Despite six years of environmental studies showing no negative impact to move oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico through the pipeline, President Obama has threatened to veto the project claiming it requires additional analysis.
“After years of bipartisan work and support since its initial proposal in 2008, we are finally able to send the bill to construct the Keystone XL Pipeline to the president after passing it today. The fact that with its passage we have the opportunity to provide Americans with 40,000 shovel-ready jobs and lower energy costs is very exciting,” said Congressman Jason Smith. “This excellent opportunity to help put Americans back to work and reduce their burden of high energy costs is why I urge President Obama to sign the bill into law and begin digging.”
The U.S. State Department has thoroughly investigated this project with five reviews totaling more than 22,000 pages and had no major environmental objections. According to the impact study, the pipeline would not increase carbon emissions. Additionally, the project would voluntarily incorporate more than 50 new safety standards recommended by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Congressman Smith and a bipartisan group of more than 300 lawmakers continue to urge President Obama to sign the Keystone XL authorization and bring this infrastructure project that will provide thousands of jobs to fruition.
Hubrecht will serve as House Floor Whip for the 2015 Legislative Session
Jefferson City, Missouri - Rep. Hubrecht, R-Dexter, will play a key role in helping the House Majority Caucus achieve its legislative priorities for the 2015 session. Hubrecht was named this week to serve on the Whip Team by Majority Whip, Rep. Delus Johnson, R-St. Joseph.
“After just a couple of weeks in observing the work ethic, commitment and dedication, it seemed imperative to select Tila to serve on the whip team,” stated Rep. Johnson.
Rep. Hubrecht will serve as one among an elite few selected to serve in this capacity. As part of the Majority Whip team, Hubrecht will be responsible for assisting the majority whip in rounding up votes on critical issues, communicating policy positions to other members, and overseeing that parliamentary rules of the House are followed.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to play a much greater role in the legislative process,” said Rep. Hubrecht. “This position offers me a great opportunity to better represent the interests of the 151st district. I look forward to working to help ensure the passage of legislation that will be of great benefit to the people in our area as well as the entire state of Missouri.”
Rep. Hubreccht added that her new post allows her to become more involved in a wider variety of legislative matters.
Jefferson City, Missouri - Gov. Jay Nixon today made $21.5 million available for seniors, veterans, public safety, economic development, higher education and other priorities. The additional funding comes from a national settlement with the ratings agency Standard & Poor’s announced today by Attorney General Chris Koster and Secretary of State Jason Kander.
“I appreciate the hard work of Attorney General Koster and Secretary of State Kander in representing Missouri, which will help provide needed funding for a number of key priorities, including programs for seniors, veterans and local law enforcement,” Gov. Nixon said.
The Governor made funding available for the following programs for the current fiscal year:
· $8 million for the state’s seven veterans homes;
· $4.68 million for the University of Missouri School of Medicine Clinical Campus in Springfield;
· $3.5 million for high-tech startups through the Missouri Technology Corporation;
· $1.5 million for grants to local cyber crimes task forces to reduce internet sex crimes and improve public safety;
· $620,000 for occupational therapy and other health related degree programs at Missouri State University;
· $500,000 for sheltered workshops, which provide employment for Missourians with disabilities;
· $500,000 for the Missouri Department of Corrections to provide grants to local entities to work with offenders who are reintegrating into the community, including employment placement services;
· $500,000 for grants to domestic violence shelters to provide services for victims of sexual assault, including counseling and emergency housing;
· $500,000 for Alzheimer’s Grants that provide respite and other services for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families;
· $500,000 for the Missouri Division of Tourism to promote tourism across the state;
· $400,000 for grants to Area Agencies on Aging to provide services to seniors, including meals;
· $250,000 for the Lincoln University Land Grant Match; and
· $50,000 to help train teachers about how to understand and respond to students with epilepsy.
This week, on the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, I welcomed pro-life advocates from Missouri to Washington, D.C. for the annual March for Life. I watched as they joined tens of thousands of pro-life supporters marching throughout Washington; starting at the National Mall, going past the United States Capitol, and right onto the steps of the Supreme Court to urge the protection of the unborn. It is inspiring to see so many people of all ages, from all across the country join together in support of the unborn.
Since the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, our medical knowledge and expertise have grown exponentially. Babies diagnosed with birth defects in some cases can now be operated on in their mother’s womb, before they are even born. Premature babies born at just 22 and 23 weeks today have a much better chance of growing up to thrive and live healthy lives. With the medical advancements that have already been made, there is no telling where we will be in the years to come. We can say, though, we will most certainly see even more lifesaving medical capabilities, many of which are being developed as we speak.
Even as we are seeing these advancements, however, there are still so many people that think it is okay to take the life of an unborn child. It is imperative that we continue fighting each day for the sanctity of life. In both terms I have been in Congress, I have cosponsored the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This would stop abortions after 20 weeks, which is something a majority of Americans agree should be prevented. Along with that bill, another key issue I have worked on and will continue to support is the prevention of federal funding for institutions that provide abortions. You deserve better from your government than spending your hard-earned money on something that is immoral and wrong.
