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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense – today announced that the recently enacted FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes language to stabilize the Department of Defense (DoD) 2011 Public Schools on Military Installations Priority List. This language allows DoD to continue replacing schools while completing a follow-up audit previously required by law.
“I am pleased to announce authorization has been secured for USD 475 to plan for and apply for grants to construct a new elementary school at Fort Riley,” said Sen. Moran. “It is has always been my priority in Congress to make certain that we are not only supporting our servicemembers, but that we are also supporting their children and families. A new elementary school at Fort Riley will prevent overcrowding and provide our servicemembers’ children access to modern and high-quality educational resources and facilities they deserve.”
“Throughout my time in Congress, and especially since the 1st Infantry Division’s return to Fort Riley in 2005, I am proud to have worked closely with DoD to invest in resources to grow and support Fort Riley’s critical infrastructure, including new middle and elementary schools and the state-of-the-art Irwin Army Hospital,” Sen. Moran continued. “I remain committed to furthering these existing, proven partnerships so Fort Riley can remain the best place to live, train, deploy from, come home to and retire.”
Items to Note:
- The newly-enacted NDAA language expands the number of infrastructure projects eligible to apply for a DoD Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) grant by five.
- The expansion includes the replacement of Jefferson Elementary School in USD 475 located on Fort Riley. This project was included in the 2011 Public Schools on Military Installations Priority List issued by the Secretary of Defense. This same priority list allowed for the replacement of Fort Riley Middle School through a grant awarded in 2012 and Fort Riley Elementary School through a grant awarded in 2014.
- The FY2017 NDAA required DoD to conduct an additional audit of public schools on installation requirements. The results of the audit are expected to be released this year and will dictate the order of priority regarding the remaining projects on the Public Schools on Military Installations Priority List.
- The OEA is awaiting confirmation of FY2019 NDAA funding guidance before soliciting a grant application from USD 475. If approved, the OEA will make an 80 percent matching grant available for the purposes of constructing a new grade school on Fort Riley at an estimated cost of $25 million. USD 475 reports it is holding $5 million in matching funds for this purpose. USD 475 also intends to propose closing two Fort Riley schools on the DoD priority list which would be replaced with one school capable of absorbing total enrollment of the two smaller schools.
- Since 2006, over $1.8 billion dollars in military construction on base has given way to new facilities that are flexible and scalable to meet the needs of our national defense. This includes the new, state-of-the-art $343 million Irwin Army Hospital that provides healthcare and support to active-duty personnel and their families.
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Sen. Moran Gives Floor Remarks Honoring Ed Rolfs
Aug 21 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) today introduced the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE-Safe) Act, S. 3352, to address the driver shortage in the trucking and logistics industry, and enhance safety training and job opportunities for young truckers.
Though many states allow individuals to obtain a commercial driver’s license at the age of 18, federal law currently prohibits those operators from moving goods from state to state until they are 21. The DRIVE-Safe Act creates a training program that would allow for the legal operation of a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce by commercial driver’s license holders under the age of 21. The apprenticeship training program would help ensure younger drivers are trained beyond current standards while instituting rigorous safety standards and performance benchmarks.
“Indiana is the Crossroads of America and the truck driver shortage has a significant impact on our state,” said Senator Young. “As I’ve traveled throughout Indiana, I have heard from Hoosiers that a pathway is needed to qualify more drivers to move goods safely and efficiently. The DRIVE-Safe Act will help address the driver shortage, enhance safety, and create new career opportunities for young Hoosiers.”
“Not only would the DRIVE-Safe Act create new career opportunities for young Kansans, but it would also help move the supply-chain nationwide in a more expeditious manner – benefitting many sectors of the Kansas economy,” said Senator Moran. “This legislation includes important provisions that would help curb the trucker shortage, train safe drivers, and deliver goods and supplies to the Kansans that need them.”
“As home to three inland ports, nearly 4,000 miles of rail and over 12,000 miles of highways, Oklahoma is rightfully recognized as and benefits from being one of the nation’s leading transportation hubs and America’s Corner. By expanding the opportunity for all commercial license holders to engage in interstate commerce, we can meaningfully address the driver shortage while improving transportation safety and give younger Americans the ability to be competitive in a strong economy so they can fully benefit from a skilled career,” said Senator Inhofe.
