MOVING SALINE COUNTY FORWARD 
| Congressman Cleaver addresses hundreds as the Marshall-Saline Development Corporation unveils new economic development plan |
Bold planning and bold action. Those are the key factors at work in the newly unveiled economic development plan launched by the Marshall-Saline Development Corporation. I was honored to speak at the gathering of hundreds in Marshall this week. Many dedicated people in Saline County have spent thousands of hours assessing and creating this strategic plan. The event focused on projects and initiatives that will soon begin to educate others about Saline County and the development opportunities that exist there.
SEQUESTER RAPIDLY APPROACHING 
| Congressman Cleaver addresses a crowd in Odessa at "Coffee with Cleaver" event on February 16th |
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with dozens of new constituents in Odessa and Lexington to listen to ideas and concerns about the future, what is going on in Washington, and what can be done to make sure we are following the best path forward in creating jobs, boosting the economy, and numerous other issues. This was during our ‘Coffee with Cleaver' meetings – one of my favorite times to meet with people. The desperate need for a farm bill, the impending sequester, and the hateful attitudes in Congress all came up again and again.
The sequester deadline is fast approaching – March 1st. Yet, as I write to you, Congress is out of session. While I always love being back in my district, we should not have come home without action. We must do our jobs and find compromise to avert the across-the-board spending cuts that are looming. These debilitating, indiscriminate cuts will only hurt the economy. A recent study by George Mason University economists projects a loss of 2.14 million jobs, if the sequester is implemented. 51,091 of these jobs would be lost in Missouri alone, according to their analysis. This employment shrinkage will come from a broad range of occupations, including teachers, nurses, construction and manufacturing workers, small business employees, and law enforcement. Seniors face severe potential impact, as well as other groups, if the automatic cuts begin taking place. For instance, it is estimated that hundreds fewer Missouri women will be screened for breast cancer and more than a thousand veterans will not get needed job training skills. And the Congressional Budget Office believes the sequester will cut national economic growth in 2013 in half.
I also fear serious consideration of the farm bill may not even take place until late spring or summer. So far, there has been no schedule announced for a new markup in the House or Senate Agriculture Committees for the farm bill. That is leaving farmers, ranchers and producers in a terrible state of uncertainty. This is an issue for everyone in Missouri's Fifth District. The rural/urban connection is critical to all families and our commodities must be protected. A long-term, comprehensive farm bill needs attention and passage immediately.
It is way past time to roll up our sleeves and get to work in Washington. And to do this, we must put aside our partisan bickering and find strategic, responsible ways to cut the budget, raise revenue and control spending.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and also serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus.

| Congressman Cleaver and Rural Policy Coordinator Kyle Wilkens (top left) visit with Lexington constituent |
NEW WEBSITE LAUNCH There is a new website I think you may find interesting and helpful. It is the result of a collaborative effort by the Office of the Historian and the Clerk's Office of Art and Archives. They collect, preserve, and interpret the heritage of the House. The website features records and research materials that date back to the beginning of Congress. There is a database for art, artifacts, documents, individuals, stories and highlights from House history. There are also education resources for teachers and students. For more information please visit: https://history.house.gov
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT I was honored to be chosen as a Game Changer of the Week by Politic365. In April of 2012, Politic365 started this initiative which they tell me is a mission to identify and honor 365 individuals from across the country who are actively creating opportunities to improve the socioeconomic and political climate in the United States.
https://politic365.com/2013/02/22/emanuel-cleaver/

Emanuel Cleaver, II
Member of Congress
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