The year ahead in Congress
By U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer
R-Missouri
Recently, I announced my retirement from Congress. I’ll turn 72 years old this year, and believe it or not, I have an identity outside the halls of power.
I might be “Congressman” in D.C., but back in St. Elizabeth, Missouri, I’m simply “Grandpa.” It’s one of the best titles I’ve ever had next to “Dad” and the litany of labels my wife Jackie has invented over the years.
I came to D.C. on a mission: To address the challenges families face – the conversations had around kitchen tables across the country. In my time, I have passed dozens of bills into law to help hard-working Missourians and Americans get a fair shot at the life they deserve.
Issues pertaining to financial services remain and we have a lot of priorities I look forward to tackling this year. I made a commitment to serve for an entire two-year term, and I’m not slowing down one bit.
Last year, my staff and I helped around 1,000 constituents with various issues like Social Security benefits, problems with the IRS, getting passports, and more. If you need help with a federal agency, I’m here to be your advocate.
Out in Washington, D.C., we’re hard at work writing policy and holding regulators accountable. One of my primary focuses is to rein in unelected bureaucrats who are pushing their own agenda and making life harder on everyday families. I regularly bring them before our committees to make them answer for their actions and expose any unacceptable shortcomings within this administration.
As you’ve probably seen me discuss frequently, our nation faces a dangerous threat from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions, which I chair, has produced three solid bills aimed at protecting our ally Taiwan and curbing the CCP’s aggression. I’ll continue working with my colleagues to construct legislation that will arm future generations to compete with and beat the CCP on a global stage.
Countless other issues like the border crisis, the opioid epidemic, house shortages, and providing for our national defense remain at the forefront. I will continue to pursue solutions to those challenges and push my colleagues to do the same.
I appreciate all the kind words from constituents regarding my retirement, but my duties as your representative are far from over. This job remains the honor of a lifetime, and I encourage you to follow along over the next year as we keep moving forward.