Monitoring the Missouri River

I am pleased to share that more than two dozen stakeholders joined me recently in Boonville for a Missouri River Roundtable to discuss the recent flooding and how to better prepare for the next time the Missouri River overflows its banks. Attendees included officials from the four MO-4 counties that border the Missouri River: Howard, Cooper, Moniteau, and Boone. While so many of us are saddened that the flooding took a serious toll on counties in northwestern Missouri, we are thankful that the damage in MO-4 was limited. There is still a chance of more flooding this year as melting snow from northern mountains and precipitation make their way into the tributaries that flow into the Missouri River. While a lot of good information was exchanged during this meeting, our most important takeaway was our agreement that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should prioritize flood control in its management of the river. Unfortunately, it currently does not; in fact, environmental concerns are on an equal footing with flood control. Those gathered in Boonville believe this should change.

In the meantime, county emergency teams are hard at work as they prepare for more possible flooding. I thank them for their hard work and pray they will have no need to put their plans into action.

Saving the lives of those born-alive

I am proud to have joined so many of my colleagues in signing a discharge petition for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to require medical providers to give an appropriate level of care to a baby born following an attempted abortion. So far, Democratic leadership has refused 32 times to vote on this bill on the House floor.

At a press conference, I spoke of how all newborn babies – even those who are born alive after an attempted abortion – have the right to proper medical care. It seems like a common sense issue to me: since we already have laws on the books recognizing infants as persons, it is unacceptable for a born-alive infant to be killed or allowed to die. Many people who are supportive of abortion even agree that a certain degree of care must be given a born-alive infant. To do otherwise would be infanticide. This bill would require any health care professional present at a live birth to exercise skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child. Furthermore, all violations of this policy would be reported to law enforcement. A born-alive infant, even a child born after an attempted abortion, is a living human being and must be given all the rights of a human being.

So far, our petition to force a vote on this vital bill has received 199 signatures. We need a total of 218 signatures for it to reach the House floor.

The internet isn’t broken

I am pleased to have voted this week against legislation that would have hindered broadband access in rural areas. This Democrat-led bill would impose new government restrictions on the internet, stifling investment and innovation, and making it more difficult to expand broadband into rural areas. If this bad bill were to become law, unelected members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would set prices, sanction investments, and dictate how broadband companies interact with customers. I support a free and open internet that encourages competition and innovation. Government regulations like the ones proposed have a history of decreasing investment. When they were in effect, previously, 80 percent of providers in rural areas incurred additional expenses in complying with costly regulations, leading to delayed or reduced network expansion. The internet is not broken and we do not need unelected bureaucrats placing more government control over it.

VAWA – npo protections for women

The reauthorization and expansion of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) could have been an extension of law enforcement’s ability to help women who have suffered from domestic violence, but the entire issue has been politicized to the point that VAWA is no longer about addressing the needs of women. The current VAWA legislation is little more than a partisan bill hijacked by ideologues who are using it to promote transgender politics instead of protecting women. I voted “no” on this legislation because I believe women deserve better.

Weekly dose of good news

There is some wonderful news from the recent 4-H Feeding Missouri initiative. The University of Missouri Extension 4-H partnered with the state’s six major food banks to raise more than 103,000 meals for needy Missourians. The various 4-H groups from throughout the state made the effort a competition to see who could contribute the most food, volunteer hours, and monetary donations. Barton County in Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District brought in the most food at 3,044 pounds, while Webster County, also in MO-4, donated the most volunteer hours and most meals overall. The young citizens of MO-4 have demonstrated, once again, that can-do attitude when it comes to meeting a challenge. And, they are making a difference in the lives of their fellow Missourians. Congratulations to all the 4-H’ers who took part in the initiative.

Yours in service,

Vicky Hartzler

Member of Congress