United States Supreme Court (Phot credit Laura Olson - States Newsroom)

Supreme Court appears wary of Biden vaccine-or-test employer mandate

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared unconvinced Friday of the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-test mandate on private businesses, casting doubt on a key piece of the White House COVID-19 response. The justices seemed potentially more comfortable with another Biden administration rule to fight the virus that requires certain […]

Biofuel Graphic

USDA to make up to $800 million available to provide economic relief to biofuel producers

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will make up to $800 million available to support biofuel producers and infrastructure. The announcement includes $700 million to provide economic relief to biofuel producers and restore renewable fuel markets affected by the pandemic. The Department will make the funds available through the new Biofuel Producer […]

USDA Reconnect Program

USDA accepting applications for loans and Grants to assist those in rural areas in obtaining high-speed internet access

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Department has begun accepting applications for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to help people in rural areas get access to high-speed internet. This announcement comes on the heels of the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides another nearly $2 billion in additional […]

Fake Meat Labeling News Graphic

Missouri Attorney General files letter with USDA opposing change in proposed fake meat labeling standards

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt earlier this month filed a comment letter during the comment period of a proposed USDA rule change that would affect the labeling of “fake meat” products. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office has been successful in defending a Missouri state statute that prohibits the labeling of “fake meat” products as meat. […]

DIY repair or home rehabilitation

USDA invests more than $350,000 to repair or rehabilitate homes in rural Missouri

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced the agency is investing $358,270 to improve equitable access to safe housing for rural Missouri homeowners. USDA Rural Development has long partnered with various organizations, together making a larger impact in rural Missouri, Thomas said. The Housing Preservation Grant Program is […]

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USDA invests $222 million in rural community infrastructure

 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small announced that USDA is investing $222 million to build and improve critical community facilities (PDF, 729 KB) in 44 states, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico. This community infrastructure funding will benefit nearly 2.5 million people in rural communities. It also […]

Vaccine Mandate News Graphic

Missouri among first states to file suit challenging CMS vaccine mandate

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson led a coalition of 10 states in challenging the vaccine mandate propagated by the Biden Administration’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on healthcare workers across the nation, becoming the first states to file a lawsuit challenging this mandate. Attorney General Eric Schmitt […]

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USDA awards funds to 13 organizations to create livable communities attracting people and jobs

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small announced that USDA is awarding $3 million in cooperative agreements to 13 organizations. These organizations will provide technical assistance to people living in rural and Tribal communities so they can apply for and access government resources for projects that will attract jobs and […]

Immigration

Coalition of lawmakers rebuke biden plan to pay illegal immigrants with taxpayer dollars

U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and the nine other Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans wrote to President Joe Biden to oppose his administration’s reported plan to offer illegal immigrants up to $450,000 per person in taxpayer dollars to settle lawsuits resulting from those individuals’ violating U.S. immigration law. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), […]

(Official portrait of President Joe Biden in the White House (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Biden pitches new $1.75 trillion spending blueprint to Democrats that drops paid family leave

(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden is meeting with congressional Democrats on Capitol Hill Thursday morning to pitch lawmakers on a new slimmed-down framework for what would be included in a massive social reform package, according to senior administration officials. The $1.75 trillion blueprint that Biden is presenting to Democrats includes a universal pre-K program for 3-and-4 […]

Governor Mike Parson

Governor’s Council on Disability seeks nominations for annual recognition awards

The Governor’s Council on Disability is currently accepting nominations for its 2021 annual Inclusion and Youth Leadership Awards. The Governor’s Council on Disability promotes full participation and inclusion of the nearly one million Missourians with disabilities in all aspects of community life by educating citizens, businesses, schools, organizations, and others of their rights and responsibilities under […]

Abortion Graphic

Missouri Attorney General joins suit against Biden Administration to stop federal funding of abortions

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt yesterday joined a lawsuit brought by Ohio and ten other states against the Biden Administration, challenging a federal rule change that would allow taxpayer dollars to be used to encourage and support abortions. The lawsuit, filed yesterday in the U.S. Southern District of Ohio, seeks to reinstate rule changes made […]

Network cables (RJ45 ) connected to a switch

USDA to make up to $1.15 billion available to help people living in rural communities access high-speed internet

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a significant expansion of access to high-speed internet, health care, and educational services for millions of rural Americans nationwide. Today’s announcement continues to move forward President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda by prioritizing economic growth in rural America and investing in the backbone of our country […]