Mark Alford
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Articles by Mark Alford
Mark Alford: We need more hamburger helper, but imports aren’t the answer | Opinion
Missouri Rep. Mark Alford Walk into any grocery store right now, and you’ll feel it in your wallet. Ground beef that used to be a weeknight staple now feels like a splurge. At the same time, cattle producers across Missouri and the rest of the country are watching the national herd shrink to levels not seen in three-quarters of a century. We’re sitting at roughly 86 million head. That’s not a temporary dip. That’s a structural problem. The easy answer some people keep reaching for is more imports.
No Jinja: What Replaces Templating When SQL Is an AST
Interlace has no templating language. A model is a .sql file containing SQL, or a .py file containing a function. There is no {{ }} and no {% %}. Updated August 2026: Interlace has since gained macros — as SQL expressions expanded into the AST, not as templates. Job three below is rewritten to match; see A Macro Is an Expression, Not a Template. The reasonable first reaction is that we have simply removed capability.
Twenty-Five Million Rows in Five Seconds, and How to Check
Benchmarks in this industry are mostly untrustworthy, and usually for the same reason: the person running them chose the shape of the work. So let us be precise about what this is and what it is not. This is not a comparison against dbt. dbt is not an execution engine — it generates SQL and hands it to your warehouse — so "Interlace versus dbt" would be measuring DuckDB against whatever you pointed dbt at, dressed up as a tool comparison. That number would tell you nothing.
A Python Model Is Just a Function
Most tools that support both SQL and Python support one of them properly. Python arrives as an escape hatch: a different execution path, a different set of available features, often a different platform requirement, and a strong implicit suggestion that you should have written SQL instead. In Interlace a .py model and a .sql model are the same kind of node. Either can depend on the other, in either direction, and the planner does not distinguish between them.
Sandboxes That Cost Nothing
If you work with external APIs, you know the problem. There is no dev.github.com, no staging.api.companieshouse.gov.uk, no test endpoint for the thing you actually depend on. Production is the only source. So how do you get a development environment without re-fetching everything you already have? The usual answer is to copy: duplicate the warehouse, or keep a separate dev database and sync it periodically.
The IR Is a sqlglot AST
Every data tool has an intermediate representation, whether it admits to one or not. It is the thing a model becomes after parsing and before execution, and it quietly decides what the tool can do. dbt's IR is templated text, which is why ref() is a string and why a macro can produce SQL no analyser can reason about.
interlace.sh: Why We Built a Unified Abstraction
Consider what a data engineer has to learn before writing a single useful transformation on a typical 2026 data stack. dbt, for SQL models, sources, tests and macros. Airflow or Dagster, for scheduling, sensors and retry logic. dlt, Airbyte or Fivetran, for ingestion. Python scripts for anything SQL cannot express. Then YAML to configure all of it, and a growing pile of glue to hold the pieces together. Each of those tools is good. dbt genuinely standardised SQL transformation.
H.R. 915: Small Business Technological Act of 2025
Add a note about this bill. Your note is for you and will not be shared with anyone. Because you are a member of panel, your positions on legislation and notes below will be shared with the panel administrators. (More Info) To authorize small business loans to finance access to modern business software, and for other purposes. The bill’s titles are written by its sponsor. Sponsor and status Sponsor. Representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district. Republican.
Mark Alford: Bill to protect America's nuclear deterrent for US security
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Mark Alford: Bill to protect America’s nuclear deterrent for US security | Opinion
Reports uncovered potential Chinese Communist Party-linked ownership of a trailer park right next to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri’s 4th District — home of the legendary B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet. In an era of intensifying great power competition, the security of our nation’s most sensitive military installations cannot be taken for granted.
Mark Alford: Bill to protect America’s nuclear deterrent for US security | Opinion
Wed, May 6, 2026 at 10:03 AM UTC Reports uncovered potential Chinese Communist Party-linked ownership of a trailer park right next to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri’s 4th District — home of the legendary B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet. (Star file photo) In an era of intensifying great power competition, the security of our nation’s most sensitive military installations cannot be taken for granted.
Mark Alford, Elliot Abrams, Jerry Bowyer, David Closson
On today’s program: Casey Harper, Managing Editor for Broadcast at The Washington Stand and Host of the “Outstanding” podcast, reports on Day 7 of the partial government shutdown, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down President Trump’s tariffs and potentially imminent U.S. strikes on Iran. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 4th District, comments on the Democrat-led partial government shutdown, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s tariffs decision.
AI for Main Street Act (H.R. 5764)
Add a note about this bill. Your note is for you and will not be shared with anyone. Because you are a member of panel, your positions on legislation and notes below will be shared with the panel administrators. (More Info) To amend the Small Business Act to require small business development centers to assist small business concerns with the use of artificial intelligence, and for other purposes. The bill’s titles are written by its sponsor. Sponsor and status Sponsor.
