A Missouri congressman who serves as the GOP Conference Secretary praises President Trump’s (R) State of the Union Address and backs the president’s call for a border wall.

President Donald Trump and Missouri Congressman Jason Smith (right) in Washington on February 5, 2019 (photo courtesy of Congressman Smith’s office)

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, tells Missourinet having an unsecured southern border leaves a threat to all Americans.

“We do need to have barriers along the southern border,” Smith says. “We need to have strong border security, because there’s all kinds of illegal drugs that are coming across the border.”

Smith notes federal agents made the largest seizure of fentanyl in U.S. history last week in Arizona. NBC News reports federal agents discovered 254 pounds of fentanyl, which is the synthetic opioid blamed for the majority of overdose deaths.

State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, told Missourinet this week in Jefferson City that those 254 pounds of fentanyl could have killed millions of Americans.

Congressman Smith says there’s a humanitarian crisis at our southern border, a crisis he says will only be solved with a physical barrier.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, disagrees with Smith. Congresswoman Cleaver, who also represents rural Lafayette, Saline and Ray counties, tweeted Tuesday night that “Illegal immigration is not a security crisis. Illegal border crossings are down 80 percent since 2001.”

Smith says the president has laid out a vision for the nation that all Americans can get behind. Congressman Smith praises President Trump for saying five million Americans have been lifted off food stamps and that African-American unemployment is the lowest on record.

“Well just put it this way, the president’s message to our country tonight was very clear to me: America’s First leadership is returning American greatness,” says Smith.

Smith represents 30 counties across southeast and south-central Missouri. His sprawling district includes Ava, Farmington, Sikeston and West Plains. Smith notes the president carried his district by 56 points in 2016.

Smith was one of the congressional leaders in both parties who escorted President Trump into the House chamber on Tuesday night. Smith says it was exciting.

“The relationship I’ve been able to cultivate with the president over the last couple of years has been very beneficial to the people of Missouri, and I was honored to be part of the escort committee,” Smith says.

Smith tells Missourinet President Trump told him Tuesday that the November Cape Girardeau rally is one of the best rallies he’s ever had.

U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, issued a statement after the State of the Union Address. It reads, in part: “The State of our Union is broken because of the damage and pain that Donald Trump has inflicted on the American people.”

Clay’s statement also says: “The President has worked tirelessly to deepen the divisions of racial hatred and intolerance in our nation in order to advance his own personal politics and to placate his extremist supporters.”

Democrats currently control the U.S. House 235-200. Republicans control the U.S. Senate 53-47.

 

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, which was recorded on February 5, 2019, following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address: