Rep. Sen. Mitch McConnell recognized for efforts in Owensboro
OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) — Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell held a fireside chat at the city’s convention center. The Owensboro Chamber of Commerce also recognized the Senator for his contributions to the city.
The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce is taking the time to give U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky his flowers.
The legislator has had a hand in securing funding for several city staples like the Owensboro Riverfront and implementing laws aimed at revolutionizing the community’s health like the Tobacco Youth Act. The Act raised the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products from 18-years-old to 21-years-old.
Senator McConnell sat down with former political reporter Joe Arnold to discuss issues affecting the Commonwealth, including necessities in the agriculture world. He spoke briefly about the Farm Bill.
“…sort of the urban nature of the Democrats these days. We’re gonna continue to try to pressure them. We’ve had a one year extension already its very, very unfortunate for production agriculture,” says Senator McConnell.
The farm bill is a package of legislation passed roughly once every five years and touches on regulations for how food is grown, crop insurance, and healthy food access for low-income families.
State Representative D.J. Johnson of District 13 in Daviess County reflected on the lawmakers local efforts, including his hand in helping secure $50 million to develop the city’s waterfront.
“If we didn’t have the Riverfront, there would be no Friday After Five. There would be no car shows, and we just had the great race come through. It just goes on and on. Our economic situation would be so different. It just wouldn’t be the same,” says Rep. Johnson.
Chamber officials say they’re grateful to hear more about his several decades long political career and say they hope the conversation made room for other leaders to be inspired in the way they create community change.
“[Senator McConnell] summed it up the best when he said that ‘there’s two kinds of elected officials. One runs because they have something a point to make, and the others run because they want to make things happen.’ I think if we could think of what the lesson is in this room, it’s let’s be the people who want to make things happen…not the people with just a point to make,” says Candance Castlen Brake, the President and CEO of Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.
By Sydney Davis WEHT