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U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs – questioned Department of Veterans’ Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie on VA MISSION Act implementation, toxic exposure legislation and the upcoming closure of the Emporia community-based outpatient clinic during a Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 26, 2019.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade and Consumer Protection – convened a hearing of industry stakeholders regarding small business perspectives on a federal data privacy framework on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Sen. Moran, along with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), is working to craft legislation to protect consumers and their data.
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade and Consumer Protection – questioned industry stakeholders during a his Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing on small business perspectives on a federal data privacy framework on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Sen. Moran, along with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), is working together to craft legislation to protect consumers and their data.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) released the following statement after voting against the Green New Deal, sweeping environmental legislation that would upend nearly every sector of the Kansas and American economy:
 
“The Green New Deal is an irresponsible proposal that fails to recognize the significant advancements and efforts being made by Kansas farmers and ranchers to protect our soil, air and water. How we do things matters, and while we must continue working to conserve our environment, we ought to do so in a commonsense manner. Besides costing trillions of dollars, proposals contained in the Green New Deal would raise energy prices for Kansas families, harm small businesses and manufacturers and cost our state jobs.
 
“This ‘Deal’ is a divisive step backward that takes away from serious policy discussions about efforts to address our changing climate, and is yet another reminder that many coastal elites choose to overlook the significant contributions rural America makes to the issues facing our nation. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, I remain committed to working in a bipartisan fashion to support NASA, NOAA and the research they conduct in climate science to encourage continued innovation.”
 
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies – today announced a grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to Wichita State University (WSU) during a news conference at WSU.

“Wichita State continues to be a shining example of how public-private partnerships can provide students with hands-on learning experiences while bolstering communities,” said Sen. Moran. “Wichita’s continued emphasis on shaping and designing an education platform to align with 21st Century workforce needs is critical as we work to continue fueling the manufacturing and aviation industries. The EDA grant will support the purchase of necessary advanced manufacturing equipment, and, in turn, create over 150 new jobs in the region. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee which funds the EDA, I will continue to highlight the strengths of our Universities and industries within the state, allowing them to capitalize on these opportunities.”

This $2 million grant will help purchase necessary advanced manufacturing equipment to establish the Automated Technology Laboratory for Advanced Structures (ATLAS) at WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). The ATLAS initiative at WSU will help industry leaders in the region increase the quality and production of commercial and defense aircraft by bolstering available resources for research and development. Several local corporate partners will utilize space and equipment from this EDA investment, including Spirit AeroSystems, Airbus, Cox Machine, Bombardier and Cessna. The project is expected to create 150 jobs in the Wichita region.

“The Trump Administration continues to rebuild the American manufacturing sector in communities across the country,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “This investment will help Wichita State University spur new manufacturing ventures in the region while training workers to support this resurgent industry.”

“In the current environment, there are increasing pressures facing the aerospace and defense industries to innovate with flat budgets, record-setting production rates, increasingly complex programs and an evolving workforce,” said WSU Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer John Tomblin. “Investments in emerging advanced manufacturing technologies are critical to maintain economic growth in our region. We want to thank the EDA for acknowledging the importance of the advanced manufacturing sector in South Central Kansas with this investment.”

ATLAS will be located at NIAR headquarters building on the campus of Wichita State. The first floor will house manufacturing development facilities with computer-aided simulations and analysis on the third floor.

ATLAS already has several strategic partnerships with government agencies, aircraft manufacturers, equipment suppliers, material suppliers and other universities. In addition to support from the EDA, ATLAS has received significant funding from the Office of Naval Research and State of Kansas for acquiring advanced AFP equipment, inspection systems and test systems.

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South Central Kansas Economic Development District (SCKEDD). EDA funds the SCKEDD to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.
 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – cosponsored the Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology (CHANCE in Tech) Act to provide industry intermediaries, like state tech associations, the ability to receive federal grants to develop apprenticeships within the technology sector. It would also alleviate the skills gap that may slow the continued growth of the technology sector.
“Nearly every conversation I have with business owners across Kansas leads to a discussion about their need for workers who are trained and motivated to take tech-related jobs,” said Sen. Moran. “This bipartisan legislation will help give industry leaders the resources they need to create tech apprenticeships, attract talent and connect American workers with meaningful, good-paying jobs.”
Now more than ever before, the U.S. economy is dependent on the technology industry to create jobs and expand economic growth. According to CompTIA, in 2017 alone, the technology sector contributed more than $1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy, employed more than 11.5 million workers and added more than 200,000 new jobs. Despite these impressive numbers, during any given 90-day period, there can be more than 500,000 tech job openings nationwide.
Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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Sen. Moran Applauds U.S., Brazil Agreement Regarding Wheat Exports

Sen. Moran Last Week Led Senators in Urging POTUS to Resolve Long-Standing Trade Barrier

Mar 19 2019

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture – today applauded the agreement announced by President Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro regarding American wheat exports to Brazil.

