E-Newsletters
This week, we gather our families together to celebrate a day of giving thanks for our blessings. In his 1789 Thanksgiving proclamation, President George Washington called the occasion "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."
In an essay on learning how to ride a bicycle, Mark Twain once observed that "the self-taught man seldom knows anything accurately, and he does not know a tenth as much as he could have known if he had worked under teachers."
Teachers play an essential role in our educational system. We rely on them to teach our children the skills they need to succeed in life. But we know that each teacher has a slightly different style in educating our nation's students.
We've heard the promise many times since 2008: "If you like your health insurance plan, you can keep it." In fact, we've heard it at least 29 times according to one report.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower was one of our nation's most decorated citizens to ever wear the uniform of the United States. As our 34th president, Eisenhower left a lasting legacy by proclaiming November 11th as Veterans Day. Previously, Americans celebrated Armistice Day, which recalled the Allied Victory in World War I.
Last week, the House of Representatives passed legislation called theWater Resources Reform and Development Act, or WRRDA, by a near unanimous vote of 417-3. This bill will authorize the key missions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including navigation and flood prevention projects.
The government shutdown may be behind us, but our nation's fiscal woes remain in front of us. The deal that was agreed to last week does nothing to deal with our out-of-control spending or reduce our tremendous debt. Instead, all it does is guarantee more borrowing.
It's been a long couple weeks in Washington as Congress and the White House seek a solution that would fully end the government shutdown. In the meantime, the House of Representatives has worked in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation that would fund and reopen key priorities and agencies in the interim.
As I write, our government is mired in the midst of a shutdown for the first time since 1996. Congress' inability to reach an agreement to keep the government open is extremely unfortunate as it personally affects so many Americans.
As I traveled the Sixth Congressional District throughout August, I met with constituents from all walks of life: from farmers in Macon and small business owners in Lee's Summit to teachers in Hamilton and law enforcement officers in Canton. No matter where I stopped, no matter who I was meeting with, one concern weighed on their minds above others: Obamacare.
This past week, our nation commemorated the 12th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We must always keep alive the memory of those we lost, and recall the heroic acts of valor that occurred that day, as firefighters and office workers, police officers and tourists, all worked together to save lives and comfort a nation. We must also thank the servicemen and women who, in the years that followed, have fought to protect and defend our freedoms and keep us safe.