West‑central Missouri U.S. Rep. Mark Alford says the United States cannot afford to leave the conflict with Iran unresolved, arguing the primary concern remains Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Alford says Iran has enriched uranium to more than 60% and believes securing that material is critical before the conflict can end.
“If we leave Iran without getting that, that’s just going to leave open the possibility that they will end up creating a nuclear bomb that not could just hit Israel and eventually an intercontinental ballistic missile that could eventually hit New York or Washington, D.C.,” Alford said.
The conflict began in late February, with President Trump initially saying it would last four to five weeks.
Missouri U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, has criticized the war. He says Iran is a bad actor but argues Congress was not adequately consulted before military action began.
At home, Alford is also preparing for life under Missouri’s newly approved congressional map.
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the state’s GOP‑backed congressional map is constitutional, rejecting multiple legal challenges and allowing the so‑called Missouri First Map to remain in place.
Alford, a Republican who represents Missouri’s 4th Congressional District, says his western Missouri district is experiencing some of the most significant changes under the finalized map.
“I understand why it’s being done to pick up another seat for Missouri on the Republican side,” Alford said. “I will be picking up much of the Kansas City metro area.”
Under the Missouri First Map, Alford’s district sheds portions of the Kansas City urban core. Cleaver’s longtime Kansas City‑based district is broken up, losing much of the metropolitan area and extending farther into rural central Missouri.
Cleaver has criticized the redistricting plan as politically motivated.
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