Friends,
This week I hosted six more community coffees. I started in Ashland on Monday, visited Cimarron and Garden City on Tuesday, jumped over to Scott City and Beeler on Wednesday, and ended the week in Buhler.
It was evident in our stops that tariffs and trade, immigration, and the Farm Bill are some of the top issues across the district.
In addition to our coffee stops, I had great discussions across the district on issues like rural broadband, agribusiness development, school safety, and teacher appreciation. I also rode around with Dr. Randall Spare, DVM of Ashland and spoke with residents in Beeler to hear progress updates on rebuilding fences, cattle herds, and homes after last year’s devastating wild fires.
I am enjoying my time traveling and hearing from so many different people.
Please if you haven’t yet, join us on our Community Coffee Tour! Click HERE for next week’s schedule. We’ll be in Goodland, Hoxie, Norton, Downs, St. Mary’s, Onaga, Clay Center, and Ellsworth.
One-size-fits-all regulations don’t work.
Regulations are one of the leading killers of innovation and job growth. Companies like Kincaid Equipment are facing one-size-fits-all emission regulations that will mean thousands of additional costs for the Haven, Kan., manufacturer.
On day one, this administration started rolling back burdensome regulations on our small businesses. We must continue to do so to help our Kansas communities.
Meeting with the Agribusiness Council
Wichita is one of the largest economic hubs of our state, and so much of what we do in the First Congressional District runs through the businesses and organizations in that city. Because of the interconnectedness of the state, I believe it is vital that everyone in the state’s agriculture industry work together to support the state’s farmers and ranchers.
I was honored to speak with members of the Wichita Agribusiness Council to discuss the Farm Bill, trade, tariffs and other issues impacting ag. As I begin my work on the Farm Bill Conference Committee, it’s important to continue to have these discussions and fully understand how this legislation impacts all industries supporting agriculture so I can advocate for all producers.
Quality Care in Southwest Kansas
The last time I was in Ashland, this hospital was still under construction. It was miraculously saved from the Starbuck Fire that swept through Clark County in early 2017 and is now a beautiful medical center delivering quality care to the people of south-central Kansas.
My district is home to some of the best small hospitals in the country, and I continue to work hard in Washington D.C. to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to all.
Communities recovering from 2017 Starbuck Fire
After the 2017 Starbuck Fire devastated thousands of acres of farm and ranch land in Southwest Kansas, I spoke with impacted farmers and ranchers to learn how we could help them rebuild. Their concerns included regulations on new fencing and accountability for their lost cattle.
Over the past two days, I have had the opportunity to meet with folks in Clark and Lane counties to assess the recovery efforts and discuss what the future looks like for their farms and families. Residents in both counties said grass has returned and fences are back in place. There are still signs of the devastation, but life is moving forward.
Kansas farmers are incredibly resilient, and I was proud to be able to include changes to current programs in the 2018 House Farm Bill to help with the fire recovery efforts.