Happy Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who information, assist and love their households each day. A particular Happy Mother’s Day to my spouse, Robba, and our two daughters, Kelsey and Alex!
Welcoming the 250,000th Honor Flight Veteran to Washington, D.C.
This month, the Honor Flight Network will carry the 250,000th veteran to see the memorials constructed of their honor. I’ve had the alternative to welcome tons of of veterans on Honor Flights to Washington, D.C. and have witnessed the impression these journeys have on them. I’m grateful that we might stand at the World War II Memorial – that was constructed largely due to the tireless work of World War II veteran and Kansas Senator Bob Dole – to acknowledge Honor Flights and the 250,000 veterans who’ve launched into their journey to our nation’s capital.
I joined Sen. Elizabeth Dole and veterans throughout the nation on Tuesday to commemorate this milestone. Honor Flights have additionally made it attainable for veterans like my dad, a WWII veteran, to come to Washington, D.C. and go to the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and lots of extra. These memorials function an necessary reminder to the remainder of us that we owe a substantial amount of thanks to those that have served and sacrificed.
To our veterans and our servicemembers: We respect you; we thanks on your service, and we love you.
Welcoming Airbus to the Air Capital of the World
On Friday, I hosted Airbus Americas Chairman and CEO, Jeff Knittel, and his crew in Wichita to showcase the Air Capital of the World. I’d like to thank the Kansas Aviation Museum and the Greater Wichita Partnership for internet hosting a neighborhood reception with native stakeholders and public officers to welcome Mr. Knittel and his crew. At the reception, Mr. Knittel introduced a donation from Airbus to the United Way Andover Tornado Fund. I’m grateful for his or her support to the Wichita neighborhood and for the time they spent touring suppliers.
Following the reception, we toured Dynamic NC, Cox Machine and Atlas Group with the Airbus CEO and procurement crew. I’d like to thank Bryan Mackey, President of Dynamic NC, Jason Cox, CEO of Cox Machine and Jim McMullen, CEO of Atlas Group, for showcasing the expertise and capabilities of those unbelievable corporations.
Later in the day, I made my approach to Newton the place I visited Park Aerospace. Park’s 103 staff, together with seven model new additions, develop and manufacture composite supplies for industrial, navy and area clients. Thank you to General Manager Cory Nickel and his crew for the informative tour and for taking time to meet with Airbus management earlier in the week. Thank you additionally to Harvey County Commissioners Don Schroeder and Chip Westfall, Harvey County Economic Development Director Beth Shelton and Newton Community Development Director Zach McHatton for becoming a member of me.
Questioning Administration Officials
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan
NASA and NSF have the alternative to capitalize on their missions to encourage college students throughout the nation, regardless of the place they reside, to pursue actions and careers in STEM. The nation wants a workforce in each state that’s prepared to push the frontiers of data and has the abilities to thrive in an intensive economic system.
On Tuesday, I questioned NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan concerning their FY2023 funds requests. It is important the United States maintains our management in area, aeronautics and science. Watch my opening remarks right here.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra
I questioned Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on a number of subjects throughout the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee listening to on the division’s FY2023 funds request. I once more raised my deep issues with the nationwide liver allocation coverage developed in 2018, which Senator Roy Blunt and I’ve sounded the alarm on for a number of years. The nationwide liver allocation coverage is the distinction between life and dying for our household and neighbors needing an organ transplant. It should be honest regardless of the place you reside or who you might be. The contract between HHS and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is up for renewal subsequent yr, and I questioned Secretary Becerra on the steps HHS may take to enhance competitors for future contracts with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network so the contract is just not dominated by UNOS, whose bias towards the Midwest and the South is abundantly clear.
I additionally obtained his dedication to guaranteeing the Strategic National Stockpile is re-stuffed in the aftermath of the pandemic and absolutely maintained with domestically manufactured vaccines and provides for public well being emergencies. Additionally, we mentioned the $700 million request from HHS for the implementation of the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Hotline quantity, which is scheduled to launch on July 16. As the sponsor of the invoice that created the new three-digit quantity, it’s a precedence for me to guarantee 9-8-8 is working successfully for Kansans and has the vital sources and congressional enter for a clean rollout course of.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Mark Milley
On Tuesday, I heard testimony from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley on the President’s FY23 protection funds request. Their testimony highlighted present threats to U.S. nationwide safety. Of these threats, they recognized China as the pacing menace—the menace the U.S. wants to preserve tempo with or outpace when it comes to protection readiness. They additionally mentioned Russia’s posture as a regional menace in Europe, and shared that North Korea, Iran, and violent extremist organizations stay important threats to the U.S.
