Friends,

Friday a short-term funding agreement was made to reopen the government and pay federal employees. The president announced that he would reopen the government for three weeks, with hopes that by February 15th we will pass a border security agreement that includes funding for the wall. I find myself both relieved but also increasingly frustrated with this Congress and its dysfunction. I feel for those who have been struggling during this time, and I worry that once this temporary deal expires in three weeks, they will be faced with the same uncertainty if Democrats are not willing to negotiate.

I remain firm in my belief that we must secure our southern border and put an end to this decades-old crisis once and for all. It is unfathomable that some of my colleagues continue to ignore the reality of the lives lost due to criminals and drugs flowing into the United States.

There is absolutely a solution out there where both parties would receive clear victories. It is time for everyone in Washington – Republican and Democrats alike –to quit with the partisan games, provide the funds needed to secure our southern border adequately.

Continuing My Work On The House Agriculture Committee

I am proud to say that I will be again serving the Big First and our Ag industry on the House Agriculture committee. In the 115th Congress, the House Ag team was able to achieve many monumental accomplishments like passing a five-year Farm Bill, that will provide certainty to so many people across Kansas. I am eager to be back with this great team and represent our farmers and ranchers as well as agribusinesses and so many other vital parts of our Ag industry. We have a great deal of work to do for farm country, including advocating for new trade deals, protecting and implementing the 2018 Farm Bill and expanding rural broadband access and reducing the regulatory burden on our farmers. I will also be staying on the Science Space and Technology committee.

President Trump will Veto Anti-Life Legislation

I will always serve to protect the most vulnerable and guard the innocent, unborn children. Life begins at conception, and as a physician for 25 years that delivered 10,000 babies, I will always choose life.

I signed a letter to the president, with 168 of my colleagues, requesting that he commit to vetoing any legislation that weakens the protections for the unborn. I am proud that he answered our call to action and subsequently sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) promising to veto any legislation that House Democrats might pass that would violate the sanctity of life and change or weaken the protections for human life.

I commend our president for his steadfast position on this critical issue and his quit action to defend of the most vulnerable.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Last week the nation celebrated the life of a Civil Rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We took a moment to reflect on the progress we have made as a country and all the work the Reverend did to unify a nation that was broken.

Lately, I have been thinking about what Dr. King would say if he were alive today to see the diverse partisanship in Congress. His message would be clear – we must unify to make change. We must keep working together on civilly finding common ground. We must look even beyond the rules of civility. We must begin accepting when two or more minds work together with different opinions because there is always a common goal to be found.

Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.