Dear Friend,
Last week we celebrated our nation’s educators for the profound role they play in our lives and our children’s success for Teacher Appreciation week. Our teachers do such an outstanding job of working with, guiding, and challenging our young people to achieve their goals and dreams. I remember my teachers from kindergarten to medical school – all of them touched my life and directed me, pushing me to give my best efforts to achieve success. Mr. Tyner, in particular, stands out. He taught chemistry and physics, he held us accountable and made some of the most complex issues seem simple. I hope you were able to #thankateacher during Teacher Appreciation Week.
This week will be a busy week on the Hill, and rumor has it that the 2018 Farm Bill will be voted on by the House of Representatives. This is great news! The House is working to pass the 2018 Farm Bill on time, and I am confident we will have the votes to send it over to the Senate for their approval.
Iran Nuclear Deal
Last Tuesday the President made a promise to the world, “The United States no longer makes empty threats.” With that in mind, President Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the Iran Nuclear agreement.
“The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into,” The President said. I couldn’t agree more and applaud him for this decision.
The U.S. cannot continue to waive sanctions against the Iranian regime while they develop their ballistic missile program and continue the spread of state-sponsored terrorism across the Middle East. Sanctions relief has allowed the regime to recover economically but their intention to buy time and continue to develop nuclear weapons has remained the same. We must stay committed to ensuring that Iran has no path to possess nuclear weapons.
Kansas Selected for Drone Program
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced May 9 that Kansas has been selected as one of 10 states that will participate in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program.
This program will pair the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), KDOT and private sector participants to collect invaluable data on how to safely integrate drones in the national airspace. Kansas has a rich history in the aviation industry and will be a strong asset to this pilot program.
K-State Polytechnic is one of the first universities in the country to offer a bachelor’s degree in unmanned aircraft systems. This exclusive, cutting-edge education shows Kansas is leading in this industry, and with the DOT’s selection I am proud that we will continue to champion this technology
Kansas was the first state to have an operational Unmanned Traffic Management system in place for state agencies, all 138 airports and 37 institutions of higher education. Kansas has been leading the charge for UAS development and has been a proven leader in this sector. In January, the Kansas delegation led a letter to the DOT advocating for the state to be selected for this pilot program.
“Data gathered from these pilot projects will form the basis of a new regulatory framework to safely integrate drones into our national airspace,” said Secretary Chao.
In the first three years of drone integration, it is predicted that more than 70,000 jobs will be created in the US with an economic impact of more than $13.6 billion. This benefit will grow through 2025 when they foresee more than 100,000 jobs created and economic impact of $82 billion.
Other states chosen to participate include Oklahoma, California, Nevada, North Dakota, North Carolina, Alaska, Virginia, Tennessee and Florida.
Hearing on empowering people with developmental disabilities
Last Wednesday the House Small Business Committee examined ways small businesses are empowering people with developmental disabilities, such as Autism or Down Syndrome. Unfortunately, far too often Americans with differing abilities are overlooked in our job sectors.
John Cronin testified before our committee to tell us that his developmental disabilities do not restrict his career and ambitions.
“I have Down syndrome, but Down syndrome never holds me back. I am 22-years old and work hard every day to show the world that individuals with Down syndrome are ready, willing and able to work. Give us a chance, and we can be successful,” Cronin said in the hearing.
In 2016, John and his father, Mark, launched John’s Crazy Socks and in the almost two years that they have been in business, they have shipped over 98,000 sock orders, earned $3.6 million in revenue, and employ 33 people – 15 of whom have differing abilities.
Another great story came from Dave, who founded AutonomyWorks to provide opportunities for individuals with Autism. It was encouraging to hear about their successes, but today’s panelists also highlighted that there are still many challenges facing individuals with developmental disabilities when joining the workforce. This hearing was a great reminder that there is still so much that Congress can do to empower all Americans, including those with differing abilities, and shows what can be done when you simply give people the opportunity to try.
Expedition 52/53
Last week I had the honor of having NASA Astronaut Randy Bresnik and Europe Space Agency Astronaut Paolo Nespoli stop by my office to discuss their time at the International Space Station as part of Expedition 52/53.
Astronaut Bresnik served as a pilot in the Marine Corps logging more than 6,000 hours on board 83 different types of aircraft, including during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was selected by NASA in May 2004 and has since logged 139 days in space on two different missions. Astronaut Nespoli from Milan, Italy has spent 313 days in space.
During their visit to our office, they shared pictures and stories from their journey. Expedition 52/53 researched the use of microgravity to better understand how stem cells work. They also studied the use of micro-satellites in low-Earth orbit to support critical operations, such as providing lower-cost Earth imagery in time-sensitive situations such as tracking severe weather and detecting natural disasters.
Just a few weeks ago I witnessed a spacecraft launch carrying supplies to the ISS. It was interesting to discuss what the ISS is like for those who have lived there and spent time in space. As a member of the Science, Space and Technology Committee these interactions and hearing about all of the great work and research being done is extremely humbling and gratifying.
Sec. of Energy Rick Perry Testimony to SST Committee
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry came to testify before the House Science Space and Technology committee on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) fiscal year 2019 budget request and priorities.
The House SST Committee has jurisdiction over $10 billion in spending at DOEapproximately one-third of its overall budget. These funds include all civilian research, development, demonstration and commercial application programs and 17 of the department’s National Laboratories.
During my time for questioning, I cautioned the department to not add any new barriers on energy sectors, including natural gas – so that we can have affordable and clean electricity.