Dear Friends,
There’s more fiber being laid in Missouri! This time it’s in Osage Valley near I-49 as part of a $75 million project which will give broadband access to 16,000 households.
I was blessed to participate in the unveiling ceremony in Butler last May as Osage Valley Electric Cooperative announced their partnership with internet service provider Conexon Connect. A year later, it is great to see this progress in action for our communities!
We Must Protect Our Supreme Court Justices
Earlier this month, an armed pro-abortion activist attempted to murder Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his home.
To say this is horrific would be an understatement.
The highest court in the land must be able to make judicial decisions without threats of violence towards them or their family. That’s why I voted for the Supreme Court Police Parity Act this week so that our justices can have the protection necessary to protect themselves and their loved ones.
It is clear that business owners like Lorie Smith are protected by our Constitution and have the right to live out their faith in the public square – not have their deeply-held beliefs violated by the state.
Distinguished Christian Statesman Award
Congress must play an important role in providing essential resources to our law enforcement and education institutions so tragedies such as the one in Uvalde, Texas never occur again.
It is quite the honor to be awarded the Distinguished Christian Statesmanship Award for 2021. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we were not able to meet in-person last year, but it was great to see Rob Pacienza, President and CEO, and Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy, Board of Directors Member, from the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Leadership in my office this week and receive the distinction. This organization was founded 27 years ago as a Gospel-centered outreach to members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill. We are so blessed to have their presence in Washington, DC.
Rob Pacienza is Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and Jennifer Kennedy is daughter of D. James Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Ministries.
The award recognizes those whose commitment to Christ and love for country compels them to stand for truth and righteousness in government. I am truly humbled to receive it and will continue to uphold our Christian ideals in Congress.
New Fire Station in Southern Boone
Good news for the Southern Boone Fire Protection District: a new fire station just had its ribbon cutting!
Thanks to this new fire station, every home and business served by the Southern Boone Fire Protection District will be within 5 miles of a station house. With this new building comes a brand new fire engine, two replacement pumper trucks, a replacement district boat for water rescues, and more improvements and upgrades at the district’s existing stations.
I am glad to see these new improvements brought to our communities to increase the safety and security for our friends and family!
Homebuilders Association of Greater Kansas City
On Wednesday, I visited with the Homebuilders Association of Greater Kansas City to discuss a wide range of issues impacting home ownership.
During our meeting, I was proud to accept the Defender of Housing Award which recognizes federal legislators who have demonstrated strong support for key issues facing the housing industry. Building material supply chain constraints, rising interest rates, and persistent labor shortages continue to impede home and apartment construction in Missouri and nationwide.
Talking about finding sustainable solutions to these pressing issues is vital to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to enjoy safe, quality, and affordable housing.
If you’d like to stay up-to-date on news happening in our district and Washington, please follow my Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest information.
Have a good weekend.
Yours in service,
Vicky Hartzler
Member of Congress