Poplar Bluff Archives

Flood watch issued for much of southeast Missouri; Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff in watch area (AUDIO)

October 28, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Most of southeast Missouri will be under a flood watch from 7 o’clock tonight until 10 Thursday morning. National Weather Service (NWS) Paducah meteorologist Sean Poulos tells Missourinet that Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff and Dexter are in the watch area.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Paducah has issued a flood watch for southeast Missouri from 7 p.m. on Wednesday until 10 a.m. on Thursday (October 28, 2020 map courtesy of NWS Paducah Twitter page)

“We’re anticipating rain moving up into those areas here later this afternoon and continuing pretty heavy this evening into the overnight hours, and then gradually trying to lessen in intensity as we get through the day tomorrow,” Poulos says.

New Madrid and Doniphan are also included in the flood watch area.

The NWS warns southeast Missouri could see three to four inches of additional rain, with the ground already saturated. Flooding is likely in low-lying and poor drainage areas.

“We’re concerned with flooding, especially in areas that get over three inches,” says Poulos. “In southeast Missouri we have a lot of low-lying, hilly terrain out there.”

The NWS is urging motorists who are traveling in southeast Missouri tonight and overnight to be careful, noting flooded roadways are hard to see in the dark.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with National Weather Service (NWS) Paducah meteorologist Sean Poulos, which was recorded on October 28, 2020:

Rural hospital closings getting attention from both candidates in southern Missouri congressional race (AUDIO)

October 28, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Health care has emerged as a major issue in southern Missouri’s Eighth Congressional district race between U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) and his Democratic challenger Kathy Ellis.

The sprawling district includes 30 southern Missouri counties and about 20,000 square miles. It stretches from Jefferson County, south of St. Louis, all the way to the Bootheel. It also includes southern Missouri towns like West Plains, Ava, and St. James. The district hasn’t sent a Democrat to Washington since Congressman Bill Burlison, who served from 1969 to 1981.

The Eighth Congressional district has seen five hospital closings since 2016:

** Parkland Health Center in Farmington (2016)
** Southeast Health Center of Reynolds County in Ellington (2016)
** Southeast Health Center of Ripley County in Doniphan (2018)
** Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett (2018)
** Black River Medical Center in Poplar Bluff (2019)

Ellis, a social worker who lives in Festus, supports Medicaid expansion and says federally qualified health centers must be expanded in southeast Missouri.

“So that they’re delivering primary care, behavioral health, dental, OBGYN, everything that the area needs,” Ellis says.

As for Congressman Smith, he says Medicaid expansion is a state issue. He has described the hospital closings as “unacceptable” several times, during interviews with Missourinet. He notes that people die when hospitals close, noting that rural hospital closures are associated with an increase in an area’s mortality rate.

But Smith says attention hasn’t been given to the hospitals he’s worked to save, like the Iron County Medical Center in Pilot Knob. Smith tells Missourinet the facility was days away from closing, and that he and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R) worked with the hospital administrator to keep it open.

Smith also says that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he immediately got hospital administrators, local health clinics and doctors on the phone, and brought their needs to the president. He notes he successfully urged the Trump Administration this year to reverse its earlier rule requiring telehealth to have audio and video, saying that’s been huge for the district, which has major issues with lack of rural broadband and cell service.

“And so working with the president (Donald Trump), I was able to get him to do an executive order to rescind it, that they could do telehealth by just audio. It didn’t have to be audio and visual,” Smith says.

Congressman Smith also filed legislation in July called the “Saving Rural Hospitals from Closure Act,” which would keep rural hospitals open by allowing the HHS Secretary to give hospitals flexibility to remain financially viable.

The two candidates agree that access to quality health care is critical in southeast Missouri, and that the district needs every hospital and rural clinic in it.

They also agree on the need for improved rural broadband in the district.

As for Ms. Ellis, she reiterates that health care is the top priority for residents in the district. She notes it’s impoverished and that some southeast Missourians must drive two hours for health care.

