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Sen. Moran Shares Vision for Protecting Production Agriculture
Participated in Upson Lecture Series at Kansas Farm Bureau
May 05 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) delivered remarks in Manhattan on Thursday, April 28, 2011, about the vital importance of agriculture to Kansas, the country and the world as part of the Upson Lecture Series.
“Our livelihood depends on agriculture – which feeds us, clothes us, and puts the roof above our heads,” Sen. Moran said. “As a U.S. Senator from a farm state, I often find myself educating my colleagues and other officials in Washington, D.C., about the importance of implementing policies that support this critical industry. This includes stopping harmful federal overregulation – including from the EPA – which is threatening the future of agriculture and our global competitiveness.”
The Upson Lecture Series is named after Dr. Dan Upson – a distinguished retired professor of Veterinary Medicine at K-State. The lecture series is hosted by a student-led organization at K-State, called “Food for Thought,” whose mission is to share agriculture’s story by educating consumers about the origins of the food and goods they enjoy each day. They pursue this through a variety of avenues, including the Upson Lecture Series, an educational farm tour program called Farm Tour Fridays, and by answering consumer questions at the grocery store with a program called Farm Fax.
Click here for a photo of Sen. Moran with members of Food for Thought. Pictured with Senator Moran from left to right: Barrett Smith, Tawnya Roenbaugh, Abby Jones, Brooks Butler, Brandon Harder, Chelsea Good, DJ Rezac, Kiley Stinson, Dr. Dan Upson, Clem Neely, Kyla Clawson, Miles Theurer, Tera Rooney and Dan Thomson.
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Sen. Moran to Obama: No Accountability, No Confirmation
Letter follows introduction of bill to ensure CFPB is both effective and accountable
May 05 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), along with 43 Senate colleagues, today notified President Obama that he will not confirm any nominee – regardless of party affiliation – to be the Director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) absent structural changes that will make the Bureau accountable to the American people. Under the Dodd-Frank financial regulation Act, the Director is given unfettered authority to regulate businesses that extend consumer credit. Although the Director will also have hundreds of millions of dollars of public money at his or her disposal, no checks and balances are provided on how it is spent. In light of these facts, the Senators sent today’s letter out of concern that such unchecked authority could be used for political purposes at the expense of access to credit, job creation, economic growth, and financial stability.
In the letter, the Senators call for three specific, commonsense reforms to the Bureau’s structure:
- Replace the single Director with a board to oversee the Bureau. This would prevent a single person from dominating the Bureau and provide a critical check on the Bureau’s authority.
- Subject the Bureau to the Congressional appropriations process. This would provide oversight and accountability to the American people on how public money is spent.
- Establish a safety-and-soundness check for the prudential financial regulators, who oversee the safety and soundness of financial institutions. This would help ensure that excessive regulations do not needlessly cause bank failures.
President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Act into law on July 21, 2010. Although Democrats heralded the Bureau as the centerpiece of their legislation, the President has yet to nominate a Director.
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken.), a lead signatory on the letter made the following statement: “The CFPB as created by the deeply-flawed Dodd-Frank Act is set to be one of the least accountable and most powerful agencies in Washington. Today’s letter delivers a commitment by 44 Republican Senators to fix the poorly-thought structure of this agency that will have unprecedented reach and control over individual consumer decisions – but an unprecedented lack of oversight and accountability. The reforms outlined are necessary before we will consider any nominee to head this agency.”
Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Ranking Republican on the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and also a lead signatory on the letter, issued the following statement: “This is about accountability. The Bureau, as currently structured, lacks any semblance of the checks and balances inherent in the Constitution. Everyone supports consumer protection, but we should never entrust a single person with this much power and public money. We are simply asking the President to support common sense reforms that provide the accountability absent in the current structure.”
Senator Jerry Moran, who has filed legislation that would enact reforms contained in the letter, made the following remarks: “Allowing a single unelected bureaucrat to define their own jurisdiction and regulate vast segments of our economy without accountability or restraint is a ‘reform’ that should be rejected. My commonsense legislation brings a variety of perspectives to the Bureau and gives Congress the oversight authority required for such a powerful agency. We stand ready to work with the president to make certain the CFPB is both effective and accountable.”
Senator Moran’s legislation, S. 737, the Responsible Consumer Financial Protection Regulations Act of 2011, would replace the single CFPB Director with a Senate-confirmed five-person commission – similar to the leadership structure of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trade Commission (CFTC) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It would also subject the CFPB to the regular appropriations process like most federal agencies. Senator Moran is a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
Click here to see the full text of the letter.
Click here to view the full text of S. 737.
Sen. Moran Presented Spirit of Enterprise Award by U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Honored for his support of a pro-growth business environment
May 04 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) was recently presented with the “Spirit of Enterprise” award by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations. The “Spirit of Enterprise” award honors Sen. Moran’s support of pro-growth legislation during the second session of the 111th Congress, when then-Congressman Moran served Kansans in the “Big First” district.
“The Chamber is honored to recognize Senator Moran for helping create an environment in which businesses can grow and create jobs,” said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber. “He has shown great conviction by standing on the side of business, at a time when it matters most.”
Eligibility for the “Spirit of Enterprise” award is based on how members of Congress vote on key business issues, including tax rate extension; health care reform; financial services reform; and promotion of science and math education.
The designated “key votes” are recorded floor votes on issues established as priorities on which the Chamber communicates its position prior to the vote. This is the 22nd year the U.S. Chamber has formally honored the accomplishments of a select group of members of Congress.
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Moran Statement on Death of Bin Laden
Historic success in War on Terror speaks to resolve of American troops
May 02 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) issued the following statement regarding the successful American operation in Pakistan that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden:
“Nearly 10 years ago, thousands of innocent Americans lost their lives on September 11th. The momentous news of Osama bin Laden’s death – al Qaeda’s leader and the mastermind of those attacks – is a historic success in the War on Terror. It speaks to the resolve of our American troops and intelligence officers who have worked relentlessly for this moment. As we move forward, we will continue our unyielding efforts to dismantle terror networks around the world and protect American lives.”
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Congressional Delegation Supports Kansas Energy Development
Demands USDA defend current Environmental Review Regulations
Apr 28 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, U.S. Representative Lynn Jenkins, U.S. Representative Tim Huelskamp, U.S. Representative Kevin Yoder, and U.S. Representative Mike Pompeo today requested that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder protect USDA rural lending practices by defending existing USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) environmental review regulations.
In 2007, the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit against USDA RUS to stop Sunflower Electric Power Corporation’s (Sunflower) planned power plant project in Holcomb, Kansas. On March 29, 2011, a federal district court judge ruled that USDA RUS violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to require Sunflower to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The judge’s ruling, however, is in contravention to longstanding USDA RUS regulations created during the Clinton Administration that do not require an EIS if RUS merely has a preexisting loan interest and is not the primary lender for the proposed project – as in Sunflower’s case.
If USDA chooses to settle the case and not appeal the judge’s ruling, it would establish the precedent that every rural utility provider must prepare an EIS for all infrastructure repair, replacement, and expansion projects regardless of whether RUS is the primary lender. This would increase the cost and unnecessarily delay much-needed rural development projects in Kansas and across the nation.
Sen. Moran, Rep. Jenkins, Rep. Huelskamp, Rep. Yoder and Rep. Pompeo issued the following statement along with the letter sent today:
“It would be irresponsible and short-sighted for the Administration to give in to the plaintiff’s unreasonable demands in this case. In a time when we need to encourage investment in rural America and reduce high energy prices, settling this case would be sending the opposite signal. Not only would it stop Sunflower’s Holcomb project, but it would have a lasting negative impact on future economic development in rural America, delaying needed utility infrastructure repair, replacement, and expansion projects.”
Click here to read the full text of the letter.
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Sen. Moran Introduces Bill to Preserve Rural Health Care Access
Legislation to preserve Kansans' access to important therapy services
Apr 27 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), member of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, recently introduced S. 778, the Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTS) Act, to ensure rural populations have access to a full range of outpatient therapeutic services in their own communities. “Outpatient therapeutic services” include services such as drug infusions, blood transfusions, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services.
These health care services have traditionally been administered by licensed, skilled medical professionals in hospitals under the overall direction of a physician. However, in an attempt to clarify existing regulations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) retroactively interpreted the policy in 2009 to require that a physician not only provide supervision, but physically be present at all times when therapy services are being provided – the majority of which are low risk.
“CMS’ policy does not take into account the realities of rural health care. Many Kansas hospitals, and other rural hospitals across the country, will find these supervision requirements impossible to meet, jeopardizing continued access to these important health care services,” Sen. Moran said. “Small and rural hospitals, where medical workforce shortages are most severe, need reasonable flexibility to appropriately staff their facilities so they can continue to provide a full range of services to their communities. The PARTS Act is a commonsense solution that would preserve patient safety while easing unreasonable regulations on hospitals.”
“CMS’ supervision policy threatens the survival of Kansas hospitals,” said Dennis George, Chief Executive Officer of Coffey County Hospital in Burlington, Kansas. “We need a permanent solution that recognizes how we operate hospitals in rural America. The PARTS Act would fix this problem by providing rural hospitals with the flexibility we need to continue providing much needed therapy services to patients in their own communities.”
In response to concerns raised by Sen. Moran, other lawmakers from rural states, and hospitals, CMS delayed enforcement of direct supervision regulations in 2010 and 2011. However, the regulations are scheduled to go into effect next year.
The PARTS Act would:
- Allow general supervision by a physician or non-physician providers for many outpatient therapy services;
- Require CMS to allow a default setting of general supervision, rather than direct supervision, for outpatient therapy services;
- Create an advisory panel to establish an exemption process for risky and complex outpatient services;
- Create a special rule for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that recognizes their unique size and Medicare conditions of participation; and
- Hold hospitals and CAHs harmless from civil or criminal action regarding CMS’ current direct supervision policy for the period 2001 through 2011.
