Friends,

The last few days have been a week of thanks in my office, to reflect on the people and blessings we are thankful for in our lives and in our country. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and that you were able to celebrate with friends and family. I was blessed to be able to spend the day with my family back home in El Dorado. 

While enjoying our bountiful Thanksgiving meal, I reflected upon how thankful I am for all of the farmers and ranchers across this great country who work tirelessly to feed our nation and the world. I also thought about our men and women in uniform whose service may have prohibited them from being with their loved ones, so that we had the opportunity to be with ours. I cannot express how thankful we all are for your service.

National Bible Week

Above all else, I’m thankful to able to worship God in a free nation. Millions of people around the world are deprived of this basic human right, and I continue to keep them in my prayers and work to advance religious freedom globally. I am blessed to be able to regularly practice my faith, most often at my church in Great Bend, First Christian Church.

This also happens to be National Bible Week, which has been celebrated since 1941, when President Roosevelt issued the first national proclamation. The Gospel has impacted my life profoundly, and I’m thankful to live in a country which recognizes the inalienable human right of freedom of religion, which is enshrined in our Constitution.

Pence Celebrates with the Troops

Last weekend, Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Iraq with his wife Karen to give the troops stationed at the Al Asad Air Force Base a surprise Thanksgiving celebration. Serving a group of nearly 150 troops the Vice President and Second Lady were able to bring a little taste of home to those serving overseas.

It remains an honor to work alongside an administration that truly values and fights for the men and women who sacrifice to protect our nation. These heroes risk their lives everyday to keep Americans safe. To all of our armed forces, serving both domestically and overseas, we are thankful for your service.

Get your Flu Shot!

Vaccines continue to be one of the best ways to protect Americans and prevent the spread of illness and disease, such as the flu. Last week, the House Science Committee took a look at vaccine science, innovation in how we develop vaccines, and ways to better utilize technology and data as we try to make vaccines more effective. As we get deeper into cold and flu season, the hearing was an important conversation about the significance of investment and innovation in the health sciences, and a good reminder to get your flu shot before it is too late.

Small Business Saturday

From family farms to independent retailers, small businesses play a vital role in every community. Last week I once again signed on to the resolution honoring small businesses, and the impact they have across the county, by designating the Saturday after Thanksgiving as “Small Business Saturday.” I hope you will join me and ShopSmall on Saturday, ensuring that these companies can continue to support our local economies and overall way of life. 

To find out more about Small Business Saturday and ways to support local businesses, you can visit www.shopsmall.com or www.sba.gov/saturday.

Supporting Wetland Conservation Efforts

Last week, I supported extending the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). This extension, introduced by fellow Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus member Mike Thompson, will authorize $60 million annually through 2024 to conduct on the ground wetland conservation projects across North America. NAWCA provides financial resources to improve critical habitat for waterfowl, fish and other wildlife, while enhancing flood mitigation and improving air quality.

NAWCA requires a dollar-for-dollar match of non-federal funds to federal dollars, and in the past, the program has raised $3 in non-federal funds for every federal dollar contributed. As an avid outdoorsman and hunter, I was proud to join my colleagues in the House in supporting this cost-effective and locally supported conservation program.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai recently released his proposal to begin rulemaking establishing "9-8-8" as a new nationwide, three-digit hotline for mental health and suicide prevention. As suicide rates continue to increase it is critical that we are doing everything in our power to ensure people have access to the help they need, when the need it. Having quick access to help can make all the difference in times of crisis. 

As a member of the Suicide Prevention Caucus, I am thankful to see that the FCC is continuing to promote this issue. Earlier this year I joined as an original co-sponsor of H.R. 4194, which would permanently establish this three digit suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. Together we can save lives, and I look forward to working with the FCC to see this implemented.

Ag Newsletter

I represent the largest agriculture-producing district in the country and have worked hard to promote our great farmers and ranchers. My office is starting an agriculture newsletter, dedicated to delivering news impacting all aspects of the agriculture industry. If you want to receive my updates, please email Katie Sawyer at [email protected]. 

I am proud of the work our farmers and ranchers do everyday and will continue to work hard to remove regulatory burdens, provide for a reliable farm safety net and open new markets to Kansas agriculture products.

Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Great Bend) is the Kansas First District U.S. Representative.