Missouri’s priorities are Senator Blunt’s priorities. That’s why he visited every country during his first two years in the Senate, and he continues to meet with families, job creators, farmers, seniors, students, soldiers, and local officials statewide to make sure Missouri’s priorities are well-represented each and every day in Washington.

Whether he’s fighting to support the state’s key industries to bolster job creation, ensure that we have the necessary infrastructure to move goods and services, helping with recovery efforts after a natural disaster, or assisting with the recognition of state icons like the St. Louis Arch grounds and the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Senator Blunt’s most important job is to continue fighting for Missourians.

RIVERS

The Missouri and Mississippi Rivers are critical to Missouri’s identity, culture, and economy.  While our state benefits from fertile farmland, commerce, and water supply through these natural resources, during years of abundant rainfall or runoff, both in Missouri and upriver, our communities and farmers can face enormous challenges.  In order to maximize the benefits and minimize the drawbacks of the rivers, it is essential for our national river policies and infrastructure to be focused on flood control.

Protecting people and property should always be the primary goal in river policy.  Senator Blunt co-chairs the bipartisan and bicameral Mississippi River Caucus and he helped found the Missouri River Working Group. He will continue to push to make sure that flood control is the primary focus of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Corps budget, and any future river policy.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Blunt played an important role in securing critical funding for the Army Corps to restore flood control infrastructure along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and to rebuild communities affected by the unprecedented flooding of 2011.

DISASTERS

When a disaster surpasses the ability of states and communities to rebuild, Senator Blunt believes the federal government should prioritize spending to help the people whose lives and livelihoods are impacted. During his time in the Senate, he has fought tirelessly to ensure that Missouri gets its fair share of those federal resources specifically dedicated to disaster recovery.

In 2011, Missouri was faced with a number of challenges rebuilding following devastating tornadoes and flooding. The E-5 tornado that hit Joplin in May 2011 took an enormous toll in terms of lives and property, while flooding on both the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers left huge swathes of farmland underwater for months on end. Senator Blunt spent a great deal of time traveling the state and meeting with families and communities impacted by these natural disasters, and their experiences led him to fundamentally rethink the way we view our federal disaster policies.

As a part of that effort, Senator Blunt asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate costs and management issues associated with major disaster declarations, and GAO released a report soon after. Senator Blunt will continue to work to make sure the federal government improves its response to federally declared disasters and better accounts for disasters in the yearly budgeting process.

TRANSPORTATION

Missouri sits at the nexus of the United States’ highway, railway, and waterway transportation networks.

The state has nine commercial passenger airports and 4,400 miles of main rail track that are operated by 19 different railway companies. In addition, Missouri is home to thousands of miles of pipeline carrying American energy to families and job creators. Missouri also sits at the nexus of the Interstate Highway System, which includes two of the major North-South Interstates in the United States, I-35 and I-55; the major East-West Interstate, I-70; as well as 16 other major Interstates.

As the top Republican on the Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Senator Blunt understands that Missouri’s interstate transportation systems are heavily relied upon by countless businesses nationwide, and he plays a key role in the federal oversight of our nation’s transportation infrastructure. Our reliance on our highways, railways, and waterways will continue to increase as the domestic economy continues to recover and expand.

Senator Blunt understands that maintaining and improving these networks is crucial to the long-term viability and sustainability of the nation’s economy. He is committed to ensuring that Missouri’s infrastructure remains a federal priority and that these interstate transportation systems are safe, secure, and equipped to handle the needs of families and businesses.