Opening Day

Today, the First Session of the 95th General Assembly was convened and I am looking forward to tackling the challenges before us on your behalf. It is also with great regret that I inform you that yesterday, January 6th, the U.S. Congress also convened to work tirelessly on their behalf.

At the beginning of each new General Assembly which occurs every two years, the first order of business after the legislators are sworn in is the election of a new Speaker of the House. I am very pleased to have supported and voted for Rep. Ron Richard from Joplin to this important post. He takes this position at a challenging time in Missouri and our Nation.

While Congress has frittered away opportunity after opportunity and readies our descendants for untold trillions of dollars in debt to a seemingly endless line of special interests representing about every industry our Nation has to offer, Speaker Richard outlined a new vision.

Instead of rewarding the poor decisions of individual business leaders and lining the pockets of favored industries under the guise of “the greater good”, the Republican majority in the Missouri House recognizes that the bedrock of the economy, the bedrock of every community, is you and your family. So, today Speaker Richard outlined a four point plan known as the Family Recovery Plan.

The Family Recovery Plan starts with continued efforts to make Missouri a job-friendly state. We recognize that the oldest social program known to man is a family supporting job. This plan calls for a modest tax cut that will keep more of your hard-earned dollars in your pocket where they belong. The plan pursues free-market solutions to promote ownership, better access, affordability, and privacy in health care while making it more transparent and ensuring that it is free of the waste, fraud, and abuse that has plagued it in the past. Finally, this plan will explore ways to promote the development of our alternative energy sources such as clean coal, wind farms, hydroelectric, and nuclear power.

The Family Recovery Plan is essential to provide Missourians with the assistance they need during these tough economic times. The plan, along with sound budget planning, will be the cornerstone on which our legislative successes will be built. It is time for government to quit trying to pick winners and losers. Where our federal government has failed to act, the Missouri House will remain committed to seeking solutions to the problems faced by Missourians from all walks of life.

A Christmas Message

In just a few days people around the world will be celebrating Christmas and families will gather bearing gifts for one another and likely sharing a bountiful feast. Families will come together from across town, across the street, another state, and the far corners of the earth to celebrate together, and forty years ago this Christmas Eve the world even celebrated from the heavens.

This Christmas season has become a time of economic unrest, bailouts, and dwindling 401(k)’s. It is a time when the Federal Reserve can’t make up its mind whether its function is central banking or central planning, where monetary policy could easily be confused with the whims of weather vane, a Congress more intent on approving its own stimulus package, and a new administration just on the horizon with the promise of “change”.

Forty years ago the national mood wasn’t any better. America and the world were rocked by war, racial violence, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy. President John F. Kennedy had called for America to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, only to have suffered the tragic loss of three astronauts (Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee) during a ground test in 1967. To complicate matters the CIA believed (wrongly) that the Soviet Union was about to launch a manned lunar mission that, if successful, would beat the United States to the moon after first beating the United States into orbit.

The importance of Apollo 8 could not have been greater. It was the first mission to send a crew – Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders – from the Earth to orbit the moon and return to the Earth. It was not without its challenges. The big Saturn V rocket needed to propel the Apollo 8 to the moon had suffered a number of setbacks and instrumentation problems during its test flights.

This mission, among all of the Apollo missions, was the most important. Its success, or failure, could determine the fate of the American space program and Kennedy’s challenge to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade - and give hope to a Nation.

It launched on December 21, 1968 and reached lunar orbit on Christmas Eve as millions watched and listened around the world.

After the third lunar orbit the spacecraft was turned slightly and gave the astronauts the first view by human beings of the Earth rising over the lunar surface.

The broadcast that night ended by the crew taking turns reading from Genesis, a stark contrast to the Soviet Union’s Nikita Khrushchev engaging in atheistic, communist propaganda saying, “Why should you clutch at God? Here is Gagarin who flew into space but saw no God there.”

The reading began in Genesis 1:1:

[Bill Anders]
"We are now approaching lunar sunrise. For all the people back on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you."

