Hello,

 

Welcome to “Kansas Common Sense.” Thanks for your continued interest in receiving my weekly newsletter. Please feel free to forward it on to your family and friends if it would interest them.

 

 

This week, USDA announced that 805 Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Kansas City has been selected as the new site for the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). I’ve long advocated that USDA’s ERS and NIFA relocate to the Kansas City metropolitan area, knowing that regardless of what side of the border these facilities would land, it would be a positive development for the regional economy and so many institutions across Kansas and Missouri. I applaud the many entities across Kansas City who have worked to bring these agencies closer to the producers they serve. In addition, I’m committed to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral way to secure the resources necessary for USDA to complete this move and to welcome their employees to Kansas City.

 

On Tuesday, during the Senate Commerce Committee hearing, I had the opportunity to question Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg on important issues regarding the now-grounded Boeing 737 MAX airplane. It is critical we find out what went wrong, and investigate current policies and protocols to ensure similar tragedies don’t happen again. As the aviation industry is poised to grow significantly in the coming years, I’m committed to working with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure safety in the aviation industry is always the top priority. Click here to watch our discussion. 

 

On Wednesday, I was pleased to announce a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to the Kansas Technology Center at Pittsburg State University. This award will help establish a recyclable plastics modeling and testing laboratory, and will allow PSU to continue leading the region and the country in polymers and plastics research.

 

In order to compete in a global economy and to protect our country from adversaries, it’s important our businesses and manufacturers remain on the cutting edge. As the chief appropriator for the U.S. Department of Commerce and NIST, I’ll continue working with PSU officials to grow their expertise in this important field. To learn more about this grant and to hear what PSU officials have to say about this news, click here.

 

This week, I was honored to accept the Sports Fans Coalition’s 2019 Most Valuable Policymaker Award. The Sports Fans Coalition is a national non-profit advocacy group devoted to protecting the rights of the fan wherever public policy impacts the games we love. With new technological advances coming seemingly every day, we must ensure our fans are being treated fairly. My BOTS Act, which was signed into law in 2016, would do just that. The BOTS Act prohibits ticket scalpers from using automated purchasing technology to quickly buy large amounts of event tickets before the average fan has an opportunity to make a purchase, ultimately decreasing consumer choice and driving up prices. During my time with these advocates, we discussed my work with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to protect Olympic and amateur athletes from abuse. I appreciate their thoughtful and productive conversation on how we can all work together – regardless of position or responsibility – to end the abuse of athletes.

 

I will continue to work with the Sports Fans Coalition and my Senate colleagues to protect fans from those that wish to take advantage of their passion.

 

 

On Monday, I had the opportunity to meet with the KC Civic Council, a nonprofit organization composed of leadership of some of the largest, private employers in the Kansas City area. During the meeting, we discussed critical issues to the KC area, including infrastructure, workforce and trade issues. The meeting gave us a chance to discuss my Startup Act legislation which encourages job creation, innovation and advances economic development. This legislation will encourage growth in the KC area by developing policies that help recruit and retain highly-skilled students and innovators, and enable entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into companies. The legislation is supported by a diverse group of industry in the KC area, and I look forward to continuing to push for its final passage.  

 

 

On Saturday, I was honored to join our 1st Infantry Division soldiers and their families at Junction City's Welcome Home Celebration this weekend.

During the celebration, it was announced that Junction City was awarded as one of this year’s Great American Defense Communities. And this celebration was evidence of why Junction City is known as one of the best Army hometowns in the country. Welcome home to Fort Riley soldiers who have been deployed across the globe over 2019, and a big thank you to the All American Beef Battalion for serving our active duty soldiers at the event.

 

 

On Friday, I was in Ransom to host a Ness County Listening Tour Stop. During this stop, we discussed a number of issues including veterans’ access to healthcare and implementation of the VA MISSION Act, agriculture and the importance of passing USMCA, our work to make certain rural America can thrive, the ongoing impeachment proceedings, challenges in rural healthcare delivery and border security. Thanks to all those who took time to visit with me on Friday, and thank you to Herb Schwartzkopf and the Ransom VFW for hosting my visit to the community.

 

 

Thomas Penland of Kansas City

Darin Traff of Shawnee

Dr. Allen Featherstone of Topeka

Carol Katzman of Overland Park

Bonnie Siegel of Leawood

Sharon Bedolla of Topeka

Preston Burrows of Moscow

Leslie Carr of Topeka

Hudson Curtis of Byers

Kinley Curtis of Byers

Nicole Curtis of Byers

Thomas Curtis of Byers

Linda Douglass of Overbrook

Monica Gonzalez of Moscow

Janet Kramer of Seneca

Tom Kramer of Seneca

Kristofer Liggett of Ness City

Young Liu of Olathe

Cheyenne Miller of Liberal

Calen Moore of Liberal

Marcia Morgan of Topeka

Steven Moss of Topeka

Ben Sherber of Topeka

Evan Sherber of Topeka

Heath Sherber of Topeka

Jennifer Sherber of Toeka

Sue Sprenkle of Satanta

William Swanson of Liberal

Bill Berkley of Kansas City

Spencer Fane of Leawood

Randy Riggs of Lenexa

Pat Whalen  of Leawood

Odalis Jimenez of Hays

Chip Fleischer of Iowa

Valentine Gana of Overland Park

Karen Siebert of Prairie Village

Tim Hand of Wichita

Peter Northcott of Lawrence

Jawanda Mast of Olathe

Mayor Jeff Longwell of Wichita

Lynn Gentine of Topeka

Col. William Hannan of Kansas City

Bryan Smith of Kansas City

Jennifer Switzer of Kansas City

Honored to Serve You in Washington
It is an honor to serve you in Washington, D.C. Thank you to the many Kansans who have been calling and writing in to share their thoughts and opinions on the issues our state and country face. I appreciate the words of Kansans, whether in the form of a letter, a Facebook comment, or a phone call, who wish to make their voice heard.

Please let me know how I can be of assistance. You can contact me by email by clicking here. You can also click here to contact me through one of my Kansas offices or my Washington, D.C., office.

Very truly yours,
Jerry