $3.1 billion. $6.56 Billion for the National Cancer Institute (NCI): The bill includes $6.56 billion for NCI, an increase of $119.4 million above FY2020. Within NCI funding, the bill provides: o $50 million in continued funding for the President's Childhood Cancer Data program to connect and integrate multiple childhood cancer data sources; o $30 million for the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act, which Blunt cosponsored. The STAR Act is a bipartisan, comprehensive bill that expands opportunities for childhood cancer research, improves efforts to identify and track incidence of childhood cancer, and enhances the quality of life for childhood cancer survivors; o $250 million, an increase of $37.5 million, to prioritize competing grants in cancer research and sustain commitments to continuing grants. Grant applications to the National Cancer Institute have increased by approximately 50% since 2013, with requests for cancer research ten-fold greater than other institutes. $560 Million for the BRAIN Initiative: The measure increases funding for the BRAIN initiative by $60 million above FY2020. The bill also restores the $40 million loss of Cures Act funding to the BRAIN Initiative in FY2021. The BRAIN Initiative is developing a more complete understanding of brain function, which could help millions of people who suffer from a wide variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. $500 Million for the All of Us Precision Medicine Initiative: The measure includes $500 million to fund the All of Us precision medicine study, restoring the $40 million loss of Cures Act funding. This study will enroll one million Americans to take into account differences in biology, lifestyle, and environment to discover new paths towards delivering individualized precision medicine. In October, Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) received an enrollment grant as part of the Precision Medicine Initiative. $586.8 Million for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA): The measure includes $586.8 million, an increase of $8.7 million, for the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences' CTSA program. WashU's CTSA is part of the national program aimed at accelerating discoveries toward better health. $2.1 Billion for Mental Health Research: The bill includes $2.1 billion, an increase of $60.7 million, for mental health research at the National Institute of Mental Health. $220 Million for Research on the Universal Flu Vaccine: The bill provides an increase of $20 million in targeted funding to advance progress toward a universal flu vaccine. Under Blunt's leadership, funding for a universal flu vaccine has more than quadrupled in the last four years. Saint Louis University is part of NIH's Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units working on a universal flu vaccine. $943.7 Million for Opioid & Pain-Related Research: The bill includes $943.7 million for research on opioid addiction, development of opioids alternatives, pain management, and addiction treatment. If patients with acute or chronic pain do not have reasonable access to non-addictive pain medications or alternative treatments, it will be difficult to get the opioid crisis under control. This includes $500 million in dedicated funding provided to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The bill also provides NIH flexibility to use the dedicated $500 million in opioid funding for stimulant research. $425 Million for Infrastructure Improvements on NIH's Campus: The bill provides a $225 million increase to support NIH's Bethesda Campus, including a 200-bed research hospital, numerous laboratories, outpatient clinics, and administrative and facilities space. The funding increase follows a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report stating there is a $1.3 billion backlog in facilities maintenance on the campus. More than 72% of the facilities in Bethesda are over 20 years old and the average condition index is in the poor range. $10 Million for Premature Birth Research: The bill includes new, dedicated funding for research aimed at enhancing the survival and health development of preterm infants. These studies may include research efforts to identify and understand the causes of preterm birth, and the development of evidence-based strategies to address the short- and long-term complications in children born preterm, including children with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. $10 Million for Gene Vector Research: The bill recognizes the importance and promise of gene therapy in developing new treatments for a number of diseases and conditions and provides $10 million in new, dedicated funding to expand ongoing gene vector initiatives. The creation of a Consortium for Innovation in Large-Scale Gene Vector Production can address specific translational roadblocks to vector production to increase the efficiency of vector production, therapeutic effects, and clinical trial design, with the goal of maximizing the number of patients who benefit from gene therapy. $10 Million for Lyme and Related Tick-borne Diseases Research: The bill includes, for the first time, dedicated funding for Lyme disease and related tick-borne disease research. This funding will bring the total funding in FY2021 to $81 million. $5 Million to Combat Foreign Threats to Research: The bill includes $5 million for NIH to continue its work with HHS' Office of the Inspector General to combat foreign threats to the research infrastructure. Blunt discussed this issue at a Labor/HHS subcommittee hearing in April 2019, particularly China's Thousand Talents program aimed at recruiting NIH-funded researchers to steal intellectual property, cheat the peer-review system, establish shadow laboratories in China, and help the Chinese government obtain confidential information about NIH research grants. $12.6 Million for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act: The Gabriella Miller Kids First Act, which was signed into law in 2014, created a dedicated fund for pediatric medical research. The bill provides the resources authorized under the law, and prioritizes funding for pediatric cancer research. In addition, the bill provides increases to every NIH Institute and Center to continue investments in innovative research that will advance fundamental knowledge and speed the development of new therapies, diagnostics, and preventive measures to improve the health of all Americans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/latest-round-of-covid-19-relief-includes-blunt-backed-funding-for-critical-health-and-education-programs,Latest Round of COVID-19 Relief Includes Blunt-Backed Funding for Critical Health and Education Programs,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS), today announced that the COVID relief package includes several investments in key health and education programs. The agreement is the product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations and is expected to be considered by the House and Senate shortly. This year has been one of the most difficult years for our nation in a generation, said Blunt. As I have said many times in the past several months, I believe it is critical to pass a bill with additional resources for COVID-19-related programs. It is unfortunate that our Democrat colleagues spent months standing in the way of a relief package, but I'm glad we have reached a bipartisan agreement that reflects our most urgent COVID-response priorities. This bill provides funding to continue the development, production, purchase, and distribution of vaccines; funding to reopen schools and child care facilities and keep them safe; and resources targeted to those whose mental health and substance use disorders have been exacerbated by the pandemic. This package deserves the support of the full Senate and I look forward to quickly getting it to the president's desk. Following Are Some of the Key Health and Education Priorities Included in the Latest Round of COVID-19 Relief: Vaccine and Therapeutic Development, Production, and Purchase: $19.695 billion to continue supporting critical efforts to ensure Americans receive vaccines and therapeutics in record time. Blunt recently highlighted the success Operation Warp Speed has had in accelerating the development of safe and effective vaccines. Vaccine Distribution: $8.75 billion provided to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote, distribute, administer, monitor, and track coronavirus vaccines to ensure broad-based distribution, access, and vaccine coverage to all Americans. Blunt held a Labor/HHS hearing in September where he pressed top HHS officials on preparations for vaccine distribution. Testing and Contact Tracing: $22.4 billion is provided to states, localities, territories, and tribes for testing, contact tracing, containment, and mitigation to monitor and suppress the coronavirus. This funding will help ensure Americans can continue to get tests when and where they need them, and that test results are made available as quickly as possible. Strategic National Stockpile: $3.25 billion is provided to secure PPE and other supplies to support availability of these critical supplies during the pandemic. Provider Relief Fund: $3 billion is provided. Language is included directing 85% of unobligated balances or funds recovered to be for future distributions based on applications that consider financial losses and changes in operating expenses occurring in the third or fourth quarter of calendar year 2020, or the first quarter of calendar year 2021. Language is also included clarifying the definition of lost revenue for hospitals and allowing hospital systems to transfer COVID funds among hospitals in their system. National Institutes of Health Research: $1.25 billion, with $1.15 billion for research into the long-term effects of COVID-19 and $100 million to support the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics program that Blunt started with U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) to speed the development and commercialization of COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first in-home COVID-19 test, which was supported by the RADx program. Blunt previously announced that RADx-UP funding was awarded to the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Washington University in St. Louis to improve testing among underserved and vulnerable communities. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration: $4.25 billion for substance abuse and mental health treatment and prevention. This includes robust investments in the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention block grants. The bill also invests in suicide prevention, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, and targets funding to individual behavioral health providers. Child Care: $10 billion to provide additional assistance to working families, and support child care providers experiencing increased operating expenses and decreased revenue related to COVID-19. Head Start: $250 million to help Head Start programs with additional costs related to COVID-19 so they can continue to provide high-quality early childhood education to children and families. Education: $82 billion to support students, teachers, schools, and families with additional education needs related to COVID, including: o Elementary and Secondary Education: $54.3 billion to help elementary and secondary schools safely re-open or remain open, and help begin to address the effects this school year has had on student learning, including $2.75 billion in dedicated funding for private schools and their students; o Higher Education: $22.7 billion to support both students and institutions of higher education to address additional needs and costs related to COVID-19; and o Governors Fund: $4.1 billion in flexible funding for states to address the educational needs of students, from early childhood through college and career.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senator-hawley-votes-favor-covid-relief-direct-assistance-working-americans,"Senator Hawley Votes in Favor of Covid Relief, Direct Assistance for Working Americans",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) voted in favor of Covid relief legislation only because it contains direct assistance for working Americans. Senator Hawley said that the assistance was a fraction of what it should be but is desperately needed for millions of Americans. Senator Hawleyled the pushto include direct assistance in the bill andcriticized negotiatorsfor giving billions of dollars to bureaucrats and corporations while ignoring working Americans. I will vote yes on #covid relief bill for one reason and one reason only: it contains direct assistance to working families. That assistance is not nearly enough, fraction of what it should be. But it is something, & for millions of working Americans, it's help desperately needed Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 22, 2020",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-speaks-continued-need-direct-relief-working-americans,Hawley Speaks on Continued Need for Direct Relief for Working Americans,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) spoke on the Senate floor regarding proposed direct payments of $600 per person and $600 per child in Congress's proposed Covid relief package, which he called hardly adequate. Senator Hawley criticized plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on things like the World Health Organization and the Export-Import Bank before giving anything to working Americans. Senator Hawley said,""So, the work that we're going to do todayand I hope to see a vote on this floor yet today on this reliefit is a step, a step in the right direction, but it is only a step. And I hope that it will be the beginning, Mr. President, of a better approach. The beginning of actually putting working Americans first, putting their needs, putting their independence, putting their strength, their families, their communities first. That ought to be the economic policy of this nation. That ought to be the economic policy of this body. And I can assure you that is the foundation on which economic recovery will be built, because it's the working people of this nation who powered the American economy.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400447,Blaine's Bulletin: The COVID-19 Vaccine,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"We don't often think of Polio anymore because no new cases have been diagnosed in the U.S. since 1979 thanks to a vaccine. Researchers started work on the Polio vaccine in the 1930's, but it wasn't until 1954 that children began receiving it in the United States. A safe and effective measles vaccine took ten years to develop. And the influenza virus began affecting Americans in the 1930's, while a vaccine wasn't ready for human use until 1945. We are fortunate to live in a country with great medical minds who over the years figured out how to eradicate many deadly illnesses with vaccines, but they weren't developed overnight. This week, Americans began receiving the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine less than a year after development in the U.S. began. Thanks to the incredible doctors, scientists, volunteers who took part in the trials, private sector partners, and Operation Warp Speed, a feat that historically takes decades happened in just a matter of months. In fact, this is the fastest vaccine ever produced for a novel pathogen. It is yet another testament to the ingenuity and humanity we have seen from America throughout the pandemic. As of last spring, scientists were anticipating the vaccine to be delivered within a year and a half. Some went as far as to say it is unrealistic to expect a vaccine in 2020.But here we are in December and first responders and America's most vulnerable populations are already receiving it with millions of more doses on the way. Pfizer, whose facility here in Missouri helped develop the vaccine, has led the charge getting the first FDA-approved vaccine out to the American public. They have produced and distributed 100 million initial doses and have hundreds of millions more coming. And Moderna should have their approval from the FDA any minute, making millions more doses available those who want it. Missouri is distributing the vaccine in three phases which have already begun. Phase 1 includes health care workers, first responders, essential workers and long-term care residents and staff. Phase 2 will include populations at increased risk and Phase 3 will be open to all Missouri residents. Our state is committed to providing this vaccine at a very low or no cost at all to Missourians who want to be vaccinated. For information on where and when a vaccine will be available to you, Missouri has created an entire website dedicated to vaccine updates atcovidvaccine.mo.gov. The development of this vaccine should be the last piece of the puzzle in helping restore our way of life and allowing everyone, even the at-risk population, to get back to living without fear of the virus. While many of us have tried our best to continue life as usual, the last year has been frightening and stressful for our most vulnerable populations. Now that we have a vaccine becoming available for those who want to receive it, Missourians can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to work, school and supporting the small businesses who have continued to struggle. Small businesses across the U.S. have been crippled by response to the pandemic often times unnecessarily. With light at the end of tunnel I can't wait to put this pandemic behind us and see our local economies booming again.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-and-davids-applaud-492-million-grant-for-kc-streetcar-main,Reps. Cleaver and Davids Applaud $49.2 Million Grant For KC Streetcar Main Street Extension,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Yesterday, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it would allocate another $49.2 million to the Kansas City Streetcar Main Street Extension project. The Main Street Extension project will be a 3.5 mile extension of the Kansas City Downtown Streetcar from the current streetcar terminus at Union Station to the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) applauded the announcement after previously advocating for such grant funding to be awarded for the project in July of this year. The KC Streetcar has transformed public transportation in Kansas City and been an economic boon to our citizens and business community since it first opened to the public years ago, said Congressman Cleaver. I'm thrilled to see the FTA agree to our calls for additional federal investment so that we can continue to expand the Streetcar and make Kansas Cityand everything it has to offermore accessible to all. The KC Streetcar has been a remarkable success for the Metro region bolstering our local economy, supporting manufacturing jobs, and connecting people to opportunities across our community. I was glad to have worked alongside members of the Kansas and Missouri delegation to help secure additional funding for the KC Streetcar, so we can build on this innovative work and grow its reach even more, said Representative Sharice Davids. In addition to this federal grant, the Main Street Extension Project has been awarded another $50 million Capital Investment Grant, a $14.2 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant, and a $174 million grant from the Department of Transportation's New Starts Capital Investment Grants Program, totaling over $287 million in federal investments in the last four months. The current streetcar line is a two-mile track that connects all the city's downtown neighborhoods. The grant funding will go towards creating an additional 3.5 miles and 9 stations from Union Station to the University of MissouriKansas City (UMKC). Once completed, the expanded line will run from Kansas City's River Market to the Plaza and provide public transit between some of the area's largest employment centers. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3324,Smith Introduces Bill to Expand Telehealth in Rural Areas,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Today, U.S. Congressman Jason Smith introduced the Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act, which would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) to continue reimbursing Medicare providers for certain audio-only telehealth visits. At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, Congressman Smith held a call with 50 health care providers, doctors, and other medical professionals from around southern Missouri to hear from them about what resources they need and how he could help. On the call, Smith heard how Medicare's strict telehealth requirements, which mandate video communication, create barriers to healthcare for rural patients. Congressman Smith subsequently requested the Trump Administration update Medicare guidance to permit health care providers to evaluate seniors over the telephone instead of in person or requiring a video conference. Following Smith's request, and at President Trump's direction, CMS took historic and unprecedented steps to do just that - creating a lifeline for patients in rural areas who may lack access to broadband or video technology. Specifically, Smith's legislation would require CMS continue reimbursing providers for audio-only telehealth evaluation and management services and mental and behavioral health services. Additionally, the bill would remove geographic restrictions to allow Medicare beneficiaries' homes to be telehealth originating sites for audio-only telehealth services. One of the lasting impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic is the rapid expansion and increase in the utilization of telehealth services. Smith continued, For rural and underserved areas who struggle with access to broadband and technology, none have had a greater impact than audio-only telehealth visits. ""The American Psychological Association commends Reps. Jason Smith and Tony Cardenas for their bipartisan leadership on telehealth legislation that will increase access to essential mental health care for Medicare beneficiaries beyond the pandemic,"" said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. ""Allowing patients to receive mental health services by audio-only telephone is a matter of health equity for underserved populations, and APA applauds this important equalizer. This bill will allow patients to receive services at home no matter where they live whether in rural, urban or suburban communities. Telehealth is here to stay, and Congressman Smith's audio-only telehealth bill offers a welcome reminder that not everyone who needs to talk to a doctor or nurse remotely has a smartphone and internet connection. Indeed, nearly one-third of all Medicare telehealth visits during the current pandemic have been delivered by audio-only telephone. Audio-only access is essential, especially for lower-income households, and should be a permanent feature of modern medicine alongside other forms of telehealth, including store-and-forward and remote monitoring tools.- Americans for Prosperity Mary R. Grealy, President of Healthcare Leadership Council, stated, No one should lose access to healthcare options in the midst of a pandemic because of a lack of broadband access. The provision in this legislation that would allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) the ability to permanently cover audio-only telehealth services is critical for the continued success in treating populations experiencing heightened health challenges during this time. She continued, It is important that the progress made in expanding care delivery to these populations is not rolled back at the end of the pandemic. Audio-only access is imperative in ensuring access to urgently needed mental and behavioral health services, especially for marginalized groups. The pandemic has laid bare the major disparities in health across the nation. Eliminating these disparities must be one of our highest priorities. Making audio-only telehealth permanently available is one of the key mechanisms for advancing this priority. - Anna Mangum, MSW, MPH, Deputy Director of Programs, National Association of Social Workers Rep. Smith was joined by his Democratic colleague, Congressman Tony Cardenas (D-CA) who said, As COVID-19 cases continue rising everywhere, Americans are adapting to a new reality of social distancing, remote working, and telecommunicating. Millions of at-risk Americans, including seniors, are shifting to telehealth consultation and services. It is imperative that our laws reflect the changes of this time. This commonsense legislation will help save American lives by making it easier for our seniors and at-risk citizens to access these services from the safety of their homes. