Senator Elaine Gannon’s Capitol Report for Nov. 21, 2022

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

-Robert Brault

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday, mainly because its focus is the one little thing that matters most, family. When I was growing up in Bismarck as one of 11 kids, we certainly didn’t have much, but we didn’t notice or even care. What little we had was plentiful and meaningful, especially when it came to Thanksgiving. My mom, grandma and older sisters would make rolls, bake pies and peel pounds and pounds of potatoes, the guys would be outdoors butchering meat to sustain our extended families through winter and the children would be running wild, adding sticks to fires, sneaking bites of food, chasing farm animals and each other. We thought we had it all, and we were right.

While almost everything has changed since those days, what remains constant is the importance of family. Since my family is scattered across the country, our traditions have become a little more mobile and flexible, but no matter where we are, or why we are gathered, I am always thankful we are together; reminiscing about the past, teasing one another and making new memories. So whether you’re having traditional fare with a huge gathering of people, or just enjoying pizza and a movie for two, please be thankful for these big things in disguise!

New Senate Leaders Selected

On Nov. 10, returning and newly elected senators convened in Jefferson City to elect leaders for the upcoming 102nd General Assembly. When the 2023 legislative session begins on Jan. 4, Sen. Caleb Rowden will take over as president pro tem, and Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin will take the reins as majority floor leader, the first female to hold this position in Missouri Senate history! Another historically significant tidbit about the 102nd General Assembly is the number of women senators. At 12 strong, we broke the record of 11 women, previously set in 2020. I am looking forward to working with these women and the entire Senate body in the upcoming session to pass commonsense new policies, move our state forward and make it an even better place to call home.