According to Southeast Missourian U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, announced today she will leave her congressional post in February to become president and CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, a not-for-profit organization that represents rural electric cooperatives and public power districts.
Emerson was re-elected in November for a ninth term to the U.S. House of Representatives in Missouri’s Eighth District.
“I am not leaving Congress because I have lost my heart for service — to the contrary — I see a new way to serve,” Emerson said in a news release. “I did not go seeking this opportunity, but I am excited about the new challenge it offers to find ways to promote strong rural policy.”
From DailyKos: It’s our second resignation of the 113th Congress—and the 113th Congress hasn’t even begun yet. Veteran GOP Rep. Jo Ann Emerson says she will depart the House in February to take a job as head of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, a lobbying organization for rural utility companies. Democrats are trying to frame Emerson’s departure as the loss of yet another “moderate” Republican lawmaker, but to call Emerson a “moderate” shows just how far to the right her party has lurched. She’s departed from conservative orthodoxy on a few occasions but has otherwise been a reliable vote for the GOP. And yet, just given trends over the last couple of decades, we’re likely to wind up with a replacement even further to the right
Courier Express and Postal Observer notes that “Congresswoman Emerson has been an outspoken proponent of 6-day delivery and keeping rural post offices open. She served as Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government in the 212th Congress. In that position she was responsible for keeping the language that requires the Postal Service to provide 6-days of delivery in the Appropriations bill for Financial Services and General Government that passed the full Appropriations Committee.”
Rep. Emerson, although a Republican drew strong support from all of he Postal Unions and Associations. NALC endorsed Emerson in the November election. Emerson was also a sponsor to H.R. 1351, United States Postal Service Pension Obligation Recalculation and Restoration Act of 2011, a bill which “Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM): (1) within six months after enactment of this Act, to determine (or, if applicable, redetermine) the amount of such surplus or liability as of the close of the most recently ending fiscal year using the methodology required under this Act; and (2) if the result is a surplus, to transfer the surplus amount to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund within 15 days after the determination of a surplus.Provides for an alternate determination of an USPS surplus or supplemental liability for FY2016-FY2020.” and H.RES.137 which “Urges the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its six-day mail delivery service.”
The following are contributions to Emerson in the 2011-2012 election cycle:
NALC $4,000
NRLCA – $5,000
NPMHU – $1,000
NAPS – $4,000
NAPUS -$6,500
NLPM -$5,000