Congressman addresses federal regulations, other issues at chamber event

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, talked to area businesspeople Friday about several federal issues he said are important to the district he represents.

Smith, who on Friday marked two years since the special election that sent him to Congress, was the main speaker at the Cape Girardeau Area's First Friday Coffee event at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau.

Government regulations, especially those dealing with environment and industry, are most burdensome to the 8th Congressional District, Smith said.

"You talk about economic development, you talk about hurting our way of life," Smith said. "That's what these regulations will do."

Regulations covering air and water quality, and more specifically, the new federally issued Clean Water Rule, Smith said, contains language he believes to be "so broad, it could include a raindrop coming out of a gutter."

Smith said better control in the federal appropriations process can help restrict federal agency rules.

Smith serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, which deals primarily with tax and trade policies, along with health care and Social Security.

Trade Promotion Authority, which soon could be granted to the president by Congress to negotiate foreign trade agreements, is a main topic for the committee, Smith said, as are efforts to reform tax codes.

Tax code reform, Smith said, could result in a permanent funding stream for transportation infrastructure improvements.

Local officials and economic development representatives want to see movement on transportation projects such as the proposed Interstate 66 corridor, which eventually would connect Interstate 55 in Southeast Missouri to Interstate 24 in Paducah, Kentucky, or take another route based on continuing studies. The entire I-66 project would connect the east and west coasts.

Smith on Friday also called for a balanced federal budget, which he said is unlikely to come anytime soon. But Smith added he thinks Congress is making progress by having a budget written for the first time in six years, as opposed to repeatedly passing resolutions allowing federal government spending.

"It doesn't balance as fast as I would want it to, but it's definitely at least moving," he said.

This month's First Friday Coffee was sponsored by Chateau Girardeau and GlennView Strategies.

July's First Friday Coffee event will be pushed back to July 10 because of the July 4 holiday. The Wright Group and Murphy Business will be the sponsors.

eragan@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

777 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO