EC From DC - April 13, 2012

Unsubscribe | Forward to a Friend | Having trouble Viewing this Email?

MAJOR JOBS ANNOUNCEMENT

There are high-tech, high-skill, in-demand jobs that local employers are having to go outside of our area, in some cases our country, to fill. Today, I was thrilled to participate in an announcement that fights to turn that around, by filling local jobs with local workers. Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City has been awarded a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The money, which comes from fees paid by employers to bring foreign workers into the U.S. to fill these jobs, will fund job training for hundreds of local people. There will be special consideration for military veterans and the long-term unemployed. Local employers say there are jobs available, especially in the areas of IT, Health IT and engineering – and I want to make sure those jobs stay in the Fifth District and are filled with those who live in the Fifth District.

MORE ON JOBS 

Creating, keeping, and competing for jobs was also the focus of my speech at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council this week. I believe young people need to be given the definition of work early in their lives, and told they are limited only by their creativity and their imaginations. Other countries are moving forward economically and we must focus on leading the way with job development, training and education so our employees and future employees are able to succeed.

A VISIT WITH OUR FUTURE

It was such a pleasure this week to find myself surrounded by beautiful, little faces filled with such hope, potential and promise. I was invited to Kansas City’s Operation Breakthrough to honor the effort to prevent child abuse. Operation Breakthrough serves more than 500 children in our area, primarily low-income families, foster children and the homeless. We listened to a young man, who has had no formal vocal training, sing so beautifully I offered to someday be his agent. But in all seriousness, the message from co-founder Sister Berta Sailer, from the mothers – and most of all – from the children, was keep believing in us, keep supporting us, and keep safe places for children at the top of the priority list. I have often said, as I did again today, that our budget reflects who we are and what we believe in. My message to these wonderful children was simple – you are important and we believe in you.

NEW CRIME LAB

I was pleased to be joined by my good friend and colleague, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) as we toured the site of Kansas City's new Crime Lab near 27th and Prospect. Hosted by Rev. Modest Miles of Morning Star Baptist Church, we were joined at a briefing and short bus tour by Kansas City Councilman Jermaine Reed, City Manager Troy Schulte, representatives from the Kansas City Police Department, Jackson County Sherriff's Office, City staff, and many others. This collaborative effort between law enforcement, the city, and neighborhood leaders, will help revitalize this area, and provide our region with a state-of-the-art crime lab, community center, new housing, and more. Senator Blunt and I were pleased that some federal funds were being utilized to help this project move forward.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

If you didn’t have a chance to catch my appearance on Up to Date with Steve Kraske, please click here to listen. We discussed a range of issues, from the budget to the latest happenings on Capitol Hill, including budget negotiations, gas prices, and the economy.

On this Easter Sunday, as David Gregory put it, I know you are not supposed to but we mixed talk of religion and politics. In a wide-ranging discussion, I joined Bishop William Lori, Archbishop-designate of Baltimore, founder of Angel Ministries and daughter of the Reverend Billy Graham - Anne Graham Lotz, Republican Congressman from Idaho, Raul Labrador - a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and author and executive editor at Random House - Jon Meacham.

If you didn’t catch it, click here to watch: