Friends,
What a week!
On Sunday, at midnight, the 2014 Farm Bill expired. That means 39 important Farm Bill programs lost their funding.
Our producers shouldn’t become the punching bag for political jabs. Compromise is a two-way street.
While extremely disappointed, I do not want to undermine the effort that has been put into the Farm Bill, and I am hopeful my colleagues on the left will come around and drop the “my way or the highway” attitudes and negotiate. I also want to make clear that the differences over SNAP are not what is holding up the work on the farm bill.
On a brighter note, the U.S. and Canada struck a deal in the final hours to secure a modernized NAFTA, now called the USMC deal. Last year Kansas exports to Canada totaled $2.5 billion, so having Canada on board is a huge win for Kansas.
And we end the week hopeful that we will #ConfrimKavanaugh, a tried and true constitutionalist.
ECSTATIC! US-Canada Reach NAFTA Deal
After more than a year of negotiations, I am ecstatic to see Canada agree to a fair deal and join the U.S. and Mexico in reinstating NAFTA, now called the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA). Last year Kansas exports to Canada totaled $2.5 billion dollars, so having Canada on board is a huge win for Kansas. In total, trade supports 400,000 jobs across Kansas. From day one this administration advocated for fair trade agreements.
The past year has been hard not knowing what agreement would come out of the administration’s tough negotiations, but rural America had confidence in the President and his trade negotiators that we’d strike a better deal. This agreement will eliminate Canada’s class 7 milk pricing scheme and includes provisions requiring equity in grain grading, two significant wins for Kansas. Kansas dairy is a big winner here, and Kansas farmers and ranchers will see the benefit of this deal for decades.
Read more on this agreement HERE.
Confirm Kavanaugh
Read my op-ed on why I believe Kavanaugh will defend our constitution and be a great addition on our Supreme Court HERE.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Given that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought it was an opportune time to mention the efforts taken by Congress to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this horrible disease.
During my time as an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, I, unfortunately, saw a number of patients fighting breast cancer. In the past 30 years, I have seen us get a better understanding and treatment of breast cancer and beyond due to extensive research and federal support for these studies.
I am proud of the work being done by this Congress to better conditions for our patients after all, improving our nation’s health care system was a top concern driving my run for Congress.
Read my op-ed HERE.
The First District of Kansas is home to a diverse and robust manufacturing industry, employing thousands of individuals and serving as the backbone of many rural communities. On National Manufacturing Day, I want to thank the hard working men and women who build and manufacturer the goods we rely on every day.
FUN FACT:
I was 9 years old, in the fourth grade, the last time this nation saw record low unemployment numbers like this. Today the Department of Labor announced that the U.S. unemployment rate for September is 3.7 percent, the lowest this country has seen since December 1969.
o The unemployment rate for those that graduated high school but did not attend college is the lowest since April 2001.
o The unemployment rate for women matches the lowest rate in 65 years.
o In August, Unemployment in Kansas was at 3.3 percent. (The September Labor Report will be released on Oct. 19th)
Roger Marshall is the Kansas First District Congressman.