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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus – today joined Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) to introduce the Healthy Food Access for All Americans (HFAAA) Act. The legislation aims to expand access to affordable and nutritious food in areas designated as “food deserts” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Over the past year, we have seen unprecedented need at food banks as Kansans line-up seeking access to nutritional food,” said Sen. Moran. “Even while living in the breadbasket of our nation, food insecurity affects far too many Kansans, a need that has only increased during COVID-19. This bipartisan legislation, which would incentivize food providers to establish and renovate grocery stores, food banks and farmers markets in communities that traditionally lack affordable, healthy and convenient food options, is now more important than ever during this pandemic.”

“Today, too many Americans lack access to fresh nutritious and healthy foods,” said Sen. Warner. “Unfortunately, that reality has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis, which has made it even more difficult for working families to seek out and afford healthy foods. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill that will serve as an important tool to combat food insecurity in our communities.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made routine tasks like going to the grocery store difficult for millions of Americans—especially for families who live in a food dessert and have to travel an extended distance to access healthy foods,” said Sen. Casey. “No one in America should be burdened by a simple trip to the grocery store. The bipartisan Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act would provide critical support to expand access to healthy food in underserved communities,” said Sen. Casey.

“Many Americans living in rural communities—including those in West Virginia—have difficulty accessing fresh and nutritious foods,” said Sen. Capito. “I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation, which will go a long way in helping to improve access to groceries and healthy foods across West Virginia and make it easier for businesses and non-profit organizations to serve our rural communities.”

According to recent data from USDA, nearly 40 million Americans live in food deserts, areas defined to be without grocery stores within one or more miles in urban regions, and ten or more miles in rural regions. In Kansas alone, there are more than 800,000 individuals living in food deserts according to the Kansas Health Foundation. Studies have shown that Americans who live in communities with low-access to healthy food options are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, according to USDA’s own study, people of color are more likely to reside in a food desert.

In an effort to eliminate food deserts in the U.S., the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act would provide incentives to food providers to expand access to healthy foods in these underserved communities and reduce the number of food deserts nationwide.

Specifically, the Healthy Food Access for All Americans 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.

The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act boasts the support of numerous organizations, including Feeding America, the National Grocers Association, Share Our Strength and Bread for the World.

“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,” said Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America Kate Leone. “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.”

“The National Grocers Association embraces Senator Warner’s efforts to remove the obstacles faced by grocers looking to expand access to nutritious food for rural and urban communities without a supermarket,” said Senior Director of Government Relations at National Grocers Association Molly Pfaffenroth. “Independent community grocers are the heartbeat of the areas they serve and historically are leaders in reaching out to those most in need of better food options. Communities are stronger both physically and economically when they have better access to healthy food, so we look forward to working with Congress on this important bipartisan legislation.”

“To end childhood hunger in America, we must ensure that low-income families, have equitable access to healthy, affordable food options no matter their zip code or circumstances,” said Founder and Executive Chair of Share Our Strength Billy Shore. “Ending food deserts will help more families put food on the table and help children get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and strong. Share Our Strength supports The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and thanks Sens. Warner, Moran, Casey, and Capito for their leadership on this issue.”

“Bread for the World is once again excited to see a bipartisan effort to address food deserts and improve access to nutritious food in low-income areas across America,” said Heather Valentine, Director of Government Relations of Bread for the World. “With 1 in 6 Americans and 1 in 4 children experiencing food insecurity during this pandemic, this legislation is desperately needed. Bread for the World thanks Senators Warner, Moran, Casey and Capito for introducing this bill to reduce hunger in communities and improve health across the country.”

Companion legislation will soon be introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.).

Items to note:

  • Since COVID-19 began, Sen. Moran has visited and volunteered at multiple food distribution sites to see firsthand the need of Kansans for healthy and nutritious food during the pandemic.
  • Prior to Thanksgiving, Sen. Moran joined Operation Food Secure in Topeka to distribute food boxes to families in need and participated in the 14th Annual El Dorado Turkey Drive in Butler County.
  • On September 21, 2020 Sen. Moran visited the Kansas National Guard Meal preparation operation in Leawood, where National Guard members packaged millions of meals for distribution to food banks across Kansas.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) - members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – today reintroduced the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act, legislation to address the shortage of trained workers necessary to fill next-generation jobs in the telecommunications industry in communities throughout the country.