Through my work on the Appropriations Subcommittee for Defense, I proceed to work to guarantee our servicemembers obtain the warfighting instruments they want to achieve any mission. My questions to Secretary Austin and General Milley centered on our navy’s hypersonic capabilities, each offensive and defensive. Hypersonic missiles journey 5 instances the pace of sound or quicker. Russia and China have quickly developed these capabilities, and we should develop them too to preserve our nation protected.
Recognizing VE Day
Sunday commemorated the 77th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, by which the German Nazis unconditionally surrendered to finish World War II. This day stays a robust reminder of the menace of aggressive dictators and the value required to defend freedom. I stay grateful to my father and all who served to defeat fascism. As Ukrainians wage their inspiring combat for liberty and the proper to decide their very own future, the United States will proceed to present assist to assist finish Russia’s unlawful and immoral invasion of Ukraine.
The Supreme Court Draft Leak is a Breach of Its Deliberative Process
Leaking a draft opinion of the Supreme Court is a flagrant breach of its deliberative course of and an try to intimidate justices and harm the courtroom’s judicial independence. I assist the Chief Justice’s probe to examine this leak and maintain this particular person accountable.
Keeping Kansas Competitive Roundtable
The Senate and the House of Representatives have each handed totally different variations of a invoice to maintain China accountable and compete with China’s rising economic system. I used to be chosen to be part of the convention committee to assist bridge the hole between the Senate’s bipartisan laws that’s strongly targeted on rising and bettering analysis and growth on this nation, and the House’s partisan invoice that accommodates a lot of Democratic priorities which are unrelated to bettering American competitiveness. Making sure the U.S. is the world analysis and growth chief and has the means to manufacture excessive-tech merchandise on this nation is essential to guaranteeing that the subsequent technological revolution is American, not Chinese.
On Monday, I hosted a roundtable dialogue with Kansas stakeholders keen on the upcoming convention committee to hear about what priorities needs to be included in the remaining competitors invoice. We mentioned the want for assist for downstream semiconductor producers, the significance of bettering provide chain transparency and the way a lift to the EPSCoR program would enhance analysis funding that goes to Kansas. The National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR program supplies funding for states which have historically obtained very small quantities of federal analysis {dollars}, together with Kansas. The Senate included a major enhance to this program inside its competitors invoice, whereas the House excluded such a lift in its invoice. An enhance in funding for EPSCoR is certainly one of the priorities that I’ll advocate for throughout the convention committee, together with different provisions that can profit our state.
I would love to thank all stakeholders who participated in the roundtable, together with Alan Cobb, President and CEO of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce; Adam Timmerman of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce; Sheri Gonzalez, VP and Director of the KC Civic Council; Ryan Weber and Kara Lowe of the KC Tech Council; Kevin McGinnis, President and CEO of the Keystone Innovation District; Simon Atkinson, Vice Chancellor of Research at the University of Kansas; Shawn Naccarato of Pittsburg State University; Luther Lee, VP of Administration at Washburn University; Josh Maxfield, Associate General Counsel at Garmin; Stuart Shaw, Marty Travers, and Scott Roesle from Black & Veatch; Greg Unrah, CFO of Integra Technologies; Steven Bellinger, CEO of Radiation Detection Technologies; Wyatt Cobb, CEO of SoftWARfare; and Tim Carty, CEO of EMP Shield.
May is Military Appreciation Month
Every day is a chance to thank these bravely serving our nation, and this Military Appreciation Month I particularly need to acknowledge our servicemembers’ dedication to defending our freedoms.
I deeply admire their service and sacrifice as they defend us at residence and overseas. I additionally thank our navy spouses who share in the sacrifices made in service to defending this nation.
