E-Newsletters
January 9th marked National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. While every day is an opportunity to show our appreciation to all the men and women who serve our communities, we should take time to honor the profound dedication of the law enforcement officers who willingly put their lives on the line to protect our family and neighbors daily.
A new year means evaluating what’s working, what isn’t, and what we need to focus on in the new year. That’s no different in Congress. America is coming to a crossroads politically, economically, and internationally. We must remain committed to securing American prosperity for generations to come and focus on doing the things that ensure that happens.
We’re coming to the close of another year and hopefully you are ending it on a high note. Each year brings its share of ups and downs, and this one was no different.
One of the things I look forward to each year as a Member of Congress is nominating some of North Missouri’s finest young men and women for admission to one of our nation’s great service academies: the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Each of the nominees to these academies trade 5 years of service for an exceptional education at some of the most prestigious institutions in America.
The American people are facing a crisis at our southern border. It seems that we hear of a new “record amount” of illegal crossings at the border nearly every month. In October alone, there were 240,988 illegal immigrant encounters at the border, a 235% increase from October 2020. This was the 32nd straight month where illegal immigrant encounters had been higher than the month before. Since President Biden took office there have been over 6.4 million illegal crossings at our southern border, including 279 individuals on the terrorist watch list.
For decades, Iran has been a threat to peace and freedom around the globe. The radical Islamic regime in Tehran has continually trained, directed, and armed terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah that are responsible for the senseless slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians. Their support has directly fueled the recent Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
Over 400 years ago, during the autumn of 1621, 52 English settlers were joined by members of the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts to celebrate a successful harvest. Although the term “Thanksgiving” wasn’t coined until later, this celebration would become known as the first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was first celebrated as an American holiday on November 26, 1789, after President Washington issued a proclamation.
Opening weekend of deer season has come and gone and many folks across North Missouri enjoyed successful hunts. 90,334 deer were harvested in the first weekend alone this year and over 300,000 deer are typically harvested each year across the state. Missouri offers incredible opportunities for hunters to put food on the table, spend time with friends and family, and enjoy the outdoors. It also reminds us of the importance of sharing these traditions with the next generation.
It’s no secret that our rural roads and bridges need attention. For years, they were neglected, left to fall into disrepair, leaving places like North Missouri behind. While there’s much work left to be done, I’m glad to report we have made some headway.