KANSAS CITY, Mo. — From the local and state level to the national level, Kansas and Missouri politics haven’t slowed down after wrapping up recent primary election.
This week, FOX4’s John Holt and The Kansas City Star’s Dave Helling dive right in to the latest news on Missouri’s special session, Joe Biden’s historic pick for vice president and the stalemate over another stimulus package in Congress.
Missouri special session
State Rep. Barbara Anne Washington (D-Kansas City) joins 4Star this week from Jefferson City after Missouri’s special session on violent crime was abruptly delayed.
A broad bill that included Gov. Mike Parson’s original requests passed the state Senate last week. But then Parson pushed to add giving the attorney general the power to prosecute homicides in St. Louis to his wishlist.
In response, the House stopped work on the sweeping crime bill and plans to break up the various provisions into separate bills.
Washington said she doesn’t think the special session will collapse, but she doesn’t think the legislature will approve everything on Parson’s list now.
“We are addressing the violence,” she said. “I just don’t know if this is the best way to do it.”
Hear more on the special session in the video player above.
Kamala Harris for VP
On Tuesday, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden selected California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate. It’s a historic move as Harris is the first Black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket.
Washington, a fellow Democrat, called the move “absolutely amazing.”
“I think she is the ignition this race needed for Biden to pull out more voters,” she said. “There’s gonna be complaints. There’s gonna be criticism. But I think she’s the right choice.”
But Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, who also joined 4Star this week, said even with Biden’s pick, it will be difficult for Democrats to win Missouri.
Hear more from both lawmakers on Harris’ nod in the video player above.
Another stimulus bill?
For many in D.C. and across the country, the big focus is the next stimulus bill. Will Americans ever see another check?
Cleaver said it will happen but gave no timetable on when that will be.
“It’s unfortunate that the American public are going to be suffering in the in between time,” he said. “That’s unnecessary.”
Cleaver said he knows hospitals, schools and families need help right now and hopes Congress can come to an agreement soon.
But FOX4’s D.C. correspondent Raquel Martin, back on 4Star for a second time, said the two parties are still miles apart on passing another bill.
Democrats are determined not to piecemeal this stimulus by taking controversial points like unemployment assistance off the table. But it’s not really clear who holds the advantage in Washington right now.
Public pressure, Martin said, might be the only thing that gets lawmakers to act.
Hear much more on the stimulus package in the video player above.
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