“As our country continues to work towards providing high-speed broadband connectivity to all parts of the country, including the deployment of 5G mobile broadband, there is a growing demand for a skilled workforce that would support this effort,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation takes another step to help bridge the digital divide in rural areas like those in Kansas, but would also work to increase the number of well-paying jobs in the economy, supporting our rural workforce in the wake of this pandemic. As the lead Republican on the Senate Commerce Subcommittee with jurisdiction over workforce development, I will continue to support modernized training programs that help produce the highly-skilled workforce needed in a globalized economy.”

“This legislation is a win-win when it comes to deploying 5G technology and rural broadband services to South Dakotans, while also ensuring skilled workers have the training necessary for good-paying jobs in the telecommunications industry,” said Sen. Thune. “South Dakota’s technical colleges lead the way, and this bill gives our schools’ graduates even more opportunities to succeed.”

“This bipartisan legislation helps get folks in rural and frontier communities the skills they need to get good-paying jobs close to home while helping rural states like Montana keep up in today’s economy,” said Sen. Tester. “By addressing our workforce shortage in the wireless and broadband industry, we’re improving connectivity at the same time we get folks trained for 21st century jobs.”

“As our country moves quickly toward full-scale deployment of 5G, addressing the needs of our nation’s telecommunications workforce is a critical step to realizing the promise of this technology,” said Sen. Wicker. “Substantial skill and labor will be required to build out and maintain next-generation broadband networks. This legislation would identify the necessary resources to improve 5G workforce readiness. I thank Senator Thune for his continued work on this issue.”

“This pandemic has proven that access to broadband to the is vital for students, workers and small businesses in today’s interconnected society and economy,” said Sen. Peters. “We must ensure we have the skilled workforce needed to update our next-generation networks for folks in Michigan and across the country. I’m pleased to support this bipartisan effort, which will not only create jobs but increase economic activity and connectivity as we work to get through this pandemic.”

The Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act would address the shortage of trained workers necessary to fill next-generation jobs by:

  • Establishing an FCC-led interagency working group that, in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL) and other federal and non-federal stakeholders, would be tasked with developing recommendations to address the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry.
  • Requiring the FCC, in consultation with DOL, to issue guidance on how states can address the workforce shortage in the telecommunications industry by identifying all of the federal resources currently available to them that can be used for workforce development efforts.
  • Directing the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study to determine the specific number of skilled telecommunications workers that will be required to build and maintain broadband infrastructure in rural areas and the 5G wireless infrastructure needed to support 5G wireless technology.

Strong stakeholder support for the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act:

“NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association strongly supports the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act that was introduced today in the United States Senate by Senators Thune, Tester, Wicker, Moran and Peters. Workforce development remains a top priority for the Association's member companies and it is great to see this bi-partisan group of U.S. Senators come out of the gate strong in the 117th Congress through the introduction of this legislation,” said Todd Schlekeway, president and CEO of NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association. “NATE believes that the provisions outlined in the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act can serve as a springboard to fostering greater collaboration between the federal government, state workforce boards, higher education and industry to accomplish the ultimate goal of developing a future pipeline of skilled technicians that the country sorely needs to meet its ambitious broadband and 5G deployment objectives.”

“With connectivity in demand more now than ever, the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act helps at the right time. The bill places needed focus on developing the wireless workforce the U.S. needs to win the race to 5G. It emphasizes the right solution with apprenticeship, given the success of the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program,” said Jonathan Adelstein, president and CEO of WIA. “Building a trained wireless workforce will enable the U.S. to reap the benefits from 5G, including the creation of three million jobs and an economic growth impact of $500 billion annually to the economy. We thank Sen. Thune for his leadership and Sens. Tester, Wicker, Moran, and Peters for their support.” 

“Americans need jobs – and broadband connectivity. As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, what better way to tackle both than to support jobs in the telecommunications industry?” said Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association. “Broadband infrastructure needs a skilled workforce, and at the current rate of deployment, the telecommunications industry is expected to see hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the next five years. NTCA thanks Senators Thune, Tester, Moran, Peters and Wicker for reintroducing the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act.”

“One lesson from the pandemic?” said Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO of USTelecom. “A highly skilled broadband workforce is critical to maintaining our shared communications networks and ensuring we all stayed connected. As 5G and next generation technologies continue to quickly roll out, Senators Thune, Tester, Moran, Wicker and Peters have come up with a strategic plan to bring policymakers and innovators together to identify, train and employ the world’s best 5G and broadband workforce and strengthen America’s connected leadership now and in the years ahead.”

