Farm Bill up for serious discussion locally

Weekly newsletter from Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler

Dear Friend,

This week provided me an opportunity to do what I believe to be one of the most important tasks I do as your representative – I spent time meeting with citizens of the Fourth Congressional District to hear your concerns and ideas to take to Washington.

With the deadline to renew the Farm Bill drawing close, I hosted a roundtable discussion at Roy and Janet Akers’ farm outside Clinton to gather input from Missouri’s agriculture community. The purpose of this meeting was to bring together farmers and ranchers who are going to be most affected by the Farm Bill and to hear their priorities. Decisions regarding agriculture should be made by these hard-working citizens – NOT by Washington bureaucrats. It is imperative that the thoughts and concerns of farmers and ranchers be represented when the Farm Bill gets to the floor of the House for a vote.

The exchange of ideas was helpful, and I will bring the ideas I heard to Washington for our negotiations on the Farm Bill. As a farm girl growing up in Archie I often heard my parents speak of the importance of the decision-makers listening to what the people who produce our nation’s food supply have to say. I am honored to be one of those people who not only has direct experience in agriculture, but can also listen and fight for rural America – the backbone of our nation. With fewer and fewer national leaders possessing direct knowledge of agriculture, I feel honored to be an advocate for rural America.

A business roundtable I hosted in Sedalia reinforced my belief that government red tape is strangling small business. A hotel manager in attendance told of how the recent Department of Justice (DOJ) interpretation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rules are already causing management at some hotels to keep their swimming pools closed this summer. I have shared with you my disbelief upon learning, at an earlier forum, how the DOJ is requiring that permanent wheelchair lifts be installed in swimming pools – including kiddie pools – to comply with ADA. Hotels have been told portable lifts are not acceptable and, because of the high cost of permanent lifts, are shutting down their pools. Hotels are also having to remove hot tubs because of the new requirement that they be handicapped accessible.
I am working to change these ridiculous interpretations of the ADA. Government should allow business owners to use common sense in how to address the needs of their customers rather than dictate a one-size-fits-all costly mandate. Until that happens, Missourians who check into a hotel this summer after a long drive and can’t take a swim because the pool is closed, should keep in mind it is the Washington bureaucrats denying good citizens a chance to cool off.

In addition, we held 3 more town halls in Buffalo, Versailles, and California. I enjoyed visiting with everyone this week and appreciate all who came out. I look forward to taking your common-sense ideas back with me and to fighting for you in Washington.