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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-releases-2023-year-end-wrap-highlights-bipartisan-accomplishments-and,"Davids Releases 2023 Year-End Wrap, Highlights Bipartisan Accomplishments and Community Engagement",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Image December 21, 2023 Today, Representative Sharice Davids shared how her office worked throughout 2023 to make government work for all Kansans, both by passing critical bipartisan legislation and connecting directly with residents of the Kansas Third all year long. “Reflecting on 2023, our community saw challenges and successes — but throughout the year, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to make a real impact on folks’ lives,” said Davids. “Thousands of Kansans reached out to share their thoughts, experiences, and concerns with our office, helping my team and me do our jobs better. I look forward to building upon our progress in 2024 as we continue working to lower costs for hardworking Kansans and ensure the federal government works for everyday folks, not special interests.” 2023 BY THE NUMBERS: Staying Connected: Responded to more than 124,000 constituent messages — communicating with an average of 340 Kansans each day. Since being sworn in, Davids has sent 588,500 responses to constituents. Led 9 large-format, public conversations, from telephone town halls to Facebook Lives, contacting more than 146,500 constituents. Sent more than 300,000 text messages to constituents sharing resources and asking for feedback on how to lower costs and improve public safety. Hosted 214 private constituent meetings in Kansas’ Third District and Washington, D.C., listening to the priorities of Kansans. Since being sworn in, Davids has hosted 1,039 private constituent meetings. Scheduled 791 U.S. Capitol tours and helped deliver 299 American Flags to Kansans, 32 of which were flown over the U.S. Capitol building. Solving Problems: Resolved 1,650 constituent cases, helping Kansans with passports, delayed veterans’ or social security benefits, taxes, and more. Since being sworn in, Davids has helped resolve more than 6,280 constituent cases. Returned $5.4 million to constituents and local businesses in overdue tax returns, Social Security benefits, and more. Since being sworn in, Davids has helped return more than $17 million to constituents. Hosted 89 Pop Up Offices in all corners of Kansas’ Third District, from Kansas City, KS to Garnett, to help Kansans navigate the federal government. Getting Bipartisan Results: Co-sponsored 236 pieces of legislation, 72 percent of which are bipartisan. Introduced eight original pieces of legislation, one of which passed the House to support veteran small business owners. Worked five “Sharice’s Shifts” alongside local workers to highlight the impact and implementation of recent federally passed legislation, including the bipartisan infrastructure law. Other Davids-supported legislative achievements included the creation of 20,000 new clean energy jobs and the KC area being named one of 31 Regional Tech Hubs. Focusing on the Third: Made 11 stops on a Farm Bill Listening Tour to listen directly to Kansas’ farmers, ranchers, and producers as Davids, a member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, prepared for the 2023 Farm Bill consideration process. Tour stops were located in all five counties in Kansas’ Third District. Secured $11.1 million in approved investments for 15 projects to improve health and safety in the Third District, including clean drinking water in Olathe, new police training vehicles for Johnson County Community College, and reconstruction of the structurally deficient Kansas Avenue Bridge, which connects Kansas to Missouri. Facilitated three Panasonic community conversations with local elected leaders and business professionals to prepare for expected community growth in Johnson County. Davids brought federal officials from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and Economic Development Administration to share their expertise. Brought millions of dollars in grant funding to the Third District for critical needs from hiring additional law enforcement officers to improving road safety for drivers to lowering utility costs for hardworking Kansans.",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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-visits-overland-park-arts-education-program-highlights-federal,"Davids Visits Overland Park Arts Education Program, Highlights Federal Investments to Create Jobs, Support Kansans with Disabilities",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"OVERLAND PARK, KS - Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited a local arts education center to highlight how federal investments are creating good-paying jobs and providing education to Kansans of all backgrounds. Davids toured the Emerging Artists Program, which received American Rescue Plan investments to sponsor art therapy scholarships and support adult artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Davids was the only member of the Kansas delegation to support this legislation. “Today, I saw firsthand how legislation I supported in Congress has created good-paying jobs in Johnson County and strengthened educational opportunities for all Kansans,” said Davids. “These targeted investments help foster an environment where everyone, including the artists I met today, can grow, succeed, and prosper. I am proud to collaborate with our dedicated local and state leaders in securing federal investments that will leave a lasting, positive impact for years to come."" “Johnson County had a very thoughtful, strategic, and equitable process to invest millions of COVID-19 federal funds into our community, and I hope we can all appreciate seeing outcomes of how these investments are making life better for our residents,” said Mike Kelly, Chairman, Johnson County Board of County Commissions. “We are grateful for Representative Davids and those that helped empower this federal and local partnership that allowed us to invest in Johnson County in so many ways, including arts and culture. Specifically, I am pleased to see how providing funds for art therapy is enriching the lives of people in our community, contributing to their mental health and creative expression.” Thanks to the Davids-supported American Rescue Plan, Johnson County received $117 million to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including to support schools, students, and childcare programs. In February 2023, the County allocated $2,073,520 to fund community programs that address struggling creative small businesses. Among those allocations, the Arts Council of Johnson County received $884,900 to provide grants for artists and arts organizations, including the Emerging Artists Program. Emporia State University also received $721,890 to place art therapists in classrooms and provide art therapy certifications in Johnson County. In 2021, Davids voted for the American Rescue Plan to bring targeted COVID relief to the state and strengthen and expand the local childcare workforce. Kansas provided $53 million in ARP funds for bonus payments of up to $2,500 to an estimated 22,650 early childhood care staff members across the state. The law has also supported small businesses and Kansas families:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-participates-chimney-service-apprenticeship-highlights-efforts,"Davids Participates in Chimney Service Apprenticeship, Highlights Efforts to Strengthen Kansas Workforce",2023-12-15,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"SPRING HILL, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids shadowed apprentices at Full Service Chimney to highlight her efforts to strengthen Kansas’ workforce. Davids has voted to support the U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, which helps place workers in jobs at Full Service Chimney and dozens of other companies in Kansas’ Third District. Apprenticeships help close the wage gap between high school and college graduates and have an average return on investment of $1.44 for every $1.00 spent. “Today I got to see exactly how the Registered Apprenticeship Program helps Kansas businesses fill in-demand jobs and Kansas employees get the skills they need for a successful career,” said Davids. “I’ve long been an advocate for these effective programs and will continue advocating for their support as we implement recently passed federal legislation here in Kansas. By supporting our workforce needs, we can better compete against countries like China and lower costs for Kansas families and businesses.” “After working at the Railroad for many years, I wanted a good job with regular hours and good pay,” said Jessie Lawrence, Journeyman and previous apprentice. “At Full Service Chimney, I found both, and an apprenticeship I could build a career with. As one of the first to complete the apprenticeship and become a journeyman, I have found this to be my career path, and look forward to helping others along the way.” “Since we invested in the apprenticeship program, we’ve attracted and retained higher quality employees,” said Robert Berry, Owner and Master Chimney Sweep, Full Service Chimney. “Individuals who seek out these programs are future focused with a serious commitment toward serving the company and community, which is apparent to management and more importantly to our customers. The outlook for Full Service Chimney has never been brighter, due in no small part to the implementation of our Registered Apprenticeship Program.” Davids shadowed chimney service apprentices as they learned to mason brick chimneys and pour concrete chimney toppers at Full Service Chimney’s training warehouse in Spring Hill. Davids shared her efforts to expand access to good-paying jobs and workforce training opportunities through Registered Apprenticeships, which have been shown to be the most successful approach to growing a highly skilled workforce for in-demand occupations. 93 percent of these apprentices are employed upon completion, earning an average starting wage of $70,000 a year. “The Registered Apprenticeship has made it possible for us, as the employer to better reach candidates with skillsets we need to run a successful operation,” said Jennifer Martinez, Apprenticeship Sponsor, Full Service Chimney. “As of now, 44 percent of our apprentices are military veterans and we are so proud to be able to attract such talent to our team. Thanks to programs like Kansas Works and their local Workforce Partnerships connecting us with the Transition Assistance Program at Fort Leavenworth. That has really helped us gain traction in our efforts to reach military members who are looking to transition into a new career path!”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-secures-new-investments-improve-road-safety-kansas-third,Davids Secures New Investments to Improve Road Safety in the Kansas Third,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced $1.75 million is coming to Kansas’ Third District to improve roads and address traffic fatalities. The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program was established by the bipartisan infrastructure law, which Davids was the only member of the Kansas delegation to support, to redesign roads and streets to prevent deaths and serious injuries. Last year, Davids released a report examining the state of transportation safety in the Third District of Kansas. It found 21 percent of Kansas’ pedestrian crash related deaths in 2020 happened in the Third District. “One Kansan loses their life every 20 hours to a motor vehicle accident. These deaths are preventable with the right policy approach,” said Davids. “These new investments from the bipartisan infrastructure law will help make streets across northeast Kansas safer for everyone, including drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and emergency and construction workers.” Six cities and one county received funding to keep drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians safe. The awardees include: Johnson County’s Action Plan Development - $240,000 Leawood’s Vision Zero Action Plan - $452,000 Mission’s Transportation Safety Action Plan - $160,000 Overland Park’s Transportation Safety Action Plan - $500,000 Paola’s Transportation Safety Action Plan - $120,000 Prairie Village’s Transportation Safety Action Plan - $80,000 Spring Hill’s Safe Streets for All Action Plan - $200,000 “Safety is key in Overland Park, and one of the reasons residents choose to live in our great community,” said Curt Skoog, Mayor, Overland Park. “This funding will help us learn what types of traffic safety measures will be most effective to keep the community safe. I’m thankful to Representative Davids and the Kansas Department of Transportation’s partnership on this important project.” “The City of Leawood is pleased to receive support under the Safe Street and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program to develop City of Leawood Vision Zero Action Plan,” Peggy Dunn, Mayor, City of Leawood. “The City will use the federal funds to develop a plan for improved pedestrian and vehicle safety to make the city more walkable and bike-friendly with a safer transportation system that serves everyone.” ""The City of Mission, Kansas, was pleased to have the opportunity to submit a grant through the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program to complete this important Safety Action Plan and to know the request was supported by Representative Davids,” said Sollie Flora, Mayor, City of Mission. “The timing of the grant aligns perfectly with an update to our Comprehensive Plan, where one of the key features is analysis of the transportation network to identify opportunities to support multimodal transportation. Emphasizing walking, driving, bicycling, and public transit will improve transportation options for all users, as safe streets encourage multimodal transportation by offering safe, attractive, and convenient alternatives to car travel."" “This SS4A planning level grant will help the City of Prairie Village to further study traffic safety items throughout the city limits,” said Keith Bredehoeft, Public Works Director, City of Prairie Village. “The study will help guide future planning in Prairie Village will help prevent future fatality accidents. This planning level grant will also allow us to submit for future construction grants potentially available under the SS4A program as well.” “We were ecstatic to learn that we received the SS4A, Transportation Safety Action Plan grant,” said Randi Shannon, City Manager, City of Paola. “After the City completed the Planning Paola Comprehensive Plan in 2022, the council and staff have been able to better prioritize what the community needs, and from the citizen input, what they want to see us use our time and resources for. Therefore, we are striving to improve quality of life by improving transportation safety for all users and abilities. Receiving this grant allows us to continue the momentum from adoption of the comprehensive plan and develop a Transportation Safety Action Plan for our community.” ""The City of Spring Hill is extremely grateful for being selected to receive the SS4A grant funding."" said Lane Massey, City Administrator, City of Spring Hill. ""These funds are the first step in developing a safety action plan along the K7 corridor. This plan will help define roadway safety issues that impact the safety of our citizens and the tens of thousands of Kansans that travel through this region on-a-daily basis. We look forward to this project and how this plan will impact the K7 corridor.