Submitted

Josh Smead, a candidate for Congress in Missouri’s 6th District, spoke with citizens of Grundy and surrounding counties on Saturday. In his remarks, Smead outlined his vision and ideas for the district. Family, freedom and future are the three focus points of his campaign.

He said empowering the middle class, revitalizing rural towns and investing in modern infrastructure at every level will help make north Missouri a better place to live.

Smead said he “is disappointed with our current representation in north Missouri,” which has been a “rubber stamp” for many policies he believes are not in the best interest of the 6th District.

He pledged to stay in touch with citizens of the district if elected and said he would not be an absent representative. He said he will continue to visit all parts of the district to stay informed about constituents’ concerns and to share information and ideas.

As a father of four, Smead said he is committed to working for safe communities, strong schools, affordable health care and local economies that will make Missouri the best place to raise a family. He also said he will work to reduce federal overreach in programs.

Smead said health care must be within reach, including affordable insurance and physical access to health care facilities. He noted that many rural hospitals are being forced to close or offer fewer specialized services, including emergency care. He said one of his priorities is to offer solutions and work toward providing the services all Missourians deserve.

He said fully funding public education must be a priority. In most areas of rural Missouri, he said, there are no options for private schools. He said local schools are the heart of most communities and must have the resources needed to provide safe buildings and well-paid teachers in order to offer students a well-rounded education.

“Defending the Constitution is not an option, and I will work to defend the constitutional rights of everyone,” Smead said.

He said that while the United States is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the nation is still working toward a “more perfect union,” as stated in the preamble to the Constitution. In discussion regarding the proposed SAVE Act in Congress, which he said would jeopardize voting rights, Smead said that “if that act should become law, my office and I will provide assistance in helping to secure any documents needed if registering again to vote is necessary.”

Smead said “affordability and accountability” are important issues. He said billions are being spent on costly wars while service men and women are losing their lives to defend the country. He said money should be spent in the United States to assist veterans and their families. He also said the increasing costs of fuel and parts for farmers are hurting the agricultural economy. Smead said spending priorities must be reevaluated so available funds are used to provide essential goods and services to those most in need in the country.