Long's Short Report -- Putting Southwest Missouri's priorities first

Statement

Over the past few weeks, I traveled throughout Missouri's Seventh Congressional District visiting with folks at community gatherings, courthouses, and numerous local businesses. I talked to constituents, office holders, and business stakeholders in order to learn more about how the decisions we're making in Washington affect their daily lives.

At stops like Dominos Pizza in Bolivar and Fiberlite Technologies in Joplin, businesses are as concerned as ever with the plethora of employment regulations coming out of Washington. While at the Empire District Electric power plant in Asbury, new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates are making it harder for them to do business, while their customers' costs rise.

Meanwhile the protector of our environment, the EPA, took responsibility for polluting a Colorado river with 1 million gallons of toxic orange wastewater this August while trying to clean up an abandoned goldmine.

Everywhere I went people shared my concerns about the flood of regulations coming out of Washington. But on top of that, people felt that the most pressing issues they wanted me to tackle are the Obama Administration's reckless nuclear deal with Iran and the recent revelations about Planned Parenthood's system of aborting and abhorrently selling baby body parts for profit. I share their senses of urgency and these are among my top priorities.

First, Iran's leaders have already proven untrustworthy, and this deal would only endanger our allies in the region while doing nothing to stop a nuclear Iran from becoming reality. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, recently said Israel shouldn't expect to exist in 25 years. All the while, the president and his administration refuse to give us the full text of the deal to review. I have cast my vote in disapproval of the Iran deal and, moving forward, will continue to do everything in my power to block it.

Also, immediately following the Center for Medical Progress' first Planned Parenthood video release, many colleagues and I wrote a letter demanding that the DOJ launch a full investigation into the horrible revelations they contained. Additionally, The House Energy & Commerce Committee, which I serve on, has launched a full investigation into the matter. I am also a cosponsor of eight bills to completely end federal spending for Planned Parenthood or outlaw abortion altogether. It's important not to lose sight of the big picture; abortion must be illegal altogether, and any group that performs them shouldn't receive any taxpayer money to end innocent lives.

Traveling through our communities is the best way to keep a pulse on the interests and concerns of the people I work for. And whether it's cutting back federal regulations and spending, blocking the administration's Iran deal, defunding Planned Parenthood, or standing up for our Constitution, it's undeniable that we have our work cut out for us. But rest assured that I share the same concerns as Missouri's Seventh Congressional District and will continue fighting for our principles.

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