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3325,"Faith, Family, and Freedom",2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"This Christmas and holiday season we celebrate our faith, our family, and our freedom. We are lucky that our forefathers saw fit to build a country founded upon the belief that all men and women have a God given right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In the United States, that guarantee of liberty means we all have the choice to spend our holidays as we choose. For many, the holidays are a time when life slows down a bit. It gives all of us a chance to reflect and be thankful for our many blessings, and for my family, to celebrate the birth of Christ with our treasured holiday traditions. We are lucky, as a country, to have a President that values family and takes steps to ensure we are all able to spend more time with the people we cherish. Earlier this month, President Trump made Christmas Eve a federal holiday, which means more Americans will have the opportunity to enjoy their holiday at home with loved ones. As for myself, I will be celebrating as I always do, with family enjoying delicious food and each other's company. All of our families have our own special holiday traditions they enjoy, whether it be caroling with friends, strolls around the neighborhood to see all the sparkling Christmas lights, baking holiday cookies for Santa and the reindeer, or just spending quality time with loved ones. My family, like yours, has our own traditions to celebrate the season. Growing up my family didn't have a lot, but Christmas was always a special time of year. As a kid, my whole family aunts, uncles, and cousins would gather at my grandparents' house to celebrate Christmas. We would exchange gifts, play games (spoons was my favorite), but my fondest memory is the giant peppermint candy canes that my grandmother would give to each of the cousins every year. It wasn't until I was older that I realized those candy canes were the only gift my grandparents could afford to give all of their grandchildren, which made them even more special to me. To this day when I see those candy canes in stores I think of my grandmother and I continue the tradition, sharing giant candy canes with my family and friends and telling them my childhood story. During this time of year, it is important for us to all be thankful for the good in this world. Some people might deter you and others from visiting family and friends, and tell you to stay in and keep to yourself. Remember, it is your choice as to how you spend your holidays. With 2020 drawing to a close and we look towards 2021, we must hold our families tight, be kind to our neighbors, and remember the blessings we are fortunate to enjoy as Americans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-presents-angels-adoption-award-991-joyfm,Wagner Presents Angels in Adoption Award to 99.1 JOYFM,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Ann Wagner,W000812,wagner.house.gov,wagner,https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ann Wagner (MO-02) released the following statement after she presented the 2020 Angels in Adoption Award to Sandi Brown, President of 99.1 JOYFM, who accepted on behalf of the radio station. ""I was thrilled to present Sandi Brown, President of 99.1 JOYFM, with the 2020 Angel in Adoption Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. It was my pleasure to recommend 99.1 JOYFM for this well-deserved recognition of their ongoing support for foster and adoptive care agencies and families. The radio station has consistently shared the need for more foster and adoptive families in the region and provided resources for listeners who want to get involved. I appreciate all they have done and I know they will continue to change lives and bring hope and love to those needing a forever family in the St. Louis area. Sandi is herself an adoptive parent so this ministry outreach has personal meaning.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-presents-angels-in-adoption-award-to-991-joyfm,Wagner Presents Angels in Adoption Award to 99.1 JOYFM,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Ann Wagner,W000812,wagner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ann Wagner (MO-02) released the following statement after she presented the 2020 Angels in Adoption Award toSandi Brown, President of 99.1 JOYFM, who accepted on behalf of the radio station. I was thrilled to present Sandi Brown, President of 99.1 JOYFM, with the 2020 Angel in Adoption Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. It was my pleasure to recommend 99.1 JOYFM for this well-deserved recognition of their ongoing support for foster and adoptive care agencies and families. The radio station has consistently shared the need for more foster and adoptive families in the region and provided resources for listeners who want to get involved. I appreciate all they have done and I know they will continue to change lives and bring hope and love to those needing a forever family in the St. Louis area. Sandi is herself an adoptive parent so this ministry outreach has personal meaning. Click here to learn more about Angels in Adoption and the CCAI.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-applauds-court-ruling-ordering-compensation-for-missouri-river-flood-victims,Blunt Applauds Court Ruling Ordering Compensation for Missouri River Flood Victims,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement today applauding a ruling by the U.S Court of Federal Claims ordering the federal government to compensate property owners along the Missouri River who sustained flood damage due to mismanagement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE): The families, farmers, and business owners who were hurt by the Army Corps of Engineers' mismanagement of the Missouri River deserve to be compensated immediately. The court has made clear that the Corps is responsible for historic flooding that occurred along the river for several years. Their continued efforts to deny victims the compensation they deserve is completely unacceptable. The Corps needs to acknowledge they are at fault and settle the claims that should have been resolved years ago so property owners can put this chapter behind them. Moving forward, I again call on the Corps to prioritize flood control infrastructure along the lower Missouri River and the protection of lives and property in its river management plans. In 2018, Blunt commended the U.S. Court of Federal Claims decision finding the USACE liable for historic flood damage that occurred in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2014. Last month, Blunt joined U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (Kan.), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Pat Roberts (Kan.) in sending a letter to Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy urging the USACE to abide by the 2018 ruling and resolve claims promptly and fairly. In March, Blunt introduced legislation to overhaul the USACE's process for managing water resource projects along the lower Missouri River system. The Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act, cosponsored by all of the senators from the lower Missouri River basin states, would establish a new program that would require the USACE to implement a system-wide approach to water development projects to reduce flood risk and improve flood protection along the lower Missouri River.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-senate-floor-tomorrow-ask-vote-1200-direct-payment-americans,"Hawley to Senate Floor Tomorrow to Ask for Vote on $1,200 Direct Payment for Americans",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced he would demand an up-or-down vote tomorrow onhis stand-alone legislationto provide direct relief to working Americans. Senator Hawley's bill would provide a one-time payment of $1,200 to individuals, $2,400 to couples filing jointly, and $500 per child. Tomorrow I will go to the Senate floor to ask for an up or down vote on my bill to provide a direct payment of $1200 to working Americans, $2400 for couples, $500 for kids. This is the #covid relief working families need Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 17, 2020",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-announces-2nd-district-congressional-app-challenge-winners,Wagner Announces 2nd District Congressional App Challenge Winners,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Ann Wagner,W000812,wagner.house.gov,wagner,https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Ann Wagner (MO-02), Chair of the House Suburban Caucus, today announced the winners for the 2020 Congressional App Challenge in Missouri's 2nd District. ""I am so excited to announce that Kat Crawford and Megan Campbell from Kirkwood have won this year's Congressional App Challenge for Missouri's 2nd District. Their In BeTeen Jobs app is specifically designed to help teens access jobs and volunteering activities in their neighborhoods that fit their education, skill sets, and knowledge base. The app matches users with an appropriate job and directs them straight to the application page. Kat and Megan have demonstrated a strong desire to help their peers find jobs, and they have done so in a way that highlights their own unique skillsets. ""The team of judges from LaunchCode chose the In BeTeen Jobs app from 12 impressive entries based on concept, design, and skill. Congratulations, Kat and Megan!"" Click here to learn more about the In BeTeen Jobs app. The Congressional App Challenge is a national competition highlighting the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. Established by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, the Congressional App Challenge allows students from across the country to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application, or ""app,"" for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-secures-victory-department-labor-fiduciary-final-rule,Wagner Secures Victory in Department of Labor Fiduciary Final Rule,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Ann Wagner,W000812,wagner.house.gov,wagner,https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement after the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the Fiduciary Final Rule entitled Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02, Improving Investment Advice for Workers and Retirees: ""I welcome this news that will help American families looking for sound and transparent financial advice. I am proud to have played a part in this big win for Main Street investors and retirees and will continue advocating for their needs in Congress. ""Since first being elected, I have advocated for a standard of conduct for broker-dealers and investment advisers that protects investors while maintaining their access to the financial products they need to achieve retirement security. Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Labor (DOL) proceeded with a misguided fiduciary rule that would have negatively impacted low and middle-income Americans who are saving for retirement. I fought for years against the investor rule, and introduced legislation that passed the House twice to repeal it. ""The Trump Administration's DOL, in close coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has completed our common goal of establishing a fiduciary framework that minimizes complexity and confusion for investors, and avoids placing costly, burdensome requirements on industry and the retail investors it serves. Most importantly, it maintains investment choice, access, and affordability that America's Main Street investors deserve.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wagner-secures-victory-in-department-of-labor-fiduciary-final-rule,Wagner Secures Victory in Department of Labor Fiduciary Final Rule,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Ann Wagner,W000812,wagner.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement after the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the Fiduciary Final Rule entitled Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02, Improving Investment Advice for Workers and Retirees: I welcome this news that will help American families looking for sound and transparent financial advice. I am proud to have played a part in this big win for Main Street investors and retirees and will continue advocating for their needs in Congress. Since first being elected, I have advocated for a standard of conduct for broker-dealers and investment advisers that protects investors while maintaining their access to the financial products they need to achieve retirement security. Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Labor (DOL) proceeded with a misguided fiduciary rule that would have negatively impacted low and middle-income Americans who are saving for retirement. I fought for years against the investor rule, and introduced legislation that passed the House twice to repeal it. The Trump Administration's DOL, in close coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has completed our common goal of establishing a fiduciary framework that minimizes complexity and confusion for investors, and avoids placing costly, burdensome requirements on industry and the retail investors it serves. Most importantly, it maintains investment choice, access, and affordability that America's Main Street investors deserve. Click here to read Rep. Wagner's statement on the SEC's Regulation Best Interest Rule, and click here to read more about the Department of Labor's Fiduciary Final Rule.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-msu-to-receive-4-million-department-of-education-grant-to-improve-stem-education-in-rural-schools,Blunt: MSU to Receive $4 Million Department of Education Grant to Improve STEM Education in Rural Schools,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS), announced that the Department of Education has awarded a nearly $4 million grant to Missouri State University (MSU) to expand and improve computer science education programs in grades 3-8 at schools in rural areas. Computer science is increasingly becoming a foundational part of a student's education, but too few students, especially in rural areas, have access to high-quality computer science education, said Blunt. This program will provide the tools, curriculum, and technology to support 150 teachers and 13,500 students in rural areas, while building the evidence-base of what works in order to expand computer science education opportunities for rural students more broadly. This project will not only teach important STEM skills but inspire young minds. This grant will enable our faculty members to share computer science expertise and resources with communities in southern Missouri that need them the most, said MSU President Clif Smart. We want to get young students excited about computer science through hands-on learning, so they can envision the possibilities of a STEM-related career. As chairman, Blunt led the effort to include $65 million for STEM education, with a specific priority for computer science education and programs operating in rural areas, within the Education Innovation and Research program in the FY2020 Labor/HHS bill.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-demands-covid-relief-package-includes-immediate-direct-relief-working-families,Hawley Demands Covid Relief Package Includes Immediate Direct Relief for Working Families,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Wednesday, December 16, 2020 Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) delivered a speech on the Senate floor demanding that any Covid relief package Congress passes include immediate direct relief to working families. Senator Hawley highlighted stories from Missourians in need and said Congress should not leave Washington until direct assistance is on the way. Issues",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400446,Blaines Bulletin: The Water Resources Development Act,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Surrounded by more miles of shoreline than the entire state of California over 1,100 Missouri's Third District is home to beautiful views, an abundance of activities for water lovers, and critical water resources for not just our state but the entire nation. Along with great opportunities for Missourians, these many miles of shoreline also come with their challenges making our district no stranger to flooding and water issues. While 2020 brought more than its fair share of challenges, fortunately Mother Nature was a bit more forgiving with Missouri's flood season than in years past. But the stark reality is that our state will at some point undoubtably face another devastating flood season, like 2019, and it is one of my most important duties here in Congress to make sure the Third District is equipped with every resource and safeguard possible. Every two years, Congress reauthorizes the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) in order to update our water infrastructure. WRDA is an opportunity for members of Congress to advocate for their district's water-specific needs, and since the Third District is home to Lake of the Ozarks and bordered by the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, WRDA is always a major priority for me. This year, I was proud to get several Third District priorities included in the bill that passed the House on Tuesday. The first provision, the Upper Mississippi River Comprehensive Plan will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to work with local stakeholders to create a comprehensive flood management plan for the communities along the Upper Mississippi River. The plan will help these communities better prevent and more effectively deal with flooding. Another provision I worked hard on is the Lower Missouri Basin Flood Risk and Resiliency Study which will help identify flood risk areas along the Lower Missouri River Basin so we can begin safeguarding the communities and resources in the area. The Lower Osage Feasibility Study is an important step toward authorizing and funding construction for desperately needed flood protections along the Lower Osage. For farmers on the Osage flood control is the deciding factor of whether a year will be profitable. It's not an exaggeration to say their livelihood depends on improving our water infrastructure. And finally, the Tri County Levee District Land Conveyance will slash unnecessary red tape in Montgomery County and finally return part of the levee back to the county to streamline future repair issues. All these provisions are products of years of work and conversations with local officials and stakeholders to figure out the most effective ways to protect our community. Flooding and water issues are a part of life here in Missouri, and while we can't stop the storms from coming or the snow from melting, as your Representative I will continue to do everything in my power to make sure this district has the necessary support and protections. This year's WRDA legislation will help our high-risk areas become better prepared, better equipped, and better adapted for future flood seasons, and I look forward to seeing a speedy implementation of these provisions here in the Third District. I know our local leaders, landowners, and workers are certainly ready to get started.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/prioritizing-our-water-resources,Prioritizing Our Water Resources,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Growing up in Tarkio, Missouri,several miles down the road from the Missouri River,I learned firsthand thepower of the river and what can happen when our priorities aren't in line. It's not just the Missouri Riverthough. Folksacross NorthMissouri, who live along the Mississippi and countless smaller rivers,havespent decadesworking to bringcertainty and safety to the families who live and work along our waterways. In many ways, we did just that, but with change, came complacency, a false sense of security, and a whole new list of priorities that pushed the most important priorities, flood control and navigation, down the list. When environmental and recreational concerns skyrocketed up the list of priorities in the eyes of the powers that be, millions were dumped into these pet projects while levee repairs, upgrades, and improvements to the navigation channel were neglected. This realignment of priorities had real world impacts on people, as we saw all too clearly with record flooding in the spring, summer, and into the fall of 2019. This wasn't just a one-year problem though. This has been going on for decades, with increasing frequency in recent years. Fixing this problem was one of the main reasonsI sought to join the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the first place. Whileit's easy for problems like this to get lost in the noise of Washington, it's always been number one on my agenda. We've gotten countless smaller wins in the past, but the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), which I helped write,is agreatsteptowardsgetting our priorities back in line. WRDAmakes it a priority to secure,upgrade and improveour non-federal levees. After all, these levees protect countless small towns,and every levee is important to our flood control efforts because it only takes one weak link for things to turn south in a hurry. It will help upgrade our locks and dams on the Mississippi River that are so critical to shipping our products across the country.It builds upon existing efforts to revamp our flood control plans on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and speeds up the repair of federal levees damaged by the Flood of 2019.For those areas that have seen repetitive flooding, and we know there are many, there will be new opportunities to upgrade infrastructure to reduce the risk of future flooding. This bill doesn't fix everything, but WRDA 2020doesplacea focus onimproving flood control and navigation,which is critical. People's lives and livelihoods are the top priority in my book. Our laws, regulations, andthemanagement of our rivers should reflect that. Sincerely, Sam Graves",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hartzler-joins-missouri-attorney-general-amicus-brief,Hartzler Joins Missouri Attorney General on Amicus Brief,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Vicky Hartzler,H001053,hartzler.house.gov,,,legacy,"Statement: I joined my colleagues in the House along with Missouri's Attorney General in signing an amicus brief in support of Texas vs. the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of Georgia, the State of Michigan, and the State of Wisconsin. This case asks the Supreme Court to provide an objective view of electoral anomalies in these states and ensures that the Constitution has been followed and the rules of law maintained throughout our election process. The necessity of this request is derived from concerns that these states failed to adhere to their own election laws, usurping power from their state legislatures to change voting procedures which have led to an unprecedented number of serious allegations of voter fraud and irregularities. This brief does not make any specific ask to overturn election results but instead seeks a legal, Constitutional review of the election practices in these states. It is important that the integrity of our election system is preserved, and an objective review of these anomalies will help ensure voter confidence for future elections.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3305,The Fight Isn't Over,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, I filed a brief before the United States Supreme Court challenging the election procedures in the states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This lawsuit, which was filed by the State of Texas, outlined how the governors and state election officials in the four states mentioned above decided to abuse their power and go against the words of the U.S. Constitution to implement widespread mail-in-voting schemes and water down fraud safeguards such as signature verification processes. This is a blatant violation of election procedures as laid out in the U.S. Constitution. It is for state legislatures to decide how to conduct their elections, not rogue governors and state election officials. I also believe the widespread voter fraud that occurred during this election was enabled by the very processes this case highlighted. Americans have lost trust in our institutions because liberal politicians used a pandemic to strong-arm their citizens into accepting election procedures that were ripe for abuse, and the citizens of this country are now right to question the outcome. Voter identification, signature verification, and poll observing rights are all integral to trust in our elections. In the absence of those things we find ourselves questioning what they had to hide. This is all without mentioning the fact that Joe Biden is reported by the mainstream media to have won the most votes in the history of the United States, while at the same time winning fewer individual counties than President Obama in 2012. The logic and math behind that fact do not add up. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been concerned leftist politicians would use the coronavirus to erode safeguards meant to protect the integrity of our elections. That is why in August I introduced the Integrity of Our Elections Act to require states to implement more robust safeguards to combat voter fraud. Speaker Pelosi refused to listen because she had her own biased agenda, which was to defeat President Trump by any means necessary. As I feared, the day after the election we began to hear reports of voter fraud, including voter intimidation, voter impersonation, and the illegal discarding of ballots. I immediately wrote to United States Attorney General William Barr demanding investigations into every allegation. Following specific reports of suitcases of ballots in Georgia, I once again called upon Attorney General Barr to investigate and demanded answers. The Department of Justice has thus far failed to adequately address my concerns. To add insult to injury, it has come to light that the Department of Justice covered up the ongoing investigations into Hunter Biden's tax irregularities. I find myself wondering if President Trump's children would have been given the same treatment. At the end of the day, the logic of the left is simple: voter suppression is rampant, but voter fraud cannot occur. They would like you to believe President Trump won more votes than he did in 2016, yet still lost the presidency. I believe we must investigate every single instance of voter fraud that occurred during this election. And then we should investigate them again. I will not give up on President Trump and will ensure no stone is left unturned. Rest assured, the fight isn't over.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sens-blunt-coons-and-reps-fitzpatrick-castro-celebrate-passage-of-global-child-thrive-act,"Sens. Blunt, Coons & Reps. Fitzpatrick, Castro Celebrate Passage of Global Child Thrive Act",2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Chris Coons (Del.), along with U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) and Joaquin Castro (Texas), celebrated the passage of the Global Child Thrive Act, which was included in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. The bipartisan legislation strengthens the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally, which includes learning and physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development for children younger than eight years old. Children who experience poverty and hunger in their earliest years face developmental challenges that could shape their entire lives, said Blunt. This bill would strengthen our country's childhood development policies across the world, especially those affecting the most vulnerable children. I've been proud to work with Senator Coons and Representatives Fitzpatrick and Castro on this bill, and I appreciate our colleagues' support on this critical issue. With nearly 250 million children in low- and middle-income countries suffering from poor development due to poverty and stunting alone, it's critical that that we do everything possible to support children in meeting their developmental milestones, said Coons. I'm pleased that the Senate passed the bipartisan Global Child Thrive Act, which I have been proud to champion with Senator Blunt. Together, we understand the value of investing in the reduction of preventable child deaths worldwide and ensuring the healthy development of future generations. I am thrilled to see our bipartisan and bicameral Global Child Thrive Act in this year's NDAA. One of my greatest concerns has always been the welfare of children, not just children in the United States but children across the globe, said Fitzpatrick. I would like to thank Rep. Castro, Sen. Coons, and Sen. Blunt for their partnership on getting our legislation over the finish line. It is of the utmost importance that we help other countries help their children. As we all know, focusing on children is focusing on our future. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children are more vulnerable than ever before. This bipartisan legislation is a robust measure to elevate, educate, and empower vulnerable children around the world, said Castro. I appreciate the leadership of Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, who co-wrote this important legislation, and thank Senators Roy Blunt of Missouri and Chris Coons of Delaware for partnering with the House on this bill. ""It was an honor to work with Senators Blunt and Coons and their staff on the Global Child Thrive Act. Thank you Senator Blunt for your life-long dedication to the well-being of children and Senator Coons for your passion for Africa, especially for its children. We at CRS are grateful to you both for your bipartisan leadership, which will ensure hundreds of thousands of the world's most vulnerable children reach their God-given potential-- an outcome that benefits us all,"" said Bill O'Keefe, EVP of Mission Mobilization and Advocacy at Catholic Relief Services. The Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 created the U.S. Government Special Advisor for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, who is tasked with coordinating all U.S. assistance to orphans and other vulnerable children among U.S. departments and agencies, among other responsibilities. The Global Child Thrive Act builds upon that foundation by strengthening the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally. The bill expands the number of agencies over which the Special Advisor has explicit authority to coordinate early childhood development policies. It also directs the U.S. Agency for International Development to engage relevant executive agencies to incorporate early childhood development into current programming over the next five years. To incorporate early childhood development into current programming, the agencies would: build on the evidence and priorities outlined in Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance 2019-2023';identify evidence-based strategic priorities, indicators, outcomes, and targets to support inclusive early childhood development;support the design, implementation, and evaluation of pilot projects in partner countries, with the goal of taking them to scale;support bureaus, working groups, and task forces implementing relevant sector strategies and public laws; andfocus on improving coordination with foreign governments and international and regional organizations with respect to official country policies and plans for early childhood development.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-bass-introduce-the-preparing-superfund-for-climate-change,"Reps. Cleaver, Bass Introduce The Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act",2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) This week, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Karen Bass (D-CA) introduced H.R. 8915, the Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act. The legislation would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to account for climate change in their plans for managing Superfund sites, which are polluted locations that contain hazardous toxic waste and other contaminants harmful to public health. U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) has introduced identical legislation in the Senate. As we have witnessed natural disasters become more powerful, prevalent, and costly in recent years, it's clear that climate change is exacerbating these challenges and the damage they do to our communities, said Congressman Cleaver. Not only do we need to face the fact that climate change is happening in this very moment, but we must begin to account for its potential to release extremely toxic, dangerous materials from Superfund sites scattered across the country. This critical piece of legislation will require the EPA to plan for such scenarios and ensure neighboring communities have the protection needed to avoid a tragedy caused by lack of preparation. Sea level rise on the coasts, 100-year river flooding and devastating fires across the west could reach several Superfund sites and send highly dangerous chemicals into our air, soil and water, said Congressmember Bass. Last year, the Government Accountability Office confirmed that Superfund sites across the country are not equipped to withstand the threat of climate change. Unless EPA takes climate into account when preparing to clean up a Superfund, we are all in danger. I urge my colleagues to support this important and urgent piece of legislation. The Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act would: Require the potential threat to human health and the environment associated with local natural disasters and hazards due to climate change be incorporated into any plans to clean-up a Superfund site; and Require that local natural disasters and extreme weather hazards, including any projected exacerbation or change in those disasters and hazards due to climate change, be taken into account in the periodic review of whether a clean-up plan is adequately protective. Last year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report concluding Superfund sites across the country are severely underprepared to weather the exacerbating threat of climate change. In the report, the GAO found that roughly 60% of Superfund sites across the nation face risks from flooding, storm surge, rise in sea level, and wildfires. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused flooding at 13 Superfund sites as well as breaches at two others. In 2018, a California wildfire burned through the Iron Mountain Mine site, causing pipes to catch fire with the potential to lead to an explosion that would have released dangerous chemicals into the neighboring communities. There are currently 32 Superfund sites in Missouri20 of which were deemed vulnerable to climate change by the GAOas well as two in the Fifth District of Missouri. You can find the official text of the Preparing Superfund For Climate Change Act here. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://long.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=475,Over $346 Million to Rural Broadband Improvement/Deployment in Missouri,2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Billy Long,L000576,long.house.gov,,,legacy,"County Bidder Locations Support Barry Barry Technology Services, LLC 26 $14,502 Barry Windstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession 100 $480,302 Greene LTD Broadband LLC 1 $282 Jasper LTD Broadband LLC 498 $2,208,594 Jasper Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium 153 $446,266 Lawrence LTD Broadband LLC 66 $734,492 McDonald Windstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession 238 $1,138,230 Newton LTD Broadband LLC 15 $135,402 Newton Windstream Services LLC, Debtor-In-Possession 12 $47,592 Polk LTD Broadband LLC 394 $1,021,422 Polk Mercury Wireless, Inc. 114 $136,260 Polk Wisper-CABO 904 Consortium 1 $6,978 Polk Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium 222 $502,941 Taney LTD Broadband LLC 1,916 $5,211,690 Taney Wisper-CABO 904 Consortium 8 $25,020",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-introduces-bill-provide-immediate-direct-relief-all-individuals-and-families,Hawley Introduces Bill to Provide Immediate Direct Relief to All Individuals and Families,2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced the introduction of the Emergency Direct Payments for Families and Workers Act to provide a second round of stimulus checks to qualifying Americans. Senator Hawley's bill would provide a one-time payment of $1,200 to individuals, $2,400 to couples filing jointly, and $500 per child. Eligibility standards and income thresholds are exactly the same as the CARES Act passed in March. ""Americans need direct payments now. Families are struggling. Unemployment claims are rising and food lines are growing. It's time Congress finally acts. Direct payments should be at the center of any Covid relief legislation that Congress passes. If Congress doesn't pass relief legislation with direct payments in it by next week, I will go to the Senate floor to demand a vote on my legislation."" Senator Josh Hawley Senator Hawley was a leading advocate of including direct payments in Congress's previous relief packages.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-sanders-introduce-1200-direct-payments-amendment-end-year-legislation,"Hawley, Sanders Introduce $1,200 Direct Payments Amendment to End-of-Year Legislation",2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced a bipartisan amendment to must-pass legislation to be considered by Congress providing immediate direct payments to working-class Americans. Like the CARES Act, whichpassed Congress unanimously and was signed into law by President Trump, the amendment would provide a $1,200 direct payment for all adults and $500 per child. ""It would be a dereliction of duty if Congress adjourns for Christmas without having a vote on providing working families with direct payments. Working people are struggling. And they should be the first people given relief, not last. The crisis of rising unemployment claims, ever-expanding food lines, evictions, and growing credit card debt has been staring us in the face for months. It's time we do something about it and provide emergency relief to Americans."" Senator Josh Hawley Senator Sanders said,""In the midst of this terrible pandemic and economic crisis, this amendment would make certain that working families get the urgent, direct support they need to survive. A direct payment of $1,200 for adults and $500 for kids would help desperate families pay rent and heating bills, put food on the table, and be able to go to the doctor. In the midst of so much economic desperation, Congress cannot go on recess without providing this $1,200 emergency assistance to the American people in their time of need. I look forward to working across the aisle with Senator Hawley to ensure that the United States Senate passes this amendment."" Read the text of the amendment here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawleys-bipartisan-duck-boat-safety-enhancement-act-passes-senate-unanimously,Hawleys Bipartisan Duck Boat Safety Enhancement Act Passes Senate Unanimously,2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) spoke on the Senate floor regarding the unanimous passage of hisbipartisan legislationto improve the safety of duck boats following the 2018 tragedy on Table Rock Lake. Sen. Hawley's legislation, introduced in April 2019, would authorize previously-outlined National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations and is cosponsored by Senators Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-s-counter-act-passes-with-defense-authorization-bill-ndaa,Cleavers COUNTER Act Passes with Defense Authorization Bill (NDAA),2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA) by a vote of 335-78. Included in this year's NDAA was the Coordinating Oversight, Upgrading and Innovating Technology, and Examiner Reform Act (COUNTER Act), a bill introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) to update and overhaul the Bank Secrecy Act, which dictates banks' responsibilities to help the government detect and root out illicit financial transactions from nefarious actors domestically and abroad. Congressman Cleaver voted in favor of the NDAA, which also authorizes a 3% pay raise for servicemembers, removes all names, symbols, displays, and monuments of the Confederate States of America from all military installations, and provides long-overdue health benefits for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. I'm thrilled we were able to garner the bipartisan support needed to keep the COUNTER Act in the NDAA conference report, and that the legislation will help bring our financial security infrastructure into the 21st century, said Congressman Cleaver. For far too long, our national security apparatus has been limited in its ability to combat money laundering from groups and individuals who seek to take advantage of our financial system's outdated safeguards. With passage of the COUNTER Act and the FY21 NDAA, that should no longer be the case. I am pleased to have secured the inclusion of Representative Cleaver's COUNTER Act in the NDAA for FY 21. Representative Cleaver's legislation represents the most significant improvements to the Bank Secrecy Act since September 11th, said Chairwoman Maxine Waters. This long-overdue effort to close loopholes, strengthen enforcement, enhance information sharing, and adapt to new technologies is essential to fighting financial crime. Representative Cleaver's bill, combined with other provisions in the NDAA, will make a tangible difference in law enforcement's ability to pursue bad actors who abuse our financial system. I thank him for his leadership on this important issue. The COUNTER Act would empower the U.S. Treasury Department to protect our national security and safeguard our financial systems by codifying an information-sharing program between law enforcement, financial institutions, and the Treasury Department, which will better ensure the detection and capture of illicit financial activity. In addition, the bill would close a number of loopholes that have long enabled financial crimes, positioning our national security apparatus to face the financial security challenges of tomorrow. Finally, the COUNTER Act will provide much-needed relief to small banks and credit unions by bringing outdated regulations weighing on smaller institutions into the 21st century while still reinforcing our national security. Other noteworthy provisions advocated by Rep. Cleaver in the FY21 NDAA include: Authorizing a 3% pay raise for servicemembers; Providing a long sought after health benefit for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange Removing all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America from all military installations; Extending paid parental leave to approximately 100,000 federal civilians who were inadvertently excluded in the FY20 NDAA, including employees at the VA, TSA, FAA, and more; Setting limits on the use of Defense Department emergency construction funds to prevent future Presidents from attempting to reallocate military construction accounts for projects which Congress has declined to appropriate funds; Creates a Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense as well as a Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion for each military service; Creating a Task Force on Domestic Violence and enabling victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports outside the chain of command; Creation of an alternative fuel vehicle pilot program, which would require the Department of Defense to expand the use of hybrid and electric vehicles; Requiring the Department of Defense to submit a report on its greenhouse gas emissions from the last 10 years; and Requiring steps to ensure the Department of Defense's consumption of fossil fuels is reduced by 30% in 25 years. Although no legislation of this magnitude is perfect, I'm proud to support this year's NDAA because it supports our troops. This bill will provide the men and women who heroically serve our nation a long overdue pay raise; increases hazardous duty pay for those in harm's way; grants critical benefits to Vietnam veterans suffering from illnesses following exposure to Agent Orange; gives additional protections to servicemembers who have faced sexual harassment; and ensures that the Defense Department is studying and taking steps to address the impact of climate change, said Congressman Cleaver. I'm proud of the bipartisanship and compromise that allowed for Congress to pass this critical legislation, and I'm hopeful we can now carry over that same spirit of bipartisanship to bring additional relief to the American people who continue to be rocked by the coronavirus crisis. The COUNTER Act was endorsed by the following organizations: the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, Bank Policy Institute, National Association of Federal-Insured Credit Unions, Credit Union National Association, Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America, Financial Accountability & Corporate Transparency Coalition, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, One Campaign, Financial Services Forum National Association of Realtors, Institute for International Finance, American Land Title Association, and Bankers Association for Finance and Trade. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-wrda-with-bipartisan-support-including-key-components-from,"House Passes WRDA With Bipartisan Support, Including Key Components From Rep. Cleavers Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the final Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA), which authorizes $9.9 billion in federal funds for flood control, environmental restoration, coastal protection, and other water resources projects. Major components of the Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) in the House of Representatives and Senator Roy Blunt in the Senate, were kept in this year's WRDA legislation. In recent years, Missouri farmers and ranchers in my congressional district have been faced with increasingly frequent and powerful floods that have wreaked devastation on numerous communities, said Congressman Cleaver. As these communities have been forced to rebuild their lives and livelihoods time and time again, it is important for Congress to enact a proactive approach that gives flexibility to the Army Corps of Engineers so they can immediately bring relief and protect those along the Lower Missouri River. That was precisely the goal of my bipartisan proposal to address this reoccurring issue, and I'm extremely proud we were able to keep it in this year's WRDA bill, which I hope will be signed into law before the new year. A major provision from Rep. Cleaver's Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act that was included in WRDA is the expansion in scope of the Lower Missouri Basin Flood Risk & Resiliency Study, which would: Identify specific flood risk reduction solutions in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska; Free the study from traditional cost and duration limitations; Allow approved projects to proceed directly to preconstruction planning, engineering, and design; Require additional consultation measures for any recommended actions, including solicitation of public comments; Provide $24 million over six years to help with technical assistance for disadvantaged communities with populations less than 15,000; and Mandate the submission of a report to Congress with additional recommendations within the next 3 years. With passage of this legislation, communities up and down the Missouri River will have greater adaptability and control of efforts to address the destabilizing floods we continue to see year after year, said Congressman Cleaver. I believe that's the right approach in this circumstance, and I will continue to advocate for it until this legislation is the law of the land. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hartzler-supports-national-defense-authorization-act-conference-report,Hartzler Supports National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Vicky Hartzler,H001053,hartzler.