EC from DC - November 9, 2012

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What a huge day we recently celebrated in Kansas City. Last Saturday, we gathered with a large crowd at the old Bancroft School on Tracy Avenue. And it was, indeed, a time for celebration. We marked the official groundbreaking for the repurposing of the building in the historic Manheim neighborhood. What used to be a school will now become 50 affordable, LEED Platinum housing units. And this will happen while showcasing energy efficient and innovative redevelopment.

Make It Right, which was founded by Brad Pitt, joined with local businesses, community leaders and neighbors to make this happen. Bancroft Elementary School was built in 1904 and proudly served as a public elementary school until 1999. But it has sat vacant and abandoned since then.

This new development stands as a testament to the hard work that is going on within the Green Impact Zone to create jobs, boost the economy, and revitalize areas of Kansas City that have seen disinvestment for decades.

Half of the 50 housing units will be inside the school building, while the rest will be built as townhomes around the school. The repurposing was designed by Kansas City-based BNIM Architects. The Bancroft Project also includes many features designed to benefit the entire community. There will be a gymnasium, locker rooms, an auditorium, technology lab, mobile medical clinic, a job training center, retail space and community gardens.

Construction begins next month and the entire project is expected to be finished by January of 2014.

Our efforts continue – but Bancroft is certainly something to celebrate. It is a momentous day for the Green Impact Zone, the Manheim neighborhood and all of Kansas City. What began as an idea and a hope has now become a reality. It would not have happened without the hundreds of hardworking people who put in thousands of tireless hours to get to this point. It is with this kind of public/private cooperation that such tremendous progress is made, greatness is achieved and long-lasting change is cemented into our very foundation for future generations to come.

Every year on Veterans Day, we come together as a nation, to honor and remember those who have sacrificed so much to serve our country. It is a service they perform in countries all around the world, and here at home, to ensure democracy and freedom. There aren't words to express how much we owe all of the airmen, soldiers, marines, sailors, and Coast Guardsmen. And, of course, how much respect and gratitude we also owe their families.

This year, I am thankful that the President kept his word, ending the war in Iraq and bringing our soldiers home. With troops preparing to return home in 2014 from Afghanistan, we not only look forward to welcoming them back, but also to a responsible departure. Because of the efforts of those in our military, our country is safer and stronger.

I continue to support our nation's more than 2 million troops and reservists, their families and friends, and the 23 million veterans. It is also a time to shut out the chaos of daily life and take some private moments to honor the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, including the more than 4,400 American servicemen and women who have died in Iraq and more than 2,100 who have died in Afghanistan. Those numbers are accompanied by the close to 50,000 troops wounded in those countries.

I believe our soldiers who fight on the battlefield should not have to come home and struggle to find a job. It is our responsibility to make sure they are prepared and able to find employment in the civilian workforce. Last fall, Congress enacted the President's veteran hiring initiative. That program offers tax credits for businesses that hire service members. The VOW to Hire Heroes Act also offers job training and other incentives to encourage the hiring of veterans.

To be sure, there is still much work to do. My hope is on this Veterans Day, we will all take a moment to reflect on what – and who – the day is about. And what we can each do to get the job done.

As you know, civility is very important to me. I do not believe we can solve the problems we face, as a nation, unless we are willing to reach across the aisle and work together. Whether this will happen and how we move forward has been a big topic of discussion lately. We have talked about it here in Missouri's Fifth District, as well as at the national level. If you'd like to hear more about my thoughts on this, please click on the news program link below, where we discussed this very issue.