E-Newsletters

Being a cattleman is more than a job; it's a way of life. It isn't always easy, particularly when you're pulling a calf at three o'clock in the morning or trying to warm up a newborn calf in your dining room because it's ten below zero.

What's easy doesn't always factor into it. You do what's right and you do what it takes to nurture those calves into steers and heifers that will go on to feed other families. When you lose one along the way, it hurts—and not just your pocketbook.

In the early hours of June 6, 1944, under the cover of darkness, American and British paratroopers dropped into Normandy from more than 1,200 aircraft. The largest naval bombardment the world has ever seen began at 5:30 AM, lasting only 40 minutes. American battleships, supported by cruisers and destroyers and the British Royal Navy, shelled German defensive positions around the beaches of Normandy. The sunrise brought with it waves of landing vessels carrying American, British, Canadian, and French troops who stormed over fifty miles of fiercely defended coastline in Northern France.

School has just wrapped up for the year and graduates have their sights set on what’s next. That may be college, or technical school, or going straight into the workforce. For others, they’ve chosen to enlist in a branch of the military. They’ve taken seriously a call to serve, dedicating themselves for a time to safeguarding our nation and putting themselves in harm’s way. For some, that may mean paying the ultimate sacrifice. The very least we can do for these men and women who have chosen to serve is ensure that they have a decent quality of life while they are in the military.

With all the partisanship and division in Washington, getting something done seems next to impossible. Yet, just last week as Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I was able to bring folks together and pass a critical piece of legislation that was signed into law by the President.

This week, May 12th through May 18th, marks National Police Week. Everyday across North Missouri, law enforcement officials leave the comfort of their own homes to protect and serve their community, putting their life on the line for the people around them. For that, we should all be grateful and hold them in the highest regard. 

Teaching is a passion that calls many to go the extra mile for our children's future. As a father of three children who all went to school in Tarkio, I understand that Missourians have been blessed with many outstanding individuals who serve our communities in the teaching profession. Our educators have a difficult job, and they should be thanked for their hard work and dedication.

It’s an idea as old as our nation—to secure peace, America must project strength. As George Washington said in his 1793 State of the Union address: “If we desire to secure peace… it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.”

That concept, succinctly described by President Reagan as "peace through strength," has been at the core of American foreign policy from the very beginning. Unfortunately, what we’re seeing right now from President Biden is the exact opposite, weakness—and it only invites chaos.

The United States Postal Service is one of the only federal agencies that can trace its roots to the United States Constitution. Needless to say, mail delivery is one of the few things the federal government should do and should do well. Unfortunately, they aren't.

I've heard countless complaints about prescriptions not being delivered on time, gifts and packages going missing, and bills not being delivered until long after the due date. It's not just a problem in Kansas City and North Missouri, but all over the country.