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."

[Jim Lovell]
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

[Frank Borman]
"And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas: and God saw that it was good."

Frank Borman later recalled of the lunar sunrise, “It was the only thing in space that had any color to it. Everything else was either black or white, but not the Earth." Jim Lovell said that Earth was "a grand oasis in the vast loneliness of space."

Apollo 8 was a triumph of our understanding of astrophysics, gravity, trajectory, combustion, aeronautics, engineering, and American “know how”. America ended a troubled year with great achievement and presented her with three more heroes.

Christmas gives us hope in good times and in bad regardless of the economy, Washington, or the Federal Reserve. It is a timeless message of love and mercy born in manger, a young child that changed the world and continues to change hearts today.

Frank Borman concluded that Christmas Eve broadcast saying, "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."

Merry Christmas!

The Miraculous Missouri Turnaround

Amidst the daily dose of bad news about gas prices and food prices along with a debate about whether we are, or are not, in a recession it is easy to overlook just how far we have come. In the past four years Missouri has improved itself and fares better than at least 40 other states in the Union.

This month I would like to share with you some of the advances made in our state that you probably won’t hear from the mainstream media.

Cutting Taxes: The Senior Tax Justice Act
Tax cut on Social Security and public pension benefits (teachers, veterans, policemen, and firefighters). Over 300,000 Missourians will benefit from this $153.8 million tax cut.
Missouri has been able to cut taxes and still produce surplus revenue.

Helping Missouri’s Most Vulnerable Citizens
Here’s a sample of increased public assistance made to our most vulnerable citizens:
Funding for the Autism Program has increased by $7,369,240.
Funding for SCHIP has increased by $30,290,680.
Funding for the First Steps Program has increased by $1,140,000.
Funding for Utilicare has increased by $6,440,785.
Funding for Sheltered Workshops has increased by $2,600,000.
The General Assembly has been able to increase funding for these vital programs, something that was unheard of when our economy and budget situation were poor just a few years ago. These programs go far to help protect and aid some of Missouri’s most important and vulnerable citizens.

Decreasing Methamphetamine Production
Legislation limiting the sale of methamphetamine producing drugs has resulted in a dramatic drop in methamphetamine-related incidents:
2003: 2,860
2004: 2,807 -53
2005: 2,170 -637
2006: 1,288 -882
Missouri went from the number one methamphetamine producing state in the nation to a 55% drop in methamphetamine related incidents – now that is real progress!

Improving Transportation
Missouri has gone from having the 3rd worst pavement on major roads to the ninth best.
The $5.7 billion spent on transportation has resulted in $20.52 billion in economic activity creating family supporting jobs throughout the state.
Safety improvements on major highways have resulted in 161 fewer people losing their lives in 2006 compared to the previous year.
Missouri leads the nation with the largest drop in traffic fatalities.
Missouri has the 3rd lowest administrative costs per mile.
Bottom line - MODOT went from politics and broken promises to putting money towards improving roads – now let’s hold them to it.

Since 2003, we have gone from losing jobs to creating jobs, from cutting programs to cutting taxes, and for the first time in anyone’s memory the state bureaucracy is not growing, but is now shrinking.

That is what I have set out to do by representing you in Jefferson City. By making myself available to discuss the issues that are important to you, I will continue to work towards restoring trust in state government, lowering taxes, improving access and affordability in health care, fighting wasteful spending, encouraging and building up the traditional family, and removing barriers so that business can flourish so that we will be able to provide excellence in education, continue to improve our roads and bridges, help the most needy in our society, and make government accountable to the people.

Independence Forever

In our day the Fourth of July, or simply “the 4th”, has become a day of festive activities replete with barbeques, fireworks, parades, summer fun, and extended vacations all dressed in a patriotic red, white, and blue.

Since the early days of our Nation’s founding America has celebrated its birthday while the rest of the world watches – some jealously, some with disdain, and others with awe. The birth of America – the “Great Experiment” in self-government – is still a strange notion in many parts of the world.

