JEFFERSON CITY — I always look forward to the Fourth of July, a day when Missourians get together to watch parades, enjoy picnics or barbeques, view fireworks displays, attend patriotic events and spend time with their families. During my time as a legislator, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in a number of community parades and events, and to me, there’s nothing that showcases the American patriotic spirit more than Fourth of July.

Whether you celebrate your Independence Day along a parade route wearing your red, white and blue to support your community and our Armed Forces, or you choose to spend time with your family quietly at home, I hope each of you has a safe and enjoyable holiday. I also urge everyone to take a moment to remember our brave servicemen and women and, if you get the chance, thank them for serving our country so selflessly and protecting the freedoms we continue to enjoy today — the very freedoms our Founding Fathers fought for and put in place more than two centuries ago.

As a lawmaker, I often remember the significance of that date — July 4, 1776 — when the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence to declare our liberation from British rule. The action of those men, who are remembered as our Founding Fathers, changed the future of this country and set in motion the creation of our democracy. Gathering again in 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention, intent on fixing the existing Articles of Incorporation, skillfully drafted the U.S. Constitution, uniting the existing states into one nation. Our U.S. Constitution, with its first 10 amendments known as the Bill of Rights, was eventually ratified by all 13 states.

Through more than 200 years of social and political struggles, our nation’s constitution continues to stand as the world’s longest surviving written charter of government. This document remains the basis of our nation’s government primarily because of the balance of power: the three branches of our government, legislative, executive and judicial. I am honored to be a part of the legislative branch on the state level, and work with both the executive and judicial branches. With the ringing sound of the first three words, “We the People,” we are reminded that this country does not exist on the shoulders of one, or even a few. Our nation was built on the belief that we all share in our success, in our strength. And so we gather on Independence Day to honor that fact.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend. Enjoy your families and friends. As a reminder, our Capitol office will be closed for the holiday so our staff can enjoy the day with their families, and will reopen on Monday, July 7.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.