As 2010 draws to a close, I want to take a moment to thank you for allowing me to represent our great state, and send you the best of wishes this holiday season.

I'm proud to call Missouri home and I'm proud to serve this great state in the Senate. In Missouri, we don't always agree on everything, but we all have the same ultimate goal of making our country and our state a better place to live.

The holiday season is a time of reflection for many people as we count our blessings and get ready to start a new year, and for me, it is a reminder to renew my commitment to you. In 2010 I received thousands of letters, emails and tweets and met with many of you personally at dozens of town hall meetings. I look forward to working with you and for you in the new year and promise to do everything I can to make our country a stronger, safer, and better place in 2011.

Merry Christmas, happy New Year and may God bless you and all your loved ones during this special time of year.



P.S. As always, I want to know what's on your mind - send me a message on Twitter or leave a comment for me in the box below.

January
	The first month of the year was marked by the tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti, an important floor speech on the Sessions-McCaskill spending cap, and the passage of PAYGO legislation.

(1/25) McCaskill Offers Amendment to Limit Federal Spending

(1/26) WATCH: Floor Speech on Sessions-McCaskill Amendment

(1/28) McCaskill and Bennet Applaud Passage of PAYGO Amendment

February
	In February Claire visited Afghanistan, applauded the creation of a national panel on fiscal responsibility and partnered with Sen. DeMint on a resolution to ban earmarks.

(2/5) McCaskill Welcomes End of National Animal Identification Program

(2/5) McCaskill Partners with Sen. DeMint (R-SC) on Resolution to Ban Earmarks

(2/19) McCaskill Applauds Creation of National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

(2/22) Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure law takes effect. "Most people agree that if you play by the rules, you deserve a fair shake. Finally credit card companies will be held to this common sense standard. Starting today we are going to see more fairness and more transparency in this industry. Credit card companies will no longer be able to yank consumers around with arbitrary interest rate hikes, unexplained fees and other predatory lending practices," Claire said. [more...]

(2/26) Claire visits troops in Afghanistan and Kuwait

March
	In March, Claire focused on veterans and national security and asked immigration officials to improve training for local law enforcement.

(3/10) McCaskill Honors Female World War II Veterans

(3/11) After Continued Delays and Added Cost of Joint Strike Fighter, McCaskill Argues for F/A-18 Purchase

(3/22) McCaskill Continues Working for Tighter Security at Airline Foreign Repair Stations

(3/24) McCaskill Continues the Fight to Improve Military Substance Abuse Program

(3/26) McCaskill Asks Immigration Officials to Improve Training for Local Law Enforcement

April
	Issues ranging from campaign donations to secret holds to congressional pay raises crossed Claire's desk in April. Late in the month, Claire questioned Goldman Sachs executives at a Senate subcommittee hearing.

(4/1) Claire Holds Series of Small Business Roundtables

(4/16) Senators Introduce Bill to Extend Health Insurance Coverage for Children of Military Families

(4/16) WATCH: Afghan Police Training Contract Key to U.S. Mission in Afghanistan

(4/20)READ: McCaskill Sends Letter to Sen. Reid and Sen. McConnell Regarding Secret Holds

(4/22) McCaskill Criticizes Colleagues for Blocking Nominees Under Cloak of Secrecy

(4/23) McCaskill Supports Bill to Ban Congressional Pay Raise

(4/27) McCaskill questions Goldman Sachs executives at Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing. "You are the bookie. You are the house. You have less oversight and less regulation as you began the wild, wild west of tranches, waterfalls, equity tranches, residual warehousing. As you began all that, you had less oversight than a pit boss in Las Vegas," Claire said. [More...]

(4/30) McCaskill Signs on to DISCLOSE Act; Would Require Corporations to Reveal Campaign Donations

May
	In May, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagen was confirmed. Claire also focused on military issues, meeting with vets and continuing her work on mental health services for military families.

(5/3) McCaskill encourages Army Corps of Engineers to find solution to keep SEMO port open

(5/10) Elena Kagan Nominated to Supreme Court. "Elena Kagan is a true legal scholar. She is well respected by her colleagues, both conservative and liberal, and has shown she has an unparalleled legal mind and a commitment to public service," Claire said.

