Friends,

Last week I had the chance to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the new VA facility in Wichita named in honor of Sen. Bob Dole. The new facility will provide much-needed care for veterans across Kansas.

Laina and I also, visited our daughter, son-in-law and grandsons. I was thankful for some much needed family time.

VA Ribbon Cutting
I was honored to be part of the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new 12-bed, $4.4 million, substance abuse facility at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center.

Each month the Wichita hospital sends 15 to 20 veterans to Leavenworth or Kansas City for treatment, for addiction treatment. This new development will help address the much-needed support that our Veterans deserve. I did some work at the Wichita VA Hospital as a medical student, I know how impactful this center will be, and share Senator Dole’s goal of wanting our nation’s soldiers to have access to not only the best but also convenient, care.

At the celebration, I was able to deliver a message from Senator Dole on the importance of this facility. He wrote, “More than just a groundbreaking, today marks a moment of real progress in the way we take care of our nation’s heroes. ‘Comprehensive care’ of our veterans now includes the entire spectrum of care — supporting these men and women in all aspects of their well-being.”

I believe the new in-patient facility will provide life-saving treatments for veterans across Kansas and is a huge step forward in the fight against addiction and veteran suicides.

Exploring the Sugar Land
Recently I had the privilege to visit my daughter and son-in-law and grandchildren. On my visit, we celebrated both my daughters and grandson ROW’s birthdays and got to take a look into Florida’s agriculture scene. We met with sugar farmers in Belle Glade, Florida.

I got a chance to talk to farmers about the state of agriculture in Florida and how their workflow relates to our producers back home in Kansas. While they grow a very different type of crop from what we’re used to in Kansas, share similar views on the ways that Congress can best serve American farmers.

Understanding the sugar industry is important to all of us on the House Agriculture Committee, and it’s helpful to understand the relationship between all agricultural products.

I was incredibly impressed with their attention to being ecologically friendly. For instance, during the sugar milling process (the process in which you take sugar cane and turn it into sugar), no water leaves the plant. It’s an entirely closed system that wastes no water.

They also take the by-products from the sugarcane processing and use it to generate all of the electricity consumed by the plant. Then they make that same by-product – the fiber in the cane stock where the sugars have been extruded – into biodegradable tableware, plates, and cups.

VA Appeals Modernization Act
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced the implementation of the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017. I was proud to vote for the legislation and am hopeful it will bring meaningful changes to the VA system.

I want to give a shout out to our team, during my time on the Hill our office has helped nearly 100 veterans that expressed to us that they were experiencing issues with the VA or Department of Defense. The Modernization Act will allow the VA to process our inquiries faster and find timely resolutions for our veterans. One of the most important things I can do as an elected official is advocate for our veterans.

Welcome to the Team, Michael
We have officially welcomed Michael Brooks to the team as our new Legislative Director. Michael graduated from the University of Kansas and previously worked for U.S. Congressman Kevin Yoder. This week Michael hit the road across the Big First to meet with people and introduce himself. In Lyons, Kan., Michael toured Kansas Ethanol and hosted a round table with Central Kansas producers and industry leaders. In Garden City, he visited a cotton gin, dairy, and feedlot to discuss the farm bill, renewable fuel standards, and immigration policy. Please join me in welcoming Michael to the office.

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