Last Friday, while we were all deep in Thanksgiving leftovers, thinking no one was watching, President Obama unveiled a new deluge of regulations that will hit rural America hard. Of the more than 20,000 proposed new regulations, 144 are expected to cost the economy $100 million each.

This comes at the same time Barack Obama is at the U.N. climate conference in Paris signing America up for global regulations on energy production. In another effort to sidestep Congress, they have declared that any deal agreed to in Paris will not be considered an international treaty subject to congressional approval, but instead a binding agreement. That is why this week I helped offer a resolution in the U.S. House requiring that any agreement made by the president in Paris seek the advice, approval and consent of Congress.

It's clear that the policies President Obama has been pushing will make energy more costly for rural America. The EPA has plans to unleash new and unvetted air quality standards that could likely put all 30 counties in our Eighth Congressional District out of compliance. These new standards written by bureaucrats in Washington would even classify the Mark Twain National Forest as uncompliant due to carbon released by the trees. Implementing the changes would cost Missouri alone $1.9 billion. One of the rules the president is pushing forward which will have serious implications for Missouri is his so-called "Clean Power Plan" rule. Our state gets more than 83 percent of its energy from coal power and this plan will drastically increase the price of energy for rural families and businesses. This is why on Tuesday we passed two resolutions in the House with my support which would prevent implementation of the president's ill-conceived power rules.

In addition to the new power rules, the Obama EPA is also trying to go around Congress to regulate everyday occurrences like farm dust, smoke from barbeque grills and even put new regulations on wood burning stoves. In our area, about 30,000 households use wood heat to warm their homes. Trying to limit how often Americans can use heat provided by a wood stove will have a drastic impact on rural America. That is why on Thursday the U.S. House passed my amendment to eliminate this expensive new regulation and help keep energy affordable and available to folks that need it.

It has become all too common for this president to try and subvert Congress and the Constitution by passing his agenda through presidential fiat. Whether it's trying to push through new energy standards which have already been rejected by Congress or trying to regulate every river, stream, lake and pond on a farm there is no end to this president's efforts to circumvent the other branches of government. Passing my amendment Thursday is a good step, but we must continue to fight back against the president's disastrous plans because Missouri and all of rural America depends on it.

“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