June 9, 2017
Dear Friend,
This week, it was an honor to see the citizens of Amory line the streets to pay their respects to fallen Mississippi Army National Guard soldier Sergeant (SGT) Kyle Thomas.
They came together with fellow Mississippians to demonstrate their patriotic spirit and to show their continued support for our service men and women. This is a difficult time for the Thomas family. It is my hope they will find comfort in the love and support they have received from their community.
ACTIONS IN THE HOUSE
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Financial CHOICE Act of 2017
When an individual or small business owner wants to get a loan or a company wants to expand, the federal government should not get in the way. That's what happened when the Dodd-Frank Act was passed. It forced a mountain of unnecessary job-crushing rules and regulations onto smaller lending institutions, making it too costly for small businesses and industries to do business. Countless families in the First District and throughout Mississippi were also negatively impacted. The thousands of rules and regulations created by Dodd-Frank made getting a home loan from your local community bank impossible. That's just one example.The House passed, with my support, H.R. 10, the Financial CHOICE Act of 2017. If signed into law, this legislation will put a stop to taxpayer-funded bailouts while also creating opportunities for job creators and Main Street businesses. For more on this bill, click here.
Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act of 2017
One of the president's priorities has been to secure our borders. However, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a huge staffing shortage. Even if a qualified candidate has completed and passed stringent background investigations, they have to go through the process again when they apply to work for CBP. The House passed and I proudly supported, the Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2017. This legislation allows CBP to alleviate the staffing shortage by waiving the pre-employment polygraph for qualified candidates who are state and local law enforcement officers, Federal law enforcement officers, and members of the armed services and veterans.
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Veterans of foreign wars convention
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Mississippians have a long history of answering the call to defend America. They have demonstrated their devotion to our nation for generations and continue to protect the freedoms we all enjoy.
Our war patriots will gather this weekend in Tupelo for the Veterans of Foreign Wars state convention.
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VFW State Convention attendees:
Charlie Thomas, Odie Gregg, Hugh Long,
John Floyd, Norm Copeland, Donald Butler,
Jeffory McKenzie, and Gail Wilson |
As a lifetime member, it is an honor to be a part of the VFW which is the largest and oldest service organization that provides assistance and support to service members.
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| vardaman future farmers of america |
Farming is a tradition for many Mississippi families, but sadly, the number of those working the land is getting smaller every year. In Vardaman, Amanda Taylor, Vardaman High School agriculture teacher and Future Farmers of America chapter advisor, hopes to turn that around. She leads an exceptional, hands-on program that students love to talk about. Amanda and her students put their heart and soul into their projects which include raising cows, showing livestock, and growing vegetables.
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From top left: Alyssa Alford and C.J. Weddle
showing their meat goats, Jesse Murphree,
Devin Stafford, Andres Flores, and Amanda
Taylor studying a field test plot of corn at MSU,
and the Vardaman FFA graduates |
"Our goal is to keep them interested in agriculture," Amanda said. "We need more farmers in our state. Even if they don't go into the agriculture field, they gain an appreciation for this vital industry."
Vardaman students recently held their FFA Chapter banquet where they got together to celebrate their many accomplishments. It is a proud moment to see these youngsters who may become our future farmers.
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| helping business entrepreneurs |
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in northeast Mississippi. A group of seasoned business professionals joined forces to offer mentoring to those who want to pursue their dream of owning a business. The New Albany-based group offer their help in 19 counties - most of which are located in the First District.
Other chapter branches are planned. While my colleagues and I on the House Small Business Committee work to make it easier to succeed in business, it is great to see what these good corporate citizens are helping us to accomplish in the First District. For more information, send them an e-mail at score.nems@outlook.com.
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| listening to our constituents |
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Airbus Helicopters President and
Head of North America Region Chris
Emerson, Defense and Space Vice President and
Program Manager John Burke, and Airbus Group
Government Relations Director Auburt Kimbrell
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Airbus Helicopters, Inc. plays an important role in the effort to defend our nation. Their Mississippi operation, located in the Golden Triangle, employs 277 people. In 2006, the company expanded their Columbus facility to build Lakota helicopters. It is a top priority to receive their input as my colleagues and I on the House Armed Service Committee work to build our defense readiness capabilities.
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| a week in pictures |
For more photos from a week in pictures, please visit my Facebook page.
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Mississippi Cattlemen's Association West Point
rancher Clint Ladner |
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Delta Leadership Institute representatives
Mathew Harrison, Staresha Hoskins, Adrienne
Hudson, Mechelle Wallace, Mary McClendon,
and Mani Chanprasith |
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Niagara Bottling representatives Derieth L. Sutton
and Julia Buchanan |
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Michael, Amber, Autumn, Saxton, Conner,
and Piper McHenry from Saltillo |
For more photos from a week in pictures, please visit my Facebook page.
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STAY IN TOUCH
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Let me know if there is anything my office can do to assist you. You can keep up with the latest news by signing up for my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Thanks for reading,
Rep. Trent Kelly (MS-01)
Member of Congress
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