Congressional Update from U.S. Congressman Andy Barr

Special Note from Congressman Barr

This week, Congress returned to Washington, D.C.  During the Congressional District work period, our office hosted many events and made multiple major announcements.  This newsletter will highlight the impactful work accomplished during this recent District work period.

Over the next few weeks, I will be working in Washington to limit the damage this Administration will do ahead of the next Congress in January.  On Tuesday, the inflation numbers for August were released.  The consumer price index spiked 8.3%, ahead of projections by economists.  Kentucky families, farmers, and small businesses are being crushed by inflation.  In Congress, I will continue to push to deliver economic relief to alleviate the pain of inflation while also reversing the tax, borrow, and spend agenda that caused this crisis in the first place. 

Delivering Federal Funds to Strengthen Healthcare in Montgomery County

Post Clinic Grant Announcement Press Conference. 

Recently, I delivered a $1 million federal grant to the Post Clinic in Mt. Sterling.  For over 25 years, the Post Clinic has provided free health and dental care to thousands of Kentuckians in need. 

This federal funding will be used to construct a new facility to expand their services to underserved Kentuckians in Montgomery, Bath, and other surrounding counties.  It is estimated that the Post Clinic will now be able to provide care to 4,000 underserved Kentuckians, up from 400, with the funds provided by this grant.

Our office secured this grant during the most recent federal appropriations process.  The Post Clinic also received $1,000,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) COVID funds and $500,000 of traditional CDBG funds, both of which I supported.  Additionally, the city of Mt. Sterling and Montgomery County each pledged $75,000 to this project.  You can see the full announcement from this event here. 

Enhancing Safety at Menifee County High School

Menifee County School Grant Announcement Press Conference. 

At the end of last month, I announced a $529,000 federal grant to Menifee County Schools to improve school safety.  Multiple measures to bolster school security will be implemented through this grant, including the placement of cameras in vulnerable areas and making all buildings accessible by card access only.  Let me be clear: strengthening security protocols in our schools is the best way we can reduce the risk of violence in classrooms throughout America.  You can see the full video from the press conference at Menifee County School here.

Visiting with County Chambers of Commerce

Receiving the Advocate for American Business Award at the Commerce Lexington Policy Luncheon (top) and speaking to the Paris-Bourbon County Chamber (bottom). 

Throughout the Congressional District Work Period, I visited and spoke to multiple county chambers of commerce within the Sixth District.  These included the Paris-Bourbon Chamber of Commerce, the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, and Commerce Lexington.  Despite the challenges of inflation and labor shortages, our small business owners are continuing to provide quality products and services to Kentuckians throughout our district. 

Honoring our Veterans

Sixth District Veterans Coalition meeting (top) and Service Academy Day (bottom). 

Over the Congressional District Work Period, I held and participated in several events with our district’s veterans.  These included a meeting with the Sixth District Veterans Coalition as well as speaking at the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame Gala and the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs State Convention.  At all of these meetings and events, I highlighted my recent work in Congress to support our nation’s veterans.  These efforts include my vote in support of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022.  The PACT Act law expands U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to veterans who experienced toxic exposure during their service. 

Additionally, I was thrilled to announce that Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) will receive a $1,437,685 federal grant to create a Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program. VUB is a federally funded outreach program designed to prepare eligible, first-generation, low-income veterans to enter postsecondary education.

Finally, I held an important event to recruit the next generation of our nation’s military servicemembers. Our annual Service Academy Day helps to educate students around the Sixth District interested in attending military academies about the path towards service.  I want to thank all the students who attended the event and representatives from several academies who participated.  You can find out more about our Service Academy process here.

Sincerely,

Congressman Andy Barr