For me, the Fourth of July is indeed a time of celebration, but it is also a time of remembrance and thanksgiving. It is more than just a date on a calendar, it is “Independence Day” – a day when a small group of men gathered on a hot, steamy day in a horsefly ridden room stood together and declared that they were free and were prepared to take up arms to defend that freedom against the mightiest military power of their day.

On July 2, 1776 the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence which called for a complete separation from Great Britain. It was two days later, on July 4 that the draft of the Declaration was signed by two individuals: John Hancock, the President of Congress, and Charles Thompson, Secretary of Congress.

Four days later, on July 8, the members of Congress read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of Independence Hall proclaiming it to the city of Philadelphia. Afterwards, the Liberty Bell was rung. I find it fitting that the inscription around the top of that bell reads, “Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof”.

On August 2, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed by the members of Congress. William Ellery of Rhode Island stood at the table to see the face of each delegate as he courageously put his name to the document. He witnessed some men sign quickly "but in no face was he able to discern real fear." He watched as Stephan Hopkins, also of Rhode Island and a man in his sixties, put his signature to the document with a shaking pen while declaring, “My hand trembles, but my heart does not."

The first shots of the American Revolution had been fired the year before at Lexington and Concord. News coming in from General Washington was not encouraging and British ships were at anchor in the New York harbor, but still our Founders put their names to a document - their death warrant - that ended with a firm resolve “…for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor”.

While we celebrate today, the solemnity of that day was recorded by Dr. Benjamin Rush in a letter to John Adams in 1781:

Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the House when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress to subscribe to what was believed by many at that time to be our death warrants? The silence and gloom of the morning was interrupted, I well recollect, only for a moment by Colonel Harrison of Virginia who said to Mr. Gerry at the table: 'I shall have a great advantage over you, Mr. Gerry, when we are all hung for what we are now doing... From the size and weight of my body I shall die in a few minutes, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead.' This speech procured a transient smile, but it was soon succeeded by the solemnity with which the whole business was conducted.

These men had a solemn understanding that freedom is not free.

For the first three years of the Revolution no country would give a loan to this fledgling nation to fight the British. Robert Morris of Pennsylvania was the financier of the war and used his personal fortune and his own credit to keep the Continental Army equipped and on the move. Even after foreign powers began providing financial assistance money remained in short supply.

In 1781, General Washington was planning the campaign against Cornwallis at Yorktown. He turned to Judge Peters of Pennsylvania and asked, “What can you do for me?”

“With money, everything, without it, nothing,” came the reply.

General Washington anxiously turned to Mr. Morris who replied, “Let me know the sum you desire.” It has been commented that the campaign of 1781 resulting in Cornwallis’ surrender and virtually ending the Revolutionary War (the peace treaty would not be signed until 1783) was possible wholly on the credit of one individual. In the end, the new government in America was unable to repay Mr. Morris and yet he never complained, because he had given his word.

The personal sacrifice of Robert Morris was not unusual for the signers. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence:

• Nine died of wounds and other hardships during the war.
• Five were captured, imprisoned, and brutally treated.
• Several of these men lost their wives, their sons, or their entire families. One, John Hart of New Jersey lost his wife and never saw his 13 children again.
• Twelve had their homes completely burned by the British.
• Seventeen lost all that they owned.

Freedom is not free; it is bought with blood and washed with tears.

John Adams commenting on the signing of the Declaration reflected:

You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost to maintain this Declaration… Yet through all of the gloom I can see rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth more than all of the means; that posterity will triumph in that day’s transaction, even though we may regret it, which I trust in God we shall not.

Our Founding Fathers have passed the torch to succeeding generations; let us not allow it to go out. This Independence Day remember the sacrifices of those who have gone before us in defense of, and to preserve, our Liberty. Give thanks to God and, like John Adams celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, raise your glass in a toast proclaiming, “Independence forever!”

May God bless our men and women in uniform on missions throughout the world serving on our behalf and may He comfort those whose loss runs deep.