“We have huge infant/mother mortality rates in the Bootheel and we have fully one-third of the 16 counties surrounding the Bootheel where children don’t have enough to eat on the weekends,” says Ellis.

She says her priorities are the priorities of district residents, and that it’s time to have a representative who listens to the people.

During her interview with Missourinet, she notes that many southeast Missouri Republicans have run unopposed for state legislative seats during recent years.

She says there’s not been a lot of energy from the Missouri Democratic Party, for southeast Missouri and other rural areas. She says that’s happened around the nation as well.

But Ellis emphasizes that elections are won and lost in rural areas, and that Democrats must focus on rural America. She says winning can take multiple election cycles, and says young voters in her district are energized.

Ellis put 75,000 miles on her car in 2018, when she faced Smith. Smith won with about 73 percent of the vote, getting 194,042 votes to Ellis’ 66,151 votes.

Congressman Smith describes the district as “God’s Country.” It includes the Mississippi Delta and the Ozark Hills. He says his priority is to represent his constituents.

“That is to make sure our rural Missouri values has a strong voice and is represented in Washington D.C. Those values include limited government, freedom, lower taxes,” says Smith.

Smith says the tax cut signed by President Trump should be made permanent, along with doubling the child tax credit.

He also says the 2020 election is not just about the next two or four years, it’s about the next 50 years.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, which was recorded on October 26, 2020:

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Democrat Kathy Ellis of Festus, which was recorded on October 26, 2020:

Missouri public utility crews working to restore power in Louisiana, after Hurricane Delta

October 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

14 lineworkers representing four rural Missouri hometown public utilities worked throughout the weekend to help restore power in hurricane-damaged Louisiana. CNN reports about 320,000 Louisiana residents are without electricity, because of Hurricane Delta.

Linemen from western Missouri’s Harrisonville stop for a quick picture, before leaving for Louisiana on October 8, 2020 (photo courtesy of city of Harrisonville)

Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) spokesman Kerry Cordray says the lineworkers are working in difficult conditions.

“But these guys are great at what they do, and they’re very dedicated to doing their work well, wherever they’re doing it,” Cordray says.

The MPUA crews are from four Missouri municipal utilities: Harrisonville, Nixa, Palmyra and Poplar Bluff. They’re working in Alexandria, which is northwest of New Orleans. Cordray tells Missourinet the damage in Alexandria wasn’t as big as it was for Hurricane Laura six weeks ago.

“If there are still outages in nearby public power communities when restoration at Alexandria is complete, the crews may be made available to another location before coming home,” he says.

Harrisonville is located south of Kansas City, while Nixa is south of Springfield. Palmyra is in northeast Missouri, and Poplar Bluff is in southeast Missouri. Cordray says the four towns have “public power” electric utilities and are part of MPUA.

“These public power utilities (MPUA) are as large as Springfield, Columbia, Independence, but include many smaller towns and rural communities, some with only a few hundred residents,” says Cordray.

MPUA has 79 Missouri members that provide electricity. The Missouri crews in Alexandria are equipped with four bucket trucks, another specialty truck and other linework vehicles and machines.

The town of Alexandria, Louisiana issued a call to the MPUA for mutual aid assistance, which is coordinated through MPUA’s mutual aid network. Towns that assist are reimbursed by the municipal utilities receiving assistance.

Cordray also notes last week was public power week.

14 lineworkers from four Missouri towns heading to Louisiana, because of Hurricane Delta

October 8, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Hometown electric line crews from four rural Missouri towns are driving to Louisiana on this Thursday evening. They’ll perform recovery work after Hurricane Delta hits.

Linemen from western Missouri’s Harrisonville stop for a quick picture, before leaving for Louisiana in the early-morning hours of October 8, 2020 (photo courtesy of city of Harrisonville)

The Weather Channel reports hurricane warnings have been issued for much of southwest Louisiana, which was hammered by Hurricane Laura several weeks ago. Governor John Bel Edwards says Hurricane Laura destroyed 10,000 homes and caused major damage to 35,000 others. The governor says the electrical infrastructure in southwest Louisiana is still being repaired, from Laura.

Hurricane Delta is expected to bring life-threatening storm surges to the Gulf coast.

The Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) says the Missouri crews heading to Louisiana are from Harrisonville, Nixa, Palmyra and Poplar Bluff. Harrisonville is south of Kansas City, while Nixa is located south of Springfield. Palmyra is in northeast Missouri, and Poplar Bluff is in southeast Missouri.

The four towns have public power utilities.

The Missouri line workers will respond to power outages once the storm passes. The town of Alexandria, Louisiana issued a call to the MPUA for mutual aid assistance.

The four Missouri towns are sending a combined 14 lineworkers. They will stage in Alexandria and are equipped with four bucket trucks, another specialty truck and other linework vehicles and machines.

Alexandria, which is northwest of New Orleans, is Louisiana’s ninth-largest city.

The National Hurricane Center expects Delta to reach southwest Louisiana on Friday morning, and move inland on Friday and Saturday.

In August and September, 24 Missouri lineworkers representing six other Missouri hometown utilities assisted Alexandria, following Hurricane Laura.

The mutual aid assistance is coordinated through MPUA’s mutual aid network, and assisting towns are reimbursed by the municipal utilities receiving assistance.

Legislative panel approves a planned $25 million hospital in southeast Missouri (Update)

September 15, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

New hospital site plan from certificate of need proposal

A proposed new hospital project in Kennett cleared a major hurdle Monday in Jefferson City. The Missouri Facilities Review Committee approved a certificate of need application on the proposed 49-bed acute care full-service hospital by Mainstreet HealthVentures.

Mainstreet HealthVentures consultant Kerry Noble told Missourinet affiliate KBOA that the construction could set an example.

“I think it will be a showplace for smaller rural hospitals who are trying to work out of old, antiquated, outdated facilities to use as a model,” Noble said.

The Georgia-based company submitted a 62-page certificate of need application for the project. They plan to demolish the former Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center, which closed in 2018.

The hospital will open on May 1, 2022, according to the plan. It will be about 70,000 square feet. There would be 37 adult acute beds, six pediatric acute beds, and six intensive care unit beds.

Plans also call for a 24-hour emergency room with seven beds and an urgent care clinic for non-emergency patients. The new hospital will also include a four-room inpatient/outpatient surgical suite, with a surgical recovery unit. It also will have a 24-hour clinical lab and 24-hour medical imaging, including CT and MRI.

State lawmakers from across southeast Missouri have written letters supporting the planned new hospital. State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter, the House Special Committee on Aging’s vice chairman, notes Kennett has a large elderly population.

“That hospital (Twin Rivers) was the only hospital that was actually in Dunklin County. The other closest places are Paragould, Arkansas or Piggott, Arkansas, which is an 18-bed facility I believe,” Morse says.

Kennett residents now have to drive to Arkansas, Cape Girardeau, Sikeston or Poplar Bluff for emergency room care and for hospitalization. Supporters of the new hospital say it will help about 70,000 residents across southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas.

Representative Morse, whose wife graduated from Kennett High School, tells Missourinet that Dunklin County must have a functioning hospital. He says Paragould, Jonesboro, Hayti and and Poplar Bluff are too far from Kennett, in an emergency.

“Jonesboro is almost 50 miles from Kennett. And so, it’s just difficult, and I think there would be lives lost in just not having the hospital that close,” says Morse.

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, and State Reps. Andrew McDaniel, R-Deering and Dale Wright, R-Farmington, have also written letters in support of the new hospital plan.

Kennett is located in the Bootheel, the state’s poorest region. There have been five hospital closings in southeast Missouri since 2014, including Kennett.

Noble, also a former chief executive officer at the Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti, said building a brand-new facility is best for safety code requirements.

