The Centralia Kiwanis Club welcomed Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler to speak at their meeting on Thursday to go over key issues that could affect mid-Missouri voters. A Republican, Hartzler said she has and will continue to cut wasteful spending and work to balance the national budget.
Another key plank in the congresswoman's platform is protecting defense spending. In her short speech, Hartzler said, "What I discovered is that we could totally eliminate defense and every other program in Washington, D.C., and it still wouldn't balance the budget."
Hartzler also emphasized her background in agriculture and farming as well as her local, small-town Missouri roots.
Hartzler serves on three committees in the House of Representatives, including the Armed Services Committee, the Agriculture Committee, and the Committee on the Budget.
Merritt Beck is the city attorney for Centralia. He said, "I am glad she has firsthand knowledge from a farm background, and all the values that are important to people in mid-Missouri that are outside the urban areas."