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Ranking Member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee on the House Armed Services Committee, voted in support of the Conference Report on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, annual legislation that determines the policies and funding levels for the Department of Defense and other national security entities. Please click on the video above to watch Congresswoman Hartzler's floor speech on the NDAA As Ranking Member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, I am committed to ensuring our men and women in uniform have the resources they need as they selflessly serve our nation. This legislation ensures our military installations, such as Whiteman Air Force Base, Fort Leonard Wood, and the State of Missouri, continue to play a vital role in our national defense, Hartzler said. I'm pleased this conference agreement builds on the progress we've made in rebuilding military readiness after years of deferred modernization. Through targeted oversight, this agreement will set the right conditions to ensure needed capabilities required for the national defense strategy and credible deterrence are delivered in a timely manner to maintain our competitive edge against geopolitical adversaries such as China, Hartzler continued. Hartzler led significant initiatives included in the final version of the bill, including: Funding for Missouri military construction projects, including $40 million for the hospital replacement project at Fort Leonard Wood; $2.84 billion for the ongoing development of the B-21 program, which will be based at Whiteman Air Force Base; -Support for B-2 modernization programs to ensure the B-2 maintains its long-range strike capability until the B-21 is operational; 12 F-15EX aircraft and 24 F-18 Super Hornets made in St. Louis by Boeing, including an additional $28 million for Super Hornet advanced procurement to ensure the Navy continues to address its strike fighter shortfall in Fiscal Year 2022; Limits the retirement of the A-10 attack aircraft; $5 million to update T-38 ejection seats at bases across the U.S. including Whiteman Air Force Base; $696.7 million for Army Ammunition Plants, including the one at Lake City; Prohibits the Department of Defense from acquiring certain printed circuit boards from China; A report on the vulnerabilities to the medical supply chain of the United States from foreign nations like China; Directs the Secretary of Defense to include a strategy for the use of chaplains and nonprofit post traumatic growth organizations for behavioral health care for military servicemembers; Continued oversight of a provision in the FY19 NDAA, which prohibits the federal government and federal contractors from procuring and using certain Chinese-made telecommunications and video surveillance equipment. The NDAA has always been a product of bipartisan consensus whose purpose has always been to support our troops and protect American national security. This legislation makes 60 years in a row we have passed this vital piece of legislation and is a testament to how legislators can come together on issues of national importance, Hartzler continued. Although not perfect, this NDAA will modernize and recapitalize our armed forces while making our nation stronger, safer, and freer. Our military must be able to secure the tools necessary to readily address the evolving security needs of our nation and continue the path forward by investing in capabilities needed to ensure a credible deterrent posture now and into the future, Hartzler concluded.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3302,House Passes Smith Bill to Improve Medicare Access,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Jason Smith's legislation, H.R. 5534, the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Act. This legislation ensures thousands of kidney transplant recipients continue to have access to the drugs they need to remain healthy and saves the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. Specifically, this legislation would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients who have no other coverage. These medications are essential to ensuring kidney transplant recipients do not go through organ rejection and a return to dialysis treatment, which is painful, time-consuming, and far more expensive for the Medicare program. Smith said, We should not allow such unnecessary waste and suffering to occur. Ensuring transplants are successful is more cost-effective and extending Medicare coverage of these drugs ensures transplant patients do not lose their transplanted kidney. He continued, These Americans should not have to worry about how they will afford the cost of the medications that allow them to remain healthy and live a completely normal life. Kevin Longino, CEO, National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant patient said, After many years of tireless advocacy on behalf of kidney patients, NKF is proud that the US House of Representatives has extended coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for the life of a kidney transplant. This bill will ensure that kidney patients do not need to choose between rent, food, and keeping their kidney, and will help ensure increased availability of organs for others in need of a transplant. This is a great day for the kidney community, and we are thankful to our Congressional champions for their support and prioritization of this critical legislation, The House of Representatives passed H.R. 5534 as part of H.R. 2477, the BENES Act. It now heads to the United States Senate for further consideration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-statement-on-the-passing-of-james-tatum,Blunt Statement on the Passing of James Tatum,2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement on the passing of James Tatum: Jim Tatum was one of the most effective advocates for community college education. He was not only instrumental in founding Crowder College, but also became a nationally recognized expert on how community colleges could and should benefit both their students and the community.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-calls-unwind-facebook-mergers-instagram-whatsapp,"Hawley Calls to Unwind Facebook Mergers with Instagram, WhatsApp",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) voiced his support for the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) announcement that it will launch an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook to seek the divestiture of Instagram and WhatsApp from the powerful tech giant. This comes as 46 state attorneys general announced today that they are launching a similar lawsuit of their own. This is a necessity. The @instagram and WhatsApp mergers with @Facebook were anti-competitive, they were meant to be anti-competitive, and they should be broken up https://t.co/bt9ByuSvMt Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 9, 2020 In September 2019, Senator Hawley challenged Mark Zuckerberg to sell Instagram and WhatsApp during a private meeting.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-bill-empowering-victims-porn-industry-exploitation-sue-host,"Hawley, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill Empowering Victims of Porn Industry Exploitation to Sue Host Websites",2020-12-09,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the Survivors of Human Trafficking Fight Back Act to create a private cause of action allowing victims of rape and sex trafficking, as well as individuals whose intimate images are distributed without their consent, to sue pornographic websites that profit off their exploitation. Senator Hawley's bill is cosponsored by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). ""Sites like Pornhub routinely escape responsibility for facilitating abuse, trafficking, and exploitation, making millions for themselves in the process. Meanwhile, the victims of this abuse have little recourse against these powerful companies, who thrive on spreading depraved content. Serious criminal penalties are needed to crack down on these tech executives who think they are above the law."" Senator Josh Hawley Senator Hassan said, ""We shouldn't have to pass a law to keep companies from profiting by sharing, without consent, intimate images. But we do. The harm that these companies cause is extraordinary, lasts a lifetime, and should be unthinkable. This bipartisan bill helps give more power to those whose privacy and dignity have been violated by making it easier to take down images that have been non-consensually shared, and providing recourse for individuals to hold companies accountable for their wrongdoing."" Senator Ernst said, ""In recent years, we've seen an uptick in human trafficking through pornography. Host websites that allow perpetrators to disseminate photos and video of sexual assaults or coerced sex acts on their platforms are evading the law while profiting directly from trafficking. This bill will help empower victims of human trafficking to seek justice and put an end to the complex and heartbreaking cycle of exploitation."" Senator Tillis said, ""Pornographic websites routinely post videos of woman who are the victims of abuse or exploitation, and it is past time these companies are held accountable for posting this disgusting content. I am proud to co-introduce this legislation with Senator Hawley that would allow the victims of these videos to sue pornographic websites for distributing and profiting from videos that are posted without consent."" Background The Survivors of Human Trafficking Fight Back Act would: Criminalize the knowing distribution of visual depictions of forced or coerced sex acts. Criminalize the knowing, nonconsensual distribution of depictions of sex acts (revenge porn), as well as privacy-invading locker-room images. Require all websites hosting pornography to create notice and takedown procedures ensuring that victims of coerced or privacy-invading videos can promptly have their images removed from the internet. Allow victims to sue websites that knowingly host depictions of forced sex acts or that distribute privacy-invading images and videos.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400445,Multiple Third District Priorities Included in 2020 WRDA,2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Multiple Third District Priorities Included in 2020 WRDA WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) released the following statement regarding Congressional passage of the 2020 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) which includes several Third District priorities. ""Every two years, Congress is tasked with ensuring America's water resource infrastructure capabilities are maximized to benefit the communities they serve. With the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers bordering our district, our area plays a particularly important role in the nation's water infrastructure. We also see more than our fair share of flooding and water issues. I'm proud that this year's WRDA includes numerous provisions designed to safeguard Missouri's Third District like the authorization of the Upper Mississippi River Comprehensive Plan, the Lower Missouri Basin Flood Risk and Resiliency Study, and the Lower Osage Feasibility Study.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-s-negro-leagues-baseball-centennial-commemorative-coin-act,Cleavers Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act Signed Into Law,2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) The Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, a bill introduced by United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), has been signed into law by the President of the United States. The bipartisan bill directs the Department of Treasury to mint a coin to commemorate the centennial of the establishment of the Negro Leagues, which was founded in Kansas City in 1920. I want to thank Representative Stivers, along with Senators Blunt and Kaine, for teaming up on this effort to honor the legends of the Negro Leagues in such historic fashion, said Congressman Cleaver. Not only will this legislation appropriately commemorate the Negro Leagues for their profound impact on the nation during the Civil Rights Movement, but it will also provide substantial funding for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City to continue educating future generations on the league and the icons who helped break down the color barrier in baseball. It's a fitting way to cap off the centennial of the Negro Leagues, and I couldn't be prouder of the bipartisan effort that made this possible. The coin comes at no cost to taxpayers, and the U.S. Treasury will be reimbursed for the costs of issuing the coins. After the U.S. Treasury has recouped all of its costs for designing and minting the coins, funds will be distributed to the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which was founded in 1990 in Kansas City. In addition to Cleaver and Stivers, the House bill is cosponsored by 301 representatives. In addition to Blunt and Kaine, the Senate bill is cosponsored by 77 senators. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-on-non-profits-and-landlords-to-mobilize-cares,Congressman Cleaver Calls on Non-Profits and Landlords to Mobilize CARES Act Funding to Prevent Evictions,2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Kansas City, MO.) Last week,with the CDC's eviction moratorium set to expire on December 31st,United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) called on Missouri Governor Mike Parson and the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) to expedite the implementation of the Emergency Rental Arrears Programin hopes ofavertingan impending eviction crisis. Heeding the Congressman's call, the MHDC plans to launch this rental assistance program later this week.The Rental Arrears Program, which provides one-time payments of up to six months of rental arrears directly to landlords, is in addition to the non-profit grantee program which has been assisting tenants since the onset of the pandemic. Under thenewRental Arrears Program, landlords must agree to not evicttenantsfor the next four months as we move towards winter. With nearly $30 million available in rental assistance between these two programs, including $13.3 million currently allocated to non-profits, Congressman Cleaver is encouraging both non-profits and landlords to take advantage of these critical programs. Since the pandemic struck the nationin mid-March,nearly 2,500 renters in the Greater Kansas City area have been faced with eviction filings. With the CDC's eviction moratorium soon to expire, this number may rise significantly in the coming months. In an effort toavertsuch a crisis, CARES Act ESG funds have been and will continue to be distributed by the Missouri Housing Development Commission through two programs. The standard ESG non-profit grantee program, which has been in place since the pandemic began, allows non-profits to submit applications totheMHDC to secure funding to provide homelessness prevention services. Currently, there are $13.3 million in CARES Act ESG funds still availablethrough this programtoassist tenants struggling with monthly rent payments. Additionally, MHDC has allocatedanother$15 million in federalfunding for its Rental Arrears Program, which is designed toprevent evictions whilealleviatingthe burden of financial debt by providing one-time payments of up to six months of rental arrears to landlords who have not received rent checks in recent months. The nation is in the midst of a public health crisis that has exposed how fragile the state of stability is for many Americans,said Congressman Cleaver.We must do all that we can to keep roofs over the heads of our neighbors,and this effort will require all hands on deck. If we're serious about preventing an eviction crisis, we need non-profits and landlords alike to utilize all available CARES Act funding.I want to thank the people at the Missouri Housing Development Commission for all of theirhardwork since the beginning of the pandemic aimed at keeping people in their homes. By quickly implementing the Rental Arrears Program, they will help even more tenants remain sheltered as the pandemic continues. With nearly 300,000 rental households in the Kansas City metro, we applaud Congressman Cleaver, Governor Parson, and the Missouri Housing Development Commission for expeditiously implementing the Emergency Rental Arrears Program to provide additional rental assistance to individuals and families in need.In Missouri's Fifth Congressional District alone, over 30,000 households spend more than 50% of their income on housing costs, including rent and utilities, said Geoff Jolley,Executive Director of LISC Greater Kansas City. Even despite the CDC's temporary eviction moratorium, which ends on December 31st, nearly 1,000 evictions have been filed in Jackson County since the moratorium started on September 4th. As we approach the holiday season, these funds are desperately needed to help stabilize our communities. We know that this is only one of many solutions required to assist tenants, landlords, and small businesses thru this pandemic, but additional rental assistance is a critical component. We are all navigating these unprecedented times together and need to be a community of we as opposed to me,said Emmet Pierson, Jr.,President & CEO of Community Builders of Kansas City.Community Builders of Kansas City, to the maximum extent possible, works with our residents to keep them in place and not face the eviction process. Westside Housing Organization is working hard this holiday season to keep families in their homes. This is vital as it allows families to maintain stability in their home by ensuring their kids stay in the same school and allowing them to focus on the overall health and wellbeing of the family,said Gloria Ortiz-Fisher,Executive Director of Westside Housing Organization.It is hard enough to care for loved ones when or if f they contract COVID, but it is unfathomable to expect families to navigate eviction in the midst of a pandemic. For the sake of all humankind, let's be both humanandkind. Minimize eviction and keep families in their homes. Individuals seeking rental assistance or other support are encouraged to contact the United Way 2-1-1 Assistance Center to connect with the various non-profits that receive the aforementioned funds through MHDC programs. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Haydin Brady at 202-538-4326 orHaydin.Brady@mail.house.gov",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-legislation-improve-flood-protection-inland-waterways-other,"House Passes Legislation to Improve Flood Protection, Inland Waterways & Other Water Resources Infrastructure",2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Today, after negotiations between the House and Senate were completed, the final Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA) (S. 1811) was approved by the House of Representatives. S. 1811 represents an agreement between House and Senate committees on final WRDA language, based in part on H.R. 7575, which passed the House by voice vote in July 2020 and was introduced by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member SamGraves(MO-06) and his colleagues on the Committee. The bill is critical for flood control, navigation, ports, locks, dams, and other water resources infrastructure. North Missouri's inland waterways are dependent on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Ensuring that timely flood control and navigation improvements continue to occur is a centerpiece of this bill,said Ranking Member Graves. Lives and livelihoods depend on the important reforms in WRDA and I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan bill so we can help reduce the disastrous flooding we've seen over the years and improve the navigability of our rivers. This bill is the product of a bipartisan effort and it's the perfect example of the way things should work around here. Graves speaking about WRDA on the House floor The final bill contains many important provisions to North Missouri including expanding work on a Lower Missouri River Basin Flood Risk and Resiliency Plan, expedited completion of maintenance and repair activities for Federally operated and maintained levee systems in the Lower Missouri River Basin, changes to the PL 84-99 non-federal levee program to enhance flood protection, further prohibition of Interception-Rearing Complex's (IRC's), changes to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund cost-share which would help make repairs and upgrades to locks and dams on the Mississippi River, and continuation of work on the Upper Mississippi River Comprehensive Flood Control Plan, along with several other provisions critical to flood control and navigation. You can view Graves' remarks on the House floor regarding WRDA here. Additional information about the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-legislation-improve-flood-protection-inland-waterways-other-water,"House Passes Legislation to Improve Flood Protection, Inland Waterways & Other Water Resources Infrastructure",2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,graves,https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, after negotiations between the House and Senate were completed, the final Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA) (S. 1811) was approved by the House of Representatives. S. 1811 represents an agreement between House and Senate committees on final WRDA language, based in part on H.R. 7575, which passed the House by voice vote in July 2020 and was introduced by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (MO-06) and his colleagues on the Committee. The bill is critical for flood control, navigation, ports, locks, dams, and other water resources infrastructure. ""North Missouri's inland waterways are dependent on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Ensuring that timely flood control and navigation improvements continue to occur is a centerpiece of this bill,"" said Ranking Member Graves. ""Lives and livelihoods depend on the important reforms in WRDA and I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan bill so we can help reduce the disastrous flooding we've seen over the years and improve the navigability of our rivers. This bill is the product of a bipartisan effort and it's the perfect example of the way things should work around here."" The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded. Graves speaking about WRDA on the House floor The final bill contains many important provisions to North Missouri including expanding work on a Lower Missouri River Basin Flood Risk and Resiliency Plan, expedited completion of maintenance and repair activities for Federally operated and maintained levee systems in the Lower Missouri River Basin, changes to the PL 84-99 non-federal levee program to enhance flood protection, further prohibition of Interception-Rearing Complex's (IRC's), changes to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund cost-share which would help make repairs and upgrades to locks and dams on the Mississippi River, and continuation of work on the Upper Mississippi River Comprehensive Flood Control Plan, along with several other provisions critical to flood control and navigation. You can view Graves' remarks on the House floor regarding WRDA here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senator-hawley-introduces-trade-legislation-protect-american-jobs-remove-special-treatment-nations,"Senator Hawley Introduces Trade Legislation to Protect American Jobs, Remove Special Treatment for Nations with Slave Labor",2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the Trade Preference Reform and Worker Protection Act to prioritize American workers by halting nonreciprocal trade benefits until the unemployment rate in the United States is below four percent. Senator Hawley's bill will also prevent nations from receiving special trade benefits if they are suspected of exporting goods produced by slave labor. ""Trade programs should protect American workers and help their families to prosper, not benefit foreign nations or mega-corporations. Yet, for decades our trade policy has decimated millions of American jobs. It's time to put workers at the center of our trade policy."" Senator Josh Hawley Background In the Trade Act of 1974, Congress authorized the creation of a trade preference program, the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which offers tariff-free access to the American market on imports from designated developing nations, to help spur their economic development. In 2018, nearly $24 billion worth of imports arrived in the United States duty-free under this program, while American producers received no comparable trade benefit in return. The Trade Preference Reform and Worker Protection Act would: Extend trade benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences only if the unemployment rate in the United States is below four percent Automatically suspend trade benefits under the GSP if the unemployment rate rises above four percent Exclude any nation from receiving benefits that has been designated by the Department of Labor as suspected of exporting goods produced by forced labor or child labor",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400444,Luetkemeyer Urges Extension of TDR Provision,2020-12-07,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. On Friday, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) was joined by 35 colleagues in sending a letter urging Congressional leadership to extend the Troubled Debt Restructuring (TDR) provision included in the CARES Act. Currently set to expire on December 31, 2020, extending this provision will give financial institutions the ability to work with customers through this difficult economic period, benefiting countless American businesses and