Working with Dignity

by Vicky Hartzler

I had the distinct pleasure of visiting one of our district’s many supported employment centers, where citizens with disabilities have the opportunity to work in safe conditions where they are guided and cared for.

Lamar Enterprises focuses on recycling everything from cardboard, newspaper, and aluminum to tin and plastics. In addition to recycling, Lamar Industries has a document shredding business whose customers include hospitals and banks, and does other meaningful work carried out by these enthusiastic employees.

It is encouraging to see citizens with disabilities work in places where they are comfortable, supported, and safe. The pride and dignity evident in the smiles of the employees of Lamar Enterprises and other supported employment centers I have visited makes me proud to know that these operations are welcomed in communities throughout Missouri.

I also had an opportunity last week to welcome other leaders and employees of Missouri’s sheltered workshops to Washington. This group is dedicated to enhancing Missouri’s employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, through education and self-advocacy. It is my honor to advocate on behalf of these work centers and the people working there.

Combatting Opioid Addiction

I took part, this week, in a briefing at University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia to discuss a new effort to address the opioid crisis. A Boone County pilot program known as Engaging Patients in Care Coordination (EPICC) is modeled after a similar program in St. Louis. This program provides opioid overdose patients with referral to health and behavioral health services, connecting them with medication-assisted treatment and support services after discharge.

I am particularly pleased that much of the funding for the EPICC program comes from the federal State Targeted Response (STR) to the Opioid Crisis grant program. These STR grants were created by the 21st Century Cures Act, which I am proud to have supported in Congress. Under this plan, Missouri received $10 million last year and an additional $10 million this year to take on the scourge of opioid addiction. This is government serving people at its best!

How Tax Reform is Working for You

We recently learned that our economic growth hit 4.1% for the second quarter! What great news. According to the National Association of Manufacturers: “Over the past six months, tax reform and regulatory relief have sparked the robust manufacturing job growth manufacturers predicted. The business optimism of our member companies stands at a record high, and 86 percent of them plan to invest in new plants and equipment, 77 percent plan to increase hiring, and 72 percent plan to increase wages and benefits for workers.”

Weekly Dose of Good News

Tax cuts have helped a Missouri-based company so much that it’s spreading the good news to its employees’ children. St. Louis-based Express Scripts is creating a $30 million education fund for the children of the company’s employees. This will assist with paying for college and vocational training. Our country is headed in the right direction