Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Listening Posts are intended for Missourians to share their questions and concerns during meetings with members of Senator Blunt's staff.
Senator Blunt’s Jefferson City office also extends one-on-one service to all Missourians who have an issue with a federal agency or need additional assistance.
To reach the Senator’s Office of Constituent Services, please call at (573) 634-2488 or send a letter at 308 E. High Street, Suite 202, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.
What: Senator Blunt's Staff Hosts Listening Post Meeting
When: Thursday, August 1, 2013 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm CT
Where: Bootheel Regional Planning Commission
105 E. North Main
Dexter, MO
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, MISSOURI – Congressman Jason Smith announced he would serve on the Intellectual Property, Regulatory Reform and Constitution Subcommittees of the House Judiciary Committee.
“The Judiciary Committee is one of the most active committees in the House of Representatives. With my appointment to the Intellectual Property, Regulatory Reform and Constitution Subcommittees, I will be able to strongly advocate for my constituents’ right to liberty and fight for meaningful regulatory reform,” said Smith. “Additionally, I will be an out-spoken advocate on the committee for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution and protecting the innovators who are at the frontlines of thought and advancement.”
• Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet- jurisdiction over the following subject matters: Administration of U.S. Courts, Federal Rules of Evidence, Civil and Appellate Procedure, judicial ethics, copyright, patent, trademark law, information technology, other appropriate matters as referred to by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
• Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law- jurisdiction over the following subject matters: bankruptcy and commercial law, bankruptcy judgeships, administrative law, independent counsel, state taxation affecting interstate commerce, interstate compacts, antitrust matters, other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
• Constitution and Civil Justice- jurisdiction over the following subject matters: constitutional amendments, constitutional rights, Federal civil rights, ethics in government, tort liability, including medical malpractice and product liability, legal reform generally, other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.
Jason Smith represents Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. In the 113th Congress, Smith sits on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. Smith resides in Salem, Missouri where he operates his family’s fourth-generation cattle farm.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Jefferson City, Missouri - Gov. Jay Nixon has signed House Bill 533 to expand gun rights in the state of Missouri.
House Bill 533 allows a state employee to keep a firearm in his or her vehicle while on property owned or leased by the state, allows a fire chief to carry a concealed firearm, and expresses the General Assembly's support of responsible gun ownership.
"As a gun owner and hunter, I support the Second Amendment rights of Missourians and oppose efforts to undermine them," Gov. Nixon said. "That is why, as Governor, I have enacted legislation to expand gun rights, including bills to strengthen the Castle Doctrine and to allow more Missourians to carry concealed weapons. House Bill 533 is a sensible expansion of Missouri's already strong protections for gun owners."
The Governor has consistently signed bills expanding the rights of gun owners in Missouri. In 2012, Gov. Nixon signed legislation to lower the right-to-carry age for active duty military stationed in Missouri from 21 to 18. A bill signed by the Governor in 2011 lowered the age at which Missourians' can obtain a conceal carry endorsement from 23 to 21 and allowed elected officials and staff with concealed carry permits to carry firearms in the Missouri State Capitol. In 2010, he signed bills to expand the scope of the "Castle Doctrine" to include the protection of unborn children and allowing small business owners and farmers to use deadly force on property they own or lease without having a duty to retreat.
In 2008, then-Attorney General Nixon was among the first attorneys general in the nation to file a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court urging it to strike down the Washington, DC gun ban and adopt the position that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. He also defended Missouri's conceal carry law before the Missouri Supreme Court and obtained reciprocity agreements from other states to recognize Missouri's conceal carry permits, making Missouri's endorsement the most widely recognized in the nation.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Celebrating Our Country’s Independence
Although we look forward to the Fourth of July every year because it may mean firecrackers or eating hotdogs with our families and friends, we often overlook what the holiday truly signifies. So, as we celebrate our country’s independence with barbeques, fireworks and parades, it is important to understand the sacrifices that were made so we could be a free nation.
On July 4, 1776, the visionary members of the Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence. They recognized that by doing so, they were committing an act of treason against the British Empire. And yet, they believed so deeply in the “American experiment” -- the creation of a country where people were free and even guaranteed the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- that potential rewards far overshadowed potential risks. Such a promise had never been made before; and today, the United States is the most liberated country in the world.
Thomas Jefferson, our third U.S. president, was the Declaration’s primary author. Perhaps the most famous and awe-inspiring line of the document says: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
We must not forget that the gift of freedom that has been handed down to us from our Founding Fathers and subsequent generations was earned, and continues to be earned, at a considerable cost. The courage shown more than 230 years ago lives on in our brave soldiers, who serve at home and abroad to protect the freedom our forefathers worked tirelessly to provide.
As we reflect on our history, it is important that we set aside our differences to celebrate this great country and honor the heroes who are serving and defending our freedom.
On this Independence Day, I encourage all Missourians to recognize the blessing of freedom that we have been granted and do our part to protect it for the next generation.
Remembering that freedom is not a guaranteed or written in stone, actions and attitudes impact the ability to continue to enjoy this way of life. So on this day celebrate with family and friends and remember our founding fathers for their commitment and sacrifices for a free society governed by their alliance through faith and higher authority.
As always, it is an honor to serve you in the Missouri House. If you would like to discuss any issue, please call 573-751-3629. You can also email me at kent.hampton@house.mo.gov . I look forward to hearing from you.
