Looking back on 2017, I am reminded what an honor it is to serve as your voice in Congress and all of the incredibly memorable moments that took place here in the 3^rd District and in Washington.

The year kicked off with President Trump’s inauguration. It was great to see so many Missourians  travel to Washington for the historic event. Shortly after, President Trump made one of his biggest announcements of the past year when he nominated Neil Gorsuch to serve as the next Supreme Court justice. I firmly believe Judge Gorsuch holds the same conservative values we in Missouri do, and he understands the role of the Supreme Court is to enforce the law, not create it from the bench.

On August 21, Missourians witnessed a once in a generation event: the solar eclipse. The last time the United States witnessed a total eclipse was in 1979. Now an entire generation of Americans have experienced this phenomenon and have their own stories to share with family and friends for years to come. The solar eclipse not only brought worldwide attention to Mid-Missouri, it also highlighted all that our state has to offer.

Over the last year, the House has made historic use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a tool that gives Congress the power to invalidate a rule or regulation from the executive branch within 60 days of it being issued. I am pleased to report the House passed 15 CRAs and President Trump signed 11 of those into law. The White House estimated that by repealing those 11 regulations alone we will save $10 billion over 20 years.  One example is the Social Security Service’s Second Amendment restrictions. Earlier this year, Congress overturned an Obama-era rule that would increase scrutiny on up to 4.2 million law-abiding Americans attempting to purchase firearms, potentially depriving people of their constitutional rights.

Just recently President Trump visited St. Charles to speak directly to Missourians about the importance of tax reform and how it will directly benefit you. While he was here we saw just how much people – not the press or politicians, but everyday people – want and need to keep more of their money.  It is that support that moved the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act through Congress to the President’s desk and into law and capped off the year in a very positive way. As we go into 2018 Missourians will start seeing more money in their paychecks and growth in the economy across the country. If anyone has any questions regarding tax reform, please give any of my offices a call so we can assist you.

Clearly it was an exciting year, and these examples only scratch the surface of what took place over the 365 days. I look forward to getting back to work in 2018 and accomplishing more goals of the 3^rd District. Serving the more than 750,000 Missourians in the 3^rd District is an true honor. I look forward to hearing from you in the new year!