The American Hospital Association and National Rural Health Association have endorsed the PARTS Act. Click here for a summary of the PARTS Act or click here to read the full text of the bill.
Sen. Moran Makes Easter Visit to Troops in Afghanistan
Met with General Petraeus, Afghan President Karzai, and Ambassador Eikenberry
Apr 23 2011
KABUL – U.S. Senator Jerry
Moran (R-Kan.) and an official Congressional delegation of U.S. Senators led by
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell met yesterday in Kabul, Afghanistan with
Afghan President Hamid Karzai; U.S. Army General David Petraeus, the Commander
of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and U.S. Forces in
Afghanistan; U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry; and other top
government and military leaders to discuss the progress of the war in
Afghanistan.
Following a briefing by the officials, Sen. Moran visited the Kabul Military
Training Center (KMTC) outside the city, where he met with U.S. soldiers,
including Kansans. The senator thanked them for their service and sacrifices on
behalf of our country. The Center’s mission is to recruit, equip and train the
Afghan National Army. Additionally, Sen. Moran met with President Karzai to
discuss the timeline for drawdown of U.S. and NATO troops.
“The report I hear from Kansans and our military commanders is that the
situation in Afghanistan continues to improve, though it is clear to me
progress is very, very difficult to achieve," Sen. Moran said. "There
is a clear understanding by Afghan leaders that American forces will be
significantly reduced by 2014 and American leadership is working to have the
best security and economic conditions by that time.”
“I am thankful for the sacrifice and hard work of the Kansans I visited with,
and all members of our Armed Forces. Their service is helping build a better
life for Afghanis and protecting the United States," Sen. Moran continued.
"It was an honor to spend time with Americans serving our country
especially during Easter season. I left Afghanistan with great respect for
their sacrifice and commitment."
This was Sen. Moran’s third trip to Afghanistan since the U.S. military began fighting
the Taliban there in 2001. While there, he also received an update on the work
of the about 60 Kansas Army and Air National Guard members serving on an
Agribusiness Development Team in the Lagham Province who are helping farmers in
Afghanistan increase agricultural production.
The ISAF, led by General Petraeus, is a coalition of countries under NATO
command working to help the Afghan people establish a framework for the
democratic rule of law. ISAF Provincial Teams are aiding Afghan authorities to
strengthen institutions that will establish good governance and rule of law.
Gen. Petraeus previously served as the Commanding General of Ft. Leavenworth.
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Sen. Moran Continues to Uphold Eisenhower Legacy
Appointed to Eisenhower Memorial Commission
Apr 21 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) today announced Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) has been appointed to serve on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission, whose mission is to establish a permanent memorial in Washington, D.C. to honor former General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Sen. Moran previously served on the Commission as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I consider it a great privilege to continue serving on the Eisenhower Memorial Commission,” Sen. Jerry Moran said. “President Eisenhower’s legacy of protecting our country and the American people is most deserving of a memorial. I look forward to helping establish a memorial so future generations can learn of President Eisenhower’s contributions to our country.”
“I am delighted Jerry agreed to serve on this important Commission,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell. “Jerry has represented President Eisenhower’s hometown of Abilene for over 14 years and has a personal passion to honor Ike’s dedication to our country. I am glad he will be working to make sure the lessons Ike taught our country are never forgotten. The dedication of a memorial to his life and service is long overdue.”
“The Eisenhower Memorial Commission welcomes the appointment of Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran,” said Brig. General (Ret). Carl Reddel, Executive Director of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission. “Sen. Moran was a passionate supporter of the Commission’s work during his time in the House. We are confident this keen support will continue in the Senate. Sen. Moran strengthened the Commission’s ties to the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. Sen. Moran will play a key role in completing the Commission’s Congressional mandate to honor this great American while giving his beloved Kansas an extraordinary permanent presence in the nation’s capital.”
Sen. Moran was first appointed to serve on the Commission in 2000 and remained until 2010, while he represented Kansans in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission is a twelve member body with four members appointed by the President, four appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and four appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) recently received the 2011 Bill Emerson & Mickey Leland Hunger Leadership Award from the Congressional Hunger Center for his contributions to fighting hunger.
“Many Kansans, including former Sen. Bob Dole and former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, have worked to end hunger at home and abroad. I thank them for their efforts and the many others who continue to raise awareness about this important issue,” Sen. Moran said. “I remain committed to the goal of ending hunger in Kansas and around the world.”
Sen. Moran is a member of the Senate Hunger Caucus after serving as co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus for four years when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives. In these roles, Moran has focused his attention on the problem of food deserts, improving childhood nutrition, and encouraging agricultural development in poverty-stricken countries.
The Congressional Hunger Center is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization that administers the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows Program and the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program. Bill Emerson & Mickey Leland Hunger Leadership Award honorees are chosen for their significant contributions to fighting hunger in the United States and overseas. They exemplify the determination necessary to make hunger and poverty a focal point in the United States and Congress.
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