Friends,
Last week, Democrats blocked a vote in the Senate on two pro-life bills: S. 311, which would require doctors to provide medical care to a child who survives an abortion, and S.3275, which would ban abortions beginning at 20 weeks.
The Democratic Party’s pro-abortion extremism knows no bounds. It is beyond belief that an entire party would so fiercely object to basic protections for babies. I call on Democrats, as Senate Majority Leader McConnell said today, to take a "clear and moral stand" to protect innocent life.
The CDC documented 143 instances of infants surviving abortions between 2003 and 2014. However, only eight states require the reporting of infants who survive abortions. Additionally, this information is provided by unsupervised abortion providers. Furthermore, the CDC reports that 1.2% of abortions occur after 20 weeks gestation, which is near the gestational age where many babies can survive outside of the mother’s womb.
Preparing for Coronavirus
Last week, I met with Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Lee Norman, M.D., to discuss health matters in Kansas, particularly the steps the department is taking to prepare for a potential outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.The safety of Kansans is my top priority and I will continue to monitor Coronavirus developments closely and communicate with officials across Kansas.I encourage families to take steps to understand the signs and symptoms of the Coronavirus and begin making contingency plans for food, travel, and work if an outbreak were to occur. As always I recommended regular hand washing, using alcohol based hand sanitizer, and maintaining proper nutrition to keep your immune system strong.
Advocating for Ag
Agriculture is the backbone of our state's economy and will continue to be instrumental in our state's long-term economic growth.I recently had the opportunity to speak to some of Kansas' best and brightest young farmers and ranchers at the Kansas Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher conference.Thank you to all the farmers and rancher for your dedication and commitment to feeding our nation and world. I look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of Kansas agriculture in Washington and appreciated the opportunity to speak at the event.
Meeting with Student Leaders
Last week I met with the Student Body Presidents, Vice Presidents, and other student government leaders of Kansas State University and the University of Kansas. We discussed addressing food insecurity in Kansas, strengthening mental health programs, and increasing college affordability.I was impressed by these sharp students’ vision for Kansas and how engaged they are with the federal legislative process. Thanks to KU students Mercedeh Tavocli, Tiara Floyd, and Seth Wingerter, and K-State students Jansen Penny, Noah Ochsner, Sadie Polson, Madison Brown, and Ali Karamali for your advocacy and dedication to improving the lives of Kansans all across the state.
Discussing Flood Maps
On Thursday, the Science Committee’s Environment Subcommittee held a hearing on the importance of flood maps not only to home and property owners, but to agencies that are also using these tools. The Committee discussed what tools are currently available to help property owners, coastal managers, community leaders, and other stakeholders as they evaluate current and future flood risk. Mr. Ryan Branfort from Salina testified during the hearing, discussing how geospatial data, technology, and services can help improve the flood maps available through FEMA and other federal agencies.
Keeping Our Nation Strong
I had an opportunity to reconnect with Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Joseph Martin, at the Army Caucus Breakfast. We discussed the emerging technology being developed by the military and how Congress can help keep our nation secure by ensuring adequate funding for advanced research. Gen. Martin, former commander of the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, is championing the development of new hypersonic weapons and defenses. Hypersonic weapons can travel 5 times faster than the speed of sound and pose unique challenges to defend against. It is extremely important that we stay ahead of our adversaries in this field. I thank Gen. Martin for his service and will continue to do everything I can to ensure that our military has the resources they need to keep our country safe.
WRDA Member Day
I spoke before the Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment to highlight priorities for the upcoming Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Last spring was one of the wettest on record, with many communities across the state of Kansas feeling the impacts of flooding and other severe weather events. Ensuring that we are both able to prepare for these events as well as respond to them are of vital importance, especially heading into what’s shaping up to be another wet spring. I appreciated the opportunity to share my thoughts as well as the feedback I’ve heard during my travels across Kansas with members of the Subcommittee. Click on the video below to watch my testimony:
American Association of Orthodontists
On Tuesday, I met with a group of orthodontists from Kansas who expressed their gratitude for my ongoing support of the dental professional and patient community and their mission to drive excellence in patient care.
I have co-sponsored two pieces of legislation that are priorities for their association, H.R.1554 the REDI Act will provide medical and dental residents relief by halting the accrual of interest on graduate student loans during residency, and H.R. 1379 - Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act, which will ensure people born with a congenital anomaly or birth defect get the medically necessary care they need.
I appreciate their support and was also happy to thank them for all that they do to make sure Kansans can smile brightly.
Improving Infrastructure
Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz stopped by the office on Thursday afternoon to discuss ongoing transportation and infrastructure projects, not just in the 1st District but all across Kansas. Transportation infrastructure is vitally important in not only getting Kansans where they need to go, but also in quickly and efficiently getting our products to market. I appreciated Secretary Lorenz coming by the office and discussing how we can continue to work together to get available federal infrastructure resources, such as BUILD and INFRA grants through the US Department of Transportation, back to Kansas.
Supporting Workers
Following the announcement that Boeing would be suspending production of their 737 MAX aircraft and subsequent workforce disruptions felt by supplier Spirit AeroSystems earlier this year, the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce along with a number of business, community, and industry leaders came together to provide support and resources to impacted workers.The Air Capital Committee Working Group, that I had the pleasure of joining earlier this week, meets regularly to provide updates on efforts to support workers and to address new issues as they arise. Tuesday was the working group's February meeting where I received an update and reiterated the Kansas delegation's commitment to helping the broader Wichita community and those impacted.
Rare Disease Legislative Advocates
Thursday morning I met with patients and parents with children that suffer from rare diseases from Kansas. They advocated on the importance of medical research and how innovation has brought new medicine to treat uncommon diseases that were once believed to be untreatable. As a physician and now member of Congress I have always been a strong supporter of the National Institutes of Health. The research done there and in research centers across the country – including in Kansas – deliver promising discoveries that help save lives.