June 21, 2018
Dear Friend,
The opioid crisis continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of Mississippians and thousands of our fellow Americans. In 2016, 352 Mississippians died of an opioid overdose. That same year, 64,070 people across our great nation lost their lives to illicit and synthetic drugs. 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids every day.
We are determined to combat this crisis with meaningful legislation that addresses treatment and recovery, prevention, protecting communities, and fighting fentanyl. The House has made significant progress to achieve these objectives through the passage of a series of bills. To learn more about each piece of legislation, please click on the link.
2018 Congressional Baseball Game for charity
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Mississippians are known for their giving spirit, as are so many of our fellow Americans. When we see someone in need, we want to help. It is because of our charitable nature that the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity was founded back in 1909. The idea was to rise above bipartisan politics and come together with one goal in mind - to help those who need it most.
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| Photo courtesy of Faith Vander Voort |
Last week, the Republicans and the Democrats met on the field to raise money for a number of organizations that assist children. We also paid tribute to those who risked their lives and suffered injuries during the shooting which occurred during baseball practice on June 14, 2017. I am proud that a portion of the proceeds will go toward the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund. These men and women willingly lay down their lives to protect us and we respect them for their service.
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| Photo courtesy of Alex Edelman |
At the end of the day, this event is all about helping others and having fun with America's favorite pastime. The Democrats defeated the Republicans 21-5. Next year, we will make a comeback!
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| Our children Jackson, Morgan, and John Forrest |
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Tippah county development Foundation
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Congratulations to Tippah County Development Foundation on the selection of their new executive director, Chris Lewellen. Chris will lead the charge to attract more businesses and industries to Ripley and Tippah County. Chris has demonstrated a strong commitment to the people of Tippah County through his role as branch manager for Regions Bank in Ripley for eleven years. He also worked for ten years at the family business in downtown Ripley, Lewellen Furniture.
Chris said he will concentrate on new growth opportunities for Tippah County. "I think the timing for me to be here is perfect," Chris said. "I will look for new growth opportunities while protecting the economic stability of Ripley and Tippah County." I look forward to seeing more businesses and industries invest in Tippah County. These companies will find out what we already know - our workforce is second to none.
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World war II veteran visits the u.s. capitol
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Last week, I had the privilege to meet World War II veteran Roy Hodges. Mr. Hodges enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in January 1944. It was his goal to become a pilot and he passed the test to become one, but there was a need for more gunners at the time. He served as a gunner aboard a B-24 bomber and flew 33 missions over the course of two years. Mr. Hodges, a native of Dumas, returned home after the war and married Jean Storey. Mr. and Mrs. Hodges had three children; Phyllis, Pat, and Danny.
Over the years, Mr. Hodges has pursued one of his favorite hobbies which is to travel. One place he always wanted to visit was Washington, D.C. Recently, Mr. Hodges traveled to DC to see the monuments and to tour the U.S. Capitol. During our visit, Mr. Hodges said he had one more request. He wanted to meet House Speaker Paul Ryan. "It was real exciting," Mr. Hodges said. "I never dreamed of meeting the Speaker of the House. I was so thankful that Congressman Kelly helped make that happen."
We are thankful for Mr. Hodges' service to our great nation. It was an honor to spend time with him, his wife, Rachel, and all the members of the tour group from Mississippi.
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how can we assist you?
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We have a team in place across the First Congressional District and in Washington, D.C. that make it their top priority to offer assistance to our constituents. Reed Craddock, our Staff Assistant in the DC office, is the first person to welcome our guests when they walk through the door. This energetic young man is also the friendly voice you often hear on the other end of the phone when you call. Reed, a senior at the University of Mississippi, is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. He made the move to Washington, D.C., in May. "I have always followed politics," Reed said. "Working for Representative Kelly is an exciting opportunity to learn more about this profession and, at the same time, this is an opportunity to help others." If you need assistance from our team in Washington, D.C., please contact us at (202) 225-4306. To reach a member of our team in the First District, please call (662) 841-8808.
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a week in pictures
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For more photos from a week in pictures, please visit my Facebook page.
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| Noah Barbieri, Truman Scholar from Pontotoc |
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Stennis Space Center Director Dr. Rick
Gilbrech, Legislative Affairs Officer Anne
Peek, and Assistant to the Director Toni Watkins |
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Jason, Greta, Henry, and George
Bailey from Oxford |
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Civil-Military Innovation Institute representatives
Retired Major General Buff Blount
and Dr. Zinovy Wowczuk |
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| Washington Nationals player Jayson Werth |
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House Majority Whip Steve Scalise
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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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