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-house-passes-davids-bipartisan-bill-help-individuals-recovering-substance,U.S. House Passes Davids’ Bipartisan Bill to Help Individuals Recovering from Substance Abuse Reenter Workforce,2023-12-12,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Representative Sharice Davids’ bipartisan legislation to address the impact of substance abuse on America’s workforce. The legislation would reauthorize the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery through Effective Employment and Reentry (CAREER) Act, which supports individuals recovering from substance use disorder, ensuring they can reenter the workforce and maintain gainful employment. Originally introduced alongside Representative Andy Barr (R-KY-06), the bill was passed as part of the bipartisan Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization (SUPPORT) Act. “Substance abuse has affected far too many Kansas families, and we must ensure those recovering from addiction are supported and have access to good-paying jobs,” said Davids. “Today, my colleagues from both sides of the aisle joined me in helping those folks recovering from substance abuse find employment and live independently. There are so many local organizations who walk alongside our neighbors in recovery, and I’m proud to support their mission through the CAREER Act.” Davids’ CAREER Act would reauthorize the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Treatment, Recovery and Workforce Support Grant Program, which helps determine workforce gaps and coordinate employment and training activities for individuals in recovery. The reauthorization would also increase funding for the program and allow the grants to be used for transportation between work, training, and recovery services. In 2018, the CAREER Act was also included in the bipartisan SUPPORT Act, which empowered local communities and law enforcement to fight the opioid epidemic. Along with Davids’ workforce-focused legislation, today’s updated SUPPORT Act includes six bills from the Bipartisan Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Task Force agenda, including legislation to support pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorder, include fentanyl or xylazine test strips as an allowable use of funds in states where they are legal, and expand Medicaid reimbursement for larger mental health centers. ""The CAREER Act has played a key role in supporting workforce development, vocational training, and skill-building in our communities,"" said Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY-06). ""By renewing its authorization, we can make this essential program even more effective, ensuring American workers have what they need to thrive in today's job market. Given the ongoing battle our nation faces with substance abuse, especially the opioid crisis in Kentucky, it's crucial that we focus on helping and providing resources to those working towards recovery."" To ensure a safer and healthier community, Davids has made it a priority to address the opioid and fentanyl epidemic head-on. She hosted multiple summits with law enforcement, health care workers, and education professionals on combatting the fentanyl epidemic and has taken a number of legislative actions based on the specific needs of the Kansas Third District, including:",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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-highlights-approved-funding-request-replace-outdated-traffic-signal,"Davids Highlights Approved Funding Request to Replace Outdated Traffic Signal Controllers, Streetlights in Overland Park",2023-12-08,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited Overland Park to highlight her recently approved federal funding request to update approximately 190 traffic signal controllers that are too old for future maintenance. This project, which is one of 15 Davids-sponsored requests, would improve safety for drivers and help ensure the city’s systems are less susceptible to cyber threats. Davids was joined by Overland Park City Council President Jim Kite and City Traffic Engineer Brian Shields to view the project, which includes street lighting improvements. “In our community and across the country, we are seeing too many traffic accidents, some being fatal, due to outdated infrastructure and technology meant to keep us safe,” said Davids. ""While the bipartisan infrastructure law continues to invest in safer infrastructure, Overland Park’s current traffic system is too old for maintenance — putting drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians at risk. I'm glad to work with our local officials to bring federal investments home and make our communities safer, more efficient, and better equipped to keep up with our growing community.” ""Representative Davids has been a great partner in the City of Overland Park's efforts to enhance traffic and pedestrian safety in the community,” said Jim Kite, President, Overland Park City Council. “We thank her for her work to move this project forward and hope to continue collaborating for the community in the future."" Overland Park’s current traffic signal controllers, which conduct real-time road traffic control in accordance with the time of day and traffic conditions, are not capable of being upgraded and supported by the manufacturer due to old age. This poses a significant safety and security risk for the city as the traffic signal network helps ensure that thousands of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians can commute to work, school, and home each day. Davids’ request to replace 190 older traffic signal controllers, as well as replace street lighting, would contribute to the safety of Kansans at all times of day and decrease the threat of cyber-attacks. More information on the City of Overland Park’s funding request can be found here. Each of the 15 Davids-requested projects was submitted in conjunction with local officials and selected for their potential to improve health and safety in the community, tackle climate change, and bring economic opportunity to the Third District. Appropriations requests are subject to strict transparency and accountability rules, which can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/watch-davids-helps-lower-health-care-costs-during-current-open-enrollment,WATCH: Davids Helps Lower Health Care Costs During Current Open Enrollment Period,2023-12-05,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"During the current open enrollment period, Kansans can take advantage of health care savings that Representative Sharice Davids voted to support in recent years. Thanks to those efforts, the number of uninsured Americans has reached an all-time low and Kansans can save an average of $780 in premiums this year. Open enrollment runs until December 15 for coverage starting January 1, and Kansans can sign up for a new plan or adjust or cancel a current plan. “The burden of high health insurance costs has persisted for far too long, forcing hardworking Kansans to make difficult choices between necessary health care and other essential needs. To fix that, I’ve voted for legislation that is actively lowering these health costs, saving some Kansans an average of $780 this year,” said Davids. “I encourage anyone seeking new health insurance or exploring potentially more affordable options to visit HealthCare.gov during this open enrollment period."" WATCH: KSHB reports on Davids’ efforts to lower health care costs Image Davids voted for the Inflation Reduction Act (2022) and the American Rescue Plan (2021), federal laws that are helping save Kansans thousands of dollars on their health plans. Specifically: Kansas’ Third District In 2023, an estimated 35,000 people in the district enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace health insurance coverage. Thanks to this federal legislation, the average enrollee in the district will save $780 in premiums this year. Nationally Thanks to this federal legislation, nearly 6 million new people enrolled in marketplace coverage during 2021 and 2022, with 80 percent of these enrollees having access to a plan for $120 or less per year. Because of the lower health costs, the number of uninsured Americans reached an all-time low of 8 percent in 2022 and the total number of ACA marketplace enrollees reached a record high of 16.4 million in 2023. The Inflation Reduction Act and American Rescue Plan are helping Americans purchase affordable health insurance coverage on the ACA marketplaces. The American Rescue Plan first ensured that no one will pay more than 8.5 percent of their household income to purchase health insurance coverage. The Inflation Reduction Act then continued these savings through 2025, preventing millions of marketplace enrollees from facing steep increases in their premium payments. Thanks to this federal legislation: A 60-year-old couple with a household income of $80,000 would save $17,041 in premiums for health insurance coverage per year. A family with a 35-year-old single parent with one child and a household income of $30,000 would save $1,272 in premiums for health insurance coverage per year. A family with two 40-year-old adults, two children, and a household income of $75,000 would save $3,096 in premiums for health insurance coverage per year. Open enrollment is a period that occurs once a year when Americans can sign up for federal health insurance, adjust their current plan, or cancel a plan. For coverage starting January 1, individuals must sign up by December 15. If this deadline is missed, individuals can sign up by January 15 for coverage starting February 1. After January 15, individuals can enroll in or change plans only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Kansans can visit HealthCare.gov to find more information on health plans that make sense for them and their families.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-reps-davids-d-ks-alford-r-mo-tout-passage-their-bipartisan-bill-help,"ICYMI: Reps. Davids (D-KS), Alford (R-MO) Tout Passage of their Bipartisan Bill to Help Veteran Business Owners Succeed",2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) and Mark Alford’s (R-MO-04) SERV Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill would help veteran small business owners and entrepreneurs succeed by studying the barriers faced when starting a business and boosting the outreach and promotion of existing veteran-focused small business programs to ensure they can access all available resources, capital, and credit. Davids, whose mother served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, originally introduced the legislation in 2019, when it first passed the House with broad bipartisan support. While military experience provides transferable entrepreneurial training and skills, the number of veterans starting their own businesses has decreased drastically over the last few decades. Today, only 4.5 percent of the more than 3.6 million veterans who have served since September 11, 2001 have launched a company. In contrast, the number of World War II and Korean War veterans who went on to operate a business was 50 and 40 percent, respectively. Reasons for this decline include challenges accessing credit, transitioning to civilian life, and overcoming stigmas around physical disabilities and post-traumatic stress disorder. Davids and Alford’s efforts to support veteran business owners made headlines across the region: Kansas City Star: “KS Democrat and MO Republican team up to pass bill to help veterans start businesses” “On Tuesday night, the House unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Alford and Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat, that did just that. […] ‘The problem is a lot of times people don’t know about it, veterans don’t know,’ Davids said. ‘And so, we’re like, the effort here is to just make sure that we’re bringing all of those resources, the information about the resources to light and making sure that there’s kind of like a one stop shop almost for people to be able to find that stuff.’ This is the first bill Davids, who is in her third term, and Alford, who is in his first term, have teamed up on. But they said other bills, including one focused on agriculture, are in the works. Both also serve on the House Agriculture Committee together.” KSHB: “Alford, Davids lead bipartisan support for SERV Act in Washington, D.C.” “The elected leaders said the vote shows there is unity and cooperation in Washington, D.C. — a city often under a cloud of partisan dysfunction. ‘There are times when republicans and democrats are able to come together and work on really good legislation,’ Davids said during a Zoom interview while sitting in the same room as Alford. Both members of congress represent the greater Kansas City area. They also serve on the House Committee on Agriculture together. ‘It was a very special moment, I think, not just for Sharice and I, but also for veterans and for the American people,’ Alford said.” KCUR: “LISTEN: A Missouri Republican and Kansas Democrat team up to help veterans become business owners” “In effort to understand the decline in small business ventures by former service members, U.S. Reps. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) and Mark Alford (R-Missouri), both members of the House Small Business Committee, co-sponsored the Successful Entrepreneurship for Reservists and Veterans Act (SERV Act). The legislation passed the U.S. House on Tuesday night. […] ‘We'll have almost like a one-stop shop situation for our veterans. So that they're not having to look in five different places for these resources,’ said Davids. Davids previously introduced the SERV Act in 2019. The bill passed through the House with bipartisan support but did not pass the Senate.” KCTV News: “Veterans who serve our country need jobs when they come back home. Now, two lawmakers from the Kansas City area are working across the aisle to make it easier for veteran small business owners to be successful. Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids’ mother served for 20 years. She and Missouri Republican Mark Alford are putting a bipartisan effort behind the SERV Act. ‘When it comes to our veteran communities, these guys, I mean, they’ve got grit. They’ve got leadership skills,’ [said Davids]. ‘If we can help one veteran start one business, then we’ve succeeded,’ [said Alford].” Kansas Reflector: “Davids, Alford lead bipartisan effort for bill aimed at helping veterans launch small businesses” “‘Veterans possess many of the entrepreneurial skills needed to start and run a successful small business, but we must do a better job of helping them transition from service to business,’ Davids said. ‘The SERV Act not only honors our veterans … it empowers our veterans to embark on a new chapter as entrepreneurs and small business owners.’ […] ‘The Small Business Administration has many different programs aimed at helping veteran entrepreneurs, but these programs are only useful if veterans know about them,’ Davids said. In July, Alford and Davids reintroduced the SERV Act originally offered by Davids in 2019. It cleared the House at that time, but not the Senate. Congressional hearings in 2023 put a spotlight on the argument SBA could do more to assist veterans interested in operating a business, Alford said. ‘One of the biggest barriers for entrepreneurs, especially for our veterans, is accessing capital,’ he said. ‘It is a critical component when starting a business and one of the biggest challenges throughout a small business’s lifespan.’” KWCH: “Some members of Congress are working to help veteran small business owners succeed. It comes as roughly 25 percent of veterans report difficulties transitioning back to civilian life. Now both Kansas Representative Sharice Davids and Missouri Republican Mark Alford are putting bipartisan effort behind the SERV Act. The Act aims to streamline capital and counseling to veteran entrepreneurs. […]",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/watch-davids-urges-swift-passage-faa-reauthorization-improve-consumer,"WATCH: Davids Urges Swift Passage of FAA Reauthorization to Improve Consumer Protections, Safety for Air Travelers",2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, during a U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, Representative Sharice Davids urged her House and Senate colleagues to work together on a bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization that improves customer protections and accessibility while flying, increases America’s aviation safety standards, and strengthens domestic aviation workforce and manufacturing. The U.S. House passed an FFA reauthorization this past July, but the bill has stalled in the Senate and the current extension expires at the end of this year. “Our entire economy relies heavily on reliable air travel of people and goods to keep our communities moving and maintain a strong domestic supply chain,” said Davids. “I’m focused on reauthorizing the FAA, so Kansans are protected financially, feel safe while flying, and have access to good-paying aviation manufacturing jobs. While this reauthorization has cleared the House, the Senate should now pass their version, so we can work together — Republicans and Democrats — on a final compromise that averts staffing shortages and supply chain backlogs.” In July, Davids supported bipartisan legislation to fund the FAA for the next five years and provide new guidance and standards for the agency. Along with the improvements to consumer protection, safety, and workforce mentioned above, it also included provisions to help reduce runway near misses, which are often caused by air traffic controllers being stretched thin by the current nationwide staffing shortage. After the Senate passes their version of the bill, the House and Senate will come together to find a compromise that reauthorizes the FAA. To highlight the urgency of passing an FAA reauthorization bill, Davids previously toured New Century AirCenter’s 81-year-old air traffic control center, which Johnson County officials have prioritized for upgrade due to structural and safety deficiencies. If the FAA authorization was to expire, airports like New Century AirCenter would suffer due to the loss of air traffic controllers and increased safety concerns.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-reps-davids-d-ks-alford-r-mo-bipartisan-bill-help-veteran,"House Passes Reps. Davids (D-KS), Alford (R-MO) Bipartisan Bill to Help Veteran Business Owners Succeed",2023-11-29,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) and Mark Alford’s (R-MO-04) SERV Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill would help veteran small business owners and entrepreneurs succeed by studying the barriers faced when starting a business and boosting the outreach and promotion of existing veteran-focused small business programs to ensure veterans can access all available resources, capital, and credit. Davids, whose mother served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, originally introduced the legislation in 2019, when it first passed the House with broad bipartisan support. ""Veterans possess many of the entrepreneurial skills needed to start and run a successful small business, but we must do a better job of helping them transition from service to business,"" said Davids. ""I'm proud to have worked across party and state lines with Representative Mark Alford, so we can help connect veterans with all the small business resources available to them and better address the barriers veteran entrepreneurs face.” “I am incredibly proud to have worked on this bipartisan legislation with Rep. Sharice Davids in our neighboring district and see our colleagues in the House pass it,” said Representative Mark Alford (MO-04). “Lieutenant Commander Taylor Burks testified in front of the Committee so we could learn how the Committee and SBA can better serve those who served this nation. The SERV Act is our response to the need for improved outreach and resources for Veteran-owned small businesses.” Davids and Alford introduced the Successful Entrepreneurship for Reservists and Veterans Act (SERV Act) to study the barriers veterans face when starting a business and improve the accessibility of existing veteran-focused small business programs. The bill previously passed out of the U.S. House Small Business Committee unanimously and now awaits a vote in the Senate. Specifically, it: Commissions a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the ability of veteran and reservist small business owners to access credit. This includes a new analysis on common sources of credit and how deployment and other military responsibilities affect veterans' and reservists' credit. Requires the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development to develop an action plan for outreach and promotion of the many programs available to veterans looking to transition into the business world. Requires the task force to report annually to Congress on its appointments and outline its plan for outreach on the many programs available to veterans, service-disabled veterans, reservists, and their spouses. While military experience provides transferable entrepreneurial training and skills, the number of veterans starting their own business has decreased drastically over the last few decades. Today, only 4.5 percent of the more than 3.6 million veterans who have served since September 11, 2001 have launched a company. In contrast, the number of World War II and Korean War veterans who went on to operate a business was 50 and 40 percent, respectively. Reasons for this decline include challenges accessing credit, transitioning to civilian life, and overcoming stigmas around physical disabilities and post-traumatic stress disorder.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-us-department-commerce-discuss-bipartisan-law-create-manufacturing-jobs,"Davids, U.S. Department of Commerce Discuss Bipartisan Law to Create Manufacturing Jobs, Lower Costs",2023-11-28,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"OVERLAND PARK, KS - Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a roundtable discussion with U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) senior advisor J.D. Grom, local elected officials, manufacturers, and researchers to discuss how semiconductor manufacturing investments from the bipartisanCHIPS and Science Act are bringing jobs to Kansas, lowering costs for consumers, and boosting domestic supply chains. The law, forwhich Davids served as a key negotiatoralongside Senator Jerry Moran, also includes support for small- and medium-sized manufacturers, a Davids-led priority that ensures funding is distributed beyond large corporations. “The chips shortage we saw over the past few years further demonstrated our need to make more goods here at home, ensuring Kansans aren’t bearing the financial burden of supply chain disruptions,” said Davids. “The bipartisan manufacturing law I helped negotiate alongside Senator Jerry Moran has already prompted multiple private companies to announce new projects in Kansas, creating good-paying jobs here at home. I appreciate the U.S. Department of Commerce’s efforts to learn directly from Kansans today to ensure these federal investments are adequately felt in our local community.” “Through the CHIPS and Science Act, we have a historic opportunity to revitalize America’s semiconductor manufacturing industry and invest in new semiconductor research and development, while creating thousands of jobs along the way,” said J.D. Grom, Senior Advisor to the Secretary on CHIPS Implementation, U.S. Department of Commerce. “I’m glad I was able to join Representative Davids to discuss how this legislation will help strengthen our domestic supply chains, spur new innovation and ideas, and boost American manufacturing across the United States.” Semiconductors, or chips, are necessary components of many everyday items including cars, smartphones, and medical devices, but only 12 percent are currently manufactured domestically - down from 37 percent in the 1990s. This lack of domestic manufacturing of chips proved harmful during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a chips shortage and raising prices on necessary goods. During today’s conversation, which took place at Johnson County Community College, Davids and Grom heard from local business, government, and manufacturing leaders on how they plan to utilize these federal investments from the CHIPS and Science Act to support the local economy in the greater Kansas City area. Grom also shared what the DOC is doing to implement the new programs created by the law to ensure local communities feel their impacts efficiently and where they’re needed most. As part of her negotiations on this bill, Davids visited with local businesses about how the chips shortage affects their daily operations. She visited Cherub Medical Supplies, a Shawnee-based supplier of pediatric medical devices, that grappled with long delays. She also toured the local General Motors Fairfax Assembly & Stamping Plant, which idled for several months due to the shortage, forcing their 2,000 workers to stay home. Davids then hosted U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in Kansas to highlight how federal legislation, including the CHIPS and Science Act, is helping to bring Panasonic to De Soto. The CHIPS and Science Act is: Lowering costs for American consumers – making more critical semiconductor components in America, helping end the shortage of chips that have driven up the price of everything from cars to consumer goods. Creating 100,000 new, good-paying jobs nationwide – supporting local workforce development. Reducing America’s dependence on foreign manufacturers – bringing critical semiconductor manufacturing back home. Turbocharging American research and development – ensuring that the technologies of the future are made here at home. The greater Kansas City region was recently announced as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub), one of 31 inaugural Tech Hubs across the country that show potential for rapid growth in key technology sectors. Multiple companies recently announced new chips production facilities in Kansas and have applied to receive CHIPS and Science Act investments. As part of her effort to bring available federal resources home to Kansas, Davids encouraged the U.S. Department of Commerce to fully consider EMP Shield’s application. While initial federal allotments have not been released, the CHIPS and Science Act has already boosted investments in local communities, including: $231 billion in private sector investments to build semiconductors; Nearly 530 statements of interest received for projects across 42 states; More than 50 community colleges announced new or expanded semiconductor workforce programs; Student applications to full-time jobs posted by semiconductor companies increased 79 percent in 2022-2023, compared to just 19 percent for other industries. Along with Davids and Grom, attendees of today’s roundtable discussion include:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-local-leaders-tour-kansas-small-businesses-ahead-small-business,"Davids, Local Leaders Tour Kansas Small Businesses ahead of Small Business Saturday",2023-11-21,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"MISSION, KS– Today, Representative Sharice Davids joined the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for a tour of locally-owned businesses in Mission, KS. As Small Business Saturday is four days away, Davids, SBA Regional Administrator Mindy Brissey, and Johnson County Commissioner Becky Fast visited Sandhills Brewing and Mission: Board Games, small businesses located along Johnson Drive. Davids serves as a member of the U.S. House Small Business Committee. “Kansas small businesses are at the heart of our community and our economy, especially during the busy holiday season,” said Davids. “I’ll continue standing up for local small business owners through my role on the U.S. House Small Business Committee, so they can support our economy, their families, and their employees. This Small Business Saturday and throughout the season, I hope we can embrace a sense of community spirit by choosing to shop locally in the Kansas Third District."" “Local entrepreneurs really form the pulse of Greater Kansas City, playing a crucial role in shaping the distinctive character of the region and contributing to its economic vitality,” said Mindy Brissey, Regional Administrator, SBA Region XII. Last year, Davids released a report on the recent local small business growth. She also shared what she is doing in Congress to support that growth, including voting to strengthen domestic supply chains and introducing legislation to support women and veteran business owners. Key findings include: In 2021, 10,600 new business applications were filed in Kansas’ Third District, up from an average of 7,500 since 2019. The Kansas Small Business Development Center served 1,203 clients in 2021, leading to $49 million in annual sales, 876 jobs created, and 24 new businesses. In 2021, small businesses in Kansas’ Third District made up 92.2 percent of all district employers, with 16,173 small businesses employing 175,911 people.