E-Newsletters

Missouri has a long history of producing coal. In fact, the Show Me state was the first state West of the Mississippi to produce coal for commercial use. When it comes to the generation of electricity in the United States, about half of that power is provided by coal.

The coal industry is booming. The United States is one of the world's largest exporters of coal. According to the Energy Information Administration, there is enough coal to last for the next 200 years.

Here we go again. Gas prices have risen for the last 20 straight days and we are now closing in on $4 gas. It's time for this energy-rich nation to stop acting like an energy-poor nation.

We cannot solve the problem overnight, but we can take action now that will help reduce the price at the pump in the medium and long-term. We need to increase the use of renewable and alternative energy, we need to increase the number of refineries, we need a smart energy conservation plan and we need to keep exploring for energy in America.

There are few things in life that seem as unfair as a death tax. After a lifetime of building up your farm or small business, the notion that the federal government is owed anything upon your death is outrageous to me.

We all rely on agriculture at least three times a day. From the orange juice you enjoy in the morning to the popcorn that you eat at night, agriculture provides our nourishment each and every day. No matter where you live, your grocery store is filled with produce, fruit, meat and dairy products.

As we get ready to reauthorize the farm bill, I am reminded of one of our country's blessings. We have the safest, most abundant food supply in the world. That is due in large part to the hard work, ingenuity and determination of our farmers and producers.

With the mild winter this year, many farmers are starting to worry about how the dry winner will affect planting season. There is enough to worry about without new regulations from Washington.

My colleague and fellow farmer, Blaine Luetkemeyer, and I have in the past secured a federal waiver that ensured the timely delivery of farm supplies for the planting season.

I am often asked where I get my work ethic. The answer is easy: from growing up on a farm. I learned about responsibility at an early age by caring for animals and working with my family in the field. To this day, those lessons I learned about the value of an honest day's work have stuck with me.

Last week the President laid out his plans in the annual State of the Union address. In the coming weeks, the President will submit a budget for the year and Congress will begin to debate it. Budgets are about priorities and this is where the hard work of balancing our nation's budget should begin.

Washington has never been particularly good at sticking to its budget. As author William Feather said, "a budget tells us what we can't afford, but it doesn't keep us from buying it." In fact, the federal government has run a budget deficit in 47 of the last 52 years.

The Constitution says that the President shall "from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union…" That time comes this week as the President will report on the condition of our country and outline his legislative goals for the year.

The State of the Union speech is full of pomp and circumstance. It was not always this way. Thomas Jefferson thought the speech made us look more like a monarchy than a democracy. He sent a written address instead. However, in 1913, Woodrow Wilson decided to give his speech in person.