Senator McConnell’s eNewsletter - - Week of December 8, 2014
Senator McConnell Welcomes Newest Member of the Senate
Republicans will be the majority party next Congress
This week, in his office in the U.S. Capitol, Senator McConnell congratulated and welcomed Senator-elect Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to the United States Senate. Senator McConnell will become the Majority Leader when the 114th Congress convenes on January 6, 2015.
Click HERE to read a report from Roll Call about Senator McConnell’s plans for leading the U.S. Senate as the Majority Leader in the new Congress, “McConnell Plots a Functional, Bipartisan Senate.”
Senator McConnell’s Guest Editorial in Appalachian News-Express
Last weekend, Senator McConnell penned an op-ed exclusively for the eastern Kentucky newspaper, Appalachian New-Express. The Senator’s op-ed was published on Saturday, December 6th, which was National Miner’s Day, and Senator McConnell wrote about the hard work of Kentucky coal miners, their families, and their communities and their storied tradition.
He wrote: "Let’s take this weekend to thank Kentucky coal miners and appreciate the jobs and affordable electricity their work brings to our state. As your senator, I look forward to holding this administration responsible for its waging a War on Coal. After all, we must protect the many jobs that coal mining brings to our state. And we must preserve the culture and tradition of the Kentucky coal miner." Click HERE to read the Senator’s full op-ed.
On Friday, Senator McConnell responded to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s comments on coal-fired plants at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Secretary Kerry said the Obama Administration is going to “take a bunch of them out of commission.” Secretary Kerry’s comments appeared in today’s edition of The New York Times.
Senator McConnell commented:
“Secretary Kerry was speaking for the Obama Administration when he pledged this week to put hundreds of coal-fired power plants ‘out of commission,’ but he was not speaking for Congress, and when I am Senate Majority Leader in January, the international community will have no doubt about that. It will soon be very clear that Congress disagrees not only with the EPA’s unilateral actions but also with the Administration’s entire international crusade against coal jobs. As Majority Leader, I will continue to take the War on Coal right back to the President and his EPA with laws aimed at protecting coal jobs, restricting the use of government funds for ill-conceived regulatory schemes, and robust congressional oversight of Washington bureaucrats. Given the change in management that’s coming to the Senate, overseas audiences may want to proceed with caution when it comes to Secretary Kerry’s recommendations and comments.”
Senator McConnell Addresses Kentucky Farm Bureau
On Saturday, December 6th, Senator McConnell addressed more than 1,500 Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) members from across the Commonwealth at KFB’s 95th Annual Meeting in Louisville. Senator McConnell delivered a Washington update speaking about energy and agriculture issues important to Kentucky.
Click the image below to view a report from WDRB-TV in Louisville.
Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony Honoring the WWII Members of the Civil Air Patrol
‘The point is, World War II could have turned out a lot differently if not for the men and women of the Civil Air Patrol. They served selflessly, often at their own expense.’
On Wednesday, leaders of the U.S. House and Senate held a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the WWII members of the Civil Air Patrol. Senator McConnell delivered remarks during the ceremony, which took place in Emancipation Hall, in the U.S. Capitol.
Click the image below to view the Senator’s remarks.
Senator McConnell Thanks Washington, D.C. Fall Interns and Page
On Friday, Senator McConnell thanked five Kentuckians who worked as interns this past semester in his Washington, D.C. office. The interns are from across Kentucky: Sam Edmiston from Ft. Mitchell, Megan Skaggs from Brownsville, Kaity Wolfe of Hodgenville, Esha Narola from Pikeville, and Andrew Miller of Louisville.
L-R: , Kaity Wolfe of Hodgenville, Esha Narola from Pikeville, Senator McConnell, Megan Skaggs from Brownsville, and Sam Edmiston from Ft. Mitchell.
Andrew Miller of Louisville and Senator McConnell.
This week, Senator McConnell thanked Kentuckian Alex Grove for his service in the United States Senate Page Program for the past fall semester. The highly competitive Page Program is composed of 30 students who are juniors in high school. Pages are appointed and sponsored by a senator and their duties consist primarily of delivery of correspondence and legislative material within the Congressional Complex.
Alex Grove from Louisville and Senator McConnell.
For more information on the internship program or the U.S. Senate Page Program, visit Senator McConnell’s website HERE.
In the Media
On Monday, Senator McConnell welcomed CNN’s Chief Congressional Correspondent, Dana Bash, to his office for an interview discussing foreign policy and the next Congress.
Click the image below to watch the CNN interview.
On Tuesday, Senator McConnell and Senate GOP Leaders hosted a media availability in the U.S. Capitol.
On Wednesday, Senator McConnell was a guest speaker at POLITICO’s Lessons from Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. He was interviewed by Mike Allen, POLITICO’s Chief White House Correspondent, and Susan Glasser, POLITICO’s Editor.
Click the image below to watch the POLITICO interview.
Visiting our Nation's Capital
If you’re planning a trip to Washington, D.C., please check out Senator McConnell's website and visit his office while you are in town. Every week, Senator McConnell welcomes to his office in the U.S. Capitol many Kentuckians from across the Commonwealth to discuss issues of importance to Kentucky. Also, the Senator’s office has information on tours, places to visit and local restaurants to help make your trip to the nation’s capital one to remember.
Keeping Up With Senator McConnell
Keep up with the latest news and alerts from our nation’s capital as well as updates on things happening back home in Kentucky by becoming a fan of Senator McConnell’s Facebook page, and get the latest news from Senator McConnell’s press office on Twitter at @McConnellPress. Senator McConnell is also on Instagram - Follow him at @McConnellPress.
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