Neighbor News
Committee Passes Two Military Bills
The Select Committee on Social Services passed two bills designed to better support Missouri's military service members and National Guard.
The Select Committee on Social Services, which I chair, met for the first time last week to hear two bills designed to better support Missouri’s military service members and the National Guard. Both of these bills were passed by the Veterans Committee and sent to the Select Committee for further consideration.
House Bill 241, sponsored by Rep. Charlie Davis (R-Webb City), adds the National Guard’s Civil Support Team vehicles to Missouri’s “Move Over Law”, meaning that other vehicles must pull aside to let them pass by quickly. The Civil Support Team has responded to natural disasters and would be called out to any biological or chemical attacks in Missouri. This simple bill will help the National Guard travel more rapidly to emergency scenes.
Missouri’s military generates $40 billion in our state and supports 275,000 jobs. Boeing is the third largest employer in Missouri, and Fort Leonard Wood is the fifth largest. The men and women in uniform and their families are also great assets to our state and communities. Unfortunately, federal downsizing efforts threaten military jobs and bases in Missouri. House Concurrent Resolution 20, sponsored by Rep. Steve Lynch (R-Waynesville), urges the US Department of Defense to protect and promote military bases and agencies in Missouri. Our entire state benefits from military facilities, and we must speak out with one voice to tell Washington DC that we support their continued presence in Missouri.
Find out what's happening in Ballwin-Ellisvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The House Budget and Appropriations Committees continue to hear department testimony on budget requests for fiscal year 2016. By the end of this week, Appropriations Committees will amend and vote on their assigned budget bills. The Budget Committee will review the Appropriations Committees’ amendments, make any additional changes that are needed, and vote out the budget bills so they can be considered by the full House.
Between departmental oversight and crafting bills, the budget is a year-round process, but by the end of this week we should have a must more complete picture of next year’s budget.