Senator Blunt knows that his most important job in the United States Senate is to continue to fight for Missouri. Whether it is working to ensure that that our state has the infrastructure necessary to grow our economy and make Missouri a great place to live and do business, or properly recognizing and revitalizing Missouri icons such as the St. Louis arch grounds and the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City.

Missouri’s priorities are Senator Blunt’s priorities. The Senator continues to travel throughout Missouri and hear from Missourians, our communities, and our job-creators to ensure that Missouri’s priorities are represented in Washington.

RIVERS

The Missouri and Mississippi Rivers are critical to Missouri’s identity, culture, and economy.  While our state benefits from fertile farmland, commerce, and water supply through these natural resources, during years of abundant rainfall or runoff, both in Missouri and upriver, our communities and farmers can face enormous challenges.  In order to maximize the benefits and minimize the drawbacks of the rivers, it is essential for our national river policies and infrastructure to be focused on flood control.

Protection of people and property should always be the primary goal in river policy.  As a co-founder of the Missouri River Working Group, Senator Blunt will continue to push to make sure that flood control is the primary focus of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Corps budget, and any future river policy.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Blunt was integral in securing critical funding for the Army Corps to restore flood control infrastructure along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and to rebuild communities affected by the unprecedented flooding of 2011.

DISASTERS

When a disaster surpasses the ability of states and communities to rebuild, Senator Blunt believes the federal government should prioritize spending to help the people whose lives and livelihoods are impacted.  During his time in the Senate, he has fought tirelessly to ensure that Missouri gets its fair share of those federal resources specifically dedicated to disaster recovery.

In 2011, Missouri and the entire country faced the challenges of numerous natural disasters.  Senator Blunt traveled throughout the state to meet with families and communities impacted by flooding and tornado damage.  The E-5 tornado which hit Joplin in May 2011 took an enormous toll in terms of lives and property; while flooding on both the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers left huge swathes of farmland underwater for months on end.  

In order to improve the response to federal declared disasters, Senator Blunt will work to make sure that the federal government is prepared to improve the disaster declaration process and better account for disasters in the yearly budgeting process.