The 3^rd Congressional District is home to more than 762,000 individuals living in 13 counties in eastern and central Missouri. As I regularly meet with and listen to constituents from all over the district, I hear many different viewpoints and learn about many different priorities.  Every week that the House is in session, I board a plane and take your concerns with me to Washington. 

One issue that I hear about all the time from constituents all over Missouri’s 3^rd District is the federal government’s Constitutional responsibility to keep America safe. In particular, throughout the past several months, Americans have been rightfully worried about the administration’s strategy – or lack thereof – towards fighting terrorists that want to harm our nation and what the president is doing to keep our country safe.

Last year, the House passed several important measures to make our country safer that are awaiting action in the Senate, including a bill to halt the admission of refugees from the Middle East, until top law enforcement and national security officials can certify they do not pose a threat to the United States. While we hope that the Senate will soon take up this bill, and others, House Republicans will not stop taking action.

Soon, the House will bring to the floor the Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act. This legislation would prohibit the president from lifting financial sanctions currently in place on key Iranian officials unless the White House certifies to Congress that these individuals were not involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program or terrorist activities. In short, this legislation would provide Congress and the American people with more oversight on and transparency into the president’s dealings with with key Iranian officials and it would ensure that officials previously involved in terrorism and the proliferation of weapons are not granted access to the international financial system.

Closer to home, another priority of many Missourians is reversing the “waters of the United States” rule that was implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA wants to expand the scope of the Clean Water Act on small businesses and farmers by taking out the word ‘navigable’ from ‘navigable waters’ which extends its authority to just about any body of water. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that this change in definition could impact creeks, puddles, ditches, and streams throughout Missouri. The outcry that I have heard from the 3^rd District, and across the country, has not gone unnoticed. This week, the House sent a clear message to the president and his allies by passing a resolution disapproving of the “waters of the United States” rule. Now the president will have to choose between his burdensome regulation or the economy.

As the New Year progresses, I will continue to listen to your concerns and take them to Washington, and the House of Representatives will continue to do its work on behalf of the American people. We are committed to advancing solutions that provide economic opportunities for all Americans, get the government out your daily lives, and keep America safe – both at home and abroad.