“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies.” - Abraham Lincoln, 1863 Thanksgiving proclamation

Despite the fruitful fields, America was divided. We were in the middle of the Civil War and President Lincoln’s words were needed to unite us in country and spirit. That Thanksgiving, President Lincoln prayed for “the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

At a time when the news is filled with stories of division and anger, of hurt and discontent, it was especially important to gather this Thanksgiving and be thankful for the many blessings that sustain us. As I have done every year since childhood, I was lucky enough to spend this time with my family. Whether first hosted by my grandmother or eventually my mother, Thanksgiving for me has always been a day filled with eating, playing games and enjoying the company of family until well after midnight. This year was no different and I enjoyed every minute of spending time with those that I love. It was also a time to reflect and continue to give thanks to God for our freedom, for the brave men and women who fight so valiantly to preserve it, for the health and well-being of my family, and for the community that we are all so fortunate to call home.

Our area is one of the most generous places in the country, and at no time is that more evident than during the holiday season. On Thanksgiving Day, beyond the parades, stuffing, and football, churches like The Missing Peace Church in Park Hills and the First Baptist Church in West Plains were looking after those in need by providing free turkey dinners with all the trimmings to anyone who visited. Volunteers at Shared Blessings Homeless Shelter in Bonne Terre were hand-delivering 1,000 meals to those in the community.  And with Christmas right around the corner, Jefferson Elementary School Student Santas are already preparing to host 300 people for a Christmas dinner in Cape Girardeau. These are just some of the hundreds of examples around our great district of individuals and organizations working this time of year to help families put food on the table and toys under the tree. It is an inspiring reminder of the sense of community we have right here at home.

This year, as in years past, our offices will be participating in local food drives to help those in need. Offices in Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Poplar Bluff, Rolla, and West Plains will serve as drop off points for different food collections going on in their communities this holiday season. Please stop by any of those offices if you would like to make a donation.

Let us always, with one heart and one voice, share our blessings and serve our neighbors; it is the true meaning of the season.

The terror attacks last week in Paris served as a wake-up call to all of us.

Of extreme alarm is that one of the terrorists was found to be carrying a Syrian refugee passport. This discovery clearly points to the fact that we need to get a better grasp on the origin, background, intentions, and makeup of the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the Middle East, specifically places like Syria.

The Obama administration has announced it will increase the number of worldwide refugees accepted into the U.S. each year from 70,000 to 100,000 by 2017. I have serious concerns with the administration’s ability to ensure Americans’ safety by properly vetting the current refugees entering the U.S., let alone a dramatic increase. What has become evident is that these terrorists are set on exploiting the serious humanitarian crisis of women, families, children, and students fleeing the war-torn regions these same terrorists created.  

Officials from the National Counterterrorism Center and the FBI have expressed the same concerns to Congress. Terrorists and foreign fighters are looking to take advantage of the situation in order to get into the United States and cause harm. FBI Director James Comey told Congress back in October that the federal government lacked the ability to conduct the thorough background checks needed to vet the Syrian refugees the president wants to let in.

It is the number one job of the federal government to provide for the defense and security of the American people. That is why this week the House of Representatives passed legislation I helped sponsor to put a stop to the president’s proposal to bring more refugees into this country. The American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act passed the U.S. House with an overwhelming show of bipartisan support – more than 45 Democrats joined with Republicans to provide a veto-proof majority – ordering the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to put the brakes on bringing in any more refugees to the U.S. The administration needs to certify to Congress that these individuals are not a threat to national security. The bill wasn’t about pushing Republican ideas, it wasn’t about pushing Democrat ideas, it was about Congress coming together to keep Americans safe, and the best way to do that is to provide no doubt that there are no terrorists entering this country.

Additionally, I sent a letter to Governor Nixon this week urging him to end any immediate plans to bring Syrian refugees to Missouri.  We need to do what is necessary to keep Missouri families safe. In the letter I noted that “the president’s plan to increase the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the United States poses a genuine threat to the American people.” This week, I also sent a letter to President Obama urging him to immediately halt admissions of refugees from Syria and Iraq onto American soil, and demanded that his administration notify Congress before any refugee policy changes.

This is not about being uncompassionate towards the refugees of Syria, but about keeping Americans safe and keeping the residents of Missouri safe. We cannot let terrorists exploit our country’s long-standing tradition of compassion by posing as refugees from Syria or any other country.

Washington, D.C. - Today, the Senate passed a resolution, introduced by U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), supporting the goals of National Adoption Month and National Adoption Day. November is National Adoption Month and Nov. 21 is National Adoption Day.
 
“Adoption is a gift that has enriched the lives of millions of families, including my own,” said Blunt. “Every child deserves a stable, loving home, and I hope more families will use this opportunity to consider welcoming a child into their lives through adoption.”  
 
Blunt and Klobuchar serve as co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption, which works with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute to engage Members of Congress on issues pertaining to children in need of permanent homes, children in the foster care system, and domestic and international child welfare.
 
“As Senate co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I’ve had the opportunity to witness the power of adoption firsthand,” Klobuchar said. “Recognizing November as National Adoption Month, and November 21 as National Adoption Day, are ways to honor the big hearts and hard work of adoptive families while focusing on how we can provide these families with the support they need and deserve.”
 
As the resolution notes, there are currently more than 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system, with more than 100,000 ready to be adopted.  In 2014, more than 22,000 youth “aged out” of foster care, reaching adulthood without being placed in a permanent home.
 
Earlier this year, Blunt and Klobuchar introduced the Supporting Adoptive Families Act to provide resources for pre- and post-adoption support services, including training, counseling, and mental health treatment.
 
Blunt and Klobuchar have also co-sponsored the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act and the Adoptive Family Relief Act, which was signed into law last month.
 
Read the full text of the resolution here.

Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Speaker Todd Richardson issued a Poplar Bluff High School senior a resolution on behalf of the Missouri House of Representatives on Thursday, Nov. 11, for founding Students Against Sexual Assault, the only such student-led organization in the state on the high school level as far as the legislator is aware of, he said.

With full support of the R-I administration and Board of Education, Grace Hudson established SASA this school year to raise awareness and protect teens from sexual assault, and domestic and dating violence.

With participation from about 70 members, presenters during monthly meetings have included martial artist Judy Schremp, Warrior Strength & Power owner, who shared self-defense techniques; and Mary Ann Allen, Haven House executive director, who talked about the community’s shelter for domestic violence victims and their children.

PBHS communication arts teacher Beth Fox-Godwin serves as the sponsor of the after school club. For more information about SASA, visit their Facebook page by clicking HERE.

Shown in the photos: Speaker Todd Richardson recites to Grace Hudson a Missouri House proclamation, which recognized the student for advocating for victims of sexual assault and giving a “voice to this critical societal problem.”

Photo and article submitted by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Coordinator, Poplar Bluff R-I School District

If Washington was more like Missouri, America would be a lot better off. This is something I have always thought, but over my first couple years in Congress it has become more and more true. Here in Missouri, things like family, liberty, personal and fiscal responsibility, and good ol’ common sense are held true, yet they are simply missing from our nation’s capital.
 
I was lucky enough to grow up right here in southern Missouri.  As a Salem native, early on I learned values such as hard work and perseverance – cutting brush, hauling hay, picking up rocks, mowing lawns, and scraping parts at my dad’s auto shop – if you didn’t have blisters on your hands you weren’t giving it your all. That type of hard work shaped me into the person I am today.
 
While now my job takes me out to our nation’s capital – I always try for the first flight home and the latest flight back to D.C. each week so that I can spend as much time as possible talking with the folks I am honored to represent. On Sundays I enjoy attending my home church, Grace Community, and seeing the same faces I have come to know over the years; it’s a true sense of home. I have never felt comfortable in Washington and I am not sure I ever will. I will never call Washington home and each night there I sleep on an air mattress in my office so that I can work late, rise early, and return to my true home as soon as possible.
 
Sitting in a Congressional hearing, reviewing legislation, or casting a vote on the House Floor I am always mindful of the folks back home. How will this law affect them? How would their lives change? Are we enhancing their freedoms and liberties as an American? The people of southern and southeast Missouri are family-focused, hardworking, and they just want the government off their back and out of their business. They are the machinists, nurses, farmers, and teachers I meet when I travel throughout the district. I was recently in Dexter, Missouri, speaking to business leaders about topics including the confusing tax code, burdensome regulations, and the persistent war on small business and rural America. They all just want Washington to stop interfering, get out of the way, and let them grow their businesses and communities.
 
Simply put, we need Washington to function a lot more like Missouri – a balanced budget amendment, looking each other in the eye, and having someone’s word and handshake be binding. Washington has lost its way. We have a record high debt, freedoms are being eroded, and folks wonder if America is ever going to get back on track. Across the country American’s worry about stagnant wages and finding a job.  Every day, families are struggling to keep up with rising health care, food, and energy costs.
 
In the Show-Me State, we are taught that if we put hard work, living within our means, and taking care of family in focus and in our hearts, we can be proud of the life we lead. I hope that during my time in Washington I can instill some of those same lessons and values in the leaders I serve alongside – helping correct the direction of Washington and the dysfunction in your government.