Policy Development Caucus Chairman Jeff Messenger
Selects Rep. Tila Hubrecht to Serve on Subcommittee on Government Oversight
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Rep. Tila Hubrecht will play a vital role in ensuring accountability and transparency for federal funds coming into Missouri. Hubrecht was selected by Policy Development Caucus Chairman Jeff Messenger to serve as a member of the Subcommittee on Government Oversight – Mental Health and Social Services.
As part of her duties, Rep. Hubrecht will work with the other members of the subcommittee to closely examine and oversee the federal funds and how they are utilized by the Departments of Mental Health, and Health and Social Services. Messenger said he expects Hubrecht to play an important role in providing an additional level of oversight that taxpayers need and deserve.
“The Missouri House is committed to eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in government. Researching how federal funds come into our state and how they are expended is necessary to diminishing these problems. Rep. Hubrecht has the qualities, commitment and experience to successfully research, communicate and monitor what is happening with these monies,” said Messenger, R-Republic.
The Policy Development Caucus was formed by House Speaker Todd Richardson last year to develop and fine tune the policy goals of the Missouri House Republican Caucus. Messenger, who was selected by his colleagues to serve as chairman, said it’s also important for the caucus to closely monitor the use of federal funds in order ensure they are utilized properly and efficiently.
“I want to thank Chairman Messenger for appointing me to the subcommittee and for giving me an opportunity to help protect the interests of Missouri taxpayers,” said Hubrecht, R-Dexter.
Dexter, Missouri - Young Republicans of Stoddard County, formerly TARS, met at a local restaurant on Sunday, January 29th making plans for the upcoming 2017 political year. Several were in attendance, but it is hoped to have a few more interested.
"Our goal is to increase young people being involved in politics on the local, state, and national level," stated 151st State Representative Tila Hubrecht. "Our meetings will be held throughout the county so everyone has an opportunity to come and participate. This is not just a Dexter group, but for anyone in Stoddard County to join."
"We will be utilizing our Facebook page and creating Event Pages for people to keep informed," continued Hubrecht. "There will not be an age limit. We really just want young people to get involved, high school - college - as young as you feel to come out and join!"
Many ideas were tossed around the tables as well as having a local Conference in Stoddard County, possibly as early as March with dinner and guest speakers.
The next Young Republicans Club meeting will be held on Sunday, February 26th at 3:00 p.m. at Burger King in Dexter. There is an Event Page created so please mark yourself as attending by clicking HERE.
Find them on Facebook by clicking HERE.
Just the Beginning
January 27, 2017
It is not every day that a Missourian gets to sit on the steps of the United States Capitol and witness firsthand a Presidential swearing in ceremony. Now, just over a week since the inauguration of our 45th President, Donald J Trump - we have seen his Presidency take more actions in seven days to improve the lives of south central and southeast Missourians than in the entire eight years of the Obama Presidency. As President Trump stated in his Inaugural speech “The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.”
In early December, I outlined for then President – Elect Trump numerous different rules, regulations, agency guidance and memorandums which he could overturn on day one to have a drastic impact on the lives of Missourians. I wrote about rules promulgated as a result of President’s Obama’s failed government takeover of healthcare, regulations which would increase the cost of energy for Missourians, new rules impeding on a farmer’s ability to farm their land freely, recent federal agency memorandums incentivizing millions of illegal immigrants to enter our country, and guidance from agencies infringing on our second amendment rights.
I was pleased to see that on day one, President Trump followed through on many of these same actions items and wasted no time getting to work for the American people. During his first hours at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Trump signed an executive order to start the process of unwinding former President Obama’s disastrous health care law. It was the first step towards creating a health care system that provides Americans with the quality health care they deserve, drives down price with competition, and allows folks to see the doctor of their choice free of government interference or mandates. During those first hours President Trump also put a hiring freeze and a regulatory freeze on the very federal agencies that have run amuck with thousands of unelected bureaucrats under the Obama Administration.