Kennett Mayor Chancellor Wayne also backs the new hospital plan, describing it as a big step forward for health care in Kennett and southeast Missouri.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full four-minute interview with State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter, about the planned $25 million hospital project in southeast Missouri’s Kennett on August 12, 2020:

Southeast Missouri lawmaker emphasizes importance of rural Missouri physicians (AUDIO)

August 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While Missouri has a severe shortage of rural physicians, one southeast Missouri state lawmaker says his area also needs more doctors who live there.

State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter, speaks on the Missouri House floor on March 3, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter, says that when he moved to Stoddard County in the mid-1970s, there were 15 to 20 doctors who lived in the county.

“Right now, there’s one fella and he’s on the verge of retirement who actually lives full-time in Stoddard County. Everyone else comes in from somewhere else for the day, and goes back home,” Morse says.

Morse says the other doctors drive back to Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff or Sikeston.

He says the 15-20 doctors who lived in Stoddard County years ago “were part of the community, they were school board members or whatever, civic club members.”

Stoddard County is a large county, geographically. It has about 830 square miles. Advance, Bernie and Bloomfield are some of the other towns in the county.

The UM System is working to train more doctors, dentists and pharmacists in the state. The majority of Missouri counties don’t have enough doctors.

The MU School of Medicine says the bond between doctor and community “is important, but increasingly rare in small towns across Missouri.” The School of Medicine says while 37 percent of Missourians live in rural communities, only 18 percent of Missouri doctors practice there, adding that the crisis will worsen in rural Missouri as baby boomers age and need more care.

MU’s School of Medicine held its first annual clinical rural immersion program in June, providing 25 health care students with real-world experience in rural Missouri. They spent two weeks studying rural medicine in Sedalia. The program was conducted virtually, with modified in-person visits.

The project was funded by a grant. MU has a rural track pipeline program. The School of Medicine says the research shows that the more exposure medical students have with a rural practice, the more likely they are to return to a rural Missouri practice.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter. Representative Morse is the Missouri House Special Committee on Aging’s vice chairman. The interview was conducted on August 12, 2020:

Four Republicans hope to replace term-limited Libla in southeast Missouri Senate district

July 28, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Four southeast Missouri Republicans are running in the August GOP primary to replace veteran State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, who’s leaving the Legislature at the end of the year because of term limits.

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, presides over the Missouri Senate in Jefferson City on May 14, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Jonathan Lorenz at Senate Communications)

Three of the four candidates are from Poplar Bluff, while the fourth lives in the Bootheel. The four candidates are State Rep. Jeff Shawan, R-Poplar Bluff, farmer Jason Bean of Holcomb, longtime State Farm Insurance agent Eddy Justice and former State Rep. Stephen Cookson, R-Poplar Bluff.

The rural district includes eight counties: Butler, Carter, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Shannon and Stoddard. Towns in the district include Poplar Bluff, Kennett, Charleston, Portageville, Dexter and Puxico.

Agriculture is huge in the district.

No Democrats filed for Libla’s seat, which means the winner of the August 4th primary will be the next senator from the district.

Representative Shawan is finishing his first term in the Missouri House. He’s a former Butler County emergency management director. One of his main priorities as a legislator and during the campaign is supporting law enforcement and first responders.

Shawan filed legislation this year to increase penalties for those who flee from police, in high-speed pursuits. Shawan’s cousin, Bob Adams, testified for the bill. Adams testified that his daughter was killed in 1998 after a 14-year-old suspect fleeing police slammed a stolen vehicle into his daughter’s car.

Bean is the son of former State Rep. Otto Bean, R-Holcomb. Jason Bean is a farmer and is currently the chairman of the Fisher Delta Research Center’s advisory board. Missouri Farm Bureau has endorsed Bean, and says the 25th district “is the number-one agriculture district in the state of Missouri.”

Eddy Justice has been a State Farm agent in Poplar Bluff for more than 20 years. He’s also a former chairman of the Butler County GOP Committee, and served briefly on the Missouri Board of Education. Justice is campaigning against government overreach, and for the Second Amendment and jobs.

