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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, and Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) led the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in a joint statement of support for Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO in response to the respective nations announcing their intent to join the transatlantic alliance:

“The Senate NATO Observer Group welcomes today’s announcement by Finland and Sweden that they will begin the formal application process to join the NATO Alliance in pursuit of peace and prosperity in Europe. NATO has helped preserve our world order for more than 70 years, but as Putin’s campaign of violence in Ukraine continues and as he looks elsewhere to spread his malign influence, Finland and Sweden’s entry into NATO at this moment is paramount to countering his threats to global security, and especially to nearby, vulnerable nations,” said the Senators. “Finland and Sweden are longstanding NATO partners who already share the collective values that guide our alliance. This demonstration of their intent proves that there are different paths to NATO membership, and we welcome the addition of two highly-capable and enduring partners to join the alliance officially.”

The Senate NATO Observer Group was first established over twenty years ago in 1997 by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) and Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) to serve as a connection between the Administration, NATO and the U.S. Senate. After being disbanded in 1997 due to a lack of NATO enlargement rounds, Shaheen and Tillis re-established the Group in 2018 with an expanded mission to closely monitor and inform Senators outside of national security committees about defense spending commitments of Alliance members, the process of upgrading military capabilities, the Alliance’s counter-terrorism capability, NATO enlargement and the ability of NATO member states to address non-conventional warfare. The Group has 7 Democrats and 7 Republicans, including U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.).

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.) – a member of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s disease – joined a bipartisan group of senators in introducing a pair of bills to cement and build on the progress made to prevent and help treat Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease costs the U.S. $321 billion per year, including $206 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid. Alzheimer’s is projected to affect 12.7 million seniors and nearly surpass $1 trillion in annual costs by 2050. In 2021, family caregivers provided 16 billion hours of unpaid care for loved ones with dementia. Nearly half of baby boomers reaching age 85 will either be afflicted with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone who has it.

“Our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and the development of new treatments has made significant progress since the National Alzheimer’s Project Act was first signed into law in 2011,” said Sen. Moran. “In my role on both the HELP and Appropriations Committee, I remain committed to providing necessary resources so we not only maintain NAPA’s progress but expand it to help end this horrible disease.”

In 2011 after being signed into law, the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) convened a panel of experts, who created a coordinated strategic national plan to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. The law is set to expire soon and must be reauthorized to ensure that research investments remain coordinated and their impact is maximized.

The NAPA Reauthorization Act—authored by Sens. Moran, Susan Collins (Maine), Mark Warner (Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.V.), Ed Markey (Mass.) and Bob Menendez (N.J.)—would reauthorize NAPA through 2035 and modernize the legislation to reflect strides that have been made to understand the disease, such as including a new focus on promoting healthy aging and reducing risk factors.

The Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act—authored by Sens. Moran, Collins, Markey, Capito, Warner and Menendez—would continue through 2035 and set a requirement that the Director of the National Institutes of Health submit an annual budget to Congress estimating the funding necessary for NIH to fully implement NAPA’s research goals. Only two other areas of biomedical research – cancer and HIV/AIDs – have been the subject of special budget development aimed at speeding discovery.

“Thanks to the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), we’ve made tremendous progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s. The passage of the NAPA Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act is the next important step to continue the work of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and ensure that the nation continues to prioritize addressing Alzheimer’s and all other dementia,” said Robert Egge, Alzheimer's Association chief public policy officer and AIM executive director. “On behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the sponsors for introducing this important bipartisan legislation to help improve the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer’s throughout the country. The Alzheimer’s Association looks forward to working with our tireless advocates and these congressional champions to advance this bipartisan legislation.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (Kan.) and Roger Marshall, M.D. today announced 23 U.S. Department of Transportation grants for Kansas airports. These grants will be used to make repairs and upgrades to the airports.

“Local airports help bring economic opportunities and critical resources to communities across Kansas,” said Sen. Moran. “These grants are an investment into regional Kansas airports to make certain they are running safely and efficiently to support interstate commerce and travel to and from Kansas.”

“Airports throughout our state provide essential services and expand business opportunities for Kansans,” said Sen. Marshall. “Through these grants, each of these airports will be able to make crucial repairs and upgrades. No doubt, the improvements made will allow the airports to better serve Kansas communities, and I’m glad to see this type of investment in our airports.”

Grant Recipients

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Sen. Moran Gives Remarks at First Conference Committee on USICA/COMPETES Legislation

Calls for NASA Reauthorization in Bipartisan Innovation and Competition Legislation

May 12 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.) today gave remarks at the first conference committee meeting on the bipartisan innovation and competition legislation. During his remarks, Sen. Moran called for the passage of the NASA Authorization Act, which was included in the Senate-passed United States Innovation and Competition Act.

“It is also important that we work to strengthen our entrepreneur and STEM workforces that our nation relies on, as well as pass the NASA Authorization Act, which was included within the Senate legislation,” said Sen. Moran. “Over the past several years, I have worked to ensure NASA missions have continued to progress forward without a NASA authorization. However, when you can present a bipartisan authorization followed up with the funding of programs, it sends a strong signal to the agency, industry and our global partners that we remain committed in accomplishing our stated missions. This is especially critical as our adversaries continue to advance within the space domain.”

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Opening Remarks

Remarks as prepared:

“Thank you all for being here and for your participation in this important discussion.

“While I am the lead Republican on the Senate Veteran’s Affairs Committee, I am also the lead Republican on the Senate Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee which funds many of the implementing agencies for the programs contained in this prospective legislation, including the Department of Commerce, NASA, and the National Science Foundation.

“I am pleased we are starting the conference process on our chambers’ respective competition and innovation bills. This Committee is tasked with making certain our country is out-competing adversarial nations, including China, which we can do by: authorizing necessary investments to remain at the forefront of technological research and development; appropriating funds to bring semiconductor manufacturing and the downstream semiconductor ecosystem back to the US; increasing the transparency and resiliency of our supply chains; and, enlisting the intelligence and productivity of all Americans, including in the middle of the country, via the EPSCoR program.

“It is also important that we work to strengthen our entrepreneur and STEM workforces that our nation relies on, as well as pass the NASA Authorization Act, which was included within the Senate legislation.

“Over the past several years, I have worked to ensure NASA missions have continued to progress forward without a NASA authorization. However, when you can present a bipartisan authorization followed up with the funding of programs, it sends a strong signal to the agency, industry and our global partners that we remain committed in accomplishing our stated missions. This is especially critical as our adversaries continue to advance within the space domain.

“Additionally, while the bills provide immediate funding for the CHIPS Act and wireless development, the vast majority of programs include authorizations of discretionary appropriations.  

“For these programs to have any effect, funding must be secured in a future appropriations bill.

“One of the most critical aspects of the Senate’s competition bill was the bipartisan nature in which the legislation came together.

“In that spirit, I am pleased to be working with my colleague from Kansas, Representative Sharice Davids, as part of this Conference Committee, and look forward to working with all of my colleagues on this Committee toward agreement on a focused bill that reflects the research and development needs of our country.” 

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