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-announces-new-district-director-kansas-office,Davids Announces New District Director for Kansas Office,2023-11-20,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced Anne Hucker, a longtime resident of the Kansas City area, will serve as Davids’ new District Director for Kansas’ Third Congressional District. Hucker will lead a dedicated team working to connect with the community and ensure the federal government works for Kansans. “I am very pleased to welcome Anne Hucker to my team,” said Davids. “I’m confident she’ll use her deep connections to the Kansas City area as well as her long history working in a variety of federal government positions to build an open line of communication to folks in all corners of Kansas’ Third District. We have a lot to get done — including lowering grocery and gas costs, building safer roads, and making health care more affordable — and I’m excited to do this work alongside Anne.” “I am thrilled to be joining Representative Davids’ stellar team and am looking forward to connecting with more of our neighbors to ensure the federal government serves them effectively,” said Anne Hucker, District Director, Office of Representative Sharice Davids. “I started my career in the public sector, so this feels a bit like going back to my roots. Whether it be helping folks get their Social Security and veterans benefits or navigating different federal processes, folks should always feel free to contact our office for assistance. We’re here to help.” Before joining Davids’ team, Hucker began her career working in the U.S. Congress for former Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri’s Fourth District, which lies southwest of Kansas City, and the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee. After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, Hucker worked for multiple law firms throughout the Kansas City area, specializing in litigation. Hucker also clerked for the Honorable Ortrie Smith at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-statement-bipartisan-legislation-avoid-government-shutdown,Davids Statement on Bipartisan Legislation to Avoid Government Shutdown,2023-11-17,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, after the President signed into law legislation to avoid a government shutdown, Representative Sharice Davids released the following statement calling for further bipartisan cooperation to keep the government open in the long term. If Congress does not act before the new deadlines in early 2024, certain federal agencies will run out of funding and the government will shut down. The bill signed into law late last night includes a one-year extension of the Farm Bill, which expired on October 1, 2023. “This bipartisan legislation averts a costly government shutdown that would have drastic consequences on Kansas families, small business owners, and our entire economy. While no bill is perfect, it also extends the Farm Bill, which expired more than a month ago and is crucial for protecting Kansas producers and the millions of people around the world they feed. Now, it's essential that we work together with Republicans and Democrats to find a commonsense solution that keeps our government open for the long term and protects Kansans’ ability to support their families.” Background: The legislation signed into law last night, known as a continuing resolution (CR), sets staggered expiration dates for federal government funding. Roughly 20 percent of the federal government is financed through January 19, 2024, and the remaining 80 percent until February 2, 2024. If Congress does not fully fund the government before these deadlines, the federal government will shut down. Davids continues to push for a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open past the new 2024 deadlines set in the continuing resolution signed today. A shutdown would have serious impacts on Kansas families and the overall U.S. economy. Americans would face disruptions to important benefits, service members would not be compensated, many small businesses would have to alter their operations, and federal workers would be furloughed and go unpaid. Specifically: It’s estimated the five-week partial government shutdown in 2018-2019 reduced economic output by $11 billion in the following two quarters and the 2013 full government shutdown reduced GDP growth by $20 billion. Kansans receiving Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits would experience service delays, including disruptions to verifying benefits and the issuance of new cards. There are currently 19,977 federal workers in Kansas who may be furloughed. A bipartisan report found that the last three government shutdowns led to the equivalent of 56,940 years in lost productivity from federal workers. Small businesses may encounter delays in receiving loans from the federal government. Moody’s Analytics estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown delayed more than $2 billion in loans to small businesses. The distribution of important food assistance programs, including SNAP, could be disrupted, leaving some Kansan — including women, children, and the elderly — without nutritious food. Travelers could face longer lines at airport security checkpoints and flight delays during a shutdown, which would also delay passport processing times even further.",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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-celebrates-two-year-anniversary-bipartisan-infrastructure-law,Davids Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Image November 15, 2023 More than 258 Kansas projects benefiting from the bipartisan infrastructure law On the two-year anniversary of the bipartisan infrastructure law being signed into law, Representative Sharice Davids highlighted key ways the legislation is already improving Kansas roads, water quality, broadband access, and more. In total, approximately $3.1 billion has been announced and is headed to Kansas with more than 258 specific projects identified for support. Davids, a member of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, met with the President and senior White House officials multipletimes to help get this legislation across the finish line. “I voted for the bipartisan infrastructure law to bring Kansas’ infrastructure into the 21st century and to create good-paying jobs across our state,” said Davids. “In the two years since it was enacted, this historic law has made getting to work and school faster and safer, improved access to broadband, made strides against climate change, and cleaned up our drinking water. I am excited to see how these investments benefit future generations of Kansans and will keep working for you in Congress.” By reaching communities across Kansas – including rural communities and other historically overlooked populations – the law makes critical investments that will improve lives for Kansans and position the state for success. These investments include: Roads and Bridges: In Kansas, there are 1,321 bridges and more than 1,995 miles of highway in poor condition. Kansas is expected to receive approximately $2.8 billion over five years for highways and bridges. Highlighted Project: The bipartisan infrastructure law is helping to expand US 69, which has been a priority in Johnson County for decades. The updated interchange will help support expected growth in southern Johnson County and create a clear path for emergency vehicles to reach AdventHealth South Overland Park Hospital. Announced investment to date: Kansas has been allocated $1.5 billion in highway investments and $135 million in bridge investments. Water: It’s estimated there are 160,000 lead water lines in Kansas – the third highest per capita nationwide. There are also 3,975 miles of wastewater pipe in the Third District and nearly $1 billion in wastewater treatment facility repairs are needed over the next 25 years to prevent overflows and failures. Highlighted Project: The bipartisan infrastructure law is helping to replace lead pipes across the Kansas Third, including in Olathe, where the city’s Pipe Replacement Education Program is working to identify and replace service lines with toxic materials. Announced investment to date: Approximately $194 million is available to provide clean and safe water across Kansas. Of this investment, $61 million is dedicated to lead pipe and service line replacement, with another $44 million for safe drinking water investments that can also support lead pipe replacement. Internet: High-speed internet is necessary for Kansans to work, go to school, access health care, and stay connected. Yet, nearly 23 percent of Kansans do not have an internet subscription. Additionally, experts estimate that as many as 412,000 households in Kansas are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which cuts internet bills by up to $30 per month. Highlighted Project: The bipartisan infrastructure law is helping to expand middle mile high-speed internet across the state, including in all five counties in Kansas’ Third Congressional District. Specifically, the project will support smaller internet service providers in rural and unserved areas. Announced investment to date: Kansas has received $451.7 million to improve access to high-speed internet and $42.5 million to expand middle-mile infrastructure across the state. Also, about 125,000 households in Kansas are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, an increase of 47,000 from one year ago. Airports and Ports: According to National rankings, no Kansas airport ranks in the top 25 airports worldwide. Our ports and waterways are in need of repair and reimagination too. Highlighted Project: The bipartisan infrastructure law is helping to make improvements at the Johnson County Executive Airport, where structural and safety improvements to two taxiways were recently completed. Airport improvements across Kansas’ Third District, along with port infrastructure updates, will help boost domestic supply chains and lower costs for Kansans. Announced investment to date: Kansas has received more than $58 million in 2022 for airports and $23 million in 2022 for ports. Public Transit: Kansas is expected to receive $259 million over five years under the bipartisan infrastructure law to improve public transportation options across the state. Highlighted Project: The bipartisan infrastructure law is helping to make structural improvements at KCATA’s bus storage and electric vehicle charging facility and strengthen access to housing, health care, employment, and education for citizens in the Kansas City metro area. Announced investment to date: Kansas has been allocated more than $101 million to improve public transportation options across the state. Clean Energy and Resilience: In the last decade, Kansas has experienced 39 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $20 billion in damages. The bipartisan infrastructure law makes a historic investment to bolster our resilience against pressing challenges like impacts of climate change, extreme weather events, and other hazards like cyberattacks. Highlighted Project: The bipartisan infrastructure law is helping to support the Kansas City Levees Project and reduce flood risks in the Argentine neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas. Announced investment to date: Approximately $86 million has been allocated to Kansas for infrastructure resilience. Also, approximately $32 million has been allocated to Kansas for weatherization and $110 million to help prevent outages and make the power grid more resilient. Electric Vehicle Charging: Through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program alone, Kansas should expect to receive roughly $40 million over five years to support the expansion of electric vehicle charging in the state. Highlighted Project: The bipartisan infrastructure law is helping to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along key roads and highways. These investments will create good-paying jobs, help protect Kansas' environment, and support American car manufacturers' rapidly growing EV production. Announced investment to date: Kansas has been allocated more than $22 million to build out a network of EV chargers across the state. The bipartisan infrastructure law, which is paid for through a combination of new revenues and savings, has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in at least a decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Visit here for more information on how the bipartisan infrastructure law is improving Kansas’ roads, bridges, water, and safety. Issues:Transportation & Infrastructure",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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/watch-davids-joins-small-business-owners-highlights-consequences-avoidable,"WATCH: Davids Joins Small Business Owners, Highlights Consequences of Avoidable Government Shutdown",2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Yesterday, Representative Sharice Davids joined Small Business Majority and business owners from across the country to discuss the consequences of a government shutdown for our nation’s small businesses. Moody’s Analytics estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown delayed more than $2 billion in loans to small businesses, devastating