“Today’s announcement by President Trump and President Bolsonaro that Brazil will fulfill its commitment to establish a duty-free tariff rate quota for wheat comes as welcome news for Kansas farmers,” said Sen. Moran. “The elimination of the tariff currently applied to U.S. wheat imported by Brazil will allow our farmers to compete on a level playing field with foreign competitors like Argentina, resulting in increased U.S. wheat exports. As Kansas farmers continue to struggle with low commodity prices, it is critical that we continue working to expand new export markets.

“President Trump, as well as U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud, ought to be commended for their efforts to secure today’s commitment from Brazil,” continued Sen. Moran. “I look forward to working with the administration to make certain Brazil quickly implements the wheat TRQ.”

Items to Note:  

  • Last week, Sen. Moran led a group of 11 senators in urging President Trump to resolve a longstanding trade barrier that U.S. agricultural producers face when exporting wheat to Brazil.
  • In February, Sens. Moran and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) sent a letter to USTR Robert Lighthizer urging him to take action on the Brazil wheat TRQ.

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Sens. Moran, Tester Introduce Landmark Veterans Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Legislation

Legislation Builds on VA’s Success, Invests in Innovative Therapy, Expands Rural Access to Care

Mar 19 2019

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) – members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – introduced landmark, bipartisan legislation to improve veterans’ access to mental healthcare.

The bipartisan Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act is a comprehensive and aggressive approach to connect more veterans with the mental healthcare they need and earned. Their bill seeks to improve VA care by bolstering the VA’s mental health workforce and increasing rural or hard-to-reach veterans’ access to VA care, while making sure veterans have access to alternative and local treatment options like animal therapy, outdoor sports and activities, yoga and acupuncture.

“One veteran lost to suicide is one too many, and Congress has an obligation to those who have bravely served our nation to help fix this tragedy,” said Sen. Moran. “As our servicemembers transition to civilian life, we can ease this difficult process by removing barriers to mental healthcare that our veterans need. This bipartisan legislation, which complements the President’s PREVENTS initiative, would expand efforts in local communities to provide veterans with mental healthcare, would allow the VA to hire and train more professionals in this field and would develop innovative methods for the delivery of this care. Our nation’s heroes deserve the best our nation has to offer and the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act offers critical next steps to help prevent veteran suicide.”

“Mental health is the universal issue facing every veteran, and we need all hands on deck to make sure no veteran is lost to suicide,” said Sen. Tester. “Our bill brings together the best ideas from the VA, Congress, veterans, providers, and advocates so our approach to mental healthcare is aggressive and united. Together, we can put innovative solutions to work to connect more veterans to the life-saving mental health care they earned.”

It is estimated that more than 20 veterans die by suicide every day. Of those, 14 have received no treatment or care from the VA. The Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act will improve outreach to veterans and their mental healthcare options in five major ways:

  1. Bolster the VA’s mental health workforce to serve more veterans by giving the VA direct hiring authority for more mental health professions, offering scholarships to mental health professionals to work at Vet Centers, and placing at least one Suicide Prevention Coordinator in every VA hospital.
  2. Improve rural veterans’ access to mental healthcare by increasing the number of locations at which veterans can access VA telehealth services and offering grants to non-VA organizations that provide mental health services or alternative treatment to veterans.
  3. Strengthen support and assistance for service members transitioning out of the military by automatically giving every service member one full year of VA healthcare when they leave the military and improving services that connect transitioning veterans with career and education opportunities.
  4. Study and invest in innovative and alternative treatment options by expanding veterans’ access to animal, outdoor, or agri-therapy, yoga, meditation, and acupuncture and investing in VA research into the impact of living at high altitude on veterans’ suicide risk and identifying and treating mental illness.
  5. Hold the VA accountable for its mental healthcare and suicide prevention efforts by examining how the VA manages its suicide prevention resources and how the VA provides seamless care and information sharing for veterans seeking mental healthcare from both the VA and community providers.

The bill is endorsed by a growing number of veterans and mental health advocates, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), American Veterans (AMVETS), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Volunteers of America (VOA), American Psychological Association (APA), and American Association of Suicidology.

A one page summary of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act can be found online here. The full text of the bill can be found here.
 

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Sen. Moran Reintroduces Bill to Incentivize Grocery Stores, Help Eliminate Food Deserts

Bipartisan legislation would incentivize grocers and non-profits to fulfill need in rural & urban areas

Mar 18 2019

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to grocery stores in areas designated as “food deserts” by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Healthy Food Access for All Americans (HFAAA) Act would benefit low-income rural and urban communities that have limited or no access to nutritious food by providing incentives to food service providers such as grocers, retailers, and nonprofits who expand access to nutritious foods in underserved communities.
 