“CTIA commends the work of Senators Thune, Tester, Moran, Peters and Wicker to grow and enable the skilled workforce needed to deploy next-generation networks, which will help the U.S. realize the promise of the 5G Economy,” said Kelly Cole, senior vice president, government affairs of CTIA.

“The bipartisan bill – the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act (TSWA) – introduced by U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), will work to shore up that labor pipeline,” said  Christina Mason, vice president of government affairs, WISPA.  “In identifying the workforce needs of the telecommunications industry, the breadth of its workforce challenge and the resources available to skill and then bring more workers into the telecommunications industry, the TSWA will help the U.S. continue innovating and lead the global telecommunications revolution we see in such technology as 5G mobile and fixed services.”

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U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan) joined Gerard Baker on Fox News outside the White House on February 1, 2021 ahead of a meeting with President Biden to discuss the Republican $618 billion COVID-19 relief proposal.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined nine of his Republican colleagues to unveil details of their targeted COVID-19 federal relief proposal and to request a meeting with President Biden to discuss the proposal in further detail. President Biden accepted the request and invited the Republican senators to the White House for a meeting at 5pm ET today.

“Last year, Congress spent $4 trillion on bipartisan COVID-19 relief packages to support Americans as our country faced the challenges of this pandemic,” said Sen. Moran. “While more can be done to accelerate vaccine distribution and protect small businesses, the Democrats’ $2 trillion plan filled with unrelated, partisan wish list items is not the right path forward.”

“I am pleased to join my colleagues in putting forth a targeted framework, built on a foundation of bipartisan ideas, to get more vaccines in people’s arms and help Americans who are struggling most,” continued Sen. Moran. “President Biden has pledged a spirit of unity, and I hope he will rise to that promise by working with both sides of the aisle in Congress to pass a sixth bipartisan relief package to meet the ongoing challenges of this crisis.”

The $600 billion Republican proposal includes funding for COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution, additional resources to get children safely back to school, support for small businesses and economic relief for families.

Yesterday, Sen. Moran joined his Republican colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden to discuss their alternative COVID-19 relief proposal. Joining Sen. Moran are U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

Full text of the letter below, and the PDF is here.

January 31, 2021

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20500

Dear Mr. President:

As you proclaimed in your Inaugural Address, overcoming the challenges facing our nation “requires the most elusive of things in a democracy: Unity.”  Heeding that important call, we welcome the opportunity to work with you in a bipartisan manner to combat the COVID-19 virus and provide continued support to families struggling during the pandemic. 

In the spirit of bipartisanship and unity, we have developed a COVID-19 relief framework that builds on prior COVID assistance laws, all of which passed with bipartisan support.  Our proposal reflects many of your stated priorities, and with your support, we believe that this plan could be approved quickly by Congress with bipartisan support.  We request the opportunity to meet with you to discuss our proposal in greater detail and how we can work together to meet the needs of the American people during this persistent pandemic. 

Addressing this public health crisis has required robust and rapid support for vaccine development and distribution, testing and tracing, treatment and supplies, including the production and deployment of personal protective equipment.  We agree with you that continuing to build our capacity in these areas is crucial to overcoming the pandemic.  Like your plan, our proposal includes a total of $160 billion to enhance our capabilities in these areas as well as to support our health care providers, who are on the front lines of the pandemic.  Our plan mirrors your request for $4 billion to bolster our behavioral health and substance abuse services.

Our proposal also includes economic relief for those Americans with the greatest need, providing more targeted assistance than in the Administration’s plan. We propose an additional round of economic impact payments for those families who need assistance the most, including their dependent children and adults.  Our plan also includes extending enhanced federal unemployment benefits at the current level and fully funding your request for nutrition assistance to help struggling families.

We share your goal of providing additional assistance for our small businesses. Included in our plan are additional resources to help our small businesses and their employees through the successful Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. 

Getting our children back to school and making sure that schools are able to stay open safely are priorities that we strongly support.  Our plan includes resources for these purposes as well as for child care, which is a critical component to getting Americans back to work.  

Finally, we note that billions of dollars remain unspent from the previous COVID relief packages.  Just last month, Congress provided $900 billion in additional resources, and communities are only now receiving much of that assistance.  Some of the spending appropriated through the CARES Act, passed last March, also has yet to be exhausted. The proposal we have outlined is mindful of these past efforts, while also acknowledging the priorities that need additional support right now. 

