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Healing God, remind us today of the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me.” You know, Lord, that’s true - unless WE LET THEM.

Give today to all these men and women gathered here a double portion of Your kind of inner serenity, and that manner of wisdom which knows when to speak and when to embrace the silence.

And let their words be said or not said, not just for personal gain, but for the good of their constituents and of the whole state. Amen.

The Speaker appointed the following to act as Honorary Pages for the Day, to serve without compensation: Ashley Rhoads, Claire Zaupel, Courtney Zoeller, Caroline Brockhaus, Michelle Scherrer and Taylor Daniels.

The Journal of the twenty-sixth day was approved as printed by the following vote:

AYES: 155

Aull	Baker 123	Baker 25	Barnitz	Bearden
Behnen	Bivins	Black	Bland	Boykins
Bringer	Brooks	Brown 30	Brown 50	Bruns
Burnett	Byrd	Chappelle-Nadal	Casey	Chinn
Cooper 120	Cooper 155	Cooper 158	Corcoran	Cunningham 145
Cunningham 86	Curls	Darrough	Daus	Davis
Day	Deeken	Dempsey	Denison	Dethrow
Dixon	Donnelly	Dusenberg	El-Amin	Emery
Ervin	Faith	Fares	Fisher	Flook
Franz	Fraser	George	Goodman	Guest
Harris 110	Harris 23	Haywood	Henke	Hobbs
Hoskins	Hughes	Hunter	Icet	Jackson
Johnson 47	Johnson 61	Johnson 90	Jolly	Jones
Kelly	Kingery	Kratky	Kraus	Kuessner
Lager	Lampe	Lembke	LeVota	Liese
Lipke	Loehner	Low 39	Lowe 44	Marsh
May	McGhee	Meadows	Meiners	Moore
Munzlinger	Muschany	Myers	Nance	Nieves
Nolte	Oxford	Page	Parker	Parson
Pearce	Phillips	Pollock	Portwood	Pratt
Quinn	Rector	Richard	Roark	Robb
Robinson	Roorda	Rucker	Ruestman	Rupp
Salva	Sander	Sater	Schaaf	Schad
Schlottach	Schneider	Schoemehl	Selby	Self
Shoemyer	Skaggs	Smith 14	Spreng	Stefanick
Stevenson	St. Onge	Storch	Sutherland	Swinger
Threlkeld	Tilley	Viebrock	Villa	Vogt
Wagner	Wallace	Walsh	Walton	Wasson
Wells	Weter	Whorton	Wildberger	Wilson 119
Wilson 130	Witte	Wood	Wright-Jones	Wright 137
Wright 159	Yaeger	Young	Zweifel	Mr Speaker

NOES: 000

PRESENT: 000

ABSENT WITH LEAVE: 007

Avery	Bean	Bowman	Dougherty	Hubbard
Smith 118	Yates

VACANCIES: 001

The Officers of the Missouri State Future Farmers of America were introduced by Representative Quinn.

Ms. Susan Bernt, President of the Missouri State Future Farmers of America, addressed the House.

Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Rules, to which was referred HCS HB 347, begs leave to report it has examined the same and recommends that it Do Pass, with no time limit for debate.

On motion of Representative Dempsey, the House recessed until 11:30 a.m. for the purpose of receiving an address from Senator Christopher S. Bond.

The hour of recess having expired, the House was called to order by Speaker Jetton.

My old colleague Alan Simpson used to say that Presidential election-year politics remind him of lightning hitting the outhouse.

Whether one supports or opposes his agenda, President Bush has proven to be a leader who is not afraid to believe in big ideas, does not shy away from criticism, and has the courage to take on tough issues that most might choose rather to defer.

We need to complete a highway bill which improves the foundation for future efficiency, economic growth, job creation, and safety.

We are currently building the strategy to do just that and my goal is to maximize funds for Missouri priorities and we expect legislative action to be underway this spring.

With Tom Daschle now returned to the private sector, we hope to win passage of a new energy bill to increase opportunities for domestic producers of energy including our farmers while decreasing our reliance on expensive foreign sources of energy.

This month, we had a tremendous victory with final passage of Class Action legal reform to help protect the rights of plaintiffs to win remedies they deserve without imposing the costly jackpot system of civil justice on our economy that has been benefitting primarily tort lawyers.

Again, another ray of hope that the strategy of obstruction in Washington has diminished clout.

The next legal reform priority will be to address medical malpractice which drives up the cost of medicine and makes it harder for patients to find doctors.

We have a budget that is tough medicine and shows the President is willing to make hard decisions that are necessary.

While the Congress will certainly make modifications to the details of the President’s budget, I believe that we will have to meet his overall budget targets and that will not be easy.

The solution of some will be not to tighten the belt, but just to buy a bigger belt by raising taxes.

This, we will resist because a $2.5 trillion budget should be enough and we cannot afford to frustrate our economy with higher taxes as we struggle to grow out of the recession and to create more jobs.

The President has boldly stepped up to the plate to suggest that we strengthen Social Security for not just this, but for the next generations.

In response, Senator Schumer from New York said he will filibuster the President’s plan - a plan which has not been released.

We can only assume, Senator Schumer plans either to support higher social security taxes or do nothing as an alternative.

Last week, I introduced new election reform legislation to continue the goal of making it easier to vote and harder to cheat which includes new security features to ensure legitimate voters are not cheated by illegal votes.

Soon, I will be introducing legislation to build on the tremendous success of “Parents as Teachers” program we began here in Missouri.

It began as an experiment in Missouri and has expanded to more than 3,000 sites in all 50 states and six foreign countries.

