EMERSON ON AGRICULTURE, TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEES

Southeast Missouri will retain its voice on federal agriculture legislation following the appointment Monday of newly elected U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson to the House Agriculture Committee.

Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, was also selected by the House Republican leadership to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

"I look forward to serving the 8th District and the state of Missouri on both of these important committees," Emerson said. "Agriculture is our region's and our state's No. 1 industry, and I'm pleased I will be working at the table to better all of our interests."

The district previously had been represented on both committees by Emerson's husband, U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson. At the time of his death in June, he was vice chairman of the Agriculture Committee.

"Southern Missouri will continue to have a voice on these committees, which have a direct impact on 8th District families and their daily lives," Emerson said."

The appointments came on the same day Missouri Secretary of State Rebecca Cook officially certified Emerson's victory in a special election to complete her husband's unexpired term.

Official results confirm Emerson's sound win over Democrat Emily Firebaugh of Farmington and Libertarian Greg Tlapek of Cape Girardeau in the Nov. 5 election. Emerson carried all 26 counties in the 8th District and tallied 132,804 votes (63 percent). Firebaugh garnered 71,625 votes (34 percent) while Tlapek claimed 5,326 votes (3 percent).

The special-election win along with her Nov. 5 victory in the general election for a full, two-year term gives Emerson immediate seniority, a major boon under House rules.

"Although it will be my first full Congress in which to serve, technically I will have sophomore seniority next year in the Congress as well as on my committees in front of the other 70-plus freshmen," Emerson said.

With an economy heavily dependent on its diverse agricultural production, continued representation on the Agriculture Committee is a clear benefit for the 8th District.

Lloyd Smith, Emerson's chief of staff, said her goals concerning farm legislation include fine tuning the 1996 Freedom to Farm Act, which is intended to reduce government involvement in agriculture; evaluating the crop insurance program and providing regulatory relief for farmers and ranchers. The latter category includes developing a clearer federal definition of wetland and improving oversight as related to meat inspection, Smith said.

On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Emerson plans to work to continue projects to expand or enhance U.S. highways 8, 32, 60, 63, 67, 72 and 412 plus interstates 44 and 55, as well as various flood-control and river-port projects important to the Bootheel.

One of her chief goals, however, is to secure continued funding for construction of the new Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau. The bridge, which is expected cost $120 million, will be named the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge after her late husband.

Emerson spokesman Pete Jeffries said gaining full funding for the bridge will be a continuing project. Only a fraction of the full amount has so far been allocated. "The bottom line is Cape Girardeau needs a safer bridge," Jeffries said.

Joining Emerson on the agriculture and transportation panels is freshman Republican Roy Blunt, who will represent Missouri's 7th District. Blunt also will serve on the International Relations Committee.

The other new member of Missouri's congressional delegation, Republican Kenny Hulshof, won a spot on the coveted House Ways and Means Committee. With its tax-writing powers, the committees is among the most powerful in the House.

Hulshof, who ousted longtime Rep. Harold Volkmer, a Democrat, in Missouri's 9th District, is a former Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecuting attorney.