Powerful U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) chairs the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee on Capitol Hill. He’s optimistic that the bipartisan tax package he negotiated with U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) will pass both chambers of Congress. Chairman Smith says Missouri families will benefit from the bipartisan agreement, saying it locks in $600-billion in proven pro-growth, pro-American tax policies. Congressman Smith joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”. We also discussed the Tyson Foods plant in southeast Missouri’s Dexter, which has more than 700 employees. Tyson is closing the plant and wouldn’t sell it to another company. Congressman Smith tells “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that he called Tyson Foods’ chief executive officer and demanded they allow a new company to buy the Dexter plant, and Tyson has agreed to do so. Congressman Smith tells listeners that large companies shouldn’t be able to come in and manipulate markets and affect rural communities:
(LISTEN): U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) discusses Speaker’s race, poverty guidelines and college campuses on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Southern Missouri’s powerful U.S. House Ways and Means Committee chair Jason Smith (R-Salem) predicts U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) will be elected House Speaker today at noon. U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, saying he know the House Republican caucus. Congressman Smith also discussed his comments yesterday on Capitol Hill regarding poverty guidelines. Chairman Smith tells listeners that the Biden administration’s new recommended poverty guidelines would mean that a family in Alabama has to earn less than one in California to get services like school lunch and food stamps. He says all states should be treated the same, whether it’s Alabama, South Dakota or California. “This is about robbing resources from rural America to benefit coastal elite,” Congressman Smith said in a committee hearing. He elaborated during the “Wake Up” interview. Congressman Smith also discussed college campuses on the show, telling listeners that publicly-funded universities nationwide are focused more on “preferred speech” than on freedom of speech:
(AUDIO): U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) represents southern and southeast Missouri on Capitol Hill. He chairs the powerful U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, and tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that the committee plans to hold a Missouri field hearing in the future. It’s unclear where that hearing will take place. Congressman Smith also blasted the “defund the police” movement, saying that the number of police officers shot in the line of duty has increased by 57 percent since 2020. Congressman Smith notes Bonne Terre officer Lane Burns was shot and killed in the line of duty last year. Congressman Smith also tells listeners he hopes to get U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) to Columbia or Jefferson City:
(AUDIO): U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem) represents southern and southeast Missouri on Capitol Hill. He chairs the powerful U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, and tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that the committee plans to hold a Missouri field hearing in the future. It’s unclear where that hearing will take place. Congressman Smith also blasted the “defund the police” movement, saying that the number of police officers shot in the line of duty has increased by 57 percent since 2020. Congressman Smith notes Bonne Terre officer Lane Burns was shot and killed in the line of duty last year. Congressman Smith also tells listeners he hopes to get U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) to Columbia or Jefferson City:
(AUDIO): Missouri Senate President predicts Senate passage of $2.8 billion I-70 plan
Missouri’s Senate President predicts his chamber will approve legislation from State Sen. Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) to six-lane I-70 across Missouri. That would include through the Columbia area.
Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” the money is there to approve the $2.8-billion plan, adding that it’s the right thing to do.
“The moment that we’re in relative to having such a big surplus and having Jason Smith as chair of Ways and Means in DC and Congressman (Sam) Graves as chair of Transportation in DC, this is the year. I mean if we’re going to do something, we have to do it this year,” Rowden says.
Congressmen Smith and Graves both represent parts of mid-Missouri on Capitol Hill. Rowden and Hough both note Missouri has a record budget surplus.
“If you think about now, you know ten years from now, having a six-lane I-70 all the way across mid-Missouri, in addition to the rebuild and proper build of the 70-63 interchange, that money is already accounted for and is already going to happen. If you do those two things, that’s the ballgame for mid-Missouri,” says Rowden.
Under Senator Hough’s measure, the state would pay $132-million a year for 15 years to pay off the expansion.