Former State Rep. Stephen Cookson, R-Poplar Bluff, served four terms in the Missouri House, from 2011-2018. Cookson was one of the first GOP lawmakers in the Legislature to call for then-Governor Eric Greitens (R) to resign in January 2018.

Cookson focused on organ donation, while he served in the Legislature. Governor Greitens appointed him to Missouri’s Organ Donor Task Force. Cookson is campaigning on conservative, rural values. He’s a former teacher and served as school superintendent in Naylor.

The August primary winner will replace Libla, who chairs the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee. Libla was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016.

Libla’s top priority has been transportation. During an interview with Missourinet in July, Libla said that Missouri is not funding roads and bridges adequately. He says Missouri’s gasoline tax needs to be increased, noting the state’s 17-cent per gallon tax has remained the same since 1996.

Term-limited Missouri state senator urging colleagues to increase funding for MoDOT (AUDIO)

July 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The outgoing Senate Transportation Committee chairman says Missouri is not funding roads and bridges adequately.

A truck driver travels on I-70 near Mineola Hill in east-central Missouri’s Montgomery County in 2019 (file photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Transportation)

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, is leaving the Senate in January, due to term limits. He says Missouri’s gasoline tax needs to be increased, noting the state’s 17-cent per gallon gas tax has remained the same since 1996.

“We need to do our jobs up here (Jefferson City) and that is to take care of the assets and resources that Missourians deserve and expect and the traveling public for the safety of our families, but also for economic development,” Libla says.

Libla filed Senate Bill 539 in January to raise the state’s gasoline tax from 17 to 19-cents per gallon. While the Transportation Committee approved it, the bill died on the Senate floor. Libla says that proposal would have raised $144 million annually for Missouri transportation.

While Missouri has the nation’s seventh-largest highway system with about 34,000 miles of roadway, it ranks 49th in funding. Chairman Libla says out-of-state motorists pay 40 to 50 percent of Missouri’s gasoline tax.

“When we go into their states, we have to pay what their (other states) going rate is on the fuel user tax per gallon. But they have lots of other taxes on their gasoline too, and diesel fuel,” says Libla.

For instance, he says Pennsylvania’s gasoline tax is 58-cents per gallon. Libla’s bill would also have adjusted the taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel annually for inflation.

Libla praises the job that the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is doing, including Director Patrick McKenna. He says they have a great staff, and are doing more with less.

Libla says MoDOT received about $100 million less in funding in 2019, than they received in 2010. He also notes that cities and counties receive about 30 percent of the funding, from Missouri’s gas tax.

“So it hurts our local county commissions that’s trying to keep our roads up, and our cities and our mayors, our (city) council people,” Libla says.

Libla says Senate Bill 539 would have provided cities and counties with an additional $44 million annually, for transportation.

Missouri voters rejected transportation tax increases in 2014 and again in 2018.

In addition to tight funding, MoDOT has also been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. State Rep. Becky Ruth, R-Festus, who chairs the bipartisan Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight, says the pandemic has had an impact of between $45 million and $100 million on MoDOT.

Director McKenna testified in late June that the impact is from several factors, including declines in license and registration fees and a decline in the motor vehicle sales tax. He also says the agency has delayed advertising on about $360 million in projects.

Despite the impact, MoDOT crews are still working every day. McKenna says more than 100 bridges in Missouri’s $350 million bridge bonding plan are now under contract, and 13 have already been completed. He says an additional 58 bridges are currently under construction.

In 2019, Missouri lawmakers approved the $350 million bridge bonding plan, which is repairing or replacing 250 deteriorating bridges.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, which was recorded on June 25, 2020 at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City:

MoDOT response to pandemic is praised by Missouri lawmakers (AUDIO)

July 4, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A Missouri lawmaker who chairs the bipartisan Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight is praising state transportation officials for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

State Rep. Becky Ruth, R-Festus, notes the pandemic has had an impact of between $45 million and $100 million on the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

State Rep. Becky Ruth, R-Festus, speaks at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on January 30, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

“I know the department has been working very hard on trying to make up that shortfall and figure out how we can get through that and still get our road projects done,” Ruth says.

