Friend,
As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have spent countless hours advocating on behalf of the agricultural industry in Kansas. I led a listening tour across our district to hear the ideas and concerns of farmers, ranchers and anyone impacted by the bill. We discussed trade, nutrition, commodity programs, and other issues anticipated to be a part of this year’s agricultural policy changes. Last week, the House of Representatives passed their version of a crucial five-year Farm Bill.
The 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act (H.R. 2) protects crop insurance, simplifies conservation programs, and rolls back heavy-handed federal regulations placed on farmers and ranchers. This legislation strengthens our farmers’ safety net, expands rural broadband access, restores funding for trade promotion programs, invests in animal health, and includes programs designed to help young and beginning farmers.
I am anxious to pass immigration reform this week, it must be done.
Fallen Teachers Memorial Ceremony
The Fallen Educators Memorial honors teachers, administrators, and staff members who lost their lives while working for our nation’s schools. Senator Moran and I both put forth legislation, to declare this memorial a national monument that passed back in April. Friday evening, I attended the National Teachers Hall of Fame’s Fallen Teacher Memorial Ceremony in Emporia, KS.
The role that educators play within our nation is critical. From teaching students the basic skills of reading and writing, to challenging them to think critically and expand their knowledge, the influence educators have has helped shape the history, as well as the future, of our nation.
Teachers routinely make sacrifices to pursue careers in education. However, this monument recognizes educators who sacrificed more than they could have ever imagined when they followed their calling to help our young people. I am disheartened to see that there are now over 130 names on the wall.
These names on this memorial should serve as a reminder to us all of the dedication of our educators. Through the National Fallen Educator Memorial Act, I’m proud to partner with Senator Jerry Moran and the members of our Kansas delegation to do our small part in ensuring we have an appropriate place to remember these men and women.
Talking Tariffs with Shield Ag Company
I stopped by Shield Ag Equipment, based out of South Hutchinson, last Monday. Shield Ag designs, manufactures and distributes tools and hardware blades for tillage equipment. The pieces are shipped to more than 2,000 distributors and dealers across the United States and nine foreign countries.
On my visit, we discussed the impact that the steel and aluminum tariffs are having on their business. Across Kansas, these taxes are hurting farmers by limiting markets for their products but also making the products and equipment they use much more expensive. The 25-percent tariffs, which will officially hit Shield this week, will cost farmers five cents more per-acre over the life of the equipment, a financial burden farmers should not have to shoulder right now. It is very clear that these tariffs are not sustainable. The ripple effects are observable from ag equipment companies, producers, and even our aviation industry. I have expressed my concerns directly to the administration, and I will continue to fight tooth and nail against these types of trade policies.
It will take everyone to stop the Opioid Crisis
I had the chance to address Congress on Tuesday and reaffirm some components of this crisis that I feel are important in creating steps to finding a permanent solution to opioid and narcotic addiction. On the House floor I highlighted a community practice that I saw assessing and implementing ways to combat this crisis. The Hutchinson Clinic has created an office-wide task force with the goal to reduce the number of narcotics prescribed by medical staff and to identify patients at risk for addiction. I’m glad to see folks addressing this on a local level as we continue to work hard to fight this epidemic on a national level, it will take all of us to end this crisis.
Kansas NASA CosmoSphere
Hutchinson, Kansas was one of only three out of 43 cities selected to receive a $650,000 from NASA to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education.
I got to visit the CosmoSphere, which is largely where the money will be going. At CosmoSphere I was shown all the hands-on learning and interactive educational tools that are currently available and the future of the facility with this investment from NASA. Our state is full of promising career fields that are in high demand for STEM skills and with this new donation, we will be able to get more young students excited and educated about this growing field.
SCOTUS Rules in Favor of States
Thursday the United States Supreme Court ruled that states can collect sales taxes from online retailers under certain conditions. I have advocated for fairness and leveling the tax playing field long before my journey to Washington.
In Congress, I helped to introduce to the Remote Transactions Parity Act – HR 2193 which would have provided a structure to allow states to collect sales tax from out of state sellers while ensuring that small businesses that sell online aren’t overburdened.
The Supreme Court’s ruling reverses the previous case law that favored mega online corporations. The government shouldn’t be picking winners and losers among retailers. Excluding taxes on online retailers was wrong and detrimental to businesses across America. I believe this decision will provide a massive boost to our state’s main street businesses that have been fighting an unfair battle against out-of-state companies who do not pay sales taxes in our communities.
Visiting an Unaccompanied Alien Children facility in Tornillo
I headed to the U.S. Mexico border Saturday to assess the current situation at the border. During my visit, I met with representatives from Customs and Border Protection and visited an Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) facility in Tornillo, Texas.