Tim Jones: Special Session Underway, Fourth of July Remarks, Stepping Up To Help The Gulf

Heat and heavy humidity have finally exhaled and given way to slightly cooler breezes this week as we find ourselves moving gently through the summer months and towards an always patriotic July 4^th weekend.  It is hard to believe that the 2^nd Regular Session of the 95^th General Assembly ended over six weeks ago and yet we now find ourselves right back at the Capitol this week pursuant to the Governor's call for an Extraordinary Special Session to address two legislative items:  economic development/job creation and public employee pension reform.  Until this week I was busily attempting to keep up with the excitement and mayhem of the two little daughters who grace our home, practicing full time at my law firm, DosterUllom, and attending events in the District and across the State.  Even without a "Special Session" I typically make a trip once a month or so to Jefferson City to attend to business during the "Interim Session".  In between visits, my hard working assistant, Jody, continues to staff our office and is always available if you need our assistance.  I also continue to "remotely" monitor e-mail and voice mail so if you do need any assistance, please know I remain available and ready to serve!  In the meantime, I wish you and your families a very safe and fun Independence Day weekend and please do say "hello" if you see me "around town"…

"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time." --Thomas Jefferson

"Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time; that in our time we did everything that could be done.  We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith." –Ronald Reagan

Extraordinary "Special" Session

As I mentioned in my opening paragraph, we are in the midst of an extraordinary or "special" session.  The Governor issued the official call for the session a few weeks ago and the House and Senate convened last week and began conducting the necessary "technical" and procedural days to bring the two legislative items to the Floors of their respective Chambers.  Today, Tuesday, June 29, 2010 we held debate on the House Floor relating to a bill [HB2] for economic development and job creation and a separate bill [HB1] relating to public employee pension reform.  Because we are in the middle of this Special Session and the outcome is not yet clear, I will wait until the bills move further along in the process before discussing them in fuller detail.  Stay tuned!

We Stand Together, From Sea to Shining Sea

Most importantly this coming week is the fact that on the 4^th of July we will once again celebrate the birth of our great nation.  It is a celebration of liberty and independence.  It is a vital reminder of the red white and blue and of the thousands upon thousands who have died in the name of the freedoms we all enjoy every day.

The birth of our nation has an unforgettable history and has sparked traditional celebrations that have continued for hundreds of years.

It all started in 1776, on July 2^nd, when the United States of America "officially" separated from Great Britain.  Congress then focused on the Declaration of Independence, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, which was fully agreed upon on July 4^th of that year.  Around this time, John Adams had written to his wife, Abigail, that it would be the most memorable epoch in the history of America.  He thought that it should be, "…celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival," and that, "It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

John Adams' instructions match our 4^th of July traditions almost exactly.  As you know, many of our cities in and around St. Louis observe the 4^th of July holiday by holding parades, barbecues, various fairs and festivals and of course, culminating the evening in grand fireworks displays.

From the annual and glorious Boston Pops performance, to the fireworks illuminating the St. Louis sky over the Arch and the burly waters of the muddy Mississippi, to the red, white and blue celebration at Mount Rushmore, we honor our country in many dignified and fantastic ways. As millions of us gather from sea to shining sea, we stand together – not as Republicans, not as Democrats – but as Americans.  It is my hope that we continue these traditions, from generation to generation, just as John Adams instructed in his letter.  May we always stand together in the name of our great country.

May God bless you, bless your family and may God bless the United States of America.

Stand Up & Be Counted!

Currently, Missouri is represented by nine members in Congress.  The U.S. Constitution requires the federal government to conduct a census every ten years for the purpose of apportioning the 435 delegates nationwide to the body.  This is a process that has occurred every ten years since 1790.  So far, only 78% of Pettis County households have returned their census forms.  The percentage in Saline County and Lafayette County are 70% and 74% respectively.

