EC from DC - April 20, 2012

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CREATING JOBS, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, GROWING GREEN

Our region took a big step this week as we are quickly becoming the center for research and development, manufacturing and deployment of electric vehicles and related technologies in this country. We announced the official launch of Electrify Heartland, an electric vehicle planning project, that brings together local business leaders and the Metropolitan Energy Center. The goal is to create a plan for electric vehicle and charging infrastructure preparedness throughout the metro area. Our area is one of the nation’s leading centers for the development of Electric Vehicles (EV) and electric vehicle supply equipment. That means we are home to many top notch companies and corporations working in this area – and that means jobs, economic development and the potential for continued growth. Our area is also home to one of the nation’s first Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Programs, continuing the promise of additional high paying jobs right here at home – and a cleaner environment.

CELEBRATING CHILDREN'S INTERNATIONAL

Children International, headquartered in Kansas City, is continuing to grow and expand their capacity to help needy children around the world. The organization, established in Kansas City in 1936 by a missionary to help widows and orphans, celebrated a recent building expansion. Children International currently helps more than 330,000 children in Latin America, Asia, Zambia, Kenya, and the United States.

NORTHLAND HELPING IN A HUGE WAY

What a wonderful way to start the day. I was honored to attend the Northland Community Foundation’s annual breakfast and meet some impressive and philanthropic area residents. Park Hill South High School Junior, Conner Blinzler (pictured below), was awarded the Virjean Burton Youth Philanthropy Award, an award that celebrates philanthropy in the Northland. Conner is active in so many things already in his young life, but always seems to make time for serving others.

And Fred and Linda Mitchell were given The Pinnacle Award. It is presented each year to individuals, groups and businesses that show extraordinary civic pride, leadership and caring.

The keynote speaker was James Stevens, the founder of Angel Flight Central, who encouraged the hundreds in attendance to remember when serving others you are actually helping your neighbors, your friends, and of course, yourself.

For more information: www.northlandcf.org

FEDERAL RESERVE BANK’S STUDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

I was pleased to join Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Esther George, Chairman Paul DeBruce, and many bank board members and staff at their first pinning ceremony to honor the 24 high school students of the Federal Reserve Bank's Student Board of Directors. This diverse group of students represents high schools across the region and has spent the past three months learning about the bank's operation and meeting with corporate leaders in the metropolitan area. I enjoyed the opportunity to share some thoughts with these bright and talented students about how lucky they are to have gained this valuable experience, and encouraged them to continue striving in their future endeavors.

PRESERVING HISTORY AT THE TRUMAN FARM HOME

Senator Blunt and I also traveled to Grandview, MO recently for a tour of the National Park Service's Truman Farm Home. We were joined by Grandview Mayor Steve Dennis and representatives of the National Park Service. This historic site is an impressive reminder of a simpler time in our nation's history. As the site of President Truman's childhood home, we were pleased to see the progress the National Park Service has made in renovating parts of the home and acquiring land and a former paint store that used to be part of the Truman Family's property. This historic area was acquired with federal funds that I helped secure a few years ago and will be used for a visitor center to help tell the story of our hometown President's early years.

CIVILITY CORNER

Anger is one letter short of the word danger. One of the worst mistakes we can make in the House is to explode due to our anger at another Member or because of our political passions. The person who flies off the handle will, in the long term, do him or herself more harm than good.

You might remember The Legend of Sinbad the Sailor. When Sinbad and his boys landed on a lonely Pacific island, hungry and in search of food, they saw coconuts high up in the trees, which would provide both food and liquid. But they faced a problem: How could they get the coconuts down with so many monkeys standing guard? Sinbad had the idea that he and his sailors should throw sticks and stones at the monkeys. The monkeys became so angry that they retaliated and began to pluck the coconuts and hurl them at the sailors below. Soon enough, the monkeys solved the food problem faced by Sinbad and his sailors.

When they returned the attack, the monkeys gave the sailors just what they wanted. This is what usually happens when our anger gets out of control. Anger can often place, in the hands of our enemies, just what they need to defeat us. The moral, then, is this: When you are up in a tree, don’t throw food down to your enemies.