(5/13) Senators Introduce Bill to Improve Mental Health Services for Military Families

(5/26) WATCH: Claire meets with World War II Honor Flight visitors

June
	June was marked by the explosion of an offshore rig named Deepwater Horizon and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, Claire worked to extend broadband access to rural Missouri and protect pieces of Wall Street reform, while the first benefits of the Affordable Care Act went into effect.

(6/1) Claire Holds Series of Town Halls for Veterans

(6/3) Response and Resources for Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill

(6/10) Affordable Care Act Begins Filling the Medicare Doughnut Hole

(6/24) McCaskill Holds Forum on Broadband Access for Rural Missouri

(6/30) Senators Send Letter to VA Regarding St. Louis Veterans Facility

July
	Claire's focus in July was the heartbreaking revelation of misplaced headstones and bodies of fallen soldiers buried in incorrect plots, as well as millions of dollars of waste and potential fraud at Arlington National Cemetery.

(7/7) Lambert Airport to receive $3.1 million for improved screening systems

(7/15) Senate Sends Wall Street Reform Bill to the President

(7/16) McCaskill, Judges to Unveil New Veterans Treatment Court

(7/26) Senators Ask Army to Explain Decision on Battle of Wanat

(7/30) WATCH: McCaskill Questions Arlington Cemetery officials regarding mismanagement of IT contracts at Arlington National Cemetery and misplaced headstones

August
	Claire spent most of August at home in Missouri, meeting with constituents at seven town hall meetings and holding a Commerce Committee field hearing in Kansas City.

(8/5) Claire tours Missouri to hold Town Hall meetings

(8/12) McCaskill Sponsored Border Security Bill Passes Senate

(8/13) Field hearing examines how some debt settlement companie scam consumers

September
	A top priority for Claire in September was chairing the Impeachment Trial Committee for proceedings against Judge G. Thomas Porteous. Impeachment trials in the Senate are rare; just 16 impeachment trials have been completed over the 221-year history of the Senate.

(9/29) Senate Impeachment Trial Committee in Deliberations

(9/29) McCaskill Applauds Completion of Multi-Year Purchase of F/A-18s

(9/22) Senate Passes Resolution Honoring St. Louis Zoo

October
	In October, Claire worked to reform contracting for Alaska Native Corporations, welcomed back TWA flight attendants and said goodbye to a friend and mentor.

(10/6) McCaskill Applauds American Airlines' Recall of TWA Flight Attendants

(10/8) Contracting Reform Needed for Alaska Native Corporations

(10/29) McCaskill Statement on High Speed Rail for Missouri

(10/5) McCaskill Mourns Passing of Congresswoman Karen McCarthy "For many years Karen McCarthy provided a shining example of public service, and served as a terrific role model for thousands of women. She navigated the toughest political waters with intelligence and integrity, and never let politics trump good public policy. I'm incredibly lucky to have had her as a mentor and a dear, dear friend," Claire said. [more...]

November
	In November, Claire's earmark fight took center stage. She also applauded St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan Musial, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

(11/8) Senator demands action to address problems at Bannister in Kansas City

(11/11) Column by Claire - To our nation's veterans: thank you

(11/17) St. Louis Cardinal legend Stan Musial receives prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom

(11/17) Coburn, McCaskill, McCain, Mark Udall Call for Earmark Moratorium

(11/30) WATCH: Floor speech regarding amendment to ban earmarks in any appropriations bills through Fiscal Year 2013

December
	In a busy December, the Senate unanimously passed legislation to help right the wrongs at Arlington National Cemetery, battled over tax cuts, repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell, ratified the START treaty and convicted Judge G. Thomas Porteous.

(12/3) WATCH: McCaskill Talks Tax Cuts

(12/4) Senate Passes Legislation to Help Remedy Problems at Arlington National Cemetery

(12/8) Senate Convicts Federal Judge in Impeachment Trial

(12/22) McCaskill: New START Treaty Important to National Security

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