There is a realistic concern that Missouri might lose a seat in Congress.  Of the five states that are closest to the next lower number of members in Congress based upon predictions made by POLIDATA Demographic & Political Guides, Missouri has the smallest number that would result in the loss of a seat.  Said in another way, if Missouri's final count is off by as little as 10,000 people, our Congressional delegation will shrink from 9 to 8 members.  This information may be viewed on the web at http://www.polidata.org/news.htm. If Missouri loses a seat in Congress, we will collectively lose influence in our nation's Capitol and also lose some of our influence in the presidential selection process.  States like California and Texas are expected to be the big winners.

There are other ramifications to an undercount of people in our community.  Other political subdivisions including the Missouri General Assembly use this same data for reapportionment.  The numerous public service announcements over the last several months have informed us that the census data is used for a variety of purposes by the federal government as well as state and local governments.  In fact, over $400 billion in federal assistance funds for our state and local governments – used to support our roads, schools and hospitals – are allocated according to census data. There is an indication that the rural areas in our state are underperforming as compared to the metropolitan areas.  If outstate Missouri is not fully counted, we in rural Missouri can lose representation in the Missouri legislature to our big city brothers and sisters.

Over the next few weeks, census workers will be placing phone calls and going to the residences of citizens who have not yet returned their forms; please do your best to provide them with the required information.  Under Title 13 of the United States Code, all of the information you provide is strictly confidential and the Census Bureau may not sell or give away your address to people who may want to send you mail.  However, if you are concerned about the credentials of anyone claiming to be a census worker, you may call (800) 923-8282 or your local census office in Kansas City at (816) 977-2100, Odessa at (816) 565-4031, Columbia at (573) 818-3310 or Springfield at (417) 520-2510.

If you have not received your Census form, you should call 1-866-872-6868 or the Odessa Census Office at (816) 565-4054.  I urge you to do this today.  An undercount of less than two-tenths of our population will result in a loss of a member of Congress in our state.  An accurate count includes your household.

As Tragedy Strikes in the Gulf, We Must Step Up to Help

This summer, we have not been able to turn on the television or radio without seeing and hearing more devastating reports about the oil spill in the Gulf.  Innocent lives have been lost, wildlife is suffering and the economic livelihood of the Gulf states is in deep jeopardy.

Even though many of us feel like there is nothing we can do to stop the damage, WE can help those in need.  While the federal government continues to bumble and stumble its way clumsily through this crisis, great leaders like Governor Jindal and Governor Barbour continue to rally the spirits of the citizens of their States and take specific actions to solve the challenges presented by this crisis.  We have seen the ineptitude of the federal government on full display and it has once again been confirmed that it is we, the people, who can best help our fellow Americans.  I encourage all of you to step up and do what you can to help those who need us the most.  Several websites are accepting donations to aid the people and wildlife of the affected region such as the following:

• www.greatergood.org
• http://www.unitedwaynola.org/gulfoilspill/index.html
• http://www.gnof.org/programs/gulf-coast-oil-spill-fund/disaster-on-the-gulf-coast/
• www.causes.com
• www.nwf.org

If you are not able to give financially, please do continue to keep the families of the Gulf region in your daily prayers.

Visiting the Capitol

If you ever find yourself in or around Jefferson City at any time during the year, please feel free to visit us.  Stop by Room 114A and, even during the interim session, Jody will be happy to meet and greet you!

Personal News & Notes

Being "out of Session" has definitely not resulted in life slowing down much at all.  Working almost daily at the law firm, keeping up with constituent services and attending different events in and around the District have kept me more than occupied during the Interim Session.  I continue to owe a huge debt of gratitude to my wife, Suzanne, whose daily sacrifices enable me to continue to serve my constituents and to continue to work towards my vision and goal of making Missouri a better place to live, work and raise a family.  My two daughters, Katie and Abby are a constant reminder of why I have chosen public service as part of my career and that there are future generations and a "greater good" that we are all striving for when we "set to the task" each year in Jefferson City.  Please do not hesitate to contact our office if we can ever be of any assistance and have a wonderful July 4^th weekend!

Until our next update, I am, and remain, in your service.