Time to counter escalating radical Islam menace in America
If the American experiment is to survive, we must wake up to the rapidly escalating threat of radical Islam here at home. After an era of open borders and the left’s continued efforts to stifle reasonable debate about the effects of third-world immigration, America grapples with the corrosive advance of radical Islam. This ideology foments violence, rejects our foundational liberties, and undermines the Judeo-Christian values of our great nation’s founding.
REP. MARK ALFORD: Time To Counter Escalating Radical Islam Menace In America
If the American experiment is to survive, we must wake up to the rapidly escalating threat of radical Islam here at home. After an era of open borders and the left’s continued efforts to stifle reasonable debate about the effects of third world immigration, America grapples with the corrosive advance of radical Islam. This ideology foments violence, rejects our foundational liberties, and undermines the Judeo-Christian values of our great nation’s founding.
Mark Alford, Matt Carpenter, Peter Doran, Vicky Hartzler
On today’s program: Casey Harper, Managing Editor for Broadcast at The Washington Stand and Host of the “Outstanding” podcast, updates us on the courts’ responses to both Texas’s congressional redistricting and Ten Commandment legislation, the release of the Epstein files, and the Capitol Hill visit of the Saudi Crown Prince.
Weekend Edition - October 4, 2025
This weekend: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 4th district, discusses the stalled congressional talks that have led to the government shutdown. Dr. Moshe Glick, president of the New Jersey chapter of Israel365, shares a first-hand perspective on an anti-Semitic attack at a New Jersey synagogue and the DOJ’s pending FACE Act lawsuit against the violent protesters.
Healing America: A call for unity amid tragedy
With a single bullet, a sniper silenced the voice of the most vocal, yet compassionate, young conservatives in America: Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA. This horrific event is not isolated. It follows a chilling pattern of political violence: two assassination attempts on Trump in 2024, the arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov.
Ric Grenell on Kennedy Center cuts, Sen. Cotton rejects demands from Senate Dems, and more!
INTERVIEW: Kennedy Center's Ric Grenell slashes millions from Kennedy Center DEI programs, bashes "criminal" spending Heard on the Hill Democrats have a Signal problem SCOOP: Tom Cotton rejects demands from Senate Democrats and liberal journalists to investigate Signal usage K-STREET, 10,000 FEET: “Toxic” Dick Durbin’s credit card legislation a bill to stay away from OPINIONATED: Reps. Roger Williams and Mark Alford on federal employees returning to work. Gerard Scimeca on overdraft fees.
Kansas City Star Publishes 'Lie' Rebuked By Rep. Mark Alford
We would've missed this politicized weekend story if the newspaper didn't run it today and reignite the sketchy premise of what seems like partisan posturing. We think it's important to let the Congressman have the first word on this story that says is completely untrue . . . Check-it . . .
Mark Alford, Chris Mitchell, Jim Jordan, Gina Gleason, Tim Throckmorton
On today’s Program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 4th district, reacts to the latest developments on Ukraine and Russia and comments on JD Vance’s speech in Munich. Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News, shares the latest news on Israel. Jim Jordan, U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 4th District and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, discusses recent key developments on Capitol Hill.
Putin won't give up on warmongering
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Mark Alford, Meg Kilgannon, Franklin Graham, Doug LaMalfa, Ronnie Floyd
On today's program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 4th district, gives an update on the Laken Riley Act. Meg Kilgannon, FRC's Senior Fellow for Education Studies, comments on a federal court’s decision to strike down the Biden administration’s radical Title IX rewrite. Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, shares how his ministry is helping those devastated by the wildfires in southern California.
Cole, Rutherford, Alford: U.S. Must Remain in Lockstep with Israel and Regional Allies Against Evil
Washington, D.C. – This new year beginning alongside the end of Hanukkah reminds us of the profound significance of light overcoming darkness. As Israeli and American hostages remain held by terrorists, we recognize the continued fight against the axis of evil that threatens the security of both our nations. In the face of ongoing threats, Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL), and Rep.
Biden’s disastrous housing policies need to go
For most young Americans, buying a house is out of reach. In fact, a recent report found that the median age of a first-time homebuyer reached an all-time high of 38 years old this year. This is not the America that I grew up in, but now, with a much-needed change in leadership across the federal government, I believe we can reverse this trend. In order to move forward, it is important to reflect on the current administration’s mistakes. History must not repeat itself.