The apprenticeship program established by the DRIVE-Safe Act would require young drivers to complete at least 400 hours of on-duty time and 240 hours of driving time with an experienced driver in the cab with them. All trucks used for training in the program must be equipped with safety technology including active braking collision mitigation systems, a video event capture system, and a speed governor set at 65 miles per hour or below.
U.S. Representatives Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN-09) and Duncan Hunter (R-CA-50) introduced companion legislation in the House earlier this year (H.R. 5358).
What they are saying:
“As an industry that is uniquely impacted by this issue, we are thankful to Senator Young for his leadership driving this legislation forward,” said Mark Allen, President and CEO of the International Foodservice Distributor Association (IFDA). “This bill reinforces a culture of safety far and above current standards to provide the next generation of drivers with the critical skills they need to operate a truck safely on our nation’s highways.”
“The trucking industry’s shortage of drivers threatens our economy,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “The Drive-Safe Act would open the door to millions of Americans who are seeking a career and a path to the middle class by training young men and women to safely and reliably move freight across state lines. Senators Young, Moran and Inhofe should be commended for their thoughtful leadership in creating a safe apprenticeship pathway for young people looking to go into trucking.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran’s (R-Kan.) and Tom Udall’s (D-N.M.) amendment to maintain Amtrak train services along the established, long-distance passenger rail route of the Southwest Chief, #3665, was today included in the 2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill that passed the Senate on 92-6 vote. The amendment was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), all senators who represent states through which the critical Southwest Chief route runs.
This amendment would provide resources for maintenance and safety improvements along the Southwest Chief route and would compel Amtrak to fulfill its promise of matching funding for the successful TIGER IX discretionary grant supported by the Kansas Department of Transportation and local communities along the route. In addition, this amendment would effectively reverse Amtrak’s decision to substitute rail service with bus service over large segments of the route through FY2019.
“As the divide between urban and rural communities in America continues to expand, passenger rail services like the Southwest Chief are invaluable in connecting Kansans to the rest of the country while also bringing visitors from out of state to our local communities,” said Sen. Moran. “I applaud the bipartisan efforts to keep the Southwest Chief operational for our rural communities and will continue working with Amtrak to make certain this route remains available for the Kansans who need it.”
“For the second time in two weeks, the Senate is speaking out with strong, bipartisan support for long-distance rail, especially the Southwest Chief -- and this time with $50 million in new funding,” said Sen. Udall. “Replacing rail service with bus service between Dodge City, Kansas and Albuquerque, New Mexico would not only have completely disrupted service for Amtrak passengers, it would have discouraged riders from taking the Southwest Chief in the first place, adding to Amtrak’s financial problems. The Southwest Chief route is an economic engine in New Mexico, giving passengers a ride through time -- through the historic West -- and connecting our communities. The additional funding from our amendment will make sure the Southwest Chief gets back on a sound financial track. I remain committed to working with our communities, Amtrak leadership, and other stakeholders to keep the Chief running long into the future.”
“I am pleased the Senate has approved our amendment to ensure continuous rail service on all long distance routes, especially the Southwest Chief,” said Sen. Roberts. “We heard from many Kansans strongly opposed to the proposed bus service within the route.”
“I’m excited to support an amendment that will greatly help the Southwest Chief’s continued presence in southeastern Colorado,” said Sen. Gardner. “The amendment secured by the bipartisan coalition in the appropriations bill will set aside funding for route improvements and enhancements, providing the opportunity to ensure the Southwest Chief stays in Colorado and continues servicing the rural areas that desperately need it.”
“The Southwest Chief is an important component of Southeastern Colorado's tourism economy, and we will do all we can to preserve it,” said Sen. Bennet. “We’ll continue to work closely with lawmakers from Colorado—and also New Mexico and Kansas—to keep running the Southwest Chief through our state."
“I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan coalition in the Senate to save the Southwest Chief, and I hope that my colleagues in the House of Representatives agree that fighting for infrastructure in rural America is good for our economy as a whole,” said Sen. Heinrich. “Each year, the Southwest Chief brings thousands of Boy Scouts from around the country to New Mexico’s Philmont Boy Scout Ranch and generates economic activity in our communities like Raton, Las Vegas, and Lamy. It makes no sense for Amtrak to provide inferior service while cutting out a key part of rural America. We’re going to continue fighting any effort to undermine this important route.”
The Southwest Chief runs daily between Chicago and Los Angeles and connects towns and cities in Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and California and provides passenger train and long-distance passenger service, particularly through rural communities. The Southwest Chief stops in several Kansas communities including Lawrence, Topeka, Newton, Hutchinson, Dodge City and Garden City.
Items to Note:
- Last week, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a Sense of the Congress measure to affirm support for the long-distance rail service.
- Last month, the senators sent a letter to Amtrak’s CEO urging him to uphold Amtrak’s side of a longstanding public-private partnership to continue operating the Southwest Chief passenger train and long-distance passenger service.
- In May, the senators sent a bipartisan, multi-state letter condemning Amtrak’s decision not to match TIGER grant funds.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement after the Senate unanimously confirmed Kansan Holly Teeter as United States District Court Judge for the District of Kansas:
“Holly Teeter is an exceptionally bright legal mind that will serve Kansans well,” said Sen. Moran. “Mrs. Teeter is the right choice for this important job and I’m pleased the Senate agreed unanimously to confirm her to the bench.”
Teeter, a University of Kansas School of Law graduate, will join the United States District Court for the District of Kansas with a lifetime appointment. The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas processes civil and criminal cases that come under federal jurisdiction. The District of Kansas covers the full state of Kansas.
Item to Note:
- Sen. Moran introduced Mrs. Teeter last October in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee as the committee considered her nomination.
Biography provided by the White House at the time of Mrs. Teeter’s nomination:
Mrs. Teeter is currently an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Earlier in her career, Mrs. Teeter practiced patent law at Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, and was a patent law clerk at Los Alamos National Security, LLC. She served as a law clerk to Judge Brian C. Wimes of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and to Judge Carlos Murguia of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. Mrs. Teeter received her B.S. with highest distinction from the University of Kansas School of Engineering, and her J.D. from the University of Kansas, where she was a member of the Kansas Law Review and graduated first in her class. She also holds a Diploma in Legal Studies from the University of Oxford.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations – introduced an amendment that would maintain Amtrak train services along the established, long-distance passenger rail route of the Southwest Chief.
“Local communities whose residents and businesses depend on Amtrak should be provided the stability of rail service that the Southwest Chief has delivered to them for decades, as ordered when chartered by Congress,” said Sen. Moran. “This bipartisan amendment will provide critical support for the Southwest Chief to ensure its continuity for passengers and pressure Amtrak to live up to its promises of keeping the route in service.”
Sen. Moran’s amendment – which is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), all senators who represent states through which the route runs – would set aside resources for maintenance and safety improvements along the route, and compel Amtrak to fulfill its promise of matching funding for the successful TIGER IX discretionary grant supported by the Kansas Department of Transportation and local communities along the route. In addition, this amendment would effectively reverse Amtrak’s decision to substitute rail service with bus service over large segments of the route.
Items to note:
- On July 25, 2018, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a Sense of the Congress measure to affirm support for the long-distance rail service.
- Last week, Sen. Moran joined a bipartisan group of senators in a letter to Amtrak’s CEO urging him to uphold Amtrak’s side of a longstanding public-private partnership to continue operating the Southwest Chief passenger train and long-distance passenger service.
- Last month, Sen. Moran and five of his Senate colleagues met with Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson to discuss solutions for the Southwest Chief and encourage more transparency in Amtrak’s decision-making.
- In May, Sen. Moran led a bipartisan, multi-state letter condemning Amtrak’s decision not to match TIGER grant funds.
- Also in May, Sen. Moran questioned Amtrak board nominees on Amtrak’s decision not to match federal TIGER grant program funding and on their intentions regarding the Southwest Chief.
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