Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Missouri's 8th District - On Friday of each I will write a weekly column on major legislation or events from the previous week. My first one is entitled: Balancing the Budget.

At the end of my first week representing Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives I filed legislation to add a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. For the last several months I have talked to families across the 30 counties of our district about the need to reign in federal spending and reduce our nearly $17 trillion national debt. Folks have agreed that our country would be a lot better off if Washington followed Missouri’s example and actually balanced the budget.

During my time in the Missouri General Assembly we balanced the budget every single year because we had a Balanced Budget Amendment in our state’s Constitution. As a result, Missouri has been able to control spending and create a stable budget environment. Although I have only been in Washington for a little over a week, I can tell you that our federal government would be wise to look at Missouri as spending decisions are being made.

During the past three decades, Congress has made numerous attempts to control spending with non-binding budget resolutions and deficit control acts only to see our debt skyrocket. We must face the fact that another non-binding budget resolution is doomed to the same failed result that previous resolutions yielded – temporary deficit reduction followed by rapidly growing debt and spending. It is time for Congress to get serious about the debt crisis and economic growth by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment that will put America on a genuine path to prosperity.

As I have talked to families across our district the consistent theme from each conversation I have been a part of is that Washington is not the solution to our problems. In fact, Washington is the problem. Parents are concerned their children will not have the chance to achieve the American Dream because they will be bogged down with debt. Small business owners are not hiring new workers because they are concerned about our weak economy.  

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE – Gov. Jay Nixon led a delegation from Missouri in visiting the Normandy American Cemetery, where more than 9,300 Americans killed during World War II – including 232 Missourians – are buried. Many of the soldiers interred at the cemetery died during the invasion of Normandy, which began on June 6, 1944.

The Governor gave brief remarks at the Cemetery Memorial before the playing of the American National Anthem. Gov. Nixon and two members of the Missouri delegation, state Sen. Ron Richard, of Joplin, and state Sen. Ryan McKenna, of Jefferson County, then laid wreaths at the memorial to honor American troops who died in the war.

“Sixty-nine years ago this month, American soldiers – some barely out of high school – disembarked from their landing craft onto beaches not far from here, jumping into a pounding surf and often a withering fire,” Gov. Nixon said. “The bravery of these young men was staggering. Under a deadly barrage, they worked their way up from ashore to join their fellow soldiers who, under the cover of darkness the night before, came into Normandy by parachute or glider.

“Thousands of American soldiers would die on D-Day and during the next several weeks in order to liberate France and western Europe,” the Governor said. “Nazi tyranny was defeated because so many of our countrymen were willing to fight and die to protect and preserve the American ideals of freedom and liberty.  Their spirit lives on in the men and women of our armed forces today who bravely protect America and its people. On this hill, a short distance from where one of history’s turning points took place, we honor and thank The Greatest Generation for their courage, sacrifice and accomplishments.” 

After the ceremony at the Memorial, the Governor and his group walked to the grave site of Woodrow W. Fitzwater, a soldier killed in action 69 years ago today. The Governor also laid a wreath at the grave of Private First Class Fitzwater, a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, who was from Montgomery County, and who had relatives in St. Louis.

“PFC Fitzwater represents the 232 soldiers from Missouri for whom this hallowed ground is their final resting place,” Gov. Nixon said. “They came from farms, small towns and big cities to join a great crusade that liberated millions and kept our country free. May we always remember and honor that selfless sacrifice.”

The Governor also traveled to the National Guard Monument in Vierville-sur-Mer, Normandy to pay his respects. The monument was dedicated on the 25th anniversary of D-Day in 1969 as a tribute to members of the National Guard who fought in France in World War I and World War II.

“This monument reminds us that Citizen-Soldiers from Missouri and other states continue to serve overseas as a vital part of our military forces, just as they bravely did in wars past,” the Governor said.

The visit to Normandy comes during the second day of the trade mission that Gov. Nixon is leading to three European countries. The delegation also includes First Lady Georganne Nixon; Mike Downing, Acting Director, Department of Economic Development; and representatives of Missouri businesses, industry leaders and higher education institutions, including Automated Motion Inc. (AMI); Boeing Company; DRS Technologies; Essex Industries; F-Stop Corporation, Kansas City Area Development Corp; Kansas City International Airport; LMI Aerospace; Mead & Hunt, Inc.; PAS Technologies; Sabreliner; St. Louis Lambert International Airport; St. Louis Regional Chamber; and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

In France, Gov. Nixon will attend the 50th International Paris Air Show, the world’s leading aviation and space industry event, and meet with major aerospace industry leaders and foreign investors who have, or are considering, significant investments in Missouri. The Governor will also meet with U.S. Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin, the Confederation of French Industries International, and the American Chamber of Commerce.

