March is upon us and the House of Representatives is wrapping up another busy week. Before I detail this week’s activities, I would like to ask you to join me in keeping in your thoughts and prayers those of our fellow citizens who were impacted by the deadly storms that swept across Missouri last Tuesday night. I also want to thank those who responded to the storm and are hard at work repairing the damage that it inflicted. Please pay close attention to the weather warnings in your local area. As you know, the weather in Missouri can change in the blink of an eye, and these warnings save lives.

This week, I had many meetings with constituents and I wanted to highlight a couple of them. It was great to sit down with Mark Harvey, the Chairman of the Neighbors of the Mississippi, which covers Pike, Lincoln, and St. Charles counties. The Missouri River flows through the 3^rd District and the Mississippi is it’s eastern border. These waterways are tremendous assets for moving goods to market, but it’s also essential that the communities along them have adequate and effective flood control measures in place. In addition, I met with members of  the Missouri State Medical Association to discuss Medicare and Medicaid and what the future may look like. I want to thank all of those Missourians that came here this week for sharing their views, concerns, and stories.

This week also marked the much anticipated first address to a Joint Session of Congress by President Trump. The president delivered his speech in the House chamber during prime time and, in my view, hit it out of the park. The speech was entitled the “Renewal of the American Spirit” and the president  did an excellent job laying out his optimistic and aspirational vision for America. During the speech, he expanded on the promises he made over the last several months, what he has already accomplished, and what he wants to achieve by working with Congress. With Congress working hand in hand with the new administration, we can move the ball forward on repealing and replacing Obamacare, reforming our broken tax code, strengthening our national defense, and repairing our failing infrastructure. Our pro-growth policies will jump start our economy and usher in a new era of financial independence and economic opportunity for the American people.

Additionally, this week, the Trump Administration issued two specific executive orders that are of importance to Missourians. First, President Trump took the first step to roll back the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. This executive order represents a major victory for American farmers, ranchers, and all those who support individual property rights and the idea that states, not the federal government, should regulate the waters found within their borders.  

In addition, President Trump issued an executive order that will strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As a proud graduate of a HBCU, Lincoln University in Jefferson City, I celebrate and appreciate the history of these institutions of higher education. I am very pleased the administration wants to increase resources for HBCUs to ensure that students succeed in the classroom during school and in the workforce after graduation.

That’s all from Washington. If you would like to know anything else that went on this week in the House of Representatives, please do not hesitate to give any of my offices a call.