A congresswoman who represents a large portion of central and western Missouri traveled to Jefferson City this week to meet with state lawmakers from her district.
U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, meets with Missouri lawmakers on February 4, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Congresswoman Hartzler’s office)
U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, says it makes sense to join forces with state lawmakers, since they both serve the same constituents.
“And I feel so honored that so many of our state reps and senators from the Fourth District came to spend a little time discussing issues that impact both at the federal level and state levels,” Hartzler says.
More than a dozen state lawmakers from across the sprawling Fourth Congressional District met this week in Jefferson City with Congresswoman Hartzler. She says numerous topics were discussed during the “Working Together for Missouri Summit.”
“Such as the opioid crisis, the need for rural broadband, need for affordable, accessible health care, transportation, infrastructure,” says Hartzler.
Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, says about ten Missouri school districts currently lack access to high-speed broadband. The governor calls that “unacceptable.” Hartzler says broadband continues to be a big issue in rural areas.
Governor Parson has also proposed a $350 million infrastructure plan, aimed at repairing or replacing 250 bridges across the state. The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says more than 900 Missouri bridges are in poor condition.
Congresswoman Hartzler’s district includes Columbia, Moberly, Sedalia and Fort Leonard Wood. She represents all or parts of 24 counties. Hartzler, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, supports GOP President Donald Trump’s border wall.
“Because 90 percent of the heroin that is ending up in our districts and people are overdosing and dying, is coming across the southern border,” Hartzler says.
She tells Missourinet the overwhelming majority of her constituents favor the wall.
Hartzler says 70,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017 and adds that Congress has approved $10 billion in funding for states to fight the opioid epidemic.
State Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, and State Reps. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, Robert Ross, R-Yukon, Glen Kolkmeyer, R-Odessa and Donna Pfautsch, R-Harrisonville, were among the lawmakers who participated in Monday’s meeting.
Click here to listen to Missourinet news director Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, which was recorded on February 4, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City:
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