Speaking with Kansans in Washington, D.C.
Kansas Association of Realtors
On Tuesday, I addressed the Kansas Association of Realtors (KAR) for his or her annual journey to Washington, D.C. As costs for properties proceed to climb and our housing provide stagnates, too many Americans are being priced out of homeownership. Owning a house is the foremost approach to create generational wealth, and we want to pursue accountable reforms that enable the personal market to develop the provide of inexpensive housing. Legislation I’ve cosponsored would develop extra growth of inexpensive housing, promote the rehabilitation of properties in low-earnings neighborhoods, and supply incentives for growth in rural areas. I’m grateful for the KAR’s efforts to assist homeownership for Kansans.
Community Bankers Association of Kansas
On Tuesday, the Community Bankers Association of Kansas visited to talk about the points dealing with Kansas neighborhood banks. In order to assist the credit score wants of native households and companies, neighborhood banks want tailor-made rules which lower the value of credit score. Additionally, we mentioned the Enhancing Credit Opportunities for Rural America (ECORA) Act, laws I launched to enhance entry to agricultural credit score and decrease rates of interest on rural residence mortgages. Supporting the lenders that serve rural communities offers extra households and small companies the financing they want to thrive. I admire our neighborhood bankers’ work to develop entry to monetary companies throughout Kansas.
ESOP Association
I met with Brendan Hogan of Wichita to talk about the advantages of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) for corporations, their staff and native communities. ESOPs are an necessary instrument for enterprise succession and supply a basis for native job retention and financial stability. Brendan’s employer, Transitions Group, has been an ESOP for almost a decade, and I admire him sharing his expertise working at an worker-owned firm.
Kansas Electric Coops
I used to be happy to meet with a gaggle of representatives from electrical cooperatives throughout Kansas this week whereas they had been on the town for the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (NRECA) legislative convention. In our assembly we mentioned our shared priorities, together with passing the Flexible Financing For Rural America Act, which might enable electrical cooperatives to reprice Rural Utilities Service (RUS) loans to make the most of decrease rates of interest, and advancing my laws, the Southwestern Power Administration Establishment Act, which would offer the Southwestern Power Administration larger monetary means to plan for and reply to drought. The Southwestern Power Administration is a Power Marketing Administration inside the Department of Energy which is chargeable for advertising and marketing and delivering federal hydropower to Kansas and 5 different states in the area. My laws will enable the Southwestern Power Administration to higher plan for and reply to drought so as to preserve charges as little as attainable for purchasers, together with many Kansas electrical cooperatives and municipalities.
The companies electrical cooperatives present are essential for preserving Kansas’ rural lifestyle and fostering the high quality of life in our communities. I thank these electrical cooperative leaders for taking the time to go to me in Washington.
National Association of Evangelicals
This week, I met with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), together with two of their Kansas members, Pastor Reid Kapple of Christ Community Church in Olathe and Pastor Nathan Paulus of Radiant Church in Wichita. I admire those that make religion a central a part of their life, and pastors play a big position in guiding, inspiring and uplifting their communities.
Homeland Security’s Disinformation Governance Board is Alarming
The Biden administration’s proposed Disinformation Governance Board is alarming. Amid the confusion of what this board will truly do, one factor is obvious: the Biden administration would somewhat focus sources on policing speech, somewhat than securing our southern border.
The Department of Homeland Security has no enterprise in regulating the speech of Americans, and different authorities our bodies exist to deal with international propaganda and disinformation. This board is simply one other instance of huge authorities paperwork, and it needs to be abolished instantly. Read extra from the Wall Street Journal right here.
Questioning DHS Secretary on Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars
This week, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina and I led 5 of our Senate colleagues in questioning Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas concerning an Office of Inspector General (OIG) report that outlined the misuse of taxpayer funds to purchase housing to accommodate migrants who crossed the border illegally. The OIG report discovered that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) didn’t undergo the correct course of to safe a contract for housing, and with the contract ICE secured, tons of of beds had been left empty totaling almost $17 million of wasted spending.
The method by which DHS executed a contract to home migrant households raises critical questions on the division’s preliminary response to this humanitarian disaster and its means to reply to rising unlawful migration. Read the full letter right here.
