SE Kansas City News

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a U.S. Congressman representing Missouri’s 5th district since 2005, posted a series of statements on July 16, 2025, addressing economic policy, transparency regarding criminal investigations, and recent legislative actions.

In his first post at 18:15 UTC, Cleaver commented on the impact of tariffs imposed by former President Trump. He wrote, “The latest reading of the Consumer Price Index recorded the first signs of what economists had predicted all along, with U.S. businesses and consumers shouldering a growing share of the burden from the taxes Mr. Trump has imposed on imports.”

An hour later, at 19:14 UTC, Cleaver called for greater openness concerning high-profile criminal cases. He stated, “The American people deserve transparency about these heinous crimes.

Despite Republican efforts to block this information from coming to light, Democrats will not relent in the fight to release the Epstein files.”

At 20:23 UTC on the same day, Cleaver criticized Republican priorities in Congress. He posted, “Republicans said they would focus on lowering costs for hardworking families.

Instead, after making the largest cut to Medicaid and SNAP in history to fund more tax breaks for the wealthiest 1%, they’re now killing off Big Bird and Mr. Rogers.”

Cleaver’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over economic policy and government transparency in Washington. The reference to cuts in Medicaid and SNAP highlights disputes over federal spending priorities and social safety net programs.

Emanuel Cleaver has represented Missouri’s 5th District since replacing Karen McCarthy in 2005. Born in Waxahachie, Texas in 1944 and currently residing in Kansas City at age 78, he is an alumnus of Prairie View A&M University (1972).