url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-kicks-60-county-listening-tour,Rep. Mann Kicks off 60-County Listening Tour,2023-12-27,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Manhattan, KS - U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) will kick off his Fourth Annual 60-County Mann Listening Tour on January 2, 2024. Each year, Rep. Mann hosts one town hall meeting in each county in the Big First District of Kansas. Since being elected to Congress, he has hosted 186 town halls. “Fighting for Kansans is my top priority,” said Rep. Mann. “Each year, I host a town hall in every county in the Big First to meet with Kansans. Listening to their comments gives me the marching orders I need to serve them in Congress. I’m grateful for every Kansan who has participated in my past town halls, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.” The start of Rep. Mann’s 2024 town hall tour will cover 4 days and 22 counties. Details for each stop can be found below, on social media, and on Rep. Mann’s website. MEDIA RSVP: Media is welcome at all the town halls below. Please contact Michaela Todd at Michaela.Todd@Mail.House.Gov to RSVP or for further information. Trego County WHERE: WaKeeney Public Library 610 Russell Ave | WaKeeney, KS TIME: 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM CT Graham Count WHERE: Graham County Auto and Arts Museum 322 W. Main Street | Hill City, KS TIME: 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM CT Sheridan County WHERE: Sheridan County Library 801 Royal Ave | Hoxie, KS TIME: 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM CT Decatur County WHERE: Oberlin City Library 104 E. Oak Street | Oberlin, KS TIME: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM CT Rawlins County WHERE: Rawlins County Courthouse 607 Main Street | Atwood, KS TIME: 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM CT Cheyenne County WHERE: St. Francis Public Library 121 N. Scott Street | St. Francis, KS TIME: 4:00 PM –4:45 PM CT Sherman County WHERE: Goodland Public Library 812 Broadway Ave | Goodland, KS TIME: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM MT Thomas County WHERE: Lions Community Center (Henry Hall) 313 Kansas Ave | Brewster, KS TIME: 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM CT Wallace County WHERE: The Events Center 404 E. Ramon Street | Sharon Springs, KS TIME: 8:15 AM – 9:00 AM MT Greeley County WHERE: First Farm Bank 522 Broadway Ave | Tribune, KS TIME: 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM MT Hamilton County WHERE: Council Room at Syracuse City Hall 109 Main Street | Syracuse, KS TIME: 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM MT Stanton County WHERE: Stanton County Public Library 103 E. Sherman Ave | Johnson, KS TIME: 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM CT Morton County WHERE: Morton County Library 410 Kansas Street | Elkhart, KS TIME: 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM CT Stevens County WHERE: Senior Center 624 S. Main Street | Hugoton, KS TIME: 5:45 PM – 6:30 PM CT Seward County WHERE: Liberal Chamber of Commerce (West Room) 4 Rock Island Road | Liberal, KS TIME: 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM CT Haskell County WHERE: Haskell County Courthouse 300 Inman Street | Sublette, KS TIME: 9:15 AM – 10:00 AM CT Grant County WHERE: Grant County Library (Cooper Clark meeting room) 215 E. Grant Ave | Ulysses, KS TIME: 10:45 AM – 11:30 AM CT Kearny County WHERE: Kearny County Courthouse 304 N. Main Street | Lakin, KS TIME: 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM CT Wichita County WHERE: Wichita County Library 208 S. 4th Street | Leoti, K TIME: 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM CT Scott County WHERE: Spencer Flight Center 300 S. Mesquite Road | Scott City, KS TIME: 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM CT Lane County WHERE: Lane County Library (Community Room) 144 S. Lane Street | Dighton, KS TIME: 5:30 PM – 6:15 PM CT",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-participates-grand-opening-hays-community-based-outpatient-clinic,Rep. Mann Participates in Grand Opening of Hays Community-Based Outpatient Clinic,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"HAYS, KS – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) attended the grand opening of the Hays Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). The clinic, which is the fourth of its kind in the Big First District alongside facilities in Dodge City, Salina, and Hutchinson, will serve 35,000 veterans. “I am proud to have this new Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in our district, where American heroes receive the care, attention, and respect they deserve,” said Rep. Mann. “In America, we support the brave men and women who defend our freedoms in the armed forces, and that support must not stop once they take off their uniforms. Of the 20 million veterans living in America, 4.4 million live in rural areas, where it can be difficult to recruit and retain health care professionals. As a result, millions of veterans in rural America struggle with access to health care. This clinic meets an immediate need and is a welcomed addition to our state.” The CBOC in Hays has served veterans continuously since it was originally opened in 1999. The new location, which has additional exam rooms and dedicated space for group therapy and mental health care, offers primary care, and laboratory, pathology, pharmacy, and telehealth services. “I will always remain committed to supporting America’s heroes in Congress,” said Rep. Mann. “Veterans have served all of us selflessly - this clinic is about serving them and ensuring that they receive the highest quality of care."" Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=0F230E45-FD2B-49A8-A0B8-41F713F15D7C,Sen. Moran Announces Opening of Hays VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – Ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – announced the opening of a new U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Hays. The CBOC has been relocated just north of Interstate 70 to increase access to care for veterans in northwest Kansas. The new facility includes three additional exam rooms, increased square footage, up-to-date telecommunication digital security requirements, and a room dedicated to group therapy and mental health needs.” “Access to critical and sufficient healthcare should not be difficult, especially for veterans,” said Sen. Moran. “The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center has put a tremendous amount of effort into creating an accessible and newer CBOC so that veterans across the state can receive the care they need.” “The CBOC in Hays was first opened in September 1999 and has served Veterans continuously since,” said the Dole VA Medical Center. “In the summer of 2022, it was announced the facility would move to its new location to provide more space for additional services as well as easier access to those traveling from outside the area.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=741BE08A-90E3-495E-8DCE-6A6190797183,Sen. Moran Hosts DOD Leaders in Wichita to Announce Partnership with Novacoast,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense – hosted leaders from the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Office of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) at Novacoast Headquarters in Wichita to announce a partnership between DOD and Novacoast. Novacoast will support Browser Security Plugin Research through DOT&E to improve cybersecurity across the DOD. This program was made possible through funding Sen. Moran secured in FY2023 appropriations. “Novacoast’s expertise will be a tremendous asset to the Pentagon as they work to fortify cybersecurity across the military through this partnership,” said Sen. Moran. “A recent newcomer to Wichita, Novacoast is utilizing the talented workforce in Wichita to support our national security while bringing new cybersecurity jobs to the region.” “I would like to personally thank Senator Moran for his support in making the new partnership between Novacoast and DOT&E possible,” said Paul Anderson, CEO of Novacoast. “This partnership will enable Novacoast to bring our expertise and knowledge in cybersecurity to bolster our nation's security posture. This is incredibly valuable to help keep our nation secure and it would not be possible without the tireless efforts of Senator Moran.” Novacoast opened a Security Operations Center in downtown Wichita in 2022 and later moved its headquarters from Santa Barbara, California, to Wichita. Sen. Moran and Novacoast CEO Paul Anderson host DOT&E Program Manager Steve Gates at Novacoast Headquarters in Wichita. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-blocks-big-government-overreach-federal-abortion-policy,"Rep. Mann Blocks Big Government Overreach, Federal Abortion Policy",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted no on H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act. Rep. Mann released the following statement after the vote. “I am a staunch supporter of our nation’s military, but I could not in good conscience vote yes on this legislation,” said Rep. Mann. “It would facilitate abuse of government surveillance of Americans at the Federal Bureau of Investigations and extend taxpayer funding for abortion at the U.S. Department of Defense. I voted no today because of my stance on freedom in the face of government overreach and my commitment to the right to life enshrined in our Constitution.” Rep. Mann voted no on H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 310-118. The legislation: Extends the controversial and often-abused Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), without reforms Continues to allow the Department of Defense to use taxpayer dollars to reimburse abortion travel expenses to its employees Includes a two-year extension of $300 million for the Department of Defense’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) fund, which abuses Presidential power to fund foreign governments’ defensive capabilities without accountability Maintains President Biden’s Green New Deal executive orders, allowing the Department of Defense to purchase electric vehicles and impose greenhouse gas emission reporting on certain contractors The National Defense Authorization Act will now be sent to President Biden to be signed into law. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-champions-legislation-defending-american-kids-dairy-farmers,"Rep. Mann Champions Legislation Defending American Kids, Dairy Farmers",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Yesterday, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted yes on legislation that he cosponsors, H.R. 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would allow schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program to serve whole or reduced-fat milk to students, giving students a variety of nutritional beverage choices. “Milk has 13 essential nutrients that kids need to live healthy lives,” said Rep. Mann. “Milk is also the top source of protein for children ages 2-11, and it’s the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D for children ages 2-18. This legislation allows kids to consume the milk they prefer at home and school. American dairy farmers are proud to support the health of kids across the country, and I am proud to cosponsor the legislation.” H.R. 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 330-99, would: Allow schools the option to serve all types of milk, including whole and 2% milk Give school food service providers simplicity, flexibility, and choice in milk options so they can easily craft nutritious lunches students will enjoy Honor parental and student choice to round out a nutritious lunch with a popular, healthy beverage H.R. 1147 will now be sent to the U.S. Senate for further review. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=BFCFC280-6508-4391-94A7-C2D6AD61C64E,"Sens. Moran, Manchin Introduce Legislation to Increase Transparency in Bank Exams",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) today introduced legislation to help create a fair appeals process for banks and increase transparency for the bank examination process. A fair and effective supervisory examination process for banks is important for maintaining a healthy and transparent financial system. The Fair Audits and Inspections for Regulators’ (FAIR) Exams Act would bring more accountability to bank examinations by establishing an appeals process to resolve disagreements between banks and regulators by hiring an independent director to review appeals. This legislation would provide small lenders with more clarity and representation – allowing them to continue serving their communities efficiently by receiving results faster and more transparently. “The bank examination process should be free from bias and fair to bankers,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will help bring much-needed transparency to the examination process to make certain all banks – particularly rural, community banks – are treated fairly and afforded due process through a rigorous appeals process.” “An effective and fair examination process for financial institutions is vital to the health of our banking system and beneficial for consumers, especially in rural states like West Virginia,” said Sen. Manchin. “I’m proud to reintroduce the bipartisan FAIR Exams Act, which would ensure any bank or financial institution that undergoes a supervisory exam has an impartial third party that reviews these exam findings before regulatory agencies can take action against them. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense bill to strengthen transparency in our financial institutions and increase accountability on agencies.” This legislation was also co-sponsored by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). The FAIR Exams Act would: Require the appropriate regulatory agencies to issue timely responses to bankers during the examinations process; Require the Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council (FFIEC) to make available upon request the information relied upon for determinations; Create an Independent Examination Review Director within the FFIEC to address examination complaints and procedures; Provide financial institutions with the right to seek review of supervisory determinations with the Independent Examination Review Director; and Authorize the director to review the examination record and, at the institution’s request, refer the appeal to an administrative law judge. “ICBA and the nation’s community banks strongly support policy reforms that will ensure due process for banks appealing supervisory decisions to promote trust and accountability in the appeals process,” said Rebeca Romero Rainey, ICBA President and CEO. “Following the FDIC’s disbandment of its independent appeals office less than six months after it became operational, we thank Sen. Moran for introducing the FAIR Exams Act to provide for a fair and effective supervisory bank examination process, which will help maintain a healthy and transparent financial system.” “ABA applauds Sen. Moran and his cosponsors on their introduction of the FAIR Exams Act, a bipartisan bill that will bring clarity to the examination process and provide due process for community banks,” said Rob Nichols, President and CEO of American Bankers Association. “By ensuring greater transparency for banks and greater accountability for examiners, this bill will make the examination process fairer and our financial system stronger.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=CEC9B274-A318-4BEF-A422-34E2841FAA87,"Sen. Moran Applauds Passage of NDAA, Supports Military Readiness",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today applauded the Senate’s passage of the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This legislation will now go to the President to be signed into law: “Responding to threats from around the world begins with a strong military. This year’s NDAA invests in our nation’s weapons stockpiles and technology, provides support and resources for our military families and makes strategic investments to fortify our defenses against adversaries like China and Russia. It also makes strategic investments at our southern border to enable the Department of Defense to help counter cartels and traffickers. I worked to also include a number of my priorities in NDAA to protect benefits for spouses of fallen servicemembers, invest in Kansas military bases and expand TRICARE services.” Sen. Moran’s priorities included in the FY2024 NDAA: Protecting Benefits for Military Spouses – Allows surviving spouses to retain certain benefits upon remarriage at any age. This provision is part of a more comprehensive bill Sen. Moran introduced – the Love Lives on Act. New Investments at Fort Riley – Authorizes $105 million for the construction of an Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Fort Riley, $1.6 million for the planning and design of a new Air Traffic Control Tower, and $15.6 million in cost-to-complete funding for a power generation and microgrid. TRICARE Pharmacy Benefit Analysis – Analyzes the impact transitioning to TPharm5 is having on stakeholders, including servicemembers, their dependents and veterans. TRICARE Hearing Aids for Dependents of Retirees – Allows the dependents of retired servicemembers to maintain hearing aid coverage through TRICARE Prime. Resources for Forbes Field – Authorizes $5.9 million for a microgrid and backup power generator at Forbes Field. Establishes New Rank of National Guard Vice Chief – Elevates the National Guard Vice Chief to a four-star general. Red Hill Long-Term Health Study and Registry – Establishes an exposure registry to address CDC recommendations due to ongoing health impacts and limitations of Department of Defense’s (DoD) tracking system. This provision also requires the DoD to conduct an epidemiological study to assess health outcomes for individuals affected by the Red Hill Incident. Military Mental Health Referrals – Currently, servicemembers must obtain a referral through their primary care doctor before seeking care in the community, leading to longer wait times to receive care. This provision requires the DoD to provide a report on how removing the referral requirement impacts servicemembers seeking mental health care. Supporting Children with Disabilities Around the World – Bolsters U.S. support for children with disabilities, helping support local disabilities rights organizations and families of children with disabilities around the world. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-holds-president-biden-accountable,Rep. Mann Holds President Biden Accountable,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted yes on H.Res. 918, which directs the House Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Oversight and Accountability committees to determine whether sufficient grounds exist for the impeachment of President Joe Biden. “This isn’t just smoke anymore – it's fire,” said Rep. Mann. “While the House of Representatives must always proceed in a careful and measured fashion with regards to an impeachment inquiry, the reality is, the allegations against President Biden are credible and staggering. For the past year, House Republicans have followed the facts and the money to build a record of evidence revealing that President Biden knew about, was involved in, and benefited from his family’s and his associates’ shady foreign business deals. Today’s vote is the next step towards holding President Biden accountable.” H.Res. 918, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 221-212, outlines specific procedures regarding the impeachment inquiry, removes legal ambiguity, and ensures the American people will receive the answers they deserve. Earlier this year, House Republicans revealed evidence that President Biden lied about his knowledge of and involvement in his family’s business activities, including that Hunter Biden’s business received payments from the Chinese Communist Party and made direct payments to Joe involved in influence peddling schemes. This morning, Hunter Biden broke the law once again by defying a Congressional subpoena to testify before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees. “The House of Representatives must honor our sworn duty to determine whether President Biden is fit for office,” said Rep. Mann. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4260,"Estes Highlights TCJA Successes, Urges House to Take Action on R&D Legislation",2023-12-12,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Yesterday, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) published an op-ed in Newsweek unpacking the positive outcomes – for individual taxpayers and across the economy – made possible by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, and which are now at risk as several TCJA provisions have or will soon expire. In the op-ed, Rep. Estes’ highlights his bipartisan bill that offers a solution to the expired research and development (R&D) expensing provision that would help restore America’s dominance in R&D and secure American jobs. You can read the op-ed here or below. Trump-Era Tax Cuts Helped the Middle Class. Don't Throw Them Away A battle over tax policy is brewing on Capitol Hill, with numerous cliffs approaching in 2025. Many of today's representatives were not here when the most consequential tax legislation in more than 30 years, which set the stage for a period of impressive economic growth, became law—but they need to resolve expiring provisions today. Of our 434 current representatives, half were not members of the House of Representatives when Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in December 2017. Over the past six years, my new colleagues have heard soundbites from the Left and the Right about the bill, but now, as its provisions are expiring, we have to sift through the political noise and pass legislation that will bolster our economy—we need to extend and renew the provisions in the TCJA. In 2017, numerous pundits, politicians, and politicos were quick to dismiss the law as a tax scheme. Then-minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) stood in the well of the House with a large poster emblazoned with the phrase, ""#GOPTaxScam,"" and made major claims about the bill. But the real scam is the falsehoods that have persisted about the bill. In January 2017, nearly a year before TCJA's passage, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected 2023 government revenues would be $4.346 trillion. In December of that year, it estimated that TCJA would reduce annual revenues by $164 billion, meaning revenues this past fiscal year should have only been $4.182 trillion. Yet FY23 revenues totaled $4.439 trillion, exceeding even CBO's initial, pre-TCJA estimates. The estimates were wrong because they did not account for the revenue growth we are all still benefiting from today. Though revenue is up, it is far outpaced by our uncontrolled spending. Since FY17, revenue increased 34 percent, but spending increased 54 percent. That increase is over pre-COVID spending, meaning that despite the pandemic ending more than a year ago, Washington's insatiable desire to spend has prevented us from returning to pre-pandemic spending levels. So while some purport that our massive deficit is the result of TCJA, the data clearly show our massive spending is the real driver. In addition to revenue growth in Treasury, everyday Americans had more money in their bank accounts thanks to TCJA tax relief. Analysis from the Tax Policy Center estimated 82 percent of middle-income-bracket taxpayers would receive a tax cut and Treasury estimated 90 percent of earners would see a tax break. As we've seen, TCJA cut taxes for almost everyone. Nearly all Americans of every income tax bracket saw relief under TCJA. As The New York Times reported in 2019, ""ever since President Trump signed the Republican-sponsored tax bill in December 2017, independent analyses have consistently found that a large majority of Americans would owe less because of the law. Preliminary data based on tax filings has shown the same."" However, messaging against the law was so strong that most Americans didn't think they benefited from TCJA. That same Times article stated, ""to a large degree, the gap between perception and reality on the tax cuts appears to flow from a sustained—and misleading—effort by liberal opponents of the law to brand it as a broad middle-class tax increase."" Six years later, the misleading statements continue. While the idea that only the top 1 percent benefited from TCJA was far-fetched, it was repeated even by President Joe Biden during his 2022 State of the Union. A year earlier, The Washington Post gave this claim Three Pinocchios. ""There is no reason to keep promoting the fallacy that the wealthiest 1 percent got 83 percent of the tax cut,"" the paper said. ""The tax estimates immediately after passage of the tax cut and since then have shown that most Americans received some sort of tax cut."" Beyond immediate tax relief, the legislation proved to be a boon for the economy overall. After TCJA took effect and before the pandemic, business applications reached a record high while unemployment rates for Blacks, Hispanics and Asians reached record lows. While President Biden has attempted to claim credit for the low unemployment rates among minorities, momentum from TCJA made it possible. Additionally, since TCJA there has not been a single U.S. corporate inversion, meaning more corporate tax revenue stays within our borders and is reinvested to support jobs and local economies. The projected dip in Treasury's revenues simply did not materialize. Alongside TCJA's benefits, however, is the harsh reality that some provisions have expired, or will expire soon. Three key provisions expired at the end of 2021, and we've already seen the negative effects of research and development (R&D) amortization that kicked in as a result. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act allowed for full, immediate expensing on qualified R&D costs in the year they occurred, but since that provision's expiration, businesses have been required to spread out R&D expenses over five years for domestic R&D and 15 years for foreign R&D. Compare that with China's permanent super deduction for R&D expenses, which allows companies to deduct 200 percent of eligible R&D expenses. Since amortization took effect, the growth rate of R&D spending has slowed dramatically from 6.6 percent on average over the previous five years to less than one-half of 1 percent over the last 12 months. As companies spend far less on R&D, the sector is down by more than 14,000 jobs. Three-quarters of research and development spending is on wages and salaries, making R&D amortization primarily a jobs issue. But there is a solution. On Tax Day of this year, I reintroduced H.R. 2673—the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act—with my Ways and Means Committee colleague Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.). This bill allows for immediate expensing on eligible R&D costs, securing our dominance in research and development. Of the more than 6,000 bills introduced in the House this year, the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act is tied for the 25th-most cosponsored piece of legislation, putting it in the top 0.3 percent of bills this Congress. Most of the bills with more cosponsors simply have the full support of their conference and are partisan. My R&D bill is extremely bipartisan—only five other bills have more Republican and Democratic cosponsors than this legislation, and no other bill has this many cosponsorships evenly split between the two parties. It's no wonder the National Taxpayers Union has consistently called this a no-brainer bill. The R&D expensing provision is one of many TCJA policies that boosted our economy and should be urgently addressed. It's why 20 of my Ways and Means colleagues joined me last month in sending a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) asking him to bring R&D expensing, a pro-growth interest deductibility standard and full expensing to the House floor immediately. With just one week left in the House before Christmas, we should immediately pass this common-sense legislation. Then, we should continue to push for more of the TCJA policies that benefitted taxpayers, families, small businesses, the economy and even the U.S. Treasury. The time to address R&D amortization was by the end of 2021—the next best time is now.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4259,"Tax Notes Highlights Rep. Estes' Tax Provision Letter, Final 2023 Legislative Week",2023-12-11,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Prior to the last legislative session week starting today, Tax Notes highlighted Rep. Estes' push to address expired tax provisions in order to reignite economic growth in their Dec. 8 article, Republican Taxwriters Push for Expired TCJA Tax Provision Work. ""The window may be closing on tax package opportunities for the year, but House Ways and Means Republicans are still trying to push their leadership to act on a legislative fix for expired business tax provisions,"" Tax Notes wrote on Friday. ""While the House has only one more legislative week scheduled for the year, the impact of the expired provisions that have been left unaddressed remains, according to committee member Ron Estes of Kansas,"" they continued. ""Small businesses and innovators who support countless American jobs are desperate for us to take action on three key tax provisions that, because they’ve expired, have hindered growth and reduced job opportunities for Americans,"" Rep. Estes said in a statement to Tax Notes. ""The House should act now before another year closes on American innovation and entrepreneurship."" Tax Notes wrote, ""In their letter, Ways and Means Republicans congratulated Johnson on his election to the speakership before calling the three tax changes essential for the economy, job growth, and U.S. competitiveness globally."" Rep. Estes led the letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, signed by 20 additional members of the House Ways and Means Committee on which he serves, which has jurisdiction over tax policy. You can read the full letter here. Signers included Reps. Adrian Smith, Jodey Arrington, Vern Buchanan, Mike Kelly, David Schweikert, Darin LaHood, Brad Wenstrup, Drew Ferguson, Lloyd Smucker, Kevin Hern, Carol Miller, Greg Murphy, David Kustoff, Brian Fitzpatrick, Claudia Tenney, Blake Moore, Michelle Steel, Randy Feenstra, Mike Carey and Greg Steube.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=71777CE4-3D36-4904-BFE9-9BDFEEE751C0,"Sen. Moran Statement on the Confirmation of Captain Richard Federico, of Kansas, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit",2023-12-11,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement after voting to confirm Captain Richard Federico, of Kansas, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit: “Captain Richard Federico has faithfully served his country through a distinguished career in the Navy JAG Corps, serving as a prosecutor, defense attorney and as a military judge. Captain Federico is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law, a fact I made sure to highlight when I introduced him and his family before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing. I appreciated the opportunity to meet with him in Kansas and Washington, D.C. to discuss his commitment to practice judicial restraint by relying on the Constitution and the relevant statutes Congress passed when presiding over cases. Congratulations to Judge Federico on his confirmation.