On Monday, President Trump took action to defend the life of the unborn by restoring President Reagan’s Mexico City Policy which ensures that American taxpayers are not forced to foot the bill for abortions anywhere in the world. On his second day in office, President Trump put an end to agency bureaucracy and red tape which was delaying the advancement of the Keystone and Dakota Access pipeline projects which will help grow our economy, lower the costs of energy and create thousands of jobs in the process. On Wednesday President Trump signed an executive action to start the process of building a wall along our southern border and ordering those sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants to honor and up hold U.S. law or lose any federal funding.
Gone are the days of having a President in power who promises things on the campaign trail, but never actually delivers on those promises. In the first seven days of his Presidency, Donald Trump has proven that he is a man of his word. The rapid pace we have seen in the first couple of days of Donald Trump’s Presidency isn’t going to slow down anytime soon. This week I met with President Trump in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our great nation, to develop a strategy on how we will work together to build on the tremendous actions he has taken this week to improve the lives of all Americans and return the power back to the people. Our end goal, our end result, is ultimately what President Trump said in his Inauguration speech -“Together, we will make America strong again, we will make America wealthy again, we will make America proud again, we will make America safe again, and yes together, we will make America great again.”
Hello to everyone in the 151st District!! Things started off this session at an incredible speed compared to my two prior sessions here.
Committee assignments have already been made and meetings have begun! I am very excited about this as it will give us more time to meet in committee and to hear more testimony on the bills coming before us. I feel our work in committee meetings may be the most important work we do in the Capitol because that is where we can truly research and discuss the pros and cons of the issues coming before the General Assembly.
A little about my committee assignments this session...I will continue to serve on the Joint Committee of Child Abuse and Neglect. We have been able to provide assistance to the Juvenile Department and the Foster Care Program during the past. I will also continue to serve in the Energy area but this committee has been restructured to now include all utilities and is appropriately titled Utilities. I will also be serving on the Budget committee. With the challenges facing our state with the unexpected revenue short fall this will be a committee which will need a lot of time and attention. I will also be serving on the Appropriations committee for General Administration. My final committee is the Special Committee on Employment Securities. I will be serving as the Vice Chair of this committee. I am excited to working with Chair Wanda Brown and to learn from her as we lead this committee.
With all the many issues facing our state and the incredible opportunities before us, please do not hesitate to call my office to share your thoughts and opinions on how we can best serve this wonderful state! I look forward to hearing from you!
Right-to-Work Legislation Gains House Approval
The House also acted this week to advance legislation meant to spur job creation and economic development in the state. Commonly referred to as Right-to-Work, the bill would simply ensure employees are able to decide whether to join a labor union instead of being forced to join as a condition of employment.
Supporters of Right-to-Work cite Bureau of Labor statistics that show states that have adopted similar legislation have seen employment increase by 13.4 percent between 2002 and 2012. In comparison, employment in states without Right-to-Work grew by only 0.6 percent. Additionally, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income grew by 9.6 percent between 2008 and 2014 in the six Right-to-Work states that border Missouri. In Missouri and its two neighboring non-Right-to-Work states, Real Personal Income grew by just 3.5 percent. Supporters also note that one of the neighboring non-Right-to-Work states, Kentucky, just enacted a Right-to-Work law.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration where it is expected to receive approval. Governor Greitens has already made Right-to-Work one of his top priorities and again emphasized the need to pass the bill during his State of the State Address Tuesday evening.
House Set to Reject Proposed Pay Increase
House members are on track to reject a pay increase proposed by the Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials. A resolution that would prevent the pay raises from going into effect cleared the committee process this week and is set for a vote on the House floor next week.
The proposed pay increases are a result of a recommendation by the commission, which meets every two years according to the state constitution to set the compensation for state officials. Once the commission makes its recommendation, it automatically goes into effect unless the legislature rejects the proposal by February 1. It takes a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to keep the increases from going into effect.
With its latest recommendation, the commission called for 8 percent raises in both fiscal years 2018 and 2019 for the governor and other statewide elected officials. The panel also recommended raises of roughly 5 percent for lawmakers over the next two fiscal years. The proposed increases would have taken representatives up to an annual salary of $37,733. Legislators currently make $35,915 per year. The raises would cost the state about $470,000 over both fiscal years.
The rejection of the proposed increases received strong bipartisan support during the committee process, and is expected to receive similar support on the House floor. Members have traditionally rejected pay increases when they have been recommended, and a difficult budget situation makes it even more likely that the legislature will act quickly to prevent taxpayer dollars from being utilized for higher pay for elected officials. As the sponsor of the legislation said, “It’s a proposal our state cannot afford and that does not align with the priorities we have as public servants. Let’s take a stand in defense of all taxpayers by approving HCR 4 so that we can ensure their tax dollars are used to fund the priorities we all share as Missourians.”
Missouri House to Consider Resolution Calling for the Confirmation of Scott Pruitt as the Head of the EPA
Members of the Missouri House of Representatives are advancing a resolution calling on United States Senators to confirm Scott Pruitt as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
According to his supporters, Pruitt, who currently serves as the Attorney General of Oklahoma, has been a leading opponent of the EPA’s activist agenda and President Obama's environmental and climate regulations. Members who support his confirmation have said Pruitt will bring the kind of leadership that will put an end to the EPA’s misguided policies of the last eight years that have threatened the livelihood and the very way of life of Missourians and the American people.
The resolution has already drawn the support of many House members, including House Speaker Todd Richardson.
“For years, we have witnessed federal agencies overstepping their lawful authority and making life more and more difficult for employers and employees alike,” said Speaker Richardson. “A decade of this overreach is a big part of the reason that Missourians overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump for president and it’s also why Missourians should be heartened by the president-elect’s choice to run the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – current Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt.”
The resolution is expected to quickly move through the process and receive House approval.
Missouri House Hosts Governor Greitens for Annual State of the State Address
Members of the General Assembly gathered in the House Chamber Tuesday evening to listen to new Governor Eric Greitens share his vision for the direction Missouri should take under his leadership. Greitens delivered the annual State of the State Address with an emphasis on priorities that are largely shared by the members of the Missouri House.
Similar to the Opening Day Address given by the House Speaker, Greitens’ speech focused on the need to make Missouri a Right-to-Work state in order to promote job creation and economic growth. Greitens also echoed the Speaker’s words as he called for a ban on lobbyist gifts to legislators; tort reform to make Missouri’s court system fair for all litigants; a reduction in the regulatory burden that too often stifles job creation and economic growth; and education reform that includes education savings accounts for children with special needs.
Some of the other areas Greitens highlighted in his speech include a review of the state’s tax credit system. The governor promised a comprehensive audit of the tax credit system with a goal of creating a tax code that is fair to all. Greitens also called for the state to do more to support and protect law enforcement officers. The governor said it’s time to update standards and training for peace officers, and to ensure officers have the training, resources, and support they need both to protect themselves and to build strong relationships in their communities. Additionally, the governor talked about reforming Missouri’s welfare system so that it lifts people out poverty and into the middle class, and so that it is based on hard work and personal responsibility.
The governor did not include any budget recommendations in his address. He is expected to unveil his budget plan during the first week of February.
Governor Greitens Announces Budget Restrictions
Governor Eric Greitens recently announced his decision to restrict spending from the current state operating budget. The new governor was forced to withhold $146.4 million in spending in order to balance Missouri’s budget. The move was necessary because revenues have fallen short of the projections that were used to craft the $27 billion budget.
Among his withholds, Greitens restricted nearly $68 million in core funding for public universities and community colleges. The funding restrictions also include nearly $9 million in transportation funding for K-12 education. However, as the governor noted, the restrictions included no cuts to the Foundation Formula that funds K-12 classroom education. As Greitens added, “There were no cuts to programs essential to public safety, and all of the state's pension and health care obligations will also be honored. The restrictions were targeted, to the extent possible, at rolling back earmarks, new spending items, programs with no established track record of success, and services that are duplicated elsewhere in government.”
