Roy Blunt: Since Trump took office, Republicans have worked tirelessly to help more Americans

(From Sen. Roy Blunt)

Since President Trump took office in 2017, Republicans have been working tirelessly to pass legislation to help more Americans. I’m glad to say we’ve kept that momentum going in 2018 - here are just a few of the things we’ve accomplished so far this year:

Enacting the largest tax reform legislation in 30 years

Six months ago, the Senate passed, and President Trump signed into law, the largest overhaul of our nation’s tax code in three decades. Recently, I visited 10 cities in Missouri to meet with workers and small business owners to see how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was affecting them. Thanks to tax reform, Missourians are now able to keep more of their hard-earned paycheck and are receiving better benefits at work. They’re also enjoying greater job security as businesses grow and create more opportunities for workers. It’s clear to see tax reform is already increasing optimismabout the future and driving Missouri’s economy forward, and I’m confident we’ll see more good news ahead.

Confirming a historic number of circuit court judges

The Senate is confirming circuit court judges at a record pace. We’ve confirmed 21 circuit court judges so far under the Trump administration, the most by this point in any presidency over the past 40 years. Because only a small fraction of cases decided by circuit courts are taken up by the Supreme Court, the makeup of circuit courts has a significant impact on the law. Filling judicial vacancies is critical to ensuring access to the courts, creating certainty for businesses, and maintaining the system of checks and balances.

Providing our veterans with the high-quality care they’ve earned

Just this month, President Trump signed the VA MISSION Act into law. By modernizing the VA and making permanent the Veterans Choice Program, the VA MISSION Act is a major step in our ongoing effort to ensure veterans have access to care when and where they need it. I’m also proud to say the VA MISSION Act includes my Veteran PEER Act, which expands veterans’ access to peer counseling specialists to better combat the risk of suicide and provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

Rolling back burdensome Dodd-Frank regulations

Under Dodd-Frank, credit unions and community banks struggled under the same massive, one-size-fits-all regulations placed on larger banks. They had to spend their time navigating an endless maze of red tape that hindered their ability to provide financial services to the local communities they serve. I cosponsored the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protect Act, which became law in May, to roll back the harmful Dodd-Frank regulations and strengthen consumer protections, including specific protections for veterans and homeowners. This legislation also included my Family Self-Sufficiency Act, bipartisan legislation to help more hardworking Missourians create a better future for themselves and their families.

Fighting the opioid epidemic

The opioid epidemic is destroying lives and costing our economy hundreds of billions of dollars every year. The government funding bill that was signed into law in March included a $2.55 billion increase for health-related programs to fight the opioid epidemic from every angle, with a focus on hard-hit states and rural areas. As chairman of the subcommittee that funds the Department of Health and Human Services, making sure our state and local communities have what they need to address this crisis and save lives will remain a top priority.

2018 has been a busy year for Republicans – and we’re only getting started. This week, the Senate passed the Farm Bill, which will benefit Missouri farmers and ranchers by ensuring access to risk management tools, expanding rural broadband, and strengthening infrastructure. We’re also moving forward in the appropriations process, and I’ll continuing working to make sure Missouri priorities – on everything from defense to education and rural health – are front and center.