Bond receives Partnership Award

On Thursday, U.S. Senator Kit Bond visited the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. There he was presented with a Partnership Award from area Regional Planning Commissions and economic development executives, many of whom were in attendance. The award was in recognition of his work to foster development in small towns and rural Missouri.

More specifically, the gathering touted Bond -- who is the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee -- for his authoring of the Economic Development Administration Reauthorization Act of 2004. Bond said the bill will increase funding for the EDA by $25 million annually through fiscal year 2008, in an attempt to help it spur economic growth in Missouri towns and communities.

"My goal was to try to put" the EDA "on the right track," Bond said.