Greitens’ restrictions are in addition to the approximately $200 million in withholdings made by Governor Nixon before leaving office. The House Budget Chairman said he is hopeful that with the restrictions made by Greitens the state will now be positioned to keep the budget balanced and end the fiscal year with enough money to begin the next fiscal year.
Capitol Implements New Security Measures
As a note to Missourians who wish to visit the State Capitol, there are new security measures in place meant to enhance the level of safety and protection for visitors, school children, and those who work in the building. The outgoing and incoming governors worked with legislative leaders to put these new security measures in place that include additional officers and security personnel and x-ray machines and walk-through magnetometers at some entrances.
The executive branch has said the enhanced security is an effort to ensure firearms and other items that could be used as a dangerous weapon are not entering the building. Searches will be required of all visitors, including lobbyists, contract employees, guests, and members of the media. The only people who will not be searched under the new security measures will be children without backpacks or bags. State employees and people with regular business with credentials will be allowed to enter using their key cards, which are issued by the state department after the person has passed a background check.
It’s also important to note that under the current security measures conceal and carry is not allowed in the State Capitol, and anyone with a firearm will be asked to return it to a secure location before entering the building. Knives with a 4-inch blade or longer will not be permitted, along with explosives, signs fixed on poles or standards, and balloons. Anything found that violates the standards can be seized and used as evidence for prosecution under the state’s laws.
It’s important to understand the security measures have been put in place to protect those who work in and visit the Capitol. Each day hundreds of school children enter the building on class field trips, and visitors from all over the state and the country travel to Jefferson City to experience the beauty of the State Capitol. For years the Capitol has had minimal security that has allowed unfettered access through numerous points of entry. The move to enhance security is not in any way meant to limit public access to the building, but instead meant to ensure all those in the building have a safe environment. By putting the new measures in place the Missouri State Capitol joins more than 40 other state capitol buildings that already have similar security protocols.
January 20, 2018
January 22nd marks the 44th anniversary of the Supreme Court Ruling that has left over 59 million and counting dead - Roe v. Wade. On January 27th, thousands of people around the country will participate in the March for Life to serve as a voice for those who weren’t given a choice to live. This year’s theme, The Power of One, is centered around the idea that one person can make a difference in the world, whether in the life of one or the life of many. I admire the conviction of all of the advocates who have journeyed far and wide to our nation’s Capital to stand up for the belief that I share that life begins at conception.
We are in a critical moment in our nation’s history where we have the opportunity to promote pro-life initiatives that are supported by millions of Americans. One of the reasons I supported President Trump during his run for the White House, and one of the reasons millions were overcome with emotion during his swearing in, was his commitment to lead in the fight for life and advancing policies that make America a place where unborn children and their mothers are treated with compassion and justice.
During my time in Congress I have never wavered from my firm belief that life is precious and must be supported. I share this belief with President Trump and look forward to working along-side him to advance some of the pro-life goals he has outlined.
One of our new President’s early acts will be nominating a justice to replace the conservative stalwart, the late Justice Antonin Scalia. I support President Trump’s commitment to nominating pro-life justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Having pro-life justices that recognize the danger of abortion to both women and their babies is critical. President Trump must use his power of nomination to put forth the name of a conservative justice who will honor the legacy and balance to the court that Justice Scalia brought so that we can fight to make the court a place where the life of the unborn is fully protected. I share in President Trump’s commitment to ending heinous late-term abortions nationwide through enactment of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This will ensure that no innocent child has to suffer the excruciating pain from dismemberment abortion. I share President Trump’s commitment to ending taxpayer funding of the abortion industry. Taxpayers should not be footing the bill for places that kill over 320,000 babies every year. In addition, I have supported measures which ban abortions based on gender as well as supporting an American’s right to object to healthcare coverage that also covers abortion services.
Working with our new President, we can accomplish our goals to protect the sanctity of life that thousands of people around the country will be marching for on Friday. Although we cannot bring back the nearly 59 million innocent lives that have been tragically taken over the past 44 years, we can fight to ensure that all children have a chance at life. Every child is a miracle from God and I am hopeful that with the advancement of the pro-life movement each and every one of these miracles will have a chance to live the life God has planned for them.