In 2020, Members of the House and Senate and the previous Administration came together on a bipartisan basis five times to direct the resources of the federal government toward combatting the urgent COVID-19 pandemic.  Each of these laws received the support of members from both political parties. With your support, we believe Congress can once again craft a relief package that will provide meaningful, effective assistance to the American people and set us on a path to recovery.

We recognize your calls for unity and want to work in good faith with your Administration to meet the health, economic, and societal challenges of the COVID crisis. 

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined Fox News today at the White House ahead of his meeting with President Biden to discuss the $618 billion Republican COVID-19 federal relief proposal.

“I’m going to do everything I can to encourage the President to do something that is much more targeted and much less expensive than the $1.9 trillion package that the White House has proposed,” said Sen. Moran. “I’m a pretty darn conservative Republican and to spend this amount of money, I want to make sure it is going towards the relief of Americans who are suffering as a consequence of COVID-19 and there are lots of things in this bill (Biden’s proposal) that is beyond that scope.”

“My view is: Mr. President, let’s focus on vaccines – I think it’s the most important thing,” continued Sen. Moran. “More shots in more arms is the best thing that can happen for our country’s wellbeing, both from a health perspective and from an economic point of view. But I also want to make sure we get kids back in the classroom, that small businesses get some assistance and Americans who need the most help get help from this package… …I am certainly willing to work with the President to get a more conservative, targeted response to COVID-19, and get it done quickly to benefit Americans.”

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Full Interview 

 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations – along with U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) reintroduced the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. This bipartisan bill will ensure that goods made with Uyghur forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) do not enter the United States. Earlier this year, the State Department issued a determination that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is committing crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

“The Chinese government is committing gross violations of human rights against the Uyghurs and Muslim minorities, and the United States cannot ignore what is happening nor in any way enable the continued abuse of the Uyghurs,” said Sen. Moran. “I’ve repeatedly condemned the abuses carried out by China, and they must be held accountable. This bipartisan legislation would prevent goods created from the forced labor and abuse of the Uyghurs from ending up on American soil, making certain the Chinese Communist Party does not profit from slave labor.”

“As the Chinese Communist Party is committing egregious human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities, including genocide and crimes against humanity, there is no excuse to turn a blind eye. We must instead do everything in our power to stop them,” said Sen. Rubio. “This bill is an important step in that direction. My bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act would ensure that the CCP is not profiting from its abuses by stopping products made with Uyghur forced labor from entering our supply chains.”

“For years, the Chinese government has been committing genocide in Xinjiang, subjecting Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities to torture, imprisonment, forced labor, and pressure to abandon their religious and cultural practices,” said Sen. Merkley. “The fact that some of the products they’ve been forced to produce are ending up on American shelves is disturbing and unacceptable. We must ban the importation of these goods to ensure that we are not complicit in the genocide, and fully commit ourselves to holding the perpetrators accountable for these atrocities.”

This legislation was cosponsored by U.S. Senators James Risch (R-Idaho), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.).

Sen. Moran was also an original cosponsor of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-145), the first piece of legislation regarding Uyghurs in the world to be signed into law. Last summer, Sen. Moran called the Chinese government’s actions a genocide, which the State Department confirmed.

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WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) cosponsored three pro-life bills that would prevent taxpayer funding and COVID-19 relief funds from being used to fund abortions and allow states to opt-out of giving Medicaid funds to abortion providers.

“Millions of Americans, including many Kansans, agree that we should defend the unborn, and a majority believe using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions misrepresents their convictions and values,” said Sen. Moran. “Not only should we prevent taxpayer funds from being spent directly on abortions, but states should not be forced to give Medicaid funds to abortion providers. Furthermore, we must make certain abortion providers do not use our current global pandemic to get their hands on taxpayer dollars through the COVID-19 relief packages. I am pleased to once more support these bills that would make certain taxpayer dollars are not being used to terminate the unborn and help prevent billions of taxpayer dollars from going to support abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.”

Sen. Moran was given an A+ rating on the Susan B. Anthony List National Pro-Life Scorecard.

Background on the Women’s Public Health and Safety Act

Under current law, states are required to allow any qualified provider to participate in a state’s Medicaid system. A non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed that Planned Parenthood received nearly $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements over a three year period, accounting for 81 percent of the abortion provider’s joint federal-state funding stream. This legislation would give states the authority to exclude abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds.

