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Earlier this week, I signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 5299, the "European Bailout Protection Act." This bill prohibits U.S. contributions to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from being used to loan money to irresponsible European Union (EU) nations until they can bring their debt-to-GDP ratio to 60 percent.

Like many of you, I've been following the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This tragic environmental disaster is partly the result of America's unworkable energy plan. We wouldn't need to drill hundreds of miles off the coast, in thousands of feet of water if we had access to fossil fuel deposits located onshore in the United States.

Jobs, jobs, jobs. That's what Congressional Leadership and the Administration said would be their main focus for 2010. Not surprisingly, however, their policies of higher taxes, runaway spending, record debt, and increased regulation continue to have a chilling effect on the nation's job creators.

As the summer driving season heads toward full swing, we are likely to see high gas prices return. In addition, there is still an oil well in the Gulf that is uncapped. Officials there say that it may take another month before it's fixed. Clearly, we do not have a workable energy plan in this country.

We need to address energy in a comprehensive way that will bring down energy prices and make us less dependent on foreign sources of oil. Part of that solution is to grow our reliance on nuclear power.

New unemployment figures came out this morning. Once again, the unemployment rate has risen; it's now at 9.9%. While the economy did gain jobs, it was not nearly enough to pull us out of the current recession.

Congress should be focused on legislation that will help create jobs. The government does not create jobs, but we can set the table for economic growth with policies that mean less taxation, less regulation and less litigation. Unfortunately that is the opposite of what this administration has done.

This Week

Last week the President stopped in Macon to take a look at one of Missouri's renewable energy plants. Washington has finally taken notice that Missouri is leading the way when it comes to renewable energy.

Here in Missouri's Sixth District we are on the leading edge of renewable energy. Farmers, and the ethanol they produce, are playing a role in reducing our energy costs. We also are leading the way in wind production.

President Obama visited Macon, Missouri this week. Despite my hopes that President Obama would address the concerns of hard-working Missourians during his visit, I was disappointed that he failed to address the staggering jobs losses that were supposed to end with the $862 billion stimulus package passed more than a year ago.

It is important to remember that almost all of us are the children of immigrants. Our parents or grandparents or great- great-great grandparents came to America because it was and still is a land of opportunity. America as a nation is great because of immigration, not in spite of it.

Even today, America continues to welcome immigrants who come here legally. It is not legal immigration that upsets Americans, it is illegal immigration. Our country has become far too tolerant to those who have broken the law.