Session Wrap Up

The final days of the 2nd Regular Session of the 94th General Assembly came to close at 6pm on May 16, 2008. Each session brings with it numerous opportunities and challenges and this session was no different. The top three issues addressed by the General Assembly this year were property tax reform, illegal immigration, and economic development.

Property Tax Reform (SB711)
Judging by the contacts I receive from constituents, property taxes have become a number one priority of the people in Clay County. I have heard from many of you who are struggling to afford to stay in your homes due to steep increases in assessed valuation that in turn lead to a large increase in your property tax bill and the arrogance of our county to make us pay for penalties and interest due to an error of their own making. The legislature was successful in passing legislation that requires that property tax increases exceeding inflation be automatically rolled back to the previous year’s tax rate. Additionally, this legislation requires that counties refund fees or interest charged when the county was at fault. Additional property tax relief will also be available to seniors and the disabled with incomes up to $30,000 for a single homeowner and $34,000 for married couples by increasing the “circuit breaker” tax credit up to $1,100.

Illegal Immigration (HB1549)
Under new legislation the state of Missouri will pick up where the federal government has failed. Inadequate enforcement of our immigration laws by the federal government gave Missouri cause to empower our law enforcement, protect taxpayer benefits, and remove the magnets that attract illegal aliens to Missouri.

This comprehensive legislation requires the Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies to verify the immigration status of any person arrested and inform the federal authorities if a person is found to be here illegally and allow additional Missouri law enforcement officers to receive training to enforce federal immigration laws. In addition to empowering law enforcement, this legislation also makes it clear that illegal aliens will not have access to taxpayer benefits, such as state-provided health insurance and food stamps. This will help add greater accountability to our public benefit programs while saving taxpayers money. In addition, this legislation prohibits sanctuary cities designations and criminalizes those who transport illegal aliens in violation of human trafficking laws. Employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens or who intentionally falsify the classification of employees as contractors will also face sanctions and penalties.

Economic Development (HB2393)
Job creation remains a top priority for the legislature. This year, the legislature expanded the Quality Jobs Act and the Enhanced Enterprise Zones program to further attract and retain family supporting jobs. The legislature also approved a “mega project” plan to attract an aircraft assembly plant in Kansas City. This project has the potential to directly employ 2,100 people with many additional ancillary jobs that could double that number. In addition, a proposal was approved to finally clear the way for new development around KCI that could attract new warehousing and light manufacturing opportunities for our region.

In addition to these major initiatives, a wide range of legislation dealing with everything from agriculture to education to autism health care and scrap metal theft were also addressed.

Mortgage fraud legislation passed this session lets those looking to take advantage of homebuyers know that Missouri will not tolerate mortgage fraud. The legislation places local prosecutors on the same footing as federal investigators who were the only ones that were able to prosecute offenders and were extremely inefficient. It also creates civil and criminal penalties for residential mortgage fraud.

Legislation was also passed to create the "Missouri Returning Heroes' Education Act" to assist veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan by limiting the tuition public universities can charge. It also creates a tuition grant for survivors of veterans who are disabled or killed in combat and seeks to improve educational opportunities for the sons and daughters of military personnel by removing barriers placed on them caused by frequent moves.

A Day of Remembrance

Memorial Day, a day set aside for remembering those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of Liberty, not just any liberty, but our Liberty, the Liberty that binds us together as a Nation.

What began from many different quarters by decorating the graves of Confederate dead in the 1860’s has grown to an annual remembrance by the 1200 soldiers of the 3rd US Infantry decorating each of the 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery with a small US flag and then patrolling the grounds 24 hours of day during the Memorial Day weekend to make sure that each flag remains standing.

Closer to home in St. Louis, the Boy Scouts of America and the Cub Scouts place flags on the 150,000 graves at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that began in 1951 and continues to this day.

While many towns and cities pay tribute each year with speeches, parades, and fireworks, for many the “Memorial” in Memorial Day has been either ignored or forgotten. We are the beneficiaries of the sacrifices made by the soldiers, sailors, and airmen of yesterday and today.