small business owners and the communities they support. While Davids continues to call for a bipartisan path forward, without Congressional action, the federal government is set to shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET on November 18, 2023. “A shutdown is a devastating blow to our economy and represents real consequences for hardworking Kansans, including our small businesses which make up over 90 percent of employers in Kansas’ Third District,” said Davids. “Small businesses in Kansas are already struggling with higher prices as well as inventory and workforce issues. They hardly need more stress and uncertainty. I implore my colleagues to join me in working across the aisle to advance legislation that prevents a costly, harmful, and avoidable government shutdown, and to pass bipartisan legislation that reauthorize the FAA and Farm Bill.” “A government shutdown would be a disaster for America’s hardworking small business owners and their employees,” said John Arensmeyer, founder & CEO, Small Business Majority. “With small firms unable to secure Small Business Administration and other government loans to small business government contractors seeing their revenue evaporate, entrepreneurs across the country, particularly in under resourced at-risk communities, will needlessly suffer. Moreover, buying power across all segments of the economy will be dealt a sharp blow putting our economic revival in jeopardy. Small businesses have weathered so much over the past few years; adding insult to injury would be devastating. Congress must pass a fully funded budget now.” Last year, Davids released a report on the state of small business in Kansas’ Third Congressional District. Now, a government shutdown would have devastating consequences for these small businesses and needlessly undermine America’s economic progress. Specifically: The U.S. Small Business Administration would stop processing new business loans for small businesses during a shutdown. This would deny Kansas small businesses of more than $790,000 of financing per weekday due to 7(a) and 504 loan applications failing to move forward. A shutdown would disrupt the average $13 billion per week in federal contracts that go to businesses throughout the country — nearly $3 billion of which goes to small businesses. Small businesses are the first to cut costs during a shutdown, which proves consequential as these businesses employ close to half of all U.S. private sector workers. A shutdown means that businesses owners, including farmers, can lose access to updated federal data on key measures like employment, oil prices, trade flows, and agricultural trends that they use to guide important daily business decisions. Davids continues to push for a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open. Aside from the consequences for small businesses, a shutdown would have serious impacts on Kansas families and the overall U.S. economy. Americans would face disruptions to important benefits, service members would not be compensated, and federal workers would be furloughed and go unpaid. Specifically: It’s estimated the five-week partial government shutdown in 2018-2019 reduced economic output by $11 billion in the following two quarters and the 2013 full government shutdown reduced GDP growth by $20 billion. Kansans receiving Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits would experience service delays, including disruptions to verifying benefits and the issuance of new cards. There are currently 19,977 federal workers in Kansas who may be furloughed. A bipartisan report found that the last three government shutdowns led to the equivalent of 56,940 years in lost productivity from federal workers. The distribution of important food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), could be disrupted, leaving some Kansan — including women, children, and the elderly — without nutritious food. Travelers could face longer lines at airport security checkpoints and flight delays during a shutdown, which would also delay passport processing times even further.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-visits-kansas-veteran-owned-food-cart-discusses-bipartisan-legislation,"Davids Visits Kansas Veteran-Owned Food Cart, Discusses Bipartisan Legislation to Support Veteran Entrepreneurs",2023-11-10,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ROELAND PARK, KS - Today, on the eve of Veterans Day, Representative Sharice Davids visited Morty’s, a veteran-owned small business in Roeland Park, KS. Davids, whose mother served in the Army for 20 years, discussed her bipartisan legislation, the SERV Act, that would help veteran small business owners succeed. Davids also gained insight into the veteran owner and his business challenges as he prepared for daily operations. She sampled a Morty’s Italian beef sandwich for lunch. “As the daughter of a veteran, I have always said that because of their sense of service and dedication, there are few people better situated to become entrepreneurs than our nation’s veterans,” said Davids. “While that’s certainly true for Brian Newton who I spoke with today, he and other veterans face unique obstacles to starting and operating a small business. That's why I introduced the SERV Act to help eliminate those barriers, so our veterans can better support their families and, as in Brian's case, even whip up a delicious Italian beef sandwich!"" “My father was a career Marine and I served for a decade myself, with seven of those years spent overseas,” said Brian Newton, local veteran and owner of Morty’s. “I struggled for many years integrating back into civilian life, and especially with starting a business since we often reenter our new communities alone without the knowledge of how these systems work or even where to begin. I am thankful for leaders such as Rep. Davids who understand the unique challenges faced by veterans and who continue to work on our behalf. Rep Davids is on my team, and I am very thankful for that.” Brian Newton served in the military for 10 years, seven of which were overseas. After returning home, he opened Morty’s, a food cart and catering business specializing in Italian beef sandwiches and Vienna Beef Chicago-style hot dogs. Due to high demand and after years of searching for space, Newton recently purchased a brick-and-mortar location in Kansas City, KS where he will soon open a restaurant for walk-up and delivery service. Davids and Newton discussed the challenges Newton faced when starting a business and the successes he has since achieved. Alongside Representative Mark Alford (R-MO-03), Davids introduced the SERV Act to study the barriers veterans face when starting a business and improve the accessibility of existing veteran-focused small business programs. The bill recently passed out of the U.S. House Small Business Committee unanimously and now heads for a vote on the House floor, where it passed in 2019 with broad bipartisan support. Specifically, it: Commissions a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the ability of veteran and reservist small business owners to access credit. This includes a new analysis on common sources of credit and how deployment and other military responsibilities affect veterans' and reservists' credit. Requires the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development to develop an action plan for outreach and promotion of the many programs available to veterans looking to transition into the business world. Requires the task force to report annually to Congress on its appointments and outline its plan for outreach on the many programs available to veterans, service-disabled veterans, reservists, and their spouses. “As the daughter of a veteran, Representative Sharice Davids knows the challenges veterans face when starting a small business and she has been a strong champion for veteran-owned small businesses on the House Committee,” said Mindy Brissey, Regional Administrator, Small Business Administration Region VII. “The US Small Business Administration is proud to work with Rep. Davids to increase veteran access to capital, government contracting opportunities, training and counseling, and other support services to start and grow their businesses.” While military experience provides transferable entrepreneurial training and skills, the number of veterans starting their own business has decreased drastically over the last few decades. Today, only 4.5 percent of the more than 3.6 million veterans who have served since September 11, 2001 have launched a company. In contrast, the number of World War II and Korean War veterans who went on to operate a business was 50 and 40 percent, respectively. Reasons for this decline include challenges accessing credit, transitioning to civilian life, and overcoming stigmas around physical disabilities and post-traumatic stress disorder.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-announces-federal-grants-hire-officers-improve-mental-health-services,"Davids Announces Federal Grants to Hire Officers, Improve Mental Health Services for Law Enforcement",2023-11-08,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded two grants to support law enforcement in Kansas’ Third District and throughout the state. The awards, totaling nearly $700,000, will help hire four additional police officers and improve access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement professionals in Kansas’ Third District. ""By hiring additional officers and improving mental health services, these new federal awards will help our local law enforcement do their jobs better and safer,"" said Davids. ""My mom is an army veteran who served in law enforcement for a time herself. I am grateful for our local law enforcement professionals and will continue working to ensure they have the resources and support needed to keep our communities safe."" The grants announced today were received through two DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) awards that will positively impact public safety in Kansas' Third District. They include: COPS Hiring Program (CHP) City of Olathe - $500,000 To hire four entry-level law enforcement officers to create and preserve jobs and increase crime prevention efforts. Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Implementation Projects (LEMHWA) Executive Office of Kansas - $198,641 To improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, and peer mentoring and wellness programs. “The Olathe Police Department is honored to be a recipient of the 2023 US DOJ COPS Hiring Program grant,” said Mike Butaud, Chief of Police, Olathe Police Department. “This grant will help the Olathe Advanced Crisis-Intervention Team add four new officers which will allow the unit to expand our response to behavioral health crisis calls for service. This addition to the team will also better connect citizens with resources and help them navigate the justice system when needed so the participants can maintain success and thrive within the community.” “We are extremely grateful for Representative Davids’ support of our application for the LEMHWA grant,” said Tony Mattivi, Director, Kansas Bureau of Investigation. “This investment will greatly improve the availability of critical wellness services for KBI employees and their families.” Since taking office, Davids has made it a priority to work with both Republicans and Democrats to ensure Kansas is always a safe place to live, work, and raise a family. These latest federal investments build on the more than $27 million in federal public safety grant funds that Davids helped secure to hire more local police officers, prevent crime, and get criminals off streets. Davids has also secured funding for the Olathe Police Department’s Mobile Command Unit and announced federal resources to hire additional law enforcement officers in Wyandotte County. She previously voted for historic, bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation to keep Kansans safe and a bill giving officers access to disability benefits for job-related PTSD. Most recently, she went on a ride-along with an Overland Park law enforcement officer and participated in trainings at the Johnson County Regional Police Academy.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-introduces-amendment-give-expecting-parents-power-over-childs-health,Davids Introduces Amendment to Give Expecting Parents Power Over Child’s Health Care Insurance,2023-11-07,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Representative Sharice Davids recently introduced her Empowering Parents’ Healthcare Choices Act as an amendment to U.S. government budget legislation. Her bill,submitted to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, is designed to cut insurer red tape, avoid surprise bills, and give parents decision-making power over their infant’s health care — not insurance companies. “Welcoming a child into your family should be a joyful event, free from undue stress and financial burden at the hands of insurance companies,” said Davids. “This is a simple fix that gives parents power over their baby’s health care coverage, so they can make an informed choice about their family’s future. I’ll continue looking for avenues to get this legislation across the finish line, providing financial relief for countless families in Kansas and across the country.” Currently, many expecting parents with separate health insurance plans are subject to an obscure and often undisclosed policy known as “the birthday rule.” The birthday rule determines the insurance policy that will cover a new baby simply based on whichever parent’s birthday comes first in the calendar year – regardless of what the parents want. Insurance companies often do not inform parents of this policy, which can result in surprise medical bills for growing families. That’s what happened to the Kjelshus family of Olathe, KS, when they welcomed their daughter Charlie to the world—leaving them with a $270,951 out-of-network hospital billeven though they had planned for Charlie’s birth based on the coverage they expected to use. The Empowering Parents’ Healthcare Choices Act would give parents 60 days after the birth of their child to choose which insurance policy will cover their new baby. It would also give the Administration authority to instruct insurers on how and when to notify parents of their rights, helping more families avoid frustrating red tape, surprise bills, and insurance policy mazes. “We thought we had everything prepared for our daughter’s arrival, but the ‘birthday rule’ ended up putting us in an unexpected and financially stressful back-and-forth with insurance companies for over a year,” said Mikkel and Kayla Kjelshus of Olathe, KS. “We are glad that Rep. Davids is bringing attention to this issue, which affects so many families and can put incredible strain on what should be a happy time. Just by giving the power and knowledge to families on their health care decision, this bill would make a big difference in every new parents’ life.