Reports of Mississippi momentum are true

• U.S. Senator Roger Wicker if anyone still doubts that Mississippi is on the move, they might consider what he’s witnessed firsthand in the state over the past few weeks.

Mississippians have been treated to a parade of impressive headlines about the trajectory of our state. July was a banner month for our economy. Private companies invested half a billion dollars in the state, leading to more than 2,500 new jobs. Our employment level reached a new high, as non-farm jobs totaled a record 1,196,200 workers. According to a recent report, Mississippi continues attracting new residents. We have had four consecutive years of net interstate migration.

These statistics prove that words like “Mississippi Momentum” are more than slogans. But if anyone still doubts that Mississippi is on the move, they might consider these examples, which I witnessed firsthand over the past few weeks.

Mississippi Leads Defense Innovation

This month, I visited Saronic Technologies, a defense startup that recently opened an office on the Gulf Coast. At that site, workers will test and hone the 180-foot Marauder, the first unmanned vessel of its size and payload to begin at-sea testing.

A few short hours north, both Aurora and RTX are expanding their facilities. Aurora’s Mississippi site is now eight times its original size. RTX added 17,000 square feet and eventually 100 jobs. Both are signs that the companies see enduring value in our state’s workforce.

Workers at the expanded Aurora facility will build parts for an uncrewed aerial refueling vehicle. Mississippians perfected aerial refueling more than 90 years ago in Meridian, when Al and Fred Key took their plane, the Ole Miss, up for nearly a month. It is fitting that we are helping perfect the newest phase of aerial refueling technology. RTX will use the expansion to develop its next-generation electronic warfare tools.

Mississippi has quietly become a pillar of America’s defense modernization. I serve as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In that role, I will keep ensuring that military officials recognize our state’s many national defense contributions.

Mississippi Tackles Rural Health Care

Commercial activity is not the only encouraging news out of the state. A few weeks ago, I wrote that Mississippi’s medical leaders are working hard to improve maternal and infant outcomes. This month, I visited with providers working on another complicated issue: rural health care accessibility.

The leaders of Highland Hills Medical Center have embarked on an ambitious, multi-year effort to improve health care in and around Senatobia. In 2021, they re-opened a hospital that had closed. They quickly added a primary care clinic at the site. Already, that clinic is at capacity, underscoring the high demand for local health care. This month, I was able to celebrate as they broke ground on a new facility—made possible through local, state, and federal collaboration. It is another positive step forward for the community’s health care quality.

Expanding Opportunity for Mississippians

I often speak with civic clubs and service groups around the state, giving me a chance to hear from Mississippians and to share updates from Washington. I was especially grateful to speak with a group of high school students recently in Senatobia. We discussed significant events over the past year—the 250th anniversary of the American founding, the Mississippi ice storm, and the wars in Iran and Ukraine. These young Mississippians were thoughtful and informed. I am delighted that they are coming of age in a Mississippi that is growing quickly. These students will contribute to and extend the positive trends we are seeing in our state.