Small Business Week
Small companies are the basis of our communities, the glue that retains our foremost streets alive and the financial engines that make small cities throughout America aggressive.
Small Business Week celebrates the tenacity of our nation’s entrepreneurs. Their work is at the coronary heart of the American Dream, and I thank them for his or her dedication. Learn extra from SBA right here.
Participating in Ag Panel
This week I joined the Crop Insurance Professionals Association (CIPA) for his or her annual assembly in Kansas City. The success of rural communities is straight tied to agriculture, and the means for farmers to keep in enterprise relies on a robust federal crop insurance coverage program. Farmers and ranchers face important uncertainty of their farming and ranching operations, however crop insurance coverage insurance policies serviced by CIPA brokers assist producers handle their threat and keep in enterprise when a catastrophe strikes. As work begins on the subsequent Farm Bill, sustaining a robust crop insurance coverage program is a high precedence for me. I admire the brokers from throughout Kansas who attended the assembly and look ahead to working with CIPA in the future.
Speaking at Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony in Mankato
Yesterday, I joined the neighborhood of Mankato for a particular ceremony the place 4 younger males had been awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. In 2015, they had been all concerned in bringing a Boy Scout troop again to Jewell County after greater than 20 years. I appreciated the alternative to participate in the ceremony and to commend them for his or her initiative in chartering Troop 46 whose service will profit the neighborhood for years to come.
It takes a neighborhood to train and instill the values of Eagle Scouts – obligation, honor and accountability. Very few Boy Scouts earn the Eagle Scout rank, and to have 4 younger males in a small neighborhood like Mankato obtain this rank, demonstrates the significance the neighborhood locations on creating the character of its younger women and men.
Thank you to Scoutmaster D’ann Garnder and to the households for the invitation to be part of this ceremony. Congratulations once more to Jacob, Rylan, Andrew and Conor. One particular person could make an amazing distinction, and after yesterday, I do know these 4 will proceed to lead by instance.
Touring North Central Kansas Technical College in Hays
On Thursday, I visited NCK Tech’s Hays campus to tour their 2021-2022 Carpentry House. Each yr college students on each the Hays and Beloit campuses apply the abilities they’ve discovered in the classroom to establishing a challenge residence. Students from the Carpentry/Cabinetmaking, Electrical Technology and Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning packages all contribute to the construct of the residence, and as soon as development is full, it’s offered by means of an public sale.
While on campus, I additionally had the alternative to see their new digital cadaver and dissection desk. This instrument is a technologically superior 3D anatomy visualization and digital dissection instrument for anatomy and physiology training. NCK Tech was ready to buy this desk by means of COVID aid funds allotted by means of State of Kansas’ Maintenance of Effort fund together with a number of different instructing instruments and tools for his or her numerous packages. I’ve been a longtime advocate of technical training, because it performs a essential position of creating sure college students can attain their full potential of their careers and lives. NCK Tech has completed a incredible job guaranteeing its college students obtain excessive-expert coaching and are ready to instantly be part of the workforce following commencement.
I’d like to thank NCK Tech President Eric Burks, Vice President of Finance and Hays Operations Diana Baumann, Department Chair and Instructor of Carpentry/Cabinetmaking Brandon Jacobs and General Education Instructor of Science Kathy Albert for the alternative to go to campus and study extra about their efforts.
Teacher Appreciation Week
This week was Teacher Appreciation Week. I thank every of our Kansas educators who play an necessary position in shaping and provoking our kids. While visiting Kansas colleges, college students typically categorical to me how a lot their life path has been impacted by their favourite academics. I consider that the world is modified one particular person at a time, and there’s no place that occurs extra often than in the classroom.
Honored to Serve You in Washington
It is an honor to serve you in Washington, D.C. Thank you to the many Kansans who’ve been calling and writing in to share their ideas and opinions on the points our state and nation face. I admire the phrases of Kansans, whether or not in the type of a type of letter, a Facebook remark or a telephone name, who want to make their voice heard.
Please let me know the way I may be of help. You can contact me by e-mail by clicking right here. You also can click on right here to contact me by means of certainly one of my Kansas places of work or my Washington, D.C. workplace.