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4252,Rep. Estes Welcomes Passenger Rail News for Kansas,2023-12-08,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) released a statement following the grant announcement for a Heartland Flyer passenger rail service extension. ""I have long advocated for the Heartland Flyer passenger rail service extension and am excited for this first stage of a service development plan, allowing south central Kansas residents, like those in Newton, Wichita and Ark City, to have expanded transportation options and to increase economic opportunities for our region,"" said Rep. Estes. The proposed corridor, which would connect the Heartland Flyer to the Southwest Chief passenger rail line in Newton, includes Kansas stops in Wichita and Arkansas City, as well as Ponca City, Perry and Edmond in Oklahoma. The Heartland Flyer, which currently terminates in Oklahoma City, continues south reaching Fort Worth, Texas. Rep. Estes and his staff have engaged with stakeholders and participated in passenger rail meetings since his first term in the House. Rep. Estes led a House delegation letter to Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg in March of 2021 regarding passenger rail service in Kansas. This was in addition to joining two letters led by Sen. Jerry Moran in November 2022 and February 2023.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=F4FB2D8C-505B-4B84-9C26-F113EB084456,Sen. Moran Announces Grant to Begin Work on Connecting the Heartland Flyer to Kansas,2023-12-08,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced a $500,000 Federal Railroad Administration grant to begin planning and development for an extension of Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer that will connect the existing rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth with Wichita and Newton. The proposed extension would also include additional stops in Wichita, Newton and a new stop in Arkansas City. “I have been working with local, state and federal leaders for several years to connect Kansas to the Heartland Flyer by rail,” said Sen. Moran. “Connecting communities across these three states will support new economic opportunities for businesses and provide a new means of travel along this busy route. I am pleased to see the first step in this corridor progress and look forward to seeing the project benefit Kansas and the region and look forward to continued dialogue with local stakeholders.” Sen. Moran led a meeting in 2021 with Amtrak leaders, Kansas legislators and officials from Texas and Oklahoma to discuss the benefits of connecting the Heartland Flyer to Kansas. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-fights-communist-china-protects-american-students,"Rep. Mann Fights Communist China, Protects American Students",2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted yes on H.R. 5933, the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act, which would bring more transparency, accountability, and clarity to foreign gift reporting requirements for colleges and universities across the nation. “America is the epitome of higher education,” said Rep. Mann. “We are blessed to have the best opportunities on planet Earth for young people to pursue research, innovation, and scholarship. America’s enemies are threatened by this, and they are actively seeking to undermine it. Foreign entities, including our adversaries in China and Russia, regularly use large donations to American schools to undermine our interests, steal our research, and manipulate our students and faculty. Congress must bring transparency and clarity to foreign gift and contracting reporting requirements for colleges and universities. American students deserve a quality education that is not dictated by our foreign adversaries.” H.R. 5933, the DETERRENT Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives today by a vote of 246-170, would: Hold American institutions of higher education to a stricter standard on reporting the gifts, donations, and investments they receive from foreign entities Drop the foreign gift reporting threshold for colleges and universities from $250,000 to $50,000 and impose a $0 threshold for adversarial countries like China and Russia Require disclosure of foreign gifts and contracts to individual staff and faculty at research-heavy institutions to protect those most targeted by our adversaries “We can’t sit idly by while our enemies send a steady stream of cash with strings attached to our postsecondary schools,” said Rep. Mann. “This legislation defends American students and strengthens our national security.” Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-helps-advance-pipeline-and-hazardous-materials-safety-administration,Rep. Mann Helps Advance Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Reauthorization,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted to pass H.R. 6494, the Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety (PIPES) Act of 2023 out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety programs for the next four years and provides a framework to advance the efficiency of American energy infrastructure across the United States. “All year, I met with Kansans to get their perspectives on America’s ability to transfer gas and liquid energy, and today I was proud to bring their priorities to the table to pass pro-America, pro-energy, and pro-development legislation,” said Rep. Mann. “Kansas has more than 60,000 miles of gas and liquid energy pipelines. At home and across America, we need safe, efficient, and reliable pipeline infrastructure. I am proud that this legislation includes my priorities like requiring PHMSA to modernize outdated and burdensome regulations, streamline inspection procedures, and more frequently report to Congress and the American public. Our safety, our livelihoods, and America’s economy depend on it.” H.R. 6494, the Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety (PIPES) Act of 2023 passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today by unanimous consent. In addition to reauthorizing PHMSA for four years and reemphasizing its core safety mission, the legislation: Directs PHMSA to prioritize unfinished, congressionally mandated projects across America rather than instating Green New Deal policies Requires PHMSA to hold public advisory committee meetings prior to any rulemaking Strengthens the foundation for an independent, all-of-the-above American energy future H.R. 6494 will now be referred to the House Floor for further consideration. Rep. Mann serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=022F5CA3-70F9-493F-995F-E637331910E5,"Sens. Moran, Bennet Raise Concerns with Emergency Relief Program for Farmers and Ranchers",2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) led their colleagues in the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in raising concerns regarding the 2022 Emergency Relief Program (ERP) to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack. “The 2022 crop year was challenging for many of America's farmers and ranchers who were saddled with record-high production costs, inflation, and met with historic drought conditions in the West and significant flood and freeze events in other regions of the country,” the members wrote. “In light of these challenges, we thank you for the swift assistance made to livestock producers with drought or wildfire losses in 2022. However, following the USDA’s 2022 ERP rollout for qualified crop losses, we have heard from producers in our states with concerns regarding the new program.” The senators outlined several questions for Secretary Vilsack to increase transparency on how the emergency reimbursements were calculated, administered and what will be done with remaining funds. “We recognize that ad hoc disaster assistance is costly to U.S. taxpayers and only a band aid to issues exacerbated by extreme weather volatility,” the members continued. “It is for this reason that we believe an adequate farm safety net, including conservation investments that address persistent drought, are critical in any upcoming multi-year Farm Bill reauthorization.” Sens. Moran and Bennet were joined by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.), Jake Ellzey (R-Texas), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Vincente Gonzalez (D-Texas). The full letter can found here and below. Dear Secretary Vilsack: We write to you concerning the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2022 Emergency Relief Program (ERP). Almost a year ago, Congress passed, and the President signed into law the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328), which authorized $3.74 billion in emergency financial relief through the ERP to America’s farmers and ranchers who were afflicted by devasting natural disasters last year. As you know, the 2022 crop year was challenging for many of America's farmers and ranchers who were saddled with record-high production costs, inflation, and met with historic drought conditions in the West and significant flood and freeze events in other regions of the country. In light of these challenges, we thank you for the swift assistance made to livestock producers with drought or wildfire losses in 2022. However, following the USDA’s 2022 ERP rollout for qualified crop losses, we have heard from producers in our states with concerns regarding the new program. To that end, we request your prompt response to the following questions: 1. Can you explain the economic justification of the new progressive payment factor for ERP Track 1 and Track 2 losses, recognizing that 2022 losses far exceeded the $3.7 billion disaster assistance authorization? a. How will the progressive payment factor for ERP Track 1 and Track 2 losses translate into total payments to states? b. Specifically, will the top states with losses in 2022 – Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, California, South Dakota, Montana, and Colorado – be the same top states with disaster payments made to producers? c. If not, which states will likely see the most payments? 2. In the Federal Register Notice of Funds Availability (Docket ID FSA-2023-0020)1, the agency includes an additional 75% payment factor for all calculated Track 1 and Track 2 payments for eligible crop producers, including underserved producers. This additional reduction of 25% is not currently included in the publicly available program factsheet posted on USDA’s website. Can you confirm that all Track 1 and Track 2 payments for eligible crop producers will see the additional 75% proration? 3. According to USDA estimates, ERP Track 1 benefits will reach more than 206,000 producers who received indemnities for losses covered by federal crop insurance and more than 4,500 producers who obtained Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for the 2022 crop year. What is the average payment USDA will likely issue compared to the amount of actual loss not covered through crop insurance and NAP indemnities? a. How much does USDA estimate to issue in total to recipients with losses under Track 1? 4. In the 2020 and 2021 ERP, producers were individually reimbursed for crop insurance or NAP premiums and fee costs. However, in the 2022 ERP, a percentage of these reimbursements will only be made available to certain producers. If USDA has leftover funds following the initial payments made, would the Department consider providing reimbursement of some of these costs for all producers in order to provide additional support to producers who have availed themselves of existing risk management tools? 5. In the Federal Register Notice of Funds Availability (Docket ID FSA-2023-0020)2, the Department indicates that if funds remain, additional payments could be made. Please outline how the Department would issue additional payments? a. Can you specify if they would be made through Track 1, Track 2, or through crop insurance or NAP premiums and fee cost reimbursements? 6. Did USDA consider an across-the-board payment factor instead of the progressive payment factor? If so, what payment factor would have been required? 7. For natural disaster-related losses in 2020 and 2021, Congress provided $10 billion through the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 117-43). These funds are available until December 31, 2023. a. As of today, how much of the $10 billion remains unobligated? b. How much money does the agency plan to spend by December 31, 2023? c. How much money does the agency plan to withhold to address appeals? 8. Will the agency continue its commitment to transparency of disaster assistance and post the outlays publicly on a 2022 ERP dashboard? As you continue to make 2022 ERP implementation decisions, we urge you to consider reimbursing crop insurance and NAP premiums as well as fee costs to some extent for all 2022 ERP-eligible producers. We recognize that ad hoc disaster assistance is costly to U.S. taxpayers and only a band aid to issues exacerbated by extreme weather volatility. It is for this reason that we believe an adequate farm safety net, including conservation investments that address persistent drought, are critical in any upcoming multiyear Farm Bill reauthorization. Thank you in advance for your response to these critically important questions. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=636CE7AE-83DC-4831-A5D0-E2E270C65545,Sen. Moran Introduces Legislation to Expand Rural Emergency Hospital Designation,2023-12-05,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today introduced the Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act that would allow previously closed rural hospitals to potentially re-open and apply for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation if they can demonstrate they met all eligibility requirements between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 27, 2020. The REH designation was created as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to enable certain hospitals to convert to the new Medicare provider designation, which helps rural hospitals to continue operating with limited services rather than closing. Currently, hospitals are only eligible for the designation if they met the requirements when the legislation was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. “Access to outpatient and emergency services often determines if a rural community can survive,” said Sen. Moran. “More than 100 rural hospitals have closed since 2015, and this legislation will allow these hospitals an opportunity to re-open and serve their communities.” The Rural Emergency Hospital Adjustment Act would extend the eligibility date back to Jan. 1, 2015, for hospitals that were either critical access hospitals or rural hospitals with no more than 50 beds. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4244,Rep. Estes Votes to Expel Santos,2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) released the following statement after voting to expel George Santos of New York from the U.S. House of Representatives. ""Serving in the United States House of Representatives is an honor and a privilege. The now-former Representative George Santos' actions were not only unbecoming of a Member of Congress, but the facts reported by the Ethics Committee point to numerous violations of House rules and federal law, rendering him unfit to serve in this distinguished institution. While I wish he had taken the honorable approach and resigned, today's vote gives New Yorkers the opportunity to elect the representation they choose.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-blocks-funding-irans-terror-regime,Rep. Mann Blocks Funding for Iran's Terror Regime,2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted yes on H.R. 5961, the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act, which would permanently freeze the $6 billion that the Biden Administration released to the Iranian regime in September 2023. “Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, and Congress must strip its regime of resources and block its funding streams,” said Rep. Mann. “Iran’s regime deploys its funding to purchase missiles, ramp up nuclear capabilities, sponsor terrorism, commit human rights violations, and destabilize the security of America and our democratic allies like Israel. By freezing these liquid assets, this legislation will prevent billions of dollars from funding terror.” H.R. 5961, the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives last night by a vote of 307-119, would freeze the $6 billion in Iranian assets covered under the recent hostage deal that President Biden struck between the United States and Iran. Earlier this week, Rep. Mann also voted yes on legislation he cosponsors, H. Res. 793, Calling on Hamas to immediately release hostages taken during October 2023 attack on Israel, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 414-0, and H. Res. 888, Reaffirming the State of Israel’s right to exist, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 412-1. “I am praying for an end to the conflict in Israel, for all hostages to be returned home safely, and for a restoration of peace,” said Rep. Mann. Rep. Mann is a member of the Abraham Accords Caucus, the Israel Allies Caucus, and the Transatlantic Friends of Israel Caucus. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-mann-costa-and-colleagues-defend-american-beef-producers,"Reps. Mann, Costa, and Colleagues Defend American Beef Producers",2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Jim Costa (D-CA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry, led 19 of their colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack opposing a new rule that would allow for the importation of beef from Paraguay. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Paraguay is currently affected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a highly contagious viral disease affecting cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hooved animals. USDA’s new rule relies on decade- and nearly decade-old site visits to Paraguay in 2008 and 2014 to overcome the prohibition of importing beef from the country. “USDA relied on outdated site visits, irrelevant inspections, and inadequate data to overcome these prohibitions,” the members wrote. “Paraguay knows what we all know – the U.S. is the largest, most reliable consumer of beef in the world. We have that reputation because of the tireless work of beef producers to provide the safest and most efficient beef production system in the world. The U.S. should not expand our market to unsafe actors at the risk of the health and livelihood of U.S. agricultural producers and consumers.” The members urge USDA to halt the implementation of the rule until a more reliable risk assessment may be completed based on modern site visits in Paraguay. “The United States has the highest food safety and animal health standards in the world, and any country who wishes to trade with the United States must demonstrate that they can meet those standards,” said Ethan Lane, Vice President of Government Affairs, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “Paraguay’s long history of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks and the lack of recent site visits, makes importing beef from Paraguay too risky. All our trade partners need to have inspection systems that can clearly provide an equivalent level of safety for animal health to prevent a possible foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the United States. Cattle producers thank Representatives Tracey Mann and Jim Costa for holding USDA accountable and helping to protect cattle from foreign animal disease.” Click here to view the USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service rule. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-holds-biden-administration-accountable-failing-secure-border,Rep. Mann Holds Biden Administration Accountable for Failing to Secure the Border,2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted yes on H.R. 5283, the Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act, which would prevent the Biden Administration from housing illegal immigrants on federal land. “President Biden’s border crisis has resulted in drugs on our streets and crime in our neighborhoods,” said Rep. Mann. “Turning public spaces into ramshackle communities for illegal immigrants is dangerous and unfair. President Biden should be working with Congress to secure the southern border instead of using America’s parks as a backstop for the immigration catastrophe he created. While we continue the fight to secure the southern border, this legislation is a measurable way to show our communities that they are not forgotten.” H.R. 5283, the Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 224-203, would prohibit federal funds from being used to provide housing for illegal immigrants on any land under the jurisdiction of the Federal Land Management agencies, including the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Forest Service. On May 11, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 219-213. The legislation would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to resume construction of the southern border wall, increase the number of border patrol agents, reform the asylum process, and terminate catch-and-release. On July 19, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 3941, the Schools Not Shelters Act, which passed in the U.S. House Representatives by a vote of 222-201. The legislation would prohibit the use of public elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education to provide shelter for illegal immigrants. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-pushes-five-year-farm-bill,Rep. Mann Pushes for Five-Year Farm Bill,2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) called Congress’ attention to the importance of reauthorizing a five-year Farm Bill. “Many people in Washington have forgotten about the importance of a five-year Farm Bill,” said Rep. Mann. “A five-year Farm Bill is long enough to provide certainty to producers, and short enough for Congress to respond to market changes and strengthen the farm safety net. The last Farm Bill was signed on December 20, 2018, and a lot has changed since then. We have seen a global pandemic devastate the supply chain, war between Russia and Ukraine, the Biden Administration’s failed trade agenda, inflation hit a record high, and some of the worst drought conditions in decades. We need a five-year Farm Bill to address these changes. American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers deserve it, America’s food and national security depend on it, and Congress must deliver it.” Rep. Mann believes that a five-year Farm Bill must: Strengthen and maintain crop insurance Promote trade programs that help America remain competitive and secure Conduct rigorous oversight of the executive branch to fight big government overreach Invest in agricultural research at America’s land-grant universities “If you think about a safety net, the higher the risk, the higher the fall, and the stronger the safety net you need to survive,” said Rep. Mann. “Producers’ risk levels are at an all-time high because of inflation, input costs, and other market changes. The livelihoods of American producers and consumers are on the line right now, and that means our food security and national security are on the line, too. American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers need certainty like never before – and Congress must deliver for them with a five-year Farm Bill.” Click here to watch Rep. Mann’s full remarks on the House Floor. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Farm Bill Impact Series. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=B83EB69E-FC6C-47F3-9B58-867805BA5829,Sen. Moran Statement on the Passing of Harold Stones,2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today issued the following statement after the passing of Harold Stones, the former Executive Vice President of the Kansas Bankers Association and special projects director for Senator Pat Roberts: “Harold was an exceptional Kansan. He was a representative for bankers across Kansas and a true public servant, who never shied away from hard work and was dedicated to making Kansas a great state. Harold was a person you never expected to die and never wanted him to. He was always present – offering a helping hand, showing leadership, working to solve problems – and always treating others with care and compassion. I enjoyed talking with Harold and was encouraged by his constant optimism. Robba and I are praying for his loved ones, and he will be dearly missed.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=88504773-63FD-4C7A-B615-4EC319B03770,Sen. Moran Joins Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Address Uptick in Attacks on Letter Carriers on the Job,2023-11-29,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) in introducing bipartisan legislation to address the steep increase in armed robberies against postal workers, who are often targeted for their arrow keys. The Postal Police Reform Act would ensure that Postal Police Officers may be assigned to duty outside of Postal Service real property to offer protection to letter carriers on their routes. The Postal Inspection Service reports that armed robberies of letter carriers increased sharply between 2018 and 2021, rising from 36 incidents to 154 incidents. The arrow keys can command thousands of dollars on the clandestine market because they allow access to cluster mailboxes and their contents, which include Social Security checks, prescriptions, and other valuable items. Specifically, the Postal Police Reform Act of 2023 would clarify provisions in federal law to ensure that Postal Police Officers may be assigned to duty outside of Postal Service real property, for the purpose of protecting the mail, Postal Service property, persons on Postal Service property, and on-duty Postal Service employees. This clarification will allow the Postal Service to assign Postal Police Officers to protect letter carriers against robberies, which are often committed to steal “arrow” master keys for use in later mail theft. The Postal Police Reform Act provides the Postal Service with the flexibility to use the Postal Police as the service needs, without imposing additional costs on the Postal Service. “The men and women who deliver our mail and packages play an important role in our communities, but rising crime has resulted in more thefts and attacks against delivery workers,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will help make certain the law enforcement branch of the USPS will have the authority needed to help apprehend criminals and deter crime against postal workers while out on delivery.” “Letter carriers perform an essential service of our government, but delivering mail has become an increasingly dangerous job. It’s shameful that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy continues to turn a blind eye to the rampant and violent crimes against his employees,” said Sen. Durbin. “I’m introducing bipartisan legislation today to counter Postmaster General DeJoy’s dangerous 2020 directive that restricted Postal Police Officers to physical USPS properties. Letter carriers deserve to feel safe while on the job, and the Postal Police Reform Act will ensure that Postal Police Officers can adequately protect letter carriers from the real threats on their routes.” “Our nation has seen an unacceptable increase in postal crime, and due to current restrictions, Postal Police Officers are unable to carry out important public safety duties,” said Sen. Collins. “By allowing Postal Police Officers to work beyond Postal Service property, this bipartisan legislation recognizes the urgent need to protect our mail carriers and better secure our entire postal system.” “The National Association of Postal Supervisors applauds Senators Dick Durbin and Susan Collins for their introduction of the Postal Police Reform Act of 2023,” said Chuck Mulidore, Executive Vice President of the National Association of Postal Supervisors. “This important measure would reverse the ill-advised decision by the Postal Service to ensure that the USPS police force has the full authority to protect postal personnel service, postal property and the U.S. mail on or off postal real estate. The astronomical escalation of postal-related crime, including assaults on mail carriers, coincides with the implementation of a Postal Service policy to severely restrict the ability of postal police to exercise their legitimate authority. Enactment of the Durbin-Collins bill would ensure that postal police have the authority to enforce federal law and protect postal assets, including its dedicated employees.” The Postal Police Reform Act has earned endorsements from the National Association of Postal Supervisors and the Postal Police Officers Association. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4243,Estes Exposes Flaws in Biden Nursing Home Rule,2023-11-28,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Yesterday, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) published an op-ed in The Hill detailing the Biden administration's flawed approach to help seniors in nursing homes by proposing federally mandated staffing levels for nursing homes. As an alternative, the op-ed highlights Rep. Estes' bipartisan bill that both addresses underlying workforce issues nursing homes are contending with and maintains a commitment to quality care. You can read the op-ed here or below. Biden’s unworkable nursing rule will harm seniors Published Nov. 27, 2023, by The Hill What could be wrong with wanting to have a registered nurse (RN) in every nursing home in the United States at all times? Nothing — it’s just not possible. As most facilities are already staffed by a combination of certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and RNs, mandating such a requirement would devastate both nursing homes and the seniors for whom they care. But, this is exactly what the Biden administration is attempting to do. A new rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) seeks to radically increase federally mandated staffing levels in nursing homes in two ways. First, the rule, if finalized, would require every nursing home in the nation to have an RN on-site at all times, which is much more than the current requirement of eight hours daily, five days weekly. It would separately impose new minimum staffing ratios, requiring a certain number of RNs and CNAs per resident per day. This is a well-intentioned goal and I, as much as anyone, want seniors to have the best care possible. But, good intentions are not enough. Policy needs to be informed by reality and what is possible. And unfortunately, the current reality is pretty bleak for America’s nursing homes. At the moment, there are nearly 15,000 nursing homes throughout the country. Of these, 29 percent are in rural areas that are more difficult to staff. In my home state of Kansas, this number is even higher — 53.7 percent of nursing homes are in rural areas. Not even half of the nation’s nursing homes are currently staffed at the level required by the proposed rule, as facilities across the nation are contending with a workforce shortage. The nursing home workforce has declined by 12 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, part of an overall contraction of the aging services workforce. Some of this can be explained by the burnout employees felt due to the intensity of the pandemic, but that is not the whole picture. Since President Biden took office in 2021, inflation is up more than 17 percent. That puts an incredible strain on anyone running a business and the seniors and their families trying to afford care. Labor costs for nursing homes are now 22 percent higher than they were at the start of 2020. Somehow, under these strained conditions, CMS expects nursing homes to find an additional 3,267 RNs to satisfy the 24/7 RN part of the rule. This would cost nursing homes $349 million per year and would increase annual costs for residents by almost $2,180. In the Sunflower State, that would rise to an additional $2,600 in resident costs each year. To meet the rule’s minimum staffing ratio requirement, an additional 12,639 RNs and 76,376 CNAs would be needed nationwide, costing nursing homes $4.2 billion per year at an average cost of $13.24 per resident per day. So, implementing the two parts of this rule would require upwards of 15,000 new RNs, plus more than 76,000 CNAs. These numbers put nursing homes in a catch-22. Implementing the rule will cost money that most nursing homes don’t have. But even if money were not a problem, it wouldn’t solve the workforce issues. Remarkably, the CMS rule does nothing to address either of these concerns and help facilities find a way forward. CMS has actually made it more difficult for long-term care facilities to comply by narrowly defining the type of staff that qualifies toward the requirement. Inexplicably, the CMS rule excludes licensed practical nurses (LPNs) from counting toward the minimum. By leaving out a fully credentialed and licensed type of nurse that has long been present in nursing homes, CMS further shrinks the already limited workforce facilities have to lean on. Instead of their heavy-handed approach, the president and his administration should take a step back. They should let Congress, representing America’s senior citizens, drive the conversation. There are innovative solutions coming from within the People’s House that address the workforce, Medicare and other issues associated with giving seniors the best possible care. In fact, I proposed one such solution in May. The bipartisan Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act addresses a critical shortage of CNAs who, unlike LPNs, count toward the minimum staffing requirement. The bill allows nursing homes that have been forced to suspend in-house CNA education programs, due to restrictions from violations, to resume those programs once quality standards are again met. This is a commonsense bill. It accounts for the current workforce challenges nursing homes face without compromising on a commitment to quality care for residents. In-house CNA programs, often free, offer a pathway to certification for qualified candidates who may not be able to afford an outside program or who do not live near such a program or school. Through these programs, nursing homes can attract, retain and build a pipeline of skilled staff. At a time when employees, much less highly skilled employees, are hard to come by and the cost of school is prohibitive for many, every effort should be made to keep in-house CNA programs running. If a facility has corrected the deficiency for which it received a penalty, it would be allowed to resume its training of CNAs with additional oversight if deemed necessary. Legislative solutions like this are needed before CMS proceeds with any federal minimum staffing rule. It is imperative that the Biden administration holds off on implementing this rule until sufficient plans are put in place to build up the necessary workforce to satisfy staffing ratios like this. The Biden administration should join Congress in doing the hard work to address these issues and support seniors instead of trying to bend reality to fit their whims.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=4F474B71-D297-49BF-9940-5117CEC30154,"Sens. Moran, Hagerty Lead Colleagues in Calling on Biden Administration to Enforce Congressionally-Mandated Sanctions on Iran",2023-11-17,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) led their colleagues in calling on President Biden to immediately enforce oil sanctions on Iran as mandated by Congress. The letter also urges the administration to permanently freeze the $6 billion funding mechanism established in September’s hostage agreement with Iran. ""For far too long, Iran has evaded consequence for its complacency in funding radical terror,” the senators wrote. “To prevent further atrocities and to fulfill our promise of providing unwavering support to our most important ally in the Middle East, we urge your administration to take the necessary means in severing financial avenues available to Iran, specifically cracking down on oil exports.” The letter was signed by Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R- W.V.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The full letter can be read here and below: Dear President Biden: We write to you during a time of global outrage and sorrow following Hamas’s unprecedented massacre in Israel which has left 1,400 dead, including at least 33 Americans. Iran’s fingerprints are all over the events of October 7th and ensuing escalations across the Middle East. Its leaders have provided Hamas and Hezbollah hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, weapons, and training, bolstering terrorists on Israel’s borders. For far too long, Iran has evaded consequence for its complacency in funding radical terror. To prevent further atrocities and to fulfill our promise of providing unwavering support to our most important ally in the Middle East, we urge your administration to take the necessary means in severing financial avenues available to Iran, specifically cracking down on oil exports. We ask that you take immediate action to permanently freeze the funding mechanism established in September’s hostage deal with Iran. This $6 billion would free up money for Iran to use not for the well-being of its own people but for nefarious purposes in the region and beyond. Blocking the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism from accessing this $6 billion – rescinding or revising all waivers and licensed involved – will hinder the regime’s ability to support the death and destruction of our allies. We also demand that you take immediate action to fully enforce U.S. oil sanctions and interdict Iranian oil exports. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated that exports of crude oil and condensate from Iran fell from 2.5 million barrels per day in 2017 to a mere 400,000 in 2020 amidst the “maximum pressure” campaign. But that pressure campaign evaporated in 2021 and today is practically non-existent. Iran’s crude exports alone surged to more than 2 million barrels per day in August reportedly as part of the administration’s nuclear deal with Iran. That’s an estimated $26 to $30 billion in additional annual revenue for Tehran. A September 2023 report from Bloomberg indicates that U.S. officials “have privately acknowledged a gradual relaxation of enforcement on Iranian oil sales.” Any relaxation of Congressionally-mandated sanctions against Iran while funding flows to terror organizations is wholly unacceptable. The world is now seeing the direct result of allowing Iran’s oil revenues to grow and unfreezing billions of dollars in its extraterritorial bank accounts. Congress has a responsibility to ensure sanctions are not only on the books but enforced to their fullest extent. As our trusted ally Israel endures devastation, we must prioritize enforcing all economic sanctions and restricting Iranian oil revenue. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=C5E52400-92D9-4E3A-9B12-6EFBF7A1A117,"Sens. Moran, Warner, Scott Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand American Entrepreneurship",2023-11-17,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) today introduced the Expanding American Entrepreneurship Act. This legislation would expand the permitted size of angel funds to allow for a higher number of investors in start-up companies. By growing the number of individual investors per angel fund and raising the cap on the fund, more investors will be able to invest at a lower rate. This will allow new investors who have less access to capital to invest in start-ups, diversifying the funding base for new companies. “Investing in start-ups shouldn’t be a privilege reserved for only a select group of individuals,” said Sen. Moran. “By increasing the allowed number of investors for angel fund and the max these funds are able to receive, Main Street will have more access to investing. This will also expand opportunities for entrepreneurs to secure investments for their start-ups. Entrepreneurship is the bedrock of the American economy. Allowing a larger pool of Main Street investors the ability to raise capital for American small businesses is crucial to more companies choosing to go public. “I was in business world for decades, long before I entered politics, so I know that investing in start-ups is an excellent way to get in on the ground floor of a new business and help provide it with the capital to operate and grow,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan legislation will allow entrepreneurs to raise more funds with more contributors, enable start-ups to gain access to a new pool of investors, and give individuals with less access to capital more opportunities to invest at lower rates.” “Our capital markets are the global gold standard, but too often it’s Wall Street, not Main Street, that has access to them,” said Sen. Scott, ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee. “That has to change. As the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, I’m glad to join this effort to allow more investors to participate in funds that help provide small businesses with the resources necessary to grow their operations and create good-paying jobs.” This legislation expands on the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law in 2018 and included provisions by Sen. Moran to increase investment opportunities. The Expanding American Entrepreneurship Act would: Increase the max number of permitted angel investors from 250 to 500. Raise the cap on angel funds from $10 million to $50 million. “Entrepreneurship is the driving force of economic growth and job creation in America, and capital is a critical resource entrepreneurs need to turn their innovative ideas into thriving businesses,” said John Dearie, president of the Center for American Entrepreneurship. “Many new businesses – particularly those that have the potential to grow very quickly – rely on investors who provide early-stage capital in exchange for an equity stake in the company. The bipartisan Expanding American Entrepreneurship Act addresses this problem by expanding parameters of section 3(c)(1) of the Investment Company Act to permit emerging fund managers to raise larger funds with a higher number of permitted investors. We look forward to working with them and their Senate and House colleagues to see the bill swiftly enacted into law.” ""As the voice of over 16,000 accredited angel investors, we applaud Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Tim Scott (R-SC) for introducing the Expanding American Entrepreneurship Act,"" said Pat Gouhin, CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ""There is a critical need for more early-stage capital to help fund the diverse American startups that angel investors support. By allowing funds to raise money from a larger pool of accredited investor prospects, the bill will help early-stage startups throughout the country raise the capital they need to create the next generation of innovative high-growth companies."" ""Venture capital is the economic engine of innovation—driving capital to the entrepreneurs who are building the future,” said Anthony Cimino, Head of Public Policy at Carta. “The Expanding American Entrepreneurship Act enables emerging managers to raise more capital from more investors, fostering the development of localized networks and providing greater access to capital for founders across the country.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-calls-impeachment-secretary-mayorkas,Rep. Mann Calls for Impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas,2023-11-16,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted to move forward with the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “Secretary Mayorkas has simultaneously created a humanitarian crisis and a national security emergency at our southern border, and he’s lied about it under oath,” said Rep. Mann. “Earlier this week, the House of Representatives had the chance to impeach him, but instead, the proceedings were referred back to the House Homeland Security Committee, leaving the Committee to decide next steps. That referral only delays holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable for violating his oath of office. Under President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas’ watch, 3.8 million individuals have illegally entered the United States. Secretary Mayorkas halted construction of the border wall and reassigned up to 50% of border patrol agents from patrolling the border to processing illegal immigrants. That move left wide areas of the border unattended, which criminals, smugglers, and drug dealers have exploited. Secretary Mayorkas has endangered the lives of American citizens, and he should have been held accountable for his failures and impeached this week. Americans deserve to have someone running the Department of Homeland Security who will keep our homeland secure.” Rep. Mann supports legislation that will force the Biden Administration to resume construction of the border wall, increase the number of brave border patrol agents, protect unaccompanied children from human trafficking, and terminate catch-and-release. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=2F6B275F-87AD-4C39-A0EA-9661D28524F9,Sen. Moran Initiates Investigation into Alarming Reports of VA Veterans Crisis Line Mismanagement,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – initiated an investigation with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) after being alerted by current and former VA employees of substantial evidence of mismanagement, creating a danger to the health and safety of veterans nationwide. “VA’s history with secret waiting lists of veterans in desperate need for care is deplorable,” said Sen. Moran in a letter to GAO. “If the Veterans Crisis Line is letting veterans who reach out in moments of desperation slip through the cracks, as alleged, it needs to be known and it needs to be stopped. With nearly 900,000 contacts made to the VCL in 2022 alone, a 15% increase from 2020, any breakdowns in this lifesaving resource for veterans must be found and corrected immediately. Any program leaders who are aware of gaps in the service and preventing transparency should be held accountable and replaced.” This week, Sen. Moran called on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough to make certain the VA fully cooperates with an independent investigation of the VA’s Veterans Crisis Line (VCL). “The OIG report and subsequent whistleblower allegations raise grave concerns for the health and safety of our veterans,” said Sen. Moran in a letter to Secretary McDonough. “My expectation is you will take immediate action to guarantee VA’s full cooperation with the oversight by Congress and the investigation by GAO. Without hesitation, I expect you to address all critical deficiencies in the Veterans Crisis Line and take appropriate personnel actions without waiting for the full conclusion of this investigation.” Sen. Moran’s full letter to GAO can be found HERE and below. Sen. Moran’s full letter to Sec. McDonough can be found HERE and below: November 6, 2023 Dear Mr. Dodaro, On September 14, 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a report regarding insufficient Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) staff management of a patient who died by suicide. VCL staff failed to take appropriate action with a veteran who died by suicide the same night the veteran contacted the VCL. Beyond that tragedy, the OIG uncovered systemic issues at the VCL, a lack of standard operating procedures and policies, and overall inadequate oversight. Additionally, the OIG discovered that VCL leadership provided advice and incorrect information to VCL staff prior to interviews with the OIG, finding that it may “compromise the accuracy and integrity of information provided.” At a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing examining the OIG report on September 20, 2023, VA’s program leaders left us with more questions than answers. Following the hearing, my Committee staff met with current and former employees of the VCL and found substantial evidence of mismanagement creating a danger to the health and safety of veterans nationwide. Among the most concerning issues raised was a credible allegation that VCL staff are currently transferring veterans who present with complex needs to a special unit within VCL, a unit which is severely understaffed by an undertrained workforce. Further, a break in record retention is reportedly resulting in a complete loss of communication with veterans whose health and safety are at a heightened risk, unless they follow up again with the VCL after the transfer has been made. VA’s history with secret waiting lists of veterans in desperate need for care is deplorable. If the Veterans Crisis Line is letting veterans who reach out in moments of desperation slip through the cracks, as alleged, it needs to be known and it needs to be stopped. With nearly 900,000 contacts made to the VCL in 2022 alone, a 15% increase from 2020, any breakdowns in this lifesaving resource for veterans must be found and corrected immediately. Any program leaders who are aware of gaps in the service and preventing transparency should be held accountable and replaced. I request a thorough audit of the Veterans Crisis Line, to include the following non-exclusive elements: 1. VCL Operations, specifically of the Call Center, Silent Monitoring, and Complex Needs units. a. How does VA determine and address workforce needs for the VCL? b. Is the overall operational staffing plan appropriately organized in accordance with contact demand and administrative requirements? c. What information does VCL management maintain regarding vacancies, turnover rates, training of new staff, and continuing education/training for all staff members, including those in specialized units of the VCL? 2. Information Technology and Record Retention. a. How are prior communications with veterans stored and secured? For what purposes are the records used? Is the record retention policy sufficient? b. Are management and information security controls adequate to preclude crisis contacts from being left on indefinite hold when transferred to the Complex Needs unit? c. Are information security controls adequate to prevent unauthorized access to the systems? 3. Oversight and Quality Assurance. a. What is VA’s management structure for the VCL, and what type of routine oversight is provided? b. How does VA ensure that VCL staff follow-up with veterans who need additional contact? c. Is the Quality Assurance program for VCL reliable? Please examine Complaints, Silent Monitoring, Critical Incidents, Sentinel Events, and Root Cause/Aggregated Analyses. d. How does VA ensure that all Sentinel event and Disclosure decisions are made in accordance with VA policy? e. Are the results of the quality assurance program used to develop and shape continuing education for VCL staff? It is stated that ending veteran suicide is VA’s top clinical priority. A thorough Government Accountability Office review of the Veterans Crisis Line would help VA and Congress to address this program’s flaws and move us closer to that goal. The Veterans Crisis Line is on the front line to support veterans whose health and safety are at heightened risk. Any mismanagement of this critical program unduly increases that risk and is completely unacceptable. Thank you for your attention to this request. If you have any questions, please contact my staff at the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. November 14, 2023 Dear Secretary McDonough, On November 6, 2023, I requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a thorough audit of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) after an alarming report from VA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and subsequent credible whistleblower disclosures of gross mismanagement creating a danger to the health and safety of veterans nationwide. GAO committed to quickly begin this work. As described in the enclosed letter to GAO, according to multiple whistleblowers, VCL responders are currently transferring veterans determined to present complex needs to an indefinite waiting list for eventual contact from a special unit. Despite a statutory requirement for the VCL “to be staffed by appropriately trained mental health personnel and available at all times,” this special unit of responders for “Callers With Complex Needs” is allegedly severely understaffed and undertrained. Worse yet, a break in record retention is reportedly resulting in a complete loss of communication with veterans who are disconnected while waiting on hold in this queue. The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 requires that all departments “shall furnish to the Comptroller General such information regarding the powers, duties, activities, organization, financial transactions, and methods of business of their respective offices as he may… require.” I am reminding the Department of this statutory responsibility as the September 14, 2023 VA OIG report found VCL leadership provided advice and incorrect information to VCL staff prior to interviews with the OIG, which may have served to “compromise the accuracy and integrity of information provided.” Such interference is a flagrant violation of federal employees’ duty to cooperate with investigations under the Inspector General Act of 1978. The OIG report and subsequent whistleblower allegations raise grave concerns for the health and safety of our veterans. My expectation is you will take immediate action to guarantee VA’s full cooperation with the oversight by Congress and the investigation by GAO. I also expect you and every leader within VA to make certain that whistleblowers raising these concerns are protected from any retaliation. Failure to do so could continue the endangerment our most vulnerable veterans and their families when they come to the VCL in need of urgent VA assistance. Without hesitation, I expect you to address all critical deficiencies in the Veterans Crisis Line and take appropriate personnel actions without waiting for the full conclusion of this investigation. Please keep my Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee staff, and the investigators assisting us, informed every step of the way. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important issue. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4235,Rep. Estes Votes Against Status Quo CR,2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) released the following statement after voting against H. R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, that would extend spending at the record high levels of fiscal year 2023. The bill passed 336-95. ""The two-step CR will avoid another bloated omnibus spending bill at Christmastime, but it unfortunately doesn't go far enough to address our $33.6. trillion debt and doesn't even reduce spending to previously agreed levels in the Fiscal Responsibility Act,"" said Rep. Estes. ""2023 is a tipping point – we now borrow one out of every five dollars that we spend, and this is no time to govern through continuing resolutions. I look forward to working with Speaker Johnson to pass the remaining five appropriations bills for our current fiscal year, and then finally returning to regular order in 2024 to reduce wasteful government spending that has caused rampant inflation that is crushing Kansas families.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-blocks-continuation-reckless-spending,Rep. Mann Blocks Continuation of Reckless Spending,2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted no on H.R. 6363, the Furthering Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act. This continuing resolution would extend funding levels from the $1.7 trillion spending bill, passed during a Democrat-controlled Congress, into 2024. “I did not come to Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of America,” said Rep. Mann. “I came to fight and work to make it stronger. Right now, with our national debt topping $33 trillion, making America stronger means having a hard-fought battle over government spending. We cannot afford to pass another continuing resolution, which just enables more of the same reckless government waste that got our country into this financial mess in the first place. I remain committed to reducing and reprioritizing government spending, securing the southern border, and ending the weaponization of the federal government. This continuing resolution accomplishes none of that. It contains no spending reductions and no border security. We must get our country back on track.” H.R. 6363, the Furthering Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Actpassed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 336-95 and has been sent to the U.S. Senate for further review. “The government borrows too much money, and it spends too much money,” said Rep. Mann. “The real solution to reducing Washington Democrat bloated spending is to return to regular order and pass 12 individual appropriations bills. We must keep working towards that commitment.” On September 29, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 5525, the Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024, short-term, stop-gap legislation to fund the government, cut spending, secure the southern border, and maintain Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans’ benefits. It would have allowed Congress time to responsibly appropriate tax-payer dollars and permanently fund the government. That legislation failed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 198-232. On September 30, Rep. Mann voted no on H.R. 5860, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024, and Other Extensions Act. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=491CA895-4CB2-4593-A979-BAF3E02C0F9C,Sen. Moran Shows Support for Israel Through Visit to Tel Aviv,2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee – co-led a bipartisan, bicameral congressional trip to Tel Aviv in support of Israel. Sen. Moran met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and families who have loved ones being held hostage by Hamas. “I traveled to Israel and met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to show the United States’ support of our ally,” said Sen. Moran. “Meeting with the families of hostages in Hamas captivity was a sobering reminder of the fears and pain many families are still facing and the urgency of finding solutions for hostages to be safely returned. Congress and the administration must act to provide Israel with aid and enforce sanctions against Iran to prevent their growing support for terrorist organizations that threaten Israel, our allies and the world.” Sen. Moran traveled to Tel Aviv with a delegation that included Sen. Hoeven (R-N.D), Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas), Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and other members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Sens. Moran and Hoeven presented Prime Minister Netanyahu with a signed copy of S.Res.417, a resolution in support of Israel that passed the Senate unanimously last month.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=C45970F3-0B52-4604-9CC3-4A3A46086A23,What They Are Saying: Tech Companies Applaud Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act,2023-11-13,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) recently introduced the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act to establish guidelines to be used within the federal government to mitigate risks associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) while still benefiting from new technology. This legislation received praise and support from businesses, universities and foundations. Statements in support of the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act can be found below. “As a long-standing champion and early adopter of the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, Workday welcomes today’s introduction of the Federal AI Risk Management Framework Act,"" said Chandler C. Morse, Vice President of Public Policy, Workday. ""This bipartisan proposal would advance responsible AI by directing both federal agencies and companies selling AI in the federal marketplace to adopt the NIST Framework. Leveraging the buying power of the federal government will also send an important message to the private sector and go a long way towards building trust in AI. We congratulate Senators Moran and Warner for their leadership and encourage Congress to act in support of the bill’s adoption.” “Implementing a widely recognized risk management framework by the U.S. Government can harness the power of AI and advance this technology safely,"" said Fred Humphries, Corporate Vice President, U.S. Government Affairs, Microsoft. ""We look forward to working with Senators Moran and Warner as they advance this framework."" “IBM thanks Senators Warner and Moran for their bipartisan leadership on the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act of 2023 - a critical step in ensuring that AI used by U.S. government agencies is trusted and responsible,” said Christoper Padilla, Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs, IBM. “By leveraging the proven NIST Risk Management Framework, this bill provides consistent standards and a valuable roadmap for agencies to follow as they put AI to work for the public good.” “The NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (RMF) is a comprehensive tool available to help the government and private sector organizations identify and counter AI-related risks,” said BSA- The Software Alliance. “The Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act demonstrates the growing bipartisan consensus in favor of further cementing the NIST AI RMF as the best available tool for managing AI risks. The legislation will ensure that private sector organizations are required to use established best practices to reduce risk to manage AI systems within the federal government. “Okta is a strong proponent of interoperability across technical standards and governance models alike and as such we applaud Senators Warner and Moran for their bipartisan Federal AI Risk Management Framework Act,” said Michael Clauser, Director, Head of US Federal Affairs, Okta. “This bill complements the Administration’s recent Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and takes the next steps by providing the legislative authority to require federal software vendors and government agencies alike to develop and deploy AI in accordance with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF). The RMF is a quality model for what public-private partnerships can produce and a useful tool as AI developers and deployers govern, map, measure, manage, and mitigate risk from low- and high-impact AI models alike.” “IEEE-USA heartily supports the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act of 2023,” said Russell Harrison, Managing Director, IEEE-USA. “Making the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) mandatory helps protect the public from unintended risks of AI systems yet permits AI technology to mature in ways that benefit the public. Requiring agencies to use standards, like those developed by IEEE, will protect both public welfare and innovation by providing a useful checklist for agencies implementing AI systems. Required compliance does not interfere with competitiveness; it promotes clarity by setting forth a ‘how-to.’” “Procurement of AI systems is challenging because AI evaluation is a complex topic and expertise is often lacking in government.” said Dr. Arvind Narayanan, Professor of Computer Science, Princeton University. “It is also high-stakes because AI is used for making consequential decisions. The Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act tackles this important problem with a timely and comprehensive approach to revamping procurement by shoring up expertise, evaluation capabilities, and risk management.” ""Risk management in AI requires making responsible choices with appropriate stakeholder involvement at every stage in the technology's development; by requiring federal agencies to follow the guidance of the NIST AI Risk Management Framework to that end, the Federal AI Risk Management Act will contribute to making the technology more inclusive and safer overall,” said Yacine Jernite, Machine Learning & Society Lead, Hugging Face. “Beyond its direct impact on the use of AI technology by the Federal Government, this will also have far-reaching consequences by fostering more shared knowledge and development of necessary tools and good practices. We support the Act and look forward to the further opportunities it will bring to build AI technology more responsibly and collaboratively."" “The Enterprise Cloud Coalition supports the Federal AI Risk Management Act of 2023, which mandates agencies adopt the NIST AI Risk Management Framework to guide the procurement of AI solutions,” said Andrew Howell, Executive Director, Enterprise Cloud Coalition. “By standardizing risk management practices, this act ensures a higher degree of reliability and security in AI technologies used within our government, aligning with our coalition's commitment to trust in technology. We believe this legislation is a critical step toward advancing the United States' leadership in the responsible use and development of artificial intelligence on the global stage.” A one-page explanation of the legislation of the legislation can be found HERE. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=D60F2BFE-E33D-4E16-AC5F-179A3CE5EEC0,Sen. Moran Recognizes Veterans Day,2023-11-13,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) - today released the following statement recognizing Veterans Day: “November 11 marks Veterans Day – a time set aside to honor and recognize the sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. There is no group I hold in higher regard than our nation’s veterans, and I am grateful for the service of veterans from all generations. “I have the honor of serving our nation’s veterans as the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and am committed to making certain the men and women who served in our military receive the care and resources they need to achieve success in their life after service. As we recognize this Veterans Day, I encourage everyone to express your thanks to the veterans gathered at ceremonies and war memorials, but also to find ways to support the veterans who work and live alongside you. To our veterans, on behalf of Kansans: we respect you; we are grateful for your service; and we love you.” Click here to read Sen. Moran’s Veterans Day op-ed in the Wichita Eagle. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=C16692D0-33B6-4593-AC41-356F6F3789C4,Sen. Moran: DHS Secretary Mayorkas’ Argument is an Excuse to do Nothing,2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a senior member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations – today questioned Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas during an Appropriations Committee hearing on President Biden’s $106 billion supplemental funding package, which includes funding for the southern border. “I continue to believe the circumstances we face at our borders and elsewhere around our country continue to be a national security challenge for us,” said Sen. Moran. “I’ve been to the border numerous times, particularly in the last two or three years, and each time have had conversations with law enforcement, federal and local, as well as border patrol agents and seen first-hand the apprehension of foreign nationals on our border, including those from China.” “I am anxious for our efforts to deal with Israel and Ukraine and the challenges we face in the Middle East, but I am also interested in making certain that we take this opportunity, this supplemental, to come together,” continued Sen. Moran. “We’ve heard by a number of my colleagues how we have worked on immigration reform and border security reform without success, and I would hate for us to miss an opportunity in this circumstance if we can put a package together that would be supported by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and in the House.” “Comprehensive reforms or changes are advantageous, but it has been my experience in my entire time in Congress that we keep waiting for comprehensive reform and as a result we do next to nothing,” said Sen. Moran. “I hope that you, and the administration, will use this opportunity to seriously work with those of us who are willing to make changes to defeat the circumstance in our national security, this challenge, at least in the things we can agree upon today and continue to work on the things we can’t agree upon. Otherwise my entire time in Congress will be waiting on comprehensive reform.” Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Closing Remarks Click here to watch Sen. Moran’s full questioning to Secretary Mayorkas. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-fights-against-big-government-spending-overreach,"Rep. Mann Fights Against Big Government Spending, Overreach",2023-11-07,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) delivered a speech on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives outlining his priorities for protecting America’s future. Rep. Mann released the following statement, summarizing his remarks. “We need to reduce and reprioritize government spending, secure the southern border, and end the weaponization of the federal government,” said Rep. Mann. ""The Biden Administration and Washington Democrats’ spending addiction has created massive inflation and increased our national debt to $33 trillion. $2.4 trillion of that debt has accrued over just the past 365 days. That's more than $76,000 per second. The Biden Administration’s spending is out of touch with what Americans want, and it’s crushing our economy. We’re all feeling it – especially in middle America where new, costly regulations are forcing small businesses to close, gas is nearly $4 per gallon, and people’s paychecks are over-taxed. House Republicans have offered commonsense solutions to this problem. We passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act to stop wasting taxpayer dollars, reclaim unspent COVID relief money, and promote pro-growth economic policies. We must stand firm in our commitment to reducing and reprioritizing government spending. Our economic situation is dangerous, unsustainable, and it’s putting our children’s future on the chopping block. Meanwhile, a humanitarian crisis continues to rage at our southern border, and the Biden Administration is overseeing and directing an unprecedented weaponization of the federal government. House Republicans are constantly fighting back against overreaching government regulations that are hurting middle America. When government grows, freedom shrinks. Americans cannot afford President Biden’s out-of-control spending and should not be forced to bear the burden of his big government overreach. We need to get our fiscal house back in order to protect America’s future.” Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4220,"Rep. Ron Estes Praises Restrictions to WOTUS, Limits on Lesser Prairie-Chicken Listing in Appropriations Bill",2023-11-03,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted in favor of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill which includes provisions to repeal the EPA's overreaching Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and limit the abusive listing of the lesser prairie-chicken under the Endangered Species Act. ""Kansans have proven to be good stewards of the land and natural resources we have here in our state, yet federal bureaucrats continue to abuse their positions by micromanaging ponds and puddles through the overreaching WOTUS rule and listing the lesser prairie-chicken as endangered despite the population remaining stable,"" said Rep. Estes. ""House Republicans passed the Interior and Environment appropriations bill which will kneecap the entrenched D.C. administrative state from pushing WOTUS and the lesser prairie-chicken listing onto hardworking Kansas farmers, ranchers and energy producers. This appropriations bill is a win for common sense Kansans and a victory over the status quo in Washington.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4221,Estes Highlights Perils of Biden's Anti-Energy Independence Agenda,2023-11-03,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Yesterday, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) published an op-ed in RealClearEnergy diving into the history of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and highlighting how the Biden administration's anti-energy independence agenda has hurt Americans, but also risked our national security. You can read the op-ed here or below. Biden’s Election Gimmick Undercut National Security Published Nov. 2, 2023, by RealClearEnergy The chaotic turn of events around the globe in the past weeks has shown that history repeats itself. Fifty years ago when the Yom Kippur War raged in the Middle East, Americans felt the pinch as oil-rich countries blocked U.S. imports of their crude in response to U.S. support of Israel. Now, the atrocious tragedies committed by barbaric Hamas terrorists are again causing chaos and strife in the Middle East. Because of planning in the 1970s and under the right leadership today, this conflict shouldn’t spark concerns about gas prices for Americans as we learned our lesson a half-century ago and created the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Unfortunately, President Biden disregarded these lessons to score cheap political points at the expense of the American consumer and our national security. The week of January 20, 2021, when President Biden was sworn into office the national average for a gallon of gas was just under $2.40. That means a family with a minivan could easily fill up their tank for under $50. Then Biden’s anti-energy independence agenda kicked in. He made it clear that he wanted to “end fossil fuel” during his campaign and got right to work on day one to implement his devastating plan. He ended the Keystone XL Pipeline, proposed tax increases on oil and gas companies and pushed policies that benefited “green” energy and Chinese companies over reliable American energy. By the time Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, Biden’s policies had already pushed the national weekly average to $3.53. Biden – desperate to hide his failed policies – quickly blamed the high cost of gas on the invasion, despite the fact that under a year of his policies prices had already increased by more than a dollar per gallon. With the Russian invasion pushing prices even higher in an election year, Biden decided to act. No, he didn’t reverse his anti-American energy policies – that would have been the right long-term solution. Instead, he traded in our safety net of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to save a few votes. In spite of the SPR gimmick, prices are still averaging around $3.53, so filling up that minivan now costs close to $70 – and our country’s safety. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a national security asset. When full, it prevents the U.S. from being subject to global crises that could limit the availability of crude oil or the whims of our adversaries who may wish to punish us by withholding exports. The idea was supported by multiple presidential administrations like Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower in the middle of the 20th century, but it wasn’t until OPEC’s oil embargo of 1973-74 that the need was greatly recognized. President Gerald Ford eventually signed the Energy Policy and Conservation Act into law in December 1975. Nearly 50 years after its creation the SPR is at its lowest level since 1984. And it couldn’t come at a more perilous time in our world. Establishing the SPR was a way for us to safeguard against OPEC’s impulses and to reduce our dependence on foreign countries should there be a global conflict – but here we are again facing a crisis in the Middle East. Now would be a good time to have a robust Strategic Petroleum Reserve on which to rely. The right thing to do – after two years of fruitlessly doing the wrong thing – would be to replenish the SPR, and fast. But the Biden administration has abandoned this responsibility. The whole intention was to have SPR as a backstop, but President Biden threw that away for a political gimmick. Last October, the White House announced that it would implement a “first-of-its-kind rule” establishing a system of fixed-rate price contracts for replenishing the SPR. Per the administration’s policy, they intend to purchase “crude oil for the SPR when prices are at or below about $67 to $72 per barrel.” The administration’s logic was that the Department of Energy should get a preferred rate when buying for the SPR, well below what the public market was bearing. This untested fixed-price bid system imposed by the White House has allowed the administration to ignore its responsibility to resupply the SPR to the detriment of the U.S.’ economic and national security. In January of this year, the DOE rejected bids from several producers to refill the SPR because the market rate for crude oil at the time was well above the administration’s arbitrary fixed price. And again in mid-October, the DOE announced they would not refill the SPR at a competitive level, instead wanting to pay $79 a barrel when the current market price is about $86 a barrel. The misaligned economics of this system is straightforward – if producers get a better rate in the market than what DOE is prepared to pay, the SPR will remain at record lows – making our nation less safe and prepared. I’ve offered legislation – the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Replenishment Act – in this Congress and the last that would correct this issue. The House also passed a similar amendment I introduced that was included in H.R. 1 – the Lower Energy Costs Act. It would require DOE to use index-based pricing when accepting bids for the SPR. This method will ensure that DOE accepts bids at the market rate for crude oil rather than Biden’s price-fixing scheme. Unfortunately, the Democrat-led Senate has yet to take action on the bill. Our world is less safe today than in January 2021, and we are less prepared to withstand foreign adversaries using oil as leverage. Biden should have never put our national defense in jeopardy just to try and eke out a few more midterm votes. Now that it’s depleted, his administration should really be working to replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve – back to where it was on January 20, 2021, when a full SPR provided us with extra protection and a full tank of gas was $20 bucks cheaper.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-blocks-epa-overreach-cuts-wasteful-spending,"Rep. Mann Blocks EPA Overreach, Cuts Wasteful Spending",2023-11-03,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted to fight government overreach and cut wasteful government spending in two appropriation bills. Rep. Mann released the following statement after his yes votes on H.R.4821, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, and H.R. 4364, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act. “As I look at our nation’s budget, I make decisions based on reducing and reprioritizing government spending, securing our southern border, and ending the weaponization of the federal government,” said Rep. Mann. “These bills would support Congressional oversight investigations and rein in overreaching Environmental Protection Agency regulations like President Biden’s listing of the lesser prairie-chicken as threatened in Kansas. With the passage of these bills, House Republicans have advanced our plan for seven of the twelve appropriation bills for fiscal year 2024. This is a step in the right direction to getting our country back on track.” Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4821, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 213-203, and which would: Cut wasteful spending at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by 39% Prohibit the implementation of President Biden’s 2023 Waters of the U.S. rule Fight the listing of the lesser prairie-chicken on the Endangered Species Act Prohibit EPA from implementing permitting requirements for livestock emissions Require the Biden Administration to resume the sale of oil and gas leases Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4364, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 214-197, and which would: Require that unspent dollars from Members’ budgets be used for debt and deficit reduction Prevent the purchasing of telecommunications equipment from the Chinese Communist Party Maintain funding for the House of Representatives to conduct rigorous oversight of the Executive Branch and to hold the Biden Administration accountable Ensure that Congress remains open and working for the American people Support the continued recruiting, training, and retaining of sworn Capitol Police officers On July 27, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 219-211. On September 28, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4367, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 220-208, H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 218-210, and H.R. 4665, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 216-212. On September 28, Rep. Mann voted no on H.R. 4368, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which did not pass in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 191-237. The legislation failed to conduct oversight in nutrition programs, sought to reduce the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s budget by more than 40%, and proposed to dramatically weaken support for land-grant university research. On October 26, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4394, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 210-199. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=EB4F5A2B-70DF-4027-B8F7-635BE6F7505F,Sen. Moran Statement on Reduced Duties for Phosphate Fertilizer,2023-11-03,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it is reducing duties on Moroccan phosphate fertilizers, following Sen. Moran calling on Commerce Secretary Raimondo to conduct a review on the high duties: “High tariffs and duties on fertilizer have made it more costly for farmers to grow their crops, further driving up input costs and placing a burden on producers. I led my colleagues in urging the Department of Commerce to reconsider the high duties placed on fertilizers, and while I support more fertilizer production here in the U.S., reducing duties will make certain our farmers have access to the resources they need.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4219,"Rep. Estes, MP Patel Push Back on OECD Tax Scheme in Op-Ed",2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) published a joint op-ed, Britain and America are about to surrender their tax sovereignty, with MP Priti Patel in the Daily Telegraph to expose the harms of the OECD's international tax grab and express their strong opposition to the plan. Rep. Estes has been pushing back against this bad deal for months. This year, he penned an op-ed in The Hill, Yellen is giving away the farm through global tax scheme; questioned Sec. Yellen at a Ways and Means hearing; questioned treasury staff and discussed OECD Pillar 2 at a Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee hearing; published a Bloomberg op-ed with Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Biden Should Use OECD Tax Talks to Help, Not Harm, US Interests; introduced the Unfair Tax Protection Act to impose reciprocal taxes on countries that use the OECD deal to impose unfair taxes on U.S. business and raid the U.S. tax base and sent a letter signed by a dozen Ways and Means colleagues to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raising concerns and seeking answers about the economic impact of Pillar 2. You can read the op-ed here or below. The international plan for a global minimum tax on multinational firms – under the OECD’s so-called Pillar 2 – is destructive for both the US and the UK. We have been among the most outspoken members of our respective legislatures on this flawed policy, but the OECD and many countries continue to pursue a global minimum tax in an effort to pad their coffers with US and UK tax revenues. Unfortunately, our leaders are insistent on pressing ahead, and decisions they have made behind closed doors at the OECD have left us in a position where we now face an absurd attack on both our countries’ tax sovereignty. The US and UK have been world leaders in promoting competition and enterprise. The reforms of the 1980s pioneered by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher transformed our countries and the Western world. Now, the insidious plans under Pillar 2 put our economic freedoms at risk. That is why we met earlier this year to discuss Pillar 2 and how to push back on it. And if you are a multinational corporation in the US or UK, you need to be making your voice heard as well. While this global minimum tax is billed as a way to prevent a race to the bottom in national tax codes, Pillar 2’s plan is to give foreign nations the authority to tax companies in their competitors’ countries if they feel that those firms are not taxed enough. The so-called undertaxed profits rule (UTPR) will disproportionately impact job creators and innovators in the US and UK. Imagine two businesses in the same town – one successful and the other struggling. It would be irrational to allow the struggling firm to unilaterally decide that the successful business was making too much profit and force it to transfer some of that revenue into its own account. But that is essentially what the UTPR does: it transfers wealth from our countries into the accounts of others under the guise of fairness. Pillar 2 does not make sense, and other countries are starting to recognise this. We have heard from ASEAN and African nations who are now decrying Pillar 2 as a bad deal for their development. They are watching as Pillar 1 – eliminating unilateral digital services taxes, from which they would benefit – falls apart and know that implementing Pillar 2 without Pillar 1 would be a barrier to growth within their own boundaries. They know that this scheme would discourage investment by foreign corporations and benefit high-tax jurisdictions. In its current form, Pillar 2 isn’t ready for primetime – and even the OECD knows it. It delayed implementation earlier this year. But this was not a win. Delaying a bad policy for a year doesn’t change the fact that it is a bad policy. A recent snub to a US House Ways and Means delegation by French economy and finance minister Bruno Le Maire shows that some greedy countries have no interest in backing away from le transfert of funds into their treasuries. US and UK policymakers and business leaders should combat this attempted takeover of tax policy. Each of our countries’ legislative bodies has the sole authority to set tax policy , and we should not cede that power to money-hungry foreign governments, which do not have the best interests of American or British citizens at heart. Successful US and UK businesses should be investing and supporting job and wealth creation, and our legislatures should defend them by not allowing foreign governments to use Pillar 2 to pillage their resources. The only way to secure US and UK sovereignty is to fully abandon the global minimum tax and UTPR and return to the negotiating table in good faith to finish the work on Pillar 1. If that doesn’t happen, we are ready to combat this scheme on our turf. In the US, I [Ron Estes] introduced the Unfair Tax Prevention Act, which, in effect, would impose a reciprocal tax measure toward any country that moves forward with a UTPR surtax on American businesses and would apply as long as the foreign country’s unfair tax remains in place. And in the UK, I [Priti Patel] pushed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to assure the House of Commons and the British people that we will have regular updates and information as plans unfold instead of blindly barreling through with this disastrous plan. The OECD and rapacious foreign governments should end their zealous approach to taxing other nations. And if they don’t, we stand ready to protect the Americans and Britons we represent.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-votes-support-israel-condemn-hamas,"Rep. Mann Votes to Support Israel, Condemn Hamas",2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted yes on H.R. 6126, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, bolstering Israel’s defensive capabilities against Hamas and other terrorist groups. Rep. Mann released the following statement after the vote. “America must continue to support Israel, condemn all attacks on Israel’s sovereignty, and hold the Biden Administration accountable for its continued deals with those who support Hamas and other terrorist groups,” said Rep. Mann. “Israel is America’s strongest ally in the Middle East and the region’s only functioning democracy. We must not sit idly by while our ally suffers brutal attacks from terrorists who want to wipe them off the face of the earth. America’s national security depends, in part, on a free and secure Israel. With this piece of legislation, House Republicans are advancing a comprehensive response to the unthinkable evil carried about by Hamas against Israel and strengthening our own national security in the process.” H.R. 6126, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 226-196, and would: Ensure American military readiness by replenishing domestic defense stockpiles Bolster Israel’s defensive capabilities and stockpiles of munitions Support U.S. personnel and citizens with enhanced security presence at the U.S. Embassy and logistical support for the evacuation of US citizens Require that the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State report to Congress on U.S. security assistance to Israel, to ensure accountability The funding for H.R. 6126 is offset by recessions from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, specifically from funding that would have weaponized the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) against Americans. Yesterday, Rep. Mann also voted yes on: H. Res. 559, a resolution declaring that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 354-53 H. Res. 599, a resolution urging the European Union to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a voice vote H.R. 3266, the Peace and Tolerance in Palestinian Education Act, which would require the U.S. Department of State to review the curriculum used by the Palestinian Authority, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a voice vote H.R. 340, the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act, which would impose sanctions on foreign supporters of terrorist organizations like Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 363-46 On October 26, Rep. Mann helped introduce H.Res. 771, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 412-10, and which states that America stands with Israel as it defends itself against the war launched by Hamas and other terrorists. In April 2023, Rep. Mann voted yes on H. Res. 311, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 401-19, and which would support the expansion of the Abraham Accords to encourage nations to normalize relations with Israel and express continued support for bilateral cooperation across economic, security, and civilian issues. In June 2023, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 3099, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 413-13, and which would establish a Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords at the Department of State to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords. In July 2023, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 219-210, and in September 2023, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 218-210. Both pieces of legislation included key priorities to support the U.S./Israeli partnership and enhance Israel’s security. Rep. Mann is a member of the Abraham Accords Caucus, the Israel Allies Caucus, and the Transatlantic Friends of Israel Caucus. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=17018C56-4B23-4DEC-A7B7-E899CD43C2C0,"Sens. Moran, Warner Introduce Legislation to Establish AI Guidelines for Federal Government",2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) today introduced legislation to establish guidelines to be used within the federal government to mitigate risks associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) while still benefiting from new technology. U.S. Representative Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) plans to introduce companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress directed the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop an AI Risk Management Framework that organizations, public and private, could employ to ensure they use AI systems in a trustworthy manner. This framework was released earlier this year and is supported by a wide range of public and private sector organizations, but federal agencies are not currently required to use this framework to manage their use of AI systems. The Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act would require federal agencies to incorporate the NIST framework into their AI management efforts to help limit the risks that could be associated with AI technology. “AI has tremendous potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal government, in addition to the potential positive impacts on the private sector,” said Sen. Moran. “However, it would be naïve to ignore the risks that accompany this emerging technology, including risks related to data privacy and challenges verifying AI-generated data. The sensible guidelines established by NIST are already being utilized in the private sector and should be applied to federal agencies to make certain we are protecting the American people as we apply this technology to government functions.” “The rapid development of AI has shown that it is an incredible tool that can boost innovation across industries,” said Sen. Warner. “But we have also seen the importance of establishing strong governance, including ensuring that any AI deployed is fit for purpose, subject to extensive testing and evaluation, and monitored across its lifecycle to ensure that it is operating properly. It’s crucial that the federal government follow the reasonable guidelines already outlined by NIST when dealing with AI in order capitalize on the benefits while mitigating risks.” “As a long-standing champion and early adopter of the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, Workday welcomes today’s introduction of the Federal AI Risk Management Framework Act,"" said Chandler C. Morse, Vice President of Public Policy, Workday. ""This bipartisan proposal would advance responsible AI by directing both federal agencies and companies selling AI in the federal marketplace to adopt the NIST Framework. Leveraging the buying power of the federal government will also send an important message to the private sector and go a long way towards building trust in AI. We congratulate Senators Moran and Warner for their leadership and encourage Congress to act in support of the bill’s adoption.” “Implementing a widely recognized risk management framework by the U.S. Government can harness the power of AI and advance this technology safely,"" said Fred Humphries, Corporate Vice President, U.S. Government Affairs, Microsoft. ""We look forward to working with Senators Moran and Warner as they advance this framework."" “Okta is a strong proponent of interoperability across technical standards and governance models alike and as such we applaud Senators Warner and Moran for their bipartisan Federal AI Risk Management Framework Act,” said Michael Clauser, Director, Head of US Federal Affairs, Okta. “This bill complements the Administration’s recent Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and takes the next steps by providing the legislative authority to require federal software vendors and government agencies alike to develop and deploy AI in accordance with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF). The RMF is a quality model for what public-private partnerships can produce and a useful tool as AI developers and deployers govern, map, measure, manage, and mitigate risk from low- and high-impact AI models alike.” “IEEE-USA heartily supports the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act of 2023,” said Russell Harrison, Managing Director, IEEE-USA. “Making the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) mandatory helps protect the public from unintended risks of AI systems yet permits AI technology to mature in ways that benefit the public. Requiring agencies to use standards, like those developed by IEEE, will protect both public welfare and innovation by providing a useful checklist for agencies implementing AI systems. Required compliance does not interfere with competitiveness; it promotes clarity by setting forth a ‘how-to.’” “Procurement of AI systems is challenging because AI evaluation is a complex topic and expertise is often lacking in government.” said Dr. Arvind Narayanan, Professor of Computer Science, Princeton University. “It is also high-stakes because AI is used for making consequential decisions. The Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act tackles this important problem with a timely and comprehensive approach to revamping procurement by shoring up expertise, evaluation capabilities, and risk management.” ""Risk management in AI requires making responsible choices with appropriate stakeholder involvement at every stage in the technology's development; by requiring federal agencies to follow the guidance of the NIST AI Risk Management Framework to that end, the Federal AI Risk Management Act will contribute to making the technology more inclusive and safer overall,” said Yacine Jernite, Machine Learning & Society Lead, Hugging Face. “Beyond its direct impact on the use of AI technology by the Federal Government, this will also have far-reaching consequences by fostering more shared knowledge and development of necessary tools and good practices. We support the Act and look forward to the further opportunities it will bring to build AI technology more responsibly and collaboratively."" “The Enterprise Cloud Coalition supports the Federal AI Risk Management Act of 2023, which mandates agencies adopt the NIST AI Risk Management Framework to guide the procurement of AI solutions,” said Andrew Howell, Executive Director, Enterprise Cloud Coalition. “By standardizing risk management practices, this act ensures a higher degree of reliability and security in AI technologies used within our government, aligning with our coalition's commitment to trust in technology. We believe this legislation is a critical step toward advancing the United States' leadership in the responsible use and development of artificial intelligence on the global stage.” A one-page explanation of the legislation of the legislation can be found HERE. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=8CF929CA-703E-44DE-BF3A-B9C215AC686D,Sen. Moran Statement on the Passing of Nestor Weigand Jr.,2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today issued the following statement after the passing of Nestor Weigand, Jr., who was a leader in the real estate industry in Kansas, CEO of J.P. Weigand and Sons and served as the President of the National Association of Realtors: “Before running for public office, one of the first people I sought advice from was Nestor Weigand. Often in Washington, D.C. or in my travels across the country, when I said was from Kansas, I would be asked about Nestor. He had many, many friends in many places. He was a giant in the real estate industry and made a huge difference in people’s lives. Not only was he an expert in real estate, he was also a leader in the Wichita community and understood the people of Kansas. I enjoyed many conversations with Nestor over breakfast and lunch and greatly benefited from his wisdom. He will be sorely missed in the Wichita community, and Robba and I are praying for his friends and family.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-hosts-third-annual-military-academy-nominations,Rep. Mann Hosts Third Annual Military Academy Nominations,2023-11-01,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ABILENE, KS – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) hosted his third Congressional Military Academy Nominations Selection Process. As the Representative for the Big First District, Rep. Mann has the privilege of offering military academy nominations to the five U.S. service academies for students in the district. The interviews took place at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas. “It is always an honor to host the military academy selection committee and potential military academy candidates in the childhood hometown of five-star U.S. Army General, President Dwight D. Eisenhower,” said Rep. Mann. “The students we met reflect the best of Kansas, and their aspirations to serve our country give me hope for a bright future in America. I enjoyed getting to know them and I wish them all the best. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the panel for lending their expertise and unique perspectives to the selection process.” Rep. Mann appointed a panel of five Kansans from the Big First District who have extensive experience in either U.S. military service or working closely with the military. The five person-panel included: Mary Eisenhower, former President and CEO of People to People International and granddaughter of President Eisenhower AJ Kuhle, U.S. Air Force Academy alumnus and U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph McCarville, West Point alumnus, retired Reno County District Court Judge, and U.S. Army veteran Michael Utz, retired Garden City Police Chief and U.S. Air Force veteran Lt. General (Ret.)Perry Wiggins, former Commanding General of United States Army North and Ft. Riley’s 1st Infantry Division Thirteen high school students in the district applied for a military academy nomination through Rep. Mann's office. In the coming weeks, the panel will notify the students whom they have chosen to receive these competitive nominations. Rep. Mann is a strong supporter of America’s U.S. military service members and is a former member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=33A1D774-7DA1-4EBC-982F-6A3B5C2EE28C,Sen. Moran to Secretary Blinken & Secretary Austin: Border Security is National Security,2023-11-01,2023,2023-11,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a senior member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations – today questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during an Appropriations Committee hearing on President Biden’s $106 billion supplemental funding package for Israel, Ukraine and the southern border. “Congress has a constitutional responsibility to deal with the dollars that should be spent, and I want this committee to treat that in a significant and serious manner,” said Sen. Moran. “I think a markup would be important, but I would certainly indicate changes and input from this committee and from Congress are required. One, to make the package better and two, to make it more amiable toward passage by both the House and the Senate.” “I continue to be disappointed that Secretary Mayorkas is not with us, but I am pleased to know that is occurring next week,” continued Sen. Moran. “There are many of us who believe our borders are a national security issue. I also want you to know that we need the administration to work with us on policy changes. The current policies are insufficient. We need a different approach toward the push and pull of those people around the world who are seeking entry into the United States.” “I am interested in seeing a package pass Congress and signed into law,” said Sen. Moran. “But I want to make certain the administration knows that there are many Members of Congress who are serious about the issues of national security at our own borders.” Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Opening Remarks Click here to watch Sen. Moran’s full questioning to Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:49:58Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-continues-fight-against-high-fertilizer-prices,Rep. Mann Continues Fight Against High Fertilizer Prices,2023-10-27,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Jim Costa (CA-21) alongside U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) led 35 of their colleagues in urging U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to revise how the Department of Commerce calculates countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco. The U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) recently remanded to the Department a calculation of its subsidies, which impacts duties imposed on phosphate fertilizers. The bicameral, bipartisan group addressed the financial burden that the duties place on farmers. “American farmers have labored under skyrocketing fertilizer prices for more than three years,” said Rep. Mann. “Tariffs on phosphate imports led to a price increase of more than 220% from 2020 to 2022. Under current tariffs, the average price of phosphate fertilizer in America is the highest in the world. As farmers purchase this key input at elevated prices, they end up competing in the global marketplace at a competitive disadvantage to foreign producers. American farmers work tirelessly every day to keep us all fed, and as they seek to meet their need for a reliable, diverse supply of fertilizer, the Department of Commerce should lower tariffs on Moroccan phosphate fertilizer.” “We ask that Commerce carefully consider and follow the CIT’s decision in Commerce’s recalculation of the subsidy amount, both in its final determination in the investigation and its administrative review,” the members wrote. “Reducing the subsidy rate would provide welcomed relief for U.S. farm suppliers and their customers, American family farms.” The full text of the letter can be found here. On March 2, 2021, Rep. Mann joined a letterto U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Chair Jason Kearns opposing the countervailing duty (CVD) petition filed on June 26, 2020 against the import of certain phosphate fertilizers. On March 17, 2022, Rep. Mann led a letterto ITC Chair Kearns requesting that the ITC eliminate tariffs on phosphate fertilizer products imported from Morocco and suspend the process of imposing new tariffs on urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) fertilizer from Trinidad and Tobago. On July 14, 2022, Rep. Mann led a letterto President Biden demanding that the Administration waive import duties on UAN fertilizer from long-time supplier Trinidad and Tobago. On June 15, 2022, Rep. Mann led a letterto Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo urging Commerce to consider several issues regarding the antidumping duty investigation of UAN solutions from Trinidad and Tobago. On June 16, 2022, Rep. Mann testified before the ITC on behalf of farmers and agricultural producers in Kansas and across the country. On July 18, 2022, Rep. Mann released a statement responding to the ITC’s determination that anti-dumping activity surrounding UAN fertilizers in Trinidad and Tobago did not harm the U.S. fertilizer industry. On October 5, 2023, Rep. Mann led a letterto Secretary Raimondo urging the department to ensure that their methodology for assessing tariffs on imported fertilizers is fair and representative of the global marketplace. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-stands-israel,Rep. Mann Stands with Israel,2023-10-26,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted yes on H.Res. 771, a resolution stating that America stands with Israel as it defends itself against the war launched by Hamas and other terrorists. “America must continue to support Israel, condemn all attacks on Israel’s sovereignty, and hold the Biden Administration accountable for its continued deals with those who support Hamas and other terrorist groups,” said Rep. Mann. “On October 7, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli territory and began a murder and kidnapping spree, killing people in their homes, in the streets, and on their way to synagogue, and kidnapping others who crossed their path. Hamas’ attack on Israel is still ongoing. In response, I helped introduce this resolution committing America to standing with Israel.” According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, October 7 was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Since Hamas began its terrorist attack on Israel, more than 1,400 Israeli civilians and soldiers have been killed, at least 29 Americans have been killed, more than 4,600 people have been injured in Israel, and Hamas is holding more than 222 individuals hostage. Rep. Mann also cosponsors: H.Con.Res. 57, a resolution expressing that Congress supports the State of Israel H.R. 3152, the Fight and Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports (CRIME) Act H.Res. 768, a resolution condemning Hamas H.R. 5945, the Freezing and Halting Any More Alleviation of Sanctions (HAMAS) Act H.Res. 803, a resolution honoring Americans who died in Israel due to Hamas attacks H.Res. 793, a resolution expressing that Congress supports the release of hostages in Gaza In April 2023, Rep. Mann voted to support the expansion of the Abraham Accords to encourage nations to normalize relations with Israel and express continued support for bilateral cooperation across economic, security, and civilian issues. In June 2023, Rep. Mann voted to establish a Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords at the Department of State to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords. In July 2023, Rep. Mann voted for the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, and in September 2023, Rep. Mann voted for the fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense, both including key priorities to support the U.S./Israeli partnership and enhance Israel’s security. Rep. Mann is a member of the Abraham Accords Caucus, the Israel Allies Caucus, and the Transatlantic Friends of Israel Caucus. “Throughout my time in Congress, I have always supported, and will continue to support, Israel,” said Rep. Mann. “I am praying for an end to the conflict in Israel, for all hostages to be returned home safely, and for a restoration of peace.” Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-supports-american-energy-cuts-wasteful-spending,"Rep. Mann Supports American Energy, Cuts Wasteful Spending",2023-10-26,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted to unleash America’s energy potential, restore our energy independence, and reduce government spending and red tape with his yes vote on H.R. 4394, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. “As I look at our nation’s budget, I make decisions based on reducing and reprioritizing government spending, securing our southern border, and ending the weaponization of the federal government,” said Rep. Mann. “This bill would advance pro-American energy policies, protect America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, strengthen the supply chain, enhance our water supply and drought response, and fight against overreaching regulations like President Biden’s Waters of the United States Rule.” H.R. 4394 passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 210-199, and would: Prohibit the implementation of President Biden’s 2023 Waters of the U.S. rule Rescind more than $5.5 billion in wasteful spending from the Inflation Reduction Act, including $4.5 billion in rebates for electric appliances and $1 billion for state and local governments to adopt net zero energy policies Prohibit giving away America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve resources to the Chinese Communist Party Strengthen our nation’s supply chain, ports, and inland waterways Prioritize projects that increase water supply and support drought response On July 27, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. On September 28, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4367, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, and H.R. 4665, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. On September 28, Rep. Mann voted no on H.R. 4368, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which did not pass in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation failed to conduct oversight in nutrition programs, sought to reduce the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s budget by more than 40%, and proposed to dramatically weaken support for land-grant university research. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4205,Rep. Estes Votes in Support of Rep. Johnson for Speaker,2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted for Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker Johnson received unanimous support among Republicans, earning 220 votes. ""Republicans united behind our colleague Mike Johnson and we're ready to get to work for the American people – reducing federal spending, supporting our ally Israel, holding the Biden administration accountable and securing the southern border,"" said Rep. Estes. ""The process to elect a new Speaker was difficult at times, but I'm confident that we’ve elected an excellent Speaker in Mike Johnson and that he will lead the People's House successfully through these challenging times."" Rep. Estes voted in support of Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) three times on the House floor last week and nominated his colleague Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma) in the House Republican Conference meeting yesterday. He has consistently supported conservative Republicans to lead the House as Speaker.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4206,"Rep. Estes Supports Israel, Condemns Hamas with Resolution Vote",2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted in favor of H.Res. 771 – a bipartisan resolution that reaffirms the United States' longstanding relationship with Israel and condemns the savage attacks by Hamas. He was also an original cosponsor of the resolution. ""Since the initial attack on Oct. 7, the world has witnessed a stream of heart-wrenching images emerge of the barbaric atrocities committed against Israelis by the inhumane terrorist group Hamas,"" said Rep. Estes. ""Today, the House of Representatives voted 412 to 10 to loudly and unequivocally condemn the brutal onslaught and firmly voice support for our ally and friend Israel.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-helps-secure-republican-speaker-house,Rep. Mann Helps Secure Republican Speaker of the House,2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) released the following statement after U.S. Representative Mike Johnson’s election to the office of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. “I am pleased that the House Republican Conference united to elect Representative Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House,” said Rep. Mann. “Now, we need to get back to work. We have 23 days left to restore fiscal sanity and complete the appropriations process before a government shutdown. I look forward to working with House Republicans and Speaker Johnson to reduce and reprioritize government spending, secure the southern border, and end the weaponization of the federal government once and for all.” Today, U.S. Representative Mike Johnson was elected unanimously by the House Republican Conference. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=41A46665-862F-4E94-9C17-92A1EF5EAB43,"Sens. Moran, Marshall & Reps. Mann, Costa Lead Colleagues in Calling on Biden Administration to Reduce Duties on Phosphate Fertilizers",2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (R-Kan.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) lead 35 of their colleagues in calling on U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Gina Raimondo to revise how DOC calculates countervailing duties (CVD) on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco. The U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) recently remanded to the Department of Commerce a calculation of its subsidies, which impacts duties imposed on phosphate fertilizers. The bicameral group addressed the financial burden these duties are placing on farmers. “We ask that Commerce carefully consider and follow the CIT’s decision in Commerce’s recalculation of the subsidy amount, both in its final determination in the investigation and its administrative review,” the members wrote. “Reducing the subsidy rate would provide welcomed relief for U.S. farm suppliers and their customers, American family farms.” The letter was signed by Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Reps. Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Jim Baird (R-Ind.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Dusty Johnson (R-N.D.), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.), Julia Letlow (R-La.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Greg Pence (R-Ind.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) and Ann Wagner (R-Mo.). The full letter can be found here and below. Dear Secretary Raimondo, We write concerning the countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding on Phosphate Fertilizers from Morocco and the recent remand of the Department of Commerce’s (Commerce) subsidy calculations in this proceeding (Mosaic Co. v. United States, Consol. Court No. 21-00116, Ct. Int'l Trade Sep. 14, 2023). As Commerce considers its response to the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT), it is also finishing its first administrative review of the Order. We are encouraged by Commerce's preliminary findings in its administrative review, reducing the subsidy rate from 19.97% to 14.49%. We ask that Commerce carefully consider and follow the CIT’s decision in Commerce’s recalculation of the subsidy amount, both in its final determination in the investigation and its administrative review. Reducing the subsidy rate would provide welcomed relief for U.S. farm suppliers and their customers, American family farms. Commerce’s subsidy rate calculation has a significant effect on U.S. farmers. In 2023, the U.S. demand for phosphate fertilizer is estimated to be 7.4 million metric tons. As the petitioner in the underlying proceeding continues to export production, imports are required to supply 2.7 million metric tons of this amount. Since the imposition of CVD on Moroccan phosphate fertilizers in 2020, the supply options to meet U.S. farmers’ phosphate needs have significantly decreased. Saudi Arabia (where the petitioner has invested in production and which is not subject to any Order) has become the only major exporter of phosphate fertilizer to the U.S., accounting for 66% of diammonium phosphate (DAP) imports and 25% of monoammonium phosphate (MAP) imports. This situation has contributed to the high volatility of fertilizer prices overall, increased costs of a critical nutrient, and exposed farmers to the risk of inadequate supply into the future, given the lack of sufficient domestic supply to meet U.S. farmers’ needs. While many factors impact the regional and global prices for phosphate-based fertilizers, the impact of the CVD proceeding on Moroccan exports to the U.S. was felt immediately and continues to provide upward pricing pressure. Since the imposition of the duty, average prices in New Orleans, the central pricing hub for the U.S., have been the highest in the world. This year, U.S. DAP prices were 11% higher than Brazil's and 8% higher than India's. American farmers purchase this key input at elevated prices but sell their crops at global market prices where they compete with major producers such as Brazil. The current CVD Order on Moroccan exports and magnitude places U.S. farmers at a competitive disadvantage. We now understand from the CIT that significant errors in Commerce’s initial calculation exacerbated this disadvantage. Accordingly, we urge the Department of Commerce to carefully address the matters determined by the CIT to be in error in the remand determination and in the upcoming final results of the final administrative review. American family farmers need a reliable, diverse supply of many agricultural inputs, including fertilizers. The administrative review and the response to the CIT remand present opportunities to address this situation and to properly consider the facts as to the amount of subsidies in this proceeding since its inception. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=093FFA84-5A7C-4D54-A085-0B8509F839E5,Sen. Moran Applauds Mike Whitaker’s Senate Confirmation to be FAA Administrator,2023-10-24,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation – today voted to confirm Mike Whitaker to be the Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA manages the world’s most complex aviation system overseeing more than 45,000 flights a day and almost 3 million airline passengers. “After more than 550 days without a permanent leader at the FAA, confirming Mr. Whitaker to be administrator is a welcome and significant step towards resolving persistent challenges at the FAA,” said Sen. Moran. “I congratulate Mr. Whitaker on his confirmation, and I look forward to working with Mr. Whitaker to ensure the FAA has the resources needed to promote safety and innovation within the nation’s airspace system.” During a Commerce Committee hearing on Mr. Whitaker’s nomination, Sen. Moran announced his support for Mr. Whitaker’s nomination as FAA Administrator. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=BFDDC31B-2469-4F0E-AB00-14261CE08666,Sen. Moran Applauds Department of Commerce’s Designation of KC Metro as a Tech Hub,2023-10-23,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today applauded the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) decision to designate Kansas City Inclusive Biologics and Biomanufacturing Tech Hub (KC BioHub) as one of the 31 inaugural Tech Hubs in regions across the country that show potential for rapid growth in key technology sectors. KC BioHub, a consortium led by BioNexus KC, will increase domestic production of vaccines and other preventative technologies by strengthening innovation in animal and human vaccine development. With the largest concentration of animal health and nutrition companies in the world, this Tech Hub will leverage the region’s biotechnology assets and existing vaccine manufacturing facilities, research institutions, and startup ecosystem to enable the U.S. to capture a greater market share of human vaccine development. “This announcement represents official recognition of something we have known in Kansas and Missouri for awhile: the Kansas City region and the Animal Health Corridor have the concentration of expertise and research and development resources necessary to be a global bio and medical technology hub,” said Sen. Moran. “This designation will attract public and private resources to grow this key technology area in Kansas and Missouri, further expanding the region’s capacity for innovation in the biotech sector. I supported the CHIPS and Science Act to give organizations in Kansas the opportunity to help strengthen our national and economic security, particularly by increasing research in key technology areas, like biotechnology. I applaud the efforts of BioNexus and the other consortium of members in Kansas and Missouri on a successful Tech Hubs application.” This designation is part of the first phase of the novel Tech Hubs program, authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act, that will invest directly in high-potential U.S. regions and aim to transform them into globally competitive innovation centers. Designation is an endorsement of the region’s strategy to supercharge their respective technological industry to create jobs and strengthen U.S. economic and national security. Designated Tech Hubs are now eligible to apply for the next phase of the Tech Hubs Program that will invest between $50-$75 million in each of 5-10 Designated Hubs. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=BE868844-5000-4F5A-9B76-FE7581F82150,Senate Co-Chairs of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome Introduce Resolution to Recognize October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month,2023-10-20,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) – Senate co-chairs of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome – introduced a resolution to recognize October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month. The resolution celebrates individuals with Down syndrome, their families and caretakers, and leaders in the advocacy and medical research community for their work to improve the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome. U.S. Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D- D.C.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. “This month is an opportunity to honor the Down syndrome community, their families, loved ones, and caretakers and to recognize the contributions of the Down syndrome community,” said Sen. Moran. “It is important to continue supporting this community through medical research and advocating for policies that help individuals with Down syndrome lead healthy, independent and happy lives.” “This month and every month, it’s important to recognize the experiences and potential of people with Down syndrome,” said Sen. Casey, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. “From expanding ABLE Accounts so people with disabilities can save for the future to phasing out the practice of employers paying subminimum wage, we have made progress in our mission to knock down the barriers that people with disabilities face, but there is more work to do. I’m proud to be a co-chair of the bipartisan Down Syndrome caucus in Congress and I remain committed to improving the lives of people with Down syndrome by working hand in hand with the Down syndrome community.” ""Down Syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States, but it is also little understood,"" said Rep. Garbarino. ""As the prevalence of Down Syndrome has increased in recent years, it has become all the more important that we educate ourselves and raise awareness – not just about the condition itself, but about the incredible talent and resilience found among those with Down Syndrome. I am proud to sponsor this resolution in support of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the House and I thank my colleagues for joining together in a bipartisan bicameral effort to stand with the Down Syndrome community."" “Individuals with Down syndrome deserve our support to reach their full potential and live enriched and independent lives,” said Rep. Soto. “I’m proud to support this resolution to recognize October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month to celebrate those with Down syndrome and their loved ones.” “The Down Syndrome community and their selfless loved ones make countless contributions to our society, and it is important that we recognize these individuals,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “I’m proud to join this bipartisan, bicameral effort to celebrate those who live with Down Syndrome during the month of October and will continue to support efforts to empower the community to live healthy and productive lives.” “I’m proud to be a lead cosponsor of this resolution designating October as National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. My own daughter, Katherine, has Down syndrome, and every year 6,000 babies are born in the United States who share her disability,” said Rep. Norton. “This resolution being both bicameral and bipartisan is a testament to the fact that recognizing people with Down syndrome along with their families and caregivers is not a partisan issue. I am hopeful that our resolution’s calls for greater federal investment in Down syndrome research will not go unheard.” The full text of the resolution can be found here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=06B828D1-BBF4-4AD4-91CA-F7438AF779AC,PASSED: Resolution Supporting Israel and Opposing Terrorism,2023-10-19,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and 98 Senators supporting Israel following the brutal attacks by the terrorist organization Hamas. The resolution condemns the attacks by Hamas, demands the release of hostages and recommits to supporting Israel. “This resolution signals the unwavering, bipartisan support of the U.S. Senate to stand by Israel, one of our closest allies,” said Sen. Moran. “Supporting Israel means the U.S. must be prepared to deter our enemies and those of our allies. The U.S. must also enforce sanctions on any nation that backs terrorist groups who target innocent life. Israel’s right to exist and its right to defend itself is not a matter of debate, and we must support them in the coming days as they work to eliminate the threat of further attacks.” Sen. Moran spoke on the Senate Floor this week to express his support for Israel and condemn the actions of Hamas. The full resolution can be found here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=2764CFB2-F9E6-411F-A1E0-7FD6EC1E6A06,Sen. Moran To Place Holds on Amtrak Nominees,2023-10-18,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) announced he will place holds on all Amtrak nominees until the White House provides a slate of nominees that complies with the law requiring representation from states served by long-distance routes. “The Biden administration has violated the law by failing to nominate a geographically diverse Amtrak Board of Directors,” said Sen. Moran. “It is important that the members who craft and guide Amtrak policies represent all passengers from across the nation. I will place holds on the Senate Floor until the White House complies with the current law and appoints a nominee representative of the diverse geographic regions that Amtrak serves.” During Surface Transportation Reauthorization of 2021, Sen. Moran authored a provision requiring half of the Senate-confirmed Amtrak Board members, “shall reside in or near regions of the United States that are geographically distributed outside of the Northeast Corridor.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=6AFA1182-3BC6-4694-8891-56B0300DE662,Sen. Moran: America will Stand with Israel – Our Greatest Ally in the Middle East,2023-10-18,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Intelligence Committee – spoke on the Senate Floor to express his support for Israel and to call for sanctions on Iran. “I met with Kansans at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park that serves our state, Missouri and the Kansas City region, and I heard from leaders from those communities,” said Sen. Moran. “They were saddened and outraged at the barbaric terrorist attacks against Israel, and I join them in that outrage.” “America will stand with Israel – our greatest ally in the Middle East,” continued Sen. Moran. “We must help deter other enemies who may use this opportunity to escalate the war against Israel. Hezbollah, entrenched in Lebanon to Israel’s north, will find no safe harbor if it attempts to intervene. And Iran’s leaders must know the fury of the United States awaits if they become directly involved.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4198,Rep. Estes Appointed to Budget Committee Oversight Task Force,2023-10-17,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Last week Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) was appointed to the House Budget Committee’s new Budget Oversight Task Force. The formation of the task force follows the Committee’s passage of a budget resolution that would reduce the deficit by $16 trillion and balance the federal budget in 10 years. ""Our government currently borrows one out of every five dollars it spends, which is completely unsustainable, and yet too often taxpayer dollars are used for federal programs that are failing to deliver,"" said Rep. Estes. ""This task force will shine a light on our bloated government’s wasteful spending so we can then implement targeted solutions to get our country back on track."" In a press release announcement, Oversight Task Force Chair Jack Bergman (R-Michigan) said, “By promoting accountability, transparency, and program integrity, the Task Force will focus on three key areas of reform: reining-in wasteful spending, right-sizing the bureaucracy, and unleashing economic growth through deregulation.” The Budget Oversight Task Force’s seven members will work to bring fiscal transparency and responsibility to the federal government. This complements Rep. Estes’ longstanding efforts to reduce federal spending, including the recent formation of the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum to address Washington's spending problem. Rep. Estes also supports balanced budget amendments to the U.S. Constitution and offered an amendment in the last Congress to reduce non-defense spending by 1%.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4190,"Reps. Estes, Mann and Sens. Moran, Marshall Respond to Agreement to Resolve Water Needs in Rattlesnake Creek Basin",2023-10-11,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today Reps. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) and Tracey Mann (R-Kansas), along with Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) responded to the new agreement to resolve the water needs in the Rattlesnake Creek Watershed. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced in a letter that it has agreed to conditionally pause its request to secure its senior water right in 2024 while calling on the Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Water Resources and local stakeholders to find a practicable and permanent solution to the current impairment. ""Families, small businesses and communities in rural Kansas depend on the reliable source of water that comes from the Rattlesnake Creek Watershed,"" said Rep. Estes. ""The Biden administration and D.C. bureaucrats have threatened to upend the livelihood of Kansans who rely on the water from Rattlesnake Creek for themselves and for ag production that feeds and fuels the world. While I'm pleased that the Fish and Wildlife Service has paused its water rights grab, it's imperative that FWS works collaboratively and in good faith with Kansas stakeholders to develop a long-term solution that ensures our residents have access to water for years to come."" Earlier this year, Rep. Estes met with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams to advocate for Kansans' need for water access from the Rattlesnake Creek Watershed. He has also worked with the Kansas federal delegation, state leaders and local residents to develop a solution that doesn't negatively impact Kansans. ""I appreciate the effort from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to listen to Kansans and hear their concerns with the Rattlesnake Creek Watershed,"" said Sen. Moran. ""It is important we establish long-term solutions that support the refuge and the regional economy, and I am pleased that all parties are working together towards a sustainable future for the watershed and our Kansas producers."" ""As a property owner along Rattlesnake Creek for three decades, protecting our local agricultural communities and the environment is something I take very seriously. Our farmers are already dealing with drought conditions and would be substantially impacted by a curtailment in water allocations,"" Sen. Marshall said. ""We applaud our federal partners for agreeing to continue to work together to implement conservation practices and avoid a call for water. This is a win for our producers and the communities in Stafford and surrounding counties."" ""When it comes to decisions regarding water rights and regulation, landowners and local stakeholders know best,"" said Rep. Mann. ""I am glad to see that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has acknowledged that. This decision recognizes the importance of locally led, long-term solutions that won’t hamstring our agricultural producers and local economies. We need stakeholder consent and voluntary action, not big government.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=BDBC47CA-3DE7-43DF-8F0F-FC4AB6392484,"Sen. Moran Offers Assistance to Kansans In Israel, Provides Resources for Americans in Harm’s Way",2023-10-11,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence – will continue to offer assistance to Kansans in Israel and provides resources for Americans in harm’s way. “I strongly condemn Hamas’ actions and stand in support of Israel as it responds to this terrorism,” said Sen. Moran. “If you or someone you know is a Kansan in Israel who needs assistance, I urge you to reach out to my office immediately.” For assistance, please email casework@moran.senate.gov or call (913) 393-0711. The Department of State also has a 24/7 coordinating group communicating with U.S. citizens, providing them assistance through phone calls and an online form. American citizens seeking to be in touch with the U.S. Embassy in Israel can fill out this form or call 1-833-890-9595 or 1-606-641-0131. It is strongly encouraged Americans in Israel utilize the following resources to stay updated and safe: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP); View the latest updates from the U.S. Embassy in Israel; and Review the latest travel advisory information from the Department of State. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=D8CB4543-5D32-445C-B8EE-1550DAFCFAF3,"Sen. Moran on Senate Floor: We Must Work Together To Provide Resources to Ukraine, Secure Southern Border",2023-10-05,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) spoke on the Senate Floor regarding the urgent need to work together to address the challenges facing our country at home and abroad including securing our southern border and providing resources to assist Ukraine in their fight against Russia. “Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a fellow Kansan, warns of our government dysfunction at a moment in history in which our nation confronts graver threats to its security than it has in decades, perhaps ever,” said Sen. Moran. “Our adversaries pay attention to what we do or don’t do. Our action or inaction can increase the trust placed in us by our allies or it can embolden our adversaries. We need to demonstrate resolve; resolve in the support of allies and resolve in the resistance to enemies.” “During my time in the U.S. Senate, I have never been angrier or more sullen than those few days in which our country left Afghanistan,” said Sen. Moran. “Our unprepared actions and void of leadership resulted in the deaths of U.S. servicemembers and it stranded thousands of Afghan allies behind enemy lines. Those few days may have been among the most costly in emboldening those who seek our country’s demise. I fear today we are about to again demonstrate to the world our feckless ambivalence to lead.” “There is no question that the spending path we have been on is not sustainable,” continued Sen. Moran. “We are on a different path with the appropriations bills that have passed in committee that stop spending increases. These are important decisions, but we don’t need to manufacture a crisis to make a point. The crisis doesn’t solve the spending problem.” “We know the dangerous nature of our world when we see what China is doing and what its intentions seem to be; when we know what’s taking place in Iran and their efforts around the globe; when Russia invades a neighboring country’s borders; and when North Korea fires missiles,” said Sen. Moran. “We have united as a nation numerous times in our history, and we need to return to those circumstances. And that can happen if there is leadership here in Congress to do so. Now is the time to lower the temperature and find common ground that puts us in a position that we can be optimistic about our nation’s future. Our future is bright, but it is only bright when we work together.” “We must send the message that we are a reliable partner to Ukraine, and encourage allies around the world to be helpful to Ukraine,” continued Sen. Moran. “As we work to enhance Ukraine’s chance for success in defeating Putin, we should also resolutely move forward in ending the failure to protect our own country and own border. “Our borders need desperate attention and its another national security issue.” “We have work to do,” said Sen. Moran. “We can look the other way or we can decide that we’re going to do what is right. We can decide that it would be nice to be popular at the moment, but it would be better to be right in the long term. I’m an optimist. This week and the next several weeks can be times of good work for the American people and a safer and more secure United States and world.” Click HERE to View Sen. Moran’s Full Remarks # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=1B406751-5AB3-4A6B-A856-E178EABDB207,"Sens. Moran, Manchin Introduce Bill to Require FTC to Solicit Public Feedback Before Implementing New Regulation",2023-10-04,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) today introduced legislation to require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to reinstate the process that allows the public the opportunity to provide feedback, comment and analysis before the commission finalizes a regulation change specific to automotive retailing. Last summer, the FTC noticed a 126-page proposed rule, known as the “Motor Vehicle Dealers Trade Regulation Rule,” which, if approved, would significantly change the process for consumers to purchase, trade-in and finance new and used cars and trucks. The proposed rule would re-regulate all aspects of automotive retailing and was noticed without an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) – the process for the public to provide comment – and instead included 49 open-ended questions. “The FTC’s rule would create more paperwork when buying a car at the dealership and lead to more bureaucracy and red tape for small businesses,” said Sen. Moran. “If the FTC plans to overhaul the way Americans purchase vehicles, they should be required to ask for and receive input from the public at the very least. This legislation will make certain FTC regulators can’t finalize the rule without first receiving feedback from industry leaders and the general public.” “The FTC’s proposed Vehicle Shopping Rule is yet another example of unnecessary and burdensome federal overreach,” said Sen. Manchin. “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Senator Moran to prohibit the FTC from finalizing and implementing the rule without conducting sufficient consumer testing and cost-benefit analyses. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense step to protect our automotive dealers and consumers in West Virginia and across the country from this rushed federal regulation.” “The FTC got it wrong for Kansas consumers when it came out with a rule that adds hours to buying a car and makes it more expensive for car buyers. Sen. Moran’s legislation makes sure the FTC gets it right,” said Don McNeely, President of the Kansas Automobile Dealers Association. The FTC REDO Act would require the FTC to: Issue an ANPRM for public comment; Conduct a quantitative study on auto retailing; Conduct consumer product testing; and Publish a cost-benefit analysis based on real data. In November, Sen. Moran joined his colleagues in calling on FTC Chair Lina Khan to withdraw the proposed rule and instead issue a Request for Information or an ANPRM. The letter can be found here. Full text of the legislation can be found here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=61537684-0008-4594-9E55-92D3ED48350E,"Sen. Moran Announces Support for Mike Whitaker, Nominee for FAA Administrator",2023-10-04,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – the ranking member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation – today released the following statement expressing his support for the nomination of Mike Whitaker to be the Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): “I support Mr. Whitaker’s nomination and encourage my colleagues to do the same. The FAA is long overdue for a permanent, qualified administrator and this vacancy has had a ripple effect not just in aviation but across multiple sectors and industries. “Mr. Whitaker has extensive experience working as the Deputy Administrator of the FAA, chief operating officer of an advanced air mobility company and as an employee for a major commercial airline. His knowledge of the many different facets of the aviation industry will help him be an effective and steady leader of the world’s busiest and most complex airspace system. I look forward to working with Mr. Whitaker to ensure the FAA has the resources necessary to keep Americans safe and guide us into the next era of aviation.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4179,Rep. Estes Votes Against Motion to Vacate,2023-10-03,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted against a proposed motion to vacate the office of the Speaker of the House. ""The overwhelming majority of House conservatives are focused on addressing our nation's most pressing problems – continually increasing inflation that hurts Kansas families and businesses, our more than $33,000,000,000,000 in debt and our porous southern border that in the last year has let in enough fentanyl to kill every American 20 times over,"" said Rep. Estes. ""Dragging out internal personality disputes doesn't help conservatives govern or achieve policy wins, and we should instead focus on championing our conservative legislative agenda and exposing the harms of Bidenflation and the Biden family culture of corruption.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=657245A9-7408-45CE-8A10-3381DC6D6CFD,Sen. Moran Statement Recognizing Tom Gentile,2023-10-03,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement recognizing Tom Gentile for his years of work as President/CEO of Spirit AeroSystems and his support for Wichita and the aviation community: “For the past several years, I have had the opportunity to work with Tom Gentile in his role as President and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems. During his tenure, he oversaw the 10,000th shipset delivery on the Boeing 737 program and was awarded the Aviation Week Grand Laureate Award for Commercial Aerospace Leadership. He was an integral part of the Wichita community serving on multiple governing boards, while also serving on the leadership board of the Aerospace Industries Association. Tom has greatly contributed to Wichita, Kansas, and the greater aviation community across the nation and around the world. He has and will continue to make a difference. I am grateful for Julie and his friendship and wish them well in their new chapter.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=B0780F79-FBF2-4F04-8124-DB7C8243757A,"Sens. Moran, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Make it Easier for Servicemembers to Access Loan Forgiveness",2023-10-02,2023,2023-10,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced bipartisan legislation to cut through red tape and make it easier for current and former military servicemembers to access the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. This program forgives student debt for qualified public servants including teachers, firefighters and military servicemembers. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced they would automatically count military members’ service toward the PSLF program instead of requiring them to go through a lengthy and complicated certification process. However, the change was never implemented because the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Defense failed to finalize a critical data-sharing agreement. This bill would require the Department of Education to complete a data-matching agreement with the Department of Defense, enabling automatic credit toward PSLF for military service members. “The men and women in our military selflessly serve their nation, which entitles them to these benefits,” said Sen. Moran. “Streamlining the process to access loan forgiveness will help our military members receive their earned benefits and help them achieve financial freedom.” “We should be making it easier for service members and veterans to get their loans forgiven after serving this country,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “My bipartisan legislation will remove barriers that are keeping too many military members and veterans from accessing benefits they’ve earned.” “It can be surprisingly difficult for service members and veterans to have their military service honored for credit when working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). While the Department of Education (ED) announced plans to work with the Department of Defense (DOD) to give borrowers automatic credit toward PLSF for their military service, those efforts have stalled,” said Justin Hauschild, Policy Counsel, with Student Veterans of America (SVA). “The bipartisan Ensuring Military Access to Higher Education Benefits Act of 2023 puts this initiative back on track by requiring DOD and ED to share existing information so borrowers receive automatic credit toward PLSF for their qualifying military service. SVA applauds Senators Cortez Masto and Moran for their leadership on this common-sense legislation to ensure military borrowers get the PSLF credit they have earned.” The legislation is endorsed by Student Veterans of America and Veterans Education Success. The full bill text can be found here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:43:12Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4173,Rep. Estes Releases Statement on Government Funding Bills,2023-09-30,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) released the following statement after two different votes concerning government funding. ""Kansans know that reckless spending in Washington has to stop, and borrowing $47,000 every second simply isn't sustainable,"" said Rep. Estes. ""The House took up two measures over the past few days – I was pleased to support the first that reduced spending and secured our border that ultimately did not pass, but I could not vote in favor of keeping the status quo in Washington while doing nothing to address the reckless spending that has contributed to our $33 trillion in debt. My resolve is even stronger to return to regular order by passing individual appropriations bills that won't weaken our economy and burden generations of Americans."" Background: The House has passed four appropriations bills this year, which is four more than the Senate has passed this year and three more than the House passed last year. The four appropriations bills account for more than 70% of discretionary spending. The federal government borrows about $47,000 each second, or about $28.5 billion per week. About one out of every five dollars the federal government spends is borrowed. Even with proposed spending reductions, discretionary spending will be less than the federal deficit, which means if all 12 appropriations bills were $0, the United States would still have to borrow to cover mandatory spending. Rep. Estes has been a fierce leader in reducing spending by supporting balanced budget amendments to the U.S. Constitution, offering an amendment in the last Congress to reduce non-defense spending by 1% and helping organize the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum to address Washington's spending problem. On Friday Rep. Estes sent a letter to Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor requesting that his pay be withheld should there be a lapse in government funding.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-votes-block-reckless-spending,Rep. Mann Votes to Block Reckless Spending,2023-09-30,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted no on H.R. 5860, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024, and Other Extensions Act.The continuing resolution proposal would extend funding levels from the $1.7 trillion spending bill passed during a Democrat-controlled Congress, until November 17, 2023. “This continuing resolution is more of the same reckless government spending that got our country into this financial mess in the first place,” said Rep. Mann. “This legislation does not cut spending, does not secure the southern border, and is just more business as usual. I remain committed to reducing and reprioritizing future government spending, securing the southern border, and ending the weaponization of the federal government.” H.R. 5860, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 335-91, will now be sent to the U.S. Senate for further review. On September 29, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 5525, the Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024, short-term, stop-gap legislation to fund the government, cut spending, secure the southern border, and maintain Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans’ benefits. It would have allowed Congress time to responsibly appropriate tax-payer dollars and permanently fund the government. That legislation failed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 198-232. On September 28, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4367, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,and H.R. 4665, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. On September 28, Rep. Mann voted no on H.R. 4368, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which failed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 191-237. The legislation failed to conduct oversight or address reckless spending in nutrition programs, sought to reduce the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s budget by more than 40%, and proposed to dramatically weaken support for land-grant university research. On July 27, Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Click here to view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4172,Rep. Estes Releases Appropriations Statement,2023-09-29,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) issued the following statement after the House passed three more appropriations bills – Homeland Security, State and Foreign Operations, and Defense. ""With Washington borrowing one out of every five dollars it spends – which is about $47,000 every second – it's long been clear to me and is now clear to most Kansans that D.C. has to better steward taxpayers' hard-earned money that is spent by the federal government,"" said Rep. Estes. ""Last year, the House only passed a single appropriations bill but still increased massive amounts of spending that contributed to our $33 trillion debt, which is why I'm so pleased that the House is returning to regular order and has now passed four appropriations bills this year that fund the services Americans need while reducing wasteful spending."" Earlier this year, the House passed the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, bringing the total number of appropriations bills passed to four. At the same time, the Democratic-led Senate has yet to pass a single appropriations bill this year.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-votes-cut-spending-reduce-national-debt,"Rep. Mann Votes to Cut Spending, Reduce National Debt",2023-09-29,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted to cut government spending, secure the southern border, and end the weaponization of the federal government. Rep. Mann released the following statement after his votes on H.R. 4367, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 4368, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, and H.R. 4665, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. “I serve in Congress to advocate for agriculture and our conservative Kansas values,” said Rep. Mann. “As I look at our nation’s budget, I make decisions based on reducing and reprioritizing government spending, securing our southern border, dealing with the weaponization of the federal government, and delivering on my commitment to the Big First. My votes reflect those priorities.” Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4367, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 220-208, and which would: Reject Biden Administration-requested funding that encourages more illegal immigration Prohibit funding for electric vehicles, saving $97 million Fund the completion of the southern border wall and require Secretary Mayorkas to build a physical barrier Add 22,000 border patrol agents Provide resources to counter the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids coming across our southern border Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 218-210, and which would: Restrict new funding for Ukraine Defund positions at the Department of Defense (DoD) that weaponize the federal government Prohibit the DoD from using federal funds to perform medical procedures to change a service member’s biological gender Modernize the U.S. military with next-generation technology and pay increases for all military personnel Counter Communist China by making an investment in security cooperation with Taiwan Rep. Mann voted no on H.R. 4368, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which failed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 191-237. Rep. Mann voted no because the bill: Failed to conduct adequate oversight of nutrition programs Sought to reduce the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s budget by more than 40% and decrease all program budgets by 14.15% without any prioritization of which programs received cuts Failed to support land-grant university research and significantly reduced the ability of USDA to deliver in rural America Ignored Kansas farmers’ legacy and contribution to global food security by cutting 70-year-old food aid programs by 70% Rep. Mann voted yes on H.R. 4665, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 216-212, and which would: Eliminate funding for the Chinese Communist Party Prohibit funding for regulations that disadvantage American businesses, including the Biden Administration’s executive orders regarding arbitrary climate goals Illustrate support for our democratic allies like Israel and Taiwan and counter Communist China’s malign influence Support religious freedom abroad and maintain all long-standing pro-life protections Address the backlog of passport applications On July 27, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Rep. Mann voted in favor of the bill. On September 21, Rep. Mann called for the return to fiscal sanity and regular order in Congress. Click hereto view Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=24EE8E77-D5BB-44AF-82BF-D7BD09D01857,Sen. Moran Statement on Voting to Override President Biden’s Veto on the Lesser Prairie-Chicken,2023-09-28,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement after voting to override President Biden’s veto which dismissed the bipartisan Senate Resolution of Disapproval to overturn the listing of the lesser prairie-chicken as part of the Endangered Species Act (ESA): “Kansas farmers, ranchers and landowners are exceptional stewards of their land because they understand that healthy land is the lifeblood of their communities. For years, landowners in Kansas have and continue to work with partners at every level of government to improve wildlife habitat throughout the Plains. With the stroke of his pen, President Biden sided against the will of Congress and the interest of Kansans who understand and work their lands. The continued listing of the lesser prairie-chicken will not benefit the species and is counterproductive to conservation efforts throughout the bird’s range.” After the Biden administration announced its decision to list the lesser prairie-chicken as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, Sen. Moran joined his colleagues in introducing a Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act. This resolution passed Congress in May 2023, and this week the President vetoed it. The vote to override a presidential veto requires a two-thirds majority vote, and the vote did not reach the necessary threshold to overturn the veto. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=4C83ADA0-41C1-4356-A908-05269D35A159,"Sens. Moran, Bennet Introduce Legislation to Support Small Meat Processors",2023-09-28,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) today introduced legislation to increase competition and capacity in the meat processing and rendering industries. The Butcher Block Act would create grant and loan opportunities through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enable small and mid-sized meat and rendering facilities to expand their operations. U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-N.D.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) introduced similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. “High prices don’t just drive up price tags at the grocery store, but also result in higher input costs for ranchers and meat processors,” said Sen. Moran. “Providing resources to allow smaller processors to upgrade and expand their operations will make it easier for ranchers to bring their cattle to market. This legislation will help eliminate waste, support small businesses and provide consumers with more affordable options at the grocery store.” ""Colorado’s livestock production sits at the heart of our $47 billion agriculture sector, but too many producers struggle to find local or regional processing options,” said Sen. Bennet. “Congress should make it easier and more cost effective for Colorado's family farmers and ranchers to bring their animals to market. Our bipartisan legislation strengthens local food systems, increases competition, and helps lower prices for Americans."" The Butcher Block Act would: Improve competition and capacity in rural areas by authorizing USDA loans and loan guarantees to increase and modernize small and medium meat processing and rendering facilities. Including eligibility for cooperatives that are producer-owned and eligible for refinancing Creates a new USDA grant program to expand, diversify, and increase resilience in meat processing and rendering facilities by: Helping facilities receive technical assistance to manage and train a new workforce. Helping small and medium-sized facilities achieve compliance with state and federal regulations. Developing new innovative or mobile facilities to improve local and regional access to processing and rendering services. “I applaud Sen. Jerry Moran’s leadership to increase meat processing capacity,” said Joe Newland, Kansas Farm Bureau President. “This legislation will help increasing competition, strengthen the meat supply chain and create new markets for producers.” ""The National Bison Association appreciates and supports the legislation being introduced by Sen. Moran to develop and expand our nation's processing infrastructure,” said Jim Matheson, Executive Director, National Bison Association. “As consumers discover the great taste and health benefits of uniquely American bison meat, the need for increased bison processing grows too and this bill will address that need."" “The North American Renderers Association welcomes today’s introduction of the Butcher Block Act,” said Kent Swisher, President and CEO, North American Renderers Association. “While Congress and the Administration have previously provided funding and support for the expansion of our country’s meat and poultry processing capacity, this bill if the first of its kind that acknowledges the critical role of rendering as the safe and sustainable method of upcycling the parts of the animal and birds that are not consumed by humans. We thank Senators Moran and Bennet for recognizing that expanding meat processing capacity in the U.S. also requires expanding our country’s rendering capacity in order to safely and hygienically process the meat we don’t eat, reducing food waste, so it doesn’t end up in our landfills and waterways.” “USCA thanks Senators Moran and Bennet for their support and sponsorship of the Butcher Block Act of 2023,” said Justin Tupper, U.S. Cattlemen’ Association President. “This legislation would give USDA the tools they need to diversify and increase resilience in our nation’s food supply system. Those tools include awarding loans and loan guarantees to eligible entities, along with incentivizing new, innovative, or mobile enterprises to increase or improve local and regional meat processing and rendering.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=7E648EA4-4381-4D21-B054-90F9D2670D1B,Sen. Moran Speaks on the Rise of Fentanyl Deaths Resulting from the Crisis at the Southern Border,2023-09-28,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science – spoke on the Senate Floor today to urge the Biden administration to take action to secure the southern border and help stop deadly drugs like fentanyl from illegally entering the United States. “In 2022 alone, there were around 110,000 overdose deaths,” said Sen. Moran. “That’s a little over 300 deaths a day. Around 70,000 of these deaths were attributed to synthetic opioids and fentanyl – including over 1,200 Kansans. This is a full-blown national security crisis, and it’s time that the administration starts treating it like what it is – a national security crisis, a humanitarian crisis and loss of lives of American citizens.” “While law enforcement efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking are bipartisan, we have not yet had bipartisan support to seriously close the border to drug traffickers,” continued Sen. Moran. “For all the work the DEA does to disrupt the drug trafficking and distribution networks, the border is, by far, the single most important line of defense.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-responds-president-bidens-veto-lesser-prairie-chicken-resolution,Rep. Mann Responds to President Biden's Veto of Lesser Prairie-Chicken Resolution,2023-09-26,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, President Biden vetoed S.J. Res. 9, which would have nullified his administration’s rule listing the Northern Distinct Population Segment of the lesser prairie-chicken as threatened and the Southern Distinct Population Segment as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Rep. Mann introduced this resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Once again, President Biden has refused to listen to Congress,” said Rep. Mann. “President Biden’s unwillingness to listen to listen to Congress is one thing, but refusing to listen to America’s agriculture and energy producers is unacceptable. Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers are the original conservationists, and their voluntary conservation efforts have proven to be effective in supporting the lesser prairie-chicken species population. At a time when record-breaking drought is crushing rural communities, crop production, and native grasslands, we need more rain, not more regulations. I urge my colleagues to band together in overturning President Biden’s shortsighted veto of this joint resolution."" On December 22, 2022, in the 117th Congress, Rep. Mann introduced the bicameral joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to strike down the listing of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken. On January 12, 2023, Rep. Mann led a group of his colleagues in requesting a delay of the final rule that would list the lesser prairie-chicken under the Endangered Species Act. Following this letter, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved the effective date from January 24 to April 1, 2023. On February 8, 2023, in the 118th Congress, Rep. Mann led a group of his colleagues in reintroducing their joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to strike down the listing. On April 18, 2023, the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing concerning U.S. Representative Tracey Mann’s joint resolution of disapproval. On April 28, 2023, the House Natural Resources Committee passed Rep. Mann’s resolution out of committee. On May 3, 2023, the U.S. Senate passed the resolution by a vote of 50-48. On July 27, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the resolution by a vote of 221-206. Today, President Joe Biden vetoed the resolution.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-speaks-ag-outlook-forum,Rep. Mann Speaks at Ag Outlook Forum,2023-09-25,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"KANSAS CITY - Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) spoke at the 9th Annual Ag Outlook Forum. Co-hosted by Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc. and the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, the Ag Outlook Forum is the premier ag-related, pre-harvest season event and invites economic, policy, and business officials to share current outlooks. “Reauthorizing a strong Farm Bill will protect the future of American agriculture,” said Rep. Mann. “Producers are currently faced with tremendous uncertainty, markets are volatile, interest rates have skyrocketed, input prices are at an all-time high, the federal government is over-regulating rural America, and Mother Nature is a fickle business partner. We must get this Farm Bill right and Congress must address the challenges that farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers face. I am fighting for a modern safety net that includes robust crop insurance, strong trade agreements and trade promotion policy, and provides rigorous oversight for an out-of-touch administration that just doesn’t understand farm country.” In his remarks, Rep. Mann discussed the importance of: Strengthening and maintaining the public-private partnership of crop insurance Bolstering trade promotion programs like the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program Eliminating overly burdensome regulations like President Biden’s Waters of the U.S. rule and the Farm Killer capital gains tax Investing in agricultural innovation and research at land-grant universities and other partnerships across Kansas and the country “Fighting for Kansans in the Big First is my top priority as I advocate for agriculture and our conservative Kansas values,” said Rep. Mann. “When you roll up your sleeves, get into the middle of difficult issues, and carefully listen to stakeholders, you get a better perspective and end up with better legislation. As we continue to craft the next Farm Bill, I will do everything I can to make sure producers have a bill that represents their needs as they feed a hungry world.” Click here for Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=0B001499-DD33-4051-9337-36ED635A06B8,"Sen. Moran Calls for Action as Migrants with Ties to ISIS, CCP Cross Southern Border",2023-09-22,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) spoke on the Senate Floor this week to call on the Biden Administration and the Senate to take action to increase security at the southern border and pass the Secure the Border Act as thousands of migrants cross the border a day, including migrants with ties to ISIS and the Chinese Community Party. This week, Sen. Moran co-sponsored the Secure the Border Act of 2023. “We have a gaping hole in our national security that stretches from California to Texas, and our adversaries are already using that to their advantage,” said Sen. Moran. “I visited the border earlier this year and witnessed Chinese nationals being apprehended by border agents.” “President Biden must act to ensure a stricter enforcement of our immigration laws, reinstate the construction of a wall or fencing in areas that are largely unprotected, and the administration must send a message loud and clear that our border is closed to unlawful entrants,” continued Sen. Moran. “Securing our southern border isn’t a Republican or Democrat issue. It isn’t a Texas or an Arizona issue. It’s a national security issue.” The Secure the Border Act would reinstate reforms to the broken asylum system, expedite immigrant processing, protect unaccompanied alien children, and eliminate economic incentives for illegal immigration by requiring proof of identity and work eligibility for all who work in the United States. Click HERE to View Sen. Moran’s Full Remarks # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4165,R&D Bill Reaches 150 Bipartisan Cosponsors,2023-09-21,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today Reps. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) and John Larson (D-Connecticut) announced that H.R.2673 – the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act – has reached 150 cosponsors. In addition to the Republican and Democrat leads on the bill, the cosponsorship is evenly split among the two parties. This milestone comes right after the IRS issued what ABGi called ""crippling guidance regarding a change in the tax treatment of research and experimentation expenses"" just a few weeks ago. Additionally, organizations like the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Manufacturers have recently renewed their focus on this expired tax provision as it will greatly impact businesses heading into the Oct. 15 filing extension and quarterly tax deadlines. ""The bipartisan R&D bill is common sense legislation that Congress should pass immediately,"" said Rep. Estes. ""Innovators and job creators across the country are depending on action before the Oct. 15 deadline. Our country has already ceded ground to foreign nations that are offering extraordinary deductions to lure R&D into their borders and, in turn, benefit from the jobs that will no doubt follow the research and development dollars. With 150 cosponsors equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, this is a clear win for the American people."" ""I am proud this legislation has reached a milestone of 150 cosponsors, and it goes to show just how important this deduction is. Research and development play an integral role in creating good-paying jobs across the country and in my home state of Connecticut, and we must ensure this bipartisan initiative makes it across the finish line,"" said Rep. Larson. Reintroduced on Tax Day of this year, the bill permanently allows for immediate research and development expensing looking back to 2022 when the provision expired and has received broad bipartisan support. ""On behalf of more than 320 American aerospace and defense companies, we are grateful for the overwhelmingly bipartisan support of the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act, which will protect businesses from harmful taxation on innovation and strengthen the defense industrial base,"" said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning. ""We congratulate Representatives Estes and Larson on reaching 150 co-sponsors of this important legislation and thank them for their continued advocacy for American leadership in aviation and aerospace. As we explore new and advanced technologies to keep American families and our allies and partners safe, Congress now has the clear opportunity to pass this legislation and restore the American spirit of innovation."" ""Manufacturers drive more innovation than any other sector. The NAM thanks Reps. Estes and Larson for their continued bipartisan leadership to restore immediate R&D expensing. While there is growing bipartisan momentum to ensure the tax code supports R&D, Congress must act swiftly in order to protect family-supporting American manufacturing jobs, innovation and competitiveness,"" said NAM Senior Director for Tax Policy David Eiselsberg. Reps. Estes and Larson reintroduced H.R. 2673 – the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act – on April 18, 2023. They were joined by Reps. Darin LaHood (R-Illinois), Suzan DelBene (D-Washington), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Jimmy Panetta (D-California) and 60 additional original cosponsors. Rep. Estes delivered remarks on the House floor in April, and numerous organizations offered their support following the bill's introduction. In June, Rep. Estes testified on the legislation in a Small Business Committee subcommittee, discussed the bill during a Ways and Means markup for the committee's Build It in America Act – an economic package that included a version of Rep. Estes' bill and was reported out of committee, and penned an op-ed for The Hill highlighting the then more than 100 cosponsors and touting the benefits of the legislation.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-calls-fiscal-sanity,Rep. Mann Calls for Fiscal Sanity,2023-09-21,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, amidst a looming fiscal deadline, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) issued the following statement, calling for a return to fiscal sanity and regular order in Congress. ""We must restore fiscal sanity,"" said Rep. Mann. ""Americans want their tax dollars to be used wisely. Giving President Biden and Congressional Democrats endless, no-limit credit cards is no way to govern in a democracy. Instead, we must prioritize federal spending based on what Americans really want. Let's secure the southern border. Let's decrease our country's dependence on Communist China. Let's commit to reining in government spending. It’s hard for me to imagine how anyone could love the open border so much, or love losing to China so much, or love $200 billion of unaccounted-for COVID relief dollars so much, that they’d be willing to shut down the federal government to keep the situation as-is. If Washington Democrats spent as much energy on responsibly funding the government as they do on the partisan wish lists, we could have solved this problem long ago.” With the overall national debt at $33 trillion, the annual federal budget deficit is expected to balloon to about $2 trillion for FY2023, roughly double what it was in FY2022. In FY2023, the federal government borrowed about $1 out of every $5 it spent. “America can no longer afford President Biden’s out-of-control spending,” said Rep. Mann. “It is time to get our fiscal house back in order.” Click here to watch Rep. Mann's full remarks on the House Floor. Click herefor Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-colleagues-celebrate-national-teach-ag-day,"Rep. Mann, Colleagues Celebrate National Teach Ag Day",2023-09-21,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional FFA Caucus co-chairs, U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and Career and Technical Education Caucus co-chairs, Reps. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-15) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) introduced a resolution recognizing September 21, 2023 as National Teach Ag Day in celebration of the important role that agricultural education teachers play in America’s schools and communities. 29 other Members of Congress cosponsor the resolution. “This resolution recognizes the tireless efforts of agricultural educators, who are committed to training and equipping the next generation of leaders who will feed, fuel, and clothe the world,” said Rep. Mann. “My agricultural education teacher and FFA advisor taught me to take pride in my work, never cut corners, and always show up prepared. As the co-chair of the Congressional FFA Caucus, I’m honored to introduce this resolution alongside my colleagues. We hope that it sends a strong message to current and future agricultural education instructors that Congress is proud of the career path they have chosen and of the way they continue to invest in the future of agriculture.” Today, there are more than 14,500 agricultural educators in nearly 9,000 agricultural education programs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C. More than 2,700 students are currently enrolled in agricultural education degree programs at colleges and universities across the country. ""We are thrilled for the resolution supporting NAAE National #TeachAg Day and celebrating 75 years of the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE),"" said Alissa Smith, CEO, National Association of Agricultural Educators. ""The foundation of our organization has been built on supporting agricultural educators at every age and at every stage of their careers. NAAE advocates for agricultural education, provides professional development, and works to recruit and retain agricultural educators in the profession. The success of more than 1 million students and FFA members annually is made possible by agricultural educators. Great leaders start with great teachers and our agricultural educators have been cultivating the next generation of leaders since 1917, and there’s always room for more. That’s what NAAE National #TeachAg Day is all about."" “Our nation’s agricultural educators are vital to teaching and inspiring the next generation of leaders, whether in the classroom, fields, or laboratory,” said Rep. Panetta. “As we celebrate 75 years of the National Association of Agricultural Educators, it’s an honor to put forward a bipartisan resolution to recognize their contributions to our country and the paths that they have opened for so many of our young people. Those who teach ag help carry on a proud tradition that has sustained this country, while building the necessary foundation for America’s continued agricultural leadership in the world.” ""We must cultivate the next generation of agricultural leaders and that starts in the classroom,” said Rep. Thompson. “By recognizing our agricultural educators, we can ensure our students have knowledge and exposure to all the opportunities the agricultural sector has to offer. Thank you to all the Ag teachers and volunteers across the country who help support our nation's farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers."" “Agriculture is central to our everyday lives and economy, especially in Oregon,” said Rep. Bonamici. “In the classroom, through Extension Services, or with FFA, agricultural educators are preparing the skilled and diverse workforce we need to feed our nation and be stewards of our natural resources. Agricultural education is an important component of a well-rounded education and can help students succeed academically, learn entrepreneurship and teamwork skills, and cultivate relationships with peers from different backgrounds. I’m grateful to join my colleagues in recognizing the many educators who dedicate their time to teaching others about agriculture and mentoring the leaders of the next generation.” The National Teach Ag Day Resolution would: Designate September 21, 2023 as National Teach Ag Day Recognize the important role that agricultural educators play in developing the next generation of leaders Celebrate 75 years of the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) The National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) is a federation of state agricultural educators’ associations with more than 9,000 members. NAAE’s members are involved in school-based agricultural education at any level, from middle school through postsecondary, and state and national agricultural education leadership. The National FFA Organization is a congressionally chartered school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 735,000 student members as part of 8,817 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C. Find out more about National Teach Ag Day here. Get more information about the Congressional FFA Caucus here. The full text of the resolution can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=DA7E49F4-F258-4993-86CF-6FE8071FC926,"Sens. Moran, Tester Resolution Honoring Service Dogs Passes the Senate",2023-09-20,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution led by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) – ranking member and chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – marking today, September 20th, as National Service Dog Day in honor of service dogs across the country. “Service dogs provide life-saving assistance, help veterans with disabilities regain their independence and offer companionship and support to our nation’s heroes,” said Sen. Moran. “I appreciate my colleagues unanimously passing this resolution to recognize National Service Dog Day – a way to raise awareness about the unique training and tasks that service dogs perform to enable veterans with disabilities to live life to the fullest.” “Service dogs play an incredible role in helping our nation’s veterans heal both seen and unseen wounds of war,” said Sen. Tester. “Designating today in their honor makes sure we’re rightfully honoring these four-legged heroes for the lasting, positive contributions they have had on the lives of so many of America’s bravest, and I’m proud we were able to do so.” There are estimated to be thousands of service dogs working across the United States assisting individuals with a wide-range of disabilities and ailments. A service dog is defined as a dog which has been specifically trained to perform tasks for a person suffering from a disability. These can include seeing eye dogs, seizure alert and response dogs for people with epilepsy, and actions to assist individuals suffering from mental health conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). “Service dogs provide invaluable assistance to disabled veterans with the greatest support needs, allowing them to live more independent lives in their communities,” said Paralyzed Veterans of America Associate Executive Director of Government Relations Heather Ansley. “We appreciate the efforts of Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester and Ranking Member Jerry Moran to recognize the important contributions these animals make to the everyday lives of people with disabilities.” “Today is a very memorable and significant day in history as it symbolizes the lifesaving role that Service Dogs play in mitigating the Veteran suicide epidemic in this country,” said K9s For Warriors CEO Carl Cricco. “National Service Dog Day will help to recognize how invaluable these incredible canines are to our American heroes. Thank you, Senators Tester and Moran, as well as Congressmen Bost and Takano for playing such a critical role in helping to highlight the lifesaving work of all Service Dogs for Veterans and Americans with disabilities across the country.” Read the full resolution HERE. Sen. Moran met with K9s for Warriors to commemorate National Service Dog Day at the U.S. Capitol, along with two working dogs, Mando and Doc. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=9A68366C-0104-4368-98C5-FD1FCB4CED89,"Sens. Moran, Carper Introduce Resolution to Recognize September as National Student Parent Month",2023-09-19,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – and Tom Carper (D-Del.) today introduced a resolution to recognize September 2023 as National Student Parent Month. The resolution highlights the contributions and achievements of the nearly 4 million Americans with children, including our military-connected student parents, who attend postsecondary educational institutions while also caring for their families. “Balancing classes and parenting requires patience and perseverance,” said Sen. Moran. “This is especially true for many of our military-connected students who wear many hats – mom, dad, student, servicemember – as they work to earn a degree or professional certification while on active duty, transitioning back to civilian life, or while a spouse is deployed.” “Student parents work hard every day – not only to build a better life for themselves, but also to pave the path to success for their children,” said Sen. Carper. “Going to school and raising the next generation requires a great deal of energy, especially for military and veteran students. I’m proud to work with Senator Moran in leading this resolution to give the nearly 4 million student parents across our country the recognition they deserve.” A letter of support from higher education advocates can be found here. Full text of the resolution is available here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=B1A41C21-7730-4A92-82BB-4D01BB1B26CC,Sen. Moran Calls for a Pause on Enacting New Banking Regulations,2023-09-15,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) spoke on the Senate Floor this week to call for the Federal Reserve to withhold enacting new banking regulations until an independent review is conducted on the failure of Silicon Valley Bank. “Meaningful oversight from regulators requires objectivity and must be done without having a predetermined outcome in mind,” said Sen. Moran. “It should come as no surprise that the Fed’s remedy does virtually nothing to address the root cause of recent bank failures: poor bank management and lax supervision. Instead, I worry that the regulations set in motion will serve as an opportunity for regulators to push a preestablished regulatory agenda that will dry up lending.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4156,Rep. Estes Recognizes the 125th Anniversary of Friends University,2023-09-14,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) recognized the anniversary of Friends University in the House of Representatives. “For the past 125 years Friends has provided Kansas, our country and the world, with men and women who are honorable citizens wherever they go after graduation, bringing value to their communities,” said Rep. Estes. “Being a Friends University Falcon is a respected recognition and the reach of Friends touches many industries and states in the country.” Founded in 1898, Friends has been a fixture of the Wichita community for more than a century and is commemorating its 125th year. Full Congressional Record Remarks from Rep. Estes: Thank you, Mister Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize Friends University as they celebrate their 125th anniversary. Friends opened its doors in September of 1898. In his opening address, President Edmund Stanley said, “The purpose of this school shall be to give to the world and to give our country a class of citizens that will be in every sense loyal citizens.” He went on to say, “Loyalty means that mental training and discipline which makes the child think – the development which makes him strong in mind and body; strong in his moral nature; a full man in that intelligence which should direct the efforts of all men for conscientious, honorable and successful private life and citizenship.” And that is just what they have done – for the past 125 years Friends has provided Kansas, our country and the world, with men and women who are honorable citizens wherever they go after graduation, bringing value to their communities. Being a Friends University Falcon is a respected recognition and the reach of Friends touches many industries and states in the country. The University offers a distinguished liberal arts education with majors ranging from Accounting to Zoo Science and enrolls traditional and adult students seeking associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I’m so pleased to help Friends University celebrate this milestone anniversary and offer my sincere congratulations on 125 years of success, and I look forward to another century and a quarter of equipping students under the iconic clock tower in the heart of the Sunflower State. Happy 125th anniversary. And with that, I yield back the balance of my time.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-supports-impeachment-inquiry-president-biden,Rep. Mann Supports Impeachment Inquiry into President Biden,2023-09-13,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) released the following statement in response to the impeachment inquiry into President Biden. “Congress has uncovered serious and credible allegations of corruption surrounding President Biden, his administration, and his immediate family members,” said Rep. Mann. “These allegations include President Biden's direct involvement with shady foreign business deals, which bank records and the Treasury Department can corroborate. Despite these serious allegations, the Biden Justice Department continues to offer special treatment to President Biden and his family. These allegations suggest abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives. This investigation will bring more facts to light, and the American people deserve to know whether President Biden has been compromised by millions of dollars in foreign bribes. Congress has the sworn duty to go where the evidence leads, gather all the facts, and hold President Biden accountable for his conduct."" On September 12th, 2023, Speaker Kevin McCarthy officially opened the impeachment inquiry, which is the first step towards an impeachment vote. The inquiry will be led by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer in coordination with Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith. As part of his Commitment to the Big First, Rep. Mann is dedicated to creating a government that's accountable and reining in the White House's abuse of power.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4153,Rep. Estes Comments on Biden Impeachment Inquiry,2023-09-12,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) issued the following statement after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) directed three committees – Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means – to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden. ""Kansans deserve to know the truth about President Biden's participation in his family's business dealings with foreign entities, and an impeachment inquiry is the logical next step that will allow us to uncover the facts,"" said Rep. Estes. ""House Republicans have uncovered an overwhelming amount of evidence including bank records, suspicious activity reports, emails, texts and witness testimony that reveal Joe Biden lied to the American people about his involvement in his family's influence peddling schemes. And, thanks to two brave IRS whistleblowers, we know that the Justice Department – which has been sitting on much of this evidence – has prevented career investigators from pursuing information that could have led to Joe Biden. ""This step was not taken lightly, nor does it guarantee there will be an impeachment, but it allows the House to further investigate serious allegations so we can safeguard our institutions, prevent foreign countries from having a foothold in the White House and ensure that federal agencies aren't being used to cover up the crimes of an elected official or his family.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=13395C21-A68E-4477-AA86-776933BE6BF9,Sen. Moran Honors the Life of Bill R. Fuller on Senate Floor,2023-09-06,2023,2023-09,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today spoke on the Senate Floor to honor the life and legacy of Bill R. Fuller, a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives and Executive Director of the USDA Kansas Farm Service Agency. “Bill worked tirelessly to make government work better for farmers and ranchers across Kansas and our country,” said Sen. Moran. “Bill’s life is an example of the difference one person can make, and I know his legacy will live on in the agriculture community and the state he loved. My prayers are with his wife, Janice, his three children, and the entire Fuller family.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4139,Rep. Estes Condemns Revised WOTUS Rule,2023-08-30,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) released the following statement condemning the Biden administration's newly revised Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. ""The EPA is once again ignoring common sense at the expense of Kansas farmers, ranchers and energy producers,"" said Rep. Estes. ""This new WOTUS rule clearly violates the Supreme Court's decision, highlighting the Biden administration's prerogative to simply ignore the courts in pursuit of their own extreme agenda. ""The administration's actions also disregard Americans by shutting them out of a comment period for this rule – yet another example of the appalling federal overreach of this administration."" Background: On May 25, 2023, the United States Supreme Court ruled against the Biden Administration’s WOTUS rule in Sackett v. EPA, limiting the scope of definition of “waters of the United States.” This forced the Biden Administration to amend their final rule from December 2022 to comply with the decision. Rep. Estes has worked tirelessly to push back against the harmful WOTUS rule. He voted in favor of the 2018 Farm Bill that repealed the Obama-era rule, joined a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan in 2022, spoke out against the rule later that year and voted in favor of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn WOTUS earlier this year.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-fires-back-biden-administrations-amended-wotus-rule,Rep. Mann Fires Back at Biden Administration’s Amended WOTUS Rule,2023-08-29,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) released the following statement in response to the amended Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) following the U.S. Supreme Court’s May ruling in the Sackett v. EPA case. “The U.S. Supreme Court decision from May was very clear – the federal government may not use the Clean Water Act to violate the private property rights of American citizens,” said Rep. Mann. “Now, the Biden Administration has scrambled to tweak their terrible rule just enough in an attempt to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling and solicited zero stakeholder feedback in the process. The final rule’s jargon looks different, but the big government encroachment onto private property remains the same. While President Biden would like to federally regulate every small stream, ditch, and puddle from sea to shining sea, American producers have been the careful custodians of their own resources for centuries. I will keep fighting this rule tooth and nail on behalf of the people who feed, fuel, and clothe us all, and also on behalf of all Americans whose businesses and private lives are being affected by this gross example of government overreach.” The new, amended rule, removes the “significant nexus” standard for determining whether wetlands or waters are covered by the Clean Water Act. Since 2012, presidential administrations have sought to define waters of the U.S., and farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers have operated under at least five definitions of “water” in the last ten years. In January 2023, the Biden Administration published its final WOTUS rule. In February, Kansas joined 23 states in filing a federal lawsuit against the EPA over the WOTUS rule. In April, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction, prohibiting the rule from being enforced. In April, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction, prohibiting the rule from being enforced. With this court ruling, the 2023 WOTUS rule may not be enforced until this litigation is resolved. Rep. Mann has been fighting against President Biden’s overreaching WOTUS rule since the beginning. Click here to see Rep. Mann's January 2023 letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding the new WOTUS rule. On March 9, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 27by a vote of 227-198. Click hereto view Rep. Mann’s remarks on the House Floor in support of the WOTUS Congressional Review Act. On March 29, 2023, the U.S. Senate passed H.J. Res. 27by a vote of 53-43. On April 6, President Biden vetoed H.J. Res. 27. Click hereto view Rep. Mann’s remarks on the House Floor on April 18, 2023 during the congressional override of President Biden’s veto of the WOTUS legislation. On May 25, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Sackett V. EPA to protect landowners' rights and limit government overreach under President Biden's Waters of the U.S. rule and the Clean Water Act. Click hereto read more about the amended rule.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4138,"Rep. Estes Visits South Central Kansas Medical Center, Winfield Middle School",2023-08-28,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"ARKANSAS CITY, Kan./WINFIELD, Kan. – Last Wednesday Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) participated in a health care roundtable with area hospital administrators, hosted by SCK Health. A tour of SCK Medical Center followed. In the afternoon, Rep. Estes spoke with students and teachers at Winfield Middle School, stopping into multiple classrooms and taking some questions from students. ""Rural health care providers are critical for communities throughout south central Kansas. SCK Medical Center is exploring ways to better serve Kansans as they continue pursuing the designation of rural emergency hospital – something that will strengthen their viability and keep a local hospital in Ark City,"" said Rep. Estes. ""I was also glad to have State Sen. Larry Alley join our conversation as the region's representative in the Kansas Senate."" View photos from Rep. Estes' visit in Arkansas City Speaking about his visit to Winfield, Rep. Estes said, ""The students at Winfield Middle School were highly engaged as we toured various classrooms in the early days of the school year. I'm grateful for the parents and faculty who are working to educate and train these young people, and was delighted to see a former intern as a history teacher in the district, Mr. Jay Buffum."" Download photos from Rep. Estes' visit in Winfield",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=7D1CE7C9-FEA6-472C-8705-33F729DE1A62,Sen. Moran Announces $1 Million Grant for K-State University,2023-08-17,2023,2023-08,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"MANHATTAN, Kan. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid research and data collection at Kansas State University to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in cattle. This grant is funded through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). “K-State plays a critical role in conducting research on how to keep our livestock healthy in order to keep consumers healthy,” said Sen. Moran. “This grant is an investment in protecting our national food supply chain while also working to develop new treatments for cattle.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:31:44Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4112,Deadline for 2023 Service Academy Applications Approaching,2023-08-14,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WICHITA – As students begin heading back to school soon, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) is reminding constituents that applications from students in the 4th District of Kansas to be nominated for a service academy are due Sunday, Oct. 1. Every year, Members of Congress may nominate up to ten candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment. ""Students who attend a service academy receive a first-class education and are part of an elite group of young Americans who serve our country in uniform,"" said Rep. Estes. ""I encourage students with an interest in military service and the eagerness to take the next step in their educational journey to apply for one of these coveted spots."" Students from the 4th District who apply will be interviewed by a panel of local community leaders at Rep. Estes' Wichita District Office in November. Their interview will be followed by a one-on-one meeting with Rep. Estes. Academies make the final selection for appointments based on additional evaluations. Interested students should review candidate requirements and apply online at estes.house.gov/service by Sunday, Oct. 1. Questions about the nominating process should be directed to the Office of Congressman Ron Estes at 316-262-8992.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=FA0792D2-CBB0-4C16-9830-F6B3B8E7156B,"Sen. Moran Marks One-Year Anniversary of PACT Act, VA Extends Filing Deadline for Benefits",2023-08-10,2023,2023-08,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – today recognized the one-year anniversary of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act being signed into law. Yesterday, the VA made the decision to extend the deadline to apply for backdated PACT Act benefits until midnight on August 14, after veterans reported technical difficulties applying for benefits through the VA’s website. “The PACT Act was signed into law one year ago, and I’m pleased thousands of Kansas veterans who were exposed to harmful toxins during their military service have applied for and been awarded disability benefits following the passage of this law and are newly eligible to receive needed health care services from VA,” said Sen. Moran. “The PACT Act transformed how the VA provides health care and benefits to toxic-exposed veterans and conducts research on the effects of toxic exposure. While I recognize implementing the PACT Act is a monumental task, I have concerns that VA has not adequately tracked how many veterans are enrolling in the VA health care system and believe that the VA can do a better job at informing veterans about the opportunity to enroll. I also remain concerned about the backlog of benefits claims and the time needed to hire and train employees to correctly process claims so that veterans and survivors are not waiting for benefits for months on end or receive inaccurate decisions that leave them waiting for years in the appeals process.” “I will continue to work with my colleagues on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs to make certain the PACT Act is implemented the way Congress intended and that all generations of toxic-exposed veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned,” continued Sen. Moran. Last year, Sen. Moran introduced the PACT Act to deliver all generations of toxic-exposed veterans their earned health care and benefits under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the first time in the nation’s history. Veterans seeking to apply for benefits under the PACT Act can find more information here. Since the PACT Act was signed into law a year ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has received more than 843,000 PACT Act-related claims. Although more than 113,000 veterans who served in locations covered by the PACT Act have enrolled in VA health care, VA is still unable to track how many of those enrolled using one of the new eligibility criteria provided under the PACT Act or if they enrolled under a previously existing eligibility criteria. Enhanced eligibility for VA health care ends on September 30, 2023, for post-9/11 combat veterans who separated from the military more than 10 years ago. More than 4.1 million veterans have been screened for toxic exposure-related health conditions since November 2022.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:31:44Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=2C627D3A-B387-493F-AA41-907047B70FD8,Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Dodge Awarded Grant from National Cemetery Administration for Cemetery Expansion,2023-08-07,2023,2023-08,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"MANHATTAN, KS – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – today applauded a $642,322 grant from the National Cemetery Administration to the state of Kansas to expand the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Dodge. The grant will provide for 160 columbarium niches, landscaping and irrigation. “The Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Dodge serves over 6,000 veterans and their families, and I am pleased this new investment will help expand and improve the cemetery,” said Sen. Moran. “It is important we provide Kansans and veterans a place to remember the sacrifices of our veterans and gives our veterans the respect and honor they deserve.” The Veterans Cemetery Grants Program was started in 1978 and has since provided over $1 billion to state, territorial and tribal cemeteries. Their grants help to establish, expand, improve and maintain more than 122 cemeteries across the country. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:31:44Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-completes-annual-60-county-mann-listening-tour,Rep. Mann Completes Annual 60-County Mann Listening Tour,2023-08-03,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"MANKATO, KS – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) completed his annual 60-county Mann Listening Tour. Since the beginning of his time in Congress, Rep. Mann has hosted at least one town hall in every county of the Big First each year, for a total of 186 town halls over the past three years. “Fighting for Kansans in the Big First is my top priority, and I host town halls to get my marching orders,” said Rep. Mann. “When you roll up your sleeves, get into the middle of difficult issues, and carefully listen to people, you get a better perspective, and the solutions become more clear. In each of the 60 town halls that I hosted this year, Kansans expressed concerns about big government overreach, our country’s $32 trillion national debt, the federal government’s wasteful spending, inflation, burdensome taxes on small businesses, the border crisis, the nationwide spike in violent crime, and the infringement on basic rights like the Second Amendment and the right to life. Republicans have been working hard to pass legislation that solves these issues, cuts taxes and red tape, unleashes American energy production, secures the border, and blocks overreaching executive orders. If it matters to a Kansan, it matters to me, and I am proud to continue fighting for Kansans in Washington.” Rep. Mann completed the Mann Listening Tour this week with stops in Reno, McPherson, Saline, Ottawa, Cloud, Lincoln, Russell, Ellis, Rooks, Graham, Norton, Phillips, Smith, Osborne, Mitchell, and Jewell counties. Click here for more information on Rep. Mann’s annual Mann Listening Tour. Click here for Rep. Mann’s Commitment to the Big First.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4095,Rep. Estes Leads Letter Demanding Answers and Accountability from Treasury Regarding OECD Tax Scheme,2023-08-01,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Reps. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) and Carol Miller (R-West Virginia), along with Ways and Means colleagues, sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raising concerns and seeking answers about the economic impact of the global tax scheme the Biden administration is negotiating with the OECD. After repeated attempts to solicit information from Sec. Yellen, Estes and a dozen other Ways and Means colleagues again voiced their concerns and frustrations in a letter to Sec. Yellen. ""Secretary Yellen and Biden negotiators have put America last as they make tax deals that undermine our sovereignty and harm the U.S. economy and jobs,"" said Rep. Estes. ""Rep. Miller and I are demanding answers and accountability from Treasury to safeguard our U.S. tax base from the disastrous tax scheme cooked up by Biden officials who, ignoring concerns from Congress, are putting the interests of foreign countries over the American people."" ""To be abundantly clear: Congress controls tax policy, not the Biden Administration. The current tax negotiations with the OECD will effectively send American tax dollars to fund global socialist programs, instead of serving our families and funding our military. We will continue to demand Secretary Yellen stops conceding to unelected bureaucrats and undermining Congressional authority,"" said Rep. Miller. Rep. Estes has been pushing back against this bad deal for months. In March, he penned an op-ed in The Hill, Yellen is giving away the farm through global tax scheme; questioned Sec. Yellen at a Ways and Means hearing; questioned treasury staff and discussed OECD Pillar 2 at a Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee hearing; published a Bloomberg op-ed with Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Biden Should Use OECD Tax Talks to Help, Not Harm, US Interests and introduced the Unfair Tax Protection Act to impose reciprocal taxes on countries that use the OECD deal to impose unfair taxes on U.S. business and raid the U.S. tax base. The letter reiterates requests for economic impact data on the OECD deal, underscores the negative effects this deal will have on U.S. competitiveness and workers and condemns Treasury’s contempt for the constitutionally mandated right of Congress to set tax policy for the United States. Highlights from the letter are below and you can read the full letter here. We write to you today to express our continued frustration and grave concerns with the Biden Administration’s unprecedented and anti-America concessions throughout the OECD global tax negotiations. Rather than consult with Congress, you have chosen to go it alone, undermining American sovereignty and making commitments that you have no authority to effectuate. … You have ignored numerous congressional requests for estimates of the economic impacts on U.S. companies and U.S. tax collections due to reallocating profits to jurisdictions based on end market sales rather than based on where the profit is earned, as required under current law renewed most recently during the Tax Subcommittee’s Hearing on Biden’s Global Tax Surrender Harms American Workers and our Economy5. The failure to provide these economic impact estimates can mean only one of two things. First, you are recklessly negotiating a novel global agreement of unprecedented proportions without knowing its impact on U.S. businesses, U.S. tax collections, and the U.S. economy. Alternatively, you are intentionally withholding the information from Congress. Either way, it is an egregious dereliction of your sworn obligation to confer with Congress and undermines your ability to best represent the interests of the United States and its citizens. … Given the gravity of the issues raised in this letter, it is imperative that the Treasury Department engage in robust consultations with Congress, provide Congress with previously and repeatedly requested revenue and economic impact data, and reverse Treasury’s many anti-U.S. business, anti-U.S. tax collection, and anti-U.S. economy concessions. … In addition to Rep. Estes, the letter was signed by the following members of the Ways and Means Committee: Reps. Carol D. Miller (R-West Virginia), Adrian Smith (R-Nebraska), Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), Drew Ferguson (R-Georgia), Lloyd Smucker (R-Pennsylvania), Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-North Carolina), Claudia Tenney (R-New York), Blake Moore (R-Utah), Michelle Steel (R-California), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Mike Carey (R-Ohio).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-protects-agricultural-producers-regulatory-overreach,Rep. Mann Protects Agricultural Producers from Regulatory Overreach,2023-08-01,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Rudy Yakym (IN-02) introduced H.R. 4956, the Farmer-Informed WOTUS Act, in response to President Biden’s overreaching, unconstitutional Waters of the U.S. rule. “Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers know their operations far better than the federal government does,” said Rep. Mann. “They deserve a seat at the table when policies impacting their livelihoods are up for discussion. This legislation would establish a farmer-led advisory committee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bring together real-world experience, share insight into how rules like President Biden’s Waters of the U.S. rule negatively impacts agriculture, and offer solutions to eliminate unnecessary red-tape hindering agricultural productivity. I am proud to represent farmers and ranchers in the Big First District, remain committed to hearing their concerns, and am thankful to introduce this legislation alongside Representative Yakym.” “Hoosier farmers make some of the best product anywhere in the world, but all too often they have had to contend with heavy-handed federal overreach from the Biden Administration,” said Rep. Yakym. “Nowhere has this been clearer than with this Administration’s overzealous enforcement of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. Our commonsense legislation is an important way to fight back against federal overreach and support America’s farmers and ag producers by giving them a seat at the table when it comes to policy decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods. I am proud to work with Representative Mann on this legislation that will help ensure our farmers can continue to feed our nation and the rest of the world.” This legislation establishes an advisory committee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, comprised of farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers, trade association representatives, and representatives from state departments of agriculture. The committee will examine: The impact of rules like the Waters of the U.S. rule on production agriculture Cases where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided conflicting rulings for the same or similarly situated tracts of land The impact of overreaching regulations on food supply chains Solutions for a clearer Waters of the U.S. rule, including exemptions for those involved in production agriculture Rep. Mann proudly serves on the House Agriculture Committee and is the Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry. The Big First is home to 60,000 farms and ranches, is the third-largest agriculture production district in the country, and Kansas agricultural producers sell $10 billion worth of livestock, dairy, poultry, and products like beef, milk, and eggs every year.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=435DFB38-A5E6-4A72-9A70-6AB316E1B0A7,PASSED: Sen. Moran’s Legislation to Break up Monopoly Contract for Organ Donation Network,2023-07-28,2023,2023-07,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to help break up the monopoly contract currently held by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to manage the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). The legislation would remove barriers in OPTN contracting and give the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) statutory authority to improve management of the organ transplantation system in the U.S. The current OPTN contract is set to expire September 30, 2023, making the proposed changes urgent and timely for HRSA to make meaningful reforms. The U.S. House of Representatives passed this legislation earlier this week, and it now goes to the President to be signed into law. “From damaged organs to discriminatory organ donation policies, it’s clear UNOS should no longer be the sole contractor for the organ donation system,” said Sen. Moran. “I have worked for years to shed light on the mismanagement of the organ donation system and have consistently called for the contract to be divided. Once signed into law, this legislation will help provide greater transparency to the organ donation system and change how the contract is divided. Every organ counts, and now the system will be overhauled to help save lives.” Additional co-sponsors include Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.). A two-page summary of the bill can be found here. A section by section can be found here. Timeline of Sen. Moran’s involvement in ending the UNOS contract: May 2023: Sen. Moran joins his colleagues in introducing the Securing the U.S. OPTN Act. March 2023: Sen. Moran secures a commitment from HHS Secretary Becerra to review the 2018 liver allocation rule in response to new data. September 2022: Sen. Moran publishes op-ed in Modern Healthcare titled, “Competition needed to address a flawed organ donation system” January 2022: Sens. Moran and Blunt lead 14 senators in demanding Biden administration reverse its “biased, partial, and unjust” National Liver Distribution Policy December 2021: Sens. Moran and Blunt publish op-ed in the Kansas City Star titled, “System for liver plants is rigged against those who live in the Midwest or South” December 2021: Sens. Moran and Blunt demand HHS reverse flawed liver allocation policy February 2020: Sen. Moran speaks on Senate Floor regarding harmful national liver allocation policy January 2020: Sens. Moran and Blunt urge HHS to continue delaying changes to National Liver Distribution Policy August 2019: Sens. Moran and Blunt press HHS Secretary Azar on proposed changes to kidney, pancreas allocation policies May 2019: Sens. Moran and Blunt call for delay in Liver Allocation Policy pending GAO study April 2019: Sen. Moran questions HHS Secretary Azar on liver allocation policy January 2019: Sens. Moran and Blunt, 20 Senate colleagues demand answers on changes to National Liver Distribution Policy December 2018: Sens. Moran and Blunt challenge flawed changes to National Liver Distribution Policy # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:25:20Z