Legislative session is again in full swing and we have already accomplished much in the House of Representatives. Last year’s elections were historic for the State of Missouri. To me, this was also an absolute mandate to take serious action on the problems facing our state and voters meant business. I’m happy to report that I do to! After elections we elected new leaders for the House of Representatives and immediately went to work preparing for the budget by forming an ‘interim budget committee’ on which I served. We spent November and December preparing for the full budget committee that begins next week. We also appointed Committee Chairmen a month early and I am proud to report my appointment to Chair of the House Agriculture-Business Committee. I have already set my agenda for my committee, drafted such legislation on which I will report more in the future, and I will begin that work next week. But we have lost no time passing two priorities the people of Missouri spoken upon loud and clear last year by: 1.) continuing our work overturning the federal healthcare mandate, and 2.) passing legislation protecting businesses from federal and state regulations to protect existing Missouri jobs. I fully supported both and they have been sent to the Senate.
House Resolution 39, which I co-sponsored, was adopted by the Missouri House last week calls on Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to defend the citizens of Missouri by joining in the multi-state lawsuit against the implementation of the federal healthcare mandate passed by Congress as part of Obamacare. More than twenty other states have now signed onto the lawsuit. HR39 specifically addresses the failure of Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to join the lawsuit given the overwhelming support Missouri voters displayed last August against this new federal mandate. HR39 goes further to proclaim that the mandated healthcare bill is a clear misuse of the Commerce Clause within the US Constitution and that the penalty for failure to purchase healthcare is unconstitutional.
I was proud that in just the second week of the legislative session, Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives wasted no time in moving this resolution through committee and to the House floor. We were proud to stand up for the overwhelming number of Missourians who sent us to Jefferson City to take on battles just like this. One of the key amendments added on the House floor also asked Governor Jay Nixon to take action and make a stand as well. As the Chief Executive of the State and the former Attorney General, we feel it is important for the Governor to get involved on behalf of the people of Missouri. As pointed out on the House floor, it has been six months since the people of Missouri have voiced their opinion and the Attorney General and Governor have still not taken any action.
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