It’s an honor to get to work every day for you in the Senate, and a privilege I take very seriously. I’ve been busy ensuring your voices are heard in Washington and introducing legislation that moves Missouri forward.
2019 has been a big year for our state. Here are just a few of the wins for Missourians to end this decade on a high note:
Strengthening the Economy
Our economy is stronger than ever, creating new opportunities for hardworking Missourians, and people are still benefitting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was enacted two years ago.
- Over 7 million jobs created since President Trump was elected
- Wages continue to rise
- Average American family has seen a $5,000 increase in take-home pay
- Unemployment is at a 50-year low
Transforming the Judiciary
Senate Republicans have been hard at work transforming the judiciary. In less than three years, President Trump has appointed, and the Republican-led Senate has confirmed, 50 circuit judges. That’s already the most in any president’s first term since 1980.
Restoring the circuit courts through Republican-appointed majorities increases the likelihood of rulings that protect our constitutional rights.
Moving USMCA Forward
The House recently passed the United States-Mexico-Canada trade deal after Speaker Pelosi slow rolled this agreement for more than a year. Moving USMCA forward is great news for the Missouri ag industry, which is vital to our state’s economy.
For the last year, one of the questions I’ve been asked the most across our state is, ‘when will Congress vote on USMCA?’ This agreement with our two biggest trading partners will help our economy, increase jobs, and benefit families. I’ve been proud to support this agreement and hope to see it ratified as quickly as possible.
Supporting the Troops
This week, the Senate passed the FY20 funding bills for defense and military construction. I’m glad to tell you this year’s defense bill includes the biggest pay raise for our troops in a decade. Our #1 priority in Congress is making sure our military has the resources, training, and support it needs to carry out its missions. The legislation provided support for Fort Leonard Wood’s new hospital construction. We also included resources for the construction of the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) West headquarters in North St. Louis. I was proud to be at the ground breaking ceremony last month and look forward to the facility’s completion.
Increasing Resources for Alzheimer’s Research
Every 65 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s – a disease that affects not only the person who has it, but their loved ones. Research is vital to finding new treatments and a cure to end Alzheimer’s. As chair of the appropriations subcommittee that funds health-related programs, I’ve made it a priority to increase resources toward this lifesaving research. Investments in NIH research pave the way for new medical advances, giving hope to millions of families. NIH-funded research has raised life expectancy and greatly improved the quality of life for so many people. It’s also lowered health care costs. That’s why I supported increasing NIH’s funding for the 5th consecutive time. Because of their work, we are on the verge of many potential breakthroughs, treatments, and cures.
I’m proud of 2019’s record of results and I’ll remain committed to advancing Missourians’ priorities in 2020.
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