Background on The Protecting Life in Crisis Act

This legislation prohibits any funds that are authorized or appropriated for the purposes of preventing, preparing for, or responding to the COVID–19 pandemic, domestically and internationally, from going toward abortions or abortion coverage. Sen. Moran joined several of his Senate colleagues in May in calling for an investigation into how Planned Parenthood was able to obtain loans through the Paycheck Protection Program.

Background on the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act   

Currently, policies that regulate federal funding for abortions, like the long-standing Hyde Amendment, have to be reapproved each year and can be terminated at any time. This bill would eliminate the need for annual action and ensure a permanent, government-wide prohibition on funding for abortions.

In addition to establishing a government-wide ban on federal funding for abortion, this legislation would:

  • Prohibit funding for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion with funds authorized or appropriated by Federal law;
  • Prohibit abortion in federal health facilities (such as DOD and VA hospitals) and ensure that no federal employee provides abortion services in the course of their employment;
  • Make permanent the provisions of the D.C. Hyde Amendment, or the Dornan Amendment, which clarifies that the federal provisions regarding abortion funding also apply to the government of the District of Columbia;
  • Ensure that elective abortion is not deductible for tax purposes by amending Section 213 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
  • Ensure that Affordable Care Act premium assistance subsidies provided in the form of refundable, advanceable tax credits are not used to pay for health insurance plans that include abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is at risk.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement regarding the impeachment proceedings for former President Donald J. Trump:

“The Constitution is where I go to find answers. Unfortunately, the Constitution does not clearly answer whether a former president can be impeached and then tried by the Senate. This decision will set precedent for future Congresses in regards to impeachment, and I am clearly on the side that a former president should not be subject to impeachment. Giving the green light that future Congresses can impeach a former president would cause extreme damage to our country and the future of the presidency.”

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WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) cosponsored the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to provide commonsense protections for unborn children at 20 weeks after fertilization, a point at which there is scientific evidence that abortion inflicts tremendous pain on the unborn.

“Every year, thousands of unborn children are aborted after 20 weeks gestation—a point where we know, based on science, those babies can feel pain. I will always vote to defend the sanctity of life and hope that one day we will become a society that protects our most vulnerable, instead of one that permits their destruction.”

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WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection, and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced four members of the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics. This commission was created following Sen. Moran’s Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act being signed into law last year.  

“I am grateful to these four individuals for their willingness to serve on the commission,” said Sen. Moran. “Their work will help ensure the good stewardship of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee providing both current and future athletes a safe, competitive and equitable arena to pursue their dream of representing the United States at the Olympic Games. As former Olympians, John Dane and Brittney Reese, know first-hand the hard work required and challenges one must overcome to achieve this dream and they, along with Robert Cohen and William Hybl, will bring valuable experience and expertise to this commission.”   

“John Dane and Brittney Reese’s dedication has led them both to the pinnacles of their respective sports,” said Sen. Wicker. “And Robert Cohen and William Hybl are long-time leaders in public service who will contribute great insight and knowledge to the work of the commission. I am grateful for their willingness to serve and know they will bring a breadth of experience in promoting opportunity, inclusion, and safety for current and future athletes.”

Robert Cohen, a native of Kansas, has served on more than 20 non-profit boards throughout his career and is currently serving on the United States Olympic Museum Board of Directors and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, as well as seven others.

John Dane, a Gulfport, Mississippi, native, is an American Olympic sailor who competed in the 2008 Beijing games together with his son-in-law, Austin Sperry.

Brittney Reese, also a Gulfport native, became the first American woman to win a gold medal in long jump since Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who won at the 1988 Seoul Games. Ms. Reese’s Olympic title followed an impressive career at the University of Mississippi and four world champion long jump titles.

William Hybl served as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2000-2002. He is currently the chairman of the U.S. Olympic Endowment and President Emeritus of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). During his tenure on the USOPC, he led multiple United States Olympic Team Delegations, including the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France, and the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

Sens. Moran and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act in July of 2019 following an eighteen-month investigation into systemic abuse within the U.S. Olympic movement. The joint investigation was launched the day after Larry Nassar was sentenced to prison and included four subcommittee hearings, interviews with Olympic athletes and survivors and the review of over 70,000 pages of documents. President Trump signed this legislation into law last year.

This law requires the formation of a “Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics.” The commission is directed to conduct a study on recent reforms undertaken by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to improve the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission, among other things. The commission is required to submit a report to Congress 270 days after the date of enactment of the law and will conduct a review of recent USOPC reforms, assess participation and evaluate licensing arrangements.

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