E-Newsletters

Thomas Jefferson is best remembered as the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence. He also served as third President of the United States, the second Vice President of the United States, the first Secretary of State and the Governor of Virginia. He knew a thing or two about how government works.

Jefferson said, "that government is best which governs the least." Washington sometimes thinks it knows better than the people outside the Capitol. I couldn't disagree more.

Many of us had a teacher in our life that made a difference. Someone who took the extra time to make sure we understood the lesson or someone who helped us find a hidden talent. A good teacher can make all the difference in a child's life.

A good teacher is an integral and important part of improving educational performances in the classroom. Every year, teachers across Missouri reach into their own pockets to purchase classroom supplies they believe will benefit their students and create a better learning environment.

Another school year has begun in Missouri and around the nation. We should be proud that our state has set some of the toughest standards for teachers and students to meet.

Each school is graded on a specific set of criteria to make sure that it is educating its students. When the school falls short, that school is considered "failing" in the eyes of the federal government. Those report cards are being published now and some 82% of our nation's schools are considered to be failing.

In 2001, Congress passed landmark education legislation that put an emphasis on accountability. It was a way to measure our schools and make sure that our children were learning. It also allowed states to pinpoint schools and curriculums that were not meeting the challenge of effectively educating our children.

In Northwest Missouri, the water continues its retreat back to the banks of the Missouri River. This past summer will be remembered both for the devastation of this flood and for its duration. It's important that we act now to prevent a repeat of this disaster.

It has become clear to me that we are asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to juggle too many responsibilities. Oftentimes those demands are counterproductive. We should instead be focused on one overall priority.

I've often said that Washington, D.C., is 17-square miles of logic free environment. Even so, it's hard to imagine the federal government telling the private sector where it can and cannot create jobs. Yet, that is exactly what the National Labor Relations Board is trying to do.

A Pony Express rider could leave St. Joseph and make it to Sacramento in less than 10 days. Later, the completion of the Pacific Telegraph line ended the need for the express.

In the same way, the United States Postal Service is facing challenging times because technology has evolved. Communication is now instantaneous.

This week we will mark the ten-year anniversary of September 11th. Many of us remember exactly where we were on that day when we heard the terrible news. Like all Americans, I was horrified as I watched television coverage of commercial airliners being turned into missiles and flown into the World Trade Center.

A rumor quickly spread that a plane was headed toward the Capitol, and we evacuated as quickly as we could. I ended up back in the Capitol later that night answering constituent phone calls and trying to make sense of what little information was available.