In the United Kingdom, Gov. Nixon is scheduled to meet with U.K. Trade and Invest, personnel from the U.S. Embassy; Minister Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; and the British-American Business Group.

In Belgium, Gov. Nixon is scheduled to meet with U.S. Ambassador Howard Gutman; personnel from NATO Command; and with members of the American Chamber of Commerce and American European Commission Association.

The Governor, First Lady and members of the delegation arrived in Paris on Saturday (June 15). The delegation will travel to the United Kingdom on Wednesday, June 19 and then to Belgium on Thursday, June 20. The delegation will return to the United Kingdom on Friday, June 21 and depart for Missouri on Saturday, June 22. Travel costs for Gov. and Mrs. Nixon are being covered by the Hawthorn Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting economic growth in Missouri. State taxpayer funds are not being used.

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Missouri/Washington DC -  Today, Congressman Jason Smith announced he has opened offices in Missouri and Washington D.C. to serve his constituents in Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District. Smith now has offices open in Cape Girardeau, West Plains, Rolla, Farmington and Washington D.C.

“My staff and I work for the families who call the Eighth District home and we encourage people to reach out to us if we can ever be of assistance with federal agencies like the Social Security Administration or the Veterans Administration. We also welcome input on legislation being considered in Washington,” said Smith. “Our offices in Missouri and the Washington office belong to residents of the Eighth District. Our doors will always be open and we encourage anyone who needs assistance or guidance to reach out.” 

Below is a list of Smith’s office locations and contact information:

Cape Girardeau District Office

2502 Tanner Drive, Suite 205

Cape Girardeau, MO  63703

573-335-0101

Fax: 573-335-1931

and the

Washington Office

2230 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

202-225-4404

Fax: 202-226-0326

Email: rep.jason.smith@mail.house.gov

Smith will host an open house at each of his Missouri office locations in the coming weeks to give constituents a chance to meet his district staff.

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Washington DC – In less than 18 hours after Missouri polling locations closed, Jason Smith was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Missouri’s Eighth District.

"We hit the ground running in our campaign and today we are hitting the ground running in the House of Representatives. This district has been without a representative for 135 days now and it was important to me to be sworn in as soon as possible.” said Smith. “Eighth District voters sent a strong message about their conservative values and I look forward to working hard to meet their expectations.”

Smith won a landslide victory in Missouri’s Eighth District capturing over 67% of the vote and winning 28 of the 30 counties in the Eighth District. The entire Missouri House Delegation joined Smith as he was sworn into office. U.S. Senator Roy Blunt also joined Smith on the House floor for swearing in.

Submitted by

Beth Farrah, SMT Writer

Jefferson City, Missouri  – “Missouri’s public schools are vital to the economic future of state”, Governor Nixon says.

Governor Nixon issued the following statement regarding Education Week’s 2013 Diploma’s Count report, released today, showing Missouri with the 8th highest graduation rate in the country.  According to the report, over 80 percent of Missouri high school students graduated with a regular diploma in 2010, up 9.5 percent from 2000. This is the second year the state has been in the top 10 and the fourth consecutive year the state’s graduation rate has increased.

“Quality public schools are essential to our state’s economic competitiveness, and today’s report is yet another indication that our smart, strategic investments in education are paying real dividends for Missouri families and communities,” Governor Nixon said. “There is more work to do, but with math and reading scores going up and dropout rates going down, Missouri’s public schools are clearly moving in the right direction.  To ensure our workforce is ready to compete and win in the global economy, we must continue to build on this positive momentum, not undermine it with fiscally irresponsible experiments.”

Yesterday, Governor Nixon joined business leaders, educators, administrators and parents to discuss his veto of House Bill 253, which would undermine Missouri’s economic competitiveness by jeopardizing funding for public education.

All states, public school districts, and local education agencies are required by the U.S. Department of Education to publicly report comparable high school graduation rates using its four-year adjusted cohort rate. The four-year adjusted cohort rate is a different method than the Diplomas Count report uses to calculate graduation rate.