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-statement-house-leaderships-unserious-partisan-israel-aid-package,Davids Statement on House Leadership’s Unserious Partisan Israel Aid Package,2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Representative Sharice Davids released the following statement after voting against a partisan plan that would fail to protect Israel and undermine America’s national security. “Since coming to Congress, I have always supported security assistance for Israel, our close ally in the Middle East, and I remain committed to that support. The irresponsible and partisan legislation pushed by House leadership, however, puts political games ahead of both saving innocent lives and America’s national security. It also does nothing to deliver critically needed humanitarian aid in Gaza and the West Bank. We must work in a bipartisan manner to ensure security assistance for Israel against Hamas, as we have consistently done during times of conflict. I’ll continue working together with Republicans and Democrats to achieve that goal and to deliver the necessary and adequate humanitarian aid to civilians in the Middle East.” Background: In her commitment to reaffirm Israel’s right to self-defense and protect innocent lives, Davids previously condemned the violence and urged the U.S. Department of State to continue working with the governments of Israel and Egypt to enable a steady supply of humanitarian assistance, which they later did. She also joined her colleagues in calling for increased support for Israel’s defense systems and continues pushing for a prompt humanitarian response in the West Bank and Gaza, both of which are included in the President’s emergency supplemental request alongside aid to Ukraine.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-visits-olathe-head-start-highlights-federal-investments-early-education,"Davids Visits Olathe Head Start, Highlights Federal Investments for Early Education",2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"OLATHE, KS - Yesterday, Representative Sharice Davids visited Olathe Public Schools Head Start to learn how the program will benefit from a new federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The $1,730,023 federal investment will ensure the students Davids met today are emotionally and intellectually prepared for schooling in the coming years. Research shows a high return on investment for early childhood programs, yielding a $4 – $9 economic return for every $1 invested. “The benefits of Head Start appear immediately and last a lifetime. These early education programs impart the social and emotional skills needed for students to excel in their future educational, career, and personal pursuits,” said Davids. “I enjoyed my time with students and faculty at Olathe Public Schools Head Start today and look forward to seeing how these new federal investments will make a difference in the children’s success.” Students in early childhood education programs are less likely to repeat grades, are 25 percent more likely to graduate high school, and are four times more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree in comparison to non-Head Start students. But long-term benefits of Head Start programs are not only limited to educational success. Children in Head Start are healthier and have better social and emotional skills. In adulthood, statistics show that former Head Start students experience greater economic stability and earn higher wages. “On behalf of Olathe Public Schools, we are very pleased to continue to offer comprehensive services to our Head Start children and families,” said Kimberly Sill, Director, Olathe Public Schools Head Start. “The Olathe School District has offered Head Start services to the community since the inception of Head Start in 1965. This funding will support high-quality learning, school readiness skills, as well as nutritious meals, health and developmental screenings, and oral and mental health support. Head Start helps provide a solid foundation for learning and thriving in school. We know that high quality early childhood programming is one of the most effective strategies to ensure future success for the next generation.” During her visit yesterday, Davids toured the Heartland Early Childhood Center, one of two Head Start programs operated by Olathe Public Schools. She was joined by Dr. Kim Hawkins, Director of Early Childhood at Olathe Public Schools, and Kimberely Still. Davids also sat down with current Head Start students to read a book. The federal grant highlighted during Davids’ visit will be used to continue providing early education opportunities and family support services to children and families in Southern Johnson County. It will also help provide nutritious meals, health and developmental screenings, and oral and mental health support for students. As a first-generation college student who worked her way from Leavenworth High School to Cornell Law School, Davids understands the value of a quality education for the success of a student and our overall economy. In the 117th Congress, she announcedfunding for three additional Head Start programs: Kansas City Kansas Public School's Successful Beginnings, The Family Conservancy, and the University of Kansas Medical Center's Project Eagle. Davids was the only member of the Kansas delegation to support the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which helped keep 3,810 Kansas childcare programs open during the pandemic, impacting up to 119,000 children. Experts have stated access to reliable and affordable childcare is necessary for the financial stability of working families and the economic growth and global competitiveness of our country. The Plan also allocated about $29 million to Kansas' Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) program to support early intervention and special education services.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-works-sharices-shift-local-grocery-store-highlights-work-lower-grocery,"Davids Works “Sharice’s Shift” at Local Grocery Store, Highlights Work to Lower Grocery Costs and Strengthen Supply Chains",2023-10-31,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ROELAND PARK, KS - Today, Representative Sharice Davids worked a ""Sharice's Shift"" at the Roeland Park Price Chopper to highlight her efforts to lower costs for Kansas families and strengthen U.S. supply chains. While our economy is experiencing record job creation, the cost of groceries and gas remains high. To help lower those costs, Davids, who was named a ""Champion of the Shippers"" by the Shippers Coalition, has worked to shore up our domestic supply chains, which eases inflationary pressures for Kansans. “Hardworking Kansans, including the shoppers I spoke with today, continue to face higher prices at the grocery store and gas pump. While we’ve seen recent economic progress in record job creation and small business applications, there’s still so much more work needed to get those prices back down,” said Davids. “Finding bipartisan solutions to lower prices and build an economy that works for everyone — especially for folks in the middle- and working-classes — is my top priority.” “Thank you, Representative Davids, for taking the time to visit our store and hear firsthand about how the various laws impact our business,” said Mike Beal, Chief Operating Officer, Ball's Food Stores. “Grocers like us play a vital role in the heart of every community. We are more than just a store, but we are a lifeline for many, ensuring our customers have access to fresh, affordable, and nutritious food and serve as a hub for supporting local products and farmers. We appreciate your recognition of the important role grocers play in their communities through the jobs provided and various services offered.” During the ""Sharice's Shift,"" Davids helped store employees unload deliveries from shipping trucks, stock grocery shelves, and bag groceries. Davids spoke with store management on the economic impact of independent grocers on Kansas communities and her work to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill. She also shared what she is doing in Congress to lower costs for hardworking Kansans and strengthen domestic supply chains, including by voting for the CHIPS and Science Act, which is bringing jobs to Kansas, lowering costs for consumers, and supporting workforce development. Davids’ additional work to lower grocery costs and strengthen supply chains include: Voting to pass the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act to shore up the food and agriculture supply chain, assure fair competition in the meat and poultry sectors, and lower food and gasoline costs. Holding multipleroundtables with Kansas business, manufacturing, and technology leaders on how recent legislation to improve supply chains will help boost their businesses' financial security. Cosponsoring the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a new law aimed at addressing supply chain snags and reducing dependence on goods produced outside of the United States. Meeting with President Biden at the White House to urge him to pass a supply chain and economic package that invests in American manufacturing. As a member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, Davids is also working to craft a bipartisan Farm Bill that supports Kansas farmers and lowers costs, including by securing agricultural supply chains to keep costs low and support our state’s largest economic sector. Davids previously hosted U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt to highlight lowering costs for processing, packaging, and consumer purchasing of locally sourced meats. She also joined other Kansas lawmakers in a bipartisan push for investigations into anti-competitive behavior in the meatpacking industry.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-announces-federal-grant-lower-home-energy-costs-improve-energy,"Davids Announces Federal Grant to Lower Home Energy Costs, Improve Energy Efficiency of Public Buildings",2023-10-27,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS) announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded two organizations in Kansas with a total of $800,000 to lower home energy costs for Kansas families and make public buildings across our state more energy efficient. The awardees of the “Buildings UP” grants include: Climate + Energy Project — $400,000 To make homes more energy efficient, lowering families’ energy bills, reducing energy consumption, and improving health. Davids advocated to the DOE for this project to be fairly considered for the award. Metropolitan Energy Center ­— $400,000 To help make libraries across Kansas more energy efficient, decreasing costs of publicly funded utility bills and air pollution. “The Buildings UP awards I’m announcing today will decrease energy costs, reduce carbon emissions, and improve indoor air quality for folks at home and in public buildings throughout the Kansas City area,” said Davids. “Congress has passed major climate-smart legislation in recent years, and these grants will ensure hardworking Kansans actually see the benefits at home.” Commercial and residential buildings in the U.S. account for 35 percent of the country’s carbon emissions and those buildings consume 75 percent of the nation’s electricity. Also, despite economic growth in recent years, in 2022, the average American paid 11 percent more per kilowatt-hour for electricity than in 2021. The grants announced today will help lower those energy bills for Kansas families and businesses, while also helping ensure our public buildings can meet national energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. ""The Buildings UP program funding awarded to Climate + Energy Project's Energy Navigators Program will have a direct and positive impact on Kansans experiencing high energy burden and environmental injustice,” said Dorothy Barnett, Executive Director, Climate + Energy Project. “Energy Navigators will leverage community-driven pathways to improve outcomes in low-income households by connecting folks with the solutions and financial resources to lower their energy bills and make their homes and communities healthier and safer. We are so grateful to Congresswoman Davids' support of this initiative, and we look forward to the good that Energy Navigators will do in Kansas communities with the Buildings UP funding."" “This project will unlock people’s lived expertise to influence building improvements affecting health and quality of life,” said Mary English, Building Performance Program Manager, Metropolitan Energy Center. “We are excited to see public libraries delivering these experiential learning exhibits across the region, and someday nationwide.” Davids has been focused on lowering energy bills for Kansans and was the only member of the Kansas delegation to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act. This legislation could save families an average of $500 per year on energy bills and is providing discounts to help families upgrade to more efficient appliances and vehicles. Davids also previously announced that, thanks to the law, Kansas’ Third Congressional District has created more clean energy jobs than any other congressional district in the country. Background: In total, DOE announced 45 Phase 1 winners in the Buildings UP program, which awarded more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to teams developing scalable and replicable initiatives for widespread energy efficiency and efficient electrification building upgrades. These innovative models aim to accelerate greenhouse gas reduction, equity, economic development, and health goals. Thirty-nine teams in the Equity-Centered Innovation Pathway, including the awardees in Kansas, were selected to move onto Phase 2 of the prize for their concepts to deliver scalable and replicable upgrades to buildings in disadvantaged communities, low- and moderate-income households, and underserved commercial, nonprofit, and public buildings.