Last year, I remember hearing on the radio a former Green Beret say that warriors exist to protect women and children – what a simple, yet significant statement. For those who do not come back from their mission, we cannot forget the charge mentioned by General John Logan in his General Order No. 11 on May 5th, 1868:

...gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime...let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation's gratitude, - the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

We can observe Memorial Day as it should be observed, as a day where we actively remember our forefathers, family members, loved ones, and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice:
- By visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
- By visiting memorials.
- By flying the US Flag at half-staff until noon.
- By flying the “POW/MIA Flag (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
- By participating in a "National Moment of Remembrance": at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
- By renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.

On this Memorial Day, let us not forget, as Moina Michael writes in reply to John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields”:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies

May God bless our men and women in uniform on missions throughout the world serving on our behalf and may He comfort those whose loss runs deep that we should always remember that the “blood of heroes never dies”.

One Man, One Vote

Elections require candidates or issues to be on the ballot. They also require registered voters to show up at the polls and cast their vote. America is known for its claim to “one man, one vote”. Voting is a treasured right that allows a citizen to participate, to give voice and influence, at all levels of government, but it is only effective when we can ensure it is free from fraud and corruption. Each vote cast by each voter should have equal weight when compared to the votes of friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. The consequences of elections are immense giving some unscrupulous individuals motivation to try to manipulate the system, thereby lessening the importance of your vote.

There have been numerous examples of voter fraud that have occurred around the country and here in our own state. One of the most outrageous occurrences happened several years ago in St. Louis where Ritzy Mekler was registered to vote. Regardless of her party affiliation and knowledge of the issues and candidates she should never have been allowed to vote. Ritzy’s ineligibility to vote had nothing to do with her residency or that she was a concerned Missourian – no, her problem was that she was a dog. If it wasn’t so true, it could be funny, but if Ritzy would have been required to produce photo identification, she would not have been allowed to vote.

Voter fraud like this diminishes the power of your vote and the votes of all registered voters in Missouri. For that reason, it is critical that we preserve the integrity of the voting process by ensuring it is safeguarded against attempts of fraud. Our system must be one that guarantees only those who are legally entitled to vote are able to participate in the process. Of course, that excludes dogs, even cats, as well as felons, non-residents, the deceased, and the countless other examples of attempts at defrauding the system.

One of the most important things we can do to protect the voting process is to require voters to identify themselves with photo identification. This simple requirement would help deter fraud and ensure that those voting are not doing so under a false pretense. The General Assembly approved this requirement in 2006 and it was signed into law by Governor Blunt. Unfortunately, the Missouri Supreme Court later tossed out that law ruling the law violated the state constitution by imposing too great of a burden on voters. Despite the fact such a requirement is not a burden, it is arguably the cheapest and most effective way to keep a corrupt few from stealing an election – the Missouri Supreme Court thought otherwise.

The good news is that a recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court has re-opened the door for a photo identification requirement by upholding a similar law in Indiana. While that decision doesn’t have a direct impact on Missouri, it does demonstrate that our attempt to provide for free and fair elections was appropriate and does not create an undue burden on registered voters.

The General Assembly is working to pass HJR48 to give voters the opportunity to amend our state constitution to require Missourians to present government-issued photo identification to election officials before voting. For those without any form of photo identification the legislation would require the state to provide these individuals with at least one form of identification at no cost. This proposed constitutional amendment would better protect the voting process from fraud while also ensuring that Missourians who want to vote are not prevented from doing so.

With just five legislative days remaining in this session timing is critical to secure passage in both chambers before time runs out. This legislation was passed by the Missouri House today (May 8, 2008) and is now in the hands of the State Senate. Asking a voter to provide a simple form of photo identification is not an unreasonable request and now we also know that it is not unconstitutional. Voting is one of the most fundamental rights we have as citizens of this republic and we must take this step to further protect that right so the importance of each vote is never diminished or negated.