Beyond modified Urca: The nucleon width approximation for flavor-changing processes in dense matter
Flavor-changing charged current (“Urca”) processes are of central importance in the astrophysics of neutron stars. The standard approach is to approximate the Urca rate as the sum of two contributions, direct Urca and modified Urca. Attempts to make Urca calculations more accurate have been blocked by an unphysical divergence in the mUrca rate at the dUrca threshold density.
Pete Sessions, Brittany Vessely, Kevin Hern, Mark Alford, David Closson
On today’s program: Pete Sessions, U.S. Representative for the 17th District of Texas, provides an update on how House Oversight Committee's investigation into the White House’s violation of the Presidential Records Act is going. He also shares about the committee’s investigation into the FBI’s crime statistics. Brittany Vessely, Colorado Catholic Conference Executive Director, explains why Christian Coloradans must vote against the state’s proposed Amendment 79.
Mark Alford, Akil Pano, John Amanchukwu, Joel Rosenberg
On today’s program, hosted by Jody Hice: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative from the 4th district of Missouri, discusses the first anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel. Akil Pano, a leading Albanian pastor, shares highlights from the recent Pray Vote Stand Summit and explains how the event provides encouragement for his pro-family work in a country where Christians are persecuted.
Mark Alford, Rich Baris, Tyler O'Neil, Dr. John Plake
On today’s program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative from the 4th district of Missouri, provides an update on the ongoing congressional debate regarding the continuing resolution. Rich Baris, Director of Big Data Poll, discusses what the latest polling shows regarding election trend lines. Tyler O’Neil, Managing Editor of The Daily Signal, reports on the workers’ union at the Southern Poverty Law Center passing a vote that urges the SPLC's board of directors to fire President & CEO Margaret Huang.
Bulk viscosity of two-color superconducting quark matter in neutron star mergers
We study the bulk viscosity of moderately hot and dense, neutrino-transparent color superconducting quark matter arising from weak-interaction-driven direct URCA processes. The quark matter is modeled using the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model improved to account for vector and ’t Hooft interactions as well as antisymmetric pairing among the red/green up and down quarks. The unpaired excitations are the strange quarks and the blue up or down quarks.
Keith Self, Andrew Bailey, Mark Alford, Luis Valdes, Pesach Wolicki
On today’s program: Keith Self, U.S. Representative for the 3rd District of Texas, corrects the record following President Biden’s recent press conference and previews the appropriations bills coming up in the House of Representatives. Andrew Bailey, Missouri Attorney General, highlights his lawsuit against the Department of Health & Human Services for a new rule mandating that healthcare providers perform harmful gender-transition procedures at taxpayer expense.
Mark Alford: SNAP has ballooned out of control. The farm bill needs to rein it in Original
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP was intended to give hardworking Americans a second chance during difficult stretches in life. Previously known as food stamps, it was never intended to become a lifestyle but rather a life vest. In spite of this, the program has shifted from its original intentions, and has continually grown. Nutrition programs now represent 84% of the farm bill and will cost $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years.
The Best Restaurants in Kansas City
Want to start a publication? Learn More Featured Article CITY LIFESTYLE'S TOP PICKS FOR 2020 Article by City Lifestyle Photography by bady abbas on Unsplash Looking for quality food anddining in the Kansas City area? It’s not easy identifying the best local companies, even if you’ve lived in the same city your whole life.
Isospin equilibration in neutron star mergers
We analyze the isospin equilibration properties of neutrinoless nuclear (npe) matter in the temperature and density range that is relevant to neutron star mergers. Our analysis incorporates neutrino-transparency corrections to the isospin (“beta”) equilibrium condition which become noticeable at T≳1MeV. We find that the isospin relaxation rate rises rapidly as temperature rises, and at T≈5MeV it is comparable to the timescale of the density oscillations that occur immediately after the merger.
Holly Rehder: The Only MAGA Candidate in the Race for Missouri Lt. Governor
As the dust settles and Missouri gears up for the Lieutenant Governor primary, it's time to give credit where credit is due. Enter State Senator Holly Rehder, a genuine conservative champion in a sea of political noise. Her early and unwavering support for President Trump's 2024 reelection bid isn't just about playing politics; it's about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the grassroots movement that's reshaping our nation, because Holly is actually a part of that movement.
Kevin Stitt, Mark Alford, Tristan Azbej, Britt Hancock
On today’s program: Kevin Stitt, Governor of Oklahoma, explains why he supports Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s effort to end the invasion at the Southern Border. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative from the 4th district of Missouri, responds to a federal jury convicting pro-life Christians for advocating for life and shares his thoughts on yesterday’s National Gathering for Prayer & Repentance.
Mark Alford and Michael Cloud
On today's program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, and Michael Cloud, U.S. Representative for the 27th District of Texas, in special one-on-one interviews with Tony, share about their Christian faith and how it informs their public service. They talk about their personal stories, their spiritual journeys, and how faith influenced their path into politics and the work they do in government.