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-reintroduces-bipartisan-bill-inspire-youth-entrepreneurship,Davids Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Inspire Youth Entrepreneurship,2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS), along with Representatives French Hill (R-AR) and Dean Phillips (D-MN), reintroduced the bipartisan 21st Century Entrepreneurship Act to increase workforce and entrepreneurship opportunities, especially for students from underserved communities. Davids has served on the U.S. House Small Business Committee since being sworn into Congress. “In Kansas, we have the talent and the great education system to power the next generation of entrepreneurs—and we know from experience that mentorship improves outcomes for students,” said Davids. “The 21st Century Entrepreneurship Act will provide effective after-school programs with new curriculum and experienced mentors, creating a pipeline of success for our students.” Entrepreneurship is an engine of economic growth, job creation, and innovation, but American entrepreneurship has steadily declined over the past several decades. New businesses accounted for 38 percent of all businesses in the US in 1982 compared to just 29 percent in 2018. Davids’ bill aims to cultivate the next generation of entrepreneurs by requiring the Small Business Administration (SBA) to develop an entrepreneurship curriculum for students in the 21st century and encouraging mentorship from proven business leaders across the country. While most existing federal entrepreneurial development and mentorship programs focus on those with already-established careers, this bill would help create a pipeline to entrepreneurship by targeting entrepreneurial education toward students from underprivileged and underrepresented backgrounds. “The 21st Century Entrepreneurship Act will connect the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) to provide mentorship to underserved students and develop their entrepreneurship and professional skills,” said Representative French Hill. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Entrepreneurship Caucus and lifelong entrepreneur, I am proud to co-lead this legislation again this Congress with my colleague, Rep. Phillips, and look forward to the impact this important legislation will have on our youth across our nation for years to come.” “Our young people are our future, and cultivating the next generation of business leaders requires encouraging entrepreneurship at an early age,” said Representative Dean Phillips. “New businesses account for a disproportionate share of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. We must take action today to ensure a thriving, equitable business landscape tomorrow.” While our economy is experiencing record job creation, Davids has been squarely focused on lowering costs and boosting workforce opportunities for Kansans. She was the only member of Kansas’ congressional delegation to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure law, which is creating good-paying construction jobs at home. Davids also voted for major bipartisan manufacturing legislation last year, which has already generated more than 100,000 jobs nationwide. Finally, Davids previously announced Kansas’ Third Congressional District has created more clean energy jobs than any other congressional district in the country over the past year.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-statement-election-speaker-house,Davids Statement on Election of Speaker of the House,2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, after three weeks of Speaker elections halted all other official business in the House of Representatives, Representative Sharice Davids released the below statement following the election of a new Speaker of the House. “The only way to deliver real results for Kansans is by Republicans and Democrats working together. However, the majority has elected a Speaker who has consistently demonstrated a lack of interest in working across the aisle, relentlessly pushing extreme policies such as support for a national abortion ban without exceptions and opposition to same-sex marriage. Kansans are frustrated with Washington and are demanding solutions instead of more partisanship, especially now as we confront multiple crises throughout the world that require swift action. While the new House leadership may not share this same goal, I remain committed to finding bipartisan solutions to address the everyday challenges faced by Kansans, including lowering the costs of groceries and gas.”",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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-davids-cleaver-announce-kansas-city-selected-regional-tech-hub-opening,"Reps. Davids, Cleaver Announce Kansas City Selected as Regional Tech Hub, Opening Door to Massive Federal Grant",2023-10-23,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has designated the greater Kansas City region as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub), one of 31 inaugural Tech Hubs in regions across the country that show potential for rapid growth in key technology sectors. The Tech Hubs program, created under the bipartisan Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, seeks to ensure that industries of the future—and their quality jobs—are created, grow, and remain in the United States. Designated Tech Hubs are now eligible to apply for the next phase of the Tech Hubs Program that will invest between $40-$75 million. ""The KC BioHub's designation as a Regional Tech Hub holds immense potential for the Kansas City region and Kansas as a whole. It will help companies, organizations, and academic institutions forge better partnerships to advance cutting-edge research. Critically, this prestigious designation will also create good-paying jobs and ensure the technology of the future is developed in Kansas, not overseas. The local economic growth and new discoveries, particularly in medication development, that we'll see over the coming decade cannot be overstated, and I'm glad to have worked in a bipartisan manner to bring these investments home,"" said Representative Sharice Davids. “With world-class institutions and forward-thinking organizations like BioNexus KC, Kansas City has long been a national leader in healthcare innovation, biomedical research, and biomanufacturing—and today’s announcement is a recognition that the work we’re doing in the region has been noticed at the highest levels of the federal government,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Thanks to this designation, BioNexus KC and organizations throughout the region will have an opportunity to receive up to $75 million in federal funding, attract additional philanthropic and private investment, and expand the development of cutting-edge medicines and life-saving vaccines. And we can do all of that while creating quality jobs and boosting the regional economy.” “Tech Hubs designation validates our intentional focus on collaboration and innovation in the KC region and builds upon our strong foundation of excellence in life sciences over the past two decades,” said Dennis Ridenour, President and CEO of BioNexus KC. “With our robust ecosystem, assets, and inclusive approach, the KC region is poised for long-term growth in technology innovation. Along with strengthening our economy, Tech Hubs designation will accelerate our mission to be a global leader in biomanufacturing. Thank you to our 60+ partner organizations that contributed to our regional application, including our civic, community, and congressional leaders who gave their full support. Not only are we home to successful sports teams with an innate ability to host world-class events, but now we’re nationally recognized for our work in life sciences and biomanufacturing.” “Innovation, cutting-edge research, and creativity can be found in every community across America. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the Tech Hubs program is seizing that potential and investing in regional consortia that will boost U.S. manufacturing, create more good-paying jobs and bolster U.S. global competitiveness,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “The phase 1 designees and grant recipients reflect the diverse technological industries growing here at home and are symbols of American innovation and opportunity. The Tech Hubs program will provide them tools and resources to drive economic growth across the nation, which Americans will feel for generations to come.” The Kansas City Inclusive Biologics and Biomanufacturing Tech Hub (KC BioHub), a consortium led by BioNexus KC, will increase domestic production of life-saving 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. KC BioHub was one of 31 Tech Hubs selected from more than 370 applications from regional consortia that include industry, academia, state and local governments, economic development organizations, and labor and workforce partners. The Tech Hubs span regions across 32 states and Puerto Rico and represent a cross section of urban and rural regions. Last year, Reps. Davids and Cleaver supported the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to bring supply chains back to the United States, encourage innovation, strengthen American manufacturing, and secure the nation’s economic and national security in the decades to come. In August, Reps. Davids and Cleaver called on Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to support the selection of Kansas City as a Tech Hub.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-announces-grant-keep-kansans-safe-decreasing-gas-pipeline-damages,Davids Announces Grant to Keep Kansans Safe by Decreasing Gas Pipeline Damages,2023-10-20,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) $48,840 to help prevent damage to pipelines across Kansas. Pipeline damage poses significant health risks due to natural gas leakage and can lead to property damage, construction delays, and possible explosions. In 2021, Johnson County saw 240 pipeline damage incidents, the highest number in the state. This award will be used to fund a full-time position at the KCC dedicated to investigating natural gas pipeline damages. “Getting to the root cause of pipeline damages across our state will ensure hardworking Kansans remain safe and healthy in their communities,” said Davids. “In conjunction with the bipartisan infrastructure law’s help to clean up toxic oil wells, this renewed award will support the Kansas Corporation Commission in their efforts to prevent future pipeline damages from disrupting our daily lives at home.” “This grant opportunity has allowed the KCC to have a presence in the field at the site of the damage before repairs are complete,” said Leo Haynos, KCC Chief Engineer. “The ability to interview the parties involved, to look at the locate marks, and to understand the type of excavating equipment involved provides the inspector with the information needed to make a credible determination of the cause.” The award announced today is provided through the DOT’s One Call Grant Program, which helps state agencies like KCC reduce pipeline damage through updated oversight procedures, compliance activities, training, and public education. Through modernized enforcement strategies and public education, KCC has used One Call awards to reduce pipeline damage to just 0.2 percent of excavations. Excavations remain the most common cause of pipeline damage, often occurring during road and highway maintenance. Davids has backed multiple efforts to support KCC’s mission of keeping Kansans safe through smart oil and gas oversight. She was joined by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in Olathe to highlight the bipartisan infrastructure law’s work to clean up more than 5,400 hazardous, abandoned oil and gas wells that are polluting public spaces across Kansas. She also announced that KCC was awarded $25 million to plug 67 abandoned oil wells in Johnson County and 176 in Miami County. Background: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration’s (PHMSA) One Call grants can be used to support initiatives that further promote efforts specifically for pipeline damage prevention, including one-call legislation, related compliance activities, training, and public education. This grant program is for states that have a certification or agreement with PHMSA to conduct pipeline safety inspections. State agencies that participate in the pipeline safety program can receive a maximum award amount of $60,000.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/watch-davids-speaks-house-speaker-vacancy-calls-bipartisanship,"WATCH: Davids Speaks on House Speaker Vacancy, Calls for Bipartisanship",2023-10-20,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids released a video message on the dangers of the prolonged House Speaker vacancy, which has halted all official business in the U.S. House of Representatives. With Kansans facing rising costs of groceries and America's allies abroad confronting unprecedented crises, Davids urged her colleagues to unite, set aside extremist viewpoints, and work together to chart a bipartisan path forward, as expected by Kansans. Image Representative Sharice Davids speaks on the consequences of not electing a House speaker and calls for bipartisanship. Read a transcript of Davids’ remarks below: “Hi everyone – Rep. Davids here. It’s been 17 days since the United States House of Representatives has had a Speaker. “Due to some extreme viewpoints pushed by certain members of Congress, in the past 17 days, we haven’t been able to pass a single bill on the House floor. I don’t need to tell you how consequential that is, but especially right now as hardworking Kansans are dealing with rising prices of everyday essentials like groceries here at home AND our allies are facing unprecedented crises abroad. “Kansans are frustrated with Washington and are demanding solutions instead of more partisanship. “I’ve said from the beginning that the only way to deliver real results is by Republicans and Democrats working together. I remain committed to a bipartisan path forward that ensures Congress can function without disruption — as you expect it should — so we can address the everyday challenges folks are facing at home.