MoDOT’s response is also praised by State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, who chairs the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee.

MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna testified recently before the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight. He testifies the impact is from several factors, including declines in license and registration fees and a decline in the motor vehicle sales tax.

During an interview with Missourinet, Director McKenna says the agency has delayed advertising on about $360 million in projects.

“We haven’t canceled those, that’s a delay,” McKenna says. “We’re just taking a cautious approach until we see the full impact of the declining revenue during mostly the April and May periods of time.”

Revenues from Missouri’s 17-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax have also been impacted by the pandemic, because of layoffs and many people working from home. Traffic volume was down by 49 percent in some parts of the state, due to COVID-19.

The pandemic has prompted seniors leaders at MoDOT to take pay cuts, and the agency has also reduced discretionary purchases for non-construction activities.

“We’ve also taken other measures to slow spending, to reduce hiring at the moment and for our entire team, participating in shared work on a reduced work week,” says McKenna.

That’s a 32-hour work week. McKenna says MoDOT placed an executive review on all new hiring in March.

Chairwoman Ruth announced at the hearing that the next meeting of the joint committee will take place during the September veto session in Jefferson City.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna, which was recorded on June 25, 2020 in Jefferson City:

Southern Missouri congressman emphasizes importance of rural hospitals and telehealth (AUDIO)

May 12, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A congressman who represents 30 counties across southern Missouri thanks the Trump Administration for reversing decisions involving rural hospitals and telehealth.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, speaks to a community member at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Festus in 2016 (file photo courtesy of Congressman Smith’s office)

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, describes the two reversals as major wins for rural Missouri and rural America.

The first decision involves rural hospitals and the CARES Act’s paycheck protection program (PPP). Smith says rural hospitals were not originally eligible for the program.

Now they are.

“When you’re looking at rural community hospitals such as those in Potosi, Ironton, Houston, Salem, Ste. Gen (Ste. Genevieve), they will be impacted now that they can participate in this program,” Smith says.

The Small Business Administration’s PPP is a forgivable loan that’s aimed at keeping employees on the payroll, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith says health care professionals and business leaders in his district say that’s critical.

Congressman Smith’s district has seen five hospital closings since 2016. Impacted towns have included Poplar Bluff, Farmington and Doniphan.

Smith is also praising federal health officials, for expanding telehealth to allow care to be administered over the phone. He says the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reversed its earlier rule requiring telehealth to have audio and video.

“In southeast Missouri, a lot of folks don’t have internet, don’t have broadband … and they’re being told to stay at home and not come to hospitals but they still need to talk to their doctors,” says Smith.

Smith learned about the issue during COVID-19 conference calls with health care providers and business leaders in his district, and says he passed the concerns along to the Trump Administration.

He says the administration is willing to listen, adding that it “is making a big difference for southern Missourians.”

Smith’s massive district covers 20,000 square miles, from Jefferson County all the way to the Bootheel. It also includes part of the I-44 corridor, and extends into southwest Missouri.

The district includes Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Kennett, West Plains and Ava.

Smith, who serves as the GOP Conference Secretary on Capitol Hill, tells Missourinet that his constituents want to re-open the country.

While he emphasizes that safety is the top priority, he says his constituents want the district to be the leader for the nation, in re-opening the country for business.

“We’re in such a rural area, over 20,000 square miles that covers the 8th congressional district in Missouri, we know how to social distance ourselves,” Smith says.

Congressman Smith voted for the bipartisan COVID-19 legislation in Washington in late April. It contains $75 billion for personal protective equipment for health care employees, and another $25 billion to expand testing.

Smith also praises President Donald Trump for quickly approving Governor Mike Parson’s request for a major disaster declaration. Smith says the administration has assisted more than 46,000 small businesses in Missouri during the pandemic, “to the tune of $7.5 billion.”

Click here to listen to the full seven-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, which was recorded on May 5, 2020: