SE Kansas City News

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who has represented Missouri’s 5th district in the U.S. Congress since 2005, posted a series of statements on August 28, 2025, addressing legislative efforts on gun control and concerns about public health leadership.

In a post made at 17:51 UTC, Cleaver announced his support for new gun safety measures: "I have cosponsored legislation that would enact universal background checks, stronger red flag laws, enhanced gun storage laws, and an assault weapons ban — I call on the Speaker to give these bills a vote in the People’s House. The time is now."

Later that day at 18:58 UTC, Cleaver highlighted transparency issues in government decision-making by quoting from a letter: “I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people”. He added that this letter should concern all Americans.

In another post published at nearly the same time, Cleaver criticized Secretary Kennedy's approach to public health policy: "Secretary Kennedy is driving out qualified scientists and dedicated public health experts because of their refusal to go along with his dangerous and unfounded views on vaccines. Congressional Republicans must work with Democrats to restore integrity at our public health".

Cleaver has been active in Congress since replacing Karen McCarthy in 2005 and currently resides in Kansas City. Born in Waxahachie, Texas in 1944, he graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972.