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-announces-federal-grant-new-stem-career-training-program,Davids Announces Federal Grant for New STEM Career Training Program,2023-10-18,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced the U.S. Department of Commerce’s (DOC) Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas (Goodwill MoKan) with $499,196 to create a new STEM-based job training program to help local job seekers find permanent high-wage careers in the technology sector. Participants who start careers through the program are expected to see an annual income increase of at least 200 percent. “No matter where they live or their educational background, all Kansans deserve a good-paying job to support their families and contribute to our local economy,” said Davids. “This federal investment is a huge win for our region, where employers are eager to hire for technology jobs.It will provide both job seekers with the opportunity to learn technical skills, leading to higher-paying careers, and a positive return on investment for our community."" The investments announced today will help Goodwill create the “Bridge to Technology and Careers in Greater Kansas City” program, which will increase diversity and equity in technology-based fields in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The course will expose participants to emerging technology, provide employer-developed skills training, and connect job seekers with local employers. Individuals participating in the program will receive computer devices, internet services, transportation, clothing, child care, and more to assist in learning. By October 2025, it’s expected the program will help at least 80 Kansas City residents start junior-level tech careers, 55 of which through federally registered apprenticeships. “Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas is excited and humbled to have received EDA’s STEM Talent Challenge Award for FY2023,” said Mike Sinnett, President and CEO, Goodwill Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas. “This investment by the federal government will empower more people to overcome the digital divide, pursue in-demand credentials, and earn apprenticeships and employment in technology-based careers in the Kansas City metro. We are grateful for the support of Congresswoman Davids as Goodwill MoKan strives to empower people through work.” ""The EDA's investment in Kansas City is a huge win,” said Julian Nicks, CEO, LaunchCode. “It is a signal of a continued commitment to developing a high-quality, diverse tech-enabled workforce so current and future Kansas City companies can continue to thrive and grow. We are honored and proud to stand alongside Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas in this important work. Our joint efforts will continue to invest in the untapped potential of local Kansas City residents by creating free, accessible education and pathways to high paying, in-demand careers in technology."" While our economy is experiencing record job creation, Davids has been squarely focused on boosting workforce opportunities for Kansans. She was the only member of Kansas’ congressional delegation to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure law, which is creating good-paying construction jobs at home. Davids also voted for major bipartisan manufacturing legislation last year, which has already generated more than 100,000 jobs nationwide. Finally, Davids previously announced Kansas’ Third Congressional District has created more clean energy jobs than any other congressional district in the country over the past year. Background: This grant was awarded by the EDA’s STEM Talent Challenge, a national competition that supports programs to train science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) talent and fuel regional innovation economies across the nation. The 11 awardees, selected from a pool of 90 applicants, will increase America’s STEM-capable workforce in the emerging and transformative sectors such as aerospace, biomanufacturing, cybersecurity, data science, geospatial, artificial intelligence, information technology, and advanced manufacturing. The goals of Goodwill’s new program are to serve demographic groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in technology, like women, BIPOC, low-income people, and people without 4-year degrees; increase access to training for high-wage technology careers; and ultimately diversify Kansas City area employers through the placement of apprentices and workers in their companies. Upon completion of Goodwill’s 4-week program, job seekers can apply for a tech career program through LaunchCode, where they’ll earn no-cost technical training certificates, be placed in high-wage STEM-job opportunities and apprenticeships, and received career preparation services, including resume review and mock interviews. Program graduates are then introduced to well-paid tech opportunities through the Accelerator’s apprenticeship program. The Accelerator is offered at no cost to participants, removing a financial barrier. Throughout all steps, individuals will be supported through dedicated case management by Goodwill staff, who will check in with job seekers regularly, encourage progress on career development plans, and either directly fund or make referrals to essential, training-related services.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-announces-funding-kansas-law-enforcement-stop-criminals-and-prevent,Davids Announces Funding for Kansas Law Enforcement to Stop Criminals and Prevent Crime,2023-10-12,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced the U.S. Department of Justice awarded nearly $3 million to the state of Kansas to improve the quality, expeditiousness, and accessibility of criminal history records. The federal grant, awarded through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), will help the state establish an integrated system of accurate records for law enforcement to protect public safety. “Throughout my time in Congress, it’s been my mission to boost support for Kansas law enforcement so folks can feel safe in our community,” said Davids. “Accurate criminal history information is essential for Kansas law enforcement professionals to do their jobs and these resources will also help ensure more efficiency in our justice system. I’m proud to have helped bring these investments home to Kansas.” “The nearly $3 million Kansas is receiving from the National Criminal History Improvement Program will empower us to modernize our court systems, ensuring greater efficiency, accuracy, and convenience in data transmission,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. “Thanks to the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Justice Programs, we will remain committed to upholding the rule of law and fostering a safer, more just Kansas.” The National Criminal History Improvement program grant will help identify and stop criminals through accurate state and national records. Specifically, to protect public safety and national security, law enforcement keeps record of: Persons ineligible to hold positions involving children, the elderly, or the disabled; Persons subject to protection orders or wanted, arrested, or convicted of stalking and/or domestic violence; Persons ineligible to be employed or hold licenses for specified positions; Persons potentially presenting threats to public safety; Persons ineligible to purchase a firearm; Persons on the National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR). Since being sworn in, Davids has worked to provide Kansas law enforcement officers with the tools needed to keep communities safe. She secured funding for the Olathe Police Department’s Mobile Command Unit and announced federal resources to hire additional law enforcement officers in Wyandotte County. She previously voted for historic, bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation to keep Kansans safe and a bill giving officers access to disability benefits for job-related PTSD. Most recently, she went on a ride-along with an Overland Park law enforcement officer and participated in trainings at the Johnson County Regional Police Academy. Last month, she helped secure a federal grant for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) to eliminate the state’s processing backlog of forensic DNA samples. Background: Accurate, timely, and complete criminal history records are critical for law enforcement in investigations and decision making. They enable criminal justice agencies to make decisions on pretrial release, career criminal charging, determinate sentencing, and correctional assignments across the country. All states have established a criminal record repository to maintain records and respond to law enforcement inquiries, including data provided by all components of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and corrections. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) administers national systems that permit interstate access to criminal records maintained in all 50 states, including the: National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Indices National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Interstate Identification Index (III) National Protection Order File National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR) Next Generation Identification (NGI) (formerly IAFIS). The NCHIP program began in 1995, and grants awards annually on a competitive basis to states, territories, and recognized tribes. All states and eligible territories have received funds through the program.",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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-statement-terrorist-attacks-israel,Davids' Statement on Terrorist Attacks in Israel,2023-10-10,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"""I am heartbroken at the horrific attacks perpetuated by Hamas terrorists in Israel. I unequivocally condemn this violence. I have always supported security assistance for Israel, our close ally in the Middle East. I remain committed to that support as Israel confronts this ongoing threat and will stand by efforts to protect Israelis and reaffirm Israel's right to self-defense. If you are a Kansas Third District constituent in the region and need help with a federal agency like the State Department, please call my office at (913) 621-0832 - we'll get back to you.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z 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://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/davids-introduces-bipartisan-bill-designate-quindaro-townsite-national,Davids Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Designate Quindaro Townsite as National Historic Landmark,2023-10-03,2023,2023-10,Democrat,House,KS,Sharice Davids,D000629,davids.house.gov,davids,https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03), joined by Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) and Jake LaTurner (KS-02), introduced the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act—bipartisan legislation to designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas as a National Historic Landmark. The Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act gives the Secretary of the Interior additional flexibility to provide technical and financial assistance to local entities to preserve the site and provide educational content about the Landmark to the public. This legislation builds on Rep. Davids’ previous efforts to highlight the importance of the Quindaro Townsite, including bipartisan legislation that she passed into law in 2019 designating the Quindaro Townsite National Commemorative Site. ""I'm proud to join my colleagues, Representatives Cleaver and LaTurner, as well as community leaders across Kansas, to help the Quindaro Townsite receive the recognition and care it deserves,” said Davids. “Quindaro is a significant part of Kansas' history in the fight for freedom and equality, but for too long, our community has lacked the proper investments needed to preserve this important site. A National Historic Landmark designation will build on the bipartisan effort I led in 2019 to establish Quindaro as a National Commemorative Site and help protect its history, keeping its stories alive for generations to come.” “Freedom is the foundational principle of American democracy, and the Quindaro Townsite is an important piece of regional history that tells the stories of those seeking to uphold our national commitment to liberty and freedom for all,” said Cleaver. “For years now, I’ve proudly worked across the aisle to ensure this site receives the recognition and appreciation it rightfully deserves. I’m proud to join Reps. LaTurner and Davids to introduce the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act as we continue our efforts to preserve the cultural keystone of Quindaro in Eastern Kansas.” ""Quindaro is a vital part of our nation's history and served as a beacon of hope and freedom for Americans fighting to end slavery in the mid-19th century,"" said LaTurner. ""I'm proud to introduce this legislation with my colleagues and stand with the dozens of volunteers who have been fighting for decades to ensure the Quindaro Townsite receives the recognition and appreciation it deserves from our federal government."" “As the Mayor of Kansas City Kansas it is of great importance to champion the significance the Quindaro Ruins plays highlighting the plight of African Americans through a network officially called the *Underground Railroad*. This dynamic gateway from slavery to freedom was facilitated in Wyandotte County Kansas with the assistance of Abolitionists, Wyandotte Indians, and freed African American slaves. This diverse group highlights the common denominator of a diversity of Americans helping other Americans realize the self-evident truths; that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. In the awesome community of Wyandotte County Kansas City Kansas we are extremely excited and grateful for the impending consideration taken by our National Congressional Leaders to take the steps necessary to elevate the Quindaro Ruins with an enhanced designation that can personify what it means for all Americans to truly be part of a United States of America continuously evolving into that perfect union for all those that champion what it means to be an American,"" said Kansas City, Kansas Mayor Tyrone Garner. ""As Mayor, I respectfully urge passage of the legislation before you, and thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter of great historic importance, not just to the Great State of Kansas but to our Great Nation."" ""Quindaro townsite is deeply emblematic of our proud, complicated heritage and a crucial chapter of our shared history as Kansans and Americans. This bill will help ensure Quindaro’s story endures for generations to come,"" said Lucinda Adams, Executive Director of Freedom's Frontier.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z 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