Recognizing National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated October as National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, ensuring Americans had an opportunity to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome. This week, I continued the tradition by introducing a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that outlines the improvements made to Down syndrome research and advocacy, the improved quality of live for the Down syndrome community, and commended the efforts of loved ones and caretakers who steadfastly care for individuals with Down syndrome. As co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am pleased that efforts to increase federal investment in Down syndrome research has significantly improved over the past decade. This month is an opportunity to honor the Down syndrome community, their families and caretakers, and leaders in the advocacy and medical research fields for their work to improve the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome.

You can watch my floor speech honoring Down Syndrome Awareness Month here.

Standing with Israel and Enforcing Sanctions on Iran
As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I was briefed on the intelligence that points to the conclusion that Israel did not bomb the Gaza Strip Hospital. Unfortunately, previous media reports otherwise will be hard to correct as anti-semitic groups are already spreading these falsehoods to stir up protests and anger. I spoke on the Senate Floor to express my support for Israel as it responds to the terrorist attack conduct by Hamas on October 7.

It is essential to keep conflict from expanding to other fronts, and that means we must help deter other enemies who may use this opportunity to escalate the war against Israel. The administration should no longer delay in trying to bloke Iran’s revenue stream – and that starts by freezing the $6 billion that was recently released by the Biden administration. Iran’s leaders must know the response of the United States awaits if they become directly involved. Since Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, it is necessary to enforce the bipartisan sanctions to choke its revenue that it distributes to proxies around the region.

You can watch my floor remarks here.

Helping Veterans Achieve Success after Service
On Wednesday, I led a joint hearing between the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, to discuss how we can improve a servicemember’s transition out of the military and into civilian life and how government programs as well as community and stakeholder engagement can better support transitioning servicemembers and their families. Individuals from the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense and Labor as well the as the Government Accountability Office and veterans and military stakeholders discussed how the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) can be improved before a servicemember’s separation. During the hearing we focused on how to better improve success after service for the men and women who have served our country in the U.S. military and how we, in Congress, can prioritize a seamless transition while providing resources to reduce unemployment, homelessness, and suicide, to ultimately bolster military recruitment and support success after military service.

Success after service looks different for every servicemember and every servicemember’s family. That is why we must make certain veterans are equipped with the knowledge and resources they need to thrive.

I appreciate having Dr. Arthur DeGroat, Executive Director of the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs at Kansas State University (KSU) as a witness during our second panel. Along with his work at KSU, Dr. DeGroat is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Army and is a member of the Kansas Governor’s Military Council. I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. DeGroat on multiple occasions, and I always appreciate his insight on military research. He continues to be a great partner as we continue our discussions on improving the lives of servicemembers and their families after the military

You can watch the hearing here.