My new legislation, called the, “Education Begins at Home Act” will authorize the first, dedicated federal funding stream to support Parents as Teachers at the state and local levels.

When authorized and funded, there will be ten times more families receiving PAT services.

To help States improve air quality and cope with federal regulations, I am hopeful that the Senate can pass the President’s “Clear Skies” Initiative.

The 70 percent mercury cut represents the first time we have ever required mercury pollution cuts from power plants.

Clear Skies pollution cuts will clean up local air pollution in areas that violate federal standards like St. Louis and Kansas City - so much so that dreaded local controls like road building and manufacturing restrictions will not be needed.

Finally, the President remains committed to freedom and security and the leading role of America as the world’s only super power.

I have visited those who have suffered for the freedom and safety of others during my visits to Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval and my son - a new Marine - is leaving this week for Iraq so I have a personal understanding that the history of man’s pursuit of freedom is always costly.

It is surpassed only by the human cost of tyranny, oppression, and unbridled aggression.

We must remain resolute and ensure that those who are on the battle lines of this new threat to freedom know they have the tools, the resources, and the moral support from those back home.

We know America’s finest on the front line won’t crack under fire. We have to make sure the terrorists know that the American public will not crack behind the wall of safety provided by those on the front lines.

We have been tested a great many times since our founders declared that persons have a right to liberty endowed by our Creator.

The Iraqi people who bravely voted for liberty and against terror under threat of death is a modern reminder of the enduring wisdom of our founders.

In our country, it took 15 years after declaration and a war to approve a Constitution and elect a President and another 75 years and our bloodiest war - a civil war - to ensure that all people are above slavery.

It took another 55 years to permit women to vote and another 45 years to ensure that black American adults could vote.

So the road ahead in the Middle East will be difficult to transition to liberty from a deprived and despotic region known more for producing terror than opportunity.

But who among us, four years ago, could have imagined that the Palestinians would have a legitimate leader who is honestly seeking peace with Israel while a pro-western ally against terror would be inaugurated in Afghanistan and an Iraq - without Saddam and his despicable sons - would hold a legitimate election.

The concept of freedom taking hold in a region some thought incapable of freedom is proving contagious and making nervous opponents of freedom in Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia.

From the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to the World Wars through the Cold War, we have not failed freedom and we can not fail it here.

There is too much at stake. There are too many threats and too many opportunities for us not to prevail.

Once again, we have a great deal of important work to do - an opportunity that is not daunting, but inspiring.

Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Budget, to which was referred HB 14, begs leave to report it has examined the same and recommends that the House Committee Substitute Do Pass, and pursuant to Rule 25(26)(f) be referred to the Committee on Rules.

Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred SS SCS SB 98, begs leave to report it has examined the same and recommends that it Do Pass, and pursuant to Rule 25(26)(f) be referred to the Committee on Rules.

Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Job Creation and Economic Development, to which was referred HB 135, begs leave to report it has examined the same and recommends that the House Committee Substitute Do Pass by Consent, and pursuant to Rule 25(26)(f) be referred to the Committee on Rules.

Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Local Government, to which was referred HB 40, begs leave to report it has examined the same and recommends that it Do Pass by Consent, and pursuant to Rule 25(26)(f) be referred to the Committee on Rules.

Mr. Speaker: Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred HB 370, begs leave to report it has examined the same and recommends that it Do Pass, and pursuant to Rule 25(26)(f) be referred to the Committee on Rules.

The following House Joint Resolution was read the first time and copies ordered printed:

HJR 19, introduced by Representative Brown (30), relating to appropriations for public education.

HB 602, introduced by Representative Wagner, relating to police relief and pension systems.

HB 603, introduced by Representative Schaaf, relating to any willing providers for health insurance.

HB 604, introduced by Representative Schaaf, relating to state-qualified health coverage option plans for the federal health coverage tax credit.

HB 605, introduced by Representatives Cooper (158), Franz, Wells, Sater, Moore, Denison, Muschany, Dusenberg, Wright (159), Dempsey, Schlottach, Cunningham (86), Threlkeld and Dixon, relating to the Missouri foundation for health.

HB 606, introduced by Representative Lembke, relating to police relief and pension systems.

HB 607, introduced by Representative Brown (30), relating to the prevailing wage.

HB 608, introduced by Representatives Brown (30), Phillips, Dusenberg, Sanders Brooks, Skaggs, Hughes, Pratt, Lowe (44), Jolly, Bland, Johnson (47), Curls, Flook, Burnett, LeVota, Kraus, Jones, Lipke, Roorda, Casey, Johnson (90), Meiners, Low (39), Brown (50), Young, Salva, Dixon, Bearden, Nieves, Bruns and Dempsey, relating to prohibited activities by Kansas City police officers.

HB 609, introduced by Representative Kratky, relating to police relief and pension systems.

HB 610, introduced by Representative Kratky, relating to police retirement systems.

HB 611, introduced by Representatives Zweifel, Darrough, Dougherty, Oxford, Storch and Donnelly, relating to campaign finance regulations for certain general assembly leadership offices.

HB 612, introduced by Representatives Wells, Johnson (47), Wilson (119), Dixon, Denison, Dethrow, Sater, Munzlinger, Wallace, Loehner, Pollock, Barnitz, Wright (137), Chinn and

Per RSMo 105.461, I am informing you that my husband, Scott Taylor, is serving on the Re-Discover Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service Board.

The following members’ presence was noted: Bowman, Hubbard, Smith (118) and Yates.

On motion of Representative Dempsey, the House adjourned until 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 23, 2005.

Executive session - Markup - Office of Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State,