[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 15 (Thursday, January 24, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E90]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE TODD RICHARDSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JASON SMITH

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 24, 2019

  Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 
the Honorable Todd Richardson on being named the Poplar Bluff Chamber 
of Commerce's Citizen of the Year. I had the honor of serving alongside 
Todd in the Missouri State House and have grown to admire and respect 
him dearly.
   Todd became Speaker of the Missouri House in 2015, leading the 
chamber and state during a tumultuous time. He passed sweeping tax 
reform legislation, making Missouri more competitive economically. He 
also passed historic legislation protecting the unborn and Missourians' 
2nd Amendment rights, while overseeing a rewrite of harassment policies 
in Missouri's Capitol. All of these accomplishments were done while 
carrying himself with dignity and integrity, garnering the utmost 
respect from members on both sides of the aisle. Todd was the right 
person in the right position at the right time to lead our state 
through some significant times of uncertainty.
   Todd was recently selected by Governor Parsons to be the Director of 
MO HealthNet. He is already making an imprint by leading an effort to 
root out fraud and prevent waste while providing accessible, quality 
healthcare to all Missourians.
   Todd is a man of great character, who sought for his tenure in the 
Missouri State House to be consistent with his moral and personal 
values, or as he put it ``to be the same person when I leave as I was 
when I arrived.'' And Madam Speaker, he has done just that. On behalf 
of the Eighth Congressional District of Missouri, it is my great 
privilege to recognize a true gentleman from Butler County, Todd 
Richardson.

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