The commencement of the 2024 legislative session in the Senate has been quite a debacle. Instead of embodying civil and principled statesmen and women, the chamber has been hijacked by a faction of self-serving career politicians who often resemble children rather than colleagues.
The citizens of Missouri have raised their expectations for us. They demand progress, civility, and the enactment of policies that will enhance schools, bolster the economy, and ensure safer communities across the state. Regrettably, the Chaos Caucus has opted to utilize the Missouri Senate as a platform to salvage their failing statewide campaigns and deliberately undermine the institution, all in an attempt to assert that the system is rigged against them. They are willing to sacrifice crucial conservative priorities such as IP reform, education reform, and the prohibition of China from acquiring our farmland, solely to maintain their taxpayer-funded salaries.
In my capacity as the leader of the Missouri Senate, and with unwavering support from the True Republican Majority, we refuse to tolerate this any longer.
Today, I have implemented the following adjustments to our Missouri Senate committee framework:
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Senator Denny Hoskins has been relieved of his duties as Chair of the Committee on Economic Development and Tax Policy.
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Senator Ben Brown has been appointed as the new Chair of the Committee on Economic Development and Tax Policy.
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Senator Denny Hoskins has been removed from the Senate Appropriations Committee.
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Senator Andrew Koenig has been stripped of his position as Chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce Development.
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Senator Rick Brattin has been ousted as the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce Development.
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Senator Curtis Trent has been designated as the new Chair of the Committee on Education and Workforce Development.
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The formation of the Select Committee on Empowering Missouri Parents and Children with Senator Curtis Trent at the helm.
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Senator Bill Eigel has been dethroned as Chair of the Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Pensions.
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Senator Rusty Black has been appointed as the new Chair of the Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Pensions.
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Senator Rick Brattin has been removed as the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Pensions.
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Senator Elaine Gannon has been named as the new Vice-Chair of the Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Pensions.
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Senator Rick Brattin has been ousted as Chair of the Select Committee on the Protection of Missouri Assets From Foreign Adversaries.
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Senator Mike Bernskoetter has been appointed as the new Chair, with Senator Rusty Black serving as the Vice-Chair of the Select Committee on the Protection of Missouri Assets From Foreign Adversaries.
These decisions were not made lightly, but they are deemed both timely and imperative.
I remain open to collaborating with anyone interested in advancing a robust, family-centric, conservative agenda while upholding our institution and its members. Should the affected members desire tangible, conservative advancements, the opportunity remains available.
The True Republican majority is prepared to roll up their sleeves and push forward our shared priorities—ranging from education reform, tort reform, IP reform, tax reductions, public safety, and beyond. These objectives are within reach. However, their realization hinges on the Chaos Caucus opting to engage constructively with their colleagues instead of heeding directives from their overseers in Virginia.
Let’s embark on this journey together.