Mark Alford, Jerry Boykin, Ron Johnson, Amir Tsarfati
On today’s program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, discusses the latest news from the pause in fighting in Gaza and provides an update on the National Defense Authorization Act. Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, FRC’s Executive Vice President, provides analysis of the surge in attacks on U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East, including the recent missile attack directed at a Navy warship off the coast of Yemen.
Scott Perry, Mark Alford, Mark Taylor, Dr. Al Mohler
On today’s program: Scott Perry, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s 10th District, provides an update on the war in Israel, and shares the House Republicans’ plan to provide aid to the Israeli military. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, discusses the urgency for a military aid package to Israel, and legislation he introduced to combat religious persecution in China.
Bulk viscosity from Urca processes: $npe\ensuremath{\mu}$ matter in the neutrino-transparent regime
We study the bulk viscosity of moderately hot and dense, neutrino-transparent relativistic npeμ matter arising from weak-interaction direct Urca processes. This work parallels our recent study of the bulk viscosity of npeμ matter with a trapped neutrino component.
Chris Mitchell, Mark Alford, Tim Jagger, Jerry Boykin
On today’s program: Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News, reports from Israel following the brutal attack by the Hamas terrorist organization. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, discusses the urgency of electing a new Speaker of the House and encourages the next speaker to move quickly on appropriations bills and the National Defense Authorization Act.
Gordon Chang, Mike Waltz, Mark Alford, Ken Klukowski, Tim Throckmorton, Dr. Jennifer Bauwens
On today’s program: Gordon Chang, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, analyzes the collapse of many of China’s Belt & Road Initiative projects. Mike Waltz, U.S. Representative for the 6th District of Florida, and Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, talk about the vote to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House.
Mark Alford, Dr. Quentin Van Meter, Gina Gleason, Jim Roguski
On today’s program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, provides an update from Capitol Hill following Congress’s passage of a 45-day continuing resolution to extend government funding through November 17. Dr. Quentin Van Meter, former American College of Pediatricians President, comments on the American College of Pediatricians’ new initiative to expose the dangers of transgender procedures on children.
Mark Alford, Marsha Blackburn, Andy Biggs Rick Scott
On today’s program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, reports on the House Democrats’ effort to strip a pro-life amendment out of the National Defense Authorization Act and shares the latest on the budget debate. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senator from Tennessee, unpacks the threat of China and the axis of evil. Andy Biggs, U.S. Representative for the 5th District of Arizona, analyzes Attorney General Merrick Garland’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
Jerry Boykin, Mark Alford, Mike Lee, Greg Steube
On today's program: Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, FRC’s Executive Vice President, comments on reports that the Biden administration sent $6 billion to Iran on the 9/11 anniversary and breaks down North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s meeting with Russian President Vladmir Putin. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, comments on the $6 billion hostage swap and shares the latest on the defense appropriations bills. Mike Lee, U.S. Senator from Utah, voices support for Sen.
Small Business Administration Rural Performance Report Act (H.R. 5265)
A bill must be passed by both the House and Senate in identical form and then be signed by the President to become law. Bills numbers restart every two years. That means there are other bills with the number H.R. 5265. This is the one from the 118th Congress. We recommend the following MLA-formatted citation when using the information you see here in academic work: GovTrack.us. (2023). H.R. 5265 — 118th Congress: Small Business Administration Rural Performance Report Act.
Mark Alford, Steve Marshall, Sophia Lorey, Dr. George Barna
On today's program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, discusses House GOP efforts to investigate the IRS, FBI, and DHS. Steve Marshall, Alabama Attorney General, highlights good news of a recent federal court decision allowing Alabama to protect its children from gender mutilation surgeries. Sophia Lorey, California Family Council Outreach Coordinator, shares her story of being silenced by a California library for speaking the truth about gender.
Mark Alford, Phill Kline, Meg Kilgannon, Meg Kilgannon, Dr. Dave Brat
On today’s program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, reacts to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s indictment of former President Trump as well as Fitch’s downgrade of the U.S.’s debt rating from the highest AAA rating to AA+. Phill Kline, Associate Professor of Law at Liberty University School of Law and former Kansas Attorney General, offers legal insights into the newest indictment against Trump.
Mark Alford, Ken Blackwell, Gene Mills, Tim Throckmorton
On today’s program: Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Missouri, shares the latest on where negotiations over the National Defense Authorization Act stand. Ken Blackwell, FRC’s Senior Fellow for Human Rights and Constitutional Governance, shares why Ohioans need to vote for Issue 1 on Aug. 8. Gene Mills, President of the Louisiana Family Forum, offers an update on Louisiana’s Stop Harming Our Kids Act.
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