I have worked hard to help lead the fight for the unborn in Washington, and I am committed to continuing that fight. Every life is a precious gift; from conception, the day a parent hears their child’s heartbeat for the first time, to the day they are born. If we continue sharing our message and standing up for the life of the unborn, like we do at the annual March for Life, we can change the tide. Together we ensure those who cannot speak have a voice. Together, we truly make a difference.
House Speaker Diehl Outlines Legislative Priorities for 2015
Following the governor’s address, House Speaker John J. Diehl, Jr. provided his own vision for the direction our state should take in the months ahead. In his speech, the Speaker talked about the legislature working to keep government out of the way and out of the lives of Missourians so that they can achieve success and prosperity through their own hard work. As the Speaker said, “Each decision we make will emphasize the fact we believe government is at its best when it levels the playing field and then stays out of the way so individuals and businesses can grow and prosper through hard work and initiative.”
In regard to specific policy items, the Speaker laid out a few issue areas he wants us to focus on this year. These include:
• Passing legislation to provide immediate options to the 62,000 Missouri children trapped in failing school districts. The Speaker said, “We must further expand their educational opportunities by providing more choice in the form of additional charter schools and we must take advantage of the technologies of the 21st century by providing virtual schools that will give our young people another vital option to obtain a quality education.”
• Approving reforms to our system of welfare so that it works as intended to keep people out of permanent poverty by putting them on the path toward stable employment in a job with family-supporting wages and benefits. Missouri currently ranks dead last among states when it comes to the number of welfare recipients who are on the path to stable employment. The Speaker wants us to work this year to change that disappointing number.
• Focusing our efforts on the things we can do as a legislature to support and encourage entrepreneurship and investment in our small businesses so that they can grow and prosper. As Diehl said, “I'm a firm believer that government's role isn't to produce economic development but it is our duty to create the kind of level playing field that will allow employers and workers to succeed if they work hard enough”
• Taking steps as a state to strike that balance that protect the rights of the individual without creating an environment that forces job creators and professionals to flee the state for a friendlier environment. Diehl noted that, “Missouri has labor policies, which more closely resemble the failed and antiquated economic models of the rustbelt. We must reform our systems to allow more freedom for workers and provide a more favorable environment for new, high-tech manufacturing.” He also pointed out that, “many of our neighboring states have fewer and more streamlined regulations. Moving forward, we must go down a path that keeps government out of the way of innovators and entrepreneurs and stresses the importance of allowing businesses to do what they do best, create jobs and produce economic prosperity.”
Legislature Listens to Governor’s Budget Proposal
In recent years the governor has used his State of the State address to outline proposed spending plans that were simply unrealistic, if not impossible. Time and time again he has asked for spending that far exceeds our revenues, and each time the legislature has done the fiscally responsible thing by scaling back his proposals to craft a realistic, balanced budget.
The members of the House and Senate expected more of the same this year as the governor delivered his speech Wednesday night. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised as the governor outlined what many are calling a “modest” budget. I say modest because it contains only a handful of spending increases to the state budget that already exceeds $26 billion. It is a proposal that will give the legislature something to work with as we prepare the Fiscal Year 2016 spending plan in the months to come.
Some of the funding increases proposed by the governor include:
• An additional $50 million in funding for our public K-12 schools throughout the state;
• Another $5 million for the state’s Early Childhood Special Education program;
• A $2 million increase for Project Lead the Way, which will be used to promote science, technology, engineering and math learning in an additional 350 elementary schools:
• An increase of $12 million in performance-based funding for Missouri’s public colleges and universities;
• A bump of $2 million for the Access Missouri Scholarship program and the A+ Scholarship program;
• An increase of $2.4 million for blind pension payments
As you can see, he has prioritized education and aid to some of our state’s most vulnerable citizens. These are priorities that are shared by those of us in the legislature, which signals what I hope will be a more cooperative budget process going forward. I will do my best to keep you updated as the budget moves through the legislative process in the months ahead.
Announcements for the 151st District:
Duck Creek Conservation Department Offers Lady’s Rabbit Hunting Clinic
On February 14th, the Department is hosting its annual women’s rabbit hunting clinic at the Duck Creek Conservation Area. The workshop will begin at 8:00 a.m. For more information and to sign up for the 2015 Women’s Rabbit Hunting Clinic, call the MDC’s Southeast Regional Office at (573) 290-5730. For more information about rabbit hunting in Missouri, go online to mdc.mo.gov.
Heartland Ag & Natural Resource Expo
Heartland Ag and Natural Resource Expo will be held in Poplar Bluff January 30th 1pm – 8pm and 31st 9am – 3pm.
Have a great weekend and stay safe!
Until next week…
Your State Representative,
Tila Hubrecht
Please contact me at:
201 West Capitol Avenue, Room 407C
Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806
Phone: 573-751-1494
Email: Tila.Hubrecht@house.mo.gov
Tila is currently serving on the Regular Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment, Regular Standing Committee on Ways and Means, Regular Standing Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education, and Regular Standing Committee on Health and Mental Health Policy.