consumers. In March of this year economic shutdowns hit communities across the country. By passing the CARES Act, Congress acted quickly to respond to the health threat we were yet to fully understand and a shutdown with an unknown end date. At the time, December 31, 2020 was believed to be an appropriate expiration date for numerous emergency measures, including Section 4013, the suspension of Trouble Debt Restructuring (TDR) classification of loans. However, with the end of the year quickly approaching and millions of businesses still in need of relief an extension of Section 4013 along with further forbearance for lenders is critical to our recovery and the survival of businesses in every state of the country. While the success of Section 4013 has been praised by borrowers and lenders alike, without Congressional action it will expire on December 31. Allowing it to expire would have a drastic and adverse impact on the ability of consumers and businesses to access credit now and a TDR classification would further hurt their ability to access credit in the future. Expiration could also result in many loans going into foreclosure. The full letter can be foundHERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-announces-more-than-346-million-fcc-investment-to-expand-rural-broadband-in-missouri,Blunt Announces More Than $346 Million FCC Investment to Expand Rural Broadband in Missouri,2020-12-07,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has awarded 17 Missouri broadband providers a total of more than $346 million to expand high speed internet in rural areas. The resources were awarded through the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how essential connectivity is for everything from child care and education, to telehealth, to farming and local business, said Blunt. While we've made meaningful progress toward ending the digital divide, nearly one-third of rural Missourians still don't have access to broadband. This investment will get us another step closer to bringing high-speed internet to unserved areas in our state. I will continue working to ensure the federal government does its part to expand broadband and provide a foundation for more jobs, better education, and stronger economic growth in our rural communities. Blunt has led efforts in Congress to expand high speed internet in Missouri. In October, Blunt commended the U.S. Department of Agriculture for investing an additional $91.5 million in broadband grant funding through the ReConnect Pilot Program. Over the past two years, Missouri has received nearly $200 million in funding through the Blunt-backed program, amounting to about 20% of all the support provided nationwide. In addition, in 2018, the FCC Connect America Fund Phase-II auction awarded $255 million in broadband funding to communities across the state. Missouri received about 17% of the total amount allocated nationwide. Following are the recipients of the grant funding announced today, according to the FCC: Awardee Amount Aptitude Internet, LLC $24,655,295 Barry Technology Services, LLC $14,502 CCO Holdings, LLC $48,392,327 CenturyLink, Inc. $275,208 Chariton Valley Communications Corporation $8,070,272 LTD Broadband, LLC $158,793,688 Mercury Wireless, Inc. $4,254,918 NRTC Phase I RDOF Consortium $1,682,687 NexTier Consortium $2,108,576 Northeast Missouri Rural Telephone Company $60,126 Rural American Broadband Consortium $4,525,266 Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium $88,238,706 Socket Telecom, LLC $232,768 Windstream Services, LLC $3,078,402 Wisper-CABO 904 Consortium $1,159,205 Worldwide Technologies, Inc. $700,874 yondoo Broadband, LLC $54,833",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-commends-hhs-for-awarding-an-additional-19-million-in-coronavirus-aid-to-missouri-nursing-homes,Blunt Commends HHS for Awarding an Additional $19 Million in Coronavirus Aid to Missouri Nursing Homes,2020-12-07,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, commended the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for awarding more than $19 million in coronavirus relief funding to 243 nursing homes in Missouri. COVID-19 has taken a devastating toll on nursing home facilities in Missouri and across the nation, said Blunt. With Missouri preparing to distribute vaccines soon, I'm glad this funding will help keep patients, health care professionals, and staff at nursing homes safe as we get closer to finishing the fight against the pandemic. With today's announcement, Missouri nursing homes have received about $281 million in HHS coronavirus aid. The Blunt-backed CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act together provided a total of $175 billion for hospitals and health care providers nationwide.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-congratulates-newly-elected-missouri-farm-bureau-president-garrett-hawkins,Blunt Congratulates Newly-Elected Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins,2020-12-07,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement today congratulating Garrett Hawkins, who has been elected as the 15th Missouri Farm Bureau President: Garrett Hawkins' background as a family farmer and experience in the Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri Department of Agriculture will be a tremendous asset to the organization. I've always appreciated Garrett's input when it comes to policies affecting Missouri farmers and look forward to his continued advice. The Missouri Farm Bureau had three really good candidates to choose from. Our state is a global ag leader thanks to them and all of the Farm Bureau members who work tirelessly to feed and fuel the world. I appreciate their partnership in ensuring we have the right policies in place to support continued growth and innovation in the ag industry.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400442,Blaines Bulletin: Leading the Small Business Committee,2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"From our favorite restaurants, ice cream shops, hardware stores, florists, barbers, you name it local small businesses hold a special place in towns across America. There is something about knowing a business is owned by a friend or a neighbor and helping your local economy that makes supporting them feel that much more worthwhile. However, just as their size allows them to innovate and adapt quickly to the world around us, it also makes them more susceptible to the threats posed by economic turmoil and reckless government policies. This week, I was honored to be elected by my House Republican colleagues to serve as the leading Republican (or Ranking Member) of the House Small Business Committee. In this position I have the responsibility of leading our oversight of government programs that help and hurt small businesses, their employees, and their customers. And, as the committee with sole jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration (SBA) which operates the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), our work will be more important than ever. You are likely familiar with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and all it has done to help get America's small businesses through this past year. Seeing that our country's small business community was going to take a major hit with the nationwide shutdowns, Congress and the Administration worked together to get this massive relief program off the ground to help save small businesses at a record pace. The program has supported 51 million American jobs by providing resources that helped small businesses keep their doors open and their employees paid. However, with millions of businesses still struggling and $138 billion of PPP funds unused, there is still plenty of work to be done. Support for small businesses doesn't stop at PPP. Just as important as resources is a regulatory framework that actually rewards hard work and doesn't hinder economic growth. My goal as the new leading Republican on the Small Business Committee is to ensure small companies in Missouri and across the U.S. who lack access to teams of high-dollar lawyers get a fair shot at success. Through responsible support from SBA and sensible regulation, I am confident we can do just that.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-calls-on-governor-parson-mhdc-to-immediately,"Congressman Cleaver Calls on Governor Parson, MHDC to Immediately Implement Program to Protect Missourians From Eviction",2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) This week, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) called on Missouri Governor Mike Parson and the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) to expedite the implementation of the Missouri Emergency Rental Arrears Program (MERAP), which was funded by the CARES Act, to protect Missourians who are currently being threatened with eviction. In a letter to Governor Parson, Congressman Cleaver wrote: I understand that there is significant concern that MHDC's program may not be rolled out in time to rescue the hundreds of Missouri families in the eviction pipeline and that it may take intervention from your office to close this time gap. I have every confidence that you can leverage the important tools within the state's infrastructure to meet this moment and help save these families on the verge of eviction. Missouri remains in the midst of a surge of coronavirus cases, and we currently rank among the top 10 states with the highest number of unpaid mortgages and rents in the country. Since March, thousands of eviction cases have been filed in Kansas City and St. Louis, while there has also been a 300% surge in the number of calls to Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri from families on the verge of losing their homes. In order to avoid a tsunami of evictions and protect those who are most vulnerable, the MHDC used CARES Act funding to create the MERAP. However, there is are concerns that the program may not be implemented in time to protect families who are most at risk of eviction, which is why it is critical for the State to roll out the MERAP without further delay. I know that Governor Parson understands the urgency with which we must rollout this program to protect hundreds of Missouri families from being forced out of their homes as the winter approaches, said Congressman Cleaver. In order to prevent that tragedy from occurring, we need the state to use every tool in the toolbox to get this program up-and-running as soon as humanly possible. I have every confidence the Governor will do so, and I will do whatever necessary to assist in that endeavor. You can find Congressman Cleaver's official letter to Governor Parson here. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/graves-announces-nominations-us-military-academies-0,Graves Announces Nominations to U.S. Military Academies,2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"KANSAS CITY, MO U.S. Representative Sam Graves (MO-06) has announced United States Military Service Academy nominations for students in Missouri's Sixth Congressional District. Each year, members of Congress are tasked with selecting qualified students from their respective districts to attend one of America's prestigious military academies. ""I am deeply proud of these extraordinary young men and women who have stepped forward to serve our great nation, said Rep. Graves, who notified each student by phone of their nomination. Each of them has excelled as a leader both in the classroom and in their communities. I know all of them will go on to make North Missouri and our entire country proud at their respective service academies and beyond. The following students from across North Missouri received nominations from Congressman Graves: Owen Carillo, Liberty US Military Academy (Liberty High School) Aidan Dougherty, Kansas City US Naval Academy (North Kansas City High School) Dylan Howard, Kansas City US Military Academy (Staley High School) Maddie Klippenstein, Platte City US Naval Academy (Platte County High School) Christopher Langston, Lee's Summit US Air Force Academy (Blue Springs South High School) Ryan McCain, Lee's Summit US Air Force Academy (Lee's Summit North High School) Brock Miller, Paris US Air Force Academy and US Merchant Marine Academy (Paris High School) Madison Schmude, Kansas City US Merchant Marine Academy (Staley High School) The nomination system is a very competitive process.Various military academies hold extremely selective admission standards. To help in the nomination process, Rep. Graves created an Academy Nominations Review Board.The board, made up of service academy graduates and citizens of the Sixth District, interviewed and reviewed all applicants before making final recommendations to Rep. Graves. Students interested in being appointed to a service academy in the future can find out more information by contacting Graves' district office in Kansas City or by visitingwww.graves.house.gov. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3295,Cannabis and Cats,2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week many Americans rightfully expected the House of Representatives to be completely focused on relief to small businesses, but that's not what Speaker Pelosi had in mind. Instead, she held votes on bills to subsidize recreational marijuana and sided with animal rights activists to protect exotic cats. Pot dealers and Carole Baskin won the day in the People's House while working Americans continue to suffer. With this legislative lineup, Nancy Pelosi and liberal Democrats continue to show the American people where theirpriorities are. As liberal mayors and governors continue to issue unrealistic and ineffective lock downs and show that their own rules don't apply to them, small businesses across the country have been left hanging. These stay-at-home orders only serve to benefit large corporations and elites while strangling Main Street. Countless small business owners are fighting to keep their doors open and many Americans are trying to get back to work. Yet, liberal Democrats continue to make it more difficult for working Americans to earn a living all while taking no action to relieve the pain they have helped cause. Recent data shows that up to 1,500 small businesses closed every day between February and September of this year. Similar research showed that 60 percent of these closures are now permanent.This is devastating and could have been avoided. Nancy Pelosi has blocked Republican efforts to bring targeted COVID relief to the House floor for a vote on 40 different occasions. Instead of helping the American people she has authored multi-trillion-dollar bills filled with liberal fantasies and called them serious proposals while rejecting offers from President Trumpto extend lifelines to small businesses. Real relief has been dead on arrival in Nancy Pelosi's House. Worst of all, just today Speaker Pelosi signaled she would now be willing to talk about relief for small businesses. This change of tone all but admits she's held out on helping struggling Americans in a shameless effort to hurt President Trump's re-election. It's clear that Nancy Pelosi is only interested in playing political games while holding working American's livelihoods hostage. The House of Representatives still has much work to do on behalf of the American people before the end of the year. For example, we have yet to fulfill our basic duty of funding the government, just one more example of the failures of Democrat leadership. To make matters worse, Nancy Pelosi showed us this week she has no intention of getting anything done in the next Congress either. The House of Representatives legislative calendar for 2021 includes the fewest legislative workdays in modern history. Nancy Pelosi and elected Democrats need to stop wasting the American peoples' time with political games. They need to stop bringing legislation to the floor that only serves to satisfy the radical left. The priorities of working Americans should be our first and last concern. Bills on cannabis and cats are not going to get the job done. It's time for House Democrats to join Republicans and get to work.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-introduce-right-sue-legislation-victims-trafficked-pornography-sites,Hawley to Introduce Right to Sue Legislation for Victims Trafficked by Pornography Sites,2020-12-04,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Friday, December 4, 2020 U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)announcedhe will introduce legislation to create a federal right to sue for every person trafficked or exploited by pornography websites like PornHub. Tremendous reporting by @NickKristof on the exploitation that occurs on sites like Pornhub. It's time for it to end. I will introduce legislation to create a federal right to sue for every person coerced or trafficked or exploited by sites like Pornhub https://t.co/tOynnIILOx Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) December 4, 2020",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400441,Luetkemeyer to Serve as Top Republican on Small Business Committee,2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Luetkemeyer to Serve as Top Republican on Small Business Committee WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) was unanimously elected by House Republicans to serve as the Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee. Throughout our history, small businesses and entrepreneurs have been the driving force behind the American economy.Now more than ever, our communities need small businesses to lead the economic recovery and allow workers to continue earning a paycheck. As the Ranking Member of the Small Business Committee my top priority is to ensure the government responsibly assists the recovery through PPP and other lending programs without the weight of needless bureaucracy and harmful mandates. I am honored by my colleagues' confidence in my ability to lead this committee and look forward to getting to work for small businesses in Missouri and across America. Background:Congressman Luetkemeyer is also a senior member on the House Financial Services Committee and will retain his position there.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/coronavirus-covid-19-update-we-should-be-working-small-business-relief,Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: We Should Be Working On Small Business Relief,2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"When the pandemic first hit in March, Republicans and Democrats joined together to pass the CARES Act to get critical assistance out to American families, hospitals, and small businesses fighting to survive the pandemic. A lot has changed since then. We're encountering more and more cases in rural Missouri and increased hospitalizations. Even though we aren't under a stay at home order, businesses are feeling the effects as folks choose to stay home and cut back. Many businesses that typically see an uptick in income around the holidays aren't seeing the number of customers they usually see. Small mom and pop shops are struggling to keep up as more people avoid going out and order what they need online from major retailers instead. Part of the Cares Act was the Paycheck Protection Program, an effort to provide small businesses the capital needed to keep workers on payroll despite disruptions caused by the pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program expired back in August and while I've tried repeatedly to get it reauthorized, Speaker Pelosi has blocked reauthorization of the program more than 40 times, insisting that her own list of pet projects be attached to any COVID-19 relief legislation for American families, workers, small businesses, and hospitals. While we're just trying to keep small businesses open and rural hospitals operating when they're needed most, she's demanding stimulus checks for illegal immigrants and massive bailouts for states that have failed to properly manage their budgets for decades. To make matters worse, while Congress is back in session this week, Speaker Pelosi has chosen to focus on banning pet tigers and legalizing weed. There's simply no excuse for the continued delay of much-needed aid for American small businesses. We just can't afford for this to keep happening. We can't let petty politics destroy our economy and our country. We can't let political games destroy peoples' livelihoods. We can and we should help our small businesses and workers. It's not complicated. There's still more than $130 billion left in the Paycheck Protection Program awaiting Congress to just say yes. Enough is enough. We need to get the Paycheck Protection Program back up and running. We need to focus on what's actually important. This can't wait any longer. Sincerely, Sam Graves",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sam-graves-selected-return-republican-leader-ti-committee,Sam Graves Selected to Return as Republican Leader of the T&I Committee,2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (MO-06) has been selected once again by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to serve as the Committee's Republican leader in the next Congress. I am humbled by the trust my Republican colleagues have placed in me, and I am honored to continue serving as the Republican leader of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,Gravessaid. America's infrastructure underpins the entire economy and we clearly see that in North Missouri as we work to repair our aging roads and bridges, upgrade our locks and dams and ensure that those along our rivers are better protected from future flooding. Next Congress, we need to find consensus-driven, realistic solutions for an overdue long-term reauthorization of programs to fix our roads, bridges, and other surface transportation infrastructure. We need to continue investing in our ports, waterways, flood control, and other water resources improvements. We need to reauthorize the lapsed federal pipeline safety program, and more. We all expect infrastructure to be a major issue again next year, but if many of the same failed partisan policies of the recent past are simply dusted off and rammed through the House again, they won't be any more successful in the 117thCongress than they were in the 116th. I look forward to working together with my colleagues in the House and Senate to improve our infrastructure and support American jobs throughout our transportation sector. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/sam-graves-selected-return-republican-leader-ti-committee,Sam Graves Selected to Return as Republican Leader of the T&I Committee,2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,graves,https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (MO-06) has been selected once again by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to serve as the Committee's Republican leader in the next Congress. ""I am humbled by the trust my Republican colleagues have placed in me, and I am honored to continue serving as the Republican leader of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,"" Graves said. ""America's infrastructure underpins the entire economy and we clearly see that in North Missouri as we work to repair our aging roads and bridges, upgrade our locks and dams and ensure that those along our rivers are better protected from future flooding. ""Next Congress, we need to find consensus-driven, realistic solutions for an overdue long-term reauthorization of programs to fix our roads, bridges, and other surface transportation infrastructure. We need to continue investing in our ports, waterways, flood control, and other water resources improvements. We need to reauthorize the lapsed federal pipeline safety program, and more. We all expect infrastructure to be a major issue again next year, but if many of the same failed partisan policies of the recent past are simply dusted off and rammed through the House again, they won't be any more successful in the 117th Congress than they were in the 116th. ""I look forward to working together with my colleagues in the House and Senate to improve our infrastructure and support American jobs throughout our transportation sector. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-klobuchar-commend-unanimous-senate-passage-of-resolution-marking-november-as-national-adoption-month,"Blunt, Klobuchar Commend Unanimous Senate Passage of Resolution Marking November as National Adoption Month",2020-12-03,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), co-chairs of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA), today announced that their resolution marking November as National Adoption Month passed the Senate with unanimous support. As co-chairs of the bipartisan CCA, Blunt and Klobuchar work to engage Members of Congress on issues pertaining to children in need of permanent homes, children in the foster care system, and domestic and international child welfare. There are more than 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system and millions of children around the world without a safe, stable home, said Blunt. As a proud adoptive parent, I hope that bringing awareness to issues around adoption will encourage more families to consider opening their home to a child in need. I'll continue advocating for policies to improve the adoption process, support adoptive families, and get us closer to our goal of seeing every child in the permanent, loving home they deserve. This is the sixth consecutive year that Blunt and Klobuchar have led legislation to recognize November as National Adoption Month and to mark National Adoption Day. National Adoption Month is an opportunity to bring attention to, and support, adoptive families who open their hearts and homes to deserving children, said Klobuchar. As Senate co-chairs of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, Senator Blunt and I continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help make the adoption process better for children and families across our country. It's important to increase awareness about children in need of loving homes and to honor the hard work of these nurturing adoptive families. Blunt and Klobuchar have been leaders in the fight to give every child a permanent home. Last month, legislation they helped introduce - the Intercountry Adoption Information Act of 2019 - was signed into law. The bipartisan bill provides updated, quality information to Americans trying to adopt children from other countries. Also last month, Blunt and Klobuchar sent a letter encouraging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of State (DOS) to take action to raise awareness of the importance of adoption and foster care during National Adoption Month. In October, they led a letter urging DOS to prioritize policies to promote intercountry adoption as the department searches for new accrediting entities for intercountry adoption service providers. In April, they led a letter asking DOS to use all available resources to ensure that intercountry adoptions proceed in a safe and timely manner during the coronavirus pandemic and that American families stranded abroad while completing these adoptions return home safely. Blunt and Klobuchar also requested information on the steps DOS is taking to issue visas for intercountry adoptions that have been finalized as well as how DOS is providing detailed and consistent communications to families attempting to complete an intercountry adoption. In May 2019, they introduced the Supporting Adoptive Families Act to help ensure adoptive families have access to pre- and post- adoption services, including mental and behavioral health treatment. In February 2019, they introduced legislation to improve the intercountry adoption process. The bipartisan Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee Act would provide Secretary of State the authority to establish an Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee within the Bureau of Consular Affairs to focus on coordinating the development, refinement, and implementation of policy and programs on intercountry adoption. The full text of the resolution is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3291,Rep. Smith Named Republican Leader of Budget Committee,2020-12-02,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) has been elected to serve as the Republican Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee. Upon the selection, Smith made the following remarks: Missourians know the importance of having a budget and sticking to it. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi does not. The fiscal challenges facing our country are great, we spent 5 times more last year paying interest on our country's debt than we did to provide benefits to our veterans, that's not right. Right now millions of Americans are facing tough financial choices in order to make ends meet. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi and her squad continue to run up the national debt and waste American tax dollars on a big government agenda of control the American voters rejected. As our debt grows, the people who will feel the pain are not the wealthy, but the working class. The United States needs a budget that will get back to our foundational beliefs, focused on helping working families and putting them first. As the top Republican on the Budget Committee, Rep. Smith vows to fight for a budget for all Americans, that starts with focusing on security. Economic security, allowing families to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks; community security, ensuring that the small towns, communities, and cities where Americans raise their families are kept safe and secure; and educational security, empowering families to make their own decisions about when and where their kids go back to school and not forcing a one size fits all Washington standard on them. Additionally, Smith is committed to holding China financially accountable for its involvement in the COVID-19 pandemic and the $1 trillion in damages to our economy. Speaker Pelosi has said that a budget is a statement of vales, Smith added. Yet Congressional Democrats have spent over 700 days in the Majority without a budget. Democrats are afraid to put on paper their budget which rewards both their progressive base and their wealthy donor class. Their priorites have become things like the Green New Deal, Defunding the Police, rewarding big tech and tax breaks for the coastal elite. They want to control the lives of every American and grow government. They have failed in their fundamental duty to the American people. As the Republican Leader of the Budget Committee I will shine a light on Democrat failures while promoting a vision of freedom and security which unifies all Americans. Smith formally takes over the role as Budget Committee Republican Leader at the start of the 117th Congress next month. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-highlights-encouraging-results-of-excellence-in-mental-health-program,Blunt Highlights Encouraging Results of Excellence in Mental Health Program,2020-12-01,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) welcomed a new report from the Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare which found that Missouri Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) have significantly expanded access to and improved the quality of mental health services. CCBHCs were established in Blunt and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow's (Mich.) 2014 Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act, which put community mental health centers on an equal footing with other health centers by improving quality standards and offering patients increased services. According to the report, CCBHCs in Missouri increased patient access to care by 23% and served nearly 3,000 veterans over the last three years. Over the same period, CCBHCs also reduced hospitalizations by 20% and ER visits by 36%. Over the last three years we've seen incredible progress in improving and expanding mental health services in our state, said Blunt. Nearly one in five Americans has a diagnosable, and almost always treatable, mental health issue, but many are unable to get the help they need. The coronavirus pandemic has created even more challenges, with substance abuse on the rise and more Americans struggling with issues like anxiety, grief, and depression. This report is encouraging, but it is more important than ever to make mental and behavioral health services available to more Americans. I have worked with Senator Stabenow to extend and expand the Excellence in Mental Health program to build on the progress that's been made, and it will continue to be a priority. Missouri was among the original eight states selected to participate in the Excellence in Mental Health demonstration program. In March, Blunt announced that the CARES Act expanded the program to two additional states and continued funding for CCBHCs in Missouri. CCBHCs provide a wide range of services, including 24/7/365 crisis services, screenings, risk assessments, and diagnoses. They provide outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services, as well as coordination of care and partnerships with emergency rooms, law enforcement, and veterans groups. At a press conference earlier this year, Blunt highlighted a report released by the National Council for Behavioral Health, which found that 78% of CCBHCs can offer an appointment within a week or less. Blunt also shared examples of how the Excellence program in Missouri is aiding law enforcement and helping people get mental health and addiction services faster and closer to home.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-blasts-mckinsey-proposed-bounties-opioid-overdoses,Hawley Blasts McKinsey for Proposed Bounties on Opioid Overdoses,2020-12-01,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to McKinsey & Company Global Managing Partner, Kevin Sneader, blasting the company for their proposal to ensure sales of Purdue Pharma's OxyContin by paying pharmacies bounties for opioid overdoses. Senator Hawley says that McKinsey may have committed federal crimes as a co-conspirator of Purdue and by possibly destroying evidence relevant to potential government investigations. McKinsey's abhorrent conduct also demands that Congress consider broader action. McKinsey earns billions of dollars from contracts with the federal government. No firm that proposes paying kickbacks for overdose deaths should receive a single cent from U.S. taxpayers. In light of McKinsey's possible active role in driving the opioid crisis, Congress must consider whether to impose obligations on consulting firms to report criminal activity or specific criminal penalties for consultants playing a role in federal crimes. Senator Josh Hawley Senator Hawley requested that, by December 15, McKinsey state whether personnel discussed destroying evidence related to their work with Purdue, whether any evidence was in fact destroyed, and any disciplinary action taken against McKinsey personnel for their role in the project. Senator Hawleyhas previously called for the federal government to provide additional resources to combat the overdose crisis in Missouri and, as Missouri Attorney General, filed suit against opioid manufacturersincluding Purduefor violating consumer protection laws. Read the full letter here or below. December 1, 2020 Mr. Kevin Sneader Global Managing Partner McKinsey & Company 3 World Trade Center 175 Greenwich Street New York, New York 10007 Dear Mr. Sneader: I read with disgust the recent New York Times article McKinsey Proposed Paying Pharmacy Companies Rebates for OxyContin Overdoses. The opioid epidemic has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans and destroyed countless families and communities. Fighting the scourge of opioid addiction and death has been among my top priorities as an elected official. As Missouri Attorney General, I sued the leading opioid manufacturersincluding Purdue Pharmafor their role in creating and profiting from this crisis. The Times reports that McKinsey recommended paying a $14,810 bounty to pharmacies for each opioid addiction or overdose (what your consultants called an event) to ensure that pharmacies would not stand in the way of Purdue's quest to turbocharge its sales of the lethal drug. The Times further reports that once McKinsey learned of government investigations into Purdue's misconduct, two senior McKinsey consultantsMartin Elling and Arnab Ghatakdiscussed destroying evidence of McKinsey's consulting work in an effort to avoid government scrutiny. If this reporting is accurate, McKinsey has engaged in startlingly unethical conduct. Such conduct would also appear to constitute federal crimes. From the recently filed settlement agreement between the Government and Purdue Pharma, there are serious questions about whether McKinsey is guilty of the federal crimes to which Purdue recently pled guilty, either as a co-conspirator or by aiding and abetting those crimes. Moreover, allegations that Mr. Elling and Mr. Ghatak discussed destroying evidence relevant to pending government investigations raises the prospect that McKinsey may also have engaged in obstruction of justice. These issues must be reviewed by the appropriate law enforcement authorities, and they also fall within the jurisdiction of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, of which I am the Chairman. McKinsey's abhorrent conduct also demands that Congress consider broader action. McKinsey earns billions of dollars from contracts with the federal government. No firm that proposes paying kickbacks for overdose deaths should receive a single cent from U.S. taxpayers. In light of McKinsey's possible active role in driving the opioid crisis, Congress must consider whether to impose obligations on consulting firms to report criminal activity or specific criminal penalties for consultants playing a role in federal crimes. McKinsey's apparent efforts to destroy evidence of its conduct suggests that Congress must impose additional recordkeeping and document-retention obligations on consulting firms to ensure that they do not facilitate illegal activity. To aid Congress in assessing the need for immediate legislative action, please provide the following information on or before December 15, 2020. State whether McKinsey personnel proposed paying rebates based on overdose deaths or the development of opioid use disorder, as alleged in the New York Times article. State whether McKinsey personnel discussed destroying evidence relating to McKinsey's consulting work for Purdue Pharma, as alleged in the New York Times article. If so, produce all internal correspondence reflecting such discussions. State whether McKinsey personnel in fact destroyed any evidence relating to McKinsey's consulting work for Purdue Pharma. If so, identify and describe all documents and other data that were destroyed. Identify all McKinsey personnel involved in the firm's consulting work for Purdue Pharma. State the total amount of money that McKinsey earned from its consulting work for Purdue Pharma. State the total amount of money that McKinsey earned from its consulting work with any firm, in the United States, China, or elsewhere, involved in the development, manufacture, distribution, or sale of opioids. Describe all disciplinary action taken against any McKinsey personnelincluding but not limited to Mr. Elling and Mr. Ghatakfor their role in actively advancing the opioid crisis and/or obstructing government investigations relating to Purdue Pharma or the opioid crisis. Describe all internal policies that are intended to prevent McKinsey from facilitating or participating in unlawful activity, and explain in detail why those policies did not prevent the conduct described in the New York Times article. It is high time that McKinsey took responsibility for the immense harm that it has caused and enable Congress to prevent similarly tragic consequences in the future. Sincerely, Josh Hawley United States Senator",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-missouri-workforce-development-programs-to-receive-additional-grant-funding,Blunt: Missouri Workforce Development Programs to Receive Additional Grant Funding,2020-11-30,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS), today announced that two Missouri entities will receive an additional $280,000 in grant funding from the Delta Regional Authority's (DRA) Delta Workforce Program to support their Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) projects funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. As Labor/HHS chairman, Blunt started the WORC initiative in 2018 and has worked to include funding for the program in subsequent Labor/HHS appropriations bills. Our nation is making tremendous progress in the fight against the virus, but we need to ensure we're also doing all we can to overcome the significant economic challenges facing Americans, said Blunt. I'm glad these two workforce development initiatives will help hardworking Missourians gain the skills they need to create a better future for themselves and their families. I appreciate the Delta Regional Authority for investing in these programs, which will help Missourians get ahead and aid our state's economic recovery. Following are the details of the grant funding: Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation: DRA Investment: $150,000: The Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation in Portageville, Mo., will use DRA funding to provide apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and agricultural entrepreneurial opportunities to meet the identified workforce needs of the agribusiness and agriculture-adjacent industries. The investment is projected to train up to 50 individuals throughout six counties in Southeast Missouri. In September, the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation received $1,209,301 in WORC grant funding. Missouri State University West Plains: DRA Investment: $130,000: Missouri State University West Plains will use the DRA funding to purchase needed equipment for advanced workforce training in robotics. The investment is projected to train 50-75 individuals, including dislocated workers, new entrants in the workforce, incumbent workers, and underrepresented groups such as women, veterans, minority groups, and individuals with disabilities. In September, Missouri State University West Plains received $960,000 in WORC grant funding. Updated on December 4, 2020 to reflect corrected funding information from DRA",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400440,Blaine's Bulletin: Giving Thanks,2020-11-27,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"While Thanksgiving is always a special time to look back on the year and think about what we're grateful for, counting our blessings this year it is especially important. It is no secret that this year has not been easy for Missouri, the U.S., and the entire world. Coronavirus has affected many areas of life from our health to our jobs to our schools to everyday life. But through this trying time, we have witnessed humanity and generosity of spirit like we have never seen. Communities have come together to rally behind and support one another and for that I am truly thankful. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year for many reasons and this year is no exception. Jackie and I spend the day surrounded by our children and grandchildren watching football, cooking and continuing our family traditions with the ones we hold most dear. I count myself extremely lucky to have such a loving family and always use Thanksgiving as a time to remind them of how grateful I feel to have them. And who can resist a holiday dedicated to eating delicious homecooked food all day long. Throughout 2020, our nation has been through peaks and valleys, but we continue to show the world how extraordinarily resilient America truly is. This year, I am especially thankful to live in a place where no matter how difficult things get, America always bounces back. Thanks to Operation Warp Speed, three promising vaccines have developed something that normally takes years in just a matter of months and our economy continues to come back allowing our workforce to support their families and pay the bills. If 2020 has taught us one thing, it is that life is precious, and we should enjoy every day we have with the most important people in our lives. And while we of course celebrate Thanksgiving every November, it is important to remember this is also National Veterans and Military Families Month. While most of us count on getting together with family and friends to gather round the table and give thanks each year, let us not forget that many our servicemembers and their families will go without seeing each other during this holiday season as our military continues to keep us safe. It is because of them that we are able to celebrate Thanksgiving in freedom and we are forever grateful for their service. On behalf of my family, I wish you and yours a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3281,Light at the End of the Tunnel,2020-11-27,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Once again, American ingenuity, determination, and grit are on full display for the world to see. In the history of modern medicine, a vaccine has never taken less than four years to develop. In fact, on average, the development timeline for a vaccine is between eight to ten years. Thanks to President Trump's leadership Americans will soon have access to three novel coronavirus vaccines in less than a single year. This is truly a historic moment and the significance of this development cannot be understated. However, I am not surprised. President Trump has been telling us for months a vaccine was on the way. The radical Left opposed him at every turn, casting doubt on his timeline and undermining public trust in any vaccine approved by his Administration. This is textbook Trump derangement syndrome. Each of these vaccines are more than ninety percent effective, compared to the Flu vaccine which averages between forty and sixty percent effectiveness. Not one of the three COVID-19 vaccines have reported a single safety concern. Unlike the fearmongers on the radical Left, I trust the Administration's approval process and know that a safe and effective vaccine is on the way. Millions of doses of the coronavirus vaccine are being produced as we speak, and President Trump's Administration has ensured all Americans will have access to them free of charge. As soon as April, every single American who wants a vaccine will be able to get one. With all of this data in mind, there is no denying the American vaccine project was unequaled anywhere else in the world. We have President Trump's Administration to thank for that. The vaccine is just one example of where President Trump's Administration has succeeded in the fight against this virus. The United States made critical investments early on in the pandemic in therapeutics, including remdesivir, that have reduced the mortality rate of the virus by eighty five percent. However, there is more work to be done. The COVID-19 pandemic underlined serious vulnerabilities in our medical supply chain. We are far too reliant upon China to supply active pharmaceutical ingredients, generic drugs, antibiotics, and medical devices. Make no mistake this dependency could be weaponized against us. Studies have shown that more than ninety percent of U.S. antibiotics come from China. This is a national security risk that we cannot allow to continue. For that reason, in October Iintroduced the Secure America's Medicine Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to begin procuring critical medications the Federal Government should ensure are readily available for the American public in the event of another national health crisis. This legislation builds off a previous amendment introduced by me that passed the U.S. House of Representatives requiring HHS to compile a list of those critical medications for procurement. Additionally, Senator Hawley has introduced a bill, the Medical Supply Chain Security Act, which would require manufacturers to report imminent or forecasted shortages of life-saving or life-sustaining medical devices to the FDA. We must know where our vulnerabilities exist to better understand how to address them. My legislation would do just that and I will continue to demand Speaker Pelosi give this legislation a vote on the House Floor. But now is the time to begin the process of moving forward. It is time to cease the calls for endless lockdowns and to get our economy growing again. It is time for Americans to back to work and to go back out into our communities without fear. There is light at the end of the tunnel.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/thankful,Thankful,2020-11-25,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Suggesting we have much to be thankful for this year might sound a bit disingenuous, at first. After all, 2020 has been a year unlike many of us have ever seen. In many cases, it's been a year of loss. Loved ones, jobs, milestones, school yearslet's be honest, many are just looking towards 2021 and hoping it gets here sooner rather than later. Yet, this pandemic has made it clear that we also have many things to be thankful for. I'm thankful for our healthcare workers, who are currently putting in the longest hours they ever have to get folks healthy again. I'm also thankful for the leaders of these healthcare facilities, who have difficult decisions to make and balance sheets and staffing levels that don't necessarily work with the job they are tasked with getting done. With limited resources to begin with, our healthcare providers are doing everything they can to get the job doneand I know that they will. Likewise, I'm thankful for our school personnel, all of whom have faced unbelievable odds this year to educate our children. Like our rural hospitals, education was a challenge before, and it is even more so now. I'm thankful for our businesses. For any small business, this has been the most difficult year in their history. This Saturday is Small Business Saturday. It happens every year, but this year might be the one that keeps the doors open. The best way to say thanks to our small businesses is to shop locally. Finally, I'm thankful for our local community leaders. From Parkville to Palmyra, each community in North Missouri is a little bit different, and folks are coming together to do what's best for their area. This year has been filled with more stress and difficult decisions than most have ever faced before. As we enter the holiday season, keep in mind a little grace goes a long way. Failure to give and receive it means you've probably missed the point. This year has made it clear that we need those around usour friends, family and neighbors. There's no way we could make it through a year like this without them. One of the things I love about North Missouri is that we help each other through tough circumstances. This year has been no different. Take a moment this week to say thanks to those who have been a blessing to you throughout 2020. It will go a long way. Sincerely, Sam Graves",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senator-hawley-continues-press-facebook-twitter-answers-coordinated-censorship-user-tracking,"Senator Hawley Continues to Press Facebook, Twitter for Answers on Coordinated Censorship, User Tracking",2020-11-24,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) submitted questions to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary record following their hearing last week. In his questions, Senator Hawley continues to press both CEOs on their companies practices of coordinated censorship and tracking of users all across the web. Mr. Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) How many entries in Facebook's Tasks tool pertain to content moderation and reference contacts at Google? How many entries in Facebook's Tasks tool pertain to content moderation and reference contacts at Twitter? How many entries in Facebook's Tasks tool pertain to content moderation and reference contacts or information from the Southern Poverty Law Center? Please provide a list of all hashtags, URLs, and real-world individuals that Facebook has banned across its platform, along with notations of whether the impetus for the ban stemmed from contacts with employees at Twitter, Google, or the Southern Poverty Law Center. How many accounts in the United States has Facebook surveilled or shut down using the Centra tool? When a Facebook employee accesses a Facebook user's private messages, that access is allegedly tracked and audited. How many such audits were conducted by Facebook during fiscal year 2019? A November 23 article in the Financial Times, entitled Facebook plans charm offensive for Joe Biden reported that [c]ompany executives are planning a major push to encourage users to take a coronavirus vaccine, as well as incentivising people to share content related to the Paris climate agreement, which Joe Biden has promised to rejoin, in the hopes of winning favour in Washington. Please describe all steps Facebook intends to take to encourage users to share content related to the Paris climate agreement. Please explain how any advocacy by Facebook for rejoining the Paris climate agreement would be consistent with Facebook's self-description as a platform and not a publisher."" Mr. Jack Dorsey (Twitter) Does Twitter have a policy prohibiting its employees from coordinating content moderation decisions with outside companies such as Facebook or Google, where such moderation is not strictly required by law? Please provide a list of all hashtags, URLs, and real-world individuals that Twitter has banned across its platform.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/umkc-washu-awarded-grant-funding-from-blunt-led-covid-19-testing-initiative-to-expand-outreach-to-underserved-communities,"UMKC, WashU Awarded Grant Funding from Blunt-Led COVID-19 Testing Initiative to Expand Outreach to Underserved Communities",2020-11-23,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) today welcomed the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) announcement that two Missouri institutions, Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) and the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) have been selected to receive grant funding through the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program. WashU will receive $2.28 million and UMKC will receive $1.9 million to improve COVID-19 testing among underserved and vulnerable communities. The RADx-UP program is part of the RADx initiative, which Blunt and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) proposed and Congress created in April. While we are seeing encouraging news on the COVID-19 vaccine front, testing will continue to be a critical part of getting people back to school, work, child care, and daily life, said Blunt. The RADx initiative is bringing new testing technologies to market faster so we can vastly increase our nationwide testing capacity. The RADx-UP grants will take those efforts a step further by making sure testing is available and utilized where it's needed most, especially among underserved and vulnerable populations. From the outset of this pandemic, we have worked to ensure funding was available to respond to the unique needs local communities face. That will continue to be a priority in our response efforts. Under the $2.5 billion Shark Tank-style RADx program, NIH, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and private industry are working together to develop new ways to produce tens of millions of COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are capable of providing quick, inexpensive results. The RADx initiative is currently supporting 22 companies with manufacturing expansion contracts, which are expected to add 2.7 million tests per day by the end of the year. More information on the RADx-UP grants for WashU and UMKC is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400438,Luetkemeyer on OCCs Fair Access Rule,2020-11-20,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) released the following statement regarding an announcement from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) regarding their Fair Access Rule. For years I have been fighting the harmful Obama-era initiative, Operation Choke Point.' Today's announcement from the OCC gets America another step closer to putting it completely behind us. Operation Choke Point sought to eliminate legally operating American businesses only because they did not fit within the Obama Administration's political ideals. The Fair Access Rule will ensure all legal American companies have full and fair access to financial services and the economic freedom they deserve. Background:In 2019, the House passed Congressman Luetkemeyer's legislation to end Operation Choke Point, theFinancial Institution Customer Protection Act,by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 395-2. For full text of theFinancial Institution Customer Protection Act, please clickhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400439,Blaines Bulletin: Apprenticeships,2020-11-20,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Ranking second in America for completed apprenticeships for the second year in a row, Missouri is leading the way and showing the rest of the country how beneficial apprenticeships can be. Apprenticeships are a win-win for companies and workers. Employers are able to train and invest in skilled professionals and workers are able to receive on-the-job training while also receiving a paycheck. Here in Missouri, apprenticeships are available for over 70 different occupations in high growth industries like health care, manufacturing, technology and transportation. Local partners like GM of Wentzville, Ozark Electric Co-Op, National Association of Insurance Professionals, and University of Missouri Health Care have utilized apprenticeships to create opportunities for local workers to attain new skills and new jobs. And across the country, major companies like Sears, Hertz, Walmart and CVS Health have recognized the value of apprenticeships and now rely on them for attracting hardworking Americans who are looking to expand their skillset. This week, I introduced a bill that would help maintain apprenticeship standards implemented by the Trump Administration. Under President Trump's leadership, the Department of Labor has established the Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP) which recognizes high-quality apprenticeship programs that fall under the Department's Standard Recognition Entity (SRE). IRAPs provide individuals with opportunities to obtain workplace-relevant knowledge and progressively advancing skills. They include both a paid-work and educational component. With 3,388 completed apprenticeships in the 2020 fiscal year and over 13,560 active apprenticeships, Missouri is setting an example for the rest of the country. Because of Missouri's significant progress with apprenticeships, we are just one of four states in America to be recognized as an SRE. Hardworking Missourians and apprenticeship partners are finding great success with this program and my legislation would ensure that success continues. It would also allow Americans across the country the same, extremely worthwhile apprenticeship opportunities. After a trying economic year, apprenticeships are an incredible way to kickstart local economies and help keep small businesses afloat. Our labor market continues to rebound, but not everyone has been able to go back to work, unfortunately. Apprenticeships are a great way for anyone seeking a job to quickly get back into the workforce and start earning a paycheck to support their families. For anyone who would like more information on starting an apprenticeship or partners seeking apprentices, please visitjobs.mo.gov. I am confident that Missouri will keep leading the charge in apprenticeships and am thankful for the partners and apprentices who continue to rejuvenate our economy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jasonsmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3274,"Lockdowns for Thee, Not for Me",2020-11-20,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Jason Smith,S001195,jasonsmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Every holiday season, Americans across the country look forward to celebrating cherished holiday traditions. As we take time out of our busy lives to spend time with loved ones and reflect on our blessings, we are reminded that even during what has been a very difficult year as a result of COVID-19 and ineffective lockdowns, we still have much to be thankful for. We've come so far since the beginning of the pandemic. Over the last several months groundbreaking therapeutics to combat the virus have been deployed saving countless lives, and thanks to American innovation and the leadership of President Trump, we have at least two new vaccines on the horizon, developed in record time. This on top of the early aggressive mitigation efforts by President Trump to close our borders to heavily infected areas, the end of this pandemic will soon be in sight. What we cannot do now is shut our country down for a second time. Over the past few months, the U.S. has regained more than half of the jobs lost due to the pandemic, and we have experienced the fastest economic recovery in our nation's history. In fact, we are recovering at a rate that is four times faster than the recovery after the 2008-2009 recession. Unfortunately, liberal politicians want to crush this economic rally by enacting more lockdowns. Leftist mayors and governors across the country have issued extreme lockdown orders telling people to cancel their Thanksgiving plans, even going so far as to tell people how many guests they may have in their homes. What's worse is that these same liberal mayors and governors do not practice what they preach. They use the force of law to prevent Americans from seeing their loved ones while hypocritically making no such sacrifices of their own. Earlier this month, the Democrat governor of California was photographed at an opulent dinner with a large group of people, including leaders of the California Medical Association. This event was in violation of his own restrictions on social gatherings. Earlier, the Democrat mayor of D.C. was seen partying with her staff in Delaware at a post-election event which she later designated as essential travel. This was in order to cover up the fact that she had violated her own travel restrictions. Meanwhile, the mayor of Chicago was seen gathering in the city streets with thousands of strangers. wearing no mask. This is all while issuing restrictions telling residents to cancel traditional Thanksgiving plans. And of course, who could forget the video footage of Speaker Pelosi walking around a high-end California salon maskless while businesses across the country remained closed. If the recent election results tell us one thing, it's that the American people are fed up with this hypocrisy. They are not interested in eastern-European socialism or oppressive government mandates that tell them how to live their lives. The vote of 75 million Americans has charged Republicans to fight in favor of personal liberty and against socialism and tyranny. Every year at this time, we as Americans give thanks for our many blessings and for our great nation. We remember that the pilgrims first came to this country seeking freedom. It is not for Democrat-socialist politicians to tell the American people how to live their lives, each individual decides how to worship, how to speak and how to live. Americans have always rejected socialism and embraced freedom, it's time for the new leaders of the Democrat party to start listening.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senator-hawleys-bipartisan-duck-boat-safety-enhancement-act-passes-senate-commerce-committee,Senator Hawleys Bipartisan Duck Boat Safety Enhancement Act Passes Senate Commerce Committee,2020-11-19,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley's (R-Mo.) bipartisan legislation toimprove the safety of duck boatsfollowing the 2018 tragedy on Table Rock Lake passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation. ""For too long, Congress has failed to take action to help stop these tragedies like the one that killed so many at Table Rock Lake. With my bipartisan bill clearing the Commerce Committee today, we're one step closer. This legislation is about enacting commonsense safety recommendations that the NTSB has been making for years, like requiring life jackets and better equipping duck boats in case of emergency flooding. I hope the Senate will take this bill up with the urgency it deserves."" Senator Josh Hawley ""We must do everything we can to ensure an incident like the Duck Boat tragedy on Table Rock Lake, which claimed the lives of 17 victims and left their loved ones grieving their loss, never happens again,""Senator Blunt said.""This bill requires commonsense safety measures that are long overdue and should be put into effect immediately. I was proud to partner with Senator Hawley on this bill and support it in the Commerce Committee. With the bill now ready for consideration by the full Senate, I urge all of our colleagues to support our effort to keep people safe."" ""The sinking of a duck boat in 2018 was a tragedy that should never happen again,""Senator Cotton said.""Our bill will introduce new guidelines to help ensure that duck boat tours are a safe, reliable recreation activity for families around the country."" ""I'm pleased to see our bipartisan legislation reported favorably by the Senate Commerce Committee today, Senator Duckworth said.We've already seen too many tragedies involving these vessels, and I'm glad that we're finally one step closer to ensuring that necessary oversight and safety precautions are implemented to prevent unnecessary accidents in the future."" Sen. Hawley'sDuck Boat Safety Enhancement Actwould authorize previously-outlined National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations, including commonsense provisions to require the use of life jackets and equipping all operating duck boats to be more buoyant in the case of emergency flooding. Amendments were made to the bill during the committee process. Those amendments include requirements to log various safety actions, mandatory annual safety trainings for crew, and consideration of safety recommendations in previous incident reports. Other amendments would require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to provide a report to Congress regarding the status of implementation of the regulations and various technical changes. Thebipartisan list of co-sponsors, to-date, includes Senators Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). Background Amphibious Passenger Vehicles (APVs) are passenger vehicles viable on both land and on water. The most common APVs are amphibious tour buses or DUKWs (commonly referred to as duck boats). On July 19,2018, 17 people died and 11 others were injured when a duck boat capsized on Table Rock Lake during a thunderstorm near Branson, Missouri, in one of the deadliest boating accidents in U.S. history. This tragedy could have been avoided. TheDuck Boat Safety Enhancment Actimplements reasonable safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that would have prevented the tragedy on Table Rock Lake and will preserve both safety and fun for future duck boat riders. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation unanimously reported the bill as amended. Amendments to theDuck Boat Safety Enhancement Actinclude: Requirement to Log ActionsOperator of amphibious passenger vehicles must check and notate in the vessel's logbook the National Weather Service forecast before getting underway and periodically while underway and log that they informed and visually checked that seatbelts are not worn during waterborne operations. Mandatory Annual TrainingOperators and crew of amphibious passenger vehicles must complete annual training in several areas, including personal flotation and seat belt requirements, verifying the integrity of the vessel, identifying water hazards, use of National Weather Services resources, and responding to emergency situations. Consideration of Recommendations from ReportsIn addition to the recommendations following the incident in Table Rock, Missouri, the bill requires the Coast Guard to address recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board and Coast Guard Marine Investigation Board reports on incidents in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Seattle, Washington. Reports and Technical ChangesThe amended text incorporates several technical changes and a requirement that the Commandant of the Coast Guard provide a report to Congress regarding the status of implementation of the regulations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400436,Luetkemeyer Introduces Modernizing Americas Apprenticeships Act,2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Luetkemeyer Introduces Modernizing America's Apprenticeships Act WASHINGTON, D.C. Yesterday, Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) introduced the Modernizing America's Apprenticeships Act to codify the Trump Administration's Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP) rule. IRAPs are high-quality apprenticeship programs that fall under the Department of Labor's Standards Recognition Entity. They provide individuals with opportunities to obtain workplace-relevant knowledge and progressively advancing skills and include both a paid-work and educational component. Ranking second in the nation in completed apprenticeships for the second year in a row, Missouri continues to be a prime example of how successful IRAPs can be. The Modernizing America's Apprenticeships Act would make it possible for Americans across the country to enjoy this same success. Following a trying economic year, investing in apprenticeships is a great way to help our local economies rebound and keep small businesses afloat.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400437,Luetkemeyer Chosen to Serve as 2021 NDAA Conferee,2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Blaine Luetkemeyer,L000569,luetkemeyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Luetkemeyer Chosen to Serve as 2021 NDAA Conferee WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy announced Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) has been chosen to serve as a conferee on the House-Senate Conference Committee for the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Reauthorizing the NDAA is one of Congress' most important jobs each year. It is critical that we ensure the brave men and women of America's military have everything they could possibly need to continue defending this country. As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, one of my main priorities is to enhance our nation's defense against illicit finance and money laundering in order to maintain America's financial security. I am honored to have been chosen and look forward to getting to work. On Congressman Luetkemeyer's selection, Leader McCarthy said,Blaine is a patriot whose love of country and understanding of our national security threats make him a natural choice to help get this critical defense bill signed into law. Through his time in Congress, he has distinguished himself as an effective and results-driven leader who puts the priorities of his constituents above all else. His broad experience will help bring a unique perspective to the NDAA process that will help deliver an outcome that our service members both need and deserve.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/holding-fema-accountable,Holding FEMA Accountable,2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, the House passed my bill, the bipartisan Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act, to hold the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) accountable for their mistakes and stop the agency from going after disaster victims that apply in good faith for relief funds. Last year, when communities across North Missouri were hit by record flooding, it took what felt like an eternity for FEMA to assess the situation and finally get aid to families who lost their homes to flooding. When the money finally did come, many used that money right away, whether it was for home repairs, relocation costs, or replacing what they lost. What they weren't expecting was for FEMA to go back on their word and decide they didn't really qualify for disaster aid. In one case of an individual from Craig, Missouri, FEMA demanded more than $12,000 back from a flood victim they had awarded relief funds. It wasn't because of fraud or deceit on the part of the person who received it; it was because FEMA made a mistake. Now $12,000 might be a drop in the bucket to FEMA and the federal government, but that's a huge deal for a family trying to rebuild their lives after a disaster. When FEMA does this, it doesn't just impact one individual or only the cases where FEMA makes a mistake, but every individual that receives FEMA assistance. It makes folks a whole lot more hesitant to spend disaster relief funds to rebuild their lives if they're afraid FEMA is going to come knock down their door and demand those funds back. My bill is simple. It stops FEMA from clawing back funds awarded to disaster victims as long as no fraud is committed in the application process. When a federal agency messes up, they need to own up to it and they need to pay the price, not the folks who are just trying to get back on their feet after a disaster has destroyed their home and their lives. If disaster victims have applied honestly and in good faith, they shouldn't be penalized for FEMA's mistake. It also holds FEMA accountable, by requiring the agency to report to Congress on mistakenly awarded funds and making sure these mistakes are limited in the future. This bill will finally put a stop to the revictimization of disaster victims by FEMA and ensures the agency does what it was meant to do: take care of disaster victims, not harass them, harangue them, and make their lives more difficult. Sincerely, Sam Graves",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cleaver-blunt-kaine-stivers-negro-leagues-centennial-commemorative-coin,"Cleaver, Blunt, Kaine, & Stivers Negro Leagues Centennial Commemorative Coin Act Heads to Presidents Desk",2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Steve Stivers (R-OH), along with United States Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), announced the Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act passed the Senate and is on its way to be signed by the President. The bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Treasury to mint a coin to commemorate the centennial of Negro Leagues Baseball. As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Negro Leagues, I'm ecstatic we were able to get this bill safely across home plate and on its way to the President's desk, said Cleaver. Not only will this honor the legends of the Negro Leaguessome of the greatest ballplayers to ever step on a fieldbut it will also raise significant funding for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City so that future generations can learn about the players, the history of the Negro Leagues, and their significance to the civil rights movement in America. I am glad this legislation is headed to the President's desk, sending an important message that the athletes' courageous efforts to end systemic racism undeniably bettered our nation, said Stivers. These Americans created a lasting impact in the fight for equality. Their unwavering commitment to making sure all Americans have equal opportunities, on and off the field, will continue to make a difference for generations to come. The incredible ability, excitement, and sportsmanship that baseball icons like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, and Buck O'Neil brought to the game helped break down the barriers of segregation, said Blunt. This commemorative coin will honor the leagues' players and support the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's great work to preserve the legacy of African-American baseball and its impact on our nation's history. I'm glad we were able to get this bill through Congress and to the President's desk as we mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the leagues. For forty years, the Negro Leagues offered people the chance to see some of the country's greatest ballplayers at a time when African American and Hispanic players were barred from Major League teams, including Virginia-born stars and Baseball Hall of Famers Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Pete Hill, and Jud Wilson, said Kaine. I'm proud these players and teams will be honored for their historic contributions both on the field and to our country. The Negro National League was created in 1920 during a meeting of team owners at a YMCA in Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to 1920, teams barnstormed around the country playing whomever they could. The creation of the league brought some structure to the playing schedule, and other regional leagues were soon formed. The coin comes at no cost to taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury will be reimbursed for the costs of issuing the coins. After the U.S. Treasury has recouped all of its costs for designing and minting the coins, funds will be distributed to the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which was founded in 1990 in Kansas City. In addition to Cleaver and Stivers, the House bill is cosponsored by 300 representatives. In addition to Blunt and Kaine, the Senate bill is cosponsored by 77 senators. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-tlaib-introduce-respond-act-to-protect-federal-pensions,"Reps. Cleaver, Tlaib Introduce RESPOND Act To Protect Federal Pensions, Measure Economic Impact of Climate Change",2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Today, United States Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced the Restructuring Environmentally Sound Pensions in Order to Negate Disaster Act of 2020 (RESPOND Act) to protect federal pensions from the economic impact of climate change by establishing a Federal Advisory Panel on Climate Change within the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB). The bill would also require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue an annual report projecting and accounting for the economic costs caused by the impacts of climate change. Climate change is not only a long-term threat to the health of our planet, but also a current threat to Americans' retirement portfolios, said Congressman Cleaver. With the RESPOND Act, Congresswoman Tlaib and I are calling on financial regulators to examine the economic costs of a changing climate and to utilize this data to make sound investments on behalf of more than 5.5 million federal employees. As the world continues to evolve and transition from the fossil fuel industry, it only makes sense for the investment portfolios of federal retirees to do the same in order to avoid catastrophic losses in the future. Our federal workers do not deserve to be set up to fail by being forced to invest their hard-earned savings in corporate polluters that endanger our public health, Congresswoman Tlaib said. Communities like the ones I represent deserve to have the Federal Reserve and other financial systems address the economic costs of climate change. Lives of countless people around the world and the life of our planet depend on it. That's why I'm proud to introduce the RESPOND Act with Congressman Cleaver. I thank him for his partnership in this and look forward to working together to see this much-needed legislation is made law. ""Forcing federal employees to invest their savings in the fossil fuel industry threatens both the future of our planet and the bottom line for these workers saving for retirement,"" said Kelly Martin, Director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign. ""We applaud Representatives Cleaver and Tlaib for their leadership in recognizing the serious financial risks associated with the climate crisis and protecting workers from those risks."" ""It is high time that the Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission properly account for the real cost of climate change on our economy, said Natalie Meban, U.S. Policy Director of 350.org. Climate change has always been the biggest economic threat to this country and our world. It is time to follow the science and know that we cannot have a healthy economy without a healthy climate."" Climate change presents numerous near and long-term risks to financial systems worldwide and, in turn, pension holdings and public sector portfolios. The RESPOND Act of 2020 does just thatrespondby illuminating risks that would remain invisible without special inquiry, thereby taking another step toward protecting the underlying value of investments on which so many hard-working people depend, said Paula DiPerna, Special Advisor, Carbon Disclosure Project. ""The RESPOND Act will address important issues for federal pension plan and financial regulators to address climate risks and climate opportunities. We congratulate Congressman Cleaver and the other sponsors for moving this vital legislation forward,"" said Steven M. Rothstein, Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets. The FRTIB currently oversees $565 billion in retirement benefits for over 5.5 million federal employees. In order to protect the pensions of these retired federal workers, the RESPOND Act would commission the FRTIB to establish a Federal Advisory Panel on Climate Change, consisting of a combination of climate finance experts and labor representatives, to conduct a thorough examination of the financial risks posed by climate change. After examining the report issued by the Panel, if the FRTIB determines pension yields would be both financially profitable and consistent with the FRTIB's fiduciary duties should they implement low-carbon investment strategies, then the FRTIB is instructed to immediately set a plan in place to transition their investment practices accordingly. Separately, to ensure the federal government is doing its due diligence to fully understand and account for costs and risks of climate change, the RESPOND Act would also require the Federal Reserve and SEC to jointly issue annual reports to Congress that account for the financial risks of climate change to the American economy. Critically, this information would also be made public to financial institutions across the country as they seek to adjust their investment strategies to account for climate change, something the Federal Reserve has recently called for. The RESPOND Act is endorsed by Sierra Club, Center for International Environmental Law, Ceres, 350.org, World Wildlife Fund, the Center for Biological Diversity, Catholic Network U.S., Rapid Shift Network, Earth Guardians, Mazaska Talks, Giniw Collective, Fossil Free California, Climate Hawks Vote, Texas Campaign for the Environment, and Zero Hour. You can find the official text of the RESPOND Act here. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/graves-bill-stop-fema-clawbacks-assistance-passes-house,Graves Bill to Stop FEMA Clawbacks of Assistance Passes House,2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Sam Graves' (MO-06) bipartisan bill to stop the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from clawing back assistance mistakenly awarded to disaster victims that applied for it in good faith. The Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act (H.R. 5953) updates current law by requiring FEMA to waive the debt of someone who received FEMA assistance, in cases where no fraud has been committed, after the agency later determines it mistakenly granted the assistance. Under the current process, FEMA can come back weeks, months, or even years later to seek repayment of funds it awarded victims, even when the agency made the initial error. Revictimizing those who have already been devastated is unthinkable and this bill puts a stop to it, said Rep. Graves. If FEMA makes a mistake, the disaster victims that they are supposed to be helping should not have to pay for it. It happened last year in North Missouri, but this bill ensures it doesn't happen again. We owe this certainty to disaster victims, and I'm thrilled that the Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act passed the House today. Graves introduced the bill after a Holt County resident, who lost his family home to the 2019 flooding, was mistakenly provided over $12,000 in FEMA Individual Assistance money to help him get back on his feet, only to be told later he didn't qualify and would have to pay it back. The bill also ensures that FEMA reports to Congress on the number of mistakes it makes in individual assistance award determinations and the agency's efforts to minimize similar errors in the future. Click here to see Rep Graves' remarks on the bill on the House floor. Clickhereto read the original bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/graves-bill-stop-fema-clawbacks-assistance-passes-house,Graves Bill to Stop FEMA Clawbacks of Assistance Passes House,2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,graves,https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Sam Graves' (MO-06) bipartisan bill to stop the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from clawing back assistance mistakenly awarded to disaster victims that applied for it in good faith. The Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act (H.R. 5953) updates current law by requiring FEMA to waive the debt of someone who received FEMA assistance, in cases where no fraud has been committed, after the agency later determines it mistakenly granted the assistance. Under the current process, FEMA can come back weeks, months, or even years later to seek repayment of funds it awarded victims, even when the agency made the initial error. ""Revictimizing those who have already been devastated is unthinkable and this bill puts a stop to it,"" said Rep.Graves. ""If FEMA makes a mistake, the disaster victims that they are supposed to be helping should not have to pay for it. It happened last year in North Missouri, but this bill ensures it doesn't happen again. We owe this certainty to disaster victims, and I'm thrilled that the Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act passed the House today."" Graves introduced the bill after a Holt County resident, who lost his family home to the 2019 flooding, was mistakenly provided over $12,000 in FEMA Individual Assistance money to help him get back on his feet, only to be told later he didn't qualify and would have to pay it back. The bill also ensures that FEMA reports to Congress on the number of mistakes it makes in individual assistance award determinations and the agency's efforts to minimize similar errors in the future. Click here to see Rep Graves' remarks on the bill on the House floor. Click here to read the original bill.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:39:51Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-kaine-cleaver-and-stivers-negro-leagues-baseball-centennial-commemorative-coin-act-heads-to-presidents-desk,"Blunt, Kaine, Cleaver, & Stivers’ Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act Heads to President’s Desk",2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Tim Kaine (Va.), along with U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (Mo.) and Steve Stivers (Ohio), announced that the Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act passed the Senate and is on its way to the President's desk. The bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Treasury to mint a coin to commemorate the Centennial of Negro Leagues Baseball. The incredible ability, excitement, and sportsmanship that baseball icons like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, and Buck O'Neil brought to the game helped break down the barriers of segregation, said Blunt. This commemorative coin will honor the leagues' players and support the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's great work to preserve the legacy of African-American baseball and its impact on our nation's history. I'm glad we were able to get this bill through Congress and to the President's desk as we mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the leagues. For forty years, the Negro Leagues offered people the chance to see some of the country's greatest ballplayers at a time when African-American and Hispanic players were barred from Major League teams, including Virginia-born stars and Baseball Hall of Famers Ray Dandridge, Leon Day, Pete Hill, and Jud Wilson, said Kaine. I'm proud these players and teams will be honored for their historic contributions both on the field and to our country. As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Negro Leagues, I'm ecstatic we were able to get this bill safely across home plate and on its way to the President's desk, said Cleaver. Not only will this honor the legends of the Negro Leaguessome of the greatest ballplayers to ever step on a fieldbut it will also raise significant funding for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City so that future generations can learn about the players, the history of the Negro Leagues, and their significance to the civil rights movement in America. I am glad this legislation is headed to the President's desk, sending an important message that the athletes' courageous efforts to end systematic racism undeniably bettered our nation, said Stivers. These Americans created a lasting impact in the fight for equality. Their unwavering commitment to making sure all Americans have equal opportunities, on and off the field, will continue to make a difference for generations to come. The Negro National League was created in 1920 during a meeting of team owners at a YMCA in Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to 1920, teams barnstormed around the country playing whomever they could. The creation of the league brought some structure to the playing schedule, and other regional leagues were soon formed. The coin comes at no cost to taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury will be reimbursed for the costs of issuing the coins. After the U.S. Treasury has recouped all of its costs for designing and minting the coins, funds will be distributed to the National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which was founded in 1990 in Kansas City. In addition to Blunt and Kaine, the Senate bill is cosponsored by 77 senators. In addition to Cleaver and Stivers, the House bill is cosponsored by 300 representatives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-praises-president-trumps-plan-bring-troops-home-afghanistan,Hawley Praises President Trumps Plan to Bring Troops Home from Afghanistan,2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO.) sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller expressing his support for President Trump's plan to promptly withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. Senator Hawley writes that the original U.S. counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan has given way to nation-building, the costs of which are borne overwhelmingly by working Americans. For these reasons, majorities of Americans, including veterans of the war itself, have long called for an end to the war in Afghanistan. Yet most of our nation's policymakers have ignored them. They are certainly entitled to keep advocating nation-building, but they have no right to force working Americans to pay the price for their agenda. The American people deserve an end to this war. They deserve to know their sons and daughters will not be put in harm's way unless it is absolutely necessary. And they deserve to see their tax dollars actually being used to defend them from Chinese domination, above all or reinvested at home, in their families and communities. Senator Josh Hawley Senator Hawley has previously spoken on the need to rethink America's foreign policy consensus of endless wars. Read the full letter here or below. November 17, 2020 The Honorable Christopher Miller Acting Secretary of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301 Dear Acting Secretary Miller, I write to express my support for President Trump's plan for the prompt withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. As President Trump has noted, and as you know better than most, Americans have been fighting in Afghanistan for more than 19 years. That makes the war in Afghanistan the longest war in our nation's history. Sons and daughters are now patrolling their parents' old routes, and many of the U.S. servicemembers in Afghanistan were not even born when the 9/11 attacks occurred. There was a time for war in Afghanistan, and there were very compelling reasons. In the aftermath of 9/11, it was imperative that we destroyed al Qaeda and punished the Taliban. But those objectives have long since given way to a broader nation-building mission in the region. This is a mistake. We have built a worldwide counterterrorism enterprise that allows us to disrupt, degrade, and destroy terrorist organizations far more effectively than ever before. So long as we stay focused on our counterterrorism objectives, maintain our ability to identify and strike targets as needed, and coordinate our withdrawal appropriately, we can prevent groups in Afghanistan from launching attacks on the United States without keeping thousands of American troops on the ground. Meanwhile, the costs of the war in Afghanistan continue to mount, and they are borne disproportionately by working Americans. It is overwhelmingly their sons and daughters who are sent into harm's way and make the ultimate sacrifice. It is their families and communities that have been hurt most as policymakers in Washington sent hundreds of billions if not trillions of their hard-earned tax dollars to Afghanistan, instead of investing that money here at home. And it is they who will suffer most if we keep investing in Afghanistan at the expense of our ability to deal with other adversaries, especially China, which seeks to dominate the world including the United States and is rapidly building a military to do just that. For these reasons, majorities of Americans, including veterans of the war itself, have long called for an end to the war in Afghanistan. Yet most of our nation's policymakers have ignored them. They are certainly entitled to keep advocating nation-building, but they have no right to force working Americans to pay the price for their agenda. The American people deserve an end to this war. They deserve to know their sons and daughters will not be put in harm's way unless it is absolutely necessary. And they deserve to see their tax dollars actually being used to defend them from Chinese domination, above all or reinvested at home, in their families and communities. You wrote recently, All wars must end. Acting Secretary Miller, the time has come to end the war in Afghanistan. I urge you to stand with President Trump and bring our troops home as expeditiously as possible. Sincerely, Josh Hawley United States Senator",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-reveals-existence-coordination-tool-used-big-tech-firms-censor-users-facebook-tool-covertly,Hawley Reveals Existence of Coordination Tool Used By Big Tech Firms to Censor Users & Facebook Tool to Covertly Track Users Across Internet,2020-11-17,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Joshua Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"In a U.S. Senate Judiciary hearing today with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg,Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) revealed an internal tool used by Facebook, Google and Twitter to coordinate the censorship of users. Senator Hawley also revealed an internal tool used by Facebook totrack the actions of usersacross the internet that was previously believed to be private.The use of the internal tools was disclosed to Senator Hawley by a whistleblower from Facebook. At the hearing, Senator Hawley outlined the use of Tasks, a tool Facebook uses to improve the workflow of Facebook employees, but is also used by Facebook employees to collaborate with Google and Twitter in censoring users across platforms, and a second tool called Centra that Facebook uses to track users even when they think they are anonymous. Senator Hawley questioned the CEOs on whether Facebook used the Tasks platform to coordinate in their censorship of users. Senator Hawley also questioned Zuckerberg on how many accounts in the U.S. have been subject to a shutdown through Centra, whether Facebook makes a record of instances in which employees access users' private data without their consent, and whether doing so triggers an audit.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-announces-25-million-usda-investment-in-east-locust-creek-reservoir-project,Blunt Announces $25 Million USDA Investment in East Locust Creek Reservoir Project,2020-11-16,2020,2020-11,Republican,House,MO,Roy Blunt,B000575,www.blunt.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested an additional $25 million in the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project. This investment in the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project is great news for families, farmers, and local businesses, said Blunt. These additional resources will get us one step closer to finishing the project and bringing an end to the severe water shortages that have disrupted businesses and daily life in the area. Improving water infrastructure and reliability will, in turn, create a stronger foundation for economic development in the years to come. I am committed to ensuring that the federal government continues to make this project a priority. The East Locust Creek Reservoir service area includes Mercer, Putnam, Schuyler, Grundy, Sullivan, Adair, Livingston, Linn, Macon, and Chariton counties. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Blunt has led efforts to secure resources for the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project in the FY2016, FY2017, FY2018, FY2019, and FY2020 government funding bills. The recently-released FY2021 Senate agriculture appropriations bill includes $12 million in additional funding. In October, Blunt commended USDA Rural Development for awarding a $3 million grant and $5 million loan to modernize equipment at the East Locust Creek water treatment plant. Blunt was in Milan last year when USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that the project received an additional $5.6 million, which was included in the Blunt-backed FY2019 funding bill. Following Blunt's advocacy, the Department of Transportation awarded a $13.5 million BUILD Grant to the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project in November 2019. In August 2018, Blunt announced that the USDA invested $20million in the project to prepare the dam's site, access corridors, and other key infrastructure for the next phase of construction.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z