“Living in the breadbasket of our nation, it is easy to forget that chronic hunger is still prevalent in many of our own communities,” said Sen. Moran. “It is estimated that food insecurity threatens nearly 1 in 6 Kansans, and yet many grocery stores in both rural and urban communities are struggling to stay open. Our bipartisan Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act would incentivize food providers to establish and renovate grocery stores, food banks and farmers markets in communities that traditionally lack affordable and convenient food options. All Kansans and Americans, regardless of where they live, deserve access to healthy food.”
 
“Locally owned, independent grocers are the bedrock of their communities, spurring economic growth and providing access to healthy and affordable food choices. On behalf of our members, the National Grocers Association applauds Senator Warner for his efforts to work towards a solution that tackles the barriers to entry faced by grocers in rural and urban communities that are without a supermarket. We look forward to working with Congress on a bipartisan basis to move this important piece of legislation forward,” said Greg Ferrara, Executive Vice President of the National Grocers Association.
 
“Feeding America commends Senator Warner for confronting the unfortunate fact that the burdens faced by the 40 million Americans living with hunger are even worse for those who live in food deserts. Our network of 200 member food banks understands that areas without affordable, healthy food options have higher rates of food insecurity exacerbated by the lack access to adequate transportation to the nearest food pantry or grocery market. Feeding America supports the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and believes it is a critical step to give nonprofits and retailers support to increase food access in underserved areas,” said Kate Leone, Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America.
 
“Everyone deserves access to fresh produce and a place to shop for groceries in their community. This legislation will create jobs, improve health, and prevent hunger by supporting the development of food banks, grocery stores and farmers markets in low-income, underserved areas,” said Yael Lehmann, President and CEO of The Food Trust.
 
“Grocery stores and healthy, affordable food options are out of reach for many of the neighbors we help in the Richmond community. Imagine having to take a 45-minute bus, one way, just to get groceries for your family. There is no one solution for food deserts; to tackle this issue will require collaboration across the non-profit, for-profit and government sectors. The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act is a significant step in the right direction. By empowering hunger-relief organizations like Feed More to improve access to nutritious food in low-income communities, we will be able to provide these neighbors with a hand up in their times of need,” said Doug Pick, President and CEO of Feed More.
 
“Bread for the World is encouraged to see a bipartisan effort to address food deserts and improve access to nutritious food in low-income and underserved communities in America. Hunger costs the U.S. economy at least $160 billion in poor health outcomes and additional health care costs every year. This bill is an important step to reduce hunger and improve health across the country,” said Heather Valentine, Director of Government Relations of Bread for the World.
 
“Grocery stores and supermarkets play a vital role in the health and welfare of the communities we serve.  Developing a successful enterprise that can thrive financially and socially in the long-term is a multi-tiered process that requires community support, economic investment and creative partnerships.  The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act is an important and common sense approach to addressing the problem of underserved communities and expanding access to healthy food choices.  It establishes incentives to bring together the elements necessary to create successful operations and expand healthy food options, while recognizing the opportunities presented by technology and the changing nature of the marketplace.  The HFAAA is an important step in addressing the issue of underserved populations and food deserts; Food Marketing institute is pleased to support this effort,” said Andy Harig, Senior Director of Sustainability, Tax, and Trade, Food Marketing Institute.
 
“To end childhood hunger in America, we must ensure that low-income families have access to healthy, affordable food options. Ending food deserts will help more families put food on the table and help children get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy, educated and strong. Share Our Strength supports The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and thanks Sens. Warner, Moran, Casey, Capito and Rep. Ryan for their leadership on this issue,” said Billy Shore, Founder and Executive Chair of Share our Strength.
 
An estimated 37 million Americans live in food deserts – areas with no grocery stores within one or more miles in urban regions, and ten or more miles in rural regions. Individuals who live in communities with low-access to healthy food options are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
 
The HFAAA Act – which defines a grocery market as a retail sales store with at least 35 percent of its selection (or forecasted selection) dedicated to selling fresh produce, poultry, dairy, and deli items – would spark investment in food deserts across the country that have a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, or a median family income of less than 80 percent of the median for the state or metro area. It would grant tax credits or grants to food providers who service low-access communities and attain a “Special Access Food Provider” (SAFP) certification through the Treasury Department. Incentives would be awarded based on the following structure: 
  • New Store Construction Companies that construct new grocery stores in a food desert will receive a onetime 15 percent tax credit after receiving certification.
  • Retrofitting Existing Structures Companies that make retrofits to an existing store’s healthy food sections can receive a onetime 10 percent tax credit after the repairs certify the store as an SAFP.
  • Food Banks Certified food banks that build new (permanent) structures in food deserts will be eligible to receive a onetime grant for 15 percent of their construction costs.
  • Temporary Access Merchants Certified temporary access merchants (i.e. mobile markets, farmers markets, and some food banks) that are 501(c)(3)s will receive grants for 10 percent of their annual operating costs.
     

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