March 7, 2020
Dear Friend,
This week, the House passed, with my support, an emergency supplemental funding bill to treat and prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. The Administration's response to this public health emergency is appropriate and necessary to protect American lives. President Trump has placed the White House's plan of action in the capable hands of Vice President Mike Pence. Vice President Pence has joined forces with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and America's top health professionals to pursue the best possible course of action as mandated in the bill.
This bipartisan legislation addresses the spread of the virus in America and across the world, expedites the development and availability of a vaccine, authorizes the purchase of essential equipment and supplies, and assists state and local health departments.
Currently, there are no known cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi. I am working diligently to stay abreast of the situation and will continue to coordinate with our healthcare providers to ensure that Mississippians have the best possible protection and treatment for this virus.
ACTIONS IN THE HOUSE
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H.R.6030, To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow spouses of uniformed Service Members to make contributions towards such member's Thrift Savings Fund account, and for other purposes.
I am pleased to introduce H.R. 6030 which provides military spouses the ability to contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan of their Service Member. As families move from one duty position to another, spouses who have a 401k that new employers will not roll over, or any IRAs from previous jobs (old 401k), can invest that money in the TSP of their Service Member.
An example of this would be if a service member gets an assignment from one duty position to another. A Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine moves and his/her spouse has to quit their job at their previous duty location. The spouse closes out their 401k with their previous company and has the option to roll that 401k over with their new company or convert it to an IRA and start over at the new location. Not every employer allows rollover from one 401k into their plans so when this happens, the spouse has the ability to contribute that investment into their Service Member’s TSP account.
We are hopeful that if this bill gets enacted and signed into law, that our Service Members will be able to have this as an option to invest in the future of their families.
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| working for our farmers |
This week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue testified about the state of the rural economy at a House Agriculture Committee hearing. He discussed the USDA's implementation the 2018 Farm Bill and the progress being made to reduce trade barriers for America's farmers and ranchers. Additionally, Secretary Perdue detailed the framework to sustain the agriculture industry which is vital to the health and well being of all Americans.
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| eagles on the hill |
It was my pleasure to welcome Boy Scouts of America, Yocona Area Council, Eagle Scout Keerthin Kerthikeyan to our Washington, D.C., office. The Oxford High School student was one of thirteen young people from across America who were selected to present the BSA Report to the Nation. Keerthin and his fellow delegates represented more than 2.2 million BSA youth members and 800,000 volunteers.
I thoroughly enjoyed talking to this young man who has devoted 770 service hours to his Eagle Scout Project. Keerthin engineered the idea for a Flag Retirement Drop-Box for people to respectfully retire American flags. The drop-box was installed at the Oxford Police Department and the Oxford Fire Station. During the first week, the drop-box quickly filled. I am proud of the patriotism displayed by Keerthin and his devotion to public service.
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| saltillo primary school |
It is National Read Across America Week and a great opportunity to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss! I was pleased to read to Saltillo Primary School students. This is always a special occasion because I love to read books and to encourage everyone to make reading a part of their lifestyle.
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| sma run on the hill |
This week, I joined Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Michael Grinston, colleagues, and staff members for the annual SMA's Run on the Hill. During this early morning run, SMA Grinston talked about the Army's new initiative, "This is My Squad". The initiative encourages Soldiers to spend more time with each other, outside of their professional duties. The goal is to establish new lines of communication with their fellow Service Members.
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Rep. Garrett Graves (LA), Rep. Van Taylor (TX),
SMA Grinston, Rep. Jason Crow (CO), and Rep.
Ralph Abraham (LA) |
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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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