House Democratic Floor Leader Jeff Harris said the most important aspect of a new health care program is not the specifics, but who is going to be covered. "To what extent if any are the 100,000 Missourians whose health care was cut, to what extent is their coverage going to be restored?" Harris asked. "That's how you evaluate how good or not good a plan is, frankly to talk to much about specifics is like polishing the knobs on the Titanic."
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Boone, says that now the focus, particularly heading into the legislative session, should be on looking forward to make a quick, decisive, strong move to bring in someone who is really going to benefit the university.
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said the bill was designed to suppress the vote. "What really happened here is that this bill did nothing to address fraud," he said. "But it did everything to make it harder to vote, we need to make it harder to cheat and easier to vote. And this bill did just the opposite."
House Democratic leader, Jeff Harris, called the new change in plans "frustrating." "Here we go again with this going off on yet another path, another direction," said Harris, -D-Columbia. "I just wish we'd settle on one, look the voters in the state in the eye, lay out the plan and get the deal done."
House minority leader Jeff Harris says little was done during the past legislative session, and that Blunt should call a special session so lawmakers can take up some of the bills that weren't voted on.
Missouri legislators approved an additional 215 million dollars in general revenue for education in Missouri. That's roughly a 7% increase for public schools and 4% for higher education. But Columbia Representative Jeff Harris says it's not enough.
House Democratic Leader Jeff Harris said he agreed that this session provided an favorable atmosphere for Missouri businesses -- but only if those companies are large, out-of-state corporations.
House Minority Leader, Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia. pointed to the failures of the school funding proposal and the MOHELA plan as indicative of Republicans trying to distance themselves from Blunt.
House Democrat Leader Jeff Harris says with the current Jack Abromoff scandal in Washington, Missourians deserve to know corruption is being taken care of in Jefferson City.
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia and the House Democratic leader, said that he read the article in the Kansas City Star Thursday, that broke the story of the possible FBI investigation, but said he had no first-hand knowledge on the issue.
"This is a backdoor way of giving dollars to private universities," said, Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, who opposed the bill. "It is another voucher bill, but it is for private universities."
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said the president's unpopularity will have an impact on races in Missouri, such as Sen. Jim Talent's, R-Missouri, re-election campaign.
"This bill is about personal protection: protection of crime victims and the ability of a person to defend herself or himself if their life or their home is treatened," said House Minority Leader Jeff Harris, D-Columbia.
Still, some Boone County legislators defended what they perceived as legitimate caucuses. House Minority Leader Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, gave the example of the University of Missouri Caucus, which he co-founded with former state current U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Missouri.
House Minority Leader Jeff Harris, who sponsored a bill that would force lobbyists to disclose how much money they're being paid by their clients, said disclosure of lobbyist expenditures would give taxpayers a better idea of how much money is being spent by big business and others to lobby at the Capitol.
But Columbia area Democratic Representative Jeff Harris says he is afraid that this new disagreement between the legislature and the governor will hurt Missouri students.
Minority Floor Leader Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said it looks like there is a disagreement between House Republicans and the governor over what to do with the revenue from the partial sale of MOHELA assets.
"On paper, these three districts all should have gone to the Republicans," said House Minority Leader Jeff Harris, D-Columbia. "These are districts that voted for George Bush and Gov. Blunt."
In 2005, Rep. Judy Baker, D-Columbia, Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, Rep. Steve Hobbs, R-Mexico, Rep. Ed Robb, R-Columbia and Rep. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, received a combined total of over $8,000 in meals, travel and entertainment from lobbyists.
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia and the House Democratic leader, said it's too early to make a definitive decision on whether to allow a private company, such as Sallie Mae, to take over the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority.
Several legislators, House Democratic Leader Jeff Harris -- whose district includes the main campus of the University -- said he was surprised by the announcement.
House minority leader Jeff Harris says the appropriations will come directly from the state's unencumbered general revenue and will fund operating expenses of universities.
Several legislators, House Democratic Leader Jeff Harris -- whose district includes the main campus of the University -- said he was surprised by the announcement.
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